BGSU honors 10 accomplished graduates with College Alumni Awards

Bowling Green State University recently recognized 10 distinguished alumni with 2018 College Alumni Awards, one of the university’s highest honors

These outstanding alumni were chosen to represent each of the University’s colleges, highlighting the diversity of BGSU’s degree programs. A committee chose the honorees based on the recommendations of their peers, and each has achieved exceptional accomplishments in his or her career.

“Bowling Green State University is very proud to recognize these 10 esteemed individuals with our 2018 College Alumni Awards,” said Rebecca Kocher, associate vice president for alumni relations, annual giving and development Operations. “Since graduating from BGSU, they have demonstrated a mastery of the skills needed to be successful in their respective industries, as well as an aptitude for leadership and a commitment to bettering their professional communities. Their exceptional work and deeds have brought distinction to themselves, and in turn, to BGSU.”

In addition to their professional accomplishments this year’s honorees have contributed their time and talents to many worthwhile causes and organizations, leaving a positive and lasting impact on institutions and communities all around the country.

The 2018 honorees include:

 
Dr. Jimmy Light ’60
College Arts and Sciences

Dr. Jimmy A. Light is an organ transplant pioneer. After graduating from BGSU, Light attended medical school and then trained in surgery, transplantation and immunology at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and became a member of their newly formed transplant program. After leaving military service in 1983, he became director of transplantation services at the Washington Hospital Center in Washington, D.C. It has grown to become the dominant program in the region and the ninth-largest kidney transplant program in the nation. Light has been a leader in kidney transplant research and advocacy for patients with end-stage renal disease.
 

D’aun Norman ’88
College of Business

D’aun Norman is a partner with Ernst & Young LLP in Detroit. She has 27 years of assurance and advisory experience in northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan, including extensive experience leading audits of public and private companies that operate globally, and has coordinated audit teams in over 40 different countries. Norman is a graduate of the Ernst & Young Executive Program at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. She earned the 2016 Americas Inclusiveness Award at Ernst & Young, recognizing leaders who work to create diverse, high-performing teams by practicing inclusive leadership. She also has had significant involvement in mentoring, development and retention programs.
 

Curtis Danburg ’96
College of Education and Human Development

A graduate of BGSU’s sport management program, Curtis Danburg will be entering his 23rd season with the Cleveland Indians. He began his career with the organization by spending three years interning in the Indians’ Media Relations department before being hired full-time. He later held leadership roles in Corporate Communications, Digital Media and Creative Services. In his current role as senior director of communications, he now oversees these divisions in addition to areas including baseball information, broadcasting, photography and historical archives.

Jeanne Obrenovich ’74
Firelands College

Jeanne C. Obrenovich holds three degrees from BGSU, including a master’s in career technology. She retired from Sysco Food Services of Cleveland in 2008 after a 25-year career. As director of health care sales, she increased target market product sales by 20 percent through designing and implementing a new marketing strategy. She also founded and directed a new healthcare division that exceeded $13 million in revenue through the consolidation of street sales business. In addition, Obrenovich facilitated the acquisition and integration of Seaway Food Service by Sysco to retain over 90 percent of acquired business. She has also helped establish two scholarships to support students at BGSU Firelands.

Dr. Pamela J. Haney ’95
Graduate College

Dr. Pamela J. Haney serves as vice president for Academic Affairs at Moraine Valley Community College, the second-largest community college in Illinois. Haney previously served as Moraine’s dean of liberal arts and dean of academic services, where she was responsible for strategic planning reports for academic affairs, orientation for new deans, faculty recruitment and evaluation and adjunct faculty programs. She also has held positions at the University of Reno-Nevada, Defiance College and Norfolk State University in Virginia. She is a proud graduate of BGSU’s Ph.D. program in interpersonal communications.

Dr. Kevin Webb ’79, ’82
College of Health and Human Services

As chief acute and post-acute care officer at ProMedica, Kevin Webb is responsible for leading the system’s 12 hospitals, diagnostics and ancillary operations and post-acute services, in addition to safety and quality programs for the organization. Prior to his current role, he served as president of ProMedica Toledo Hospital, the region’s largest acute-care hospital and leading tertiary care facility, and president of ProMedica Toledo Children’s Hospital, a 151-bed hospital dedicated to exclusively serving the healthcare needs of children and adolescents. In addition to serving on the boards of numerous health care organizations, Webb is also a member of the Toledo Cultural Arts Center Board, the Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library & Museums Board and a past president of the Sylvania Chamber of Commerce.

Kevin Buss ’01
Honors College

Kevin Buss began his career in information technology at Procter & Gamble in June 2001 after graduating with honors from BGSU. He has been promoted to several positions during his tenure, including interactive marketing manager for the North America Oral Care division, where, in the early years of digital marketing, he led the adoption and early innovation inside the company. He also held the role of digital marketing manager for the North America Baby Care organization, leading many key innovations for the Pampers and Luvs brands that earned him recognition with three consecutive Global Brand Building awards. After several years abroad in Singapore in the Global Baby Care division, Buss returned to Boston in 2015 with expanded roles in digital and business analytics for the Global Grooming business consisting of the Gillette, Venus and Braun brands. Buss also leads P&G’s LGBT organization, and he was recently recognized with the company’s 2017 Luminary Award to highlight the success of his efforts.

Roger A. Hall ’82
College of Musical Arts

Roger Hall graduated from BGSU in 1982 with a Master of Music degree in conducting. He became the first executive director of the Ohio Music Education Association in 2004, following 14 years as CFO of the association. He concurrently serves as the executive director of the Ohio Foundation for Music Education. Hall’s teaching career spanned 30 years, serving as director of bands and supervisor of music at Perry High School in Massillon, director of bands at GlenOak High School in North Canton and director of bands at Lincoln High School in Canton. Hall was named an outstanding faculty member at Perry High School every year from 1989-2002 and in 1985 was named Teacher of the Year at GlenOak High School. He is a recipient of the Distinguished Service Award from The Ohio State University School of Music and the Ohio Music Education Association Distinguished Service Award, and he was inducted into the Ohio Band Directors Hall of Fame in 2010. In 2017, the National Association for Music Education named him a Lowell Mason Fellow for outstanding contributions to music education.

Philip J. Rudolph Jr. '91
College of Technology, Architecture and Applied Engineering

Philip J. Rudolph Jr. is vice president of new business development for Rudolph Libbe Group, a full-service construction and consulting provider. His responsibilities include client relations and satisfaction, public relations, governmental affairs, economic development, branding, marketing and sales. Rudolph is one of a select group of businessmen and women appointed by the governor to the Association of Ohio Commodores, which recognizes its members’ contributions to economic development in their communities and to the state of Ohio. He also holds membership in a number of chambers of commerce and economic development organizations throughout Ohio and Michigan, and he serves as president of the Owens Community College Foundation Board – one of BGSU’s higher education partners.

Dr. Richard J. Hochenberg ’74
University Libraries

Dr. Richard J. Hochenberg earned a bachelor’s degree from BGSU before continuing on to dental school and then private practice as a dentist in his native New York City. He enjoyed a 20-year career as a professor at New York University’s College of Dentistry, where restorative dentistry was his specialty. Hochenberg did more than just teach hundreds of dentists; he also shared ideas with some of the most talented minds in his profession. He had access to many dental advances before they were widely available and was able to implement the most proven ones into his practice. Hochenberg is a member of the New York Academy of Dentistry and has served BGSU’s University Libraries Leadership Council since 2012, serving alongside his wife, Flora. He also is a proud Falcon Club member.