Distinguished Alumni Award: 1986–Present
2019
- Diane Endres Ballweg ’85
- Phill Gross ’82, MS’83
- Dennis George Maki ’62, MS’64, MD’67
- Joey Soloway ’87
2018
- Josh Bollinger ’57, PhD’61
- Carol Edler Baumann ’54
- George F. Hammel Jr. ’80
- Ann McKee ’75
- Allan Chi Yun Wong MS’73
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
- Carl Djerassi PhD’45, co-inventor of birth control pill; author and playwright
- Kay Koplovitz ’67, cable TV pioneer who founded USA Network; first female TV network president
- Cora Marrett MA’65, PhD’68, sociologist and deputy director of National Science Foundation
- William Shernoff JD’62, attorney and father of bad-faith insurance law
- Ben Sidran ’67, jazz musician, music producer, and author
2011
- Dennis Dimick MS’74, Arlington, Virginia, Executive Editor, National Geographic Magazine
- Krishna Ella PhD’93, Hyderabad, India, Founder, Bharat Biotech
- Dong-soo Hur MS’68, PhD’71, Seoul, South Korea, Chair, GS Caltex Corporation
- Kamoltip Payakvichien MA’71, Bangkok, Thailand, Chair, Wangree Hotel and Resort
- Aicardo Roa-Espinosa MS’85, PhD’89, Madison, Wisconsin, President, SoilNet, LLC
- Stephen Roach ’68, Hong Kong, Chair, Morgan Stanley Asia
- Carol Toussaint ’51, Madison, Wisconsin, Consultant and Owner, Vantage Point
- David Walsh BBA’65, Madison, Wisconsin, UW Regent and Attorney, Foley and Lardner
2010
- Robert Barnett ’68 and Rita Braver ’70, Washington, D.C.; Robert: Partner at Williams and Connolly; Rita: Reporter with CBS News Sunday Morning
- Haynes Johnson MS’56 and Kathryn Oberly ’71, JD’73, Washington, D.C.; Haynes: Pulitzer Prize-Winning Journalist and Author; Kathryn: Associate Judge on D.C. Court of Appeals
- Arnold Weiss ’51, LLB’53, Chevy Chase, Maryland, Former Senior Vice President, Emerging Markets Corp.; Discovered Adolf Hitler’s Last Will and Political Testament
2009
- Walt Bogdanich, Port Washington, New York, Investigative Editor, New York Times
- Peter and Susan Straub, New York City; Peter: Acclaimed Horror Novelist; Susan: Director of The Read to Me Project
- Peter Weil, Los Angeles, Managing Partner, Glaser Weil Fink Jacobs Howard & Shapiro
- Jean Wilkowski, Naples, Florida, Former U.S. Ambassador, Held Key Positions in the State Department
2008
- Joanne Disch ’68, Minneapolis, Professor, School of Nursing, University of Minnesota
- Truman Lowe MFA’73, Madison, Art Professor and Sculptor, UW-Madison
- Sheldon ’51, LLB’53 and Marianne x’54 Lubar, Milwaukee; Sheldon: Founder and Chair, Lubar Co.; Marianne: Community Service
- Linnea Smith ’81, MD’84, Black Earth, Wisconsin, and Peru, Physician and Founder of the Amazon Medical Project
- Distinguished Young Alumni Award: Shihoko Fujiwara ’03, Tokyo, Japan, Coordinator of Polaris Project (Fights Human Trafficking)
- Distinguished Young Alumni Award: Stephen Turner ’91, Menlo Park, California, Founder, Pacific Biosciences
2007
- Jerome Chazen BA’48 and Simona Chivian Chazen x’49, New York City; Jerome: CEO, Liz Claiborne; Simona: Psychotherapist
- Ernest Darkoh BS’93, Johannesburg, South Africa, Chair, Broadreach Healthcare
- Harry Spiegelberg BS’59, Appleton, Wisconsin, Vice President, Kimberly-Clark Corp.
- Frances Shuter Taylor BSE’68, Madison, CEO, BA Asia Ltd.
-
Distinguished Young Alumni Award
: Susan Chapman MBA’98, Brooklyn, New York, Global Head of Operations, Citigroup Realty Services
2006
- Jeffrey Bartell ’65, JD’68, Madison, Partner, Quarles and Bradley
- Russell Peterson ’39, PhD’47, Wilmington, Delaware, President, National Audubon Society
- Pat Richter ’64, JD’71, Madison, Former UW-Madison Athletic Director
- Judith Hicks Stiehm ’57, Santa Monica, California, Professor, Political Science; Women’s Right Advocate and Author
- Distinguished Young Alumni Award: Jean Geran PhD’01, Washington, D.C., International Human Rights Activist
- Distinguished Young Alumni Award: Ben Karlin ’93, Brooklyn, New York, Executive Producer, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
2005
- Florence Chenoweth, New York City, Executive Director of Food & Agriculture Organization, United Nations
- Paul Collins, London, England, Retired Vice Chair, Citigroup
- Elliot Lehman, Wilmette, Illinois Co-Chair Emeritus, Fel-Pro Inc.
- John and Tashia Morgridge, Portola Valley, California, Philanthropists; John: Chair Emeritus, Cisco Systems; Tashia: Teacher of Disabled Children
- Distinguished Young Alumni Award: Anthony Shadid, Washington, D.C., Islamic Affairs Correspondent, Washington Post
2004
- Jane Kaczmarek, Los Angeles, Actress
- Gaylord Nelson, Washington, D.C., Founder of Earth Day and Former Governor of Wisconsin
- Tadashi Okamura, Tokyo, Japan, Chair, President and CEO, Toshiba Corporation
- Joan Spero, New York City, President, Doris Duke Charitable Foundation
- Mark Saxenmeyer, Chicago, TV Reporter for Chicago’s Fox Affiliate
2003
- Bernard Easterday, Madison, Founding Dean of UW-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine
- Thomas Hefty, Elm Grove, Illinois, CEO of Cobalt Corporation
- John Rowe, Chicago, Chair, Exelon Corporation
- Nancy Sennett, Fox Point, Wisconsin, Managing Partner, Foley & Lardner
- Tommy Thompson, Washington, D.C., Secretary of U.S. Department of Health & Human Services and Former Governor of Wisconsin
- Distinguished Young Alumni Award: Tricia Hamrin, Minneapolis, President and CEO, UpFront Productions, Inc.
2002
- James Burgess, Madison, Publisher, Wisconsin State Journal
- Kenneth Ciriacks, Chicago, Former Vice President of Technology, Amoco Corporation
- Lawrence Eagleburger, Charlottesville, Virginia, Former U.S. Secretary of State, Charlottesville, VA
- Joy Picus, Woodland Hills, California, Member of Los Angeles City Council; UW and Community Service
- Distinguished Young Alumni Award: Winslow Sargeant, Silver Spring, Maryland, Engineer and Program Director with National Science Foundation
2001
- Andre De Shields, New York, Actor and Director
- Conchita Poncini-Jimenez, Geneva, Switzerland, President of United Nations NGO Committee on the Status of Women
- Richard Schoofs, Moraga, California, President, Schoofs, Inc.
- William H. Young, Madison, Economics Professor and Founder of Center to Train International Students, UW-Madison
2000
- Doris Meissner, Washington, D.C., Commissioner of U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service
- Pongsak Payakvichien, Bangkok, Thailand, Newspaper and Magazine Publisher
- Thomas Pyle, Jr., Madison, Chair and President, The Pyle Group
- Peter Tong, Vancouver, Washington, President, Mandarin Management Partners Inc.
1999
- Marla Ahlgrimm, Madison, Founder and Chair, Women’s Health America
- Charlene Barshefsky, Washington, D.C., U.S. Trade Representative
- Oscar Boldt, Appleton, Wisconsin, Owner and Chair, The Boldt Group
- Erik Bye, Norway, Norwegian Television Journalist, Poet and Author
- C.K. Chow, London, chair of Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing
- Carlton Highsmith, Hamden, Connecticut, President, Specialized Packaging Group Inc.
- Yoshiyuki Kasai, Japan, President, Central Japan Railway Company
- Tai Sik Lee, Korea, Professor of Civil Engineering, Hanyang University
- Ibrahim Saad, Malaysia, Deputy Minister of Transport
- Chai-Anan Samudavanija, Thailand, Political Activist, Political Science Professor, and Author
- M. Aman Wirakartakusumah, Indonesia, Rector of Bogor Agricultural University
- Tsong-Shien Wu, Taiwan, Agricultural Professor Emeritus, National Taiwan University
1998
- Robert Burris, Madison, Biochemistry Professor Emeritus, UW-Madison
- Ted Kellner, Mequon, Wisconsin, Executive Chairman, Fiduciary Management Inc.
- Harvey Meyerhoff, Baltimore, Maryland, Philanthropist
- Carol Skornicka, Milwaukee, Vice President, Midwest Airlines Inc.
1997
- Stephen Ambrose, Helena, Montana, Noted Historical Author
- David Beckwith, Milwaukee, Partner and Attorney, Foley & Lardner
- Donald Procknow, Doylestown, Pennsylvania, Emeritus Vice Chair of the Board, AT&T Technologies
- Linda Wilson, Cambridge, Massachusetts, President of Radcliffe College
1996
- Russell Christesen, Destin, Florida, Former President and COO, Ebasco Services, Inc.
- Leon Epstein, Madison, Emeritus Political Science Professor, UW-Madison
- Elzie Higginbottom, Chicago, CEO, East Lake Management and Development Corporation
- Judith Sweet, La Jolla, California, First Woman President of NCAA
1995
- Alma Baron, Madison, Emerita Professor of Management, UW-Extension
- Jean Manchester Biddink, Madison, Chair, Neesvigs, Inc.
- E. David Cronon, Madison, Longtime Dean of the College of Letters & Science and History Professor, UW-Madison
- Philip Kaiser, Washington, D.C., U.S. Ambassador who Served under Four Presidents
- Charles Thomas, Glencoe, Illinois, Former Superintendent of Schools, North Chicago
1994
- Shirley Abrahamson, Madison, Chief Justice, Wisconsin Supreme Court
- Jeff Greenfield, New York, TV Journalist and Columnist
- I-Shuan Sun, Taipei, Taiwan, Chairman, Banking Institute, Republic of China
- Sidney Williams, Kalamazoo, Michigan, Executive Director of Domestic Patents, Upjohn
1993
- Carol Bartz, Sausalito, California, CEO, Autodesk
- Pam Johnson, Ithaca, New York, Publisher of Ithaca Journal
- Albert Nicholas, Milwaukee, CEO, Nicholas Company, Inc.
- Tawat Wichaidit, Bangkok, Secretary to Prime Minister of Thailand
1992
- Nelvia Brady, Chicago, Chancellor, City Colleges of Chicago
- Kathryn Clarenbach, Madison, Co-Founder and First Chair, National Organization for Women
- Carleton Holstrom, Doylestown, Pennsylvania, Retired CFO, Bear Stearns & Co
- Arthur Hove, Madison, Longtime Assistant to UW-Madison Chancellor, Unofficial Campus Historian
1991
- Barbara Crabb, Madison, Chief Federal Judge, Western District, U.S. District Court
- Susan Davis, Washington, D.C., Chair and CEO of Susan Davis Companies
- Wade Fetzer III, Chicago, Partner, Goldman Sachs & Company
- Robert Teague, Monmouth, New Jersey, TV Newscaster, WNBC New York
1990
- James Cleary, Northridge, California, President, California State University-Northridge
- Louis Holland, Glen Ellen, Illinois, Financial Advisor and Co-Founder of Hahn, Holland & Grossman
- Arlie Mucks, Jr., Madison, Longtime Executive Director of the Wisconsin Alumni Association
- Artha-Jean Towell, Madison, UW, Civic and Community Service
1989
- Jack Kellner, Grafton, Wisconsin, President, Western Industries Inc
- W. Robert Koch, Madison, CEO, American Family Life Insurance Co.
- Walter Mirisch, Los Angeles, President and Motion Picture Producer, Mirisch Corporation
- Robert Rennebohm, Madison, Longtime President of UW Foundation
1988
- Robert Froehlke, Minneapolis, CEO, IDS Mutual Fund Group
- Marie Gadsden, Washington, D.C., Deputy Director, National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education
- Eric Hagerup, Milwaukee, Former Vice President, First Wisconsin Trust Company; UW and Community Service Leader
- Herman Smith, Atlanta, Professor of Higher Education and Consultant to the President, University of Georgia-Athens
1987
- Joseph Barnett, Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, Partner, Foley and Lardner
- Hector De Luca, Deerfield, Wisconsin, Biochemistry Professor, UW-Madison, Vitamin D Pioneer
- Alfred DeSimone, Kenosha, Wisconsin, Agent, Equitable Financial Services
- Frank Remington, Madison, Law Professor, UW-Madison
1986
- Mildred Becker, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, UW and Community Service
- Dr. Henry Lardy, Madison, Biochemistry Professor, UW-Madison
- Margaret Nielsen, West Bend, Wisconsin, Nurse and Public Service Leader
- Jonathan Pellegrin, Milwaukee, Chairman of the Board, Johnson Hill Press Inc.
- Daniel J. Travanti, Pacific Palisades, California, Actor
Distinguished Service Award: 1963–1985
1985
- Harvey Clements, Chicago, Senior Vice President, Foote Cone and Belding
- Lucille Kimball, Madison, Pianist
- Frederick Rehm, Milwaukee, Environmental Engineer
- Brenton Rupple, Milwaukee, Chair of the Board, Robert W. Baird and Co., Inc.
1984
- Joyce Erdman, Madison, Director, Marshall Erdman and Associates
- James McManus, Westport, Connecticut, Chair and President, Marketing Corporation of America
- Clare Rice, San Diego, California, President, Rockwell International
- F. Frederick Stender, Madison, President, Madison National Life Insurance
1983
- Thomas Fitzpatrick, Boston, Harvard Dermatology Professor and Department Chair
- Bernhard Mautz, Sr., Madison, Chairman of the Board, Mautz Paint and Glass Co.
- Jerry McNeely, Beverly Hills, California, Executive Producer, 20th-Century Fox-TV
- Arthur Nielsen, Jr., Chicago, Chair of the Board and CEO, AC Nielsen Company
1982
- William Draves, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, Managing Editor, Fond du Lac Reporter
- Clara Penniman, Madison, Professor, Political Science, UW-Madison
- Harold Scales, Madison, Chief Executive Officer, Madison’s Anchor Savings and Loan
- H. Douglas Weaver, Jupiter, Florida, Attorney
1981
- Ira and Ineva Baldwin, Madison; Ira: Emeritus UW Vice President and Bacteriology Professor, UW-Madison; Ineva, Botanist and Civic Leader
- P. Goff Beach, Madison, Chairman and CEO, Oscar Mayer Corp.
- Diane Johnson, Madison, Assistant to Director of Athletics, UW-Madison
- Max Karl, Milwaukee, Founder, Mortgage Guaranty Insurance Corp.
- Glenn Pound, La Jolla, California, Former Dean, College of Agriculture, UW-Madison
1980
- George Affeldt, Milwaukee, Attorney and National “W” Club President
- Willard Aschenbrener, Scottsdale, Arizona, President of American Bank & Trust Company of Racine
- Earl Jordan, Chicago, General Agent, Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance
- Oscar Mayer, Madison, Former Chairman of the Board, Oscar Mayer Corp.
- Edwin and Phyllis Young, Madison. Edwin: UW-Madison Chancellor and Economics Professor; Phyllis: UW’s “First Lady”
1979
- Robert Draper, Ridgeway, Colorado, President, Western Community Planners, Inc.
- Olaf Hougen, Madison, Emeritus Professor and Chair of Chemical Engineering Department, UW-Madison
- Harlan Nicholls, Madison, Executive Vice President, First Wisconsin Bank of Madison
- Fannie Taylor, Madison, Professor and Former Union Theater Director, UW-Madison
- Jane Werner Watson, Santa Barbara, California, Children’s Book Author
- Robert Wilson, Madison, Senior Vice President, Valley Bank
1978
- Gerald and Joyce Bartell, Madison. Gerald: Founder of Bartell Media Corporation; Joyce: UW and Community Service
- Newman Halvorson, Cleveland, Former Partner, Ernst & Ernst
- Ed Rosten, Madison, Managing Director, WARF
- Truman Torgerson, Manitowoc, Wisconsin, General Manager, Lake to Lake Dairy Cooperative
- James Vaughan, Chicago, Vice President, Square D Company
- Audrey Walsh, Madison, UW and Community Service
1977
- Henry Ahlgren, Madison, U.S. Deputy Undersecretary of Agriculture
- William Beers, Chicago, Chair and CEO of Kraft, Inc.
- Carl Krieger, Philadelphia, Vice President, Campbell Soup Company
- Betty Vaughn, Madison, Community Service Leader
- John and Ruberta Weaver, Madison. John: President, UW System; Ruberta, UW’s “First Lady”
1976
- Norman Becker, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, Surgeon
- Lawrence Fitzpatrick, Madison, President, Chase Fitzpatrick, Ltd.
- Frederick Haberman, Madison, Professor and Chair, Speech Department, UW-Madison
- Charles Newlin, Chicago, Vice President, Continental Bank
- Joy Teschner, Milwaukee, First Woman President, Milwaukee County Park Commission
1975
- Robert Beyer, Philadelphia, Former Managing Partner, Touche Ross and Company
- Porter Butts, Madison, Inaugural Wisconsin Union Director and Student Union Pioneer
- Glen Eye, Madison, UW Emeritus Professor and Chair of the Education Department
- Mrs. William Lamont, Aberdeen, South Dakota, Former South Dakota State Senator and South Dakota Mother of the Year
- William Nathenson, Chicago, Senior Partner, Nathenson & Gussin
1974
- Sam Ogle, Sheboygan, Wisconsin, First Executive Secretary, Wisconsin Retail Merchants Association
- Walter Renk, Madison, CEO and President, Renk Enterprises
- Margaret Russell, Madison, UW and Community Service
- Whitney Seymour, New York, Past President, American Bar Association
- John Walsh, Madison, Attorney and Former UW Head Boxing Coach
- James Watrous, Madison, UW Art History Professor Who Helped Establish Elvehjem Museum
1973
- Martin Below, Chicago, Senior Vice President, Kieffer-Nolde Engineering Co.
- Lester Clemons, Milwaukee, Attorney and UW Foundation President
- Lowell Frautschi, Madison, UW and Community Service Leader
- Mark Ingraham, Madison, UW Mathematics Professor and Former Dean of College of Letters & Science
- Larry Luberg, Madison, UW System Dean for Public Service
- Herbert Prochnow, Chicago, Director and Former President, First National Bank of Chicago
1972
- Margaret H’Doubler, Madison, UW Dance Professor and Founder of Modern Dance in Higher Education
- Raymond Dvorak, Madison, Longtime UW Band Director, Composer and Author
- Evan Helfaer, Milwaukee, Philanthropist
- Samuel Lenher, Hockessin, Delaware, Former Vice President, DuPont Company
- Robert Spitzer, Burlington, Wisconsin, President and General Manager, Murphy Products Co., Inc.
- Lewis Weeks, Westport, Connecticut, Geologist, Philanthropist, Former Standard Oil Executive
1971
- Alan Ameche, Philadelphia, NFL Football Player, Entrepreneur
- Anthony DeLorenzo, Detroit, Vice President, Public Relations, General Motors
- Philip Falk, Madison, Superintendent, Madison Schools
- Elizabeth McCoy, Madison, UW Bacteriology Professor and Researcher
- Carl Steiger, Oshkosh, Wisconsin, Director and Vice President, UW Foundation
- Kurt Wendt, Madison, Dean, UW College of Engineering
1970
- Emily Baldwin, Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin, Director, Consolidated Papers, Inc.
- Jenkin Jones, Tulsa, Oklahoma, Editor and Publisher, Tulsa Tribune
- James Lovell, Jr., Seabrook, Texas, Astronaut, Apollo 13
- Arthur Mansfield, Madison, UW Baseball Coach
- Harold Rusch, Princeton, New Jersey, Director, UW McArdle Laboratory for Cancer Research
- Gordon Walker, Racine, Wisconsin, President and Director, Walker Forge, Inc.; UW Regent
1969
- Don Anderson, Madison, Publisher, Wisconsin State Journal
- Helen Bunge, Madison, Dean, School of Nursing
- Wilbur Cohen, Washington, D.C., Seventh U.S. Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare
- Elroy Hirsch, Madison, UW Director of Athletics
- Allen Slichter, Milwaukee, Chair of the Board, Pelton Steel Casting Co.
1968
- Karl Beyer Jr., Philadelphia, Pharmacology Researcher
- Catherine Cleary, Milwaukee, Executive Vice President and Director, First Wisconsin Trust Co.
- Anthony Curreri, Madison, Director, Division of Clinical Oncology, UW Medical School
- William Kellett, Neenah, Wisconsin, Former President, Kimberly Clark Co.
- Fredric March, New York, Academy Award-Winning Actor
- Haakon Romnes, New York, Chair of the Board, AT&T
1967
- Kate Huber, Indianapolis, Social Worker and Indianapolis Alumni Chapter Leader
- Lloyd Larson, Milwaukee, Sports Editor, Milwaukee Sentinel
- William Murphy, Philadelphia, President of Campbell Soup Company
- William Sarles, Madison, Professor and Chair of UW Bacteriology Department
- John Van Vleck, Boston, Nobel Prize-Winning Physicist and Mathematician
- Rudolph Zimmerman, Milwaukee, VP of Pabst Brewing Company and President of UW Foundation
1966
- William Balderston, Philadelphia, Former Chairman, Philco Corporation
- Timothy Brown, Madison, Former Chief Justice, Wisconsin State Supreme Court
- Melvin Laird, Washington, D.C., Republican Congressman and U.S. Secretary of Defense
- Irwin Maier, Milwaukee, Publisher, Milwaukee Journal
- Malcolm Whyte, Milwaukee, Attorney, Civic Leader
- Katharine Wright, Chicago, Vice President, Medical Staff, Fairview Hospital Chicago
1965
- Frank Birch, Milwaukee, President and Treasurer, BirchKraft Inc.
- Robin Buerki, Detroit, Former Executive Director, Henry Ford Hospital
- Ralph E. Davis, Houston, Prominent Geologist and Petroleum Engineer
- Raymond Rowland, St. Louis, CEO, Ralston Purina Co.
- Helen C. White, Madison, UW-Madison English Professor and Department Chair; Author
1964
- Joseph Cutler, Milwaukee, Chairman of the Board, Johnson Service Co.
- Ralph Johnson, New York, Partner, Smith, Barney and Co.
- LeRoy Peterson, New York, Chairman of the Board, Otis Elevator Co.
- Mary Fowler Rennebohm, Madison, Civic Leader and Former Wisconsin First Lady
- Harlan Rogers, Portage, Wisconsin, Attorney, Rogers and Owen Law firm
1963
- Harry Bullis, Minneapolis, President, General Mills
Alumni of the Year Award: 1956–1962
1962
- A. John Berge, Madison, Longtime Executive Director, Wisconsin Alumni Association
1961
- Donald Slichter, Milwaukee, President, Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company
1960
- Howard Potter, Chicago, Vice President, Insurance Broker, Marsh & McLennan
1959
- Oscar Rennebohm, Madison, 32nd Governor of Wisconsin and President of the UW Foundation
1958
- Constance Elvehjem, Madison, UW’s “First Lady,” University and Community Service
1957
- Walter Frautschi, Madison, Chairman of the Board, Webcrafters Inc.
1956
- Helen Browne Hobart, Winnetka, Illinois, Member of UW Board of Visitors and Conservation Activist
- Joseph Jackson, Madison, WWI Colonel; Helped Establish UW Arboretum
- Frank Weston, Madison, UW Professor of Medicine and Physician
Certificate of Appreciation: 1936–1955
1955
- William Hoard, Jr., Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin, President and Manager, Hoard’s Dairyman Farm
- Phillip Reed, New York, Chairman, International General Electric Company
1954
- Conrad Elvehjem, Madison, Biochemist and UW President
- Warren Knowles, Milwaukee, 37th Governor of Wisconsin
1953
- Charles Rogers, Chicago, County Judge and City Attorney
- Gretchen Schoenleber, Milwaukee, President, Ambrosia Chocolate Co.
1952
- Harry Adams, Beloit, Wisconsin, Director, Mutual Benefit Insurance Company and Mayor of Beloit
- Edgar B. Gordon, Madison, UW Music Education Professor
- Arthur Nielsen, Sr., Chicago, Founder, AC Nielsen Company and American Market Analyst
1951
- Howard Potter, Chicago, Insurance Broker, Marsh and McLennen; UW Foundation President
- Oscar Rennebohm, Madison, 32nd Governor of Wisconsin
1950
- Alice King Meloche, Madison, Founder and Director, UW Student Employment Bureau
- Halsten J. Thorkelson, Madison, UW Professor and Business Manager
1949
- Stanley Allyn, Dayton, Ohio, Chairman, National Cash Register Company
- Herman Ekern, Madison, Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin
- Fayette Elwell, Madison, Dean, UW-Madison School of Commerce
- Howard Greene, Genesee Depot, Wisconsin, Owner, Brook Hill Farms
- William Kiekhofer, Madison, UW Economics Professor
- Harry Steenbock, Madison, Inventor and UW Biochemistry Professor
1948
- Thomas Brittingham, Jr., Wilmington, Delaware, Director, Brittingham Fund
1947
- Charles Byron, Chicago, President, Wisconsin Alumni Association
- Abner Heald, Milwaukee, President, Milwaukee Alumni Club
1946
- William Hagenah, Chicago, National Expert on Public Utilities and Executive Director, UW Foundation
- George Haight, Chicago, Attorney
- Frank J. Sensenbrenner, Neenah, Wisconsin, President, UW Board of Regents
1945
- Edwin Austin, Chicago, Attorney
- Michael J. Cleary, Milwaukee, President, Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company
1944
- William Haight, Chicago, Attorney
- Oscar Hallam, St. Paul, Minnesota, Justice and Second District Court Judge, Minnesota Supreme Court
1943
- Edessa Kunz Lines, Milwaukee, Chairman, Alumni Association’s Women’s Affairs Committee
- Louis Lochner, Milwaukee, Correspondent, Associated Press and Pulitzer Prize Winner
- Harold L. Russell, Madison, Dean, UW College of Agriculture
1942
- Imogene Hand Carpenter, Madison, First Woman President, Wisconsin Alumni Association
- Frank O. Holt, Madison, University Administrator, UW-Extension
1941
- Lucy McGlachlin Johnson, Madison, Former President, UW Board of Visitors
- Benjamin A. Kiekhofer, Madison, Secretary, State of Wisconsin Board of Public Affairs
- William Kies, New York, Attorney and Banker, Co-Founder of WARF
1940
- Henrietta Wood Kessenich, Hopkins, Minnesota, Alumnae Editor, The Wisconsin Alumnus
- John Lord, Chicago, Chairman, Memorial Union Building Association and President, Wisconsin Alumni Association
- Rose Schuster Taylor, Berkeley, California, Teacher
1939
- Lucien M. Hanks, Madison, Secretary and Treasurer, Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
1938
- Myron Harshaw, Chicago, President, Wisconsin Alumni Association
1937
- Harry Bullis, Minneapolis, President, Wisconsin Alumni Association
- F Fred H. Clausen, Horicon, Wisconsin, President, Van Brunt & Wilkins Manufacturing Co.
1936
- Walter Alexander, Milwaukee, Entrepreneur
Please note: the titles listed here represent the positions the honorees held at the time they received their awards. Many later went on to fill other prestigious roles.