Six alumni and two distinguished friends of the university will be honored for achievement and service as the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point marks Homecoming weekend.
The Distinguished Alumni Awards will be held Saturday, Oct. 14, recognizing alumni from each of the four colleges: Dan Hauser, '77, Detroit, Mich., of the College of Professional Studies; Laura Osnes, '05, New York City, of the College of Fine Arts and Communication; Jim Heffelfinger, '86, Tucson, Ariz., of the College of Natural Resources; and Michael Pucci, '82, Littleton, N.C., of the College of Letters and Science.
The Mary Ann Nigbor Volunteer of the Year Award will be given to Debra and Alan Marten, Stevens Point. The Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to Major General Scott Berrier, '84, Washington, D.C. The William C. Hansen Distinguished Service Award will be presented posthumously to Lela Jahn, '62.
The Martens founded Marten Machining in Stevens Point in 1984. The company makes custom components for various industries including medical services, NASA, UW-Stevens Point's nanotechnology courses and UW-Madison's Physics Department. Al volunteers on the UW-Stevens Point Academy of Letters and Science Board and Chancellor's Advisory Committee while Deb is a member of the UWSP Foundation Board. They are active with the First Nighters program, Continuing Education and men's basketball. They also have sponsored student internships.
Hauser played football and baseball for the Pointers before graduating with a degree in sports administration. As executive vice president for the National Basketball Association Detroit Pistons' Palace Sports and Entertainment ownership group, he worked with Fortune 500 companies. In 2013, the Janesville native became senior vice president of Corporate Sponsorships for the Philadelphia 76ers. He has earned seven professional sports championship rings – three from Pistons, three from the Women's National Basketball Association Detroit Shock and one from the National Hockey League's Tampa Bay Lightning.
Osnes was recently in the Broadway musical "Bandstand" as Julia Trojan, for which she earned a Drama League and Drama Desk Award nomination. A Tony Award-nominee, she also has performed on Broadway in "Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella," "Bonnie and Clyde," "Anything Goes" and "South Pacific" and made her Broadway debut as Sandy in "Grease." She has appeared in several other shows, television series, concerts and special performances. Osnes has recorded two solo albums and is featured in several cast recordings.
Heffelfinger is a certified wildlife biologist who has worked for the United U.S. government, state wildlife agencies, universities and in the private sector. He's written two books and authored hundreds of articles, scientific papers, book chapters and TV scripts. Currently, he is the wildlife science coordinator for the Arizona Game and Fish Department and adjunct faculty member at the University of Arizona. Heffelfinger has received several professional awards and is active with several professional organizations.
Pucci is retired from a career in the pharmaceutical industry for more than 30 years. He was the vice president of External Advocacy for Federal Government Affairs for GlaxoSmithKline and CEO of PhytoChem Pharmaceuticals. He established Pucci Consulting in 2010 and also is the chief operating officer for Oliventures, Inc., which launches products for patients with cardiovascular disease risk factors.
Berrier is a career Army military intelligence officer. He recently was named military deputy to the Defense Intelligence Agency director. He was deputy chief of staff for intelligence with the International Security Assistance Force and the commanding general and commandant of the U.S. Army Intelligence Center of Excellence and Fort Huachuca in Arizona. He has supported Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Freedom's Sentinel in Afghanistan as well as Operation Iraqi Freedom in Iraq. His assignments have included bases in California, Alaska, New York and South Korea.
Jahn founded and owned Jahn Investment Advisors in San Francisco for many years and was a vice president at Wells Fargo Bank. She served on numerous professional organizations supporting women in business. She frequently spoke on women's issues, appearing on ABC's "Good Morning America." She spent many years leading rural development projects in Africa and South America. In 2009, she began a mentoring program matching UW-Stevens Point students with business women in Central Wisconsin. In 2013, she established an annual scholarship for UW-Stevens Point students seeking an international experience. Jahn also served on the UWSP Foundation Board. She died in December 2015.
For more information about the Distinguished Alumni Awards, contact UW-Stevens Point Alumni Affairs at 715-346-3811.
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