Seven to be honored today at Business Excellence Awards Reception

Seven alumni and faculty from the University of St. Thomas’ College of Business will be honored today, April 10, at the university’s 12^th annual Business Excellence Awards Reception.

Dr. Christopher Puto, dean of the College of Business, will present awards that recognize lifelong achievements and promote values stressed in St. Thomas academic programs.

The four alumni to receive awards are:

Steve Schmidt, who received an M.B.A. in 1992, will receive the Ethical Leadership Award. The award is given for professional and personal integrity, courage and commitment and for providing inspiration and an example for others.

Schmidt, of Loretto, is founder, president and CEO of Abraham Technical Services (AbeTech), an $18.6 million company located in Maple Grove. AbeTech has been recognized locally and nationally as a fast-growing company. Employee turnover is low, and 70 per cent of the company’s customer base has been working with AbeTech for more than 10 years. Schmidt’s business success has been credited in part to his commitment to promoting and modeling ethical behavior.

Doug Fangmeier, who received an M.B.A. in 1980 and is a consulting manager at Charter Solutions Inc., Minnetonka, will receive the Community Service Award. The award is given for exemplifying the values of service leadership through personal commitment to a community or charitable organization.

Fangmeier, of Inver Grove Heights, has demonstrated his commitment to service through the time he has devoted to his community, profession and church. He has coached more than 25 youth sports teams, served as treasurer and on the board of directors of the Twin Cities Electronic Commerce Forum, and served his church in leadership and teaching roles.

Paul Heath, M.D., who received his M.B.A. in 1999, also will receive the Community Service Award.

Heath, of St. Cloud, is CEO and CFO of Midsota Plastic Surgeons, also of St. Cloud. He is one of the founders of the medical arm of HELPS International, a volunteer group that provides assistance to the people of rural Guatemala. Heath travels to Guatemala every year, usually for 10 to 14 days, to perform plastic reconstructive surgeries.

Steve Moynihan, who received his M.B.A. in 1983, will receive the Lifelong Learning Award. It is given for exemplifying the value of lifelong learning and mentoring in one’s personal and professional lives.

Moynihan, of south Minneapolis, is director, voluntary-community resources service, for the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Minneapolis. He is well-known as a mentor to voluntary service personnel, and many of the people he has mentored have become leaders in the field. In addition, he mentors cadets in the ROTC program at St. Thomas and the University of Minnesota.

The three faculty members to receive awards are all residents of St. Paul. They are:

Dr. Jeanne Buckeye will receive the Business Ethics Award. It is given for demonstrating a commitment to reflect on the ethical aspects of business administration throughout a professor’s curriculum.

Buckeye held a series of administrative positions within the College of Business for nine years, during which time she was known for openness and a desire to incorporate ethics throughout the curriculum. She has served on the advisory board of the John A. Ryan Institute for Christian Social Thought in the Center for Catholic Studies and has team-taught a course on Christian faith and management.

Dr. Mary Daugherty will receive the Innovation in Teaching Award. It is given for demonstrating innovation and creativity in support of student learning.

Daugherty has been instrumental in creating and teaching a yearlong MBA course in which students direct the investment decisions of the Aristotle Fund. She also teaches an undergraduate advanced investment class that allows students to spend a semester operating as an investment firm, culminating in a stock presentation to professional money managers.

Dr. William Raffield will receive the Dean’s Special Award for his contributions to the College of Business.

As associate dean of the College of Business, Raffield played an instrumental role in the successful merger of the university’s undergraduate and graduate business programs into the College of Business.

The awards will be presented from 5:45 to 7 p.m. in Thornton Auditorium of Terrence Murphy Hall on the university’s downtown Minneapolis campus, 1000 LaSalle Ave.

A reception will be held in the atrium from 5 to 5:45 p.m. The program is open to the public, but reservations are required. Call (651) 962-4296 for reservations. For more information call St. Thomas at (651) 962-4281.