Leeds Alumni and Service Awards

Since 1971, Leeds School of Business has honored alumni, faculty, and business school community members who have distinguished themselves with outstanding professional achievement, impact, leadership and/or exemplary service to the community.

The Leeds School of Business is proud to celebrate and give thanks to the people and corporate partners who are supporting the next generation of business leaders.

Alumni and Service Awards Current Winners

Distinguished Alumni Lifetime Service Award

Jeremy May (Acct’92)

The Leeds Distinguished Alumni Lifetime Service Award is the highest award granted to alumni from the Leeds School of Business for a lifetime of support and philanthropy to the Leeds School of Business, and for exceptional achievement in the business community.

Jeremy May is founder and CEO of Paralel Technologies, a FinTech company in the asset management industry.

Prior to founding Paralel, he spent 24 years as president of ALPS Fund Services, and before joining ALPS, he was with Deloitte, where he earned his CPA.

May serves as an independent director on various investment company boards. Passionate about philanthropy, he also serves on the advisory board for the Renée Crown Wellness Institute at CU Boulder and as a trustee of the A.V. Hunter Trust. He recently retired after serving 18 years on the board of directors of the CU Foundation, the last two as chair.

Jeremy May

Corporate Partner Award

Mercer Advisors

The Corporate Partner Service Award recognizes sustained commitment, support, and exceptional service to the Leeds School of Boulder, the , and the community.

Mercer Advisors is a leading wealth management firm that has existed for 40 years. The company’s mission is to help clients achieve economic freedom. Currently, nearly 1,300 professionals serve more than 35,000 clients who entrust the company with $77 billion in client assets.*

Mercer moved its headquarters to Denver in 2018 and supports more than 3,900 clients with approximately $6 billion in assets through eight regional offices. As a wealth management firm, the company’s unified team spans investment management, financial planning, tax, estate, insurance, and trust services.

In the past year, Mercer added a new private markets program, the ability to manage outside retirement plan assets, and dramatically expanded its tax services. The company supports clients across the wealth spectrum, spanning those who are just starting their journey to families who have amassed significant wealth.

*Disclosure: Company statistics as of May 31, 2025. Mercer Global Advisors Inc. is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission and delivers all investment-related services.

Mercer Advisors

Luminary Award

Amanda Freeberg Donovan (Mktg’03)

Inspired by the motto, “Let Your Light Shine,” this award recognizes individuals who serve as guiding lights for our community through their leadership, ethics, commitment to social responsibility, philanthropy, and service to the Leeds School of Business.

Amanda Freeberg Donovan (Mktg’03)

William H. Baughn Faculty Service Award

Richard Wobbekind (MEcon’79, PhD’84)

The William H. Baughn Award for Faculty is awarded to a Leeds faculty member forexceptional service to the Leeds School of Business, and for consistent and ongoing commitment to its students, faculty, and programs.

Richard L. Wobbekind is associate dean for business and government relations, associate professor of business economics and finance, and faculty director of the Business Research Division (BRD) at the Leeds School of Business. He joined the faculty in 1985 and served as executive director of the BRD from 1993 to 2021.

Since 1988, Wobbekind has led the BRD’s Colorado annual economic forecast and oversees various reports, including the Business Leaders Confidence Index, and quarterly economic indicators done in partnership with the Colorado Secretary of State. His team also provides revenue forecasts and strategic analyses for regional agencies.

Wobbekind regularly contributes to national economic surveys and media, and he served on the Governor’s Revenue Estimating Committee for more than three decades. His honors include the CU Community Outreach Award, the Robert L. Stearns Award, and recognition as a fellow of the National Association for Business Economics. He was named to the top 50 list of influential business leaders in Northern Colorado by BizWest in 2022, 2023 and 2024.

Wobbekind teaches macroeconomics and public policy to MBA and executive students and has received four awards for teaching excellence. He is past president of several professional organizations and remains active in economic development circles.

A Colorado resident for 49 years, Wobbekind holds degrees from Bucknell University and the . He and his wife, Carol, have raised three children.

Richard Wobbekind (MEcon’79, PhD’84)

Young Alumni Achievement Award

Kate M. Harris (Fin’16)

The Young Alumni Achievement Award recognizes recognizes an alumnus or alumna for their exceptional achievements.

Kate M. Harris is an attorney currently clerking on the Supreme Court of the United States. Before that, she worked for a litigation boutique and clerked on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. Her writings have appeared in national publications, including the New York Times, with one article resulting in her permanent ban from Russia.

Harris received her J.D. with high honors from the University of Chicago Law School. There, she was inducted into the Order of the Coif, served as the executive articles editor of the Law Review, won the annual Moot Court Competition, and received the Ann Watson Barber Outstanding Service Award, given to students who make exceptional contributions to the quality of life at the law school.

She received her bachelor’s degree with high distinction from Leeds, graduating first in her class.

Kate M. Harris (Fin’16)

Previous Award Recipients

2024
Cain Travel
Bill Mark
Gary & Melissa Porter
Don Oest
Jsessica Yan

2023
J Braxton Carter
Deloitte
Anne Dupont
Yonca Ertimur
Mark Yabut

2022
The Bascom Group​
Peter B. Cushman
Walter A. (Buz) Koelbel, Jr.
Katherine Lewis
Lori Seward
Adam Warner

2021
Ball Corporation
Dr. Robert C. Hummel(in memoriam)
Dan Ivanoff '86
Stephen Katz '71
John Lynch
Axton Salim '02
Dr. Jerome D. Williams '86(in memoriam)

2019
Russell Cropanzano
Carol Frank
Mary Hunter Kimble '60
Eric Kramer '81
R. Jordan Papé '01
Zayo

2018
Richard M. Burridge Jr. '84
Michael A. Hitt '74
KPMG LLP
Katie Kramer '97
Manuel Laguna
Jane S. Miller
Al Olson '62 & Carol-Ann Olson '64

2017
Steve Bosley '68
Charles Schwab
Stratton R. Heath, III '87
Steve Rock
Chantal Veevaete

2016
Arrow Electronics
Cathleen S. Burns
Kile Morgan, Jr. '69
Lisa A. Pauley '87
Mary M. Sullivan and the late Sherman R. Miller, 4th '79
George S. Writer, Jr. '57

2015
Dan Caruso
Michael P.Huseby '76
Thomas G. Thibodeau
KeyBank
David J.Steiner '75
Melissa YoungBrownstein '94

2014
Larry Jones
Bill Marolt '67
Sharon F. Matusik
Phillips 66
William W. Reynolds '60
Mary K. Rhinehart '80
Tandean Rustandy '87

2013
Ambassador David B. Bolen '50
John and Patrice Callies
EKS&H
Thomas Stix Guggenheim Family
Laura J. Kornish
Edward C. Mitchell, Jr. '69
Gordon Trafton '77

2012
Ellen M. Balaguer ‘82
Peter Behrendt
Peter M. Burridge ‘85
Jerry D. McMorris ’62 (in memoriam)
C. Page Moreau
Charles A. Parker ‘56
Dee J. Perry ’74, MS ‘81
George H. Solich ’83

2011
J. William Freytag
Jeanne Jackson ‘74
J. Chris Leach
Randy Nichols
Christy Bieber Orris ‘92
Lyal E. Quinby, Jr. ’55, MS ’58

2010
G. Chris Andersen ‘61
Richard Connor ‘71
Jo Marie Dancik
Walter A. Koelbel Jr. ‘74
Donald R. Lichtenstein
Michael S. Maurer ‘64
Mark Retzloff
Sarah Siegel-Magness ‘95

2009
Sanjai Bhagat
John Fischer
John E. Freyer ‘71
L. Calvin Fulenwider III ‘74
Richard Knowlton ’54 and
Nancy Van Derbur Knowlton ‘57
Sherri Leopard
C. Roderick O’Neil
Patrick Tierney ‘67
David Wolf JD/MBA ‘01

2008
F. Daryl Gatewood ‘70
Robert Gill
Marley Hodgson MBA ‘03
David Mallery JD/MBA ‘99
Bill Moore ‘54
Barbara Mowry
Blaine Rollins ‘89
Frank Selto

2006
Robert H. Deming ’56, MS ’59 andBeverly A. Deming
Larissa Herda ‘80
Walter A. Koelbel ‘47
Paul Larkins
Stephen Lawrence
Jeffrey Lovell ‘74
Storm Metzger ‘62
Joseph Piper MBA ‘98
Marcia Pryde ’66, MBA ‘72
John Shaw
Chris Wand

2005
Jerry Briggs ’63 (in memoriam)
Dick Burridge ’51
Ned Cooney
Dick Engebretson MBA ’72
John E. Freyer ‘71
Ann Heinz ‘80
Dan Japha ‘74
Ray Joyce ’49 and Dottie Joyce ’48
Steve Manaster
Lyal Quinby ’55, MS ‘58
Rod Slifer ’56 and Beth Slifer
George Writer ’57 andJudy Writer ’61

1998
Kevin J. Burns MBA ‘73
Larry D. Singell

1997
Ambassador David B. Bolen ‘50
Robert F. Charles Jr.
John “Ron” Moore ‘59

1996
Louis W. Menk
William W. Reynolds ‘60
Thomas M. Shane ‘70

1995
G. Chris Andersen ‘61
Richard Knowlton ‘54

1994
Jerry D. McMorris ‘62
Craig E. Weatherup

1993
John C. Crane ‘58
Duane C. Hansen ‘57
M. Ann Padilla

1992
Steven K. Bosley ‘68
Derek E. Faison ‘70
Roger V. Smith ‘64

1991
William H. Baughn
Barbara B. Grogan ‘69
D.D. “Dell” Hock ‘56

1990
G. Lee Thompson ‘57

1989
Henry E. Kates ‘60

1988
William R. Lennartz ‘63

1987
Dianne V. Ingels ‘63

1986
Roger L. Reisher ‘50

1985
Robert H. Deming ‘56

1984
Robert B. Decker ‘42

1983
William D. Johnson ‘42

1982
George B. McKinley ‘51

1981
Dwight L. Johnson ‘61

1980
Thomas M. Hallin ‘55

1978
Hank Brown ‘61

1977
Thomas S. Guggenheim ‘50

1976
Donald G. Brotzman ‘43

1974
Herschel R. Shwayder ‘31

1973
Robert G. Bonham ‘40

1972
Walter A. Koelbel ‘47

1971
Thomas S. Moon ‘44

If you have questions or need additional information, please contact LeedsAlumni@colorado.edu.