Whether it’s breaking the race barrier for future nursing students, helping thousands of students make the decision to attend UofL, or pioneering the first affordable room air conditioner, the
2019 Louisville Alumni Awards winners are among the best and brightest UofL has to offer. The awards ceremony recognizes high achieving graduates based on their merit and contributions to the community. Each year, one alumna or alumnus of the year is selected along with 13 Alumni Fellows from each of the schools, colleges, libraries, and student affairs. This year’s awardees will be honored at the 2019 Alumni Awards ceremony on October 24 of
Homecoming week.
Alumna of the Year
Jenny L. Sawyer '78
Sawyer serves as executive director of admissions at the University of Louisville. She advocates for the university and personally guides and helps students make the very best decisions. Many students and family members start their relationships with the University of Louisville through Sawyer. She maintains many of those relationships, some turning into mentorships throughout their collegiate careers and into alumni life. Sawyer received her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Louisville in 1978 and her Master of Arts in College Student Counseling and Personnel Services from Bowling Green State University in 1981.
George Nichols, III '85
Nichols serves as president and chief executive officer of the American College of Financial Services. He was Kentucky's first African-American insurance commissioner, the first African-American president of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, and the first African-American elected to New York Life's Executive Management Committee. Savoy, a business and lifestyle magazine, has twice named him to the list of “Most Influential Blacks in Corporate America.” Nichols received his Master of Arts degree in Sociology from the University of Louisville in 1985. He received his Associate of Arts in Sociology from Alice Lloyd College in 1980 and his Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Economics from Western Kentucky University in 1983.
Raymond E. Loyd '68
Loyd is a retired entrepreneur, having built many businesses throughout his career. He is the founder of Derby Industries and Derby Fabricating and served as a partner in Purcell Staffing, Flair Molded Plastics and Global Link Logistics. After graduating in 1961, Loyd was admitted to General Electric’s prestigious engineering training program. He became a design engineer in General Electric’s appliances division. Loyd changed how Americans live, leading the development of the Carry Cool, the first room air conditioner to sell profitably for under $100. He was recognized with a national award from the Society of Plastics Engineers, and three patents were issued for air-conditioning technology innovations. During his time with General Electric, Loyd also served as manager of international marketing and was the recipient of the firm’s elite Cordiner Award. He received his Master of Business Administration from the University of Louisville in 1968. He received his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Auburn University in 1961.
Karen L. Pierce-West, DMD '77, '82
Dr. West has served as dean and professor of Biomedical Sciences at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas School of Dental Medicine. She will be stepping down from her role as dean of students in June 2019 to serve as a liaison for dental accreditation, in which she will focus on preparing the school for the accreditation process for the 2019-2020 school year. Dr. West received her Bachelor of Arts in Biology in 1977 and her DMD in 1982, both from the University of Louisville. She received her Master of Public Health in Health Administration from the University of South Carolina in 1992. Dr. West, a 1999 ELAM Fellow, completed a general practice residency at the Medical College of Georgia and a medical management certificate program at the University of Kentucky College of Business.
Ruby Gordon '66, '72
After graduation, Gordon worked with the Jefferson County Public School system in a federal program to support at-risk students. She supervised a staff of counselors, teachers, nursing care staff and home school coordinators at six elementary schools. Gordon has served as a social worker at Hillebrand House, a senior-care facility. She worked with the Jefferson County Health Department’s Early and Periodic Screening Program for children. In 1997, Gordon retired and began serving as a volunteer with various organizations. She was instrumental in organizing and raising funds to support a free fly-fishing support retreat for woman diagnosed with breast cancer and a free fly-fishing support retreat for men with any form of cancer, Reel Recovery Kentucky and Indiana. Her interest in cancer stems from her mother who died from cancer, her beloved husband of over 45 years who died of cancer, and her own two diagnoses of cancer. Gordon received a Bachelor of Science in Sociology from the University of Louisville in 1966 and completed her Master of Science in Social Work from the University of Louisville Kent School of Social Work in 1972.
Edwin S. Hopson, Sr., JD '67, '69
Hopson joined Wyatt, Tarrant and Combs in 1974, where he is now partner. He is a former member of the firm’s executive committee and former chair of the Labor and Employment Service Team. Prior to joining Wyatt Tarrant and Combs, Hopson served as a field attorney for the National Labor Relations Board. He also served as general attorney for the United States Department of Labor. Hopson has served as president of the Louisville Ballet and as a member of the Board of Directors of Bellewood Presbyterian Home for Children, Inc. He was recognized in legal directories as a super lawyer from 2007 through 2019. Hopson has repeatedly been named in the Best Lawyers in America. He received his Bachelor of Science in Law in 1967, and his Juris Doctorate in 1969, both from the University of Louisville’s Brandeis School of Law. He received his Master of Laws in Labor Law from the George Washington University Law School in 1971.
Morris M. Weiss Jr., MD '58
Dr. Weiss serves as a cardiologist with Medical Center Cardiologists and clinical professor of Medicine in Cardiology at the University of Louisville. He began his career as a student research scholar at the University of Louisville School of Medicine, where he later served as an instructor in medicine and an associate clinical professor of medicine. Dr. Weiss is the founder of the Kentucky Chapter of the American College of Cardiology and has served on numerous local boards. Dr. Weiss is also an archaeologist, participating in many archaeological excavations. He has authored numerous publications, including "The Traveler's Vest Pocket Medical Guide – Identification and Treatment of Common Travel Maladies" and "The Mystery of the Tuscan Hills, A Travel Guide in Search of the Ancient Etruscans." Morris M. Weiss, Jr. received his Doctor of Medicine in 1958 from the University of Louisville. He obtained his undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor in 1954. A United States Army veteran, Dr. Weiss served as a Lieutenant Colonel.
Shawn C. Jones, MD '82, '86, '93
Dr. Jones, a board-certified otolaryngologist, is the founder of Purchase ENT, an ENT-otolaryngologist specialty group in Paducah, Ky. Dr. Jones has served on the staff at Western Baptist & Lourdes Hospitals over 26 years. He has served as president of the Kentucky Foundation for Medical Care, as well as president and vice president of the Kentucky Medical Association. Dr. Jones is a former member of the Kentucky Medical Association Board of Trustees. Dr. Jones uses his expertise to help the under served on medical mission trips previously traveling to Romania, Kenya, and Honduras. He is the recipient of the Kentucky Medical Association Distinguished Service Award. He received his Bachelor of Arts in Biology in 1982 and his Doctor of Medicine in 1986, both from the University of Louisville. He completed his residency in Otolaryngology at the University of Louisville in 1993.
John M. Hoover '63, '69
Before retiring to Florida in 2004, Hoover taught instrumental music at Atherton, Seneca, and Ballard high schools and at several middle and elementary schools in the Jefferson County Public School systems. Hoover served as the University of Louisville’s director of bands for several years. He played French horn in the Louisville Orchestra and served as bandmaster of the National Guard’s 202nd Army Band. Hoover also served as conductor of the River Cities Concert Band. Since retirement, Hoover has organized and performed with wind ensembles in the Tampa area. John M. Hoover received his Bachelor of Music Education in 1963 and his Master of Music in 1969, from the University of Louisville.
Flora Ponder '87
In 1955, Flora Ponder was one of the first African American registered nursing students at the University of Louisville School of Nursing. At that time, Louisville General Hospital was the teaching and research hospital for the University of Louisville Medical School. She was the first African American nursing student to live in the student nurse's’ home. In 1987, Ponder was recognized as an Adopted University of Louisville Alumna. Ponder served as the head nurse of recovery in the Intensive Care Department at the Louisville, Ky. General Hospital from 1957-1959. She went on to serve as head nurse at the Louisville and Jefferson County Health Department from 1959-1965. Ponder helped to establish and served as the Director of Nurses at the Park-Duvalle Community Health Center. She assisted in establishing the first transportation service for the health department, which later expanded to the city of Louisville and is today the Louisville EMS Service.
Lewatis D. McNeal, PhD '16
Dr. McNeal serves as assistant dean of administration of inclusive excellence and special projects at Northern Kentucky University. Prior to his work at Northern Kentucky, Dr. McNeal served as associate dean of Student Affairs with Kentucky Community & Technical College System. He has also worked as an adjunct instructor, graduate adviser and student recruiter for Western Kentucky University and as a coordinator for Trover Health Systems at the University of Kentucky Center for Rural Health. Dr. Lewatis McNeal completed his Doctor of Philosophy in Public Health Sciences at the University of Louisville in 2016. He received his Bachelor of Science in Nutrition from the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff in 2002 and his Master of Public Heath from Western Kentucky University in 2005.
Gerald G. Hubbs '64, '76
Hubbs retired as the vice president and director of engineering at the Brown-Forman Corporation. During his career with Brown-Forman, he served in a number of roles, including manager of bottling operations and packaging. While at Brown-Forman, Hubbs earned his master’s degree from the University of Louisville Speed School in Mechanical Engineering in 1964 and was granted a patent. Hubbs served as the president and founding member of the NSA DaNang Veterans Association. He has been actively involved in Troop 194 of the Boy Scouts, Hand-in-Hand Ministries, and Habitat for Humanity. He has also served as a volunteer engineer for new, local businesses. Commissioned through Officer Candidate School, Hubbs served in the Navy Civil Engineering Corp. He was on active duty in San Diego and DaNang, Vietnam. Hubbs ended his Navy career with the rank of Commander. He received his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering in 1964 and his Master's of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering in 1976, both from the University of Louisville.
Todd A. Schmiedeler, EdD '97
Dr. Schmiedeler serves as Trilogy Health Service's senior vice president of Foundation & Workforce Development and is the founder and president of Thumbprint Consulting. He provides leadership for the Trilogy Foundation, Live a Dream Foundation, Employee Wellbeing, Community Outreach, and Workforce Development. Previously, Dr. Schmiedeler served as Norton Healthcare's associate vice president of philanthropy. He initially joined Norton Healthcare as the director of major giving. He has also served as the vice president for development and communication with the Center for Women and Families, director of alumni relations for Eureka College, and as a coordinator of the National Resource Assessment Program at the University of Louisville. He received his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Louisville in 1997. He earned his Master's of Arts in Business Communication in 2009 and his Doctorate of Education in 2015 from Spalding University.
Linda F. Hargan, EdD '71, '73, '93
Dr. Hargan, founder, president, and chief executive officer emeritus of CTL, retired in 2009. She retains her position of in-house consultant. As a former public school teacher, she taught elementary, high school, college, and graduate levels. She has served in a number of roles, including associate commissioner for the Office of Learning Programs Development of the Kentucky Department of Education, Kentucky’s associate superintendent of public instruction, state director for special education and regional consultant in reading and special education, and executive director of the Ohio Valley Educational Cooperative. Dr. Hargan received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology in 1971, Master of Education in 1973, and her Doctor of Education in 1993, all from the University of Louisville. Dr. Hargan is a member of the University of Louisville College of Education Dean’s Advisory Cabinet.