University of Louisville - Alumni Association

Harry S. Frazier, Jr., 56A, 63GB, obtained a Bachelor of Arts in History in 1956 from the University of Louisville and later earned his Master of Business Administration from UofL in 1963. Frazier entered the business world as states sales manager of Brown-Forman Distillers Corp., which his great grandfather founded.

An interest in the stock market led Frazier to become a broker and registered representative on the New York Stock Exchange. Pursuing his interests further, Frazier became a real estate broker and certified property manager, eventually leading to the co-founding of HFH, Inc., one if the region’s leading real estate development, brokerage and management companies in the late 1980s and 1990s. As chairman and CEO of HFH, Frazier was instrumental in the group’s success and holdings of several major properties including country clubs, apartment complexes, office and shopping centers.

“He was an entrepreneur who shaped his community with heart, friendship and enthusiasm for building upscale communities around leisure amenities. His legacy thrives in many real estate developments contributing to the livability of Louisville today,” said Dr. James Ramsey, UofL president. “He personified the spirit of entrepreneurship."

Frazier served on the UofL Board of Overseers, the board of directors of Frazier Rehab Center and was a vice chairman and trustee of the Rivers Region Mental Retardation board; a member of the founder and second president of the Kentucky Association of Regional Mental Health-Mental Retardation Boards; director emeritus and past president of the Kidney Foundation of Kentucky; past vice president, treasurer and trustee of the National Kidney Foundation; former member of the Louisville Civil Service Commission; executive board member of the Old Kentucky Home Council of the Boy Scouts of America; board member of the Louisville Theatrical Association; chairman of the board of trustees of Walden School; board member of Oxmoor Charities Corp. and member of the Parents Council of Hollins College in Roanoke, Va. 

Harry Frazier Jr. passed away in 1994 at the age of 61 after a battle with cancer.
(posthumously awarded - 1933-1994).

Ken Hohman, 74A, 76GA, received a Bachelor of Arts in 1974 and his Master of Arts in 1976 from UofL’s College of Arts and Sciences. As one of the Mathematic Department’s most devoted and successful alums, and a former graduate teaching assistant in math, Hohman and his wife Sue have provided fellowships for a number of math teaching assistants.

Beyond his significant contributions to UofL, Hohman has been a leader in the actuarial profession serving as president of two national actuarial organizations, the Conference of Consulting Actuaries and the American Academy of Actuaries. A web search turns up more than 30 pages of links relating to Hohman’s work and career.

In addition, he has been a professional ambassador for actuaries in South Africa, Australia, Europe, Canada, and Mexico. He serves on the board of the International Association of Consulting Actuaries and is active with the International Actuarial Association.

Hohman has served with the UofL Alumni Association board, the A&S Alumni board, and local philanthropic organizations. He and his wife have three children and five grandchildren.

Kathleen Smith, 70B, 05GE, received a Bachelor of Science in Business in 1970 and later earned a Master of Science in Education in 2005. She works as Chief of Staff to UofL's President, Dr. James Ramsey, having worked for UofL for 40 years. Beginning in the School of Medicine, Smith was co-principal investigator on a major federal grant awarded to the School. Becoming Assistant to then-President Donald Swain, she later honed her grant writing and fundraising skills with later-President John Schumaker.

Smith’s current assignment as Chief of Staff to President Ramsey also includes Executive Director of Boards and Commissions. In these roles Smith has continued her fundraising having secured more than $46 million in federal and state agency funding for campus beautification initiatives and the new Belknap Engineering and Applied Science Park. In addition, Smith has been instrumental in raising more than $40 million in private donations for UofL academic programs including a single donation of $10 million for the College of Business. Rounding out her fundraising abilities, Smith expects another $10 million to be secured by mid-2013.

Smith’s husband, Mark, teaches in the College of Business and her children are nearly Cardinal alumni as well.

Wayne Mortenson, 79DMD, is a 1979 graduate of the UofL School of Dentistry. He began his work life as a farmer, later working nights and going to dental school during the day. His work ethic is apparent. He serves on the Steering Committee for the ULSD Building Renewal Campaign, and he has been instrumental in building philanthropic support among the Mortenson Family Dental Group. Apart from 12 family members who are UofL alumni, Mortenson Family Dental Centers employs 46 dentists and over 90 dental hygienists who are alumni as well.

Dr. Mortenson serves on the boards of the Children’s Hospital Foundation and the International Smiles for Life Charity. He was recognized by the Crown Council, a national dental organization, with their Lifetime Achievement Award. His business was awarded the 2011 Large Business of the Year by Business First. Mortenson Family Dental Centers was honored as the Best Place to Work by the Courier-Journal. Ernst and Young has selected Dr. Mortenson as a Finalist for 2012 South Central Ohio and Kentucky Entrepreneur of the Year.

Thomas Walker, 90GAH, received a Master of Science in Exercise Physiology from UofL’s School of Allied Health in 1990, and was then commissioned as an Air Force aerospace physiologist in 1991. For his work as an instructor at the School of Aerospace Medicine, Dr. Walker was named the Air Force Material Command’s Physiologist of the Year in 2000. He earned his Ph.D. in exercise physiology in 2006, and subsequently became the Chief of Applied Physiology at the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory. During his time there Dr. Walker was awarded major research grants, authored 9 peer-reviewed scientific articles and 8 technical reports, and formally presented research at various national conferences.

Dr. Walker served as a special consultant for the Air Force’s combat controller training pipeline. Through his efforts, training injuries decreased 67% year over year while physical performance of these elite warriors concurrently increased by 11%. For this accomplishment, Dr. Walker was named the Air Force Material Command’s Physiologist of the Year for a second time for 2009.

In 2011, Dr. Walker retired from active duty. He is currently the owner and lead physiologist of High Desert Human Performance LLC and an instructor of physiology at Carrington College and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

Chris Hermann, 70S, a Louisville native and active in Kentucky organizations, received a Bachelor of Engineering degree from the J.B. Speed School of Engineering in 1970. During his 40-plus-year career, he has held numerous senior management positions. He currently is Senior Vice President, Energy Delivery, for LG&E and KU Energy, and oversees natural gas and electricity distribution and retail services for 1.2 million customers in Kentucky and Virginia. Under LG&E and KU’s previous German owner, E.ON AG, he served on the Top Executive Group and chaired the International Electric and Gas Distribution Best Practice Committee.

Hermann is well-known in the energy industry as an extraordinary safety leader, having helped establish LG&E and KU’s nationally recognized safety culture. In 2007, he became the first chair of the company’s Safety Governance Council and was featured in American Gas and Incident Prevention magazines for his achievements. Hermann serves on the Southern Gas Association and American Gas Association boards, the AGA Safety Task Force and Strategic Planning Committee, and is an American Society of Mechanical Engineers member.

As a loyal Speed School supporter, Hermann is a member of the Industrial Board of Advisors, chairs the Board Operating Sub-committee, mentors students, and promotes the engineer co-op program and recruiting. In 2009, Chris received the Speed School of Engineering Distinguished Alumnus Award. He was instrumental in making LG&E a supporting member of the Center of Infrastructure Research and in the conceptual design of a multi-million Energy Education Center. Chris also was involved in the change of ownership of LG&E and KU to Allentown-based PPL Corporation from E.ON AG, which made a major donation to the Speed School in 2010.

Will Ward, 54MD, received his Doctor of Medicine from UofL in 1954, having been elected to ABK and AOA the prior year. After serving his internship and residency, he subsequently served on active military duty as Chief of Professional Services at the 7244th USAF Hospital in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia and completed his military service in a similar position at the 1st USAF Hospital at Selfridge AFB, Michigan.

Returning to Louisville in 1960, Ward entered private practice with the Fincastle Medical Group and currently is a member of Norton Community Medical Associates. He has been certified on four occasions by the American Board of Internal Medicine, and is certified by the American Society of Addition Medicine. He attained a Fellowship in the American College of Physicians and the American Society of Addition Medicine.

Ward joined the UofL School of Medicine clinical faculty in 1960 and was promoted to Clinical Professor in 1981. Since 2001 he has provided the addition medicine portion of the curriculum. He has numerous publications to his credit and has made frequent presentations in the addiction medicine field.

In 1989, Ward led a group of physicians assuming ownership and operation of a homeless shelter, the first such venture by a medical society in the US. After a social model recovery program was established in the shelter, it became the Healing Place which was recognized in 1998 by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as the most effective model for treating addiction in homeless populations. The Healing Place now has a campus for men and one for women and women with children serving 600 adults and 40 children on a daily basis. More than 3600 clients have completed this program.

For his service to the community, Ward has been recognized with numerous awards including Citizen Laureate by the Younger Woman’s Club, Ephraim McDowell Physicians Service Award, Fitzbutler Prize for Humanitarianism, American College of Physicians Service Award, Kentucky Medical Association Community Service Award, UofL School of Medicine Alumni Service Award, and the Ben Kilgore Award.

Ward and his wife of 50 years have two children.

George Rawlings, 69A, 72L, graduated from the College of Arts and Sciences in 1969 with a degree in Chemistry, and was awarded his Juris Doctor in 1972 from the School of Law. Rawlings founded The Rawlings Group in 1977 to offer legal services to the insurance industry. He later expanded the firm into a national company providing data mining and cost containment services to the health insurance industry. The company now plays an integral role in work to reduce costs and waste in the healthcare delivery system. The Rawlings Group employs over 700 people and its corporate headquarters is located in LaGrange, Kentucky.

Rawlings and his wife, Beverly, established The Rawlings Foundation as the primary tool for reaching their philanthropic goals. In addition to commitments to legal education, The Rawlings Foundation has developed and fully funds the operation of Christian youth camps, schools, and colleges in 10 different countries around the world. Over 200,000 young people go through their facilities every year.

Clarinetist Dallas Tidwell, 72MU, 74GMU, earned his Bachelor of Music in 1972 and a Master of Music in 1974 from the UofL School of Music both in performance. An active performer, Tidwell was a member of the Louisville Orchestra for 26 years, serving as associate principal/second clarinetist. He continues to perform with the Louisville Orchestra as a replacement musician. During his tenure with the Louisville Orchestra, Mr. Tidwell performed on over 100 First Edition recordings.

He has also performed regularly with the Kentucky Opera Association, the Louisville Ballet, the Louisville Bach Society, and the Lake George Opera Orchestra. As soloist, Mr. Tidwell has performed concerti with the Louisville Orchestra, the Louisville Bach Society, the UofL Orchestra and Wind Ensemble, as well as recitals in the U.S. and Japan.

Tidwell has an extensive chamber music career and performs regularly with the Grawemeyer Players, the Kentucky Center Chamber Players, the Commonwealth Clarinet Quartet, and the Louisville Winds. These ensembles are all committed to the performance of new music and have commissioned dozens of new chamber works which Tidwell has premiered and recorded in recent seasons. In addition to his performances throughout this region, he has also performed at Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, the Lincoln Center Library, and the Sala Nezahualcoyótl in Mexico City.

Through his passion and committement for teaching, Tidwell served as a part-time instructor of clarinet at the School of Music throughout most of his career, before he joined the full-time faculty in 1996. Many of his students go on to enjoy professional music careers as performers, as well as educators at all levels spanning from elementary to collegiate. He is a 2012 recipient of the University of Louisville Distinguished Faculty Award in Research – Creative and Performing Arts.

Tidwell is married to Edith Davis Tidwell, opera singer and fellow member of the School of Music faculty. They have a daughter.

Colette Hofelich, 82AC, 92N, 98GB, graduated in 1982 with an ADN from UofL at the age of 19, commencing her nursing career as an orthopedic staff nurse. Subsequently, she held a variety of nursing positions in management, bedside care, adjunct UofL clinical faculty, and discharge planning. During those years, Hofelich returned to school earning her BSN from UofL in 1993. She later earned an MBA in 1998 through the School of Business Entrepreneurship program, after moving into insurance adjusting of medical malpractice claims on behalf of healthcare providers.

In 2001, her entrepreneurial spirit led her to purchase a Home Instead Senior Care franchise in Kentucky. She knew that providing high quality in-home care to help seniors stay safe, healthy, and independent while also lending support to their families was the perfect solution to a growing problem. In 2003, Hofelich acquired a second franchise in Indiana. She takes great satisfaction knowing she is helping change the face of aging.

Hofelich is a member of the School of Nursing Alumni Council and volunteers with the School of Nursing Caregiver Program. Over the past eight holiday seasons, she has directed the local “Be a Santa to a Senior” program sponsored by Home Instead. The program has distributed gifts to thousands of needy seniors in the local community, spreading cheer to the lonely and financially challenged.

Gary Dennis, 74GK, 95GU, received his MSSW from UofL’s Kent School in 1974, going on to work with the Kentucky Department of Corrections for 34 years. In 1995, he returned to UofL and earned a Doctor of Philosophy from the College of Urban and Public Affairs. Dennis is presently Senior Policy Advisor for Corrections in the Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Assistance in Washington, D.C.

During his career in state government, Dennis served as Deputy Commissioner, Executive Assistant to the Secretary of Corrections, Director of Correctional Industries, Director of Mental Health, Director of Operations, Director of Corrections Training, and Warden. He began his career in juvenile justice, working as a counselor, chaplain, and assistant superintendent at a reception center for delinquent youth. He was also supervisor of juvenile delinquency grant programs for the Commonwealth under the Law Enforcement Assistance Administration.

Prior to joining the Justice Department, Dennis was a Senior Associate with The Moss Group, Inc., in Washington, D.C., serving as Project Coordinator for a cooperative agreement with the National Institute of Corrections for the implementation of the Prison Rape Elimination Act. In addition, he served for three years as Director of Management and Training Services at the National Institute of Corrections’ National Academy of Corrections in Boulder, Colo., where he was responsible for the majority of training conducted at the Academy for correctional executives, managers, and staff trainers. In 2005, Dennis was visiting assistant professor at UofL.