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CentralightWinter13

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PHOTO BY STEVE JESSMORE Alumni News From left, Alumni Award winners Saylor Frase, Mary Lu Yardley, Lon Morey (on behalf of The Morey Foundation), Mara Shorr, W. Sidney Smith and Judy French Smith. Not pictured is Emmy Pontz. Thumbs up, alums! Meet the university's alumni award winners Each year CMU recognizes alumni and friends who have made significant contributions of their time, talent or financial resources to help the university and its students. Recipients for the 2013 awards include: Distinguished Alumni Award Saylor Frase Saylor Frase is the founder and president of Nuspire Corp., a technology firm that provides a full range of managed IT security services to Fortune 500 companies. Saylor studied information systems at CMU and is an alumnus of the Harvard Business School. Extensive work in creating technologies has set Saylor apart as a pioneer in managed services. In 2010, he was recognized by the state of Michigan as a leader in the technology sector. Community Recognition Award Mary Lu Yardley Mary Lu Yardley has made a lifelong commitment to CMU. She is a two-time graduate and was an employee of CMU for 34 years until she retired. Mary Lu is also an active member of many community groups and organizations such as the Mount Pleasant Area Community Foundation and Art Reach of Mid Michigan. She is a regular presence at campus events, including those sponsored by athletics, the performing arts and academic departments. Alumni Commitment Award Judy French Smith and W. Sidney Smith The dedication and commitment Sid, '65, and Judy French Smith, '65, have shown to CMU is evident in their volunteer work and financial support. Sid is the president/CEO of Smith Equities and an emeritus member of both the CMU Development Board and Board of Trustees. Judy serves as a trustee for Art Reach of Mid Michigan and co-chairwoman for the Art Reach Capital Campaign. Together Sid and Judy were Honorary Education Building Steering Committee Members, lead donors for the Education and Human Services Building and have established countless scholarships. Distinguished Young Alumni Award Mara Shorr In 2011, Mara Shorr, '05, founded The Leone Co., a marketing, community relations and fundraising consulting company. Today she serves as its president and also is a partner and vice president of marketing and business development for The Best Medical Business Solutions. In Florida, Mara serves on planning committees and donates her time to raise money and awareness for AIDS prevention and battered women and children. Outstanding Recent Graduate Award Emmy Pontz Emmy founded the Hope for Huruma Foundation, a non-profit organization that spreads awareness and raises funds to help with basic necessities for children in Huruma, Kenya. She currently serves as the executive director for the foundation and organizes all fundraising and outreach efforts. A two-time CMU graduate, Emmy earned her Bachelor of Science in political science in 2009 and a Master of Arts in political science in 2011. Corporate Partner Award The Morey Foundation The Morey Foundation has been instrumental in providing leadership support to a variety of key academic programs and centers on campus. In conjunction with Morbark, Inc., the foundation also supports CMU through internships, career services activities, athletic events and alumni programs. In addition to these events and activities, The Morey Foundation has established many scholarships and continues to support CMU through generous donations. • centralight winter '10 '13 31

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