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Alumni Service Award
 The 2012 Alumni Service Award will be presented to Don and Diane (Massman) Soukup at the Homecoming/Hall of Fame Banquet Sept. 29. The award recognizes alumni who have enhanced the college through dedicated service, promotion, and financial support. They graduated from WSC in 1971. Both started their insurance careers as claims adjustors, moved to an insurance regional office where Don earned Insurance Institute of America and Fellowship of Life Management Institute designations and became a Life Company Underwriting Superintendent and Diane was a subrogation officer. They left the internal operations of the company to pursue careers in sales where Don was an agent/broker and Diane a customer service representative/instructor. Concurrently, they served in the US Army Reserves. Don retired after 23 years as a Sergeant Major and Diane at 20 years as a Master Sergeant. Their brokerage was sold; however, they still own a percentage in an insurance company and continue to maintain insurance licenses in California and Nevada by completing continuing education courses. The Soukups became Trustees of the Wayne State Foundation in 1986 and are members of the Presidents Society and the Heritage Society.
 The 2011 Alumni Service Award will be presented to Larry Moser at the Homecoming/Hall of Fame Banquet Oct. 8. The award recognizes alumni who have enhanced the college through dedicated service, promotion, and financial support. He graduated from WSC in 2006 earning a degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in finance and agriculture. After graduation he moved to Sioux City, Iowa where he attained employment as a producer at Arthur J. Gallagher Risk Management. As a producer, he is responsible for selling and servicing insurance coverage for commercial and personal clients. Moser has served as a member of the Siouxland Chamber Ambassadors, the United Wayne of Siouxland and is actively involved with the Big Brothers Big Sisters program currently serving as Chair of the Board of Directors. While attending classes at WSC, Moser was employed at Conn Library, served on the Student Activities Board and was actively involved with the WSC Phonathon Annual Fund Drive, serving as a student caller (1 year) and a student manager (3 years). He interned at Nebraska Life Magazine, Christensen Associates and Arthur J. Gallagher. He currently is the 2006 class representative for the campaign to restore the WSC Willow Bowl. Larry and his wife, Amanda, reside in Sioux City.
 Barbara K. Kanter is the recipient of the Wayne State College 2010 Alumni Service Award presented annually to alumni who have enhanced the College through dedicated service, promotion and financial support. Originally from Wisner, NE, Barb (Breitkreutz) graduated in 1976 from Wayne State cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration with a concentration in accounting and a minor in biology.
Barb began her career at the M.J. Schoening & Associates public accounting firm in Norfolk, NE as a Staff Accountant. In 1979, she went to work for Godfather Development Inc. which was also in Norfolk as Controller for a Godfather’s Pizza franchisee that owned 21 stores in six states.
In 1981, she received her Certified Public Accounting certificate. She is a member of the Nebraska Society of CPAs and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA).
In 1985, Barb relocated with her husband to Omaha, NE. She was Internal Auditor for Pillsbury responsible for auditing the Godfather’s Pizza Division.
ConAgra, Inc. in Omaha was the next career move for Barb in 1988. She was Internal Auditor and in 1990 was promoted to Internal Audit Manager and transferred to Minneapolis, MN. In 1994, she became Controller of ConAgra Dried Fruit & Nut Division in San Francisco, CA. In 1995, she transferred to Corporate Accounting in Omaha and continued working for ConAgra until 1998.
The next move was to Oak Brook, IL in 1998, where Barb worked as Controller for CSP Information Group, Inc. which published CSP Magazine for the C-store industry.
Since 2003, Minneapolis has been home. She rejoined ConAgra at the Snack Foods Division in Edina, MN. Since 2005, she is the Director of Finance for the amusement park in the Mall of America in Bloomington, MN. The park was the former Camp Snoopy and was rebranded in March 2008 to Nickelodeon Universe which is the only all-Nickelodeon theme park in the country.
Barb’s husband, Jim, is formerly from Battle Creek, NE and is a graduate of Kearney State College. They became trustees of the Wayne State Foundation in 2009 and are members of the President’s Society. Barb strongly values education and has established the Barbara K. Kanter Endowed Scholarship.
 Don Dean was presented the Alumni Service Award during Homecoming 2009 activities. Dean graduated with a degree in education and played football for the Wildcats and served several organizations on campus. He enlisted in the U.S. Marines Corps after graduation. Serving with the 1st Marine Division, he received three meritorious promotions. Dean earned a master of arts in educational psychology and guidance from Colorado State College, Greeley, Colo. in 1960. He completed requirements for his doctoral degree in 1973. Don began his educational career as a teacher/principal in 1960 in Winside. The following two years he served as a state consultant for guidance services, followed by eight years as state director of guidance for the Nebraska State Department of Education. During his career in education, Don also served as a part-time instructor in Creighton University’s Counselor Education Program. He retired from Lincoln Southeast and Lincoln Public Schools in 1995, having served as associate principal for students services. Don strongly values and believes in education. During the course of his professional career he was involved with a variety of local, state and national professional associations and organizations. He has been an active supporter of Wayne State College in various ways.
Dean and his wife, Regena "Reggie" live in Lincoln. They have three children and seven grandchildren.
 Willmott graduated from Wayne State College in 1950 with a bachelor of arts degree in education majoring in sociology and economics.
While at Wayne State, he was a member of the track team and Sigma Tau Delta. He also played baseball for the Wayne town team. After a two-year stint in the U.S. Army, Willmott was a salesman for Palmer Food Company in Sioux City and then became the manager for Larsen Kuhn Clothing Store in Columbus.
Willmott returned to Wayne State College and received his master's degree in administration K-12 in 1961. He spent 33 years in education teaching a variety of subjects before retiring in 1990. He and his late wife, Joan, have been involved with and supportive of Wayne State College in a variety of ways, including scholarship support. Willmott lives in Dakota Dunes, S.D.
 Randy
graduated from Wayne State College in 1971 with
a degree in business administration. After graduation
he worked as a financial planner until 1972.
He then accepted a position with Zales Jewelers
and served as a store manager until 1978 when
he purchased a local jewelry store that he renamed
The Diamond Center. This business is now The
Diamond Center - Flowers & Wine.
Randy has been active in the community. He has
served on the city council and planning commission,
served as past President of the Wayne Area Chamber
of Commerce, and served as chairman for the
Business Improvement District on the reconstruction
of Main Street. Randy is a current member of
WAEDI and the Wayne Rotary Club.
He has been involved in the jewelry industry
as past President of the Nebraska, South Dakota
Jewelers Association and is on the Board of
Directors. He is a member of the Jewelers of
America, Jewelers Security Alliance and the
Jewelry Information Center.
Randy has committed his time and support to
Wayne State College as a member of Catbackers,
trustee of the Wayne State Foundation, Executive
Committee member and past President of the Wayne
State Foundation.
 Bruce
graduated from Wayne State College in December
1983 with a major in Chemistry and a minor in
Biology. Following graduation, he accepted a
position with Harris Laboratories as a chemist.
At the end of 1984, Bruce accepted a new position
as a scientist at Dorsey Laboratories (later
known as Sandoz Pharmaceuticals and then
Novartis Pharmaceuticals).
In April 1997, Bruce started his own consulting
business, Data Management Services, Inc. Since
that time, he has performed consulting services
for major pharmaceutical companies, biopharmaceutical
companies, medical device companies and chemical
manufacturing companies throughout the world.
During his life time, Bruce has been involved
with more than twenty-five volunteer, civic,
professional, and religious organizations. He
is a member of five professional organizations.
Bruce has been, and continues to be, involved
with local, state and national politics. He
provides the database work for numerous candidates
each election cycle.
Bruce has been involved with several civic organizations.
He has been inducted into Who’s Who in
Science and Engineering, Who’s Who in
the Midwest, Who’s Who in America and
Who’s Who in the World. He financially
supports the People’s City Mission and
has served on the Lincoln City Charter Revision
Committee, the Mayor’s Community Cabinet
and the Lancaster County Defense Advisory Committee.
Bruce has been a member of the Wayne State Foundation
Board of Trustees for more than fifteen years.
 Jeff
Ingrum, Colorado Springs, Colorado, received
the Alumni Service Award during Homecoming activities
this year. Jeff graduated from WSC in 1980 with
a Bachelor of Arts degree in education. While
attending WSC, Jeff was a member of the Wildcat
football team and was elected team captain in
1979 and 1980. While a student at WSC, Jeff
was active in making physical improvements on
campus. He believes in helping students and
returns to campus to speak.
He and his wife, Terri, own seven
roller skating rinks in Colorado Springs, Denver
and Kansas City. He started the Skating Rink
Inline Hockey Association, Ingrum Printing,
Skate Mall and a television sports production
company, ISPN, which broadcasts all high school
sports and inline hockey to households in the
state of Colorado. He serves on the School District
11 exectuive committee and volunteered for six
seasons as a high school football coach. Jeff
serves as an active trustee of the WS Foundation.
 Dr. Ronald Holt II, San Francisco,
California, is the recipient of the Wayne State
College 2004 Alumni Service Award presented
annually to alumni who have enhanced the College
through dedicated service, promotion and financial
support. As a student at Wayne State, Ron was
on the track team; he was an Ambassador and
served as a resident assistant in Morey Hall.
He has continued his involvement with the College
through volunteer and financial support. Ron
set up his first annual scholarship before he
graduated from college. He has served as a trustee
of the Wayne State Foundation for the past four
years and has returned to campus for the past
five years to lecture. Ron is an attending psyciatrist
and sub-chief in the Department of Psychiatry
with Kaiser Permanente Medical Center located
in San Francisco, California. Kaiser Permanente
is a community acute care medical center.
 Irving
"Irv" Hoffbauer was the recipient
of the Alumni Service Award presented during
Homecoming activities this October 4. Irv graduated
from WSC in 1951. While at WSC he was active
in his dorm, serving as monitor at Connell Hall.
Following his college graduation, he taught
at Craig, Neb., for one year before moving to
Des Moines, Iowa, to join the international
accounting firm of Ernst & Ernst. After
35 years with the firm as managing partner,
he took early retirment to establish the firm
of Hoffbauer & Co., CPA, specializing in
taxation and management services in West Des
Moines, with branch offices in Washington D.C.,
and Sarastoa, Florida. Irv is instrumental in
many campus beautification projects. His fond
memories of the Willow Bowl have prompted him
to donate toward replanting of willow trees
and installation of an irrigation system. The
Irv Hoffbauer Plaza, encompassing approximately
10,000 square feet to the immediate south of
the Student Center was dedicated during Homecoming
2003. This plaza will serve many functions,
in addition to being an attractive and functional
passageway between the student center and other
campus buildings.
 Florence
(Kindler) Griffin Ferrin was the recipient of
the Wayne State College Alumni Service Award
during Homecoming festivities this October 5.
After graduating from Ewing High
School in 1937, Ferrin spent a post-graduate
year at Neligh High School before attending
Wayne State College. Her WSC education included
work with the National Youth Program, dean’s
office and registrar’s office. She taught
at Creighton High School in Creighton and at
Clarksville High School in Clarksville, Texas.
“A deserving individual and esteemed member
of the Wayne State alumni community, Florence
has often attributed her success to her education
at WSC. We’re pleased to have this opportunity
to pay tribute to her,” said Deb Lundahl,
alumni director.
Ferrin graduated from Wayne State
College in 1942. She was awarded the “Hero’s
Award” from the American National Red
Cross for assistance given to an accident victim.
She began working in December 1944 for the Red
River Army Depot and retired in 1971. At one
time, she was the only woman Depot Defense Coordinator
in the depot system.
 President
Sheila Stearns presents the Alumni Service Award
to recipient Lawrence "Larry" Manning
during the Hall of Fame Banquet held Saturday
evening in the Frey Conference Suite.
Larry graduated from Wayne State
College in 1936, lettering four years in football
and basketball. He was voted the most valuable
player on the 1935 football team and in a quote
from the 1936 Spizz, "Taking over the quarterbacking
job, Larry's swivel-hips gave us several long,
exhilarating runs."
After college graduation Manning
began a teaching and coaching career in area
high schools before accepting a superintendent
position in 1941. He served in the U.S. Army
from 1943-1946 in the Battle of the Bulge, Ardennes,
Rhineland, and central Europe. After his discharge
in 1946, he again served as superintendent of
schools in Varina, Iowa. In 1947, he moved to
Victorville, Calif. and served as junior high
principal until his retirement in July 1975.
Larry has returned from California
to participate in the WSC Homecoming parade
for many years. Larry and his wife, Geraldine
"Jeri," now deceased, have been long
time supporters of the Class of 1936 Scholarship,
established the Lawrence and Geraldine Manning
Endowed Athletic Scholarship, and have been
members of the Wayne State Foundation Presidents
Society. Manning and his late wife, Jeri, enjoyed
62 years and eight months together, traveling
around in their motor home and enjoying life
to the fullest, until her death April 9, 2001.
Rebecca D. "Becky" Keidel was
the recipient of the Alumni Service Award at
commencement on December 15, 2000.
"Becky has served the college,
the foundation and the community selflessly
for many years,," said Deb Lundahl, WSC
director of alumni relations. "She has
served in leadership positions on the foundation
executive board, and is a very active and enthusiastic
member. We appreciate what she has done, and
are pleased to recognize her many contributions
by presenting her with the Alumni Service Award."
A native of Springview, Keidel
graduated from Key Paha County High School in
1959. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in
Education from Wayne State College and a Master
of Arts in Education from the University of
Nebraska-Lincoln. Keidel taught English and
speech at the high school level and was an adjunct
faculty member at WSC. Keidel and her husband,
G. Richard "Dick" Keidel, owned Sav-Mor
Drug s in Wayne, Laurel and Wakefield. They
have owned and operated Trio Travel in Wayne
since 1984.
 Robert
"Bob" Gaeta received the Alumni
Service Award at Homecoming October 6 and 7,
2000 for his dedicated service, promotion and
financial support to Wayne State College.
Bob and his wife, Delores "Dee",
have established the Bob and Delores Gaeta Endowed
Scholarship Awards Program for Native American,
and have been members fo the Wayne State Foundation
Presidents Society," said Deb Lundahl,
director of alumni relations. "Bob has
also been active in organizing and participating
in the annual WSC Alumni Golf Tournament in
Omaha."
Gaeta, an Omaha native, graduated
from Creighton Prep High School in 1962 where
he played football, basketball and baseball.
He attended the University of Nebraska-Omaha
for one year before transferring to Wayne State
College, graduating in 1967 with a bachelor
of arts in education. In 1972, Gaeta entered
the insurance business and in 1982 he became
an independent, self-employed insurance broker.
Ray Link received the 1999 Alumni Service
Award for his leadership in his class scholarship
and loyalty to Wayne State College.
Link was raised in Carroll, graduated
from WSC in 1937 and spent his career as an
educator and school administrator. He currently
resides in Boise, Idaho.
Link played a significant role
in the establishment of his class scholarship.
He not only contributes personally, but also
has written several letters encouraging his
classmates to do the same.
Ray Link '37 accepts the Alumni
Achievement Award from Dr. Sheila Stearns at
the Homecoming Banquet held at the Frey Conference
Suit. Ray was honored for his lifelong commitment
to education and his diligent service to his
alma mater.
 Dr. Ken Halsey presents Joyce '41 and Nic
Windeshausen with their Alumni Service Award
at Homecoming '98. Joyce and Nic are Presidents
Societymembers, WS Foundation trustees, Heritage
Society members and have established two community
scholarships for students from Plainview and
Osmond.
The Wayne State College Alumni
Service Award recognizes Wayne State Alumni
who have enhanced the College through dedicated
service, promotion, financial support, and other
efforts.
Wayne State College faculty, staff
and alumni can nominate those alumni who display
the qualities needed to receive the Service
Award. The staff of the Foundation/Alumni Office
will review the information submitted on each
nominee to determine who shall receive the award.
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