Cal Poly Update | The e- Newsletter for University Alumni and Friends

SAN LUIS OBISPO – Cal Poly will recognize eight outstanding alumni during Homecoming 2006 at the annual Honored Alumni Awards & Grand Reunion Banquet, set for Friday, Oct. 20.

Each year, Cal Poly honors seven individuals, one from each of the university’s academic colleges: Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences; Architecture and Environmental Design; Education; Engineering; Liberal Arts; Orfalea College of Business; and Science and Mathematics.

The Honored Alumni Award, established more than 30 years ago, is the highest honor bestowed upon university alumni by the Cal Poly Alumni Association. This year, the College of Science and Mathematics and the College of Education have joined to recognize two CSM grads, both of them middle school science teachers among California's current Teacher of the Year awardees.

In addition, one graduate is selected to receive the Alumni Association Distinguished Service Award, which recognizes exceptional service to Cal Poly and the Alumni Association. This year marks the eighth presentation of the Distinguished Service Award.

College of Agriculture, Food
and Environmental Sciences -- George Gowgani. Gowgani continued hiseducation after graduating from Cal Poly by earning a master’s degree in agronomy and a Ph.D. in biological sciences from the University of Nevada. He returned to Cal Poly in 1967 to teach crop science and subsequently served as department head in the Crop Science Department and associate dean in the College of Agriculture. In 1994, he Cal Poly President Warren J. Baker appointed Gowgani as Goodwill Ambassador for Higher Education, California State University (CSU). Gowgani is currently a member of the CSU Board of Trustees. Since 1998, he has been a private consultant in education and agriculture. He and his wife, Margarite, live in Cambria.

College of Architecture
and Environmental Design -- Brent Dickens.
Dickens earned his architectural degrees during the 1960s from what was then the Cal Poly School of Architecture, working his way though college. Before enrolling at Cal Poly, he took vocational classes that included mechanical drafting, which landed him at Northrop Aircraft and set the foundation for his future work. Today, Dickens and his wife own the firm Architecture & Planning in San Rafael and have hosted Cal Poly field trips for more than 15 years. He and his wife, Patsy, live in San Rafael.

College of Education and
College of Science & Mathematics -- Ken Dyar. Dyar teaches physical education and life skills at Cecil Avenue Middle School in his hometown of Delano. He was named one of two Kern County Teachers of the Year and one of five California Teachers of the Year for 2004-2005. He has earned many awards, including Cecil Avenue Middle School Teacher of the Year, Cecil Avenue Most Motivating Teacher (voted by students), Who’s Who Among American Teachers, the Bakersfield Californian’s “People to Watch,” and Delano Union School Teacher of the Year. He and his wife, Heidi, live in Delano

College of Engineering -- Susan Johnson.
Johnson is president of Futura Industries in Clearfield, Utah, shaping the company to become one of the leaders in the aluminum extrusion industry. After receiving her Cal Poly degree, Johnson attended graduate school at UC Irvine and Santa Clara University. Prior to joining Futura, she served as president and chief operating officer of Daw Technologies Inc. and president of Savage Manufacturing Corporation, a subsidiary of Mack Trucks Inc. She and her husband, Chris, live in Huntsville, Utah.

College of Liberal Arts -- Ray Hartman.
Hartman is one of the most visible and influential individuals in the graphic communication industry. He is the group executive vice president for manufacturing technologies and engineering for RR Donnelley/Moore Wallace, a Fortune 500 company that is one of the world’s largest print providers, with more than 50 facilities and 33,000-plus employees across the globe. Previously, he worked in management positions at World Color, Heidelberg Harris Corporation, Penn Lithographics, Heidelberg West, Harris Graphics Corporation and Eastman Kodak. He currently serves on the Graphic Communication Department’s advisory board, and lives in Chicago.

Orfalea College of Business -- Bill Chillingworth.
Chillingworth has nearly 25 years’ experience in property and corporate leadership. After earning his Cal Poly undergraduate degree, he completed executive programs at Stanford University and the Harvard Business School. He is currently president of the western division of CB Richard Ellis (CBRE), a 19,500-employee international organization, where he is responsible for financial growth from Denver to the West Coast. He also serves on CBRE’s board for managing North American operations. Chillingworth is a member of the dean’s advisory council for the Orfalea College of Business. Prior to joining CBRE, he was a marketing representative and national product-group sales leader for the IBM Corporation in Los Angeles. He and his wife, Sheri, live in Rolling Hills.

College of Science and Mathematics
and College of Education-- Diana Barnhart.
Barnhart has taught science in the San Luis Coastal School District for 23 years, exemplifying teaching excellence by using engaging lessons and activities that help students connect science to real life. Among her many awards are honors as a California State Teacher of the Year (2006), San Luis Obispo County Teacher of the Year (2005), San Luis Coastal Unified School District Teacher of the Year, (2005) and Los Osos Middle School Teacher of the Year (1986, 1988, 1990, 2005). She and her husband, John, live in San Luis Obispo.

Distinguished Service Award --
M. Richard Andrews.
Andrews is a longtime friend and supporter of Cal Poly, and a part of the university’s history for more than 50 years. He has been an Alumni Association lifetime member, serving on the association’s board of directors from 1969 to 1982, and as its board president from 1982 to 1987. He was named a 1980 Honored Alumnus. Since 1981 he has been a charter member of the Cal Poly President’s Cabinet and the President’s Roundtable. He also served on the Mustang Boosters’ board of directors (and served one year as president).

Andrews was a leader at PaineWebber Inc. (now UBS) from 1956 to 1990 as a PaineWebber Pacesetter, serving as a new issue syndicate manager, mutual fund coordinator and vice president. He brought his considerable financial expertise to serve as director of the Cal Poly Foundation (now the Cal Poly Corporation) from 1991 to 1998, and was its Investment Committee chair from 1995 to 2003. In 2006 he became one of the founding board members of the Cal Poly Philanthropic Foundation and a member of its Investment Committee. He and his wife, Joyce, live in San Luis Obispo.

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