MU Alumni Association 2006 Distinguished Alumni Award winners

Nine alumni and students were honored at the Alumni Awards Banquet on Saturday, April 22. The River Cities Club received the Alumni Club of the Year award.

The Distinguished Alumni Award was presented to tenor J. Mark McVey and football player Troy Brown. This award is given to Marshall alumni for outstanding national achievements in their particular fields of endeavor.     

McVey, a native of Huntington, currently performs with orchestras throughout the United States. McVey is best known for his theatre work, making his Broadway debut as Jean Valjean in Les Miserables, after having won the Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Actor while in Washington, D.C., with the show. He was the first American to perform that role in London's West End. Other Broadway credits include Captain Walker in The Who's Tommy, Tommy Tune's The Best Little Whorehouse Goes Public and The Show Goes On, with Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt. National tours and regional works include Carousel, My Fair Lady, South Pacific, Seven Brides and Showboat.

He made his Carnegie Hall debut in 1997 and has performed with numerous symphonies across the world including Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Philadelphia, New York, The National Symphony, Montreal and numerous others.

McVey also performs solo and with his wife Christy Tarr-McVey, and has been featured in industrial shows all over the country, including The Adventure of the Sea, one of the RCC’s super cruise liners.  

Mark and his wife, Christy, are the parents of two young daughters, Grace Holly and Kylie Elizabeth.

Brown, a wide receiver for the New England Patriots of the National Football League, was considered the most dangerous scoring threat in all I-AA football during his final two seasons with Marshall (1991-92). He averaged a touchdown every eight times he touched the ball, tied the NCAA record for the most touchdowns on kick returns in a single season and became the NCAA's all-time leader in kickoff return average. Brown finished his senior season with 101 receptions for 1,654 yards and 16 touchdowns, added 158 yards and two rushing touchdowns, returning 20 punts for a 10-yard average and 27 kickoffs for a 23.3-yard average. Brown had a breakout year in 2001 and was a key figure in the team's Super Bowl XXXVI victory. He also made some important contributions when the team won Super Bowl XXXVIII two years later. Brown was drafted by the Pats out of Marshall University and made his debut in 1993. His best year was 1994 when he, alongside Tom Brady, led the Patriots to their first ever Super Bowl championship. Brown signed a new contract with the Patriots in 2005.

He and his wife, Kimberly, have two sons, Sir’mon and SaanJay.

The Community Achievement Award was presented to Dr. Barbara Priddy Guyer. This award is given to alumni for success in their fields of endeavor and personal contributions to their respective communities.

Guyer retired as director of the Higher Education for Learning Problems (H.E.L.P.) in August 2005. As director emeritus, she continues to be an integral part of the program, especially with Medical H.E.L.P., fundraising and representing H.E.L.P. at conferences. 

She received her bachelor of science degree from Virginia Commonwealth University, a master’s degree from the Ohio State University, a master’s degree from the College of Graduate Studies of Marshall University and a doctorate from the University of Virginia

Guyer taught grades two through six and later, remedial reading in a women’s prison. She was principal of several schools including two learning disabilities centers which she organized in Richmond, Va. She began the H.E.L.P. Program at Marshall in 1975 after she tested a particularly bright young man who had failed in college four times. H.E.L.P. has grown to 200 students with 10 full-time and 50 part-time employees.

She is married to Dr. Kenneth Guyer, associate professor in the School of Medicine. They have two daughters, Greta Virginia Guyer, M.D., an endocrinologist in Charleston, and Jennifer Guyer Heiner, J.D., an attorney in Atlanta.

The Distinguished Service to Marshall Award was presented to businessman James E. Gibson and past Alumni Association President Jeffrey Porter.

Gibson, a 1962 graduate, is a retired businessman living in Sarasota, Fla. He has provided significant financial support to Marshall by establishing the Verna K. and James E. Gibson Endowment for Yeager Scholars and was a major donor in the (H.E.L.P.) Program building fund. Gibson has also been active in the Big Green Scholarship Foundation, the Society of Yeager Scholars and the Marshall University Foundation Inc. He and his wife, Verna, joined the Pathway of Prominence in 2003 and one of the new Marshall University dormitories is named Gibson Hall. The Gibsons were vice chairs of the Campaign for National Prominence and major benefactors to the new Erickson Alumni Center.

The Gibsons faithfully attend Marshall athletic, academic, alumni events and other university functions and are major supporters of Marshall athletics. Jim is a founding member of the Thunder Club and he and Verna are the only Lifetime Members. Jim is very involved in the Lewis College of Business with the Entrepreneur and Mentoring Program. He is also a great supporter of Hospice of Huntington and the Boys and Girls Clubs of Huntington and Sarasota.  Coincidentally, the day he was told he would be honored with the Marshall University Alumni Association Distinguished Service Award, he was also notified he was chosen as the Man of the Year by Sarasota Boys and Girls Club.

The couple has two children, Kelly Winbigler and Elizabeth Allen.

Porter is the owner of Porter & Associates, CPA, a Huntington firm where he has practiced accounting for the past 27 years. He graduated from Marshall magna cum laude with a bachelor of business administration degree in 1977 and is currently pursuing a masters of taxation through the University of Tulsa. He was a member of the Alumni Association board of directors from 1995 to 2005 and served as president of the board from 2000 to 2003. His accomplishments as president include the design, approval and fundraising for a new alumni center; the implementation of an Online Community for alumni; the creation of the Carolyn B. Hunter Distinguished Faculty Service Award; and starting a Young Alumni Program.

Porter has been active in his profession, serving on a national level with the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and chair of the National Conference on Federal Taxes. He has served in a variety of appointed positions, including chair of the West Virginia Lottery Commission. Porter, along with his family, has been active in the mission fields in several countries as well as post-Hurricane Katrina recovery efforts. He serves as chair of the West Virginia Volunteers-in-Mission Advisory Board.  

Porter and his wife, Sharon, who is the current president of the Alumni Association, have two children, Deidre, a youth minister in Chattanooga, Tenn., and Jay, a sophomore at The Ohio State University.

The Distinguished Service to Marshall Award is given for loyal and unselfish service to Marshall, and is not limited to Marshall alumni.

The Carolyn B. Hunter Distinguished Faculty Service Award was presented to Dr. Ramchandra Akkihal, professor of finance and economics in the College of Business.

Akkihal, a native of India, has been with Marshall since 1968 as a professor and researcher. He was director for the MBA program for 13 years, and currently serves as director of the Bhavan (India) MBA program for the Lewis College of Business (LCOB), the first Marshall degree offered overseas. He is chair of the governing board and director of the Institute of Advanced Studies in Dharwad (India). In 2000 he received the LCOB Distinguished Service Award; in 2001, the Graduate Advisor of the Year award; in 2004, the Marshall University Distinguished Service Award; and in 2004-2005, the LCOB Graduate Faculty of the Year Award. He also helped establish Marshall overseas international programs in England and Spain.

Akkihal is founding president of the Tri-State India Association which provides financial support for higher education library resources and scholarships at Marshall. He also has initiated a number of events on campus that attracted hundreds of people from campus and the community to experience the culture of India, including internationally known Indian artists and musicians.

He and his wife, Aparna (Class of 1971) have two sons, Anup, an engineering graduate student at MIT, and Amit, a student at Columbia University.

The Hunter Award was created by the MUAA for the purpose of recognizing outstanding achievements and providing incentives for continued service from faculty to the community, the university and students in their respective fields. Award nominees are evaluated on their professional service to the community and their service to the university and its students.

Two Nancy Pelphrey Herd Village Scholarships was awarded to two deserving students.

Mallory Evans of Ona is a member of the Marching Band. A dietetics major, she is a member of Gamma Beta Phi, the student dietetics association, and is an active member in Campus Flood and the Winfield Community Church.

 

 

 

Mary Cathleen Moxley of Chapmanville is a member of the cheerleading squad. A broadcast journalism major, she is a reporter for WMUL-FM, Marshall’s radio station. She is also a mentor for Energy Express, a summer reading program for children.

 

 

 

This scholarship was established in 1998 by the MUAA board of directors, in honor of Nancy Pelphrey, Herd Village coordinator. Funds from the scholarship come from proceeds from Herd Village.

The Cam Henderson Scholarship Award will go to Gallipolis, Ohio, graduate student James "Jeff" Mullins. Mullins graduated magna cum laude from Marshall with a degree in biology. He is a member of the Thundering Herd football team where he has been the team captain. He was the NCAA Student athlete four times; the Paul Draddy Award semi-finalist; and the Special Teams Player of the Week in the MAC Conference, among other honors. He was also chosen as student-athlete representative for NCAA University Self-Study. Mullins has volunteered for a number of civic groups, including Upward Bound, Big Brothers/Big Sisters and the United Way.

The Cam Henderson Scholarship was established by the Alumni Association in the name of legendary football and basketball coach Cam Henderson. It is given yearly to the student athlete who best exemplifies the spirit of scholarship while participating in athletics.

The River Cities Club was chosen as the Alumni Association Club of the Year. Led by President Brandon "Brandy" Roisman, this energetic group is dedicated to promoting Marshall in the Tri-State area by holding annual post-Homecoming game parties and membership drives. Proceeds from parties go to the River Cities Alumni Club Scholarship designated for a child or grandchild of a Marshall alumus who is a resident of the River Cities area (Cabell, Wayne or Lincoln Counties, W.Va.; Lawrence County, Ohio; or Boyd County, Ky.). The club also hosted a focus group for Marshall President Stephen Kopp’s Strategic Planning process, and soon hopes to raise funds for a naming opportunity for the new Erickson Alumni Center.
 

Two new awards, the MUAA Board Member of the Year and the Young Alumni Award, were presented for the first time this year. The winner of the Board Member of the Year was Mike Graybeal, and the Young Alumni Award went to Brad Bobersky.

Graybeal, who graduated in 1973, is office manager for the Huntington Garage Door Company. He has been a member of the board for nearly six years, and has served as treasurer for the past four years.

The Board Member of the Year must be successful in promoting the association’s vision statement among students, alumni and friends; promote the association’s core values; and work to move the association to the next level by bringing in new ideas.

Bobersky, who graduated with a bachelor’s degree in 1995 and a master’s in 1996, is an insurance producer for Acordia Insurance. He has been on the board for almost a year now, serving as Young Alumni Committee Chair. He also serves on the Big Green board of trustees and the Huntington Quarterback Club executive board.

The criteria for the Young Alumni Award is that the person must be 35 years old or younger; an active member of the Alumni Association; show outstanding achievement in their field of endeavor; have a personal commitment to their community; and demonstrate service to the Marshall University and its students.