Alumni Awards and Nominations

The JJC Alumni Association is now accepting nominations for the Dr. Judy Mitchell Alumni Achievement Award. Do you know someone who has:

• Earned a degree from Joliet Junior College? 
• Demonstrated outstanding success and distinction in their field? 
• Provided humanitarian service to society? 
• Demonstrated an interest in support of higher education, especially JJC? 

This award is the highest honor bestowed upon alumni of Joliet Junior College by Alumni Relations on behalf of Joliet Junior College. Nominees must be living at the time of their nomination.  

If so, please consider nominating him/her for the Dr. Judy Mitchell Alumni Achievement Award. To nominate someone, please fill out the Dr. Judy Mitchell Alumni Achievement Award nomination form. 

2023

Jen Howard '84 - President of the Joliet Region Chamber of Commerce

2022

Dr. Judy Mitchell '98 - President Emerita - Joliet Junior College

​2020 / 2021

William R. Conte '85 - Senior Portfolio Manager, Senior Vice President - Wealth Advisor

2019

Dr. Dennis Haggerty '66 - Retired Podiatrist

Harry Resis '65 - Private Investor 

2018

Jay D. Bergman '68 - President and Ceo - Petco Petroleum Corp. 

Ed Czerkies '57 - Businessman and Philanthropist

​​2017

Rev. Dr. Lester Brown '98 - JJC Criminal Justice Adjunct Professor 

Dave Westphal '66 - Agricultural Business Development

2016

Robert Garza '83 - First Sergeant, USMCR, Retired

​2015

​​Dr. Robert Larson '76 - Optometrist

2014

The Honorable Raymond Bolden '53 - Retired Circuit Judge

Bob Zak '81 - Radio Personality

2013

Ronald M. Whitaker '69 - Member of the first BOT; Retired, Ronald M. Whitaker and Company

2012

Beulah Hoffer '32 - Former Chair of Women's Physical Education at JJC

Philip Nelson '78 - President of Illinois Farm Bureau

2011

Dr. Daniel Gutierrez '58 - Internal Medicine Physician; Medical Director

Robert Baca '78 - Professor or Music

2010

Dr. Charles O. Warthen '58 - Former Dept. Chair of Technology at JJC

Charles Morgan '91 - JJC Music Professor, Director of JJC Band

2009 

Richard Brandolino '59 - Retired, JJC Administrator

2008

Larry Walsh '68 - Will County Executive, Former Illinois Senator

2007 

Rose Mancuso - Pharmacist, Owner REMCO Medical

2006 

Katherine Dunham '28 - Award presented posthumous
Revolutionized the world of dance, Dunham's intellectual, artistic and humanitarian contributions were extraordinary. 

Edmund C. Puddicombe '34
Returned to JJC in 1938 as a teacher of biological sciences. Sponsored the Students of Medical Sciences for 25 years.

2005 

Dr. Thomas Streitz '52
Practicing Dentist, instrumental in Founding the JJC Alumni Association in 1970 and was the Association's first president. 

2004 

Vera Smith '24
Retired JJC English Instructor
JJC's first Director of Admissions and Records 

2003 

Anthony Gutierrez '48
Retired Assistant Principal of Joliet Central 

2002 

John H. Weitendorf, Sr. '42 (deceased)
Owner of Town & Country Realtors 

2001 

James Stephenson, Jr. '56
Founder of Kinetic Systems Corp., Lockport, IL 

2000 

Dr. Curtis J. Crawford '71
President and CEO of ZiLOG, Inc. 

1999 

Dr. Richard Tarizzo '51
Retired Vascular Surgeon, Joliet, IL 

1998 

Richard L. Joutras '47 (deceased)
Chairman, Bradley Printing & FNW Bank

Bernard J. Kestel '57
Engineering Specialist, Argonne Nat'l. Laboratory

1996 

Major General Daniel J. Manning '31 (deceased)
Eng. Executive and WWII Veteran 

1995 

Joseph Burla '55

Dr. Earle Stellwagen '53
Instructor 

1994 

Hon. Julian E. Hughes '42 (deceased)
Judge

Dr. Stanley G. Rousonelos M.D. '47 (deceased)
Doctor

1993 

Dr. Joseph McFadden '52
St. Thomas University, First Lay President, Houston, TX

Dr. Thomas Peyla M.D. '54
Physician Pediatrician

Russell E. Wunderlich '31 (deceased)
Businessman

1992

James Agazzi '60
Art Director and Emmy Award Winner

Hon. William Caisley '60
Retired Circuit Court Judge

1991 

Franklin Brewster, Sr. '36 (deceased)

Int'l. Tech. Adviser for Motorola

John Barnes '41
Retired Vice President Eastman Kodak Company

Dr. John Radke '56
Clinical Professor of Medicine

1990 

Dr. Barbara Smith '60
Assistant Professor, Food Science and Nutrition Department

Dr. Edward Schweizer '53
Research Physiologist

1989 

Raymond M. Standahar '41 (deceased)
Government Exec. Dept. of Defense 

1988 

Dr. David Imig '59
College Administrator

Herbert Trackman '31 (deceased)
Businessman

1987 

Dr. William Shannon '32 (deceased)

Dr. Wayne Watson '66
President, Kennedy-King College

Hon. Susan Pierson-Sonderby '67
Judge, U.S. Bankruptcy Court

Dr. Donald Holt '52
Instructor

1986 

Oscar Kreimeier '27 (deceased)
Research Chemist

Alan Kehlet '49
NASA

George Sangmeister '51 (deceased)
Retired Illinois Congressman

Phyllis Reynolds Naylor '53
Author and 1992 Newbery Medal Winner

B. Leighten Wellman '28 (deceased)
University Instructor

Edward C. Zajac '36
Retired Computer Administrator

Dr. John C. Houbolt '38
Chief Aeronautical Scientist, LaRC, NASA, (retired). Best known as developer of the LOR concept for putting men on the moon and returning them safely to Earth. 

1985 

Dr. Arthur Toy '37 (deceased)
Chemist, holding more than 80 patents

The JJC Alumni Association is now accepting nominations for the Susan H. Wood Hall of Fame Award.

• This award was established to recognize a non-alumna/alumnus of Joliet Junior College who is a current or former faculty member, administrator or friend who has served Joliet Junior College in an exceptional way.

To nominate someone for the Susan H. Wood Hall of Fame Award, please fill out the online Susan H. Wood Hall of Fame Award nomination form. 

2023

John H. Weitendorf, Jr., Past President of the JJC Foundation Board

2022

William O'Connor, JJC Business Department Chair

Mike Brncick, Retired JJC Orthotics & Prosthetics Instructor, Advisor, Coordinator 

2020 / 2021

Peter L. Neff (posthumous), Professor Emeritus, English / World Languages

2019

Dr. Robert Marchink, JJC English/World Languages Professor 

2018

Robert Wunderlich, JJC Board of Trustees 

2017

William Johnson, JJC Agricultural Sciences Professor​

Joe Milosevich, JJC Fine Arts Professor

2016

Professor Emeritus Ted Thompson

Professor Emeritus Dr. Arthur A. Wagner

​2015

​Professor Emeritus Silas Ellingson

John Cronin

2014

Professor Emeritus Patrick Asher

Dr. Cecil Ingmire

2013

Professor Emeritus Paul Lester

2012

Professor Emeritus Curtis Hieggelke

2011

Dr. Emily Zabrocki

2010

Dr. John Peterson

Jerry Lewis

2009

J. D. Ross

2008

Myra Linden

Natalie Miller

2007

John Stobart

2006

Gilbert Bell

2005

Robert Klein

2004

Robert Wysocki

2003

John Fillipitch

2002

John F. Corradetti

2001

Dr. William Zales

2000

Dr Robert Sterling

1999

Dr. Carolyn T. Engers

1997

Helen Harshbarger

1996

Clarence F. Schmitz

1995

Dr. Peter Nichols

Virginia Richards

1990

Maurice Berlinsky

Maynard Boudreau

Henry Pillard

1989

John M. Sayre

Sheila Sasso

1988

Carl Eggman

1987

Grace A. Brewer

Walter F. Zaida

1986

Max Kuster

1985

William R. Glasscock

1984

Vera Stellwagen Smith

1983

Lottie Skidmore

1982

Harry D. and Emily Lennon Leinenweber

1981

Kenneth P. Parker

1980

Grayce M. Stadler

1979

Edmund C. Puddicombe

1978

Elmer W. Rowley

1977

Susan H. Wood

J.D. Ross Extraordinary Service Award Nomination Form 

For more information on this award or nomination questions, please contact Kelly Rohder-Tonelli, Executive Director, Communications & Marketing at 815-280-2915.   

View Our previous recipients

Nomination criteria:

• Promotes partnership between JJC and business and industry that advances economic prosperity of the community/district and the competitiveness of the workforce.
• Provides on-campus and/or workplace opportunities that engage students.
• Provides financial resources available to JJC and/or its students.

Nominate a Business or Organization

2022

CITGO

2020 / 2021

LyondellBasell