Service to Brown: 2008 Honoree Highlights
- Brown Bears:
- Ittleson Cup:
- Alumni Service:
- Young Alumni Service:
- Annual Fund GOLD Award:
- Annual Fund Co-Chairs' Award:
- The Nan Tracy ’46 Award:
- Class:
- Leadership:
Brown Bear Awards:
George Billings ’72
George Billings ’72 has provided leadership on so many fronts that it is difficult to describe the complete impact he has had on Brown University. He is a hard-working, principled individual who is always able to see the views of others, and who works diligently to build consensus amongst his peers. His volunteer efforts have involved his time, love, and sweat. However, through it all he has remained true to his vision of how Brown can be the best institution possible.
Fraser Lang ’67
For more than 40 years, Fraser Lang has provided outstanding and wide-ranging service to Brown University. Whether serving as Brown Alumni Association president, member of the Brown Corporation, the Brown Medicine Magazine’s editorial board, or as a BASC interviewer, Swearer Center volunteer, class officer, Reunion Gift Committee member or Friend of the Library – Brown is lucky to call him one of its own.
Javette Pinkney Laremont ’80
Javette Pinkney Laremont brings the highest level of dedication and time to her many volunteer roles for Brown – from BASC interviewer, class officer and Brown Club board member to Brown Alumni Association president or member of the Corporation. Her talents are many and we have all benefited from her keen intellect and top notch managerial skills. But through all the layers of her service to Brown, the one constant has always been her love for Brown and her desire to ensure the continued progress of the University.
H. Anthony Ittleson ’60 Award:
Richard Chambers ’69
Richard Chambers’ involvement with the Brown Annual Fund began with his first gift made in 1970, the year after he graduated. By 1979, he had taken on his first volunteer role, joining his class’s 10th Reunion Gift Committee, and has subsequently held leadership roles on the gift committees for his 20th, 25th, 30th, and 35th Reunions, as well as for this year’s 40th Reunion.
He served on the Brown Annual Fund Executive Committee from 1980 to 1985, and was national co-chair of the Annual Fund from 1982 to 1984, a period during which the Annual Fund experienced significant growth (over 40%). He has been a member of the Brown Annual Fund Leadership Council since 2003, and, in this role, asks his classmates to support Brown each and every year, not just during Reunion celebrations. Richard is also a vice chair of Boldly Brown: Campaign for Academic Enrichment for the Southeast region.
Even when wearing his broader “Campaign“ hat, Richard keeps his focus on the Brown Annual Fund and has recruited volunteers to encourage alumni in the region to make Annual Fund gifts. When Richard learned that he would be receiving this award, he noted that it was “other alumni [who had] inspired [him] to participate.”
The Alumni Service Award:
Constance Hurley Andrews ’48
Constance Hurley Andrews has provided inspired and diligent leadership of the Class of 1948. Starting after World War II in the age of postcards, and up through the current age of the Internet, she has used communications to encourage the Class of 1948 to have a lifetime connection to Brown.
Brickson Diamond ’93
Brickson Diamond has been an active, engaged alumnus since graduation. From BASC, BRUnet, Class Gift Committee and the Los Angeles Brown Club to the Brown Alumni Association Board of Governors, the President’s Advisory Council on Tougaloo, and the Campaign for Academic Enrichment he has truly done it all for Brown.
Raymond Rhinehart ’62
Raymond Rhinehart is a deeply engaged volunteer in the Washington, D.C. area whose years of service to Brown have most recently included a committee leadership position on the BAA Board of Governors through which he spearheaded efforts to make the Maddock Alumni Center a vibrant center for alumni and student life on campus.
Preston Tisdale ’73
Preston has been a class leader, BASC leader, Brown Club leader and, most recently, President of the Inman Page Black Alumni Council (IPC). In that role, he was instrumental in planning the first-ever IPC all-class reunion. In all his volunteer roles, he has displayed a wise and confident leadership style that makes people instantly comfortable and willing to work hard.
Young Alumni Service Award:
Valerie Phillips ’98
Valerie steadily moved up the ladder of responsibility in the Brown Alumni Schools Committees program, displaying wisdom beyond her years in managing the very demanding metro New York BASC area. For many prospective students, Valerie and her team are their first introduction to Brown, and she works very hard to ensure that this introduction is a positive one.
Brown Annual Fund GOLD Award:
Tarek Khanachet ’03
Tarek Khanachet’s volunteer service began when he was a student and chaired the Class of 2003’s Senior Class Gift Committee. In the years after graduation, he continued to encourage his classmates to contribute to the Annual Fund. Last year, he co-chaired his class’s very successful 5th Reunion Gift Committee which raised $121,220, a total that broke a long-standing record. Tarek is continuing his volunteer work this year as a founding member of the Brown Annual Fund Young Leadership Council.
Brown Annual Fund Co-Chairs’ Award:
Cheryl Alexander ’75, P’11
Cheryl Alexander has been a member of the Brown Annual Fund Leadership Council since 2006. When her son Brian became a student at Brown last year, she also joined the Parents Leadership Council. Cheryl has made remarkable progress in reaching out to her classmates and connecting with parents in the Boston area. She has successfully recruited many of them to join with her as leadership donors to the Brown Annual Fund.
The Nan Tracy ’46 Award:
Elie Hirschfeld ’71
Elie Hirschfeld has been a class leader for more than 30 years. Thanks to his prudent leadership, the Class of 1971 has a healthy class treasury and stays connected through annual communications.
The Class of the Year Award:
Class of 1968
The Class of 1968 is being recognized for their outstanding work planning their 40th Reunion. They brought to the class a weekend of particularly innovative and creative programming, customized to their interests, and broke all attendance and giving records for a 40th reunion.
Leadership Award:
Muriel Broadbent Jones ’49
Muriel Broadbent Jones has consistently served Brown and her class in a diligent and creative manner. As an active class leader for almost 60 years, she has been involved in planning and participating in all her class’s activities since graduation. She is recognized and cherished by classmates as an enthusiastic and loyal class member.
Richard Williamson ’65
Richard Williamson is a long-standing leader of Brown alumni in Fairfield County, and is responsible for sustaining strong ties between the University and Brown alumni in a geographic area that is home to thousands of alumni. As a leader of the Fairfield Brown Club, he has worked year after year to initiate educational programs that keep our alumni connected to Brown.
Matthew Paknis ’85
Matthew Paknis’ dedication to Brown’s career programming has been nothing short of outstanding. From participating in Career Week and regional career events to most recently serving as the Chair of the BAA Board’s Careers & Networking Committee, he has truly done it all.
Carrie Beckner ’98 and Joanna Kelley ’03
Through a combination of public service and fun, family-oriented events, Carrie Beckner ’98 and Joanna Kelley ’03 revived the Seattle Brown Club – making Seattle famous not only for coffee and internet millionaires, but also for its alumni programming.
Glenn Grayson ’79 and Margaret Tretbar ’86
As leaders of the Kansas City BASC region, Glenn Grayson ’79 and Margaret Tretbar ’86 have gone above and beyond the call of duty by covering a large geographic area in the heartland of America, ensuring that prospective students from this area have a positive experience with the University.