Celebrating exceptional alumni leadership

Each year, we honor outstanding Tippie alumni whose professional achievements, leadership, and dedication to the college exemplify the very best of the Tippie community through our Alum of the Year and Young Alum of the Year awards.

2026 Recipients

Portrait of Nick Hentges.

Nick Hentges (BBA81)

Tippie Alum of the Year
Portrait of JD Klopfenstein.

JD Klopfenstein (BBA18)

Tippie Young Alum of the Year

Past recipients

YearAlum of the YearYoung alum of the year
2025George Hiller, BBA80/MBA82Santino Morena, BBA17
2024Brandon Miller, BBA03Rita Guzmán, BBA18
2023Nicole Johnston, BBA94Cheryl Davenport, BBA05
2022Janice Ellig, BBA68Rachel Langholz, BBA17
2021Sue Taylor, MBA01Roberto Paniagua, BBA11
2020Christopher Klein, BBA85Wenran Xie, BBA13
2019Mark Buthman, BBA82Jon Raftis, BBA10/MBA15

Kevin Velovitch, BBA12
2018Trevor Schauenberg, BBA91Shalini Campbell, BBA04
2017Chris Hoffman, BBA85Claudia Marban, BBA99
2016Stephen Belyn, BBA91Todd Nelson, MBA07
2015Margaret (Peg) Stessman, EMBA12Chuck Mersch, BBA07/MBA08
2014Dana Ramundt, BBA74Tom Niblock, BBA07