Earning Our Praise
Alumni awards bestowed upon six individuals
EMU recognized six individuals for their outstanding contributions to their professions at the 50th Annual Alumni Awards Dinner in May. Brandon A. Jessup (BBA05) and
Robert E. Murkowski (BS06) earned Outstanding Young Alumnus Awards. Jessup is CEO and chairman of Michigan Forward, a non-profi t think tank dedicated to urban public policy research. Murkowski is an attorney at Miller, Canfi eld, Paddock & Stone PLC. Dave Coverly (BS87) and Erik J.
Henriksen (BS83) received Alumnus Achievement Awards. Coverly is a nationally-syndicated cartoonist (“Speed Bump”), and Henriksen is a professor of physiology at the University of Arizona. Earle B. Higgins, Sr. (BS06) earned the Distinguished Alumnus Award. Higgins is CEO and chairman of Pro-Tech Group Inc. and Integrated Systems Design Inc. Kathleen D. Tinney, emeritus
associate vice president of university relations, received the Dr. John W. Porter Distinguished Service Award.
FROM LEFT: Earle B. Higgins, Sr. (BS06), Erik J. Henriksen (BS83), Dave Coverly (BS87), Kathleen D. Tinney, Brandon A. Jessup (BBA05), and Robert E. Murkowski (BS06)
Fresh, Pure and Detroit-a-licious! E
ric Bruce (BS90) is helping Metro Detroiters go retro—at least in the grocery store. Bruce and his wife Kim have resurrected the Velvet Peanut Butter brand, and the product is being sold at more than 500 locations throughout Michigan. Originally founded by Paul
Zuckerman in 1937, Velvet Peanut Butter was as Detroit as Faygo Pop and Better Made Potato Chips until the company was sold in 1984 and the product slowly disappeared from shelves. Bruce, now living in Georgia—
the state that produces half of the nation’s peanut crop—has the original Zuckerman recipe and makes the peanut butter at a Georgia plant before it’s shipped to Michigan. He’s purchased a warehouse in Michigan and hopes to eventually make the peanut butter here.
The iconic logo is the same—
bright yellow with the words “Fresh,” “Pure,” and “Delicious.” Go to
velvetpeanutbutter.com to learn more.
Christopher Blough (MPA09) has earned a project management professional credential from the Project Management Institute as the manager of the City of Novi’s Geographic Information Systems.
Christopher Kasper (BS09) has published his fi rst book, “Planting Seeds & Harvesting Dreams: A Guide to Living a Better Life,” through Art Bookbindery.
Rachelle Sweet (BBA09) has won the title of Miss Shoreline and will be a competitor in the Miss Michigan pageant.
2010
Adam S. Betz (BS10) has been promoted to fi rst lieutenant in the Michigan Army National Guard.
Nik Estep (BS10) is credited with the success of the Ypsilanti Solar Project website, solar.yspi.
com, which provides educational content and tracks energy outputs for each of the project’s solar panel installations.
Molly Funk (SPA10), principal of Hamilton Elementary School in Westland, received the 2011 Martin Luther King Jr. Humanitarian Award from Eastern Michigan University.
Jean Tobin (CBAD10) is the author of “HELP! My Company’s Going Out of Business, What Do I Do Now?” published through AuthorHouse.
Dan Swallow (MPA10) has been appointed by the Monroe City Council as economic and community development director.
Charlie Szczygiel (BFA10) has joined Logic Solutions as a featured graphic designer on the marketing and creative team.
Eastern | SUMMER 2011 35
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