2012 WSU Salutes
WSU Salutes honors qualified candidates who have led distinguished lives and demonstrated significant career achievements; have
contributed to the success and reputation of Weber State University; and have served their community, state, or nation with exemplary dedication.
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Distinguished Alumni Award
presented to an outstanding
graduate of WSU
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Distinguished Service Award
presented to a non-alumnus who
has performed outstanding service
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Lewis W. Shurtliff Award
presented to an individual
committed to advancing
education
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Young Alumni Award
presented to an outstanding
alumnus who graduated within
the past 10 years
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Emeriti Alumni Lifetime
Achievement Award
presented to an outstanding alumnus
who attended at least 40 years ago
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Emeriti Alumni
Homecoming Royalty
Honors two outstanding individuals who attended at least 40 years ago
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To view recipients achievement videos please click the names or photos below.
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 Distinguished Alumna
Marlene Summers ’74, ’80, ’88, ’91, ’07 holds five degrees from Weber State including a bachelor’s in police and military science and a master’s in nursing. She helped WSU’s chapter of Sigma Theta Tau nursing honor society gain national status. Summers rose to the rank of colonel in the U.S. Army Reserves, and at age 56, volunteered for active duty in Kuwait. She is a gold medalist in Track & Field events at the Huntsman World Senior Games.
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 Distinguished Alumnus
Kem Gardner ’61 co-founded The Boyer Company, one of the largest real estate development firms in the Western United States. He led fundraising efforts for the 2002 Winter Olympics, and is past chair of the Utah State Board of Regents. Gardner serves on Weber State University’s National Advisory Council. He established an undergraduate research scholarship fund at WSU and a scholarship for financially disadvantaged students. He also generously supports the university’s College of Applied Science & Technology.
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 Outstanding Young Alumnus
Curtis Funk ’11 started a profitable business while still a technical sales student at Weber State. FuneralRecording.com helps mortuaries record and broadcast tribute videos on the Internet. The website has been featured in Utah CEO magazine. It was named FoxNews.com’s #1 Tech Trend of 2010, and was among Inc. magazine’s Cool College Start-ups of 2010. Funk was one of five Junto Partners chosen in 2008.
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  Lewis W. Shurtliff Award for Contributions to Education Honorees
Utah Rep. Gage Froerer and Sen. Scott Jenkins ’75 are stalwart supporters of education and Weber State University at the state Legislature. Both lawmakers have backed numerous measures that have enabled WSU to meet its vital expansion needs and prepare students to compete in a global economy. Recently, Froerer and Jenkins worked with fellow legislators to approve funding for a second building at WSU Davis. Froerer is an adjunct instructor of finance and real estate at WSU and coaches high school hockey. Jenkins is the current Senate majority leader and a Wood Badge-certified
Boy Scouts leader.
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 Emeriti Alumni Lifetime Achievement
A true “Renaissance man,” Alvin Cobabe ’57 began his pursuit of a medical degree by enrolling at Weber College when he was 38 years old, having already been a sheep rancher, a contractor and a licensed radio and television engineer. In the 1960s, Cobabe installed a rope tow on his family’s ranch in Wolf Creek Canyon. That was the beginning of Powder Mountain ski resort. Cobabe donated more than three acres of his mountain property to Weber State for use as an observatory site and science park. |
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 Emeriti Alumni Homecoming Royalty
Between them, Craige and Deanna Hall were members of Weber State’s professional staff for a total of 71 years, working in a variety of Administrative Services capacities. Before retiring to St. George, Utah, the Halls regularly attended Weber State athletic events and mentored student athletes. They organized numerous Wildcat Club fundraisers, and diligently supported the Stewart Library. Each of their three daughters has attended Weber State.
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 President's Award Honoree
Having graduated cum laude with a degree in banking and finance, Nolan Karras ’70 later served five terms in the Utah House of Representatives, including two years as House speaker and two years as House majority leader. He was appointed to the Utah State Board of Regents in 2001 and elected chair the following year. Karras co-chairs the steering committee for Education First, a statewide education advocacy group. He is a former advisory board chair of the Richard Richards Institute for Politics, Decency & Ethical Conduct at WSU. |
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 President's Award Honoree
Hailed as one of the “brightest minds in Utah politics,” Spencer Stokes ’95 worked as a campaign consultant and legislative lobbyist prior to becoming U.S. Sen. Mike Lee’s chief of staff in 2011. The former executive director of the Utah Republican Party serves on Weber State University’s National Advisory Council. Stokes was a Weber County Commissioner from 1992 to 1996.
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To view a list of all the past Distinguished Service Award recipients click here.
To view a list of all the past Distinguished Alumnus Award recipients click here.
To view a list of all the past Emeriti Alumni Homecoming Royalty recipients click here.
To view a list of all the past H. Aldous Dixon Award recipients click here.
To view a list of all the past Lewis H. Shurtliff Award recipients click here.
To view a list of all the past Outstanding Young Alumnus Award recipients click here.
To view a list of all the past President's Award recipients click here.