CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY ALUMNI RECEIVE LEADERSHIP AWARDS
Inaugural Loma R. Meyer Award for Purposeful Leadership Presented to Five Alumni.
 
St. Paul, Minn. (Oct. 5, 2006) – Concordia University, St. Paul honored five alumni with the Loma R. Meyer Award for Purposeful Leadership. This new annual award was presented yesterday to five distinguished recipients at the grand opening luncheon for Concordia’s new College of Business and Organizational Leadership. The following alumni were recognized for outstanding contributions in their fields as ethical and visionary business leaders:

* Becky Carlson (BA 1993, MA 2003) – Vice president, GBS Customer and Field Solutions, Medtronic, Inc.
* Dan Ferrise (BA 1998) – Executive vice president, Frandsen Corp.
* Louis Johnson (BA 1986) – Vice president and wealth management consultant, U.S. Bank
* Paul Perseke (BA 1988) – Senior vice president of investment banking, manager of fixed income originations for Miller, Johnson, Steichen & Kinnard
* Nicolas Thomley (BA 2004) – Founder and president of Pinnacle Services, Inc. and Summit Fiscal Agency

The award winners were nominated by faculty in the College of Business and Organization Leadership.  Final selections were based on the nominees’ contributions in their respective fields as ethical and visionary business leaders who best represent the Concordia mission.   A committee composed of Concordia faculty and staff selected the winning alumni.

The leadership award is named in honor of Dr. Loma R. Meyer, a Concordia University faculty emeritus, former vice president for academic affairs and four-term member of the Concordia Board of Regents, including two terms as chairwoman. Dr. Meyer’s career is a clear example of purposeful leadership; Meyer was instrumental in leading the development of the Concordia School of Accelerated Learning in 1985, making Concordia the first university in Minnesota to offer an innovative undergraduate degree-completion program. While the accelerated degree programs meet the same high academic standards as more traditional programs, they were developed specifically to meet the college education needs of working adults.  The accelerated degree-completion model revolutionized higher-education paradigms about how college education is delivered and has gained widespread acceptance throughout the U.S.

“These individuals exemplify the best of business leadership today.  Their drive, intelligence and ethics contribute to their fields of expertise as well as the community,” said Dr. Robert Holst, Concordia University president. “It is a privilege to recognize these alumni and to honor the service of Dr. Meyer.”

Concordia has offered business education and degrees for more than 20 years. Announced yesterday, the new College of Business and Organizational Leadership brings together all of Concordia’s professional and educational experience into a single unit that provides practical and relevant business education. Coursework is focused on applied learning for students, bringing theory into real world environments. The College of Business and Organizational Leadership numbers nearly 900 students, more than 170 of whom are masters degree candidates. The college is fully accredited by the Higher Learning Commission North Central Association (HLCNCA) and the Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP).
About Concordia University – St. Paul

Concordia University, St. Paul is a comprehensive, private university of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod and one of 10 schools that comprise the Concordia University System.  Established in 1893, Concordia offers more than 40 liberal arts majors, including business administration, education, fine arts, the sciences and church professions.  Concordia is a regional leader in accelerated, cohort-delivered, undergraduate degree-completion and master’s degrees in business administration, organizational management, criminal justice and human services.  Concordia is the only private university in Minnesota to offer NCAA Division II athletics for men and women. On the Net: www.csp.edu.