Gogebic Community College Foundation's 16th Annual
Recognition Banquet
IRONWOOD TOWNSHIP – October 21, 2011
The
Gogebic Community College Foundation held its 16th
Annual Celebration of Achievements Banquet Thursday
evening. The event was hosted at the GCC Lindquist
Center. Preceding the Banquet there was a Reception that
was also held at GCC Courtside.
Each year, the
GCC Foundation Board of Directors chooses several
individuals to honor who have exemplified their
commitment to the College. This year’s honorees included
Margaret “Peggy” Malovrh, Distinguished Alumnus Class of
1977; James Milakovich and Donald Fortune, Distinguished
Foundation Board Members; and David Coleman, Outstanding
College Employee.
Pictured above (L-R) are Foundation President
Charlene Newhouse, David Coleman, Donald Fortune,
Margaret Malovrh, James Milakovich, and GCC President
James Lorenson.
above The Welcoming remarks and introductions were made
by Kelly Marczak, GCC Foundation's Executive Director.
Charlene Newhouse, President of the GCC Foundation gave
the opening remarks at Thursday's banquet. Newhouse
assisted GCC President James A. Lorenson in presenting
the awards.
Margaret Ann "Peggy" Malovrh attended Gogebic
Community College after graduating from Ironwood
Catholic High School in 1975. Peggy fully embraced these
initial college years at Gogebic, receiving a superb
education, particularly from her science teachers: Mr.
Ken Larson, Mr. Charles Supercynski and Mr. Doug Olsen.
Cherished memories formed through participation in
intramural sports, women's volleyball, cheerleading,
college sponsored social events and singing in the
school choir.
With a solid foundation from GCC,
Peggy graduated with honors from the pharmacy program at
Ferris State University in 1980 and began her career as
a hospital pharmacist at St. Lawrence Hospital in
Lansing, Michigan. She decided to pursue her Doctor of
Pharmacy degree in 1991 and subsequently received her
Pharm.D. degree in 1993. Peggy is currently the
Clinical Pharmacy Supervisor and Residency Program
Director at Sparrow Health System, a 733-bed tertiary
care hospital in Lansing. She also serves as an adjunct
clinical professor at the University of Michigan, Ferris
State and Wayne State Universities. Peggy is a past
president of the Capital Area Pharmacists Association
and is president-elect of the Michigan Society of
Health-System Pharmacists (MSHP).She was honored as the
Preceptor of the Year from Ferris State University in
2000 and the MSHP Pharmacist of the Year in 2008.In
addition to pharmacy publications, Peggy has co-
authored articles in scientific journals. In 2010, she
was inducted as a fellow of the Michigan Pharmacists
Association.
Peggy strongly believes in
supporting Gogebic Community College, realizing that the
first years on a professional path are the most
important.
She has learned that the most
difficult part of any journey is "pulling out of the
driveway".
“I do not know how much I deserve
this award but I do acknowledge everything that that
Gogebic has done for me. It has led me on a path
to a wonderful profession” she said.
James R. Milakovich, Jim completed his public school
education in Bessemer. In 1967, he began his college
education at Gogebic Community College and graduated in
1969 with an Associate of Business. Jim was a
two-year starter for the Samsons and a member of two
NJCC championship teams. Milakovich graduated from
Northern Michigan University in 1971 with a Bachelors of
Science degree in Business Administration. A few months
after graduation, he was drafted and served two years in
the U.S. Armed Forces in Germany.
From 1974
until 1982, Jim worked for the Miner's First National
Bank & Trust Company in Ishpeming, Michigan. In August
of 1982, Jim returned to Ironwood to serve as Vice
President/Senior Lending Officer: Consumer, Mortgage, &
Commercial Lending at the First national Bank of
IronwoodlMFC First National Bank. When MFC First
National Bank became Wells Fargo Bank of Michigan in
2000, he served as a Business Banker until June 2002.In
June of 2002, Jim joined the First National Bank of
Wakefield, Michigan, where he continues to serve as a
Vice President/Senior Lending Officer. Jim continued
his education as he advanced in his banking career. He
took graduate classes at NMU and graduated from the
Northern Michigan School of Banking in 1978. Jim has
"been active in service organizations and community
affairs both in Ishpeming and Ironwood. Beginning in
1980, he was an active member of the Ishpeming Chamber
of Commerce and served as its President in 1982. Jim
has served Gogebic Community College as a member of the
Long Range Planning Committee in 1984,an adjunct faculty
member in 1985, a presenter for the Freshman Seminar, a
member of the Advisory Committee for the Business
Department from 1988 to 1994, and from 2002 to the
present, and as a member of the Gogebic Community
College Foundation Board. He served as Foundation Board
President from July 2008 until June 2010.
Jim
has long contributed to the business sector as well. He
was a member of the Ironwood Chamber of Commerce Board
of Directors for three years and its treasurer for one
year. For the past 28 years, Jim has been an active
member of the Ironwood Kiwanis Club, serving as the
treasurer for 6 years, as one of the Board of Directors
numerous times, and as President in 2006. He was an
active member of the Ironwood Elks for over 20 years and
spent one year as treasurer. He served on the Ironwood
Area Schools Citizen's Taskforce Committee between 1994
and 2002, and since1983, as a golfing member and
Tournament Committee Member of the Gogebic Country Club.
In 1994, Jim was honored as a Distinguished Alumni of
A.D. Johnston High School in Bessemer, Michigan. Jim and
his wife Jeannie have three children-Jennifer (Pavlovich),
Jamie (Erickson), and James and four grandchildren:
Ella, Ethan, Chase, and Connor
Dean Lindquist introduced Donald Fortune and spoke of
the important fundraising that Fortune accomplished on
behalf of the Lindquist Center on the GCC campus.
Donald Fortune graduated from Flint Northern High
School, Flint, MI, in 1950. He lettered in track and
cross country, and was a member of the 1950 Class A
Track Championship team. Don attended Flint Junior
College until drafted to serve in the U.S. Army for
service in the Korean Conflict. He was honorably
discharged as a noncommissioned officer in 1955. He
then attended University of Michigan - Flint College.
After a brief career in real estate sales, Don
joined Michigan National Bank as Management Trainee in
1963. Bank training required completion of courses from
U of M Extension Office. Don was named Asst. Vice
President in 1966. In 1970 he was named Vice President
and Department Manager of newly formed Public Funds and
Municipal Bond Underwriting areas of the bank. In 1974
he was named President and CEO of First National Bank of
Calumet/Lake Linden, MI. The bank prospered under his
leadership. First National Bank of Calumet/Lake
Linden doubled in size and market share during his
tenure. Don completed two years of the American Bankers
Association's Stoner Graduate School of Banking at
Rutger's University in New Brunswick, NJ.
After
13 successful years in the Copper Country, Don was named
Executive Vice President and CEO of First National Bank
(FNB) of Ironwood in 1987. In 1990, Don was named
President of FNB, an affiliate bank of the Michigan
Financial Corporation of Marquette, MI - a generous
supporter of GCC during the construction of the
Lindquist Center.
Don and John Rajkovich
co-chaired the local fundraising drive from 1991 to 1993
to provide matching funds to support State and Federal
monies to build the David G. Lindquist Student Center on
the campus of GCC. This group raised in excess
of$550,000. Don and Marilyn were patron contributors for
most years while living in the Gogebic Range area.
Don continued his high level of civic and community
involvement while at FNB serving as GCC Foundation Board
Member from 1989 to 2000, past President of
Hurley-Ironwood Rotary Club, past President of Grand
View Health System Board of Directors, past President of
Ironwood Industrial Council, and numerous other
volunteer groups.
FNB prospered under Don's
leadership and the bank increased assets by $40 million
and profitability rose to levels of high performance
peer group standards. Corporate policy required Don's
retirement in 1999 at age 65.
In 2000 Don
accepted a call from the organizers of a new state
chartered bank to organize and prepare stock prospectus,
design products, and hire staff. The new bank, Gogebic
Range Bank, opened in May, 2002, with offices in
Bessemer and Ironwood. The new bank has prospered since
the first day, and now is a fine example of the role of
a community locally controlled bank.
Don
retired for the second time in December, 2003 and
returned with Marilyn to their retirement home in
Florida. Summers are spent at their lake home in Mercer,
WI. Retirement includes lots of travel visiting daughter
Debra (MTU 1984) in Raleigh, NC; son Todd (GCC i985) in
Mt. Vernon, OH; son Scott (GCC 1997) near Madison, WI;
and son David (U. of Maryland 1998) in Herdon, VA. Don &
Marilyn also have two grandchildren who are GCC alumni.
GCC is still in the thoughts of Don & Marilyn. Both are
supporters of the Annual Pines to Palms Event held in
Florida each spring.
Video above - President James Lorenson speaking of Don
Fortune
David Russell Coleman was born in Ironwood, Michigan
in 1943. David graduated from L. L. Wright High School
in 1961 and attended Gogebic Community College until
1964. David transferred to Northland College in 1964 and
graduated in 1966 with a Bachelor of Science Degree with
a Broad Social Studies Major.
Dave taught
Social Studies at Shawano, Wisconsin before moving back
to Ironwood. He began his career at Gogebic Community
College by teaching Physical Education at Camp Ojibway
in Marenisco, Michigan. While teaching Physical
Education he was the first Teacher Aide in GCC's
Vocational Small Engine Repair Program and moved on to
be a Teacher Aide in the Small Appliance Repair Program
and Automotive Technology Program at Camp Ojibway. David
was an Adjunct Instructor teaching Corrections Classes
at the main campus for Gogebic.
In 1989 David
became the Gogebic Off-Campus Coordinator in Iron River
Michigan and was instrumental in developing classes for
Corrections Officers for the soon to be open Camp Ottawa
Correctional Facility in Iron River, Michigan. David was
the driving force in bringing Off-Campus College Evening
Classes to the people in L'Anse and Baraga, Michigan.
David started Off-Campus College Evening Classes in
Hancock, Houghton, and Calumet, Michigan.
In
1994 he became the On-Campus Evening Supervisor and
Assistant Manager of the David G. Lindquist Student
Center. In 1997 he became e Head Manager of the David G.
Lindquist Center. David became the Assistant Athletic
Director in 2006 and Residential Manager of Campus
Suites in 2008. David retired from Gogebic in 2009 and
agreed to continue as part manager of Campus Suites
until his full retirement from GCC in 2010.
David has been a registered Basketball Official for 45
years and ntinues to officiate Middle School and Junior
Varsity games. He also helps cook for the Hurley Midget
Booster Club at Football games.
He and his wife
Andrea have three children: daughters Lynn and Jennifer
and a son Kevin. They also have two grandchildren
Michael and Steven.
He considers it an honor
and privilege to be a part of the Gogebic Community
College family for so many years.
Above left is former GCC President Donald Forster and
current GCC President James A Lorenson.
pictured above are the Breakwater staff who did an
excellent job in catering this year's banquet.
Polar Bear
Cookbook
Thank you
to everyone who submitted
recipes for the Polar Bear
Hockey Cookbook. The cookbooks
are now available. The cost for
the cookbooks are $10.00 so make
sure to grab one for yourself
and maybe one or two as a gift.
They can be purchased at the Pat
O'Donnel Civic Center concession
stand or by contacting Kerry
Roehm or Micki Sorensen.
