University at Buffalo honors 20 distinguished alumni

BUFFALO, N.Y. – The University at Buffalo honored 20 alumni at the 2024 UB Alumni Achievement Awards ceremony, held Thursday, Oct. 17, at the Forbes Theater in Buffalo. This annual event honors alumni who have brought distinction to the university.

UB President Satish K. Tripathi and the UB Alumni Association presented these university-wide awards:

• The Capen Award was presented jointly to Gregory Bauer, BS ’82, and Joanne Bauer, BS ’82. They are entrepreneurs and co-founders of Employer Services Corporation, a provider of human resources solutions.
  
• Jithin Jagannath, MS ’13, received the George W. Thorn Award. He is an engineer, researcher and chief scientist of technology at ANDRO Computational Solutions.
• The Philip B. Wels Outstanding Service Award went to John Thomas, JD ’76, dean emeritus of the UB School of Management. He also serves as advisor to the school’s global studies program.
• Laura Pyrak-Nolte, BS ’81 is a geophysicist and a distinguished professor of physics and astronomy at Purdue University. She received the Clifford C. Furnas Memorial Award. 
• The Walter P. Cooke Community Leadership Award was presented to Karen Andolina Scott, MSW ’08, JD ’09. She is the director of the Center for Resolution and Justice at Child and Family Services.
•  Jonathan Chou, BA ’88, is an advisor and finance executive in international banking, He received the International Distinguished Alumni Award.

In addition, UB deans presented Distinguished Alumni Awards to these alumni on behalf of each school:

• School of Architecture and Planning: Shawntera Hardy, MUP ’04. She is the founder and CEO of Amethyst Advisory Group.
• College of Arts and Sciences: Jodie Roure, PhD ’04. She is associate professor, project investigator and founding director of CUNY BMI Rising Scholars of Justice Program, as well as CEO of the Hurricane Maria Assistance Relief & Institutional Alliance, Inc.  
• School of Dental Medicine: Mirdza Neiders, PMCRT ’74. She is professor emeritus in the Department of Oral Diagnostic Sciences.
• Graduate School of Education: Adiam Tsegai, PhD ’08, EdM ’00, BA ’88. She is president of SUNY Erie Community College.
• School of Engineering and Applied Sciences: Mark Stewart, BS ’84. He is the senior vice president of operations at Lockheed Martin.
• Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences: Lee Guterman, MD ’89. He works on stroke, neurocritical care and neurology in the Catholic Health System of Buffalo.
• School of Law: Jean Powers, JD ’79. She is a retired attorney whose area of practice was commercial real estate.
• School of Management: Barry Sloane, BS ’81. He is president, chairman and CEO of NewtekOne.
• School of Nursing: Peter Johnson, PhD ’99, BS ’81. Recently retired, he was director of global learning and chief nursing and midwifery officer at Jhpiego, an international non-governmental organization.
• School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences: George Lasezkay, PharmD ’78, BS ’74. He is the president and chief executive officer of Clearside Biomedical Inc.
• School of Public Health and Health Professions: Gary Giovino, PhD ’87, MS ’79. He is an epidemiologist and a SUNY Distinguished Professor Emeritus.
• School of Social Work: Deana Bodnar, MSW ’05. She is deputy commissioner of the Tompkins County Department of Social Services.

The UB Alumni Achievement Awards are sponsored by the UB Alumni Association.  More information on awardees is available on the association’s website.