Purdue to award 17 honorary degrees in commencement ceremonies

Fifteen honorees will be recognized during four commencement ceremonies at the West Lafayette campus scheduled for May 12-14 in the Elliott Hall of Music. Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne will award an honorary doctorate during its May 10 commencement. Another honorary doctorate will be awarded at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis during its May 14 commencement.

The 2006 recipients at the West Lafayette campus will be:

• Nels J. Ackerson, Potomac, Md., chairman of law firm Ackerson Kauffman Fex PC. His doctor of agriculture degree will be awarded at 2:30 p.m. May 13.

• Tan Sun "Mark" Chen, Taipei, Taiwan, secretary general for the Office of the President and chairman of the International Cooperation and Development Fund. His doctor of science degree will be awarded at 9:30 a.m. May 14.

• James E. Dora, Indianapolis, founder and chairman of General Hotels Corp. His doctor of hospitality and tourism management degree will be awarded at 2:30 p.m. May 13.

• John A. Edwardson, Winnetka, Ill., chairman of the board and chief executive officer of CDW Corp. Inc. He is a former member of the Purdue board of trustees. His doctor of engineering degree will be awarded at 9:30 a.m. May 13.

• Nancy A. Gillett, Reno, Nev., corporate senior vice president and president of global preclinical services at Charles River Laboratories Inc. Her doctor of science degree will be awarded at 9:30 a.m. May 13.

• Thomas L. Hefner, Indianapolis, owner of Hefner Investments. His doctor of management degree will be awarded at 8 p.m. May 12.

• William E. Kassling, Pittsburgh, chairman of Wabtec Corp. His doctor of management degree will be awarded at 8 p.m. May 12.

• Jack R. Kelble, West Palm Beach, Fla., recently retired as Raytheon Co. vice president and president of its Space and Airborne Systems. His doctor of engineering degree will be awarded at 9:30 a.m. May 13.

• H. Richard Lawson, Dallas, chairman of Lawson Software. His doctor of science degree will be awarded at 9:30 a.m. May 14.

• Floyd D. Loop, Gates Mills, Ohio, current consultant and retired chief executive officer and chairman of the Cleveland Clinic's foundation. His doctor of science degree will be awarded at 9:30 a.m. May 14.

• Barton R. Nelson, Walla Walla, Wash., chairman of the board and president of Nelson Irrigation Corp. His doctor of agriculture degree will be awarded at 2:30 p.m. May 13.

• Donald J. Orr, Allentown, Pa., retired senior corporate vice president of Air Products & Chemicals Inc. His doctor of engineering degree will be awarded at 9:30 a.m. May 13.

• Dennis J. Paustenbach, Woodside, Calif., president and founder of ChemRisk Inc. His doctor of science degree will be awarded at 2:30 p.m. May 13.

• John W. Reese Jr., Solvana, Calif., retired from the U.S. Navy and Raytheon Corp. His doctor of technology degree will be awarded at 8 p.m. May 12.

• Dennis W. Sullivan, Boca Grande, Fla., retired from Parker Hannifin Corp., where he was executive vice president and president of Worldwide Industrial and Automotive Products. His doctor of engineering degree will be awarded at 9:30 a.m. May 13.

The 2006 honorary degree recipient at IPFW will be:

• Keith E. Busse, Fort Wayne, Ind., president and chief executive officer of Steel Dynamics Inc. His doctor of engineering degree will be awarded at 7 p.m. May 10 at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum.

The 2006 honorary degree recipient at IUPUI will be:

• William B. Wylam, Indianapolis, corporate director of technology for Remy International, president of International Energy LLC and chairman of Electricore Inc. His doctor of engineering degree will be awarded at 3 p.m. May 14 at the Indiana Convention Center and RCA Dome.

Writer: Christy Jones, (765) 494-1089, christyjones@purdue.edu

Source: Jim Vruggink, director of special projects, (765) 494-2086, jvruggink@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

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