MCW/Marquette Medical Alumni Association Awards

Each year, the MCW/Marquette Medical Alumni Association selects alumni for its highest honors to acknowledge their contributions to improving health through medicine, science and other means. On October 14, the Alumni Association honored five 2021 award recipients at its virtually-held recognition meeting.

VIEW THE 2021 VIRTUAL ALUMNI ASSOCATION AWARD RECOGNITION EVENT HERE

2021 Award Recipients

Mark L. Harlow, MD '86, GME '91 Mark L. Harlow, MD ’86, GME ’91, received the Humanitarian of the Year Award. After receiving his medical degree from MCW, Dr. Harlow remained at MCW for his residency in Orthopaedic Surgery.

Dr. Harlow is now the chief medical officer for Rapid City, South Dakota’s Oyate Health Center, an organization dedicated to improving healthcare for Native Americans in a four-state area. This award is in recognition of exemplary involvement in community outreach, including his years of service to the Pine Ridge Indian Hospital, his leadership with the Cornerstone homeless mission, and for his lifelong work with the Special Olympics. Dr. Harlow has also returned to MCW to serve as a Clinical Professor in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery for many years.

Dr. Harlow’s passion for others only accelerated with the COVID-19 pandemic and its disproportionate effect on American Indian populations. He set up vaccination clinics for many, including the homeless of the area. He stepped in to take care of those who had nowhere to go while battling COVID-19 – from help with motel rooms and meals to healthcare visits, many done personally. He became their lifeline. He did this in his usual manner, with no fuss or fanfare, just a quiet, committed man doing everything in his power to show compassion for those people that are often forgotten. Dr. Harlow is truly an individual dedicated to making the world a better place for others. We are grateful to be able to honor him and his work with this award.

E. Christopher Ellison, MD '76 E. Christopher Ellison, MD ‘76, received the Distinguished Service Award. After receiving his medical degree from MCW in 1976, Dr. Ellison went on to a general surgery residency at the Ohio State University (OSU).

Dr. Ellison is currently the Robert M. Zollinger Professor of Surgery Emeritus at OSU. He served as Interim Dean of the College of Medicine from 2014 to 2016 and Chair of Surgery from 2000 to 2013. He previously served as the President and CEO of the OSU Physicians Practice Plan and was a founding member of that organization. Dr. Ellison’s career has also been marked by outstanding leadership at the national level in the field of General Surgery.

He is a past president of the Central Surgical Association, as well as a past Ohio Chapter president and governor-at-large of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) and served as the Chair of ACS Advisory Council for General Surgery as well as the Chair of the ACS Advisory Council Chairs for Surgical Specialties.

He has also served as Chair of the American Board of Surgery and President of the American Surgical Association. He serves as a Deputy Editor of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons and the editorial board of the American Journal of Surgery. He has strong family ties to MCW. Dr. Ellison’s father, Edwin H. Ellison, was the Chairman of the Department of Surgery at MCW from 1958 to 1969, and his son, Dr. Jonathan S. Ellison, is now an Assistant Professor in the Department of Urology. The Alumni Association is thrilled to honor Dr. E. Christopher Ellison with this Award.

Ravi P. Misra, PhD, was named Honorary Alumnus of the Year.

Dr. Misra has been a member of the MCW community for almost 30 years. He is being honored with our Honorary Alumnus Award for his unwavering commitment to MCW as Professor of Biochemistry and the Dean of the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences for over a decade. Dr. Misra joined the Medical College’s Biochemistry faculty in 1993 after completing a postdoctoral fellowship in microbiology and molecular genetics at Harvard Medical School. Within the Medical College’s Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Dr. Misra has been significantly involved in nearly all aspects of graduate education at MCW, as well as having extensive participation in medical education. He is also an elected member of AOA. Dr. Misra has been instrumental in developing several joint programs with the MCW Medical School as well as neighboring institutions. He is responsible for the MCW Office of Postdoctoral Education and Career Development. As a research scientist, Dr. Misra’s studies have focused on building a better understanding of the molecular and genetic mechanisms involved in cardiac function and heart formation. His studies have been supported through grants from the National Institutes of Health, for over 15 years, as well as the American Heart Association, and the American Federation for Aging Research. In addition, Dr. Misra has also has an extensive track record of extramural service. We are so thrilled to welcome Dr. Misra as an Honorary MCW Alumnus.

Matthew R. Hodges, PhD '04 Matthew R. Hodges, PhD ’04, was named the Graduate School Alumnus of the Year.

Dr. Hodges is an Associate Professor in the Department of Physiology. He graduated from MCW in 2004 and then joined the lab of Dr. George Richerson as a post-doc at Yale University's School of Medicine. He then returned to the Physiology Department at MCW in 2009 as a faculty member, where he serves as the Principal Investigator of the Hodges Lab which is dedicated to understanding how our brains unconsciously control breathing in health and disease conditions such as Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP). Dr. Hodges is currently the Director of Graduate Studies in Physiology, and former Director of the Master's in Medical Physiology Program, former Director of Recruiting, and former Vice Chair of the Institutional Animals Care and Use Committee. Matt has advised more than 90 students/trainees and has been recognized as an outstanding mentor with several teaching awards in addition to being inducted into the Society for Teaching Scholars at MCW. We are so pleased to honor him with this award.

Elizabeth (Beth) Davies, MD ’95, GME ‘98, was named the Medical School Alumna of the Year. After receiving her medical degree from MCW, Dr. Davies remained at MCW for her residency in Family Medicine.

Dr. Elizabeth Davies is dedicated to serving the Waukesha and Milwaukee community through her work as a family practice physician at ProHealth Medical Group Clinic in Waukesha and her tremendous volunteer work as the medical director and physician at St. Joseph's Free Clinic, which recently moved and changed its name to The Waukesha Free Clinic at Carroll University.

For 25 years Dr. Davies’s volunteerism has been focused on the health care needs in her community She is dedicated to the Clinic’s mission - To support the health and well-being of uninsured, under-insured and low-income friends and neighbors. Her family refers to her as super woman because in addition to these efforts, she is raising three kids, continually donating her time to local charities, and doing it all with a smile. Dr. Davies is part of a family with many MCW Alumni connections including her Dad, Dr. William B. Davies, her brother, Dr. William A. Davies, and most recently her niece and nominator, Dr. Olivia Davies and nephew William Mead-Davies, a third year medical student. We are grateful to be able to honor her and her work as a champion for others with this award.

Make Your Nominations for the 2022 Awards!

Awards Criteria

Distinguished Service
Graduate School Alumnus or Alumna of the Year
Honorary Alumnus or Alumna
Humanitarian
Medical School Alumnus or Alumna of the Year

Distinguished Service

This award is presented to an individual or individuals who have demonstrated outstanding service to their profession, the Medical College of Wisconsin/Marquette Medical Alumni Association and MCW.

Graduate School Alumnus or Alumna of the Year

The graduate alumnus/alumna selected for this award has achieved success in his/her profession that has led to recognition by their peers. This could be in the area of teaching, academic medicine, research and/or through leadership in professional societies at the state or national level. Other criteria could be used as the aforementioned are only examples. Volunteer work and financial support of the Medical College are not criteria for this award.

Honorary Alumnus or Alumna

This award is presented to non-alumni whose commitment to MCW is unwavering and whose continued support of the college’s education, research, patient care and community engagement efforts are pervasive and demonstrable.

Humanitarian

This award is presented to an alumnus/alumna who throughout his/her career has demonstrated a significant humanitarian commitment in medical practice and/or volunteer activities.

Medical School Alumnus or Alumna of the Year

The medical school alumnus/alumna selected for this award has achieved success in his/her profession that has led to recognition by their peers. This could be in the area of clinical teaching, academic medicine, research and/or through leadership in professional societies at the state or national level. Other criteria could be used as the aforementioned are only examples. Volunteer work and financial support of the Medical College are not criteria for this award.

2022 Alumni Award Nomination Form

Nominator's Name *

Nominator's Phone Number

Nominator's Email *

Nominee's Name *

In the space below, please tell us why you wish to nominate this individual for the award. If you know of someone (spouse, partner, colleague, etc.) who can provide additional information regarding nominee's accomplishments, please include their name (and contact information if you know it) as well.

Past Recipients

all

Distinguished Service

2020 Neil R. Guenther, MD ’83, GME ’86 ’88
2018 Paul E. Hankwitz, MD '74, GME '78
2017 Gerald J. Dorff, MD '64, FEL '70
2016 John T. Bjork, MD '71, Fel '76
2015 Donald J. McDonald, MD '83, GME '87
2014 Steven C. Bergin, MD '74, GME '78
2014 Thomas G. Wittmann, MD '84, GME '87
2013 James L. Algiers, MD '53, GME '63
2012 Victoria A. Vollrath, MD '77, GME '80
2011 Ronald J. Darling, MD '62, GME '67
2010 Jane L. Neumann, MD '70, GME '73
2009 Cynthia A. Bauer, MD '74, GME '75
2008 Thomas J. Russell, MD '62
2007 Thomas M. Kidder, MD '68, GME '73
2006 Anthony P. Ziebert, MD '60, GME '63, FEL '64
2005 Robert S. Pavlic, MD '54
2004 Kathleen M. Hargarten, MD '82, GME '85
2003 Roger P. Johnson, MD '67, GME '73, MS '65
2002 Donald P. Schlueter, MD '59, GME '63
2002 Gilbert S. Wadina, MD '61
2001 Donald E. Chisholm, MD '56, GME '64
2001 David S. Haskell, MD '67, GME '72
2000 John R. Litzow, MD '59, GME '63, FEL '65
2000 Robert J. Toohill, MD '60
1999 John J. Frederick, MD '51, GME '58
1999 Michael H. Keelan, Jr., MD '60, GME '66, FEL '68
1998 William B. Frymark, MD '46, GME '54
1998 Michael T. Jaekels, MD '55
1997 William C. Curtis, MD '47
1997 William G. Weber, MD '60
1996 Robert O. Buss, MD '66, GME '68
1996 Robert H. Herzog
1995 Walter E. Gager, MD '63, GME '67
1995 Rita M. Marino, MD '58
1994 Donald J. Heyrman, MD '56
1994John P. Kampine, MD '61, PhD '65
1993 Kathryn C. Bemmann, MD '56
1993 James M. Cerletty, MD '58, FEL '64
1992 George J. Korkos, MD '59
1992 William J. Listwan, MD '68, GME '74
1992 Sanbo S. Sakaguchi, MD '43

Graduate School Alumnus/Alumna of the Year

2020 Jeffery D. Molkentin, PhD ’94
2019 Page S. Morahan, PhD '69
2017 Cecilia J. Hillard, PhD '83
2016 Michael F. Nolan, PhD '75
2015 Joseph J. Carroll, PhD '02
2014 Sarah K. England, PhD '93
2013 Lawrence G. Pan, PhD '83
2012 Daniel J. McDermott, PhD '69

Honorary Alumnus/Alumna

2020 Allen W. Cowley, Jr., PhD
2019 Richard N. Katschke
2017 Alonzo P. Walker, MD
2016 John R. Raymond, Sr., MD
2015 William A. Schultz
2014 Edward J. Zore
2013 James W. Heald
2012 Linda T. Mellowes
2011 J. Frank Wilson, MD
2010 Virginia K. Bolger
2009 John M. Cary
2008 James E. Youker, MD
2007 Thomas R. Hefty
2006 Stephen H. Marcus
2005 Vera Wilson
2004 Janice L. Lennon
2003 Lorry Uihlein
2002 P. Michael Mahoney
2001 Lloyd B. (Ted) Smith
2000 Melodie Wilson Oldenburg
1999 William L. Randall
1998 Jon P. McGlocklin
1997 Michael J. Cudahy
1996 Jack F. Hanus
1996 Lesley A. Mack
1995 T. Michael Bolger, JD
1991 Gerald A. Kerrigan, MD
1990 Reverend John P. Raynor, SJ
1989 John R. Petersen, MD, GME '60
1989 Richard O. Schultz, MD
1988 Jacob Lemann, Jr., MD
1986 Drs. June M. and George F. Unger
1984 Leonard W. Cronkhite, Jr., MD
1982 Edward A. Bachhuber, MD
1980 Edward J. Lennon, MD, GME '58
1979 Stavri G. Joseph
1978 Joseph F. Kuzma, MD
1976 Bessie Casey
1969 Walter P. Blount, MD
1969 Louis Quarles

Humanitarian

2020 Steven E. Larson, MD ’75, GME ’78, FEL ’80
2019 Marc H. Erickson, MD '89
2018 Sister Alegria, MD '78
2017 Donald A. Hackbarth, MD '77, GME '82
2016 Anne T. Martinelli, MD '01
2015 Frank T. Pilney, MD '59
2015 John P. Zimmermann, MD '70
2014 Laurel M. Bear, MD '84, GME '87
2013 Gloria M. Halverson, MD '73
2012 Clifford H. Starr, MD '56, GME '63, MS '63
2011 Sister Mary V. Annel, MD '71
2010 Thomas P. Chisholm, MD '59
2009 Wendelin W. Schaefer, MD '64
2008 Carol A. Ritter, MD '83
2007 Theodore G. MacKinney, MD '85
2007 Julianne R. Newcomer, MD '87, GME '97
2006 Stuart E. Adair, MD '64
2005 Brother Jerry J. Galloway, MD '65, GME '70
2005 George R. Schneider, MD '70

Medical School Alumnus/Alumna of the Year

2020 Marlene D. Melzer-Lange, MD ’75, GME ’78
2019 Beth Erickson Wittmann, MD '84, GME '88
2018 Robert P. Nirschl, MD '58
2017 William M. Valenti, MD '72
2016 Karen J. Marcdante, MD '80, GME '83
2016 Paul S. Pagel, MD '86, GME '90, FEL '93, PhD '94
2015 Joseph E. Kerschner, MD '90, FEL '98
2014 Jerry R. Youkey, MD '74
2013 Philip E. Stieg, MD '83
2012 David R. Holmes, Jr., MD '71
2011 Steven P. Shelov, MD '71
2010 Gen. C. Bruce Green, MD '78
2009 Richard J. Kitz, MD '54
2008 Mary M. Horowitz, MD '80, GME '89, MS '91
2007 Janis M. Orlowski, MD '82
2006 Ritsuko Komaki, MD, GME '77, FEL '78
2005 James T. Casper, MD '70, GME '72
2004 Joseph D. Zuckerman, MD '78
2003 Thomas M. Krummel, MD '77
2002 George J. Reul, MD '62, GME '69
2001 Joseph E. Geenen, MD '60, GME '65, FEL '67
2000 Maria Bustillo, MD '75
1999 Donald R. Laub, MD '60
1998 John P. Kampine, MD '61, PhD '65
1997 Thomas L. Garthwaite, MD, GME '79
1996 Michael J. Dunn, MD '62
1995 Raymond C. Zastrow, MD '55
1994 Walter J. Hogan, MD '58, FEL '64
1993 Jack A. Klieger, MD '41
1992 Eugene E. Bleck, MD '47
1991 Timothy T. Flaherty, MD '59
1990 Edward J. Lennon, MD, GME '58
1989 William V. Dolan, MD '74
1988 Michael J. Krentz, MD '73
1987 James B. Perry, MD '56
1986 John J. Czajka, MD '56, GME '61
1985 Marvin Wagner, MD '44, MS '51
1984 Sister Antonia M. Guerrieri, MM, MD '34
1983 Norman H. Engbring, MD '51
1982 Leo R. Weinshel, MD '37, GME '48, MS '53
1981 Francis X. Paletta, MD '39
1980 Bruce J. Brewer, MD '40
1979 Steve L. Chojnacki, MD '37
1978 Reverend James R. (Luke) Tupper, MD '58
1977 Anthony V. Pisciotta, MD '44
1976 Derward Lepley, Jr., MD '49
1975 Bruno J. Peters, MD '38
1974 Robert J. Schweitzer, MD '46
1973 John S. Hirschboeck, MD '37, MS '41
1972 John G. Walsh, MD '38
1970 Frederick J. Hofmeister, MD '35
1967 Joseph M. King, MD '21