Alumni Awards
Backer Award
The highest honor that SLUH bestows upon its alumni is the Backer Award. Named for George and Anna Backer, whose generosity brought about the creation of our campus, the award is presented to a deserving alumnus.
HISTORY
For nearly 200 years, SLUH has dedicated itself to a tradition of creating Catholic leaders.
Outstanding alumni from SLUH and the Backer Memorial have fulfilled this mission by serving as leaders in their communities, their professions and their church.
In 1983, the Board of Trustees, the officers of the SLUH Alumni Board and the administration of the school established the Backer Award to honor those distinguished alumni who best embody the principles and traditions of a Catholic, Jesuit education.
These principals were articulated in a document that the Jesuits published in the mid 1980s about the goals of Jesuit education. In this document, the Jesuits declared that a graduate of a Jesuit high school should ideally be a person who is “open to growth, intellectually competent, religious, loving and committed to doing justice." This also describes appropriate criteria when considering nominations for the Backer Award.
Recipients
2010's
2018
Fr. David P. Baltz, SJ '58
Fr. Ralph D. Houlihan, SJ '52
Thomas W. Santel '76
Mark A. Wilhelm '72
John D. Wunderlich '66
Learn more about the 2018 recipients >
2010
Robert Barnidge '58
Fr. David Fleming, SJ '52
F. Joseph Schulte '54
2000's
1990's
1999
Richard D. Perl, S.J. '66
1996
Dcn. Anthony I. Messineo '42
Rev. John W. Padberg, SJ '44
1995
Donald J. Gunn, Jr. '54
Daniel J. McAuliffe '53
1994
Theodore J. Dubuque, Jr., M.D. '45
The Hon. Edward L. Filippine '48
Bishop Adolph J. Paschang, M.M. '15
1993
William F. James '36
George F. Hellmuth '24
1992
Edward C. Macauley '45
Rev. John B. Warner, SJ '62
1991
Thomas A. Dooley, M.D. '44
Rev. William B. Faherty, SJ '31
Robert L. Jackson '52
1990
Henry E. Hampton, Jr. '57
Rev. John F. Kavanaugh, SJ '59
1980's
1988
John D. Bouhasin, M.D. '48
Rev. George E. Ganss, SJ '24
James S. McClellan '26
The Hon. Melvin C. Price '23
1987
Paul J. Burgett, Ph.D. '64
Robert F. Hyland, Jr. '36
The Hon. Richard J. Mehan '41
1986
Del L. Bannister '24
R. Emmet Kelly, M.D. '26
Paul J. Rodgers '37
Kenneth S. Wild '45
1985
George E. Gantner, Jr., M.D. '45
David A. Hilliard '67
F. William McAlpin '39
1984
The Hon. J. Donald Gunn '26
Prof. Peter W. Salsich, Jr. '55
Msgr. John A. Shocklee '35
Rev. Robert F. Weiss, S.J. '42
1983
Matthias H. Backer, Jr., M.D. '44
Carl J. Rossow, Ed.D. '55
Daniel L. Schlafly, Sr. '28
Qualifications
The Backer Award is presented at the discretion of the SLUH President. It is awarded to a deserving SLUH alumnus, either living or deceased.
The award is presented to those who embody, in outstanding fashion, the mission of SLUH. The mission at SLUH is derived from the Jesuit idea that man is a free son of God who develops and utilizes his talents so that he has more to give to others. In short, striving to do more (St. Ignatius used the Latin term “Magis") in every endeavor, and doing it all for the greater glory of God.
Backer Award nominees shall have achieved outstanding success in one or more of the following areas:
- Service to their family, their church and their fellow man
- Contributions to their business or profession
- Leadership in civic or social work
- Promotion of intellectual or cultural pursuits
Nominate
Any alumnus may recommend his fellow alumni for the Backer Award. Recommendations should be very specific, and include as much detail as possible about the accomplishments and leadership of the nominee.
If you have any questions, please contact Alumni Relations Coordinator Chris Buerke (cbuerke@sluh.org).
John J. Divine, SJ Alumni Service Award
Established in 1974 to honor Reverend John J. Divine, SJ, this award is presented to an outstanding alumnus—or group of alumni—in recognition of their dedicated service to SLUH.
HISTORY
Reverend John J. Divine, SJ reinvigorated the Alumni Association—now known as the SLUH Alumni Board—in 1941. Before that time, he worked diligently to maintain communication between SLUH and alumni who were serving the country during World War II.
The traditions of loyalty and love for the school were solidified during this turbulent time, under Fr. Divine’s leadership. The Divine Alumni Service Award honors his role as the Alumni Chaplain at SLUH.
Recipients
Nominate
Any alumnus may recommend his fellow alumni for the Divine Alumni Service Award. Recommendations should be very specific, and include as much detail as possible about the accomplishments and leadership of the nominee.
If you have any questions, please contact Alumni Relations Coordinator Chris Buerke (cbuerke@sluh.org).
Other Notable Alumni
- Authors
- Business
- Entertainment
- Government
- Historical
- Humanitarianism & Activism
- Journalism
- Medicine & Research
- Military
- Scholars & Scientists
- Sports
Authors
Our SLUH librarians maintain an updated list of books published by SLUH alumni. Please e-mail Lynne Casey (lcasey@sluh.org) with additions or corrections.
Business
Jack Boehm '44, former President and CEO of Valvoline Oil Company
Don Brandt '72, CEO of Pinnacle West, the largest electric utility company in Arizona
Kevin P. Mansell '70, President of Kohl's Department Stores
Stephen Pelletier '71, President of Prudential Annuities
George A. Schaefer '46, retired CEO of Caterpillar Inc.
John T. Schuessler '69, retired Chairman of the Board and CEO of Wendy's International
Thomas R. Voss '65, retired President and Chief Executive Officer of Ameren Corporation
Entertainment
Chris Albers '86, Emmy Award-winning comedy writer
Michael Beugg '81, Academy Award nominated movie producer
Dave Giuntoli '98, actor, star of NBC series Grimm, the movie 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi, and ABC series A Million Little Things
James Gunn '84, filmmaker and screenwriter, well known as director and writer of Guardians of the Galaxy movie series
Brian Gunn '88, screenwriter
Matt Gunn '90, writer for HBO show Real Time with Bill Maher
Sean Gunn '92, actor
George Hickenlooper '82, award-winning filmmaker
Robert Hyland '36, radio executive who created the talk radio format
Ken Kwapis '75, film and TV director
Dan Potthast '91, ska musician and member of MU330, named after the class in which its constituents met
Hubert Schlafly '37, inventor of the teleprompter
Timothy J. Sexton '78, Academy Award-nominated screenwriter
Government
Terry Bracy '60, former Assistant Secretary of Transportation who has managed many important legislative campaigns and represented a long list of prestigious interests
Richard T. Bradley, P.E. '83, current president of the Board of Public Service for the City of St. Louis
Alfonso J. Cervantes, former mayor of St. Louis
Joseph Darst, former mayor of St. Louis
Chris Goodson '87, former President of the St. Louis Police Board.
Raymond Gruender '81, federal judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
Tim Jones '89, member of Missouri House of Representatives, House Majority Leader for the 96th General Assembly, Speaker of the House (2012-15)
Jack Markowski '69, President of Community Investment Corporation in Chicago and former Commissioner of the Chicago Department of Housing
Mel Price '23, former U.S. Congressmen from southern Illinois
William F. Quinn '36, first governor of the state of Hawaii, and former president of Dole Pineapple
Eugene R. Sullivan '59, former chief judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals (Armed Forces), counsel on Richard Nixon's defense team during the Watergate hearings, and governor of Wake Island
Raymond Tucker '13, former mayor of St. Louis. Also, former chair of mechanical engineering at Washington University in St. Louis
Daniel Isom '85, former St. Louis City Chief of Police
George "Buzz" Westfall '62, former County Executive, and former chief prosecutor of St. Louis County
Historical
Humanitarianism & Activism
Thomas Anthony Dooley III '44, Humanitarian, medical doctor, activist, author and Congressional Gold Medal recipient. During the late 1950s he established and worked in numerous clinics in Viet Nam and Laos. The organization he helped establish (MEDICO) was later incorporated into CARE (relief agency).
Henry Hampton '57, Civil Rights activist, recipient of the Heinz Award, film maker, and producer of the documentary Eyes on the Prize
E. Michael Harrington '44, Harvard professor, author, and founder of the Democratic Socialists of America. Included among his many books is The Other America, which had a significant impact on John F. Kennedy's and Lyndon B. Johnson's administrations.
Max Starkloff '56, founder of Paraquad
Jack Warner, SJ '62, in 1979 founded Teatro la Fragua, a Theatre Group in Honduras that gives free performances and theatre workshops for the poor, in an attempt to help them express their lives and problems. Concerning his role as Jesuit and as a promoter of theatre among the poor, Warner has said: "Art and religion spring from our need to be in touch with something beyond the littleness we feel as human beings."
Journalism
Greg Burke '78, former reporter for Time magazine and Fox News in their Rome bureaus; also held position as Head of the Holy See Press Office. Currently Senior Media Adviser/Vatican Secretariat of State.
Robert Jackson '52, investigative reporter with the Washington bureau of the Los Angeles Times; Backer Award recipient
George Michael '57, sportscaster for The George Michael Sports Machine
Medicine & Research
Michael R. DeBaun, M.D., M.P.H. '78, Pediatrician, Sickle-cell disease expert and 2004 Backer Award Recipient. He is an elected member of the National Academy of Sciences, Institute of Medicine.
Phillip M. Farrell MD, PhD. '61, expert on cystic fibrosis and Dean of the University of Wisconsin-Madison Medical School
Military
Michael Blassie '66, former "unknown soldier" for Vietnam War (view article by Missouri History Museum)
Scholars & Scientists
Joseph L. Badaracco '66, eminent professor of business ethics at Harvard University
Barnaby Faherty, S.J. '31, eminent historian and author of more than fifty books, one of which, "A Wall for San Sebastian" (1962), was the basis for the 1968 film La Bataille de San Sebastian starring Anthony Quinn and Charles Bronson
Gary Gutting '60, eminent professor of philosophy at the University of Notre Dame. In his role as a public intellectual has engaged the famed evolutionary biologist and atheist, Richard Dawkins, in debate.
Dennis W. Jansen '75, eminent professor of economics at Texas A&M University, and expert on the Federal Reserve System
Robert J. Scherrer '77, eminent professor of theoretical physics, developer of a model that explains dark matter and dark energy as two aspects of a single force, chair of Vanderbilt University's Department of Physics and Astronomy, author of many science fiction works, and 2010 winner of the Klopsteg Memorial Award
Keith Schwab '86, quantum physicist and head of Schwab Research Group at Caltech. Conducts pathbreaking work concerning quantum nature of the physical world and concerning nanotechnology.