Announcing the 2022 National Alumni Awards Recipients

Corporate or Foundation Partner Award

The Allen Foundation (Foundation/Corporate Award) has assisted CMU through the generous funding of the Allen Foundation, Inc. Culinary Nutrition Center housed in the College of Health Professions. The Allen Foundation remains involved and has hosted and filmed multiple Alumni Relations cooking events in the College, where attendees are also given the opportunity to donate to the Center. Because of the improved capabilities in the lab, accessibility to these classes has been enhanced for online students and allowed for the pivotal transition to online learning during the pandemic.   

Future Alumni Leader Award

Bethany Childs ‘22 is a multi-faceted and active leader. During her time at CMU, she served as president of the Association of Recreation and Event Professionals leading executive and general meetings. She worked closely with the Alumni Association and numerous other companies to plan volunteering opportunities for future alumni.   

Dick Enberg Commitment Award

Bill Kanine ‘82 is a 1982 CMU graduate from the College of Business Administration and received his Honorary Doctorate of Commercial Science in 2019. He is the founder and managing partner of William R. Kanine P.C.—a certified accounting firm serving Petoskey, Michigan, and surrounding areas.  Bill is currently Chair of the Central Michigan University Marcy Weston Hall of Fame, a member of the University’s Investment Committee, and a member of the Advancement Board.  He is a former member of CMU’s Board of Trustees, where he served eight years and two years as Chair. He and his wife Carla are long-time supporters of CMU athletics and made generous donations to the Chippewa Champions Center, the Baseball/Softball Turf project, the Medical School, and the Chippewa Athletics Fund.  

Distinguished Alumni Award

Nick Krzyzaniak ‘86 earned his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration at CMU in 1986. Senior team captain, 2-time academic all-MAC first team, and 3-time member of MAC Championship baseball teams, Nick was destined for outstanding leadership.  For 20 years at Danone, Nick served as an Executive Leader filling many roles, including President, General Manager, and CEO for multiple divisions in the USA, Canada, UK, and Ireland.  He led the company through a cultural transformation restoring pride and commitment to the organization, ultimately increasing the company’s engagement score to 92 percent, the highest in company history.  Nick serves on multiple boards, including the CMU Advancement Board, where he continues to show the true meaning of being a CMU Chippewa through his hard work and innovative skills.   

Alumni Service Recognition Award

Nicki Rowlett ‘13 is passionate about social issues and continues to show loyalty to her fraternity and sorority community here on campus by volunteering with Delta Gamma, Delta Sigma Phi, Triangle Fraternity, and Delta Phi Epsilon, for which she is a member and serves as the co-lead for the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee. She has also volunteered more than 1,200 hours with community organizations and continues to uplift the work of equity, access, and belonging in fraternities and sororities through The Parallel Agency, an organization she founded two years ago.   

Honorary Alumni

Bob Wuerfel is an avid supporter of CMU and bleeds maroon and gold despite being a graduate of Hope College. All three of his children earned prestigious Centralis Scholarships and were part of the CMU Honors Program community. He continuously promotes the integrity and value of the University in his local community of Holland, Michigan, and in his professional networks.  

 Wuerfel has financially supported CMU for many years. His contributions have benefited many students and departments including the Honors program, the CMU food pantry, Grawn Hall renovations, and the recently established endowed Lighthouse scholarship benefitting Honors students. Bob donates to these programs to show his gratitude for the education CMU gave his children, while also demonstrating true philanthropic values through his support of the University. 

“The Central Michigan University Alumni Awards is an inspiring event that recognizes the achievements of our most accomplished alumni”, said Marcie Otteman, Executive Director of Alumni Relations and Constituent Engagement.  “The 2022 honorees represent what it truly means to be a CMU Alumni and we are excited to celebrate their successes.”

Please join us in congratulating the Central Michigan University 2022 National Alumni Award Winners! Fire up forever