Wisconsin Alumni Association announces 2007 distinguished alumni

The Wisconsin Alumni Association (WAA) announced the 2007 Distinguished Alumni Award recipients to be recognized at a program in their honor on Thursday, May 10, at 5 p.m. at the Wisconsin Union Theater in Madison.

"Forward. Living." is the 71st annual celebration of UW–Madison graduates whose professional achievements, contributions to society, and support of the university exemplify the Wisconsin Idea. The awards program is free and open to the public.

The 2007 honorees include Jerome Chazen, the chairman of Chazen Capital Partners in New York and psychotherapist Simona Chivian Chazen; Ernest Darkoh, the chairman of BroadReach Healthcare in Washington, D.C.; Harry Spiegelberg, retired vice president of Kimberly-Clark Corporation; and Frances Shuter Taylor, the former executive vice president of Bank of America. Susan Chapman, global head of operations for Citigroup Realty Services in New York, will receive the Distinguished Young Alumni Award, which honors a graduate under the age of 40.

"We can all be proud of these UW–Madison alumni who are making a positive difference here at home and around the world," said Paula Bonner, WAA President and CEO. "They are truly living their lives forward."

Jerome Chazen BA'48 and Simona Chivian Chazen x'49: After earning a bachelor's degree at UW–Madison in economics and an MBA at Columbia University, Jerome Chazen spent many years in the fashion industry. He was one of four founders of Liz Claiborne, Inc. He is also the founder and chairman of Chazen Capital Partners, a private equity firm in New York. Simona Chazen studied journalism and philosophy at UW–Madison and is a practicing psychotherapist specializing in divorce and abuse issues. She is a board member of the Museum of Arts & Design in New York City, and serves on several other arts and charitable boards. Their $20 million gift for the expansion of the Chazen Museum of Art will allow the arts to have a larger presence on the UW campus and in the greater Madison community.

Ernest Darkoh BS'93: Born on the UW–Madison campus and raised in Tanzania and Kenya, Ernest Darkoh has put the knowledge he's gained while earning his undergraduate UW degree in biochemistry, chemistry, and molecular biology, and his graduate degrees in medicine and business administration to use by helping to address Africa's major health care problems. Darkoh is an internationally recognized expert in HIV/AIDS program management and his expertise is frequently sought after by international agencies. Darkoh is co-founder and chairman of BroadReach Healthcare based in Washington, D.C. BroadReach specializes in developing large-scale delivery systems for all health needs. Recently, Time Magazine named Darkoh one of just 18 Global Health Heroes around the world.

Harry Spiegelberg BS'59: A native of Appleton, Harry Spiegelberg received his bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from the UW, earned his master's and doctorate degrees at the Paper Chemistry Institute, and spent his entire working career at Kimberly-Clark. In 1967, he was asked to head the New Concepts Laboratory, a small group at the forefront of consumer product research and later served as vice president for Consumer Tissue Research. Spiegelberg served as vice president for technology and patent strategy, and later as vice president for technology transfer before retiring in 1996. He is a founder and current chair of the Paper Industry International Hall of Fame. Spiegelberg considered recruitment of quality employees, especially graduates from UW–Madison, key to the growth of the company. Kimberly-Clark remains a major employer of UW graduates.

Frances Shuter Taylor BSE'68: After graduating from UW–Madison with a degree in elementary education, Frances Taylor spent two years teaching sixth-grade in the Indiana public school system before embarking on a successful career in domestic and international investment banking. She is a former Executive Vice President of the Bank of America in Caracas, Venezuela and CEO of BA Asia, Ltd., in Hong Kong. Since retiring, Taylor has returned to Wisconsin, lives in Madison and gives her time to serving on numerous boards including TomoTherapy, Oak Bank, the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, the UW Foundation and the UW–Madison Division of International Studies advisory board, of which she is a founding member and immediate past chair.

Susan Chapman MBA'98: After earning a bachelor of science degree in engineering at Vanderbilt University and a master's of regional planning from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, Susan Chapman added a University of Wisconsin–Madison master's degree in real estate and urban land economics to her educational credits. As Global Head of Operations at Citigroup Realty Services in New York, she manages the day-to-day operations for 91 million square feet of space in 96 countries. In 2006, Black Enterprise magazine named Chapman one of the "50 Most Powerful Black Women in Business." In addition to her professional work, Susan Chapman volunteers with nonprofit organizations across the United States and is an active mentor to young people.