TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) – Distinguished alumni of ISU were honored Friday night with an award as part of the university’s inaugural President’s Dinner at the Hulman Memorial Student Union.
The award recognizes outstanding alumni who have made notable professional accomplishments and continue to contribute to their communities.
Some of those recipients included alumni Paul and Susan Chaney (’88 and ’92), Richard Porter (’77), and Mike Alkire (’85).
The Chaneys are both first-generation college graduates. Both were active in Greek life at ISU Paul as a member of Kappa Alpha Psi and Susan as a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha.
Paul Chaney attended ISU because it has an excellent ROTC program. He served on Active Duty, in the Army Reserve, and the Army National Guard from 1983-2009. He retired as a lieutenant colonel with two Bronze Star medals and having served in Desert Storm and Operation Enduring Freedom.
Paul Chaney has also worked over 20 years in the pharmaceutical industry. He is currently an Executive District Sales Manager for AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals, overseeing a team of 10 sales professionals in the cardiovascular area.
“It’s the work of other people that put into us that we’re now standing in this position,” Paul said.
Susan Chaney, originally from Indianapolis, attended ISU “because it was a smaller university that offered my major” and “was close to home so I could go back home frequently to visit my family.” She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in fashion merchandising. She is owner of Pinky’s Classy Creations LLC, an online retail store specializing in personalized custom gifts for special occasions.
“I’m very humbled and honored to receive this, but we only give so that we can make other students succeed as well as we did,” Susan said.
The couple is active in community service. Paul Chaney has mentored youth through his fraternity`s Guide Right Program; coached AAU track; and served as a Big Brother for more than five years. Paul Chaney currently serves on the ISU Foundation board. Susan Chaney mentors college women in her sorority.
In Alabama, the Chaneys are members of the Union Chapel Missionary Baptist Church. The couple resides in Madison, Alabama.
Another recipient was Richard Porter (’77) from Hammond, Indiana, who graduated with a degree in business management while also competing for ISU’s track and field team as a hurdler.
“It’s a lifetime achievement award as you sit back and look at a life’s journey of you know 50 years since I’ve been here at Indiana State. Its quite a thing to run through in your mind in the last 50 years and this is how it’s ended up,” Porter said.
Porter`s 40-year career includes positions at Kimball International, Rockwell International, and Ingersoll International. For the past 15 years, he has been a partner in a private equity group. He has built a platform of manufacturing companies in Ohio and New Hampshire.
The Porters have a history of giving to ISU. In 2015, Rich played an instrumental role in the donation of $500,000 in software to the College of Technology from Hurco Companies, where he serves on the board of directors. Porter and his wife, Robin, recently donated $250,000 to create the Rich & Robin Porter Cancer Research Center. The donation will support five research fellows.
Porter currently serves on the ISU Foundation Board as Chair. He also serves on the boards of the James Cancer Hospital (Ohio State University) Foundation and the French Oil Company. The Porters reside in Troy, Ohio, and Hilton Head, S.C.
Mike Alkire (’85) grew up in Akron, Ohio, and was a two-time All-American swimmer before attending Indiana State. He graduated magna cum laude with a degree in computer science. Alkire now serves as President & CEO of Premier Inc., a technology-driven healthcare improvement company uniting an alliance of more than 4,400 hospitals and health systems and approximately 225,000 other providers and organizations.
Since joining Premier, he has taken the company public and created more than $4 billion in value for member health systems across the country. Alkire is a thought leader in the healthcare industry, and led Premier`s efforts to address a nationwide drug shortage, testifying before the U.S. House of Representatives regarding Premier research on shortages and gray market price gouging. More recently, during the COVID-19 pandemic, he led his company to use domestic suppliers and global sourcing to bring 226 million masks and respirators, 106 million gowns, and 750 million exam gloves to U.S. providers in a time of need.
“Perspective on the impact that you’ve had on people. And the impact you’ve had you know the industry, my industry in health care, and the impact you’ve had on the university,” Alkire said.
Alkire currently serves on Premier Inc.’s Board of Directors as well as the board of the Alliance for Healthcare Policy and participates on the Healthcare Leadership Council. He is also host of the InsideOut podcast, sharing compelling stories of innovation across America’s healthcare system. He was named one of the Top 25 chief operating officers in healthcare for 2018 by Modern Healthcare.
Philanthropy award honorees were also recognized at the dinner.
