Honored Alumni
The Honored Alumni Award is the highest honor bestowed upon Cal Poly alumni by the University’s Alumni Association. The award was established more than 50 years ago by the Association to provide recognition for outstanding graduates and former students of Cal Poly.
One Honored Alumni Award recipient is chosen every year from the University’s six colleges. Awardees are honored each year during Homecoming at the Honored Alumni Banquet.
2022 Honoree
Dennis Stroud
Crop Science, ‘75
Dennis Stroud (’75 Crop Science) has been instrumental in the success of Cal Poly’s Wine and Viticulture Department, serving on the fundraising committee to help build the new JUSTIN and J. LOHR Center for Wine and Viticulture, and chairing our newly formed Wine and Viticulture Department Advisory Council to help us continue to grow the College’s newest department.
Dennis is passionate about the industry and the program that he’s helped build. His son Kyle, driven by his passion for wine, graduated from Cal Poly with a degree in Fruit Science in 2005 and his son Tully graduated from the then-newly created Wine and Viticulture program in 2009.
Dennis, a partner in Vintage Supply Partners, has been affiliated with the wine business for 37 years. Beginning his career as a product specialist developing technology for use in vineyards, he quickly developed relationships with several key industry leaders, leading to a career in fine wine sales. He began his journey through the world of wine at Kenwood Vineyards as national sales manager, and served in the same capacity at Heck Estates, Kunde Estate Winery & Vineyards, and Lambert Bridge Winery. In 2005, Dennis became a partner in Plata Wine Partners, focusing on producing wines for private label programs across the country. Dennis retired from Plata Wine Partners in 2017 and began a consulting business for those involved in the wine industry. In late 2019, Dennis joined a few of his previous partners to launch Vintage Supply Partners, producing wines for large retail private label programs.
Past Honorees
Awarded | Name | Major | Graduated |
---|---|---|---|
2021 | Walter J. Ruzzo | Natural Resources Management | 1978 |
2020 | Karen Carey Watts | Ornamental Horticulture | 1979 |
2019 | Kirk Messick | Agricultural Business | 1983 |
2018 | David Gill | Crop Science | 1972 |
2017 | Paul F. Burkner | Agricultural Engineering | 1964 |
2016 | Cotton Rosser | Animal Husbandry | 1952 |
2015 | Charles F. Walton | Ornamental Horticulture | 1966 |
2014 | Peter Oppenheimer | Agricultural Business Management | 1985 |
2013 | Chuck Harrington | BioResource & Agricultural Engineering | 1981 |
2012 | Michael & Wendy Hall | Animal Science | 1973, 1975 |
2011 | John Salmonson | Crop Science | 1967 |
2010 | Ken Volk | Fruit Science | 1983 |
2009 | Ed Boutonnet | Crop Science |
1962 |
2008 | Joe Bannon | Agricultural Business | 1976 |
2007 | Omer King, Jr. | Soil Science | 1956 |
2006 | George Gowgani | Crop Science | 1964 |
2005 | Bonnie Mojas Rosser | Home Economics | 1977 |
2004 | Gene Starkey | Dairy Science | 1953 |
2003 | Stephen Barnard | Agricultural Business | 1975 |
2002 | Manfred Sander | Animal Science | 1953 |
2001 | George Foster | Poultry Industry | 1970 |
2000 | James Errecarte | Agricultural Business | 1970 |
1999 | Robert Scofield | Ornamental Horticulture | 1953 |
1999 | Robert Heuvel | Agricultural Business | 1973 |
1998 | Ralph Grossi | Dairy Science | 1971 |
1997 | Tom Bordonaro, Jr. | Agricultural Business | 1983 |
1996 | Thomas Payne | Agricultural Chemistry | 1958 |
1995 | Howard Brown | Ornamental Horticulture | 1943 |
1994 | Rick Antle | Crop Science | 1979 |
1993 | John Lacey | Animal Science | 1960 |
1992 | Guenther Stotzky | Soil Science | 1952 |
1991 | Daniel Sumner | Agricultural Business | 1972 |
1990 | W.R. Gomes | Dairy Science | 1960 |
1989 | Alfred Amaral, Jr. | Agricultural Business | 1964 |
1988 | Albert Smith | Crop Science | 1944 |
1988 | Gini Bailey | Home Economics | 1965 |
1987 | George Soares | Agricultural Business | 1966 |
1986 | Merle Jensen | Crop Science | 1964 |
1984 | Al Quist | Dairy Science | 1947 |
1983 | Marilyn Hamilton | Hone Economics |
1971 |
1983 | George Gomes | Agricultural Business | 1966 |
1982 | Robert Meyer | Crop Science | 1954 |
1981 | Douglass Maddox | Dairy Science | 1957 |
1980 | Marjorie Sue | Home Economics | 1971 |
1980 | Richard Loomis | Animal Science | 1952 |
1979 | William Verdugo | Animal Science | 1947 |
1978 | Jack Wick | Ornamental Horticulture | 1951 |
1978 | Ronald Pardini | Animal Science | 1962 |
1977 | Tom Veblen | Crop Science | 1953 |
1977 | Shirley McCallum | Home Economics | 1971 |
1976 | Edwin Hobson | Soil Science | 1950 |
1975 | George Strathearn | Animal Science | 1950 |
1974 | Edward Bradshaw, Jr. | Ornamental Horticulture | 1964 |
1973 | John Carricaburu | Animal Science | 1942 |
1972 | Martha Eichorn | Home Economics | 1966 |
1971 | Marlene Van Wagner | Home Economics | 1971 |
1971 | Chester McCorkle, Jr. | Agriculture | 1947 |
1970 | George Raymond | Animal Science | 1940 |
1970 | Ann Davis | Home Economics | 1965 |
1969 | Carl Gill | Agriculture | 1921 |
1968 | Ronald Regan | Ornamental Horticulture | 1950 |
1966 | Donald Fiester, Jr. | Crop Science | 1947 |
1964 | Robert Smith | Animal Science | 1954 |
1963 | John Jones | Crop Science | 1947 |
1961 | Alfred Miossi | Mechanical Agriculture | 1907 |
1960 | Helen Wong Jean | Home Economics | 1921 |
1959 | Herman Sperber | Agricultural Business | 1942 |
1953 | Walter Wells, Jr. | Animal Science | 1950 |