Alumnus of the Year

2021 — CLINT McDONNOUGH ('73), Pinckneyville
Retired Managing Partner, Ernst & Young, LLP

2019 — CHAD W. KERN ('91), Whittington
President & CEO, Schirm USA

2018 — CURTIS SMITH ('82), Benton
(Awarded posthumously)
RLC Basketball legend and local coach, Correctional Officer - IL Dept. of Corrections

2017 — BOB KELLEY ('69), Mt. Vernon
Retired Director of Marketing & Public Information, Rend Lake College

2016 — RODNEY CABANESS ('90), Sesser
Co-Owner, Black Diamond Harley-Davidson

2015 — DR. BRIAN KERN ('94), Ewing
Orthopedic Surgeon, Orthopedic Institute of Western Kentucky

2014 — JAMES "JIM" MOUNIER ('72), Caledonia
Senior Vice President & Wealth Management Advisor, Merrill Lynch

2013 – TRISH REED (’87), Scheller
President, GM, UpTime Parts LLC

2012 – PETER JOHNSON (’85), Mt. Vernon
Instrumentation Engineer, NASA

2011 – RON SMITH (’74), Benton
Assistant Basketball Coach, SIUC; Entrepreneur

2010 – HON. MIKE D. McHANEY (’77), Salem
Judge, Fourth Judicial Circuit of Illinois

2009 – JIM MUIR (’97), Sesser
Publisher, Southern Illinois Sports Connection, Marion Living & Saluki Illustrated; Radio Broadcaster

2008 – RANDY RUBENACKER (’78), Dahlgren
Co-Owner, Rubenacker Farms/4R Equipment, McLeansboro

2007 – BRAD GESELL (’80), Benton
Co-Owner, Gesell’s Pump Sales & Service Inc., Whittington

2006 – CHRISTOPHER JOHNSON (’98), Valier
Distribution Center Manager, Walgreens, Mt. Vernon

2005 – BILL SHIELDS (MVCC ’58), Mt. Vernon
Assistant Professor/Workforce Ed Coordinator, Southern Illinois University – Carbondale

2004 – LINDA L. SANDERS (’82), Mt. Vernon
Warden, Federal Correctional Complex, Forrest City, AR 

2003 – DONALD H. DAME (’72 / ’76), Sesser
Vice President/Human Resources & Government Relations, Freeman unity Coal Mining Company

2002 – ROSE M. MYLES (’68), Mt. Vernon
Manager / Network Services, AT&T

2001 – CARL ROWLEY (’77), Sesser
Team Leader / Building Management Systems, Panduit Corporation

2000 – HOLLY McCANN (’76), Benton
Acting National Director, Internal Revenue Service Office of Interest and Penalty Administration

1999 – LAIRD D. WISELY (’71), Benton/Mt. Vernon
(Awarded posthumously)
Owner, Therapy Resource Associates & Physical Rehab Works

1998 – MARK MICHALIC (’78), West Frankfort
1999 ICCTA CO-“ALUMNUS OF THE YEAR”
Special Agent, U.S. Department of the Treasury/Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms

1997 – JOHNATHAN W. THOMAS (’71), Sesser
CEO (Executive Dean), Ivy Tech State College, Madison/Lawrenceburg, IN

1996 – TIM WILLS (’84), Benton
Associate Professor of Health/A.D./Coach, RLC

1995 – COURTNEY COX (’72), Benton
Partner, Hart and Hart Attorneys-At-Law, Benton

1994 – FLO DUDLEY (’76), Bonnie
Retired elementary school teacher
Mt. Vernon City Schools District 80

1993 – SEN. J. BRADLEY BURZYNSKI (’79), Benton
Illinois State Senator / 35th District, Sycamore

1992 – CINDA CHULLEN (’79), Benton
Technical Manager, NASA’s Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX

1991 – CRAIG M. SINCLAIR (’74), Mt. Vernon
Vice President of Advertising, The Walgreen Company

1990 – GLORIA J. SLOAN-REEL (’74), McLeansboro
Product Brand Manager, Phone-Poulenc Ag Company, Research Triangle Park, NC

1989 – KEVIN DAVIS (’72), Mt. Vernon 
Comptroller/Treasurer, Rend Lake Conservancy District

1988 – CAROL DILLEY-JAUDES (’75)
Stage actress, St. Louis, and New York

1987 – DR. MARY KAY WITGES BENGTSON (’71), Scheller
Staff/Athletic Physician, N. Carolina State U.

1986 – DR. GARY R. SWEETEN (MVCC ’60), Ina
Minister of Christian Growth, College Hill Presbyterian Church, Cincinnati

1985 – DR. HALE E. RYDER JR. (MVCC ’58), Mt. Vernon
Professor of Economics/Director of Graduate Studies, Brown University

1984 – DR. LESLIE JOHNSON (’74), Thompsonville
Family Practitioner, Mt. Vernon (now in Peoria)

1983 – ROBERT L. BROWN (MVCC ’66), Mt. Vernon
Guidance Counselor, Mt. Vernon Township H.S./Part-time Rend Lake College GED Instructor

1982 – DAVID N. JUNKINS (’71), Mt. Vernon
Social Worker, Illinois Dept. of Children & Family Services