"Why Ralph Whitworth May Be America's Best Board Member" posed a 2014 Forbes article about the University of Nevada, Reno's 2015 Alumnus of the Year. Whitworth, a native of Winnemucca, Nev., graduated from the University in 1982 (political science) and went on to earn a law degree and enjoy a stellar career in financial and asset management. The founder and principal of Relational Investors LLC has served as chairman of Waste Management, Apria Healthcare Group and Hewlett-Packard Company.

The presentation of the Alumnus of the Year award is one of many highlights of the University's annual Homecoming celebration, Oct. 19 through 24, 2015. Events and activities include:

• March from the Arch. Alumni, students and friends will join the Marching Band in the third annual march from the Reno Arch to the University Quad on Friday, Oct. 23. Marchers are encouraged to gather in downtown Reno for food and fun in the early evening. The Homecoming parade begins just south of the Reno Arch at 8 a.m. As the floats and band pass by, on their way to campus, the crowd is invited to fall in and continue the march. The event culminates with a pep rally on the Quad at 8:45 p.m. 
• Alumni gatherings. College tours, alumni chapter events and the Nevada Alumni Association Homecoming Gala on Friday, Oct. 23 take place this week. 
• The game. It's a 1 p.m. start time on Saturday, Oct. 24 for the Nevada Wolf Pack vs. Hawai'i at Mackay Stadium.

For more information about these and other Homecoming 2015 activities, visit http://www.unr.edu/alumni/homecoming.

Students join in the fun with a themed series of competitions and activities, "Survivor: The Pack Takes Hawaii," organized through the ASUN Department of Programming. The Survivor schedule includes the Nevadaville competition featuring student-created structures and scenes displayed on the Quad, the Wolves Frolic Talent Show on Monday, Oct. 19, the Pack Pride Pageant on Wednesday, Oct. 21, where the Homecoming King and Queen will be named, and the Survivor Day competition venue on Thursday, Oct. 22, outside The Joe.

Several other alumni and friends of the University join Whitworth as 2015 honorees. The full list follows:

Alumnus of the Year:
Ralph Whitworth '82 (political science) - see his profile in the fall 2015 issue of Nevada Silver & Blue magazine here.

Alumni Association Service:
Jenny Frayer '77 (accounting), '87 MBA
Rita Laden '96 Ed.D.
Lauren Sankovich-Bashista '98 (accounting)

Outstanding Chapter of the Year:
Nevada Cheer and Spirit Alumni Chapter

Outstanding Young Alumni:
Kelly Glenn '06 (business administration)
Lydia Peri '11 (ecohydrology), '15 M.S.
Chris Shanks '08 (finance)

Professional Achievement:
Donato Cabrera '96 (applied music)
Brian Landrus '02 (applied music)
Duane Peck '80 (mining engineering)

Silver and Blue Appreciation Award:
The Clarence & Martha Jones Family Foundation

University Service:
Jim Kidder
Robert and Jean Myles

College and Unit Distinguished Alumni:
College of Agriculture, Biotechnology and Natural Resources - Steven Knapp '78 (agriculture), '80 M.S.

College of Education - Gini Cunningham '74 (French), '99 M.Ed.

College of Engineering's James G. Scrugham Medal - Brian Lent '93 (computer science)

College of Liberal Arts - Dolora Zajick '76 (music), '78 M.A.

College of Science - John Larue '65 (mathematics)

Division of Health Sciences - Karen Ross '90 (general studies), '06 M.Ph.

Mackay School of Earth Sciences and Engineering - Donald Ranta '67 M.S. (geological engineering)

University of Nevada School of Medicine - Philippe Bishop '93 M.D.

The College of Business - Deane Albright '71 (accounting)

The Reynolds School of Journalism - Steve Martarano '79 (journalism)

University Libraries - Marian LaVoy '44 (normal school), '71 (English)