2012 Alumni Awards
The following alumni were honored at the 61st annual Alumni Awards Banquet held Friday, October 26, 2012, Homecoming Weekend.
Distinguished Alumni Award
Ned M. Timmons, '70
Ned Timmons is president of L.S.S. Consulting, a security and investigative services company that he founded in 1991 after a long career in law enforcement.
At Hillsdale, Timmons majored in biology and belonged to the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity. After graduation, Timmons served in the U.S. Army, 2nd Infantry Division, with tours of duty in Vietnam and Korea. While in Korea, he was assigned to the Criminal Investigations Detachment. He then worked for ten years as a police officer in Highland Park, Michigan, while waiting to join the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). He also earned his master’s degree from Michigan State University and was in the midst of studying for a Ph.D. when the FBI appointed him in 1981.
Timmons served for nine years on an FBI SWAT team in national and international work with motorcycle gang and drug-related investigations, including the largest drug bust in U.S. history at the time. He spent one year in the Cayman Islands posing as a security advisor for a drug ring. Within the first six months of that assignment, he had indicted over 300 people and confiscated hundreds of thousands of pounds of marijuana. He also worked as a key undercover operative in the downfall and arrest of General Manuel Noriega, former dictator of Panama.
Timmons is certified in Homeland Security and is a Certified Fraud Examiner. He is married to Mary Timmons.
Distinguished Alumna Award
Pamela J. Lowe, '80
Founder and principal of Trek Global Executive Coaching, Pam Lowe works with senior executives, mid-level managers, and young professionals to develop action plans that drive greater success in their careers while maintaining a healthy balance in their lives. She is also the founder of Trek Leadership Café, an executive coaching program for young professionals.
Prior to Trek Global Executive Coaching, Lowe served as vice president at Cintas Corporation, a $4 billion operation with 34,000 employees, where she was the second woman to be named an officer in the corporation. At Fruit of the Loom, Lowe served as vice president of corporate communications. She was executive director of the Mid-America Committee, an international trade association for C-level executives of Fortune 500 companies based in Chicago.
Lowe served in The White House Transition Press Office and The White House Public Affairs Office during the Reagan Administration, and was with Hill and Knowlton, Inc. in Washington, D.C.
Lowe’s current roles in the community include member of the Greater Cincinnati Foundation Women’s Fund Advisory Board, executive coach for the Cincinnati Regional USA Chamber Women in Excellence Program, member of the Cincinnati Woman’s Club, the Hillsdale College Alumni Executive Board and Career Development Committee, and YWCA Women of Achievement Steering Committee.
Lowe was part of the first graduating class of communications majors from Hillsdale College. As a student, she served as vice president of Chi Omega sorority, worked on the Collegian staff, and edited the Winona yearbook. She also holds an Executive Coaching Certification from Miami University and studied at the National Journalism Center in Washington, D.C.
Graduate of the Last Decade Award
Aaron J. Veldheer, '01
Aaron Veldheer is the chief revenue officer at Intersport. In this capacity, he is charged with maximizing revenue by creating and implementing Intersport’s long-term sales and marketing strategy. Previously at Intersport, Veldheer created and implemented a growth strategy for the company’s digital startup, managed relationships with broadcast and cable sports networks, and led event marketing, sponsorship, and media sales for multiple U.S. and international projects.
Veldheer lives in Chicago with his wife Jodi and two sons, Lennox (age 4) and James (age 2). With Jodi, he spends most of his Saturdays playing with and teaching his sons, preparing them to be scholars and three-sport athletes at the College.
Graduate of the Last Decade Award
Jonathon L. Dues, '03
Jonathon Dues is senior vice president of business development at Mesirow Financial in Chicago. In this role, he leads all stages of the Mesirow Investment Strategies division’s sales and client management initiatives with retirement plan providers and financial advisory firms. Prior to Mesirow, Dues worked at Ibbotson Associates in Chicago. In 2006, Dues and a team of colleagues left Ibbotson to start the new Investment Strategies division at Mesirow and now have over $17 billion in retirement plan assets under advisement.
In addition, Dues runs his own basketball training business and non-profit organization in Chicago First Class Hoops, LLC and The Hoops Class Foundation. Dues and his staff at First Class Hoops are all former professional and/or college basketball players who focus on developing and enhancing young athletes’ basketball fundamentals. The Hoops Class Foundation, established recently to provide opportunities for underprivileged athletes to flourish in life, raises money to run camps and clinics to teach less fortunate children life skills and character development through various aspects of the game of basketball.
Dues also serves on the junior board at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls, a Catholic organization in Chicago that ministers to children and families in need through community-based mentoring programs.
Dues graduated from Hillsdale with a major in speech communication. He was a four-year starter and two-year captain on the men’s basketball team, where he helped the Chargers to their first-ever GLIAC Championship in 2001 and two bids to the NCAA Division II Tournament in 2001 and 2002. During his career, he was named First Team All-GLIAC and Academic All-GLIAC. Dues helps the College by assisting the job placement efforts of Career Services, speaking to students on campus, and leading the efforts of the Hillsdale College Basketball Alumni Association.
He and his wife Lindsey live in Chicago with their one-month-old son, Jonny.
Tower Award
Edward M. Swanson, '60
Edward Swanson came to Hillsdale College from South Bend, Indiana, in 1955 and has lived here ever since then. He belonged to the H Club and to the Delta Sigma Phi fraternity, where he served as its president; played violin for the college orchestra; and served as both junior and senior class president, captain of the golf team, and sports editor of the Winona yearbook. Some of his favorite experiences as a student include the Greek system’s social events, Mardi Gras, golf matches and tournaments, orchestra concerts, and time spent with the faculty. He graduated in 1960 with a bachelor’s degree in economics. After working at the College for 13 years in various administrative positions, including being an Admissions counselor, Swanson pursued a career as an independent insurance agent with the O’Meara-Sumnar Agency in Hillsdale. He retired in 2004 after 31 years with the company. He also served in the Army Reserve, achieving the rank of chief warrant officer.
Swanson continues to play in the Hillsdale College Symphony Orchestra and also enjoys playing golf. He has served on the Alumni Board since 2002, including a term as president from 2010-2012. Additionally, he serves on the Delta Sigma Phi Alumni Board. He has been active in the Hillsdale community, serving on the boards of the Hillsdale Community Health Center and the Hillsdale Community Schools and holding membership in the Rotary Club, among others.
Swanson is married to Kathleen, a native of Hillsdale. They enjoy going on cruises and have traveled to Europe several times. He has two sons and one daughter, all of whom are married, and four grandsons.
Honorary Alumnus
H. Kenneth Cole
Ken Cole began working at Hillsdale College in April 1982 as controller, and six years later was promoted to vice president for finance and treasurer, serving as treasurer until June 30, 2010. For several years during the 1980s, he also served as an accounting instructor at the College. In January 2002, President Arnn promoted him to chief administrative officer, a position he held until June 30, 2012. He currently works part-time for the College as senior advisor to President Arnn and secretary/treasurer of the Hillsdale College Independence Foundation. Established in 2000, the Independence Foundation houses other foundations and makes disbursements to those foundations’ beneficiaries, which include Hillsdale College.
A native of Hastings, Michigan, Cole earned his B.A. in history and physical education in 1970 from Western Michigan University (WMU). Following two years of service in the Army, he returned to WMU, earning an M.A. in physical education in 1975 and an M.B.A. in accounting in 1983. He served as assistant chief accountant at WMU before coming to Hillsdale College.
Cole has been an active member of the Hillsdale community. He previously served as president of the local Chamber of Commerce and the local sports boosters. For 25 years, he has been a member of the Exchange Club and has held a range of offices within that organization. He has also served on the boards of American Copper and Brass and Southern Michigan Bank and Trust. He and his wife Brenda are members of St. Anthony’s Catholic Church and The President’s Club.
The Coles have four children—Greg, Michelle, Robert, and Cassandra—and eight grandchildren. Three of their four children are Hillsdale College graduates.
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