An Evening of Awards and Recognition on March 7 [FRIDAY] will honor East Central University's 2008 distinguished alumnus, service, former faculty, philanthropist and family.
The dinner, which will begin at 6:30 p.m. in the Stanley Wagner Ballroom in ECU's Memorial Student Union, will honor Chickasaw Nation Lt. Gov. Jefferson Keel will be recognized as ECU's Distinguished Alumnus; Ada City Manager David Hathcoat will received the Distinguished Service Award; Dr. Ray Quiett will be honored as the Distinguished Former Faculty; Leon and Mary Pauline Lanoy will be awarded the Hallie Brown Ford Award for Philanthropy; and the Floyd family will be recognized as ECU's first Distinguished Family. The dinner was organized by ECU President Richard Rafes and members of the President's Circle. Tickets are $30 for individuals or $50 per couple and can be ordered by calling ECU's Office of University Advancement at 580-559-5253.
Jefferson Keel is the Lt. Gov. of the Chickasaw Nation. He graduated from ECU with a BS in 1978 and holds a Master of Science degree from Troy University. He also completed post graduate studies at East Central and East Texas Universities. Keel is a retired U.S. Army officer with over 20 years active duty service. He is extremely proud of his Native American heritage and often assists other tribes and groups in cultural and historic preservation activities. Keel is serving his second term as the First Vice President of the National Congress of American Indians, the nation's oldest and largest tribal organization. He serves as Chair for the Indian Health Service (IHS) Policy Advisory committee, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Tribal Consultation Advisory Committee, the Department of Justice Tribal Advisory Group and numerous others. Keel and his wife, Carol, have three children and seven grandchildren.
David Hathcoat moved his family to Ada in 1987 and since 1991 he has been serving the City of Ada, first as the city engineer and public works director and for the past 12 years he has served as the Ada City Manager. He is a graduate from the University of Arkansas. Hathcoat works diligently to spearhead progress in Ada. Whether it's future water supply, strengthening infrastructure, or helping to create new jobs, he is dedicated to making Ada one of the best places to work, play and raise a family. Hathcoat and his wife Jeannine have two children John and Lauren.
Dr. Ray Quiett taught at ECU for over 35 years. He served as chair of the Sociology Department from 1972 - 1986 and as the Division Chair of the Social Sciences until 1997. Quiett remains active in the Ada community, has been conducting workshops and training in the US, Canada and Jamaica. Quiett and his wife Connie have two children and two grandchildren.
Leon and Mary Pauline Lanoy are being honored for their dedication and service to ECU. Leon Lanoy and Mary Pauline Long were married in 1946 and began a life of educating themselves and others. Mary Pauline Lanoy is a 1951 ECU graduate and Leon Lanoy is a 1963 ECU graduate. They both served as educators and retired in 1984. They believe, "once a person's attitude is right, mapping out the step-by-step process to attain a goal can lead to success and can be attained no matter what the obstacles."
This year, ECU introduces the newest university tradition by establishing the ECU Distinguished Family award. The first family to receive the honor has a near 90 year tradition with ECU. The Floyd family, Rex, Glen, Koy and Carolyn, and more than 50 members of their immediate and extended families have been involved with ECU since before the university celebrated its second decade of operation. The contributions the Floyd family has made to the institution and within the region, the state and the nation makes the Floyd family great alumni and ambassadors of ECU.
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