Shippensburg University presents awards at Alumni Weekend

2015 Jesse S. Heiges Distinguished Alumnus Award

Three individuals are recipients of the 2015 Jesse S. Heiges Distinguished Alumnus Award, one of four awards presented during Alumni Weekend 2015 at Shippensburg University.

Recipients of the Heiges Award are Jeffrey Lee, Class of 1979 (John L. Grove College of Business Beta Gamma Sigma Chapter Honoree); Patrick W. O’Donnell, Class of 1981 (John L. Grove College of Business); and Allan J. Calarco, Class of 1980M.

Heiges Award

The Heiges Award, established in 1959, is the university’s highest award. The award recognizes the recipients’ distinguished achievements in their field of endeavor to benefit community and society. Recipients have also, through their work and service, contributed immensely to society.

Lee of Kissimme, Fla., is an executive with over 32 years of success in corporate America with various fortune 500 companies including Time Inc., Johnson & Johnson, PepsiCo, and Campbell Soup. Currently, Lee is a principal in two startup companies, Cecil Street Investment Group and J. Lee & Associates, specializing in business consulting and real estate investment. Additionally, Lee has served on the SU Foundation Board of Directors since 1993, is a member of the SU Foundation Honor Society and is a longtime supporter of the John L. Grove College of Business. In 2003 Jeff was named Chapter Honoree of the SU Chapter of Beta Gamma Sigma, the honor society for AACSB International. Also, Lee and his wife Sharon have established the Jeff and Sharon Lee Scholarship for minority students demonstrating financial need with a preference for graduates of the Philadelphia school system. In 2005, Lee presented SU’s winter commencement address.

O’Donnell of Chambersburg, earned his BSBA in accounting from SU in 1981 and went on to receive his MBA in 1991 from Frostburg State University. He is currently the president and CEO of Summit Health. During his career at Summit Health he has provided leadership and oversight for over $250 million in debt financing and has helped Summit Health obtain an A+ rating from Fitch. Throughout his career, he has earned numerous awards including the Dwight M. Edwards Youth Builder Award from the Chambersburg YMCA in 2011 and the Greater Chambersburg Chamber of Commerce Business Person of the Year Award in 2005.

Calarco, of Greensboro, N.C., received his master’s degree in counseling from SU in 1980, and has worked in the field of higher education for more than 25 years. For the past 14 years, Calarco has worked in training and development for the Center for Creative Leadership in Brussels, Belgium: which is a top-ranked global provider of leadership and development. He has designed and delivered programs and workshops in over 20 countries around the world, most recently a three-month appointment in the center’s regional office in Singapore. He also coached an executive team from a large power and energy company in India. Calarco has sailed around the world twice with the Semester at Sea program, and has been recently appointed to the Staff/Faculty Advisory Council for this program.