Five outstanding graduates earning recognition from CSC

The group includes the president and CEO of a $1.7 billion producer of pet products, one of Florida's most renowned lawyers, a nationally recognized immunologist, a leading administrator of a national high school activities association and a rising leader of pharmacology.

The Distinguished Alumni recipients are Silvia Morell Alderman of Tallahasse Fla., Marilyn (Grandstaff) Moulds of Henderson, Texas, and Glenn Novotny of Danville, Calif. The Distinguished Young Alumni are Bob Colgate of Indianapolis, Ind. and Niki (Frates) Salomon of Gothenburg, Neb.

The honorees, along with CSC's Athletic Hall of Fame inductees and the Purple Passion alumni group, will be recognized during a luncheon at the Student Center at 11 a.m. Saturday. Reservations for the event may be made by calling the CSC Alumni Office at (308) 432-6366 before Thursday.

Distinguished Alumni

Silvia Morell Alderman, Tallahassee, Fla. -- Since graduating from Chadron State in 1973, Morell Alderman has become known for her contributions to Florida environmental law.

Alderman and her family moved to Chadron from Cuba in 1964 when her father, Dr. Jose Morell, became an assistant professor at CSC. She graduated second in her class at CSC, and was the first-ever female Ivy Day orator.

She and her husband, Mike, graduated from Florida State University's school of law in 1977.

Alderman focused her legal career on the environment. While serving as chief enforcement officer, and later as deputy general counsel of the Department of Environmental Regulastion, she was involved in the forumulation of policy, drafting laws and defense of Florida's environment in landmark litigation.

In private practice since 1984, Alderman was founder, corporate treasurer and director of Katz, Kutter, Alderman and Bryant, which became the 24th largest law firm in Florida before its merger with Akerman Senterfitt, a 500-lawyer firm with offices around the United States. She has been named managing shareholder of the Tallahassee office of Akerman. Her clients are governmental entities, major commercial, industrial and agricultural concerns and citizens' groups.

Alderman has been named Florida Trend Magazine's Legal Elite and Florida Superlawyer lists. She has received the highest rating given by Martindale-Hubbell, a national attorney's rating organization.

Marilyn K. (Grandstaff) Moulds, Henderson, Texas -- Moulds, who graduated from Nebraska State Teachers College in 1966, has posted a long list of accomplishments in immunohematology, more commonly known as "blood banking."

Moulds is a 1962 graduate of Cody (Neb.) High School. The same year as she earned a bachelor's degree in biology and chemistry at Chadron State, she earned medical technology certification from the American Society of Clinical Pathologists from St. John's McNamara Hospital in Rapid City, S.D.

Since then, she has earned "specialist in blood bank" certification. Her professional experience includes seven years at a Minneapolis, Minn., blood bank, and 23 years at Gamma Biologicals, Inc., at Houston, Texas. At the latter company, she was promoted from supervisor to director and then vice president of consultation and education services. In 1998, she joined Immucor, Inc., as vice president of reference and education services. She retired in June 2006 and is self employed as an immunohematologist, lecturer and educator.

Between 1979 and 2006, Moulds received more than a dozen awards and honors related to her work. She has often been recognized for educating others about blood banking, and has presented numerous lectures about the topic at educational institutions and professional organizations.

Glenn W. Novotny, Danville, Calif. -- Novotny, who is a Chadron native and earned a business administration degree from Chadron State in 1969, is president, chief executive officer and director of Central Garden & Pet Co. It is a $1.7 billion developer, marketer and producer of brands for consumer and professional use in the garden and pet industries.

Central Garden & Pet Co. is the largest pet supplies and second largest garden supplies manufacturer in the United States. Novotny joined the company in 1990 as president and chief operating officer and was promoted to president and chief executive officer in 2003. He has been a board member since he joined the company.

From 1970 to 1990, Novotny worked at Weyerhaeuser Co., one of the world¡¦s largest forest products companies. From 1988-1990, Novotny was president and CEO of one of Weyerhaesur's wholly owned subsidiaries, Weyerhaeuser Garden Supply.

In addition, Novotny is co-founder and director of Ditan Corp., a value-added computer software game distribution and services company. He also serves on the board of directors for Reeb Millwork Corp., a privately owned $200 million annual revenue millwork distribution company.

In addition to his CSC degree, Novotny graduated from the Harvard Graduate School of Business' program for management development in 1981. He also attended the New CEO Program at that institution in 2003.

Distinguished Young Alumni

Bob Colgate, Indianapolis, Ind. -- Colgate, a Chadron native, has swiftly risen among the ranks of high school activities associations since earning bachelor's and master's degrees, and being employed at his alma mater.

He became assistant director of the National Federation of State High School Associations in August 2006 after serving six years as assistant director of the Nebraska School Activities Association.

His responsibilities include serving as the editor and national rules interpreter for football and wrestling. He also serves on a number of national committees and boards, and has accumulated valuable experience serving as a staff liaison to a number of national organizations. While with the NSAA, Colgate was the director of state championships and was the staff liaison and rules interpreter for football wrestling, track and field, and girls' golf.

Colgate, who is the son of retired Chadron State educator and administrator Dr. Pat Colgate, left CSC in 1997 after having served as an administrative assistant to the athletic director and director of football operations. He also was a member of the health and physical education faculty and was the director of intramural and recreational sports.

Niki L. (Frates) Salomon, Gothenburg, Neb. -- Salomon has gained much respect among Nebraska pharmacists during just five years "behind the counter." In July 2006, she received the Distinguished Young Pharmacist Award from the Nebraska Pharmacists Association.

Salomon, who graduated from South Platte High in Big Springs in 1996, attended Chadron State as part of the Rural Health Opportunities Program. After two years in the program, she was accepted to the University Nebraska Medical Center's College of Pharmacy at Omaha. She earned a Doctor of Pharmacy degree with high distinction in 2002.

After earning the doctorate, Salomon was employed as a staff pharmacist for two independently owned pharmacies in Cozad and Lexington.

In the summer of 2006, she conducted a class for local pharmacy technicians to prepare them for the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam. She also has given several presentations about diabetes and Medicare Part D to Dawson County residents, physicians and nurses.

Salomon is employed at Barmore Drug Store in Lexington. She and her husband, Aaron, are the parents of a six-month-old daughter, Avery.