May 8, 2009
Purdue honors alumni from College of Consumer and Family Sciences
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Purdue University's College of Consumer and Family Sciences honored four alumni during a dinner last month for their contributions and leadership within their professions.Tim McEnery of Roselle, Ill., Danny Sizemore of Seattle, Wash., and Erin Slater of Indianapolis were honored as Outstanding Young Professionals. This award recognizes alumni age 35 or younger who have demonstrated outstanding career development, support of the profession, and involvement in professional organizations, CFS alumni activities, and/or the community.
Debbie Myers Cook of Carmel, Ind., was honored for her community service, demonstrating leadership through private or public programs that enhance the quality of life for families and communities.
Gerald Paul of Indianapolis was honored as a Friend of Purdue for making significant contributions to the advancement of the college through personal or professional influence, service or financial support.
Outstanding Young Professional Award recipients:
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* McEnery earned his bachelor's degree in 1999, in hospitality and tourism management. He is the founder and CEO of Cooper's Hawk Winery & Restaurant. He opened the first winery and restaurant in 2005 in Orland Park. There are now three more located in Burr Ridge, Wheeling and South Barrington, Ill. Each one combines an upscale casual restaurant, full-service bar, winery, wine tasting room and retail gift store. Cooper's Hawk entered four wines in the International Taster's Guild Competition in its first year of operation, winning gold, silver and bronze medals.
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* Sizemore received his bachelor's degree in 2000 in hospitality and tourism management. He is chef and co-founder of Skillet Street Food, a bistro-on-wheels business started in 2007 in Seattle. Traveling from neighborhood to neighborhood, the renovated 1962 Airstream trailer features a menu described by Seattle Weekly as "the best $10 meal you've ever had." Sizemore also is a territory representative in the sales and service of commercial foodservice equipment. When not working, he contributes to FareStart, a culinary job training and placement program for homeless and disadvantaged individuals.
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* Slater earned her bachelor's degree in child development and family sciences in 2002. She founded the Purdue chapter of College Mentors for Kids in 1998. The organization pairs youth with local college student mentors for weekly activities that expose youth to the opportunities of higher education. After graduating, she continued with the organization as program director, overseeing 13 college chapters and initiating seven new chapters. Promoted to vice president of development in 2004, she was named CEO in 2007. Slater now directs nearly 1,000 college student volunteers and 1,000 at-risk children at 20 colleges and universities across Indiana and one in Illinois. In 2008 she received the Torchbearer Award in Youth Mentoring from the Indiana Commission for Women. In 2007 she received Indianapolis' Best and Brightest Award in the education and nonprofit category.
Community Service Award
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Cook received her bachelor's degree in foods and nutrition in 1967. Cook worked at the National Dairy Council and in product development at Fantasy Flavors and Universal Flavors after graduating from Purdue. In 1984 she decided to pursue a second career as a financial planner. While working as a stockbroker at Dean Witter and then as a bank investment officer, she completed a two-year program to earn the certified financial planner designation in 1989. She is now an independent financial planner. She is past president of the Financial Planning Association and has been on the Indiana 4-H Foundation Board and Mortar Board of Central Indiana. She also is a member of Purdue's Center for Families Advisory Council and served on the College of Consumer and Family Sciences Alumni Board from 2002-2008.
Friend of Purdue Award
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Paul, a German immigrant, co-founded Paul Harris Stores with Earl Harris in 1954. The business became one of the leading specialty retailers of women's apparel and accessories. In 1990, there were 378 stores in 37 states. Several national clothing chains adopted Paul's retail strategy. After retiring as CEO of Paul Harris Stores in 1995. Paul became adjunct professor in the consumer sciences and retailing department at Purdue. The university awarded him an honorary doctorate in 1998. His book, "My Business Life Cycle: How Innovation, Evolution, and Determination Made Paul Harris Great," was published by Purdue University Press in 2007.
Writer: Greg McClure, 765-496-2296, gmcclure@purdue.edu
Source: Wendi Ailor, CFS director of alumni relations and special events, 765-494-7890, wailor@purdue.edu
Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu
Note to Journalists: Biographies of honored alumni are available online at https://www.cfs.purdue.edu/about/awards/alumni_awards/
2008_alumni_award.html
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