Mr. Timothy Jessell

Class of 1983

Timothy is an accomplished artist and has created illustrations for the following publications:  Woolaroc (1991), Amorak (1994) – one of the top 10 children’s books published in 1994, Where’s Little Mole? (1994) and Secrets of Droon (1988).  He has been honored with the National Addy Award for Best Black and White Illustration (1988), as one of Adweek Magazine’s Creative All Stars (1988), and Adweek’s Illustrator of the Year (1988).  Tim has published work in many magazines, including:  Time, Rolling Stone, Texas Monthly, Southwest Airlines, American Airlines, and Indianapolis Monthly.  He has also illustrated posters for:  Ducks Unlimited, the Texaco Star Classic, the Florida Citrus Bowl, and the Tulsa Octoberfest.  You may visit Timothy online at www.TimJessell.com.  Tim resides in Stillwater, Oklahoma with his wife and children.

Mr. Daniel McGrath

Teacher 1971-2002

Daniel graduated from Cathedral Latin School in Cleveland in 1962.  He has taught history for 36 years in the public schools & at VU in 1999.  He coached wrestling for over 20 years & founded the wrestling program at RHIT.  For 10 years, Dan was a referee for free-style wrestling in Indiana & published an article on wrestling in the U.S. National Federation magazine in 2001.  His list of awards & accomplishments includes:  Golden Apple Award (1997), 5 time Umpire of the Year in W. Indiana Regional, umpire in 10 American Legion State Sectionals – 4 regionals & 1 state final, umpire in ISHS Baseball Final in 1989, & referee in ISHS Wrestling Final in 2002.  He was the head Baseball coach at West Vigo 1967-1969, head football coach at South Vigo HS 1990-1995, & 2 years head football coach at Gerstmeyer HS.  Dan traveled to Europe as assistant coach of Indiana All Star Wrestling Team in 1976 & refereed 4 NCAA Wrestling Regionals, Division II-2 & Division III-2.  Dan also loves teaching Sunday School at St. Pat’s.

Mr. Daniel Tanoos

Class of 1975

Daniel was the Superintendent of the Vigo County Schools, a position to which he was appointed in 1998 and retired from in 2018.  He previously served as principal of Chauncey Rose Middle School (1992-1998), principal of Farrington Grove Elementary School (1988-1992), principal of Fairbanks and Greenwood Elementary Schools (1985-1987), and as a teacher at Ben Franklin Elementary School from 1979-1985.  His awards include:  Vigo County Education Foundation Excellence in Education Award, Greater Terre Haute Chamber of Commerce Terre Award for Outstanding Service to the Community, Indiana Association of School Principals/District VIII Principal of the Year, and graduate of the Indian Principal Leadership Academy.  Daniel developed one of Vigo County’s first Professional Development School sites with Indiana State University, and co-developed an exchange program with Tajimi, Japan, children’s choir and Vigo County School Corporation.

2006 Class Hall of Distinction

Mr. E.V. Halt, Jr.

Principal 1971-1980

E.V. Halt was the first principal of Terre Haute South, serving from 1971 through 1980.  A Terre Haute native, Halt graduated from the former Wiley High School and Indiana State University.  He was an outstanding athlete at Wiley and returned to his alma mater to coach basketball.  He moved to school administration, becoming assistant principal at Wiley before being named principal in the summer of 1971.  Active in community affairs, Halt is a past district governor of Kiwanis and was active in the Indiana State University Varsity Club.  After retiring, he returned to coaching as a girls basketball coach at Honey Creek Middle School, where he helped develop a number of players who would guide South to a state championship in 2002.

Mr. Tony McGee

Class of 1989

Tony McGee is involved in real estate developments in Orlando, Florida.  A member of the South Class of 1989, McGee played 11 seasons in the NFL for the Cincinnati Bengals, Dallas Cowboys, and New York Giants.  He was an outstanding college football player at the University of Michigan and scored the winning touchdown in the 1993 Rose Bowl game.  While at South, McGee was a standout athlete, attaining all-state and All-American status in both football and basketball.  During his senior season, he led the South football team to a No. 2 ranking in the state and the basketball team to the No. 1 ranking.  McGee is one of three former athletes to twice win the prestigious McMillan Award.

Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor

Class of 1977

Jill B. Taylor, Ph.D., graduated from South Vigo High School in 1977.  She was awarded degrees from Indiana State University and Indiana University in neuroanatomy and did postdoctoral work at Harvard University.  She has taught at DePauw, Harvard and Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology.  Jill spent seven years performing brain research at Harvard before suffering a stroke at age 37, which left her unable to speak.  She successfully “rebuilt” her brain and continues her career today as an adjunct professor at Indiana University.  Jill also a popular lecturer and the subject of numerous newspaper and magazine articles.  She is known throughout the nation as the “Singing Scientist” for her work as a keynote speaker at mental health conferences.

2007 Class Hall of Distinction

Mr. Jose Pablo Cantillo

Class of 1997

Jose discovered his passion for acting while majoring in business at Indiana University.  After graduating, he headed to new York to further his theatrical training at the prestigious Atlantic Theater Company and Barrow Groups Schools.  In New York, he performed in off-Broadway plays, appeared on the “Guiding Light”, “As the World Turns”, and “One Life to Live” and then secured an appearance on “Law & Order: Criminal Intent”.  Jose has also guest-starred on “Nip/Tuck”, “ER”, “Crossing Jordon”, “Bones”, “CSI: Miami” and presently stars in the Fox series “Standoff”.  Joes’s first film was “Shackles”, starring opposite D. L  Hughley.  Since his debut, he has several films to his credit and can be seen in the upcoming film “The Cleaner”  with Ed Harris and Samuel L. Jackson.

Mr. Carl Cottrell

Class of 1992

After obtaining a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Indiana State University, Carl joined the OLFA Division of General Housewares.  Within two years, he was responsible for the product development of more than 100 products that are manufactured, marketed, and distributed nationwide.  He is currently Vice President of Marketing – North America.   Carl is also active in community service.  He works with the American Marketing Association in coordination with Indiana State University through product donations events.  Carl has worked with the Bethany House of Terre Haute, Fraternal Order of Police, and Catholic Charities.  Through product ideas, he raised over sixty thousand dollars to donate to the Mational Breast Cancer Foundation.

Dr. Eric Trueblood

Class of 1988

Eric received a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Rose-Hulman in 1992 and graduated from the Indiana University School of Medicine in 1996.  After completing medical school, Eric did his residency at Wright-Patterson Medical Center at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio, and completed advanced training in Internal Medicine, Pulmonary and Critical Care.  During his tenure in the Air Force, Eric served as physician in both the Afghanistan and Iraq combat theatres.  In 2005, he worked on the Critical Care Air Transport Team during the Hurricane Katrina Relief Effort in New Orleans.  Eric has received numerous awards, including Rose-Hulman’s Outstanding Senior Award, the Air Force Aerial Achievement Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal.

2008 Class Hall of Distinction

Mr. M. Scott Gillis

Class of 1975

Scott attended the Colorado School of Mines, where he graduated in 1979, second in his class, majoring in geophysical engineering.  While employed by Superior Oil Company, at the time the largest independent oil company in the United States, Scott discovered oil fields in the Gulf of Mexico.  From 1986-1988, Scott attended the Harvard Business School, where he graduated with honors.  In subsequent years, he has served as a consultant to a variety of U.S. corporations.  In 2003, he founded Galt and Co., a management advisory firm that worked exclusively with top management of large corporations including Alcan Aluminum, the Gillette Corp., Anglo American Mining, BB&T Financial, SAB Miller, and Clorox.  Scott resides with his wife and two children in the historic district to Charleston, South Carolina.

Dr. Ann E. Jerse

Class of 1976

Ann was Valedictorian of the South Class of 1976.  After graduation from Terre Haute South, she received a bachelor’s degree in medical technology from Indiana State University.  Ann served as a medical technologist at Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis and Duke University Medical Center in Durham, NC.  She was awarded her doctorate from the University of Maryland School of Medicine in 1991, in the fields of microbiology and immunology.  Ann now serves as Associate Professor in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the F. Edward Hebert School of Medicine at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, the nation’s medical school for the United States Armed Forces.  In addition to teaching, Ann remains active in bacteria research and has written a number of research articles for a variety of national publications.  She resides in Rockville, MD with her daughter.

Judge Christopher A. Newton

Class of 1978

Chris currently holds the position of Vigo Superior Court Judge, Division 4, for the State of Indiana.  He received a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Indiana State University in 1985 and a doctor of jurisprudence degree from Brigham Young University Law School in 1989.  In June of 1989, Chris joined the law firm of Wright, Shagley, and Lowery, where he specialized in domestic relations and tort law.  He served as a Vigo County Council Attorney before being elected Judge of Superior Court in 2006.  Chris is active in numerous civic and professional groups including:  Bishop of the Honey Creek Ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, President of the District 7 Pro Bono Corp, the Indiana Judges Association, the Indian State Bar Association, the NAACP, the Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative Coalition and the Mental Health Association.  He resides in Terre Haute with his wife, April and their four children.

2009 Class Hall of Distinction

Mr. Harold Johnston

Class of 1975

After graduating from Terre Haute South Vigo High School, Harold (Hal) earned undergraduate and law degrees from Indiana University.  He worked as a Deputy Prosecutor in Marion, Vanderburg, and Vigo Counties.  Currently, he is serving as the Chief Deputy Prosecutor of Knox County.  As a Major in the Indiana Army National Guard, Harold serves his country in the Judge Advocate General Corps of the 76th Infantry Brigade.  His service tours of duty include Iraq and Afghanistan theatres.

Mr. Pat Rady

Teacher and Coach 1980-2004

Pat served as a teacher, administrator, and coach at Terre Haute South Vigo High School for 24 years.  He has the most wins of any active basketball coach in Indiana and currently ranks fourth in victories among all Indiana High School Coaches.  In a career which has spanned five decades and forty-three years of coaching at six different schools, including twenty-four at Terre Haute South, Pat entered the current season with six hundred and seventy-two winds, nineteen sectional championships, with appearances in the Indianapolis, Lafayette, and Evansville semi-state tournaments and coached the 1991 South Braves to Indiana’s coveted Final Four.  Pat has coached six Indiana All-Stars, two NBA players and the 1989 Indiana High School All-Star team.  In 2002, Pat was elected to the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame.

Ms. Courtney Lorenz

Class of 1998

Courtney is a National Environmental Manager of Skanska USA Building and considered one of the nation’s leading experts in Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED).  She has worked to craft an environmental management system on the $1 billion renovation of the United Nations in New York City and helped initiate a Zero Waste initiative program in Durham, North Carolina.  Courtney is currently working to design a program management system for the first green McDonald’s restaurant.   Courtney has garnered a variety of awards for her work. She is a 1998 graduate of Terre Haute South.

2010 Class Hall of Distinction

Mr. Mark Bennett

Class of 1978

Mark was raised in Prairieton and a graduate of Indiana State University.  He joined the former Terre Haute Star as a part-time journalist in 1977 and today is an award-winning columnist and features writer.  Mark has won numerous awards for his work, being named Best Daily Feature Writer of the Year four times by Community Newspapers, parent company of the Terre Haute Tribune Star.  He has been recognized nationally by the Associated Press for news and sports reporting and editing.  Mark resides in the Wabash Valley with his wife, Terri and three children.

Mr. Brian Evans

Class of 1991

A superb high school athlete, Brian was named all-state in basketball & baseball.  He led the 1991 South Basketball Team to the coveted state finals.  Brian scored more than 1,000 points as a South Brave.  As a pitcher, he posted a perfect 7-0 record his senior year.  Brian is  one of the few athletes in Indiana to be named to the basketball & baseball all-star teams.  Following graduation from South, he attended & played basketball at Indiana University.  Playing for Coach Bob Knight, Brian was named Most Valuable Player by the Big Ten Conference in 1996.  He was also named to the All-American Team & was selected Male Athlete of the Year by Indiana University.  Brian was selected on the first round of the National Basketball Association draft by the Orlando Magic & spent 3 seasons in the NBA.  He went on to play 6 seasons in Italy and Japan.  Brian’s Italian League single-game scoring record was 51 points.

Dr. Evan Kokoska

Class of 1985

Evan is a graduate of Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology and Washington University School of Medicine.  He is a prominent pediatric surgeon.  Evan previously served as Assistant Professor of Pediatric Surgery at Arkansas Children’s Hospital and the University of Arkansas.  While at Arkansas, Evan was named as one of the Best Doctors in America.  He was honored recently with Rose-Hulman’s Career Achievement Award.  Today, Evan is an Associate Professor of Surgery and Director of Minimally Invasive Pediatric Surgery at Peyton Manning Children’s Hospital in Indianapolis, where he is a leader in minimally invasive pediatric surgery.

2011 Class Hall of Distinction

Mr. Jeffrey Belskus

Class of 1978

After graduation from South, Jeff attended Indiana State University where he graduated with  honors.  He soon joined Hulman and Company, where he was named Treasurer in 1989 and was promoted to Vice President and Chief Financial Officer in 1994.  On July 1, 2009, he was named President and CFO of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.  Although he now resides in Zionsville, Belskus remains involved in numerous community activities in Terre Haute.  He serves on the Board of Managers of Rose Hulman Institute of Technology and is  a member of the Audit Committee of the Indiana State University Foundation Board.  Belskus also serves on the Board of Directors of Morris Plan and the Indiana Board of Nature Conservancy.

Mr. Carter Pilcher

Class of 1978

Carter Pilcher attended the U.S. Airforce Academy and was stationed at the American Aerospace Command and at the Pentagon.  Resigning from the Air Force in 1988, Pilcher joined the staff of then-U.S. Sen. Hank Brown (R-Colo.) and later worked as the legislative director for Sen. Bill Armstrong.  While working for Brown, Pilcher was an architect of the NATO Participation Act, which brought Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia into NATO.  He was awarded Poland’s highest defense medal.  Pilcher earned a law degree from Georgetown University and accepted a position in London with Bankers Trust, eventually becoming a part of the Deutsche Bank. He left banking and today is president of SHORTS International, which makes short films. Pilcher is a member of the Academy of Motion Pictures and serves on the committee which selects nominees for the Academy Awards. He currently resides in London, England.

Mr. Kris Verdeyen

Class of 1996

Kris received a degree in electrical engineering from Rose-Hulman in 2000 and accepted a position with NASA in Houston, Texas.  Since 2000, Verdeyen has been involved in the designing and building of the Robonaut project.  Robonaut is a robot which recently accompanied the crew of the space shuttle in its voyage to the International Space Station.  Verdeyen also participated in the design of the lunar rover.  As part of an outreach program, Verdeyen is active in the nationally known FIRST project, serving as a mentor to high school students desiring careers in science and technology.  He currently resides in Houston with his wife.

2012 Class Hall of Distinction

Mr. Trent Miles

Class of 1982

After graduation from South Vigo, Miles attended Indiana State University.  Miles then began a twenty year career as an assistant football coach on the collegiate and professional levels.  He has coached at Notre Dame, Stanford, the University of Washington, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Northern Illinois, the University of Hawaii, and Fresno State.  He also spent a season in the National Football League on the staff of the Green Bay Packers.  Miles came to his alma mater to serve as head coach in 2007.  In 2010, he was named Coach of the Year.  He resides today in Terre Haute with his wife, Bridget, and their four children.

Rev. Teresa (Terri) Hord Owens

Class of 1978

Rev. Owens graduated from South Vigo High School in 1978, and was one of the class Valedictorians.   She graduated from Harvard University and had a 20 + year career as an Information Technology Executive with such firms as Cummins Engine Co., IBM, Ernst & Young, and Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield (now Wellpoint).  She earned a Master of Divinity degree from the University of Chicago Divinity School and was ordained in the Christian Church.   In August 2005, Owens was appointed Dean of Students at the University at Chicago Divinity School.  She also serves as senior minister of the First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Downers Grove, Ill.  She is an active leader in the denomination.  Owens also serves on the board of the Christian Theological seminary in Indianapolis and the advisory board for the Center for the Study of Black Faith and Life at the Chicago Theological Seminary in Chicago.  She resides in Calumet City, IL, with her husband, Rev. Walter Owens.

Ms. Bethany Hayes Smith

Class of 1992

After graduation, Bethany moved to New York City to begin her professional career as a performing artist.  Her acting  credits include  Song & Dance, West Side Story, Annie, Smokey Joe’s Café, King David, & The Taffettas.  She performed as an Indiana Pacemate & as a Lead Vocalist on Princess, Cunard & Carnival Cruise Lines.  In addition, she has choreographed for numerous professional theaters, universities, theme parks, & special events.  Smith is a proud member of Dance Educators of America. In 2006, Bethany saw her life-long dream come true when she & her husband opened the Legacy Theatre, south Atlanta’s only full-time professional theatre.  Legacy was named “Best Place to See a Play” by Lifestyles Magazine.  Legacy has also produced several regional, national, & world premiere plays & musicals & have been nominated for several of Atlanta’s version of the Tony Awards & The Suzi Bass Awards.  Legacy has an acting & dance school where Bethany teaches nearly 300 aspiring performers.

2013 Class Hall of Distinction

Ms. Lesley Wisley Padien

Class of 1998

Class of 1998 graduate Lesley Ann Wisley Padien landed her first job at NASA as a technical designer working in the shuttle program at the Kennedy Space Center.  After completing her MFA in Animation from Savannah College of Art and Design in 2006, she moved to Los Angeles.  Lesley has worked with many studios in television, feature, and commercial entertainment including the Jim Henson Company, Walt Disney’s Cinderbiter, Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon, Shadow Animation, Lucasfilm, Stoopid Buddy Stoodios, and Starburns Industries.  Her screen credits include Cartoon Network Adult Swim’s Robot Chicken, Robot Chicken Star Wars, Moral Orel, Titian Maximum, Frankenhole, College Humor’s Dinosaur Office, and NBC’s “My Name is Earl”.  Upcoming projects still  in production include the features Tibetan Rock  Dog and Henry Selick’s “The Shadow King”.  Padien is also an animation professor at the Art Institute of California and California College of the Arts where she teaches animation.

Mrs. Martha Erin McDavid Soto

Class of 1978

Erin oversees federally funded foreign aid which works to lift people out of poverty.  A graduate of the University of Wisconsin, Erin is one of one hundred and twenty mission directors for the United States Agency for International Development and focuses federal relief efforts in India.  USAID is responsible for most U.S. non-military foreign aid.  She also teaches strategic leadership at Fort McNair in Washington D.C. and is CEO of TLC Solutions, a small business that provides leadership development.  Erin has worked in twenty-four countries and lived in seven.  Soto now resides in Arlington, VA with her husband and two sons.

Mr. Daniel K. Wunderlich

Teacher 1979-2012

Dan is a native of Riverdale, Illinois a south suburb of Chicago.  He graduated from Thornton Township High School and came to Indiana State on a gymnastics scholarship.  Graduating from ISU with a degree in chemistry in 1972, Daniel taught at Oak Park and River Forest High School in suburban Chicago before returning to Terre Haute in 1979, when he joined the staff at Terre Haute South.  Daniel taught chemistry at South for thirty-three years until his retirement in 2012.  While at South, he was active in the school’s advanced placement chemistry program and directed several academic teams.  The Junior Engineering Technical Society (JETS) team won the national championship in 2011.  During his tenure at South, he also coached gymnastics and soccer.  Wunderlich was awarded the prestigious Golden Apple Award from WTHI television in 1991 and received the Excellence in Education Award in 1989 & 2012.  After his retirement in 2012, he still continues to coach academic teams at THSV.

2014 Class Hall of Distinction

Mr. Christopher Kyle

Class of 1983

Christopher Kyle resides today with his wife, Karen and two children in Rockland County, New York.  He has written a number of off-Broadway plays, including “The Monogamist,” “The Safety Net,” “The Wilderness” and “Rachel.” He was named a Guggenheim Fellow in play writing and has received commissions from Dreamworks and the Alfred Sloan Foundation.  Kyle’s film credits include Oliver Stone’s “Alexander,” “The Widowmaker” featuring Harrison Ford and Liam Neeson, and “The Weight of Water,” starring Sean Penn. He also wrote two episodes for the television series, “Homicide: Life on the Streets.” He is currently involved in projects with producer / director Ron Howard and Bradley Cooper.

Mr. Eli Stuhlmacher

Class of 2002

Eli Stuhlmacher is currently a master training specialist with the U.S. Naval Special Warfare Advanced Training Command Sniper School in Virginia Beach, VA.  Stulmacher was the lead sniper for the Navy Seal Team Four from 2007-2011.  He led a 16-man special operations team in a number of direct-action missions and base attacks against enemy forces.  He is the recipient of two Navy Achievement Medals, one Navy Commendation Medal and the Iraqi and Afghanistan campaign medals.  He was named the Navy’s Seal Instructor of the Year in 2013.  Eli lives with his wife Lindsay and two children here in Indiana.

Mr. David Yates

Class of 1979

2015 Class Hall of Distinction

Mr. David Fischer

Class of 1980

Mr. J.T. Forbes

Class of 1985

JT Forbes is presently the executive director of the Indiana Alumni Association.  He is a former director of State Government Relations for Cummins, Inc. and was an associate vice president at IU.  While working for Cummins, Forbes served as the principal private sector leader in the United States-Brazil CEO Forum, chartered by the U.S. and Brazilian governments to foster better economic ties between the two countries.  He was named to his current position in May 2010.  Forbes also serves as secretary of the Big Ten alumni chief executive officers.

Dr. David Williams

Class of 1972

Dr.  Williams is currently Chief of the Division of Hematology/Oncology and Director of Clinical and Traditional Research at Boston Children’s Hospital.  A former director of the Herman B. Wells Center for Pediatric Research at Indiana University School of Medicine and Leland Fikes Professor of Pediatrics at the Harvard Medical School.  Dr. Williams has held numerous research positions and has authored and published over three hundred articles on the subject of pediatric cancer research.  He is the recipient of a number of awards for his work.  Dr. Williams and his wife currently reside in Boston.

2016 Class Hall of Distinction

Mr. Milan Chakraborty

Class of 1996

Upon graduation from South Vigo, Milan graduated from William and Mary with an accounting degree.  After working in New York City as an accountant, he decided on a career change.  He moved across the country to Los Angeles where he is now the head of production of Attic Line Films, an independent multimedia film production located in Hollywood.   He has worked for Warner Brothers and New Line Cinema as well.  Chakraborty’s credits include work on “Superman Returns,” “V For Vendetta,” “One Tree Hill,” “Batman Returns,” “Dukes of Hazzard” and “The Lifeguard”.  His most recent accomplishment is “Where Hope Grows”.  He has attended multiple Sundance and Cannes film festivals.

Captain Christopher Mills

Class of 1987

Captain Mills, United States Navy is currently the military assistant to the Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for Information Operations at the Pentagon.  After serving his initial fleet tour with the Navy’s Elite Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron, Mills became an instructor in weapons and tactics. He developed and implemented joint fighter/helicopter maritime and support procedures and also served as a Navy liaison to the United States Army’s 6th Cavalry supporting the defense of South Korea.  Mills has been awarded numerous personal awards including the Defense Meritorious Service Medal.  He currently resides in D.C. with his wife, Susan and their five children.

Dr. Stephen Morris

Class 1976

Dr. Morris has established himself as a leader in the fight against chemical, biological and nuclear terrorism.  He currently is the senior director of program management and Ebola vaccine development for NewLink Genetics and Bio-protection Systems.  In addition to his work developing a vaccine for the Ebola virus, Morris has been active in the development of vaccines for smallpox and anthrax and served as the senior scientist and project team leader in efforts to provide protections against the plague.  He resides in Rockville, Maryland with his wife, Tina.

2017 Class Hall of Distinction

Dr. Prashant Patel, MD

Class of 1999

As valedictorian of his graduating class, Dr. Patel is currently a cardiologist with Union Medical Group of Terre Haute.  Dr. Patel received his undergraduate degree Northwestern University and is also a graduate of the UCLA School of Medicine in Los Angeles, California.  While in residency at UCLA, Dr. Patel was named as chief resident.  Dr. Patel was awarded a fellowship at the prestigious Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles and received further training at the Medical Center of Northwestern University.  He spent two years at Memorial-Herman Texas Medical Center in Houston before returning home to join his father, Dr. Shantil Patel, in private practice.  Dr. Patel resides in Terre Haute with his wife, Amy.

Ms. Tamara Perkins

Class of 1991

Tamara Perkins is a trauma counselor and advocate for human rights focusing on the need for better rehabilitation of prisoners before they are freed.  Ms. Perkins has spent hours working with prisoners with life sentences at California’s notorious San Quentin prison.  She is also the founder of Apple Discord Productions, LLC, of Berkley.  She has produced a number of documentary films in California.  Her latest production, Life After Life, describes the lives or prisoners at San Quentin and has been hailed as, “…fresh, contemporary and engaging”, by noted film producer, Ken Burns.  Life After Life premiers Sunday at Terre Haute’s Indiana Theatre.  Ms. Perkins currently resides in Berkley, California with her daughter Maya.

Dr. Robert Tryon III, PhD

Class of 1977

Robert Tryon, PhD has established a world-wide reputation in fatigue analysis and computational material science.  Following high school graduation, Dr. Tryon attended Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology and then joined the staff at Ford Aerospace.  He spent two years with Ford before moving to the Allison’s Division of General Motors.  While working with GM, Dr. Tryon obtained a PhD from Vanderbilt University.  Dr. Tryon founded Vextec 2000 where he has helped develop software designed to enhance the existing capabilities provided by traditional computer aided design.  Dr. Tryon now resides in Nashville, Tennessee.

2018 Class Hall of Distinction

Mr. Hobert Bush Jr.

Class of 1977

As a member of National Honor Society, Hobert Bush Jr. graduated from South High School with the class of 1977.  While attending South, he was introduced to the engineering program at Purdue.  He not only graduated with an electrical engineering degree from Purdue, but was a recipient of the Minority Academic Award. Upon graduation in 1981, he joined the IT operations at IBM and distinguished himself while directing global quality-managed functions for IBM and the company in China and Taiwan, as well as in the United States.  Bush was a leader in introducing and developing computer literacy among elementary school students in North Carolina.  He then moved to Lenovo as the director of worldwide quality and IT functions in Morrisville, North Carolina.  Bush now resides in Phoenix with his wife, Jeneea as he has recently taken a position with Benchmark Corporation as IT production manager.

Mr. David Frey

Class of 2000

David Frey, co-founder and lead singer of the nationally acclaimed Contemporary Christian singing group, Sidewalk Prophets.  He was a member of the class of 2000.  He formed the singing group in 2002 while attending Anderson University.  The band received the coveted Dove Award in 2010 as New Artist of the Year in Contemporary Christian Music.  Working and producing with Sidewalk Prophets co-founder Ben McDonald, Frey has written and produced several popular albums including These Simple Truths, Live Like That, and Something Different as well as a number of singles.  Their work has frequently topped the Christian music charts.  Frey and the Sidewalk Prophets have performed throughout the United States.  Frey currently resides in Nashville, Tennessee with his wife, Harmony.

Mr. Michael John Smith

Class of 1984

Chief Warrant Officer 4 Michael John Smith is a 1984 graduate of THSV.  Upon graduation, he attended ISU with intentions of becoming a music teacher.  Instead, he entered the Marine Corps & attended the Naval School of Music.  While assigned to the Albany Marine Band, Smith was deployed as a Fireteam Leader with the 2nd Marine Division providing security for a medical battalion during Operation Desert Storm.  He re-entered the Marine Corps music program following deployment.  The commanding general of the Combined Joint Task  Force requested that Smith lead a project which would become the first program to foster & enhance all U.S. military personnel during Operation Enduring Freedom.  Smith was again ordered into a combat area in 2005 as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom, where he & his band members provided safety & security & conducted combat patrols around the city of Ramadi.    Smith is currently assigned to the Pentagon.

2019 Class Hall of Distinction

Mr. Mark Braught

Alumnus 1972-1973

Braught has over thirty-five years experience as an award winning designer/illustrator with extensive management, marketing, and teaching experience in the field of art.  He owns and operates Mark Braught Studios in Atlanta, Georgia.  He has taught at the Atlanta College of Art and Design, University of Georgia-Athens, Creative Circus, Portfolio Center, and Hollins University.  He is a gifted illustrator of children’s books which include “Cosmo’s Moon” and was nominated for the prestigious Caldecott Award, “P is for Peach”, “J is for Jump Shot”, to name a few.  In addition to his other achievements, Mark created the artwork for the merchandising of Warner Brothers’ Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone in 2001.  Mark attributes his love of art to his former South Vigo High School  Art Teacher/Mentor, Miriam Brentlinger.

Lieutenant Colonel Kristen Dahle

Class of 1994

After graduation from South Vigo in 1994,  Kristen was one of the first females to attend and graduate from Rose Hulman Institute of Technology with an engineering degree.  Unlike most Rose graduates, she chose to serve her country in the United States Army.  Kristen has an exemplary record of education and service.  Currently stationed in Philadelphia, she is the US Army Corps of Engineers Philadelphia District’s 59th Commander.  She has earned numerous medals in her 20 year career, including the Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal, and the Army Accommodation Medal.  She has been deployed four times to the Middle East since 2003 and was stationed in Germany for almost 10 years.

Mr. Dennis McDavid

Class of 1982

2020-2021 Class Hall of Distinction

Ms. Mika Brown

Class of 2005

After graduation, Ms. Brown attended ISU for one year.  At the end of her freshman year,  she decided she needed “real world experience”.  She took a job with TV 10 and became the youngest camera operator at age 19.   Mika’s experiences lead her to become an award winning photographer, producer and photojournalist.  She has made the impact of the Holocaust come to life through her film “Eva 7063”.  Ms. Brown is the winner of the Telly Award for Best Documentary, and has received numerous other awards including the Quill & Scroll Award for excellence in journalism.  Mika has received honors from the Society of Professional Journalists, including best Documentary, Best New Videography and Best Coverage of Government.  She is also a camera operator for Fox Sports, CBS Sports, Turner Sports, NBC Sports and ESPN.  Mika currently resides in Indianapolis.

Mr. Dave Heath

Teacher 1989-2014, Assistant Athletic Director

After a successful career in radio and television, Heath changed career paths at the age of 38 returning to ISU to become a history teacher for the next 24 years.  Mr. Heath served in the National Guard for 23 years.  Senator Richard Lugar recognized him for documenting stories of Hoosier Veterans, which is housed in the Library of Congress.  After retirement, he has served South Vigo as the Assistant Athletic Director and as a valued volunteer for a number of events.  Dave serves on several committees not only for South,  but also numerous community organization including Terre Haute Kiwanis Club and the TH Area Clean Community.  He has also served on the TH Redevelopment Commission for 23 years, and was president for 17 years.  He is an active church member.  Dave lives in Terre Haute with his wife, Angie who also served as a teacher for 40 years in Vigo County.

Mr. Alexander Lamis

Class of 1976

Alex Lamis graduated from South Vigo High School as Valedictorian.  After graduation, he moved to New York to attend MIT where he obtained his Bachelor of Science degree and then earned his Master of Architecture degree from Columbia University.  He is a partner in a New York architectural firm who has created a variety of energy and environmentally designed buildings all over the country.  His designs have included the GW Bush Presidential Center in Dallas, Disney’s Yacht and Beach Club in Orlando, and numerous university buildings at Harvard, Princeton, Rutgers, Trinity, Columbia and Stanford.  Lamis is a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects, a lifetime honor held by only 3% of registered architects.  He currently reside in New York City with his wife, Holly who was a 1978 THSV graduate.  They have three children, Amelia, David and Paul.

2022 Class Hall of Distinction

Mr. Evan Austin

Class of 2011

Evan Austin graduated from Terre Haute South in 2011.  A swimmer at South, he has overcome familial spastic paraparesis to compete as a member of the US swimming team at the Paralympic Games in Paris, London and Tokyo.  At the 2021 games in Tokyo, Evan brought home a gold medal in the 50-meter butterfly and a bronze medal in the 400-meter freestyle.  He was selected as team captain for the United States delegation.  Austin is currently a volunteer assistant women’s swimming coach at Purdue University, and is a motivational speaker across the country.  He resides in Indianapolis.

Colonel Allen Boyd (Ret)

Class of 1972

United States Army Colonel Allen Boyd (Ret) was a member of South Vigo High School’s first graduating class in 1972.  He attended Georgia Tech University where he obtained degrees in Aerospace engineering and electrical engineering.  He was commissioned  in the United States Army as a second lieutenant and served as an Army Intelligence Officer.   Colonel Boyd served in Europe and the Middle  East as well as state-side.  He was also assigned as an assistant military aid to President Ronald Reagan.  Colonel Boyd currently resides with his wife in Bloomington, Indiana where he operates his own defense consulting firm.

Ms. Lindsay Acree Stergar

Class of 1975

Lindsay Acree Stergar was a member of the South Vigo High School graduating class of 1995.  After graduating from ISU, Stergar began her work in healthcare as a registered nurse at Union Hospital.  She joined Hospital Corporation of America and began work at Swedish Medical Center in Littleton, Colorado.  While in Colorado, Stergar began her career in Cardiovascular Care.  She has continued in various capacities with HCA including serving as Chief Operating Officer of Terre Haute Regional Hospital.  She is serving currently as Vice President of Cardiac and Vascular services at the HCA corporate offices in Nashville,  Tennessee.  Lindsay currently resides in Terre Haute with her husband, Trevor and son Angus.

2023 Class Hall of Distinction

Dr. Andrew J. Williams, MD

Class of 2000

Andrew J. Williams, MD, was a member of the Terre Haute South Class of 2000. Dr. Williams attended Indiana State University, where he was awarded a Hines Memorial Medal for highest academic achievement, and the Indiana University School of Medicine. In addition to a practice in cardiology, Dr. Williams serves as a member of the teaching faculty at the St. Vincent Hospital in Indianapolis with special focus in cardiovascular imaging as well as nuclear cardiology. He was the recipient of a cardiology fellowship and in 2017 received the Cardiology Teacher of the year award. Dr. Williams resides in Indianapolis with his wife, Jessica and son, Ethan.

Mr. Marcus Lorick

Class of 2001

Marcus Lorick was a member of the South High School Class of 2001. After graduating from South High School, Marcus attended Eastern Illinois University on a full football scholarship. He currently serves as Division Manager for Alcon Surgical of Fort Worth, Texas, a leader in surgical eye care. Lorick was a founding member of Alcon’s first surgical academic team which focuses on helping develop ophthalmic eye surgeons. He currently leads a team developing new technologies in the treatment of glaucoma. Marcus and his wife, Jennifer, currently reside in Fort Worth, with their three daughters, Maria, Mariah and Marlee.

Mrs. Anne Newton McFadden

Class of 1996

Anne Newton McFadden graduated in 1996 and earned a President’s Scholarship to Indiana State University. She attended the Georgetown University Law Center. Following graduation from law school, she was hired as a law clerk in the United States Court of Federal Claims. She also worked for 11 years as an attorney with the U.S. Department of Justice Antitrust Division. Since 2018, she has served as Assistant Dean of Student Services and Dean of Students for the Indiana University Maurer School of Law in Bloomington. Anne resides in Bloomington with her husband, Lane, and daughter, Lark.

2024 Class Hall of Distinction

Mr. Brian Dougherty

Class of 1989

After graduation, Brian Dougherty went on to obtain a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering and a masters degree in engineering management from Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology.  He returned to Rose-Hulman in 2000 as one of the first employees of Rose-Hulman Ventures, and is now the senior director.  Rose-Hulman Ventures turns cutting-edge ideas into game-changing products and has helped build Indiana’s technology sector while preparing the next generation of science, technology, engineering and mathematics leaders.  Dougherty has interned many alumni who have gone on to impactful roles all across the United States.

Mr. Kevin LaFrance

Class of  1980

After graduating from South Vigo, Kevin LaFrance obtained a B.S. Degree from the University of Evansville.  He has continued the relationship between The Coca-Cola Company and the City of Terre Haute.  LaFrance has spent 37 years as part of Coca-Cola’s Research, Development and Innovation organization.  In one of his earliest efforts, he helped Coca-Cola launch its bottled water efforts with the introduction of Dasani Water.  He continues to play a leading role in Coca-Cola’s production of beverages as Director of Product Development & Hydration of North America.  He resides in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania.

Ms. Michelle Utley-Wainwright

Class of  1994

Michelle Utley-Wainwright obtained a BS degree from Indiana University in Public Affairs.  Shew worked in the pharmaceutical/health care while obtaining an MBA from Indiana University.  After 14 years in pharmaceutical sales, her entrepreneurial spirit led her to a new effort as she abandoned her career to open the Cute as a Cupcake! Cupcakery and Bakeshop in 2015 in northwest Indiana.  Today she serves as CEO of an organization that has grown to include two brick and mortar locations, two mobile food trucks, a catering operation, and a division that focuses on food insecurities in her community.  Michelle still finds time to be very active in volunteer efforts in Merrillville, Indiana.

2025 Class Hall of Distinction

Ms. Mary Jane Hanna-Elmore

Class of 1972

Hanna-Elmore graduated in the first class at South.  She is a graduate of Purdue and holds an MBA from Stanford University along with membership in the inaugural class of Stanford’s Distinguished Career Institute.  Elmore was one of the first female venture capital partners in Silicon Valley and served on the board of directors of numerous private and public information technology companies.  Her path from Terre Haute to Silicon Valley is described in “Alpha Girls”, a book written about four women who were among the first Silicon Valley venture capitalists.

Mr. Greg Goode

Class of  1991

After graduation, he attended Indiana State University where he received his BA in Political Science and History.  Before his tenure as a state senator, Goode served as the legislative liaison for ISU.  He was an integral part of obtaining funding for the Bayh College of Education, the construction of the School of Nursing and the renovation of Hulman Center.  Goode currently serves as the state director for US Senator Todd Young and in 2023 became Indiana state senator in District 38.  In his short time at the State house, Goode has already been named as Aviation Senator of the Year.

Mr. Brandon Sakbun

Class of  2014

Sakbun continued his education after graduation at Indiana University earning his bachelor’s degree in finance and master’s degree in public affairs from IU’s O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs.  While at IU, he was a distinguished graduate of the Army ROTC program.  In 2018, Brandon joined the US Army as a second lieutenant and rose to the rank of captain.  He has earned numerous medals while serving and continues to serve as a member of the Indiana National Guard.  He is currently a company commander in the 1-151 Infantry Rifle Battalion.  He is the 43rd mayor of Terre Haute, making history as the youngest mayor.

2026 Class Hall of Distinction

Col David Cooper (RET)

Class of 1995

Col David Cooper was a member of the class of 1995.  After graduation, he graduated from IU in 2000 and obtained his master’s from Webster University in He spent 22 years in the United States Air Force and Air National Guard working primarily as an intelligence officer.  His overseas tours of duty included stops in Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East.  He also was assigned duties at Baer field in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and the Pentagon where he served on the Joint Chiefs of Staff for national security matters.  Among Col Cooper’s awards are the Air Force Commendation Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service medal, and the NATO medal.  Col. Cooper currently resides in Fort Wayne with his wife and four children.

Mr. Rodney Smith

Class of  1982 

Mr. Rodney W. Smith is a 1982 graduate of South High School.  After graduation he attended ISU and then Butler University to obtain his principal’s license.  After working in music and percussion with several schools while still a student at Indiana State University, his first professional stop was at Center Grove High School where he was instrumental in the band winning the Bands of America Grand Nationals. He is a founding member of the Indiana Percussion Association.  He served as Assistant Principal and Associate Principal at Ben Davis High School before moving to the Indianapolis Public Schools. Active in public education, Mr. Smith is currently Director of Post Secondary Planning with the Indianapolis Public Schools. Mr. Smith and his wife currently reside in Indianapolis and have two children.

Mr. Tony Tanoos

Class of 1974

Mr. Tony Tanoos graduated from South High in 1974.  He attended the Indiana University School of Law and has served with the law firm of Fleschner, Stark, Tanoos and Newlin and has built one of most successful Social Security Disability law practices in the United States.  Along the way Mr. Tanoos has been recognized for his many efforts within his community.  He has been a counselor and friend to many of the youth of the Terre Haute, is a lay leader in the St. George Orthodox Church, and has supported many organizations philanthropically.  His love for the Terre Haute community and Terre Haute South High School is well-known to many. Mr. Tanoos currently resided in Terre Haute and has three children.

2027 Class Hall of Distinction

Name – This could be YOU

Class of 

Name – This could be YOU

Class of  

Name – This could be YOU

Class of