"The Ultimate Measure of Quality is the Success of our Graduates"
The quality of a school is often measured by the success of its graduates. With over 8,600 students having graduated from Cromwell, Ligonier, Wawaka, and West Noble High Schools,we like to think that many have gone on to achieve great things. We know that some alumni have attained extraordinary levels of success and it is this level of success that we wish to recognize.
Recognition is open to any alumni of West Noble (including Cromwell High School, Ligonier High School or Wawaka High School) who has distinguished him/herself by rendering extraordinary service and achievement to a particular discipline, organization, or cause.
Any individual may nominate an alumni for recognition. An individual wishing to nominate an alumni for consideration is asked to submit a nomination form. All nominations should be made in writing via the nomination form.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Dr. Earl Butz
- 1927 Wawaka High School
- 1932 Purdue University, Bachelor of Science Degree in Agriculture
- 1937 Purdue University, Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Agricultural Economics
Accomplishments
- 1937, joined the Purdue University Agricultural Economics Faculty
- Served briefly as a research fellow with the Brookings Institute in Washington, D.C.
- 1946, head of the Purdue Agricultural Economics Department
- 1948, Vice President of what is now the American Agricultural Economics Association
- 1951, Vice President of the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers
- 1954-1957, President Eisenhower appointed Dr. Butz as an Assistant Secretary of Agriculture
- member of the Board of Directors of the Commodity Credit Corporation
- Chairman of the United States Delegation to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
- 1957, returned to Purdue University to become Dean of the School of Agriculture
- 1968, named Dean of Continuing Education and Vice President of the Purdue Research Foundation
- 1971, President Nixon nominated Dr. Butz to the Cabinet as Secretary of Agriculture
- 1971-1976, served as Secretary of Agriculture under the Nixon and Ford administration
- worked tirelessly to promote American agriculture
- at age 94 still made daily trips to his office at Purdue University
- ask to speak at Nixon's funeral
- a part of Purdue University's College of Agriculture for parts of nine decades, beginning with his undergraduate days in the late 1920s
Dwight Herbert Green, Republican
- 1915 Ligonier High School
- 1922 University of Chicago, Law degree
Present Occupation - deceased
Accomplishments
- U.S. Army during WW I
- 1926, secured an appointment as a special attorney with the Bureau of Internal Revenue
- 1927, served as a special assistant to the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois
- 1932-1935, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois
- Federal prosecutor of Al Capone
- 1939, unsuccessful Republican candidate for Mayor of Chicago
- 1941-1949, Republican Governor of Illinois
- Administration cut numerous taxes. Sales tax was dropped from three percent to two percent, a feat that has never been repeated
- Legislation was instituted that made the teaching of American history and the ideology of republican government a mandatory requirement in public schools
- Approved Illinois' first cigarette tax and increased the tax on liquor
- During second term as Governor, Republican Green invited Democratic Mayor Edward Kelly to his executive office and together they solved the long-standing problem of who should operate and fund the mass transportation system in Chicago. As a result, they established the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA). The Green-Kelly agreement was important because it not only made most forms of Chicago's mass transportation public, but it also set an example of working with the Democratic mayors, a trend continued by subsequent governors.
- Spoke regularly to promote war bonds and to praise those who were diligently working and acrificing for the sake of the nation
- Wasted no time in telegramming President Roosevelt, in the aftermath of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, to promise that he and Illinois would do everything possible to contribute to the war effort. Illinois was one of the foremast contributors to the war effort because of Green
- Nominated Democrat Thomas E. Dewey for the 1944 presidency
- 1946, become the first person to have a chest x-ray in one of two new Department mobile tuberculosis units
- 1948, keynoted the Republican Convention
- 1948, returned to private life after his unsuccessful bid for a third-term in office
Terry D. Growcock
- 1963 Ligonier High School
- Attended Indiana University
- University of St. Francis, Ft. Wayne, B.S. degree in Business Management
Present Occupation – Chairman of the Board of the Manitowoc Company, Inc.
Accomplishments
- Held sales, marketing, and executive positions with Paragon Electric, United Technologies, Universal Nolin and King-Seeley Corporation
- 1984, awarded United Technologies Outstanding Sales and Special Performance
- 1987, awarded United Technologies Outstanding General Manager
- 1990-1994, served as vice president and general manager of Paragon and Robertshaw Automotive, both subsidiaries of Siebe plc
- 1994, join Manitowoc as executive vice president and general manager of Manitowoc Ice
- 1995, became president of Manitowoc Foodservice Group
- 1998-2002, promoted to president and chief executive officer of The Manitowoc Company
- 2002, Joseph Schmidt Speak Up Award “Citizen of the Year”
- 2002, rang the closing bell at the New York Stock Exchange (June 27, 2002) to celebrate the first 100 years of The Manitowoc Company
- 2002-2007, served in the dual role of chairman of the board and chief executive office of The Manitowoc Company
- 2005, appointed by President George W. Bush to be a member of the Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations for a two-year term. Renewed appointment in 2007.
- 2006, awarded ‘The Lake Michigan Area Program Ernst & Young Entrepreneur’ Best of Wisconsin
- 2007, Promoted to chairman of the board of The Manitowoc Company
- During tenure as Manitowoc CEO, grew company sales from $550 million to over $3 billion and became a truly global company with recognized leadership in lift solutions and foodservice equipment worldwide. Market capitalization during same time increased from $400 million to $4.5 billion.
Corporate Board Member
- The Manitowoc Company, Inc. (MTW) 1998 – present
- Bemis Manufacturing Company 2002 – present
- Harris Corporation (HRS) 2005 – present
Volunteer Organizations
- 1996 – 2003, Capitol Civic Centre board
- 1998 – 2007, National Association of Manufacturers board
- 1998 – present, Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce board (State chamber)
- Vice Chair 2002 – 2005
- Chair 2006 – 2007
- 1994 – 2000, United Way board
- Campaign Fund Drive Chairman Manitowoc County United Way 1998
- 1995 – 2002, Bay Lakes Boy Scout Council
- 1992 – 1998, Manitowoc/Two Rivers Area Chamber of Commerce board
- 1993, Chairman of the Manitowoc/Two Rivers Area Chamber of Commerce
- 2001 – 2003, Wisconsin Maritime Museum Capital Campaign Chair
- 1999 – present, Indiana Kelley School of Business Advisory committee
- 1999 – 2004, Silver Lake College board
- 1992 – 2001, Lakeshore Healthcare Coalition
- Chairman 1998 – 2000
William Carroll Latta
- 1869 Ligonier High School
- 1872 National Normal School, Lebanon, OH (an early teacher's college)
- 1877 BS degree from Michigan Agricultural College (Now Michigan State University)
- 1882 MS degree from Michigan Agricultural College (Now Michigan State University)
Present Occupation - deceased
Accomplishments
- One of the first 50 people to earn an advanced degree from Michigan Agricultural College
- 1882, hired by Purdue University as a Professor of Agriculture
- Served 41 years as Profressor of Agriculture, Farm Superintendent, and Farmer's Institutes Specialist
- 1923, retired and continued as Consulting Specialist in the Dept. of Agriculture Extension at Purdue
- Early 1900s, Encouraged Purdue to add home economics classes for women
- Author of Outline History of Indiana Agriculture which was-- and for all practical purposes, still is -- the only complete book of Indiana agriculture dealing with crops, soils, livestock, and farm practices. *
- 1944, was honored by 4-H youth of Indiana who chose to name a Liberty Ship the SS W.C. Latta. This privilege was earned when the boys and girls of 4-H sold more Liberty Bonds than any other group in any other state. The SS W.C. Latta carried cargo and ammunition in both the European and Pacific theathers during WWII.
* Information for this posting was found in The Grand Old Man, A Biography of William Carroll Latta by Frederick Whitford and Andrew G. Martin, Purdue University Press.
Dr. Douglas K. Rex
- 1972 West Noble
- 1976 Harvard College, Summa Cum Laude
- 1980 Indiana University School of Medicine, Highest Distinction
Present Occupation – Clinical gastroenterologist at Indiana University Hospital
Accomplishments
- Chief Medical Resident at Indiana University Hospital
- Joined the faculty at Indiana University in 1985
- Received the Outstanding Teacher Award in the Introduction to Medicine course five times
- Awarded the Indiana University School of Medicine Outstanding Teacher Award
- Awarded the Department of Medicine’s Excellence in Teaching Award
- Research interests in colorectal disease, colorectal cancer, and the technical performance of a colonoscopy
- Co-authored the colorectal cancer screening recommendations of the American College of Gastroenterology and those of the Gastroenterology Consortium
- Authored more than 110 original research papers, 50 book chapters, 100 invited papers and editorials, and 15 guideline papers
- Associate Editor of Journal Watch Gastroenterology and Reviews on Gastroenterological Disorders
- Member of the Editorial Boards of Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology, World Journal of Gastroenterology and Gastroenterology and Hepatology.
- Served as the ACG representative to the National Colorectal Cancer Round Table
- Chairman of the U.S. Multi-Society (ACG, ASGE, AGA, ACP-ASIM) Task Force on Colorectal Cancer from 2000-2006
- Awarded the highest honor bestowed by Indiana University to her faculty, Distinguished Professor - 2009
