Outlook Magazine - Fall 2025

Distinguished Alumni Award Dr. Eugene G. Hallongren (’65, ’66) Gene Hallongren believes that UW-Stout had a great impact on his life and career. It was at Stout that he found the love of his life, Dianne Lindberg (’66) , made lifelong friendships, and where a simple assignment in a guidance gradu ate course led to decisions that would impact his 45-year-long career. In 1967, Hallongren began his career at Elkhorn High School in Elkhorn, Wisconsin, teaching technology classes, counseling grades 6 through 10 and coaching freshmen football and freshmen wrestling. After his year at Elkhorn, he worked for two years at York High School, in Elmhurst, Illinois, teaching woodworking, counseling and coaching freshmen football. In 1969, Hallongren began his career at Col lege of DuPage, in Glen Ellyn, Illinois. It was a new public community college in its second year and had approximately 2,500 students. When he retired as vice president of Commu nity Education and Economic Development in 1999, DuPage had grown to become the largest single-campus comprehensive community col lege in the U.S., with an enrollment of nearly 34,400 students. Upon retiring from DuPage, Hallongren served as president of the DeVry University-Chicago Campus/Metro, one of the largest of the 23 campuses in the DeVry University System, and then as president of the Tinley Park Campus. He retired in 2010. “I feel thankful for the privilege of having worked with so many outstanding and talented people who worked hard and had a commitment to doing excellent work. Together, we developed educational opportunities and programs to sup port all our students. It became our passion. I was fortunate to have good mentors, especially early in my career, that helped me to be successful, and I hope that I have also provided that support for others,” he said.

Luminary Alumni Award Greg Else (’97)

Greg Else received the Luminary Award as a testament to his outstanding contributions to his community and for being an inspiration to others in his roles of mentorship, service and philanthropy. Else has a B.S. in business administration, with a concentration in risk management. He is the director of Monitoring and Controls, Individual and Family Markets, with Health Care Service Corporation, headquartered in Chicago. His philanthropy includes serving as co-founder of In-Abled Disability Business Resource Group; Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois’ cor porate lead for Chicago Cares Serve-a-thon, the city’s largest day of service; and co-lead of the Employee Volunteerism committee. In 2015, Else received the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois Volunteer of the Year award. After residing in Chicago for 22 years, he now lives in his hometown of Watertown and contin ues to support his community at weekly Loaves and Fishes community meals and other service opportunities. Else has served on UW-Stout’s Foundation & Alumni Association Board for 15 years. He was elected treasurer in 2021. “For me, it’s important to give back to the com munities that helped shape who I am. This includes my hometown, UW-Stout and Chicago,” Else said. “My time at UW-Stout helped direct the course of my life and enabled me to have a successful career, which inspires me to support students.”

Alumni

Awards

2025

UW-Stout celebrates this year's annual Alumni Award recipients, who embody UW-Stout's values and mis sion and who significantly impact the lives of alumni and students, their industries and communities. They will be recognized at an awards celebration from 5 to 8 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 24, in the Memorial Student Center ballrooms. Join the celebration. Get your tickets at uwstout.edu/ alumni-award-celebration

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University of Wisconsin-Stout