Distinguished Service Award Recipients

(D indicates Deceased)

2022 — Wendell "Bud" Cowan, '74
2021 — Lucky DeFries, '78
2020 — Michael Lennen, '74
2019 — Jim Slattery, B.A. '70, J.D. '75
2018 — No award given
2017 — Stephen Cavanaugh '80
2016 — Lynette Petty '87
2015 — The Honorable Nancy L. Moritz '85
2014 — No award given
2013 — The Honorable C. William "Bill" Ossmann '77
2012 — Carol Gilliam Green '81 and David E. Pierce '77
2011 — Paul Hoferer '75
2010 — The Honorable Marla J. Luckert '80
2009 — William D. "Bill" Bunten '56
2008 — D. Duke Dupre '73
2007 — Bernard Bianchino '74
2006 — H. Allan Caldwell '73
2005 — James R. Roth '66
2004 — David L. Ryan (D) '66
2003 — Delano E. Lewis '63
2002 — The Honorable Christel Marquardt (D) '74
2001 — Lynn R. Johnson '70
2000 — The Honorable Sam A. Crow (D) '52
1999 — William Kurtis '66
1998 — W. Terrence Kilroy '77
1997 — The Honorable E. Newton Vickers (D) '50; Gerald L. Michaud (D) '51
1996 — Wayne T. Stratton '58
1995 — Harold Herd (D) '42
1994 — Richard Hite '53
1993 — Glenn Archer (D) '46
1992 — Ronald K. Richey '51 (D)
1991 — Herbert A. Marshall (D) '43; Patrick F. Kelly (D) '53
1990 — No award given
1989 — Richard Hrdlicka '55
1988 — Bob Abbott (D) '60
1987 — Raymond L. Spring (D) '59; Dale E. Saffels (D) '49
1986 — Linda Elrod '71
1985 — Jim Barnett '59
1984 — Mike Barbara '53
1983 — Joe Morris '47
1982 — Gerald L. Goodell '58
1981 — Robert Dole (D) '52
1980 — Warren Shaw (D) '31
1979 — Perry Owsley (D) '38
1978 — Howard Harper (D) '40
1977 — Jerome Harman (D) '35
1976 — Meyer Ueoka '49
1975 — Alex Fromme (D) '39
1974 — J.C. Tillotson (D) '32
1973 — Jack Wertz (D) '47
1972 — Jay Kyle (D) '38
1971 — Roy Bartlett (D) '49
1970 — D.A. Hindman (D) '27; John Shamberg (D) '49
1969 — Donald Moyers (D) '34; Stanley Garrity (D) '27
1968 — Earl Hatcher (D) '23
1967 — Alex Hotchkiss (D) '27; George Templar (D) '27; Harold Fatzer (D) '33
1966 — Phil Lewis (D) '35
1965 — Lester Goodell (D) '25
1964 — Delmas Hill (D) '29; Howard Jones (D) '28
1963 — Marie Russell (D) '25

2022 Distinguished Service Award Recipient

Wendell "Bud" Cowan, '74, a native Topekan, recently retired as partner at Foulston Siefkin office in Overland Park. He practiced in the area of litigation and employment law, with special emphasis in employment litigation and human resource advice and counseling. He has litigated hundreds of trials and administrative hearings, defending businesses and municipalities in discrimination, wrongful discharge, and civil rights cases. He has also presented numerous risk-avoidance seminars and provided consultation to various business groups, employers and attorneys on personnel law issues concerning discipline and claims.

He was honored as 2021 "Lawyer of the Year" in Kansas City, Kansas for Insurance Law in Best Lawyers in America. Bud, and wife Peggy, are lifetime members of the Law School Alumni Association, have established a scholarship fund at the law school, and made a gift toward the new building.