Twelve of the University’s exceptional alumni were honored Saturday evening (Oct. 18) at the 2008 Anchor Awards Ceremony, part of the weekend’s Homecoming festivities.

This year’s award winners were part of an impressive group that included a U.S. Secret Service agent, the director of the FBI’s Terrorist Screening Center, a renowned percussionist, a winemaker and vineyard owner, and an opera singer.

Following are descriptions of the 2008 Anchor Award winners.

Humanitarian Service Award

Christopher M. Coutu M’03, Barney School of Business
In 2005, Christopher Coutu established American Warrior, a non-profit organization that provides support for veterans and current military personnel and their families. Through American Warrior, he has raised more than $100,000 to send hundreds of World War II veterans to see the WWII Memorial in Washington, D.C. In addition to raising funds and coordinating the trips, Coutu arranges for guardians to accompany the veterans, most of whom are in their 80s and 90s, and he organizes heroes’ welcomes for them upon their arrival in Washington and their return to Connecticut. So far he has coordinated two “Honor Flights” that each brought 100 veterans to Washington, and he is organizing a third flight for the spring of 2009. His goal is to send 1,000 veterans to see the memorial by 2010.

College of Arts and Sciences

Leonard C. Boyle ‘80
In March 2007, Leonard Boyle was named director of the FBI’s Terrorist Screening Center in Washington, D.C. The TSC serves as the single point of accountability for ensuring the merging and appropriate sharing of terrorist information. Boyle’s appointment was the culmination of an extensive career in public service that began in 1975 as a police officer in East Hartford, Conn. After graduating from the University of Hartford with a degree in criminal justice, Boyle went on to earn a law degree from the University of Connecticut School of Law. He had a distinguished career as an assistant U.S. attorney and as a special attorney to the Attorney General of the United States, and in 2004 was appointed Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Public Safety.

Kent E. McCarthy ‘96
Since 2002, Kent McCarthy has served as a special agent in the New York Field Office of the U.S. Secret Service. He provided security for Sens. John McCain and Barack Obama during the recent presidential debate at Hofstra University, and he has protected former Presidents Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton and President George W. Bush, as well as numerous heads of state. After graduating from the University of Hartford, McCarthy earned a law degree from Pace University School of Law. Among the many positions he has held, McCarthy clerked for the U.S. Department of Defense, Department of the Army Judge Advocate General in Tokyo, Japan. He studied Japanese at Keio University in Japan while working for an international mergers and acquisitions firm.

Barney School of Business

Jason Damianos ‘90
Jason Damianos, a winemaker and owner of Duck Walk Vineyards in Long Island, N.Y., contributed to the festive mood at the Anchor Awards Dinner by providing the wine! After graduating from the Barney School of Business, Damianos attended California State University at Fresno, where he earned a second bachelor’s degree, this one in enology (fermentation science). Damianos was then accepted into the Diplome National D’oenology at the University of Bordeux, France, where he furthered his studies in winemaking. Today, he successfully combines his business acumen with his expertise in winemaking as the CEO of his family’s corporations. The Damianos family currently owns and farms over 600 acres of grapes on the east end of Long Island, producing and selling over two million bottles of wine per year.

Charles Seeman ‘76
Chuck Seeman began his career at Helikon Furniture, an office furniture manufacturing company, where he rose to the position of vice president of finance and administration. He then made a bold decision to transfer from the private sector to the non-profit sector, in order to truly make a difference in the lives of others. In 1995, Seeman became the president and CEO of United Community and Family Services in Norwich, Conn. When he arrived at the agency, it had a $5 million budget and was losing $1 million annually. Over the past 13 years, he has re-engineered the organization, focusing on the needs of the community. Under Seeman’s leadership, the agency now has a $20 million budget, employs 300 people and operates at break even or better.

College of Education, Nursing and Health Professions

Josephine Di Pietro Smith ‘89
Since 1989, Josephine Di Pietro Smith has dedicated her life to educating Hartford children. She has worked in the Hartford school system as a special education teacher, an advanced algebra teacher for middle school students, a district literacy coordinator and an assistant principal at Moylan Elementary School. Today, Di Pietro Smith is principal of Betances Elementary School in Hartford. Just a few years ago, Betances was the lowest ranked elementary school in Hartford. The school enrolls more than 400 students in grades pre-K through 6 and is overwhelmingly poor. Among the many positive changes that have taken place under Di Pietro Smith’s leadership has been a dramatic improvement in Connecticut Mastery Test scores. Di Pietro Smith’s efforts were recognized with the Outstanding First Year Principal Award from the Connecticut Association of Schools.

College of Engineering, Technology, and Architecture

Stephen A. Dalyai ‘61
Stephen Dalyai attended the Ward School of Electronics (now part of CETA) after fleeing communist Hungary as a teenager. He arrived in the United States with no money and speaking very little English, but managed to put himself through school with the help of a scholarship from the World University Service. Dalyai graduated second in his class at Ward, and was hired by Bell Telephone Laboratories, where he participated in the development of early data communications networks and systems. He was awarded four patents as a result of his work at Bell Labs. Since 1985, Dalyai has served as president and CEO of QEI Inc., a leading supplier of supervisory control and data acquisition systems and automation products that are used by electric utilities and public transit agencies.

Aaron S. Gold ’03, M ‘08
Aaron Gold graduated with a degree in electronic engineering in 2003 and immediately matriculated into the Barney MBA program, graduating in 2008. He is now enrolled in the ENHP doctoral program. Gold began his career at the Travelers Companies in technical support and quickly rose to his current position of delivery manager in the Travelers Claims Systems Division. He is a graduate of the IT Leadership Development Program, a highly selective management program at the Travelers Companies. In addition, Gold is one of the youngest members of the University of Hartford’s adjunct faculty, teaching in both A&S and CETA. He also is actively involved in community service, having volunteered for Habitat for Humanity, the Mercy House Food Shelter, Junior Achievement, and other organizations.

Hartford Art School

Simon C. Liu ‘81
Simon Liu grew up in China and Hong Kong. He told his father that he wanted to go to school in America, but his father told him that he would have to win the lottery – so he did! Because of his high aptitude in math and science, he went to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, but ultimately realized that his interest was in the arts. Liu entered the Hartford Art School and graduated with honors, and then enrolled at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, where he met abstract expressionist painter George McNeil. While working on his MFA, Liu worked for McNeil in his studio, helping to build stretchers for painters’ canvases. Liu ultimately started his own art supply business in Brooklyn. Today he has 35 employees and an acclaimed clientele that includes renowned artists, conservators, and museums around the world.

The Hartt School

Matthew A. Plenk ‘04
Tenor Matthew Plenk is entering his second year in the Metropolitan Opera’s Lindemann Young Artist Development Program. He debuted with the Metropolitan Opera in the 2007-08 season as the voice of the Young Sailor in Tristan und Isolde. After receiving his bachelor’s degree from Hartt in 2004, Plenk earned a Master of Music from Yale University in 2006. In 2007 he was the New England region first-place winner and a National Council semifinalist in the Met’s Council Auditions and was a National Finalist in The Metropolitan Opera Guild Competition. This season, Plenk will be making his Boston Lyric Opera debut as Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni, as well as his Carnegie Hall debut with the Metropolitan Opera Chamber Ensemble.

Shane P. Shanahan M ‘98
Renowned percussionist Shane Shanahan has cultivated a unique and sought after sound by combining his studies of drumming traditions from around the world with his background in jazz, rock, and Western art music. After earning a bachelor’s degree at The Eastman School of Music in Rochester, N.Y., Shanahan studied for his master’s with Professor of Percussion Ben Toth at The Hartt School. He is an original member of Yo-Yo Ma’s Silk Road Ensemble and has toured the globe with the group. He has performed and/or recorded with Philip Glass, Alison Krause, Chaka Khan, Sonny Fortune and others. He has also appeared on David Letterman, Good Morning America, NPR, PBS, and at the opening ceremony of the Special Olympics in Shanghai. In November 2008 he will play percussion for Shrek the Musical on Broadway. He has also taught and been a guest artist at The Hartt School.

Hillyer College

O. James Purnell III A ‘69
Jim Purnell credits Hillyer College with giving him the “push” that he needed to get started on his academic path. After earning an associate’s degree at Hillyer, Purnell went on to earn a bachelor’s degree from Middlebury College. From there he went to Case Western Reserve University and completed a Masters in Library Science, followed by a law degree in 1981 from Western New England College of Law. Purnell currently serves as a Probate Judge in Ellington District Probate Court. On a daily basis he negotiates sensitive issues that affect the lives of children, the elderly and those with intellectual disabilities. In addition to his work in the courtroom, Purnell also has a lengthy resume of courses that he has taught at area law schools, often combining his expertise in library research and law. Purnell serves on the Hillyer Board of Visitors and the Alumni Board.