Rutgers Hall of Distinguished Alumni 2015 Honorees Announced

NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J., Jan. 30, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Rutgers University Alumni Association will induct five remarkable graduates into the Rutgers Hall of Distinguished Alumni on Saturday, May 2, 2015. The 28th annual awards gala will commemorate these Rutgers graduates for their varied and impressive accomplishments. Nationally and internationally recognized in such areas as business, library services, philanthropy, oral health, and children's rights, this year's honorees are:

J. Mark Baiada RC'69, RBS'70 is founder and president of BAYADA Home Health Care, which has 290 offices nationwide. A lauded entrepreneur, humanitarian, and innovator, he opened the first clinical simulation training labs in home health care.

Sharon Matlofsky Karmazin DC'67, SCILS'69 is a Tony Award-winning Broadway producer. Through her work as founder and president of the Karma Foundation, she is also a distinguished philanthropist. Before her retirement from the field, she was a nationally recognized public library leader.

Gary M. Rodkin RC'74 is chief executive officer of ConAgra Foods, a Fortune 200 company that strives to end child hunger. Recognized for greatly simplifying company operations, he has also had executive positions at PepsiCo, Tropicana, and General Mills.

Anthony R. Volpe RSDM'60, GSNB'66 is a retired dentist, professor, and vice president of worldwide clinical research at Colgate- Palmolive. His research regarding oral health led the American Dental Association Foundation to name a research facility in his honor.

Lois Whitman NLAW'76 is the founder and former director of the Children's Rights Division of Human Rights Watch. She has battled abuse worldwide, with accomplishments that include freeing child prisoners, reforming child labor laws, and testifying before the United Nations and the U.S. Congress.

Hosted at the beautiful Heldrich Hotel in downtown New Brunswick, the Rutgers Hall of Distinguished Alumni Awards is a black-tie dinner and ceremony that will feature live music, dinner, and dancing. Tickets are $125 per person until April 1.

More information about the event and the inductees can be found at Ralumni.com/alumnigala15.

About the Rutgers Hall of Distinguished Alumni

The Rutgers Hall of Distinguished Alumni commemorates the history and tradition of the Rutgers community, and inspires students and alumni, present and future, to strive for excellence.

Created in 1987, the Hall of Distinguished Alumni recognizes alumni who, through their superlative achievements in professional and civic life, have brought honor to themselves and to the university.

Only 218 graduates have been inducted into the Hall of Distinguished Alumni in Rutgers' history. Notable members include two-time Olympic gold medalist Carli Lloyd, chef and restaurateur Mario Batali, late actor James Gandolfini, author Janet Evanovich, NBC news anchor Natalie Morales, late actor and humanitarian Paul Robeson, Nobel Prize winners Selman Waksman and Milton Friedman, and five former New Jersey governors.

About the Rutgers University Alumni Association

In 2008, the Rutgers University Alumni Association was formed to advance the best interests and well-being of Rutgers University by engaging all alumni in the life of the institution. The Hall of Distinguished Alumni is one of many programs the alumni association supports each year.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Headshots, full biographies, and multimedia of the honorees and the awards gala are available for media use. Complete details are available at Ralumni.com/alumnigala15. Please contact Nicole Chasan from the Rutgers University Alumni Association at 848-932-2243 or by email at [email protected] to request any materials.

SOURCE Rutgers University Alumni Association