College of Business and Innovation Alumni receive awards during UT Homecoming

Dr. Clinton O. Longenecker

UT Alumni Association Gold T Award  

Dr. Clinton O. Longenecker, Stranahan Professor of Leadership and Organizational Excellence in The University of Toledo College of Business and Innovation (COBI) is the 2013 recipient of The University of Toledo Alumni Association Gold T award, which is awarded to a UT/MUO alum in recognition of outstanding achievement in his/her field of endeavor while providing leadership and noteworthy service to the community. Longenecker received bachelor and master of business administration degrees from UT in 1977 and 1978, respectively.

Last year Longenecker was selected as one of the top 10 business educators in the world by The Economist magazine. He has been the recipient of more than 20 outstanding teaching awards and has published more than 150 articles and papers in leading academic and professional journals.  His research has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Investor’s Business Daily and on MSNBC and NPR.

His best-selling book, Getting Results: Five Absolutes for High Performance - - which has been translated into nine languages - - describes the best practices of more than 2,000 high-performance managers and how they achieve outstanding success.

An active management consultant, Longenecker’s clients include a variety of Fortune 500 firms and entrepreneurial organizations, including Harley-Davidson, Owens-Illinois, Cooper Tire, Marathon, ConAgra Foods, SSOE, ProMedica Health System and Eaton.

Longenecker has also spent extensive time in Haiti working as a missionary, building schools, hospitals and homes.

Heidi Burkhart

Edward H. Schmidt Outstanding Young Alum Award

The Edward H. Schmidt Outstanding Young Alum Award is presented to a UT  graduate who is 35 years old (or younger) in recognition of outstanding achievement in her or her field of endeavor, while providing leadership and noteworthy service to the Alumni Association, University or community. This award is named in memory of the 1942 alumnus and a longtime supporter of the University and its Alumni Association.

The 2013 recipient is Heidi Burkhart of New York, NY, who received her bachelor’s degree from the UT College of Business in business administration in 2002.

Burkhart is chair and founder of Dane Professional Consulting Group, which specializes in affordable housing, brokerage and consulting. She has facilitated the closing in excess of $500 million of affordable housing in the past four years.

In November she will receive the Young Leader Award from Affordable Housing Finance, which honors men and women under the age of 40 who are building organizations and ushering in new ways of delivering affordable housing.

Burkhart is also involved in philanthropic efforts associated with children and education.

Michael Hanf

UT College of Business and Innovation Outstanding Young Alumnus Award

Michael Hanf is recipient of the UT College of Business and Innovation Outstanding Young Alumnus Award.  Hanf is owner of  Owner, Davenport, Hanf & Company (DHC).

Hanf has more than 18 years of diversified accounting and audit experience. His experience includes working with domestic and international multi-location organizations in both the public and private sectors. Hanf has significant experience with construction related matters and is a member of the BDO Construction Accounting Network. He also has extensive experience with employee benefit plan audits.

Hanf also has spent 18 years bringing professional services to entrepreneurial companies in Northwest Ohio, exercising his own entrepreneurial spirit in 2005 as the founding member of DHC.  He spent 10 years at Ernst & Young, LLP (E&Y), where he coordinated audit, tax and advisory services to a wide range of clients. Hanf was also actively involved in the E&Y construction group, serving most of E&Y’s local construction clients. He was also the local Construction Financial Managers Association (CFMA) representative, and has maintained his involvement in the CFMA and currently sits on their Steering Committee.

Gary Smith

COBI Outstanding Alumnus Award

College of Business and Innovation Outstanding Alumnus Award given to Gary Smith, a 1972 business graduate who majored in accounting and finance.

Smith has recently served as Vice President Finance & Treasurer (Principal Financial Officer) of The Andersons, Inc.  In 1995, Gary provided the leadership to transition the company from a private entity into a publicly traded corporation. Gary has over 38 years of experience in the agribusiness, commodity and financial industries.

Previously, Gary served as Vice President and Controller of Toledo Pickling and Steel Service, Inc., one of the largest importers and steel service centers in the Great Lakes. In 1971 Gary joined Arthur Young & Co, auditing/consulting many regional companies. Gary is a U.S. Army veteran, spent two years self-employed in the beverage industry, and grew up on the family farm.

For 21 years, Smith was a trustee of The University of Toledo Foundation, chairing the Investment Committee and serving as its President for several years. Currently Gary is on the Board of Directors of The Toledo Zoological Society.

Gary is currently Chairman of the Board of Directors of Lansing Trade Group LLC and AAA Northwest Ohio. In addition, he is on the Northwest Ohio Advisory Board of FirstMerit Corporation.).