The 2004 Recipients of the Jesse S. Heiges Distinguished Alumni Award

The proud recipients of the 2004 Jesse S. Heiges Award are (left to right): Martin Babinec, Vicki Greenleaf, Robert Krebs, and Robert Ames.

Taking risks and paying attention to details are two things this year’s recipients of the Jesse S. Heiges Distinguished Alumni Award have in common.

Lab work was full of detail, as Robert S. Ames, Jr. ’76 found at Litton Bionetics. He moved to the National Cancer Institute as a biologist and earned his doctorate in microbiology while there. From 1986 to 1990, Robert was a postdoctoral fellow that included working at SmithKline Beecham Pharmaceuticals’ molecular genetics department. Since 1990, he has held a number of positions there including investigator and assistant director of the molecular biology department. He assumed his current position in 2001 as director of GlaxoSmithKline Research and Development’s department of gene expression. Robert holds numerous patents. He is active with his church and returns to speak to biology majors and participate in Alumni Days. He was also involved with the Kresge Initiative, establishing endowments for our science departments.

Martin Babinec ’77 finds his detail and risks involve personnel issues. Taking his human resources experiences with Navy Exchanges, an international retailer, Martin parlayed his career into a thriving business called TriNet, a single-vendor solution for outsourcing benefits, payroll, and human resources support. The Inc. 500 Hall of Fame recognized Martin’s company as one of the fastest growing privately-held companies in America for five consecutive years. Martin frequently speaks at domestic and international conferences on topics involving entrepreneurship, technology trends, and human resources. He is an advisor and consultant to a number of organizations including the Grove College of Business.

Another risk taker is Vicki D. Greenleaf ’81 who after a decade in public relations, founded her own company, Greenleaf & Associates, Inc., a marketing and public relations firm. Today Vicki handles corporate image building and rebuilding, crisis management, investor relations, and other public relations concerns for entertainment companies. She came by her expertise in a series of freelance and permanent positions ranging from personal publicist to associate producer at Music News. She honed her skills from publicity director, to senior publicist, to national publicity director, and finally vice president of corporate communications. Vicki is a key component in establishing a mentor program for SU alumni on the West Coast and is actively involved in the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Details are a way of life for Robert E. Krebs ’48 who is a series editor at Greenwood Book Publishing, a position he assumed in 1997. His latest book is Groundbreaking Scientific Experiments, Inventions and Discoveries of the Ancient World (with Carolyn Krebs). This year a volume covering the Middle Ages will be published. Robert began his varied career as a teacher, later college professor, before working with NASA as a senior space science lecturer from 1961-63. He was research coordinator and science specialist at the Office of Education. From 1968 to 1984, Robert established offices of research at several universities including the University of Illinois where he was associate dean for research and a health professions education professor. He created an academic research consulting firm and a self-instructional software for professional training company. Robert is active within his community and in 1984 received the Society of Research Administrators’ Hartford Nicholsen Award for Service.