A leader in emergency medical services, an attorney dedicated to serving Native American tribal interests, a man credited with revolutionizing Australian viticulture and longtime volunteers are among the University of California, Davis, alumni who will be honored for their outstanding personal and professional accomplishments at an event on campus Saturday, Oct. 9.

The Cal Aggie Alumni Association invites the public to attend the 2004 Alumni Awards, including a dinner and an awards ceremony in the ballroom of the new Activities and Recreation Center.

Outstanding Alumnus Award -- Dr. Robert Steven Tharratt, who earned a Master of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in 2001, was one of two physicians accompanying the Sacramento Urban Search and Rescue Team to the World Trade Center collapse on Sept. 11, 2001. The professor of medicine and anesthesiology and chief of clinical pharmacology and medical toxicology for the UC Davis Medical Center is also the medical director for Sacramento County's Office of Emergency Medical Services and all Sacramento city and county fire agencies. Tharratt lends his expertise in emergency services and terrorism to many governmental organizations.

Young Alumna Award -- Christina V. Kirk Kazhe '93 is an attorney dedicated to serving tribal interests. As partner in the Sacramento law firm Monteau & Peebles, she represents Native American tribes throughout the United States. Kazhe also chairs the alumni association's Native American Alumni Society, is a member of the Sacramento County Women's Bar Association and participates in many tribal and local organizations.

Emil M. Mrak International Award -- Richard M. Cirami '63, M.S. '68, will be honored with this award for career distinction and service outside the United States. Through his work with the South Australian Department of Agriculture, Cirami has revolutionized Australian viticulture, improving the production and quality of the nation's vineyards and contributing to the success of the Australian wine industry. In 2003, Cirami received the Order of Australia Medal for services to viticulture.

Jerry W. Fielder Memorial Award -- Meg Stallard '68 and Tom Stallard '68, J.D. '75, will be honored for their service to the alumni association, the UC Davis Foundation and the university. Meg Stallard recently completed seven years on the alumni association's board of directors, the last two as president and ex officio trustee of the UC Davis Foundation. Both Stallards now serve on the foundation board and have also participated on several other university committees and boards, including serving as co-chairs of the Davis Chancellor's Club. In addition to their volunteer work on campus, they are actively involved in the Woodland community.

Distinguished Achievement Award -- Joseph W. Lin, who received a doctoral degree in 1975, is owner of Linbro Inc. in San Rafael and has been an active volunteer for UC Davis and the community for over 25 years. Lin serves on the dean's advisory committee for the Division of Biological Sciences in support of an effort to build new facilities for plant biology programs. He also works to promote the division with Sacramento's Chinese American business and community leaders. His community volunteer projects have included working on the campaign to build Sutter Davis Hospital.

Aggie Service Award -- Carol J. Sconyers '52 recently ended her three-year term as president of the Friends of the Mondavi Center and has been a member of the executive board of the organization for the past seven years. She also sits on the arts education committee of the new advisory Mondavi Center Board. A former elementary school teacher and librarian, Sconyers also volunteers with alumni association's new student receptions, Alumni Ambassadors student recruitment and scholarship efforts, and AggieAdvocates legislative advocacy program.

Also to be honored this year are Richard E. Rominger '49 and Evelyne Rowe Rominger '51, recipients of the 2003 Distinguished Achievement Award. They were unable to attend last year's ceremony. The alumni association will also award Citations for Excellence to alumni whose accomplishments have been recognized by their college, school or program.

For a complete list of recipients, please visit http://www.alumni.ucdavis.edu/awards.htm or call the alumni association at (800) 242-4723.

The dinner and awards ceremony will begin at 6 p.m. For more information and to purchase tickets, please contact event organizer Michelle Pérez at (530) 752-0289 or miperez@ucdavis.edu.

The mission of the Cal Aggie Alumni Association, which has nearly 27,000 members in 43 countries, is to advance the interest and promote the welfare of the university and its alumni.