The public is invited to attend the Mundelein High School 2021 Distinguished Alumni Awards Luncheon honoring seven MHS graduates. The event will take place at noon on Saturday, September 25, at the West District Office, 1500 Hawley Street (adjacent to the high school campus).
The cost of the event is $12 per person. The deadline for registration is Monday, September 20. Register by visiting this website.
The seven honorees range from the MHS Class of 1967 to the MHS Class of 2006. They are:
Michael Gunther, Class of 1995: West Point Graduate; PhD in History; Four Masters Degrees; Currently deployed to a new assignment in Izmir, Turkey; Bronze Star Medal, Four Awards; Purple Heart Medal; Deployed to Samarra, Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom; Served as Headquarters Company Executive Officer for eight years; Commander of B Company, 2nd battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment in Grafenwoehr, Germany; Many other positions within the military prior to his current post
Lawrence Maligaya, Class of 2005: BS degree, Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT); Recent experience at Google Headquarters; Adient, LLC Sales Manager; Managed commercial and sales activities for Tesla Model S/X/3/Y production seat trim covers/panels; Founded the STEM Explorers Scholarship at Mundelein High School in 2018 to provide STEM opportunities to promising students interested in STEM topics and careers
Larry Markus, Class of 1967: Associate of Applied Science degree in Mechanical Engineering; Co-Owner of Sirius Automation Group, Buffalo Grove, IL; Mentorship with the MHS Robotics Club; Holds a number of patents in Biomedical Engineering and Robotics; More than 40 years in biomedical engineering field, designing instrumentations; Six years as a consultant with Northwestern University’s Center for innovation in Global Health Technology developing a rapid-AIDS test for South Africa
Max Petersen, Class of 2006: MD degree, Yale University; PhD degree, Yale University; MPhil degree, Yale University; BA degree, Augustana College; Currently completing Internship and Residency in Internal Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, MA; Completing a Fellowship in Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO; Earned an MD/PhD Thesis Prize from Yale School of Medicine in 2018
Chad Vale, Class of 1974: Joined the US Air Force Strategic Air Command following graduation from MHS. Served as a jet engine mechanic and aircraft electrical repairman; Involved in a serious motorcycle accident a year and a half later and medically retired from the Air Force; Life member of the Knights of Columbus; Has made five trips to Washington, DC for House/Armed Service Committee meetings; Received the Gold Star Family’s Hero for a Day Award in Peoria; The Greater Peoria Honor Fight recently recognized Chad Vale for his accomplishments in the Air Force and his Volunteerism with the Veterans Affairs; Elected judge advocate Veteran Assistance Commission State Level
Chris Wetteland, Class of 1993: Los Alamos National Laboratory; PhD in Geology, University of Tennessee; MS, Ceramics and Materials Engineering, Rutgers University, BS; Geology, Northeastern Illinois University; Senior Lecturer, University of Tennessee-Knoxville, Department of Materials Science and Engineering; Instructor for undergraduate laboratory coursework in Materials Science and Engineering; Chancellors Award for Excellence in Advising; Faculty award for Excellence in Service and in Teaching
Richard Witt IV – Class of 2000: BS degree in Law Enforcement Justice Administration; Western Illinois University (Magna Cum Laude); Mundelein Police Officer since 2006; Held positions of Accident Investigator, Evidence Technician, Alcohol and Gaming Compliance Officer, Bike Officer, DARE Officer, Police Explorer Advisor, Field Training Officer; School Resource Officer; Mundelein PD Polar Plunge participant every year for the Special Olympics.