The Weatherhead School of Management is excited to announce its 2023 Alumni Awards winners and honor them during Homecoming and Reunion Weekend at Weatherhead’s Alumni Reception and Awards on Friday, Oct. 13.
Weatherhead launched the annual Alumni Awards in 1993 to establish a tradition of honoring living alumni who personify the school's mission of developing transformational ideas and outstanding leaders for the advancement of business and society. These alumni are recognized for their professional achievements, personal accomplishments, and dedication to Weatherhead, Case Western Reserve University, or their communities.
Meet our Alumni Award winners:
Distinguished Alumni Award
The Distinguished Alumni Award honors alumni who have demonstrated professional achievement of the highest caliber in the management of a for-profit or nonprofit organization.
This year’s recipients are Michael Chapman (MGT ’00) and Gary Von Lehmden (MGT ’81).
Michael Chapman (MGT ’00)
Michael Chapman is a senior partner at Kearney, a leading global management consulting firm. He serves as the media practice lead for the Americas region as part of Kearney’s Communications, Media & Technology (CMT) global industry practice. Chapman earned a joint degree from Weatherhead in January 2000, with MBA concentrations in finance and strategy and Master of Science in Management in Information Systems degree. He was the first student in the history of Weatherhead to complete the 48-hour MBA and MSM-IS joint degree program in roughly 18 months. Chapman’s other professional accomplishments include membership in the Executive Leadership Council’s (ELC) Class of 2020 and becoming directorship-certified by the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) for corporate board service.
Gary Von Lehmden (MGT ’81)
With over 43 years of an international banking career, Gary Von Lehmden has extensive experience in roles in lending, structured finance, corporate and investment banking and corporate finance. Up until his retirement in 2019, Von Lehmden’s most recent role was chairman of the Corporate Bank at Citibank while retaining his roles as chief lending officer and GCM Head for EMEA. Currently, Von Lehmden manages his own family office and serves as chairman of the board of the United Way United Kingdom and is a member of the United Way regional council for Europe. He is also an advisory board member and past chairman of British American Business (BAB). He recently joined the board of QVentures, a venture capital firm, to help provide strategic debt support. Von Lehmden graduated from Miami University with a bachelor of science, and in 1981 he earned his MBA in banking and finance from Weatherhead.
Outstanding Alumni Award
The Outstanding Alumni Achievement Award honors alumni for their leadership, dedication and service excellence rendered to Weatherhead, Case Western Reserve, their community, or a public or nonprofit organization.
This year’s recipients are Loretta Randolph (GRS ’87, organization development & analysis) and Chris Winkle (WRC ’86)
Loretta Randolph (GRS ’87, organization development & analysis)
Loretta Randolph completed her Master of Science in Positive Organization Development and Change in 1987 at Case Western Reserve and is an organizational effectiveness expert. A native Clevelander, she spent 30 years in Washington D.C. as a healthcare leader and consultant. She retired from the MITRE Corporation in 2017 and returned to Cleveland where she currently serves as an alumni volunteer with the Weatherhead Department of Organizational Behavior as the designer and alumni chair of the MPOD Practitioner Mentor program. Randolph is a recognized expert in appreciative inquiry and an award-winning strategist and organization development consultant. She has received recognition and awards from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, NASA, the U.S. intelligence community and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for her groundbreaking and successful organization development work.
Chris Winkle (WRC ’86)
Chris Winkle is a healthcare executive who previously served as the CEO of Sunrise Senior Living, which operates more than 325 senior living communities in four countries across North America and the United Kingdom. With extensive knowledge of acute, post-acute, and senior living sectors, Winkle is a seasoned executive with more than 35 years of experience in leadership management, healthcare operations, finance, and strategic planning. Winkle graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting degree in 1986 from Western Reserve College, now part of Case Western Reserve. He is a member of Argentum and American Seniors Housing Association (ASHA) boards. He is also an active supporter of Hearts for Africa and International Justice Mission.
5 Under 35 Award
The 5 Under 35 Award (formerly the Young Alumni Award) recognizes five individuals who are 35 years of age or younger for their significant career achievements, successful formation of a successful enterprise, commitment to their alma mater, community or humankind, or recognition by colleagues and peers for outstanding leadership and administrative abilities.
This year’s recipients are Bruce Douglas (CWR ’10), Charity May (CWR ’13), Erin Drotleff (MGT ’20), Leonela Mora (MGT ’16) and Nathan Sundheimer (MGT ’19).
Bruce Douglas (CWR ’10)
Bruce Douglas is currently the president of The Douglas Company, a construction management firm licensed in 20 states. He is now the third-generation leader of the company, which specializes in senior living and multifamily construction and has been in business since 1976. Douglas is a 2010 graduate of Case Western Reserve, where he received a Bachelor of Science in Business Management degree.
Charity May (CWR ’13)
Charity May is the founder of Sacred Futures, an advisory practice dedicated to nurturing the conditions for building a regenerative economy, where relationships thrive among the ecology of life. May is a 2013 graduate of Case Western Reserve, where she received a Bachelor of Science in Management/Finance degree and a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies degree.
Erin Drotleff (MGT ’20)
Erin Drotleff is the vice president of Sourcing at Oatey Co. in Cleveland. Prior to coming to Oatey, Drotleff held sourcing and purchasing management positions at Republic Steel, Medical Mutual, Cleveland-Cliffs and Deloitte Consulting. Drotleff graduated from the University of Mount Union with a bachelor’s in biology, and in 2020 she earned a MBA from Weatherhead.
Leonela Mora (MGT ’16)
With over a decade of transformative expertise in organizational development, Leonela Mora is the senior manager of apprenticeships at the Greater Cleveland Partnership and the visionary behind her consulting firm, LeonelaFlourishing. Mora graduated from New Mexico Highlands University with a bachelor’s degree in psychology, and in 2016 she earned a Master of Science in Positive Organizational Development & Change degree from Weatherhead.
Nathan Sundheimer (MGT ’19)
Nathan Sundheimer heads U.S. healthcare partnerships at Plug and Play, the world’s largest innovation platform that connects startups, corporations, and investors to drive tech advancements and business growth at scale. Sundheimer graduated from The College of Wooster with a Bachelor of Arts in Neurobiology degree, and in 2019 he earned a MBA from Weatherhead. He’s currently working on his Master of Science in Healthcare Systems Engineering degree at Johns Hopkins University, with an expected graduation date of May 2024.