Northern Today Spring 2020

NORTHERN TODAY 17 SPRING 2020 JAME S KL E I N received a B.S. in social science in 1969. Klein was named Financial Services Champion of the Year in 2011 by the U.S. Small Business Administration. He earned the Smart Leader Award (Smart Business Magazine), and he received the 2017 Outstanding Alumni Award/Advanced Management and Leadership (Said Business School, University of Oxford). He has received the following master’s level awards: Performance Management and Strategic Perspective (Harvard Business School); and Advanced Management and Leadership (Oxford, Said Business School). He is also an Oxford University Press published author (Global Business/2018). Klein, who received his MBA in 2002, works as principal of J.R. Global. He and his wife, Lola, live in Columbus, Ohio. They have two children, Johann Klein and Amadeus Klein; and four grandchildren, Kylee, Faith, Alexsandra and Braden. JOHN LOPEZ is a product of a place. His people’s ranches are scattered along the Grand River in northwestern South Dakota. Lopez’s forte lies in gentling colts and perfecting their bloodlines— and he started his celebration of them by sculpting in clay. His sculpture studio is located in Lemmon, S.D. Lopez, who received an associate degree in commercial art in 1993, discovered his gift for sculpture at Northern. He is the creator of the Wolf statue that stands in front of the Jewett Regional Science Education Center. The life-sized sculpture is fabricated out of found objects and shapes of steel that Lopez cut with his plasma cutter. Lopez’s work reflects generations of a life that’s fading into history. It’s a life lived in barns and grain elevators, workshops and pastures. It’s the life of the land he loves. NORTHERN STATE UNIVERSITY | Alumni JAMES KLEIN JOHN LOPEZ JOE SENGER JOE SENGER , who graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Education in 1972, is CEO of Dacotah Bank. Previously, Senger coached and taught from 1973 to 1976 in Eureka. He was active in the coaches’ association and president of the local teachers’ association. Senger is past president of the following organizations: NSU Wolves Club and Alumni Association; Aberdeen Development Corporation; Aberdeen Area Chamber of Commerce; Roncalli Booster Club; and St. Mary’s Church Council. He also served as United Way Campaign Chair in 1992, and has been United Way Rails Club Chair since 1992. Senger was a Paul Harris Fellow (Rotary) and the recipient of the Aberdeen Area Chamber of Commerce George Award and the Sertoma Club’s Service to Mankind Award. Senger and his wife, Cindy, live in Aberdeen. They have three children: Michelle (Mark) Azure, Todd (Laura) Senger and Brian (Julia) Senger; and eight grandchildren: Michael Azure, Anna Azure, Olivia Senger, Gwyneth Senger, Reese Senger, Audrey Senger, Emma Senger and Everett Senger. DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI