Release courtesy BSU Alumni & Foundation

Bemidji State University is proud to announce its 2024 distinguished alumni class, all of whom will be honored at the Honors Gala on Sept. 27.

Jim Marken ’91, Sianneh Mulbah ’04 and Lonni Whitchurch ’73 will receive the Outstanding Alumni Award for their exceptional achievements on campus and beyond.

Additionally, the BSU Alumni & Foundation has established a new Philanthropist of the Year Award and is pleased to present the inaugural distinction to Keith Johanneson.

All four award recipients, plus other donors and friends, will be formally recognized during the 2024 Honors Gala on Sept. 27. Registration for that event will open on Monday, July 29, at bsualumni.org/gala.

Marken is the senior vice president of operations at ANI Pharmaceuticals, where he is responsible for two manufacturing facilities in Baudette. He has had a number of different roles in the sector, starting as a self-proclaimed “lab rat” and eventually pursuing and growing into leadership roles, including his current position by December 2021. He has also been involved in his local community through youth volunteerism like Take a Kid Fishing and coaching youth basketball, and professional leadership by holding multiple positions within the Northern Minnesota Manufacturers Organization.

Mulbah is the chief people and inclusion officer for the Minnesota Timberwolves and Minnesota Lynx. The Cass Lake product has been with the organization for 13 years in various human resources roles and was recently named a Top 50 Influential Black Leader in the Twin Cities region by the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal. Mulbah also leads the Minnesota Timberwolves and Lynx Women in Sports Leadership Council, which focuses on the professional growth and development of women in the workplace. She serves on the board of directors of the Twin Cities chapter of Women in Sports and Events and is the secretary of the Native American Parent Council for the Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan Independent School District.

Whitchurch is a former businesswoman in Tampa Bay, Fla., where she owned and operated Lonni’s Sandwiches, Etc. for nearly 25 years across half a dozen locations. She established her food as a local staple, including one creation as the “unofficial Official Sandwich of Tampa Bay.” Prior to her restauranteering days, Whitchurch taught English and coached speech for seven years between Cass Lake High School and Bug-O-Nay-Ge-Shig School. Whitchurch is also involved in local cat rescues and supports other local causes. During her Bemidji State tenure, Whitchurch was also a charter member of the university’s Honors Program.

Johanneson is the former president and CEO of Johanneson Inc., where he enjoyed nearly 50 years of success in the supermarket industry. He started out as a cashier at Super John’s Supermarket, his father’s store, across the street from Bemidji State’s campus and became the president in the early 1970s. Johanneson’s Philanthropist of the Year Award comes on the heels of his recent $1 million pledge to endow nursing scholarships at BSU. Johanneson made the gift in honor of his late wife, Maria, who came through BSU’s Department of Nursing herself.

The Bemidji State University Philanthropist of the Year Award, established in 2024 by the BSU Alumni & Foundation, will be given annually at the Honors Gala. It recognizes individuals who significantly impact our university through their exceptional commitment as a financial and/or engaged supporter of the institution. The award is meant to celebrate those who go beyond simply giving and actively cultivate a culture of philanthropy at BSU through storytelling, volunteerism, activism, collaboration and humility.

More information about the Honors Gala is available at bsualumni.org/gala.