James Opperman presented with Luther College Distinguished Service Award

DECORAH, IA (10/08/2012)(readMedia)-- Luther College President Richard L. Torgerson presented James Opperman with the Luther Distinguished Service Award on Friday, Oct. 5 at the Celebration of Distinguished Service during homecoming weekend at Luther.

The Distinguished Service Award, one of the highest honors bestowed by the college, is given in recognition of success and achievements in professional fields, service to society, contributions to community and loyalty and service to Luther.

Recipients of the 2012 Luther Distinguished Service Awards are:

Anna Hill Duin, Hastings, Minn., professor of writing studies, director of graduate studies in the Scientific and Technical Communications Program at the University of Minnesota College of Liberal Arts, Luther class of 1977

David "Chip" Norris, Champlin, Minn., Alerus Financial president-Twin Cities Region, Luther class of 1982

Miriam (Strum) Odden, Fox Point, Wis., retired owner and consultant for Odden Consulting, Luther class of 1962 and Fran Odden, Fox Point, Wis., retired pastor and interim assistant to the bishop, Luther class of 1959

James K. Oppermann, Brookfield, Wis., senior vice president of Finance and Management Services at Alverno College, Luther class of 1977

Marjorie Opuni-Akuamoa, Lausanne, Switzerland, Evidence Strategy and Results senior advisor for the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, Luther class of 1992

Kevin L. Sand, Decorah, Iowa, retired family medicine physician and former medical director at Decorah Clinic Physicians-Mayo Health System, Winneshiek Medical Center, Luther class of 1972

Harlan Satrom, Decorah, Iowa, Northwestern Mutual Financial Network financial advisor and president of Retirement Benefits Corporation, Luther class of 1982

Terry A. Sorom, Wenatchee, Wash., retired ophthalmologist at the Eye and Ear Clinic in Wenatchee, Luther class of 1962

Jennifer L. Weuve, Chicago, assistant professor at the Rush Institute for Healthy Aging, Luther class of 1992.

James Oppermann

James Oppermann graduated from Luther College in 1977 with the bachelor's degree in accounting. He earned the Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1978, and spent the next two decades working in the for-profit financial world, holding accountant and management positions with accounting, mortgage and data systems companies.

In 1997, Oppermann joined the nonprofit world as senior vice president for finance and management services at Milwaukee's Alverno College, a position he still holds. The school's enrollment, market share and endowment have all increased during Oppermann's tenure. He is also the college's voting member at the NCAA annual convention, having established Alverno's NCAA Division III athletic program in 2002; he oversaw an $11 million campus beautification project and $16 million Teaching, Learning and Technology Center at Alverno; and he helped form a consortium to provide health, dental and vision benefits for nine colleges in Wisconsin. Oppermann was named a CFO of the Year winner in the education category by "The (Milwaukee) Business Journal" in 2011.

In addition to leading Alverno's financial and management services, Oppermann is the college's assistant women's basketball coach. He also assists in the operation of the Stoneman Family Farm, famous for its sweet corn and owned by the family of his wife, Mary Sue (Stoneman) Opperman, Luther College class of 1977.

Oppermann was a founding member of the Luther College Audit Committee. He and Mary Sue established the William and Muriel Stoneman Family Endowed Scholarship in honor of Mary Sue's parents' passion for education and Luther College. All three of the Oppermann children attended Luther: Kevin Oppermann, class of 2006; Peter Oppermann, class of 2008; and Kayla Opperman, class of 2011.