Kevin L. Sand presented with Luther College Distinguished Service Award

DECORAH, IA (10/08/2012)(readMedia)-- Luther College President Richard L. Torgerson presented Kevin L. Sand 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:

Ann 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.

Kevin L. Sand graduated from Luther College in 1972 with the Bachelor of Arts degree in biology. He holds the Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Iowa College of Medicine in Iowa City. Born and raised in Decorah, Sand returned to his hometown, after a medical residency at the University of Illinois in Rockford, to become a family medicine physician.

During his medical career, Sand was a volunteer physician with the Decorah Free Clinic, served six years on the Winneshiek County Board of Health and practiced for 31 years as a member of the Decorah Clinic Physicians–Mayo Health System, Winneshiek Medical Center (previously Medical Associates) before retiring in 2010. He had also led the Decorah Clinic as medical director.

An avid planter of trees since his college days, Sand owns timber tracts and is active in forest conservation as a member of the Northeast Iowa Forestry Advisory committee and is a founding member and president of the Prairie's Edge Sustainable Woods Cooperative. In 2009, he was named Iowa Woodland Owner of the Year by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship.

Also in 2009, Sand received the City of Decorah Historic Preservation Recognition Award for his part in restoring homes in town, and in 2010 he was a nominee for the Decorah Area Chamber of Commerce's Business Professional of the Year award.

Sand's parents were Luther graduates-Verna (Amdahl) '48 and Robert Sand '45-as is his wife, Leslie (Smith) Sand '74; his brother, Daniel Sand '77; and his sister, Robyn (Sand) Anderson '79. Kevin and Leslie are members of the President's Council at Luther and are the parents of Jennifer Sand and Robert Sand.