Volume 18.2 Spring Winter2012 2015
a publication of the
WESTSIDE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
1101 South 90th NE Street Omaha, NE 68124 || 402.390.2183 | westside66.org 1101 South 90th Street Omaha, 68124 | 402.390.2183 www.alumni.wcsfoundation66.org
Westside Celebrates Hall of Fame and Lighthouse Leaders The Westside community came together on October 9 to celebrate seven outstanding alumni and supporters. The Alumni Association inducted Michael Cassling, Fred H. Hawkins, Jr., Kim Hawkins, Kimberly C. Krhounek, and James A. Woodland into the Westside High School Hall of Fame. Westside Community Schools awarded the Lighthouse Leader award to Michael F. Coyle and Mike Williams. The 2014 Hall of Fame inductees: Michael Cassling (’82): Mike graduated an All-American swimmer and during all four of his high school years, the swim team brought home state championships. Mike joined Cassling in 1985. He was appointed president in 1996. Today, Mike is the chief operating officer of Cassling and CQuence Health Group. Mike serves on the Board of Directors of the Salvation Army, Omaha Symphony, Omaha Performing Arts and Omaha Sports Commission. He is a member of the United States Strategic Command Consultations Committee, Bellevue University Strategic Business Committee, and Omaha Community Foundation Strategic Planning Committee. Mike also is an Ak-Sar-Ben Councilor. Nationally, Mike serves on the Broadway Dreams Board of Directors and The Salvation Army National Advisory Board. Fred H. Hawkins, Jr. (’68): Fred earned a business administration degree from Hastings College and joined his family’s business, Hawkins Construction, in 1972. He has served as vice president, treasurer, and president. He became chief executive officer in 2006. Fred has served the metropolitan community and state by being involved with a variety of organizations. He served as both a Governor and as a Coronation Ball Chairman for the Knights of Ak-Sar-Ben. Fred served as chairman of the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce’s Governmental Affairs Committee
The Westside Hall of Fame inducted (from left to right): Jim Woodland, Fred Hawkins, Jr., Mike Casslng and Kelly Krhounek accepting for Kim Krhounek. Back row: Alumni Association President Jason Hellman and Superintendent Blane McCann.
and the Juvenile Diabetes Walk for the Cure. The River City Roundup named him a Grand Marshal. He was a member of the Hastings College Board of Trustees. Hastings College inducted Fred into its Pro Rege Society. Fred is currently on the Board of Directors of the Nebraska Game and Parks Foundation. Kim Hawkins (’72): Kim earned a civil engineering degree from Georgia Tech and joined Hawkins Construction Company in 1976. Kim earned his law degree from Creighton Law School in 1979. He serves as president of Hawkins Construction and Hawkins Equipment. Kim’s civic involvement includes serving as chairman of Boys and Girls Club of the Midlands and on the Board of Directors of the Westside Foundation, the Omaha Hearing School, and the Good Neighbor Foundation. The Boys and Girls Clubs of Omaha honored him with a Spirit of Progress Award and the UNL College of Business Administration named Kim Entrepreneur of the Year in 1998.
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Kimberly C. Krhounek (’84): Kim attended the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and graduated Phi Beta Kappa with a bachelor’s degree in French. She earned her law degree from American University Washington College of Law, M.A. from American University School of International Service and received a Diploma from the Ecole Nationale d’Administration (French school of government). Kim has worked for the U. S. State Department as a Foreign Service officer since 1994. Her first U.S. embassy posting was to Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Kim’s career has sent her to the United Nations, the Czech Republic, Egypt, and Iraq. Over the years Kim has handled sensitive policy issues from reconstruction of Iraq to deescalating crises in Ukraine and Gaza. Today, Kim serves as the Political Counselor at the American Embassy in Paris. Kim has been recognized for political reporting, (continued on page 2)