Each year the Alumni Board comes together to celebrate and recognize the outstanding accomplishments of the recipients of the two highest honors bestowed on a UTC alumnus at the annual Legends and Leaders dinner. The two honors are that of Outstanding Service Award and the Distinguished Alumnus Award. These awards are to recognize those who have made significant contributions to the community and society and whose accomplishments and career activities have reflected glory on UTC.  This year’s Legends and Leaders Banquet will take place on Friday, May 2, 2008 at the Chattanooga Golf and Country Club.

 HAROLD McALISTER (UTC ‘71) - DISTINGUISHED ALUMNUS

Dr. Harold A. McAlister has been named the 2008 UTC Distinguished Alumnus. After completing his bechelorís degree at UTC, McAlister attended the University of Virginia and received the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in astronomy. He joined the faculty of Georgia
State University in 1977, where he founded the Center for High Angular Resolution Astronomy (CHARA). CHARA built the world’s most powerful optical interferometric telescope array.

McAlister has written numerous research publications and has served on review, advisory, and oversight panels for the NSF and NASA. He teaches and directs CHARA and serves as Director of the Mount Wilson Institute, a nonprofit organization which manages the Mt. Wilson Observatory.

FRED & RUTH OBEAR – OUTSTANDING SERVICE AWARD

Chancellor Emeritus Fred Obear and Ruth Obear will be presented with the Outstanding Service Award, an honor given to recognize enthusiastic and committed service to the university. Dr. Obear is currently Chancellor Emeritus of The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, following 16 years as chancellor of our campus. As UTC’s chancellor, he led the University in its development as a metropolitan campus, emphasizing its important role as a true partner with the community while taking full advantage of its unique blend of both public and private traditions.

At UTC, First Lady Ruth Obear organized support for the Lady Mocs basketball team with pre-game suppers and was an event organizer in support of UTC’s mission. The Obears demonstrate their love for the campus through their total dedication to UTC. They are actively involved with all athletics teams, academic programs, fine arts presentations, and alumni events and are UTC’s greatest fans, proudly wearing their blue and gold.