Walsh College Leadership Awards Honorees Announced

TROY, Mich., Oct. 8, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Walsh College celebrates the achievements of alumni and community leaders, hosting the annual Leadership Awards Dinner on November 9 at 6:30 p.m. at the Westin Book Cadillac Detroit. This year's honorees include David Girodat, president, Fifth Third Bank, Eastern Michigan; Blagoja Sekreski, ERS senior consultant, Deloitte; and James M. Nicholson, vice president, PVS Chemicals.

"Our honorees this year represent outstanding Walsh alumni and community leaders," said Audrey Olmstead, chief development officer. "Each of the honorees has made a big impact on our region and Walsh College at large, and we are proud to add their names to our distinguished list of honorees."

James M. Nicholson is being honored for the Jeffery W. Barry Award for Educational Excellence & Community Service. This award honors individuals from the community for their commitment to business and for the service to the Detroit area. James is vice chairman of the board of directors of the YMCA of Metro Detroit. He serves on the boards of the College for Creative Studies, the Nature Conservancy, Citizens Research Council of Michigan and the Grosse Pointe Hunt Club. He is chairman emeritus of Junior Achievement of Southeastern Michigan and the Michigan Manufacturers Association.  

The Walsh College Distinguished Graduate of the Last Decade award will go to Blagoja Sekreski, who received a bachelor's of accountancy in 2009. The award goes to an alumnus who has distinguished themselves in an exceptional way and is already positively impacting society, the community and Walsh College. Candidates for this award must have graduated within the last ten years. Blagoja also received the Walter B. Fisher Award for Excellence in Accounting at the June 22, 2010, commencement ceremony.

David Girodat will receive the Walsh College Distinguished Alumni Award, which honors an alumnus who achieved exceptional personal and professional recognition. Girodat has a record of outstanding service to Walsh College and the community, as he serves on the Walsh College Board of Trustees, as well as a board member of the Detroit Regional Chamber and New Detroit. In addition, he sits on the board of directors and finance committee for Henry Ford Macomb Hospital and is the chairman for the Macomb Executive Leadership Committee. Girodat serves as the president of Fifth Third Bank's Eastern Michigan region, after having held various roles within the banking industry since 1981. Girodat received his bachelor's of business administration from Walsh College in 1985 and a Master of Science in Finance in 1992. 

All funds raised benefit the Leadership Awards Scholarship and the Jeffery W. Barry Endowed Scholarship. Individual tickets for the Leadership Awards Dinner are $250. For more information on the event, contact Andrea Richards at 248-823-1204 or visit www.walshcollege.edu/LeadershipAwards.

WALSH COLLEGE
Founded in 1922, Walsh College is a private, not for profit institution offering upper-division undergraduate and graduate business and technology degrees and certificate programs. One of Southeast Michigan's largest business schools, Walsh has locations in Troy, Novi, Clinton Township and Port Huron, as well as online. Walsh's business services division offers the Walsh Institute, which provides solutions for businesses through training, continuing education and consulting. Walsh is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (www.ncahlc.org; phone: 312-263-0456) and the International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education (IACBE, www.iacbe.org). The Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP, www.acbsp.org) accredits specific degree programs.

CONTACT:
Alicia Boltach/Account Supervisor at Airfoil Public Relations boltach@airfoilgroup.com or 248.304.1453.

SOURCE Walsh College