Alumni Awards
Congratulations to all of our awardees!
Since its inception, The Herbert Wertheim School of Optometry and Vision Science has honored a multitude of alumni in recognition of their professional achievements.
Alumnus of the Year Award
The Alumnus of the Year Award is given to an alum of the Herbert Wertheim School of Optometry and Vision Science in recognition of their outstanding professional and personal achievements. The recipient is selected by the nomination committee, which is comprised of past award winners.As you will see from the list below, past winners include practitioners from every mode of practice, including unforgettable educators like Dean Meredith Morgan, and former presidents of the AAO and AOA.
The year of award, followed by the awardees:
1955 – Frederick Hebbard
1956 – Rupert Flower
1957 – Kenneth Stoddard
1958 – Jack Hobson
1959 – Meredith Morgan
1960 – George Deane
1961 – Henry Peters
1962 – Monroe Hirsch
1963 – Charles Seger
1964 – Morton Sarver
1965 – Bernard Garrett
1966 – Merton Flom
1967 – Herbert Kallmann
1968 – Gordon Duffy
1969 – George (Bradley) Barnes
1970 – James Crosby
1971 – Harvey Arnold
1972 – Joseph Farrington
1973 – Ferd Elvin
1974 – Bernice Flom-Warnken
1975 – Frank Johnson
1976 – Richard Peters
1978 – Benjamin Nerenberg
1979 – Edward Goodlaw
1980 – Allan Freid
1981 – Jack Pence
1982 – Solon Braff
1983 – Robert Lester
1984 – Leonard Osias
1985 – Roy Brandreth
1986 – Bernhardt Thal
1987 – Edward Elliott
1988 – Lesley Walls
1989 – Wilbur Linville
1990 – Marvin Kasanoff
1991 – L. Bruce Mebine
1992 – Weylin Eng
1993 – Elwin Marg
1994 – Stephen R. Chun
1995 – Karen Walker-Brandreth
1996 – Takao Shishino
1997 – Edwin Mehr
1997 – Kenneth Schwaderer
1998 – Lee A. Goldstein
1999 – Michael Harris
2000 – Richard M. Hill
2001 – Pam P. Fong
2002 – Lawrence S. Thal
2003 – Lawrence Creasey
2004 – Ernest K. Takahashi
2005 – Albert Lee Scaief
2006 – Karla Zadnik
2008 – Jorge Cuadros
2009 – Patsy Harvey
2010 – Barry Weissman
2011 – Donald Mutti
2012 – Gunilla Haegerstrom-Portnoy
2013 – Bernard J. Dolan
2014 – Edward J. Revelli
2015 – Stanley Woo
2016 – Mike Patella
2017 – Dennis Burger
2017 – Don Sarver
2018 – Lewis Reich
2019 – Marvin Poston
2020 – Kelly Nichols
2021 – Janet Carter
2022 – Rev. Clyde Oden
2023 – Abraham Bromberg
2024 – Kenneth Polse
1956 – Rupert Flower
1957 – Kenneth Stoddard
1958 – Jack Hobson
1959 – Meredith Morgan
1960 – George Deane
1961 – Henry Peters
1962 – Monroe Hirsch
1963 – Charles Seger
1964 – Morton Sarver
1965 – Bernard Garrett
1966 – Merton Flom
1967 – Herbert Kallmann
1968 – Gordon Duffy
1969 – George (Bradley) Barnes
1970 – James Crosby
1971 – Harvey Arnold
1972 – Joseph Farrington
1973 – Ferd Elvin
1974 – Bernice Flom-Warnken
1975 – Frank Johnson
1976 – Richard Peters
1978 – Benjamin Nerenberg
1979 – Edward Goodlaw
1980 – Allan Freid
1981 – Jack Pence
1982 – Solon Braff
1983 – Robert Lester
1984 – Leonard Osias
1985 – Roy Brandreth
1986 – Bernhardt Thal
1987 – Edward Elliott
1988 – Lesley Walls
1989 – Wilbur Linville
1990 – Marvin Kasanoff
1991 – L. Bruce Mebine
1992 – Weylin Eng
1993 – Elwin Marg
1994 – Stephen R. Chun
1995 – Karen Walker-Brandreth
1996 – Takao Shishino
1997 – Edwin Mehr
1997 – Kenneth Schwaderer
1998 – Lee A. Goldstein
1999 – Michael Harris
2000 – Richard M. Hill
2001 – Pam P. Fong
2002 – Lawrence S. Thal
2003 – Lawrence Creasey
2004 – Ernest K. Takahashi
2005 – Albert Lee Scaief
2006 – Karla Zadnik
2008 – Jorge Cuadros
2009 – Patsy Harvey
2010 – Barry Weissman
2011 – Donald Mutti
2012 – Gunilla Haegerstrom-Portnoy
2013 – Bernard J. Dolan
2014 – Edward J. Revelli
2015 – Stanley Woo
2016 – Mike Patella
2017 – Dennis Burger
2017 – Don Sarver
2018 – Lewis Reich
2019 – Marvin Poston
2020 – Kelly Nichols
2021 – Janet Carter
2022 – Rev. Clyde Oden
2023 – Abraham Bromberg
2024 – Kenneth Polse
Michael G. Harris Distinguished Service Award
The Michael G. Harris Distinguished Service Award recognizes a graduate for their outstanding service to the Berkeley Optometry community. Established in 2017, this award honors the contributions, commitment, and impact of Dr. Michael G. Harris, Class of 1965. It is in the spirit of those who forged the path for the creation of the School of Optometry, the school’s position on campus, and our premiere position in the profession that this award was created. The parameters are broad to recognize the myriad ways in which alumni serve the school; from the classrooms of Minor Hall, to their involvement on a national stage.This award is bestowed by the Dean to an exemplary volunteer, recognizing their outstanding service and long support of Berkeley Optometry. Below you will find a list of the distinguished honorees who have received this award thus far.
The year of award, followed by the awardees:
2017 – Pamela P. Fong
2018 – Deanna Alexander
2019 – Debra Alexander
2019 – Ken Alimento
2020 – Stephen Chun
2021 – Cristen Adams
2021 – Farah Gulaid
2021 – Joy Harewood
2021 – Sheryl Guillory Reaves
2022 – Bob and Rosemary Melrose
2023 – Vicki L. Hughes
2024 – David M. Redman
2018 – Deanna Alexander
2019 – Debra Alexander
2019 – Ken Alimento
2020 – Stephen Chun
2021 – Cristen Adams
2021 – Farah Gulaid
2021 – Joy Harewood
2021 – Sheryl Guillory Reaves
2022 – Bob and Rosemary Melrose
2023 – Vicki L. Hughes
2024 – David M. Redman
The Merton Flom Teaching Award
The Merton Flom Teaching Award was established by the Berkeley Optometry Class of 1980 to recognize an optometric educator who had the most profound impact on their 25-year career. The Merton Flom Teaching Award was first presented by the OD Class of 1980 at their 25th Reunion, to Dr. Merton Flom himself. Every year since, the 25th reunion class recognizes a current or former faculty member with this honor.Below you will find a list of honorees since its conception in 2005.
The year of award, followed by the awardees:
2005 – Mert Flom
2006 – Morton Sarver
2008 – Anthony Adams
2009 – Karen Walker-Brandreth
2010 – A. Lee Scaief
2011 – Karla Zadnik
2012 – Robert Dister
2013 – Edward Revelli
2014 – Gunilla Haegerstrom-Portnoy
2015 – Michael G. Harris
2016 – Janis “Lorie” Gong
2017 – Ian Bailey
2018 – Robert Di Martino
2019 – Darlene Fong
2020 – Carl Jacobsen
2021 – Robert Greer
2022 – John Corzine
2023 – Patsy Harvey
2024 – George Lee
2006 – Morton Sarver
2008 – Anthony Adams
2009 – Karen Walker-Brandreth
2010 – A. Lee Scaief
2011 – Karla Zadnik
2012 – Robert Dister
2013 – Edward Revelli
2014 – Gunilla Haegerstrom-Portnoy
2015 – Michael G. Harris
2016 – Janis “Lorie” Gong
2017 – Ian Bailey
2018 – Robert Di Martino
2019 – Darlene Fong
2020 – Carl Jacobsen
2021 – Robert Greer
2022 – John Corzine
2023 – Patsy Harvey
2024 – George Lee