Alumni honored at 2009 Distinguished Alumni Awards

President Dawood Farahi and the Kean University Alumni Association recognized their best and brightest alumni for 2009 at the Distinguished Alumni Awards Dinner held recently in Downs Hall.

More than 100 family, friends and colleagues trekked from across the country to pay tribute to
the recipients. The honorees’ careers spanned areas such as the arts, environmental conservation, law, public service and insurance.

Abner Benisch ’40 was an accomplished student and standout athlete for Kean. A captain on both the tennis and basketball teams, Benisch went on to be inducted into the University’s Hall of Fame in 1983. He opened Benisch and Company in 1951 and helped create professional licensure examinations.

Michelle Scalera ’74 earned a bachelor of arts in art education. After receiving her master's degree in Italy, she returned to the United States to become conservator at The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art in Sarasota, Florida. Scalera currently serves as chief conservator.

James Sloan ’78 began his public service career as a police officer and investigator. A political science graduate, he joined the United States Secret Service, where he worked in almost every aspect of the agency. After his Secret Service career, he was named Assistant Commandant for Intelligence & Criminal Investigation with the United States Coast Guard.

Pictured from left to right are Owen Sloan (accepting on behalf of his father James Sloan ’78), Michael
Buono ’88; Michelle Scalera ’74; Jeralyn Lawrence ’92; Kean University President Dawood Farahi; and
Joel Benish (accepting on behalf of his father Abner Benisch ’40).

Michael Buono ’88 worked over 20 years in the materials management industry. His pioneering efforts in the field of pure performance waste reduction consulting helped develop shared savings partnerships with hundreds of waste generators in the public and private sectors.

Jeralyn Lawrence ’92, a member of Norris, McLaughlin and Marcus, devotes her practice to matrimonial, divorce and family law, and collaborative law. The public administration-criminal justice major is certified by the Supreme Court of New Jersey as a Matrimonial Law Attorney and a Family/Divorce Mediator.