The Ferris State University Distinguished Alumni Award is presented to individuals who demonstrate leadership and service to their profession, community, service organizations and alma mater. We offer our congratulations to the 2025 Distinguished Alumni Award recipients below who help guide our multicultural society through their accomplishments within their vocations and avocations. A full feature video of each winner is linked on their name below.
Matthew Chaney
Matthew Chaney, Vice President for Inclusive Excellence at Wright State University, is a first-generation college student whose Ferris State University education shaped both his career and his lifelong commitment to student success. A 1995 graduate, Chaney earned an associate's degree in arts, a bachelor's in business, a master's in career and technical education and a doctorate in education, all from Ferris State. Initially intending to pursue a career in the private sector, Chaney's path led him back to Ferris State, where what began as a short-term position evolved into a nearly 27-year career dedicated to mentoring and supporting students.
Chaney's work at Ferris focused on first-generation and underserved students, providing safe spaces, leadership development programs and innovative cultural programming. He created initiatives such as the TOWERS Leadership Development Program, the Black Male Empowerment Network and the "Imagine More Student Life Bus Tour," a minority recruitment effort that brought students to high schools across Michigan, Illinois and Ohio. Throughout his tenure, he served as an advisor to nearly every minority student organization, influencing the academic journeys of thousands.
In 2021, Chaney joined Wright State University as Vice President, reporting directly to the president and shaping inclusive excellence at the cabinet level. His portfolio encompasses the Asian and Native American Center, the Bolinga Black Cultural Resources Center, the Disability and Nuerodivergence Cultural Center, the Latino Center, the LGBTQA+ Center and the Women's Center.
Beyond campus leadership, he contributes to the broader community through service on boards and committees with the Dayton Foundation, the Chamber of Commerce, the Premier Health Joint Operating Committee, the Dayton Literary Peace Prize, the Ohio Civil Rights Hall of Fame and as the chair of the nonprofit tech organization NPower.
Chaney's commitment to mentorship, student development and equity continues to define his career. He also supports alumni engagement, having helped establish and sustain the Ferris State University Black Alumni Association. Throughout his work, Chaney combines vision, experience and dedication to ensure that students from all backgrounds have the opportunity to thrive, leaving an enduring impact on both Wright State University and Ferris State University communities.
JoLaine (Reierson) Draugalis
JoLaine Reierson Draugalis has built a distinguished career in academic pharmacy, with contributions spanning research, teaching, administration and professional service. After earning her pharmacy degree from Ferris State University in 1976, she began practice at Lansing General Hospital, advancing to Assistant Director/Clinical Coordinator. In that role, she initiated interdisciplinary programs in patient and staff education, work that prompted her pursuit of graduate study.
Draugalis earned her PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences from the University of Arizona in 1987, followed by a postdoctoral fellowship. She subsequently joined the faculty there, progressing to professor and serving as Assistant and Associate Dean from 1997 to 2007. Her scholarship focused on assessment, educational outcomes and the scholarship of teaching and learning, areas in which she became a national leader. Her research record includes more than 100 peer-reviewed publications, extensive grant support and numerous collaborative projects with students and colleagues.
Her professional recognition is extensive. She received the Rufus A. Lyman Award from the American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, the Gloria Niemeyer Francke Leadership Mentor Award from the American Pharmacists Association, and the inaugural University of Arizona Henry and Phyllis Koffler Prize for Teaching. She was elected Fellow of both the American Pharmacists Association and the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists. Within the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy, she served in multiple leadership roles and was the first woman to receive both the Distinguished Pharmacy Educator Award and the Lifetime Achievement Award.
In 2007, Draugalis was appointed Dean and Professor at the University of Oklahoma College of Pharmacy, where she served until 2023. Her tenure was marked by faculty development, increased research productivity and enhanced student participation in national professional activities. She was recognized with the Edith Kinney Gaylord Presidential Professorship, the David Ross Boyd Professorship and, in 2020, was named Regents' Professor. That same year, she was inducted into the Oklahoma Higher Education Hall of Fame.
Draugalis and her husband, Paul Draugalis, BS '74, also a Ferris pharmacy graduate, have supported the next generation of pharmacists through an endowed scholarship at Ferris State University. In 2012, she delivered the Ferris commencement address, receiving an Honorary Doctorate in recognition of her professional achievements and contributions to pharmacy education.
Scott Grewe
Scott Grewe, Chief of Police for the City of Birmingham, Michigan, has dedicated his career to public safety, community service and leadership development. A 1999 graduate of Ferris State University with a B.S. in Criminal Justice and a minor in Multi-Cultural Relations, Grewe began building his foundation for service as a student, joining a professional criminal justice fraternity, walking on to the football team and working part-time with the Big Rapids Police Department. He also volunteered on community projects, including the construction of a playscape at Hemlock Park.
Shortly after graduation, Grewe joined the Birmingham Police Department, quickly distinguishing himself as a Field Training Officer and instructor in the use of force, firearms and tasers. He rose through the ranks from sergeant to lieutenant and captain, overseeing investigations, road patrol, and field training coordination. In December 2022, he was appointed chief of police, a role in which he continues to advance departmental excellence and community engagement.
Grewe's commitment to lifelong learning has guided his professional growth. He is a graduate of the Eastern Michigan School of Police Staff and Command, the Law Enforcement Executive Leadership Institute, the Michigan Police Executive Development Seminar, the Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police New Chief's School and the University of Virginia's Master's program in Public Safety. He also completed the 283rd Session of the FBI National Academy and will attend the Police Executive Research Forum's Senior Management Institute for Police in 2025.
An advocate for innovative community policing, Grewe has led programs including Michigan's first co-response model pairing social work clinicians with officers, designed to address mental health and substance use crises, reduce repeat calls and provide critical resources. He also established the Birmingham Police Department's first wellness program, including peer support teams, a dedicated app and a Checkpoint initiative to support officers' mental health.
Grewe has been recognized for his leadership, receiving awards for initiatives addressing drunk driving and guiding his department through Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police accreditation. He serves on the executive boards of the Oakland County Chiefs of Police Association and the Southeastern Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police, and on the advisory board for the Oakland Community College Police Academy.
Grewe credits Ferris State University with providing the foundation for his professional and personal growth. He met his wife, Julie, also a Ferris graduate, at Ferris, and together they have three children, Nathan, Emily and Kaitlyn. His career reflects a lifelong commitment to public service, mentorship and meaningful impact in his community.
Kyle Martin
Kyle Martin is the PGA Head Golf Professional at The Fortress Golf Course in Frankenmuth, Michigan, an 18-hole championship facility owned by Zehnders of Frankenmuth. A graduate of Ferris State University's PGA Golf Management program, Martin has combined competitive player development, professional mentoring and community engagement throughout his career.
Following his graduation in 2009, Martin began his career at the Boyne Golf Academy at King Par in Flushing, Michigan, where he specialized in instruction for high-level junior players. His students have gone on to achieve success at the collegiate and professional levels, including LPGA and Epson Tour participation. He later joined The Fortress in 2015 as Head Golf Professional, where he has expanded professional staffing, hosted multiple Ferris State interns and developed programming to advance the next generation of PGA professionals.
Martin has remained closely connected to Ferris through his service on the PGA Golf Management Advisory Board since 2020. He has contributed to student preparation through seminars on coaching, technology, club fitting and applied instruction, having delivered more than a dozen presentations since graduation. His mentorship has extended beyond the classroom; several of his students have won championships at the junior, collegiate and amateur levels, including a U.S. Mid-Amateur title and three consecutive Golf Association of Michigan Player of the Year awards.
His leadership within the PGA has been recognized at both state and national levels. In 2024, Martin was named Michigan PGA Teacher and Coach of the Year and the same year, he received the Bill Strausbaugh Award from Ferris State's Professional Golf Management Program for his commitment to mentoring and professional development. He also serves on the Michigan Section PGA Education Committee and contributes to the PGA of America's member content committee.
Beyond golf, Martin has demonstrated a strong commitment to community service. He has coached youth hockey and lacrosse in the greater Flint area, and, with his Sigma Pi fraternity brothers, co-founded the Erin Groeb Memorial Golf Outing, which has raised more than $265,000 in scholarships for Ferris State University and Onsted High School students.
Martin credits Ferris with providing the foundation for his professional and personal achievements. He met his wife, Alison, a Nuclear Medicine graduate, during their time at the university, continuing a family legacy, as both of his parents also attended Ferris. Together, Kyle and Alison have two children, Oliver and Palmer.
Laurie (Heinzelman) Placinski
Laurie Heinzelman Placinski is Vice President of Design, Real Estate and Partnerships at BAMF Health, a Grand Rapids-based company pioneering the advancement of theranostics in the United States. A graduate of Kendall College of Art and Design of Ferris State University, where she earned her degree in Interior Design with a minor in Historic Preservation, Placinski has built a career at the intersection of design, healthcare innovation and strategic development.
Placinski joined BAMF Health in 2018, when the organization was in its formative stage. She was tasked with designing and building the platform that would enable the company to scale thranostics nationally. In her role, she has overseen the design and development of BAMF Health's prototype facilities and now leads the nationwide deployment of its comprehensive theranostics platform, which integrates and commercial radiopharmacy, molecular imaging and therapy clinics and a radioligand clinical trial program. This work has supported global-first clinical trials and more than 1,000 patient treatments, positioning BAMF Health among the most advanced centers of its kind worldwide.
Her leadership extends beyond design and operations to strategic partnerships. Placinski guides collaborations with academic institutions, healthcare systems and global vendors, aligning technical, regulatory and operational priorities. Recent achievements include establishing a new site in Detroit in partnership with Bedrock Development, securing state funding support, developing a strategic collaboration with GE Healthcare and initiating a partnership between BAMF Health and Ferris State University to enhance curriculum in pharmacy, nuclear imaging and design.
Placinski's professional contributions are complemented by extensive service to her industry and community. She currently serves on the Advisory Council for Kendall College of Art and Design's Interior Design Program, on the Ferris State University Foundation Board of Directors, and as Board Chari for the University of Michigan Health-West Foundation.
She has previously held leaderhsip and volunteer roles with the Mary Freed Bed Guild, IIDA Michigan, Aging 2.0 - Michigan, the Grand Rapids Symphony and Gilda's LaughFest.
Placinski credits her education at Ferris and Kendall for providing the foundation to approach complex problems with creativity, rigor and collaboration. She and her husband, Bryan, reside in West Michigan with their two children, Dane and Sawyer.