January 26, 2022
LONGBOAT KEY, Fla. — Trine University honored alumnus Stephen R. LaHood as trustee
emeritus during its alumni reception Jan. 20 in Longboat Key, Florida.
LaHood, who graduated from what was then Tri-State College in 1970 with a Bachelor of Science in business administration, had been named trustee emeritus in fall 2020.
He served on the board from 2004-2010 and again from 2014-2020. His tenure included service as chair of the Alumni Engagement Committee, Audit and Executive committees.
“It is an honor and privilege to thank you for your friendship and efforts to promote Trine University and our mission,” Earl D. Brooks II, Ph.D., Trine University president, told LaHood during a recognition ceremony. “We are forever grateful for the time that you spent as a member of the Trine University Board of Trustees and look forward to your continued future involvement as a trustee emeritus.”
LaHood's career included leadership roles in companies across the country, including Party Lite, a home décor and candle products company, in Plymouth, Mass.; Solo Cup Co., manufacturer of disposable food containers, in Highland Park, Ill.; and Johnson & Johnson, maker of pharmaceutical, medical device and over the counter products, in New Brunswick, N.J.
A former member of the Alumni Board of Directors, LaHood received the Alumni Distinguished Service Award from Trine in 2007 and the Alumni Spirit Citation award in 2016.
He and his wife, Wendy, have generously supported the Fred Zollner Athletic Stadium, the Keith E. Busse/Steel Dynamics Athletic and Recreation Center, the annual fund, the Scholarship Gala and the Ketner School of Business.
He also has supported the Kappa Sigma fraternity, which he credits with developing his leadership skills while he was a Tri-State student. He played a key role in raising $1.2 million for the Kappa Sigma house and partnered with fellow alumnus John Goudy to launch the Sig Cup golf event, which has raised $80,000 for Trine student scholarships.
Photo: From left, Earl D. Brooks II, Ph.D., Trine University president; Stephen R. LaHood, trustee emeritus; Dr. Rick L. James, president, Trine University Board of Trustees.
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