NEWS

A luncheon celebrating Louisiana Tech University’s 2024 Distinguished Alumni kicks off Homecoming weekend events Friday, Nov. 8 at noon in the Davison Athletics Complex.

The University’s 2024 Distinguished Alumni are:

Alumnus of the Year: Christopher Lyle “Chris” Turner
Turner earned a B.S. in business administration in 1999. The state’s representative for Louisiana House District 12, Turner authored transformational legislation to repair deferred maintenance on university facilities throughout the state. He is a small business owner and former store director for Brookshire Grocery Company. Lifetime members of the Louisiana Tech Alumni Association, Turner and his wife Nancy White Turner are the parents of Gabie, Aimee, Lyla, and Mason.

Young Alumnus of the Year: David Watters
Watters earned a B.S. in accounting in 2010 and a master’s of professional accountancy in 2011. Vice President of Finance at Morris & Dickson, Watters currently serves as a member of Tech’s Accounting Advisory Board. Watters is an active member of the Shreveport community, having served on several not-for-profit boards including as Chairman of Junior Achievement of North Louisiana, and he’s a past recipient of the Northwest Louisiana 40 Under Forty award.

Arlis Scogin Distinguished Service Award: Alexander Trotter “Trott” Hunt, III
Hunt is only the eighth recipient of this award, named after the late Arlis D. Scogin and presented on rare occasions to honor an individual who is not a graduate of the University but is both a part of the Tech Family and dedicated to the overall mission of Louisiana Tech. Chairman of the Board of Directors of Hunt Guillot and Associates, LLC and chairman of the Board of Directors and co-owner of Hunt Forest Products, LLC, Hunt is a Ruston native who, along with his wife Karen, has been an advocate and generous leader for Louisiana Tech and its prominent presence in Ruston and the region.

College of Applied and Natural Sciences: Dr. Thomas S. “Steen” Trawick, Jr.
A 1991 biological sciences graduate, Trawick is a board-certified internal medicine physician in the Shreveport-Bossier community. He is a private practice concierge physician with SureAccess MD, LLC and served more than four years as CEO and CMO of CHRISTUS Shreveport-Bossier Health System. Trawick is a lifetime member of the Alumni Association and a member of the Aillet Society, and he currently serves as a member of the Board of Directors for the Louisiana Tech University Foundation. He and wife Ronda have two children, Allison and Graham.

College of Business: Scott Hill
The president of RelaDyne Reliability Services and former co-owner of both Hill Oil Company and Petro Clean Solutions, Inc., Hill earned his B.A. in finance in 1991. He and wife Ashlea have championed excellence at Louisiana Tech through their service, experience, and support and are the parents of two Tech graduates, Caroline and Collin. Hill provides internships and placement for College of Business students and is a tireless recruiter for the College’s MBA program, and his commitment to the University remains strong through his involvement on the College of Business Student-Managed Investment Fund Advisory Board, the University Foundation Board, and the COB Dean’s Advisory Board.

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dr. Patsy Hagood Perritt
Earning her bachelor’s in elementary education in 1965 was one of the earliest steps Dr. Perritt took in what has been a stirring career for the professor emerita in the School of Information Studies at Louisiana State University. She is married to Dr. Ron Q. Perritt (physics, 1965), and they reside in Baton Rouge. Their lives have been marked by a commitment to creating educational opportunities through their careers, their service, and through scholarship, including at Louisiana Tech.

College of Engineering and Science: John B. Coast
Coast earned his B.S. in mechanical engineering in 1964, and he then used his designing and manufacturing skills to develop commercial opportunities that became Marsh Master® brand, which aids utility companies and various agencies around the world. He and wife Anita reside in Baton Rouge, where they continue their vigorous support of the University and where he continues to serve as CEO of Coast Machinery, LLC, which produced the Marsh Master® and Anchor Master® amphibious vehicles.

College of Liberal Arts: Lori Shefa
A 1986 journalism graduate, Shefa is a former senior VP with CBS and the co-founder and chief creative officer of the Emmy-award winning boutique entertainment marketing agency RM 15 Creative, a Los Angeles-based agency that specializes in launch and branding campaigns, sizzles, trailers and pitches for TV, streaming, and film.

Tickets for the Alumni Awards luncheon are available here. Friday’s luncheon is only the beginning of Homecoming 2024; also Friday is a pep rally at Railroad Park and the inaugural Evening Under the Oaks, a ticketed homecoming celebration in the heart of the campus under lights and lanterns in the quad. Enjoy time with alumni, with music provided by Tech’s Pop and Jazz Band.

Then, the big day: Homecoming Saturday and Breakfast with Champ, the Homecoming Parade, the Alumni/LTAC Tailgate and a Conference USA matchup, Bulldogs vs. Jacksonville State, at 3:30 at Joe Aillet Stadium.

For a complete list of events and to register, visit LATech.edu/Homecoming