2019 Homecoming Awards

The ENMU Foundation and ENMU Alumni Association officially inducted these honorees at the 44th annual ENMU Foundation Homecoming Breakfast in September.

Business of the Year, Wienerschnitzel

James Hailey, Jr. (attended) is a Clovis native, attending New Mexico State University before transferring to ENMU. While in Las Cruces, he managed his parents’ business, Der Wienerschnitzel. Before long, Jim returned to Clovis in 1976 to take over the Clovis restaurant. He is known for his generosity to the Portales and Clovis communtities and schools. Jim and the Wienerschnitzel team have provided thousands of hot dogs for concession stands at ENMU, Clovis, Portales and Texico schools to help with fundraisers during the basketball and football seasons.

When ENMU began building a new football stadium on campus, Jim was among the first to donate with an annual $10,000 corporate sponsorship. Jim is also proud that his father James (attended), brothers Douglas (BBA 84), Michael (BS 98) and sister Lendra Hailey (MED 97, MA 97, BS 83) are all Eastern Alumni as well.

Volunteers of the Year, Jacob and Janie Moberly

Dr. Jacob (BS 55) and Janie Moberly (AA 55) have proven to be one of the most civically active couples you may be fortunate to meet. The pair met in first grade in Fields, New Mexico, and have been married for more than 67 years. Following graduation and Jake’s four years of dental school in Kansas City, the couple returned to New Mexico and the volunteer spirit struck. They began by asking for $50 donations for ENMU from everyone they knew. They were soon promoting Eastern throughout the state. In the late 1970s, Janie became a founding member of the Friends of Eastern Foundation. She served as vice president for 29 of her 41 years as a board member. Janie also served as an ENMU Regent for 12 years, while Jake and other dentists in Clovis began free dental services for underprivileged children. He also served on the New Mexico Boys and Girls Ranch Board and Clovis Community College Foundation Board. Jake earned the Oustanding Alumni Award in 1970 and a Distinguished Service Award in 1987.

Philanthropist of the Year, Dr. Gay Su Pinnell

Dr. Gay Su Pinnell (BA 66) is Professor Emeritus in the School of Teaching and Learning at Ohio State University. With extensive experience in classroom teaching and research, she is well known in public education for developing and implementing comprehensive approaches to literacy education.

In 2017, Dr. Pinnell funded a $300,000, three-year grant to enhance the ENMU Child Development Center, adding a new classroom for 2- to 3-year-olds and giving ENMU students the opportunity to work with this younger age group as required for NM liscensure.

The Gay Su Pinnell Education Foundation funds her numerous grants, including providing Portales Municipal Schools with a K through grade 5 literacy grant that includes a three-day training. She provides similar support to schools in Columbus, Ohio and fundraises as a board member of the Columus Symphony and the Dublin Library.

Outstanding Alumni Awards

Karen Salb

As an ENMU undergraduate, Karen Salb (BS 76) represented Portales in the 1968 Miss New Mexico Pageant, and in September of that year represented New Mexico in the 1969 Miss America Pageant in Atlantic City, New Jersey, bringing home the Miss Congeniality Award. She later was awarded the President’s Award, Who’s Who in American Universities and Colleges, and Outstanding Young Women in America to round out her college career.

Karen opened a dance studio in Hobbs, New Mexico, building the Maciolek School of Dance with her husband, Dr. Thomas J. Salb (MS 72, BS 70). The Hobbs Jaycees named Karen the Outstanding Young Woman of Hobbs in 1980, as she was instrumental in sponsoring several ballet companies to perform there. In 1989, she founded the Maciolek Fine Arts Scholarship Trust.

Karen has served on the board of directors for the Southwest Symphony, Viva Santa Fe Productions, Hobbs Rotary Club, Miss New Mexico Scholarship Pageant, Lea County Commission for the Arts and the Salvation Army. She became a Rotarian in 1990, earning numerous honors from that international service organization.

Dr. Lawrence Minks

Dr. Lawrence Minks’ (BA 70, BBA 69) journey from student to president emeritus was made possible through the love and support of late wife, Joan and his children Laura, Amanda, Joy and Aaron. Dr. Minks has been involved in higher education for more than 40 years, mentoring thousands of students and promoting economic and community service, organizational change and leadership development.

After graduating from Eastern, he spent a year as an instructor at Ohio Northern University, moving to corporate management with Miles Laboratories for five years. Minks earned a doctorate in business teaching (1980) from the School of Business at the University of Northern Colorado.

He returned to higher education in 1976, advancing from assistant professor to president working in Ohio, Virginia, Kentucky and Oklahoma. Dr. Minks served as president of Southeastern Oklahoma State University from 2009–14.

Upon retirement in 2017, he formed Lawrence C. Minks and Associates to continue his commitment and dedication to transformational leadership and change.

Donald Bonner

Donald Bonner (BBA 62) came to Clovis as an airman in the U.S. Air Force in 1954, later attending ENMU.

Don’s early career started at New Tex Outdoor Advertising in Clovis. He later acquired the Clovis Pepsi Cola Bottling Company and then took on a Dr. Pepper and Seven-Up plant, operating both for many years before selling.

Bonner later purchased two New Mexico ranches and operated both for several years, turning them into first-class operations.

Don and wife, Gustenia, have generously supported Clovis Community College and the Lighthouse Mission. Both organizations honored the couple with buildings named after them. They are very active in the First United Methodist Church, and until recently, Don volunteered by driving a van for after-school kids’ programs. Don assists the New Mexico Christian Children’s Home in Portales with many of the organization’s projects and plans to continue doing so for many years to come.

2019 Educators Hall of Honor inductee

Rodney W. Wright

Rodney Wright (BS 93) graduated from ENMU with a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Studies and a minor in Physical Education.

He taught middle school for Artesia Public Schools while serving as assistant varsity coach for both football and track before working for Mescalero Apache Schools as head varsity football coach, ninth grade New Mexico History teacher and director of athletics, activities and transportation.

In 2006, Rodney completed a Master of Arts in Educational Administration at New Mexico State University, later putting that license to good use as the athletic coordinator for Belen Consolidated schools. He is currently the principal at Belen High School.