5/20/11 SC&R Foundation Names 14th Recipient of Christopher Lorenz Scholarship

July 25, 2014
Robert E. Vodicka, Director of Organizational Development at Stevenson Crane Service, Chicago, Ill., has been named the 14th recipient of the SC&R Foundation’s Christopher Lorenz Memorial Scholarship. He plans to use the $3,000 in pursuit of his Master’s of Business Administration degree at the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University, Chicago. He currently maintains a 3.3 GPA in the program, and is on schedule to graduate by fall 2012. After earning his Bachelor’s degree at Illinois State University, Normal, Ill., in 2003, he worked for Grace Masonry, Downers Grove, Ill., before joining Stevenson in April 2010.

Since 1998, the scholarship has paid tribute to the Vice President of Lift Systems, Moline, Ill., who died in 1995. His father, Gary Lorenz, was a founding partner of Riggers Manufacturing Company, Dixon, Ill., in 1980. Gary sold his interest in that company in 1983 to found Lift Systems, Moline, Ill. He was recognized with an SC&RA Golden Achievement Award in 1997. Gary and his wife, Mary Ellen, had been very active in SC&RA throughout their career, and became involved in the SC&R Foundation during its early development.

“After Chris died, we knew we wanted to do something to memorialize him. We thought about setting up our own scholarship, but it’s not easy to go it alone because you have to work out the details with a lawyer and an accountant,” recalled Gary Lorenz. “By operating through the Foundation, we have gained the help of a lot of people who get things done—even to the quiet, important work of selecting the recipient.”

In addition to the funding contributed by the Lorenzes and Lift Systems, the scholarship benefited from the financial support of fellow SC&RA members. “We were very grateful that many of our friends and Chris’s friends at SC&RA got involved,” he said. “We wanted to make this large enough that it would make a difference for a long line of deserving students.”

The Lorenzes also contributed to other memorial scholarships established after the one honoring their son. Although the Christopher Lorenz Memorial Scholarship was the only one of the Foundation’s six scholarships and four grants to honor an individual this year, the SC&R Foundation recently approved a corporate named scholarship and grant program.

Click here for more information about making a personal or corporate gift to the SC&R Foundation. You may also learn more by contact Jackie Roskos at jroskos@scranet.org or (703) 698-0291.

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