Blakey, Ahaus receive Chancellor's Medallions

As part of its 30th anniversary year of celebration, David Fulton, IU East chancellor, honored George Blakey and Fredric A. “Rick” Ahaus at the IU East Medallion Dinner last semester. Both Blakey and Ahaus were awarded the Chancellor's Medallion for demonstrated support of the campus and higher education. The award is the highest honor bestowed by the chancellor to individuals in the area of distinguished service.

Blakey, who taught history at IU East for 34 years, is a professor emeritus at IU East. He is a 1969 graduate of IU, where he received his doctoral degree in history.

Locally, Blakey has served on the Richmond Civic Theatre Board and was chairman of the 50th anniversary celebration. He has been a member of Society for Preservation and Use of Resources, a member of the editorial board of Preserve Richmond and has served as chairman of the endowment committee. He has also been involved as a board member of the Wayne County Historical Museum, the Richmond Art Museum Board and chairman for the Richmond Bicentennial Celebration in 1976.

“IU East was extremely lucky to have had a person like George Blakey from the very beginning because he set the standards for quality at the school,” commented Fulton. “George modeled these standards and expected them from everyone else.”

Rick Ahaus, a graduate of Richmond Community Schools, received his bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from General Motors Institute. Returning home to work in the family business, Ahaus started as a “toolmaker in training,” and his hands-on experience provided a solid foundation for continuing to work in the metalworking industry. His knowledge in engineering was applied in tool design, and in 1968, he became vice president of sales and engineering for Ahaus Tool & Engineering, Inc. Twenty-four years later, he was named president.

He has served as city councilman, as school board member and as chairman of the Richmond Power and Light Board. Additionally, he has served as chairman of the manufacturing assistance services advisory board of the Business of Modernization Technology, as chairman of the Wayne County Foundation Board and as a member of the Purdue University Programs--Richmond Advisory Board.

He won the Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 1993, the Sam Walton Business Leader Award in 1998 and was inducted into the Wayne County Business Hall of Fame in 1998.

Chancellor David Fulton (left),
Fredric Ahaus