Brandon Twp.- A former professional football player, a retired chief executive officer of a billion-dollar business, and a lifelong Ortonville resident renowned for decades of volunteer service to the community are in the inaugural class of a Wall of Fame honoring former Brandon High School and Ortonville High School graduates.
Matt Lentz, Joe Slaughter and Ron Sutton will be formally inducted as the first three members of the Ed and Diane Donaldson Distinguished Alumni Wall of Fame, in an Oct. 8 ceremony at Brandon High School, 1025 S. Ortonville Road. Plaques bearing their names and photos will adorn the high school entrance wall located between the aquatic center and central office. The honorees will also be included in the homecoming parade Oct. 9 and recognized during the Brandon Blackhawks football game that evening.
‘As superintendent, I am extremely proud to be honoring Mr. Joe Slaughter, Mr. Ron Sutton, and Mr. Matt Lentz as our first of many classes to be placed on the Distinguished Alumni Wall of Fame,? said Superintendent Matt Outlaw. ‘They have set the bar high with their success and will serve as wonderful role models for our students here in Brandon.?
The district began seeking nominations early this summer for the Distinguished Alumni Wall of Fame, named after Ed and Diane Donaldson, long-time employees and supporters of the Brandon School District. The Donaldson family has made a financial contribution to the district to fund plaques honoring current and future inductees.
Criteria for nominees include having graduated from Brandon High School at least 10 years ago (or being agraduate of the former Ortonville High School) and distinguishing themselves in the years since leaving the district, whether through career achievement, civic involvement, volunteerism, philanthropy, service to our nation, contributions to the Brandon-Ortonville community, or outstanding leadership.Lentz, a 2001 BHS graduate, was recognized for distinguished performance in athletics. The former Blackhawks football star was a starting offensive lineman for the University of Michigan Wolverines for three years and twice named an all-Big Ten offensive lineman before receiving his bachelor’s degree from the school in 2005. He signed as a free agent with the New York Giants in the NFL in 2006 and also had stints with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and briefly with the Detroit Lions before leaving the NFL in 2009 to play in the United Football League. He hung up his cleats for good following the 2010 season ‘to move into the real world.? Lentz is now a mechanical designer for EXEL North America, based in Plymouth.
‘I feel like I’m using my education now,? said Lentz, the father of a 6-year-old son, Avery. ‘Small town atmosphere and the way I was raised definitely helped me succeed. It’s a privilege out of the blue to be given this honor, and nice that people are still thinking and talking about me.?
They are still thinking about Slaughter, too, named to the wall for distinguished career success 50 years after graduating from BHS. Slaughter earned a bachelor’s degree from Cornerstone University, and a master’s degree from Michigan State University, where he stayed to complete doctorate classwork with a goal of becoming a philosophy professor, which he did from 1972-73, but abandoned that path for a more lucrative one.
‘I knew I wouldn’t make much money teaching and I was fine with that, but when I got in the classroom, I was looking for more,? said Slaughter. ‘I went to work for Herff Jones and never finished the (Ph.d) paper… I don’t think there is a perfect career and total fulfillment in life, but I found a great deal of satisfaction in my career.?
Herff Jones, Inc. is a leading manufacturer and publisher of educational products, recognition awards, school spirit, sports uniforms and equipment and graduation-related items for the school market in North America, with approximately 4,000 employees and 12 U.S. plants. The company is one of the nation’s largest 100 percent employee-owned corporations with sales of $1.2 billion dollars in 2014.
Slaughter began his career with Herff Jones in 1973 as a sales representative and climbed the ladder to President, CEO and Chairman, retiring after 40 years with the company. He was a member of the corporation’s board for 19 years and served as chairman for the last seven years. He oversaw the implementation of the largest acquisitions and divestures in the company’s 95 year history and led a team that grew revenues from $500 million in 2007 to $1.2 billion in 2014 and increased equity value $1 billion to $1.5 billion during the same period. Slaughter is honored to have been named to the Wall of Fame, particularly as he feels there are many that are more deserving just in the Class of 1965 alone.
‘Brandon has turned out some great graduates, but it is a great honor for me and my family,? said Slaughter, who has been married to his college sweetheart for 46 years and is the father of two sons and grandfather of three.
He would like to see a teacher receive recognition on the Wall of Fame. Slaughter notes that of eight people that significantly impacted his life, three were teachers he encountered at Brandon High School? Dale Dickerson, Ernie Mosseau, and Harvey Fletcher.
‘They were mentors and they taught lessons that proved invaluable throughout my career,? said Slaughter. ‘The things I learned from them I used everyday.?
Those lessons include dissecting large, complicated problems into smaller, manageable components to solve, starting with what you know; not confusing effort with results (‘people are ultimately concerned with what you get done?); and not just getting by, but giving your best everyday.
Ron Sutton knows something about giving his best, for years, to his community.
The 1948 Ortonville High School graduate is being honored on the Wall of Fame for distinguished civic involvement. Sutton, who retired from GM in 1985 after 30 years, has served the community in many different areas, including as a member of the Ortonville Brandon volunteer fire department from 1948-76; was on the Brandon Township Board of Trustees from 1959-1968; a member of the Ortonville Village Council from 1983-1988; on the Ortonville Cemetery Board from 1994-1998; chaired the Century Plus 50 Committee, which spent three years organizing the 3-day Meet Me in Ortonville festival celebrating the 150th birthday of the village; has been a member of the Ortonville United Methodist Church for more than 60 years and active in various capacities; served on the township board of review and elections board; and is currently a member of the Blackhawk Trail Committee, seeking to bring trails to the community. Sutton is also a lifemember of the Ortonville Masonic Lodge and Eastern Stars, a 32nd degree Mason, and member of Shriners International.
‘I feel that my education at Ortonville High School, along with the good parents I had, was very important with what I accomplished in life,? said Sutton. ‘Above all, I have a family that I am really, really proud of.?
Sutton married his high school sweetheart, the late Mary Lou, and they had two daughters, both Brandon High School graduates, as well as four grandchildren, all BHS graduates.
‘I feel that we honor too many people after they’re gone and I’ve always felt that if people have an honor to be bestowed on them, it should be done when you can enjoy it,? said Sutton about being recognized with the Wall of Fame honor. ‘I am absolutely going to enjoy this. It’s too many times that you go home from a meeting or anything and you question whether you accomplished anything. With this honor, I feel a lot of my efforts have been appreciated.?
Outlaw said district officials received 10 nominations this year, all worthy individuals.
‘We will keep these names confidential as they will remain in consideration for future years,? he said. ‘We had many exemplary candidates to consider and several that will likely join our original three on the wall some day. Our vision is that we will add one or two honorees to the Wall of Fame each year and honor them annually as part of our homecoming week…This honor has the potential of having a positive influence on our students and the Ortonville-Brandon community. For the community, it can be a great source of pride seeing how the sons and daughters of this community have made their impact on the world. For our students, our honorees serve as great role models for what they can be with hard work and dedication. We hope that this will elevate their dreams and expectations for their future.?