Distinguished Alumni Award Recipients

Brig Sorber, 2008 "Alumni" Award Recipient

Brig SorberBrig Sorber, president of TWO MEN AND A TRUCK®/INTERNATIONAL, Inc., grew up in Okemos, Michigan. He graduated from Okemos High School in 1981.

At TWO MEN AND A TRUCK®/INTERNATIONAL, Inc., Sorber leads the day-to-day operations of the nation's largest franchised moving company. He is one of the original "two men" with brother, Jon. They started the business in Okemos in the early 1980s.

Sorber is a graduate of Northern Michigan University. He and his wife Francine have raised three children in Okemos. Both Alicia and Jake are OHS graduates and they also have a son who is a freshman.

Along with raising his family and running the business, Sorber also gives back to his community. He is involved in various activities at St. Martha's Catholic Church including the Dobie Road Ministers, the Knights of Columbus, paper drives, and a local Christian Business Men's group. Additionally, he is the past-president of the Okemos Baseball Softball Club.

2007 Alumni Award Recipient, Miguel Plascencia

Miguel PlascenziaMiguel Antonio Plascencia graduated from Okemos High School in 1990. After graduation, he joined and served proudly for the United States Navy all over the world. While in the Navy, Miguel had the unique opportunity to serve his country through athletics. During his deployment, he was able to play soccer against host countries and foreign naval forces. He also wrestled in many tournaments across the Mediterranean.

Once his commitment to the Navy was complete he came back to Michigan and pursued a career in the culinary arts. As his children grew older, he realized that the many hours spent away from home working was not worth the time away from his family. It was at this point in his life that giving back to the community became a desire and a priority.

Through athletics Miguel has gone on to mentor many of the student athletes that have been part of the various teams he has coached within, OAKS, Okemos Baseball, and Okemos Soccer Club. He is currently a coach and president of the Okemos Soccer Club.
"Giving back to the community is essential to the continued growth and success we enjoy and have come to expect in Okemos." It is through the many volunteers that this expectation will not only be strong but will continue to grow.

Miguel and his wife, Lisa, live in Kinawa View subdivision with their three children whom all attend Okemos Public Schools.

2006 Alumni Award Recipient, Pat Sorenson

Pat SorensonAfter graduating from Michigan State University, Pat Sorenson received a Masters of Social Work degree from the University of Michigan and a law degree from the Thomas M. Cooley Law School. Pat's career has been devoted to advocacy for low-income and vulnerable children and families. She was the first director of Kids Count in Michigan, and is currently the Vice President of Michigan's Children, a statewide child advocacy organization that works with policymakers, business leaders, and communities to improve public policies affecting children. Active in many advocacy efforts, Pat was appointed by Governor Granholm to the state's Task Force on Children's Justice.

Pat attended Wardcliff Elementary School. She and her husband, Wayne Abbott, have three children, all of whom attend the Okemos Public Schools and are Wardcliff graduates. Both Pat and Wayne have been active in the PTO and other school activities.

2005 Alumni Award Recipient, Molly Hull Wingrove

Molly Hull WingroveMolly Hull Wingrove has found numerous ways to make life better for Okemos residents and families throughout the state.

While serving as a legislative staff member for Senator William Van Regenmorter, she helped coordinate the first five candlelight vigils for crime victims. Molly was a source of comfort to people struggling with personal tragedies, while advocating for legal reform.

Molly led a comprehensive effort to tighten Meridian Township's rental ordinance, and worked with the Ingham County Road Commission to improve signage and road markings near Wardcliff Elementary.

Molly has been vice president, corresponding secretary and grade representative of the Wardcliff PTO. She has been a neighborhood watch coordinator, lunchroom supervisor, substitute school secretary and classroom volunteer. Molly organized Wardcliff Brownie Troop #16 and served as hospitality chair for Mothers of Preschoolers. She is a graduate of Wardcliff Elementary, Okemos High School and Michigan State University. Molly and her husband, Kendall, are the parents of two children who attend Wardcliff.

2002 Alumni Award Recipient, Becky Beauchine Kulka

Becky Beauchine KulkaBecky Beauchine Kulka graduated from Okemos High School in 1982 and received her Graduate Gemologist Degree in 1987 from the Gemological Institute of America. She attributes her initial love of jewelry and flair for design to her experiences in an Okemos High School co-op class and during college decided to make the jewelry business her career. "I'm a huge supporter of the Okemos School System. I have such strong support for my business from the community that it's easy for me to give back to both the community and the schools -- privately and through my business." Becky has upgraded her location, store size, and inventory five times and is currently located at Okemos and Jolly Roads.

Becky has been named Retail Entrepreneur of the year, is a member of the Junior League, serves as a board member of the Michigan Jewelers Association, and donates many volunteer hours to the American Cancer Society and the Lansing area Festival of Trees event. She lives in Okemos with her husband Dan and her three children, all of whom attend the Okemos Public Schools.

1997 Alumni Award Recipient, John Grettenberger

John GrettenbergerJohn Grettenberger, a native of Okemos, graduated from Okemos High School in 1955. He went on to distinguished careers in the military and auto industry. John was an officer in the Navy from 1959 until 1962, then began his career at General Motors in 1963. He moved through the ranks in a variety of sales and management positions in the United States, Japan and Germany. John was named General Motors Vice President and served as General Manager of Cadillac Motor Car Division until his retirement in 1997. During his tenure at Cadillac, President Bush presented him and Cadillac with the prestigious Malcom Baldrige National Quality award.

John currently has two, soon-to-be three, grandchildren in the Okemos school system. Grettenberger points to one thing that has not changed, in his view, "The attitude of Okemos faculty and administrators has not dramatically changed since my day. I owe a lot to a counselor named Thelma Lamb who encouraged me and helped me secure a scholarship to the University of Michigan. The attitude at Okemos provided a tremendous foundation for her to help me fulfill my potential. Okemos is blessed with a dedicated group of people who are not 'all words,' but who also take action."