2026 Alumni Difference Makers
Distinguished Alum of the Year
Marc Howze, ’86 BA, is the retired senior advisor to the chairman and former group president of Lifecycle Solutions and chief administrative officer at Deere & Company. Over his 23-year career with John Deere, he guided global business units with over $9 billion in revenue, and oversaw strategic global operations across human resources, supply chain, public affairs and brand management.
Prior to his corporate career, Marc served 12 years on active duty as an Artillery Officer and Judge Advocate General’s Corps (JAG) Major in the U.S. Army, where he provided strategic legal counsel to senior military leadership and served as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney. Today, Marc sits on the boards of major public corporations, including Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company, Dover Corporation, and Lincoln Electric Holdings. And he has held board leadership roles with the Executive Leadership Council, the Thurgood Marshall College Fund and Feeding America.
Marc remains deeply connected to UM-Dearborn as one of its most dedicated champions and philanthropic supporters. He serves as National Co-Chair for the Look to Michigan Campaign, a member of the Chancellor's National Advisory Council, and a member of the Detroit Campaign Council. With his wife, Paula, Marc committed $1 million to university initiatives centered on student success and access. Their gift established the Marc and Paula Howze Get to Graduation Fund, which provides finish line scholarships to rising seniors, and the Marc and Paula Howze Access and Opportunity Fund to support recruitment and campus visits for prospective Detroit students.
He served as the keynote commencement speaker for UM-Dearborn's graduating class, 37 years after serving as his own class’s student commencement speaker in 1986. In his address, Marc urged graduates to "resist the temptation to drop the D," stating that he was familiar enough with elite institutions, but it was UM-Dearborn that prepared him for success, and they should take pride in their university.
Marc earned his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from UM-Dearborn. He also holds a Juris Doctor from the University of Michigan Law School and a Master of Business Administration from the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University.
Alumni Business of the Year
Circadian Risk Inc. is an Ann Arbor-based software-as-a-service company that was designed around the mission of creating "a safer world, one building at a time.” Circadian Risk aims to bring innovative ideas to the security and risk management industry by helping bridge the gap between traditional physical security and modern cybersecurity risk assessment.
The company emphasizes continuous, data-informed risk analysis and actionable security planning, helping enterprises move beyond outdated or reactive security models. The platform enables organizations across healthcare, education, utilities, data centers and critical infrastructure to proactively identify, visualize and mitigate threats to people, facilities and critical infrastructure. Circadian Risk has secured successful Series A round funding, and rapidly scaled its client roster to include Fortune 500 companies and formed a strategic integration partnership with ASIS International.
Prior to leading Circadian Risk, Michael Martin ’96 MBA, spent decades as a proven executive in the security services industry. He previously served as President of Allied Universal’s Canadian Operations, where he tripled regional revenues, and held senior executive roles at Guardsmark, LLC, where he earned the Founder's Award for leading procurement on the company's largest single-source contracts.
Michael continues to be part of the University of Michigan-Dearborn. In addition to inspiring future entrepreneurs, he works closely with the College of Business leadership team on the development of the TIMBA program at the University of Michigan Center for Innovation (UMCI).
Michael holds a Master of Business Administration from UM-Dearborn and a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from Michigan State University, alongside specialized executive coursework at Cambridge University and the Bramshill Police Staff College.
Graduate of the Last Decade Alum of the Year
Hassan Doghman, ’17 BBA, ’18 MBA, is an associate in Alvarez & Marsal's North American Commercial Restructuring practice. In this role, he advises companies, creditors and investors through complex restructurings and financial turnaround situations while also developing strategic solutions that strengthen liquidity, improve operational performance and maximize stakeholder value. Before joining Alvarez & Marsal in 2025, Hassan spent more than six years at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) in the Finance Transformation practice. Rising to the position of manager, he led multidisciplinary teams on large-scale initiatives for Fortune 500 clients, delivering multimillion-dollar cost savings and data-driven process improvements.
A Certified Public Accountant, Hassan has authored publications on Agile Project Management and internal audit practices. Beyond his corporate achievements, Hassan is passionate about financial literacy and economic empowerment, contributing his time and expertise to community organizations working to bridge opportunity gaps and build sustainable futures for underserved populations.
Hassan also maintains strong ties to the University of Michigan-Dearborn, where he serves on the College of Business Advisory Board. As a recent graduate, he brings current perspectives to institutional planning, curriculum design and employer outreach. He actively supports students by participating in alumni panels, volunteering at career fairs, and offering mentorship to help guide the next generation of business leaders.
Hassan earned both his Bachelor of Business Administration and Master of Business Administration degrees from UM-Dearborn, completing his academic journey while competing as a student-athlete on the men's basketball team, an experience he credits with shaping the discipline, resilience and leadership he brings to his career today.
Alumni Service Award
Jaime Martinez, ’87 BS, is a cybersecurity leader, educator and public servant with extensive expertise in IT management, enterprise security, and secure software development. As a software engineering manager at General Dynamics Land Systems, he guides teams in delivering resilient, secure code for critical military vehicle platforms, drawing on expertise in disaster recovery, vulnerability management and secure infrastructure. Jaime also serves as an adjunct professor teaching undergraduate and graduate courses in cybersecurity and IT at Oakland Community College and the University of Detroit Mercy.
Grounded in public service, Jaime works part-time as a police officer and deputy sheriff sergeant with the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office, supporting the Road Patrol and Marine Units. He also contributes leadership to the executive boards of the Cloud Security Alliance Detroit Chapter and the Women Security Alliance.
Over the years, Jaime has committed to student success, believing that serving as a mentor gives everyone an opportunity to learn from each other. He mentored more than seven students in a single year of the Wolverine Mentor Collective, supported Alumni-Student Networking Nights and Career Services initiatives, and volunteered with the pilot online mentoring program and the Women in Cyber Security Coffee and Chat program. He has judged CECS Senior Design Day, coached students on resumes and elevator pitches, served as a panelist for the Talent Showcase and a keynote speaker for the Society of Women Engineers, and mentored students in the College of Business's Career Development and Planning course.
Jaime earned his bachelor’s degree in computer science from UM-Dearborn and went on to complete a master's degree in cybersecurity from Walsh College. He holds a comprehensive suite of industry credentials, including CISSP, CISA, CISM, CDPSE, PMP and CMMI.
College of Arts, Sciences, and Letters Alum of the Year
Michael Gillespie, PhD, ’01 BA, is the dean of student success, interim dean of Booth Library Services and professor of sociology at Eastern Illinois University (EIU). In these administrative roles, he leads campuswide student retention, instructional design and academic support initiatives. Prior to his current appointments, Michael served as director of EIU’s Faculty Development and Innovation Center from 2021 to 2024 where he brought extensive experience in program evaluation and assessment, as well as program and policy analysis and training in mentoring and leadership.
Michael’s research examines poverty, inequality and food insecurity at the national, state and local levels. He has published and presented extensively on the geography of food assistance and the academic impacts of food insecurity on college campuses. He helped establish EIU’s first campus food pantry to support students in need and has served on numerous regional public health and human services boards.
Still deeply connected to the University of Michigan-Dearborn, Michael served on the university's Alumni Society Board of Directors from 2022 to 2024, previously sat on the College of Arts, Sciences, and Letters Alumni Affiliate Board of Governors, and currently serves on the CASL Dean's Advisory Board. He frequently returns to campus as a guest lecturer and is currently establishing a scholarship fund to support UM-Dearborn students.
Michael earned his Bachelor of Arts in Sociology with Distinction from UM-Dearborn. He also holds a Master of Social Work from UM-Ann Arbor and a PhD in Sociology from Western Michigan University.
College of Business Alum of the Year
Jeffrey Cooper, ’05 BBA, is a senior manager of international tax at Amazon.com, leading global tax reporting and compliance across complex, high-stakes international frameworks. Based in Seattle, Jeff serves as Amazon's global leader for OECD Pillar 2 and tax-transparency initiatives, including the company’s Economic Impact and Tax Transparency Annual Report.
Prior to joining Amazon in 2019, Jeff served as senior director of global tax research and planning at Marriott International, playing a key role in the integration of its $13 billion merger with Starwood Hotels & Resorts. He also spent nearly seven years at Deloitte Tax advising multinational enterprises. Dedicated to talent development, Jeff founded and leads the Amazon Tax Internship program and mentors dozens of international tax professionals across Seattle and India.
Jeff maintains a deep commitment to the University of Michigan-Dearborn, where he serves on the College of Business Board of Advisors. As chair of the board's AI Taskforce, he helps shape how emerging technologies influence business education and workforce preparation. He has also supported the College of Business Get to Grad Scholarship program, helping students persist and complete their degrees.
A proud College of Business graduate, Jeff earned his BBA in accounting from UM-Dearborn before completing a Master of Science in Taxation from Wayne State University and an MBA in finance from Arizona State University. He is a licensed CPA and an active member of the Tax Executives Institute and International Fiscal Association.
College of Education, Health, and Human Services Alum of the Year
Lamis Srour, ’99 BA, is the executive director of student achievement for Dearborn Public Schools, where she supports administrators, leads elementary curriculum design and oversees all early childhood programs. A dedicated educator, her career reflects a deep commitment to the community that shaped her, having started with the school district in 1998, the same system she once attended as a student. From December 2025 through June 2026 she served as interim superintendent, becoming the first woman, first Arab American and first Muslim to lead Dearborn Public Schools.
Before moving into leadership, Lamis served for nine years as an elementary school principal, during which time her school ranked among the top-performing in the state for literacy and writing. Known for an open-door leadership style rooted in trust, transparency and accountability, Lamis has spearheaded several community-focused initiatives. She led the successful relaunch of the district's Early Learning Coalition, which connects families with resources to support children from birth through age five.
She facilitates an interfaith consortium that connects local faith leaders with district staff to collectively address community needs, and she was instrumental in launching Michigan's first smart school bus safety program to protect students boarding and exiting buses. Lamis has also led planning for the district's long-term infrastructure needs, including a potential bond issue to modernize aging school buildings.
A proud University of Michigan-Dearborn graduate, Lamis earned her bachelor's degree in education, along with an Education Specialist degree in curriculum and instruction, a master's degree in reading, and an ESL certificate.
College of Engineering and Computer Science Alum of the Year
Timothy Yerdon, ’01 MSE, is executive director at SAE Industry Technologies Consortia, where he leads global Land Systems and Multi-Sector programs driving technical solutions across the mobility ecosystem. He also serves on the SAE Group Europe BV Board.
Tim began his career at Ford Motor Company in 1994 before moving to Visteon Corporation, where he rose over nearly two decades from program manager to Chief Marketing and Communications Officer. He returned to Ford in 2019 as part of Team Edison, leading software and hardware strategy for the company's early battery electric vehicles, including the Mustang Mach-E, F-150 Lightning and E-Transit, and later served as Global Director of Enterprise Connectivity and Chief Engineer of BEV Technologies. Tim also leads Plymouth Technology Advisors, his own consultancy advising automakers, suppliers and technology firms.
Tim maintains a deep connection to the University of Michigan-Dearborn. He currently serves as Chair of the College of Engineering and Computer Science Visiting Committee (Industrial Advisory Board), where he has helped enhance industry-academic partnerships and student exposure to industry leaders. Additionally, Tim served as the keynote speaker for UM-Dearborn’s Winter 2025 Graduate and Doctoral Student Commencement Ceremony, delivering a commencement address centered on the evolving role of artificial intelligence in professional practice and his "7-Point Manifesto," which highlighted his own educational and career journey.
Tim earned his Master of Science in Engineering in Manufacturing Systems Engineering from UM-Dearborn. He also holds a Bachelor of Science and an Associate of Science in Mechanical Engineering Technology from Pennsylvania State University.