2008 – Richard Ciccarone
Since 2004, the CUPPA Alumni Association Board of Directors has presented the Alumni Appreciation Award recognizing individuals or groups for their dedication to the fields of urban planning and public administration and their contributions to the development of the college's students and alumni. The recipient of 2008 award is Richard Ciccarone, president and CEO of Merritt Research Services
"Rich is a renowned expert in municipal finance, credit ratings, and financial management and is often relied upon by media for his expertise in municipal bonds. He was instrumental in founding the National Federation of Municipal Analysts in 1983, having served as president in 1984. He also clearly understands the value of alumni involvement," wrote CUPPA Interim Dean Michael Pagano in nominating Ciccarone.
Pagano expressed appreciation for Ciccarone's offering internships in his offices, guest lecturing in CUPPA classes, securing scholarship funds, and sponsoring a national conference on budgeting and financial management hosted by the CUPPA Public Administration Program in 2004.
"He also secured a gift of financial data sets spanning several decades on debt issued by government and non-profit institutions from AIG Global Investment Group. The value of the initial investment in this data set by AIG was well into the tens of thousands of dollars. It will be priceless to faculty and students doing research in this area," Pagano wrote.
Ciccarone serves on the board of the Civic Federation of Chicago. In his hometown of Hinsdale, he is an elected member of the village's Board of Trustees, chairman of its administration and community affairs committee, and a former member of its plan commission. He serves on the boards of the Hinsdale Theater Foundation and is a past president of the Committee of One Hundred.
He holds a BA degree from Miami University in Ohio and a dual master’s degree in
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The CUPPA Alumni Association has presented the CUPPA Alumni Appreciation Award recognizing individuals or groups for their dedication to the fields of urban planning and public administration and their contributions to the development of the college's students and alumni. In November 2010, the Board of Directors of the CUPPA-AA voted unanimously to rename the award to the Jim Marek Alumni Appreciation Award honoring the former CUPPA assistant dean for student services, Jim Marek. Marek retired from his post in CUPPA on February 6, 2007 after over twenty-nine years of service to the university, its students and alumni. He unexpectedly died on August 13, 2010.