2024 Celebration of Achievements

William ‘Bill” Aho, born to Finnish immigrants in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, attended GCC from 1936 – 1938.   Following GCC, he attended Michigan State University before and after his service in World War II.  In 1952 he joined University of Connecticut as a new UConn Extension poultry expert and poultry sciences profession.  One of the last people that UConn named to the rank of full professor without holding a Ph.D., he brought more than just his poultry knowledge: Fluent in Finnish, he was able to help UConn better serve eastern Connecticut’s large Finnish-American poultry farming community.

During his career he visited all corners of the state to speak with poultry farmers.  After retiring from UConn in 1976, he directed and taught the poultry management school at Arbor Acres in Glastonbury for almost 20 years.  He educated more than 500 students from 25 countries during his time there. The work also brought him around the globe to poultry operations as far away as Jordan, Thailand, China, Sweden, and other nations.

Never one to slow down, Aho learned to fly small planes at age 60, renting them in various places where he and his wife, the late UConn home economics instructor Sylvia Aho, would take vacations.

Proud of his Finnish roots, Aho embodies the iconic character trait known in that culture as “sisu” — an innate grit and determination that helps them push through the toughest parts of working, soldiering, and life in general.

At the young age of 106, we believe Bill to be GCC’s oldest living alumnus.  When asked why he has been such a strong financial supporter of GCC over the years, he said,” My hometown, my people.  You have to give the students a chance so they can go on and make a life for themselves. Gogebic does that.”

Michael Kusz was born in 1953 and raised in Ironwood, the oldest son of Walter and Mary Jean Kusz. Mike worked in the family business during his school years. He graduated from Ironwood Catholic High School in 1971 and enrolled in Gogebic Community College. Inspiring teachers at GCC such as Myron Re, Bill Johnson and Robert Kimball, fired his interest in Economics and Political Science. Mike earned his Samson “G” running cross-country.

After graduation with his associate degree from Gogebic, Mike enrolled in the Honors program at the University of Minnesota. He was fortunate to study under Nobel Laureate Leonid Hurwicz and graduated Magna Cum Laude with a double major in Economics and Political Science. He was also chosen for the Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society. Mike also holds an M.B.A degree from Colorado State University and was elected to the Beta Gamma Signa Business Honor Society.

Mike graduated from the University of Minnesota Law School in 1978. He worked for McNeil, Mouw and Torreano in Iron Mountain for personal injury litigation in both the plaintiff and defense areas. Mike was appointed the Dickinson County Prosecuting Attorney in December 1982 and served two terms.

He was elected the District Judge for Dickinson and Iron Counties in 1990 and served three terms as the longest serving District Judge in the District. Mike attended the National Judicial College at the University of Nevada and the George Mason University Economic Program for Judges at the Brookings Institute in Washington D.C. He was recognized as a Statewide Honoree for his unique domestic violence policies in 1997. Mike also instituted the Dickinson County Drug Court which continues to function as a therapeutic alternative to incarceration.

Mike married Christine in 1976 and has two daughters: Erin Kusz of Iron Mountain and Dr. Kerry Blaha M.D. of Cockeysville, Maryland. He was active in community activities, coaching baseball, youth soccer and as a referee for hockey.  He served on the Diocese of Marquette Pastoral Council, was a Lieutenant Governor for Kiwanis in the western U.P. and northern Wisconsin, was a Board member for Copper Peak and a District Deputy for the Knights of Columbus.

Marian Nordberg was born in a farm house in Saxon, WI, on March 14, 1932, to John and Bessie (Mashl) Nordberg.  The second of five children, she grew up on the family farm and graduated salutatorian of the Saxon High School class of 1950.

Marian has two passions, nursing and poetry.  She decided to become a nurse at 14 when her younger sister Norma was badly burned over half of her body, almost died, spent four months in the hospital, and underwent many transfusions and skin grafts.  Nurse Sister Daniels at St. Joseph Hospital in Ashland inspired Marian and strongly encouraged her decision.  Marian’s interest in poetry was initiated as a very young child as she loved to hear her mother recite poetry while milking cows.

After high school Marian studied nursing at Bellin Hospital in Green Bay.  She then married and raised a family (Susan, Lynnette, Richard, and Andrew), working as a nurse, working on their farm in Gurney, and writing poetry.  During this period, she attended GCC.    

In 1971 Marian moved to Albuquerque and received a BSN from the University of New Mexico (UNM) and became a registered nurse (RN).  She then taught nursing in Marquette (MI), Santa Fe, and Las Vegas (NM) and also worked in various hospitals in Ashland, Hurley, Phoenix, and Albuquerque.  

She finished her career with fifteen years of teaching in the nursing program at the Career Enrichment Center high school in Albuquerque.  She also earned an MA in teaching (from UNM). She was a founding member of the Turquoise Trail Arts Council which was formed to support the arts in the Sandia Knolls area where she lived east of Albuquerque.

In 2006 Marian moved to Colorado Springs.  She supports an endowed nursing scholarship at GCC in gratitude for the many scholarships and grants she received that allowed her to reach her dream of becoming an RN.

Kevin Store is a graduate of the Ontonagon Area High School Class of ’89.  He attended GCC following the closure of Copper Range Co. in White Pine, Michigan and graduated in 1997 with his AAS General Business degree.  He continued his education with a BS in Business Administration with further studies at Northern Michigan University with emphasis in workplace leadership and organizational development.

Kevin has been engaged in the non-profit sector since 1996 including senior leadership and administration roles in vocational rehabilitation and education, services for cognitively challenged and mentally-ill individuals, youth-focuses criminal justice, healthcare and philanthropy.  In 2014 Kevin was hired as the President/CEO of Copper Shores Community Health Foundation located in Hancock, Michigan. Kevin and his team had grown the foundation from its original $32 million in assets (with just two employees) into a multi-faceted operating foundation with over $80 million (and growing) in assets and 58 employees focused on providing vitally needed programs as well as financial investment in other important safety net organizations.  All of this was done while at the same time expending roughly $30 million dollars into local initiatives focused on improving the health and civic vitality of the community it serves.

Kevin’s achievements, community involvement and leadership have been recognized countless times from institutions of education, law enforcement, economic development, chamber of commerce, state and national business associations, and others including a Governor’s Service Award and a Special Congressional Certificate of Recognition for his work in service to the community.

He recalls fondly his time at GCC.  “The faculty, staff and the entirety of GCC’s administration at that time were accessible, personable and demonstrated a real commitment to the success of the students.” Store said. “I am grateful for the gentle guidance and practical education that was given to me during my time at GCC.”

Deborah Pletcher was born on January 22, 1954 in Chicago, Illinois.  She graduated from Lyons Township High School in 1972.  She graduated from Illinois State University with a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and a Secondary Teaching Certificate. 

After teaching high school math in the Chicago area for two years, Deb moved to northern Wisconsin, where she taught high school math for three years before having her two children.  After living in Wisconsin for seven years, she moved to Ironwood where she did some substitute teaching in the area high schools.  She then taught adult education at Ironwood Area Community Schools for five years. 

In 1990, Deb began teaching math at Gogebic Community College.  When she wasn’t teaching a class, she was often in her office helping students. Attending Samson basketball games and participating in student activities were also things she enjoyed outside of the classroom.  While at GCC, Deb served as the Faculty Representative on the GCC Foundation Board. 

Deb was also involved in the community while living in Ironwood.  She was both a girl scout and cub scout leader, served on the Polar Bear hockey board as treasurer, and worked with two friends running Range Girls softball for seven years. 

Since 2011, she has been enjoying her retirement living in Orland Park, IL, a southwest suburb of Chicago.  She continues to work at Joliet Junior College, where she taught classes for five years and still tutors in the tutoring center one day a week.  She enjoys golfing, quilting, and exercising using water Zumba.  She also enjoys attending a variety of outdoor music concerts during the summer near her home. Spending time with her children and grandchildren is very important to her.  Her daughter, Heidi (Herrala) lives in Green Bay with her family, and her son, Tyler lives in the Chicago area with his son.  

George Samardich was born in Gile, WI, the son of Robert and Myrtle Samardich.  He attended Roosevelt Elementary School in Montreal, WI and Lincoln High School in Hurley, WI, where he graduated in 1951.  He attended GCC, and then transferred to Superior State College, where he graduated in 1955.

After graduating from SSC, he enlisted in the Navy and served two years aboard the Air Force carrier Valley Forge.  He served in various disciplines while aboard the Valley Forge, including Officer of Purchasing and Accounting.

After leaving the Velley Forge, he applied for a teaching position in Virginia, MN, where he taught in an elementary school for two years, then transferred to Robinsdale, MN where he taught junior high Social Studies for seven years, while acquiring a Master’s Degree from the University of Wisconsin-Superior.

His next adventure was selling textbooks to public schools in Minnesota and North and South Dakota.  While living in this area, he was elected to the Brooklyn Park City Council.  He then went to work for Hall, Smith and Hedland Law Firm, heading up their Nursing Home Division.  He managed five nursing homes.

Three years later, George moved with his family to Maple Grove, Minnesota where he was the administrator of the Osseo Nursing Home.  He then worked for the Oneida Indian Tribes as their Director of Health Care and was the administrator of the Portage County Home in Stevens Point, WI.  He then purchased three nursing homes in Strum, WI.; Cornell, WI.; and New Richmond.  After the death of his wife, he sold all of his nursing homes, retired, and returned to his home area. 

George has been a member of the GCC Foundation Board for more than 15 years.  His love of the college and all of his many friends has meant so very much to George.  He takes great pleasure in supporting GCC through his continuing annual scholarship program in memory of his wife.