Outstanding Alumnus Award

Nominate an Outstanding Alumnus Today!!

Click on this link to Nominate an Outstanding Alumnus!

Steve Foster

Meet Steve Foster 2024 Alumni

Steve and his wife, Cherie, have lived in Greenville their entire lives.  Steve graduated from Greenville High School in 1966 and became the first recipient of the A.F. Allinder Scholastic Athlete Award.  The plaque honoring him still hangs in the high school honor hall today.  

Steve went on to the University of Michigan where he was a pre-engineering student.  After one year, he returned home to become a member of the first graduating class at Montcalm Community College.  He was the first student to receive an Applied Arts & Science degree and he played on their first men's basketball team.  Steve completed his education with a BA in Business Administration from Michigan State University.  

In 1982, he began a 32 year career at Greenville Tool & Die as their Director of Human Resources.  He was responsible for personnel, purchasing, safety, community outreach, and the coordinator of their apprenticeship program.  As technology evolved, he also became their media manager.  

Over the span of his career, Steve was involved in countless committees, boards, networks, and volunteer initiatives, many of which related to the skilled trades and development of career and technical programs in Montcalm and Ionia Counties.  He is devoted to education, with years of volunteer service on advisory committees for Greenville Public Schools, Ionia Heartlands Institute, Montcalm Area Career Center, and Montcalm Community College.  In 1999, he received the School Bell Award from Greenville Public Schools in recognition of his volunteer service.  In 2010, Montcalm Community College honored him with their Stanley & Blanche Ash Distinguished Service Award.  He was a founding member of the Education Foundation of Greenville and is an honorary member of the American Apprenticeship Round Table.  

Steve was an avid sportsman and owned Foster Outdoor Productions.  He was a freelance videographer and produced "Legendary Trails" which began airing on TV in 2023.  

Steve and Cherie have three children and seven grandchildren.  

It is with great sadness that on January 30, 2025 we shared the news of Steve Foster's passing.

Previous Outstanding Alumnus Winners

2023 Kimberly Bernson DeBosier (Class of 1973)

2022 Jon Coles (Class of 1995)

2021 Rob Stafford (Class of 1981)

2020 Steven Wyckoff (Class of 1965)

2019 Chris Hansen (Class of 1975)

2018 Blake Hollenbeck (Class of 1985)

2017 Robin Walters (Class of 1973)

2016 Patrick Cameron (Class of 1986)

2015 Dr. Anthony Youn (Class of 1990)

2014 Jeff Day (Class of 1971)

2013 Bruce Towne (Class of 1986)

2012 Tim O’Brien (Class of 1981)

2011 Michael Stafford, PhD. (Class of 1983)

2010 Walter B. Jaehnig Jr., PhD. (Class of 1960)

2009 William Cook (Class of 1953)

2008 Karen Carbonelli (Class of 1958)

2007 Gerald Nelson (Class of 1954)

2006 Stella Royce (Class of 1944)

2005 Kathy Thomas Holt (Class of 1962)

2004 Dr. N. Peter Sorensen, Jr. (Class of 1956)

2004 William L. Johnson (Class of 1961)

2003 Byron Cook (Class of 1950)

2002 Larry Sweet (Class of 1952)

2001 Bob Hansen (Class of 1951)

2000 Richard Rasmussen (Class of 1931)

1999 John Stafford (Class of 1956)

1998 Jerry Blumberg (Class of 1956)

1997 Susan Brace Lovell (Class of 1956)

1996 Fred Meijer (Class of 1937)

1995 Linda O’Connor Stafford (Class of 1956)

1994 Ray Tower (Class of 1936)

1993 Stan Kemp (Class of 1963)

2025 Outstanding Alumnus...Will it be you???

In 1993, The EFG established the Outstanding Alumnus Award. The award is given annually to candidates who meet the following criteria:

  • Be a graduate of Greenville High School.

  • Have been out of high school at least ten years.

  • Have modeled citizenship by sharing their talents for the improvement of the quality of life for their community, and enhanced the development of youth. Note: career or business by itself is not necessarily a criteria.

The EFG selection committee will determine recipients based on the information provided. Those qualified nominees who are not selected will automatically be candidates for the following four years.