Rockhurst University to Honor Four at Alumni Awards Luncheon

Rockhurst University will honor four outstanding alumni for achievements in their careers and their communities in a ceremony scheduled for noon on Saturday, Sept. 26, in the Greenlease Gallery, part of the University’s Family and Alumni Weekend activities.

David Harrison, ’81, will receive the St. Ignatius Award. Harrison has more than three decades of experience in the commercial brokerage and development industry within Midwest markets. In 2010, following 10 years as vice president and general manager of the Kansas City office of Opus Northwest, Harrison founded Caymus Real Estate, now Van Trust Real Estate. In that role, he has played a part in developments like the AMC Theater Support Center in Leawood and the Village at Mission Farms in Overland Park, Kansas, among others.

The recipient of the Xavier Medal of Honor, Jerry Haake, ’70, began his career working for Gulf Insurance Company. In 1973, he joined his family’s insurance agency, growing the business as it became the second-largest privately owned insurance and consulting business in the Kansas City area by the time of his retirement in 2006. Haake has also been a community volunteer, serving on boards for organizations like Strong City Schools, St. Joseph Medical Center Foundation, Serra Club of Downtown Kansas City, Community of the Good Shepherd, SoftVu and Sisters of St. Francis of the Holy Eucharist Foundation. Haake has also been an instrumental part of the Rockhurst University community, serving on the boards of the Rockhurst University Alumni Association and the Rockhurst University Leaders Council.

Two more recent alumni will receive the Faber Young Alumni Award, Joshua Yurek, ’07, and Drew Felz, ’07. Yurek was born in Pennsylvania and moved to Kansas at the age of 5. During his time at Rockhurst, Yurek took on a leadership role in the student senate. Currently a legislative assistant for U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts, Yurek has served in various capacities in Roberts’ office since graduating from Rockhurst with a political science degree. His responsibilities include developing policy, monitoring legislation and communicating with constituents and governmental entities in a range of policy areas including budget, education, and tax, among others. Yurek has also been the president of the Rockhurst alumni chapter in Washington, D.C., since 2008.

Felz was active as a student senator during his time at Rockhurst. After earning degrees in political science and economics and a minor in theology, he moved to Washington, D.C., to work on Capitol Hill. Having served in the government affairs department for the National Federation of Independent Business and with the Romney for President campaign in Kansas City, he is currently the manager of federal affairs for the National Roofing Contractors Association, representing the industry’s interests on tax, healthcare, energy and labor policy to Congress and the White House.