A group of four former student-athletes from Missouri University of Science and Technology were inducted into the Academy of Miner Athletics on Friday, Oct. 14.

The academy recognizes alumni who have brought honor to the university’s athletic department through their accomplishments on the playing field, in their careers and through community leadership. Academy members support the department through coordinated gifts of time, experience and money. The Academy of Miner Athletics was founded in October 2011 with its first induction class of 33 individuals.

New members are:

• Dr. Laurie Behm, who practices physical medicine and rehabilitation as a staff physician with the Freeman Health System in Joplin, Missouri. Behm earned a bachelor of science degree in life sciences from Missouri S&T in 1984. She earned an M.D. from the University of Missouri School of Medicine in 1989. Behm completed an internal medicine internship at Jewish Hospital in Cincinnati and then transferred back to the University of Missouri-Columbia for a physical medicine and rehabilitation residency, which she completed in 1993. Behm was inducted into the MSM/UMR/Missouri S&T Athletic Hall of Fame in September 2000, and the S&T Women’s Hall of Fame in 2005. She also received an award of professional distinction in biological sciences from Missouri S&T in May 2001. She holds memberships in the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and the American Medical Association, the Physiatric Association of Spine, Sports and Occupational Rehabilitation, and the American Medical Association.
• Donald Hahn of St. Charles, Missouri, who retired from Phoenix Process Engineering as a consulting engineer to the cement industry. Hahn earned a bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering from Missouri S&T in 1972. While at Missouri S&T, he lettered four years in baseball and served one year as the team captain. He was a member of M-Club and Sigma Tau Gama fraternity. He spent his career primarily in the consulting industry designing material handling systems for the brewery, soft drink and food processing industries and retired from Phoenix Process Engineering as a consulting engineer to the cement industry. Hahn also taught three engineering courses at Saint Charles Community College. Hahn and his wife Gail, who earned a bachelor of science degree in chemical engineering from Missouri S&T in 1972, are members of Missouri S&T’s donor society the Order of the Golden Shillelagh.
• David “Willie” Vonarx, owner and president of VonArx Engineering Inc. in Hillsboro, Missouri. Vonark earned a bachelor of science degree in civil engineering from Missouri S&T in 1989 and also holds a master of science degree in civil engineering from Purdue University. He is a member of the MSM/UMR/Missouri S&T Athletic Hall of Fame as a member of the 1985 Men’s Cross Country Team. A member of the Engineers Club of St. Louis, he is active in his community, serving for 13 years on the Jefferson County Parks Board and Park Foundation. Vonarx received a proclamation from the Jefferson County Council declaring Nov. 23, 2010, as David Vonarx Day in Jefferson County. He was chairman of the New Hope United Methodist Church Building Committee for five years resulting in the construction of a building addition. Vonarx runs two marathons a year and has finished 22 since his first in 1983. He was a member of M-Club, Toastmasters, the American Society of Civil Engineers, Campus Club and intramural soccer. He was a Zeta Tau Alpha houseboy from 1986-1989 and lived at the Runner’s House for four years.
• David Wisch of Richmond, Texas, an engineer with Chevron Corp. in Houston, earned bachelor of science and master of science degrees in civil engineering from Missouri S&T in 1975 and 1977, respectively. He began his career in offshore engineering with Texaco and today is Chevron’s global technical authority in civil, structural and marine engineering. He is the engineer of record for the first U.S. offshore platform to undergo certified verification agent (CVA) certification and provided engineering oversight for the world’s deepest self-standing structure. Wisch has worked for more than 30 years in industry standards development for the American Petroleum Institute and the International Organization for Standardization. He chaired the API Committee on Offshore Structures and led the U.S. delegation to ISO’s Offshore Structures Standards Committee. After hurricanes Ivan, Katrina and Rita, he led an API task force to develop consensus interim industry standards for mooring of floating drilling vessels. Wisch has chaired the Chevron Fellows program and the company’s Mentoring Excellence in Technology programs and served two terms as a Marine Board Member for the National Academy of Engineering. He has received awards for his work from the API, ISO, Chevron and the National Academy of Engineering. Wisch was a placekicker on the Miner football team and an officer of S&T’s ASCE Student Chapter. While at Missouri S&T, Wisch was active in numerous campus activities including M-Club leadership, and the Junior Olympics.