April 28, 2025
The University of Missouri’s Jefferson Club Golden Quill Alumni Excellence Awards celebrate Mizzou alumni whose exemplary achievements and unwavering commitment to service reflect the university’s core values of respect, responsibility, discovery and excellence.
Established in 2006, these awards were re-envisioned in 2017 by the Jefferson Club Board of Trustees to honor outstanding alumni contributions in a modern era. Nominations come from across the Mizzou community, ensuring honorees include those who have significantly impacted their professions and communities.
Commemorating the generosity that supported Mizzou’s founding as the first university in Thomas Jefferson’s Louisiana Purchase, the Jefferson Club honors the philanthropy of its members, who have each made cumulative gifts to the institution of more than $50,000. This tradition of giving strengthens Mizzou’s mission and sustains its future, fostering groundbreaking research, student success and community engagement.
The names of this year’s recipients will be added to the list of notable Mizzou alumni displayed in Jesse Hall. Honorees also receive a statuette of a quill pen in an inkwell, a nod to the writing instrument Thomas Jefferson used to draft the Declaration of Independence.
“Today, we celebrate the remarkable professional achievements and spirit of community service that are hallmarks of Mizzou alumni worldwide,” Chris Smith, interim vice chancellor for advancement, said. “These incredible leaders demonstrate the values that define this institution and its tradition of making a difference in the world.”
This year’s distinguished alumni include:
Brant Bukowsky
Co-founder of Veterans United Home Loans, Brant Bukowsky has built a legacy of entrepreneurship alongside his brother, Brock Bukowsky. Setting high standards in business innovation and community impact, their ventures include three companies recognized on the Inc. 500 list, earning them recognition as EY Entrepreneurs of the Year in the Midwest. Fortune consistently recognizes Veterans United among the 100 Best Companies to Work For, and its charitable foundation has raised more than $150 million to support veterans, military families and community initiatives, including Mizzou’s Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans. Bukowsky graduated from Mizzou’s College of Education in 2000 and received the Robert J. Trulaske, Sr. College of Business’ Special Citation of Merit in 2018. A proud Mizzou sports supporter, he is also a member of the Jefferson Club, The Law Society and the Grace Bibb Society. He and his wife, Jennifer, live in Columbia with their two sons.
Brock Bukowsky
As co-founder of Veterans United Home Loans, Brock Bukowsky has played a pivotal role in growing the company from a four-person startup to an industry leader with more than 3,500 employees. His work has earned the company recognition as a top workplace by People magazine and Forbes as it continues to help countless military families achieve home ownership. Bukowsky’s career is marked by a steadfast commitment to enhancing lives both through business and philanthropy, exemplified by the company’s core value, “Enhance lives every day.” A proud alumnus of the University of Missouri, he earned a bachelor’s degree from the College of Education in 1996 and a master’s in mathematics in 2000. He is a dedicated supporter of Mizzou Athletics and an active member of the Jefferson Club and the Grace Bibb Society. Bukowsky lives in Columbia with his wife, Tammy, and their three children.
Wanona “Winnie” Fritz
An accomplished leader in military and civilian health care, Wanona Fritz’s international experience spans 24 countries. As chief operations officer and senior vice president at HCCA Management Company in Nashville, Tennessee, she drives global health system improvements, oversees medical facility planning and spearheads workforce development initiatives across multiple continents. Her extensive career includes hospital leadership roles in regions as diverse as the United Kingdom, the Philippines and the Middle East. Notably, during a 17-year tenure in Jordan, she served as dean of a nursing school and led clinical operations for King Hussein’s 28-hospital network, earning national recognition. A former U.S. Army nurse and pilot, she has been decorated with commendations, including the Bronze Star Medal. Mizzou has honored her with the Citation of Merit Award, Faculty and Alumni Award, and Distinguished Service Award. She remains deeply engaged with the Sinclair School of Nursing, where she earned her degree in 1968.
Gus T. Ridgel
A World War II veteran, Ridgel graduated magna cum laude from Lincoln University of Missouri before marking a turning point in Mizzou’s desegregation as one of the first Black students admitted to the university. Despite financial hardship, he completed his master’s in economics in a single year and became the institution’s first Black graduate degree recipient in 1951. He later received a doctorate in economics from the University of Wisconsin and was awarded an honorary doctorate from Mizzou in 1996. Ridgel dedicated his career to higher education, holding leadership roles at historically Black colleges and universities, including Barber-Scotia College, Central State University, Fort Valley State University, Southern University and A&M College, and Wiley University. His longest tenure was at Kentucky State University, where he served as dean of the business school and vice president of business affairs, concluding his career as special assistant to the president until his death in 2020. His legacy is immortalized through the Gus T. Ridgel Fellowship at Mizzou, ensuring his contributions to education endure.
