Two College of Professional Studies alumni are among the four graduates being recognized for their service to their communities.
The Pointer Impact Award, created by the UW-Stevens Point Alumni Association Board of Directors in 2020, honors alumni doing good works for their communities and beyond. Whether it be through volunteering or as part of their career, Pointers shape the world in many ways and this honor is to celebrate those achievements.
Aaron Hunnel ’13
Founder and director of the comprehensive health and wellness program in the Wisconsin National Guard, health promotion/wellness alum Aaron Hunnel believes that people are the greatest gift in life. As a certified wellness practitioner and certified intrinsic coach, his work combining personal and organizational change has influenced thousands of people all over the world as he empowers them to live authentic, fulfilled lives. He has built behavior change and leadership courses which have been integrated nationally across the Department of Defense, creating over 20 jobs in four states. Hunnel’s passion for wellness began after struggling with his own physical and mental health from multiple deployments, where he unlocked a passion for endurance racing. During the pandemic, he started a project called Ride 2 Stop Suicide, putting bikes into the hands of veterans across the nation. As part of the campaign, he rode 3000 miles in 22 days from California to Maryland to raise money and awareness to reduce veteran suicide. Retiring after 20 years of service in the National Guard, Hunnel will transition back to speaking, coaching and consulting with various organizations.
View photos from Hunnel’s visit to HSW 110 – Individualized Exercise Programming
Tom Beyer ’85
A marketing and economics graduate, Tom Beyer is now a distinguished businessman as well as one of the founders of Rock River Rescue, an organization formed in 2001 to save the Rock River in Watertown, Wis. He helped found the Rock River Rescue Foundation to improve the aquatic ecosystem of the river within the city limits. Since then, the organization has removed over 10,000 carp, stocked over 1 million game and pan fish and donated handicap accessible piers to the city that were installed at Riverside Park and Fannie P. Lewis Park. They have expanded their target area and continue to clean up and restore the Heiden Pond area. Over the last few years, the group has created scholarships available to graduating high school seniors pursuing a career in resource management.