Dave Duerson
Vice President

DAVE DUERSON, who graduated from Notre Dame in 1983 with a degree in economics, has spent the past six years as president and chief executive officer of Fair Oaks Farms, Inc., a Wisconsin-based international meat supplier that in 1999 was ranked 64th among Black Enterprise 100 companies. In addition to his recent appointment to Notre Dame’s Board of Trustees, Duerson previously served as a member of the advisory council for the University’s Mendoza College of Business. Currently the Monogram Club’s first vice president, he will rotate into the Club’s president position in June of 2003.

Duerson-who also serves as a leading member of the athletic department’s mentoring program-was a two-time All-America defensive back and served as a tri-captain for the 1982 Notre Dame football team. He set a still-standing ND record for career interception yardage (256) and went on to enjoy an 11-year career (1983-94) in the National Football League while playing for the Chicago Bears, New York Giants and Phoenix Cardinals, earning all-Pro honors four times and winning Super Bowl championships with the 1985 Bears and 1990 Giants.

In recognition of his charitable work with substance abuse prevention and the Special Olympics, Duerson has been honored as the 1987 NFL Man of the Year, the 1988 NFL Humanitarian of the Year and the 1990 Monogram Club Member of the Year. For nearly 20 years-dating back to1983-he has sponsored a series of free football camps in Chicago and his hometown of Muncie, Ind., with the camps designed to teach young people the fundamentals of football while alerting participants to the dangers of alcohol and drug abuse and stressing the value of education. He currently resides in Highland Park, Ill., with his wife Alicia, their three sons and daughter Taylor.

Duerson is the fourth former Notre Dame football player to receive University’s prestigious Sorin Award (since its inception in 1965), with the others including Hugh Devore (’34, 1979 recipient), Norm Barry J.D. (’21, 1984 recipient) and the Hon. Alan Page (’67, 1992 recipient)

Recipients of the Sorin Award

2000-Dave Duerson ’83
1999-Thomas J. Hawkins ’59
1998-Eleanor M. Walker, M.D., ’84
1997-John P. McMeel ’57
1996-Philip J. Faccenda ’51
1995-Andy L. Burd ’62
1994-Joseph E. Dillon ’44
1993-Robert P. Lonergan ’43
1992-Hon. Alan C. Page ’67
1991-Donald B. Rice ’61
1990-Michael B. Heisler, M.D., ’71
1989-Edward A. Kompare, M.D., ’61
1988-Edmond R. Haggar ’38
1987-J. Philip Clarke, M.D., ’44
1986-John T. Balfe ’20
1985-Jerome J. Crowley ’31
1984-Norman C. Barry ’21J.D.
1983-Archbishop Marcos G. McGrath, C.S.C., ’44
1982-Howard V. Phalin ’28
1981-Frank E. Sullivan ’49
1980-Leo H. Vogel ’47
1979-Hugh J. Devore ’34
1978-Thomas J. White ’37
1977-Edmund A. Stephan ’33
1976-Vincent G. McAloon ’34
1975-no recipient
1974-J. Arthur Haley ’26
1973-Rev. John J. Cavanaugh, C.S.C., ’23
1972-Rev. Thomas J. Brennan, C.S.C., ’23
1971-no recipient
1970-Thomas P. Carney ’37
1969-William C. Schmitt ’10
1968-James E. Armstrong ’25
1967-Archbishop Paul J. Hallinan ’32
1966-Bernard J. Voll ’17
1965-Rev. Theodore M. Hesburgh, C.S.C., ’39