One of the most highly-anticipated events of this year’s Hometown Homecoming weekend is the Alumni Awards Brunch, where Central Methodist University’s Distinguished and Young Alumni Award winners will be recognized. The event will be held at 11:45 a.m. on Sunday, October 9, in the Inman Student Center. Attendees for the event must register at https://www.centralalumnievents.com/.
Six alumni in total will be honored – Distinguished Alumni Award winners Janice Roberts Bradshaw, Bruce Addison, David Kerr, Eugene Peebles, and JB Waggoner, and Young Alumni Award winner Anthony Johnson.
Janice Roberts Bradshaw ’58 is coordinating the Missouri All-State Choir for the 46th consecutive year. Choral Director at Boonville Middle and High School for 40 years, she's a founding committee member of the Missouri River Festival of the Arts, now in its 47th season. As National High School Repertoire and Standards Chair for the American Choral Directors Association, she coordinated the first National High School Honor Choir. Bradshaw's honors include the Luther T. Spayde Award for Outstanding Missouri Choral Director, Missouri Choral Directors Association Presidential Award of Excellence, and induction into the Missouri Music Educators Association Hall of Fame. She is the vice president of Schott Bradshaw Publications, publishers of educational DVDs distributed worldwide. A piano student at age four and church organist at 11, she was chapel organist while at CMU and is currently organist for Spring Cypress Presbyterian Church in Spring, Texas. Her daughter, Jana, resides in San Antonio, Texas.
Bruce Addison ’66 has been a business leader and entrepreneur in the Fayette community for nearly five decades. His business, Addison Biological Laboratories, produces animal health products, including vaccines used in the veterinary profession. The company has received recognition from the U.S. and Missouri Chambers of Commerce. Addison himself has been giving of his time, talent, and treasure to both Fayette and Central, serving as a member of the Rotary Club, Linn Memorial UMC board member, and CMU Board of Trustees member, among other positions. A veteran of the United States Army, Addison is a sought-after speaker and clinician by professional veterinary and associated industries.
David Kerr ’67 is an ordained elder in the United Methodist Church who has stood behind the pulpit in all 50 states and traveled in five different continents. He has also served Missouri churches, including Independence First in Warrensburg and most recently provided seventeen years of leadership at Salem UMC in St. Louis. Kerr has provided leadership with and served on multiple boards, including Central’s Board of Trustees. While serving in St. Louis, he helped establish a tutoring program for elementary-aged children in the community. He and his wife, Marsha, have three children – including CMU alumnus John David ’87 – and five grandchildren.
Eugene Peebles ’87 is an accomplished musician with more than 40 years of experience performing all across the country. Peebles held various positions in business around the St. Louis area while leading the musical efforts at his home church. He started Talking Sax Music Productions and the Eugene Peebles Jazz Trio 15 years ago and has since used his musical talents to benefit schools and churches. An accomplished performer in gospel, jazz, and R&B, Peebles has performed the National Anthem at NBA games, as well as at St. Louis sporting events.
J.B. Waggoner ’91 has been engaged in community and civic issues in the Fayette area since graduation. He has served on the Fayette Board of Alderman – including as Mayor of Fayette – the CMU Board of Trustees, and several boards and advisory committees focusing on local and state-wide business and community issues. He is currently serving as Chairman of the Board of the Moberly Area Economic Development Corporation (MAEDC), Howard County’s professional economic development partner. Waggoner has been active in the hi-tech venture world having co-founded two testing and research laboratories, as well as having consulted on the development of several emerging technologies and the start-up of several new ventures. He describes himself first as husband to Dori ’92, Dean of the Swinney Conservatory of Music, and father to Thomas ’16 – now also father-in-law to Allison, and grandfather to Mary.
Young Alumni Award recipient Anthony Johnson ’10 has earned recognition for his work as the executive director of the Columbia Supreme youth basketball organization. Johnson has expanded his role over the years as his organization has grown, from coaching one team to overseeing all nine teams in the club. The Supreme provides an affordable option for families that might not otherwise have a chance to participate in the sport. Outside of the team, Johnson serves his community by mentoring young people and preparing them for job interviews, coaching at-risk youth, teaching impoverished children about financial literacy, and much more. An avid supporter of CMU basketball, Johnson was also a 2021 recipient of the Sherman Brown Jr. Award, one of the Columbia Missourian Progress Awards, for his work in the community.
More information about the brunch and all this year’s Hometown Homecoming events can be found at the link above. For questions, contact Stasia Sherman, director of alumni relations, at ssherman@centralmethodist.edu or 660-248-6260.