The Greater Maryville Chamber of Commerce recently recognized a group of Northwest Missouri State University staff and alumni during its annual banquet. 

Dr. Clarence Green, Northwest’s interim president, was presented the Fred Von Behren Good Citizen Award, which recognizes the recipient’s community involvement. The award was presented by Behren’s daughter, Suzanne Von Behren, a Northwest alumna.

Green is Northwest’s interim president during the 2022-23 academic year. Having served the University in numerous capacities since joining it in 1996, his most recent appointment was vice president of culture and had oversight of the Office of Human Resources, the Office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness, and the University Police Department, for which he had served as chief since 1997.

While he has led Northwest teams responsible for strategic planning and crisis management, he also has served on implementation teams for student success, inclusive excellence and behavioral intervention, in addition to leading efforts to establish a multidisciplinary team focused on intervention strategies for students in crisis. He also served at Northwest previously as interim vice president of diversity, equity and inclusion and as the interim vice president of human resources.

Green has worked in law enforcement for more than 25 years. He served on the United States Attorney General Law Enforcement Coordinating Committee and is a Malcom Baldrige fellow. He has led presentations and trainings on topics of leadership, diversity and inclusion, ethics, crisis management, threat assessment, community policing and balanced scorecards.

The chamber banquet also recognized five young community members who are making a difference, honoring them as the “Top 5 Under 35.”

The honorees included Lt. Anthony Williams, who has served with Northwest’s University Police Department for more than 12 years. Previously, Williams has received the University Police Department’s Life Saving Award, the International Association of Chiefs of Police’s “20 under 40” and a Northwest Student Impact Award.

Three additional Northwest alumni were named among the “Top 5 Under 35” award for their work in the Maryville community. They were Glenna Shantz, a project coordinator for the U.S. Department of Agriculture; Maggie Rockwood, the assistant director of Maryville Parks and Recreation; and Joe Frueh, a loan officer with FCS Financial.