he Duluth East High School Hall of Fame was established in 2012 in a joint effort between the East High School Activities Office and the newly established Duluth East High School Foundation. The purpose of the Hall of Fame is to recognize the outstanding achievements made by community leaders, athletes, coaches, advisors, and teachers from East High School.

The selection of honorees is made by the Hall of Fame Committee, a standing committee of the Duluth East High School Foundation. Read more about the Hall of Fame Committee, nomination procedures and criteria for inductee consideration in the Hall of Fame bylaws.

Dr. Tom Aufderheide
(Class of 1969) Tom is a Professor of Emergency Medicine, Associate Chair of Research Affairs, and Director of the Resuscitation Research Center at the Medical College of Wisconsin. An internationally recognized researcher in emergency cardiac care, he pioneered and was instrumental in establishing paramedic use of 12-lead ECGs, public use of automated external defibrillators (AEDs), improved hemodynamics during CPR, and ECMO-facilitated resuscitation. In 2009, he was elected to the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) for his contributions to medicine and public health.

Laurie Knapp
Laurie Knapp (Principal) Laurie began her career in education as a social studies teacher in Duluth. After nine years in the classroom, she entered administration and served four years as Assistant Principal at East before becoming Principal. She served 16 years as principal and implemented many long lasting innovations in the school, such as "Jump Start" and "WIN" - the program that tailored student educational needs to the individual student. In 2010, she was named Principal of the Year for Northeastern Minnesota. As Laurie often pointed out, "At East, Everyone Achieves Success Together.”

General Kenneth Stromquist
(Class of 1963) Ken served for 35 years in both the U.S. Air Force and Air National Guard. He began his service in Viet Nam flying over 400 combat hours. In 1973, Ken returned home and joined part of the 148th Fighter Wing, in Duluth. He served as the First Alert Commander at the 148th's 24/7 alert site at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida. Later, Stromquist was appointed as the Air National Guard's liaison to NORAD. Stromquist served as commander of 148th Fighter Wing and Vice Commander of 1st Air Force. Stromquist retired in 1999 at the rank of Brigadier General.

Dr. Julie Heimbach
(Class of 1988) Julie is a professor of surgery and Director of the Transplant Center at Mayo Clinic. Dr. Heimbach is a transplant surgeon who is recognized nationally and internationally for her contributions to the field of liver transplantation. Her work has focused on living donor liver transplantations and related medical conditions. Heimbach has also been a leader in the development of organ allocation policy at the national level, having served both as the chair of the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) Liver Committee and on the Board Board of Directors of the OPTN.

Matthew Sanford
(Class of '84) Matthew has inspired and enhanced the lives of thousands as he demystifies the mind-body connection through his work as an author, speaker, and yoga teacher. Matthew was paralyzed at age 13 in a devastating car accident that killed his sister and father. Sanford followed the advice of doctors to "forget his lower body" until, at age 25, he discovered yoga and the healing power of the mind-body connection. Sanford uses his pioneering experience with yoga, paralysis, and disability to transform the current approach to rehabilitation. Named of a Volvo For Life Award hero.

Frank Stokes
Frank Stokes is a member of the Class of 1979. After graduating from the UofM with a Masters in Aerospace Engineering, Stokes began a 36 year career with the Air Force. He served on active duty and spent 24 years with the 148th Fighter Wing in Duluth, culminating as the Wing Commander. He is a command pilot with over 4,400 flying hours in fighter aircraft. As a Brigadier General, he served as the Deputy Director, Strategy, Plans and Programs Directorate, United States Africa Command. Retiring as a Major General, he was the Commander, Air National Guard Readiness Center, Joint Base Andrews.

Ross Litman
Ross Litman is a member of the Class of 1978. Ross attended the University of Minnesota in Duluth and graduated with a B.A in Criminology and Political Science in 1983. Ross was hired as a Deputy Sheriff in 1992 and in 2000 was promoted to the rank of Investigator. Litman was elected Sheriff of St. Louis County in November of 2002, becoming the youngest Sheriff in Northeastern Minnesota at the age of 42. When Litman retired he tied for the second-longest-serving sheriff in the state at the helm of the largest law enforcement agency in the region.

Carolyn Treacy-Bramante
Carolyn Treacy-Branante is a member of the Class of 2000. Carolyn competed in the 2006 Winter Olympics as a member of the U.S. Biathlon team anchoring her team to their best ever finish. Graduating from the UofM's Medical School, she completed a combined residency at John Hopkins Hospital. She currently is an assistant professor at the University of Minnesota, where she is triple board certified in internal medicine, pediatrics, and obesity medicine. She founded the Interprofessional Street Outreach Program to bring health care to underserved populations around the Twin Cities.

Mike Hatch
Mike Hatch is a member of the Class of 1966. Mike was the Attorney General of Minnesota from 1999 to 2007, Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Commerce from 1983 to 1989, and Chair of the Minnesota DFL Party from 1980 to 1983. In 2006 he was the DFL candidate for Minnesota Governor. Prior to his public service as Attorney General, Hatch was the founding partner of a Minneapolis law firm specializing in complex insurance, financial, health care, legal, and regulatory matters. He represented women -and won- in over 50 lawsuits challenging the denial by insurers of treatment for breast cancer.

Beryl Pettigrew
Beryl Pettigrew, East's legendary Orchestra Director, moved to Duluth, Minnesota, in 1957 to join the Duluth Superior Symphony Orchestra and begin a teaching position at West Junior High School in Duluth. In 1960, he accepted the Orchestra Director position at East and ran the string program for 26 years, also the Duluth String Orchestra, and feeder school programs. He was an adjunct violin and viola teacher at UMD. Pettigrew was with the Duluth Superior Symphony Orchestra for 47 years, playing with internationally famous musicians including Issac Stern, Beverly Sills and Itzhak Perlman.

Heather (Marsman) McDonald
Heather McDonald is a member of the Class of 1987, graduating number one in her class. She was a member of the Choralaires and Captain of the Girls' Swim and Track Teams. McDonald graduated with honors from the U of M with a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering. Heather started working for NASA in 1992. She has received numerous awards including a Silver Snoopy (NASA's highest award for contributions to crew safety and mission success). McDonald is recognized as an expert in spacecraft rendezvous and docking technologies and operations. She was appointed as the first female Chief Engineer of the International Space Station in 2018.

Benjamin Wolfe
Ben Wolfe is a member of the Class of 1965. He was director and grief therapist of St. Mary's Grief Support Center. He is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Fellow in Thanatology as well as a former president of the Association for Death Education and Counseling. Wolfe consults and trains internationally and has given over 2,000 presentations on grief and loss. He was a clinical member of the NE Minnesota Critical Incident Stress Debriefing team. He has authored numerous related articles and served on the St. Mary's Bio-Ethics Committee.

Gaelynn Lea
Gaelynn Lea is a member of the Class of 2002. Lea won NPR Music's Tiny Desk Contest in 2016 and has since toured in 45 states and 9 countries with her unique mix of original songs and traditional fiddle music. She recently wrote the original music for the Broadway production of "Macbeth", which ran this past year in New York. In addition to performing, she uses her music as a platform to advocate for Disability Rights and to promote Disability Culture. Lea is a proud Co-Founder of a change-making group called RAMPD (Recording Artists and Music Professionals with Disabilities).

Sean Hill
Sean Hill is a member of the Class of 1988. He was a star defenseman for the Greyhounds while at East and went on to play seventeen seasons in the National Hockey League for eight different teams. Hill was drafted in the 8th round by the Canadiens and won the Stanley Cup in 1993 with Montreal. He was a member of the United States Winter Olympic Team in 1992. Hill scored the first goal in the history of the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim in 1993. He was selected to the WCHA All-Tournament Team in 1990 and 1991. He ended his NHL career with the Minnesota Wild in 2008.

James McGregor
James McGregor is a member of the Class of 1971. Upon graduation, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and was sent to Viet Nam where he earned a Bronze Star and The Purple Heart. Returning from Viet Nam with an interest in Asia, he graduated from the U of M with a degree in journalism. McGregor served as The Wall Street Journal's bureau chief in Taiwan and later as the paper's bureau chief in mainland China. In 1994, he became the CEO of Dow Jones & Company in China. Later, McGregor became managing partner in GIV Venture Partners. He has authored highly regarded books on China and is in high demand as an expert on China.

Anne Hed
Anne (McDonnell) Hed is a member of the Class of 1980. Anne was Captain of the 1980 Girls' Swim Team Section Champions. Following high school, Anne became a triathlete and entered the 1983 Iron Triathlonman which she won. With her winnings from the Vermont Triathlon, she and husband Steve Hed co-founded Hed Cycling in 1985. It has become a world-renowned business known for its trailblazing innovations and hand-made products. Following the death of her husband, Anne has gone on to take Hed Cycling to even greater heights. Anne and her company are committed to supporting many worthy causes including Lemond Ride for Special Olympics.

Dennis Hughes
Dennis (Denny) Hughes is a member of the Class of 1968 where he was elected Class President. Upon graduation, Hughes joined the Army and served as a medic in Viet Nam with the 101st Airborne. In 1973, he joined the U.S. Army Reserve serving in the 477th Medical Company for 23 years. He retired as a Captain and Company Commander. His military awards include the Silver Star, Bronze Star, and Purple Heart. He began his civilian career as a letter carrier and ended his career as Duluth Postmaster. His volunteer work includes working with Disabled American Veterans, the Red Cross, Kiwanis, United Way, and St. Louis County Vets.

Peggy Kirsch
Peggy Kirsch was a member of the Class of 1977. She is recognized as the greatest golfer in the history of Duluth East. Peggy attended the University of Alabama where she graduated as an All-American in 1981. As a college freshman, she received national recognition, placing second in the 1978 Minnesota Women's Golf Association stroke-play tournament. In 1979, Peggy advanced to the semi-finals of the U.S. Women's Amateur match-play event which earned her a spot in the 1980 U.S. Open. She went on to play in nine U.S. Open tournaments and was a professional golf instructor for many years. Kirsch passed away in 2018.

Ed Crawford
Eddie Crawford was a Social Worker, Guidance Counselor, Assistant Principal, and Co-Principal at East. Eddie retired as Assistant Superintendent of the Duluth Public Schools. While working in the District, Crawford was instrumental in establishing the STAR Program for credit recovery, Saturday School, the Mandarin Language Program, On Line Learning, Elementary Language Immersion, and the East Foundation. Eddie is an active volunteer in many community programs, including the Northland Foundation, Duluth Sister Cities, Men As Peace Makers, and the YMCA Heritage Foundation. He is currently an Adjunct Professor at UMD supervising student teachers.

Dale Harris
Dale Harris is a member of the Class of 1985. He was appointed by Governor Tim Pawlenty to serve as a Judge for the 6th Judicial district. He was elected in 2012. After graduating from East, Dale graduated cum laude from Hamline University School of Law and served as a Judge Advocate for the U.S. Navy. He served as an Assistant St. Louis County Attorney prior to his appointment to the bench. Judge Harris is active in coaching in a number of local youth leagues and has worked as an assistant Scoutmaster. Dale has been a member of the adjunct faculty of Fond-du-Lac Tribal Community College since 2007, where he teaches Civil Liability for Law Enforcement

Bruce Paddock
Bruce Paddock is a member of the Class of 1965. He graduated from UMD and then went on to pharmacy school. After graduation, Paddock went to work for C. R. Canfield as a pharmacist. After four years at Canfield, Bruce put together enough money to buy the bankrupt company at a bank auction in 1978. He changed the name to Paddock Labs and with Congress changing the rules on generic drugs in 1984, Paddock Labs took off. Paddock Labs now generates an annual quarter billion dollars in sales. In 2011, Bruce sold his interest in Paddock Labs and now devotes his life to investing in small businesses.

Julie (Hay) Klun
Julie (Hay) Klun is a member of the Class of 1982. She was a three sport, three letter winner with the Greyhounds, winning All-State Honors in 1981. She still holds the East long jump record in track and field. She holds six medals from her three appearances in the Minnesota State Track Meet. She helped lead East to their first State Tournament Girls' Basketball berth in 1982. After graduation, Julie received a scholarship to UMD to play basketball and track where she still holds several track and field records. Klun was inducted into the UMD Hall of Fame and into the NSIC Hall of Fame.

Bob Keller
Bob Keller is a member of the Class of 1992. After graduation, he joined the army and was assigned to the 1st Ranger Battalion. He joined the U.S. Army Special Forces earning a Green Beret. For the next ten years, Keller was a member of the Army's most elite Special Operations unit. Much of his service is classified, but many of his team say they owe their lives to Bob. He is a legend in Special Operations. Since his retirement, Keller has devoted his life to philanthropy, raising funds to help veterans, and training police officers in advanced tactics and firearms.

Don Garnett
Don Garnett was a beloved teacher at East High, teaching Mathematics from 1957 through 1992. In addition to his teaching assignment, Don was the head Baseball Coach, and an Assistant Coach in hockey and football. He served as the Key Club Advisor and as Student Forum Advisor; he established many of the traditions still followed by the Student Forum today. He also served as the official time keeper for football and basketball. While teaching at the beginning of the computer age, Don was a key figure in bringing this new technology to the students of ISD #709, becoming the Director of the District's Northeast Educational Technology Consortium.

Chris Monroe
Chris Monroe was a member of the Class of 1980. She is an author, illustrator, visual artist and cartoonist. She is the author of nine children's picture books, as well as the illustrator of picture books by authors Kevin Kling, Jane Yolen, and Janice Levy. Her comic strip, "Violet Days" has been in print for over 20 years and is featured in the collection "Ultra Violet: Ten Years Of Violet Days." In 1999, City Pages named her Best Local Cartoonist. In 2016, she won an emmy award for her animation artwork for "Kevin Kling: Lost And Found," a documentary produced by Twin Cities PBS.

Irv St. John
Irv St. John was a Physical Education teacher and coach at East where he was a six-time conference champion, took four teams to the state tournament, and ended up with an overall record of 364-132 as head coach. He had a passion for mentoring his students and athletes and kept in touch with many after their playing days. He finished his career as East Athletic Director where he started started the soccer program. Irv was a competitor all his life and is in the Bemidji State Athletic Hall of Fame, Minnesota Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame and the NSIC Hall of Fame. Irv passed away in 2015.

Kara (Wheeler) Goucher
Kara (Wheeler) Goucher was a member of the Class of 1996 and excelled in Cross Country and Track. Kara was a State Champion in Cross Country for four years at East. At the University of Colorado, Goucher became the NCAA Outdoor Champion in two events and the NCAA Cross Country Champion. She won a bronze medal in the 2007 world championships and has competed in numerous races around the world. Goucher has represented the United States on two Olympic Teams, competing in the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the 2012 London Olympics.

David Ross
David Ross was a member of the Class of 1974. Ross was an All-City and All-Conference Football player, and a member of the 1974 Shriners All-State Football Team. David was a Merit Scholar and a starter in football for Co-Conference Champion Concordia College. Ross earned a Master of Arts in Management Degree, with honors, from CSS. He has been President and CEO of the Duluth Chamber of Commerce for over 20 years. David received the Martin Luther King Drum Major for Peace Award and the Senator Sam Solon Lifetime Legislative Service award. He is the DECC Board of Directors Chairperson.

Sally Sjogren Tarnowski
Sally Sjogren Tarnowski was a member of the Class of 1978 where she played varsity softball, volleyball, and basketball and was a member of the National Honor Society. A graduate of the William Mitchell College of Law, she was appointed to the bench by Govenor Tim Pawlenty in 2007. Judge Tarnowski was the recipient of the Northland's News Center 2012 Women in Leadership Award for her work as the creator of a court for criminal offenders with mental health issues. The National Alliance on Mental Illness of Minnesota presented Tarnowski with its Criminal Justice Program of the Year Award.

Scott D. Anderson
Scott D. Anderson was a member of the Class of 1983 where he was Band President, Football Captain, and Student Forum President. Anderson was a graduate of Stanford University where he built a working submarine. Anderson was an F-16 Fighter pilot with the Duluth Air National Guard where he rose to the rank of Major. Scott authored three books: Distant Fires, Unknown Rider, and Mosquito Book. Anderson was a test pilot and Director of Flight Operations with Cirrus Aircraft when his life was tragically cut short flight testing the first production model of the Cirrus SR20.

Thomas Little
A teacher at East from 1965 to 1978, Little taught social studies and advised several groups at the school. He taught in Duluth for thirty years. In 1977 he received a Bush Fellowship for his passion about learning and improving the quality of life in his community. Little was appointed as a lecturer for the Staley Foundation in 1981. Tom was the recipient of Minnesota's Terrific Teacher Award in 1992. He served as a delegate to the City of Duluth's Inaugural Sister City Delegation to Petrozavodsk, Russia, and was a frequent lecturer and guest speaker for numerous educational workshops and conferences.  Tom passed away on August 12, 2002.

Dick Skogg
A teacher at East from 1963 to 1997, Skogg taught math and chemistry. He served as Activities Director during his last five years at East, during which 84 different teams participated in state tournaments, and he was named The 7AA A.D. of the Year.  He coached track for 32 years, cross country for 26 years, and five consecutive State Girls' CC Championship teams.  Dick was named State Cross Country Coach of the Year for both boys and girls. He co-managed the Swain Cross Country Meet for 24 years. Skogg is a member of the State Cross Country Coaches Hall of Fame and the State Coaches Hall of Fame. 

Nick A. Srdar
Srdar served as principal of East High School from 1970 until his retirement in 1987. He began his career in education as a teacher in Floodwood, Minnesota in 1956 where he became principal in 1959. Prior to his appointment as East principal, Srdar served as principal at Keewatin, Woodland, and Washington. Nick believed in the potential of all young people and set high expectations for students and faculty. He took great pride in the scholarly achievements of students and in the Good Sportsmanship Award East's student body consistently received at state tournaments. Nick passed away on November 25, 2009.

Betty Marciniak-Ahrendt
Having recently celebrated her 90th birthday, Marciniak-Ahrendt is best known for writing the lyrics to the traditional Duluth East fight song-The Birchen.  Marciniak-Ahrendt wrote the famous lyrics while attending East as a junior high school student.   Betty's lyrics literally span the decades with every Greyhound, past and into the future, united by her refrain.  There is no better legacy than being responsible for "East High Rah, Rah, Rah!"

Joseph (Joe) W. Mrkonich
A teacher of History, Economics, and Government at Duluth East for 24 years,  Joe was a legendary Boys' Basketball Head Coach from 1963-1970, Girls' Basketball Head Coach from 1978-1987, and Head Football Coach from 1965-1976. Mrkonich led Duluth East to a combined 336 wins in the three sports, and led the Girls' Basketball team to four state tournaments. Mrkonich retired from East in 1987, but continued to serve as a timekeeper and announcer for basketball games from 1987-1999. Mrkonich has a scholarship named for him at Duluth East.  He passed away on April 14, 2011.

Denise (Holm) Olson
A 1985 Duluth East graduate, Olson was a three-year letter winner in basketball and volleyball. She was named Minnesota's Miss Basketball in 1985 and was a member of the state runner-up Duluth East Girls' Basketball team that same season. Olson was also a state runner-up at the 1984 Minnesota State Volleyball tournament, and held a 3.5 GPA at Duluth East. She later went on to play basketball for UMD, led the nation in assists at the NAIA level in 1989, and is a 2004 inductee to the UMD Hall of Fame. Olson has also coached Girls' Basketball at both Duluth Central and Duluth East, and has her jersey #22 retired at Duluth East.