Former MCC trustee, Harley-Davidson Motor Company spokesman chosen as MCC's 2020 distinguished alumni

McHenry County College and the Friends of McHenry County College Foundation have named Ken Schmidt and Frances Glosson as winners of the 2020 Distinguished Alumni Award, recognizing the contributions they have made to their fields and community while remaining actively involved with MCC, according to a news release.

With an expertise in organizational communication, Glosson served on Centegra's senior leadership team as their expert resource for all regulatory accreditation and certification programs, according to the release. She also has previously served as a trustee for McHenry County College.

Glosson was one of the founding members of Leadership Greater McHenry County in 2004, leading the development of the curriculum that remains largely in place today, according to the release.

She continues to assist doctoral students with their dissertations and, through Leadership Greater McHenry County's Leadership and Learning Academy, has facilitated strategic planning processes for more than 50 for-profit and nonprofit organizations locally and nationally, according to the release.

Schmidt, a sought-after keynote speaker and communications consultant, is the former director of communications for the Harley-Davidson Motor Company, according to the release. In this role, he played an active part in one of the most celebrated turnarounds in corporate history.

He is the author of the 2018 book "Make Some Noise: The Unconventional Road to Dominance," which details stories and insights about the road to building a fanatically vocal customer base, creating a passionately loyal corporate culture, and developing leaders who inspire and motivate, according to the release.

Although he lives out of the area, Schmidt continues to support a scholarship at MCC. In 2018, he filmed a short video to help inspire others to engage with MCC and the Foundation.