Hall of Fame
The Ropers Who Made a Difference.
Celebrating the Will Rogers alumni who have gone on to shape Tulsa, and the world, through their work, their service, and the lives they’ve touched.
Will Rogers has a long tradition of honoring its distinguished alumni at special ceremonies held over the years. The Hall of Fame was the Foundation’s first initiative, long before the Foundation’s mission grew to include direct support for today’s students. It remains the Foundation’s way of saying: this school produces people worth celebrating, and their stories are worth telling.
Each year, a new class of inductees is added, chosen by a selection committee from nominations submitted by the Will Rogers community.
Search below to explore inductees by name, year, or field of endeavor.
Class of Excellence
All Inductees
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Donald R. Mellott
Business & Technology Owned companies from the age of 26 and gave the first major gift toward Victory Christian Center's Tulsa Dream Center. View bio -
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Ernest Moody
Business & Technology Bought a watchmaker's shop with $200 in savings and built Moody's into the largest family-owned jeweler in Oklahoma. View bio -
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Frank Morsani
Business & Technology Built a large network of automobile dealerships across four states and chaired the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in 1985-1986. View bio -
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Fred Sanders
Business & Technology Aerospace engineer on the Mercury, Gemini and Skylab programs who won NASA's Prestigious Public Service Award in 1974. View bio -
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Gordona Moore Duca
Business & Technology Tulsa realtor who opened her own firm in 1975 and was later named Oklahoma Business Woman of the Year by The Journal Record. View bio -
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James D. Dunn
Business & Technology Managed mission trajectory control for Gemini and Apollo, then grew his family's Tulsa lumber company into a national firm. View bio -
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Linda Chambers Bradshaw
Business & Technology Gymnastics business owner and Will Rogers Memorial authority who founded the Rotary-sponsored Will Rogers Gala. View bio -
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Preston C. Caruthers
Business & Technology Started his own construction business at 23 and later built Belmont Bay, a waterfront community south of Washington. View bio -
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Robert J. Stuart
Business & Technology State sprint champion and Roper football legend who later helped install the Air Force's first computer system. View bio -
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Ron Woods
Business & Technology Music teacher turned healthcare founder whose company CareATC served over 150 large employers across 35 states. View bio -
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Stephen D. Chesebro’
Business & Technology Rose to chairman and CEO of Tenneco Energy, and helped lead the formation of the Gas Industry Standards Board in 1994. View bio -
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Walter Lipke
Business & Technology Federal software manager who created Earned Schedule, a project management method honored in the US, Europe and Australia. View bio
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Hall of Fame Nominations
Know Someone Who Deserves This Recognition?
The Hall of Fame honors Will Rogers alumni who have made extraordinary contributions to their field and to their community. Nominations are reviewed annually by our selection committee. To be considered for an induction class, a nomination must be submitted or postmarked by 5:00 p.m. on August 31; later nominations may be held for the class after.
- Must be a graduate of Will Rogers High School (now Will Rogers College Middle and High School)
- Demonstrated excellence in their field of endeavor
- Positive impact on their community or society at large
Full eligibility requirements, the review timeline, and what to include in a nomination are outlined in our Nomination Rules and Procedures.
Nominations are closed for this year.
View Nomination Rules and Procedures (PDF) (opens in a new tab)
