President's Award
2013 Recipient

Dave Wicker '80

David Wicker, who received a bachelor of business administration degree in management information systems from UW-Eau Claire in 1980, will receive the President's Award, which recognizes outstanding professional and personal achievements and service to UW-Eau Claire.

Wicker is the chief executive officer of Savigent Software Inc., a manufacturing operations management software company headquartered in Minnetonka, Minn. The company provides flexible software and solutions for workflow automation, manufacturing intelligence and systems integration for clients in a variety of industries including automotive, semiconductor, industrial, specialty chemical, consumer packaged goods, and aerospace and defense.

Wicker also has served as president and chief executive officer of Orion Consulting Inc., a company he founded in 1983, which became a leading information technology consulting firm with more than 200 employees serving Fortune 500 companies as well as smaller, up-and-coming businesses. Orion Consulting was honored as one of the "50 Fastest Growing Companies" in the Twin Cities from 1997-99 and received the "Quality of Life" Award from the Greater Minneapolis Chamber of Commerce in 1998 for its highly regarded and effective corporate culture and organization. Wicker sold the company to SSi International in 2000.

In 1998 Wicker was recognized as a "40 Under 40" Twin Cities business leader by the Twin Cities Business Journal and continues to be an active community leader. He currently serves on the board of directors of PCI, an international nonprofit organization headquartered in San Diego whose mission is to prevent disease, improve community health and promote sustainable development worldwide.

View the list of past recipients of this award.