The York Distinguished Alumni Program (YDAP) serves to recognize and honor alumni who have distinguished themselves through significant and/or extraordinary accomplishments, service and/or an outstanding contribution to society. This year, six Dukes of Distinction have been chosen by a panel of York alumni judges and will be honored on the evening of Thursday, November 2, beginning with a reception at 6:30 PM in the York High School Commons. The program is free and open to the public,
This week, the Independent joins District 205 in a salute to three of the six Distinguished Alumni, Blake Byren, David Boss and Dr. Judith Bond Johnson.
Blake Byrne, Class of 1953
Nominated by Sally Mills
Blake Byrne, Class of 1953, received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Duke University in 1957 and a MBA from Columbia University in 1961. He spent 35 years in television broadcasting beginning at CBS in New York, then at Chris Craft Broadcasting in Portland, Oregon; Outlet Broadcasting in Providence, Rhode Island; LIN Broadcasting in Ft. Worth-Dallas and New York; and Disney in Los Angeles, before becoming Co-Founder and President of Argyle Television in Los Angeles and San Antonio, Texas. He retired from broadcasting in 1997. He is Chairman of his son’s company, Byrne Acquisition Group, with television stations in Madison, Wisconsin and Hilton Head, South Carolina, and radio stations in Myrtle Beach and Clemson, South Carolina.
Art was always a passion for Blake, but he began collecting in earnest in 1989, when his focus shifted to contemporary art. When he asked his mentor and friend, Jack Tilton, how to learn about collecting art, Jack suggested Blake develop his own tastes by touring the Art Basel in Switzerland, where galleries from all over the world converge. Blake came away with his first purchases.
In 1997, he founded The Skylark Foundation, a philanthropic family foundation that’s committed to encouraging the protection of LGBTQ rights, striving for social justice and supporting diversity.
In 2015, the Foundation supported a travelling art exhibition from Blake’s private collection in celebration of his 80th birthday. This exhibition was shared with students at Duke University, The Ohio State University, Columbia University and Lewis & Clark College. That same year, he received the Distinguished Alumni Award at Duke University, an honor reserved for just 33 alumni to date.
Blake is a Lifetime Trustee of MOCA, was the Founding Chair of the Nasher Museum, and was honored with a Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, an honor given for making a significant contribution to the arts in France.
Blake has two children and six grandchildren.
David Bosse 1980
Nominated by Crystal Scott
David Bosse, Class of 1980, didn’t always possess a passion for firefighting. After graduation from York, he tried various jobs, and in 1984, answered an ad for a part-time fireman. He was hired by the Lisle/Woodridge Fire Department on his birthday, which he thought was a good omen. Moving on to a full-time position with the Bartlett Fire Department, he graduated from the Paramedic Program with honors. Dave was promoted to Lieutenant in 2007. Dave was late for his own ceremony because he was at a structure fire and had to wait for a relief Lieutenant.
Dave recently completed his associate’s degree in fire science and is currently working on his bachelor’s degree in the same field. He has taught Haz-Mat and other related classes at Elgin Community College and speaks to classes of GED candidates.
His service took him outside of Illinois. He labored tirelessly in the aftermath of Katrina, working 24-hour shifts, then spending his off hours clearing debris. For his efforts, he received the Armed Forces Humanitarian Medal and the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System medal. Dave also assisted the New York Fire Department after the 9-11 attacks. The Bartlett Fire Department awarded him the Medal of Merit for saving for actions at a fire where a woman was trapped.
Continuing his love of learning, Dave has become an expert on the Sengoku Jidai period in Japan. Another of his interests is the study of Naval warfare and military history. He lectured at the 73rd anniversary of the World War II Battleship Bismarck commissioning at the DANK Haus German American Cultural Center on the topic of “Strategic Thinking Behind the Surface Raiders.”
In 2016, Lieutenant Bosse retired after 20 years of full-time service. His top priority is his family. He is married to Monica and has three children: Sophie, Katie, and Josh. Dave has moved to Tennessee, where he continues teaching CPR/First Aid and helping teach life skills to the disabled.
Dr. Judith Bond Johnson 1955
Nominated by Dr. Barbara Lund (who was a YDAP honoree last year)
Dr. Judith (Judi) Bond Johnson, Class of 1955, is a nurse and was the first to receive a PhD from the Adult Education program at the University of Minnesota in 1979. Cancer nursing is her specialty, but following a stroke in 1991, she expanded her interest to include all types of chronic illnesses. Judi’s company, HealthQuest, serves individuals, hospitals and companies whose interest is living with chronic illness.
She is editor of the journal, Asian Pacific Journal of Oncology Nursing (APJON) and has 40+ co-editors that make up her editorial board. She consults with companies and organizations, writing and editing marketing pieces, as well as advising on readability and level of understanding of patient education materials content. Judi speaks on topics such as living with chronic illness and patient education, and works with clients individually.
Her PhD thesis, the I Can Cope cancer patient education course, was quickly adopted by American and international hospitals. Dr. Johnson has lived in Japan, where she developed and taught a PhD program. An appointment as a Fulbright Scholar in 2010 took her to China and Kenya, where she and her husband lived for two months each. As a reviewer of applications for potential Fulbright scholars, she actively rates up to ten applications every few months. Her most recent book on women’s health is now in the publishing phase.
Judi says life with her husband, Randy, has been exciting, as their path has taken unexpected turns. They currently reside in Minneapolis and have been married 56 years. They have two grown graduate school-prepared sons and three granddaughters—two of whom are college graduates and the other is less than a year old. Of the older granddaughters, one is a school teacher and the other is in physical therapy school. Dr. Johnson also chairs the Health and Wellness Committee at her residence, which is an “over 55” building of 158 condos.
