“Boise State lost one of its own today,” said President Kustra on February 3. “A former Bronco tennis player who never forgot his alma mater, Steve graduated in business and went on to lead one of the nation’s premier companies and enrich in so many ways the community he called home. He played a critical role in transforming Boise State into a research university serving the tech economy of Idaho. I valued his friendship, his generous support, and especially the advice and counsel he provided me personally as we navigated our way through the recent recession. Our thoughts and prayers are with Dalynn, his children and his family as well as his colleagues at Micron.”

Steve Appleton came to Boise State University in 1978 on a tennis scholarship. He was captain of the tennis team his senior year and won the Big Sky doubles championship. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business management in 1982. In 2001, he received the university’s prestigious Silver Medallion award for his service to the university and in May 2007 he was awarded an honorary doctorate.

Appleton served as co-chair of the university’s most recent comprehensive fundraising campaign for scholarships, programs and buildings. He also was a Boise State University Foundation board member from 1995-2002 and was a lifetime Chaffee Guild member.

He was instrumental in the development of Boise State’s College of Engineering, which offered its first classes in 1996.  His support has been invaluable to both the College of Business and Economics and the College of Engineering.

Appleton Tennis Complex on the Boise State campus is named for him. He stayed active in college tennis and was honored by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association at the Achievement Award Ceremony during the 2005 US Open.

In 1999, he established the Micron Foundation, which has led to several generous donations to Boise State programs and initiatives, including the Micron Business and Economics Building at the corner of University and Capitol, slated to open later this year, and doctoral programs in the departments of Materials Science and Engineering and Electrical and Computer Engineering.

The public memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 23, at Taco Bell Arena on the Boise State campus.

Memorial funds have been established in Appleton’s name with the Make-A-Wish Foundation and the Boise State University Foundation. The Micron Foundation has donated $25,000 to each of the funds in honor of Appleton.

For more information, visit www.micron.com.

Sympathy cards may be sent to the following address:

Micron Technology, Inc.
Attn: The Appleton Family
8000 S. Federal Way, MS 1-406
P.O. Box 6
Boise, ID 83707-0006

The Executive MBA program is an opportunity for experienced professionals to obtain a master’s degree in business administration on a schedule that minimizes disruption of work and personal pursuits. Such programs include a cohort class structure that offers a lock-step, planned curriculum in an executive setting. Boise State University’s Executive MBA Program receives excellent reviews and offers the best value in our region. We also have one of the most robust executive lecturer programs in the country. To learn more about the Executive MBA program visit the EMBA website.

Dave has strong leadership skills, a deep knowledge of all aspects of the packaging industry and broad financial and sales experience. He has played a key role in the acquisition of Tharco Packaging, and continues to support the integration of our two organizations.

Dave has worked closely with the senior management team on Packaging strategy and has delivered strong results in a variety of roles in the business. He has served as general manager of the Salt Lake, Nampa, and Sparks plants, managing and leading full-line and heavy-weight corrugated container operations as well as sheet plant operations. Dave was previously the director of treasury operations for Boise Cascade Corporation (now OfficeMax) and held positions in sales, marketing and auditing. Previously, Dave served as the vice president of sales and manufacturing for Crown Technology Corporation. Dave received his B.A. in accounting and finance from Boise State University and obtained a CPA in the State of Idaho.

Dave and his wife, Lori, live in Boise, where they moved when Dave was promoted to general manager, Corrugated and Containerboard, in January.

Elorriaga embodies Boise State’s mission of public engagement. An avid supporter of education in the Northwest, he is a past recipient of the university’s Distinguished Alumni Award.

Elorriaga is the son of Basque immigrants who ran a boarding house in Jordan Valley, Ore. After serving in the U.S. Air Force, he became student body president of Boise Junior College (BJC) in 1948 and graduated in 1949. He later earned degrees from the University of Oregon, University of Pittsburgh, and the Pacific Coast Banking School at the University of Washington.

He began his banking career at U.S. National Bank of Oregon (which later became U.S. Bancorp) and ultimately was named chief executive officer. Elorriaga’s belief in education has been evident throughout his career. He taught classes at the American Institute of Banking, Multnomah College and Portland State University. Additionally, he has served on advisory boards for Boise State and the University of Oregon.

While at BJC, Elorriaga was strongly influenced by three professors, whom he later honored by establishing fellowships in each of their names. In 1998, he created one of the first endowed professorship programs at Boise State. For 12 years, the Elorriaga Endowed Professorship has continuously provided two three-year professorships. He also established the Ada Burke Endowed Fellowship to recognize exemplary teachers who are active in the business community.

To foster the increasing technological needs of students and faculty, Elorriaga assisted in creating a state-of-the-art electronic meeting room, named the Hewlett-Packard and John Elorriaga Technology, Testing and Innovation Lab in the College of Business and Economics. Additionally, his support of the Basque Studies program has aided it in becoming the largest university program of its type outside of the Basque Country.

Elorriaga has provided leadership to many community and professional organizations at local and national levels, including the Boise State College of Business and Economics advisory council, American Bankers Association, Idaho Power Company, the Institute for Public Affairs Research, United Way, Leukemia Society of America and the Oregon Shakespearean Festival Association. Recently, he donated his family home for the ION (Idaho, Oregon and Nevada) Center, which serves as a regional museum.

Elorriaga has received numerous awards for his philanthropy, leadership and humanitarian endeavors. He is the ninth person to receive an honorary doctorate from Boise State. Past recipients include long-time Boise arts patron and philanthropist Velma Morrison (2010), Bethine Church, matriarch of the Idaho Democratic Party and widow of late U.S. Sen. Frank Church (2009), former astronaut/educator Barbara Morgan (2008), Micron Technology CEO Steve Appleton (2007), CH2M Hill President Ralph R. Peterson (2006), Chinese humanitarian Deng Pufang (2005), former Idaho Gov. Cecil Andrus (2004) and Hollywood director Michael Hoffman (2004).

The traditional ceremony will begin at 10 a.m. in Taco Bell Arena and will include a processional and recessional, individual recognition of graduates, and the hooding of doctoral candidates. No tickets are required.

Click here to view the embedded video.

• Don Warner, Chemistry, College of Arts and Sciences
• Matt Wilkerson, Information Technology and Supply Chain Management , College of Business and Economics
• Michael Humphrey, Special Education, College of Education
• David Haws, Civil Engineering, College of Engineering
• Lori Hausegger, Political Science, College of Social Sciences and Public Affairs

Additional nominees were:

• Mary Frances Casper, Communication
• Luis Gomez, Modern Languages and Literatures
• Dylan Lambert, English
• Jennifer Snow, Curriculum Instruction and Foundational Studies
• Stan Steiner, Literacy
• Sam Strother, Center for School Improvement & Policy Studies
• Misty Wall, Social Work
• A.J. Zenkert, Curriculum Instruction and Foundational Studies

Dr Pham Quang Trung, president of the Alumni Chapter and Vice Rector of National Economics University, has been conferred the title of Professor.

Dr Nguyen Van Thang, Director of the Asia-Pacific Management Institute under NEU, has been conferred the title of Associate Professor.