October 10, 1997

Business alumni honored at 50th anniversary dinner

Two alumni of the Joseph A. Butt, S.J., College of Business Administration at Loyola were honored at the college's 50th Anniversary Celebration on September 27. Robert J. Rathe, Sr. was named the Alumnus of the Year and Blake O. Escudier received the Young Alumnus of the Year award.

Rathe received his bachelor's degree in accounting in 1949. After graduation, he served in the military and then held positions in marketing at IBM and Swift & Co. Later, Rathe started his own company, R.J. Rathe Company. Over time, Rathe's business evolved into Racon Information Technologies and is now directed by four of his sons. The company has offices throughout the southwestern United States. Rathe, in semi-retirement, continues to work as treasurer for Rathe Construction.

Escudier graduated from Loyola in 1987 with a bachelor's degree in marketing and management and a master of business administration degree in 1993. In addition to managing his own businesses, Escudier teaches subjects ranging from general business practices to small business marketing strategies at four colleges. Escudier also donates much of his time to community activities in Richland, Washington where he lives. These include the Entrepreneurial Support Network, Mid-Columbia Symphony Society, and president of the Loyola's Pacific Northwest Alumni Chapter.

-Annie Morris, Intern in the Office of Publications