INDIANAPOLIS – The Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) has named Barry Koenemann and Michael Ragsdale as the recipients of the 2026 Dr. Charles Bertram Alumni Award of Distinction, it was announced by the Conference office on Thursday.
Koenemann and Ragsdale were chosen as this year’s winners by the GLVC Awards Committee and will be formally recognized by the league at the GLVC Spring Awards Reception in Brentwood, Mo., on Tuesday, May 19.
A former men’s basketball and track & field student-athlete at Missouri S&T, Koenemann was nominated by the Miners’ administration. Ragsdale’s nomination was submitted by the Rockhurst administration following a four-year career as a men’s soccer student-athlete for the Hawks. The Bertram Alumni Award of Distinction is an honor that extends beyond one’s collegiate career. It is presented to individuals who displays academic excellence, athletic ability and achievement, character, and leadership, while serving their institutions with personal distinction since their graduation, while also making postgraduate public or community service contributions to athletics at any level.
Barry Koenemann, Missouri S&T
A 1970 graduate of S&T, Koenemann spent one year (1968-69) on the men’s basketball team and competed in discus and shot put for the track & field team in 1969. He appeared in five games for the Miners’ basketball team, averaging 1.4 points per game.
Koenemann obtained his Bachelor of Science in civil engineering from Missouri S&T (formerly known as University of Missouri-Rolla) in 1970. He proceeded to work at Horner and Shifrin designing infrastructure before heading to R.W. Murray Co. to serve as a project manager. He later earned a promotion to Vice President of Marketing, which included leading four regional offices.
In 1991, Koenemann founded the United Construction Enterprise Company of St. Louis, serving as the owner and CEO for 35 years. The company started with just five employees and has expanded to 50 employees with over one billion dollars in revenue.
S&T Athletics Director Melissa Ringhausen said, “Barry is a builder in every sense of the word. As founder, owner, and CEO of United Construction, he built a successful company from the ground up, one rooted in excellence, mentorship, and service. But more importantly, he has spent decades building people. Young engineers, community partners, nonprofit leaders, families in crisis, and countless individuals have benefited from his steady guidance, generosity, and deeply held belief in doing the right thing, even when no one is watching.”
Koenemann has been a transformational philanthropic partner across the state of Missouri, contributing to organizations such as Addiction is Real, Cardinal Glennon Children’s Foundation, Humane Society of Missouri, Little Bit Foundation, S&T Athletics, S&T Order of the Golden Shillelagh, Saint Louis Zoo, Society of St. Vincent de Paul, The Bach Society of Saint Louis, and Wings of Hope. He serves as a board member for Wings of Hope, along with Lutheran Family and Children’s Services and Reliance Bancshares Inc. At S&T, he was a member of the Board of Trustees for 10 years (2004-13) and the founding member of Miners By Design in 2011, a giving society committed to enriching experiential learning opportunities for students. Koenemann’s contributions have been recognized with multiple awards from his alma mater including the Honored Founder Award (1994), Award of Professional Distinction for Civil Engineering (2000), and Alumni Achievement Award (2003).
Addiction is Real Executive Director Erin Johnston stated, “After a difficult first year of transition — both operationally and financially — Addiction is Real was at serious risk of closing its doors. Barry’s full engagement gave our leadership the confidence needed to continue, stabilize, and move the organization forward. He is a hands-on leader who shows up, follows through, and brings others with
him.”
Koenemann and his wife, Debbie, will celebrate 50 years of marriage this summer and currently reside in St. Louis, Missouri.
Michael Ragsdale, Rockhurst
A 2007 and 2009 (master’s) graduate of Rockhurst, Ragsdale was a four-year member of the Hawks’ men’s soccer team. He was named to the All-GLVC Honorable Mention team in his senior season (2006), tallying five assists over 18 games. Ragsdale also played a key role as the box-to-box winger on the 2005 team, helping Rockhurst finish with a 15-5-1 record to win the GLVC Championship Tournament title and qualify for the NCAA Tournament. He completed his career on the pitch with 65 games played, five assists, and three goals.
Long-time Rockhurst men’s soccer coach Tony Tocco said, "When I think of Mike Ragsdale, the word consistency comes to mind. We knew we could count on Mike to give us his best effort every day whether it was practice or a game. His consistency was his strongest virtue; he could play against any opponent and do well…Michael excelled because of his dedication to keeping himself in peak physical condition.”
Ragsdale obtained his Bachelor of Science in business administration in 2007 before deciding to further his education at Rockhurst and secure a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree in 2009. He did, however, enter the workforce after earning his bachelor’s degree in 2007, landing a job with Kansas City Chiefs.
The Chiefs hired Ragsdale as a staff accountant, and he remained in that position until 2016 when he was promoted to Director of Financial Planning and Analysis. Ragsdale garnered another promotion to Director of Strategy and Analytics in 2019 before moving into in his current position as Vice President of Finance, Strategy, and Analytics in 2022. In his current role, he is responsible for all areas of finance, budgeting, forecasting, investment analysis, and analytics – along with serving as the finance lead for special non-NFL events at the Chiefs’ Arrowhead Stadium.
Ragsdale has also been very active in the Kansas City community. He gives back to Rockhurst Athletics by serving on the University’s Board of Trustees (2014-16), returning as a guest speaker for campus events, and annually contributing to the Fr. Joseph M. Freeman, S.J., Rockhurst Cup golf tournament fundraiser. Ragsdale serves on the American Cancer Society Chairman’s Circle, provides support for the Young Professional Association at the University of Kansas Health System, and is a member of the Missouri Society of Public Accountants and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.
Past recipients of the Dr. Charles Bertram Alumni of Distinction Award include Tim Holloway, Amber (Krumbholz) Schrieber, Tom Daeger, Elizabeth Ramsey, Julie (Thoman) Perry, Jim Thordsen, Keith Bailey, Deb DiMatteo, Dr. Alex Lentsch, Dr. Sandra Magnus, Pat White, Dennis Reinbold, Dr. David Porta, Dr. Steven Giles, Julie Fruendt, Dr. Jane Weaver, Jim Vargo, LuAnn Humphrey, Dr. Michael Bernier, Lois Taurman, Larry Tucker, Ron Romain, John Gibson, Francis G. Slay, Linda Deno, Pat Sullivan, and Dr. Paul Stricker.