SAINT PAUL, MN, September 03, 2021 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Marquis Who's Who, the world's premier publisher of biographical profiles, is proud to present Mark C. Dienhart, PhD, with the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award. An accomplished listee, Dr. Dienhart celebrates many years' experience in his professional network, and has been noted for achievements, leadership qualities, and the credentials and successes he has accrued in his field. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.
Long motivated to be of service to others, Dr. Dienhart works in the nonprofit sector as the president and chief executive officer of the Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation, a charitable organization established in 2004 by the founder and chairman emeritus of Best Buy Company, Dick Schulze. The Foundation generously supports not-for-profit organizations in Minnesota and Southwest Florida in the areas of education, health and medicine and human services. Named to his position in 2013, Dr. Dienhart is responsible for the oversight of the Foundation, and serves on its board of trustees.
In addition to his work in philanthropy, Dr. Dienhart has been an adjunct faculty member in educational leadership at Saint Mary's University of Minnesota since 2013. He formerly served as an adjunct instructor in the college of business at the University of St. Thomas between 1990 and 1995.
Initially appointed as the head coach for football and men's track and field at his alma mater, the College of St. Thomas, Dr. Dienhart spent six years in those roles beginning in 1980. He subsequently transitioned into an executive level position at the University of St.Thomas as its chief public relations officer in 1986 and then moved the University of Minnesota as senior associate and later director of men's athletics, where he served the department for 10 years. During his time as director, men's athletics earned five national top-25 finishes in the Sears Directors Cup and achieved record graduation rates while football returned to the nation's top 20 for the first time in 30 years. In 2000, Dr. Dienhart was named a senior vice president for US Bancorp before being asked to return to the University of St. Thomas in 2002, where he spent more than a decade, finally serving as the institution's executive vice president and chief operating officer.
Among his most significant professional achievements, Dr. Dienhart coached the first St. Thomas football team that qualified to play in a national championship playoff and was named conference coach-of-the-year. He also coached the University's men's track team to a national indoor championship and was named national coach-of-the-year. Years later, as the executive vice president of the University of St. Thomas, Dr. Dienhart a directed a capital campaign that resulted in the successful contribution of $515 million to the institution.
Born in Minneapolis to Arthur and Rose Mary Dienhart, Dr. Dienhart is married to Kate Nigon Dienhart. They have three daughters, Mary and Carolyn Dienhart and Alissa Lawler. He has been active as a member of the Saint Paul Area Chamber of Commerce and the Midway Serra Club. He is a parishioner of the Assumption Parish and a member of its finance council, after prior service as chair of the Nativity Elementary School Board. Dr. Dienhart has also been a board member of the Sundet Family Foundation, the Positive Coaching Alliance and Twin Cities Dunkers and is a former board member and chair of the De La Salle High School board of trustees and the Minnesota Twins Community Fund.
Dr. Dienhart received a Bachelor of Arts in philosophy, summa cum laude, from the College of St. Thomas in 1975, where he was recognized as an All-American and Academic All-American in both football and track and field and was selected by the NCAA as a Top Five Student Athlete. Despite being drafted into the National Football League by the Buffalo Bills upon graduation, he decided to accept a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) postgraduate scholarship instead. Dr. Dienhart went on to receive a Master of Arts in journalism in 1978, followed by a Doctor of Philosophy in higher education administration in 1988, at the University of Minnesota. Awarded a Bush Foundation Fellowship, he also completed postdoctoral studies at both Harvard University and Stanford University.
Professionally, Dr. Dienhart has been a member and former president of the National Association of Athletic Development Directors and a board member of the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics. Honoring his professional work, was recognized as a Distinguished Alumnus by the school of education at the University of Minnesota in 2011. Likewise, Dr. Dienhart received the Catholic Spirit Leader in Faith Award in 2012, a Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Association of Athletic Development Directors in 2015, the Distinguished Minnesotan Award named after Bud Grant by the National Football Foundation in 2019, and the LaSallian Award by De La Salle High School in 2021. He is a member of both the University of St. Thomas and De La Salle High School Athletic Halls of Fame.
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