South
High School
2002 Recipients
STACEY SIMLE ASKEW - CLASS OF 1982
Stacey Simle-Askew was a top-notch athlete at a young age, when she was known as a pioneer in gymnastics for some of her routines. Today the name “Simle” is synonymous with the heralded F-M Acro Team, which was started by her father, James. Stacey has continued that tradition as a coach and mentor for young gymnasts.
“To have the kind of selflessness Stacey has is rare,” said Jane Blilie, whose daughter is a member of the F-M Acro Team. “The heart-centered ambition she gives to the (team) is relentless, a quality she learned so well from her father.”
Blilie calls Stacey an outstanding role model and says the coach has incredible insight into the minds and bodies of each of her athletes and what motivates them.
“What a great gift she is to our kids, their parents, her staff and her community,” Blilie said. “She influences our kids in ways that will mold their lives forever.”
Stacey was known for more than gymnastics at South. She went on to become a premiere jumper for the Bruins track team, claiming state titles in the high jump and long jump.
Stacey was captain of the 1982 team that won the school’s first-ever state track title. Her career best of 5-foot-7 inches in the high jump remains one of the best in school history.
“I have witnessed Stacey coaching for the past 10 years of my daughter’s life,” Blilie said. “It has been an honor and a privilege to watch her grow as a teacher, a coach, a daughter, a wife and a Mom.”
Stacey is an elementary school teacher in the Fargo Public Schools and the executive director of the F-M Acro Team.
NEAL BARNARD - CLASS OF 1971
When South High first opened its doors in 1968, Neal Bernard was in its first ninth grade class. For the nation, it was a time of political conflict, from the Viet Nam War to civil rights, and Barnard got involved in these and other social issues through the debate squad and student congress, repeatedly winning trophies in both events. As an American Field Services exchange student, he spent a summer in Belgium, and found that immersion in another culture gave him a completely new perspective on life back home.
After graduating in 1971, he went to Macalester College in St. Paul, and then took a job in a Minneapolis hospital. There, he had an experience that has stayed with him ever since. “One of the hospital patients died of a heart attack,” says Barnard. “At the autopsy, we removed a section of ribs to examine the heart, which was clogged from many years of eating fatty foods. After we put the ribs back in the chest and finished up, we went to the cafeteria, only to find that they were serving ribs for lunch.” It was not long before Barnard dedicated himself to promoting healthy diets as a path toward saving lives.
He moved to Washington, D.C. , to attend medical school at the George Washington University, where he also completed a psychiatry residency. Since then, Barnard has worked hard to help those most in need. For ten years, he provided medical care at a homeless shelter in downtown Washington. He also works for compassion toward animals, promoting educational alternatives that have eliminated animal teaching laboratories at more than two-thirds of U.S. medical schools and helps scientists replace animals with other research methods.
In 1985, Barnard founded the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, a nonprofit organization that promotes preventive medicine and higher standards in research. Over the past decade, he has led clinical studies teasing apart the effects of diet on health. His work has focused especially on the value of vegetarian diets in treating heart disease, diabetes, and other serious conditions, leading to scientific publications in leading medical journals. He is the author of six books on diet and health, and has been a guest on Oprah, 60 minutes, the Today Show and nearly every other major television news program. He has often testified before Congress on scientific issues.
BRIAN HAYER - CLASS OF 1982
Brian Hayer makes Fargo-Moorhead a better place to live. The 1982 Fargo South graduate has made community involvement a way of life.
Fargo Mayor Bruce Furness says, “Brian is a tremendous asset to our community. His enthusiasm, knowledge, communication skills and leadership ability have provided outstanding direction to the many organizations in which he has been involved.” That dedication started right here at Fargo South High.
During his 4 years, Hayer excelled in student government, service clubs and music. In addition to serving as parliamentarian for FSH’s chapter of the Distributive Education Club of America or DECA, he was a 4 year student council representative. He was also heavily involved in Key Club capping off 4 years of membership with a term as president, chairperson of the 1982 Minnesota-Dakotas District Key Club convention and as an International Key Club delegate. Hayer was also a member of Concert, Pizzazz and All-State Choir.
Hayer went on to distinguish himself as Arizona State University both in and outside the classroom. He was placed on the Dean’s list and the Order of Omega honor society. He was also named an “Outstanding Young Man of America.” His Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity chapter named him “Active of the Year” for 1985-1986 and honored him with the “Outstanding Achievement Award.”
Fortunately for our community, Hayer chose to come back to Fargo-Moorhead following graduation. In addition to his work at his family-owned insurance company, Warner and Company, Hayer dove head first into community involvement. He has devoted countless volunteer hours serving Fargo-Moorhead. His involvement includes leadership positions with the United Way, the Fargo Theatre, the YMCA, the Kiwanis, Trollwood Performing Arts School, Meritcare, the Fargo Area Dollars for Scholars program, Dakota Montessori School, the Mayor’s Task Force for Downtown Redevelopment and his church. Not surprisingly, Hayer was named Fargo-Moorhead’s “Oustanding Citizen” by the Fargo-Moorhead Convention and Visitor’s Bureau. President and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce of Fargo-Moorhead, John Campbell says, “Brian has come to exemplify the term ‘community leader’ in the truest sense.”
Both Fargo South High School and the Fargo-Moorhead community should be proud to call Brian Hayer one of their own.
TOM MANLEY - FACULTY
Tom Manley could be called the “Father of Swimming” in the state of North Dakota. In 1954, as swim coach of Fargo’s Central High School he built the first swimming program in the area. After Central was destroyed by fire in 1966, Manley began coaching at the newly formed Fargo South High School. As the first Bruin head coach he leaves behind a legacy of swimming success and lives touched.
During his 1986 induction into the North Dakota High School Coaches Hall of Fame, it was noted that Manley was responsible for 223 swimming dual and triangular victories. Fellow teacher John Kelley notes of Manley, “His teams were always of high caliber.”
But perhaps more important than winning was the way Manley taught his swimmers to win. “Tom’s coaching methods taught time management, organization, persistence, hard work, friendship, loyalty and fun. Tom was a master motivator and always found ways to include all students,” Kelley said.
Thoughts echoed by former swimmer and now Minot High School Swim Coach Ken Disher, “We had a large team and I was never a varsity swimmer, yet he always found time to work with me.”
Another former swimmer Don Hulbert calls Manley, “a father figure, honest and caring.” He says Manley was respected and loved because, “how you competed meant more to Tom than the final result. He taught us how to have respect for our opponents and how to support one another. The brotherhood that we all felt was due in part to the pride we felt in being a member of Tom Manley’s swimming program.”
It was because of his support that many of Manley’s former swimmers chose teaching and coaching as a profession. Disher says, “Many of the swim coaches in North Dakota and surrounding states were former athletes or assistant coaches under Tom. His influences can be seen in many programs across the area.”
In addition to his duties as swim coach, Tom Manley was also an outstanding tennis coach first at Central then at South. In his 30 years, he led 10 teams to state championships.
However, many people will remember Tom Manley first and foremost not as a coach but as a great teacher. Kelley notes, “Tom had a tremendous effect on the young people he taught. He was the fairest teacher and found a way to make students feel good about themselves.”
Kelley concludes, “Tom loved to see young people become the best they could be.” Swimmer or tennis player, athlete, student or both, Tom Manley was in your corner.
KERRY KILANDER MCCABE - CLASS OF 1985
It should come as no surprise that Kerry Kilander McCabe has become a topflight doctor in the emergency department of the Boston Medical Center. She has been a leader in almost every classroom and a captain on almost every team.
Kerry graduated from Fargo South in 1985, the same year she was co-captain of the track team and was a key member of the swimming team. While teachers and students at Fargo South knew of her abilities and capabilities, she showed the rest of the world after high school graduation.
Her medical practice has included numerous honors. Her writings have appeared in medical journals. Her research has been featured in seminars. And she became involved in rugby, a sport with no room for the meek. She developed into one of the top players in the country.
Emil Signes, the coach of one of the USA Rugby National teams, says Kerry has taught him a lesson about intangibles. He says it’s often typical of coaches to look at players and say, “Not big enough, not fast enough.” But he says Kerry has single-handedly changed his perspective. “Based on her on field performance and her undying persistence, we couldn’t keep Kerry off the field.” Signes said. “What is big enough is Kerry’s heart. It’s huge.”
In addition to her job at the Boston Medical Center, Kerry is also an assistant professor in emergency medicine at the Boston University School of Medicine. Two doctors at the Boston Medical Center, Judy Linden and Andrew Ulrich, say Kerry is appreciated by residents, students and colleagues. “Kerry embodies a unique combination of intensity, poise and compassion, which makes her an outstanding clinician, teacher and role model to young physicians,” her two colleagues say.
Kerry’s standing as an outstanding doctor and valuable teammate was never more evident during a national tournament in Hong Kong in 2000, when Team USA player Ines Rodriguez broke her leg. Kerry tended to Rodriguez while the team anxiously waited for an ambulance to arrive. The ambulance showed after half an hour, but there were no splints. Kerry made one out of a cardboard box that was on the sidelines. After the game, Kerry took a cab to the hospital to make sure her teammate was doing OK. The next day, Team USA nearly upset world champion New Zealand. “Kerry, refocused from gently tending to a very serious injury to ferociously competing in a very physical match, was one of the key players in that effort,” Signes said.
PAMELA MORET - CLASS OF 1973
People who have been fortunate enough to work with and know Pam Moret describe her as a highly motivated leader who sets high standards, yet never loses her sense of humor.
Up until this year, Pam was a senior vice president at American Express Financial Advisors in the Twin Cities, where she was in charge of a group that was responsible for a net income of $700 million and assets of over $200 billion.
But a former cohort at American Express says those figures are minor compared to her integrity and courage. AShe says clearly what she thinks and has the courage of her convictions, said James Mitchell, who recently retired as an executive vice president at American Express. AOn many occasions I have seen her take an unpopular stand because she believes it is simply the right thing to do.
Another former colleague at American Express says Pam sets an example for all who work with her. “She has incredible focus and energy and always accomplishes what she sets out to do. said Bridget Sperl, a senior vice president. AShe is an outstanding leader of people, setting high standards and motivating people to exceed those standards.
In 1999, Pam was inducted into New York=s YWCA Academy of Women Achievers. Since its inception in 1974, the Academy has grown to include 2,100 of the most dynamic and successful women in the country.
In 2001, Pam was named the Innovative Businesswoman of the Year by City Business, a Twin Cities publication.
Pam recently became the first external senior executive to join the newly merged company known as Thrivent Financial, which arose from the merger of Lutheran Brotherhood and Aid Association of Lutherans. She is the firm=s senior vice president for marketing and products.
While at South, Pam competed in swimming and debate. She also was elected to membership in the National Honor Society in 1973. Pam graduated from the University of North Dakota in 1975. She earned her law degree from George Washington University in 1979.
Pam is married to another Fargo South graduate Mark Moret. They live with their three children in Arden Hills, MN.
As James Mitchell says, Every single one of you can share the pride that emanates from having this outstanding individual represent Fargo South High School.
BRAD NESS - CLASS OF 1972
Brad Ness is a 1972 graduate of Fargo South High School whose enthusiasm and talent in the world of high school sports is equal only to his enthusiasm and talent in the world of business.
Ness was Captain, Most Valuable Player and All-Conference for the Bruin’s football team. Fargo South Head Coach Sam Neis says, “Brad was one of the best players I coached. He was a leader and took the abilities he had and worked hard to the be the best athlete possible.”
Ness also excelled in varsity hockey playing defense, wing and center. Assistant Hockey Coach Dennis Warcup calls Ness “a great leader and team player.” Brad’s enthusiasm for hockey was recognized when he was given “The Hustle Award.”
It’s the same hustle Ness currently shows as a businessman and community leader. A long time member of the local chamber of commerce, Ness has served in a number of leadership positions. He served on the board of directors of the Fargo Chamber of Commerce from 1985 to 1992 and was elected chairman of the board for 1990-91. He also served as chair of the Chairman’s Club and vice chair of the Small Business Development Committee.
“His efforts and leadership have enhanced the quality of life in the Fargo-Moorhead area, making our community a better place in which to live, work and conduct business,” says John Campbell the president and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce of Fargo-Moorhead.
In addition to his tireless involvement in making Fargo-Moorhead a better place to live, Ness has taken an active role in promoting North Dakota business. He has served on the Greater North Dakota Association board of directors, as chair of the 2000 Business Conference and is a member of the public relations committee. The Jaycees named him one of five outstanding North Dakotans in 1993 and the sales and marketing executives of Fargo-Moorhead honored him with the title, “2001 Business Person of the Year.”
Ness has a soft spot in his heart for children as well. He has worked with the Easter Seal Society, Dollars for Scholars and as a coach for youth baseball and youth hockey. Ness is obviously encouraging the next generation to “hustle” both on and off the field.