David G. Dixon
Loyalty Award
Millikin major: Accounting
Other degrees:
Master's degree in business administration from Northwestern University's Kellogg Graduate School of Management in Evanston, Ill.
Managing director at Wells Fargo
Why did you choose MU?
The confluence of a few key factors led me to Millikin, including an interest in small schools, proximity to home and growing up listening to my father, George Dixon '40, tell Millikin stories.
What activities did you participate in as a student at MU?
Freshman Orientation (chairman, senior year)
Other smaller roles, but I was primarily a bookworm
What are some of your accomplishments since graduating from Millikin?
I married a remarkable woman.
I've helped raise two brilliant children.
I'm an adjunct professor at DePaul University.
When not supporting the Big Blue, what is your favorite thing to do?
Vacationing with my family and with my "Boys," a group of lifelong friends from Millikin. We have vacationed around the country for the past 33 years. The group has expanded to include brothers and friends, but the Boys from the class of 1983 include Ricky George (Fr. George, if we're feeling formal), Craig Hayden, Chris Kennedy, Jim Lamar, Jerry Panfil and Marty Stupek (when we can pry him away from home). We've typically enjoy trips through national parks, including a trip last summer to Glacier National Park in Northern Montana.
Who is your most memorable MU professor or staff member and why?
David Haynar Marshall: Mr. Marshall was one of many really impressive professors I enjoyed at Millikin. His real world experience made for fun classroom discussions. He also took a personal interest in students. For example, he reached out to his former colleagues in the accounting profession to secure interviews for accounting majors. I was a lucky beneficiary of his goodwill. There are a few others (Dan Viele, Gail Hudson and James Watson) who also took personal interests in our development and in our lives. I was lucky.
What is your most memorable MU experience?
Among the things a gentleman can mention, there is one that still makes me smile. A few of us were caught on the roof of the science building. With a beautiful view of the campus at dusk, we noticed a few of Millikin's finest security guards entering different doors of the building. As we were climbing back through the rooftop opening onto a ladder that descended into a maintenance closet, we were greeted by the guards. It was difficult to claim innocence at that point. We then had to meet with Dean Joe Houston, who had a tough time remaining stern with us. I recently took my son there to contribute to his delinquency, but the door to the closet is now locked.
What is one concept you learned at Millikin that you use regularly?
Hard work is rewarded.
What advice do you give to current Millikin students about preparing for life after graduation?
Learning is fun. I hope you enjoy the process and prove that old dogs, of all ages, do learn new tricks.
Anything else you would like to share with the Millikin community?
I would like to share my thanks with the university community, especially the alumni and development team, for making sure the Millikin experience continues after graduation.
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