Duke Slater

Professional Career Accomplishments

Duke Slater (CHS Class of 1916) was nominated in the area of Professional Career Accomplishments for breaking barriers as a lawyer and judge in Chicago.  During his career in the National Football League, Slater returned to the University of Iowa in the off-seasons and earned his law degree in 1928.  After retiring from football, he began his legal career in Chicago.  In 1948, Slater became the second African-American to be elected as judge in the city of Chicago.  Later in 1960, he became the first black judge selected to Chicago’s Superior Court, at the time, the highest court in the city.  Slater transitioned to the Circuit Court of Cook County when that court was created in 1964.  Slater’s service as a Chicago judge refuted the ugly stereotypes that existed at the time that dominant black athletes lacked intelligence.  Slater passed away in 1966.

Larry Davis

The Arts

Larry Davis (CHS Class of 1963), was nominated in the category of The Arts. He attended the University of Iowa, majoring in Art, with a minor in Education.  Davis was then drafted into the military where he served for four years.  He returned in 1972 and began his career as a professional artist while teaching part-time at Clinton High School.  In the 1980s, Davis began to create a series of annual silkscreen prints depicting the four seasons at Eagle Point Park.  The profits from their sale supported the Clinton Community College Foundation.  This began a lifelong friendship with CCC President Dr. Charles Spence which led Davis to become a teacher at CCC.  During his time at CCC, the Foundation sponsored an exhibit including Iowa artists and those in Iowa’s sister city, Kofu, Japan.  A pivotal time in Davis’ career was when Dr. Spence accepted the position as president of the Florida State College in Jacksonville.  Davis followed Spence and enjoyed a 23 year career in resource development, as a tenured faculty member and as Visual Arts Coordinator.  Davis has since moved back to the Midwest and operates a studio with a regular exhibition schedule.

Addison Killean Stark

Accomplishments in Academic Fields

Addison Killean Stark (CHS Class of 2002) was nominated in the area of Accomplishments in Academic Fields.  After graduating from CHS, Stark attended the University of Iowa and earned degrees in Mathematics and Chemistry.  Later, Stark earned his Ph.D. from MIT in Mechanical Engineering. Stark has focused his career on solving climate change through technology innovation and public policy. Stark is currently the Director of Energy+Environment at Clark Street Associates, a strategic consulting firm based in Silicon Valley and Washington, DC and CTO of UrbanX Renewables Group. He previously served as Associate Director for Energy Innovation at the Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC). Prior to joining BPC, Dr. Stark served as a Fellow at the US Department of Energy, Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy (ARPA-E) focusing on early-stage energy technology development across sectors including renewable fuels, industrial decarbonization, and leveraging advanced manufacturing for the fabrication of energy devices. While at ARPA-E, he also served as Acting Program Director for ARPA-E’s $33 million Energy-Water Nexus portfolio, the Advanced Research In Dry-cooling (ARID) program. Stark is the author of multiple peer reviewed journal articles and popular press pieces on diverse topics in energy technology innovation including the following: advanced biofuels, industrial decarbonization, energy-water nexus, leveraging additive manufacturing for chemical reactor design, and innovation in energy technology and finance.  Stark also serves as an adjunct professor at Georgetown University.

Herbert Burkert

Distinguished Military Service

Dr. Herbert Burkert (CHS Class of 1943) was nominated for Distinguished Military Service.  Burkert was drafted into the army on January 18, 1944.  After receiving his training at Fort McClellan, Alabama, he entered World War II in France on August 23, 1944.  Burkert was involved in heavy wartime activity and unfortunately was captured by the Germans on November 30, 1944.  He was taken to Stalag 7A, the largest prisoner of war camp in Germany.  Over a five-month period, Burkert and other prisoners were able to dig a tunnel and he escaped one day before he was scheduled to be executed.  For his military service, Burkert was recognized by the US government by receiving the Bronze star, Good Conduct medal, Combat Infantry Badge, and Rifle Badge.  After returning to the states, Burkert attended Palmer College of Chiropractic and graduated in 1948 with a doctoral degree.  He opened a very successful practice in Clinton.  Burkert was heavily involved with the Clinton Jaycees, including serving as president in 1955.  He passed away in 1965.