Allen Paulson

Professional Career Accomplishments

Allen Paulson was nominated in the area of Professional Career Accomplishments. Born in Clinton, Iowa, Allen E. Paulson was on his own at age 13, supporting himself selling newspapers and doing janitorial work at a local hotel until he moved to California in 1937. After WWII, he went to TWA, as a flight engineer, and used the GI Bill to get his pilot's license. He then began flying commercially for TWA. He left TWA to form his own company in 1951, buying surplus Wright R-3350 engines from Boeing B-29s and selling the parts to airlines. His company, the California Airmotive Corp., became one of the largest dealers in second-hand aircraft in the world. In November 1970, he and his friend Clay Lacy entered an ex-American Airlines Douglas DC-7BF (N759Z msn 45233) in the California 1000 Mile Air Race at Mojave. Named "Super Snoopy", the airplane finished in a commendable sixth place in a field of twenty. In 1970, Paulson began to develop the American Jet Hustler, a corporate aircraft that featured a propeller in front for short runway use, and a jet in back for high-altitude cruising. In 1982, he bought Rockwell International's aviation division in Oklahoma and combined it with Gulfstream American to form Gulfstream Aerospace. Paulson transformed the company into the world's largest manufacturer of private jets. Sales increased to $1 billion yearly. In June 1985, he sold the company to Chrysler for $637 million. He was awarded the Clarence E. Page Memorial Trophy from the Oklahoma Air and Space Hall of Fame in 1989. In 1990, Paulson and a Gulfstream flight crew set 35 international records for around-the-world flights in a Gulfstream IV aircraft. In 1987, he won the Harmon Trophy as the world's outstanding aviator, and in 1992, was inducted into the Georgia Aviation Hall of Fame. Paulson passed away in 2000.

Ann Magnussen

Humanitarian Endeavors

Ann Magnussen (CHS Class of 1916) was nominated in the category of Humanitarian Endeavors. After graduating from Clinton High School, Magnussen earned a nursing diploma from the La Crosse Hospital School of Nursing and a baccalaureate degree in nursing from the University of Minnesota.  In 1930, Magnussen’s Red Cross Career began when she became a public health nurse for the Plymouth County Iowa chapter.  In 1939, she served as a Red Cross field representative in the Midwestern area office in St. Louis, Missouri, and was quickly promoted to the assistant director in 1940.  She served in St. Louis until 1943, and then transferred to the southeastern area office in Atlanta, Georgia, to serve as the director of disaster nursing.  In 1947, she moved to the American Red Cross National Headquarters in Washington, D.C., where she served as the director of disaster nursing and nurse enrollment. The next year she was named deputy director of Red Cross nursing services and, two years later, was appointed director.  On May 8, 1963, Magnussen was one of three American women to receive the Florence Nightingale Medal, the highest international Red Cross Nursing honor. The medal is awarded “for distinguished and devoted service to the sick and wounded in time of peace and war.”  One year later, in 1964, Magnussen retired from the Red Cross. Today, the Ann Magnussen Award rightfully recognizes the leadership and contributions of the nurse behind the award and demonstrates the American Red Cross’ respect and recognition of today’s nurse leaders who continue working to strengthen and improve Red Cross programs and services.

Ginny Mann

Exceptional Contributions to the Clinton Community School District

Ginny Mann (CHS Class of 1964) was nominated in the area of Exceptional Contributions to the Clinton Community School District.  Mann graduated in June of 1964 and was hired as a secretary in July 1964.  She has been employed by the school district over the past 58 years.  The majority of that time Mann served as the CHS registrar, who has the responsibility of maintaining accurate school records of every student that served by Clinton High School.  Mann witnessed the CHS fire in 1968, when the building was significantly rebuilt after that devastating event, and will now be part of the opening of Phase 1 of the new Clinton High School in January 2023.  Because of her position at Clinton High School, Mann has connected, in some way, with every single student served in the past 58 years.

Captain Neil Steinhagen

Distinguished Military Service

Originally from Clinton, lowa Capt. Steinhagen enlisted in the NAVY in 1992. After being accepted into the Nuclear Enlisted Commissioning Program, he graduated in 1999 from North Carolina State University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering. He has since earned a Master's of Arts Degree in National Security and Strategic Studies from the Naval War College.

After completing nuclear and submarine training, his sea assignments began in 2000 aboard USS SEAWOLF (SSN 21) in Groton, Connecticut. In 2003, he transferred to USS JIMMY CARTER (SSN 23) to complete new construction and at sea-testing.

As a department head, he served as the Operations Officer aboard USS TOLEDO (SSN 769) followed by his Executive Officer tour aboard USS ALEXANDRIA (SSN 757) before commanding USS ILLINOIS (SSN 786). He has deployed overseas four times in support of submarine operations in the North Atlantic, Mediterranean Sea and the western Pacific.

Ashore, CAPT Steinhagen's tours include Commander Submarine Development Squadron Twelve, Undersea Warfighting Development Center and Submarine Squadron Fifteen.

In addition to the Submarine Gold Dolphins, Capt. Steinhagen's personal awards include the Legion of Merit, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Navy Commendation Medal, and the Navy Achievement Medal in addition to several unit awards.

Capt. Steinhagen is married to the former Rebecca Bergman from Raleigh, NC and has 3 children, Tanner, Sierra, and Abigail.

Philip Klinkner

Accomplishments in Academic Fields

Philip Klinkner (CHS Class of 1981) was nominated for Accomplishments in Academic Fields.  Klinkner is a political scientist, blogger, and author involved in American politics.  He received his B.A. from Lake Forest College and his doctorate from Yale University. He serves as the James S. Sherman Professor of Government at Hamilton College.  Klinkner is an expert on American politics, including parties and elections, race relations, Congress, and the presidency. He is the former director of the Arthur Levitt Public Affairs Center. His books include The Losing Parties: Out-Party National Committees, 1956-1993 and Midterm: The 1994 Elections in Perspective. His book, The Unsteady March: The Rise and Decline if Racial Equality in America (with Rogers Smith), received the 2000 Horace Mann Bond Book Award from Harvard University’s Afro-American Studies Department and W.E.B DuBois Institute. In 2003, Klinkner founded PolySigh, a blog featuring commentary from a group of political professors.  PolySigh was part of the first generation of academic blogs that covered political science subfields. Professor Klinkner has also contributed to the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, the Washington Post, Vox, and many other newspapers and magazines. He has also appeared on numerous television and radio broadcasts, including C-SPAN, NPR, PBS, and Black Entertainment Television.