BVU Alumni, Friends To Celebrate Third Annual Beaver Ball

January 9, 2026

Five Buena Vista University Beavers will be celebrated with key awards as BVU hosts the Third Annual Beaver Ball on Saturday, Feb. 21, at the Iowa Events Center in downtown Des Moines.

Beaver Ball award recipients include:

• Adrienne Haynes '10, of Kansas City, Mo.
• Monte Merz '91, of Denver, Colo.
• Dennis Young '65, of Waukee
• Bruce Larsen and John Mandelbaum, of Highland Park, Ill.

"We can't wait to fill the grand ballroom at the Iowa Events Center and toast the success of our honorees, a group that wholly illustrates a commitment to others as they live out the BVU motto, 'Education for Service,'" says President Brian A. Lenzmeier, Ph.D.

"Our alumni and friends shared how much they look forward to this evening of engagement, philanthropy, and fun. We will welcome Beavers from all over the country as they connect with friends, old and new, raising their glasses in Des Moines, a city that's home to thousands of BVU alumni and friends."

-Sarah Johnson, Senior Director of Alumni and Donor Relations

About the 2026 Beaver Ball honorees:

Adrienne Haynes has earned the Keith G. Briscoe Award, named for BVU's 16th President. Haynes, an attorney and civic leader in Kansas City who owns and serves as Managing Partner for SEED Law LLC., served as a BVU Commencement speaker in 2020 and recalled how her experiences influenced her career path as she set out to represent and advocate for those in need. An award-winning attorney and businesswoman, Haynes specializes in helping entrepreneurs develop sustainable infrastructure and business practices, drawing on more than 20 years of business and leadership experience. She is also deeply committed to community innovation and economic development, serving in numerous civic and nonprofit leadership roles across Kansas City and beyond.

Monte Merz, an attorney and owner of High Country Executive Search Group, will be presented with the John A. Fisher Award, named for BVU's 14th President. A former All-American wrestler and Academic All-American at BVU, Merz founded High Country Executive Search Group in 2002, bringing a high-quality, relationship-driven approach to executive recruiting shaped by years of leadership within national firms. Merz spends time away from work helping to lead groups of volunteers in constructing homes for those in need in Mexico.

The Henry A. Olson Award, named for BVU's 13th President, will be accepted by Dennis Young, a Sir John Marks Templeton Life Trustee at BVU for whom the University's indoor track is named. Young served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, and Director, of Wells Fargo Financial, when he retired in 2006. He remains very active at his alma mater, funding and championing the Dennis Young Indoor Track & Field Classic each January while serving as a Steering Committee member and a leading donor in BVU's Building Champions Campaign.

The Wendell Q. Halverson Award, which takes its name for BVU's 15th President, goes to Bruce Larsen and John Mandelbaum, friends of Buena Vista University who, in their retirement, support a variety of charitable endeavors, notably the Donald B. and Frankie Larsen Endowed Scholarship which supports BVU students studying math, science, and nursing. The scholarship is named for Bruce Larsen's parents, longtime residents of Storm Lake. The late Donald Larsen '50 served as a Professor of Math and Computer Science from 1983-93 at BVU.

The Beaver Ball, a formal gala hosted by Kevin '99 and Mandy Willey, of Grimes, begins with a social hour at 5:30 p.m. and soon moves to a dinner and an awards program at 7 p.m. Current BVU junior Jaden Swarts joins alumnus Morgan Mali '25 in sharing highlights of their educational journey, rewarding paths made more navigable through scholarships. Jaden and Morgan culminate the program with an auction to raise funds for scholarships, the backbone of a generous financial aid program that has been a BVU hallmark for generations.

A dance DJ'd by Nick Nystrom '05 concludes the evening's festivities.

"We are thrilled to return to Des Moines for our annual Beaver Ball celebration," says Sarah Johnson, Senior Director of Alumni and Donor Relations. "Our alumni and friends shared how much they look forward to this evening of engagement, philanthropy, and fun. We will welcome Beavers from all over the country as they connect with friends, old and new, raising their glasses in Des Moines, a city that's home to thousands of BVU alumni and friends."

For information, or to register, check bvu.edu/beaverball.