June 30, 2020
FORT WAYNE, Ind. — Concordia Lutheran High School is honoring its alumni for their accomplishments since graduation during the 2020 Commencement ceremony on July 11 at Parkview Field.
The Honorable Daniel Heath, 1971
Distinguished Alumnus Award
The Honorable Daniel Heath, retired Allen County Superior Court Judge in Fort Wayne, Ind., is being recognized with the Distinguished Alumnus Award for his achievements since graduation. The Distinguished Alumnus Award is the highest honor given to a Concordia graduate. It recognizes graduates who have demonstrated an ongoing dedication to Christian principles and the church, with both lifetime and personal achievements.
Along with identical twin brother, David, Heath graduated from CLHS in 1971. Heath was elected Student Body President at CLHS for the 1970-71 school year, and, along with other student council officers, was sent to Indiana University-Bloomington for the Student Leadership Institute. Heath credits that experience with inspiring him to attend college at IU.
After undergraduate school, Heath worked briefly in banking and married the former Patricia Kathleen Taube in November 1979. Shortly thereafter, Dan began attending law school at IU School of Law at Indianapolis. While attending law school, he acted as an Administrative Assistant to then-Lt. Governor John M. Mutz.
Following law school, he returned to Fort Wayne to begin his duties as District Representative for then-Congressman Dan Coats, acting as administrator for Coats’ Fort Wayne office and representing him before numerous constituent groups throughout the congressional district. He left that position in 1987 to act as Campaign Manager for the “Paul Helmke for Mayor” committee. That campaign proved successful, and Helmke asked Heath to act as Helmke’s Chief of Staff during 1988. While Chief of Staff, Heath represented the City of Fort Wayne in Washington, D.C., before the Board of Generals of the Army Corps of Engineers in an effort to convince the board to approve a flood prevention program for Fort Wayne. As such, Heath was one of the very first civilians ever to address the corps on an engineering project in the corps 200-year history.
In 1989 Heath left work at the City of Fort Wayne to seek office himself in the Special Election for 4th District Congressman, Dan Coats having left that seat to become an Indiana Senator. Heath narrowly lost the race and went into the private practice of law shortly thereafter.
In 1992, Heath was elected to the Allen County Council, and in 1996, Heath was elected Judge of the Allen Superior Court, Civil Division. Heath served in that capacity for the next 16 years, presiding over numerous important cases including, the “Smoking Ordinance” case and the “Smith Field Closing” case. Heath changed judicial seats in 2013 to preside over the Allen County Juvenile Center, and while there, he instituted numerous reforms and became known nationally as a juvenile justice reformer. Heath retired from the bench in February 2018.
He and his wife, Patricia, have three children, Andrew, Ryan and Sarah.
As the Distinguished Alumnus Award recipient, Heath will be speaking at Concordia’s commencement on July 11 at Parkview Field.
Mr. Anthony Hudson, 1992
Distinguished Service Award
Anthony “Tony” Hudson, a 1992 graduate and founder of the Fort Wayne, Ind., nonprofit Blue Jacket, Inc., is being honored with the Distinguished Service Award because of his dedicated support, activity and service to the ministry of CLHS.
Hudson founded Blue Jacket in 2003 and has served as its Executive Director since that time. Blue Jacket’s mission is to provide training and opportunity to any person with a barrier who is striving to earn gainful employment. Blue Jacket has grown to a more than $2 million organization and serves an average of 350 people per year through its job training and staffing services — many in positions of despair and hopelessness. Although it has always served people with criminal backgrounds, in 2012 Blue Jacket opened the doors to anyone with a barrier to employment, and since 2018, has targeted individuals with intellectual and cognitive disabilities. Blue Jacket owns a business professional thrift store called the Blue Jacket Clothing Company, which only hires Blue Jacket clients, and has to date, given away over 44,000 articles of clothes to clients who attend the rigid job training and for their job searches. Blue Jacket is also known for its annual art exhibit and the annual holiday event, the Fantasy of Lights.
As a Concordia student, Hudson participated in student council, wrestling and football. After graduation, he obtained a bachelor’s degree from Wabash College and a master’s degree in Fine Arts from the University of Saint Francis. There he met his wife, Angela (West) Hudson, to whom he has been married 18 years. They have two children, Sam, who will be a senior at Concordia, and Stella, an incoming freshman.
Hudson loves to coach athletics, mainly sports in which his children participate. He is presently in his fifth season as a head coach at Emmanuel St. Michael’s girls’ soccer team and assistant coach for Concordia Lutheran High School’s wrestling program. He serves at his church when possible. He spends most of his free time with his wife and children, usually in the outdoors at live concerts or the beach, and when he carves out the time, puts his degrees to use and creates his large-scale paintings or drawings.
Rev. Matthew Wietfeldt, 2003
Neale M. Shank Award
The Rev. Matthew Wietfeldt, a 2003 graduate and Director of Admission and Director of Christ Academy (a youth vocational discernment program) at Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne (CTSFW), is being awarded the Neale M. Shank Award. The Neale M. Shank Award, named in honor of an alumnus who died while serving in Iraq, honors those younger than 40 who have made significant contributions to their given career, community, church or the high school.
At CTSFW, Wietfeldt has the opportunity to work with men and women, young and old alike, as they explore possible service in the Church and world. He is also a speaker, teacher and lecturer on the topics of Christian leadership and vocation, at local, district and synodical conferences, convocations and other gatherings.
Following his graduation from CLHS in 2003, he received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Concordia University Chicago in theology and his Master of Divinity degree from Concordia Theological Seminary Fort Wayne. He is a doctoral student in the Organizational Leadership (Ph.D.) program at Concordia University Chicago with a focus on the spiritual formation of organizational cultures.
His greatest joy is spending time with his wife, Jenna, and raising their five daughters.
Concordia Lutheran High School, located at 1601 St. Joe River Drive in Fort Wayne, Ind., was founded in 1935 as a private, co-educational Lutheran high school open to students of all faiths and backgrounds. With Christ at the center, Concordia continues to pursue educational excellence that equips individuals for lifelong learning and service as disciples of Jesus Christ. Learn more at www.clhscadets.com.
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