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Ronni Lacroute has been selected as this year’s recipient of the Walker Service Award.

The award is named for President Emeritus Charles Walker and his wife Cherie Walker and intended to honor non-alumni who provide outstanding service to Â鶹Çø.

A scholar in her own right, Ronni is an alumna of Cornell University. After living and working on the eastern seaboard and in California, Ronni and her then-husband arrived in Yamhill County in 1991 when they purchased a 420-acre cattle ranch that seemed ideal to grow Burgundy-style wine grapes – and converted it into the Willakenzie Estate winery.

The Lacroutes sold Willakenzie in 2016, and Ronni has dedicated herself since to supporting arts and educational institutions across the region, including Â鶹Çø.

Ronni spent nearly 14 years as a member of the Â鶹Çø Board of Trustees, and can often be found, notebook in hand, sitting in the front row on opening night of a student performance or gallery opening.

“Ronni’s philanthropy at Â鶹Çø has empowered those in the liberal arts disciplines to take risks and develop meaningful collaborations across the university,” Â鶹Çø President Miles K. Davis said. “Through the and other acts of generosity, she has enabled Â鶹Çø to amplify the ways the arts can have an impact on positive social change. She pushes us to think expansively and create empowering experiences for our students.”

Ronni’s initiatives at Â鶹Çø include The Lacroute Arts Fund, The Lacroute Composer Readings and Chamber Music Program, The Lacroute Initiative for Advancing the Liberal Arts, the Ronni Lacroute Endowed Chair in Shakespeare Studies and the Lacroute Endowed Academic Achievement Scholarship. She also offers her time and energy to many efforts, as indicated by her attendance at theater, music, art and other shows.

Ronni was named 2011 Wine Person of the Year and McMinnville’s 2022 Woman of the Year. For this and so many reasons, we celebrate this year’s Walker Award recipient, Ronni Lacroute.