Tickets are now on sale for the 2017 Marion High School Hall of Distinction induction banquet.

The banquet is set for 5 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 30, 2017, at the Henry West Banquet Room, Barnes Student Center, Indiana Wesleyan University, part of Marion Giants homecoming weekend. Tickets can be purchased for $40 at the Marion Community Schools district office at Marion High School, 750 W. 26th St. (Door 22), from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Ticket sales end Sept. 8.

The five 2017 inductees to the MHS Hall of Distinction include GIANTS in the fields of business, dentistry, and education.

The 2017 inductees are:

• Art Faulkner, Marion High School Class of 1958, a well-known, highly respected philanthropist and humanitarian in the Marion community, who retired as a department director at Marion General Hospital and who served for years on the Marion Community Schools Board of School Trustees.
• Richard Harris, Marion High School Class of 1965, longtime owner of Matthews Buick (until 2014), active community leader, and philanthropist.
• Dave Tippey, Marion High School Class of 1969, outstanding science educator at Marion Community Schools and Indiana Wesleyan University.
• Courtney Gorman, D.D.S., ABO, Marion High School Class of 1979, longtime owner of Gorman and Bunch Orthodontics, with offices in Marion and throughout central Indiana, sought-after educator and speaker, active community leader, and philanthropist.
• Latondra Newton, Marion High School Class of 1986, chief diversity officer and senior vice president for the Walt Disney Company, following a long career with Toyota Motor Corp. in various leadership roles, ultimately as group vice president for social innovation, chief diversity officer for North America, and project general manager of the corporate citizen division.

The MHS Hall of Distinction gives lasting recognition to alumni who have made exceptional contributions to the achievements and prestige of Marion Community Schools. It also serves to help inspire current students to aspire to similar success.

Any MHS alumnus who graduated at least five years ago and who has made substantial contributions to the achievements of Marion Community Schools or whose exemplary actions reflect honor on MCS is eligible for nomination. The Hall seeks to honor men and women who have distinguished themselves through superb accomplishment on a local, state or national level in diverse fields of endeavor.

Non-MHS graduates may be afforded honorary status in the MHS Hall of Distinction.

The nomination period will be reopened next year; nominees remain on the list for three years. For more information, including nomination forms and details on previous inductees, click here.