During the All Gaucho Reunion in April, the UC Santa Barbara Alumni Association will honor Deckers Outdoor Corp. founder Doug Otto, ’73, as a Distinguished Alumnus at the Awards Banquet.

In 1973, Otto began his business creating sandals while at UC Santa Barbara. The success of his original Deckers flip- flops led to the acquisition of additional sportswear and everyday apparel products. He has expanded his business from a small sandal-producing operation to an international company with three successful footwear brands: Teva, Simple Shoes and Ugg.

An avid outdoorsman, Otto instilled Deckers with a respect for the environment, which can be seen in the company’s sustainability efforts. With a shared focus on environmental issues, Deckers has been a corporate partner of the Donald Bren School of Environmental Science and Management since 2006.

Honorees will also include humanitarian Harvey Schechter, ’47, Classics Professor Apostolos Athanassakis, philanthropist Judy Henley, and Chemical Engineering Professor Emeritus Duncan Mellichamp and wife Suzanne, M.A. ’70, for their work and service to the university.

Longtime volunteer Harvey Schechter will receive the Graver Alumni Service Award, which honors alumni for service to the Alumni Association. Schechter, now in his 80s, shares what it means to be a Gaucho for Life with others as he attends every Awards Banquet, incoming student picnic, Chancellor’s recruitment reception and regional event.

Classics Professor Apostolos Athanassakis will receive the Alumni Teaching Award for his strong commitment to not only teaching, but to his students as well. He has an international reputation as a researcher and translator, with more than 100 publications to his name.

Judy Henley has been instrumental in working to raise the university’s profile. Henley and her husband, Jeff, ’66, have given their name to an endowed chair, the Mosher Alumni House boardroom, and the new gate gracing the campus’s east entrance. She will receive an Honorary Alumna Award.

Chemical Engineering Professor Emeritus Duncan Mellichamp and wife Suzanne will be honored for their contributions to many areas within UC Santa Barbara. Duncan, who served as a faculty member for 40 years, and Suzanne have established nine endowed chairs at the university, as well as served as models for other faculty who have made gifts to the campus.

The 2009 Alumni Association Awards Banquet will be held at 6:30 p.m. April 25 at Corwin Pavilion, UC Santa Barbara University Center. A no-host reception begins at 5:30 p.m. Individual tickets are $90. Blue table reservations are $800. Gold table reservations are $1,000 and include two bottles of wine. Each table seats eight. To make reservations, please contact Mary MacRae at (805) 893-2957 or e-mail mary.macrae@ia.ucsb.edu.