John P. Kazmaier, of Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania, received the Penn State Honorary Alumni Award during a weekend-long celebration at the University Park campus in June 2015. The award is given by the Penn State Alumni Association to honor individuals who are not graduates of The Pennsylvania State University but who have made significant contributions toward its welfare, reputation, or prestige. Chancellor and Dean Lori J. Bechtel-Wherry also hosted Kazmaier’s friends and family at the Heritage Discovery Center in Altoona on Thursday, June 4, 2015, to celebrate the honor.
With over thirty years of volunteer leadership, Kazmaier is one of the longest-tenured members of the Penn State Altoona Advisory Board.
Kazmaier and his wife, Dede, have supported various initiatives to revitalize downtown Altoona. The Kazmaier Family Building, home to the Office of Development and Alumni Relations, located on Twelfth Avenue, was named in honor of the family for the philanthropic support of both John and Dede and John’s mother, Jane Patterson Kazmaier Lower.
The Kazmaiers have been honored for their philanthropic support with induction into the Ivy Circle category of Penn State Altoona’s Ivyside Society, the highest level of recognition.
Kazmaier was honored by Penn State Altoona in 2008 with the Penn State Altoona Honorary Alumni Award for his commitment and service to fulfilling the college’s mission and enhancing its reputation and prestige.
