As part of the University of North Carolina Wilmington’s homecoming weekend, the UNCW Alumni Association honored three alumni, two of whom live in the Cape Fear area.
 
Ryan Crecelius earned the 2015 Young Alumnus of the Year Award. Joshua Vach was presented the Distinguished Citizen of the Year Award. Lt. Col. Robert W. Rideout Jr. received the highest honor as the Distinguished Alumnus of the Year Award.
 
Crecelius, class of 2006, owns Nest Realty, a Wilmington-based residential brokerage firm. Recently, his peers elected him vice president of the Wilmington Regional Association of Realtors Board of Directors. He earned his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from UNCW.
 
Vach, class of 1987, is the owner of six local restaurants, including K-38 locations and Las Olas, and is a supporter of several area charities, including the Surfrider Foundation and no-kill animal shelters in the region. In addition, he is a regular supporter of the Hope From Helen fundraising event on Wrightsville Beach and founded the Tower 7/WBLivesurf Scholarship Fund. He earned his bachelor’s degree in economics at UNCW.

Rideout, class of 1995, works as a hearing office chief administrative law judge with the Social Security Administration and judge advocate for the U.S. Army Reserves. He toured Iraq and Afghanistan and earned various awards for his military service:two Bronze Stars, three Meritorious Service Medals, three Army Achievement Medals and four Army Commendation Medals. In addition, he served as an assistant public defender and assistant district attorney. He earned his bachelor’s degree in history from UNCW.