Distinguished Service Award
Diane Seder ’74
Madison, Wisconsin
College of Arts and Sciences

Diane Seder joined Milwaukee Valve Company, her family’s business, in the mid-1970s, at a time when the industry was considered an unlikely place for women. She worked her way up to ultimately become executive vice president and chair of the company’s board of directors, helping guide the family-owned business through decades of growth to its sale in 2019. Diane has devoted herself to civic and community service, including leadership with the Jewish Federation of Madison, Wisconsin, Hillel, Planned Parenthood, and other organizations. She has brought the same combination of business acumen, sound judgment, and collaborative leadership to every endeavor.

At UVM, Diane earned a bachelor’s degree in art history and French in 1974 and has remained an exceptionally engaged alumna for more than five decades. Her family established Seder Family scholarship funds in both Arts and Sciences and Family Business, the Seder-Rosen Family Arts and Sciences Internship, as well as generously supporting Hillel, the Fleming Museum of Art, and other university initiatives. Diane joined the UVM Foundation Leadership Council as an inaugural member before being elected to the Foundation Board of Directors, serving as vice chair and then chair from 2020 to 2023. Her chairmanship coincided with the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and a significant leadership transition, and her leadership provided continuity and stability during a pivotal period for the foundation. Diane’s commitment to UVM is deeply personal as well as professional: she remains an enthusiastic ambassador for the university, opening her home to students, faculty, and alumni, nurturing relationships across campus, and continuing her service as a member of the UVM Hillel Board of Directors.

Established in 1958, the UVM Alumni Association’s Distinguished Service Award recognizes dedicated and visionary volunteer leaders whose loyal, selfless, and sustained service to the University of Vermont and the Alumni Association Board of Directors has strengthened the university's reputation and advanced its mission.