July 17, 2025
Trustees honor two longtime SIU Carbondale supporters
During the July 10 SIU Board of Trustees meeting, members honored Roger Tedrick and the late Kenneth V. Buzbee with resolutions recognizing their dedication and service to the SIU System and the community.
Roger Tedrick, a 1970 graduate of SIU Carbondale’s College of Liberal Arts, is the owner and CEO of Tedrick Group Risk Management Solutions, based in Mount Vernon. Raised in Carbondale, he attended University High School on SIU’s campus.
He served on the SIU Board of Trustees from 2004 to 2011, including six years as chairman. He was appointed again in 2019 and continued his service until April 2025. He also played a critical role in the creation of the SIU System Institute for Rural Health.
Tedrick’s dedication to SIU includes service on the SIU Foundation Board and the SIU Alumni Association Board of Directors. Tedrick and his wife, Sally, have a history of supporting the university. Their many contributions have included creating an endowed fund to enhance university excellence, making a lead donation toward the construction of the Saluki Alumni Plaza, sponsoring the inaugural Saluki Ball and making the lead gift for the Tedrick Welcome Center.
A native of Anna, Illinois, and graduate of Anna-Jonesboro High School, Buzbee earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from SIU Carbondale. He was a member of the Marine Corps, rising to the rank of lieutenant colonel in the Marine Reserves.
He was first elected to the Illinois State Senate in 1972, where he served through 1984. He was the chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee and was widely recognized for his advocacy for higher education in general and for the needs of Southern Illinois University in particular.
After he left the state senate, he continued to serve Southern Illinois University as a Saluki sports supporter and as a member of the SIU Alumni Association Board of Directors from 2016 to 2022.
At commencement this past spring, Buzbee’s granddaughter, Kelsey, joined his wife, Betty; their son, Brent; daughter, Kendra; and granddaughter, Kylie, as an SIU alum.