CAPT James 'Jim' Lang, USNR (Ret.)

CAPT Mike Good, USN (Ret.) presents the 2021 Alumni of the Year Award to CAPT James "Jim" Lang, USNR (Ret.), Class of 1964 at the Marquette University NROTC Fall Ball at the Wisconsin Club. 

Listen to CAPT Lang's acceptance speech 

Jim was active as a youth in the Boy Scouts of America and achieved the Eagle Scout rank. He also earned a rare national Scouting recognition – the Meritorious Action Lifesaving award. Jim is credited with saving his mother’s life in a fire. He carries physical scars from burns he received in this action.

A Milwaukee native, Jim graduated from Marquette University High School in 1960. While a Naval ROTC student, he segued a semester to Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC), later rejoining the NROTC program at Marquette University and graduating in December 1964 with a B.A. in Psychology. Jim subsequently attended Marquette University in the evenings as a graduate student over 1970-1973, earning an MBA in Finance.

While in college, Jim enlisted as a member of the Navy Reserve since he was not a NROTC scholarship student. He drilled with the USS COBIA submarine unit at the Milwaukee Reserve Center. He was discharged from the Naval Reserve as a Third-Class Quartermaster (QM3) when commissioned.  After commissioning as an Ensign, Jim underwent initial Surface Warfare Officer training. He then reported to the coastal minesweeper USS KINGBIRD (MSC 194) in Charleston, S.C. During his tour on KINGBIRD, he was engaged in minesweeping exercises along the U.S. Atlantic coast, North Atlantic and in the Caribbean as well as two search operations: a downed Navy plane and a lost merchant ship. In 1966, he transferred to the WWII-era destroyer escort USS KOINER (DER 331) as Chief Engineer. KOINER was a Forward Deployed Naval Forces ship, homeported in Guam. KOINER deployed on a seven-month WestPac cruise and conducted regular Market Time patrols as a radar picket escort ship engaged in detecting the flow of supplies along the Vietnam coast to the Viet Cong. Jim transitioned to the Navy Reserve in 1968, eventually advancing to Commanding Officer of the ROBERT E. PEARY (FF 1073) reserve crew unit that drilled at the Milwaukee Navy Reserve Center. Subsequent to command, he supported the Naval Electronic Systems Command (NAVELEX) as a drilling reservist. Jim retired as a Captain (O-6) in the United Stated Navy Reserve with 26 years of service.

Entering civilian life in 1968, Jim took a position with First Wisconsin National Bank in Milwaukee. He started in the credit card division, which was then in its formative years, and later progressed to commercial lending. He progressed through several leadership positions, including President of the First Wisconsin National Bank of Brookfield, WI; President of First Wisconsin Bank of Madison; and CEO of Firstar Bank Madison NA. After Firstar acquired the Banks of Iowa in 1991, Jim served as Chairman, President and CEO at Firstar Bank Iowa, NA until 1996. Since April 1998, Jim has been the owner and President of Advantech Manufacturing, Inc., manufacturing products for the dry particle sizing/separation industry. In 2002, Jim expanded the scope of Advantech by acquiring a full-service machine shop to perform contract work. Jim is also active in real estate development and venture capital pursuits and serves on several private corporation boards.

An active supporter of our Sea Services, he is a member of the Navy League, Milwaukee Council. Governor Tommy Thompson selected Jim as one of his ten-member Governor’s Commission on the USS WISCONSIN (BB 64). Jim was a driving force in the “Re-Commissioning Committee” that supported the Navy with the ceremony that brought this battleship back into service on October 22, 1988.

Finally, Jim was one of the Class of 1964 alumni who met with MU NROTC CO CAPT William Radomski in 2009 to inquire how alumni could better support the NROTC unit. This led to reestablishing the Marquette NROTC Alumni & Friends Association. He was elected as the first A&FA Treasurer (2009-2011) and served as an A&FA Director from 2009-2018. He also served as a Seapower Leadership Association Director (2009-2016) and as SLA President (2016-2018).

LCDR Zachary E. Dueñas, USN

Young Alumni of the Year

View acceptance video

A native of Tamuning, Guam, LCDR Dueñas attended Marquette University, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and received his commission in May 2011 as a Naval Officer.

LCDR Dueñas completed primary flight training at VT-2 in and Advanced Helicopter flight training at HT-18 in Milton, Florida. LCDR Dueñas received his Wings of Gold in July 2013 and reported to HSM-41for MH-60R Fleet Replacement Pilot training in September 2013.  He is a graduate of the Naval Air Warfare Development Center's Rotary Wing Weapons School at NAS Fallon, NV.

LCDR Dueñas’ sea assignments began when he reported to the “Wolf Pack” of HSM-75 at NAS North Island, San Diego, CA in 2014. LT Dueñas has deployed with USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) and USS Nimitz (CVN-68) in 2014 and 2017, respectively, in support of Operation Inherent Resolve in the 5^th Fleet AOR. During his time at HSM-75, LT Dueñas has served as the Assistant Operations Officer winning the 2016 Navy and Marine Corps Leadership Award and HSM-75 Pilot of the Year Award. In 2020, he joined the “Warlords” of HSM-51 at NAF Atsugi, Japan as the squadrons Weapons and Tactics Instructor. He was recognized as the Squadron’s Tactician of the Year for 2020. In his current billet he is laying the foundations for integrated ASW training and operations in the C7F AOR with the Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force.  His awards include the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal and the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal.

LCDR Dueñas’ shore tour began in October 2017 as part of the “Seahawks” at HSM-41 at NAS North Island as a Fleet Replacement Instructor and Seahawk Weapons and Tactics Instructor.

LCDR Dueñas will soon move on to his next tour with the "Blue Hawks" of HSM-78 in San Diego, CA.

LCDR Dueñas is married to Jermina Landstrom Dueñas and has a son, Gregory Landstrom Dueñas (age 3). They are both from Guam and enjoy camping, going to the beach and mountains,  spending time with family and traveling. He is an active member of the Marquette Alumni & Friends Association, where he serves as the Lead Class Representative Coordinator.