John Leffin

John Leffin graduated Magna Cum Laude from UW Oshkosh in 1981 with a degree in finance and operations management. John retired as a partner at Accenture in 2002, after a 21-year consulting career with the company. During his career, he held a number of global and U.S. leadership positions in the change management and human performance practices. He was also the lead partner on a number of large multi-billion dollar global accounts. In 2006, John and former Accenture partners launched the Accenture Leadership Center in the School of Business at UW-Madison. John received the Outstanding Alumni Award from UW Oshkosh in 1995 and the Shape the Future Volunteer Award from the UW-Madison School of Business in 2013. He established the William J. Leffin Scholarship in 1996, in honor of his father.

Dr. William Leffin (1932-1995) was a faculty member and administrator at UW Oshkosh from 1966 to 1994. He was passionate about helping his students, often spending a considerable amount of his personal time assisting them in any way he could. His career included many roles: art professor (specializing in metals, woodworking, and interior design), chairman of the art department, associate dean of the College of Letters and Science, and dean of the College of Letters and Science (1975-1984). Dr. Leffin was instrumental in developing the CAPP program and served as its co-director from 1984 until his retirement in 1994. He was the recipient of the Wisconsin Art Education Distinguished Award, the National Art Education Service Award, and the UW Oshkosh Distinguished Service Award. He served as Wisconsin Art Education Association president and National Art Education Association vice president, as well as serving on the City of Oshkosh Police and Fire Commission for 11 years, six of which as chairman. Dr. Leffin served in the U.S. Navy during the Korean Conflict, receiving a Bronze Star with a combat V, Purple Heart, and Presidential Unit Citation. He received his bachelor’s degree in art education from UW-Milwaukee and his master’s and doctorate degrees from UW-Madison.