Two Decorah resident receive Distinguished Service Awards from Luther College

Luther College President Richard Torgerson has presented the Luther Distinguished Service Award to two Decorah residents.

Retired physician Kevin Sand and Northwestern Mutual Financial Network financial advisor Harlan Satrom were among ten people presented the award on Friday as part of Luther's Homecoming observance.

Sand graduated from Luther College in 1972 with the Bachelor of Arts degree in biology.  He holds the Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Iowa College of Medicine in Iowa City.  Born and raised in Decorah, Sand returned to his hometown after a medical residency at the University of Illinois in Rockford, to become a family medicine physician.

During his medical career, Sand was a volunteer physician with the Decorah Free Clinic, served six years on the Winneshiek County Board of Health and practiced for 31 years as a member of the Decorah Clinic Physicians–Mayo Health System, Winneshiek Medical Center (previously Medical Associates) before retiring in 2010. He had also led the Decorah Clinic as medical director.

Satrom is a 1982 graduate of Luther College with the bachelor's degree in accounting. He holds the Certified Financial Planner degree from the College for Financial Planning.

Satrom currently serves as the managing director and financial adviser for Northwestern Mutual Financial Network in Decorah and as president of Retirement Benefits Corporation in Decorah since 1987. He is certified as a long-term care consultant and is a member of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors.    

Satrom has a long list of volunteer groups he provides advising for in the Decorah area including Decorah Rotary, First Lutheran Church, Winneshiek County Community Foundation, the Trout Run Trail committee, Decorah Open Streets committee, the Blue Zones steering committee and the Live Healthy Iowa community coalition. 

Kevin Sand

Harlan Satrom