2008 Hall of Fame Inductees
Louie D. Carleo ('70)​
Class of 1970. Louie began his efforts to redevelop downtown Pueblo by purchasing properties and redesigning them to meet 21st century standards. Starting in 1987 with one building, his holdings now encompass over 50 properties; including the Thatcher Building, Midtown Shopping Center, The Colorado Building and the Andrews Produce Building - which he rebuilt into a state of the art office building along the Historic Arkansas Riverwalk that houses AT&T Wireless and employs more than 500 people. Louie is the President and CEO of LDC Properties, CEO of Commercial Builders, Vice President of Sound Venture Realty, Vice President and CFO of Tri-County Auto Dealerships, Community Director and Bank Director of Southern Colorado Community Banks and Trustee of Colorado Technical University. He has received numerous awards for his leadership and commitment to the betterment of Pueblo which include; The Pueblo Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year, National Sam Walton Business Leader Award and the Charles W. Crews Business Leader Award.
Patricia Erjavec ('75)
Since her induction into South High's Hall of Fame, Patty has been president of Pueblo Community College since 2010, the institution's first female in that top role. She has been chosen President of the Year twice by the Colorado Community College system, in 2013 and 2018. Before joining PCC, Erjavec was president and CEO of El Pueblo Boys & Girls Ranch, the second-largest residential childcare facility in Colorado. Patty more than doubled its service capacity and increased its asset base more than $18 million. She implemented high-performance teams and directed the development of a cognitive behavioral model for residential treatment that was copyrighted in 2002 and is in use nationwide. Her community involvement includes service on countless nonprofit, educational, youth and children's agency boards and commissions. She chaired the State Board of Community Colleges and Occupational Education and was interim president of the Community College System. She has been recognized professionally as Administrator of the Year by the Colorado Child & Adolescent Mental Health Coalition, Pueblo Public Library's Outstanding Woman Award, the YWCA's Anna Taussig Tribute to Women Award, the Greater Pueblo Chamber of Commerce's Business Person of the Year, and CSU-Pueblo Outstanding Alumnus Award.
Keith R. Swerdfeger ('65)
Soon after graduation, Keith built his family owned business, K.R. Swerdfeger Construction Company. He started with a one-person operation using a rented backhoe and grew it into a multi-state construction enterprise that employs 500 people. Keith has served as CEO of the Pueblo Economic Development Corporation (PEDCO) and has been instrumental in drawing many new businesses to the area. Keith also has worked with Fort Carson officials to make Pueblo an attractive home to base personnel. Over the years, Keith also has served in leadership positions both statewide and nationally in the construction industry. He has served on the PCC Foundation Board and the CSU-Pueblo Hasan School of Business Advisory Board, among others. Keith has donated time and money to many local concerns, including work for the PCC Mall area, Rawlings Field at CSU-Pueblo, the Pueblo Convention Center, a football field at El Pueblo Boys & Girls Ranch, a visiting room at the animal shelter and a child care playroom at the new YMCA. Keith donates a continuing scholarship at PCC. His and wife Sharon's quiet philanthropy in support of many Pueblo concerns, while usually unpublished, has had a positive effect on the Pueblo community.
Jerry Traylor ('73)
Jerry was a nationally recognized motivational speaker who delivered his message to more than a million people at 4,000 audiences in 49 states and abroad. He died in June 2018 in Phoenix. Born with cerebral palsy, he never let that define him. He addressed Fortune 500 corporate functions and professional athletic teams, and was featured in national media reports throughout his life, including Paul Harvey's 'The Rest of the Story' and The Larry King Show. Jerry underwent 14 corrective surgeries, spending nearly a year in the hospital when he was 6 years old. He finished 28 marathons on his crutches, climbed 14,110 foot-Pikes Peak, jogged 3,528 miles across America and parachuted from 12,500 feet. The late Dr. Norman Peale summed up Jerry's influence this way: "Building a career as a motivational speaker, Jerry Traylor has prepared himself by becoming a motivational doer. That way he is more convincing when he tells people what it takes to achieve difficult goals, for they know he has achieved many." Jerry was living proof that you can do anything if your desire is great enough.