1944
Reba Parks Hellard (left) and Mary Ann Bohlender Johnson recently met for lunch at the Engineers Club in Dayton. They have been friends since kindergarten (graduating together from Steele High School) through their years at Miami to today. Reba, Mary Ann, Mary Ann’s husband, Richard ’44, and Reba’s son, David Hellard ’71, spent a delightful afternoon reminiscing and enjoying the wonderfully historical venue of the club.
1955
Sally Pfandhoefer Welday lives in Clover, S.C., with husband David ’53. They have three married children and seven grandsons. Sally writes, “Lovin’ life and abundantly blessed!”
1956
Theodore Rogers, chairman and co-founder of the American Industrial Partners Fund of New York City, was among those inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences 229th class of new members Oct. 10, 2009. The program celebrates pioneering research and scholarship, artistic achievement, and exemplary service to society.
1957
Bob Mann of Greenwich, Conn., retired corporate lawyer at Pepsi-Co and Chesebrough-Pond’s, where he was vice president, secretary, and general counsel, now teaches at Greenwich High School, travels extensively in the Middle East, and lectures on the Arab-Israeli peace process. He recently returned from three weeks in Israel, where he volunteered at Kfar Etzion, a kibbutz in the heart of the West Bank.
1960
Next reunion: June 17-20, 2010
Marsha White Warren has received the North Carolina Humanities Council’s John Tyler Caldwell Award for her lifelong advocacy of the public humanities. A charter member of the North Carolina Writers’ Network, Marsha was the executive director 1987-96. She served as executive director of The Paul Green Foundation 1991-2005 and is currently its literary executor. She sits on the boards of the North Carolina Freedom Monument and the Weymouth Center for the Arts & Humanities. With Sam Ragan, she developed the North Carolina Literary Hall of Fame and currently serves on its administrative team. Past board service includes the National Coalition of Writers Organizations, North Carolina Cultural Alliance, North Carolina Cultural Resources Task Force, Arts Advocates of North Carolina, North Carolina Poetry Society, North Carolina Writers Conference, and the St. Andrews Press Editorial Board. She co-organized the North Carolina Women Writers’ Conference in 1992 and was associate editor of North Carolina’s 400 Years: Signs Along the Way; consulting editor of Weymouth: An Anthology of Poetry; and editor of the Collected Poems of Sam Ragan: Poet Laureate of North Carolina. She was assistant editor of Carolina Spring and directed the project Word & Witness: 100 Years of North Carolina Poetry.
1961
John Santoro Jr. (far left) of Short Hills, N.J., and Lawrence Adelman of Boca Raton, Fla., and their wives enjoyed a visit at the Adelman home in February.
1962
These Delta Lambda Kappa Kappa Gammas who pledged 50 years ago at Miami gathered in Boca Raton, Fla., in November 2009 for a reunion: (l-r) Bonnie Du Mars Lau, Elaine Kettelhut Wagner, Geri Woehler Von Stein, Linda Harrison Dutton, Ginny McPherson Knoll, Judy Bauer Bursiek, and Jan Mockabee Fryman. Not pictured: Liz Chase Pulley.
1964
Jeffry Weiler has joined the law firm of Tucker Ellis & West as a member of the firm’s trusts and estates practice group in the Cleveland office. Known for his work with estate-related law in Ohio, he was a proponent, originator, and Ohio State Bar Association representative to the Ohio General Assembly concerning Bills for Ohio funeral and burial arrangements. In 2004, he received the Distinguished Estate Planner Award, presented by The Estate Planning Council of Cleveland. Prior to Tucker Ellis & West, he was a partner with Benesch, Friedlander, Coplan & Aronoff.
1965
Next reunion: June 17-20, 2010
Thompson Hine partner Lawrence Burick has been named the “2010 Dayton Banking Lawyer of the Year” in The Best Lawyers in America (2010). A single lawyer in each practice and community is so honored and highly respected for his or her knowledge, professionalism, and integrity. The rankings in the current edition of Best Lawyers are based on more than 2.8 million evaluations completed by other lawyers. In Best Lawyers’ banking category, Larry is included in the areas of creditors’ rights and workouts. He also is mentioned as a Best Lawyer in the bankruptcy category. He focuses his practice on creditors’ rights and remedies under the Uniform Commercial Code, Bankruptcy Code, and state law to enforce creditors’ rights in state and federal courts and bankruptcy courts. He has been a presenter at the American Bankruptcy Law Forum and the Dayton Bar Association and made presentations across Ohio, addressing the Bankruptcy Code, Uniform Commercial Code, and mechanics’ lien and garnishment issues, among other topics. He was appointed by the Southern District bankruptcy judges as a member of the planning committee and a presenter for several Bankruptcy Bench-Bar Dialogue sessions. He has been active in various leadership capacities in the Dayton community, including chair and board member for The National Conference for Community and Justice (NCCJ) and recipient of the 2008 NCCJ Humanitarian Award. He has served as president of the Jewish Federation of Greater Dayton and is currently a board member.
1968
Martha Kitchen Casazza WC ’68 is vice president of academic affairs for the Adler School of Professional Psychology. She joined the Chicago-based graduate school’s leadership team in November 2009 to oversee development and administration of all academic policies, programs, and budgets for the school’s Chicago and Vancouver campuses. Responsibilities include degree programs and other educational offerings, academic personnel, online learning, training and community engagement, libraries, institutional research, academic support services, and career development services. Previously, as the dean of National-Louis University’s College of Arts and Sciences, Martha, a former Fulbright Senior Scholar, supervised the introduction of more than 60 online courses and the university’s first PhD program (in community psychology).
Roger King, a partner in the Columbus office of Jones Day practicing in labor and employment, was included in the 2009 Super Lawyers Corporate Counsel Edition, the 2009 Best Lawyers of America, and 2009 Chambers USA (Ohio). Jones Day’s labor and employment practice is named by Chambers as one of three No. 1 L&E practices in the U.S. in its annual directory, America’s Leading Lawyers for Business. Roger is one of 16 JD lawyers listed individually for this honor.
Jo Ann Yampol Rohyans of Columbus received the Alumni Achievement Award from Mortar Board National College Senior Honor Society at the society’s 2009 national conference in Chicago last July. The award is conferred annually upon extraordinary Mortar Board alumni who are outstanding in their professional lives; who have contributed at the local, national, and international communities; and who serve as remarkable role models to collegiate members. After being initiated into Mortar Board at Miami in 1968, Jo Ann went on to earn an MD at Ohio State University in 1979. In addition to having her own practice as a pediatrician, Jo Ann regularly teaches, researches, serves patients, and advises other physicians at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus. She is devoted to numerous causes, participating in the Junior League of Columbus and dedicating herself to the New Directions Career Center, an affiliate of the United Way, which works to improve Franklin County by offering career counseling. Mortar Board provides opportunities for continued leadership development, promotes service to colleges and universities, and encourages lifelong contributions to the global community.
1969
These six fellas, who have been pals since Miami, were at Bruce Downey’s “ranch” in Northern Neck, Va., on the weekend of Oct. 3, 2009, for their annual golf/fishing outing. The guys still enjoy time with each other after more than 40 years: (in front) Bruce Downey; (back, l-r) Tom Duck, Tom McKnight ’70, Gil Short, Jim Boswell, and Bo Walter. Tom, who sent in the photo, writes, “We were all Phi Delts except our pal Bo, who was a Beta. One of us was a school principal, one of us built racetracks for horses, four of us were/are lawyers, and one of us sold drugs. To my knowledge no one spent more than an hour in jail and the guy who sold the drugs actually was the CEO of the company. I think we all turned out OK, but the day ain’t over. We’ll see.”
1970
Next reunion: June 17-20, 2010
James Goldfarb has been installed as president of the Society for Reproductive Technologies (SART), the primary organization of professionals dedicated to the practice of in vitro fertilization (IVF) in the United States. SART sets and maintains national standards for IVF. Before becoming president of SART, he served in several other positions on the SART executive council including chair of the advertising committee, clinical director, and vice president. James is a pioneer in in vitro fertilization. His program has been responsible for Ohio’s first IVF birth (1983); the world’s first IVF /surrogate birth (1986). The baby was featured on the cover of LIFE Magazine on her first birthday; and Ohio’s first birth from preimplantation genetic diagnosis (2004). The birth was featured in the cover story of the Plain Dealer Magazine. Dr. Goldfarb is director of infertility services and in vitro fertilization at the Cleveland Clinic and professor of surgery at Cleveland Clinic’s Lerner College of Medicine.
Richard Smucker, executive chairman and co-CEO of the J.M. Smucker Co., is also now deputy chairman of the Cleveland Federal Reserve Board. Smucker’s, founded in 1897 by Richard’s great-grandfather, is still headquartered in Orrville, Ohio, and has 2,700 employees worldwide. It is the leading marketer and manufacturer of fruit spreads, peanut butter, shortening and oils, ice cream toppings, sweetened condensed milk, and health and natural foods beverages in North America. Richard and his brother, Timothy, were named Market Watch CEO of the Year in 2009. An active alumnus, he has been a member of Miami’s Business Advisory Council, the foundation board, the Campaign for Miami Corporate Foundation Committee, and Miami’s board of trustees, which he chaired 2007-2009.
1971
These 1971 graduates enjoyed a fabulous and fun reunion in Austin, Texas, in September 2009 celebrating their 60th birthdays: (l-r) Mickie Garnett Swetland (Naples, Fla.), Roberta Raynak Nelson ’71 MEd ’75 (Cincinnati), Elaine Melech Kirkland (Patterson, N.Y.), Jan Knipper Rinehart (Austin), and Bonnie Copeland ’71 MEd ’73 (Baltimore, Md.).
Three Miami Mergers from Fairfield, Ohio, and their families enjoyed a beach vacation together at Oak Island, N.C.: (l-r) Tim Wolfe ’71 MEd ’73 and Mary Ann Engelhardt Wolfe ’72 MS ’77, Hope Baumhardt Stetler ’69 and Ron Stetler ’71, and Sue Hottenstein Riebel ’69 and Bob Riebel ’70.
1973
Michele Black Abrams of Lebanon, Ohio, started her term Jan. 1, 2010, for the Ohio United Way Board. Michele is active in civic and community affairs in the Lebanon area where she serves as a real estate agent with Henkle-Schueler Realtors. She also has spent many years as an educator and is a substitute teacher with Lebanon High School.
During a February trip to Miami University, sisters (l-r) Carol Harlamert, Jan Gaerke, and Barb Wannemacher Daugherty ’73 (far right) visited Mandy Gaerke ’12 (second from right) in her room in Stoddard Hall. Carol is Mandy’s godmother, Jan is Mandy’s mom, and Barb is the doting alumna aunt. Their fourth sister, Lin Wannemacher Silha ’69, was snowed out, and brothers Jim Wannemacher ’72 and Rick Wannemacher ’76 weren’t in attendance, but were there in spirit.
Linda Fuller-Cross of Xenia, Ohio, received this Miami Santa for Christmas from her brother and sister-in-law, Myron and Cheryl Fuller. Her friend, Barb McBee, brought Linda’s sister-in-law to the Miami Alumni Center to get many of the things that were used on the Santa. He was made for Linda by Penny Perorazio of East Liverpool, Ohio. Linda writes, “I couldn’t believe it when I opened him on Christmas day. My sister-in-law had even taken the time to get a real copy of the McGuffey Reader, which Ms. Perorazio shrunk and included on the Santa. That made him so personal to me because I student taught at the McGuffey Lab School.
“I am a Miami girl through and through. It was four of the best years of my life at a time when I needed stability desperately. I was from a single parent family and my mother was killed in the fall of my senior year of high school. Things were pretty tumultuous for me during that time to say the least. I worked for a year before attending Miami, and it was my mother’s insurance money that allowed my dream of being a history teacher to come true. I graduated in 1973 with a degree in secondary social studies education and spent my entire 35-year teaching career at Beavercreek High School until my retirement in 2008. My husband is retiring this year after 35 years of teaching at BHS as well. My room at school always had Chief Miami and Miami’s colors displayed proudly and I loved writing letters of recommendation for my students who wanted to attend Miami. I got such a sense of pride when I retired and my husband gave two $1,000 scholarships in my name to two of my former students who are now attending Miami and hope to be teachers.”
Col. Scott Gordon, commander of the U.S. Army Medical Research Unit in Nairobi, Kenya, was appointed as the medical entomology consultant to the Army Surgeon General.
1975
Next reunion: June 17-20, 2010
MU Theatre alum Bill Brzeski received a nomination from the Art Directors Guild in the contemporary film category for his work as production designer on the film, “The Hangover.” Unfortunately, he lost to “The Hurt Locker.” Bill has been working in TV, film, and theater for more than 20 years. He began his career in television and has designed more than 800 productions. Responsible for the visual concepts, he has worked on such feature films as James L. Brooks’ Oscar-winning “As Good as It Gets,” the 2007 Rob Reiner film “The Bucket List,” and both “Stuart Little” and “Stuart Little 2” for director Rob Minkoff.
1976
Observant readers E. Mark and Teresa “Trie” Schwegman Smith ’75 spotted Miami RedHawks No. 17 sport jersey in a picture on the wall in a Seattle’s art scene article in Sunset magazine’s September 2009 edition. Mark and Trie have lived in the Seattle area since 1977 when they returned to the U.S. after Mark’s Fulbright Scholarship in architecture in the UK. The ‘retired’ architect and Montessori School owner live in Woodinville, Wash., and operate an organic farm and new winery in Chelan County.
Mohamed Yonis ’76 ’77 of Somalia is deputy joint special representative for operations and management in the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation (UNAMID) in Darfur. He brings to the mission extensive management and operational experience, particularly in relation to Darfur, serving as the director of mission support in UNAMID. His work with these operations began at the initial planning stages in 2006, when he served as head of the Darfur Planning Team in New York and later as mission support adviser to the African Union Mission in Sudan. His prior peacekeeping experience includes senior-level assignments in field missions, including serving as chief administrative officer with the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization and chief administrative officer in the Office of the United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process. Prior to service in peacekeeping, he worked for the African Development Bank in Côte d’Ivoire in various senior positions. He holds a master’s degree in public administration from Harvard University, and has a diploma in education from the Teachers Training College in Hargeisa and Gohrde College in Germany and a certificate in conflict management from the Canadian Institute for Conflict Resolution. He is married and has four children.
1977
Amelia Bower was re-appointed to chair the legal ethics and professional conduct committee for the Ohio State Bar Association (OSBA) for 2009-2010. The OSBA maintains 41 standing committees and 11 sections, each of which monitors a particular area of law. Committees and sections keep Ohio lawyers informed about the latest court decisions and regulatory changes. In addition, they comment on bills before the Ohio General Assembly and draft their own legislative proposals to improve existing laws. Amelia, who earned a law degree from Cleveland State University, is managing partner for the Ohio office of Plunkett Cooney. She is a member of the real property section of the Columbus and Ohio State bar associations and the Ohio Land Title Association. She is licensed to practice in the U.S. Supreme Court, Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, U.S. District Court for the Northern and Southern districts of Ohio, and the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern and Southern districts of Ohio.
Jay Henderson sent in this photo of Miamians who were involved in promoting Chicago as the host city for the 2016 Summer Olympics. Although disappointed that Chicago was not chosen, Jay writes, these Miamians were enthusiastically involved in the activities in Copenhagen during the International Olympic Committee’s selection process last October 2009: (l-r) Tom Farmer ’07, Gordon Kane ’80, Mark Mitten ’80, Kristi Hill ’07, Jaclyn Valrose ’03, Mike Harrington ’81, Nancy Challenger (MU Parents Council), Anne Pramaggiore ’80, Andy Challenger ’10, Sam McBride ’08, John Challenger (MU Parents Council), Brady Cassell ’00, Craig Cassell ’00, Cindy Pate Henderson ’76, Jay Henderson ’77 (MU board of trustees member), and Greg Jones ’83 (MU Business Advisory Council member).
1979
Charles “Chuck” Hoffman has joined Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minn., as the seminary’s first artist-in-residence. He is also an MA student. Chuck is creatively engaging the community to explore the role of art in reconciliation. When not studying, he is leading art experiences both on campus and in the greater community, helping faculty and students deepen and inform course content using visual art, and creating an original art piece for the seminary’s permanent art collection. His original art piece, “The World Canvas Project,” invites people to come together to bring their prayers and concerns to the canvas. The intent is to let the canvas connect diverse communities through prayer and creativity. After completing his MA, he would like to become the ELCA’s first “art missionary” using art and creativity in new and established congregations and in areas of conflict resolution. He joined Luther Seminary after working an associate creative director for Walt Disney World in Orlando. He has been a creative director for a number of design and advertising companies during his career. He shifted his career away from graphic design to more deeply explore the role of art in reconciliation. His interest began when he and his wife, Peg Carlson-Hoffman, traveled to Belfast, Northern Ireland, and worked in a community bitterly divided between Protestant and Catholic neighborhoods.
Scott and Margie Starr Lawrence ’78 celebrated the 30th anniversary of their Miami Merger by running the inaugural Seattle Rock ’n’ Roll Marathon June 27, 2009. They also toured Vancouver and Victoria, British Columbia, and then returned to spend more time in Seattle. Highlights were ferry rides, orca watching, kayaking, and observing both the Canadian and American Independence days. They live in Plano, Texas.
1981
Lauren Corbin, vice president of membership for the Career College Association in Washington, D.C., has earned the Certified Association Executive credential, the highest professional credential in the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE). Less than 5 percent of all association professionals have earned the CAE. To be so designated, an applicant must have a minimum of three year’s experience in nonprofit organization management, complete a minimum of 75 hours of specialized professional development, pass a stringent examination in association management, and pledge to uphold a code of ethics. To maintain certification, individuals must undertake ongoing professional development and activities in association and nonprofit management.
Nancy Stover Davenport is vice president in the Office of Governmental Affairs for New York Life Insurance. In this role, she oversees development and communication of the company’s strategies related to state and federal insurance regulatory modernization efforts. Prior to joining New York Life, Nancy, who earned a JD from Wake Forest University, was vice president at JPMorgan Chase, where she was responsible for legislative, regulatory, and political advocacy for the company in the states of New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Massachusetts. Admitted to the state bars of New York and North Carolina, she lives in Kingston, N.Y., with husband Jim and their three children.
1982
Christopher Doktor ’82 MArch ’84, principal and partner at Olson Lewis Dioli & Doktor Architects in Manchester-by-the-Sea, Mass., recently became a LEED Accredited Professional. LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is a green building certification system “designed and built using strategies aimed at improving” building performance developed by the U.S. Green Building Council. The program promotes a national benchmark for the use of environmentally friendly products, materials, and techniques in the development of sustainable buildings. Chris leads the firm’s award-winning educational design team and developed its design methodology called Immersion, which has been presented at regional and national conferences. He has been practicing architecture for 25 years, joined OLD&D in 1993, and is a registered architect in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut.
Mary Lynne Quinnan Zahler ’82 MA ’86 writes, “Just had to send you this recent photo of my 1-year-old daughter, Ava, in her MU sweatshirt! (We adopted her from Guatemala last spring.) We hope she will go to MU one day as well! :)”
1983
Ellen Rogge Schubert joined Deloitte last September in the newly created role of chief adviser to the asset management services practice. Based in New York, she advises Deloitte’s hedge fund clients on such issues as operations, product structuring, and regulation. “Global regulation poses a triple threat to hedge funds’ competitive advantage by increasing portfolio transparency and costs and decreasing leverage. This comes at a time when investors are pulling funds and pressing for reduced management fees. Gone are the days when any ‘mom and pop’ could hang out a shingle, call themselves a hedge fund, and launch with $500 million,” she said. “This new environment will require a more sophisticated and robust infrastructure to operate profitably. Deloitte’s deep bench of regulatory and operational professionals is well-positioned to aid funds on this transformational journey.” Prior to joining Deloitte, she was a managing director and global head of the fixed income hedge fund business for UBS Investment Bank.
1984
Julia Rea Bianchi, a board member of the American Red Cross Greater Miami (Fla.) & The Keys, is national co-chair of the American Red Cross Tiffany Circle Society of Women Leaders, a leadership network of women who donate $10,000 annually to support their local chapters. Her volunteer work with the American Red Cross also has included serving on the Tiffany Circle National Advisory Council and traveling as a keynote speaker on behalf of the program. She received the American Red Cross Rosalind R. Ludwig Chairmen’s Spectrum Award for 2008 and earned the Fundraiser of the Year Award, The Big Brothers Big Sisters Community Service Award, the March of Dimes Leading Lady of Miami Award, The Buoniconti Fund to Cure Paralysis Women of Style and Substance Award, the Junior League’s Rebecca Herndon Bush Award, and the Women Who Make a Difference Award. Co-founder of the Fisher Island Philanthropic Fund; a founding board member of and ongoing fundraiser for Kristi House, a child sexual abuse treatment center; and past president of the Junior League, Julia, who also has a home in Akron, is a member of the board of directors of the Ohio-based Summa Foundation and is currently chairing its Sapphire Ball. She also co-chaired Akron Children’s Hospital’s Denim and Diamonds Event and has served on the Stan Hywet’s Mid-Summer’s Night Gala committee.
These Miamians are working together on ChargeSmart, a new business venture in San Francisco: (l-r) co founder Tim Brinkman ’86, Bob Jacoby ’87, and Brigid Brady are collaborating on the new Web-based payment service. Brigid writes, “It’s great to connect with Miami graduates while working together, being able to share the common bond of your college days, reminiscing about Miami University – the fun, the friends, and the faculty – while building a new business for the future.”
Michael McIntyre of Perrysburg, Ohio, is executive director of the Maumee Valley Habitat for Humanity, assuming the leadership role last July. He brings with him a 25-year background in management, leadership, and private business development and also has been involved with a number of nonprofit organizations in strategic planning and fundraising. Maumee Valley Habitat for Humanity is a faith-based, nonprofit that develops simple, decent, affordable housing for low-income families in Lucas County, Ohio.
1985
Next reunion: June 17-20, 2010
Teri Goehring Harrison is a wife, mother of four, author, and business owner. She has written two books, The Grandparents’ Little Idea Book and The Grandparents’ Memory Book: Did You Really Walk 5 Miles to School? Teri also has penned more than 100 sentiments about families. Her first poem, “Grandma’s Heart,” was the inspiration for many of the works that have followed. She and her family live in Alpharetta, Ga., where she and her husband run the day-to-day operations of their gift company, The Grandparent Gift Co., which creates and sells Teri’s writings in gift form, including prints, cards, and ornaments. Her products can be found at Babies R Us, many Hallmark retailers, and small gift shops and boutiques across the country. In addition, she is a licensee for the Bradford Exchange for a doll called “Daddy’s Hands.” She has had numerous articles published in regional parenting magazines and is a gift idea resource for local schools and groups. Her “Daughter, Now That You’re a Mother” greeting card was a Greeting Card Association finalist for the annual Louie Awards Mothers Day card category.
John Hintz has joined the partnership of Chadbourne & Parke, an international law firm based in New York. He works out of the New York office and focuses on intellectual property matters, primarily patent litigation. Before joining Chadbourne, he was a partner at WilmerHale where he was part of a pro bono team that obtained freedom for Dewey Bozella, a man wrongfully convicted of murder who served 26 years in prison. John and the team were each awarded the Gideon Award by the New York State Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers for their work.
Tom Littman is president and senior managing partner of middle-market private equity firm Kirtland Capital Partners in Cleveland. Tom joined Kirtland in 1995 and has served the firm as a managing partner since 2005. During his tenure, he has been a significant contributor to several portfolio investments, including Instron Corp., R Tape Corp., and Unifrax Corp. Previously, he worked as an attorney with Jones Day, a multi-national law firm. He serves as a director of MicroGroup and Northwest Mailing Service and is a trustee of the Cleveland Zoological Society, Positive Education Program, and Achievement Centers for Children.
Winn Van Brimer lives in Indianapolis where he is director of recruiting for Defender Direct. He is responsible for the implementation of systems and processes around the execution of a world-class recruiting operation for the growing company. He and wife Kim have three children, Danielle, DJ, and Hannah, and a yellow lab named Boomer (Go Bengals!).
1987
Posing for the camera before the Miami-Northwestern football game last fall are 1987 Miami grads Pamela Bailey Clark, Erin Meyers Barlow, Lisa Petersen Phillips, Jennifer Bloomfield Baker, and Barbara Guiao Gabric and their families.
Paul Deutsch of Chagrin Falls, Ohio, is a principal at Bialosky + Partners Architects, which has been awarded the Ohio Gold Medal Firm Award from the American Institute of Architects Ohio. The medal is given annually to one architectural firm in the state, on the merit of depth and breadth of work, demonstration of a collaborative environment, and respect by clients and industry peers. Bialosky + Partners’ nationally recognized portfolio includes the redevelopment of Clarendon Square (Boston), headquarters for Progressive Insurance (Cleveland), and the MMM Residence (Long Island), recently featured on The Travel Channel and in Dwell magazine.
(L-r) Lynn Jolly, Cy Ballard Zack ’88, Jennifer Shea Vallo, Swoop, Jayne Warnica Riley ’85, and Chris Gurzick Giampetroni ’88 were back in Oxford for a women’s swimming reunion held in conjunction with the Women’s Mid-American Conference swim meet Feb. 24-27, 2010. Women swimmers who graduated prior to 1991 received their varsity letters and were recognized at a dinner at Marcum Conference Center.
Lisa Patt-McDaniel is director of the Ohio Department of Development, having been appointed by Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland in September 2009. Formerly the department’s interim director, she is leading the state’s efforts to create, retain, and attract jobs for Ohio through targeted investments in the state’s growth industries and in partnership with the state’s regions and higher education institutions. Lisa has served in several capacities for the Ohio Department of Development since 1990 and is its first woman director.
Susan McVaney Strong is assistant vice president national accounts for Kansas City Southern. She focuses on large multi-modal shippers, particularly those with existing and potential traffic flows between the United States and Mexico. She also provides coordination across all existing business units for crossborder business development opportunities. Susan has 21 years of experience with Union Pacific Railroad. Most recently, she served as general director logistics with responsibilities for sales strategy, process improvement, industry leadership, and customer relations. She also has held a number of other business development roles with the company. Headquartered in Kansas City, Mo., KCS is a transportation holding company that has railroad investments in the United States, Mexico, and Panama. Its primary U.S. holding is the Kansas City Southern Railway Co., serving the central and south central U.S.
Michael Whan, most recently president and CEO of Mission-ITECH Hockey, is the new commissioner of the Ladies Professional Golf Association. He previously served as executive vice president/general manager of North America TaylorMade Adidas Golf and also worked at Wilson. Working with Michael is Jon Podany, who became the LPGA chief marketing officer the end of March 2010. A well-respected PGA TOUR sales, marketing, and business development executive for the past 15 years, Jon now assumes leadership responsibilities in U.S. domestic sales and business development, corporate marketing, television, and digital media.
1988
Ed Schilling, veteran high-school, college, and NBA basketball coach, is director of the basketball program and varsity boys basketball coach at Park Tudor School in Indianapolis. He also continues to serve as executive director of the Zionsville-based Champions Academy, a not-for-profit organization that trains young students to NBA All-Stars on fundamental basketball skills. He is the author of two books, Basketball Guard Play and Five-Star Basketball, and eight instructional DVDs and videos. He also is co-owner and director of Coaches Academy, an online coaching mentor program, and director of Right Stuff Basketball Camp, a nonprofit camp for inner-city youth around the country that focuses on teaching life skills and values.
Deb Vangellow MS ’88, director of instruction at Sweetwater Country Club in Houston, has been elected national vice president for the Ladies Professional Golf Association Teaching and Club Professionals. She serves with fellow LPGA member President-Elect Dana Rader, Top 100 Teacher and owner/operator of the Dana Rader Golf School in Charlotte, N.C. In addition to teaching senior and junior golfers of all skill levels individually and in groups, Deb is a lead instructor on the renowned faculty for the LPGA National Education Program, the industry-leading teacher training program for golf professionals. A busy golf educator who gives more than 2,000 lessons each year, Deb believes in teaching the whole game to the whole person. Her student-centered teaching philosophy includes golf education programming in the areas of skill development, club fitting, peak performance awareness/implementation, and overall health and fitness ideals.
1989
Thomas Allen of Frost Brown Todd in West Chester, Ohio, is a Best Lawyer for 2010 for Education Law. For more than 25 years, Best Lawyers has been regarded by both the legal profession and the public as the definitive guide to legal excellence in the United States. Lawyers are chosen for inclusion based solely on a vote of their peers.
Susan Thompson Hingle, an associate professor of clinical medicine at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, was named 2009’s outstanding faculty member in the School of Medicine for her innovations in teaching and assessment that could affect medical education throughout the country. She has created several interactive case studies to help students understand how doctors make their diagnoses and has written articles on communicating with older patients, improving care for the chronically ill, and teaching teachers how to teach. She also received a grant from the National Board of Medical Examiners to develop a way to evaluate one of the skill sets residency program administrators find most difficult to measure. Her method involves a set of simulations that test how students interact with patients, their families, and other medical personnel. Residency programs across the nation likely will find this a useful tool. Susan earned her medical degree in 1993 from Rush Medical College in Chicago. She joined the faculty in 1998.
Vicky Karugu ’89 MA ’93 has a baby girl she named after her own late mother, Margaret Githara Karugu WC ’62. Vicky’s brother, Eric ’98, and sister, Rose ’94, are all back in Kenya now. Vicky writes, “I am filled with fond memories of my years at Miami. I now have a 1-year old daughter. I hope one day she will join the Miami family and I would look forward to visiting her in dear Oxford.”
Denise Disher Keller and husband Don traveled to China in December 2008 to adopt daughter Kate after preparing and waiting for approval for 3.5 years. Toward the end of the waiting period, they connected via e-mail with Dave ’96 and Nikki Williams Dzikowski ’97 after learning they would be in the same travel group. It was only after they arrived in Beijing and began touring the city together that they discovered they had all graduated from Miami. Each couple was there to receive their fourth child. Nikki and Dave of Columbus have three other daughters. Denise and Don of Yorktown, Va., also have three boys. Denise writers, “We were together as Kate and Juliana were placed in our arms for the first time. Our daughters are from the same orphanage and only three days apart in age. We spent two unbelievable weeks together filled with joy, laughter, tears (mostly happy), and countless adventures. Our families will always have a special bond with Juliana and Kate at the center. This once-in-a-lifetime experience has created a treasured ‘Miami Merger!’ ”
Laura Lochman, her husband, Joseph, and 2-year-old son Nicholas are in Calgary, Canada, where Laura is the consul general of the United States. The Calgary Herald reported that her three-year term started in June 2009. She joined the department in 1989 after graduating in international studies and French. She told the paper that she had always set her sights on the Foreign Service after traveling so much with her father, who was a military man, then businessman. Her first overseas post was to Caracas, Venezuela, in 1990 and then to Sao Paulo, Brazil, in 1992. She returned to Washington, serving on the Cuban Affairs desk, the Bureau of South Asian Affairs, and the Bureau of Oceans, Environment and Science. She was then seconded to the Nature Conservancy as a policy adviser for two years before being posted in 2000 to Madrid, then four years later to Moscow as deputy economic counselor and chief of the trade and investment unit.
James McGovern of Graff & Associates law firm in Columbus has been re-appointed to chair the administrative law committee for the Ohio State Bar Association (OSBA) for 2009-2010. The OSBA maintains 41 standing committees and 11 sections, each of which monitors a particular area of law. Committees and sections improve the justice system by keeping Ohio lawyers informed about the latest court decisions and regulatory changes. In addition, they comment on bills before the Ohio General Assembly and draft their own legislative proposals to improve existing laws. His practice is focused on administrative law, primarily defending the interests of professionals in their dealings with professional regulatory boards, employers, and other entities. He began his legal career in 1993 as an assistant Ohio attorney general, then served three years as counsel for the Ohio Department of Human Services and three years as counsel for the State Medical Board of Ohio. After that, he spent nine years with Hammond, Sewards & Williams in Columbus, where his practice was focused on defending the interests of professionals in their dealings with professional regulatory boards and defending physicians, hospitals, and nursing homes against malpractice claims. He lives in Upper Arlington with wife Laurie and sons Michael and Kevin. He spends much of his free time coaching youth athletic teams.
1990
Next reunion: June 17-20, 2010
Diane Bruce Anstine ’90 MA ’91, associate professor and chair of economics at North Central College, is the newest Ruge Fellow, a program designed to recognize, celebrate, and reward faculty for their contributions to the teaching and learning environment at North Central. A resident of Aurora, Ill., Diane has been a member of North Central’s faculty since 1997. In 2000 she was awarded the college’s Dissinger Award for Junior Faculty. In 2003 she was granted tenure. She has been chair of the economics department since 2004 and established the college’s economics honor society, Omicron Delta Epsilon, that same year. She has served on various faculty committees and as a research and thesis adviser to many honor students. For five years, she’s been the college’s faculty athletic representative to the NCAA and works with members of the athletic department on NCAA-related issues. She’s keenly interested in Division III athletics for its emphasis on balancing student academics and athletics and was instrumental in creating the college’s faculty mentor program, which pairs each athletic team with a faculty member. The Ruge Fellow is named for and funded by the late Dr. Daniel Ruge, a neurosurgeon and White House physician to former President Ronald Reagan who was also a 1939 alumnus and one-time chair of the board of trustees. The title is awarded for five years.
These former Miami roommates, who met in Tappan Hall freshman year, get together every year, most recently in Miami Beach last fall: (l-r) Lora Moody Clausen, Lisa Namay DiSalle, Mary Stephenson Schroeder, Amy Bowles Docherty, Debbie Moster Aikman, Sharon Gugino Bakshi, and Susie Lynam Berry. Not pictured: Jeris Nutt Livengood.
1991
Born: to Molly Walsh Bateman and Craig ’87, Regan Elizabeth, in November 2009, joining Nathan, 2, in Upper Arlington. Molly teaches part-time kindergarten at the French immersion school in Columbus. Craig runs his own business.
Robert Graham MGS ’91 is the new provost at Waynesburg University in Waynesburg, Pa. Previously acting provost, he had been dean of undergraduate studies at Waynesburg since July 2008, directing the many academically related functions that affect the educational experience of students – advising, academic assessment, faith and learning, and study abroad, among others. He came to Waynesburg from Lee University in Cleveland, Tenn., where he served as chair of behavioral and social sciences and professor of sociology. Before that, he was at the University of Cincinnati as a research analyst for the Institute for Policy Research and as a research associate for the department of family medicine. In addition to his PhD from the University of Cincinnati and his master’s in gerontological studies from Miami, he has a BA from Lee College. Waynesburg University is in southwestern Pennsylvania.
Kari Kittrell of Columbus is the new executive director of Kappa Kappa Gamma. Previously, she served the fraternity as the director of business and operations, associate executive director, and most recently as interim executive director. Before that, she was employed by Franklin University as director of communications and special events and served as the public information officer for the Franklin County Prosecuting Attorney. As executive director, Kari is responsible for the operations and business of the fraternity, management of fraternity headquarters personnel, and collaboration with the leadership of the organization who assist in the operations of its collegiate chapters and alumnae associations worldwide. She has a master’s in marketing and communication from Franklin University in Columbus.
Doug Meil and his family are in Chagrin Falls, Ohio. Doug is the director of engineering for Explorys.
Cmdr. Mike Ryan, a Navy supply officer, and his 3-year-old son, William, ended up in an Associated Press photograph with President Barack Obama at a Marine Corps base in Hawaii on Christmas Day 2009. The Cincinnati Enquirer reported that Mike and the president talked about their children’s Christmas presents. The Obama daughters "were all about iPhones," Mike remembered Obama saying, according to the Enquirer.
Robert Smyth is president and managing partner for the Drew Law Firm in Cincinnati. He practices in estate planning, probate administration, and general representation of individual and closely held businesses.
Rich Ullman of Alpharetta, Ga., recently visited Miami for the first time in many years. While on campus, he bought Miami T-shirts for his daughters, Sophie and Claire.
Susan Walker-Hemm received the Troy (Ohio) Chamber of Commerce’s Outstanding Young Woman Award. She studied at the Luxembourg center and was a member of AOPi while at Miami. She’s active in numerous community activities, is the development coordinator for Hospice of Miami County, and has daughters Cassidy and Kate.
1992
Adam Abrahams earned an LLM in taxation from Georgetown University Law Center in May 2009. He is of counsel to The Shump Law Firm in Maryland as a tax attorney engaged in estate planning, corporate, and tax controversy matters.
Born: to Cathleen Grabnar Domes and Kerry, Adam John, Jan. 2, 2009. Cathleen works for Deloitte Consulting and Kerry works for Verizon. They live in Mentor, Ohio.
Michael George is a member of the Leadership Akron Class of XXVI. He also was honored recently as a 30 for the Future Award recipient by the Greater Akron Chamber. Michael is an attorney and partner in Stark & Knoll’s business services group. He lives in Copley with wife Katie Coughlin George ’94 and their five children.
Walter Huber MA ’92 PhD ’00, associate professor of political science at Muskingum University, in New Concord, Ohio, received the Cora I. Orr Faculty Service Award at the university’s convocation in August 2009. It is named in honor of a Muskingum faculty member and administrator who served the college with devotion and distinction for four decades. Of Walter’s achievements, Vice President for Academic Affairs Paul Reichardt said, “Dr. Huber has led important initiatives that have advanced the university’s strategic agenda in three areas: service to our region of the state of Ohio; global contacts for our faculty and global education for our students; and the assessment of the effectiveness of our liberal arts curriculum. Each of these special accomplishments will help shape the character of Muskingum University as a 21st century institution of distinction.” Walter joined the faculty in 1998.
Suzanne Kehr was awarded an MFA in sculpture from the San Francisco Art Institute in May 2009.
1993
For a June 2009 reunion of (mostly) 1993 Miami graduates, Kathy Barnes writes, “We rented a ridiculously large house in the Outer Banks of North Carolina to fit 15 adults and 16 kids. (Yes, they outnumbered us!) The kids all tie-dyed shirts – in red, of course! We are: (top) Kate Pearce ’93, Emma and Mike Hess ’93, Brian Barnes holding Lucas; (next row) Fred Heinemann ’92 holding Cole, Monica Vriend Heinemann ’93 with James and Brooklyn, Cathy Bailey Nagy ’93 with Sarah and Dan Nagy; (next row) Aaron Cain, Connor, Stephanie Furman Cain and Emma; (next row) Jennifer with Ethan Lecrone, Jennifer Rademacher Walker ’93 with Scarlett, Rachel Nagy (hiding), Jenna Nagy, Zach Walker; (bottom) Chris Lecrone ’93 with Owen, Kathy McConnell Barnes ’93 with Keri, Lilly Walker, Juliana and Kristina Hess.
Amy Brosius, a principal at Boston law firm Fish & Richardson, was chosen as an emerging business leader for the Boston Business Journal’s 2009 “40 Under 40” award, which recognizes outstanding Boston area professionals under the age of 40 who have established themselves as leaders to be watched in their fields. Amy was singled out because of her high-profile work in trademark and copyright protection and enforcement and extensive community involvement. She has successfully argued many cases before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. In addition, she provides strategic counseling for companies, both small and large, in all industry sectors, on building and protecting their international trademark portfolios. In the community, she is involved with the Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts, providing pro bono representation to nonprofit organizations and individuals in need of copyright and trademark advice. She also volunteers with the Discovering Justice Legal Apprentice Program, which helps Boston students learn about the judicial system; Greater Boston Legal Services; and the Boston Patent Law Society.
Scott Friedman has been granted fellowship in the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. A partner at the Columbus law firm of Friedman & Mirman, he joins the firm’s two other partners, Denise Mirman, and his father, William Friedman, in this esteemed fellowship. Academy fellows are highly skilled negotiators and litigators who represent individuals in all facets of family law, according to the AAML. Only approximately 1,600 attorneys across the country have the distinction as AAML fellows, including 45 in Ohio. A graduate of Capital University Law School, he is a member of the Columbus and American bar associations, is an Ohio State Bar Association certified specialist in family law, is the treasurer of the American Bar Association’s family law section, and has been listed in Cincinnati Magazine’s “Ohio Super Lawyers” edition. He volunteers with many executive boards including The Columbus Academy, Hillel Foundation at Ohio State University, and “Walk With a Doc.” He is an avid runner and recently participated in Pelotonia to raise money for the James Cancer Hospital. Scott and wife Rachel live in New Albany with their three children.
Gabriel Jiran, an attorney in Shipman & Goodwin’s Hartford, Conn., office, has been named to the 2009 Hartford Business Journal’s “40 Under Forty” list. Individuals are nominated and selected based on their hard work and accomplishments in their profession. Gabriel, a resident of West Hartford, practices labor and employment law on behalf of corporations and public employers. He is a partner in the firm and assists employers in addressing the full spectrum of issues associated with the employment relationship. Gabriel is frequently asked to speak and write on labor and employment matters on both a local and national level.
Steve Luetkehans of North Aurora, Ill., sent in this picture of 1993 roommates taking in an August 2009 Wrigley Field Cubs game: (l-r) Brian Albanese (of Ohio), Matt Mobius (of New York), Steve Luetkehans, and Brian Bailey (of Ohio).
Born: to Jason and Pamela Comer Radtke ’94, Abigail Lynne, Nov. 19, 2009, in Dublin, Ohio. Jason is an owner of Royal Document Destruction, which provides certified confidential shredding services for businesses in Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana. Pam works in human resources for the Ohio State University Medical Center in Columbus.
Rachael Rowe, an attorney with law firm Keating Muething & Klekamp in Cincinnati, is a member of the Cincinnati Business Courier’s “40 Under 40” Class of 2009. A partner in the litigation group at KMK, she is a mentor to several of the firm’s newer lawyers. She also is responsible for the firm’s Summer Associate program. Rachael has been integral in helping KMK promote and expand diversity within the firm. She also has defended many of the region’s largest companies in national class action lawsuits involving labor and employment, securities, fiduciary liability, and consumer protection issues. In addition, she handles a variety of litigation matters for KMK clients that involve complex issues but are outside the class action arena. She has first chair trial experience in both federal and state courts throughout the country, and she has argued before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.
Barb Steinberger Witteman MEd ’93 PhD ’95 was promoted to full professor in May 2009 in the department of education at Concordia College in Moorhead, Minn. She has published eight books, including seven children’s books, and worked with more than 100 service-learning projects, which link her students with area classrooms and agencies. She also travels abroad extensively with Concordia students on both May Seminars Abroad and semester abroad programs.
1994
Married: Jen Gilbert and Steve Rodeffer, June 27, 2009, in Westerville, Ohio. Jen is a tax manager for Stryker Corp. Steve works for Southwest Airlines. They live in Lakeland, Fla.
Born: to Tara Aevermann Potts and Robert, Kendall Elizabeth and Collin James, May 11, 2009. Tara is an attorney with Armbrust & Brown in Austin, Texas.
After Amy Scalet ’94 of Phoenix posted a Miami reunion article on Facebook, several friends commented to her about the “10 Reasons We Love Miami” article in the Winter 2010 Miamian, particularly the 10th reasons, “Friends for life,” and suggested she share her article with other Miamians.
So she did:
“Last summer we held an ‘unofficial’ Miami University-Alpha Phi Omega reunion on campus. Approximately 25 brothers (plus their families) attended. Some traveled from as far away as Arizona and New Jersey. The reunion unfolded in three parts. First, we gathered at Brick Street for lunch and catching up. They let us reserve the main room and use their projector for a slide show of old fun pics that were combed off of Facebook. People loved it! We even had T-shirts and gift bags with Miami and A-Phi-O stuff for all. And for more fun, we had everybody complete surveys about their post-Miami life and had gag prizes for the answers. Second, we went over to ‘the Rez’ and visited our old stomping grounds – the A-Phi-O office. There we hung out, played euchre, reminisced, and perused old chapter scrapbooks. To wrap up the event, we had a pub crawl through uptown. We may not have lasted as long into the night as during our days at Miami … but it was a blast!
“The common threads throughout the event were how special Miami really is and how fortunate we were to all be there at the same time … and why did we wait so long? For many of us, it had been 15 years since we had been on campus. We have tentative plans for another large gathering this fall. Thanks for posting the ‘10 Reasons’ article. It really is sooooo true.”
Paul and Kim Wilhelm Scott, married in August 1996, were team “Miami Mergers” at a Muddy Buddy Race in the Nashville area in August 2009. Paul writes, “Several alums came up and spoke to us. It was a blast!”
Born: to Jennifer Terse Serentelos and Ted, Nicholas Theodore, May 27, 2009, joining Ava, 4, in Laguna Niguel, Calif. Jennifer is self-employed and Ted is a software executive at Telogis.
1995
Next reunion: June 17-20, 2010
Born: to Jennifer Baker and Patrick Barnicle, Kieran William, April 23, 2008, in La Grange, Ill. Jennifer is a stay-at-home mom and freelance graphic designer. Patrick is an enterprise technology architect at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange.
Jenny Larner Brown is manager of marketing and communications for the Indianapolis Public Transportation Corp. (IndyGo). Jenny guides IndyGo’s media relations and public outreach efforts and oversee IndyGo’s marketing campaigns, internal communications, and Web site management to enhance awareness and use of public transit services in Indianapolis.
Adam and Deanie Ney Carlstrom ’96 and their girls, Madelyn, 8, and Sophia, 4, were featured in the Omaha World-Herald when Adam, a lieutenant commander in the Navy, returned from his second tour in Iraq in late November 2009. They live in Papillion, Neb.
![1995_Fischer_Lauren_[Julian].jpg](http://www.miami.muohio.edu/University_Advancement/MiamiAlum/news_events/miamian_archives/spring_10/index_clip_image010_0001.jpg)
Born: to Lauren Bomberger Fischer and Patrick, Julian Alvin, Nov. 7, 2008. In August, Lauren wrote, “We’ve been very busy these past nine months! Julian is a great baby and has a very jolly disposition. Lots of smiles. He’s just starting to crawl and will probably take off in a sprint soon.” Lauren is working for the Archives specialty medical journals at the American Medical Association. She hopes to make the trip back to Oxford for her 15-year reunion this June.
Born: to Brandie Malay Siavelis and Peter, Greyson Mercer, July 3, 2009, in Chicago. Brandie is a property consultant with the Malay-Zelkin Group. Peter is a TVP for McKesson. They live in Wilmette, Ill.
Born: to Jason and Celia Thornton Tincher ’96, James Thornton, Nov. 27, 2009. They live in Columbus.
1996
Jeff Alt ’96 MS ’97 of Cincinnati will premiere his movie, “A Walk For Sunshine – Appalachian Trail Show,” May 1, 2010, in the Maumee (Ohio) Indoor Theater. Jeff will share his 2,160-mile hike on the Appalachian Trail through music, slides, and narration. The movie is based on his book by the same name. His walk, dedicated to his brother, who has cerebral palsy and lives in the Sunshine Home, inspired an annual fundraiser that has raised more than $180,000 for the Sunshine Home.
Born: to Gregory and Julie Ellis Beck, Samuel Alexander, Oct. 16, 2009, joining big brothers James and Will in Cincinnati.
Julie Childers Henry of Bradenton, Fla., was one of 40 individuals nationwide selected as a 2009 TogetherGreen Fellow. The fellowship offers specialized training in conservation planning and execution, the chance to work and share best practices with gifted conservation professionals, and assistance with project outreach and evaluation. Each fellow receives $10,000 towards a community-focused project to engage local residents in conserving land, water, and energy, and contributing to greater environmental health. For her fellowship, Julie is working through Conservation Enterprises Unlimited to create a program, Wild Carbon, which helps people act on their concern for the environment.
Through partnerships with groups already working on educational outreach, wildlife habitat protection, and carbon offsetting, the Wild Carbon project will provide a compelling way for people, specifically small businesses, to reduce the climatic impacts of their energy use and make a measurable difference to wildlife in need. This project addresses both current and future conservation needs, since carbon offsetting improves the environment today through habitat restoration and protects our future environment by mitigating climate change. Julie is the director of USA activities and projects for Conservation Enterprises Unlimited, a global network of professionals that bring international expertise blended with local attention to each project. In that capacity, she facilitates projects involving conservation strategy, community engagement, green business coaching, training, and strategic planning for clients in Australia, Canada, and the U.S.
Born: to Thomas Landry and Suja, Jaya Isabella, July 20, 2009. Thomas is an agent with the U.S. Secret Service assigned to the president of the United States and Suja is a pulmonary pediatrician. They live in Alexandria, Va.
Carie Tragesser, an elementary teacher in the Hamilton (Ohio) School District, was named Hamilton’s Educator of the Year and received a $3,000 honorarium for her school. Carie, who teaches fifth and sixth grade at Ridgeway Elementary, was among 21 teachers nominated for the Hamilton Community Foundation Award. “She is constantly learning, always seeking new approaches, and leading the school down a positive path,” the nomination said. “This terrific educator is also a constant presence at after-school events, whether they be school functions or the extracurricular activities of her students.” Carie has taught in Hamilton schools since 1998.
Born: to Jon Woodard and Nadia, Anna Elizabeth, Aug. 28, 2009. Jon is a patent attorney and partner with the Erie, Pa., law firm MacDonald Illig Jones & Britton, where he focuses on international I.P. law. Nadia is an attorney at Knox McLaughlin Gornall & Sennett, focusing on federal tax and estate law.
1997
Jon Gering MS ’97 PhD ’01 has been selected to serve as the founding dean of the School of Sciences and Mathematics at Truman State University in Kirksville, Mo. Currently biology department chair, he begins his new position July 1. Jon came to Truman in 2001 as a visiting assistant professor in biology. In 2003 he became an assistant professor and three years later was an associate professor of biology. In 2008 he was named department chair. Among his professional accomplishments, he is a multiple Educator of the Year Award nominee. He also was included in Who’s Who Among America’s Teacher, 8th Edition, and he received a Golden Apple Teaching Award in 2003.
Nick Gozik in September 2009 earned a PhD in international education from New York University, following an MA in French from NYU in 2000. He is the assistant director of global education at Duke University.
Ki Hwang received the 2009 Community Manager of the Year for the city of Dublin, Calif. Ki is a property manager for R&N Management in California. He lives in San Ramon, Calif., with wife Aimeelene and twin daughters Addison and Kianna.
Born: to Ricardo and Lindsay Clayton Jenkins ’98, Ricardo Alexander, Dec. 8, 2009, in Chicago. Ricardo earned an MBA from the University of Chicago in December 2008. Lindsay is an assistant U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Illinois.
Born: to Amy Gaertner Kall and Daniel, Logan Daniel and Mason William, April 7, 2009. Amy works part time as a post-secondary adviser at the University of Toledo, where Dan is a systems analyst. They live in Sylvania, Ohio.
Christopher Madden moved to the Netherlands in 2000 to work with an Internet startup. In 2003 he joined computer storage manufacturer NetApp where he is a technical manager. In July 2006 he married Majelleke Maessen and on July 2, 2009, they became parents to daughter Frederieke Mathilde.
Born: to Amanda Courtney Miller and Brad, Erik Alexander, Nov. 20, 2008.
Married: Celena Shackelford and Xenophon Cater, June 13, 2009, in Atlanta. Celena, who earned an MEd at Xavier University in 2002, is a studio teacher for Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta. She has taught on “The Family That Preys” and “I Can Do Bad All By Myself” and is currently teaching the children on the hit TBS shows “Meet The Browns” and “House of Payne.” Xenophon is a project engineer for Parsons Corp.
Jennifer Freimuth Towell of West Akron received the Junior League of Akron’s 2008-2009 President’s Award, given to the member who has shown outstanding commitment to the league and to the community and takes leadership in these roles. Jennifer jumped right into service with the league by serving on the cookbook committee her first year, while also taking on the task of focus project assistant chair in 2006-2007. She was recognized for her work that year by being named the Junior League of Akron Rookie of the Year. Since then she has served as focus project chair in 2007-2008, doubling the number of events at Saferstein Towers; hosted the 2008 Monte Carlo Magic Patron party at her home, served as assistant chair for membership training in 2008-2009, played a key role in planning the first Tea and Tours event, and is membership training chair in 2009-2010. She is involved in several other organizations as well, most notably the Akron Art Museum where she served as the inaugural SWITCH fundraiser co-chair and on the steering committee for the Wine Auction and the Beaux Arts Ball.
1998
Karen Wansack Bertulli, an attorney with Minneapolis law firm Winthrop & Weinstine, has been named to the 2010 Rising Starslist by Minnesota Law & Politics. A shareholder, she specializes in corporate finance and securities law. Minnesota Law & Politics recognizes Rising Stars as a way to highlight outstanding attorneys who are either under the age of 40 or have been practicing law for 10 or fewer years. No more than 2.5 percent of Minnesota attorneys are given this honor. The selection process includes peer nominations by attorneys named to the Minnesota Super Lawyers list and independent research on the candidates to identify outstanding up-and-coming attorneys who have demonstrated superior professional potential.
Born: to Andy and Jill Heenan Blackburn ’99, Charleston “Charlie” Maria, Aug. 17, 2009. They live in Chicago.
Born: to Julie Harms Buckman and Michael, Carter Jonathan, May 18, 2009, joining Madeline, 2, in Denver.
James Dubinsky PhD ’98, an associate professor of English at Virginia Tech’s College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences and inaugural director of the university’s Center for Student Engagement and Community Partnerships, has received two of the International Association for Business Communication’s highest honors. Concluding his year as the organization’s president, he accepted the 2009 Meada Gibbs Outstanding Teacher Award in recognition of his significant contributions to business communication teaching methodology and concepts. He also was designated a fellow of the ABC, the association’s highest honor. He joined the Virginia Tech faculty in 1998 and is founding director of the department of English’s professional writing program. He also serves as chair of the board of directors of the YMCA at Virginia Tech. In 2009 Virginia Tech University Unions and Student Activities selected him to receive the second Hokie Community Award, which honors exemplary multi-year service to the Hokie Nation, demonstrated support of university missions and values, and embodiment of the university’s motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve). He is the author/editor of Teaching Technical Communication and is a contributor to professional journals, including the Michigan Journal of Community Service Learning and the Technical Communication Quarterly.
Born: to Brian and Kelly Snider Kessack ’99, Jordan Alexa, Jan. 22, 2009, joining Madison, 5, and Samantha, 3, in Albuquerque, N.M.
Jeff and Katie Rummell Murry faced two major events last year. In late November, Katie wrote, “Our oldest daughter, 5-year-old Victoria, underwent a bone marrow transplant this summer in Seattle. We stayed in a small apartment up in Seattle from the end of June until the middle of October. Victoria was in Seattle Children’s Hospital undergoing chemo starting July 6 and was released to the apartment Aug. 11. While up in Seattle, on Aug. 26, I gave birth to our third daughter, Leah Kathryn. She came early, causing me to drive myself to the hospital, to which I hadn’t been, in the middle of the night. My mother-in-law stayed with Victoria and Ella (my 3-year-old) at the apartment, and my mom and Jeff and his dad all drove back up to Seattle at 2 a.m. to make it for the birth. We are all back home in Portland, Ore., now recovering and settling into life with an immuno-suppressed 5-year-old, crazy 3-year-old, and 2.5-month-old who is working on sleep issues!”
Born: to Matt and Gretchen Boerup Reisner, Drew Spencer, June 13, 2008, joining Troy, 7, and Jake, 4. Matt teaches 10th grade social studies at Fairfield High School. Gretchen is a broadcast buying associate at Empower Media Marketing. They live in Liberty Township, Ohio.
Born: to Dan and Amy Bonta Reitz, Natalie Danielle, Sept. 23, 2009, joining Isabelle, 4, in Cincinnati. Dan is a commercial real estate partner at Graydon Head & Ritchey and was recently recognized as a 2010 Rising Star by Ohio Law & Politics. Amy is a third-grade teacher in Princeton City Schools.
Married: Lori Seitzinger and Scott Lankford ’99, Sept. 6, 2008. They live in Copley, Ohio.
1999
Born: to Brooke Berens and Gailyn Taylor, Zander Tuck Berens-Taylor, May 5, 2009, in Anchorage, Alaska.
Born: to Doug and Megan Darling Feichtner ’00, Olivia Drew, Sept. 22, 2008, joining Jane, 3.
Born: to Kevin and Summer MacLeod Fisk, London Elizabeth, Jan. 4, 2010. Kevin is in federal law enforcement and Summer is distance learning course manager for Thunderbird School of Global Management.
Born: to Laura O’Neill Ganim and Anthony, Elijah Joseph, June 7, 2009. Laura teaches fifth grade in South-Western City Schools in Columbus. Anthony is a physical therapist for Ohio State Sports Medicine. They live in Hilliard, Ohio.
Born: to Geoff ’99 MS ’04 and Elizabeth Feintech Harold ’98, Samuel Timothy, Aug. 10, 2009, in Cincinnati.
Born: to Lauren Finn Salyer ’99 MEd ’04 and Brian, Gabriella Elizabeth, Feb. 11, 2009. Lauren is an intervention specialist at Woodridge High School in Peninsula, Ohio. Brian is a client experience strategist at KeyBank in Cleveland. They live in Streetsboro, Ohio.
Born: to Tia Osborne Vasquez and Jason, Reese Alexis, June 30, 2009, joining Caden, 4, and Keely, 2, in Cleveland.
Married: Carrie Yohe and Brian Bradley, June 13, 2009, in Northbrook, Ill. They honeymooned in Hawaii. Carrie’s grandfather, Richard Yohe '49, was in attendance for this third-generation Miami University wedding. (The first kiss under Upham Arch works!) Carrie is director of marketing and sales for Zeller Real Estate in Chicago. Brian, who attended Northwestern, is a senior partner in a condominium management company. They happily live in Evanston, Ill., with two almost house-trained dogs and two cats.
2000
Next reunion: June 17-20, 2010
Married: Amy Bleimund and Jeff Perry, July 25, 2009, in Cold Spring, Ky. Amy is a teacher in Mason, Ohio. Jeff works in sales at Chas. Seligman Distributing in Walton, Ky. They live in Park Hills, Ky.
Kevin Boys EdD ’00 is the new president of Southern State Community College in Hillsboro, Ohio. The lifelong Cincinnati resident had served as superintendent of the Loveland City School District since 2002. He graduated summa cum laude from the University of Cincinnati with a bachelor’s in education and earned a master’s in educational administration from Xavier University. His doctorate from Miami emphasized leadership theory, curriculum issues, policy evaluation, politics of school funding, collective bargaining, and a study of power, ethics, and culture. Prior to his job in Loveland, Kevin was assistant superintendent, principal, assistant principal, and classroom teacher in the Sycamore Community School District.
Born: to Michael Brueseke and Elizabeth, Lucy and Zoe, Dec. 18, 2009, joining big brother Ché in South Bend, Ind. Mike is a lab tech for the University of Notre Dame. Liz works for the CASA Department.
Born: to James “Jordan” Cropp and Katie, Charlotte Amelia, June 23, 2009, in Nashville, joining big brothers Henry and Elijah.
Stephanie Kimbro MA ’00 was awarded the American Bar Association’s James Keane Memorial Award for Excellence in E-lawyering at the 2009 ABA Techshow in Chicago. Her Web-based virtual law practice also has been featured in the ABA Journal, Law Practice Magazine, and GP/Solo Magazine. The company that she co-founded, Virtual Law Office Technology (VLOTech), won a 2009 Coastal Entrepreneurs Award and has been featured in multiple publications for the legal profession. In addition to operating her virtual law practice, Stephanie is on faculty at Solo Practice University teaching a course on virtual law practice. She also helps other attorneys create Web-based virtual law practices nationwide and overseas.
2001
Married: Sean Desmond and Kelli Goshorn, Oct. 24, 2009, in Albuquerque. Sean is an air traffic controller at the Albuquerque International Sunport. Kelli is a registered nurse in the NICU at Presbyterian Hospital in Albuquerque. They live in Rio Rancho, N.M.
Married: Tagan Rupp and Steven Buettner, Nov. 1, 2008, in Columbus. They live in Canal Winchester, Ohio.
Born: to Matthew and Molly Weber White ’01 MAcc ’02, Elaina Elizabeth, Nov. 11, 2009, in Indianapolis, joining Spencer, 2. Matthew is a Web developer with Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance. Molly is a resource manager with Ernst & Young. They live in Fishers, Ind.
2002
Born: to Christa Blount Hobe and Jeff, Keira Lynne, Jan. 7, 2010, joining Kathryn, 2, in West Chester, Ohio. Christa, a medical claims reviewer for GENEX Services, is at Liberty Mutual/Safeco Insurance as an on-site customer service representative.
Lindsay Meacham and her tile business, Red Rock Tileworks, collaborated with designers Urban Archaeology and won a Best of the Year 2009 Interior Design Award for their entry Origami-Wallpaper Collection at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York City in the category of Wallcoverings: Other. For this project, UA designed the tile and Lindsay’s company fabricated it. An article in Interior Design describes the original design as “a modern, hand-carved tile that, when put together, creates a continuous pattern to form a decorative ‘wallpaper’ effect. This faux-folded glazed ceramic tile measures 6"x6" and is available in 23 colors and three finishes, crackle, gloss, and matte.”
After two years in Hong Kong, Miami Merger Lizabeth Weithas and Justin Miller have moved to London.
2003
Skip Brown is a policy analyst and staff writer for the Indiana Senate Majority Communications Office. He is part of a team responsible for print, radio, television, and e-communications for the 33-member GOP caucus. After graduation, he served as a communications aide to U.S. Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.) and Rep. Joe Pitts (R-Pa.). He left Capitol Hill in 2007, returning home to Indiana where he worked for nearly two years in the public relations department of the Indy Racing League. He and wife Lindsey Gillam Brown live in Indianapolis.
Craig Divis, a high-school social studies teacher at Bellows Falls Union High School in Bellows Falls, Vt., was named the 2010 Vermont Teacher of the Year by the State Board of Education. As such, Craig is traveling statewide visiting schools and working with teachers. In addition, he is Vermont’s candidate for National Teacher of the Year, sponsored by the Council of Chief State School Officers. He travels to Washington, D.C., this spring for a reception at the White House. A resident of Grafton, he has been an educator at Bellows Falls for five years, the past two as social studies department coordinator. A classroom teacher for six years, Craig has worked with the University of Vermont’s Asian Studies Outreach Program since 2005 and traveled extensively during the summer. “The rewards that I find in teaching are when students become passionate about learning and understanding the world and want to experience it firsthand,” he wrote in his nomination packet. In addition to advising student teachers, he has served as a member of the Windham Northeast Supervisory Union Social Studies Curriculum Committee, serves as assistant chair to the school’s Literacy Action Plan Committee, and is a member of the faculty council.
Married: Erin Anne McCabe and Bryan McBlaine, Oct. 17, 2009, in Chicago, where they live. Erin is a graphic art designer. Bryan is a senior financial analyst.
Born: to Eddie and Jenny Cline Meiners, Benjamin Edward, Sept. 10, 2008, in Cincinnati. Eddie is a district regional manager for LaRosa’s and Jenny teaches special education for Little Miami Local Schools. They were married April 24, 2004.
Born: to Emily Ragland Muszynski and Luke, Chase Joseph, Oct. 21, 2009, in Cincinnati.
Married: Katie Schoettinger and Scott Diener ’03 MAcc ’04, June 27, 2009, in Chicago, where they live.
George Stegmiller is honorary coach for Miami baseball this season. A member of the team 1999-2003, he played all nine positions and was a captain his senior year. After graduation, he joined the Marine Corps, pinning on his Wings of Gold in 2007 and moving to Camp Pendleton to fly the AH-1W Super Cobra. He deployed to Iraq November 2008-May 2009 as part of the HMLA 369 “Gunfighters.” Now a captain, he is deploying to Afghanistan this spring. He and wife Kristen Sivard Stegmiller live in Oceanside, Calif.
Steven Strang has joined the general litigation and insurance practice groups at the law firm of Gallagher Sharp in Cleveland. Steve earned a law degree from Case Western Reserve University School of Law, cum laude, in 2009, where he served as executive notes editor of Health Matrix: Journal of Law-Medicine and on the Ault Mock Trial Team. Gallagher Sharp is a trial and business practice firm focused on the defense of civil claims and lawsuits for corporations, insurance companies, and their policyholders. The firm’s areas of experience include general litigation, business and employment, insurance, transportation, professional liability, product liability, mass torts, and appellate law.
Lt. Cmdr. Ron Taylor MBA ’03 was deployed to Ramstein Air Force Base in Germany supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. He is assigned to the 178th Fighter Wing as the inspector general.
Born: to Ross and Kristin Jones Wason, Kelsey Lorraine, May 16, 2009, in Atlanta. They live in Suwanee, Ga., and work for Forsyth County Schools.
2004
Born: to Chad Boyd ’04 MAcc ’05 and Tiffany, Quintin Thomas, Nov. 13, 2009, in Cincinnati. Chad is a senior auditor at Ernst & Young and Tiffany is an account executive at Williams Lea.
Matthew Hannahan has joined Graydon Head & Ritchey as an associate in the downtown Cincinnati office. A former Graydon Head summer associate, Matthew practices in the areas of labor and employment law, banking, and creditors’ rights. He earned a JD from Ohio State University Moritz College of Law in 2009. Some of his law school honors include the 2008 Herman Competition Best Oralist award and the Moritz Leadership Scholar scholarship in 2007. He also worked as a student intern at the Ohio State Student Housing Legal Clinic where he assisted OSU students with legal issues related to off-campus housing.
Married: Staci Yoder and Jonathan Rue, June 19, 2009, in Westerville, Ohio. They live in Columbus and both work for Vineyard Columbus.
2005
Next reunion: June 17-20, 2010
Married: Amber Better and Michael Bloch, Nov. 14, 2009, in Cincinnati. Amber and Mike both graduated with a BS in business. They live in Columbus.
These three met for dinner at a Turkish restaurant on the Victory Base Complex in Baghdad, Iraq, Feb. 4: (l-r) Capt. AJ Brilla (logistics readiness officer), Capt. C. Gene Adams ’04 (intelligence officer), and Capt. Mike Westrich (intelligence officer). AJ writes, “We shared a great meal and an even better conversation catching up on where the U.S. Air Force has taken us lately. I am stationed in northwest Florida at Eglin AFB, Gene is at Davis Monthan AFB in Arizona, and Mike is at Seymour Johnson AFB in North Carolina.” Currently, AJ is stationed at Sather Air Base, Gene is at Camp Slayer, and Mike is on Joint Base Balad.
Married: Laura Decker and Justin Beach ’02, July 11, 2009, in Miami’s Kumler Chapel. Laura is a sales manager for Lippert Components. Justin is in project management, also with Lippert Components. They live in Goshen, Ind.
Born: to Joe and Courtney Cole Dietrich, Allison Lyne, Jan. 1, 2010.
Gillian Lindsay, who earned a JD from Case Western Reserve University, is an associate in the Cleveland office of national law firm Baker & Hostetler. Gillian served as law clerk to Judge Lesley Wells of the U.S. District Court, Northern District of Ohio.
Tina McCormack has been promoted to senior director of the integrated communications firm, C.Fox Communications in Silver Spring, Md. She also has been named as a new board member for Washington Women in Public Relations.
Michael Neville has joined the law firm Ungaretti & Harris of Chicago as a first-year associate in the litigation department. He earned a JD from DePaul University College of Law in 2009.
Suzi Noble, who joined the Peace Corps in 2007, works on Kuttu Island in the Federated States of Micronesia, which consists of some 600 islands spread out over three time zones and a million square miles in the western Pacific Ocean. In addition to day-to-day duties, Peace Corps volunteers are encouraged to choose a special project to assist their host nation. Suzi’s project is to help residents of Kuttu, an impoverished island with no cars, no roads, no phones, no electricity, and no running water, build a school to serve students in kindergarten through eighth grade. The current school is so dilapidated that it leaks when it rains, and it rains almost every day. Often classes are canceled. Hindered by the island’s isolation and lack of phone service or Internet connection, Suzi volunteered to stay in Micronesia an extra eight months to complete the grant application process, moving to the regional capitol of Weno to have access to communication tools.
Classmates Myron Powelson, Ryan Schuman, and Phil Walker have teamed up to launch the liquor brand Rio D. The project evolved from a capstone project in Miami’s entrepreneurship program in which they wrote an in-depth plan outlining a business opportunity of their choice. For Myron, Ryan, and Phil, their concept involved importing a distilled spirit from Brazil called cachaça (ka-sha-sa), also known as Brazilian Rum, and introducing it to the U.S. market.
2006
Justin Hillier ’06 MS ’09 is an analyst in the Cincinnati office of dunnhumbyUSA, an international leader in building sales and brand value for consumer goods and retail companies. Previously a marketing research intern at JPMorgan Chase, he earned a BS in integrated mathematics and an MS in statistics. He lives in Oxford.
Angela Opalenik has joined Hahn Loeser & Parks as an associate in the firm’s Columbus office. She is focusing on the firm’s business practice area. She earned a JD, summa cum laude, from Capital University Law School in 2009. While in school, she served as a law clerk for the Judge C. Kathryn Preston of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Ohio.
Married: Sarah Spallone and John Jacob, Nov. 28, 2009, in Oxford. Sarah is a category development manager at Acosta Sales and Marketing. John is director of research for Clear Channel Media. They live in Cincinnati.
2007
April Brown, Katie King, and Ashlie Saffire ’05 had their White Coat Ceremony to begin their clinical year in the College of Veterinary Medicine at Ohio State University.
Aly Martin finished serving in Namibia in the Peace Corps and volunteered to extend that for a third year to work on HIV/AIDS awareness. (See “Snapshots of Service,” Page 12, in this Miamian for details.)
2009
Rachel Gwyneth Conaway-Bennison helped her team win the Design Storm competition at the regional Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival in Saginaw, Mich., Jan. 5-10, 2010. For the event, a student director, dramaturg, scenic, costume, lighting, sound, and makeup designer were given a script on Wednesday and together, over three days, developed a production concept and designs that were presented to a panel of professional respondents on Saturday. Eight teams competed. Gwyn was costume designer for her group, which was assigned the play “Elektra.”
Jessica Tepas is an associate for the Cincinnati office of dunnhumbyUSA, an international leader in building sales and brand value for consumer goods and retail companies. She is responsible for solution development. Jessica, who was previously an intern at Emkay Inc., lives in Cincinnati’s Mount Lookout neighborhood.
2010
Senior graphic design student Elizabeth Chmela received a $1,500 scholarship from Chicago-based advertising agency Leo Burnett. This gift was awarded to Miami’s design program in honor of several alums who have been successful at the firm. In December four portfolios were sent to Burnett for judging. Other finalists included Chris George, Ryan Kalus, and John Francis. Liz is the advertising layout director for the Miami Student newspaper and was a designer on last year’s winning team for the Miami University Interdisciplinary Technology Development Challenge. In addition, she was the design director on last semester’s Armstrong Interactive GoodZuma project.