The Carillon

Alumni News & Notes

1950s / 1960s / 1970s / 1980s / 1990s / 2000s / 2010s

1938

Helen Olski Scanlon has recently relocated to the Albany area and is looking forward to communicating with other classmates. Her email address is [email protected] and her mailing address is 47 Pine Hill Park, Valatie, NY 12184.

Class notes councilor: Vince Gillen, [email protected]

1948

A note from your class councilor: Sadly we report the death July 2, 2013, of our dedicated class member Samuel Dickieson of Seneca Falls, N.Y. He and his wife, Dorothy Sturzenberger ‘47, contributed much to their community and received many honors because of this. In June, four members of the class met to decide whether to hold a 65th reunion this year; and from that meeting, we planned a get-together for Oct. 19 during Homecoming Weekend. Attending the Half-Century Club breakfast were Gari Paticopoulos, Eleanor Alland, Wanda Methe, Eileen Patterson, and Marian and Dick Kirchhoff.  We were the oldest class represented and were recognized by University at Albany President Robert J. Jones. Following the breakfast, a luncheon was held at Avila, a retirement community where Eleanor lives. Those attending included all at the breakfast, as well as, Jane O’Brien, and Betty Brignull. Many classmates emailed and telephoned their regrets at being unable to travel to Albany for the reunion. Classmates unable to travel to Albany to attend the reunion included: Ruth Seelbach Elmore and Justin Maloney McConaughy from Orange City, Fla., Vera Chudiak Smith from Mattituck, Long Island; Doris Wester Miga of New Hartford, N.Y.; Lucille St. Priest Horton from Forestburgh, N.Y.; Ruth Hurr from Castleton-on-Hudson, N.Y.; Annalee Levine Ginsberg from Norristown, Pa.; Clara Sylvestri Beninati from Ballston Lake; Wilma Diehl from Massapequa, N.Y.; Ruth Doran from Baldwinsville, N.Y.; Helen Kisiel Schick from Bay Shore, N.Y.; Adrienne Iorio Caruso from Saratoga Springs; Selene Wolf Sheriff from Williamsburg, Va.; Isabel Cooper Baker from Queensbury, N.Y.; George Poulos from Rye Brook, N.Y.; Rita Shapiro Schwartz from Hillsboro Beach, Fla.; Julia Genovesi Fassett from Cherry Valley, N.Y.; and Mary Jane Giovannone Caruso from Winter Park, Fla. Class of ’48 – still great!

Class Notes Councilor: Eleanor Holbig Alland, [email protected]

1949

A note from your class councilor: The big story for our class during 2014 is our 65th reunion, which will take place from Sept. 19-21. Details are scheduled to be mailed to each class member sometime this spring. This will be an emotional get-together because it may be the last time we will have the opportunity to see each other. If at all possible, try to attend, even if you come just for the Saturday luncheon. Betsy Franks Schuhle will be there to lead us in the lusty singing of our alma mater. If you cannot travel on your own, draft a relative to accompany you. You can then show them what great classmates you have! Congratulations to Betsy and Jake Schuhle on their 65th wedding anniversary, celebrated with their family in September. In October, their two sons’ families treated them to dinner to celebrate Jake’s 89th birthday. Helen Cook Rumsey is living in a senior facility in Bloomington, Minn. Her husband, after a lifetime career with 3M, died in 2000. Helen states that her very supportive family is doing well; all the grandkids are getting college degrees, and her three children – an engineer, an architect and an entrepreneur – are great. Anne Sulich Raser announced the birth of her first great-grandchild, Maxx Speed Raser, born on Oct. 22, 2013. Anne was recovering from surgery on her vocal chords after one side became paralyzed. “Freddy” Laemmerzahl Miller reports that, after nine hip dislocations and two revision surgeries, she underwent another surgery in October. Freddy says she’s very adept at hopping around on one leg with a walker. We hope that Freddy hops to our 65th!

Bob Kittredge and Diana were happy to have their granddaughter fly into the Bay Area from Hong Kong in October. In November, Bob and Diana celebrated their daughter Susan’s 50th birthday by treating all their families to a San Diego dinner. From there, they boarded a cruise ship in San Diego Harbor for a two-week cruise with stops in Mexico, Central America and the Panama Canal Zone. Bob Kaiser and MaryAnn reported that the wedding of their granddaughter was very emotional. It was the first time in 11 years that their entire family of 20 was able to get together. The Kaisers, who have been splitting time between Scottsdale, Ariz., and Monticello, N.Y., had their house in Monticello, where they lived for 59 years, up for sale. Bob spent his entire education career in Monticello; he started as a math teacher and went on to become superintendent. The community honored Rob by officially naming the Robert J. Kaiser Middle School for him.

Ellen Fay Harmon and Tom were treated in November to a surprise retirement party hosted by WMHT, the Capitol District public radio station. They were honored for their more than 20 years of weekly reading to print-disabled persons. Ellen and Tom have been reading Reminisce Magazine together. Tom has recorded books, and Ellen also read Guideposts magazine and The Daily Gazette. Richard Foster writes from Sarasota, Fla., that he has the title “minister of music” in the old-folks’ home where he lives and plays for vesper services. Richard says that he is blessed with three great-grandchildren he sees quite often.

Jerry Dunn, who began NYSCT with our class, was elected president, then drafted. He returned as a member of the Class of ’51, was elected president of that class, and married Shirley Wiltse, the Class of 1950’s State College News editor-in-chief. They have four children and nine grandchildren. Jerry, who is involved with various activities and travel, worked with two golf organizations. Active in church activities, he has written a history of his local 140-year-old church. Jerry was also president of the UAlbany Alumni Association from 1981-83. Shirley became interested in historic preservation and helped form a couple of preservation organizations. Respected as an authority on the Mohicans, she has written three books and several learned articles about them.

Elsa Moberg Cox had a tour of four islands on her 15-day cruise to Hawaii. It didn’t take Elsa long to become busy again, as she is on the executive board of deacons and a circle leader for Presbyterian women. Jean Spenser Bourgeois, who lives in Albany, reports that her grandson received his Ph.D. from UAlbany and is teaching at St. Mary’s College in Indiana. She is also proud of her 2-year-old great-granddaughter. It was a great Thanksgiving for Bobbi Houk VanTilburg and husband Gerald. They celebrated the holiday in State College, Pa., with their son’s family and were able to Skype with their grandson, who studies veterinary medicine at Dick Vet College in Edinburgh, Scotland. For Christmas, they went to Cresaptown, Md., where they saw their two great-grandchildren. Bobbi spent a few days in the hospital recovering from congestive heart failure, but after taking medication, she was feeling better in early December.

Ursula Neuhaus Schiff was planning to go on another Caribbean cruise at Christmas time. Bonnie Lewis Totten Adkins and Lee are still active. She will be a great-grandparent for the first time, and Lee for the third time, in the spring. In September, Bonnie’s grandson was married in Middlebury, Vt., and Bonnie and Lee hosted a friend from Haxby, England, for two and a half weeks. Even though Lee is a retired minister, he had three memorial services in November. Bonnie closes her message by encouraging all to sign up and come to our 65th reunion so we can beat the record for attendees and have a special time together. Bonnie, Ellen Fay Harmon and Dick Zeller have joined me again to coordinate our 65th. We are hoping that we have a good turnout and that you won’t disappoint us. We love what we’re doing. As I was writing up this class news, notification came from the Alumni Office that Joyce and I will be honored with the Excellence in Alumni Service Award, to be presented at the 2014 Excellence Awards Gala on May 3. We feel so honored and privileged to be receiving this prestigious award, and we would like to thank all those who wrote letters of support to make it possible.

Class notes councilor: Joe Zanchelli, [email protected]

1950

A note from your class councilor: Harold “Sparky” Vaughn had an extended fall visit at his Firenze, Italia residence. He and friends of Maria Pia visited her burial site, enjoyed dinner and celebrated Maria. Sparky has a huge project to work on for a relative of Maria’s family, who is the custodian of a massive library collected since the 1500s. His mission is to find an American university that will accept and maintain these first editions and rare books at San Marcello Pistoiese, a 100room palazzo, its current location. Harold is negotiating with Syracuse University’s director of Special Collections regarding this complicated matter.

Class notes councilor: Audrey Koch Feathers, [email protected].

1952

Vicki Eddy relayed to me the sad news that Evelyn Kampke Johnson passed away on Aug. 24, 2013. We extend our sympathies to her widower, Reuben Johnson, whose address is 268 Cheesetana Way, London, TN 37774. It’s always good to hear that John Bowker is continuing his medical practice at the University of Miami and that life is still full for him. He had talks and meetings in 2013 in San Francisco; Chicago; Albany (our reunion); Gothenburg, Sweden; and London, always accompanied by his wife, Alice. A very thoughtful piece came from Tom Holman, who has been privileged to worship in the Episcopal Church in three very different venues: Long Island; Naples, Fla.; and, most interesting, at Saint Maarten in the Caribbean. He “has been accepted with open arms in all three places.”

Madeline Weitlof Huchro reports that, because of eye and health problems, she and her husband limit their travel to flying back and forth between Plattsburgh, N.Y., and Orlando-Sanford, Fla. She keeps in close contact with Phyllis Hauser and says she’s doing fine since Bob passed. Madeline retired in 1985 and has been enjoying the best of both worlds since, spending six months in the Adirondacks and six months in Florida. She and Wally planned to return to Ticonderoga to spend Christmas with their daughter and their son, who will join them from Charlotte, N.C.

Kitty Kloser Irons’ quilt group has just finished its second Quilt of Valor and has chosen a pattern for the next quilt. In August, her four brothers and sisters met with herat a little lake in the Adirondacks. They will see each other next July in Texas and have plans for a cruise to Bermuda in June. Bert Jablon reports that he and his wife had a fabulous trip around Colorado, with special emphasis on how railroads contributed to the economic and political growth of the state. Bert began another fall term with his employer, Empire State College, mentoring over a dozen of its healthcare students.

Jane Minckler Jennings has returned from a trip to New Orleans with her son. There was a notice in the State Library News that Jane was an elected member of the Governing Board of the Friends of the State Library. Anna Morrissey Karpiak reported on her trip to Las Vegas, where Hilton upgraded her to a one-bedroom apartment – always a pleasant surprise on a trip. She saw some friends who used to live on Long Island and didn’t even lose money at the tables! Anna planned to go to Connecticut for Thanksgiving and then to Pennsylvania for a couple of days.

Mary Anne and Bob Lanni celebrated their 60th anniversary. Their six children planned and treated them to a vacation in Dorset, Vt., with accommodations in the bridal suite of the Barrington Inn and tickets to the Dorset Theater. A trip to Cooperstown, including a stay at the Otesaga Hotel, was also on their bucket list, and the kids made sure it happened.  At Thanksgiving, they celebrated the remission of grandson Chris’ leukemia. Kathryn Peet writes from Victoria, British Columbia, that her friend Joan Kaufman (Poultridge) was up from Seattle for a weekend but didn’t have any luck in identifying Class of ’52 members in the picture of our 60th reunion.

Eleanor Rosenblum Roth’s reputation as an author continues to grow, as she has two more books looking for agents. Her children and grandchildren are all very successful. Jean Faville Smith and husband Smitty went to Hilo, Hawaii, for their daughter’s wedding. Then in August, they flew to Rome for a 22-day cruise to Istanbul with many stops in between. They celebrated their 61st anniversary in June.

Many people have inquired about Al Stephenson and his recovery from heart surgery. On December 6, he said that he is still recovering from complications of heart surgery but is home and does see slow progress. Al is on sabbatical for last year’s fall semester and has requested another sabbatical for this spring. He has been recently diagnosed with PTSD due to the stress he has undergone with his multiple surgeries and complications. Al wants to thank those of you who sent good wishes to him. They were much appreciated. He has shut down the Class of ’52 website, but we are most grateful for his generosity in keeping it running all these years. Al says he will have pictures from the site on file in the event anyone would like a particular picture from a past reunion.

Helen Pilcher Terrill is happy to report that her second great-grandchild was born April 27, 2013, providing 2-year-old Anna Joy a sister. Helen reports that she continues with her quilting and, with daughter Ann and graddaughter Amy, is working hard on grandchild Sarah’s quilt. Sarah graduated in June 2013 from Baldwin-Wallace College in Ohio. Helen has a very large family and will be giving us more family news for our next issue.

Marilyn Johnson VanDyke has some good news: Her home of many years has been sold, and she is settled into a new home at 41 Walker Lane, Queensbury, NY 12804. The year 2013 has been busy for Marilyn, who assisted with the anniversary of the founding of the Town of Queensbury. In addition, on Oct. 20, she was honored by the Capital Region Archives for her ongoing dedication to and promotion of New York’s rich history. Marilyn stated, “This was a very nice gift from my peers in the field.” In the fall semester, she taught a course on the history of Warren and Washington counties to honor Warren County’s bicentennial.

Joyce Leavitt Zanchelli joined the scores of replacement patients when she underwent partial knee replacement. Recovery was moving along smoothly when an over-extension on the exercise bike meant a torn muscle and a huge setback. Joyce was fortunate that no permanent damage was done. As I was writing up this class news, notification came from the Alumni Office that Joe and I will be honored for the Excellence in Alumni Service Award, to be presented at the 2014 Excellent Award Gala on May 3. We feel so honored and privileged to be receiving this prestigious award, and we would like to thank all those who wrote letters of support to make this award possible.

Class notes councilor: Joyce Zanchelli, [email protected]

1953

A note from your class councilor: Doug Niesen was the only member of our class to attend Homecoming to celebrate the 60th anniversary of our graduation from NYSCT. Doug and his wife attended the scholarship reception, the luncheon and the Half Century Club breakfast. They spoke to University at Albany President Robert Jones. At the breakfast, they sat with Joan Barron, Class of ’52, and some of her friends. Herbert (Herb) Their’s current title is academic administrator emeritus, University of California, Berkeley. Herb has been a consultant to and invited speaker for groups as diverse as UNESCO, the European Union, the Chemical Manufacturers Association (CMA), The Conference Board, school districts and other governmental agencies in the United States and more than 10 other countries.

Joe Lombardi’s year started off with a monthlong trip to Australia and New Zealand in February. In June 2013, Joe signed up for a course in tropical ecology at Ulster County Community College. It was taught on an Amazonian riverboat with most of the time spent on the Rio Negro. In January 2012, Joe led a delegation of college professors from the mid-Hudson region to the Sultanate of Oman.

Jordine Skoff Von Wantoch is so excited to find that the Class of 1953 is still alive. Jordine retired from the U.S. Navy as a captain after 30 years of service. Her husband, Harvey, died in 2007. A proud mother, she spoke of her daughter, Lian, who is a diplomat at the American Embassy in Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina. Jordine is on the Board of Directors of the San Diego’s Old Globe Theatre, which won a Tony for Best Regional Theatre. She keeps in touch with MaryJane Dewey Wilson, Martha Nevlezer Zonneville and Irene Brezynski McDonald. Jordine ended her message with a lovely invitation: “If anyone from ’53 is in San Diego, I’d love to have a drink with them and reminisce.”

Marie E. Hoffman spices her emails with a lovely sense of humor: “I am healthy and have no family obligations at the present time. I have a blood clot in my right eye that is improving, but I do not drive after dark because of it. That means Cinderella has to be home before dark.” Joe Pasquarella wrote from his summer home on the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains in Castle Rock, Colo., in response to the call for news from the class. As some of you may recall, Joe married Mary during our sophomore year. They have six children, 18 grandchildren and just had their 31st great grandchild! Joe is happy to note that he is physically fit and able to manage a 5,600-mile solo drive around the country every summer.

Irene (Brezinsky) McDonald taught freshman English after her retirement. Gary LaGrange has been helping a friend in the cinematography business, flying back and forth from Fort Lauderdale to LAX for a couple years because the work is in California. He was happy to report that he found a good deal on a home in Oceanside and decided to buy it. Gary says, “The invitation is still open to all my friends and classmates to call and drop in when in southwest California.” Betty Coykendall-Hart may have had the greatest longevity as a classroom teacher. She retired in June, but the retirement lasted 10 days and she is now working in the school’s math lab.

Bill Adams’ wife, Jane, passed away Sept. 20 after being diagnosed with Sjogren’s syndrome in the winter of 2002-03. That’s the reason they were unable to host a party for our 50th and 55th (those of you who attended earlier reunions must remember the wonderful gatherings that Bill and Jane hosted). Bill added that he and Jane “had a great life together with four kids who grew up with their heads screwed on straight (credit to Jane), plenty of good times and nice trips. The best of which was a 32-day trip around the world. Jane loved a good time, loved to entertain and had a good time planning our reunion parties.” Bill still enjoys woodworking and a little golf. He makes toys for the Marine Corp Toys for Tots but production is slowing down.

Joyce Turner Ogden sent along news of her grandsons. On June 22, her oldest grandson was married in Pinetop, Ariz., where he teaches third and fourth grades. The second grandson is working in the oil patch of western Canada. The youngest is a sophomore at McGill University in Montreal. Howie Fenenbock was drafted in 1954 and served for two years, assigned to the Army Security Agency. He spent one year in Korea. Howie taught for five years and then spent the rest of his career in the computer industry, mostly designing and installing applications for a variety of users. About a year ago he started a company to sell Sudoku Assistant, but the corporation has since closed. Howie is married to his third wife, has four children and seven grandchildren.

Anna Christodulu Brooks commented on reading about our class members and was impressed that so many have made outstanding  accomplishments throughout the years. Anna says that she is so happy we had such a great college to start us off. Jean Ogden Hardick taught languages for three years after graduation, married and moved to Montana. The couple returned to the Glens Falls area to raise two girls, and Jean resumed teaching. In retirement, she and her husband have traveled from Africa to Hong Kong and places in between.

Carmen Corsi and Mary Ann (Frascatore, Class of ’54) moved to Montclair, N.J., five years ago after living for more than 50 years in Commack, Long Island. They wanted to be near two of their daughters who live in the area. A third daughter lives in Ridgefield, Conn. Carmen and Mary Ann see their seven grandchildren on a regular basis and are an integral part of their everyday lives. Carmen reported that he devotes countless hours to helping them with their math homework. Carmen and Mary Ann spend considerable time at their small apartment on the Upper East Side in New York City in an attempt to take full advantage of what the city has to offer; Broadway shows, Yankees games and shopping are a few of their favorite things. For the month of February, they rent an apartment in Sarasota, Fla. They usually get together with Bob Giammatteo and his wife Kathy during that time. Carmen and Mary Ann exercise on a regular basis at the YMCA, a block away from their apartment. They have visited Danny Kelly; about a year ago, they saw Hank Koszewski when he was visiting from his beloved Hawaii.

Martha A. Nevlezer Zonneville and her husband have lived in Henrietta, N.Y. for the past 45 years. They enjoy playing duplicate bridge two or three times a week – the game is fun, and they enjoy making new friends. Martha volunteers at Rush-Henrietta Continuing Education every Thursday. The Zonnevilles love traveling to Athens, Ga., for two big reasons: It is much warmer there, and they can be with their grandchildren. Wilma Nuber Cutler lives in Roanoke, Va. Fortunately, her son lives in Roanoke, as well, and he is a great help to Wilma, as health problems limit her activities. Wilma’s daughter and her family live on the West Coast, in the Los Angeles area. Wilma is a very proud grandmother of three – two girls whohave finished college, one with her master’s, and a boy who is in his second year of college. Her husband passed away some years ago. They were avid hikers and visited the Blue Ridge Parkway, two beautiful national parks, and many lovely state parks and areas that afforded them many hiking opportunities. These visits  led to Wilma’s enjoyment of wildflowers and made her son an avid birder. They also led to a very rewarding experience in collecting and identifying specimens to be included in the recently published Flora of Virginia.

Daniel J. Kelly worked at IBM for 35 years; retiring at the young age of 61, he joined the volunteer community in his hometown, Rye, N.Y. Returning to his formal educational background and passion for research and writing, he turned to the Rye Historical Society. As a fourth generation Rye resident, Dan sought out his family roots by organizing the papers of the Parsons family,  a notable family for whom his great-grandfather and grandfather worked after arriving in Rye from Ireland in 1855. His research into additional history projects, and his service as a trustee and president[of which organization?] (1966-88), all led to his permanent appointment as City of Rye historian in 1988. Dan still holds that position he still holds, and he has been a member of the city’s Landmark Advisory Committee for 15 years. He also worked at listing an 18th-century schoolhouse/Quaker meetinghouse on the National Register of Historic Places. Dan stays active playing tennis, swimming and working out on a regular basis. He remains connected to special friends and classmates, visiting with Mary Ann and Carmen Corsi, and exchanging calls and visiting once or twice a year with Lou Vion Dan met Kay Sinclair last year at a mutual friend’s party and is in phone contact with Pat Wilkerson Smith.

Bob Hughes and Rosie Keller Hughes were in Washington, D.C., the week of Veterans Day. They visited the many memorials paying homage to those who had sacrificed years of their youth for the sake of their country. Rosie was also able to do a rubbing of her nephew’s name at the National Law Enforcement memorial. She has started volunteering at the local library. Last note from your councilor . . . I have created a Facebook page for our class. You can do a search for SUNY Albany Class of 1953. Join us, leave messages or photos, or lurk until you feel comfortable. I have so enjoyed receiving the email messages from my former classmates. If you have an email address but have not received my messages, please send me an email so I can add your name to the mailing list. I will soon send out snail mail to those who are not on the Internet. Forgive me for not making contact, but the time and personal events were not in my favor. Until the next magazine, stay well, be happy, and enjoy life.

Class notes councilor: Rose Mary (Rosie) Keller Hughes, [email protected]

1954               

A note from your class councilors: Gertrude Smith Daly reports that she is still here “kicking” it in her 80s. Ken Schoonmaker took trips to Dutch Country, Longwood Gardens and Stroudsburg, Pa. for a family reunion. In September, he met his first grandchild in Henderson, Nev., and took a 10-day tour of Guatemala. James Thompson celebrated his 81st birthday at Little Wolfe Pond campsite in Tupper Lake. His son, UAlbany alumnus and U.S. Navy Captain Scott Thompson, was in China last fall with his spouse, Karen, to receive their second son, James’ 10th grandchild. James also made trips to see his sons, David and Scott, in New Jersey and Springfield, Va., and his daughter, Barbara, in Vermont.

Lynn Lewis continues to consult two or three days a month for NASA on things he did on lunar science stations more than 40 years ago. Howard and Joan Ahders moved to a Preswick Glen senior community in New Hartford, N.Y. They are settling in and cleaning their house, either moving things into their new living area or donating to the Salvation Army. John Allasio is eagerly awaiting the 60th class reunion in October. June and Bob Barno’s family continues to grow as their children marry. They are grandparents to a baby girl. June and Bob enjoy walking and make use of the SUNY Binghamton campus, which is close by. Joan Hartman took a trip to Washington to visit her brother and sister-in-law after Thanksgiving. They went to Hawaii for two weeks of island hopping. Joan spent Christmas and New Year’s in Olympia, Wash., and returned to Staten Island in January.

Alice Whittemore Damp and her husband volunteer with North Country Ministry in Warrensburg, N.Y., and Alice is serving on the Richards Library Board of Trustees. Their daughter Kathleen has written a series of children’s books, The S.A.V.E. Squad, while their daughter Sue works for a community-action program and enjoys reaching out to others. Their youngest daughter, Linda, has been working for Clarke’s Corvair Parts in Massachusetts for 30 years. Marlene Martoni Dolan and husband Joe Dolan ’52 moved to an apartment in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. Their children Michael and Mary Kaye live in Poughkeepsie, as well, while their youngest daughter, Jo Anne, lives in Albany. They will not be able to make it to the 60th class reunion. Carol and Jack Hanssel live in Williamsville, N.Y., and keep busy with their grandchildren, gym classes, book club and auditing classes.

John and RoseMary Zongrone made four trips to Arizona last year because of family health problems. They have 16 grandchildren, including grandchildren at Syracuse University, Fashion Institute of Technology and Boston College. John enjoys season tickets to UAlbany basketball games and is still working in his office but taking more time off, leaving his children to run the business. They Zongrones had the entire family with them at Christmas and are looking forward to the 60th class reunion. Frank and Laura Giannone traveled to Maui after Christmas for three months of rest and relaxation. They hope to attend the 60th class reunion. Richard Bailey said: “Sixtieth class reunion? You must be kidding; I’m only 65.”

Class notes councilor: Bernice Gunsberg Shoobe, [email protected],
and Joan Paul, [email protected]

1960

A note from your class councilor: I am sorry to report the passing of Monica Traskus Modder on Oct. 8, 2013. Chi Sigma Theta sorority will be celebrating its 100th anniversary the weekend of June 6-8, 2014. The highlight of the weekend will be a reunion luncheon at Jack’s in keeping with the sorority’s tradition of having had so many of its social events there. (Jack’s celebrated its 100th in 2013!) There will also be several other events Friday through Sunday at former “old haunts.” Please contact any sisters, friends from our class, or any others interested, and plan to attend! For further information, contact Nancy Lou Ryan Gnan at [email protected]. Charles and Doris Hische Bross will be relocating from Maine to the “Little Red Schoolhouse” District of Wynantskill, N.Y., this year. Good luck with the move! Margaret Morgan Perfetti was appointed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo to the SUNY Cortland College Council in March 2013. She retired as principal from Homer High School in 1996. Before becoming principal, Margaret was an English teacher, then vice principal of the high school.

1961

A note from your class councilor: Thanks all of those who responded for this edition of class notes. Hope all of you are well, and I urge all of those who read this to send me ([email protected]) your updated email addresses so that you will be sure to receive all the class news and information. Please also send in any email addresses you have for other classmates; we need to contact all of you for our potential 55th reunion! As for me, I’ve recently been re-elected Eastern Region President of the U.S.-China People’s Friendship Association; I am also president of my Rotary Club. My wife and I have been enjoying vacationing at our timeshares; in 2013, we spent a month in Florida; a month in Las Vegas; and two weeks each in the Berkshires, along the coast of Maine and in the mountains of New Hampshire. Our granddaughters are growing up too quickly; the oldest is 15 and has already chosen the college she wants to attend!

Janet (Minerva) Woodward Beardsley loves spending the winter in Venice, Fla. Next year, Janet will turn 75 and her daughter will be 50. When her grandson comes up to robot camp at Union College, they will celebrate with hot mineral baths, massages and lunch at the Gideon Putnam. Pete Spina was inducted into the inaugural cohort of the SUNY Chancellor’s Society on Oct. 28. The society (according to Chancellor Zimpher) was formed “to recognize and celebrate ... generous investment in SUNY campuses” and to showcase philanthropic support which has “enabled SUNY to transform New York State through the power of higher education.” The award was bestowed at a reception at Battery Park in New York City. Joan Valesente and her husband Bob are still working on their remodeling projects for their new home. They exchanged their golf-course view for a sunset-over-the-marsh view. They stay busy with volunteer work and golf. Bob still dabbles with some part-time football coaching;. last year, it took them to Brazil for a couple of weeks.

Bob Congemi is in his 52nd year of full-time teaching at SUNY/Empire State College, where he is the most-senior professor. Last year, he was distinguished SUNY scholar, which ESC calls Scholar across the College, and among other things, the honor gave Bob the opportunity to readhis fiction in various cities around the state. He is writing his 11th book, Millennium Noir, and proofreading his ninth book for publication. One of his children is one of those infamous New York City bankers, while another is with New York State United Teachers. Bob’s grandchildren are mostly in college; one is studying pre-law and Italian; another graduated summa cum laude from the University of Connecticut; and a third is graduating from Siena College. Another is studying to be a sports journalist at the University of Kansas. One of my grandsons is studying international affairs at St. Andrews in Scotland; another is at Guilderland High School.

Class Councilor: Mel Horowitz, [email protected]

1962

A note from your class councilor: Helen Arcuri-Stoloff, also a longtime ’62 councilor, became a grandma for the first time right after Homecoming Weekend. Sympathy goes out to Helen on the loss of her husband, a professor at RPI, last year. Dan and Millie Shultz, Helen Arcuri-Stoloff, Gene Altman, and Sheril McCormack attended the Class of 1963’s 50th reunion. Bob MacEnroe and Harold “Butch” Jewel spent Homecoming Weekend holding court at the Washington Tavern.

Class notes councilor: J. Sheril McCormack, [email protected]

1963

A note from your class councilor: The 50th-year reunion of the Class of 1963 was a huge success. It was the largest in the history of the University of Albany. A total of 140 alumni and their guests attended some or all of the events, culminating in the banquet at the Marriott Hotel on Wolf Road. Space precludes my listing everyone, but their names can be accessed at the UAlbany Alumni Association website.

All 10 of the committee coordinators, as well as all of the class officers; Richard Kelly, Peter Fisher, Connie Culver Brown and Sue Platt Passant attended. All of the officers were also MYSKANIA members and were joined by Dr. Gary Penfield, Mary Lou Eisenman Coleman and Geri Schleiffer Gutweniger. Student Association President Steve Condojani and his lovely wife Sandy were in attendance and accompanied by the brothers of Kappa Beta: Frank Banta, Don Fear, Art Brunelle, Joseph LaMonica and Tom Rourke. Gary Penfield helped recruit Potter Club (EEP) brothers: Steve Borgos; Ed Broomfield and his effervescent bride of 52 years, Sharon Parr; Dr. Michael Camarata; William Carmello; Robert Cross; Stewart Crowell; Bob Fairbanks ’64; Jack Maranville and his irrepressible honor-student wife, Arlene Paciunas; Dan Schultz ’62 and the bubbly Beta Zeta wife, Millie Fletcher; Ron Obach; and Richard Stewart. Alpha Pi Alpha was represented by Drs. Roy Knapp and David Nichols, as well as Francis McCarthy. Making their presence known were the sisters of Chi Sigma Theta: Joan Arcuri Santilli, Pat Gregory Rosinski, Mary Alice Lynaugh Belleville, Mary O’Keeffe Shellard, Frieda Rapp Steinjann, and Helen Arcuri Stoloff ’62. I know I missed some.

Sigma Lambda Sigma made a surprising show, but mostly at the Washington Tavern: Richard Bailey, author Bob Calimeri, icons James Haenlin and Fay Richardson, William McCarthy, Harold Jewell ’62 and Martin Miller ’64. Dr. Peter Spina ’61 fell ill and was missed. The sisters of Beta Zeta were glamorous, as always, and were recruited by Mary Ann Charitan O`Dell. Pat Jedrzejewski Jankowski came from South Carolina and was joined by Gail Wackerow Kirby from Texas, Cindy Levine Lefkowitz from Maryland, Lorraine Crispell Lewis, Deanna Abramson Rubinger and Lynn Rourke from Florida. Special thanks to Sheril McCormack ’62, who gave invaluable advice to the committee, and to extraordinary Alumni Association liaison Loida Vera Cruz, without whom this reunion would never have happened. I’m running out of space, but special thanks to the sisters of Psi Gamma: Pat Woinoski Olechna, Mary Alice Dobeck and Mary Jane Yanko Crotty, who were all invaluable on the planning committee – and convinced Mary-Ruth Butler Martel to fly in from British Columbia.

The sisters of Gamma Kappa Phi were a big presence, thanks to the efforts of Sue Platt Passant. The style icons from Kappa Delta – Anita  Pepe Disanza, Marie Zongrone Robinson, Doris Muhlich Davis, Dawn Alexander McHale, Augusta Spellman Leibowitz, Jill Weitz and Deena Daniels Yachymiak ’64 – were present. Sigma Phi Sigma committee member Carolyn Merritt Wolf was that sorority’s only representative, and Phi Delta was represented well by Connie Culver Brown. Other notables attending included Kathleen Glass Holmes (valedictorian); A. Louerre Reis (president, Signum Laudis); Sally Van Riper Eller; Ro Petrick Walikis; Harry Thornhill; Harold Hanson; and accompanist Walt Peters, who came from Philadelphia to play the keyboard at the banquet. Thanks to the generosity of our alums, our class fund swelled to more than $10, 000. The class voted, and $4,000 was donated to the University Art Museum in honor of our art professor, Dr. Edward Cowley. Another $4,000 went to the University Libraries, and $2,000 was retained by the class treasury for any upcoming reunions. They don’t run cheap.

Class councilor: Peter Fisher, [email protected]

1964

A note from your class councilor: On your personal calendar, circle these dates: Oct. 10-12, 2014. That will be the weekend of our 50th class reunion and the University’s Homecoming Weekend. You are all invited, but we have blank spots in our list of addresses. If you have not been contacted, please let the Alumni Association know if you are planning to attend or would like to help make arrangements for the celebrations. You may contact Loida Vera Cruz at the Alumni House: [email protected], 1-800-836-alum (toll-free), or me by email: [email protected], 905-563-3001 (home phone).Lots of us are looking forward to the celebrations. If you have not heard about it, you are cordially invited.

Class councilor: Alan Minarcik, [email protected], 905-563-3001

1965

There’s a new Facebook group for members of the Class of 1965. Search for UAlbany Class of 1965 and join us! If you are already a member of the group, be sure to invite your friends from the Class of ’65. Jim Hottois and his wife Sue have moved their winter residence from Blythe, Calif., to the Palm Springs area. They already had some very good friends in Palm Springs since Jim has been active in the Civil Air Patrol squadron for over a decade. Their summer home is in Vancouver, Wash., where they are close to kids and grandkids who live in Portland and Tacoma. Jim is still flying a small aircraft. He says that whatever he has, he owes to the people of New York State, who were willing to invest in the future by providing the educations that opened a world of opportunities for him and his classmates.

Class councilor: Judy (Koblintz) Madnick, [email protected]

1966

Robert Fullem retired from his position as deputy general counsel of the School Administrators Association of New York State after seven years of service. He remains president and chief nurturer of Downtube Bicycle Works, an Albany bicycle store he founded in 1972. The sideline law career started after a three-year retail sabbatical and his 1998 Cornell Law School graduation.  He and his life partner, Marilyn Kaplan, have three daughters.The oldest, a Macalester College graduate, now serves in the Peace Corps in Panama. The two younger ones are students at Pomona and Haverford College.

Class councilor: Gary Spielmann, [email protected]

1967

Lou Gallo was appointed New York State Chairman of the Commission for Social Justice (CSJ), the anti-defamation branch of the Order Sons of Italy in America, by State President Joe Rondinelli. The missions of CSJ are twofold: to fight bias and bigotry against Italians and Italian-Americans and to promote positive images of said people through education and public relations.

1968

Ray Starman’s book TV Noir: The 20th Century was just added to Wikipedia’s bibliography for the subject heading “film noir.” In addition, his published articles on Hollywood producer Irving Thalberg, film director James Cruz, and director Arthur Ripley have been added to Wikipedia’s bibliographic references for books and articles.

1969

Randy Kundmueller has been living and working in San Jose, Calif. since 2001. He would like to connect with other alumni in the Bay Area. More information is available on his website:
RandolphKundmueller.com

1971

The Virginia Tech Board of Visitors conferred the title “professor emerita” on Pamela Weaver, professor of hospitality and tourism management in the Pamplin College of Business at Virginia Tech. The title of “emeritus” may be conferred on retired professors and associate professors, administrative officers, librarians, and exceptional staff members who are specially recommended to the board of visitors by Virginia Tech President Charles W. Steger. Francis Battisti is SUNY Broome Community College’s acting executive vice president. He was promoted to the rank of State University of New York Distinguished Service Professor, one of the highest honors that can be conferred upon faculty members of SUNY colleges. Francis was inducted into the ranks of the SUNY Distinguished Academy, an honor granted to exceptional individuals who go “above and beyond” their job requirements and who apply their intellect and scholarly research to suggest solutions to public problems.

1972

Michael Bachrach has been selected for inclusion in “New York Super Lawyers® 2013,” published by Thomson Reuters. Michael is currently a bankruptcy and creditor and debtor rights lawyer for Thompson & Knight LLP.

Class councilor: Rick Corcione: [email protected].

1973

Charlotte Biblow will serve a two-year term as president of the Board of Directors of Sustainable Long Island. Charlotte, a Bayside, N.Y., resident, leads the Farrell Fritz P.C. environmental-practice group. She is a contributor to the firm’s Long Island Land Use & Zoning blog and writes a column on state environmental regulation for the New York Law Journal. In addition, Charlotte serves on the boards of the Queensborough Community College Fund, Inc., and the Women’s Fund of Long Island. Charlotte was also one of the 16 attorneys selected for the 2013 “New York Metro Super Lawyers” list.

1974

James Sparkes was elected president of the Holy Cross Alumni Association for the 2013-14 academic year. James, a principal of The Loftus-Sparkes Law Group in Skaneateles, has served on the HCAA Board of Directors since 2001. He was the president of the Holy Cross Club of Central New York from 2001 to 2012. Appointed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo to the Upstate Medical University Council, James also serves on the Committee on Character and Fitness for admission to the New York Bar. Timothy Flanagan has been named president of Illinois State University. He was formerly the provost at SUNY Brockport and president of Framingham State University. Jeff Passe was appointed dean of the School of Education at the College of New Jersey. Bruce and Judi (’76) Michaels celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary in November 2013. Bruce worked at the Sport & Medical Academy of Hartford Public Schools for 32 years as a teacher and a soccer and hockey coach. He now works at Middlesbrough School. Judi works for Travelers Inc.

1975

Jan Levine

Richard Greenberg has been named Information Systems Security Association Fellow for ISSA’s Winter 2013 Fellow Program. Richard, an information security officer for Los Angeles County Public Health, is also president of the Los Angeles Open Web Application Security Project and a board member of ISSA Los Angeles. He has been published in the ISSA journal and has spoken on information security individually and on a number of panels. Jan Levine received the Thomas F. Blackwell Memorial Award for outstanding achievement in legal writing on Jan. 3, 2014. The award is presented annually by the Association of Legal Writing Directors and the Legal Writing Institute.

1977

Alan Dietzek was elected to Distinguished Fellow status of the Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS). The chief of vascular and endovascular surgery at Danbury Hospital in Danbury, Conn., he is the first to occupy the Linda and Stephen R. Cohen Chair in Vascular Surgery. Alan is the director of both the Center for Wound Care and Hyperbaric Medicine and the Noninvasive Vascular Laboratory. He has also been a clinical associate professor of surgery at the University of Vermont, College of Medicine in Burlington, Vt., for three years. Patricia Dykeman is an associate professor, Nursing Assistant Program, at Sandhills Community College in Pinehurst, N.C.

1978

Edward LoBello has again been named to the New York “Super Lawyers” list as one of the top attorneys in New York for 2013. No more than 5 percent of the lawyers in the state are recognized by Super Lawyers for this recognition. Edward practices in the Bankruptcy & Business Reorganization, Corporate Finance, and Litigation & Dispute Resolution groups of the law firm of Meyer, Suozzi, English & Klein P.C. in both their Garden City and New York City offices.

1979

Patrick Love, Ph.D., has been named vice president for Student Affairs at New York Institute of Technology. Patrick is responsible for the strategic vision and operation of NYIT’s student development and services. He will work with university administration and faculty members to integrate academic and co-curricular learning, incorporate a global perspective into the student affairs division, and set goals for student development and campus life throughout NYIT’s global community.

Marilyn Chandler is the Executive Director of the Greensboro Jewish Federation in Greensboro, N.C. She was celebrated in October for her impact on the community, both under the radar and in big, bold ways. Under her leadership, the agency has flourished, creating Jewish Family Services, interfaith partnerships and a foundation to assure the future of Jewish giving.

1980

Ted Rosen, Esq., administrative chair of Fox Rothschild’s New York Corporate and Public Companies Practice, has been named to The Laboratory Institute of Merchandising College’s Fashion Industry Advisory Board in New York, N.Y. Al Bunshaft is president and CEO of Dassault Systèmes Americas, where he leads key strategic initiatives and corporate programs, including the company’s expansion into the U.S. government federal sector. Previously at Dassault Systèmes, Al served as a key architect and managing director. He also led the selection, design, construction and opening of the company’s new Americas headquarters in Waltham, Mass.

1981

Matthew Ernandes was recently honored with a 2013 Distinguished Service Award by the New Jersey Association of School Business Officials (NJASBO) for his longterm, continuous exemplary service as North Hanover School District business administrator/board secretary. Matthew had the honor of presenting a $1,000 scholarship from NJASBO to two graduating sixth-grade students from North Hanover Township School District. Since 1996, Matthew has served as business administrator and board secretary for the school district. He has worked with the U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Department of Education and local agencies on security and privatization of military-housing issues relating to student mobility and funding.

1982

Frank Sutliff, principal of West Canada Valley Junior-Senior High School in Newport, N.Y. was inducted as the 41st president of the School Administrators Association of New York State at its 2013 annual conference in Rochester on Oct. 21.

1983

Sheila Nirenberg, a neuroscientist at Weill Cornell Medical College, won the MacArthur "Genius” Award. The award is presented to individuals who show exceptional merit and promise for continued enhanced creative work. Sheila is also a professor of computational neuroscience in computational biomedicine at Weill Cornell. She is currently designing an artificial retina that could one day be used to treat blindness. Carolee Carmello returned to UAlbany in September for “An Evening with Carolee Carmello,” where she performed musical hits from her career on Broadway. The next day, she helped teach a master’s class to selected music students. Tracy Metzger received the James D. Napoli award in 2013. The award is given to an individual, organization or business that has exemplified the spirit of partnership with the Business Improvement District in shaping direction of downtown Albany. Tracy is president and owner of TL Metzger & Associates. Lisa (Sokolowski) Pomeroy has been named equestrian fashion and lifestyle columnist, under her byline L.A. Pomeroy, for Equine Journal, the largest circulated all-breed, all-discipline horse publication on the East Coast. Pamela Agan-Smith, PsyD, was named the 2013 Frank Plumeau School Psychologist of the Year by the New York Association of School Psychologists (NYASP).The award is given each year at the NYASP annual conference to a school psychologist who exemplifies valuable school-psychology practice according to criteria in 11 domains delineated by the National Association of School Psychologists.

Class councilor: Dave Schaffer, [email protected]

1984

James Hayes ran in the 2013 New York City Marathon for Team Diabetes. It was his 10th time participating in the marathon. Jim Carr received the Perkins Founder’s Award from the Rochester School for the Deaf (RSD). The award honors a person who has provided outstanding service to RSD as a benefactor, volunteer, board member or community leader. Jim is a key member of Hinman Straub Advisors’ education, health and government relations departments. He represents the legislative and policy interests of the 4201 Schools Association, which represents 11 special-education schools, including RSD, throughout the state. Members of the 4201 Schools Association serve blind, deaf and severely disabled children. Daniel Troge has joined Ulster Insurance Services Inc., a subsidiary of Ulster Savings Bank, as an account executive. He will maintain offices at both of Ulster Savings Bank’s Poughkeepsie branches. Daniel, who received his Certified Professional Insurance Agent (CPIA) designation from the Professional Insurance Agents Association of New York State, has 27 years of experience in the field.

1985

Michael Yudin is the assistant secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, U.S. Department of Education. In July 2013, President Obama announced his intent to nominate Michael to a key administration post. Notice: A 1985 education alumni ring was found in New Braunfels, Texas, at a golf course that no longer exists. For more information on the description of the ring, contact [email protected]. Gary Farkas is now a systems analyst at Price Chopper Supermarkets.

Class councilor: Patty Salkin, [email protected]

1986

Howard Miller received designations as “The Best Lawyers in America 2014” and “New York Super Lawyers 2013.” He is currently a partner at Bond, Schoeneck & King in Garden City, N.Y. Larry Solomon has been appointed North America operating officer with Accenture. Larry is responsible for driving Accenture’s North America operational agenda, as well as for increasing the company’s operational efficiency. He currently lives in Cherry Hill, N.J., with his wife and their two daughters, who attend college in Washington, D.C.

Timothy Howard is running for re-election as Erie County sheriff. His 40 years in law enforcement include 24 with the New York State Police. He was elected sheriff of Erie County in 2005 and re-elected in 2009. James Wright, partner with Pulsar Advertising, has helped lead his team to become the agency of record, along with Arcade Creative Group, for MTA. The largest transportation system in North America, MTA encompasses New York’s transportation system, including the iconic New York subway.

 

1987

Jack Glaser was recently named associate dean of the Goldman School of Public Policy. Jack has also been elected to the governing Council of the Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues and to the Board of Directors of the Consortium for Policing Equity.

1988

Iain Machell was a 2013 recipient of a SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching. He is currently a professor of art and chair of the Department of Art, Design, Music, Theatre & Communication at SUNY Ulster, also known as Ulster County Community College, in Stone Ridge, N.Y.

1989

In September, Josh Rosenthal released a three-CD box set of live music recorded at Caffe Lena in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., on his record label, Tompkins Square. The set, spanning 1967-2013, features 47 live performances from Pete Seeger, Arlo Guthrie, Dave Van Ronk, Rick Danko and other greats. Josh received a Grammy nomination last year for his production work on He Is My Story: The Sanctified Soul of Arizona Dranes.

1990

Stephen Sauers has been named the top men’s basketball assistant coach at the University of California-Riverside. Erick R. Asmussen has been appointed vice president and chief financial officer of GrafTech International Ltd. Since joining GrafTech in 1999 as tax director, Erick has also served as the firm’s worldwide controller, treasurer and director of Finance, and vice president of Strategy, Planning and Corporate Development.

1991

Kelly Bates has been appointed founding executive director of the Elma Lewis Center for Civic Engagement, Learning, and Research at Emerson College. Joseph Bavaro, an attorney and partner at Salenger, Sack, Kimmel & Bavaro, has been named president of the New York State Academy of Trial Lawyers. He previously served as vice president for the 2nd department, which includes Suffolk, Nassau, Queens, Kings, Richmond, Westchester, Putnam and Orange Counties. In addition to working with the New Yor State Academy of Trial Lawyers, Joseph serves the judiciary system as a member of the Independent Judicial Election Qualification Commission, a statewide network of independent screening panels. Joseph is also past chairman of the Nassau Suffolk Trial Lawyers Association.

Jotham Musinguzi won the 2013 UN Population award for his efforts in the promotion of reproductive health and family planning. He is the regional director of Partners in Population and Development Africa Regional Office, which is part of a global South-South alliance of 25 developing countries.

1992

Paul Sheehan has been appointed director of the South American Silver Corp. His past positions have included CEO and a founder of Thaddeus Capital Limited in Hong Kong; vice president and co-head of Asian bank research at Lehman Brothers Asia; and has associations with ING Bank NV, located in Hong Kong. Derek A. Cohen, the deputy chief of the fraud section for the Criminal Division has joined Goodwin Procter LLP as a partner in the firm’s securities litigation and white collar defense group.

Charlotte Ghiorse won the 2013 Spirit Award for her short documentary “American Garbage 2010,” which was screened at the 2013 Williamsburg International Film Festival. She has a collection of nine large scale WTC paintings at the New York State museum’s permanent collection, and she also in the Dekooning permanent collection.

1993

Brendan Walsh was named Enfield Teacher of the Year and will represent Enfield in the Connecticut Teacher of the Year competition. Since 2007, he has been a business-education teacher at Fermi High School. Prior to becoming an educator, he was a financial analyst.

1994

Madhay Marathe has been named Fellow of the Association for Computing Machinery for his contributions to high-performance computing algorithms and software environments for simulating and analyzing socio-technical systems. Madhay, a professor of computer science with the College of Engineering at Virginia Tech, is deputy director of Virginia Bioinformatics Institute’s Network Dynamics and Simulations Science Laboratory. 

 

1995

Ronn Torossian was named the PR Executive of the Year by the 2013 American Business Awards. The firm he founded, 5WPR, was also named PR Agency of the Year. The American Business Awards, likened to the Oscars of the business community, is the nation’s premier business awards program. Ronn is regularly featured in the national media for his expertise on marketing and PR issues. Brian Klansky is now senior vice president of Sales for the U.S. Energy Group. His addition is the latest growth move for U.S. Energy Group, a market leader in the area of building energy management services.

1996

Kathy Johnson is walking 25 miles from Rotterdam Junction to Colonie Town Park, completing a 222-mile journey to raise awareness about learning disabilities and brain development. She is educating people about changing our brains through primitive reflex work, providing children struggling with school the tools thatwill help them to learn. Along this walk, Kathy has been talking about brain development and primitive reflex work, as well as about the wonderful history of the Erie Canal. Jason Samuels was selected for the 2013 “New York Metro Rising Stars” list. He is a construction-litigation lawyer for Farrell Fritz, P.C.

1997

Mark Bosco is the new principal at Myers Park High School in Charlotte, N.C. Mark has held positions as assistant principal at Northwest School of the Arts, principal at Quail Hollow Middle School, and principal of Independence High School. In 2011, he became the second in command, or executive director, of the Northeast Zone learning community at Charlotte-Mecklenburg Sschools. He and his wife are expecting their third child. Gov.Andrew Cuomo selected Megan Daly to serve as the newest member of the Albany Convention Center Authority. Megan currently serves as director of economic development and procurement at the Albany Port District Commission.

1999

James Golden was promoted to the rank of professor and named chair of the social science division at Hilbert College  in Hamburg, N.Y.

2000

Lawanda Horton Sauter, chosen one of the NAACP Top 100 Most Influential Black Women in Philadelphia, also received the Philadelphia Business Journal’s Minority Business Leader Award 2013. Recipients were selected based on their strong leadership roles outside of their jobs and for service in industry associations or community organizations. John Hitchcock was selected to lead the Center for Evaluation & Education Policy at Indiana University. As director, John supervises an annual array of 60-80 evaluation projects, representing more than $12 million in external contracts at IU, as well as the center’s education-policy research activities. 

2001

Scott Jarzombek is the new director of North Castle Public Library. Awarded the 2009 Pied Piper Award by the New York Library Association Youth Services Sections, he was also recognized by the Association for Library Service to Children for designing and implementing a “great technology program for children.” Scott’s article “Youth in Libraries: Policies and Procedures in Action” was published in 2012 in the Journal of Library Leadership and Management.

Rob White joined the team at EP&M International, an award-winning exhibit-design and project-management firm, as business development manager. Rob was the director of marketing at Protective Industrial Products in Albany; there, he was responsible for five business divisions and for overseeing the activities of more than 100 trade shows per year. In his new role, Rob will be responsible for building EP&M’s local and international market reputation as an industry leader in exhibit design and execution; he will also expand the firm’s sales of interactive multimedia displays and corporate environment-design and installation services.

Jeremy Noble is the recipient of the Michael H. Urbach CPA Community Builders Award. The award recognizes achievements of a certified public accountant who serves on the board(s) of directors of charitable organizations. Jeremy, currently the chief financial officer at Tully Rinckey PLLC law firm in Albany, has been a board member for Family & Child Service of Schenectady, Inc.

2002

Benjamin Kallos was elected to the City Council of New York City to represent District 5. He is an American activist, lawyer and entrepreneur. Kimberly Lyons is an assistant vice president and analyst with Moody’s Investor Service, based out of New York City. She serves as a lead analyst for several states, including, Georgia, Idaho, Minnesota and North Carolina. Kimberly is also co-president of Northeast Women in Public Finance, which provides mentoring, career development, educational and networking opportunities for women in the industry. Kimberly Marshall is a special-education teacher in Stratford, N.Y. She served as a special-education teacher at East Hills Elementary School, Kidz Therapy Services, and as special-education teacher and education coordinator at Developmental Disabilities Institute -Young Autism Program.

2003

Ed Scott has been promoted to senior associate athletic director for Student Services in the Binghamton University athletics department.

2004

Charles Dunham joined Bond, Schoeneck & King, PLLC, Law Firms an associate, business and health care law attorney. His national health law practice focuses on providing counsel and general representation on regulatory affairs and business transactions to a wide range of health care providers and their trade associations. Daniel Fingerman teamed up with director Christina Roussos and presented their play Stranded on Motor Parkway; a new family drama set against the backdrop of the 1986 World Series victory. The play premiered at the New York Fringe Festival this past August. Stranded on Motor Parkway follows the story of two children who have recently lost their mother to AIDS and now must live with their estranged father. Daniel Stinfil and Raphael Hickling (’03) have started StudyBoost, a free learning-management system that allows teachers to create and administer quizzes, tests and study guides for real-time feedback via SMS and instant messenger platforms. It also allows teachers to develop and deploy video, podcast and visual study aids via SMS and instant messenger. They have also recently uploaded every Regents exam going back three years and are allowing students to study the exams for free using the platform. In addition, the system allows teachers to track all their students’ results through a backend system Daniel and Raphael have created.

2005

Bethany Lesser is now the communications director for U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand. Priya Mehra is working for the Office of the United Nations Secretary-General, focusing both on the Millennium Development Goals and public-private partnerships. In her capacity, she has accompanied the Secretary-General on trips to Africa; Asia; and the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

2006

California Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. has appointed Michael McQuinn assistant general counsel of the Department of Business Oversight, California’s securities and financial-services regulator. Erin Dorrien is now chief of Government Affairs and Special Projects at Maryland Health Care Commission. Bill Kardas, meteorologist in WKTV in Utica, visited Oppenheim-Ephratah-St. Johnsville Middle School  in St. Johnsville, N.Y., in November. He discussed different kinds of weather, weather-forecasting equipment and the skills needed to succeed in the workforce. Bill has been with WKTV for the past seven years and can be seen on weather forecasts from 5 to 7 a.m. weekdays. Jennifer Monteverd Rhodes is director in AIG’s HR Operations & Systems group in New York City.

2007

Jason Zogg was recently featured on BBC News Magazine for his work with Challenge Detroit, a program that has given incentives to 30 innovative thinkers from around the United States to live and work in the city and help bring about its transformation. Kelly Plunkett (Nowakowski) has been hired as the marketing manager at Mechanical Dynamics and Analysis in Latham. She manages all the marketing communications of the company, from email marketing and marketing collateral to trade shows and website.

Carlton Maynard is now a technical writer at Google. David A. Rozen, Esq., is legislative counsel to New York State Senate Democratic Conference Deputy Leader Michael Gianaris. Rozen currently serves in a variety of leadership positions, including Director & Recent Graduate Committee Chair, Albany Law School National Alumni Association Board of Directors; Board Member & Public Official Liaison Committee Chair, City of Albany – Citizens’ Police Review Board; Committee Member & Secretary, Albany Democratic Committee – 6th Ward; LGBTQA Youth Group Facilitator – Pride Center of the Capital Region; SUNY Albany Alumni Council Officer; Treasurer, New York East Hugh O’Brien Youth Leadership Seminar; among others. In 2012, David was recognized with an Albany Knickerbocker Ledgers “30 Under 30” Award. and in 2013 he was presented the “Outstanding Young Alumni Award” by Albany Law School’s National Alumni Association.

2008

Jonathon Brown has been promoted to associate personnel administrator at the New York State Office of Mental Health. Brent Wilson was hired by SUNY Sullivan as the new men’s basketball coach this past June. Previously, Brent was an assistant coach at Division I North Dakota; he also played at UAlbany from 2004-2008. Katie Kulpa Gorman is now the director of Federal Relations for the University at Buffalo.

2009

Christopher Kornak is a technology-development specialist at the Technology Transfer and Intellectual Property Office for the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, based in Bethesda, Md.

2010

Rueben Ingber is now a freelance front-end Web developer and content manager. He has designed and coded a responsive email newsletter template and soon-to-launch mobile app for Ensambl, a fashion startup. Rueben, who has also developed 10 marketing email templates for the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, is the part-time Web content manager for Temple Emanu-El of Closter, N.J. Christopher Jennings has recently earned an M.A.in teaching, with a major in secondary education, from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Christopher received the degree cum laude (with honors) at ceremonies in May on the UNCC campus. While at UNCC, Christopher completed his student teaching at Mount Pleasant High School in Mount Pleasant, N.C., and coached its boys’ tennis team to a regional playoff berth. Robert Franchini is the analyst for the Committee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions in the New York State Assembly. Daniel Morales-Armstrong is the assistant director at ENLACE (Engaging Latino Communities for Education) in the Bronx Institute at Lehman College.

2011

Elizabeth Deal of Marvin and Company, P.C., based in Albany, N.Y. has been promoted to beginning in-charge in the audit department. Ira Goldstein completed his Ph.D. in informatics in May 2011. He joined the Siena College computer science department this past September as a visiting assistant professor.

2012

James Smith assists in the preparation of employment and family-based petitions for temporary and permanent visas and for naturalization at Harter Secrest & Emery LLP as a paralegal. James also conducts research for the preparation of documents and petitions at various U.S. consulates, and drafts documents required for filing with the U.S. departments of Homeland Security, Labor, and State. Mike Nolan is now working as the marketing & communications coordinator at SourceSuite. Sarah Cordts was hired as interim director of the Hudson Falls Free Library in Hudson Falls, N.Y.

John Carroll has been named assistant men’s lacrosse coach at The College of the Holy Cross in Massachusetts.

2013

Mic Dibellis, Kateryne Lora and Dana Owens are part of the Machine: A Creative Co-Op. The three starting partners promote the space, at 255C Lark Street in Albany, as a production facility where Capital Region artists can craft their work in a collaborative environment. The co-op’s grand opening was held last July. Sabrina Cox, who has been accepted into the graduate program at the University of California in Los Angeles, will pursue a career as a guidance counselor.

Artwork by Sarah Haze was displayed at the Linner Gallery in Hudson, N.Y., this past June. Her love for art, biology and photography was evident, with her work detailing microscopic digital photography Sarah had taken as part of an “Art Biologic” showing that wrapped up in 2013. She also worked at Omi International Arts Center in Ghent, N.Y., where she has participated in the summer residency program with artists for the past five years. Sarah’s own website details some of her rich artwork in microscopic composites, photography, drawing and sculpture. More information: www.sarahhaze.com.