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Alumni Profiles:
Schaefer's surprisng
life in baseball Bob Schaefer '67 (ED) '70 M.A.
Creating a colorful career Dean
Andrews '76 (SFA)
Making a world of difference Donna
Martinez '73 (CLAS) '75 M.S.W. '78 J.D.
2005 Alumni & Faculty Excellence Awards
Other Items of Interest:
Reunions
In
Memoriam
 |
| Submit your class notes information online. |
Let your fellow UConn alumni know about
the milestones in your life. You can keep them up to date by
sending information, and, if possible, a photograph, to Alumni News
& Notes, University of Connecticut Alumni Association, Alumni
Drive, Storrs, CT 06269; by fax to 860-486-2849; or by filling out the
online News & Notes form.
 ReunionsSave the Date Reunion Weekend 2006 June 2-3, 2006 Mark your calendars! Reunion Weekend will take place on Friday and Saturday, June 2 & 3, 2006. Volunteers are needed for the 2006 Reunion Weekend Planning Committee. If you are from the Class of 1981, 1956, 1951, 1946, or 1941 and are interested in being a part of this group, please contact Kim Lachut ’90 (ED) at 860-486-2240 or toll-free at 888-UC-ALUM-1. She can also be reached by e-mail at kimberly.lachut@uconn.edu. Even if you are not from these classes, we would welcome your participation.
Special Interest Reunions |
Karl Krantz ’39 (CLAS), ’40 M.A. and Elizabeth (Durkee) Krantz ’40 (CLAS) have been married for 63 years. The couple lives in Lexington, Va.
Edward Zielinski ’42 (CLAS) and his wife, Mary, recently celebrated 60 years of marriage. They live in Stamford, Conn.
Sidney Grossman ’50 (BUS) is commissioner of the Public Employee Relations Commission in Delray Beach, Fla. He has seven grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
Milton Robert Porter ’50 (ENG) retired after 35 years working for the U.S. government as a quality assurance and industrial specialist.
John Collins ’53 (BUS) sold his Chevrolet dealership and retired to enjoy his children and grandchildren. He stays involved in his local school building committee and hospital board of trustees.
Joseph Corell ’54 (CLAS) retired after 37 years working in insurance and spends his time writing and tending to his garden in Clearwater, Fla.
Bill Koch ’55 (ENG) retired after a 36-year career as an air traffic control engineer for the Federal Aviation Administration. He is still manager of the Burke Lake R.R. in Springfield, Va. He has three children and six grandchildren.
Frances (Swedburg) Campbell ’55 (NUR) is working for a food recovery program, supplying food for the hungry in the Pleasant Hill, Tenn., area.
Roslyn (Swirsky) Dresner ’55 (NUR) serves on the
international board of
the Women’s League of Conservative Judaism. She
lives in Newington, Conn.
Marion Smith Hanson ’55 (NUR) was honored by her church with a named scholarship, the Marion Smith Hanson Scholarship, which is awarded annually to college-bound young people active in the Episcopal Church.
Elizabeth (Ross) Hostetler ’55 (NUR) retired from the Broward County Health Department in 1997 after 19 years of service. She lives in Pompano Beach, Fla.
Delores (Samsel) Micinilio ’55 (NUR) volunteers for the Beardsley Zoo in Bridgeport, Conn., as well as her local chapter of Habitat for Humanity. She lives in Bridgeport.
Barbara (Beaney) Patten ’55 (NUR) retired from the state of Connecticut as a health facilities inspector in 1997. She lives in Waterford.
Paul Lachlan Peck ’56 (BUS) wrote three books, Worth the
Room: An Autobiography of Survival and Service; Your Dreams Count:
A Layman’s Approach to Dream Analysis; Inherit the Kingdom: Heirs of
God and Joint-Heirs with Christ , and edited Classic Children's Literature
for Your Home Library. He lives in Dana Point, Calif.
Robert Behnke ’57 (CLAS) was 2003 Angler of the Year in Fly Rod & Reel magazine, has received numerous accolades for his work in environmental conservation and recently published Trout and Salmon of North America. He and his wife live in Fort Collins, Colo.
Peter van Dernoot ’57 (BUS) received the Human Service Professional of the Year award from the Colorado chapter of the National Association of Social Workers for his founding of the Children’s Treehouse Foundation, which provides psychosocial intervention for children whose parents have cancer.
Michael Emanuel ’57 (CLAS) is participating in a two-year testosterone-bone density study at the UConn Health Center in Farmington.
Ron Topping ’58 (BUS) retired as a regional sales manager of Hednin Corp. after 32 years of service. He and his wife live in Walnut Creek, Calif.
Lewis Turco ’59 (CLAS) published three books of poetry in 2004, including The Collected Lyrics of Lewis Turco/Wesli Court 1953-2004.
Ken Gold ’61 (CLAS) was named communications chairman of
Rotary International District 7490 in northern New Jersey for Rotary’s 100th
anniversary year. }
Charles Inturrisi, ’62 (PHR) is professor of pharmacology at the Weill Medical College of Cornell University in New York City and has been elected to the board of directors of The American Pain Society.
David
Clune ’64 M.A., ’69 6th year, ’71 Ph.D. retired
after serving as superintendent of schools in Wilton, Conn., for 22 years and
was recently appointed president of Educational Records Bureau in New York City.
He and his wife, Marylynn Kennedy, and their four children live in Wilton, Conn.
Warren Martz ’64 M.B.A. retired from his job at United Technologies in 1983 and has spent his time traveling and pursuing his interest in model railroads. He lives in Wethersfield, Conn.
Jeff Bray ’65 (CLAS) is a realtor with Century 21 in Tehachapi, Calif., where he specializes in the sale and management of ranch properties.
Jack Norbeck ’65 (RHSA) is president of Norbeck Research in Coplay, Pa., which specializes in educational library exhibits concerning the role of steam in agriculture and society. He has received numerous accolades and awards for his work, including the 2001 Noble Prize in the United Kingdom for Outstanding Achievement and Contributions to Worldwide Humanity.
Frank Napolitano ’66 (CLAS) is vice president of human resources
at National In-Store of Sarasota, Fla.
Albert Dabrowski ’67 (BUS) and Christine Grecki ’68 (CLAS) recently celebrated 35 years of marriage. Albert is currently chief judge of the United States Bankruptcy Court and was formerly United States Attorney for Connecticut.
James Lorello ’67 M.S. patented a minute clock, which displays minutes more prominently than hours. He lives in Ivoryton, Conn.
Schaefer's surprising life in baseball
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Few coaches reach the major leagues by learning to coach at the high school level, but Bob Schaefer ’67 (ED), ’70 M.A. is the exception.
Schaefer played three years at UConn and for three years in the St. Louis Cardinals minor league system before starting his coaching career at Ledyard, Conn., High School, where he led the baseball team from 1968-80.
“I thought my future was more in coaching and teaching than in playing,” says Schaefer. “I was determined to get to the big leagues and felt that if I went back and learned how to coach and teach a little, I might make it.”
Schaefer’s break came when he coached for two years in the highly regarded Cape Cod amateur summer league from 1978 to 1979. A New York Yankees official noticed that he was a good teacher and offered Schaefer a job managing in the Class A South Atlantic League in Greensboro, N.C. He spent the following two decades managing in the minor leagues, coaching and holding executive jobs with the Yankees, New York Mets, Kansas City Royals, Boston Red Sox, Detroit Tigers and Baltimore Orioles.
When the Royals named Tony Pena as manager in May 2002, Schaefer became the team’s bench coach, organizing team workouts, studying scouting reports and matching up the Royals players with other teams. He also would be a sounding board for the manager on strategy during games.
“The job of major league manager today is so complex with all the distractions with the media and all that, so you need someone to keep things organized and running smoothly,” he says.
This year Schaefer also experienced the uncertainty and resilience of life in baseball. He started the 2005 season as the Kansas City Royals bench coach and then became interim manager after Pena resigned barely a month into the season. After 17 games, a new manager, Buddy Bell, was hired, and Schaefer moved back over one seat in the dugout.
“I’m just happy they gave me the chance,” he told reporters when he learned that a new manager would arrive.
Although it was unusual that Schaefer reached the major leagues through the high school coaching route, his achievements might have surprised many because he was not recruited to UConn as a baseball player.
But he became the starting shortstop and earned two degrees. Earlier this year he received the first UConn Athletics Baseball Distinguished Alumni Award for a career that included leading the Huskies to the 1965 College World Series.
Former UConn Coach Larry Panciera inspired Schaefer. “He taught us how to win. He stressed discipline,” Schaefer says. “What I learned from him I stressed throughout my coaching career.” — Gary Libman
Martha (Peterson) Arquett ’69 (NUR) is a school nurse for the Norfolk, Conn., public school system. She lives in Norfolk.
Cheryl Avery ’69 (CLAS) is founder and director of Project Chacocente, which seeks to provide welfare and education opportunities for impoverished families in Nicaragua.
Betty (Belis) Castle ’69 (NUR) is the school nurse for Terryville High School in Terryville, Conn.
Pamela Dole ’69 (NUR) presented nursing research at the 15th International AIDS Conference in Bangkok, Thailand, in July 2004.
Steven Link ’69 M.B.A. is owner/operator of Link Executive Search in Loveland, Ohio, where he lives with his wife, Barbara.
Jeanne (Reicenbach) Pettit ’69 (NUR) retired from nursing in June 2002. She and her husband, Dwight, live in Lauderdale by the Sea, Fla.
Jill (Gennan) Wensky ’69 (NUR) is the school nurse for the town of Shrewsbury, Mass.
Tim Jerman ’70 (CLAS) completed his first session in the
Vermont House of Representatives as a Democrat from Essex Junction. He is also
a village trustee in Essex Junction and has been with the Vermont Student Assistance
Corporation for 28 years.
Scott Ingram, ’71 (SFA) received the 2005 NAACP Image Award for Children’s Literature for his book The 1963 Civil Rights March. He is the author of more than 50 books for young people. He and his wife, Carol Reichlin, live in Portland, Conn.
Julie Wood ’71 (CLAS), ’72 M.A. is the author of Literacy Online: New Tools for Struggling Readers and Writers, which addresses ways in which educators can harness new technology in the classroom.
Bessy Reyna ’72 M.A. , ’82 J.D. is an opinion columnist for The Hartford Courant and just published a new book of poetry, The Battlefield of Your Body.
Jeff Davidson ’73 (BUS), ’74 M.B.A. had his 40th book
published by Adams Media, The 60 Second Organizer.
Paula Romaine Bronski ’73 (RHSA), ’86 J.D. and her husband, Geraldo, have three children and enjoy vacationing in Florida.
Joseph Motto ’73 (ENG) recently opened M-Square Associates, Inc., a structural engineering consulting firm in Albany, Ga.
Robert Wolf ’73 (BUS) has retired at age 50.
Mary Ann (White) Bowersock ’74 (CLAS) is the state co-coordinator for the Virginia chapter of the Second Amendment Sisters, a national organization dedicated to preserving the right of self-defense recognized by the U.S. Constitution.
Joseph LaMadeleine ’75 (BUS), is the chief financial officer for VA Connecticut Healthcare System, was named the 2005 Distinguished Federal Manager by the Connecticut Federal Executive Association. He lives in Waterbury, Conn.
Thomas Welsh ’75 (CLAS), ’80 J.D. is a regent elected to the
American College of Commercial Finance Attorneys. He is an attorney with Brown & Welsh,
P.C. and lives in Meriden, Conn.
Thomas Kornacki ’76 (BUS) is senior vice president of food and beverage for the Hudson Group, which provides retail concession in airports and transportation centers. He and his wife, Sue, have four children and live in Simsbury, Conn.
Antoinette Leone Ruzzier ’76 J.D. is a visiting professor at Dwayne O. Andreas School of Law at Barry University in Orlando, Fla.
Creating a colorful career
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As a child, artist Dean Andrews ’76 (SFA) drew inspiration from her mother, a realist painter. Two UConn professors, however, provided a blueprint for her career.
“I really got the foundation for all my dreams at the University of Connecticut,” says Andrews, who recently exhibited work from her ongoing series, “Solstice,” at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.
Andrews creates abstract canvases, building “layer upon layer” of acrylic paint with rags, 12-inch scrapers and other tools. Sometimes, she adds glass “microspheres” to enhance textures and produce “an elusive and magical dance with light and color.”
Cynthia Reeves Snow, late UConn professor of art, introduced Andrews to the “sensuality” of painting in a watercolor class.“She helped me understand the intimate relationship, the passion that an artist can have with paint and pigments and color,” Andrews says.
The other professor, New York graphic designer Eve Mesnick, took several students on field trips to New York City, where they shadowed working professionals and visited the SoHo district, which then was the epicenter of alternative art. Mesnick introduced Andrews to the creative director at J. Walter Thompson, the largest advertising agency in the world at the time.
“I was totally into graphic design and advertising,” Andrews recalls. “Becoming creative director at JWT became my goal.”
She nearly achieved that ambition. After graduation Andrews moved west and landed a job at JWT’s Los Angeles office. Moving up the ranks, she was on the verge of being promoted to the top spot when a stronger ambition took hold.
“I decided I would really like to paint full-time,” Andrews says.
So she left advertising in the early 1990s to focus on her art and has been painting ever since.
Along the way, she moved to New York City for the “artist loft experience” and later returned to California, where she lives today in Marina Del Rey. She has exhibited paintings in dozens of gallery shows and developed a base of collectors of her work.
Mindful of the help she received from her UConn professors, Andrews also coaches artists, giving them career counseling that ranges from advice on how to get work on a gallery wall to Web site design and construction.
“You reach a certain point in your maturity when you realize
it’s not only important to give back,” the artist says, “but also
that the rewards are enormous.”
— Karen Singer ’73 (CLAS)
Mike Grabarek ’77 (ENG) designed and analyzed ballistic missiles for 13 years and constructed leadership development programs for 13 years at GE and Entergy. He recently moved to Santa Fe, N.M.
Pamela Kahn ’77 (BUS) is the marketing director for Levick
Strategic Communications in Washington, D.C., a crisis communications firm. She
teaches spin classes and enjoys bikram yoga. She has two children, Alyssa and Jake.
Mark DeMaio ’77 (ENG) is pursuing a degree in interior design after working as a civil engineer for the past 25 years. He lives in Nashville, Tenn.
Dan Blumenthal ’78 (CLAS) is a supervising attorney in mortgage foreclosure, bankruptcy, evictions and REO practice group of the law firm Druckman & Sinel LLP in Westbury, N.Y.
Dennis Cavanaugh ’78 (CLAS) is a partner in the construction practice group of the firm of Brown Raysman. He also leads the firm’s surety and fidelity practice group and is vice chairman of the executive committee of the construction law section of the Connecticut Bar Association.
Gretchen (Pfeifer) Hall ’78 (SFA) earned the Connecticut Association of Realtors 2004 Good Neighbor Award for exceptional community service in recognition of her service on the Enfield Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Agency, Enfield Conservation Commission, and the Hazardville Institute Conservancy Society.
Making a world of difference in Connecticut
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Although Donna Martinez ’73 (CLAS) , ’75 M.S.W. , ’78 J.D. has never worked outside Connecticut, her work has made a world of difference. As a U.S. magistrate judge, she has heard and decided cases ranging from widespread marriage-fraud rings and Internet copyright infringement to how the state will educate children with mental retardation and a high profile case involving child pornography.
But her work is not confined to sweeping cases. Often she decides the fate of individuals, too.
“All of those cases are extremely important to the parties who are trying to find a way to resolve the complicated problems that have brought them to a courthouse,” she says, noting that many times people look to the courts to resolve their issues because they feel they have no place else to turn. “My first job is as a problem solver. I hear motions, decide them and preside over both jury and non-jury trials.”
After serving as corporate counsel for the city of Hartford and then as assistant U.S. attorney, where she was chief of the Organized Crime/Drug Enforcement Task Force, Martinez was appointed a U.S. magistrate judge for Connecticut in 1994.
Magistrate judges are appointed by the U.S. District Court to serve for terms of eight years, and Martinez is now serving her second term. She works with two district court judges, who refer criminal and civil cases to her that may involve prisoners’ appeals and matters that require factual review. She also mediates cases, especially in civil matters.
Martinez did not set out to become a judge. She enrolled at UConn thinking about becoming an elementary school teacher but influenced by the social activism of the early 1970s, moved toward a degree in sociology and a master’s in social work. Later, she decided to pursue a career in law. She says that having earned three degrees from UConn set the foundation for her career in public service, which was recognized with a Distinguished Service Award from the UConn School of Law.
“It’s really a remarkable opportunity that we have a public institution that can offer the citizens of the state the kind of background and training UConn provides,” Martinez says.— Darlena Mariani ’04 (CLAS )
Diane Baird Duhaime ’79 (ED), ’92 J.D. is a partner
at the law firm of Jorden Burt LLP, in its Connecticut office, where she chairs
the firm’s technology and intellectual property law practice. She and her
husband, Rick, live in Farmington, Conn.
William MacDonald ’79 M.A. is a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army Special Forces and is on active duty, currently serving in East Africa.
Theresa Hopkins-Staten ’81 (CLAS) was appointed by Gov. M. Jodi Rell to serve on the Connecticut State Board of Education. She is currently chair and president of the Northeast Utilities Foundation, Inc. and director of corporate community relations and programs at Northeast Utilities. She lives in West Hartford, Conn.
Patricia Ianni ’81 (CANR) is a vice president in the commercial
appraisal department at TD Banknorth Inc. in Portland, Maine. She lives in Falmouth,
Maine.
Steve Keller ’81 (ENG) is president of Predicate Logic, Inc. in San Diego, Calif.
John Kissel ’81 (ED), ’02 (CLAS), state senator from the Connecticut seventh legislative district, was honored by the Connecticut Police Chief’s Association, the Connecticut Assisted Living Association, and other organizations for his accomplishments as a legislator.
Christopher Morrison ’81 (CLAS) has opened a private practice law office in Thomaston, Conn.
Mary Saslow ’81 (BUS) is a managing director at PriceWaterhouse
Coopers in Hartford, Conn. She lives in Avon, Conn.
Paula Crombie ’82 (SSW) is director of social work for Yale-New
Haven Hospital and chair of the Annual Investment Review Committee for United Way
of Greater New Haven. She recently received the United Way’s Community Impact
Leadership Award for Community Investment. She and her husband, David, live in
New Haven, Conn.
Dennis Hannigan ’82 (BUS) is a senior portfolio manager for YHB Investment Advisors, Inc. in West Hartford, Conn. He lives in West Hartford with his wife, Karen (Shulman) Hannigan ’91 (CLAS), and children, Steve and Lily.
David Parsons ’82 (ED) is executive director of the East Jefferson Family YMCA in Metairie, La.
Robert Budlong ’83 (BUS) is a contractor for the U.S. Navy in Lester, Pa.
John Baumann ’83 (CLAS) retired from the U.S. Army after 22 years of service. He retired as a major and currently works for Hewlett-Packard in northern California.
Kenneth N. Daniels ’83 M.A., ’91 Ph.D. was promoted to professor of finance in the Department of Finance, Insurance and Real Estate at Virginia Commonwealth University of Richmond, Va. He is currently serving on the Treasury Board for the state of Virginia. He also presented a paper at the 17th annual Australasian Finance and Banking Conference in Sydney, Australia, in December 2004.
Gary Draghi ’83 (BUS) and Elizabeth (Daley) Draghi ’87 J.D. announce the birth of a daughter, Gianna Louise Draghi, on Oct. 1, 2004. She joins brother Thomas Ward, 14, and sisters Isabella, 4, and Carolina, 3. Gary is a principal investment officer for the pension funds management division of the State Treasury. Elizabeth is counsel at UBS Realty Investors.
Susan (Dunney) Holzmer ’83 (RHSA), ’88 (CANR) married Joe Holzmer in September 2004 and is a senior research scientist at Fort Dodge Animal Health in Princeton, N.J.
Scott A. Winslow ’83 (BUS) is president of Winslow Tech-nology Group in Boston, Mass.
Kyle Odin ’84 (BUS), ’03 J.D. was named a Volunteer
of the Year by the Pro Bono Partnership. He lives in Stamford, Conn.
U. Jonathan Toppo ’84 (SFA) is in his 15th season at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. This year he appears in the plays Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom and Gibraltar.
Tim Vilinskis ’84 (PHR) and Cathy (Baldyga) Vilinskis ’83 (BUS) live in Ridgefield, Conn., with their two children. Tim owns a real estate development and homebuilding business, and Cathy is a part-time real estate attorney.
David Fusco ’85 (CLAS) is president of Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield’s Connecticut market.
Cathy Giorgi ’85 (CLAS) is a medical social worker at Southwestern Vermont Health Care. She has a son, Michael.
Keith MacKenzie ’85 (ENG) is vice president and chief engineer/operations manager for the Midwest branch of STV Incorporated. He lives in Wilmette, Ill.
Ann Stoppleworth ’85 M.A. has retired after a career of more than 40 years as a psychiatric nurse. She has seven children and lives in Bolton, Conn.
Victoria Tarnovetchi ’85 (CLAS) is in her 14th year as an English teacher at San Marcos High School in southern Calif.
Laura (Leibowitz) Brownlee ’86 (CLAS) and her husband, Mike, announce the birth of a son, Timothy, on Nov. 12, 2004. He joins brother Joseph, 1. They live in Dallas, Texas.
Susan Cossette Eng ’86 (CLAS), ’93 M.A. is the director of marketing and communications for the New Canaan (Conn.) YMCA. As a volunteer, Susan supports St. Bridget of Ireland Church in Stamford, where she is treasurer of the Parish Advisory Council, a Sunday School teacher, and a regular lector. She lives in Darien, Conn., with her husband, Jeffrey, and their son, John.
Peter LaPorta ’86 (CLAS) founded a motivational consulting and seminar firm, LaPorta Enterprises. His second book, Who Hired These People?, is due out later this year.
Richard Primerano ’86 (BUS) and Debra (Heinz) Primerano ’86 (CLAS) live in Dallas, Texas, with their two sons, Jerod and Matthew. Richard is senior vice president and chief financial officer of Glencoe Group Services.
Janet Alexander ’87 (SAH) and her husband, John Gagas ’86 (CLAS), have five children and recently celebrated 15 years of marriage. They live in Middlebury, Conn.
Elizabeth Connor ’87 (SFS) and husband, Joseph Forehand, announce the birth of their second child, Jeremy Connor Forehand, on May 1, 2004. Elizabeth is an independent sales director for Mary Kay, Inc. The family lives in San Juan Capistrano, Calif.
Douglas Gilreath ’87 (CLAS) is service coordinator supervisor with the Massachusetts Department of Mental Retardation and in 2004 received the state’s Citation for Outstanding Performance. He and his wife, Mary Carol, have two children and live in Andover, Mass.
John Powell ’87 (ENG) is a hospitalist at St. Peter’s Hospital in Albany, N.Y., where he lives with his wife, Laura, and their four children.
Doreen Roy Harmon ’87 (BUS), ’94 M.B.A. and her husband, Maurice Harmon ’86 (BUS), have three children: Patrick, 7; Jack, 5; and Madeline Rose, 1, and live in Seymour, Conn. Doreen is the vice president of Millward Brown in Fairfield, and Maurice works for HB Communications in New Haven, Conn.
Su-Ellen Brown ’88 (CLAS) is a scientist at Bayer Healthcare in West Haven, Conn. She has two children and lives in Shelton, Conn.
Denise Merrill ’88 (BGS), state representative for the Storrs-Mansfield area, is chair of the Connecticut General Assembly’s House Appropriations Committee.
Scott Miller ’88 (ENG), ’98 M.S. , M.B.A. and his wife, Karen, announce the birth of a daughter, Marissa Sylvia, on March 30, 2005. Marissa joins brother David at their home in Weston, Conn.
Brian Raszka ’88 (SFA) is senior art director at Estipona
Vialpando Partners in Reno, Nev.
Peter Schaffer ’88 (BUS) is a managing director at U.S. Trust, where he oversees investment and risk analytics. He lives in Weston, Conn.
Chad Stewart ’88 (CLAS) is vice president for private client services at the Bank of New York in Greenwich, Conn. He lives with his wife, Donna, and son, Sean, in Fairfield.
J. Alex Urquhart ’88 M.B.A. is president and chief executive
officer of GE Commercial Finance Energy Financial Services.
Patrick Caruso ’89 (CLAS) and Lisa (Spooner) Caruso ’90 (CLAS) announce the birth of a daughter, Riley Gray, on Nov. 2, 2004. She joins brothers Michael, 5, and Thomas, 4. The family lives in Madison, Conn.
Scott Fellows ’89 (ED) completed the requirements for a doctorate in educational leadership from the University of Hartford in March 2005. He is the chairman of the mathematics department at Housatonic Valley Regional High School in Falls Village, Conn.
Jennifer Pepper ’89 M.F.A. is displaying solo exhibitions of her artwork and is a full-time professor at Alfred University in Alfred, N.Y.
Rich Tehrani ’89 (ENG) joined eLEC Communications Corp.’s advisory board to support eLEC’s wholly owned subsidiary VoX Communications, based in Celebration, Fla.
Jena Weiss ’89 (CANR) is the owner of Capital Dog Training in West Hartford, Conn. She and her certified pet therapy dog, Shane, volunteer in Hartford Hospital’s pet therapy program, providing visits to both patients and staff.
2005 Alumni & Faculty Excellence Awards
 Roy
Brooks ’72 (CLAS)Warren Distinguished Professor of Laws, University of San Diego Distinguished Alumni Award |
 Brett McGurk ’96 (CLAS) Associate, Kirkland & Ellis LLP Graduate of the Last Decade Award |
 James Calhoun UConn Men’s Basketball Coach Honorary Alumni Award |
 Elizabeth Flynn Scott ’91 (CLAS) Alex’s Lemonade Stand Humanitarian Award |
 Judith Zachs’77, M.S.W. Licensed Clinical Social Worker, private practice University Service Award |
 Denis McCarthy’64 (BUS), ’65 M.A. Senior VP/CFO Fidelity Investments, retired University Service Award |
 Ronald CotterillAgricultural Economics, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources Faculty Excellence in Research (Humanities) |
 Dipak DeyStatistics, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Faculty Excellence in Research (Science) |
 David MillerPsychology, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Faculty Excellence in Teaching, undergraduate level |
 Stuart SidneyMathematics, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Faculty Excellence in Teaching, graduate level |
| Do
you know outstanding alums or faculty members? Reward their excellence by nominating them to receive an Alumni or Faculty Excellence Award for 2006. The University of Connecticut Alumni Association has established awards for the purpose of recognizing outstanding contributions and achievements by alumni, non-alumni and faculty. The UConn Alumni Association is proud of these achievements and welcomes the opportunity to extend recognition through its annual awards. Nomination forms will be available in the Spring at www.uconnalumni.com. Deadline for 2006 nominations is March 31, 2006. |
|
Pamela Abney ’90 J.D. is an administrative law judge for the California Department of Industrial Relations, following her work in the private sector.
Brad Carignan ’90 (BUS), ’93 M.A. and his wife announce the birth of a son, Luke Bradford, on Nov. 22, 2004, who joins his sister, Alexis. The family lives in Guilford, Conn.
Heather (Brumfield) Spottiswoode ’90 (CLAS) and her husband, Michael, announce the birth of a son, Dylan Michael, on June 5, 2004. He joins sister Caitlin, 4. The family lives in Manchester, Conn.
Corina Abel ’91 (BUS) and her husband, Frank Di’Bacco, announce the birth of twins, Nicole Elizabeth and Joseph Anthony, on Dec. 27, 2004. They join sister Samantha Lynn, 7, and brothers Zachary Frank and Christopher Tyler, also twins.
Dean P. Freeman ’91 (BUS) is chief financial officer for European operations with Stanley Works Corporation. He and his family live in Brussels, Belgium.
Brian Andrew Giusani, Jr. ’91 (CLAS) married Ariella Michelle
Scherer in November 2004. They honeymooned in St. Lucia and live in Wrightsville
Beach, N.C.
Greg Hildebrand ’91 (CLAS) and his wife, Tyra, announce the birth of a daughter, Lucy Autumn, on Nov. 29, 2004. She joins sister Ingrid Ann, 3. Greg is an attorney in private practice in Milwaukee, Wis.
Kristina Powell ’91 opened Permanent Cosmetics of Southeastern Connecticut in Preston, Conn., in January 2005.
Suzanne (Morrison) Roelof ’91 (SFA) and her husband, Jim, announce the birth of a daughter, Julianne Elizabeth, on Feb. 12, 2005. Julianne joins brother Avery. The family lives in Woodland Park, Colo.
Albert Unger ’91 (BUS) completed a J.D. from Quinnipiac School of Law in Hamden, Conn., and is practicing law in Stamford, Conn.
Catherine (Conway) Crowe ’92 (CLAS) and Mark Crowe announce the birth of their son, Mark Thomas, Jr., on April 25, 2005, who joins his sisters, Ashley and Paige.
Jack Huntington ’92 (CLAS) is counsel and an officer for MetLife Advisers, LCC at MetLife in Boston, Mass.
Matthew McLaughlin ’92 (SFA) and his wife, Nancy, announce the birth of son Liam in August, 2003. Matthew is a graphic designer and started his own studio, Ideal Design, in 2001.
Pat Micinilio ’92 (CLAS) and Kathy (Fitzpatrick) Micinilio ’90 (CLAS) announce the birth of a son, Max Patrick, on July 8, 2004. He joins brothers Sam, 6, and Ben, 4. The family lives in Trumbull, Conn.
Wayne Tonning ’92 (CLAS) and Deena (Pacelli) Tonning ’92 (CLAS) run Tonning Associates, Inc., a consulting firm specializing in landscape architecture, land planning and development consulting. They have one daughter, and live in Boca Raton, Fla.
Michelle (Wincze) Abbruzzese ’93 (CLAS) and her husband, Tony, recently celebrated their one-year wedding anniversary in Las Vegas, Nev.
Jeffrey Aeschlimann ’93 (PHR) and Eugenia (Hladick) Aeschlimann ’93 (CLAS), ’00 M.B.A. announce the birth of a daughter, Jocelyn Elisabeth, on Nov. 18, 2004. She joins sister Jordan Eugenia, 3.
Geoff Bouvier ’93 (CLAS) won the 2005 American Poetry Review/Honickman First Book Prize. His first book of poetry will be published by Copper Canyon Press in September. He lives in San Diego, Calif.
John Erskine ’93 (CLAS) is a structured finance associate in the law firm of Thacher Proffitt & Wood in New York, N.Y.
Michele (Dragon) Hearn ’93 (CLAS) and her husband, Thomas, announce the birth of a daughter, Katharine Lily, on Jan. 25, 2005. She joins brothers Samuel, 4, and Jack, 2. The family lives in Sutton, Mass.
Vycki (Rowley) Pratt ’93 (SFA) and her husband, Rick, announce the birth of their daughter, Casey Rebecca, born Jan. 5, 2005. Casey joins sisters Amanda Higley, 8, and Robyn Higley, 3. The family lives in Danbury, Conn.
Jeffrey Rossi ’93 (BUS) is a partner at Haggett Longobardi, LLC in Glastonbury, Conn.
Darren Sharlach ’93 (CLAS) is a partner at the law firm Reed Smith LLP and practices in the firm’s commercial real estate and lending offices in Princeton, N.J., and New York City. He lives with his wife, Audrey, and children Emily, 3, and Michael, 2, in Princeton Junction, N.J.
Gary L. Thomann ’93 M.A. recently published a novel, Vinland Viking.
Jason Vincent ’93 (CLAS) and his wife, Jennifer, announce the birth of a son, Matthew Jason, on Dec. 29, 2004. He joins his sister Julia, 4.
John Adams ’94 (ENG) is a project manager at Anchor Engineering Services, Inc. John lives in Colchester, Conn.
Michael Chadwick ’94 (BGS) is the president of Chadwick Financial Advisors with offices in Unionville and Torrington, Conn. He and his wife, Betsy, have two children, Hannah and Samantha. The family lives in Harwinton, Conn.
Donna (Waterman) Douglass ’94 (SAH) has been in private practice with Core Physical Therapy in Lisbon Fall and Monmouth, Maine, for four years.
Joseph Famoso ’94 M.B.A. and his wife, Sylvia Zvalos Famoso ’94 M.B.A. , announce the birth of a son, Michael Joseph, on Nov. 5, 2004.
Michael Henderson ’94 (CLAS) and his wife, Christina, announce the birth of their daughter, Olivia Rose, on March 21, 2005. The family lives in Manchester, Conn.
Todd J. Klein ’94 (BUS) is regional director of client operations management at Hartford Steam Boiler in Hartford, Conn. He lives in northern Connecticut with his wife, Jessica, and their daughter, Alexis.
Eric Schmidt ’94 (SFS) and his wife, Carrie, announce the
birth of their son, Evan Monroe, on April 2, 2005. Eric is general sales manager
at Champagne Chevrolet in Willimantic Conn. The family lives in Manchester, Conn.
David E. Birkhahn ’95 M.B.A. is assistant vice president in the commercial lending department at Peoples Heritage Bank in Portland, Maine.
Gino M. Herring ’95 (CLAS) is voter education director in the Broward County Supervisor of Elections Office in Broward County, Florida.
Michael A. Jakubowski ’95 (ENG) married Dorothy R. J. Bennett in May 2004 at St. Joseph’s Church in Occum, Conn. He is a senior engineer in Internal Structures at Electric Boat Corporation in Groton and lives in Norwich, Conn.
Jeri M. Jamaitis ’95 (BUS) will marry John Jay Derksen in
August, 2005. She works as a national account underwriting consultant at Aetna in
Middletown, Conn.
Adrienne (Earl) Pollard ’95 (CLAS) and her husband, Tom, announce the birth of a son, Joshua, on Jan. 2, 2005.
Kathryn (Maxwell) Talty ’95 (CANR) and Jon Talty announce the birth of a girl, Jane, on Feb. 21, 2004.
Jennifer (Dorau) Souharada ’96 (CLAS) and Bill Souharada ’97 (BUS) announce the birth of Andrew William in March 2005. Jen recently became certified to teach secondary English, grades 7-12. They live in Shelton, Conn.
Kimberly (Peters) Smith ’96 (CLAS) and her husband, Patrick, announce the birth of a daughter, Maeve Katherine, on July 16, 2004. She joins brother Finnian, 2. The family lives in New Hampshire.
Brian J. Weir ’96 (CLAS) and his wife, Julie, announce the birth of Olivia Mary in June 2004, who joins brother Aidan. They live in Wallingford, Conn., where Brian is the head coach of the Southern Connecticut State University club hockey team.
Aimee (Conlan) Altemus, ’97 (CLAS) married James Altemus, ’97 (BUS) in April 2005. Aimee works for Charles River Laboratories in Southbridge, Mass. James works for Skip Barber Racing School in Lakeville, Conn. The couple lives in Bristol, Conn.
Kristen (Terninko) Buch ’97 (CANR) married Alan Buch in August 2003. She is a veterinary technician at Bolton Veterinary Hospital in Bolton, Conn.
Gregory Fennell ’97 (BUS) and Felicia (Griffin) Griffin-Fennell ’99 (CLAS) were married in August 2001 in Windsor, Conn. They live in Vernon, Conn.
Monica (Silver) Geary ’97 (SFS), ’01 M.S.W. and her husband, Michael, announce the birth of their daughter, Charlotte Elena, on March 16, 2005. Monica is a social worker with the Visiting Nurses of Connecticut. The family lives in Hamden, Conn.
Tamara Nelson ’97 (BUS) is chief information technology officer at Latitude Research in Beverly, Mass.
Femi Richards ’97 J.D. and his wife, Nettie Richards, announce the birth of their daughter, Lauren Yvonne, on April 7, 2005. The family lives in Silver Spring, Md.
Rebecca (Plankey) Ritchotte ’97 (SFS) married Robert Ritchotte in October 2003. She is supervisor of the north office of Eastern Region Service Center, a social services agency.
Tyla Caccese ’98 (CANR) received an M.A. in environmental conservation education from New York University’s Steinhart School of Education in May 2004.
Sherri Estela-Harton ’98 (CLAS) teaches English composition and children’s literature at Briarwood College in Southington, Conn.
Renee (Iwaszkiewicz) Neiger ’98 (CLAS) married Ted Neiger in May 2004. They live in Gdansk, Poland.
Jeff Gentes ’99 (CLAS) and Mariah Kachmarik ’99 (CLAS) were married in August 2004 at the St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Storrs. Mariah is currently studying veterinary medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, and Jeff is an attorney at Proskauer Rose in New York, N.Y. They live in Philadelphia, Pa.
Brian Jennes ’99 (CANR) and Marisa Wolff ’01 (ED) married in October 2004. He is a firefighter for the town of East Hartford, Conn., and works part-time for the Department of Environmental Protection. She is an elementary school teacher in East Hartford. They live in South Windsor.
Jennifer Nichols ’99 (SAH) completed her M.S. in nutrition communication and an M.P.H. from Tufts University. She works as a public health consultant.
In
Memoriam
ALUMNI
Mae Bosworth '36
Robert E. Franz '37
John B. Beecher '40
Calvin Joyce '43
Marion May Dalley '44
Roberta Slattery Modrick '45
Stuart W. Johnson '49
Joan C. Zwick, '51
Dwight S. Thompson '52
Albert Giguere '54
Richard V. Woolam '55
Albert E. Rozokot '56
Marcia Doohen '61
Lois K. Walston '61
Albert C. Pryor '63 Ph.D.
Thomas Tighe '63
Glenn Alan Goldberg '69
Karen (Dawson) Kasulis '69
Judy R. Pospisil '74, '77
Beatrice K. Sheftel '88
Regina DeMarasse '92
Mike Frank '04
FACULTY
John David Hankins
Elizabeth Seckerson McKain
Ed Pollack
John Stock
Sidney Waxman
Robert Sbalbi ’00 (BUS), ’03 M.S. is a consultant for Hilb Rogal & Hobbs, an insurance and risk management intermediary in Boston.
Tamara (Goodman) Stein ’00 D.M.D. and Joshua Stein ’03 M.D. were married in September 2004. Tamara practices general dentistry in West Hartford, Conn., and Joshua is a resident in urology at Yale-New Haven Hospital. They live in Hamden.
Kara Chauncey ’01 (ED), ’02 M.A. and David DiBartolo ’01 (SFA) are engaged to be married in May 2006. She is a special education teacher for the town of Monroe, Conn., and he is a graphic designer for Starwood Hotels in White Plains, N.Y. They live in Danbury, Conn.
Tara Kozulko ’01 (ED) married Daniel Stritch in June 2004. She is an assistant athletic trainer at Manhattanville College in Purchase, N.Y., and lives in Danbury, Conn.
Erin E. Morrell ’01 (SFS) received her master of arts from Fairfield University’s Graduate School of Education and Allied Professions in 2004 and is director of campus activities at Albertus Magnus College in New Haven, Conn.
Christal Pauley ’01 (SAH) is a study coordinator at the Yale Cancer Center, doing research on stem cell transplants, and is part of the bone marrow transplant team. She plans a summer 2006 wedding to Richard Esposito Jr. She lives in Hamden, Conn.
Gerald Tsui ’01 (BUS) is chief technical officer at Environmental Data Resources, Inc. in Milford, Conn.
Jocelyn Fillian ’02 (CLAS) received an M.S. in audiology from Southern Connecticut State University in 2002. She is an audiologist at Advanced Ear, Nose and Throat Associates in Danbury, Conn.
Patrick Hsieh ’02 M.D. is a captain in the United States Air Force and deployed to the Persian Gulf as a Critical Care Air Transport Team leader in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. He completed a residency in emergency medicine at Barnes-Jewish Hospital at Washington University in St. Louis, Mo.
Jyh-An Lin ’02 M.B.A. and his wife, Connie, announce the birth of a son, Brandon, on July 12, 2004. They live in Great Neck, N.Y., where he is product manager at Rohm and Hass Electronic Materials, Inc.
Pamela Ann Prior ’02 (SFA) is starting a three-year M.F.A. program in costume design at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Karen L. Cajka ’03 Ph.D. was awarded the 2005 Irish-American Research Travel Fellowship by the American Society for Eighteenth Century Studies. She is an assistant professor of English at East Tennessee State University.
Kathleen Fernald ’03 (ENG) is pursuing her interest in cancer research and ran in this year’s Boston Marathon for the benefit of charity.
Jeanette Moore ’03 (CLAS) had several of her lesson guides and plans published in educational tools and learning digests of the Fragile X Foundation, a support and educational group dedicated to Fragile X patients and their families. She is a special education instructor for the learning disabled in New York and Connecticut. Jeanette is a graduate student at the College of New Rochelle, New Rochelle, NY.
Christine Sweeney ’03 M.S.W. married Kenneth Routhier in July 2005. She is a clinician at the Genesis Outpatient Center in Manchester, Conn. They live in Vernon, Conn.
Anne Toman ’03 (CLAS) is engaged to be married to Kevin Sansone ’03 (CLAS), ’04 M.A.
Lara Reglero ’04 Ph.D. is an assistant professor of linguistics
at Florida State University, Tallahassee, Fla.
Ramón Vega de Jesús ’04 (ED) is a professor
of teacher education at California State University-Stanislaus. He is also advisor
for elementary education in the graduate program for curriculum and instruction
and director of the Manteca Field Center for Student Teaching in Manteca, Calif.
Jon Urquidi ’04 (ENG) is a surveyor at Anchor Engineering Services, Inc. He lives in Stratford, Conn.
Alumni News & Notes compiled by Brian Evans and
Tina Modzelewski