Linda C. Smith

’30s
Barbara (Ingwall) Johnson ’36 writes from Kerrville, Texas, “I haven’t been on campus since 1946. I can’t even begin to imagine what it must be like. I am truly impressed by what I read in the magazine. I remember driving between Amherst and Lexington and being outraged that all those farm stands and people were being flooded out—for the Quabbin. I do most terribly miss the meadows, fields, ponds, and woodlands of New England. When I was at UMass, which was Mass Aggie when I enrolled and became Mass State, I believe the total enrollment was about 2000. But how we did enjoy it. Tuition was $50.00 a semester. At 93 I am still upright but slothful.”

’40s
Edwin Lavitt ’41 writes, “In a ceremony in suburban Washington, D.C., last year I received two additional Distinguished Flying Crosses and one additional Air Medal for service as a lead pilot in B-24s in WWII. I had been awarded a DFC and four Air Medals while in England. The icing on the cake was the award of the Legion of Honor by the government of France by the French ambassador. The ceremony was at his residence in Washington, D.C., in October. There were seven of us and the French really made it a special event with a champagne and hors d’oeuvre reception following the awards by the ambassador, Pierre Vimont. It was a gala evening over 60 years after we flew the missions.”
George Epstein ’48 writes, “Imagine my delight when a young woman reporter for a Los Angeles newspaper who was interviewing me asked if I was from Boston. After more than 50 years I still retain my accent! It turns out that Amy Lyons ’93 was a recent grad of UMass Amherst.” George worked in engineering and management in the aerospace industry and made significant contributions to important space programs: the GPS navigation system, communications systems, surveillance systems, and launch vehicles, to name a few. He is enjoying his second “career”— poker! “I’ve written two books, taught classes, and conduct a poker lab at the senior citizen center. I also serve as columnist for the Poker Player newspaper and write the Senior Scene column for a local newspaper.”

’50s
George “Trigger” Burke ’56 writes, “I was recently inducted into the New England Basketball Hall of Fame and the Quincy High School Baseball Hall of Fame. My number 32 is retired at the University of Massachusetts. I was recently blessed with my 12th grandchild, Ezekiel George Burke-Lewis.” George is an attorney in Quincy.
Gilbert Leveille ’56 was awarded an honorary degree from Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, in May.
Rolfe Chase ’58 writes, “A note to my chemical engineering classmates. If any of you live near Arizona please send me an e-mail and perhaps we can get together. Both Kitty and I enjoy good health and the living in Prescott, Arizona, is A-1. The thought of flying back to Amherst for our 50th next year is more than we can bear. Flying is not a first-class adventure anymore, don’t you agree? It’s the cattle car of money for first class. Hope I hear from someone close.” You can reach Rolfe at rolfekitty@aol.com.

’60s
Linda (Sherman) Simon ’68, along with her business partner Ellen (Rice) Burnett ’71, has sold her event management company, Best of Boston. She writes, “We’ll both be retiring after 25 years of producing corporate events for Fortune 100 companies.” Linda will live in Naples, Florida with her husband, Marc, and plans to pursue art-related activities and travel.
Richard Schinoff ’67 retired in 2005 after 37 years as a member of the administrative staff of Miami Dade College in Miami, Florida. During his tenure he served as president of three campuses.
Brad Herling ’69, principal of Clarkville Elementary, a National Blue Ribbon School in Howard County, Maryland, writes, “For the past three years I’ve been teaching in a graduate program, through Towson University, in Shanghai, China.” E-mail Brad at bherling@hcpss.org. See photo at umassmag.com/photos.

’71
Al Halpern writes, “The Bulldogs (third floor John Adams dorm) from the late 1960s to the early 1970s had their third reunion in Las Vegas in July. Besides telling old UMass war stories, the highlight was going backstage at the Mirage to meet Jay Leno in his dressing room. The meeting was brought about by my sending Leno a note telling him about being at his prom (Andover High, 1968) and that several of the Bulldogs were from the Merrimack Valley—Haverhill and Lawrence.” To view the photo of the Bulldogs with Leno visit umassmag.com/photos.
Michael Katz, a partner in the law firm of Bacon & Wilson in Springfield, was awarded the Massachusetts Bar Association’s Community Service Award at the Hampden County Bar Association’s Annual Meeting in June.

’72
Linda Joy (Current) Mosher (G) ’86G, associate professor of childhood/early childhood education at SUNY Cortland, was the recipient of the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching. She joined the college’s education department in 1987, and became the 48th SUNY Cortland faculty member to receive this award.
Marilyn Loen (G) was recently promoted to dean of the College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Metropolitan State University, St. Paul, Minnesota.

’74
Patrick Sharkey has been appointed vice-chair of the Massachusetts Joint Bar Committee on Judicial Nominations. He is the Ethics and Professional Responsibility Counsel and a member in the litigation section of the Boston law firm Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky, and Popeo.
John Walsh writes, “I would like to contact any Pi Lambda Phi brothers
and other classmates from the 1970-1974 time frame. After graduating from UMass Amherst, I completed a 30-year career in the Navy’s Special Operations community and retired in 2003 with the rank of captain. Life goes by so quickly, but I’m still having fun.” John is now president and CEO of Accelerated Communications (AComm) in Carlsbad, California. AComm is known for its world-class capability for creating high-speed, cutting-edge signal processing algorithms and implementing that technology into defense systems. “I’m looking forward to saying hello to any of my classmates that I’ve lost touch with over the years. Lastly, I just want to sincerely thank all of my professors and teachers at UMass Amherst for providing me with a world-class education and the tools needed for being successful in today’s fast- moving business environment.” John can be reached at jwalsh@acomm.us.

’75
Edward O’Reilly, a lawyer in Gloucester for 25 years, is running in the 2008 Democratic primary for the Senate seat now occupied by John Kerry.
William Wasilauski, the regional water engineer for the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s Adirondack Region, retired from the Air National Guard in April after having served on active duty since 2003. He lives with his wife and three children in Queensbury, New York.

’76
Donald Coffey ’79G has been appointed vice-president of innovation at MGP Ingredients Inc., headquartered in Atchison, Kansas.

’77
Neil Coogan is a clinical nurse specialist at the Bay Pines VA Healthcare System in St. Petersburg, Florida. He is nationally certified in professional staff development and recently received the postmaster’s certificate in nursing education from Florida State University.
Beth Edelberg-Cardillo (G) has been named executive director of Keystone Commons, a new 90-unit, independent and assisted living community being developed in Ludlow. Since 2005, Beth has been marketing director for Keystone Woods in Springfield, a Keystone Commons’ sister community.
Todd Higgins has accepted the position of program director/principal investigator of the Land Mine Detection Research Center at Lincoln University in Pennsylvania. He carries on after the retirement of Robert Hancock ’71, who served as a professor of psychology for 25 years. Todd joined the university in July 2007 following his retirement from the U.S. Army, where he served in the Army Corps of Engineers for 24 years, including a recent tour in Afghanistan.

’80
Bob Abramms (G), founder of the Amherst-based innovative map company ODT, co-produced the documentary film, Arno Peters: Radical Map, Remarkable Man, which premiered in November. Alumnus Howard Bronstein ’74 is also on staff as president of ODT. Check out their unique selection of maps and learn more about the DVD by visiting www.odt.org.
Frederick Perlak (G), director for cotton and specialty crop technology and Distinguished Fellow at the Monsanto Company, received its International Award for Research in Agrochemicals.

’81
John Aromando, an attorney at Pierce Atwood LLP in Portland, Maine, has been ranked among the top attorneys in the nation for 2007 by Chambers and Partners, an independent British legal research firm that publishes rankings of the leading global law firms based on client interviews.
Marie Fitzgerald was recently named vice-president of Symmes Maini & McKee Associates. An employee since 1998, she is a principal and director of interior design for the Cambridge-based firm. Marie lives in Cambridge and is a member of the International Interior Design Association, the International Facilities Management Association and the CoreNet Global New England Chapter.
Kevin Pease, tennis director for the Falmouth Sports Center on Cape Cod, owns and operates the Kevin Pease School of Tennis, which has produced many sectional and national ranked players. He received the USPTA New England Coach of the Year and Over 45 Player of the Year award in 2007. His students won the men’s Mass State Division One. He jokingly writes, “I have adjusted my goals for competition; I used to want to be top 10 in New England; now I’m lucky if I can be top three in my family.” His wife, Jennifer, plays competitively, son Matt, 4, is a “little gripper,” Scott, 25, and Eric, 23, teach tennis, and Sean, 18, is destined for Quinnipiac on a tennis scholarship while daughter Kara, 16, is a high school senior and ranked number one at Falmouth. “Cassi, our Golden Retriever, loves to chase tennis balls—what a surprise!”
Steven Rosenberg, a lieutenant colonel in the Pennsylvania Air National Guard and the commander of the 203rd Weather Flight, recently retuned home from Iraq, where he earned his second Army Commendation Medal. His other awards include two Air Force commendation medals, an Army Commendation, and the Air Force Meritorious Service medal. He lives in Robbinsville, New Jersey, with his wife, Caryn, and their Maltese. While not on active duty, Steven works for the postal service. He’d love to hear from ROTC folk, Greenough-ites, and UMMMBers. Reach him at njltcsteve@aol.com.

’82
Bryna Davidow writes, “I recently launched my second business, MetroWestDog.com, an online resource that connects pet owners in Metro West Massachusetts with local businesses that cater to their four-legged companions.” The logo she designed for her dog-walking and dog-training business, Must Love Dogs, was recently granted a registered trademark.
S. Thomas Greeley writes, “My grandfather, Governor Deane C. Davis, Vermont 1968-1972, began the first Green Up Day in May of 1970. He received an Act of Congress to close down Route 89 for four hours while thousands of Vermonters cleaned up the state. Green Up Vermont has been in existence now for 37 years! I took the idea of Green Up Day to my hometown of Framingham in 1998. Each year our volunteers clean up more than 20 tons of trash in just three hours. We focus on school-age kids to help them appreciate their environment, as well as to not be the next generation of polluters.” Tom formed GreenUp, Inc., which is able to solicit donations and volunteers to continue the cleanup effort in local communities. “I received the Governor Deane C. Davis Vermont Green Up Citizen of the Year Award for my efforts in expanding Green Up Day to another state.”

’83
Paul Allenza (G) is the director of the Biotechnology Research and Education Program at the University of Maryland.
Andrew Snyder recently joined Waterglen Realty Group in Portland, Maine.

’84
John Ward recently accepted the position of Global Trademark Counsel for Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics, Inc., in Cambridge, a division of Novartis AG of Basel, Switzerland.

’85
Rick Zajchowski and his wife, Cathy, live in Springboro, Ohio, with their two children, Aleksander, 9, and Marya, 7. Rick writes, “We returned to the United States after living in Shanghai, China, since 2004. While the experience was wonderful and exciting for the entire family it is certainly great to be back and able to once again see the Red Sox on TV in English!” Rick is vice-president of global materials for A.O. Smith Electrical Products Company in Tipp City, Ohio.

’87
Jeffrey Catlin of Amherst has launched the political Web site, www.politicaltrends.info, to track more than 300 political bloggers rating the 2008 presidential candidates.
Shelley Crisp (G) recently accepted the position of executive director of the North Carolina Humanities Council in Greensboro.
Michael Jurnak, a CPA with Berry, Dunn, McNeil & Parker, has recently been appointed principal in their Manchester, New Hampshire office. He’s a member of the firm’s manufacturing and high technology industry groups.
April Peppe (G) is director of human resources for Canon USA in Lake Success, New York. Previously, she was a vice-president in the human resources division with the Bank of New York. She lives in Rockville Centre, Long Island, with her husband Michael Cassatto and their daughter, Brooke Lara.

’88
Brett Valentini has joined TD Banknorth Insurance Agency in North Easton as an account executive. He lives in Sandwich and is on the board of directors for the Cape Cod Canal Region Chamber of Commerce and coaches youth soccer.

’89
Karen Donovan (G) recently joined the College Crusade of Rhode Island as marketing and communications officer.
Colleen (Judge) Martin lives in Williamstown with her husband, Tee, and their children, Maggie, Thomas, and Judge. Colleen is a special education teacher at the Williamstown Elementary School and writes, “Anyone travelling through the Berkshires should be in touch. I’d love to hear from old friends from Dickinson or the Education department.” Colleen can be reached at colleen@teeballgolf.com.
Ann Marie (Pelosky) Poncer recently gave birth to her third child, Jean-Christian, in Paris, France. She writes, “I’d love to hear from any former fifth floor Webster friends and can be reached at ampelosky@hotmail.com.”
Peter Tremblay represented UMass Amherst at a college fair for American high school students who live in Europe. Tremblay works for the Logistics Readiness Squadron at the Ramstein, Germany airbase.

’90
Keith Dougherty writes, “When you get to Seattle e-mail me and I’ll take you to Papi’s Pizza in Everett, owned by Ken Schoener, originally of Dedham. It’s like eating at Fenway.” Reach Keith at dough@gmail.com.
Pete Leon writes, “I’ve left my position as vice-president of legislative affairs at COMPTEL, an association that represents competitive tele-communications companies, to join the Lent Scrivner & Roth lobbying and consulting firm.” Pete has spent a decade on Capitol Hill working for the former Democratic delegate Rep. Mike Forbes and Rep. Eliot Engel. He also worked for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (long before she rose to that position after the 2006 elections), and Rep. Joe Kennedy. “I can’t believe I have been in D.C. for 15 years. Having a great time but still miss the late nights in the Campus Center basement putting out the Collegian!”
Hong McGill and his wife, Maria, are very excited to have their first son, Chancellor “Chance” McGill, born in July. He joins his twin sisters, Rissa and Cassie, at home in Darnestown, Maryland. Hong is the branch manager of the Smith Barney office in Leesburg, Virginia, and welcomes contact from his Delta Chi fraternity brothers. Reach him at hong.mcgill@verizon.net.
Nancy Narbut ’92G writes, “A lot has happened since my graduation. I worked as an engineer for many years, taught high school, moved to California, worked in high tech sales (often travelling to South East Asia), and then, in 2004, left it all and moved to Iraq to work with a Christian non-governmental organization doing community development work. I then met the love of my life, Shorish Ali Hassan, and we married in 2006.” She is now a lecturer at the University of Sulaimania in Iraqi Kurdistan. They had a son, Samuel, in March 2007. “We hope to come to the U.S. to visit if Baghdad will ever process Shorish and Samuel’s passports. I’d love to hear from any UMass alums.” She can be reached at narbut@gmail.com.

’91
Kathleen Conlee lives in Frederick, Maryland, with her husband, John, and is the director of program management for animal research issues at the Humane Society of the United States, headquartered in Washington, D.C. As director, Kathleen uses her position to put an end to chimpanzees living in labs for medical research with the new campaign, “Chimps Deserve Better.” She has a master’s in public administration and public policy from Walden University and is one of the nation’s top experts in animal research issues.
Jeff Donovan is starring in the television series Burn Notice on USA Network. He is a native of Amesbury.
Paul Lanning (G) is president and CEO of the Foundation for California Community Colleges. Previously, he was vice-president for University Advancement at the University of the Pacific. Prior to working in higher education, he was in the private sector and cofounded Spotlight Interactive, Inc. He was also vice-president of marketing and business development for the web-based startup company Internet Extra Corporation. In 2000 he was recipient of the Entrepreneur Business of the Year Award from the Sacramento Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce. In the late ’90s he served as associate commissioner of athletics for the Community College League of California. He holds an EdD from the University of the Pacific.
Lynn (Robertson) Sherlock, a CPA with PricewaterhouseCoopers, was recently promoted to senior manager of Assurance Business Services. She lives in Spartanburg, South Carolina, where she serves as the treasurer of the Spartanburg Area Conservation Endowment.

’92
Robin Miller married Seth Plitt in April in Foxboro with Laurie (Ford) Adams ’91 as bridesmaid. Robin was recently promoted to commercial underwriter at Safety Insurance in Boston. E-mail her at rober_m@hotmail.com.

’93
Michael Chan writes, “Hello, UMass. I’ve relocated to Chicago after spending a great three years in Southern California. My wife, Pauline, and two children, Ann, 8, and Andrew, 6, are really enjoying yet another new city.” Michael has travelled extensively this past year in his role as director of global operations for the Discovery Sciences business of W.R. Grace. His travels included the United States, United Kingdom, Belgium, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Shanghai, Hong Kong, and India. Sydney and Melbourne are next on his list. “I look forward to catching up with former ’92 or ’93 chemical engineers or dorm classmates who may be in the Chicago area.” Contact Michael at michael.chan@grace.com.

’94
John Beavers (G) is the director of the Nature Conservancy’s Central America program and is working to protect Mesoamerican forests by preventing deforestation and creating economic incentives to harvest sustainability, increase the amount of protected areas, and ensure future growth with minimal impact on the environment.
Kristen Danker married John Reynolds ’97 in Bermuda in October. Kristen has a master’s in social work from Boston College and is a social worker at Holy Family Hospital in Methuen. John has a master’s in regional economics and social development from UMass Lowell and is the director of the Crime Analysis Unit at the Lawrence Police Department. They live in Lowell.
Anne LaPrade Seuthe ’98G and Klaus Postler ’05G founded Global Opportunities in the Visual Arts (GO!) and curated its debut exhibition entitled “The American Dream/When Worlds Collide” at the Takt KunstProjeckt Raum in Berlin. The project included work by the following UMass Amherst alumni artists: Jackie Boudrea Kinsy ’95, Eileen Claveloux ’00G, Jessie Connor ’99, Amy Corey ’01G, Nicholas Des Cognets ’01, Bonnie Druschel ’94, Terry Jenour ’95G, Amy Raehse ’96, ’99G, and John Simpson ’89.
Amy Lesen worked for four years as an assistant professor of biology at the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York. She writes, “In 2007, while doing some work with folks down in New Orleans, I got a tenure-track job offer at Dillard University, a small, historically black college/university in New Orleans.” She moved there in July to begin a career as an assistant professor in the division of Natural Sciences and Public Health. “I will also be doing work in New Orleans with the Center for Bioenvironmental Research, which is affiliated with Tulane, on sustainable redevelopment of New Orleans and the melding of ecology and culture in the city.” Amy is also involved in research with Roger Anderson and Andrew Juhl at the Lamont Doherty Earth Observatory at Columbia University, working on the microbial ecology of the Hudson River.

’95
Denis Gendreau has been promoted to director of media planning at Mintz & Hokee’s media practice in Avon, Connecticut.
Evan Whitney is engaged to marry Kelly Leahy in June. Evan works in communications at Harvard University, where he is pursuing a master’s of liberal arts with a concentration in government.

’97
Brian Davis is director of marketing for Time Warner Cable in their upstate New York division.
Vinnie Malhotra has been named executive producer of ABC News’s Weekend New Content, responsible for the editorial content and production of the network’s two weekend evening news broadcasts, World News Saturday, and World News Sunday.
Justin Shaw recently accepted a position as vice-president of account development with Two West, a Kansas City-based marketing consultancy and advertising agency. Reach him at justins@twowest.com.

’98
Shannon Daigle (G) has been promoted to Project Manager 2 at the Providence, Rhode Island office of Woodard & Curran.
Becky Edelman married Derek Levy on June 10, 2007, at the Brooklyn Botanical Garden in New York City. Deena (Meyerowitz) Hollander, Jim Pizano ’99, and Kellie (Sullivan) Cahill were all there to celebrate. Becky and Derek live in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey.
Jonathan Himlan has been promoted to Project Engineer 2 in the Dedham office of Woodard & Curran.
Scott Macneil, a captain in the Air Force, writes, “Hello from Germany. I would like to announce the birth of my first child, Devyn Siena MacNeil, born on October 23 in Wittlich, Germany. Our whole family is doing fine!” Please visit umassmag.com/photos to see beautiful baby pictures of Devyn.

’99
Richard Bunbury ’00G has been appointed assistant professor of music education at Boston University. He’s in his 27th year as organist and music director at St. Theresa of Avila Parish in West Roxbury, where he has built a prominent liturgical music program. He has taught at art schools, directed choral societies, and served on the Music History and Music Education faculties of the Boston Conservatory. He serves on the boards of several professional organizations and is active as a lecturer, organist, choral conductor, harpsichordist, and singer. His articles have appeared in several journals and in the New Grove Dictionary of Musica and Musicians. His book, Sacred Christmas Music, is forthcoming.

’00
Chris Bombardier was named partner at Patricia Lynch Associates, a New York lobbying firm he joined after graduating from Albany Law School in 2003. He lives in Guilderland, New York, with his wife, Melissa.
Paul Melley, assistant chaplain and director of liturgical music at the College of the Holy Cross, had his debut album, Humbled, released by GIA Music, a publisher of Catholic and Christian resources for prayer and worship based in Chicago.

’01
Tom Hazlett has been promoted to Project Engineer 2 at the Dedham office of Woodard & Curran.
Kelley Tiarks works at Bryant University in Smithfield, Rhode Island, overseeing the student athlete academic programs in conjunction with the campus Academic Center for Excellence.

’03
Douglas White of Plainsboro, New Jersey, recently graduated from New York University’s Wagner School of Public Service with a master’s in public administration in public and nonprofit management and policy.

’04
Kai Wing Lee recently completed a U.S. Navy basic training at Recruit Training Command in Great Lakes, Illinois.
Jared Nokes, a recent graduate of New England School of Law, married Jessica Sugal ’05 with Nicole Keenan ’05 and Rachel Sugal ’03, sister of the groom, sharing duties as maid of honor. Derek Nokes ’11 was best man and Olaf Aprans a groomsman. Jessica and Jared honeymooned in Jamaica. Jessica is a recruiter for Hill, Holiday of Boston.

’05
Alana Deegan recently began her doctoral training in veterinary medicine at Western University of Health Sciences in Pomona, California. She writes, “I’m still keeping the UMass flag flying out in California. I will be forever grateful to Dr. Howe and my other mentors and supporters at UMass Amherst who have helped me towards my goal.”
Patrick Golden recently graduated from Bucknell University with a master of science in education. He is hoping to work in higher education within college admissions.
Erika Lofgren writes, “I just wanted everyone to know that after graduating from UMass Amherst I attended St. Vincent’s College in Bridgeport, Connecticut, and obtained an AS in nursing. I’m now an RN at the Hospital of St. Raphael in New Haven.”
Juliana Tritone and Matthew Smigielski were married in October 2006 in Jefferson. The reception was held at the Old Mill in Westminster with Katrina Skayne ’03, Ryan Benedict-Gill, Mark DiBenedetto, Joseph Fife, Patrick Golden, Amanda (Dahlberg) Kourtz, Joseph Lively, Lilian Mungai, Pauline Mungai, John Noonan, Jamison Shipley, Monica Bannish ’06, Sarah Deihl ’06, and Diana (Barszcz) Karas ’07 attending.