Alumni Life | Fall 2015

The little sunburst denotes an Alumni Association member.

53

Ernest Mazzatenta, Hendersonville, N.C., wrote, “I write a monthly “Speaking of Words” column for the Hendersonville Times-News; I’ve served as co-mediator for more than 250 community mediations; I’m president of the General Motors Alumni Club of Western North Carolina; and I’m executive editor of the quarterly newsletter serving the Class of 1949 at Ashtabula (Ohio) High School. All this began when I majored in journalism at KSU.”

62

Keith McFarland ’62, PhD, president emeritus of Texas A&M University–Commerce, delivered the keynote address at the Commencement ceremony for those receiving their bachelor’s degrees at the Kent Campus on August 15. Joining him and his wife, Nancy (Myers) McFarland ’62, to witness the event and attend the Presidential Luncheon afterward were family and lifelong friends who attended Kent State, including his two college roommates and her three college roommates! Pictured (left to right): L.L. Mac McFarland, MBA ’80, Carole (Painter) Kane ’62, Hilary Kane ’90, Barbara (Ujcic) O’Donnell ’62, Sandra (Hickenbottom) Dobson ’62, Thomas Kozlevcar ’62, Nancy (Myers) McFarland, Keith McFarland and George Parsons ’63.

68

Joe Grisola ’68, Beaver Falls, Pa., Ralph DeJesus, Lorain, Ohio, and Don Humphrey ’68, Concord, Ohio, were sophomore roommates on the third floor of Lake Hall in 1965-66. They reunited on the Kent Campus in August, after Grisola looked his friends up on the Internet. It was the first time back on campus for Grisola and DeJesus since the sixties, and they were amazed at the changes. The trio plan to keep in touch!

Watch their reunion on this news video: bit.ly/1E1qV66

69

Douglas Shuck, Pittsburgh, Pa., retired from WTW Architects. He also served on the Township Planning Commission in Upper St. Clair, and he is a past president of the Pittsburgh Chapter of the American Institute of Architects.

70

Alan Lavine, Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., the author of 15 books, is a contributing writer for Financial History, a publication of the Museum of American Finance in New York City. His March 2015 article, “Economic Titans Debate on Free Trade Versus Protectionism in 1869,” is about debates between Horace Greeley, publisher of the New York Tribune and Arthur Perry, a Williams’ college professor and leading economist of the day. 

73

Bob McEvoy, Fayetteville, N.C., was named Vice President of Athletics at Methodist University, one of the largest Division III NCAA programs in the nation. He has served at the university for 24 years. 

74

Gary Fincke, PhD, Selinsgrove, Pa., has published two new books in 2015: Vanishings (Stephen F. Austin University Press), a memoir, and A Room of Rain (West Virginia University Press), his sixth short-story collection. He is the Charles Degenstein Professor of English and Creative Writing at Susquehanna University.

Daniel List, Hanover Park, Ill., wrote, “It’s hard to get a job when you have grey hair and lines in your face like me, so I’ve decided to get a more youthful image. I’m getting my résumé a tattoo and a piercing. Meanwhile, I’m working on a screenplay about a sexy Middle Earth wizard. Working title: Fifty Shades of Gandalf the Grey.”

76

Gail Fonda, Beachwood, Ohio, wrote, “I am finally working on my second book. It includes what happened to me at Kent.” 

Kim Uhlik, MA, PhD ’99, Ravenna, Ohio, wrote, “Ever since taking a black and white photography class at Kent State, I’ve been encouraged to trust my eye and to develop a distinctive style. This lifelong vocation recently took me to the Pacific Ocean, the North Sea, and southern France, before returning to Kent. Twenty-five digital images acquired during that journey were exhibited at the KSU Downtown Gallery from February 25 through April 4, 2015.” 

78

Paul Burke, JD, Murrysville, Pa., wrote, “After 30 years I left my Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania–based law firm, Sherrard, German & Kelly, and became the vice president and general counsel of Huntley & Huntley Inc., a century-old oil and gas exploration and production company headquartered in Monroeville, Pennsylvania.”

79

Vikki Hawthorne, Columbus, Ohio, retired after a 30-year career with the Defense Logistics Agency. She spent nearly twenty years in their Small Business Utilization Office assisting small businesses in federal government contracting. She is currently owner and senior business development strategist at Market Your Wares, working with businesses to increase their footprint in the government contracting arena. 

John Martin, London, Ohio, retired in 2010 from 30 years of service with the Ohio Attorney General’s Office. He retired in 2015 from 24 years of service with the U. S. Navy as LCDR-intelligence officer. He is currently employed with the Madison County, Ohio, Sheriff’s Office as the county school resource officer.

80

Matt Steele, Sandy, Utah, joined Alaska Aerospace Corporation as vice president for business development. He is responsible for securing small and medium class satellite launches from the Pacific Spaceport Complex-Alaska, as well as developing diversification strategies for AAC.

81

Jose Gonzalez-Taboada, DBA, Caguas, Puerto Rico, is the new dean of the AACSB-accredited College of Business Administration of the University of Puerto Rico at Río Piedras.

John Hollabaugh, Mentor, Ohio, wrote, “I am now an account executive at WKYC NBC3 Cleveland, thus completing a career working at WJW, WOIO/WUAB, & WEWS in Cleveland Television. Could never have done it without Kent State!”

82

John Henning, MEd, PhD ’99, Athens, Ohio, was named new dean for the School of Education at Monmouth University. He joined the university community on July 1, 2015. 

Heidi Johnson-Wright, JD ’86, Miami, Fla., an ADA compliance professional, attorney and author, spoke to the students in Professor Frank Martinez’s Architecture Design and Theory class about the importance of the University of Miami School of Architecture’s commitment to an inclusive built environment. Johnson-Wright, who has used a wheelchair for mobility for 40 years, has published more than 1,000 articles on universal and inclusive design and the built environment. 

85

Patrick Liverpool, DBA, Henrico, Va., has been appointed provost and vice president for academic affairs at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore.

Michael Zagger, Redmond, Wa., was named vice president of sales and marketing at EndoGastric Solutions Inc., a leader in incisionless procedural therapy for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), in June. 

87

Dean Tondiglia, MPA ’97, Stow, Ohio, has been named Kent State University’s new chief of police. Prior to leading Kent State Police Services, Tondiglia served as the university’s assistant chief of police and associate director of public safety (a role he will retain). 

Steve Wright, Miami, Fla., celebrated in March the first anniversary of Steve Wright Marketing Communications. The Miami–based boutique firm provides marketing, business development, public relations, social media content and copywriting services to town planning, urban design, architecture, transportation, sustainability and related professional services firms. An award-winning journalist in Ohio, Wright worked as the senior urban policy advisor to the chairman of the Miami City Commission before heading the marketing group for Arquitectonica, one of the world’s largest global architecture firms. 

88

Kenneth Smith, MBA, Hudson, Ohio, retired from PolyOne Corp. in June, 2014. He had served as the company’s chief information officer since it was formed in 2000, and he had also taken on the role of human resources officer in 2003. Prior to that, he had been with BF Goodrich/Geon since 1989.

89

John Burkey, MA, Kent, Ohio, published The Hearing-Loss Guide: Useful Information and Advice for Patients and Families (March 2015, Yale University Press), based on his twenty-five years as an audiologist at the Lippy Group for Ear, Nose & Throat in Warren, Ohio.

90

Heidi LeCount, Raleigh, N.C., wrote, “I completed 21 hours of post-baccalaureate coursework in human resources at Meredith College and obtained my Professional in Human Resources (PHR) certification in June, 2014.”

Paul Rohrbaugh, MLS, New Middletown, Ohio, designed and published the board game September’s Eagles: The Thompson Trophy Air Race, 1929-1939, in December, 2014. The race was the largest outdoor spectator event in the United States until the start of the Super Bowl. A leading game designer with many publication and presentation credits, Rohrbaugh released the game through his game publishing company, High Flying Dice Games, www.hfdgames.com.

92

Graham Glynn, PhD, Miller Place, N.Y., was recently appointed provost at Fort Hays State University in Kansas. 

Thomas Moore, Stow, Ohio, recently started his own content marketing firm, TM Communications, which provides a variety of services, including writing and social media. Learn more at www.tmcommunications.org.

98

Aimee (Hagerty) Johnson, Northfield, Minn., is a children’s book illustrator whose work appears in the February 2015 issue of Ladybug, the long-running magazine for children.

99

Blake Parton, Fort Wayne, Ind, was hired as an account executive with LABOV Marketing Communications and Training. Most recently, Parton was a brand manager at Summit Brands. 

Paul Richardson, MEd, San Francisco, Calif., was selected as the newest board member for AIDS Legal Referral Panel, based in San Francisco. ALRP helps medically fragile individuals fight discrimination based on their condition. 

Michael Vollmar-Grone, MLS, Sidney, Ohio, retired in February as director of technical services for Shelby County (Ohio) Libraries. His previous careers included creating the visual communications service of Cedar Point Amusement Park, operating an independent photography business, and working at several Ohio newspapers.

 

03

Kathryn Grandstaff, Alexandria, Va., married Scott Bradford, of Melbourne, Australia, on January 18th in Las Vegas. The couple lives and works in the Washington, D.C. area.

Camille Morgan, Chicago, Ill., was the guest curator for Inspiring Beauty: 50 Years of Ebony Fashion Fair at the Milwaukee Art Museum from February 5 to May 3, 2015.

06

Valerie Patton George, Santa Monica, Calif., was recently nominated as chair-elect of the California chapter of the Society of Cosmetic Chemists, a professional organization promoting high standards of practice for scientists working in the personal care industry. She is a research and development chemist at Paul Mitchell, focusing on permanent hair color and other hair care products. She also was elected vice president of the Southern California chapter of the Kent State Alumni Association.

Ashley (Katona) Whaley ’06, MEd ’12 (Stow, Ohio) wrote, “I married Bill Whaley on July 31, 2015, at St. Ignatius of Antioch in Cleveland, Ohio. We had a great time celebrating with family and friends and have so many amazing memories of the day.” Pictured: Eric Toulouse, Chad Smith, Dan Klimkowicz ’04, Chip Fails, Adam Johnson, Jack Whaley ’14, Bill Whaley, Ashley Whaley, Katie Zabor, Dana Santoro ’02, Lori Mendise, Katie Walczak, Lauren Etzel ’06, Leslie Mutryn.

08

Ryan Telzrow, Cleveland, Ohio, is an admission screening officer at Cuyahoga County Juvenile Justice Center since last May.

10

Ben Hendricks ’10, Akron, Ohio, released a third full-length album with his band, Annabel. Having it All was released on the Tiny Engines label June 9, 2015. Bandmate and brother, Andy Hendricks ’11, designed the artwork and provided drums for the record. Corey Willis ’12 and Scott Moses complete the lineup. The album is available at annabel.bandcamp.com.

11

Allison Brager, PhD, Atlanta, Ga., published a popular science book, Meathead: Unraveling the Athletic Brain (WestBow Press) in February. The book bridges Brager’s work in neuroscience (which she began at Kent State) with her experience as an athlete and coach.

12

David Siedlarczyk, Amsterdam, was promoted to designer, Calvin Klein Swimwear Mens, and he relocated to the European headquarters in Amsterdam. He joined the PVH Corp.—an American clothing company that owns brands such as Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein, Van Heusen—more than two years ago and was associate designer at Calvin Klein Underwear in Manhattan. Siedlarcyzk is recognized as the originator of the first Kent Fashion Week held in downtown Kent in spring 2012.

In Memory

The little sunburst denotes an Alumni Association member.

Loretta Holmes ’44, March 1, 2015

Loreto George ’50, March 22, 2015

John Charlton ’51, April 1, 2015

Betty Wheeler ’53, May 1, 2013

Warren Herbert ’54, April 2, 2014

David Schmitkons ’55, January 12, 2015

Silvester Smith ’55, March 16, 2015

George Simpson ’56, November 27, 2014

Cliff Murphy ’57, July 24, 2014

Edwin Cairns ’59, September 5, 2014

Lewis Young ’59, February 27, 2014

Elaine Emerson ’60, December 17, 2013

George Vanderbilt ’60, February 1, 2013

Robert Wirth ’60, February 2, 2013

Norma Jones ’61, March 9, 2014

Mary Minadeo ’62, December 1, 2013

Richard Sistek ’63, February 14, 2013

Young Byun ’64, August 22, 2014

Rosalyn Sasala ’64, August 28, 2014

Thomas Everett ’65, April 1, 2015

Priscilla Haden ’65, January 1, 2015

James Schordock ’65, March 27, 2015

Dennis Tischler ’65, May 12, 2014    

Robert Felton ’66, January 1, 2015

Elaine Hoffmann ’66, October 2, 2014

Jack Rader ’67, November 20, 2013

Gary Sekerak ’67, October 30, 2013

Jacqueline DeCosmo-Carroll ’68, March 6, 2014

James Demetriu ’68, February 6, 2015

Jeffrey Pillars ’68, February 5, 2015

Sharon Clark ’69, July 20, 2014

Milton Cooper ’69, February 6, 2015

Robert Becherer ’70, December 26, 2013

John Kavcar ’71, January 2, 2015

William Hawley ’72, March 25, 2014

Deborah White ’73, January 24, 2014

Edgar Johnson ’74, February 1, 2015

James Johnson ’74, February 7, 2015

Diane Wells ’74, August 12, 2013

Dolores (Boyd) Wysocki ’74, MA ’75 , July 4, 2015

Dan Bobier ’75, February 23, 2015

Jeanette Hetz ’75, November 10, 2013

Harold Hicks ’75, September 2, 2014

James Massey ’75, March 12, 2015

Frederick Patrie ’76, September 6, 2014

Valerie Smith ’76, May 12, 2015

Jean Broida ’78, November 25, 2014

Jacqueline Campbell ’78, May 7, 2015

Gail Lozzi ’78, October 23, 2014

Mary Clark ’79, December 2, 2014

Beverly Bader ’80, June 27, 2014

Carol Lauer ’80, October 15, 2014

Nancy Olland ’80, January 5, 2015

Robert Shanafelt ’80, March 26, 2014

Stella Damico ’81, April 24, 2015

Janice Garver ’81, May 22, 2015

Patricia Hadaway ’81, December 16, 2014

Dave Werner ’81, September 1, 2014

Benjamin Heggy ’82, May 3, 2015

Oscar Schultz ’82, January 24, 2014

Gary Wunderlin ’83, January 4, 2015

Karen Denius ’84, November 21, 2014

Anker Studsgaard ’84, December 1, 2014

Philip Harnick ’86, March 1, 2015

Dale Sablotny ’86, May 7, 2015

Mary Paull ’89, May 12, 2015

Joseph Deshance ’91, January 10, 2015

Brenda Dallacheisa ’96, April 24, 2015

David Suhy ’98, March 22, 2015

Maryann Mitalski ’99, May 15, 2014

Patricia Davis ’00, January 18, 2014

Erin Myers ’00, May 2, 2015

Cameron Fleming ’13, July 29, 2014