Alumni Profiles:
Engineering the end of the Cold War Ray Williams '65 (ENG), '69 M.S.
Empowered to help Althea Marshall '91 (SFS)
Toying around with college mascots Alex Babbidge '99 M.B.A.
Other Items of Interest:
Reunions
In
Memoriam
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| 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.
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Reunions
Reunion Weekend 2005 Volunteers are needed for the 2005 Reunion Weekend Planning Committee. If you are from the Class of 1980, 1955, 1950, 1945, or 1940 and are interested in being part of this group, please contact Kim Lachut '90 at 860-486-2240 or toll-free at 888-UC-ALUM-1. She can be reached by email at kimberly.lachut@uconn.edu.
Special Interest Reunions |
Robert H. Foote '43 (RHSA) is professor emeritus of animal physiology and Jacob Gould Shurman Professor in the department of animal science at Cornell University. He and his wife, Barbara, live in Ithaca, N.Y., and have two children, Robert and Dale.
Alfred L. Marder '46 (CLAS) received the Mexican Legion of Honor in a ceremony at the University of Puebla in Mexico. He is president of the U.S. Peace Council, vice president of the International Association of Peace Messenger Cities and chairman of the City of New Haven Peace Commission.
Herbert E. Baldwin Jr. '47 (CANR) is a financial services consultant in Frankfort, Ind.
Marilyn V. Spence '49 (CLAS), '52 M.A. retired from teaching in 1987 and is one of five retired teachers selected for the Teacher Honor Roll at Norwalk High School in Norwalk, Conn.
Erwin von Allmen '50 (CLAS) and his sister-in-law, Lois von Allmen Smith '60 (NUR) published an article in the journal Topics in Stroke Rehabilitation.
Wesley W. Parke '51 (CLAS), '54 M.S., '57 Ph.D. retired as professor and chairman emeritus, department of anatomy, University of South Dakota School of Medicine. He is still keeping active with research and editing journal manuscripts.
Margery (Gaylord) McBurney '55 (SFS), '63 M.A. and her husband,
Dean, were recognized as honorary alumni at Ashland University in Ashland, Ohio, where
she taught for 29 years before retiring in 1993.
Richard Kallerman '55 (BUS) has worked on environmental issues since retiring from IBM in 1989. He hosts a long-running radio show on alternative transportation and was recognized as the Sierra Club's Central Texas Volunteer of the Year and with the Texas State Service Award. He lives in Austin, Texas.
Janet Warshaw '55 (CLAS) manages an ocular pathology laboratory at the University of Rochester Medical Center in Rochester, N.Y.
Peter B. Skoniecznyrph '57 (PHR) retired after 38 years as director of pharmacy at New Britain (Conn.) General Hospital. He and his wife live in New Britain and are enjoying their four children and four grandchildren.
Yvonne Condell '58 M.A., '65 Ph.D. began a one-year term as
board chair for the Affinity Plus Federal Credit Union Board
of Directors.
Mark F. Gross '58 (CLAS), '61 J.D. was installed as an associate minister at Friendship Baptist Church in Stratford, Conn.
William O'Connor Jr. '62 (BUS) works for Travelers Insurance Company and was recognized as an outstanding course leader by the American Institute for CPCU and the Insurance Institute of America. He and his wife, Patricia, live in West Hartford, Conn., and have two children.
Peter Phillips '64 (SFA) is the author of the book Creating the Perfect Design Brief: How to Manage Design for Strategic Advantage (Allworth Press).
Stephen Cohen '65 (CLAS) is manager of information technology contracting for the County of Los Angeles in California and a volunteer in the Senior Citizens Advocacy Program of the Legal Aid Society of Orange County. He received his law degree from Pepperdine University School of Law.
Winifred Laraine Hoyt '65 (NUR) is a full-time clinical nursing instructor for licensed practical nursing students at Manatec Technical Institute in Bradenton, Fla. She vacations in Michigan, New York and Norway to visit her three children and four grandchildren.
Joel Pasternak '65 (BUS) was promoted to group manager at Republic Mortgage Insurance Company in Winston-Salem, N.C.
Engineering the end of the Cold War
Few people can contribute to the fate of nations.
Raymond H. Williams, Jr. '65 (ENG), '69 M.S. has helped do that by having a significant role in developing the formidable deterrent capabilities of nuclear submarines, one of the key factors in global diplomacy during the Cold War era.
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"In my view, nuclear submarines were the primary force in ending the Cold War," says Williams, director of naval architecture at General Dynamics Electric Boat Corporation in Groton, Conn. "The U.S. nuclear submarine has a very integrated weapons platform, and its stealth is superior to anything else in the world."
Last year Williams joined the exclusive ranks of the University of Connecticut's Academy of Distinguished Engineers, which honors alumni who have made "sustained and exemplary contributions to the engineering profession." He was cited for "significant contributions" to the design, engineering and development of all classes of submarines, including Ohio, Virginia and Sea Wolf.
He credits the UConn School of Engineering with giving him "a great foundation" for his career.
Williams always had a penchant for tinkering, a childhood interest he developed while fixing broken equipment on his grandfather' s dairy farm. He arrived at UConn in the early 1960s to study mechanical engineering and joined the nuclear submarine training program at Electric Boat after graduation. As he rose through company ranks, he earned his master's degree attending UConn at night. Williams served as chief mechanical engineer before becoming director of naval architecture in 1994.
By the early 1990s, Electric Boat faced a new challenge as the Cold War wound down and the U.S. Navy commissioned fewer nuclear subs.
"When that happened, we had to re-engineer the organization," Williams says. He became so effective at enhancing operational efficiencies, he adds, "my boss anointed me the general in the effort on the war on costs."
Williams still has close ties to his alma mater. He frequently hires UConn engineering graduates because "the program was rock solid when I was there and still is." Electric Boat currently employs around 100 UConn alumni. Williams monitors major university research nationally for projects that Electric Boat may find useful, noting that "UConn is one of our primary sources of engineering interests."
Williams is keeping a close eye on UConn's Connecticut
Global Fuel Cell Center for possible applications to unmanned
underwater vehicles. He is also looking to develop more
opportunities for U.S. Navy research with the University, saying,
"UConn has the right facilities to make things happen."
— Karen Singer '73 (CLAS)
Larry Urda '66 (ED) retired in June after 38 years as a teacher, coach and public school principal in New Hampshire and Massachusetts. He and his wife, Beth (McNeil) Urda '65 (SFS), will be moving to their lakefront home on Mirror Lake, N.H.
Joseph Migliore Jr. '67 (BUS) retired in 2002 after 32 years as a claims service consultant in the insurance industry. He and his wife, Carol, spend time between their homes in Hamden, Conn., and Naples, Fla.
Carl Lawton '68 (ENG), '85 M.S., '90 Ph.D is director of the Massachusetts Bioprocess Development Center, an interdisciplinary research and development and education center that assists start-up biotechnology companies, located at the University of Massachusetts Lowell.
Sandy (Bologna) Maineri '68 (ED) and Albert Maineri '70 (CLAS) have been married for 31 years. Sandy is a freelance writer and has been a dealer of antiques and vintage jewelry. Albert is a history teacher in Southington, Conn. They have two daughters, Alberta and Terese.
George Schuttler '69 (SFA) received the 2003 Outstanding Faculty Award at Michigan State University, where he is a professor of theater.
Paul Speltz '69 (BUS), '72 M.B.A. was named as economic and financial emissary to China by U.S. Treasury Secretary John Snow. He will be responsible for leading the Treasury's ongoing program to strengthen its economic and financial activities with China.
Bob Stepno '69 (CLAS) received his Ph.D. in December 2003 from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Thomas G. West '69 J.D. was honored by the Connecticut Supreme Court as part of Law Day 2004, which celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Brown vs. Board of Education decision. He has served as a Connecticut Appellate Court judge since 2002, previously serving as administrative judge in Danbury.
Miriam Erick '70 (SFS) is a diabetes educator and high-risk perinatal dietitian at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, Mass. Her new book is Managing Morning Sickness (Bull Publishing).
Bob Takacs '70 (CLAS) is the developer and owner of Gemstonegarden.com, based in New York City.
Frank Bachyrycz '71 (PHR) received the Adjunct Professor Appreciation Award from Western Connecticut State University, where he teaches advanced clinical pharmacology in the department of nursing.
Susan Dutch '71 (CLAS), M.A. '74, Ph.D. '80, professor of psychology at Westfield State College, was selected as the winner of the 2004 Psi Chi/ Florence L. Denmark National Faculty Advisor Award, which annually recognizes the faculty advisor who has made outstanding contributions both to Psi/Chi and to the field of psychology at the local, regional and national levels.
Sherrill Hayes '71 (SAH),
'82 M.S. was appointed
assistant dean for women's health and
associate
director of
the Institute
for Women's Health at the University of Miami School of Medicine.
She is also chair of the department of physical therapy.
David Leferman '71 (CLAS), '73 M.A. is a senior director for
Birds Eye Foods in Rochester, N.Y. He lives in Rochester with
his wife, Maria, and their three teenage children.
Anthony D'Andrea '72 (ENG) is chairman of the Connecticut Board of Examiners for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors.
Dennis Hurshman '72 (CLAS) earned an M.A. in conflict resolution from Columbia College in 2000 and an M.A. in organizational management from the University of Phoenix in 2002. He lives in S.C. with his wife, Regina, and teenage son, Nick.
Jeffrey Heidtman '73 M.S. is chief executive officer of Fuss & O'Neill, where he has worked nearly 30 years, and was recently elected to the board of the Manchester Community College Foundation. He lives in Manchester, Conn.
Thomas O'Neill '73 (CLAS) has served as a probation officer in Massachusetts for the last 30 years. He was recognized for exemplary work, professionalism and dedication to the field by the state commissioner of probation.
Jessie Lee '74 (CLAS) has formed Patrick Hubert Partners, LLC, which provides marketing and business development expertise to investment management companies in the San Francisco Bay area.
Norma Meligonis '74 (CANR) completed licensure graduate classes at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Va. She is a special education teacher in Virginia Beach, Va. where she lives with her husband, Dennis.
Theresa Bruneau '75 (NUR) is an owner/manager of a medical transcription service. She and her husband of 26 years live in Florida and are enjoying sun, fun and travel.
David Carlson '75 (BUS) is senior vice president and deputy chief financial officer for Hartford Life. He also is a fellow of the Life Management Institute and is active in several industry groups, including the American Council of Life Insurers.
Hyun Lillehoj '75 M.S. is a microbiologist with the Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory in the Animal & Natural Resources Institute in Beltsville, Md., part of the U.S. Agricultural Research Service. She was recognized as the Outstanding Senior Research Scientist of 2003.
William Denehy '76 (BUS) was named senior vice president, director
of marketing and retail banking, for South Shore Co-operative Bank. He lives
in Plymouth, Mass., with his wife, Pat.
Robert Glasser '76 (BUS) is executive vice president and chief financial officer of Tadiran Telecom Inc. He lives in Port Washington, N.Y., with his wife of 25 years, Randy, and their three children.
Pamela Fishman '77 (BUS) is the director of marketing
and development with The Golden Triangle BID
in Washington, D.C. She has two children and in her free time
she teaches spin and pilates classes.
Joel Hurliman '77 (CANR)
was sworn in as deputy chief
of the Shelton (Conn.) Police Department on Jan. 8, 2004.
He is a recent graduate of the FBI National Academy and is also
currently a master sergeant in the Connecticut Army National
Guard with more than 22 years of service.
John Kanter '77 (CLAS), is owner and founder of TAM Communica-tions
in Stamford, (Conn.) the publisher of RoadBike magazine and
American Iron Magazine, one of the nation's fastest
growing magazines.
Kathryn Reineke Meyering '77 (SFS) received an M.A. in religious studies from Hartford Seminary in Oct. 2003. She teaches kindergarten in an independent school and is a freelance writer on issues of religion and spirituality. She and husband, Mark Meyering '77 (CLAS), live in Middletown, Conn.
Francisco Pardo De Zela '77 M.B.A. has spent the past year studying Vietnamese in preparation for his new post as commercial counselor to the American Embassy in Vietnam. He previously was posted at the U.S. Embassy in Lagos, Nigeria, and has also served in Panama, Australia, India, Portugal and Brazil.
Sally Ann Palumbo '77 (SAH) was promoted to supervisor of rehabilitation services at Yale-New Haven Hospital. She previously was a staff therapist, senior therapist and clinical education coordinator. She lives in Branford, Conn., and is an adjunct faculty member at Quinnipiac University.
Robert Campanaro '78 (ENG), '80 M.S. has been vice president of Coastline Construction Corporation in Clinton, Conn., since 1992.
Saul Kassin '79 Ph.D. is professor of psychology and chair of legal studies at Williams College in Williamstown, Mass.
Mark Collins '79 (ENG) and Marta (Goty) Collins announce the adoption of Julia Alyona, 5, and Spencer Anton, 3, from Russia in 2003. Mark is director of engineering for AC Technology Corporation in Uxbridge, Mass. The family lives on their farm in Woodstock, Conn.
Mark DiOrio '79 (ENG) is founder of two companies in Silicon
Valley: MTB Solutions, specializing in semiconductor packaging,
and Celerity Research, which developed a new technology for
silicon
wafer testing.
Anthony Bland '80 (BUS) is president of Financial Fitness Company of America and has published his first book, Six Steps to Financial Fitness, a personal finance book.
Gregory Curcio '80 (CLAS) opened a new law office in Cambridge, Mass.
Suzanne (Tumicki) Harle '80 (CLAS) is founder and executive
director
of Green Planet Films, Inc., a nature, environmental and conservation
films DVD rental and
sales distribution non-profit corporation. She lives in Mill
Valley, Calif.
William Knox '80 (CLAS) is vice president, legal affairs and administration for Fruit Growers Supply Company in Sherman Oaks, Calif. He joined the company in 2003 as general counsel and corporate secretary.
Gene LeFebvre '80 (CLAS) is a director with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority-Paratransi t Division, overseeing contracted transportation services for the disabled community in New York City. He has homes in Manhattan and in Sullivan County, N.Y.
Rick McMaster '80 Ph.D., an executive project manager at IBM, in Austin, Texas, was named Volunteer of the Year by the Travis Chapter of the Texas Society of Professional Engineers.
Brian Zibuda '80 (BUS) is senior vice president of group benefits at Couch Braunsdorf Insurance in Attleboro, Mass.
Janice Pasquale '81 (ED) is coordinator
of arts and enrichment at Yale-New Haven Children's Hospital
in
New Haven, Conn.
Frank Pontarelli '81 Ph.D.
was named the dean of the Alan Shawn Feinstein Graduate School
at Johnson & Wales University, which has
campuses in Providence,
R.I.; Charleston, S.C.; Norfolk, Va.; North
Miami, Fla.; and Denver, Colo.
Gregory Sparzo '81 (CLAS) was elected chairman of the Cheshire (Conn.) Republican Town Committee for 2004-2006. He lives in Cheshire with his wife, Dianne, and two sons.
Susan Wang '81 M.B.A. joined the board of directors of Nektar Therapeutics in San Carlos, Calif. She retired as chief financial officer of Solectron in 2002.
Irving DeGraw '82 M.B.A. was appointed assistant professor of business management at Washington College in Chestertown, Md.
Alex Hasychak '82 (CLAS) retired as a special agent with the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Texas. He returned to Connecticut
and now teaches, lectures, and does volunteer work for the Wethersfield
Historical Society and the Audubon Society.
Susan (Koch) Renner '82 (BUS) and her husband announce the birth of Margaret Elizabeth in 2003, who joins Katie, 15; Bobby, 13; and John, 9. Susan is a CPA and the treasurer of American Cruise Lines in Haddam, Conn.
Frank P. Bergonzi Jr. '83 (ENG) is director of distributors, North America, for BASF Corporation. He previously was director of national distributors for Shell Chemical LP. He and his wife, Mary-Lisa (Shukis) '84 (ENG), live in Westport, Conn., with their three children.
Paul Catanese '83 (CLAS) has signed a three-book contract with Simon and Schuster to write a series of novels inspired by classic fairy tales. The first book, The Thief and the Beanstalk, will be published in spring 2005. He lives in Bolton, Conn., with his wife, Lisa (Stenza) Catanese '83 (CLAS), and their three children.
Carole-Lynn (DeNigris) Saros '83 (BUS), '89 M.B.A. was recognized as one of the top representatives by InterSecurities, Inc., an independent broker dealer serving financial professionals nationwide.
Michael Townsend '83 (ENG), '94 M.B.A. is president of Polytec, Inc., a manufacturer of laser-based measuring instruments in Auburn, Mass. He and his wife, Linda, celebrated the birth of their third son, Griffin Farrell, in 2003. The family lives in Upton, Mass.
Mary Kocol '84 (SFA) has her photograph on the cover of the best-selling John Grisham novel The Last Juror.
Franklin "Chip" Darius '85 (SFS), '88 M.A. and Marla Joyce (Borio) Darius '88 (NUR) have been married for 16 years. Chip is founder and owner of Safety Priority Consultants LLC in New Britain, Conn. Marla is a registered nurse at home with their four sons and daughter.
Patrick Letellier '85 (CLAS)
is a freelance journalist and is the first winner of the Sarah
Pettit Memorial Award for Excellence
in Lesbian,
Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Media, a national journalism award.
He married his partner of six years, Keith Hodge, in a
ceremony at San Francisco
City Hall on Feb.13, 2004.
Robert Duley '86 (CLAS) is director of sales at Forest Express and spends his free time running, playing and coaching soccer, and writing. He has lived in Roswell, Ga., for the last 10 years with his wife, Paula, and their three children.
Steve Gavazzi '86 M.A., '91 Ph.D. was promoted to full
professor in the department of human development and family
science at The Ohio State University.
Lee Ann (Lewis) Jasinski '86 (SFS) is director of entertainment sales and marketing for SVM Corporate Marketing in New York City. She lives in New Jersey with her husband, Joe.
Rock Woodstock '86 (CLAS)
is a contracting officer with the U.S. Army Tank Automotive
& Armaments Command (TACOM). He participated in
a program that allows civilian employees to accompany active
army units in the field to
experience customer requirements first hand.
Thomas Doggart '87 (ENG), '94 M.S. has started his own metallurgical
engineering company, Nomad Metallurgy Inc., focused on industrial support, in
Fort Mill, S.C.
V. Ashley Gasque '87 (CLAS) is the regional director for Africa on corporate marketing and program development for the International Executive Service Corps, based in Johannesburg, South Africa. She manages a trade promotion program funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development promoting trade between 14 African countries and the U.S.
Toby Lantz '87 (CLAS) celebrated the eighth year of his company, Suncoast Office Systems Inc., in Jacksonville, Fla.
Sandra Weingart '87 (CANR) was promoted with tenure to associate librarian at Utah State University in May 2003. She celebrated with a trip to Ireland accompanied by her mother, Patricia Henson Weingart '57 (SFS), and her sisters, Maria Weingart Nye '84 (CANR) and Janet Weingart Smith '88 (CANR).
Ramani Durvasula '88 (CLAS) and her husband, Charles Hinkin, celebrated the birth of their second daughter, Shanti Lindeman Hinkin, on July 26, 2003. She joins her big sister, Maya. The family lives in Calabasas, Calif.
Jill Keith '88 (ED), '95 M.A. has been a
special educator for 13 years and is working for the Norwich,
Conn., public schools. She married in
1994 and has two children, Joseph, 6, and Andre, 3.
Michael Flores '89 (CLAS) is an associate specializing in domestic relations litigation with the law firm of Zissou and Veara, in Dennis, Mass. He and his wife, Sarah, live in Harwich, Mass., with their two daughters.
William Jagrosse Jr. '89 (CLAS) is working as a registered nurse in the health care field.
David Tiedemann '89 (CLAS) is the head golf professional at
Shelter Harbor Golf Club, a new course
slated to open in Westerly, R.I., this summer.
He returns to New England from his previous position
at Scioto Country Club in Columbus, Ohio, the course where Jack
Nicklaus learned
to play golf.
Chantel (Antonini) DiPronio '90 (SFS) and her husband, Nicholas, celebrated the birth of their first child, Mia Isabella KiPonio, on March 12, 2004. The family lives in Stratford, Conn.
Kimberly (Crolle) Fleury '90 (NUR) and her husband, Ray, announce the birth of their son, Jace Christopher, born Aug. 11, 2003.
Gary Girouard '90 (ED) recently released his debut solo piano CD, The Naked Piano. He lives on Cape Cod, Mass.
Julia (Wugmeister) Brennan '91 (CLAS) and her husband, Mark, are employed by Synapse Group, a division of Time Inc., and live in Stamford with their son, Eli Daniel, who was born on April 15, 2003.
Pamela (Bellmore) Gardner '91 (CLAS) and her husband, Scott, announce the birth of their daughter, Mackenzie Lillian, on May 19, 2003. Pamela is the assistant principal at Bunnell High School in Stratford, Conn., and co-chair of the 2004 Northeast Regional Conference on Social Studies. The family lives in West Haven, Conn.
Paul Stuart '91 (ENG) and Jill (McKinlay) Stuart '88 (ED), '90 (SAH), '99 M.S. are celebrating the birth of their fourth child, Libby Katherine, born March 8, 2004. Libby joins her three brothers, Nolan, Hunter, and Galvin, at their home in Old Saybrook, Conn.
Empowered to help others
As president and CEO of Empower New Haven, Althea Marshall
'91 (SFS) makes decisions affecting the lives of thousands of
local residents. The non-profit organization administers millions
of dollars in federally funded development grants to low-income
neighborhoods. It's a job she has been preparing for all her
life.
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Photo: Peter Morenus |
"The desire to help others has always been in me," says Marshall, who is the first person in her family to earn a college degree. As a youth, she helped on local political campaigns and was inspired by her mother's work on Waterbury's Democratic town committee. But it was her UConn education, she says, that crystallized her plans to become "a positive agent of change."
At the School of Family Studies, she met two professors, Velma McBride Murray and Patricia Bell Scott, who became mentors. "They really took the time to speak to me...and explain how I could take what I was learning in an academic setting and put it into practice," Marshall says.
McBride Murray reminded Marshall of her mother — "very outspoken, very upfront and really supportive." Scott gave her a deeper understanding of how issues centering on African-American culture affects families.
While at UConn, Marshall also served as human relations chair for the African-American Cultural Center. "It was a place of support for African American students to celebrate our heritage," she says. After graduation, Marshall gained experience in a progression of social services jobs before going on to earn a master's degree in sociology and a master's of divinity.
By 2002, Marshall's accomplishments had attracted the attention of Empower New Haven president and CEO Sherri Killins, who recruited her first to become a consultant and then a senior program manager. When Killins left Empower New Haven Marshall was named as her permanent replacement. She now directs federal money into housing, job training and business projects aimed at improving local neighborhoods.
She says she did not fully appreciate the impact of her efforts until last October, during a community event featuring speakers who benefited from a home ownership project.
"When I first got into community economic development, the human services component was not immediately apparent to me," she says. "But when these diverse families spoke out on how our program changed their lives, I could see it in their faces."
At that moment, she says, the connection between her current job and her UConn education "came full circle," the understanding that assisting families to become more economically stable and secure also benefits the community at large.
"I realized human services work can influence life experiences,
but when you improve housing you impact generations."
— Karen Singer '73 (CLAS)
Kerri (Barron) Charette '92 (ED), published the first book
produced by Moms In Print, Misadventures
of Moms and Disasters of Dads, an
anthology of parenting humor. She also hosts "Families in the
Making," an adoption talk show on cable television in southeastern
Connecticut.
Kristi (Greges) Gannon '92 (SFS) and her husband, James, welcomed their first child, James Francis, on Feb. 6, 2004. The family lives in New York City and Litchfield County, Conn.
John S. Ho '92 (CLAS) is an associate in the labor and employment
law department
of Bond, Schoeneck & King PLLC in Syracuse, N.Y. He previously
was a prosecutor with the U.S.Department
of Labor. He received his Juris Doctorate from St. John's University School of Law in 1997.
Barry Inger '92 (CLAS) and his wife, Maureen, announce the birth of Brian Maurice on Oct. 16, 2003. Brian joins big sister Elizabeth, 5, and big brother Kevin, 3. Barry is a sales manager for Seranoa Networks of Boxborough, Mass. The family lives in Groveland, Mass.
Denise (Osborne) Hamann '93 (ED) married Craig Osborne in May 2002. The couple celebrated the birth of their daughter, Christina, in August 2003.
Brian Kelly '93 (SFA, ED) and Tyyne Straatveit-Kelly '93 (CLAS) announce the birth of their second child, Bryson Nils, on Sept. 3, 2003. Bryson was welcomed by big sister, Lilah Bryn, 3. The family lives in Newington, Conn.
Christine Scherma Marin '93 (SFS) and Marc Marin '92 (CLAS) announce the birth of Julia Rose, on March 3, 2004, who was welcomed by her brother, Kyle, 2. Marc is an English teacher in Fairfield, Conn., and Christine is a school social worker in Milford, Conn.
Charles Norris '93 J.D. and his wife, Lynn, announce the birth of their son, Charles Jr., on Jan. 20, 2004.
Mollie (Jacobson) Quinn '93, '95 (CLAS) and Don Quinn '93 (BUS) announce the birth of their son Aidan Thomas on Jan. 29, 2004. Aidan joins big brothers DJ, 6, and Devin, 5, and sister, Summer Rose, 1. The family lives in Colchester, Conn.
Beth Taylor '93 (ED) married James Mack on May 1, 2004.
Tiffany Violette '93 (CLAS) and her husband, Mahfoz Shaban, announce the birth of their daughter, Amina Jane Shaban, on March 1, 2004.
Anna (Long) Brimfield '94 (CLAS) and her husband, Jonathan, welcomed a son, Jackson Thomas, on March 6, 2002. Anna works in pharmaceutical sales for Merck. They live in Chapel Hill, N.C.
Cheryl Bueno '94 (ED) received her M.S. in exercise physiology
in 1996 from Southern Connecticut State University and is currently
a certified
athletic trainer in Hawaii.
Mary-Anne (Kanakry) Clarke '94 (CLAS) completed the Rhode Island Teacher Education program at Rhode Island College and is certified to teach history in grades 7-12.
Karen Cook '94 (ED) was named the 2004 Norwich Free Academy District Teacher of the Year. She has been teaching world history, U.S. history and psychology at the Norwich Free Academy for the past seven years.
Joanne Firmin Fletcher '94 M.S. retired to Melbourne, Fla., and has been traveling, playing tennis, volunteering, and enjoying Florida with her husband of 39 years, Brian. They have five grandchildren.
Pedram Henidzadeh '94 (CLAS) is a partner at the Associated Podiatrists of Fairfield, Conn. He completed a two-year surgical training program in Detroit, Mich. He and his wife, Bita, welcomed a daughter, Mikayla Alexis, on Jan. 3, 2004. The family lives in Stamford, Conn.
Matthew Jarboe '94 (BUS) married Kimberly Miele '95 (ED), '96 M.A. in 1997. The couple have two daughters, Makinsey and Avery, and a son, Wyatt. Matthew recently became a technical manager at GE Capitol Real Estate.
Jonathan Pope '94 (SFA, ED), and his wife, Jennifer, celebrated the birth of their second child, Lauren Whitney, on April 6, 2004. Lauren joins her big brother, Devon Joseph Charles, 3. The family lives in Newtown, Conn, where Jonathan is a music teacher.
Charles Roche '94 Ph.D. has joined the adjunct faculty at the
University of Hartford and
is chairman of the mechanical engineering advisory board to
UMASS-Lowell. He is an engineer with Pratt & Whitney in East
Hartford, Conn.
Jeff Sprankle '94 (CLAS) and his wife, Carol, announce the birth of their son, Parker James, on Feb. 6, 2004.
Andrew Tscheppe '94 (ED) is a chiropractic physician practicing in Waterbury, Conn. He and his wife, Michelle, have two sons, Samuel Peter, 1, and Timothy Tyler, 3. The family lives in Waterbury, Conn.
Carey Beyor '95 (CLAS) is as a primary therapist for Natchaug Hospital's adolescent partial hospital unit and is also part of a group practice, the Tolland Center for Individual and Family Therapy. He earned an M.A. in marriage and family therapy from Antioch New England Graduate School in 1998.
David Christiano '95 (CLAS) married Susan Maurizio on Nov. 15, 2003. He is a senior technical analyst at Georgia Pacific Corporation and lives in Monroe, Conn.
Rick Greenberg '95 (CLAS) and Jessica (Tottenham) Greenberg '95 (SAH) announce the birth of their first child, Jayson Robert, on Jan. 28, 2004. The couple started their own promotional marketing company in 2000 and live in Branford, Conn.
Rebecca Lobo '95 (CLAS) received the Red O'Neill Award from the UConn Club at its 51st annual awards dinner on April 23. 2004. The award is presented to a former student-athlete who combines the highest attributes of character, leadership and a successful career.
Carlos Rodrigues '95 (BUS) is the chief financial officer for Pequot Ventures, a private equity firm in Westport, Conn., and New York City. He and his wife, Jennifer, are also the owners of Yoga on Wain, a yoga, pilates and tai chi studio. They have a daughter, Emma Isabella, born on Dec. 7, 2003.
Jennifer (Royal) Whelan '95 (ED) and her husband, John, announce the birth of their first child, Katie Anne, born on March 5, 2004. The family lives in Rocky Hill, Conn.
Jennifer (Croteau) Zettergren '95 (CLAS) became a partner at
the law firm of Dzialo, Pickett & Allen, P.C. in January 2004,
where she practices in the areas of commercial and residential
real estate and estate planning.
She works in the firm's offices
in both Middletown, Conn.,
and Old Saybrook, Conn.
John M. Halstead '96 (BUS), '01 Ph.D. is a Republican Congressional
candidate in Connecticut's First District.
A resident of Wethersfield,
he is a nationally recognized stock market analyst who
specializes in legal stock
market timing.
Brett McGurk (CLAS) '96
has been appointed by the Department
of Defense to serve as a legal advisor to
the Coalition Provisional Authority in Baghdad, Iraq. He will
work with the general counsel to Ambassador Paul Bremer and
is expected to
handle a number of matters leading to the transfer of
sovereignty to a provisional
Iraqi authority on July 1, 2004.
Diann Nicole (Grammer) Tuck '96 (CLAS) is the facility support coordinator for the Phoenix Division of QuikTrip in Chandler, Ariz. She married Josh Tuck on May 24, 2003, in Richmond, Maine.
Kelly (Thompson) Dolyak '97 (CLAS) and Keith Dolyak '92 (BUS) announce the birth of their daughter, Paige Whitney, on Nov. 10, 2003.
Lise-Helene Heroux '97 (ENG) is an engineering manager with AgION Technologies, Inc., in Wakefield, Mass.
Craig Murphy '97 (CLAS) married Cassandra Napoli on Dec. 31, 2003, and lives in Westport, Conn.
Lisa (Rosenberg) Banks '98 (PHR) and her husband, Dave Banks '98 (ENG), announce the birth of their son, Hayden Matthew, on Jan. 6, 2004.
Jane Gauthier '98 (BGS) is an assistant professor of dental hygiene education at Quinsigamond Community College in Worcester, Mass., and is also the chairperson for dental programs. She received a master's degree in education in 2002 from Worcester State College in Mass.
Alan Green '98 (CLAS) and Kathy (Marzano) Green '98 (CLAS) announce the birth of their son, Kenneth Charles (K.C.), on Nov. 10, 2003. Alan is a certified financial planner with Merrill Lynch in Southbury, Conn. Kathy is a school counselor for Region #15. The family lives in Woodbury, Conn.
Robert Beinstein '99 (ENG) is registered as a professional engineer in Connecticut and is working at Cabrera, which provides specialized radiological and environmental consulting and field services.
Megan Flock '99 (CLAS) is outreach and planning director in the Office of Innovation and Improvement in the U.S. Department of Education in Washington, D.C. She is a graduate student at George Mason University and has announced her engagement to John Gibson.
Sara Hulbert '99 (CLAS) is in-house counsel with The Hartford, in Hartford, Conn. She received a Juris Doctorate in 2002 from Western New England College School of Law.
Jennifer Suozzo '99 (CLAS) is a line producer for MSNBC, where she produces three hours of live news coverage She previously was with NBC 30 in Connecticut.
Toying around with college mascots
Alex Babbidge '99 M.B.A. remembers playing on the main campus
during the late 1960s and early 1970s, when his father, Homer,
was president of the University.
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Photo: Peter Morenus |
He returned to UConn more than a quarter century later to earn a master's in business administration, which he says gave him the confidence to launch his new venture — a company named Mascotopia™ that sells mobiles with college songs and mascots, as well as other licensed toys for infants and toddlers. The merchandise can be found at campus bookstores, including the UConn Co-op, toy stores and online at www.mascotopia.com.
After graduating from Yale University in 1986, Babbidge started his first business, a construction management company specializing in small to mid-sized institutional and educational projects. The inspiration for his new business came as he was completing his work at UConn. Babbidge was singing a college fight song to his son while observing a mobile hanging over his younger daughter's crib. He was struck with the idea to develop university mascots hanging on mobiles playing school fight songs and playing alma maters.
"It was kind of a subconscious thing, and it just seemed like about their schools and want to pass that enthusiasm on to their kids."
He thought the idea was worth pursuing. He brainstormed the concept with a friend and sought advice from UConn's office of athletics for licensing and athletic traditions, where he learned that manufacturers focused mainly on apparel and that the infant/toddler part of the college market was full of potential.
Soon afterward Babbidge and his business partner formed ER Concepts, LLC. Discussions with a collegiate licensing company led to early agreements "purely on the basis of a prototype." Since then, more than 63 agreements have been signed with colleges and universities, including UConn.
Mascot Mobiles™ feature plush animals wearing colored sweaters bearing school logos. Fight songs differ, depending on the institution. Husky mascots on the UConn mobile, for example, are wearing blue sweaters bearing both the traditional and new UConn logos while playing the fight song "UConn Husky."
Looking to extend its Mascotopia™ brand, ER Concepts added puzzles and blocks to the line and recently completed an agreement with Major League Baseball for 2005.
"Parents are going to buy these types of toys for their
children," says Babbidge, adding that his products deliver extra
value because school insignias trigger college memories. "With
these toys, they're more likely to sit down and play with their
kids — and share those memories."
— Karen Singer '73 (CLAS)
In
Memoriam
ALUMNI
Melvin Thomas Bishop '35
Renato Spadola '40
Susan (Lewis) Spencer '47
John Blake Jr. '50
Gordon Harris '52
Harry Lake '52
Joan P. Cobb '55
William Connor '55
Edward White '56
Mitchell Gardner '60
Perry Smart II '64
Theodore Barchauski '65
Arthur Zucker '65
Sung Lee '66
David Paul Gery '70
Robert L. LaTaille '72
Robert Giacomi '73
Judith Gorman Ruskin '74
Bryant Bullock '77
Lisa Marie (Banks) Farraq '83
Lisa Mallozzi '85
Deborah Greenberg '91
Jennifer (Moroz) Batterton '00 (ED), '01 M.A. and Shaun Batterton '00 (ENG) announce the birth of their first child, Matthew Thomas, on April 15, 2003. The couple married on June 30, 2001. The family lives in Seymour, Conn.
Allison (Amorosi) Denicola '00 (NUR) married Robert Denicola on June 8, 2003. She is a registered nurse on the orthopedic, neurology and trauma floor at Danbury Hospital. The couple lives in Danbury, Conn.
Dian Greenwood '00 (CLAS) will marry Troy Wendell Holder on Aug. 7, 2004, in Seymour, Conn.
Scott Pietro '00 (BUS) and Kelly Sparan '00 (CLAS) were married Oct. 18, 2003. Scott works for DeLoitte and Touche, and Kelly works for Women's Marketing Incorp. They live in Shelton, Conn.
Richard Tanner '00 (CLAS) is as a corpsman in the U.S. Navy and is stationed in Iraq.
Swin Cash '02 (CLAS) has been named to the women's U.S. Olympic basketball team for the 2004 Olympic Games in Greece this summer. She led the Detroit Shock to its first WNBA title in 2003.
Matt Jackson '03 (CLAS) has completed sales training with Cintas Corporation.
Matthew Masiunas '03 (CANR) is a customer service supervisor with Shemin's Nurseries, Inc. in Windsor, Conn.
Robert Pietrzak '03 M.P.H. is earning multiple awards for his
thesis, "Health and Psychosocial Correlates of Problem Gambling
in Older Adults." He received the Durand Jacobs Award from
the International Centre for Youth Gambling Problems and High-Risk
Behaviors at McGill University in Montreal, Canada, and the
Master's Thesis Award from the National Council
on Problem Gambling in Washington, D.C. He will enter the doctoral
program in clinical psychology at UConn this fall.
Alumni News & Notes compiled by Brian Evans and Tina Modzelewski