Alumni Class News

Antonio A. Pastrana ’91, a Mexico-based photographer, captured a stunning shot of El Niño, a crocodile at the Gardens of the Queen, a marine park off the coast of Cuba. The picture has won several awards, including one in the 2019 World Photographic Cup competition.

1950s

William T. Deibel ’51 W’47

and his wife, Karel, moved to the Windermere neighborhood in Seattle after he joined an old acquaintance in taking over Seattle’s downtown, full line GMC dealership in 1978. They sold the business in 1995 and have recently bought a condo overlooking Puget Sound. Over the years, he has done a sizable amount of writing, from presentations articles to an illustrated history of Duracell. Bill credits his Culver English teacher, Major Richard “Smiley” Gimbel, for cultivating this interest.

Marshall Wolf ’53 W’47 found his niche running a hedge fund, and at age 85, he is still active in business.

Miguel “Mike” T. Brostella

’54 checked in with the Alumni Office in October from his home in Panama. He was proud that the selfdiscipline he learned at Culver has helped him follow a diet, exercise, and social regimen that has made surviving the pandemic more bearable. Lewis M. Steel ’54 and his wife, Kitty, have been married for 60 years and have three children and seven grandchildren. He still works as senior counsel at Outten & Golden LLP, an employee rights firm. His book The Butler’s Child: White Privilege, Race, and a Lawyer’s Life in Civil Rights is now being published by The University of South Carolina Press, as a paperback for academic readership.

Thomas J. Barber ’56 W’53

and his wife, Petronella, a Netherlands native, recently celebrated their 61st anniversary. They have four children, 12 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. For their 50th wedding anniversary, they took their children and spouses to Paris and then to Holland to visit their mother’s homeland.

James L. Dunlap ’56 highlights his photographic talents in his recent book that centers around the territories from which artist, Georgia O’Keeffe, drew her inspiration in New York City and northern New Mexico.

Benjamin F. Kilgore III ’58

N’ 56 published the novel Will Normal Return on June 17, 2020. A small mountain community is struck by a catastrophic event and the military evacuates them. A small group comes together searching for information and why help isn’t coming. This is a story of survival in a lawless world until everything returns to normal.

1960s

E. James Breech III ’61 W’56

retired fully on October 1, 2019 from Cougar Global Investments, the company he founded in 1993. In 2015, the company was acquired by Raymond James Financial, an S&P 500 company. He and his wife, Vicki, live on a 25 acre farm east of Toronto in a hamlet named Cowansville.

Robert D. Meek ’61 lives in Granville, Ohio enjoying retirement as much as anyone can in this era of Covid-19 and spent January and February on St. Simons Island in Georgia before returning to Ohio to follow the fortunes of both the CMA Prep and Denison University Men’s lacrosse teams.

Charles F. Mitchell II ’66

is still working as an ENT physician in private practice. He has been married to his wife, Lisa, for 39 years. They reside in Baton Rouge, La. and have four children and seven grandchildren.

Neal Goodman N ’69, a distinguished sculptor, recently had a large outdoor piece, entitled Night and Day, installed on the Valparaiso University campus. The commissioned piece is made of welded and grinded bronze.

1970s

Louise A. Brennan L’70 is the president and CFO of 21st Amendment in Indianapolis, one of the most successful drinks retailers in Indiana in one of the most competitive markets in the U.S. The 16 unit chain remains well positioned as it nears its golden anniversary. She joined the company in 1984 and became president in 2018.

Christopher G. Smith N’70, a professional photographer for 30 years, teaches photography at Northern Kentucky University. He and fellow photographer Michael Keating, inspired by the storied history of Indiana high school basket- ball, have captured the Hoosier Hysteria legacy in photographs and essays in the new Indiana University Press title, “Chasing Indiana’s Game: The Hoosier Hardwood Project,” which was published in August 2020. Upon finding a photograph of his father’s 1937 high school basketball team, Smith decided to pursue a photographic project focused on Indiana’s historic high school gyms. The pair’s seven year journey covered more than 50,000 miles, shooting more than 400,000 digital frames and captured photographs in 300 gymnasiums. Their project is currently on display at the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame and was selected as one of the Indiana Historical Society’s Bicentennial Exhibits.

Ross Chapin ’71 retired from an executive position at Parametric Portfolio Associates, a Seattle-based asset management company, in 2018. He continues to serve as the lead director on the boards of Envestnet, an NYSE financial software company, and Joshua Green, a privately held family office. Upon the untimely death of the founder, he became the interim Chairman of Envestnet from October 2019 until May 2020 and is now happily retired a second time. Ross enjoys the bird hunting seasons behind his German Shorthairs and is looking forward to his 50th Reunion.

David J. Hauser ’71 retired as the Otter Tail County Attorney after 20 years and 38 years in the office in 2018. Now he and his wife Mary are living like recycled teenagers on the shores of Otter Tail Lake, Minnesota, with road trips south in the winter.

Elizabeth “Bus” Kreyling L’71

has worked in merchandising and design at Federated Department Stores, traveling worldwide on trend research and development visits. Then she signed on with Harvey Nichols, a luxury store, which recognized the talent of American designers, as an American correspondent and scout. After eight years of fashion shows, she has become a full-time writer, including her work as a travel writer for The Boston Globe and The Oregonian.

Jon R. Scieszka ’72 was recently featured in the alumni magazine of his undergraduate alma mater, Albion College, for his work as a writer of children’s books that transform classic stories into endings with new twists. He entered Albion College with the intention of studying pre-medicine and becoming a doctor, but he found that the liberal arts experience there inspired him to write. Some of Scieszka’s most famous titles include The True Story of the Three Little Pigs and The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales. In 2008, Jon was named the Library of Congress’s first-ever National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature. Scieszka has sold over 11 million copies of his books worldwide since 1989.

David E. Werner ’72 lives with his wife Susan near Tampa Bay, Florida., and has a daughter Mary, son-in-law Mike and two granddaughters, Ava and Chloe.

C. Mark Rippy ’73 received the Henry F. Schricker Award in November 2020, which recognizes Starke County (Indiana) residents who put “service before self” from the Starke County Chamber of Commerce. A group of past Schricker Award winners, as well as select chamber board members, select the winner.

ALUMNI CLASS NEWS

Channing F. Mitzell ’74 CFP, Co-Chair of the Board of Windsor Wealth Management, announced that Windsor has been named to the 2020 edition of the Financial Times 300 Top Registered Investment Advisers. The list recognizes top independent RIA firms from across the U.S. This is Windsor’s fourth year in receiving this honor.

Thomas B. Mayo III ’75

retired from Culver in early November after serving as the Culver Fund Director for five years, beginning in February 2012 and then transitioning to the role of Major Gifts Officer in July 2017.

Mark Conway W’71 ’76

works for Thompson Hine LLP Personal & Succession Planning practice, which is one of only four ranked in the top band in Ohio in Chambers High Net Worth 2020. The firm has been recognized in the directory since its inaugural edition in 2016. The guide cites Mark as being “particularly highly regarded and respected for advising business owners on taxes and succession planning.”

Paul Oberschneider ’76 established one of the largest real estate advisory and development companies in Central and Eastern Europe, exiting just before the global financial crisis. He and his family moved to Argentina and raised cattle and agriculture before returning to London and Oxford in England. Paul recently founded and is CEO of London-based Hilltop Credit Partners, a private equity real estate company that provides capital to real estate projects. He lives in Oxford with his wife, Marlene, and has one son, Christian, who is 18 and studies Equine Management at Oxford and plays polo.

Shahan Islam ’77, a corporate attorney specializing in patents for pharmaceutical giant Pfizer, has been working from home the past several months, so he decided to create a family friendly game about the pandemic that was not only fun but had an educational component as well — ‘Covidopoly 19.’ Similar to the Monopoly game, properties on the board reflect areas strongly affected by the coronavirus, and players can buy hospitals and clinics. Instead of going to jail, players can end up in quarantine or ICU or land on spaces requiring them to choose a “Ventilator” or “Mask” card. Islam will donate a portion of proceeds to local charities.

1980s

Stephen A. Kennedy ’80

continues to run his Dallas law office, Kennedy Law, PC, focusing on complex commercial litigation. He resides two hours west of Dallas at Possum Kingdom Lake, where he lives with his loyal yellow lab (whom he considers to be his youngest son), Troy. He tries to live by these words from his favorite movie Shawshank Redemption: “Get busy living or get busy dying.”

John K. Richards, Jr.’81

recently celebrated his 30th anniversary with wife Marianne. Both Jay and his wife teach in their hometown of San Carlos, California. Jay, who came to love English during his years at Culver under the instruction of Paul Hamer, Bruce Holaday, and most influential, Dr. Bayless, has been teaching 8th grade English for over 25 years. He has two daughters who are teachers and one son, who just started UCLA in computer science, telling his dad that “this family has enough teachers.”

George M. Beckelhymer ’82

was one of three challengers who ran against the incumbent candidate for a seat on the Laredo, Texas City Council District 5 in November 2020. He cited his 25 years in the private sector as a business owner, as well as his community service on the City of Laredo Planning Commission and the Webb County City of Laredo Regional Mobility Authority.

Karl Hilberg ’82 W’76 retired from the U.S. Navy in October 2015 after serving 28 years. He still lives in Poteet, Texas, the strawberry capital of Texas, with his wife, Julie, horses, cows, chickens and four rescue dogs. Currently he is a volunteer with the U.S. Polo Association as Chair of the USPA Armed Forces Committee, Board member of the Polo Training Foundation and Manager of the Central Texas Polo Association, a group of three polo clubs in the San Antonio and Austin areas. Dr. Ronald L. Betteker ’83, a graduate of the University of Georgia and Loyola University, has been affiliated with veterinary medicine for almost twenty years. He has been married for 25 years and has two daughters.

Dennis J. French ’83 SC ’79

works for United Rentals in the New York City area and has been working closely with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers providing power for the Coronavirus field hospitals and COVID19 testing facilities. It has been a humbling experience, seeing the first responders and large construction firms build 1,100 hospital beds facilities in 21 days.

William B. Linsenmeyer ’83

participated in a discussion on the Workamper Podcast regarding his company, Your Best Address, that helps RVers set up residency in South Dakota, get a driver’s license, register their cars, register to vote and even handle all their mail while traveling.

Stacey C. Kalamaras ’86 W’81

graduated from The John Marshall Law School in 2005. She is an attorney at Kalamaras Law Office, LLC, in Chicago, Illinois, helping people with Intellectual Property issues. Stacey was selected to Super Lawyers for 2020–2021, which is an exclusive list of top rated attorneys in specific practice areas who were chosen after thorough evaluation of numerous criteria.

Raubyn Snyder Barich ’88

is running Culver’s campus COVID-19 testing facility for all students, faculty and staff. Her son Beau is a 2nd classman in Battery C.

Col. Robert A. Curris ’88

retired from the U.S. Army on Dec. 18, 2020 after 28 years of service. He was commissioned in the field artillery after graduating from college, but ultimately switched to special operations as a psychological operations (PSYOP) officer. He earned a master’s degree, got trained in a foreign language, and has traveled across the globe, especially Europe, Africa and the Middle East. He and his wife, Bobbi, have relocated to the mountains near Asheville, North Carolina.

Andrew D. Hardaway ’88

directed and produced his first short film (science fiction), “Roughneck,” a mindbending exploration of memory and consciousness. In the near future, mankind lives in a world where advanced technology removes negative emotions from the human experience and replaces them with a vision of a perfect human existence. But when a decorated soldier loses his wife, he finds himself experiencing something that shouldn’t be possible: pain. After he can no longer hide his grief from the world, he is targeted as a dangerous outlier who may hold the fate of society in his hands.

Alise Hunt Larder ’88 directed an adaptation of Claudia Rankin’s book “Citizen: An American Lyric” for the first show of the season at William and Mary College, which was streamed Sept. 17–20. She viewed it with her freshman students to facilitate/spark meaningful discussion about race, as well as with several student groups at Culver.

Geoffrey S. Martha ’88, president of Medtronic since April 27, 2020, has worked very hard to have his company keep up with the increasing need for medical devices to help combat coronavirus. Recently, Medtronic partnered with Elon Musk and Tesla to provide ventilators to thousands of hospitals around the world. Martha said his company typically produces 100 ventilators per week. That number is up to 500 and he hopes they can reach 1,000 ventilators produced per week. In addition, Medtronic is helping other companies around the globe produce the ventilators. “This is a very valuable product for us,” Martha said. “We put it on the internet and granted a royalty free license to manufacture and sell this during the COVID crisis.”

Miguel Rodarte ’88 stars in Season 2 of Destilando, Mexico, on Amazon Prime Video, where he discovers the best of Mexico through its gastronomy and landscapes guided by the best chefs, artists and distillers of the states of Oaxaca, Chihuahua, Puebla, Guerrero, Chiapas and Jalisco. To Our Alumni from Classes ending in 1 and 6,

The purpose of this letter is to inform you that the Alumni Reunion Celebrations for the Classes ending in 1 and 6, currently on the calendar for the May 20-23, 2021 weekend, will be postponed. While many saw this decision as inevitable, we share the feelings of disappointment as milestone events like these are altered.

We have established a bubble that has allowed Culver to offer an in-person experience for our students, that by all measures, has resulted in a productive 2020-2021 school year for our community. It is the decision of school leadership that we will not have any event on campus with sizable guest counts, in order for us to finish the academic year successfully and to get us through the beginning of June when plans call for us to celebrate the Class of 2020 and 2021 Commencements.

What does postponement mean?

We have every intention to celebrate your quinquennial reunion on the Culver campus as soon as practical. However, we have seen how this situation evolves in complex ways and we are reluctant to set an alternate date at this time. We also envision class reunions happening while students are on campus, as they have since the Culver Legion’s inception.

Please note that any information or changes from the Culver Legion regarding reunion will be conveyed to all alumni via the most efficient communication avenues possible, including posts on culver.org/reunion and social media outlets.

In the meantime, all of us who work with the respective 1 and 6 classes are in close contact with your respective class leadership teams as volunteers and staff work in concert on communication plans and what we hope will see you return “in person” back, back to Culver days as soon as it is practical.

Thank you for your ongoing commitment and support of Culver. We look forward to seeing you on campus in the near future!

Sincerely,

Alan H. Loehr Director of Alumni Relations

ALUMNI CLASS NEWS

Message from Legion, CSSAA, and CCI Presidents

The robust alumni features in this magazine issue, including class notes that span seven decades, are indicative of the wonderful interactions our constituents have been experiencing, even in the face of the COVID pandemic. While we have been unable to see each other in an official capacity on campus and in venues around the world, we thought readers would enjoy the retrospective look back at Culver Club highlights over the years. It is offered in the spirit of knowing we will gather again soon in Culver fellowship.

Rajiv Chopra ’89 President The Culver Legion

Richard R. “Dick” Waterfield W ‘85 President The Culver Summer Schools Alumni Association

Michael E. “Mike” Rudnicki W ’88 ’92 President Culver Clubs International Todd Shepard ’88 and Jenn “Jiffy” Ross Willson ’88 were married on Sept. 12, 2020 in Kenilworth, Illinois. Culver was well represented both within the family (Katherine Ross McMaster ’87; Kristin Shepard Krizman ’90; Keith Krizman ’89; Megan Shepard Hinton ’94; Ellen Shepard ’22, and Lucy Shepard ’24) and outside the family (Jason Staples ’88; Jeni Jacobus Corona ’88; Sarah Sargent Hetzel ’88; and Chip Redman ’88).

1990s

Michael T. Albert ’91 is remarried to Claudia Albert and has a new job as Head of Marketing, IT-Kompass GmbH.

Hiu Yi (Sally) Ngan ’91 and

Ka Hang (Calvin) Ngan ’92

and their families in Hong Kong donated the face masks that were provided to students, faculty, and staff at the opening of the school year. Kate Ngan ’23, Calvin’s daughter, wrote an article for the Vedette about the process of making the masks. Sally Ngan said, “It is our pleasure to help Culver to fight the pandemic. It brought back many great memories from our Culver days reflecting on how Culver nurtured our growth to shape who we are today.”

S. Phelps Walling ’91 started working at Deepwatch, a cyber securities firm, in October 2020 as Regional Director, North Central. J. Kristian Brekke ’92 has joined the board of The Funhouse to complement its mission and support the executive director. He has been teaching and mentoring students in elementary/middle school settings for the last 20 years, with the goal of developing them into leaders in their community and advocates for integrity. With academic rigor, laughter, joy and the arts as his ongoing focus, he finds great value in teaching to the whole child and developing self-efficacy in students.

Jeremy B. Church ’93 and his wife Rebecca have relocated to the Pittsburgh suburb of Mt. Lebanon, where Jeremy grew up. Currently he is a partner and vice president of results for Word Write Communications, which helps organizations uncover, develop and share their authentic business stories. Rebecca is a real estate agent for Coldwell Banker. Their two sons, Addison and Cooper, are in high school and middle school.

John A. Conlon ’93 was recently named the Byron Center High School Women’s Coach. John is still the men’s soccer coach at East Kentwood where his program has been ranked nationally numerous times through his 20 years at East Kentwood. In addition, John is an elementary teacher in Kentwood and Youth Director for Midwest United Soccer Club. He lives in Byron Center, Michigan with his wife, Kelly, and three children Brody, Caleb and Lauren. Robert R. Latham III ’93 and his wife Amy are still living in downtown Leesburg, Virginia and celebrated 20 years of marriage. Amy is a Senior Creative Director for Asurion and Robert the Area Manager for Site One Landscape Supply in the Baltimore/DC market, overseeing 17 wholesale locations including three plant nurseries and 1 large scale hardscaping center. He spends his down time riding motor- cycles in the surrounding mountains and golfing.

Marshall L. Stocker ’93 W’87

SC’89 has been appointed as Director of Country Research at Eaton Vance Management in Boston, Massachusetts, responsible for a team of analysts who study the economic and political developments in 130 countries. There is always a drama, a revolution or financial crisis in his life, somewhere in the world. The pandemic has interrupted his international travels, along with an auto racing hobby, replacing them with puttering around his garden, watching virtual lectures and indulging in Netflix binges and Zoom chats.

Matthew B. Stockton ’93 and his family Maryellen, George (10), and Winnie (4) live in Atlanta, where Matt works at the CDC as the Deputy Chief for the Entomology Branch in the Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria. He has been working on the COVID–19 response on the Center for Global Health International Task Force since June.

Devon Q. Horton ’95 was featured in the October 7, 2020 Wall Street Journal article “Tensions Rise as Schools Tackle Racism.” He is the Superintendent of the Evanston, Illinois school district.

Steven V. Hunter ’95, a partner in the national law firm of Quarles & Brady LLP, has been appointed vice chair of the Museum of Science and Industry Chicago President’s Council, which provides opportunities for members to exercise civic and philanthropic leadership and to promote the museum’s vision to inspire and motivate children to achieve their full potential in the fields of science, technology, medicine and engineering. As vice chair, Hunter will represent the President’s Council at museum events, attend quarterly meetings, advocate for member participation in MSI fundraising initiatives, and give opening/closing remarks or updates in place of the President’s Council chair when necessary. Additionally, Hunter will transition to chair after his vice chair term ends. Hunter is a commercial litigator who focuses on discovery, motions practice, arbitration, mediation, jury trials, bench trials, and appeals.

Isaiah E. Brooms ’96

welcomed to the world a third daughter, Clara Grace, on March 13, 2019. Clara joins her two older sisters, Brynn and Avery. Spencer O. Miller ’96 celebrated 20 years of marriage with his wife, Andrea, and also had the opportunity to open his own specialty clinic (Brain Treatment Center Dallas) to treat severe brain disorders, including Autism, Traumatic Brain Injuries, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and various learning differences. He is currently working with partners to open clinics in several other major cities across the nation in the coming months.

Sarah Stimson Burrow ’97

her husband and their 13 year old (8th grade) triplets, recently relocated near Eagle Creek Reservoir in Indianapolis, where they happily spent the latter half of the summer in and around the water. A partner at Lewis Kappes PC, she continues to practice immigration law and advocate for social justice.

Mayte Moncada Plasencia

’97 SC ’93 lives in New York City with her husband, Dr. Mauricio Gonzalez, an ER doctor, and two sons, Max and Sebastian. This is the first year that she and others are hosting the Veggie Power Summit virtually, which is the biggest plant-based summit in all Latin America.

Elizabeth Berry Thompson ’99

and Ernie Michael Thompson were married on April 14, 2018 at their home in Sapulpa, Oklahoma. The attendants were their two children, Kandon Michael Thompson and Tatum Jo Thompson.

2000s

Joan A. Akalaonu ’00 was recently named as one of the best lawyers in America on the Best Lawyers “Ones to Watch” 2021 List. She is with the law firm Faegre Drinker in Chicago.

Courtney N. Temple ’01 W’96

SC ’98 transitioned from her role as Legislative Director to Senator Thom Tillis (NC) in early January and joined the Facebook Federal Affairs team. She is living in Washington, D.C. with her 3-year-old son Porter. She joined the Culver Legion Board of Directors in October 2020.

Rachel Couts Arndt ’02 is the Chief Deputy Prosecutor for Fulton County, Indiana — the first female in the county’s history appointed to that position. The first case that she tried as a Prosecutor was the case of State v. Shepherd, a reckless homicide case that drew national attention after a young woman disregarded a stop arm on a school bus and hit and killed three young children and permanently disabled a fourth. Shepherd’s conviction was upheld by the Indiana Court of Appeals on September 14, 2020. The case is expected to set the standard for reckless homicide convictions involving vehicles.

She also recently obtained a guilty verdict in a Level 1 Felony Child Molesting case. It was the first time in many years that a guilty verdict has been returned in such a high level sex crime in that county.

Personally, Jonathan Arndt, her husband of 10 years, underwent 3 brain surgeries this past year after experiencing complications after having a benign brain tumor removed. He is, it appears, finally on the mend.

Benjamin R. Berridge W’02

married Kelly Samples on February 22, 2020 in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Inigo Fernandez Sr.’02 was selected by the #1 business magazine and Tier 1 media outlet in Mexico, “Expansion,” as one of the Top 30 in their 30’s for 2020. He was selected for his professional achievements, and more importantly, for coordinating Facebook’s response to the Covid19 pandemic in México, Central America and the Caribbean.

Amanda Simon L’02 welcomed a daughter, Blakely Somer Carrico, on October 1, 2020.

Ben Wilcox ’02 married Andrea Huist in March 2020 and they have moved to Perrysburg, Ohio.

Susanne Jendro Colesworthy

’03 was promoted to Technology Director at The Marketing Store (Chicago, Illinois), in charge of delivery for the company’s promotional gaming platform software. She has also continued volunteering with Top Box Foods, an organization the Chicago Culver Club engages with.

ALUMNI CLASS NEWS

Victoria C. Greene ’03 ’99

recently celebrated the first year of founding her firm, G Squared Private Wealth, in June 2020. G Squared provides complex financial planning to wealthy individuals and their families across the United States. She has also been featured on CNBC, Yahoo Finance, and in US News for her insights and research.

Kathryn “KD” Hockert de

Vries ’03 L’01 recently had an article published in MIT Sloan Review about modern business models. Her second article was published in November. Dallas-based, KD is in charge of marketing and thought leadership at Build Group, a permanent capital fund that invests in growth companies and private investments in public equity.

Dr. William A. Miller ’03

recently joined Trinity Dermatology in Carrollton, Texas as a dermatologist. He graduated from the University of Washington in Seattle and received a B.S. degree in Neurobiology. He then graduated from medical school with honors at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. During medical school, he additionally completed a master’s degree in global health at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden, and a master’s in public health at the University of Texas. He completed his three-year dermatology residency at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas.

Marci Hatfield Oliveira ’04

married Rene Oliveira on October 19, 2013, in Rockport, Texas. She and Rene are the proud parents of 5-year- old Emelia Jean, and expect their second child in February 2021.

Brooke Osborn Twardak ’04

and Boomer Twardak were married in the Culver Chapel on August 15, 2020.

Alain Aguayo W’01 A’05

graduated from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University with a B.S. is Aeronautical Science and a B.S. in Aerospace and Occupational Safety. He has worked as an Airline Transport Pilot and Flight Instructor. He is currently a pilot for Delta Private Jets.

Dr. Friederike Benning ’05

graduated from the University of Basel, at Biozentrum, Basel, Switzerland with a Ph.D in Biophysics. She is currently a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.

Dr. James L. Herring ’05 is a research scientist at Numerica Corporation, based in Loveland, Colorado, and is doing postdoctoral research through the University of Houston.

Maj. W. Wickliffe Kelley II ’05

was recently selected to transfer over to the U.S. Space Force. He is currently the Senior Intelligence Officer for EC130H Compass Call for airborne electronic warfare, in Tucson, Arizona, and will finish his full two-year leadership assignment there through the summer of 2022 before moving to the Space Force position.

Phillipe Tosi ’05 and Claire Strebinger ’07 were both guest lecturers, via Zoom, for Dr. Jackie Carrillo’s Engineer Your World class. Tosi shared his NASA tales and the exciting engineering work in which he is engaged. Strebinger is a faculty member in the Seattle University Mechanical Engineering Department.

Courtney Adams ’06 W’03

married John Selman on August 31, 2019 in Valparaiso, Indiana at their home. They celebrated their one year wedding anniversary this year and are expecting their first child in March 2021.

Joseph R. Beezie ’06 W’02

recently marked 10 years of service in the U.S. Army Reserve and his promotion to Major. In 2019, he led a Civil Affairs Team to Iraq and Kuwait, supporting Operation Inherent Resolve. The team worked closely with the United Nations, the Government of Iraq, and the US State Department in the Coalitions mission to defeat ISIS. Upon returning home, he mobilized to Germany to work with NATO Allies in DEFENDER Europe, the largest military exercise in Europe in 25 years. Though COVID19 ended the exercise early, he continuously worked with European Allies to slow the spread of the virus.

Robyn Kasper Framsted ’06

shared that she and her wife, Kim, had their third child in April, Lola, who joined older sister Pippa (5), and older brother Guy (3).

Qi Wei Hu ’06 and his wife, Yidan Wang, welcomed a son, Jingzhe, on August 8, 2020, who joined his 4-year-old sister, Meilin.

Rochelle L. O’Neill ’06 recently graduated with a Radiologic Technology degree.

Kyle Chen ’07, who is an IP lawyer in Chicago, was a guest speaker in Cathy Tulungen’s English 1 class, which studied a unit on the Protecting of Intellectual Property. It was an excellent opportunity for students to learn from a Culver professional in the field of IP law.

Kevin Harris ’07 married Holly K. Hodges on March 7, 2020 in Boston. They met at church in Boston and now reside in Houston, Texas. Patheer, a talent development and internal mobility Saas company, which was co-founded by Kevin and his older brothers, was acquired by People Fluent- Learning Technologies Group on September 17, 2020.

Bailey A. Smith ’07, former deputy prosecuting attorney for Teton County, Idaho, won the position of prosecuting attorney in the November 2020 election. She earned an undergraduate degree in International Political Science, Spanish and Italian at the

Culver graduates gathered at West Point on Dec. 12 for the 121st meeting between USMA and USNA football teams. First row, left to right: Claire Martinez ’17, Adam Davis ’18, Spencer Weisgram ’19, Dante Dalmaso ’19, Alex Coleman ’19, Ryker Knight ’18, Ethan Barangan ’18. Top Row, left to right: Brennan Coulson ’18, Thomas Maly ’17, Rachel Dodson ’18, Thomas Polhamus ’18, Ben Snyder ’17, Jacob Hare ’17. Missing: Zain Khodr ’17 (USNA), Judson Andonov ’16 (USMA), Daphne Karaholios ’20 (USMA) and Sydney

Herzceg ’19 (USMA).

University of Richmond and graduated from the George Washington University Law School in Washington, DC. where she studied criminal law and procedure. She practiced for six years at prominent firms in New York City, providing pro bono representation to numerous criminal defendants, and worked with Lawyers Without Borders in Africa training prosecutors and judges on how to handle human trafficking cases.

William Benjamin “Ben”

Teaney ’07 married Daltry Dott last November. The couple resides in Dallas, Texas.

Ariana Warr Blamo ’08 W’02

is living in Spain and gave birth to her second child, Daniel. Jane Elliott Coslet ’08 and her husband Brian welcomed their first child on March 4, 2020, a boy named Jack Harley Coslet.

Angela Solis de Hinze ’08

moved to Dallas from Illinois with her husband and daughter in March 2020.

Richard A. O’Neill ’08 SC ’05

was elected as the precinct committee officer for the 34th legislative district for the state of Washington.

Rebecca L. Rochelle L’06 ’08

graduated magna cum laude with her J.D. from Roger Williams University School of Law, then moved to Washington DC to start the LL.M. in Taxation program at Georgetown University Law Center. She is scheduled to take the Texas Bar Exam in February 2021.

Rogelio Lemarroy ’08, Guanlin Chen ’11, Leonardo Rodriguez ’15 and Jesus Mancha Navarette ’16 were individually featured speakers in the Virtual Learning Series for students (largely international) who are currently doing their Culver Experience online. The Series highlights alumni, colleagues, and friends who are artists, musicians, and entrepreneurs who share their journey and current work. The Academies’ Office of International Student Achievement coordinated with multiple campus departments to make the series possible. Katan Rodriguez ’08 was a featured speaker on September 1, 2020 in the Virtual Learning Series for the students (largely international) who are currently doing their Culver Experience online. The Virtual Learning Series highlights alumni and friends who are artists, musicians, entrepreneurs, and the like, who share their journey and current work. It is hosted by the Academies’ Office of International Student Achievement.

Melissa Schwenk ’08 finished her Master’s degree in Regulatory and Clinical Research Management from Regis College in August 2020. She lives in Boston with her partner, Sean, and works for a medical device startup.

Shadi Bakour ’09 was a speaker for The George Washington University Office of Innovation & Entrepreneurship Speaker Series, Innovation Campfire Stories. He is the cofounder & CEO of Pathwater, a sustainability focused bottled water company that provides the first 100 percent refillable, recyclable bottled water in a sturdy aluminum bottle. An expert in the beverage industry, Shadi’s extensive experience and proven track record of growing disruptive businesses has allowed him to drive the overall vision and strategy for Pathwater. He is responsible for overseeing all facets of the business, specializing in accelerating ideas through strategic foresight, drive, and determination.

ALUMNI CLASS NEWS

Jenna Iwaniec Hutches ’09

married Bo Hutches in August 2018 (classmate Melissa Teasdale was a bridesmaid) and on July 7, 2020 they welcomed a son, Charles Hutches.

Georgie Whatmore ’09 passed the National Board Exam for Health and Wellness Coaches in February 2020, making her a National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach. She has been a Health Coach with Noom, Inc. since summer 2018. In addition to her health coaching work, she is completing graduate school in Applied Psychology Clinical Mental Health Counseling, and has been accepted into a top graduate counseling internship program with Sunstone Counseling. Georgie recently purchased her first home in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia, with her partner, Graham Owens. They share their new home with their two dogs a micro mini Goldendoodle named Bunny, and their new English Cream Retriever puppy, Jake.

Mary McDaniel Hyer ’09 and her husband, Dan, who was most recently the Culver Academies Protestant Youth Minister, were commissioned by the United Methodist Church on August 15, 2020. Mary is now the Senior Pastor at Waynedale United Methodist Church in Ft. Wayne, Indiana.

Taylor Whitsett ’09 has recently moved to the Sacramento area and is now working at the University of California, Davis School of Law as the Associate Director of Development.

2010s

Patrick M. Brun ’10 was the opening speaker in the Virtual Learning Series for students (largely international) who are currently doing their Culver Experience online. The Virtual Learning Series highlights alumni and friends who are artists, musicians, entrepreneurs, and the like, who share their journey and current work. It is hosted by the Academies’ Office of International Student Achievement.

Moira T. Kelley ’11 SC

’08–’09 recently moved to Lake Forest, Illinois to work as a Residence Life Coordinator at Woodlands Academy of the Sacred Heart. The 2020 session would have been her tenth summer working at Woodcraft Camp. She plans to be back on staff in 2021!

Blakely Kinnan Riehl ’11

married JD Riehl on June 1, 2019 in a traditional Catholic ceremony, with a large celebration following the mass. They currently reside in Cincinnati, Ohio and recently welcomed their son, Quinn Joseph Riehl, on October 3rd.

Kevin J. Stoffel W’11 graduated from Northwestern University in 2019 with a B.S. in Chemistry. He is currently a Research and Design Chemist at NUMat Technologies in Skokie, Ill. His role in the lab focuses on the synthesis, characterization, optimization, formation and scaleup of porous materials. Known for his creative harmonies as glockenspiel player with the D&B, he continues to play the double bass, serving as a teacher/ mentor to students of chamber music in the Naperville area.

Austin C. Welch ’11 is in his first year at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, where he is pursuing his MBA. Austin graduated in 2015 as the Cadet First Captain at West Point. He then commissioned as an Army Aviation officer flying the UH72A Lakota and then the AH64D Apache Longbow. After acceptance into Army Special Operations Aviation, he went to Fort Campbell, KY for training on the MH47G Chinook.

Kimberly Grover ’12 married Daniel Turk on August 31, 2019, in Vail, Colorado. CGA classmates Bridget Davidge and Marin (Barnes) Strong were in her bridal party. She and Dan reside in Denver with their French bulldog, Tilly.

Henry Meserow ’12 was promoted to Associate Director of Business Develop at InSight + Regroup Telepsychiatry. He works with healthcare leaders across the country to create and implement telebehavioral health strategies that directly impact their communities’ access to mental health services. InSight + Regroup is the nation’s largest telebehavioral health company, employing more than 400 psychiatrists. Andrew H. Mevis W’12 and Harrison P. Mevis W’16 from Warsaw, Ind. have always been very competitive in all things, from fishing to board games — and kicking contests. Andrew is now a senior kicker at Fordham and Harrison is Missouri’s first new field goal kicker in four years. Andrew visited Harrison in Columbia for two weeks this fall, where they engaged in their ceremonial kicking contest. The wins were split 50-50 and the brotherly banter and competitive spirit prevailed.

Sarah A. Rakich ’12 W’07

married Derek Petty, in Carmel, Indiana on September 26, 2020.

Gracen Hirschy ’13 recently started her fourth professional hockey season in Sweden. It’s been a fascinating journey that included a national championship playing in Pittsburgh at age 15, a high school career at Culver and a political science degree from the University of North Dakota, along with representing Team USA a few times.

Joy Shen ’13 is in her first year at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, where she is pursuing her MBA. Joy graduated from Dartmouth in 2017. Most recently, she was an associate with Oliver Wyman consulting in New York City. Joy is also pursuing a Masters in Education through the Stanford Graduate School of Education.

Emily E. Beyer L’15 graduated magna cum laude from Kenyon College in May 2020 with a double major in Spanish and International Studies and a minor in Public Policy. She was named a Fulbright Scholar and will be teaching English in Argentina, beginning in March 2021.

Lamar Stone Coughlin ’15 is living in Orlando, Florida and working at Universal Studios after completing his Advanced Code Certification through Georgia Tech.

Roy A. Radke ’15, a former Chicago Blackhawks NHL Draft selection, is now a 23year-old sophomore at Bradley University, making a transition from a right wing in pro hockey to a collegiate golfer. After suffering multiple injuries, the Blackhawk offer fell through and he returned home and started working with professional golf instructors, one of whom sent a video to Bradley, resulting in an offer to play on their college team.

Matthew ‘Bear’ Coughlin ’16

graduated from American University’s Kogod School of Business with a BS in Finance. He is currently a Project Manager and Business Analyst at United Solutions in Washington DC and is an IT consultant with Evolv Capital. Bear is also continuing his Master’s in Business Analytics and Cyber Security at the Kogod School of Business at American University. Clay Kingsbury ’16 is a Program Associate in Partner Relations at Quest Bridge in Palo Alto, California.

Erica L. Sadlowski ’16 graduated from Elon University in North Carolina with B.A. in Public Health and Minors in Psychology, Sociology, and Spanish.

Nathaniel H. Clurman ’17, a junior from the University of Notre Dame, has been selected as the captain for the hockey team. A 2016 Colorado Avalanche draft pick, Nate is the second junior defenseman in the last three seasons to captain the Irish. A 2019–20 Academic All-Big Ten selection, Clurman has played in 76 career games while registering 12 assists.

Ignacio Peon Zapata ’17 is a senior at the University of San Diego majoring in mechanical engineering and is working on his senior capstone project, a Baja SAE 2020 offroad vehicle.

Connor R. Caponi ’18 is bringing his experience to Denver University’s hockey team this season. He spent two seasons with the Waterloo Black Hawks of the USHL in Iowa, recording 22 goals in 74 career games and also won a gold medal with Team USA at the 2019 World Junior A Challenge.

Hayden R. Schott ’18 will play baseball at Columbia University for the 2021 season. He attended Cypress College and played in 19 games during the 2019 season and hit .317 with a home run, 17 RBI, 18 runs and two stolen bases.

Dominic Vidoli ’18 is one of 8 new members joining the Ohio State men’s hockey team. He played for the Sioux City Musketeers for two seasons, seeing action in 18 games in 2018–19 and 19 games in 2019–20.

Samantha L. Leach ’19, a sophomore at Oklahoma State University majoring in Animal Science and Business, was one of six college students who were awarded the 2020 USPA Polo Scholarship. Recipients are selected based on horsemanship, sportsmanship, playing ability, contribution to the sport, academic excellence and character.

Mason D. Lohrei ’19 has committed to Ohio State University for 2021. The Boston Bruins took Mason in the second round, 58th overall, of the 2020 NHL draft. Bruins director of scouting Ryan Nadeau said he had grown significantly in the past year and made a successful transition from forward to defense.

Our blog has moved!

The Culver News blog is now The Culver Cannon. On The Culver Cannon, you’ll read stories about how members of our community positively impact others. You’ll read about current events on our campus. And finally, you’ll find helpful posts in which experts in our community share their thoughts and advice on a variety of topics. Check it out at www.culver.org/ cannon.