Class Notes: Alumni on the move

NOTESCLASS

Have you recently been promoted, honored or published? Have you switched employers or career paths? Share the news with the Detroit Mercy community! Send your Class Notes to alumni@udmercy.edu.

1950s

Edward J. Olszewski ‘58 is the author of Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen: Kansas City’s ‘Shuttlecocks’, 2020. His previous books, Parmigianino’s ‘Madonna of the Long Neck: A Grace Beyond the Reach of Art and Cardinal Pietro Ottoboni (1667-1740), and the Vatican Tomb of Pope Alexander VIII both received the John Frederick Lewis Award from the American Philosophical Society. He is emeritus professor of art history at Case Western Reserve University.

1960s

Lester A. Owczarski ‘66, ‘75 was reappointed for a four-year term to the Michigan Unemployment Insurance Appeals Commission.

1970s

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer reappointed Martha (Damiani) Anderson ‘77 to the Michigan Community Corrections Board. Anderson is a judge for the 6th Circuit Court of Oakland County. Bloomfield Hills attorney Gerard J. Andree ‘72 has been named the 2021 winner of the Monsignor Charles J. Malloy Lifetime Achievement Award. Andree has practiced with Sullivan, Ward, Patton, Gleeson & Felty, P.C., since 1976. The Malloy Award, presented annually by the catholic Lawyers Society of Metropolitan Detroit, recognizes Catholic judges and lawyers whose service and character exemplify and advance the highest values of both the Catholic faith and the legal profession. Joanne Waeltermann ‘76 has been appointed to the board of directors of The Maryland School for the Blind. Waeltermann, a retired licensed and board certified pediatric opthalmologist, served patients in Maryland from 19852019, at the Kid’s Eye Care of Maryland, Children’s Eye Care, LLC, University Eye Associates, the Howard County Health Department Eye Clinic.

1980s

Kathleen Dobson ‘84 was appointed safety representative to the National Advisory Committee on Occupational Safety & Health (NACOSH) by U.S. Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia. NACOSH advises the secretaries of Labor and Health and Human Services on occupational safety and health programs and policies. She is safety director for Southfield, Mich.-based Alberici Constructors.

Michael P. Dosch ‘87 was named Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist Program Director of the Year by the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology. He is professor and chair of the Nurse Anesthetist program at University of Detroit Mercy. American Century Investments, a $228-billion global investment manager, appointed Diane (Harvey) Gallagher ‘89 as vice president, head of employee experience. Gregory J. Gamalski ‘83, a member of the Michigan-based law firm Bodman PLC’s Real Estate Practice Group, has been apponted to a one-year term as chair of the State Bar of Michigan Real Property Law Section Council.

1990s

Ian M. Burnstein ‘95 has joined the Scientific Advisory Board of Torontobased life sciences company Wesana Health Holdings, Inc. Paul A. Debono ‘93 has joined the Grand Rapids, Mich.-based ChoiceOne as vice president, commercial loan office. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has appointed Jennfer (Furtaw) Deegan ‘96 to the bench of Michigan’s 57th Circuit Court of Emmet County. Deegan is currently a partner with Nelson, Deega, Forster & Stikovich, PC. Kristen Deuben ‘94 was promoted to vice president of finance and deputy chief financial officer of the Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority. Deuben joined MNAA in 2018. Jennifer Dukarski ‘96, Butzel Long attorney, has been appointed to the Transportation Research Board’s (TRB) Standing Committee on Emerging Technology Law. The Transportation Research Board is one of the seven program units of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, which provides independent, objective analysis and adice to the nation and conducts other activities to solve complex problems and inform public policy decisions. Detroit-based law firm Miller Canfield elected Amy (Chauvin) Johnston ‘94 to serve as the new chair of the managing directors. Johnston is a principal attorney and the co-leader of Miller Canfield’s Litigation and Dispute Resolution Group. She has served on the firm’s five-member board of managing directors since 2016. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has appointed

Robert G. McNeill, D.D.S., M.D. ‘99

to the State Board of Dental Examiners. McNeill is an oral and maxillofacial surgeon in private practice. Wendye D. Mingo ‘92 has been named to the Oxford Bank Corp. board of directors. She is managing director of information technology for The Kresge Foundation. Fenton, Mich.-based Fentura Financial, Inc. and The State Bank appointed Kelly (Long) Myers ‘93 to the Board of Directors for both Fentura Financial, Inc. and The State Bank. In 2004, she started Myers & Myers, PLLC, a practice

that focuses on real estate, commercial litigation, corporate law, creditor rights, bankruptcy and banking. Farmers & Merchants Bancorp Inc., the holding company of Farmers & Merchants State Bank, has named Frank R. Simon ‘95 to the board of directors of both the company and the bank. Simon is the founding and managing member of Bloomfield Hills, Mich.-based Simon PLC Attorneys & Counselors. Kelly (Boldin) Smith ‘94 has been named chief development officer for the John Ball Zoo in Grand Rapids, Mich. The Michigan Defense Trial Counsel, an association of the state’s leading litigators dedicated to representing individuals and corporations, named Sommers Schwartz senior shareholder Jay G. Yasso ‘91 with its Respected Advocate Award for 2021.

2000s

Yvonna C. Abraham ‘06 was appointed to the Wayne County Third Circuit Court by Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. Abraham is also president of the Michigan Association of District Court Magistrates. Andrew J. Bond ‘07 has joined international law firm Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP as a partner in the Corporate and Securities practice group. Francesco L. Briguglio ‘08 has been elected president of the Macomb County Bar Association. He practices family law in Waterford Township, Mich. Christopher M. Candela ‘07 has been named president and CEO of McLaren Flint Hospital. Thomas J. Chasty IV ‘04, ‘06 has joined Orcutt Winslow, a Tennessee-based architecture firm that specializes in healthcare facilities. Dykema, a leading national law firm, has added Janet (Nowakowski) Conigliaro ‘02 to its Products, Class Actions and Professional Liability Practice Group as a Member of the firm’s Detroit office.

Robin Dillard-Russaw ‘07 is the new head of the Wayne County (Mich.) Office of Public Defense Services. Cooper-Standard Holdings, Inc. has added Christine (Baker) Moore ‘03 to its board of directors. She brings more than 30 years of accounting and auditing experience. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has appointed Marlena E. Taylor ‘09 to the bench of the 36th District Court of the City of Detroit. The Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools has named Rodney Trice ‘02 as its new Chief Equity and Engagement Officer.

2010s

Rebekah R. Coleman ‘14 was appointed by Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to the bench of the state’s 32A District Court. Javon (Hindo) David ‘13 has been appointed to the board of directors of the Michigan Defense Trial Counsel Association, an organization dedicated to representing individuals and corporations in civil litigation. Latanya Gater ‘12 has been named to Wayne County (Mich.)’s first Women’s Commission. She practices in community mental health at Southwest Counseling Solutions and as an independent contractor at Sollars and Associates.

Timothy Gindi ‘13 has joined the Toronto-based law firm Devry Smith Frank LLP (DSF) in its commercial litigation, employment law and personal injury groups. Timmy Nelson ‘11 is the new Digital Design Specialist in Wayne State University’s Office of Alumni Relations. Jessica Tracey ‘17 has joined the London, Ont.-based law firm Lerners LLP where her practice will focus on land development and municipal law as well as the agribusiness sector and commercial real estate.

2020s

Toronto-based law firm Howie, Sacks & Henry has named Matthew Douglas ‘20 to the firm as an associate.