Nichols College Magazine — Spring-Summer 2015

MAGAZINE Volume 9, Issue 2 | Spring–Summer 2015

Bison Alumni Give Back

From the President MAGAZINE Volume 9 Issue 2 Spring–Summer 2015

Women’s Leadership Counts Reprinted from the Worcester Business Journal

Nichols College recently released the inaugural Massachusetts Women’s Leadership Index (MWLI), which measures how well women are doing when it comes to serving as CEOs, board members, and executive officers in business, the non-profit world, and the public sector. Massachusetts scored 36 out of a possible 100 points.

While I’m proud of this instrument created by our Institute for Women’s Leadership, I’m also concerned about what it tells us.

As a female leader of a Worcester-area college, I did not expect to find women lagging so far behind their male counterparts, especially given our state’s progressive reputation.

Among the eye-catching findings: Women represent a meager 3 percent of the CEOs and 12 percent of the executive officers in businesses around the state. The national averages for these positions stand at 5 percent and 15 percent respectively.

There’s more. Women comprise barely 17 percent of the mayors and about 2 percent of the police chiefs around the Commonwealth. And while females serve as 20 percent of the CEOs in non-profits, they – and we as a state – have a long way to go.

It’s urgent that we take aim at these imbalances, and not just because they underrepresent the women who comprise more than 50 percent of the work force. The paucity of women leaders also does a disservice to the businesses and organizations that they could help. Research shows that when women play a major role in decision-making, financial performance improves and innovation increases.

The good news is that the MWLI provides a baseline to gauge future improvements, and it offers a model for other states to follow. Closer to home, where Worcester is

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remaking itself as an up and coming city, the state’s low score on the Index argues strongly that it is time to tap into the broader talent pool.

Some of the local CEOs I speak with say that one of their biggest challenges is finding sufficient talent. Maybe they are not looking hard enough.

It is worth noting that in education, Massachusetts and Worcester exceed the national average of women in leadership positions. Women hold the top position at seven of 16 colleges and universities in central Massachusetts. That’s admittedly a small sample, but the 44 percent rate is 18 points higher than in the rest of the country.

The numbers are even more impressive for female school superintendents in central Massachusetts towns – 44 percent compared to 42 percent throughout the state and 28 percent nationally – which suggests that the state’s well-deserved reputation as the educational capital of the U.S. has a lot to do with who’s running the schools.

Years into the future, we may not be having this conversation, and the state’s score on the MWLI will hover in the high double digits. Our Institute for Women’s Leadership, and similar initiatives at other colleges, will help shape a new generation of women and instill the confidence, negotiating skills, and vision that will transform leadership at the highest levels.

For now, we need to do a lot better.

Dr. Susan West Engelkemeyer

For more information on the Massachusetts Women’s Leadership Index and the Institute for Women’s Leadership at Nichols College, visit iwl.nichols.edu.

Spring / Summer 2015

EDITOR Susan Veshi ON CAMPUS EDITOR Ron Schachter VICE PRESIDENT FOR ADVANCEMENT Bill Pieczynski CONTRIBUTORS Jacky Brown, Jim Douglas, Rae Glispin, Julie Errico, Peter DiVito, Heather Maykel, Jack McQuesten ’17, Patrick Pope ’15, Len Suprise, Megan Woodruff DESIGN Patricia Korch PRINTING Puritan Capital, Hollis, NH COVER PHOTO Dan Vaillancourt Patrick O’Connor Photography, Shrewsbury, MA

Nichols College

PO Box 5000 123 Center Road Dudley, MA 01571-5000 508-213-1560 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m., M–F www.nichols.edu Periodicals postage paid at Webster, MA, and additional mailing offices.

Nichols College M AG A ZI NE

(UPSP 390480) is published three times a year by Nichols College, Dudley, MA. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: College Advancement Nichols College PO Box 5000 Dudley, MA 01571-5000 On the cover: In this issue, we salute the many alumni volunteers who contribute to the vitality of the Nichols experience for current students. Photographed are, from left, standing, Chris McCarthy ’92 MBA ‘97, Carolyn Burke MBA ’92, Lee McNelly ’69; from left, seated, Greg Pogue ’73, Henri David Jr. ’64, Christine Scarafoni ’06.

CONTENTS

ON CAMPUS | 2–5 Nichols confers degrees on bicentennial class, 2–3 Nichols benefactors Kuppenheimer, Stansky fete faculty, 4 IWL grades female leadership in Massachusetts, 4 Board of Trustees welcomes two new members, 4 Weeks leaves legacy on and off the field, 5 Freshmen lead with Bison Bites, 5

ATHLETICS | 10–11

6–8 | Bison Give Back: Alumni Volunteers

heighten the educational experience

Dr. Gregory Pogue ’73 (center) shares a laugh with the men’s basketball team and Head Coach Tom Glynn (far right) in April. In January, Pogue addressed the team when they played Kean University in his home state of New Jersey. He spoke about his experience playing basketball at Nichols and the friendships he developed and still maintains with his teammates.

Ice hockey champs are Bison brotherhood, 10–11 Colvin tapped as new AD, 11

CLASS NOTES | 12–16 Catching Up With Greg Delagi ’84, 14 Catching Up With Meaghan Larkin ’07, 16

NICHOLS REMEMBERS | 17–19 From the Achives

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Lee McNelly ’69 – A lifelong commitment to volunteerism leads to a bequest | 20

9 | Corporate partnership with

Incom marks new journey for Nichols and graduates

Incom employees don caps to commemorate the achievement of their new Nichols MSOL degrees through a unique customized program.

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ON CAMPUS

Nichols confers degrees on bicentennial class On a morning full of sunshine, pomp, good advice, and unbridled enthusiasm, 484 Nichols students – including 372 undergraduates and 112 master’s candidates – graduated as the Class of 2015.

“Today we celebrate you, your accomplishments and your well-deserved Nichols College degree… the degree you earn in the 200th year of Nichols!” said President Susan West Engelkemeyer. “You, the Bison of this bicentennial class, add a new page in the rich history of Nichols College.”

Engelkemeyer noted the extensive volunteer service, hundreds of internships, and more than 10,000 hours of class presentations accomplished by the Class of 2015. She also added a personal note.

“For you, full-time undergraduates, you are my class,” Engelkemeyer reflected. “We started together in 2011. I have so many special memories that span these four years.”

An overflow crowd of families and friends under a sprawling white tent in the Copper Beech Quad also heard from commencement speaker

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Roger Berkowitz, president and CEO of renowned restaurant chain Legal Sea Foods.

Berkowitz and Robert Vaudreuil ’77, the former chair of the Nichols Board of Trustees, each received the honorary degree of Doctor of Business Administration.

“These were four years full of

sharing moments, making friendships, and creating memories.”

Andrew Haas Class President

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen a more enthusiastic class,” began Berkowitz, whose address followed the loud standing ovations elicited by the speeches of Class of 2015 valedictorian Samantha MacMillan and class president Andrew Haas.

ON CAMPUS

Valedictorian Samantha MacMillan reflects on her transformation from student to leader as she addresses the “herd” of fellow graduates.

Andrew Haas, 2015 class president, draws laughs and cheers from the class as he reminisces about their four years together.

Berkowitz pointed to Nichols as a source of business leadership. “How many colleges can boast that 40 percent of their graduates go on to own or lead companies? That’s unheard of,” he said. “Your education is relevant and most assuredly will reward you and your families with return on investment.”

Describing a brave new world driven by technological advances – from drones delivering packages to the almost instantaneous transportation available through the company Uber to the imminent arrival of driverless cars – Berkowitz urged the new graduates to anticipate and embrace the transformations that will continue to change business as usual during their careers.

“These disruptive technologies are taking place overnight. To survive in business today, you must be in a constant state of paranoia” about changes in the business landscape and to respond innovatively, Berkowitz explained.

“Know that your future success relies on your ability to harness the disruptive forces surrounding you. If you are complacent, you run the risk of becoming obsolete.”

In her valedictory address, MacMillan, who maintained a nearly perfect 3.97 grade point average during her four years at Nichols, pointed to the confidence she and her classmates had developed over that time. “We are not the same people we were when we arrived,” she pronounced.

“We in the Class of 2015 have been transformed into leaders ready to make our mark on the world,” MacMillan continued. “There’s no other herd that I would want to be a part of.”

In his presentation, class president Haas calculated that he and his fellow seniors had spent 2,403,180 minutes on campus. “Consider the four years that you have experienced,” he said. “These were four years full of sharing moments, making friendships, and creating memories.”

The rest of the Class of 2015 remained boisterous from the start, cheering the end of the opening processional, their classmates’ speeches, and the presentation of individual diplomas on the stage filled with Nichols faculty and trustees.

Above, Bob Vaudreuill ’77, with President Engelkemeyer and Board Chair John Davis ’72, and Roger Berkowitz receive honorary doctorates before Berkowitz delivers keynote address (below).

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ON CAMPUS

Nichols benefactors Kuppenheimer, Stansky fete faculty For the 16th consecutive year, Nichols College alumnus and benefactor Robert Kuppenheimer ’69 celebrated the school’s professors at the Annual Faculty Dinner.

The event on March 12th, which also Robert Kuppenheimer ’69 featured guest speaker and Fidelity investment manager Robert Stansky ’78, took place at the Publick House in Sturbridge, Massachusetts.

“You are the heart and soul of this college, and the students here will remember you forever,” Kuppenheimer told the faculty members before dinner.

Nichols President Susan West Engelkemeyer thanked Kuppenheimer – who is better known to the Nichols community as “Kuppy” – for his continued sponsorship of the dinner and for helping most recently to fund the revision of the college’s business core courses to emphasize leadership skills.

Before addressing Nichols faculty at their Annual Faculty Development Dinner, Bob Stansky ’78 (center), group leader and portfolio manager at Fidelity Management & Research Company, met with students to share his wisdom and experiences.

“You did that in addition to all of the things you do,” Engelkemeyer said from the podium. “You really do rock our world.” Engelkemeyer also presented Kuppenheimer with the Nichols Bicentennial Medal.

Stansky, whose gifts have funded the Nichols professorship in his name to promote faculty development and student career education, visited with Nichols students earlier in the day.

Stansky also lauded his alma mater’s emphasis on experiential learning. “The most valuable part of your efforts has been to let your students see real life examples.

You’ve made it possible to visit businesses, to see what real jobs and responsibilities look like,” he told the faculty. “That’s maximizing the teacher-student relationship.

That’s the magic sauce.”

IWL grades female leadership in Massachusetts Using recent data that shows the percentage of female leaders lagging in the corporate world compared to men – but faring better in the non-profit and government sectors – Nichols College has released an assessment of where Massachusetts stands in terms of women’s representation in leadership positions.

The inaugural Massachusetts Women’s Leadership Index (MWLI), released in the spring by the school’s Institute for Women’s Leadership, calculates scores for ten categories and compares the results in the Commonwealth to national averages. The study gave Massachusetts a total score of 36 points out of a possible 100.

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“Given the progressive nature of the Commonwealth, I would have guessed the index would be much higher than it is,” Nichols President Susan West Engelkemeyer observes.

“The MWLI indicates that collectively we have much work to do.”

Major contributors to the state’s score are statistics indicating that women represent only about 3 percent, 15 percent, and 12 percent respectively of corporate CEOs, board members, and executive officers in Massachusetts. Those numbers compare with nearly 5 percent, 19 percent, and 15 percent nationally.

The MWLI also covers the percentage of women as state legislators, mayors, police chiefs, and school superintendents. While females make up more than 2 percent of police chiefs (compared to 1.5 percent around the country), they account for

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42 percent of public school superintendents, 18 points above the national average.

“The rationale behind this focus on leadership is that decisionmaking positions, such as CEOs, legislators, mayors, and police chiefs, have an impact on large constituencies across the state, with consequences for both the near term and long into the future,” writes lead study author and IWL Faculty Director Jean Beaupre.

“Not only would greater female representation in leadership be more equitable, it would also positively impact organizations. Studies have shown that when more women hold leadership positions, organizations report higher returnon-investment.”

Beaupre notes that the inaugural index can act as a baseline for future years and a call for action in the present. She adds that the metrics and the methodology in the Massachusetts Index would translate to other states, where she has found little comparable analysis.

Board of Trustees welcomes two new members Jen Caissie ’00 and Carolyn Burke ’92, both graduates of the Nichols College MBA program, have been elected to the College’s Board of Trustees. Caissie, an attorney, began her term in January, while Burke, assistant vice president of talent acquisition at MAPFRE U.S.A. Corp., will begin in October.

In addition to practicing criminal law at the Michael V. Caplette Law Offices in Southbridge, Mass., Caissie was recently elected to her 3rd two-year Jen Caissie ’00 term on the Massachusetts Governor’s Council.

She has been a Select Board member and chair of the Select Board in her native Oxford, Mass., and also served on the Planning Board. She earned an undergraduate degree from Assumption College and a JD from New England School of Law. Burke has been with the Human Resources Department at MAPFRE U.S.A. Corp. (formerly Commerce Insurance) since 1987. She has been a member of the College’s Carolyn Burke ’92 Board of Advisors and contributed her expertise to the College’s professional development efforts and Institute for Women’s Leadership. She received a BA at Framingham State University and has earned professional certifications as a Professional in Human Resources, Master Human Capital Strategist and Change Management Practitioner.

ON CAMPUS

Weeks leaves legacy on and off the field

President-for-a-Day, Chad Weeks, addresses the President’s Council.

The Nichols College Football Program has had its struggles over the past couple of seasons, failing to record a conference victory since 2009. In 2014 the Athletic Department hired a new head coach, and looked for a fresh start to begin the season. Some of the qualities the new coaching staff looked for in their players included a positive attitude, strong work ethic, dedication, and heart.

One player on the team who demonstrated each of these qualities over the past four seasons was graduating senior Chad Weeks.

He was listed at five feet tall, 100 pounds on the Nichols College Athletics Football Roster, not your typical defensive back. Weeks isn’t someone who played every down, but he contributed to the team nonetheless.

His contribution as a hard working four-year player was acknowledged at this season’s football banquet, when he received an award named in his honor.

“It was hard to process that I meant enough to a program that they would dedicate an award after me in my honor,” admits Weeks, who was shocked by the award which will be given out annually to a student-athlete who exemplifies the same qualities that he brought to the Nichols football program.

Weeks started playing football in high school and fell in love with the sport. He enjoys the team atmosphere and everything from lifting weights to studying the playbook to supporting his fellow Bison. Football also has taught him about responsibility, Weeks notes, which he will take with him as he

enters the work world. “Everybody has a job to do and without that understanding and execution, your opposition will always beat you,” he says.

Despite his size, Weeks enjoyed the physicality of the sport and the way it made him more physically

construction progress of the new academic building, and the new Master of Accounting degree offered by the Graduate and Professional Studies division.

Engelkemeyer, meanwhile, attended classes, participated in a group presentation, lunched with other students, and played afternoon video games.

and mentally tough. “You can run down the field and hit somebody as hard as can, within the rules of the game. It’s unique,” he says.

Weeks also made headlines off the field in the past term, when he won the College’s first President for a Day competition, which allowed him to switch places with Nichols President Susan West Engelkemeyer. Weeks began his day by meeting with the president’s senior staff, followed throughout the morning and afternoon by individual meetings with the College’s vice presidents and deans, as well as the vice chair of the Board of Trustees.

Among the topics those meetings covered were student life on campus, the

— Patrick Pope ’15

Below: President Engelkemeyer, a.k.a. Susan, in her role as student-for-a day.

Freshmen lead with Bison Bites Early risers, from left, Paul Marckini, Rachel Fassnacht, Emma Murphy, and Joseph Lane, get trays of food ready for delivery to Webster-Dudley Food Share.

Early mornings on the Nichols College campus are fairly quiet.

Some students make the trip up the hill to their 8 a.m. classes, and a few early risers make their way into the Lombard Dining Hall to have their morning meals.

But on Tuesdays and Thursdays, while most students are still asleep, the Bison Bites Club is taking the lead in helping the surrounding community.

“It’s a feel-good feeling,”says Nichols freshman Rachael Fassnacht, the club’s president. “It’s an early wake up, but we get something out of it.”

wide initiative to limit food waste on college campuses.

“It was a great opportunity to utilize the leftover food and help out the community,” notes Hebert, director of dining services at Nichols.

The Bison Bites Club was also partly spurred by Bison Give Back Day in October, when 420 students, faculty, and staff traveled to off-campus locations for community service projects. Another 175 participated in the Bison Stampede in which food drive items were donated to the Food Share facility.

“This was another great opportunity to help the community around us.” Fassnacht says.

The Webster-Dudley Food Share feeds about 100 families each week during their hours of operation on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The Bison Bites program provides between 20 and 50 of those meals packaged individually in to-go containers – usually the first items taken.

The new food recovery program represents one recent example of an initiative led entirely by Nichols undergraduates, including a number of first-year students.

Founded in November by Fassnacht, fellow freshmen Laura Freeman and Emma Murphy, and junior Paul Marckini, along with the help of advisor David Hebert, the club works closely with the WebsterDudley Food Share program to help provide meals to families in need by transporting unused food from the Nichols dining facilities.

Bison Bites is a member of the Food Recovery Network, a nation-

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Bison Give Back:

Alumni volunteers heighten the educational experience

By Ron Schachter

You’re likely to spot plenty of Nichols alumni on campus at the annual homecoming football game in the fall and even at the spring Career Fair, when a number return to represent the companies and organizations for which they work. But a growing number are making their presence felt on other fronts.

From joining career panels to conducting “mock” interviews with students to working directly with Nichols classes and campus organizations, recent and more experienced Nichols graduates have been volunteering their time, knowledge, and expertise. Along the way, they are enhancing what Nichols students are learning and improving their prospects upon graduation.

“It’s nice to be able to talk about your experience, and I think it’s a wonderful thing for students,” says human resources professional Emily Baker ’12, who has returned to campus for HR panels that offer an inside look at the hiring process.

“I bring back a familiar face, and the students feel comfortable asking me questions about what job interviews and the workplace are like.”

“I’ve become more engaged in giving back to the College,” adds successful entrepreneur Kim McCarthy ’92. “I was getting to a point in my career where I

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was saying, ‘This is how I got to where I am now.’”

Peter Caruso ’90 says that he came to the same realization after having had no formal contact with Nichols for almost 20 years. At that point he joined the Nichols Board of Advisors, which encourages alumni participation in the life of the College. Since then, Caruso and his colleague Patrick Holland ’88, both of whom work at the CHK Group of Wells Fargo Advisors, have become familiar figures in a Professional Development Seminar (PDS) class taught by Elizabeth Horgan, director of Career Services.

Over the past several years, Caruso and Holland have conducted “mock” interviews with students, eight-minute exercises that provide a real-life view of job seeking. The alumni interviewers also review – and ask questions based on – student packets containing a resume, cover letter, and supporting materials.

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Horgan appreciates the authenticity of the practice interviews. “We used to pair students up, and they don’t have the interview skills,” she recalls.

“It was very impactful for the students to be able to get more of a real-world experience,” adds Caruso. “For me, there really was a feeling of coming home because I had been gone for so many years. It was a nice way to come back.”

Caruso hasn’t stopped there. “We’ve had students come and visit the office, sit in on business meetings, and shadow us for a half day or a day,” he points out, adding that he stays in touch with some of them.

Two years ago, Caruso responded to a request by Accounting Professor

Jesse Plouffe ’06, senior product developer at New Balance Athletic Shoe Inc., discusses career possibilities with students at a 2011 Career Services Alumni Panel.

Jack Armstrong to gather a group of professionals for an off-campus dinner with Armstrong’s students. Caruso rounded up Jeff Olson ’90, a hospital CFO, and an investment banker as well as joining the dinner along with Holland.

Occasions like that one echo his own experiences as a Nichols student, Caruso says, in particular a Finance Club excursion to the New York Stock Exchange.

“We met traders and other professionals outside of the campus,” he explains.

“That’s what got me on the track to where I am today.”

McCarthy, who serves on the Alumni Association Board of Directors, likewise has involved herself with Nichols in a multitude of ways. Her company, Generations on the Move – which helps seniors relocate – has itself become a topic for conversation on campus. McCarthy has described her venture in a Nichols series featuring entrepreneurs.

VOLUNTEER LEADERSHIP In addition to the many alumni who volunteer their time to heighten the educational experience for Nichols students, more than 100 alumni and friends comprise three primary boards, devoting countless hours of service toward advancing our mission.

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The Board of Trustees is the 25-member governing body of Nichols, responsible for all academic, administrative, and financial affairs within the College.

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Chair: John H. Davis ’72

The Alumni Association Board of Directors currently has 17 members who help strengthen the bond of friendship, support and engagement between alumni and the College.

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President: William F. O’Connell Jr. ’78

The 60-member Board of Advisors lends its expertise and talents to help the College achieve its strategic goals.

Co-chairs: Peter V. Caruso ’90 and Patrick B. Holland ’88

Heidi DeGrazia ’95, CFO of Integra Companies Inc. who served as a featured alumna at the IWL’s March Forward event, meets with IWL Faculty Director Jean Beaupre.

McCarthy also consulted with Professor Len Harmon’s marketing class to help them come up with a marketing plan to expand her business, and she liked the results. “I was very impressed,” she recalls.

Lately, McCarthy has given her time and expertise to the College’s twoyear-old Institute for Women’s Leadership. She sits on the IWL’s Board of Advisors and has participated in that organization’s signature Conversation Project, in which successful professional women meet with groups of female undergraduates over dinner on campus.

“For me, it’s a great experience to see young women coming into the workforce and to tell them to take this approach in an interview or to go for that promotion,” she says.

IWL Faculty Director Jean Beaupre notes that the participation of McCarthy and several dozen other alumni as speakers, mentors, and board members have helped put her organization on sound footing. “A lot of alumni reached out directly to me when they heard of the IWL. They wanted to get involved and share their stories,” she notes.

“There’s a lot of enthusiasm and passion for helping female students,” Beaupre continues. “These alumnae see themselves in the students and help them understand the professional world they will have to face and the decisions they will have to make,” she says, adding that it matters that the volunteers are Nichols grads.

“There’s a level of understanding and sisterhood from having experienced the Nichols culture and taken it out in the world. Nichols students can connect with that,” says Beaupre.

A younger generation of alumni volunteers is also coming forward inspired by recent memories and an appreciation of their Nichols education. Baker, human resources coordinator for Harvard Medical School, has returned with other HR professionals to Human Resources Professor Libba Moore’s HR Management class to lead the same roundtable discussions with current students that

“Even though the students may not know me, they know I was sitting there just like them and that I’m sharing authentic experiences.”

Ryan Gervais ’08 MBA ’10

she experienced as an undergraduate.

“We break the class into tables with a small group of students at each and spend 20 minutes in conversation, with the students rotating through all of the tables,” Baker explains. “I like to talk about my time at Nichols and [particularly] the importance of getting an internship.” Baker also encourages the students she meets to stay in touch and connects on LinkedIn. Last year, Ryan Gervais ’08 MBA ’10 appeared on a panel for Career Services and sees an advantage in having graduated just seven years ago. “What I retained about landing my first job came from people not too far from my age,” he recalls.

“Even though the students may not know me, they know I was sitting there just like them and that I’m sharing authentic experiences,” Gervais adds, noting that he felt a connection to his student audience when he stressed the importance of resumes, the PDS program, and mock interviewing.

Jonathan Birtwell ’06 also has participated on a panel focused on interviewing,

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making an entry into the workforce, and advancing a career. “I tried to focus on a deficit I recognized in my own college education,” he says, adding that although he benefitted from the school’s business courses, Professional Development Seminar, and internship opportunities, making the leap into the professional workforce proved daunting.

“There wasn’t a well-blazed path into the asset management field coming from Nichols, and I didn’t know of recent graduates,” he says, noting that he tries to fill that void for today’s students.

“You don’t go from being a college graduate to becoming a trader for a financial services firm or a treasurer for a Fortune 500 company.”

Birtwell also has made an appearance before 35 students in the Nichols Investment Club – especially appropriate since he works as an associate portfolio

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES Nichols College alumni can contribute in a number of ways to ensure their alma mater remains strong and progressive. Here are a few to consider:

» Plan a class reunion » Gather classmate updates as a class scribe » Share your expertise in the classroom or with a club

» Serve on an alumni panel » Be a mentor to a student interested in your field

» Facilitate an internship within your company

» Introduce students to your alumni/ business network

» Host current students at your place of work

» Donate to the annual fund » Encourage your classmates to support Nichols as a class agent

» Host admissions events » Promote Nichols at your local high school » Help plan off-campus alumni receptions » Contribute to the Nichols College Magazine » Be a “mock” interviewer To volunteer, please contact Alumni Relations at 866-622-4766 or alumnioffice@nichols.edu.

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An October 2012 Alumni Career panel drew representatives from finance, banking, higher education, marketing, sales and criminal justice, including, from left, Chris Langlois ’00 MBA ’04, Pat Holland ’88, Christine Scarafoni ’06, Dan Church ’07, Ashlee Givins ’09, Bruce Whittredge ’90, Christine Snow ’09 and Jon Birtwell ’06.

manager at Natixis Global Asset Management. He has stayed in touch with almost a dozen students and hosted a lunch in Boston last year for senior finance majors.

In addition, Birtwell has sought to make an even larger impact in speaking with Nichols President Susan West Engelkemeyer and various Nichols professors. “Given that the financial world is changing exponentially, I think it’s important for me to impart what’s happening in the field and to impart the best practices I’m seeing and what skills are needed,” he insists.

These alumni are quick to point out that they get more than personal satisfaction from volunteering themselves. Baker notes that her appearances at Moore’s roundtable classes enable her to meet other alumni in the same field. “Networking is so huge,” she observes.

“Enriching the student population is self serving to a degree.” Birtwell points out. “I look at it as an investment in the Nichols brand. The better Nichols looks, the better my resume works.”

As co-chair (with Holland) of the Board of Advisors, Caruso sees the potential to promote more direct alumni involvement in the College.

“It was originally formed to assist the Board of Trustees in advancing the school through our experience, talent, and expertise, working with professors, students, and administrators to

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Christine Scarafoni, senior vice president at Century Bank for Savings, speaks with Julia Mastrototaro ’16.

develop internships and secure alumni participation in classes,” he explains of the 60-plus member board.

“Think of it as a pool of valuable resources that the school can dip into.

We’re always there and have a number of people ready, willing, and able to step up for the school,” he adds.

Such was the case when Carolyn Burke MBA ’92, a member of the Board of Advisors who was recently elected to the Board of Trustees, was instrumental in naming Nichols as a flagship internship partner with MAPFRE U.S.A. Corp.

“I look at the school as a foundation of my professional career, and I want it to be successful,” notes Caruso. “The more successful that Nichols is, the more proud I am to say that I came from Nichols.”

Corporate partnership with Incom marks new journey for Nichols and graduates

At an April 29th luncheon, nine employees of Charlton, Massachusetts-based fused fiber optics company Incom received their Master of Science in Organizational Leadership (MSOL) degrees from Nichols College.

The recipients had completed a unique 18-month program delivered one night a week at Incom headquarters by professors from the school’s division of Graduate and Professional Studies. A number of other Incom employees who took GPS courses on site but did not enroll in the master’s degree program have earned certificates over the past year.

“We have prepared a generation of leaders to move our company forward,” Incom President and CEO Michael Detarando told his company’s graduating class.

“It’s very rare when you try something this new and grand and you exceed all of your expectations. I couldn’t be more pleased with the results of the program and what we’ve gotten out of it already.”

“I honestly believe that the MSOL is a signature program that develops sides of you that other programs would not,” added Nichols President Susan West Engelkemeyer.

“You can see the change in the company,” MSOL recipient Scott Farland ’89 agreed, pointing to his fellow graduates. “We really targeted a group of employees to invest in and get to the next level. They are spreading what they learned, including proper thought processes and leadership skills.”

“They are spreading what they

learned, including proper thought processes and leadership skills.”

Scott Farland ’89 MSOL degree recipient

Farland now serves as Incom’s director of business development, sales, marketing, and client service, added that he has already made changes in his own approach.

“I’ve been in management for more than 20 years and this program completely revitalized my thinking of management and leadership,” he admitted.

“Even in the process of hiring new employees, I look for more in-depth information on what kind of leaders they can be and not just if they can be a good engineer

Front row, from left, Kerry Calnan, Executive Director, Graduate and Professional Studies; Dr. Susan West Engelkemeyer, President; Rick Medeiros; Sam Conte; Paul Cahill; Gary Tavares; Michael Detarando, President & CEO, Incom Inc. Back row, from left, David Botros; Steve Morrill; Chad Percival; Joe Renaud; and Scott Farland.

or sales person,” Farland explained, adding that he foresees a new generation of Incom employees taking the unique Nichols program in the future.

“Every year new people join the company and every few years we can identify the movers and shakers of tomorrow,” Farland continued. “I just hired a young sales engineer and he’s someone I would recommend for the program.”

Farland, who serves on the Nichols Board of Advisors and was instrumental in bringing the GPS courses to Incom, also has his sights set on reaching other companies in the Greater Worcester area.

“It’s so hard for business leaders to make this kind of investment in money and time,” he acknowledged, adding that they need only look at the return on investment in the actions of employees who take the program.

Nichols’ MSOL has become a soughtafter degree for graduate students who take their courses on the Nichols campus or connect online through the HyFlex format of all GPS classes. Farland took advantage of the HyFlex option to occasionally connect to the courses taught at Incom.

“I would log in from my home, see the professor at the whiteboard, and communicate with my classmates,” he recalled.

Offering an entire master’s program based at Incom – the first corporate partnership for GPS – required a new approach, said Incom’s Detarando.

“It was an incredible challenge to be able to understand and implement the nuances of our business and also to focus on the challenges that everyone in all businesses faces every day,” he explained. “I think Nichols struck that chord perfectly.”

“This is the beginning of a journey and not the end of a celebration.”

Kerry Calnan GPS Executive Director

“The level of customization was fantastic,” added Farland, noting that the GPS staff took tours of the Incom facility and studied the company’s practices. “They were very interested in how what they taught us related to how we work,” he noted.

The graduation ceremony, scheduled just after noon so the degree recipients could return to their jobs, took place in a banquet room bedecked with green and white balloons – the Nichols colors – at The Duck restaurant in Sturbridge. The new Nichols alumni donned black mortarboards atop their heads before receiving their framed degrees from GPS Executive Director Kerry Calnan.

“This is the beginning of a journey and not the end of a celebration,” Calnan told them.

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AT H L E T I C S

Ice hockey champs are Bison brotherhood

Photo: Jill Souza

Earlier this year, the Nichols College men’s ice hockey program captured its second-straight Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Northeast Championship, and with it a return trip to the NCAA Tournament. Since registering a 4-17-2 record 10 years ago, the Bison have won three of the last seven ECAC Northeast Championships and appeared in the NCAA Tournament three times, posting a record of 168-85-18 since the 2004-05 campaign – good for a winning percentage of .653. Since head coach Kevin Swallow took over the reins of the program at the start of

Alex Larson

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the 2012-13 season, the Bison own a mark of 55-20-7 (.713).

Off the ice, the program has seen a total of 33 student-athletes earn ECAC Northeast Academic All-Conference honors in the last two years, which is also tops in the league. One of those studentathletes, goaltender Alex Larson, was recently named to the 2014-15 Capital One Academic All-District® At-Large Division District 1 First Team.

“The team’s work ethic and closeness has had a real effect on their classroom attendance and wanting to do well,” says Megan Nocivelli, Nichols College faculty athletic representative. “They attend every class. They’re competitive about everything, which in addition to making them good hockey players, makes them good in class. They’re very much in-tune with the fact that they’re going to graduate and be looking for a job soon, where many college underclassmen don’t come to this realization until their junior year.”

After winning a program-record 25 games and winning the program’s first ECAC Northeast Championship in 2009, the team combined to win just 37 games over

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the next three seasons and did not advance past the conference semifinals. The Bison exceeded all expectations during the 2012–13 campaign – Swallow’s first behind the bench – going 16–9–1 and placing second in the conference to earn a bye into the semifinal round of the playoffs. In that contest, Nichols raced out to an early 2–0 lead over Salve Regina, but could not hold the lead and was erased from the playoffs with a 3–2 loss at Levy Rink.

“...They’re deep, they work

their butts off, they play as a group, and they don’t quit.”

Andy Boschetto Salve Regina head coach

“I’d heard there were some issues with the team not meshing the year before, so my first year, I really tried to hammer home this idea of creating a brotherhood,” says Swallow. “We had great leadership that year with Wil Brown, Bryan Gill, Danny Greiner, Greg Strootman, and Zach Kohn. Those guys did an excellent job bringing the team together.

That year set the framework for the two championship teams.”

Despite the disappointing loss to Salve’s Seahawks, the foundation for a championship program had been laid, as Swallow was named ECAC Northeast Coach of the Year, Larson was named Goaltender of the Year, and Tyler Beasley took home Rookie of the Year honors.

The Bison bounced back the following year to win 18 games and secure the No. 1 seed in the conference playoffs. After dispatching Curry College in the semifinal round, Brett Jackson’s overtime winner early in the first overtime against the Wentworth Institute of Technology gave the Bison their first ECAC Northeast crown in six seasons and sent them to the NCAA Tournament. Nichols lost a hard-fought 3–2 game at SUNY Geneseo, a game which saw Larson notch a career-high 45 saves.

Nichols saw three studentathletes named to the ECAC Northeast First Team in Beasley, Kyle Shapiro, and Sean Fleming.

Each was named to the academic allconference squad as well, joining Joe Sposit, Frank Butler, and Paul Prescott as six of the top eight scorers on Swallow’s team recognized for their academic prowess.

“The best student-athletes at Nichols are the ones who value the education they get in the classroom and potential for the future,” says Tim Bennett, who has served as the head athletic trainer for the program since 2012. “The coaches and captains of the men’s ice hockey team encourage the team to become involved in many building activities on and off the ice, which has helped create a brotherhood.

That brotherhood translates into intense, high-paced practices, and that turns into success during competition.”

That success continued in 2014–15 as the Bison won their first five games of the season by a combined score of 21–8 and steamrolled through the second half of the season, winning 10 of their final 11 games (10–0–1). Nichols secured the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament for the second-consecutive year and advanced to the championship game with a 3–2 win over Curry in the semifinal round.

In the ECAC Northeast Championship against No. 2 seed Salve Regina, Butler scored the only goal Nichols needed on the power play in the second period. Two empty net goals sealed a 3–0 win and sent the

AT H L E T I C S

Photo: Jill Souza

Bison back to the NCAA Tournament, where they lost 4–2 to the eventual national champions, Connecticut’s Trinity College.

classroom,” notes Swallow. “The type of guys we look to bring in are well-rounded kids who aren’t just here to play hockey and have a good time. They have their priorities in line. They’re a little bit older and more mature. Most of them are 20- or 21-year-olds from junior hockey. That gives them some time to get the immaturity out of the way and focus on their academics and hockey when they get here.

Those two priorities, along with family, are placed ahead of everything else. I think the guys buy into that culture, which gives us the results on and off the ice.”

“When you’re ranked in the top 15 in the country and

make the NCAA Tournament

Kyle Shapiro

“What makes Nichols unique is that they are not led by one superstar player. They’re deep, they work their butts off, they play as a group, and they don’t quit,” says Salve Regina head coach Andy Boschetto.

“It doesn’t matter if they’re down two or three goals. They’re going to fight until the end.”

The 2014-15 edition of the men’s ice hockey program will go down as the most decorated in history. Swallow earned his second Coach of the Year nod while Shapiro was tabbed ECAC Northeast Player of the Year. Following the season, Shapiro signed an amateur tryout (ATO) with the Evansville Icemen of the East Coast Hockey League – a minor league affiliate of the Ottawa Senators.

Larson, meanwhile, shared Goaltender of the Year accolades and was one of five finalists for the Joe Concannon Award, which is given to the best American-born Division II/III player in New England.

Both he and Shapiro were named to the American Hockey Coaches Association All America Third Team and, along with Tyler Beasley, the All-New England Division II/III Team. The trio was joined by fellow seniors Fleming, Chris Gularte, Evan Jones, Prescott, Patrick Salkind, Mike Schiavone, Mike Schwartz, and Sposit on the ECAC Northeast Academic All-Conference Team.

“The two go hand-in-hand, the work ethic off the ice and in the

two years in a row, those are very good selling points.”

Kevin Swallow Nichols College head hockey coach

Despite all of their success, both athletically and academically, over the last 36 months, one thing has eluded the Bison: a win in the NCAA Tournament (the program is 0–3 all-time). Last year, both the men’s soccer and tennis programs won their first round match, and it’s something Swallow hopes the Bison are able to accomplish next year.

The Bison did, however, complete the 2014-15 campaign No. 14 in both the final USCHO.com and d3hockey.com poll.

“Recruiting has become much easier, without a doubt,” explains Swallow. “When you’re ranked in the top 15 in the country and make the NCAA Tournament two years in a row, those are very good selling points. Winning programs attract winners and good hockey players want to play for the best programs out there. We’ve put ourselves in the discussion with the other top programs in the country.” ~ Pete DiVito

Colvin tapped as new AD Chris Colvin has been named as the athletic director at Nichols College, succeeding Charlyn 'Charlie' Robert, who has accepted a fulltime faculty position in the Sport Management Department at the College. He began his new post in June.

Colvin comes to Dudley following 19 years in the athletics department at Furman University, the last eight as associate athletics director. In his most recent role, he was responsible for the department's budget – which is in excess of $20 million – and managed all financial matters. He oversaw four of the University's most successful programs, both on and off the field, in men's and women's soccer and men's and women's tennis. Over the last eight seasons, those programs combined for eight Southern Conference (SoCon) regular season titles, seven SoCon tournament titles, eight NCAA Tournament appearances, and 25 winning seasons. Most recently, Colvin was instrumental in the addition of men's and women's lacrosse, which were added as varsity sports at Furman in 2014 and 2015, respectively.

Colvin also supervised Furman's student-athlete services initiatives, focusing on fully integrating Furman's student-athletes into the University community. "I look forward to working with the Bison community to use athletics to help accomplish the mission of Nichols College. I believe that participation in intercollegiate athletics teaches a unique set of life lessons that blends perfectly with the career-focused and leadership-based philosophy of Nichols. I am excited about the future of Bison athletics and Nichols College. I plan to work to ensure that Nichols College has an enrollment driven, student-athlete centered athletics program with a commitment to being competitively successful."

Under Robert’s leadership in her 17-year tenure as athletic director, Nichols has won 13 Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) titles, three ECAC Northeast Hockey titles, and hosted the 2011 NCAA

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DIII Field Hockey championship.

The 2011-12 men’s tennis squad became the first program in school history to advance to the second round in the NCAA tournament.

Over the past three years, six programs – field hockey, men’s basketball, men’s golf, men’s and women’s tennis, and men’s soccer – advanced to the CCC Championship. Nichols’ athletic complex has also flourished, as Robert helped oversee the construction of a new athletic center in 2000; a new multi-purpose stadium, Michael J. Vendetti Field, in 2005; and current field house renovations.

"It has been an honor and a privilege to develop and steer Nichols College athletics to a platform of academic and athletic success for the past 19 years,” says Robert. “I am very appreciative of the dedication of our coaches and staff and very proud of our studentathletes. I am pleased to welcome Chris Colvin to Nichols College and the Division III membership. His philosophy of being competitively successful will provide a natural leadership transition and continued success for Bison athletics."

Colvin graduated from Furman University with a BA in business administration and communications, and received his master’s of industrial statistics from the University of South Carolina.

He is married to the former Megan Pinniger of Greenville, S.C. The couple has three children: Lanie (four), David (three), and Gracyn (one).

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C L A S S N OT E S Please send your news directly to your class scribe. If you do not have a class scribe, news may be forwarded to classnotes@nichols.edu. Digital images are preferred, but please do not crop them! The higher the resolution the better – 300 dpi (dots per inch) is best. Digital images may be sent directly to the Alumni Relations Office – classnotes@nichols.edu. Prints may be sent to: Nichols College, Alumni Relations Office, and P.O. Box 5000, Dudley, MA 01571.

1948

1957

Class Scribe: Stanley Finn 70 Franklin St. Northampton, MA 01060-2039 413-586-0886

Class Scribe: Kent Tarrant 45 Valley View Dr. Hampden, MA 01036-0496 413-566-5130 Kent100@charter.net From the Class Scribe…

In December, the College received a note from Crystal Dennison ’13, who was awarded the Class of ’57 Endowed Scholarship during her junior and senior years at Nichols. It read in part: “…I am pleased to say that I landed a job in Retirement Services at MassMutual in Enfield, CT. I am doing well and ask that you wish the Class of 1957 Happy Holidays and please thank them again on my behalf for all they've done for me. I am extremely appreciative and hope all is well for them.” She is starting out with a great company and she is our very first living legacy. When I read it, I was touched that she took a moment to again show her appreciation for what the Class of '57 did for her.

Hope you have that same "good feeling" when you read it.

Charles Poladian writes that he is 92 years old, exercises for three hours each day at 24 Hour Fitness, enjoys ballroom dancing on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, and is looking forward to 102 years old and dancing. He was inducted into the French Legion of Honor in the Boynton Beach Ceremony on July 17, 2014, for his bravery during the Nazi occupation.

1950 » 65th Reunion

Class Scribe: Robert Risk 309 Conestoga Rd. Wayne, PA 19087-4009 610-731-3562 From the Class Scribe…

I can’t believe it’s 2015 and almost 65 years since we graduated! Just to remind all of you, September 18 and 19 is Homecoming at Nichols this year. Much good planning is going forward for it, so put it on your calendar. We are hoping to get a great turnout! The College is growing and, in talking to students there, they love it and always are saying good things about the school, professors and offices. Call or write me with any news.

1952

1958

Class Scribe: Paul Price 3214 Sudbury St. Springfield, OH 45503-1731 pprice@woh.rr.com

1960 » 55th Reunion 1962

Commenting on the recent deaths of his classmates, Daniel Berman writes: “Frank Schroll was my roommate. Gil Anderson and I played football for our local high school.”

Class Scribe: Charlie Howe May-September 212-22nd St. Surf City, NJ 08008-4926 609-494-5450 charleskatehowe@gmail.com

Class Scribe: Arthur Fries 917 Jordan Ct. Nipomo, CA 93444-6625 949-287-4710 friesart@hotmail.com

October- April 17468 Cornflower Ln. Punta Gorda, FL 33955 941-575-8150 From the Class Scribe…

Greetings to all from hot Florida (and it's only April 22nd)! I can only imagine what it will be like this

1955 » 60th Reunion 1956

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Nichols College M A G A Z I N E | S p r i n g / S u m m e r 2 0 1 5

summer. Fortunately for us, and not so much for you up north, we did manage to have a wonderful winter in southwest Florida.

Prior to our heading south last fall, we ventured to the Hill and spent a wonderful weekend celebrating with the Class of ’64 and enjoying all of the other activities associated with the 200th year anniversary of the school. Many of us attended a great historical presentation by Dr. Jim Conrad, Jr. It was nice spending time with him as well as meeting his son and daughter-in-law. The Golden Bison reception on Friday night gave us time to renew old acquaintances, many of whom we haven't seen in over 50 years. It was nice to cheer the Bison football team to their first victory, followed by a cocktail gathering and dinner party at the Southbridge Center. Our table included the Hasluns, Pagliccias and President Susan Engelkemeyer and her husband, as well as a Class of '58 grad, and a young graduate student.

During the weekend we were able to spend time with John and Adelle Turro, Danny Tomassetti ’64, Henri David ’64, Dave Lombard ’65, Phil Donnelly ’64, Ed Kunkel ’64, and the list goes on and on. We did miss Rene. There is a lot happening on the Hill. If you haven't been there lately, you owe it to yourself and to your family to visit.

I received a nice note from Bart Henkle, who is living in the Villages, FL, John and Adelle, as well as Dick and Pam Makin in Naples.

We missed the Naples gathering this year due to my chairing a charity fundraiser, but were fortunate to have a nice visit with Susan Engelkemeyer at our home in Punta Gorda. Here’s hoping that all is well with all of you.

Keep in touch. ~ Charlie

was a good network that kept us informed and up to date on each other. I’ll promise to do my part by sorting out the news and meeting the deadlines.

Brianne Ross, nee Callahan, director of alumni and parent engagement, has left Nichols for what sounds like a terrific career opportunity at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. This is bittersweet news for the Class of ’63, and especially those who worked on the 50th Reunion Committee who agree that a major reason we succeeded in raising $100,000 for the class scholarship was Brianne’s enthusiastic leadership, her passionate guidance, her wonderful friendly attitude toward all of us. I propose that we make Brianne Ross an Honorary Brother in the Brotherhood of ’63!

Thanks to ever faithful Pete Brusman for keeping me up to date. He reminded me to make reservations for the September Homecoming. Carol and I are booked into the Southbridge Hotel and Conference Center for the 18th and 19th. See y’all there?!?

1964

Class Scribe: Warren Bender 3604 Kingsley Dr. Myrtle Beach, SC 29588-7714 843-492-6727 wbender@sc.rr.com From the Class Scribe...

Finally got up north Myrtle to see Duke MacNair ’66 (center).

1963

Class Scribe: Bruce I. Haslun 207 Shore Street, Unit 2 Falmouth, MA 02540 508-388-7816 hashardt@att.net From the Class Scribe…

The news is pretty scant for this, our first Nichols College Magazine in a long time. I feel badly because y’all were getting to be good, loyal and regular correspondents. Now we’re all out of practice. Please help me to try and rebuild what

 Here’s a pic of Bob Hood ’66, Duke and myself. Still funny as hell and crazy. And The Beat Goes On.

1965 » 50th Reunion

Bob Kime reports: “My wife of 48 years, Nancy, and I just completed our 30th cruise and so far have visited, by land tour or cruise tour, 54 countries. The world is truly an amazing place. Settling down a bit,

C L A S S N OT E S

1972

1983

Class Scribe: Mark Alexander mark1alex12@gmail.com From the Class Scribe…

As part of a cruise through the Adriatic and Mediterranean, I visited St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, wearing my Nichols cap, of course. Fabulous trip! 

Class Scribe: Michael Donehey 508-376-5469 (phone) 509 376-5043 (fax) mdonehey@live.com Edward A. Goodwin MBA has been elected assistant vice president and designated Bank Secrecy Act officer at Middlesex Savings Bank. Most recently, he was employed by Millbury Federal Credit Union, where he was BSA/anti-money laundering officer.

 1986 classmates, from left, E.J. Landry, Paul Wigglesworth, Andy Michienzi, Rich Ambrozy, Joe Litavis, Dave Bedard, Dave Lofgren, and Rich Anderson. we bought a second home in Florida for winters away from the cold Pennsylvania weather and this last (harsh) winter, it paid for itself.

We now have three children and seven grandchildren, spanning twin boys graduating college this year to a granddaughter age seven. Some health issues are starting to change our ability to travel as much, but retirement is still a treat. Looking forward to our 50th reunion this year on the Hill and hoping to see many of my classmates.”

Richard “Dick” Shields, longtime president of Dresser Hull Lumber and Building Supply, was given the Lee Chamber of Commerce Lifetime Achievement Award in 2013 for his decades of service, investment and philanthropy in the Lee, MA, area.

1967

Mike Runyon reports: “Fifty-year friendships are hard to come by, but that is what I have with Don Parsons. We spent three years together in Budleigh during which time we both lost our fathers. We graduated in 1967. Don was in the Army and was stationed at the Brandenburg Gate in Germany. I joined the Navy and was stationed on a destroyer home ported in Long Beach, Calif., on which I did two tours off the coast of Vietnam.

Our business worlds were rather

different. Don was a self-employed bookkeeping/tax accountant in Eastern Long Island, N.Y., for over 30 years. I was a manager in the leading corporate relocation company based in Wilton/Danbury, Conn., for 28 years. Starting in 2005, Don ‘winters’ in Titusville, Fla., in the same community as Bobby Hood ’66. Starting in 2013, he ‘summers’ in Milford, D.E. I moved to Chocowinity, a small town east of Greenville, N.C., in 1999. Retirement was an easy life adjustment. Don plays tennis, golfs, kayaks, bikes and RVs. I fish, bicycle ride, and swim. Daily emails to each other continue to keep us close.

We both spend time with our wives, Pam and Chris, and are involved in family activities. We have attended our 20th, 30th, and 40th reunions during Homecomings. We have supported the College financially since graduation. It's important to keep in touch with Nichols alums. Old friendships mean even more as we age.”

1969

Class Scribe: Robert Kuppenheimer 4627 Tremont Ln. Corona del Mar, CA 92625-3130 bob.kuppenheimer@nuveen.com

1984

Class Scribe: Rose (Cummings) Mamakos 3 Woodland Ave Kingston, MA 02364-1029 mamcraz@comcast.net

1985 » 30th Reunion

My daughter, Mary Jo (former Nichols employee), gave birth to her second child, Alexander John Platt, on November 11, 2014. AJ joins big brother, Trey (2½ ).

"Gramps’" other daughter, Sarah Mitchell, also has two boys, Jack (9), and Nolan (7).

Class Scribe: John P. Donahue 10 Corsham Drive Medford, NJ 08055-8434 609-257-8191 jdonahue5@csc.com

1986

1975 » 40th Reunion

Class Scribe: Susan Zimonis 18930 Misty Lake Dr. Jupiter, FL 33458 561-707-8781 susanzimonis@bellsouth.net

1980 » 35th Reunion 1981

Andy Michienzi hosted several members of the Class of 1986 for a weekend of golf at his home on Cape Cod in May 2014. (Photo, top left.)

Chuck Patterson, AIF®, senior vice president/ chief operations officer at Bartholomew & Company, a wealth management firm in Worcester, Mass., was named a 2015 Five Star Wealth Manager by Boston Magazine for overall client satisfaction.

Less than 23 percent of wealth managers in Massachusetts were named to the list.

1988

Class Scribe: Diane Bellerose Golas 90 Lebanon St. Southbridge, MA 01550-1332 508-764-6077 spongedicat@aol.com

1970 » 45th Reunion

Peter Scandone writes that he retired from MAPFRE|Commerce Insurance Co. on May 1, 2012, as national property claims manager.  Mark Alexander ’72, Hardy Littleton ’74, Peter Lynch ’74, and Donn Bleau ’73 gather in Florida.

 1989 classmates pictured include: Tricia Lyons Gallo, Judith (Miele) Keyser, Annette Chalmers, Lisa Boynton, Allison (Vaughan) Kierce, Tammy (Healy) Ford, David Kierce, Tom Nicalek; Amy (Pelow) Whitmarsh, Stacey Kiely, Christine (Jones) Dunphy, Kim Kiely, Gina (Mattero) Cooney, Ken Buffington, John Kierce, and Mike Cooney.

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C L A S S N OT E S

Catching Up With Greg Delagi ’84 For the past 31 years, R. Gregory (Greg) Delagi ’84 has pursued a high-tech career that is remarkable in myriad ways. For starters, he has worked for the same company, Texas Instruments – a rarity in this day and age – since graduating as a Nichols marketing major. While at TI, he has even switched careers without missing a beat. And he is helping to lead a technological revolution shaping the 21st century.

Currently, Delagi serves as a senior vice president at TI and the general manager of the company’s Embedded Processing business. He oversees the development, production, and marketing of chips that go into everything from smart factories and home appliances to navigation and entertainment systems for automobiles.

“I was very interested in going into a company that would invest in me and train me,” says Delagi. “But I never imagined being in any one place for that long. It’s a beautiful thing.”

Working for a large company enabled Delagi to switch careers without switching companies. After 12 years working as one of TI’s sales directors, he moved to a business unit creating and marketing new products. “It was the other end of the equation from sales,” says Delagi, who also has studied electrical engineering. “It meant coming up with the concept for a product, engineering it, releasing it into the market, and supporting it.”

In his lifelong work with Texas Instruments, Delagi has been party to a technological boom that is sometimes hard to imagine. “One of the reasons I was attracted to the semiconductor field was my belief that this technology was going to change everything and make a fundamental impact on the world,” he admits.

“If you start thinking about the fundamental changes in our lives, it’s extraordinary. Fifteen years ago I did not have a broadband connection at home, HDTV, 594 cable channels, and the ability to stream virtually every movie on the planet to watch on my couch. I didn’t have a smart phone, a digital music device or a handheld GPS. And semiconductor technology has enabled all of these developments.”

When it comes to embedded processers, Delagi has had a front row view of a brave new world, driven in part by billions of “smart” devices connecting through the Internet.

1989

1994

Members of the Class of 1989 gathered together on the Saturday of Homecoming at the home of Mike and Gina Cooney. Some traveled from Seattle, Martha’s Vineyard and York, Penn., to be there. Judith (Miele) Keyser writes, “This is an amazing group of alumni, many who married each other, and have remained friends for 29 years, since we all met in the fall of 1985.”

(Photo of classmates on page 13.)

Class Scribe: Danielle (Troiano) Sprague 20 Stagecoach Rd. Leominster, MA 01453 508-845-6604 thedwoman@yahoo.com

1990 » 25th Reunion 1991

Class Scribe: Donna Small 4905 Bay Harvest Ct. Clemmons, NC 27012-8245 336-712-1053 (home) 336-692-5157 (cell) dsmall9242000@yahoo.com

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Jude Tomasino, associate director of records/transfer at Community College of Rhode Island, was recently named Professional of the Year by the New England Association for College Admission Counseling (NEACAC). Award recipients are strong and ethical advocates for students and/or their institutions and have a proven record of accomplishment throughout their careers. Additionally, he was elected president of the New England Transfer Association (NETA) for 2014-2016. He was

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“Everything getting connected is the next wave of change… and it will change everything from the products we buy, to how we use them, to the services and business models they will enable,” says Delagi. Imagine a wireless sensor next to a water heater which can connect to your insurance company, for example. In the event of a burst water heater, the insurance company can shut off the water – limiting damage and claims – and the sensor can immediately notify the homeowner.

Similar sensors in home appliances, such as refrigerators and dishwashers, will be able to give their manufacturers extensive data that can influence the engineering and sales of those products.

“It’s not as sexy as the next iPhone but there are enormous possibilities,” Delagi says. “It’s a breathtaking opportunity.”

Recently Delagi and his team have focused on developing a new generation of chips for the automotive industry. These progressively smaller devices are at the heart of increasingly complex information and entertainment systems and a spate of safety features – from automatic braking, to parking assistance and blind-spot detection, to cars driving themselves.

The expansive development of Delagi’s own career and the technological world he inhabits harkens back in part to Nichols Marketing Professor Reed Holden. “He was captivating and opened up my eyes completely to what the possibilities were and that I could do anything,” Delagi recalls.

At this point in his career, Delagi adds, he’s also focused on bringing younger generations along in his field and company. “So much of my motivation is legacy driven so the culture here carries on,” he says.

As part of that culture, he expects a 60-hour work week from his employees, to whom he emphasizes that the extra time on the job allows for them to grow all the more. “Every hour you work past 40 hours is an investment in your future because by working these extra hours, you’re going to learn that much more and become a stronger contributor to your company. And contributing to your company should be woven into everything you do.

“I’ve worked hard at Texas Instruments and made contributions, but I’ve had great fortune in being at the right company to help me grow and challenge me,” Delagi concludes. “That’s a pretty special thing.” ~ Ron Schachter

also recognized with the Presidential Merit Award from the Rhode Island Association of Admission Officers (RIAAO), in recognition of his commitment, service, and leadership to the organization.

1995 » 20th Reunion 1998

Class Scribe: Emily (Seiferman) Alves Millie.176@hotmail.com Rob McDiarmid and his wife, Andrea Spinella, welcomed their daughter, Brooke Avery, on August 25, 2014. She joins three-year-old big brother, TJ. They live in Manhattan where Rob is vice president of men’s and kid’s for Tommy Hilfiger, and Andrea is executive director of marketing for Estée Lauder. 

2000 » 15th Reunion Class Scribe: Andrea Sacco Andrea.j.Sacco@gmail.com Eddie Rodriguez and Nicole (Crawford) Rodriguez ’02, of New Britain, CT, report: “We are

C L A S S N OT E S

both working as educators in the Hartford Public Schools System.

Eddie was named para educator of the year for 2013-2014 at Burr Elementary School, after only eight months of service. Nicole was appointed to the New Britain Board of Education. Eddie is currently in his seventh season coaching baseball and Nicole is enjoying her seventh year coaching basketball.

We now have two beautiful boys, Eddie Jr., age 2, and our newest edition, Lawrence Joseph, 9 months old. We are excited to be a part of the bicentennial celebration.

Nancy Sorenson MBA ’03, senior director of provider reimbursement and data management for Fallon Health, received certification from the American Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) Executive Leadership Program (ELP). For nearly 16 years, Sorenson has held several leadership roles at Fallon. In her current role, she oversees the provider network operational functions for Fallon, which includes the development, directing and coordination of system configuration activities for all physician/hospital/ancillary providers.

2001

Class Scribe: David Twiss 978-979-7658 (cell) david.twiss14@gmail.com James Perrella writes that he recently opened his own insurance agency in Stratford, CT. He invites alumni to “like” his Facebook page, "Allstate Insurance: James Perrella,” and for alumni in Connecticut to check him out for your insurance needs. He also continues to grow his sports marketing clients with his firm, Impact Sports Development LLC and has contracted with several NASCAR Camping World Truck Series teams to sell their supplemental sponsorship packages, as well as several high schools throughout the state of Connecticut.

Crista Durand MBA was named president of Newport Hospital, Rhode Island’s largest health system. Durand, a seasoned hospital executive who has most

recently held a leadership position at Lawrence + Memorial Hospital (L+M) in New London, CT, joined Newport Hospital in August 2014.

Durand was selected by Lifespan and hospital leadership following a national search that spanned six months and included applicants from around the U.S.

2002

Amahl Williams announced the arrival of son, Jachson Stephen, born on July 29, 2014. 

2003

Class Scribe: Jillian (Hayes) Smerage jnhayes@gmail.com

2005 » 10th Reunion

Class Scribe: Melissa Jackson msmeljackson@gmail.com Matthew Krumsiek has released a new book, The Wretched Road to Success: A Book on Business & Management Theories, a resource for entrepreneurs and everyone from small business owners to high-power corporate executives in their mission to negotiate that long and often arduous journey.

For more information, visit www.authormatthewkrumsiek.com.

2006

Class Scribe: Erica (Mello) Boulay erica.boulay@hotmail.com Jason Dekow married Ashley Martell on May 25, 2014, at the Tower Hill Botanical Garden in Boylston, MA. He writes: “Ash and I met one another back in the spring of 2009 while attending the wedding of a fellow Bison, Craig Turner and his wife, Brittany.” Fellow Bison, Thomas Shields ’07 and Bradford Weichold, were two of the seven groomsmen, and a number of other Nichols classmates were in attendance.

2007 Class Scribe: Meaghan Larkin 26 Crescent Street Quincy, MA 02169 617-281-5584 meaglark@gmail.com From the Class Scribe…

Corey Horner, his wife, Cassandra, and sons, Henrik Beckett (5) and Noah Michael (2) welcomed baby girl, Emilia Ann Rose, to their family on August 25, 2014.

Meghan (Rose) Galligan and her husband, Dan, announced the birth of Chase Daniel, on June 5, 2014.

Joe Palange is now an energy efficiency specialist at Commonwealth Electrical Technologies.

Meaghan Larkin is now sales manager at the House of Blues Boston. (See story on page 16.)

Kaitlyn Gillespie married Matt Ricci ’06 on October 18, 2014, in Newport, RI. Kaitlyn’s Nichols roommates, Jackie McNulty and Meaghan Larkin, were bridesmaids. 

 Erin (Walsh) Berthiaume, her husband, Gabe, and daughter, Delaney Ada (4), welcomed twin girls, Addyson Isabelle and Peighton Claire, to their family on September 19, 2014.

Kevin King, his wife, Karina, and daughters, Jiana and Julia, welcomed baby boy, Logan, to their family on June 5, 2014.

Jason Arrighie and Hollie Higgins were married in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, in May 2014.

They currently reside in Cranston, RI, and both work at Fidelity Investments. 

Erin Kelly and Mark Buckley announced the birth of Charlotte on Sept. 1, 2014. She joins big brother, Kellyn. 

Andrea Lane has been promoted to global social media coordinator for New Balance.

Gary Dalton has been promoted to business director for Town Sports International (Boston Sports Clubs).

Jeff and Kristen (Colasuonno) Bates announced the birth of son, Otis, on February 16, 2015. 

2008 Class Scribe: Nicole Silvio nms31@msn.com Eric Gourene, who has been known in Worcester as DJ E-Class for six years, was named one of “Worcester’s 10 Coolest People” on GoLocalWorcester.

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C L A S S N OT E S

2009 Brittney Case and Casey Butler '06 were married in April 2014.

Groomsmen were Sean Butler '02 and brother, Ryan Butler, and a bridesmaid was Chelsea Blair. 

2010 » 5th Reunion Class Scribe: Katelyn Vella katelyn.vella@yahoo.com Samantha Foote announced the birth of a son, Chris, in October 2014. 

Jonathan Micalizzi reports that he joined the Air Force Reserves as a firefighter and recently graduated from Basic Military Training with the U.S. Air Force from Lackland AFB in San Antonio, Texas. He completed an intensive, eight-week program that included training in military discipline and studies, Air Force core values, physical fitness and basic warfare principles and skills. He returned home to Southington, Conn., after the completion of the Department of Defense Louis F. Garland Fire Academy at Goodfelllow AFB in Texas on May 17, 2014, which consists of three months of intensive training of firefighting and rescue. He is continuing his graduate work in homeland security at the University of New Haven and is also a volunteer firefighter for the Town of Southington.

2011

Class scribe: Alexandria M. Hallam aliemchal@gmail.com Kyle Sullivan was a recipient of the 40 Under Forty Awards in 2014 from the Business Journal of Western Massachusetts. A commercial lines coverage specialist with the John M. Glover Insurance Agency, he was also named the Western Massachusetts Regional Member of the Year for Business Networking International, an organization for which he served as secretary treasurer then vice president. Sullivan is also active in civic involvement that includes Western Mass. Junior Achievement, the Holyoke Blue Sox board, the Young Professional Society of Greater Springfield, and Leadership Pioneer Valley – all with a focus on building the region’s economic future.

Michael Seiger and Heather Paul were married on June 14, 2014. 

Jason Gove of the New England Revolution was named Major League Soccer’s Team Administrator of the Year by Sportscorp Travel.

2014

Former Bison ice hockey teammates caught up and reminisced in Denver, CO, in August 2014. From left, Josh DeLoach, Dustin Timm '13, Kevin Richardson '12, and Rick Batenburg. 

Catching Up With

Meaghan Larkin ’07 Little did Meaghan Larkin ’07 know when she was a young girl standing in line for Red Sox player autographs that she would end up working at Fenway Park early in her career. “I grew up going to Fenway and always wanted to work there,” Larkin says. “However, I didn’t know what I wanted to do until I met someone who was in charge of pre-game entertainment – creating the experience.”

As a sport management major at Nichols, Larkin gained experience in the field, working first as a ticket sales associate for both the DCU Center and the Worcester Sharks, and an intern with the Pawtucket Red Sox. When she graduated in 2007, she worked at a small summer concert venue in Cohasset, Mass., before taking a job in a construction office and working ticket operations part time for the Red Sox. In 2009, she took a full-time position in their special events department. “I stayed with event planning because it was always changing,” she notes.

While some events were routine, others were once-in-a-lifetime. Some of her most memorable events include John Henry’s wedding, which concluded with a reception in the Fenway Park outfield; meeting her childhood love, Donnie Wahlberg, when he performed with the New Kids on the Block at Fenway Park; and the 2013 World Series Gala, a 5,000+ ballparkwide event.

For Larkin, event management involves creating the ultimate experience for fans and clients. “As a professional working in the field, I’ve learned that it’s not just about fans coming to games. It’s about providing customer service across the board,” she says.

In 2011, she took a job as a catering sales manager with Aramark, the sole caterer of the Red Sox, to learn the food and beverage side of the events business. She worked closely with the Red Sox events team to plan and execute all events, including the Red Sox Foundation and Corporate Partnership events and pre-game functions sold through the Premium Sales and Group Sales departments. For the 500 events Fenway Park hosts annually, Larkin was responsible for managing not only the food and beverage requirements but client contact and contract negotiation, venue set up, timeline, entertainment, décor, and on-site operations.

During her time at Aramark, Larkin also worked as a special events server at the House of Blues, a unique music and event venue located almost directly across from Fenway Park. This connection ultimately led her to her current position as sales manager for the House of Blues, where her first major event was the after-Marathon party in 2014.

Larkin credits networking for her career trajectory. “The industry is very much who you know and not just what you know,” explains Larkin.

“Networking is huge. The majority of my jobs in the sport/entertainment industry have come through who I know, and networking with new and potential clients is important in my current position. However, in order to get ahead, I had to work for minimal money and be willing to start from the bottom.”

While Larkin loves her job at House of Blues, it comes with challenges.

“Ultimately, the House of Blues was designed to be a concert venue, not an event location, so it is sometimes challenging to set up events based on clients’ needs. However, a lot of people are looking for a unique venue, and the House of Blues provides that.”

Being so close to Fenway Park, is Larkin tempted to move back to the sport management field? “As much as I miss watching the sunrise from Fenway Park, being the only person in the ballpark before a morning event, and eating my lunch on top of the Green Monster while watching the players take batting practice, I am happy where I am now and see myself staying here for the foreseeable future,” she says. “It allows me to have a life outside of work, something my previous positions didn’t always offer.” ~ Julie Errico

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NICHOLS REMEMBERS

Thomas R Gross ’39, of New London, N.H., died Nov. 1, 2014.

Gross served in the U.S. Army during World War II and later became a sales manager for Corey Jamestown Manufacturing Co. and A.H. Rice Audio Visual Co. In the early 1970s, he co-founded NorthEast Audio Visual Co. in Bedford.

He was married to Carol Crafts for 65 years and leaves three children; and one grandchild.

Robert D. Taft ’40, of Laconia, N.H., died Dec. 28, 2014. He served in the U.S. Air Force in World War II. He later worked for Leland Gifford for 25 years as a production manager and Morgan Construction as a material control manager. Predeceased by his wife, Dorothy, and two daughters, he is survived by a son; three grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

Allen F. Diefenderfer Jr. ’41, of Acworth, Ga., died March 7, 2015.

He served in the U.S. Marine Corps and was a health and beauty aids sales manager for several companies during his career. Predeceased by his wife of 66 years, Dorothy, and a sister, he is survived by a son; a daughter; four grandchildren; and a great-grandchild.

A. Carleton “Bud” Johnson ’48, of Hampden, Mass., died March 9, 2013. He owned and operated E.D. Johnson Co. Real Estate, Insurance and Appraisals in Springfield, A.C. Johnson Insurance Co. and A.C. Johnson Safety Equipment Co. Predeceased by his wife, Betty, he leaves two daughters.

John B. Stanick Jr. ’48, of Webster, Mass., died June 5, 2014. He was a U.S. Navy veteran of World War II and the Korean War. Stanick first worked as a statistician for the Welfare Department in Boston and was later a mail handler for the U.S. Postal Service in Worcester for 17 years before retiring in 1989. He leaves a sister, and was predeceased by a sister.

Donald E. Welch, Sr. ’48, of Albany, N.Y., died Feb. 24, 2015. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II and had a career as a commercial

realtor and broker through Donald E. Welch Real Estate, which he formed in 1979. Predeceased by a sister, he is survived by his wife of 61 years, Terre; five sons; two daughters; seven grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

Joseph P. Corsiglia ’49, of Centerville, Mass., died April 21, 2015. He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War and was employed as a juvenile furniture salesman in New York City, and for Thayer Furniture Co., of Gardner, until 1973, when he and his brother established their own business. Survivors include four children; 12 grandchildren; and two stepchildren. He was predeceased by his wife, Joanne, and three brothers.

Frederick A. “Fred” Mock Jr. ’49, of Orange, Mass., died Dec. 27, 2014.

Mock served in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War and worked for the former Orange Co-operative Coal Co. before starting Mock's Fuel and Service in 1980.

Survivors include his wife of 57 years, Edith; a daughter; two sons; seven grandchildren; and a greatgrandson. He was predeceased by a sister.

William E. “Bill” Wrang Jr. ’49, of Portland, Maine, died Jan. 20, 2015.

A veteran of World War II, he served with the U.S. Navy in Virginia and in the Navy Reserves.

For nearly 35 years, he was a salesman with the former F. L. Caulkins auto dealership in Middletown, Conn., and later worked as a Connecticut deputy sheriff/ marshal. In addition to his wife of 60 years, Alice, he leaves a daughter; two sons; five grandchildren; and two sisters.

Keen F. Markey Jr. ’50, of Satellite Beach, Fla., died March 15, 2014.

He served in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War and remained a lifelong sports enthusiast and an avid golfer. He was preceded in death by his wife, Lee; a daughter; and his companion.

Frederick E. Moore ’51, of La Puebla, N.M., died Jan. 21, 2015.

He was a member of the Connecti-

cut Air National Guard at Bradley Field and later owned an excavating and heating oil delivery company in Williamstown, Mass., where he also had a logging business in partnership with his son. Survivors include his wife, Gertrude; three sons; four grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; and a sister.

2014. He served in the U.S. Army as an MP in Japan. He owned Schroll Transportation for over 40 years and was a principal owner at Glastonbury Hills Country Club until he became sole owner in 1995. Predeceased by a son, Michael, and two sisters, he leaves his wife of 59 years, Patricia; four children; ten grandchildren; a great-grandchild; and a brother.

Stewart N. Smith ’51, of Boynton Beach, Fla., and Lincoln, Mass., died July 14, 2014. Smith served in the U.S. Army from 1953 to 1955 and worked as a senior executive for Uniroyal Tire Co., where he held various positions over his 34-year career. He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Marilyn; two daughters; a son; six grandchildren; and a brother.

Jack C. Lambui ’53, of Roanoke, Va., died Oct. 9, 2014. Following service in the U.S. Army during the Korean War, he worked in the insurance industry, including Eades & Lower Insurance in Roanoke, before his retirement. Survivors include a close friend of 24 years, Peggy Frost; three children; and a granddaughter.

Donald L. Wochomurka Sr. ’51, of Bloomfield, Conn., died June 17, 2014. A U.S. Army veteran of the Korean War, he was a retired senior manager in manufacturing. He leaves his wife of 62 years, Ann; four children; seven grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; a brother; and a sister.

Gilbert W. "Gil" Bourdon ’54, of Laconia, N.H., died April 12, 2015.

He worked for 25 years as a real estate salesperson for Byse Agency and is survived by his wife of 58 years, Harriette; two sons; one daughter; five grandchildren; and two great-granddaughters.

Gilbert R. Anderson ’52, of Simsbury, Conn., died April 30, 2014.

He served in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War and was a senior manager of information systems at Hamilton Standard/ UTC for many years prior to his retirement. He is survived by a son; a daughter; four grandchildren; and three siblings.

Paul E. Raff Jr. ’55, of Glastonbury, Conn., died May 16, 2014. He served in the U.S. Army and Army Reserves. He worked in Hartford as a bookkeeper/accountant, a welder at Electric Boat, and an expediter for Pratt & Whitney Aircraft, retiring in 1992 after 27 years of service. He leaves his wife of 51 years, Janice; a daughter; and two grandchildren.

Rodney W. Jackson ’52, of Houston, Texas, died Sept. 29, 2014. He served in the U.S. Army and later owned and operated Jackson Trucking Co., which specialized in construction excavating. Preceded in death by his wife, Rhonda, he leaves seven children; nine grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; and a sister.

Norman D. McLoon Jr. ’56, of Chelmsford, Mass., died April 1, 2015. He worked as a pharmaceutical sales representative for Hoechst-Celanese for almost 30 years, covering the Boston hospitals up until his retirement. He leaves his wife of 56 years, Bertha; a son; and a brother.

Edwin H. Johnson ’52, of Westbury, N.Y., died Dec. 30, 2014. He began his career in construction with John A. Johnson and Sons, which was founded by his grandfather in 1896. He later served as vice president and general superintendent at Caldwell Wingate and retired as vice president of Allied Stores.

Predeceased by his wife, Jean, he is survived by four children; seven grandchildren; and a brother.

Bruce E. Rickard ’57, of Northborough, Mass., died April 11, 2014. For over 50 years, he was an insurance claims professional, and prior to his retirement, he was senior regional claims manager for A.I.M. Mutual Insurance Cos. Survivors include his wife of 53 years, Patricia; a daughter; a son; and two grandchildren.

Robert Struble ’57, of Conroe, Texas, died Feb. 12, 2015. He served in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War and later became vice

Frank C. Schroll ’52, of South Glastonbury, Conn., died March 30,

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NICHOLS REMEMBERS

president of marketing for Great Bear Water Co. in New York City and president of Music Mountain Water Co. until he retired. He is survived by his wife, Lila; two sons; and three grandchildren.

Peter A. Potter ’59, of Cortland, N.Y., died Sept. 9, 2014. He was president of the Potter Paint Co. until his retirement. Preceded in death by his first wife, Bernadine, a brother and a sister, he leaves his wife, Sue; two sons; three grandchildren; his wife’s children and grandchildren; and a sister.

Robert S. Miller ’61, of Uxbridge, Mass., died July 30, 2014. A U.S. Air Force veteran of the Korean War, he was a purchasing agent for shoe companies, including Sandlerette Footwear Co. in Webster, and later served as a supervisor at General Spring & Wire in Oxford and as a machine operator at Gentex Optics in Dudley, retiring in 2003.

Survivors include his wife of 56 years, Mary; three children; and eight grandchildren. He was preceded in death by a brother.

Jamieson W. "Jim" Brown ’62, of Boothbay, Maine, died April 8, 2015. He owned and operated a sailboat charter business called Spindrift Cruises. He was predeceased by a brother, and is survived by three children; two grandchildren; a companion, Mary, and her children and grandchildren.

Robert E. Hiler ’62, of Canton, Conn., died April 12, 2015. He served in the National Guard and was a real estate partner for Collier Dow & Condon in Hartford for many years prior to his retirement.

Survivors include a sister; a niece; and a great-niece.

Philip L. Smith ’62, of South Glastonbury, Conn., died Dec. 21, 2014. He served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War and had a career as an inspector for the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. In addition to his wife, Kathryn, Smith is survived by a son; a daughter; a step-daughter; nine grandchildren; and a sister.

Langdon H. Wait ’62, of Acton, Mass., died Jan. 2, 2015. Wait founded his own software business, ETS, over 35 years ago. He is survived by his wife of 49 years, Madge; three children; and four grandchildren.

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Peter B. Brown ’63, of Green Valley, Ariz., and Queensbury, N.Y., died Feb. 18, 2014. Brown began his career at Glens Falls Insurance Co. Later, he and his wife, Marjorie, owned and operated King Neptune's Lounge in Lake George for more than 20 years. In addition to his wife, he leaves two children; two stepchildren; six grandchildren; a sister. He was predeceased by a brother.

David Paulson ’64, of Howell, N.J., died June 3, 2014. He was a volunteer fireman at the Millburn/Short Hills Fire Department, Colts Neck #2 Fire Department, and the Colts Neck First Aid Squad. He leaves his wife, Nancy; three children; and six grandchildren.

Robert H. Voorhis Jr. ’64, of Satsuma, Fla., died Feb. 18, 2015.

He was a car salesman for Hand Motors in Manchester Center, Vt., for about 30 years. Survivors include his wife, Marge; two children; two grandchildren; a stepson; a granddaughter; and a sister.

Robert J. "Bob" Cusson ’65, of Brimfield, Mass., died July 5. 2014.

He worked in quality control for Saint-Gobain in Worcester for 21 years before recently retiring. He leaves his mother; his wife of 28 years, Sherry; a son; two daughters; and five grandchildren.

Richard B. “Dick” Trudel ’66, of Fitchburg, Mass., died March 18, 2015. He began his career in sales with IBM and later became director of the Telemarketing Division of Wang Labs. In 2003, he retired as vice president of sales and marketing from Quad Tech, Inc. in Maynard. Survivors include his wife of 52 years, Lynn; two children; two grandchildren; and four siblings. He was predeceased by a brother.

Peter J. "Piper" Murphy III ’67, of Easton, Md., died Aug. 25, 2014.

He was a real estate broker in Easton for several firms, including Walsh & Benson, Stafford & Murphy and O’Connor, Piper & Flynn. Predeceased by a brother, he leaves a sister; and nephews.

Richard J. Giguere ’70, of Southbridge, Mass., died Feb, 7, 2015. He retired in 2000 as a financial analyst for United Technologies.

He leaves his wife of nearly 55 years, Barbara; two sons; a daugh-

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ter; three granddaughters; three brothers; and two sisters.

William A. "Rusty" Hayes II ’73, of Marana, Ariz., died Aug. 7, 2014.

He served in the U.S. Marine Corps and earned a master’s degree at Harvard Business School. He was a professor at Our Lady of the Lake University for 15 years, teaching over 34 different courses. Survivors include his mother; a daughter; two grandchildren; two brothers; and a sister.

Stephen N. Voorhis ’73, of Annapolis, Md., died Aug. 21, 2014. He worked in marine-related sales, boat repairs, boatbuilding, sail making, and rigging for most of his professional life. He also worked in publishing, advertising, and, most recently, in the high-technology computer security industry.

Voorhis is survived by his wife of 26 years, Nancy Noyes.

Daniel C. Babbin ’74, of Exeter, N.H., died March 21, 2014.

He was an accountant and also worked in sales. Survivors include his wife of 38 years, Sharon; a sister; and several in-laws.

Paul R. “Bleachy” Blanchette Sr. ’74, of North Grosvenordale, Conn., died March 15, 2015. He was active in all civic and fraternal organizations. Survivors include his wife of 42 years, Sandra; three sons; four grandchildren; and a brother.

James T. "Jay" Higgins ’74, of Barrington, R.I., died May 15, 2015.

He was the founder and president of Sprintout, previously known as Typesetting Service Corp. He leaves his wife, Eileen; a son; two daughters; five grandchildren; four brothers; and two sisters.

Lawrence J. "Larry" Saad ’74, of Thompson, Conn., died Jan. 15, 2015. He retired in 2012 from the former Westborough State Hospital, where he worked over 34 years as a store house supervisor. Predeceased by his wife of 12 years, Janet, he leaves two daughters; four grandchildren; two brothers; and a sister.

Stanley S. Lukaszek Jr., ’76, of Dudley, Mass., died Dec. 10, 2014.

He was a cost accountant for Cranston Print Works in Webster for 30 years, retiring in 2007.

Among his survivors are a sister; and a niece.

Donald J. Lee ’79, of Worcester, Mass., died Jan. 15, 2015. Lee served in the U.S. Army, including a tour of duty in Vietnam, and worked for many years as an ironworker for the J.F. Lee Steel Erecting Co. He then spent over 30 years with the Internal Revenue Service, first as a revenue agent and later involved at the national level with data integrity and analysis. He is survived by his wife of 40 years, Janet; two daughters; one granddaughter; two sisters; and a brother. He was predeceased by a sister.

Elizabeth A. Larson ’80, of Auburn, Mass., died March 26, 2015. A bookkeeper, she leaves two daughters; three granddaughters; a sister; and a brother.

John C. Madigan III ’80, of Groton, Mass., died May 13, 2014. He was a founder and owner of both Madigan Lime Corp. in Harvard and J.C. Madigan Inc. in Lancaster.

Survivors include his mother; his wife, Patricia; three children, a brother; and a sister.

Matthew G. Reeder ’80, of Truckee, Calif., died Jan. 29, 2015. He worked in the ski resort industry, including the Aspen Ski Co./Ajax Mountain, and eventually settled in the mountains of California at Northstar. Predeceased by his mother and stepbrother, he leaves his father; stepmother; wife, Barbara; two daughters; two stepchildren; a brother; a sister; and two stepbrothers.

Linda W. (Gorski) Oliveri ’87, of Webster, Mass., died April 3, 2014.

She participated in several volunteer activities. Predeceased by her husband, Joseph, she leaves two sons; and a brother.

Jeffrey S. Vazal ’87, of Maynard and Sudbury, Mass., died July 7, 2014.

He was the owner of Prep Plus Painting for more than 20 years.

He leaves his parents; a sister; and a brother.

James C. Guimond MBA ’89, of Westborough, Mass., died March 30, 2015. He served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. Following his service in Thailand, he became sales manager for Union Transfer and Storage Co. in Bangkok and was later a logistics manager for Data General in Westborough, American Power

Conversion in Rhode Island and MAST Industries in Andover prior to his retirement. He is survived by his wife, Jill; and two children.

Melissa A. (Booth) Thompson ’93, of Woodstock, Conn., died June 2, 2014. She worked at theCommerce Insurance Co. in Webster, Mass., for 17 years, and is survived by her parents; her husband of 20 years, Joseph; two children; and a sister.

Gayle E. McClure ’99, of Worcester, Mass., died Dec. 1, 2014. She worked as a manager at Verizon in Worcester and Marlborough and is survived by her parents; a brother; and a sister.

Susan K. (Humphrey) Johnson ’02, of Westborough, Mass., died April 28, 2014. While she and her husband, who worked for the State Department, lived in 10 countries on five continents, Johnson held a variety of positions with organizations supporting Americans living overseas. After returning to the U.S. in 1992, she began a career in marketing and worked for a number of local companies, including Security Engineered Machinery and Device Technologies. She is survived by her mother; her husband, Walter; two children; three grandchildren; a brother; and a sister.

NICHOLS EMPLOYEES Cheryl Alderman, employee relations coordinator, died Nov. 20, 2014. She leaves her mother; her husband of 31 years, Clarke; and two daughters. She was preceded in death by her father.

Helen M. (Thorpe) Mead, former employee of the bookstore and post office, died May 12, 2015. She was predeceased by her husband, Edward, and a son, and leaves three children; 10 grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren.

Carol L. Woods, former assistant director of student advising services, died September 14, 2014.

She leaves her mother; her husband of 27 years, David; two brothers; a sister; and her fatherand mother-in-law. She was predeceased by a brother.

From the Archives

Nichols College Fire Department, 1959 – 1999 Fires have, unfortunately, been a recurring event on the Hill and while they have not resulted in major injuries or loss of life, they have caused significant damage to buildings. For much of the 19th century, if a fire occurred on the Hill, residents were Contributed by pretty much dependent on themselves Jim Douglas and close neighbors to save what they could as best they could. The nearest volunteer fire department was established in 1846 in Webster, and once it was notified it could take a half hour or more to be of any assistance.

In 1816, fire destroyed the Universalist church that served as both church and the Nichols Academy building. Fire would destroy the Academy’s boarding house in 1883. In 1890, the Congregational church, along with several houses and barns, was destroyed. In 1931, less than three months after the first students registered for the newly opened Nichols Junior College, the beautiful Budleigh Towers (the former summer residence of wealthy industrialist and Academy trustee and benefactor, Hezekiah Conant) that served as a residence for students burned to the ground.

The Junior College’s dining hall suffered the same fate in 1937. In 1958, T-Hall residence was destroyed; in 1969, another residence hall, Olsen, was severely damaged; and in 1987, fire damaged Budleigh Hall.

In the early 1930s President James Conrad Sr. purchased a rebuilt Cadillac fire truck; the town of Dudley supplied some accessories. A student-run fire department was the topic of an article in the student newspaper, The Budget, in 1934 and again in 1935, when there was a call for volunteers. Other than that, however, there is no mention of a fire department on the Hill in any yearbook, student newspaper or alumni publication, suggesting the College continued to rely on local municipal fire departments until the late 1950s.

Fire Department (NCFD) became a reality. Once established, it would serve the Nichols community well for 40 years.

Both moral and tangible support came from Col. Conrad and the Fire Department of Cranston, R.I. Two old, but serviceable, 1927 fire trucks were purchased from Cranston in 1959 and the fire department was given a room in the basement of Budleigh Hall. By 1968, the department had a 1927 Maxim Cities Service ladder truck, a 1940 Mack 500-gallon pumper, and a1945 International forest fire truck. The equipment was kept in a garage behind the gymnasium (now the auditorium).

The NCFD was charged with planning the evacuation of all college buildings in the event of an emergency and with the scheduling and supervision of fire drills which were required to be held by all dormitories at least once each quarter.

Members had to maintain a certain academic average, and many were volunteer firemen in their own communities. They were trained in all phases of firefighting and lifesaving by the Cranston Fire Department in the early years and later by the Worcester Fire Department. Each student had to take a 30-hour course for state firefighter certification.

By 1965, the department had working assistance arrangements with the towns of Southbridge, Mass., and Quinebaug, Conn.

The Fire Department proved its worth numerous times over the years, particularly in 1969 and 1987. On Feb. 18, 1969, strong winds fanned a blaze that caused extensive damage to Olsen Hall. More than 75 fire fighters from the College and neighboring towns fought the fire for more than two hours. A day after the fire, a local newspaper article noted that the 25-member college fire department was credited with a big assist by firefighters from Dudley, Webster, and Quinebaug. One from Dudley commented, “These kids know what they are doing.” Fortunately, the only injury reported was a slight cut of the eye. In 1987, when fire broke out in Budleigh Hall due to an overheated reading lamp, the NCFD again impressed local town firefighters with their “cooperation and expertise.”

In 1999, most likely due to insurance costs and concerns, the Nichols College Fire Department was dissolved without public fanfare, and the equipment was sold or donated to local fire department training programs, or scrapped.

“These kids know what they are doing.”

Then, in 1958, one of the Junior College’s residence halls, T-Hall, suffered major fire damage. Soon after, Reid H. Corning ’61 and several other students approached President Conrad with the suggestion of again establishing a volunteer, student-run fire department on campus. In 1959, the Nichols College

co m m u n i t y. n i c h o l s .e d u

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Nichols College M A G A Z I N E

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Lee McNelly ’69 ~

Lee and Nancy McNelly enjoy a fall homecoming.

A lifelong commitment to volunteerism leads to a bequest “I am grateful to Nichols for accepting me when I was an average student,” explains Conrad Society member Lee McNelly ’69.

“While I was enrolled, one semester I became very ill and missed some classes near finals. Dean [Robert] Eaton ‘cut me some slack,’ and weighted my finals less.

I firmly believe that this type of individual attention and assistance I received from Nichols was what got me there, enabled me to stay and successfully graduate.

I have never forgotten that assistance,” remembers McNelly.

McNelly has been repaying Nichols for cutting him some slack’ with his volunteerism since he started the first Nichols phonathon. After graduation, he and fellow 1969 classmates Jim Kerley and Bob (Kuppy) Kuppenheimer used the telephones and office space at New England Mutual Life Company donated by then Trustee and VP Dick McLellan ’40.

Between his phonathon days and now, he has actively volunteered through his involvement and presidency of the Alumni Board of Directors and membership on the Board of Advisors. But when it came time to make his will, he knew

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from his financial planning background that through a bequest he would continue to help his alma mater. “It’s an easy way to help Nichols in the future, and it does not impact my current cash flow,” he explains.

What motivates McNelly to donate so much of his time, talent and treasure to Nichols College since his graduation in 1969? “My involvement and bequest show my strong appreciation for the many things I received at Nichols College. I saw [the provision in my will] as an opportunity to give back,” he says. He intends his generosity to strengthen the future of the school by improving academics and the physical plant of Nichols. “I have so many wonderful Nichols memories, from walking to the dining hall and seeing the beautiful foliage down the hill to being captain of the tennis team. The intramural programs and the great comradery at Merrill Hall, along with enduring friendships with professors and other Nichols students, helped make my college experience extremely positive,” says McNelly fondly.

Nichols College M A G A Z I N E | S p r i n g / S u m m e r 2 0 1 5

The Colonel Conrad Society was created to recognize the generosity of alumni and friends who have made a planned gift to Nichols College or have included Nichols in their estate plans. For more information on membership, please call the Office of Advancement at 508-213-2425.

Or you can learn more about bequests and other planned gifts at http://nicholsgiving.org.

Cool Guys

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Cross Country Team

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Homecoming 2015: Celebrating 200 Years 1815-2015

September 18 & 19

Highlights: • New Academic Building Ribbon Cutting and Tours • Friday Night Lights: Food, Fun, and Football vs. Becker College • Alumni Athletic Competitions, including Basketball, Baseball, Softball, Lacrosse and Soccer • Athletic Hall of Fame Luncheon • Bicentennial Gala at Mechanics Hall • Class of ’65 50th Reunion • Golden Bison Reception

Join us for Homecoming 2015 as Nichols concludes its year-long bicentennial celebration with Bison pride!

For a complete schedule: community.nichols.edu/Homecoming2015, or call Alumni Relations at 866-622-4766.