Rocky Now - October 2008

ROCKY NOW Vol. 3 Issue 9

Fresh news every day at www.rocky.edu

October 2008

Rocky Now: Keeping our friends and supporters informed about what’s new and exciting at Rocky Mountain College

It’s all about our students When you help support Rocky Mountain College, you know your contribution Photo: Dave M. Shumway, RMC staff Kasey Peters is on a record makes a differ setting pace as Battlin’ Bears’ ence. Kasey quarterback.

Peters, our fea tured student this month, transferred to RMC and found a niche on the Battlin’ Bears.

Kasey Peters has come a long way from his home in Newport Beach, California to fulfill a passion for football at Rocky Mountain College.

After attending college in California and Michigan, he checked out Rocky because he was tired of being just a “face in a crowd.”

“I liked the welcoming environment and small class sizes at Rocky. I liked feeling part of the team as soon as I met the coaches and players,” the junior transfer said.

Peters redshirted last year at Grand Valley State, which has won four NCAA Division II national championships in the last seven years.

The last time he played football before coming to the Battlin’ Bears was in 2006 at Santa Ana College in California. That fall he passed for a school-record 2,588 yards and 25 touchdowns in leading the Dons to a 7-4 record.

“I’m used to being part of winning teams and I won’t settle for less at Rocky,” he said.

Peters certainly hasn’’t settled for less so far.

Already this season he is a record-setter, even if RMC has lost some close games. Peters received player of the week accolades from the Frontier Conference and the national Victory Sports Network after an outstanding performance against Montana Tech. He passed for 456 yards and three touchdowns and also rushed for 32 yards in the Battlin’ Bears’’ 27-22 triumph over the Orediggers. He followed that game with a prolific effort against Eastern Oregon University. He completed 43 of 61 passes for a staggering 634 yards and seven TDs. Peters is the son of Ken and Kerry Peters and is majoring in Sports Management.

Photo: Dave M. Shumway, RMC staff

It was a special occasion at RMC when John B. Mowell, above, with RMC President Michael Mace, was honored for his support of RMC’s aviation program. An unveiling of his company logo was held at RMC Flight Operations with a reception following at Prescott Hall. Top left, Mowell and friend, Ann Dickinson, admire a gift from President Mace. It is a Crow poem, rendered in calligraphy by Kathy Tolliver, a special friend of the College, who boasts two daughters who graduated from RMC. Below, another alumnus, Patrick Merry, provided wine for the reception from Merry Vineyards that featured the Mowell Financial Group logo on an RMC airplane in flight. The photo rendition for the label was done by Brandon Templeton, an aviation major and work study student in the Development Office.

RMC thanks aviation benefactor Rocky Mountain College welcomed John B. Mowell, his family and friends to a special reception Sept. 25, 2008, which included the unveiling of the first sponsoring logo featured on an RMC aircraft.

The logo for Mowell Financial Group is now flying high on a Piper Seminole twinengine airplane to show appreciation for the $100,000 gift from Mr. Mowell, which

retired the debt on the aircraft.

“Given the current plight of the economy, it's comforting to know my company is flying high, thanks to the wings of Rocky Mountain College,” he remarked.

Mr. Mowell, his friend, Ann Dickinson; his son, Byard; daughter, Sarah and her (More Mowell, please turn to back page)

New annual fund director named

Photo: Shumway, RMC staff

Former Billings Catholic Schools Foundation Executive Director Vicki Davison (photo, left) has been named the new RMC Annual Fund Director.

“We feel fortunate to find someone with the experience and energy that are essential for this position. Vicki will be an

important member of our development team,” Mace said.

Davison has a long and successful history working with public service organizations (More Davison, please turn to back page)

Let’s make this the best benefit ever!

Coming Up

Paul and I have attended many Black Tie Blue Jeans benefits and it's always been a privilege to join so many others who care so deeply about our college and students.

Most of you who know me know I’m a pretty straight shooter and I’m not just saying I think this is the best colOCT. 18 lege around to hear myself talk. I ALUMNI TAILGATING: Join alumni and friends in the Technology Hall parking lot for food mean it. It’s why I have tried to be and fun before the Battlin’ Bears tackle supportive in as many ways as I can.

Carroll College. 11:30 a.m.

It’s why I’m happy to be the RMC NOV. 1 chair-elect for the board of trustees.

THE LAST HOME FOOTBALL GAME AND TAILGATE And it’s why Paul and I are proud to PARTY, 11:30 a.m., Tech Hall parking lot. serve as this year’s BTBJ Honorary The Bears battle Eastern Oregon University Chairs. But I don’t want to be too and if it’s like the first encounter, it will be honorary which is why I’m issuing this a high scoring shoot out. invitation to everyone to please come OCT. 24 -26 join us for this year’s 21st celebration.

RMC Alumni Board retreat We have great support from students who are pitching in to help FROM THE CHAPLAIN: make this a memorable evening.

Campus Worship is every Tuesday at 10:45 We have terrific support from table AM in the Chapel. All are welcome! sponsors and from a wonderful group of donors for our silent and live aucBLACK TIE BLUE JEANS SCHOLARSHIP BENEFIT tion.

FRIDAY, NOV. 7 6:30 P.M. Photo: Dave M. Shumway, RMC staff Now, I know of you may feel this is illings Hotel and Convention Center ❚ Music by B Barb Skelton, pictured above in her home near just a gala event for others, but that’s Midlife Chryslers ❚ Gourmet Dinner ❚ Silent and Live Intermountain Equestrian Center, and Paul not what we want. We want everyone Auctions Gatzemeier, are this year’s BTBJ Honorary Chairs. to feel welcome. This is truly a Rocky evening. When else can we all watch Prof. Mark Moak wail on drums with the Midlife Check out our web site with fresh info on auction Chryslers? So, come on, let’s make this the best benefit ever! Let’s show the students items daily: how much we care about their future. www.blacktiebluejeans.com

Mowell/ from front page friend, Chip Peay; and granddaughter, Sondra and her husband, Ryan Parsons, were welcomed to RMC Flight Operations by RMC President Michael Mace. A crowd of friends, RMC guests, faculty, staff and students applauded Mr. Mowell’s gift to Rocky.

RMC aviation student Taylor Capers said, while he had not met Mr. Mowell previously, he could testify that his gift personally affected his education in the avia-

tion program. The Piper Seminole was a fine plane to fly, he said.

Dan Hargrove, RMC aviation program director, pointed out that Mr. Mowell took time to learn about the program over a period of several years, beginning with attending the annual aviation banquet when he brought NASA astronaut Norman Thagard to RMC to speak. He later bought gift subscriptions of aviation publications for the program, which

Davison/ from front page and in fund raising. She helped form the Billings Catholic Schools Foundation from the Billings Area Catholic Education Trust (BACET), serving as executive director of BSC from 2005 until 2008. She helped train and supervise staff for all the major fundraising events, from the Mayfair Auction to the BACET Endowment and the annual giving campaigns.

She was a board member from 2003-2005 for the Billings National Alliance for the Mentally Ill, was Mayfair Auction director from 1998-2003, and assistant to the executive director for the Montana Associated Physicians, Inc. from 1992-1995.

She is a member of Downtown Billings Rotary and a board member of the Association of Fund Raising Professionals.

arrived without fanfare.

“He humbly and quietly showed his interest and support,' Hargrove said.

Mowell said he discovered “a diamond in the rough” when he learned more about RMC and he was honored to contribute to RMC’s program.

“This is all more than I deserve. It is an honor to me to be able to help such a great college and its students,” he said.

A formal reception followed in the Great Room of Prescott Hall where Mr. Mowell was presented with a special gift from President Mace. The gift was a Crow country poem done in calligraphy by Katherine Tolliver, the mother of two RMC graduates.

A second gift to Mr. Mowell came via Patrick Merry, RMC ‘00, president of Merry Vineyards, Pullman, Wash. Bottles of wine, with the Mowell Financial Group logo on the label from Merry’s vineyard, were served at the

reception.

Mr. Mowell is president and CEO of Mowell Financial Group, Inc., of Tallahassee, Florida, an investment-banking firm he founded in 1980 serving clients primarily throughout the Southeast. He is chairman of EMS Technologies, a leader in satellite and wireless communications technology, based in Atlanta, Georgia. He also serves on the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee of the Capital City Bank in Tallahassee, one of the oldest banks in Florida.

He is director and chairman of the board of Entegrion, Inc., a medical device and bio-pharmaceutical company. A former Naval Commander engaged in anti-submarine warfare, he earned his Bachelor of Science in Economics from the University of Pennsylvania, and is a 1956 graduate of the Wharton School of Commerce and Finance.