CLASS NOTES 2018 UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-LA CROSSE
September
CLASS NOTES SUBMITTED JULY 1 - SEPT. 15, 2018
UW-LA CROSSE CLASS NOTES | SEPTEMBER 2018
’56
Roger L. Nichols, Tucson, Arizona, recently published two new books, his 11th and 12th, “Tombstone, Deadwood, and Dodge City: Recreating the Frontier West,” University of Oklahoma Press, 2018, and “American Indians in the United States and Canada: A Comparative History,” second edition, University of Nebraska Press, 2018.
’64
Neil Duresky, La Crosse, has been named 2018 Maple Leaf Parade Marshal for La Crosse’s Oktoberfest. The honor is bestowed on community and servant leaders.
James M. Jevens, Surprise, Arizona, is enjoying working on setting up an Arizona alumni chapter in the far West Valley of Phoenix.
Myron "Mike" F. Miller, Sturgeon Bay, continues to take part in inline skate marathons
competitively around the country for Team Max Muscle (Nutrition Stores) from Minnesota. He recently completed his 15th year.
rafting on the Snake River in Hell’s Canyon with Norm and Gary Klug in September.
’67
Mark Hannah,
Glen Dallman, Bradenton, Florida, is beginning his 51st year in education in August as a math instructor at Braden River Middle School. Dallman was selected for the school's Excellence in Academics Award for the 2017-18 school year. He’s also a member of Illinois Wrestling Coaches and Officials Hall of Fame, as well as the Byron, Illinois, High School Hall of Fame.
’69
Bryan D. Gust, San Diego, California, has retired. He and his wife, Mary H. Schultz, ’70, are busy traveling and enjoying their grandchildren.
’71
Bill “Willy” Grise, Kansasville, is retired. He plans whitewater
SEPTEMBER 2018 | UW-LA CROSSE CLASS NOTES
’74
Milwaukee, reports he took his son, Joe, to Madison in August for his final year of school at UW-Madison. Mark is retired.
’79
Mick Miyamoto has moved to Madison and was named interim associate dean of students at UW-Madison Aug. 1.
’87
Janet Burns, River Falls, has been named president of the University of WisconsinRiver Falls Foundation. Burns had been serving as the interim president since June 2018, and has been the foundation’s accountant since February 2013.
’90
Jim Steinkamp,
and graduate student,” he says. “I'll continue to support UWL in anyway I can."
’94
’91
Timothy P. Spalding, Appleton, reports he has just completed his last will and testament and has decided to leave 20 percent of his financial assets to the university to use as it wishes. “I had a really good time at UWL and remember all the students, staff, faculty and community members while as an undergraduate
Carolina.
’96
Lea F. Hansen, Richland Center, will be moving to the River Valley Middle School to teach U.S. history and geography after teaching for 10 years at River Valley High School.
Kirk E. Peterson Chandler, Arizona, is a new shareholder by Holmes Murphy, a privately held, independent insurance brokerage that serves business and industry leaders in property casualty insurance, employee benefits, captive insurance, risk management and loss control. Steinkamp works with employee benefits.
more than 1,500 students in Murfreesboro, North
has been named 23rd president of Chowan University in Murfreesboro, North Carolina. Peterson had been senior vice president and interim president, followed by president, at Urbana University in Ohio. Peterson earned a Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Tennessee in 2000, along with a Master of Science in education with a major in mental health counseling, and a second Master of Science in education with a major in sports psychology earned in 1996, also from the University of Tennessee. Chowan University, a Christian liberal arts university founded in 1848, enrolls
’97
Christopher S. Luther, Beloit, is a science teacher for the School District of Beloit. He’s proud to report that the oldest of his four children will be attending UWL in fall 2018.
’99
Julie N. Nagorski,
Minneapolis, has been named a Rising Star for the 2018 Minnesota Super Lawyers and Rising
UW-LA CROSSE CLASS NOTES | SEPTEMBER 2018
Stars. Nagorski is a Real Estate Lawyer for DeWitt Ross & Stevens S.C. Selections for Minnesota Super Lawyers are made by a research team at Super Lawyers, a service of the Thomson Reuters legal division based in Eagan, Minnesota. The final list features the top five percent of attorneys in more than 60 practice areas. Lawyers featured on the Rising Stars list are selected based upon similar criteria as Super Lawyers; however, a candidate must either be under 40 years of age or in practice for 10 years or less, and a peer evaluation is not conducted.
’02
Tina Huisman has been
named a partner by the accounting firm Baker Tilly. Huisman is based in the firm’s Madison
office and specializes in work with hospitality companies, real estate owners, operators and developers, and construction contractors.
’08
Jim Piela, Brooklyn, New York, has released an album combining original music and artwork with his quartet, the Jim Piela Group. The group is a modern ensemble that emphasizes melody, groove and improvisation with the use of piano or guitar. Find out more at www.jimpiela.com.
’09
John Fanta, Wisconsin Rapids, has been promoted to vice
SEPTEMBER 2018 | UW-LA CROSSE CLASS NOTES
president of the Green Bay Bullfrogs and Wisconsin Rapids Rafters. Fanta joined the Rafters as assistant GM prior to the team’s inaugural season in 2010 after spending two seasons as an intern for the La Crosse Loggers. He was promoted to Rafters General Manager following the 2013 season. During his tenure, Fanta has guided numerous endeavors to improve Witter Field including a complete rebuild of the infield playing surface, the addition of an HD video board, the league’s first interactive accessible seating area, as well as an interactive water-powered bar fan experience. He was honored as 2014 Big Top Baseball Executive of the Year and the 2016 Northwoods League Executive of the Year during his tenure as GM.
Alan Rubach, Bettendorf, Iowa, graduated from the University of Iowa College of Dentistry in 2014 and his wife, Erin, did the same in 2015. They are new owners of R & R Family Dentistry in Davenport, when opened at the end of July. They are parents of Logan Christopher, born April 24, 2018.
’11
Jen Torborg, ’11 & ’14, has written a book, “Your Best Pregnancy Ever: 9 Health Habits to Empower You in Pregnancy, Birth and Recovery (Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy Series: Pregnancy Book.” It’s available as a paperback and on Kindle at Amazon.com.
’12
Beth Glynn, Minnetonka, Minnesota, started a new role as
partner manager at Collegis Education in the last year. She continues to be thankful for her experience at UWL and the well-rounded business understanding it provided to assist in decision making and situational understanding in her current role.
’13
Kathryn O. Johnson, Arlington, Virginia, recently started a new job as a speechwriter with U.S. Office of Personnel Management as a political appointee. Johnson previously worked as a digital content specialist at In Pursuit Of, a political communications firm, and prior worked at the National Republican Senatorial Committee as lead digital copywriter during the 2016 election cycle.
’14
Karissa Hultmark, ’14 & ’16, Darien, Illinois, was recently awarded a specialty credential called
a Certificate of Added Qualifications (CAQ) from the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA). Hultmark received the CAQ in emergency medicine, a distinction earned by meeting licensure, education and experience requirements and then passing a national exam in the specialty. She works at the Mayo Clinic in northwest Wisconsin where she has practiced emergency medicine for two years. Hultmark is also an active member of the Wisconsin Academy of Physician Assistants, serving as a regional representative and certification maintenance committee member.
’17
Cody Fisher, Rochester, Minnesota, is pursuing a doctorate in biomedical sciences-immunology track from Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences in Rochester. He anticipates to graduate in spring 2022.
UW-LA CROSSE CLASS NOTES | SEPTEMBER 2018
FACULTY & STAFF remembered ROBERT “BOB” E. ARTHUR Robert “Bob” E. Arthur, 84, of La Crosse died with family at his side Aug. 9, 2018. Arthur was a member of the UWL Psychology Department from 1969 until his retirement in 1997. His primary role was with the School Psychology
graduate program. He remained active as a member of the UWL community attending many emeriti and other campus events. Memorials may be sent to the Dr. Robert E. Arthur Scholarship, UWL Foundation,
P.O. Box 1148, La Crosse, WI 54602. The fund will support students in the School Psychology Program. He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Joyce Moore Arthur; and their two children.
PATRICIA “PAT” ANN MULLER Patricia Ann Muller, 90, died in La Crosse Aug. 1, 2018. After a career in journalism, including co-owning a newspaper in Ohio, she
moved into academia. She was director of public relations at UW-Whitewater, then earned a doctorate at UW-Madison before
joining UWL in the Mass . Communications Department in 1964. She retired in 1994. She is survived by a brother.
FRANCES I. YOUNG Frances I. Young, died June 15, 2018. She and her husband, Bernie, moved to La Crosse when he became placement director at UWL, then principal of the Campus School. Fran worked in the Technical Services
Department of Florence Wing Library and then Murphy Library from 1957-1980. She was active in Campus Dames, Campus Dames 20-Year Club and UWL Merry Widows group. She is survived by her son and daughter.
SEPTEMBER 2018 | UW-LA CROSSE CLASS NOTES
Memorials may be sent to the UWL Foundation, P.O. Box 1148, La Crosse, WI 54602, for the B. J. Young Scholarship Fund.
ALUMNI remembered 1940 – Marie Kabat, La Crosse. 1943 – Marjorie F. Kerr, Portage. 1946 – Bernadine (Haas) Weishar, Wauwatosa. 1948 – Maxine Hunter, Marion, OH. 1950 – Bernie Golz, Grangeville, ID. 1950 – George Kane, Chaska, MN. 1950 – Richard L. Scharno, Venice, FL. 1951 – James Vawn Tassel, Kettering, OH. 1952 & ’72 – Elverda Guberud, La Crosse. 1953 – Raymond D. Habel, Hayward. 1953 – Gene Hall, Green Bay. 1957 – Russell Gaardner, Saint Paul, MN. 1959 – Danny Caldwell, Burlington. 1959 – Ruth Kinkema, North Canton, OH. 1960 – Alice Peterson, Stoughton. 1962 – Harry Confare, Hartford. 1964 – Janice R. (Olson) Parker, Viroqua. 1965 – Thomas M. Rathburn, Jacksonville, FL. 1967— Harold Scarseth, Eau Claire. 1968 – Sharon Lintelmann, Coon Valley. 1969 – John Eumurian, Sycamore, IL.
1969 – Gail E. Harms, Madison. 1971 – Marlane “Molly” (Brecht) Hartman, Wabasha, MN. 1971 – Mary Kolbusz, Green Bay. 1972 & ’77 – Claire (Lohmann) Jandt, La Crosse. 1973 – Clayton J. Hauser, Saint Petersburg, FL. 1973 – Susan Tess, Madison. 1973 – Frank Topinka, Northbridge, MA. 1974 – David Olson, La Crosse. 1975 – Russell D. Gaarder, St. Paul, MN. 1975 – Thomas N. Mruz, La Crosse. 1975 – Harlan Sanderson, Eastman. 1978 & ’79 – Catherine (Porter) Gutknecht, Gurley, AL. 1978 – Wilma Scheffner, La Crosse. 1984 – Colleen Albani, Waconia, MN. 1987 – Audrey Cosgrove, Viola. 1989 – Joan Betz, Madison. 1989 – Peggy Schilling, La Crosse. 1991 – Brian D. Schumacher, La Crescent, MN. 2000 – Reid Coley, Mequon.
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