51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Class Notes are printed in every issue of 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Magazine. Alumni can submit to Class Notes using the online form.
1970s
Dana Xavier Kerola, '73 BS Physics, is an atmospheric scientist at NASA/Jet Propulsion Laboratory. He is involved in polarized atmospheric radioactive transfer modeling and spacecraft sensor vicarious calibrations. He earned a master's degree in astronomy from UCLA, a Ph.D. in atmospheric sciences from the University of Arizona, and is completing postdoctoral research at the University of California, Irvine. He previously worked for the University of Arizona's Lunar and Planetary Laboratory and its Terrestrial Biophysics Remote Sensing Group and Northrop Gruman Electronic Systems. He lives in Diamond Bar, Calif.
Wayne Nunnely, '75 BS Physical Education, is defensive line coach for the Denver Broncos. He has coached 18 years at the college level and 15 years in the National Football League. He began as a graduate assistant for 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ in 1976 and returned to coach from 1982 to 1989, serving as head coach from 1986 to 1989. He also coached at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona; CSU, Fullerton; University of the Pacific; USC; and UCLA. In the NFL, he coached for the New Orleans Saints and the San Diego Chargers. At 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ he was the first African-American head coach on the West Coast and only the fifth in NCAA Division I-A history. He also was the first 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ graduate to become a graduate assistant coach, assistant coach, and head coach at 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ. The father of four lives with his wife in Greenwood Village, Colo.
Maureen Abell Bernstein, '76 BA Theatre, '98 Master of Education, is theatre director at Desert Oasis High School. In its first year, the program was designated an Honor Thespian Troupe and awarded superior and excellent ratings. Since joining the Clark County School District in 1994, she has taught theater at Valley and Desert Pines high schools. She is a board member of the Nevada State Thespians and professional director with the Educational Theatre Association. Hobbies include collecting antiques, seeing Broadway shows, writing theater pieces, reading, and keeping up with current events. She and her husband, John, have one grown son, Frankie. She lives in Henderson.
Louis H. Geigerman, '76 BS Hotel Administration, is a special education advocate who helps families acquire appropriate programming from public schools for their children. His company, National ARD/IEP Advocates, was founded in 1995. He is politically active in advocacy issues for the disabled. Hobbies include fishing, canoeing, and traveling. The father of a son in college and a daughter in high school, he lives in Suger Land, Texas.
Benny Yen Ho Ng, '77 BS Hotel Administration, is group general manager of Santa Grand Hotels in Singapore. The group currently operates five hotels and plans to open two more soon.
Richard J. Darder, '78 BS Hotel Administration, '91 MS Hotel Administration, is senior vice president and general manager with Ameristar Casino Hotel Council Bluffs in Council Bluffs, Iowa. He has worked at gaming facilities for more than 30 years and has managed Native American properties in the Midwest and West. Most recently he was general manager of the Meskwaki Casino Bingo Hotel in Iowa. His first casino job was in 1975 when he worked as a pit clerk at the MGM Grand while completing his bachelor's degree.
Sue Harkins Weakland, '79 BS Education, retired after 23 years in the parks and recreation field. She says her 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ connections and education proved valuable in her career. Her hobbies include watching the Runnin' Rebels, shopping yard sales, and entertaining friends. She is the mother of two grown sons, Chris and Kevin, and the grandmother of Kaitlin.
1980s
Sal Semola, '81 BS Hotel Administration, is an associate with Warner Gaming, an industry consulting firm. He was honored as the Hotel Management Industry Executive of the Year at the 2009 Vallen Dinner of Distinction.
Charisse Ciambrone-Stewart, '82 BA Sociology, teaches adult English as a Second Language at the College of Southern Nevada. Previously, she taught English and math to credit-deficient students through Morris Behavior Junior/Senior High School and taught at Fremont Middle School where she once was a student. She has two daughters, Shea Victoria and Quin.
Francis Beckwith, '83 BA Philosophy, is a full professor of philosophy and church-state studies at Baylor University. His books include Defending Life: A Moral and Legal Case Against Abortion Choice (Cambridge University Press, 2007) and Return to Rome: Confessions of An Evangelical Catholic (Brazos, 2009). The latter is an account of his spiritual journey from Catholicism to Evangelic Protestantism and back. He previously taught at 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ. In 2008-09 he served as the Mary Ann Remick Senior Visiting Fellow in the Center for Ethics & Culture at the University of Notre Dame. He lives in Woodway, Texas.
Richard Hunsaker, '83 BS Computer Science, is executive vice president of applied technology for Creative Applications Inc., a high-tech consultancy. A veteran of the gaming industry, he recently worked as technical coordinator for Shuffle Master Inc. He is an expert in leading development teams as well as gaming product features and functions. He earned an Executive MBA from the University of Phoenix. His hobbies are maintaining the role of husband and father with style and grace and stretching the boundaries of PCs and home electronics. He and his wife, Nancy, have two daughters, Nicole and Natalie.
James "Tom" Bowman, '84 BS Business Administration, retired in February for the second time. In 1981 he retired from the U.S. Air Force and then used the G.I. Bill to earn his 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ degree. This time, he retired as a branch manager after 25 years with Sherwin Williams Co. Hobbies include ballroom dancing, watching movies, and trying to find the Runnin' Rebels on television. He and his wife, Sylvia, a former show dancer, live in Aurora, Colo.
Rho Hudson, '84 Master of Education, '99 Ed.D. Special Education, is an education professor and director of the Resource Center for Students with Disabilities at Nevada State College. She was one of the seven founding faculty members of the college when it opened in 2002. Previously, she served as testing coordinator for the Clark County School District and taught special education kindergarten. Her hobby is caring for her "menagerie" of rescued pets, including four llamas, one burro, seven dogs, and numerous cats, goats, tortoises, and birds.
Kai H. Fischer, '85 BS Hotel Administration, took over the Dallas Marriott Plano at Legacy Town Center as general manager after completing the expansion of the Dallas Marriott Solana. He is the business council chairman for Marriott, leading efforts for the 70-plus Marriott products in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area. He resides in Southlake with his wife, Colleen, and three children.
Craig J. Frigaard, '85 BS Hotel Administration, '08 Master of Hospitality Administration, has held numerous food and beverage management positions, including eight years as food and beverage director of the Stardust Resort Hotel & Casino, two and a half years as executive director of food and beverage at the Atlantis Casino in Reno, and one year as corporate director of food and beverage for the three Primm properties. He taught at 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ as an adjunct professor and transitioned full time into culinary arts/management education in 2005 at the Art Institute of Las Vegas. He is pursuing a doctoral degree in educational leadership from Argosy University. He lives in Henderson.
Jill S. Kano, '85 BS Hotel Administration, left her hospitality career with Marriott Hotels in May after eight years to pursue a master's degree in environmental science and policy at Columbia University. She lives in Astoria, N.Y.
Angela Hutchinson Roberts, '85 BS Hotel Administration, is the event sales and design manager at Pacific Event Productions.
Abbi Silver, '86 BA Political Science, was elected District Court judge. She previously served as a judge in Las Vegas Justice Court and in Municipal Court, and as chief deputy district attorney for the special victim's unit of the Clark County district attorney's office.
Thomas M. Ware II, '86 BA Political Science, was named a "2009 Southern California Super Lawyers" by Los Angeles Magazine. He and his wife, Marnie, have been married 16 years and have two children: a son, Kellen, and a daughter, Michael Christine. The family lives in Los Angeles.
Carl Cook, '88 BA Communication Studies, owns Cook Insurance Group, an independent insurance agency that provides auto, home, commercial, and health insurance. He serves on the PTA board for Mack Elementary School and on the board of directors for Little League. He coaches children's T-ball and basketball. He has run in more than 135 sprint triathlons and won his age group at the Ocean Shores Triathlon last year. He finished second in his age group at the 2008 Las Vegas Turkey Trot 5k run. He and his wife, Betty, have two children: Dakota, 7, and Devin, 4. The family lives in Henderson.
Karen Hall, '88 BA Communication Studies, was appointed to the Pennsylvania Governor's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. She lives in Pittsburgh.
Mathew Harter, '88 BS Business Administration, was elected a judge in the Family Division of District Court. He is married and the father of seven. He lives in Logandale.
James P. Reza, '89 BA Political Science, co-owns Globe Salon, which recently achieved national recognition. The salon, in the downtown arts district, was named second runner-up by Salon Today in its 2009 Salon of the Year competition (June issue). It is the only Nevada salon ever to be recognized in the competition. Reza owns the salon along with his wife, Staci Linklater.
1990s
Denver B. Forester, '90 BS Hotel Administration, invented an interactive game for the casino industry based on the popular premise of Risk/Reward. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office recently published his patent application for the casino wagering game. He lives in Carlsbad, Calif.
Jon Whittington, '90 BA Communication Studies, is executive vice president of retail lending at Central Pacific HomeLoans. He holds the Mortgage Bankers Association designation of Certified Mortgage Banker (CMB), the highest professional honor within the real estate industry. He is the first residential CMB in Hawaii. Before joining Central Pacific HomeLoans in 2008, he spent 10 years at Countrywide. He lives in East Honolulu.
Tiffany Roberts Bertram, '91 BS Hotel Administration, opened Tiffany's Bed & Breakfast. The log cabin home is located on 60 woodland acres outside Hot Springs, Ark. She lives in Bismarck.
Paul Servello, '92 BS Business Administration, '96 MBA, is chief financial officer of Alan Waxler Group. Golf is his hobby. He lives in Henderson.
Jim Geoffroy, '94 BS Business Administration, relocated from Denver to Bellevue, Wash., and was promoted to director of financial services with Verizon Wireless. He manages a 600-employee call center tasked with helping customers get current on their bills and with reducing customer turnover. He, his wife, and their three children live in Sammamish.
Tammy L. Neil, '94 BA Psychology, '98 Ed.S. and'01 Ph.D. Special Education, is in private practice as a licensed professional counselor. Hobbies include her family, flying, boating, and skiing. She lives in Carthage, Mo.
Robert Cortez, '95 Bachelor of Music, is director of bands and summer school site administrator for Mexico (Mo.) Senior High School. He also manages the district music festival. Previously, he spent 10 years as a band director with the Clark County School District. He and his wife, Mikelle, have three sons, Alex, 16, Ryan, 12, and Nicholas, 10.
Karen Beza-Hawkes, '96 BA Political Science, is an attorney practicing trademark, copyright, and corporate dispute litigation. She is a member of the California Bar Association, the American Bar Association, the Association of American Trial Lawyer, the San Diego County Bar, and the Lawyers Club of San Diego. She is an animal rights activist and volunteers at the Coronado Senior Center. She and her husband, attorney David Hawkes, are art collectors and enjoy traveling. They live in Coronado.
Rachel Ego Conneely, '96 BS Hotel Administration, is director of operations at TheClub at Cordillera and is responsible for three full-service clubhouses. Since moving to Colorado in 2006, she has enjoyed the mountain lifestyle. She lives in Edwards.
Larry Lee, '96 MBA, is deputy director of the Washington State 529 Prepaid Tuition Program, a guaranteed tuition program. He is completing his master of public administration degree at the University of Washington-Seattle. Hobbies include scuba diving, traveling, volunteering, and singing. He and his wife, Kandace, have two children, Michelle and Bryan. The family lives in Olympia.
Ashley Skylar, '96 BS Special Education, '99 Master of Education, '04 Ph.D. Special Education, is a professor at California State University, Northridge. Her research interests include distance education and technology for students with disabilities. She lives in Santa Monica.
Patricia Rosales, '97 BS Elementary Education, '00 Master of Education, is principal of Cambeiro Elementary School, overseeing professional development and school improvement. She has 12 years of experience in education and specializes in teaching pre-kindergarten through fifth-grade students. She was recognized by Cambridge Who's Who for showing dedication, leadership, and excellence in educational administration.
Paul D. Shapiro, '97 MA Criminal Justice, '00 Ph.D. Sociology, is a tenured professor in sociology at Georgia Southwestern State University. This fall he also became department chair. He lives in Americus.
Jessica Bridge, '98 BA Hospitality Administration, is a Realtor with RE/MAX North Professionals. She also is owner of 1/2 Lounge and Bevo, a food and bar catering company. She lives in Burlington, Vt.
Judy Jenner, '98 BS Management, '01 MBA, started her own translation and copywriting business with her twin sister, appropriately named Twin Translations. The boutique language services business specializes in English, Spanish, and German for the legal, financial, marketing, travel and tourism, and IT fields. Previously, she was the Spanish content manager for the VEGAS.com website. She is a 10-year board member of CLASS! Publications, a monthly publication for high school students, and is a board member of the Nevada Interpreters and Translators Association. Hobbies include foreign-language literature, running half marathons, hiking, skiing, cooking, and traveling. She is married to Keith Anderson, '02 MBA.
Jason Roth, '98 BA Communication Studies, and his wife, Grace, welcomed their second son, Zachary, in November. The family lives in Henderson.
Jean Lorenzo Witherow, '98 BS Hotel Administration, was a slot supervisor with the Bellagio before stepping down to become a wife and mother. She married Ryan Witherow in September 2005. They are proud parents of twins Timothy and Julianna.
Patrick L. Ferguson, '99 BA Environmental Studies, '03 MA Ethics and Policy Studies, is a bomb disposal supervisor for a U.S. Department of Defense contractor. He recently returned from working in the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea, clearing a Korean War battlefield of unexploded ordinance.
Holly Sparks Lindsay, '99 BS Hotel Administration, received the Industry Champion Award from the Nevada Restaurant Association Education Foundation at the Nevada ProStart Completion Awards Dinner in February. She helped secure a donation of kitchenwares for ProStart schools from Emeril's Homebase. She and her husband, Robert, live in Henderson.
Mike Prince, '99 BS Education, had his first novel, Toquop the Warrior Stallion, published in 2007. It received the Academy of Western Artists' Will Rogers Medallion Award in the Western Fiction-Young Adult category and was a 2008 Arizona Book Award winner in the Juvenile/Young Adult Fiction category. He lives in Alamo and teaches math at Pahranagat Valley Middle School.
2000s
Leah Herner-Patnode, '00 Ed.D. Special Education, is a professor of special education at Ohio State University at Lima. She and her husband, Bill Patnode, are the parents of Anna Belle and Mary Frances. They live in Waterville.
William Keola Soon, '00 BS Physical Education, is the physical education teacher at Keller Elementary School. He has taught for the Clark County School District since 2007. From 2000-07 he taught middle school health and physical education in Hawaii. He is working on his master's degree in health promotion.
Mark Kiyojima, '00 BS Hotel Administration, is co-owner and operator of ProgressiveBar Las Vegas, a beverage consulting company. He also works as assistant banquet manager at the Red Rock Casino. Hobbies include traveling, snowboarding, and following mixed martial arts. He and his wife, Therese, have a miniature beagle named Sasha.
Monica R. Brown, '01 Ph.D. Special Education, has been a professor of special education and communication disorders at New Mexico State University for five years. Prior to that, she taught three years at the University of Kansas. Hobbies include international travel, reading, and watching college sports (especially basketball) and movies. She lives in Las Cruces.
Gail Clark Lorenzo, '01 BS Business Administration, and her husband, Dan, had their first child, a son, in August 2008.
John Paffrath, '01 BS Hotel Administration, left the hotel industry for commercial real estate. He works for Marcus & Millichap, specializing in sales of apartment buildings. He lives in California.
Kyler Elwell, '02 BA Sociology, '05 MS Chemistry, is a doctor. Upon graduating from the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston in May, she was awarded the William H. Nash, MD, Endowed Award in Obstetrics and Gynecology. She has begun her residency in obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas.
Michele Farmer, '02 Master of Education, '08 Ed.D. Special Education, is an education professor at Belmont University in Nashville, Tenn. She is a yoga enthusiast and has rediscovered reading for fun since completing her doctoral degree.
Jon Castagnino, '03 BA Communication Studies and BS Sports Injury Management, is a reporter and anchor for FOX5. Previously, he worked as a sports anchor and reporter in Casper, Wyo., and in south Texas. He lives in Henderson.
Lindsay Stein Cohen, '03 BS Hotel Administration, opened her own event-planning firm, Designer Event Chicago.
Joseph Donalbain, '03 MA Political Science, is a U.S. Army major working in the strategic intelligence field. He is stationed in Seoul, Korea, where he is assistant chief of staff for intelligence. In 2003 he deployed to Iraq. He earned an MS in strategic intelligence from the National Defense Intelligence College in Washington, D.C.. His thesis, "Failure of Intelligence or Failure of Leadership: Walton Walker and the Eighth Army Bug Out of 1950," was nominated for the 2006 Joint Chiefs of Staff Archival Research Award. He and his wife, June, have two sons, Jacob and William "Wally" Wallace. He says they are pleased that the boys have become nearly fluent in Korean.
Joon Choi, '04 BS Hotel Administration, is an assistant general manager of the Palms West group. Previously, he worked with Smith and Wollensky and with Patina restaurants. He lives in New York City. Kyle Konold, '04 Ph.D. Special Education, is vice president of academic affairs for TechSkills, a post-secondary training school with locations in 28 cities. He is married with three children. His children's activities keep him too busy for hobbies, but he does enjoy suspense novels.
L. Kathleen Jaske, '04 Master of Education, teaches French at Green Valley High School. She also is a novelist. Her fourth book, Out of Phase: A Time Traveler's Chronicle, was published last year. Hobbies include reading, running, fencing, singing, playing piano, hiking, and traveling. She lives in Henderson. Ralph Thomas Piccirilli, '04 BS Hotel Administration, oversees both Main Street Station and the California Hotel and Casino during the graveyard shift. He also is in his second year of law school at the Concord School of Law. He lives in North Las Vegas.
Della Salazar, '04 BA Secondary Education, is a project facilitator for the equity and diversity department of the Clark County School District. Hobbies include biking, running, and reading. She lives in Moapa. Seth G. Grabel, '05 BS Hotel Administration, is a professional magician. He is the opening act for The Amazing Johnathan at the Harmon Theater at Planet Hollywood.
Aaron Greene, '05 BA Political Science, is a network engineer for the Vermont department of information and innovation. He also is a senior airman with the Vermont Air National Guard. In 2008, he earned a master's degree in information assurance from Norwich University. Hobbies include working on his new house and playing hockey. He lives in Northfield.
Valentini Kalargyrou, '05 Master and '09 Ph.D. Hotel Administration, joined the hospitality management faculty of the Whittemore School of Business and Economics at the University of New Hampshire. Previously, she worked as a human resources project manager at the MGM Grand.
Evangeline Bulla, '06 MS Mechanical Engineering, lists her hobbies as singing, hiking, and dancing. She lives in Hyd, India.
Tom Hartley, '06 Master of Hospitality Administration, just completed his MBA at the University of Connecticut. He and his wife, Jennifer, have a daughter in high school and a son at the University of Connecticut. They live in Griswold.
Robyn E. Mathis, '06 BS Hotel Administration, is sales & marketing manager at the Hard Rock Cafe. Previously, she was the sales director at AWG, a local destination management and transportation company.
Bryson Perkins, '06 JD, has opened his office, Perkins Law, in Idaho. Previously, he clerked for Judge Joel Horton in Idaho and worked as a deputy prosecutor for Canyon County. He and his wife, Jamie, have three children: Nathan, Lily, and Kayla. They live in Caldwell.
Brian E. Shedd, '06 Master of Hospitality Administration, is corporate vice president of the Radiate Group, a holding company of 19 marketing service agencies worldwide. Previously, he worked as a marketing vice president with Mandalay Resort Group for five years. He lives in Dallas.
Rob Taylor, '06 MS Hotel Administration, is director of housekeeping at the Westin Cincinnati. Previously, he worked for MasterCorp Inc. as employee development manager and in various rooms operations roles at the Hyatt Cincinnati; the Hilton Oceanfront Resort in Hilton Head, S.C.; and at the Hyatt Lake Las Vegas. Hobbies include Spanish literature, history, genealogy, theater, and following World Cup soccer, Johns Hopkins lacrosse, and BYU football. He and his wife, Eva, have three children: Sean,15, Brad, 11, and Chloe, 7. They live in Amelia, Ohio.
Megan Dode, '07 BS Hotel Administration, is a personal assistant in Bend, Ore. She also is the chapter administrator for a chapter of the Young Presidents' Organization. Previously, she worked in the sales department of the Four Seasons Hotel Las Vegas.
Rebecca Hoffer, '07 BA Political Science, is working toward a master's degree in Middle East politics at the University of Exeter in England. She is considering joining the U.S. State Department and has begun the application process. After graduating from 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ, she spent six months working at the U.S. Embassy in Morocco.
Lisa Young Thomas, '07 MS Hotel Administration, and Nick Thomas, '02 BS and '06 Master of Hospitality Administration, were married July 24, 2008, at Marche Bacchus. Both are doctoral students in the Hotel College and teach undergraduate courses. She is the sales recruiter and trainer at Bluegreen Resorts.
Jacob D. Montoya, '08 BS Hotel Administration, is assistant front office manager at the Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort & Spa. He began his career with Hyatt in 2001 and worked at the Hyatt Tamaya when he was a student. He has obtained experience in several rooms division areas, including PBX, reservations, concierge, front desk, guest services, housekeeping, and the spa. He lives in Santa Ana Pueblo, N.M.
Obituaries
Catherine Hansen DeLaTorre, '69 BS Education, died April 1 at her home in Amargosa Valley. She taught English as a Second Language, citizenship, and community education computer and art courses. From 1969-76, she taught speech and drama at Martin and Woodbury middle schools. She was secretary of the Amargosa chapter of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary and the Amargosa Red Hat Society. She is survived by her sons, Tim, Chuck, and Dan; a daughter, Monica Keenan; 13 grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.
Angela Farrar, a professor in the College of Hotel Administration, died Aug. 21. She began working at 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ in 1999 and researched human resource management and diversity. Her professional affiliations included International Council on Restaurant and Institutional Education, Certified Hospitality Educators, the Society for Human Resource Management, and the Coalition of Black Meeting Planners. Survivors include her parents, Andrew L. and Mavis Wray Farrar, and numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, and nephews.
Dennis Finfrock, first executive director of the Thomas & Mack Center and first head coach of wrestling, died July 18 from complications of Parkinson's disease. He first came to 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ in 1976 to head the wrestling program. After four successful seasons, he was named assistant athletic director. He spent nine years as executive director of the T&M. In 1992 he moved to the MGM Grand Garden Arena as vice president of special events. In 1995 he was named the most influential person in local sports by the Las Vegas Review-Journal. In 2007 he was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and the Professional Bull Riders Hall of Fame. He is survived by his wife, Kay, and son Jason, associate director of the T&M.
Glen "Gondo" Gondrezick, the former Runnin' Rebel star forward, NBA player, and longtime radio and TV announcer, died April 27, seven months after a heart transplant. A business major while at 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ, he starred on the Rebels' first Final Four team in 1977. He ended his 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ career as the 16th-leading scorer with 1,311 points. His jersey, No. 25, was retired in 1997. He was a second-round NBA draft pick and played with the New York Knicks (1977-79) and Denver Nuggets (1979-83). He then played two years in Europe. For the past 17 seasons he had served as a radio and television analyst for 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ. He is survived by daughter Britt and sons Kelan and Travis. A memorial celebrating his life took place April 30 in the Thomas & Mack Center.
Richard Lee, vice provost for education outreach, died May 11. In his five years at 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ, he helped build the largest distance education, continuing education, and summer programs in Nevada. He was described as a selfless advocate of better learning and scholarship for faculty and students. Prior to 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ he was a dean at the University of Wisconsin, Whitewater.
Reuben Neumann, professor emeritus of accounting, died May 4. He moved to Las Vegas in 1962 to teach at 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ and retired in 1993. He also had his own CPA tax practice and briefly served on the Clark County Planning Commission. He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Mary; three children, son Jason, and daughters Stephanie Callewaert and April Neumann-Aquino; four granddaughters; two sisters; and a brother.
Malcolm Foertner Nicol, professor of chemistry and physics and executive director of the High Pressure Science and Engineering Center (HiPSEC), died May 7. He had taught at 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ since 1998. HiPSEC, established in 1998, brings together chemists, mechanical engineers, and physicists to research materials under high pressure. His research with HiPSEC colleagues included more than $20 million of support from the U.S. Department of Energy and other agencies.
Stephen Forbes Nielsen, emeritus professor of communication studies, died March 25. He began teaching at 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ in 1969 and retired in 1998. An accomplished whistler, he was able to recall and recite great works of literature and poetry. He is survived by his wife, Ada MarDean; daughters, Cathi Parry, Suzanne, Cindy Ord, and Becky Bush; nine grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; and two sisters.
Norval Pohl, former dean of the College of Business and vice president of administration and financial affairs, died in May following a battle with cancer. He most recently had served as chief academic officer of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. He is survived by his wife, Barbikay; sons Prescott and Chandler; grandson Tennessee; a brother; and a half-brother.
J. Michael Stitt, an English professor who had taught at 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ since 1981, died July 16 in an accident involving an ultralight aircraft. He taught courses in mythology, folklore, the epic, and world literature and was the undergraduate coordinator in the English department. In 1997 he was appointed as a senior Fulbright Lecturer at the University of Sofia in Bulgaria. He was the author of the book, Beowulf and the Bear's Son: Epic, Saga, and Fairytale in the Northern Germanic Area. He is survived by his wife, Emire, and a son, Vesko Dinev.
William R. Wells, founding dean of the Howard R. Hughes College of Engineering, died May 22 following a long battle with cancer. He led the engineering and computer science programs through a period of growth in doctoral programs and research activities, which included the formation of the college in 1988. He was a member of the California-Nevada Superspeed Train Commission. He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Margie; three sons, Ward, Winston, and Richard; four grandchildren; two step-grandchildren; and a sister.
Anne Fenton Wyman, the first female faculty member in the College of Sciences and the first faculty member in the geology department, died June 23 after a long battle with Alzheimer's disease. She also was the first woman to graduate from Case Western Reserve University with a geology degree. She taught here for 28 years, establishing the first geology degree curriculum. She visited more than 80 countries and was fluent in French and Spanish. She is survived by her husband of 61 years, Richard, son William, two grandsons, and a sister.
