Vol. 25 No 3. Spring 2009
Marion (Emde) Braswell and husband Harvey twice flew from their home in Atlanta to New Orleans where Marion appeared in the film “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.” Although she did not personally meet Brad Pitt, she was only about 15 feet from him at a special screening shortly before the national opening. Marion’s appearance in the film is approximately 10 minutes into the movie, as Benjamin is left on the steps at the nursing home. The Braswells are active in their church and volunteer one day a month at an area
soup kitchen.
Vera (Schafer) Betker of Dearborn, Mich., has missed only one Valpo homecoming in 66 years. She is a retired elementary school teacher and is active in her home congregation of Guardian Lutheran Church. She is in her 40th year of selling Avon products as an annual president’s club member and also is a member of the Valpo Guild. Vera’s husband, Ralph (deceased), was named an honorary alumnus in 1989 for his successful work in financial development for Valpo. Vera remains a true Valparaiso University cheerleader, just as she was in 1942.
Weiford Wells, 85, resides in Bremerton, Wash. He is a WWII Army veteran, Pacific area, where he served in the Anti-Aircraft Artillery, then was part of the Coast Artillery in three units. He learned how to be a telephone lineman; field switchboard telephone operator; and a teletype operator. Weiford was honorably discharged in January 1946. He worked in design engineering for the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and for contractors as a mechanical engineer.
Dennis Barthel and his wife June (Koehler ’54) have been happily married for 57 years. They moved closer to their children and now reside in Valencia, Calif.
Lowell Enslen J.D. is an attorney with the firm Enslen, Enslen & Matthews in Hammond. He has recently retired from the board of directors of Lake Federal Bank, FSB.
Angelo Gabriele, a Fortune 500 executive for Bayer Corp., has published his first book titled “Praise His Name.” The book is a collection of religious poems and inspirational songs that can be used in daily worship and praise. Some of his poems are used for church communion and other religious activities. For additional information on “Praise His Name,” contact Angelo at Poethh@aol.com. Angelo has worked as an executive of Bayer Corp. for 28 years. He volunteers at various churches in the Pittsburgh, area and has edited prison newsletters in which many of his poems appear.
Don Fites was inducted into the Association of Equipment Manufacturers Hall of Fame at the AEM annual conference in November in Scottsdale. He was recognized for his tremendous accomplishments during his 42 years at Caterpillar. The AEM Hall of Fame honors pioneering individuals who invented, managed, built and led the construction equipment industry.
Eleanor (Siems) DeVries and her husband, Bob, celebrated their 50th anniversary in June with an Alaska cruise. Their four children and their spouses and nine grandchildren all joined them. In 2007, Bob and Eleanor received the Michigan governor’s award as civic leaders in the arts and culture. This year they serve as honorary co-chairs of the governor’s award, which will be awarded at the Detroit Institute of Arts in November.
Fred Reddel IV of Charlotte, N.C., was elected managing director of Morgan Keegan & Co., Inc. He is a financial adviser in the firm’s Charlotte branch office and serves as chair of the Endowment Committee at Christ Lutheran church In Charlotte. He joined Morgan Keegan in 2000.
Jeanne (Williams) Creech is a business assistance program specialist with the Pinellas Park/Gateway Chamber of Commerce. She received her master’s degree from the University of Michigan and earned a doctorate in organizational leadership from Georgia State University.
Joanne (Smith) Jones ’71 M.A.L.S. resides in Valparaiso. She has two daughters and two grandchildren. In 1997 she retired from Valparaiso Community Schools with 24 years of service. She is a volunteer at Porter hospital and has been a member of the auxiliary at the hospital for 11 years.
Louis “Rudy” Beyer retired as pastor of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Amherst, Mass., in October. From 1984 to 1994, Louis served as an Air Force Reserve chaplain. He and his wife plan to remain in Amherst. Louis will enjoy his banjo and use his handyman, carpenter and woodworking skills to help senior citizens maintain their homes.
Lynn (Schroeder) Smith is chair of the Department of Curriculum and Instruction, Southern Illinois University, in Carbondale, Ill.
Bruce Burmeister of LaPorte, Ind., is retired from the LaPorte Community Schools. He volunteers as a classroom assistant at the LaPorte County Juvenile Service Center.
Ken Clausing and his wife, Sherry (Smalley ’67), reside in Peru, Ind. Ken finished his vicarage at St. John’s in Peru last October. He is recovering from a seven-hour spine surgery that he had back in January. Sherry retired from teaching in 2007. She served as a pre-school teacher at St. John’s for 24 years.
Judith (Czamanske) Hasselbach retired in June after 38 years teaching secondary school English in the Palo Alto (Calif.) Unified School District. She was honored several times by being included in Who’s Who Among American High School Teachers. Her husband, Paul, also retired in June from his job as a special education teacher for students who are severely handicapped. They plan to spend time visiting their three married children and seven grandchildren, pursue hobbies and travel.
Katy (Deterding) Anderson recently completed the Theological Education for Emerging Ministries program at Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary in Berkeley and has been called to serve a small rural congregation in Oregon.
Michael Tieman received his M.D. degree from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in 1974 and completed a general surgery residency at Emory University-Affiliated Hospitals in 1979. He practiced general surgery for 27 years in small rural hospitals in Wisconsin and Arizona until he retired in 2006. After retirement, he and his wife, Linda, moved to Colorado, and Michael has started teaching part time at the new Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine in Parker. He and his wife also have golden retrievers and work with their older dog in the hospital doing pet-assisted activities with staff and patients.
James Borchers has been named Governmental Affairs Committee Chair of the St. Charles (Mo.) Chamber of Commerce Board. He serves as liaison between the Chamber and government officials on local, state and federal levels. James is the immediate past president of the O’Fallon Rotary Club and is a member of the St. Charles Community College Foundation Board of Directors
Scott Cook continues to work as a school psychologist in the Las Vegas schools, and as the primary consultant for the highly/profoundly gifted program. Broad family travel over the last few years includes not only the western United States, but Japan, Cambodia, Thailand, Nepal and India.
Linda Carstens is managing director of leading strategic product development at Babson Capital. She joined Babson in 2004 from State Street Research and Management, where she managed large corporate, foundation and endowment relationships. She began her career at Drexel Burnham Lambert and worked at both DuPont and Dow Chemical. She holds a master’s degree from Purdue University and an M.B.A. from Vanderbilt University.
John Lohrman ’77 J.D. was elected Walla Walla County (Washington) Superior Court Judge, and was sworn in on Jan. 12. John and wife Linda (Strohschein ’75) have four grown children and three grandchildren.
John Niems’ ninth CD, “9,” will be released in early September. This new CD contains some surprise tracks from the 1970s when he first started writing at Valpo. Check out John’s music at www.johnniems.com.
Nancy (Hoglund) Paunicka ’95 F.N.P. is a nurse practitioner, family practice, in Westville, Ind.
Peter Santogade is the chief of gastroenterology at the Allen Pavilion, a hospital of the Columbia University health care system. Carolyn Riehl ’73 is associate professor of education leadership at Teachers College. Their daughter, Elena, 26, is an advocate for alternative forms of transportation, and daughter Lydia, 16, attended the Lutheran Summer Music Academy last July.
Kathryn Koches is a correctional nurse at a state prison. She is the first and, sometimes, the only, health care professional to assess and treat any of the inmates in a prison population of 1,200. She works in a full-service ambulatory clinic providing routine and emergency health care, ranging from routine health screens to coronary emergencies or trauma from assault. Kathryn also is an instructor and co-president of Clinical Aromatherapy for Health Professionals, a program endorsed by the American Holistic Nurses Association.
Charles Strietelmeier is pastor of Augustana Lutheran Church in Hobart, Ind. He received his M.Div. degree from the Lutheran School of Theology and his doctorate from the Lutheran Theological Seminary. He was ordained in 1980. He and his wife, Karen, live in Hobart, Ind., and have four children. Charles has initiated a Stephen Ministry program at Augustana to support people who have lost loved ones, and he has revamped the Sunday school program to be intergenerational, parents and children attend together.
David Bohl was recognized by Worth Magazine as one of the “Top 250 Wealth Advisors” in the United States. He and his wife, Susan, live in Whitefish Bay, Wis. They have three sons. Dave enjoys sailboat racing.
Robert Schellenberg J.D. is the director of Wedge Energy International. He is a certified public accountant and attorney and an owner of the CPA firm Schellenberg & Evers PC. The firm specializes in taxation, litigation support, resource consulting and film production audits for films produced in Michigan. He also is on the board of directors of Cabo Drilling, Galahad Metals Inc., and Diamond Exploration Inc.
Tom Bredesen and his wife, Julie, celebrated their 20th anniversary in 2008. They have two sons, Riley and Joey, and reside in Hamel, Minn. Tom is president of Midwest Mechanical Solutions.
Tim Duerr is the NASCAR marketing manager for Ford Racing located in Dearborn, Mich. He has been employed with Ford Motor Co. for 32 years. This is his fourth season with Ford Racing.
Kalista Johnston, the founder and owner of a specialty foods company in northeast Indiana, has been accepted by the Indiana Artisan program. She was recognized for Grace Island Specialty Foods’ Baked Cheese Crisps, gluten-free crackers, which were designed to be free of grains that may cause allergic reactions. Grace Island had to pass a jury review to receive the recognition from the state of Indiana.
Jeffrey Koth and co-author, LaVonne Sanders Pautsch, have published a book titled “The Other Side of Grief: A Personal Faith Journey From Grief to Gratitude” (PublishAmerica). The book documents a 20-year journey through the grieving process. For more information about the book, go to publishamerica.com. Jeffrey serves as pastor of St. Mark’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in Waukegan, Ill.
Kenneth Allen of Valparaiso won the largest jury judgment in Indiana during 2008, according to the 2008 Indiana Jury Verdict Reporter. He also topped the list of attorneys with almost $135 million in judgments since 2000. Kenneth has won million-dollar verdicts each year since 2003.
Anne (Scheimann) Christiansen has been elected to the Board of Directors of Wheat Ridge Ministries of Itasca, Ill. She remains the pastor of Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church in Columbia, S.C., and lives with her husband, Neal ’77, on Lake Murray in Chapin, S.C. Their son, Eric, and his wife, Claire, live in Elmley Castle, England, and their daughter, Lyz, lives in Chicago.
Mark Lienhoop ’81 J.D. of LaPorte, Ind., has been selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America. Selection is by invitation only and is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey.
Bill Bernard recently celebrated working for Panduit Corp. for 25 years. He lives in Darien, Ill., with his wife, Katherine, and their children, Jaclyn and Eric.
JoAnn Campell completed a graduate certificate in spiritual direction from the College of St. Catherine. After 25 years in higher education, she has taken a position with the Hazelden Foundation as renewal and spiritual care coordinator of the Dan Anderson Renewal Center, where she leads retreats on spirituality and the “12 Steps.”
Bev Feldkamp teaches Latin, Western and non-Western civilization, and global issues at Valley Lutheran High School in Michigan. She is one of 12 high school educators who won the National Council of Geographic Education’s annual High School Distinguished Teacher award.
Jeff Smith is the author of “The Presidents We Imagine: Two Centuries of White House Fictions on the Page, on the Stage, Onscreen, and Online.” (See “Alumni Ink” on Page 15.) Jeff is an assistant professor at the Center for Management Communication in the Marshall School of Business, University of Southern California. He has served as a political reporter, commentator, television news consultant, and a Visiting Fellow at Oxford University’s Rothermere American Institute. Jeff is the recipient of two Fulbright Fellowships for the study and teaching of American culture.
Paul Grime is dean of the chapel and associate professor at Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, Ind. From 1996 to 2007, he served as executive director for the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod Commission on Worship in St. Louis. He served as project director for both the “Hymnal Supplement 98” and the “Lutheran Service Book.” Prior to that, he served eight years as the senior pastor of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in West Allis, Wis.
Terry Keating is managing director for Amherst Partners in its Chicago office. He has 25 years experience in providing mid-size financial services companies with strategic and financial advice. He served on the board of directors for Kaleidoscope Inc., serving as treasurer from 1996 through 1998, and as chair from 1998 through 2006. Terry received his M.B.A. from Keller Graduate School of Management.
Peter Ostling was appointed an associate judge of the 18th Judicial Circuit Court, DuPage County, Ill.
Kim Truttschel has moved to a small apple orchard in Greenfield, Ind.
Jon Uban is an artist. Recently, his work was featured in a one-man show, “The Colors of Life,” at the Stone House Pottery & Gallery in Galena, Ill. Jon has worked as a surveyor and as a self-syndicated cartoonist. He also ran a music-recording studio in Valparaiso. Subjects for his paintings are the landscapes he once took precise measurement of as a surveyor. His paintings can be found at the Artists’ Den in Valparaiso.
Bruce Allmandinger of Douglas, Ga., is engineering manager for PCC Airfoils at Douglas Aerospace Co., which manufactures blades and vanes for turbine engine applications.
Daniel Banina ’82 J.D. was appointed by Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels to be the first judge of the newly created Miami County (Ind.) Superior Court II. He has served as judge of the Miami County Superior Court I for the past 12 years. His daughter, Lauren Banina, is a first-year student at Valparaiso University and is a member of Christ College.
Bruce Knepper is jazz band director at Jefferson High School in Lafayette, Ind. He is a trumpeter with the Kokomo Symphony, Kokomo Park Band, Lafayette Symphony, Lafayette Citizens Band and Los Blancos Latin Jazz Band.
Keith Domke, managing editor of the Riverton Ranger daily newspaper in Riverton, Wyo., was recognized at the annual Wyoming Press Association’s convention for taking the state’s top picture and was awarded “Photo of the Year” honors for 2008. Domke’s photo also won the Wyoming dailies best spot news photo for 2008 and was named the “Sweepstakes” photo for the best picture of the state’s daily newspapers in any category. The “Photo of the Year” award is for the top picture for all newspapers in the state, including daily and weekly. Since 1983, he has received 14 state newspaper awards in Indiana, Illinois and Wyoming, including seven first-place honors.
Debbie (Williams) Sears started her new position in November 2008 as chief executive officer for the Boca Raton (Fla.) Retirement System.
Susan (Kelly) Johnson J.D. was the recipient of the Greater Portage (Ind.) Chamber of Commerce’s Volunteer of the Year award in November.
Tom Massey J.D. opened the Massey Law Offices LLC in Evansville, Ind. He practices in family law and civil litigation. Tom was named by fellow attorneys as an Indiana Super Lawyer for both 2008 and 2009.
Kirk Melhuish is chief meteorologist for News Talk WSB Radio in Atlanta and is a consulting meteorologist for private clients in government, business and agriculture. He was chosen for the fourth time by a readers poll in Atlanta Magazine as “Best Weather Forecaster in Atlanta.”
Philip Minga of Flossmoor, Ill., was re-elected to a fourth four-year term as a trustee on the Flossmoor Village Board. In addition to being trustee, Phil is in his 25th year of service on Flossmoor’s Volunteer Fire Department where he is a fire lieutenant and paramedic. He also is a registered civil engineer and project manager with Jacobs Engineering Group in Chicago.
Cheryl (Bunnett) Schrader, dean of Boise State University’s College of Engineering, has received the 2008 Hewlett-Packard/Harriett B. Rigas Award from the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Education Society. The award honors outstanding women who have significantly influenced electrical and computer engineering education through excellence in teaching, encouraging participation of women in engineering, demonstrating scholarship in the field and development of new systems that enhance learning and industry.
William Schuh is the chief medical information officer and vice president of research at Carle Foundation Hospital in Urbana, Ill. He oversees the development and implementation of medical informatics and electronic medical records. He also oversees medical research services and collaborations with the University of Illinois. He and wife Kim, children Jon, 17, Dan, 15, and Sarah, 13, live in Mahomet, Ill.
Andre Gammage ’88 J.D. is the managing partner of his own private practice, Berger and Gammage in South Bend, Ind. He concentrates primarily on criminal defense and personal injury. He has worked with the St. Joseph County Prosecutor’s Office as deputy prosecutor, as well as the South Bend Human Rights Department and the St. Joseph County Public Defender’s Office. Andre has served as vice president of the South Bend Redevelopment Authority, as a member of the finance committee for the Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church, as board chair of the Urban League of St. Joseph County and is the co-founder of Leaders and Positive Role Models.
Chuck Grouzard was promoted to senior vice president of national sales for GES Exposition Services. He joined GES in 1987 and has held various positions in the company. In his new role, he will focus on strategic sales planning, presentation training and new business development. He also will lead a team of national sales and account team members who are based in Washington, D.C., and Chicago.
Nancy Young ’04 M.A.L.S. and husband Kenton reside in Porter, Ind. Their son, Andy, 19, is in the Marine National Guard. Son Timothy, 17, is a senior at Chesterton High School. Nancy is an associate administrator in VU’s School of Law, and Kenton has worked with the Porter County Sheriff’s Department for 25 years.
John Bagdasarian and wife Lana live in Wylie, Texas, with their four children. John works for Furmanite America in the accounting department as the senior tax accountant.
Karen (Jauch) Kinahan began the Survivors Taking Action and Responsibility program at Children’s Memorial Hospital in 2001. The program assists survivors of childhood cancers with customized adult health care. Ivanhoe Medical Breakthroughs did a videotape of interviews with Karen and a patient, as well as the doctor with whom she works in an effort to spread the word about the need for long-term follow-up care and patient education for the adult survivor population.
Bill Woodruff, chief executive officer for Woodruff Construction LLC, has joined the Wells Fargo Community Advisory Board for Ames, Iowa. Bill started his construction career with Turner Construction in Cleveland. He also served with the Peace Corps in Honduras, where he helped design and build small water systems. Bill has been instrumental in the continued growth of Woodruff Construction and is an active member of the Ames community. A member of the Ames and Ankeny Economic Development boards, he also served on the board of the Octagon Center for the Arts and was a founding member of the Creative Artist Studios of Ames.
To John Bagdasarian and wife Lana of Wylie, Texas: Lelia Rose, born Nov. 20, 2008; joins siblings Charlie, Matthew and Elianna.
Betsy (Smith) Barron teaches math at Lincoln Jr. High School in Plymouth, Ind.
Jeffrey Gunning J.D. is president of the Indiana Municipal Lawyers Association. As such, he sits ex officio on the board and executive committee of the Indiana Association of Cities and Towns and the Amicus Curiae Review Committee. He also continues as the Michiana Shores Town Attorney (LaPorte County, Ind.).
Terri Hermann was promoted to operations manager of ESPN Event Operations. She still works on the Tennis Majors: Australian Open, French Open, and Wimbledon. ESPN will air the U.S. Open Tennis for the domestic audience for the first time this year.
Pat Schmidt ’95 M.S.N. is a nurse practitioner in obstetrics and gynecology in Michigan City, Ind.
Ann (Frey) Allen is the office manager for the Valparaiso Department of Public Works. She has three children: Jack, Curtis and Esther, and resides in Valparaiso.
Donna Elbrecht of Fort Wayne, Ind., is the president and chief executive officer of Lutheran Social Services of Indiana. Prior to her new role, Donna served as CEO of Easter Seals Iowa for the last eight years.
John Veleber, after 14 years of working on Wall Street, several of which trading electricity for Cantor Fitzgerald on the 105th floor of the World Trade Center, has moved to his log home in Roscoe, N.Y. Since 2004, John has been enjoying life in the heart of the Catskill Mountains, and is a vice president and commercial loan officer for The First National Bank of Jeffersonville. He spends most of his free time outdoors with his yellow Lab, Molson, enjoying the natural beauty of the mountains, streams and lakes.
Susan Boles J.D., St. Charles, Ill., was appointed a circuit judge late last year. She is running for judge in the fourth sub-circuit in the 16th Judicial Circuit, which includes Kane, Kendall and DeKalb counties. In her time on the bench, she has served in traffic and misdemeanor courts, and has presided over the abuse and neglect and juvenile courts.
Matt Redmann recently finished his Six Sigma Black Belt Certification project. He works for Harley-Davidson Motor Co. as the environmental manager for Milwaukee operations. He and his wife, Ginny (Brackett ’91), reside in Waukesha, Wis., and have three children: Josh, 11, Rachel, 9, and Tressa, 5.
Peter Richert J.D. graduated with a M.Div. degree from Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, Ind., in May 2007. He was ordained and installed as pastor at the Lutheran Church of Our Savior, Mount Pocono, Pa., on July 22, 2007. His son, Patrick, is in eighth grade at Pocono Mountain East Junior High School.
To Becky (Brauer) Mitchell and husband Bob of Lisle, Ill.: Kirsten Anna, born March 11, 2008; joins siblings Evan, 5, and Jake, 3.
Robert Kirtland is an attorney with the Department of Defense Medical Command at Fort Polk, La., where he provides legal counseling to injured service members.
Kelly (Arnholt) O’Connor of Greenfield, Ind., is a permanent substitute at Greenfield Middle School. Kelly previously taught preschoolers in a head-start classroom in Winamac, Ind.
Mario Ortiz has been promoted to associate professor of nursing at Purdue University-North Central. He has a doctorate in nursing from Loyola University. He coordinates the nursing department’s community health and family health nursing courses, and plays a vital role in course and curriculum development.
Charles Timmerwilke J.D. of Rockford, Ill., joined the law firm of Heyl Royster in 2005. He is a partner in its Rockford office. Charles concentrates his practice in a wide range of civil litigation, including product liability, professional liability, construction, and transportation cases.
Neal Armstrong and his wife, Esther (Schuette ’94), reside in Oak Park, Ill., with their two children: Rachel, 5, and Peter, 3. Neal is employed by RREEF (a real estate investment management firm) where he is a director in the Fund Finance group.
Timothy Tribbett of Denver is vice president of finance and accounting for Mark VII Equipment Inc. He has more than 14 years of financial management experience at global manufacturing companies and holds a master’s degree from the American Graduate School of International Management.
Daniel Buksa J.D. of Munster, Ind., is the associate director of public affairs for the Academy of General Dentistry. He has earned the Certified Association Executive credential from the American Society of Association Executives.
Patrick Feaster was again nominated for a 2009 Grammy Award in the category of Best Album Notes. This was Patrick’s second nomination.
David Jones J.D. of LaPorte, Ind., has been selected for inclusion in “The Best Lawyers in America.” Selection is by invitation only and is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey.
Kelly (Hodgson) Kline is the 2009 recipient of the Healthy Families Springtime of Hope award for advocacy and leadership in child protective services and the prevention of child abuse and neglect. The award was presented by the Franciscan Skemp Auxiliary, Partners of Gundersen Lutheran, and the Family and Children’s Center of LaCrosse, Wis. Kelly is a pediatrician and specialist in child abuse at Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center and divides her time between her clinical practice and teaching third-year medical students from the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health.
Therese (Nelson) Rednor, husband John and their son, Jack, reside in Lakewood, Colo. Therese is a sales manager for Republic National Distributing Co. in Littleton, Colo.
Koreen (Payton) Ryan J.D. has been named Deputy General Counsel and Corporate Secretary for The Warranty Group, a provider of extended service plans and related benefits. She has more than 15 years of experience in the field, including positions as Division of Enforcement Attorney for the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Senior Counsel for McDonald’s Corp., and other senior corporate positions.
To Kari (Rehm) Corrington and husband Scott of Northville, Mich.: Ryan Thomas, born April 5, 2008; joins brother Benjamin, 3.
To Therese (Nelson) Rednor and husband John of Lakewood, Colo.: Jack Nelson, born on Jan. 3, 2007.
George “Trey” Aycock J.D. of Greensboro, N.C., has been selected for inclusion in Worth magazine’s “Top 100 Attorneys” in the United States for his service advising business entities, entrepreneurs, and high net worth individuals in areas concerning matrimonial law, trust and estates litigation, and complex civil litigation. He is a board certified family law specialist by the North Carolina State Bar and represents a wide variety of clients, from individuals to large corporate clients.
To David Stenberg and wife Tina (Karstens) of Lebanon, Ind.: Micah Lee, born Oct. 26, 2007; joins brothers Noah, 6, and Elijah, 4.
Piper (Smith) Bakrevski is a registered nurse and is the director of nursing at Peabody Retirement Community. Piper has more than 12 years of management experience.
Jennifer (Bolla) Davison is a family practice nurse practitioner in Chesterton, Ind.
Ronald Fiet J.D. of Rockford, Ill., has joined the firm of Barrick, Switzer, Long, Balsley and Van Evera. He will continue to focus his practice on estate planning, estate administration and business succession planning. Ron has more than 10 years of legal experience, which includes practicing as an assistant attorney general for Illinois, as well as for small and large firms in Rockford. He also has earned his certified trust and financial adviser designation from the Institute of Certified Bankers and is a member of the Winnebago County Bar Association, the Illinois State Bar Association, and is a board member for Carpenter’s Place and Rockford Day Nursery.
Chad Reichert is an assistant professor of graphic design at the College for Creative Studies in Detroit. His wife, Heidi, is a statistical consultant at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.
To Clare (Bradley) Lubek J.D. and husband Ronald of Naperville, Ill.: Ethan, born on Oct. 15, 2008; joins sister Emily, 2.
To Chad Reichert and wife Heidi of Ann Arbor, Mich.: twins Zoie Ann and Mina Grace, born Oct. 31, 2008.
Sylvia Amsler defended her dissertation in biological anthropology at the University of Michigan in December 2008.
Jennifer (Dorr) Jelinek and her husband, Erik, serve as co-pastors at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Beloit, Wis. They have two daughters, Scarlett and Sierra.
Kelly Higbea and Timothy Roche, Nov. 7, 2008, Playa del Carmen, Mexico.
To Sylvia Amsler and husband Lewis Krain of Little Rock, Ark.: Mira Chloe, born Jan. 28, 2008.
To Jennifer (Dorr) Jelinek and husband Erik of Beloit, Wis.: Scarlett Deborah, born in September 2008; joins sister Sierra, 4.
Nikki Alexander is a family practice nurse practitioner in Michigan City, Ind.
Evan Gaertner was installed Dec. 7, 2008, as the pastor of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Hamburg, Mich. He looks forward to serving the people of the church and the community. He and his wife, Christi (Dunklau), have two sons, Henry, 5, and Lucas, 3. They enjoyed their visit to Valpo last fall for Homecoming where Evan helped present a plan for housing for the Iota Sigma chapter of Sigma Chi.
Ayesha (Qaiser) Sherdil resides in Lahore, Pakistan. She teaches English literature to students in the 10th grade. She and her husband, Mujahid, have one son, Asfandyar Khan, who will be 4 in July.
Jennifer (Joyce) Smith is an advanced practice registered nurse and works at the Women’s Clinic of Lincoln, P.C., in Lincoln, Neb.
Alison Chestovich of Indianapolis earned her law degree from Indiana University in 2001. She is a judicial clerk for the United States District Court of Southern Indiana.
Billy Finn is a medical device sales representative for Boston Scientific. He and his wife, Lisa (Winter ’00), reside in Noblesville, Ind., with their two children, Nina 5, and Max, 2. Billy also is an assistant baseball coach at Cathedral High School in Indianapolis.
Juan Sanchez is a flight nurse with the Air Force Reserves and has been on three deployments. He spent the last two years in nursing clinical research with a diabetes center and cardiac cath lab.
Kirsten (Smith) Theye is an assistant professor of communication at William Jewell College. Kirsten received her master’s degree in 2004 from the University of Kansas, as well her Ph.D. degree in 2008.
To Adrianne (Hoehner) Rans J.D. and husband Zach of Tampa, Fla.: Jocelyn Skylar, March 20, 2008; joins brothers Griffin and Tristan.
To Jonathan Rivera and wife Emily of Chicago: Benjamin Jay, born Dec. 18, 2008.
John Collins J.D. was elected a partner at the law firm Bingham McHale. He is a member of the firm’s private client group.
Glenn Jaffe and wife Tami reside in Huntersville, N.C. Glenn marked two years last November for his chiropractic practice in Charlotte. Tami is director of real estate accounting operations for TIAA-CREF in Charlotte.
Tanya Smutka and her husband, Chris Jorgenson, reside in Minneapolis. Tanya is a biology professor at Inver Hills Community College. Last winter she organized a food drive that collected more than two tons of food in less than a week. Chris is a risk analyst with Cargill. They spend their free time renovating their home.
Glenn Jaffe and Tami Hammer, May 24, 2008, Cozumel, Mexico.
Tanya Smutka and Chris Jorgenson, June 1, 2007, Minneapolis.
To Susan (Oyer) and Matthew Crum of Austin, Texas: Lauren Faith, born on Sept. 16, 2008.
To Erin (Carey) Guerra and husband Jeff of Valparaiso: Tessa Marie, born Oct. 29, 2008.
To Daniel Haug and wife Sally of Dubuque, Iowa: twins Matthew and Samuel, born Oct. 29, 2008; join siblings Ruthanne and Jacob.
To Paul Stavnes and wife Amy (Tritch ’00) of Murfreesboro, Tenn.: Ryann Elizabeth, born Dec. 4, 2008; joins siblings Taylor and Cade.
Patty Cisneros is head coach of the women’s wheelchair basketball team at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She works with the U.S. Paralympics founding sponsor, The Hartford, to raise awareness of what people with a physical disability can achieve in all aspects of life. She was a gold medal winner at the Paralympic Games in Beijing and Athens and has been inducted into the VU Athletics Hall of Fame.
Ben Dickmann and his wife, Karen, reside in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Alumni who took part in their April 4 wedding were: Scott Paukner ’00, who served as best man; Matt Krones ’00 and Adam Specht ’00, who were groomsmen.
Torie (Haldi) Figura, husband Steve ’02 and their son, Matthew, reside in Webster Groves, Mo. Torie is the chief financial officer for TowerHill Wealth Management, and Steve is an electrical engineer for Boeing.
Shannon Reed J.D. is a partner with Baker & Daniels in their Fort Wayne, Ind., office. She focuses on counseling clients on the formation, negotiation and endorsement of provider agreements; physician recruitment, retention and various other employment, peer review and medical staff issues.
Angie (Larson) Rimbo, husband Justin and their son, Owen, live in Monticello, Minn. Angie teaches fifth grade in Columbia Heights, Minn.
Ben Dickmann and Karen Fisher, April 4, 2009, Gloversville, N.Y.
Jonathan Mueller and Kelsi Wilken, Aug. 23, 2008, Kansas City, Mo.
To Brad Banks J.D. and wife Jenny (former VU Alumni Office staff member) of Fishers, Ind.: Sydney Marie, born Oct. 23, 2008; joins brother Trevor.
To Kristy (Rehlander) Bixler and husband Stephen of Greenwood, Ind.: Benjamin Louis, born Sept. 8, 2008.
To Beth (Sneller) and Mark Earnest ’97 of Hartland, Wis.: Tyler Joshua, born Oct. 11, 2008.
To Torie (Haldi) and Steve Figura ’02 of Webster Groves, Mo.: Matthew Stephen, born Oct. 30, 2008.
To Mary (Linxweiler) and Christopher Jackson ’01 of Lexington, Ky.: Elise Olivia, born Aug. 11, 2008; joins brother Thomas Christopher, 3.
To Stephanie (Hessler) Lankhorst of Olmsted Falls, Ohio: Victoria Ruth, born Oct. 26, 2008.
To Angie (Larson) Rimbo and husband Justin of Monticello, Minn.: Owen Robert, born July 12, 2008.
Eric Engelhardt of Rochester, Minn., will be finished with his master’s degree in nursing administration in less than a year. He also has completed an internship for leadership at Mayo Clinic and works in the Neuro-Intensive Care Unit. Eric plans to transition to a leadership-type position at Mayo in the future.
Jason Fechner resides in Davenport, Iowa, and is the weekend anchor and reporter for WQAD-TV Newschannel. Prior to this position he resided in Washington, D.C., and covered Capitol Hill for several television and radio affiliates.
Kevin Goss has accepted the position of golf course superintendent at the Elmhurst Park District (Ill.). He oversees the maintenance and personnel management of Sugar Creek Golf Course. He was previously employed as a chemical technician and maintenance worker for Sugar Creek Golf Course. Kevin is pursuing a certification in turf and landscape management at the College of DuPage.
Jacob Hogue M.D., U.S. Army, and wife Bridgett (Davis), who is a registered nurse, reside in San Francisco. Jacob completed his residency in pediatrics at Madigan Hospital, Fort Lewis, Wash., and has begun a fellowship in genetics at UC San Francisco Children’s Hospital. Bridgett has her nurse practitioner certification from the University of Washington in Seattle and is practicing at the breast cancer clinic at UC San Francisco Medical Center.
Heidi (Burrell) Wright and husband Chris have enjoyed living just outside of Colorado Springs, Colo., since 2007. In the fall of 2008, Heidi completed her M.S. in nursing through the Frontier School of Midwifery and Family Nursing and passed the national board certification test to become a certified nurse-midwife. Also, in November 2008, Heidi and Chris welcomed home their first child, Jonathan, adopted from Korea.
Vanessa Peterson and Matthew Slavens, Dec. 6, 2008, St. Anthony Village, Minn.
To Leesa (Harty) McCauley and husband Henry of West Liberty, Ohio: Seth Henry, born Nov. 6, 2008.
To Aaron Rhame and wife Aimee of Valparaiso: Beckham Aaron, born on June 27, 2008.
To Heidi (Burrell) Wright and husband Chris of Peyton, Colo.: Adoption of Jonathan Samuel, born Feb. 11, 2008, in Cheongwon, Chungcheonbuk-do, South Korea. Welcomed home to Colorado Nov. 5, 2008.
Matthew Barrett J.D. has opened a new law office in Logansport, Ind. His practice concentrates on cases involving personal injury, wrongful death and criminal defense.
Brian Dillon lives just outside of Toronto. He works at the Weather Network.
Judi (Karl) Nuest is the president of Valpo’s chapter of Alpha Sigma Lambda, an honor society for nontraditional students. The honor society’s chapter at VU has 81 members and 14 honorary faculty members. Judi focuses on obtaining scholarship money for nontraditional students.
Jennifer Steffler of Oak Park, Ill., graduated with an M.B.A. in finance and strategy from DePaul University. She works as a financial analyst at a large engineering consulting firm in Chicago.
Lyn Stevens F.N.P. is a nurse practitioner in cardiology in Michigan City, Ind.
Lindsay (Kerns) Wheeler is the director of administration for ALDI-Valparaiso Division. She is married with two daughters: Vivian, 2, and Silvia, 5 months.
Lauren (Holder) and Josh McCormack, Sept. 26, 2008, Schererville, Ind.
To Samantha (Martin) Cooper and husband Daniel of Peru, Ind.: Jimmie Russell, born Sept. 23, 2008.
To Tim Weidner and wife Janae (Bowyer ’01) of Yorkville, Ill.: Lilah Ann born May 7, 2008.
Debbie (Bope) Chun spent three years in Wisconsin working with Bended Knee Ministries and Young Life, and has been the communications director for two years for the Abstinence and Marriage Education Partnership, a national non-profit organization based in Wheeling, Ill. She and her husband, Jeff, who is a 2002 University of Illinois alumnus, spent their honeymoon in Australia and New Zealand. Jeff is the marketing manager at PersonalizationMall.com. They reside in Naperville, Ill.
Curtis Martin II, J.D. was elected vice president of the Gate City Bar Association. In January he was named a partner in the law firm of Mozley, Finlayson & Loggins LLP in Atlanta.
Terence Nesbit J.D. has written a second novel, “My Prerogative.” For more information, visit publishamerica.com or amazon.com.
Lara Pudwell graduated in May 2008 with a Ph.D. in math from Rutgers University in New Brunswick, N.J. Last fall she joined Valpo’s department of math and computer science as an assistant professor.
Aaron Reinhard received his Ph.D. in physics in May 2008 from the University of Michigan. His wife, Sarah (Wittrock), received her M.Ed. from the University of Michigan in April 2007. Aaron is pursuing post-doctoral study at Penn State, and Sarah teaches fifth grade in the State College Area School District.
Carolyn (Owens) Richardson and husband Miko are known as “Taniq” in the music world. They are a husband and wife duo, who have recently released their first full-length album, “The Life and Times of Love.” The music is primarily soul and hip-hop with jazz melodies. Check it out at myspace.com/Taniq.
Tilisa (Turpin) Skerczak teaches at Sunshine Elementary School in Lehigh Acres, Fla. She is a Lee County Golden Apple recipient. The award grants membership in the Academy of Teachers and a $1,000 award to her school, plus additional prizes.
Debbie Bope and Jeff Chun, March 8, 2008, Hinsdale, Ill.
To Kim (Kautz) and Paul Hilgeman of Arlington Heights, Ill.: Jack William born July 31, 2008.
To Curtis Martin II, J.D. and wife Mary of Alpharetta, Ga.: Sydney Malia, born Nov. 14, 2008; joins brother Justus, 2.
To Jeff and LeAnn (Buescher) Nome of Fort Wayne, Ind.: Kaia Bliss, born Jan. 22, 2009.
Elizabeth Baden graduated in May 2009 with a Ph.D. in biomedical science (biochemistry) from Mayo Clinic College of Medicine. She was awarded a Congressional Fellowship in Science and Technology Policy by the American Chemical Society and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Elizabeth resides in Washington, D.C., and works in the office of a member of Congress.
Ryan Bateman of Chester, Calif., was hired as Orland High School’s athletic director. For the last two years, Ryan coached OHS junior varsity football, served as assistant varsity golf coach, and coached seventh- and eighth-grade boys basketball and seventh-grade volleyball at C.K. Price Middle School in Orland. Ryan earned his master’s degree at California State University, Chico in 2007.
Brian Duclos of Olathe, Kan., accepted a position as a senior internal auditor at Hallmark Cards in Kansas City, Mo. He started work in October 2008.
Laura Gaide is a manufacturing engineer for Caterpillar Ind.
Elizabeth Recchia lives in Nome, Alaska. She is the admissions and records coordinator at the Northwest Campus-University of Alaska Fairbanks. She oversees registration, student academic records and graduation for the campus. She also was elected to UAF’s Staff Council as a rural campus representative and chairs the Rural Affairs Committee.
Derek Ruzicka joined Rabbitt, Pitzer & Snodgrass, P.C., as part of the firm’s construction/architect professional liability group. He will focus in the areas of design professional liability defense, including architects, engineers, and land surveyors. Derek received his law degree from Southern Illinois University School of Law. He was admitted to the Missouri Bar in 2008 and is an active member of the American Bar Association. Prior to joining Rabbit, Pitzer & Snodgrass, he worked as an estimator for Ruzicka Electric & Sons, Inc.
Sara Woodward will graduate in May with double master’s degrees in music (vocal performance and early music voice) from The Peabody Conservatory of The Johns Hopkins University. She resides in Baltimore, Md., where she performs with several early music ensembles, a baroque opera company, and the choir of St. Johns in the Village. Sara also provides voice lessons. In January, she will be the featured soloist at the Amherst Early Music Festival.
Mark Alson is an associate in the law firm of Ice Miller LLP. He is with the firm’s private equity and venture services practice.
Gary Demski M.S. of South Bend, Ind., has been named the executive director of athletics and activities at Indiana University South Bend. Prior to this appointment, Gary was the athletic director at Clay High School.
Leslie Eggerding is employed as a project manager at Barefoot Advertising.
Ellen Harstad teaches kindergarten at Fairfax Villa Elementary School in Fairfax, Va. She also works part time at a Starbucks in Alexandria. She and her sister ran in the 33rd Annual Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, D.C., last October, which helped raise money for the American Cancer Society. Ellen resides in Arlington, Va., with her sister.
Josie Norberg graduated from Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine with her medical degree. She will start her residency training to be a family practice physician at West Suburban Hospital in Oak Park, Ill., in July.
Josh Sickinger of Lowell, Ind., became a certified public accountant in 2008 and is currently a senior accountant with the firm of BKD in Merrillville, Ind.
John Weber is an associate in the law firm of Ulmer & Berne LLP in Cleveland. John earned his J.D. from Case Western Reserve University in 2008.
To Clement and Jackie (Hanstedt) Markowski of DePere, Wis.: Clement Jacob, born on Jan. 2, 2009.
Emily Brown teaches kindergarten at Lighthouse Academy Charter School in Gary, Ind.
Katie Kawiecki J.D. is one of four deputy prosecutors in Indianapolis handling class D felony-level cases.
Curtis Kemper is employed at CDW in Vernon Hills, Ill.
Ben Lieske and his wife, Rachel, reside in Valparaiso. Rachel is a graduate of IU and is employed by Wee Care Pediatric Facility in Dyer, Ind., as a speech and language pathologist. Ben is a high school teacher and coach with Valparaiso Community Schools.
Tammy Lis is spending a year at Rancho Ebenezer, where missionaries care for children who were abandoned and raise them in Christian family settings. Tammy’s role is to run the medical clinic on the ranch and be the first responder for medical emergencies. She will monitor medications and immunizations, provide health education and fill in for house parents.
Jim Nondorf M.A.L.S. will be the next vice president and dean of College Admissions and Financial Aid at the University of Chicago, effective July 1. Nondorf earned his bachelor’s degree in economics from Yale. He began his career in the technology industry, eventually founding, running and taking public startup Internet companies. He also was a founding teacher for Terrace Community Middle School, a charter school in Tampa, Fla.
Shannon Steuber is a catering manager in Denver.
Krysta (Kennedy) Walsh J.D. and her husband, Adam, reside in Madison, Wis. Valpo Law alumni who attended their September 2008 wedding were: Mazier Shafiei ’07 J.D., Kristin Nesbitt ’06 J.D., and Mark Manski ’05 J.D.
Krysta Kennedy J.D. and Adam Walsh, Sept. 6, 2008, Madison, Wis.
Ben Lieske and Rachel Roberts, July 5, 2008, Valparaiso.
Megan Bawden is pursuing her M.B.A. at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Business. She will start classes in the fall.
Jennifer (Cole) and Matthew Engelmann reside in Indianapolis. Alumni who took part in their March wedding included: Ashlee (Blankenbaker ’07) Gibbs, Jessica (Freburg ’07) Gordon, Stephani Lawrence ’08, Sean Rizer ’07, Mike Gibbs ’06 and Jeremy Schares ’07. Matt is an officer with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, and Jenn works as a registered nurse at Riley Hospital for Children.
Patricia Fant is a second-year doctoral student at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology.
Audrey (Miller) Felix is a third-grade teacher in the Oldham County School district in Goshan, Ky. Husband Nathan works as a commercial buyer at River Metal Recycling in Louisville.
Eric Skelly M.S. is the University of Nevada assistant swimming and diving coach. He coaches the Wolf Pack distance swimmers and coordinates recruiting, academics and NCAA compliance. Eric and his wife, Jennifer, have two sons, Drake, 6, and Connor, 4.
Jennifer Cole and Matthew Engelmann, March 14, 2009, Indianapolis.
Meredith Garofalo joined KOTA Territory News in January 2009 as weekend meteorologist and Spearfish (S.D.) reporter. Meredith worked for WHIZ-TV in Zanesville, Ohio, as weekend meteorologist/reporter and was a freelance writer and photographer for the Zanesville Times Recorder. She is a member of the National Weather Association and the American Meteorological Society.
Shawn Huff finished one the most productive careers in Valpo history in spring 2008, leading the Crusaders to the inaugural College Basketball Invitational. Last fall he signed a three-year professional contract to play with Maroussi Athens BC.
Jillian Nolan directed “Southern Hospitality,” which was performed by Stage Right, a community theater group in Conroe, Texas. Since moving to Conroe, Jillian has acted in two shows and has been offered three different jobs to teach improvisation and acting classes, along with directing opportunities. Jillian is pursuing her master’s degree and teaching during the day.
Cheryl Sokol is employed at Inter-State Studio in Crown Point, Ind., as a photographer.
Joshua Weinhold is the politics and city government reporter at Elkhart Truth, a daily newspaper in Elkhart, Ind.
Sarah Ott is the recipient of the 2009 Graduate Scholarship from the Transportation Founders Fund. Sarah is pursuing work toward her Master of Science degree in transportation engineering at North Carolina State University. In 2006-2007, she was a Presidential Academic Honors Award winner and was on Valpo’s Dean’s List for six semesters. She is an active member of Tau Beta Pi (the Engineering Honor Society) and a member of the Society of Women Engineers.