ALUMNI CLASS NOTES & CLUB HIGHLIGHTS

1951

Richard Krentz ’51 retired on Nov. 1, 2015, after 59 years as the church organist for St. John Lutheran Missouri Synod in Orchard Park, New York.

1957

Judy Schuerman ’57 Rullman and Melvin Rullman ’57 recently traveled to Romania, completing their 11th Thrivent Builds with Habitat for Humanity trip.

1960

Gloria Rupprecht Strieter ’60 of Rock Island, Illinois, performed at the recent Miss Indiana Pageant. Her performance was on the 60th anniversary of her being crowned Miss Indiana in 1957. Gloria donned the same gown she wore 60 years prior.

1963

Faye McCall ’63 Pyatt retired from a career teaching Spanish several years ago. Faye resides in Belle Vista, Arkansas, and is involved in many volunteer activities. She has a released service dog, now a certified therapy dog, named Dwayne. Faye and Dwayne spend about 25 hours per week visiting many locations, including nursing homes and assisted living facilities. They even spend hours at the library reading to children, who are mostly autistic. The dynamic duo has been spreading joy for the past five years.

Elisabeth “Beth” Dey Wheeler has discovered hiking and backpacking along the Arizona National Scenic Trail from Mexico to Utah.

Elisabeth “Beth” Dey ’63 Wheeler has discovered hiking and backpacking. Beth has hiked the Arizona National Scenic Trail from Mexico to Utah. In summer 2017, she hiked 300 miles of the Colorado Trail. And, in September, she backpacked 240 miles of the John Muir Trail from Yosemite Valley to Mt. Whitney, climbing 11 passes over 11,000 feet.

1965

Ann Cattau ’65 retired five years ago from Neenah Joint School District in Wisconsin after 46 years of service as a teacher and counselor. She currently volunteers on the Fox Valley Victim Crisis Team, as a reading tutor, and as a member of the church board of directors. She has found further enjoyment in retirement through reading and travel.

Ricardo “Rick” Ernst ’65 died unexpectedly on May 15, 2016, doing what he loved: biking and birding with friends in Denali National Park. He leaves behind his wife,
Kathy Ungrodt ’67 Ernst; two sons, Devin and Aaron; and three grandchildren. Kathy, who lives in Alaska, will continue to travel, host old and new friends, and serve in the local ambulance. She retired from the local community college, where she served as an adjunct professor of math and chemistry.

Marcus Voth ’65 retired in 2014 after 49 years of work in nuclear engineering, including power, academia, medical isotopes, and international safety. He currently consults in medical isotopes from his home in Chantilly, Virginia. Marcus also volunteers with his mission congregation, Vine & Branches Lutheran Church, as they build a new facility in South Riding, Virginia. Marcus’ wife, Karen Voth, retired from early childhood education and presently volunteers with Vine & Branches, helping to develop their new child development center and consulting occasionally in early childhood education. They live near their four grandchildren in the Washington, D.C., area. Their son Peter lives in Washington, D.C.; son Jonathon lives in Minneapolis; daughter Sara passed away from breast cancer in 2013; and son-in-law Matt Kroll lives in Chantilly, Virginia with his family. Marcus and Karen celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 2015.

Timothy Warﬁeld ’65, a resident of York, Pennsylvania, was appointed to the York County Community Foundation’s board of directors. Timothy brings more than 50 years of community development experience to the role. During his career, he has directed, developed, and provided expertise to programs that change lives, strengthen families, and stabilize neighborhoods, impacting communities on local, state, and national levels. Timothy is currently an associate for Cornerstone Ventures LLC, where he assists clients to develop and invest in social enterprises.

1966

William Satterlee ’66 J.D. was honored by Northwest Indiana Business Roundtable for his decades of service to the organization. He was a practicing attorney for nearly 50 years in Northwest Indiana, formerly of Hoeppner, Wagner & Evans LLP, and joined the business roundtable at its founding and served as its counsel for many years.

1969

Dale LeFevre ’69 traveled to Montenegro for two weeks in June to teach New Games, which are interactive, cooperative games designed to bring diverse groups of people together. He concluded his stay with a New Games leadership workshop. Dale has now traveled to 34 countries to provide instruction in New Games. He applied for a grant at Sheffield Hallam University to start more in-depth research into New Games to evaluate their effect on students in regard to their developmental and social skills as well as their academic performance.

1970

David Abrahamson ’70 was honored by the Lutheran Life Foundation with a gala celebration, which launched the Pastor David Abrahamson Fund for Benevolent and Spiritual Care. David was recognized for his decades of service to church and community and for his advocacy on behalf of the residents served by Lutheran Life Communities. The fund will underwrite the ministries of Lutheran Life Communities chaplains, provide sacred spaces for worship, and support residents who can no longer afford the cost of their care.

Susan Dunn ’70 has worked as a clinical therapist at Stress Recovery Center in South Bend, Indiana for the past four years. She has counseled teens and adults for more than 30 years. During this time, Susan has also enjoyed supervising and training other therapists. She has been married to hersecond husband, John Dunn, a retired state trooper, for 12 years. Together they have five children and six grandchildren.

Phi Sigma Kappa alumni from the classes of ’70–’74 have gathered regularly for the past several years in Flossmoor, Illinois, to catch up with one another and reminisce about their time as Phi Sigs. Their most recent event was held on Oct. 29, 2016.

1971

Bruce Lindner ’71 has been the executive director of the Porter County Council on Aging and Community Services for more than a decade, serving elderly, disabled, and low-income people. He has more than three decades of experience in the nonprofit sector, including 17 years as the executive director of the Portage YMCA and four years directing the Hammond YMCA.

Joyce Prahl ’71 Parry retired from teaching art in 2009 and is currently living in Texarkana, Texas. A few months after retirement, she found herself administering hemodialysis treatments to her husband, Jack, for four and a half years, six days a week. Jack received a kidney transplant at Vanderbilt spring 2014. Joyce has resumed her love of pottery, and, in May 2017, she started a business called Fire, Earth, and Stone Pottery and began selling her creations. Joyce and Jack live on a small lake just west of town in a new home Jack built. They feel like they’re on vacation every day and welcome visitors.

1972

Linda Babuska ’72 Hanson Beach retired from Horizon Gymnastics Center in Valparaiso, Indiana, after 18 years of ownership. She resides in Valparaiso, with her husband, Dennis E. Beach, a retired pharmacist. They are the parents of Lindsay Hanson and Aaron (Tara) Hanson, who reside in Arizona. They are grandparents of Lincoln, 4, and Layton, 2, sons of Aaron and Tara. Lincoln was baptized at the Chapel of the Resurrection in Nov. 2013.

Thomas Wilkinson ’72 was elected chairman of Welch’s board of directors. He owns and operates a 200-acre farm, is president of Thomas Daniel Vineyards Inc., and is a director at Lake View Development Corporation and the North East Community Foundation. Thomas is a member of National Grape Cooperative Inc., a cooperative of nearly 1,000 family farmers who own Welch’s and have grown inherently healthy Concord and Niagara grapes for generations. From 1982 to 1996, he served as Welch’s corporate engineering director.

1973

Beverly Izzio ’73 Bloom and Roger Bloom ’73 currently reside in a suburb of Dallas. After 42 years of service, Roger recently retired from Rockwell Collins, where he worked primarily on classified communication programs for the U.S. Department of Defense. He held electrical engineering, firmware development, system engineering, and engineering management positions. His most prestigious job was as project engineer for the Communication Switching System on Air Force One. Beverly taught for 33 years, receiving numerous teaching accolades. She retired at the end of the 2016–2017 academic year. Roger and Beverly have two daughters, Joanne and Elizabeth.

Jack Hagen ’73 was promoted to vice president of the education division at EW Howell Construction Group. Located in New York, EW Howell is one of the region’s leading education, government, cultural, and health care builders. Jack has more than 42 years of experience in the construction industry, in both the public and private sectors. He joined EW Howell in 2014 as project executive. Prior to EW Howell, Jack was director of construction for the New York State University Construction Fund, the largest higher education capital construction program in the country. He is a licensed professional engineer in New York.

A. James “Jim” Siebert III ’73 retired from his position as senior vice president of the engineering firm DLZ Ohio at the end of 2015. He is now working as a part-time consultant for the firm. Jim volunteers regularly with Habitat for Humanity and Engineers Without Borders (EWB), and during the last 10 years he has taken seven trips to Central America for work on EWB projects.

1974

William Beermann ’74 retired after nearly 29 years as cataloger at JKM Library, which serves the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago and McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago’s Hyde Park neighborhood. After earning a master’s degree in organ from the Yale School of Music and Institute of Sacred Music in 1978, William was director of music at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Valparaiso, Indiana, and worked in Valpo’s Moellering Library music listening room until moving to Chicago in 1988. He continues to be a substitute church musician at a number of churches in Chicago and is a regular attendee at Valpo’s Institute of Liturgical Studies.

Jill Long Thompson ’74 currently teaches ethics at the Kelley School of Business and the School of Public and Environmental Affairs at Indiana University. She formerly served as a Valparaiso University faculty member as well as a member of the Valparaiso City Council. Jill was named undersecretary in the Agriculture Department by President Obama and became chair and CEO of the Farm Credit Administration until her term ended in 2015.

1976

Nina Marifian ’76 was one of 100 St. Louis-area educators to receive an Emerson Excellence in Teaching award in November 2016. The award pays tribute to area educators, acknowledging their achievements and dedication to the education field. The Excellence in Teaching Awards program is sponsored by Emerson, a St. Louis-based, global technology and engineering company.

Rin Seibert ’76 currently serves as the director of recreational sports and the assistant director of athletics at Valparaiso University. She received the 2017 Interscholastic Athletic Official’s Award for excellence in the sport of gymnastics. Rin has been an IHSAA official for 36 years.
Barb Young ’76 J.D. retired after 20 years with the Porter County Community Foundation. She was honored with a special tribute at a celebration of the foundation’s 20th anniversary.

1979

Sherrie “Sher” Hazlett ’79 Hunt completed the coursework and has been certified as a Master Gardener through the University of Minnesota Extension. Sher also celebrated 10 years as a volunteer member of Eden Prairie Community Emergency Response Team. She and husband Chris Hunt ’78 J.D. reside in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. They have two children and three grandchildren.

1980

Molly Halvorson ’80 Nagel is one of 10 educators across the United States to receive the 2016 Brighton Excellence in Education Award. Molly teaches at Abiding Savior Lutheran Church & School in Lake Forest, California. In 2005, she was recognized by the Tri-State Lutheran Schools Association as Preschool Educator of the Year.

Kristen Noel Jahns ’80 has retired from Harper College in Palatine, Illinois, where she taught cardiac physiology and pathology and EKG for the Cardiac Sonography Program for 24 years. Kristen began working in cardiac rehabilitation and teaching after several years of employment as an intermediate care cardiac nurse and obtaining a master’s degree in exercise physiology. Kristen is currently a nurse in the cardiographics department at Loyola University, where she administers cardiac stress tests and teaches 12-lead EKG to Loyola nurses. She also continues to teach anatomy and physiology at the College of DuPage in Glen Ellen, Illinois. In her free time, Kristen is developing a greener thumb and becoming a bookworm.

1982

Cornell Boggs ’82, ’85 J.D., executive vice president, general counsel, and corporate secretary for Toys R Us Inc., was selected as one of the finest general counsel in America by the Burton Awards Program. The Burton Awards Program recognizes outstanding accomplishments in law, including writing, reform, public service and interest, regulatory innovation, and lifetime achievements in the profession. Cornell is among an elite group of general counsel who were honored as “Legends in Law.”

Katharine Green ’82 Olah created the memory game “Double Take: Des Moines” to raise money for the Des Moines Area Food Pantry Network. It can be found in small shops in Des Moines.

Ken Miller ’82 and Raelynn Miller are proud to now have two additional Valpo grads in the family. Their daughter, Rachael, graduated in 2015 and their son, Doug, joined the Valpo alumni ranks in 2017.

1983

Paul Chambers ’83 is now a writer for NBC Radio News/iHeart Media, a guest film critic on SiriusXM Radio, and film critic at moviechambers.com. Previously, he served as a news anchor and film critic at CNN in Atlanta. Paul and Ruth Veraguas of Singapore became engaged in July 2016 and married in early 2017. Paul resides in Garland, Texas.

Jon Steinbrecher ’83 and Anne Steinbrecher donated $50,000 to the Bahamas Red Cross for disaster relief in the wake of Hurricane Matthew in Nassau, Bahamas.

1984

Cheryl B. Schrader ’84, Ph.D., was named the seventh president of Wright State University, assuming office on July 1. Prior to her new appointment, Cheryl served as the first female chancellor of Missouri University of Science and Technology for five years. She is also the first woman to lead Wright State University.

1985

Greg Evans ’85 was named president and CEO of Merchants Financial Group Inc. Greg has been with the Merchants organization for more than 27 years. From 1989 to 2007, he served in the marketing department, the last five years as senior vice president of marketing. In 2007, Greg was named regional president for Hampton, Cannon Falls, and Red Wing when Merchants Bank acquired those locations. In 2013, he became president of the Winona market and chief banking officer, providing leadership for all Merchants Bank locations.

1987

Stephen L. Krentz ’87, ’90 J.D. was elected circuit judge for the 23rd Judicial Circuit, Kendall County, Illinois. He has servedas a member of the judiciary since his appointment as an associate judge in 2012.

1988

Eric Bittner ’88 was recently elected as a fellow of both the Royal Society of Chemistry and the American Physical Society for his work in “developing theoretical and computational descriptions of quantum dynamics in molecular systems, especially for their use in understanding the migration of energy and charge in molecular electronic excited states.” In both societies, only .5 percent of the total membership can be elected as a fellow in any given year.

Marisa Gervasio ’88 Jenny and Steve Jenny ’88 hosted a Valpo event in Salt Lake City on Saturday, March 4 to cheer on the Crusaders during the Horizon League Tournament.

Julie Meyer ’88 delivered the keynote speech at the GS1 General Assembly in Mexico in 2016. GS1 is a global, neutral, nonprofit standards organization that brings efficiency and transparency to the supply chain. The organization created the barcode in 1974.

Ted Nickel ’88 was elected the 2017 president of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) after serving as the NAIC vice president in 2016. Ted’s career in the insurance industry began in 1993, when he began 18 years of employment with Church Mutual Insurance Company. He currently serves as State Insurance Commissioner. Ted resides in Madison, Wisconsin, with his wife, Kim, and their children, Jack and Anie.

1989

Kathleen Allen ’89 J.D. was named chief executive officer of Catholic Charities West Michigan. She had been serving as vice chair of the nonprofit human service agency’s board of directors and is a staff attorney for Legal Aid of Western Michigan in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where she has worked for more than 20 years. Kathleen has a long history of legal work with disadvantaged families.

Kimberly R. Taylor ’89 Oostman homeschooled three children from kindergarten through high school. She enjoys being active, having completed a marathon and triathlon, climbed several mountains in New Mexico and Colorado, and played polo on horseback. Kimberly is currently earning her Ph.D. in communications from the University of New Mexico. She has published articles and has been invited to talk at several conferences. And, in 2015, Kimberly spoke about refurbishing her life at a TEDx event.

1990

Leah Cleeland ’90 earned her MSW from the University of Denver in 1992 and her Ph.D. in social work from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2016. Her research focus is on military members, veterans, and their families. She is employed by the University of Minnesota Duluth as an assistant professor of social work.

Krista Steinke ’90 was named a 2017–2018 Howard Foundation Fellow in Photography, sponsored through Brown University. For the fellowship, she will work on a project titled “Good Luck with the Sun,” which will debut in a solo exhibition in Austin, Texas, in April 2018. A selection from the project will be on exhibit at the Brauer Museum of Art in fall 2018.

BIRTHS
Peter A. Richert ’90 J.D. and Victoria Richert adopted Emilio Richert, born on Sept. 19, 2014. He has lived with his parents since he left the hospital on day three.

1991

Kimberly Dana Kimmel ’91 was named Literacy Teacher Development Specialist for Metro Nashville Public Schools.

1992

George Patrick ’92 J.D. was selected as one of the best worker’s compensation attorneys in the state of Indiana by Best Lawyers for the 10th consecutive year. U.S. News & World Report named George’s law firm, George C. Patrick & Associates P.C., as one of three tier one law firms in Indiana for worker’s compensation claims.

1993

Kevin Lindamood ’93 is the president and chief executive officer of Health Care for the Homeless, an organization serving thousands of homeless people in the Baltimore area. The organization provides many health care services, including dental care, psychiatric care, and behavioral health and addiction services.

1995

Timothy Samuelson ’95 was appointed as a circuit court judge for Dane County, Wisconsin. Timothy has served as an assistant attorney general for the Wisconsin Department of Justice since 2012. Prior to his position as assistant attorney general, he worked as legal counsel for Schopf & Weiss LLP and as an associate attorney for Iwan Cray Huber Horstman & VanAusdal LLC, both Chicago-based firms. Timothy resides in Middleton, Wisconsin, with his wife and daughter.

1996

Robert Sidkey ’96 joined the Chicago office of Cunningham, Meyer & Vedrine P.C. as a partner. He focuses his practice on professional liability, health care, and civil defense.

1998

Amy Jorgensen ’98 J.D. was named the new Hammond City Court judge. The City Court handles both criminal and civil cases, including evictions and local traffic and ordinance violations.

1999

Carrie Holmes-Rippe ’99 was recognized by the Times of Northwest Indiana as a January 2017 Teacher of Excellence. She taught third grade for 12 years, and for the past six years, she has taught fourth grade at Boone Grove Elementary School. Carrie says she teaches because every day is a new learning experience for her students and for herself. She finds great satisfaction in seeing her students understand and apply the concepts taught in class.

S. Glenn Jaffe ’99 serves as the senior vice president of the North Carolina Chiropractic Association. Glenn is in his third year on the executive board of the association, previously serving as secretary, treasurer, and vice president. He also serves as the legislative chair, directing and coordinating lobbying efforts on behalf of the association.

Nick Libert ’99, owner and CEO of EXIT Strategy Realty, announced recently the expansion of his Chicago-based real estate brokerage into Northwest Indiana. The new satellite office, located in downtown Hammond, will service all of Northwest Indiana and complement their existing Illinois office, with more than 150 sales and leasing agents serving Chicagoland in residential, commercial, and investment real estate transactions. Nick is a regular Chicago Association of Realtors Top Producer award recipient and was named EXIT Realty’s 2015 Broker of the Year. EXIT Strategy Realty was named to the Inc. 5000 list of Fastest Growing Privately Owned Companies for 2016.

2000

Emily Backe ’00 was appointed the chief human resource officer of HealthLinc. She will be responsible for the development and execution of human resources strategy in support of the business plan and strategic direction of HealthLinc. Emily has held positions as human resource manager for Alliance for Audited Media and director of human resources for the University of Chicago Library. Most recently, she was the associate dean of administration for the University of Chicago.

Patrick Fazio ’00 joined NBC 5 as an anchor and reporter July 2017. Patrick served as a morning news anchor at NBC affiliate KSHB in Kansas City since 2013. He is a St. Louis, Missouri native, who has worked for stations in Terre Haute, Indiana, Springfield, Illinois, and Idaho Falls, Idaho.

Suzanne Bolur ’00 Rumbler married Matt Rumbler on Oct. 15, 2016. The wedding party included Heather Bolur ’06, Tamar Scott ’00 Kenworthy, Linda Kornowski ’00 Valentino, and Adam Bolur ’02.

2001

Matthew K. Anderson ’01 was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Air Force on Feb. 1, 2017. He previously served on Hill Air Force Base in Utah as the commander of the 775 Civil Engineering Squadron.

Codey Mack ’01, ’03 M.Ed. was named an associate of the Casualty Actuarial Society (CAS) after successfully completing seven examinations, administered by the CAS, which are designed to provide a comprehensive understanding of the business of property and casualty insurance and an expert knowledge of techniques to solve insurance problems. Codey is an actuarial analysts at SCOR, a global reinsurance company.

Jessica Laura Noon ’01 Estrada is the director of mission integration at the St. Vincent’s Health network in Birmingham, Alabama. Jessica was one of 60 people invited to a White House summit on workforce development in April 2016 to share information on Jeremiah’s Hope, a program that trains and certifies health care workers, develops further pathways in health care, and positively impacts the community. In June 2016, Jessica was honored, along with nine other individuals in the country, by the Catholic Health Association’s Tomorrow’s Leaders program in Orlando, Florida, recognizing remarkable contributions to Catholic health care and young people who will provide guidance in their future ministry.

Adrienne Vicari ’01 received the Shining Star Award from West Shore Chamber of Commerce for excellence both as a professional and as a volunteer. Adrienne is the financial services manager and a shareholder of the firm Herbert, Rowland & Grubic Inc. She joined the firm as an engineer and developed expertise in water and wastewater system financing, becoming a leading stormwater authority in Pennsylvania. Adrienne serves on the board of the Cumberland Valley Softball Association, coaches softball and field hockey teams, and is a founding member of Sp*rk, a group of West Shore moms who volunteer in the community with their children.

Births

To Tania Kurth ’01 Dimick and Glen Dimick: Lyra Mae Dimick, born at home on April 11, 2013, and Willow Renee Dimick, born at home on March 22, 2015. Lyra and Willow join sisters Kenna, 12, Koral, 11, and Braelyn, 8. Tania and Glen married on Jan. 7, 2012 and reside in Bloomington, Indiana.

To Stefan ’01 and Natalie Hoffmeister: Clayton Jeffry Hoffmeister, born May 22, 2017.

To Stephanie Stroman ’01 Weiss and Chris Weiss: Lila Kay Weiss, born on May 13, 2016.

2002

Sarah Engelbert ’02 has 11 years of experience working in family law firms. In August 2016, she opened Howe Engelbert LLP, a family law practice, in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles with her business partner and fellow Pepperdine Law School graduate. They practice all aspects of family law and bring extensive big-firm experience to a small, comfortable setting.

Tamara Harrell ’02 Kenning fought acute myeloid leukemia beginning in September 2014. She underwent a stem cell transplant in April 2016 and is currently in remission and recovering. Tamara is thankful to God and for the support of her friends and family. Her husband, Dan Kenning ’03, and her three children, Sean (6), Ryan (4), and Nolan (3), share in her happiness.

Joseph Svetanoff ’02 J.D. was named a senior attorney at the law firm of Kopka Pinkus Dolin P.C. in Crown Point, Indiana. He is licensed to practice law in both Indiana and Illinois as well as five U.S. District Courts and the U.S. Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit. Joseph’s primary areas of practice include municipal/local government, real estate, business and commercial transactions, estate planning/ probate, criminal law, and employment law.

BIRTHS

To Christopher Magee ’02 and Ellen Magee: Ryan John Magee, born Dec. 28, 2016.

2003

Jessica Pleuss ’03, assistant professor of psychology at Morningside College in Sioux City, Iowa, was one of three faculty members honored with the 2016 Walker Faculty Excellence Award. Criteria for selection include teaching excellence, effective advising, scholarship, and service to Morningside College.

Births

To Leslie Knueppel ’03 Warner and Thomas Warner: Natalie Carol Warner, born May 9, 2017. She joins big brothers Bradley Thomas and Nicholas Daniel. Natalie is the first granddaughter for Daniel Knueppel ’61 and Carol Knueppel.

2004

Kelle Lyn Scott ’04, ’06 M.Ed. was named by President Obama as a recipient of the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. Kelle Lyn is an awardee in grades 7–12 mathematics from Virginia. As a recipient of this prestigious award, Kelle Lyn received a $10,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to be used at her discretion. She has taught middle school math in Virginia for the past 10 years, with the last seven spent at Robinson Secondary School in Fairfax, Virginia.

Henry Yep ’04 started a one-year assignment as a Brookings Institution Legislative Fellow in the office of United States Senator Steve Daines of Montana in January 2017. After the assignment, Henry will return to the Department of Defense as a congressional liaison.

BIRTHS

To Jill Sifuentes ’04 Schur and Adam Schur ’04: Theodore Michael Schur, born in July 2016. He joins big sisters Isabelle and Gabriella.

To Kate Swanson ’04 Neiss and David Neiss: Brook Maddux Neiss, born on Sept. 10, 2015. Brook joins brother Ryne (4) and sister Addison (7). Kate started a college consulting business, helping high school students and their families in the Twin Cities area through the college admission process by utilizing virtual counseling tools. She and her family live in Eden Prairie, Minnesota.

2005

Adam Lefever Hughes ’05 earned his doctor of musical arts in piano performance from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro with his dissertation entitled “Assai: Historical Contexts of a Contested Musical Term.” Adam is currently the director of music at St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, where he lives with his wife, Valerie Lefever Hughes ’05, and their children, Nicholas and Samuel.

Hillary Knipstein ’05 serves as a coach for Girls on the Run in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Girls on the Run is an international organization that teaches healthy lifestyles and life lessons to young girls, with the end goal of running a 5K. Meeting twice a week in small groups, the girls learn life skills through interactive lessons and running games. They cover topics relevant to preteen girls like peer pressure, choosing good friends, rumors, and bullying.

BIRTHS

To Kendra Baker ’05 McClure and Casey McClure: Callan Andrew McClure, born March 20, 2017. Callan joins brother Patrick (5) and sister Audrey (3).

To Heidi Nathan-Barry ‘05 and Brian Barry: Sebastian Kai Nathan-Barry, born April 4, 2017. Sebastian joins brother Graham and sister Cordelia.

2006

Ashley Seale ’06 Grindlay, with the assistance of Allison Clark ’07 and Cassidy Kuhlmann ’05, organized a reunion for alumni of the men’s and women’s swim teams of 2003–2007 and their families. The group rented two neighboring houses on the Ohio River near Louisville, Kentucky, in August 2016.

Jason Hallman ’06 was featured in Design News as one of “15 Engineers Who are Transforming the Auto Industry.” Jason is an engineer for Toyota and is responsible for advanced development of future crashworthiness performance. One way in which he is improving automotive crashworthiness is through the development of better crash dummies. Using a computational model called THUMS (Total Human Model for Safety), Jason is simulating what happens to vital organs during a crash. Beyond Toyota, he was involved in the implementation of Federal Vehicle Motor Safety Standard 226, which mandated a way to prevent occupants from being ejected from vehicles during a rollover. Jason has also served as an editor for SAE’s International Journal of Transportation Safety and has authored more than 40 articles, papers, and abstracts on injury biomechanics and vehicle safety.

Tyler Lowell ’06 is the managing partner of C.A. Fortune, a full-service consumer products sales and marketing agency specializing in the natural/organic, specialty/ conventional, and bakery/deli trade channels. Headquartered in Chicago, C.A. Fortune has vastly expanded beyond its initial upper-Midwest roots in 2013, employing more than 300 associates in seven offices across the nation. Tyler’s career in grocery management began with internationally renowned supermarket leader Aldi.

Hans Tolpingrud ’06 received his master of divinity from the North American Lutheran Seminary at Trinity School for Ministry in Ambridge, Pennsylvania, on May 14, 2016. At graduation, Hans also received the William D. Henning Award for Expository Preaching. He is currently serving as vicar of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Yorktown, Texas, and is a candidate for ordination in the North American Lutheran Church.

2007

Liz Hanson ’07 earned her Ph.D. in English from Loyola University Chicago in 2013, where her dissertation “Making Something out of Nothing: Asexuality and Narrative” was Dissertation of the Year in the humanities. Liz currently works as a technical writer for Applied Systems Inc. in University Park, Illinois.

Robert Ordway ’07, ’10 M.S. closed his men’s clothing store in Valparaiso, Indiana, Rusted Oak Gentlemen’s Boutique, as he was selected by the Washington Scholars Program for a fellowship at the Heritage Foundation think tank in Washington. Robert will research and write for the Daily Signal and hopes to study energy policy.

Nubia Willman ’07 was named senior attorney at the Legal Assistance Foundation of Metropolitan Chicago, the principal provider in Chicago of free legal services. Since 2010, Nubia has represented survivors of violent crimes seeking immigration and employment relief.

BIRTHS

To Keith Anderko ’07 and Amanda Anderko: Jude Thomas Wulfric Anderko, born June 8, 2017. He joins sister Daphne.

To Lauren Corey ’07 Kennedy and Taylor Kennedy: Ella Jane Kennedy, born on Feb. 2, 2017.

2008

Karissa Fraaza ’08 Kienast and Roger Kienast ’08 moved to Midland, Texas, in 2012. Karissa quickly acclimated to the new area, becoming involved with various nonprofit organizations and groups. She currently serves on the board of directors for United Way of Odessa. Karissa was recently selected for the inaugural class of MidlandMagazine’s 20 Under 40, presented by My Community Federal Credit Union. The magazine recognizes young, dynamic, and emerging leaders under the age of 40 who live and work in Midland County and have distinguished themselves through their careers and in the community. Karissa was previously featured by Midland Magazine in September 2015, recognized as one of six women making their mark on the community.

Meredith Garofalo ’08 moved to Denver in 2017 to be an on-air meteorologist for the national weather network. She worked at KEYT/KKFX in Santa Barbara, California, for more than three years prior to the move as a morning meteorologist, traffic anchor, and host. During her time in Santa Barbara, Meredith earned the American Meteorological Society’s Certified Broadcast Meteorologist designation. She was honored as the 2017 Community Partner of the Year by Make-A-Wish Tri- Counties, voted Santa Barbara’s Favorite Meteorologist in 2016 in a poll, and named the Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation’s 2016 Dancing Under the Stars Champion. Meredith has a strong presence in the community through many charitable organizations.

Rae-Londa Woodard ’08 MSN joined the practice of Dr. Minesh Patel in Michigan City, Indiana.

BIRTHS

To Josh Weinhold ’08 and Mallory Weinhold: Jonathan “Jack” Weinhold, born on Nov. 23, 2016. Jack joins brother Bennett. Josh is the assistant communications director for the University of Notre Dame’s college of arts and letters.

2009

Bonnie Keane ’09 DelGobbo married David DelGobbo on Sept. 17, 2016 in Palos Park, Illinois.

2010

Cameron Banga ’10 and Jonathon Becker ’10 recently launched a business called ToneBands, a unique and detail-oriented band for Apple Watches. They both had purchased space gray Apple Watches, but were unable to find a band with a matching black or space gray latch pin, so they decided to create their own. They hope to expand to offer a wider variety of colors and styles in their line, with the aim of pleasing everyone who shares their attention to detail.

2011

Bryan Manalo ’11 became a nurse volunteer for the Operation Smile Foundation in 2013 and has been on several international medical missions — Philippines in 2014, 2015, and 2016; Haiti in 2015; Mexico in 2016; and Madagascar in 2016. In 2014, Bryan became a nurse volunteer for Shining Stars Foundation. He earned his MBA from National Louis University in June 2016. Most recently, in October 2016, Bryan was promoted to manager of patient care operations at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago.

Damon McCormick ’11 joins the Litigation & Dispute Resolution Service Team of the law firm of Wyatt, Tarrant & Combs LLP in their Louisville, Kentucky, office. Damon concentrates his practice on commercial lending transactions and the sale, acquisition, leasing, and development of commercial property.

Alex M. Petrik ’11 recently joined the Plunkett Cooney law firm’s insurance law practice group, where he represents property and casualty insurance providers in coverage litigation involving complex issues such as environmental contamination, construction defect, and high-exposure product liability claims. Alex previously worked as a Michigan Court of Appeals clerk for Judge Christopher M. Murray. He is a member of the Detroit Metropolitan Bar Association and is active in The Federalist Society and the State Bar of Michigan.

2013

Jonathan A. Tiedeman ’13 married Kristin Cockerell on Oct. 15, 2016. Jonathan is employed as a school psychologist in the San Francisco Bay Area.

2014

Margo Banakis ’14 and William Olson ’15 were married on June 3, 2017, in Arlington Heights, Illinois, with a grand reception at the Arlington International Racetrack. Fifty Valpo alumni posed for a photo, including the groom’s parents, Nancy Dombrook ’86 Olson and Timothy Olson ’88.

2016

Matt Ward ’16 was selected as one of 31 members of the 2017–2018 NCAA postgraduate internship class. Matt is in the midst of his year-long internship at the NCAA national office in Indianapolis, where he is working in Division II governance.

SPOTLIGHT

Left to right: Mike ’07 and Stephani Lawrence ’08 Stachniak, Brad ’08 and Kristin Holz, Robby ’08 and Jill Lyons ’08 Pampel, and Jay ’08 and Erin Dalphini ’08 Strybis in Michigan City, Indiana, on their ninth annual Valpo reunion.

CLASSES OF 2007 AND 2008

Gathering people and making new memories is how one group of alumni stay connected. This year marked the ninth annual gathering for Stephani Lawrence ’08 Stachniak and Mike Stachniak ’07, Mike Holz ’07 and Kristin Holz, Jill Lyons ’08 Pampel and Robby Pampel ’08, Erin Dalphini ’08 Strybis and Jay Strybis ’08, and now, their children.

The trips started with just the Pampels and Stachniaks, who took a cruise to the Caribbean in 2009. Since then, the other two couples have joined in on the fun, and together they’ve been to places such as Branson, Missouri; Las Vegas; Orlando, Florida; Folly Beach, South Carolina; and San Antonio, Texas, to name a few. While other Valpo alumni have tagged along throughout the years, the eight-some have always made the annual tradition a priority — a good way to meet and reminisce about their Valpo days since they live in different parts of the country.

Alan DeLaunay ’78 and Chris Kaufman ’98 MLE both graduated from Valparaiso University with bachelor’s degrees in civil engineering and are now successful department managers at Beam, Longest, and Neff, one of the most respected civil engineering firms in the Midwest. Alan, the transportation department manager, has more than 37 years of experience and industry knowledge, specializing in urban designs. Chris, head of the water resources department, has 19 years of experience in all facets of water, wastewater, and stormwater engineering.

ALUMNI IN FOCUS
Q&A

Abby Barnes ’03 Nicol & Ben Nicol ’03
Indianapolis, Indiana

For the Nicol family, Valpo is a family affair. Both 2003 graduates, Abby Barnes Nicol and Ben Nicol met on campus when Ben was a sophomore and Abby a junior (Abby graduated in five years after pursuing a communications/education double major). Fourteen years later, they now live in Indianapolis, fully invested in their careers and raising three children — Graham (3), Ashton (2), and Grier (1). Ben, chief executive officer of the Phi Kappa Psi Foundation, recently received the William D. Jenkins Outstanding Foundation Professional Award, an honor presented annually by the North-American Interfraternity Conference Foundation (NICF) to one outstanding fundraising professional of a fraternity or sorority foundation. Abby, head of sales training at Hibu, leads the organization’s training and onboarding efforts nationwide. She has been with the company 13 years and has served in a variety of leadership roles.

What do you think is the most challenging part about being leaders professionally and being there for your family at the same time?
We chuckle at this question because we think we are still learning to manage the art of balance —
between family, work, church, and community involvement. We often talk about how people say it’s a marathon, not a sprint — and we laugh and say we’re participating in a sprint marathon! But that is what makes it all so fun and rewarding. We are doing everything we had hoped to do in life, and we’re having fun along the way, all while raising three thoughtful, outgoing, and great kids. As we reflect on our time at Valpo, between sorority and fraternity life and numerous leadership roles, our experiences taught us how to multi-task gracefully, how to delegate wisely, and how to uncover our team members’ greatest strengths to maximize the resources we are fortunate enough to work with every day.

You are both active in various philanthropic causes and your church community.
How did Valpo play a role in instilling that commitment for you?
Giving back became a learned habit and servant leadership became part of who we were during our undergraduate years at Valpo. It wasn’t until we graduated that we really began to realize how special and unique this aspect of our collegiate time was — we are forever grateful for the philanthropic foundation that Valpo instilled in our daily lives.

You are also still active with the University, even 15 years after graduating. Why?
Well, when you meet your spouse at Valpo, every day you are reminded what an important role the University played. But aside from that, Valpo is where we made lifelong friends. Sorority and fraternity life was especially meaningful to both of us, for the friends we made and the opportunities it gave us to develop many of the skills we still use today. What’s more — as two people who were born and raised in Christian homes, Valpo helped us mature in our faith and make it our own. We want to continue to see the University be that place for students for years to come — maybe even our children someday — as a place for personal and vocational exploration! So, whether it’s through volunteering or financial gifts, we believe it’s important to continue to build the Valpo experience that provided us so much.

Phi Sig Alumni, classes ’70–’74, gathered in Flossmoor, Illinois in October 2016. Front Row: Jack Esala ’74; middle row, left to right: Dave Ullman ’71, Randy Hackbarth ’71, Dave Geisler ’74, ’78 J.D., Bob Sarley ’72, and Dave North ’71.

Jack Hagen ’73 was promoted to vice president of the education division at EW

Greg Evans ’85 was named president and CEO of Merchants Financial Group Inc.

Jon Steinbrecher ’83 and Anne Steinbrecher donated $50,000 to the Bahamas Red Cross for disaster relief in the wake of Hurricane Matthew in Nassau, Bahamas.

Jessica Pleuss ’03, assistant professor of psychology at Morningside College in Sioux City, Iowa, was one of three faculty members honored with the 2016 Walker Faculty Excellence Award.

Marisa Gervasio ’88 Jenny and Steve Jenny ’88 hosted a Valpo event in Salt Lake City on Saturday, March 4 to cheer on the Crusaders during the Horizon League Tournament.

To Heidi Nathan-Barry ’05 and Brian Barry: Sebastian Kai Nathan-Barry, born April 4, 2017. Sebastian joins brother Graham and sister Cordelia.

Kelle Lyn Scott ’04, ’06 M.Ed. was named by President Obama as a recipient of the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching.

To Kendra Baker ’05 McClure and Casey McClure: Callen Andrew McClure, born March 20, 2017. Callan joins brother Patrick (5) and sister Audrey (3).

men’s and women’s swim teams of 2003–2007

Ashley Seale ’06 Grindlay, with the assistance of Allison Clark ’07 and Cassidy Kuhlmann ’05, organized a reunion for alumni of the men’s and women’s swim teams of 2003–2007 and their families.

Meredith Garofalo ’08 moved to Denver in 2017 to be an on-air meteorologist for the national weather network.

Damon McCormick ’11 joins the Litigation & Dispute Resolution Service Team of the law firm of Wyatt, Tarrant & Combs LLP in their Louisville, Kentucky, office.

Alex M. Petrik ’11 recently joined the Plunkett Cooney law firm’s insurance law practice group.

THANK YOU FOR A SPECTACULAR HOMECOMING

This year’s Homecoming celebration, Valpo Past & Present, exceeded expectations, reuniting the Valpo family and creating lifelong memories. From a football victory to class reunions and building dedications, it was a beautiful weekend full of meaningful events and enjoyable activities. Stay tuned as more details about this special weekend will appear in the next issue of VALPO Magazine.