Class Notes — Spring 2022

May 24, 2022

1960s

CHARLES V. DYKE, ’66 (Business), recently retired as CEO of Global Hospitality Consultants, a hotel, golf and ski resort management business. 

MICHAEL S. JOLLY, ’66 (Social Science), M.A. ’73 (Education), was recently inducted into the National High School Athletic Coaches Association Hall of Fame. Coach Jolly continues to coach football at Warren De La Salle Collegiate.

JIM SARGENT, M.A. ’68, Ph.D. ’72 (Both in Social Science), recently published his 10th novel, “The Frightened Physicists,” a mystery novel with a historical fiction twist taking place during the beginning of the Cold War. The novel is the fifth in Sargent’s “Mickey Matthews Mysteries” collection.

1970s

DORIS D. YATES, M.A. ’74 (Social Science), Ph.D. ’82 (Education), recently retired from California State University, East Bay after 40 years of service. Yates will become professor emeritus. 

VICTORIA THRASHER, ’76 (Social Science), was recently promoted to senior vice president of Human Resources at Oracle Corp. 

1980s

JUDY WINTER, ’80 (Communication Arts and Sciences), has been recognized on the 2021 George H.W. Bush Points of Light Inspiration Honor Roll for her outstanding volunteerism through the Eric ‘RicStar’ Winter Music Therapy Camp at MSU, which she co-founded in 2003 to honor her son’s legacy.

SUSAN STACK, ’83 (Communication Arts and Sciences), was recently added to the faculty at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia. She is also on the faculty at Harper College in Palatine, Illinois.

BETH OLIVER, ’84 (Communication Arts and Sciences), was recently promoted to vice president, director of Sales & Marketing at Offshore Sailing School, based in Fort Myers, Florida. Oliver joined the 59-year-old company in 2013. Offshore Sailing School is one of America’s top sailing schools with six resort locations on Florida’s Gulf Coast and in the British Virgin Islands.

BEVERLY ROBERTS-ATWATER, Ph.D. ’84 (Education), D.O. ’92 (Osteopathic Medicine), has been appointed interim chair of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Eastern Virginia Medical School. Roberts-Atwater’s position is effective Oct. 1, 2022.

ROGER GRIFFIN, ’86 (Arts and Letters), recently made his New York theater debut as the producer and author of the musical “After Happily Ever After.” This grown-up musical comedy tells the story of what happens after your favorite fairy tales end. 

DAVID LEAHY, ’88 (Education), recently retired after teaching music and physical education for 34 years in the Dearborn Public School system. 

WILLIAM SULLIVAN, ’88 (Natural Science), has joined Vanderbilt University as professor and residency program director of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation in Nashville, Tennessee. Sullivan was previously associate professor at the University of Colorado School of Medicine Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.?He is a past president of the North American Spine Society, the largest multi-specialty medical spine society in the United States.

LAURA REYNOLDS, ’89 (Social Science), was recently named provost and vice president of academic affairs at Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph, Missouri.

1990s

EDWARD MUNDT, ’90 (Business), recently retired as controller from VANTAGE Electrical Group.

MONIQUE FIELD-FOSTER, ’92 (Agriculture and Natural Resources), was recently named executive partner and co-chair of the Governmental Affairs Practice group at Warner Norcross + Judd LLP. Field-Foster was also recognized as one of the ‘50 Names to Know in Lobbying’ by Crain’s Business.

SUSAN BOSCH, ’93 (Business), has recently joined the AZEK Co. in Chicago, Illinois, as vice president of Finance for Global Operations. The AZEK Co. is an innovative manufacturer of beautiful, low maintenance and environmentally sustainable outdoor living products.

JEFF LAMBERT, ’93 (Communication Arts and Sciences), the chairperson of Michigan-based PR and investor relations firm Lambert Global, was recently selected to serve as the PROI global chair-elect. Composed of more than 85 PR and communications businesses in 165 cities and 55 countries, PROI Worldwide is a global leader in the communications industry.

EDWARD R. ROSICK, D.O. ’93 (Osteopathic Medicine), an associate professor in the MSU College of Osteopathic Medicine, recently published “Deep Roots,” a surreal story set in the urban heart of Detroit. The book tells the story of a man just released from prison, who frantically searches for the reason strange, painful, hair-like growths have begun to infest his body before realizing the horrifying condition may not only be deadly to him and those he loves, but to the entire world.

REGINA STAUDACHER, J.D. ’93 (Law), was recently appointed lead of a seven-member interdisciplinary group of professionals in the specialty tax and incentive spaces of Winthrop & Weinstine, a prestigious law firm based in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

SHANNON POLK, ’94 (James Madison College), was recently named president and CEO of the Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The AAACF is a philanthropic organization with a focus on enriching the quality of life in Washtenaw County.

KATHERINE ARMSTRONG, ’96, M.S. ’03 (Both in Agriculture and Natural Resources), was recently named director of Wilderness, Wild and Scenic Rivers for the U.S. Forest Service in Washington, D.C.

BRIDGET ZAHRADNIK, ’96, M.A. ’02 (Both in Education), was awarded the Presidential Excellence Award for Science and Mathematics Teaching. She was one of 117 individuals recognized nationwide with the highest U.S. award for science and mathematics teachers and mentors.

MATT BROWNELL, ’98 (Agriculture and Natural Resources), was recently promoted to vice president and general manager of The Christman Co.’s regional office in Raleigh, North Carolina. The Christman Co. is a construction management and real estate company with eight offices across the United States.

ANTHONY PECCHIO, ’98 (Engineering), was recently promoted to senior vice president of The Christman Capital Development Co. He assists in financing and partnership structures for federal and state historic preservation tax credits.

2000s

JACOB KULHANEK, ’03 (Engineering), was recently promoted to senior vice president and general manager of the Christman Co.’s regional office in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

DANIEL SOLOMON, ’03 (Social Science), recently joined Miller & Chevalier as member in the International Department. Miller & Chevalier is a top-ranked Washington, D.C., law firm sharply focused on targeted areas that interact with the federal government.

NATHAN OHLE, ’05 (Business; Social Science), an international expert in economic development and leader of public, private and nonprofit organizations, was named president and CEO of the International Economic Development Council in Washington, D.C.

SHELBY NEWMAN, ’06 (Lyman Briggs College), was recently named manager of IT Communication, Training and Change Management at Perrigo Co. in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

LANA ZOET, ’06 (Agriculture and Natural Resources; Honors College), was recently named principal at architecture and engineering firm SmithGroup, where she leads a regional Higher Education studio based in Madison, Wisconsin.

STEVEN HOLBEN, ’07 (Business; Honors College), was recently selected to join the Emerging Talent Advisory Council for the Equipment Lease Finance Association.

2010s

KATHERINE WITHERS HESS, M.S., ’10 (Agriculture and Natural Resources), was recently named partnerships lead at Functionland, a Web3 startup commercializing Blockchain-Attached Storage (BAS) and monetizing open-source software development in Toronto, Ontario.  

JILLIAN TREMONTI, ’11 (Arts and Letters), has been appointed as the executive director of Grayling Main Street & Downtown Development Authority. 

BRITTANY HOLMES, ’13, M.A. ’17 (Both in Communication Arts and Sciences), recently founded Did Juno LCC, an inclusive and anti-racist strategic communication training and consulting business.

BENNIE FOWLER, ’14 (Social Science), former Spartan football standout, NFL Super Bowl champion, and motivational speaker and author, has joined Podium Risk Management as partner.

JEFF DINSER, ’15 (Agriculture and Natural Resources), founded the freeze-dried snack company Popside Candy. A unique and distinctive brand was developed around the product’s “cloud-like” airy texture. These delicious candy puffs are available for purchase online, wholesale, in retail and in market booths.

EMMA IRWIN, ’15 (Education), has accepted a position with the NBA in Digital and Social Content Publishing.

VALERIE NUHFER, M.S. ’16 (Business), was recently named to the Easterseals New Jersey board of directors. Easterseals is the largest disability services not-for-profit in the state of New Jersey. Nuhfer is the vice president and change execution manager of Deutsche Bank’s Chief Transformation Office. For more than 20 years, Nuhfer has provided leadership in strategic planning and transformative board level reporting.

KENNETH WILLIAMS JR., ’16, M.A. ’18 (Both in Communication Arts and Sciences), recently hosted the red carpet for esteemed media outlet Blavity News at the 53rd annual National Association for the Advancement of Colored People Image Awards.

2020s

BRENTON THURMAN, ’21 (Business), NICK YOUNG, ’21 (Business) and COLIN HENDRICKSON, ’21 (Social Science), have co-founded the money management app, Money Pickle. Money Pickle offers anonymous financial advice in real time to users.