Class Notes — Fall 2021

September 24, 2021

1950s
ROBERT REISING, ’55 (Arts and Letters), was named Person of The Month by Conway, Arkansas, recognizing his contributions to the community.

1960s

GARY T. GILDNER, ’60, M.A. ’61 (Both in Arts and Letters), recently published “How I Married Michele,” a collection of 15 personal essays, of which two focus on Gildner’s time at MSU. Gildner is a multi-award-winning poet and author whose work has appeared in The New York Times Sunday Magazine, The Georgia Review and New Letters.   

WEBB A. SMITH, ’60 (Social Science), has been recognized in the 2021 Michigan Super Lawyers list. Smith’s practice area focuses on business litigation at Foster Swift Collins & Smith, PC, of which he is a shareholder.

ROBERT G. FAWCETT, ’68 (Social Science and Honors College), recently published “Calming the Bipolar Storm: a Guide for Patients and their Families,” for people with bipolar disorder and anyone who loves or cares for them. Fawcett’s work captures the rapidly advancing research and treatment strategies in the field of bipolar disorders.

DONALD BAIRD, ’69, M.S. ’70 (Both in Engineering), has been conferred the title of Alexander F. Giacco Professor Emeritus by the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors.

1970s

THOMAS A. TISCH, ’70 (Communication Arts and Sciences), recently published “Emma’s Waterloo.” The historical fiction book, Tisch’s first, is set in Jackson County, Michigan, during the late 1800s and is dedicated to victims of violence and injustice.

MICHAEL P. CLARK, ’71 (Communication Arts and Sciences), has retired as editorial page editor of The Florida Times-Union in Jacksonville, Florida. His career was honored with the Leadership Award from the Northeast Florida Regional Council, a resolution from the Jacksonville City Council and a fundraising tribute for the First Amendment Foundation in Tallahassee, Florida.

TODD REED, ’71 (Communication Arts and Sciences), recently published “Todd Reed: 50 Years Seeing Michigan Through a Lens,” a retrospective art book chronicling 50 years of Michigan’s beauty showcased through Reed’s eyes. Reed is an acclaimed photojournalist, Coast Guardsman and since 1975, one of Michigan’s best-known award-winning landscape photographers.

FREDERICK D. DILLEY, ’72 (James Madison), J.D. ’75 (Law), has been recognized in the 2021 Michigan Super Lawyers list. Dilley’s practice area focuses on general litigation at Foster Swift Collins & Smith, PC.

SCOTT L. MANDEL, ’78 (Business), has been recognized in the 2021 Michigan Super Lawyers list. Mandel’s practice area focuses on business litigation at Foster Swift Collins & Smith, PC.

1980s

BELLE R. O’NEILL, ’81 (Music), recently published “Dare to Connect: Redefining Success for the Modern Educator.” The book addresses the “whole teacher” and how to create success in school, outside of school and in retirement.

DOUGLAS MIELOCK, ’84 (Business), 
has been recognized in the 2021 Michigan Super Lawyers list. Mielock’s practice area focuses on estate and probate matters at Foster Swift Collins & Smith, PC.

MARY L. CHURCHILL, ’89 (Social Science), was recently named chief of Policy and Planning for Boston, MA. In this role, she advises the mayor on various issues, from equity and education to economic mobility and workforce development.

MICHAEL T. SCULLEN, ’89 (Business), has joined Strobl Sharp PLLC. Scullen, a seasoned attorney in Michigan, represents many individuals and businesses, focusing his practice on estate planning and probate avoidance, tax minimization strategies, business law and business succession planning. Scullen has also developed cross-border experience representing individuals and businesses throughout Ontario, Canada.

ANDREW F. ZALESK, ’89 (Business), 
has been named tax market leader for BDO USA, LLP, in the Detroit market. Zaleski will be responsible for driving strategic growth for the office and will continue developing and leading federal tax planning initiatives for public and private multinational companies in a wide array of industries.

1990s

LARRY R. SEEGULL, ’91 (Business), has been recognized in the 2021 Edition of Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business, a prestigious annual guide ranking the leading law firms and attorneys in the U.S. Larry is a principal in the Baltimore, Maryland, office of Jackson Lewis P.C. He represents both private and public sector employers in all areas of labor and employment law.

PINO D. COLONE, M.D. ’92 (Human Medicine), has been appointed president of the Michigan State Medical Society (MSMS). Colone, an emergency medicine specialist at Henry Ford Health System, was named at the 156th annual meeting of the MSMS House of Delegates, held virtually on May 1. The MSMS is the statewide professional association of 15,000 physicians in Michigan and is affiliated with the American Medical Association.

W. ALAN WILK, ’92 (James Madison), has been named practice group leader of Dykema Gossett’s Government Policy & Practice Group. Wilk enters this position as he continues to serve as leader of Dykema’s Political Compliance Team and co-Leader of the firm’s Public Retirement Team. Wilk’s diverse practice spans election, campaign finance and lobby law compliance to public retirement projects and nonprofit regulatory matters.

KAREN LAWSON, ’93 (Business), has joined the Conference of State Bank Supervisors (CSBS) as the vice president of public policy. In her new role, Lawson will coordinate CSBS public policy development and advocacy efforts within the legislative, regulatory and bank/nonbank supervisory processes areas of CSBS. CSBS is the national organization of state bank regulators that supervises around three-quarters of all U.S. banks.

GEANEEN M. ARENDS, ’94 (Social Science), has been elected board member and vice president of Butzel Long. Arends is the first person of color and third woman to serve in this leadership role in the firm’s 167-year history. Arends is responsible for the management and oversight of the firm’s corporate and real estate attorneys reporting to her and the strategic goals, budgeting, forecasting and direction of the practice groups.

DOUGLAS CROSBY, ’95 (Lyman Briggs and Natural Science), KEVIN BEEDON, ’96 (Engineering), and MIKHAIL MURSHAK, ’00 (Engineering), 
recently signed an exclusive license agreement with Healthe, Inc. for global commercialization of Dr. Crosby’s UVC patent for skin sanitization. Dr. Crosby is chief scientist and founder, Kevin Beedon is global business advisor and strategist, and Mikhail Murshak is legal advisor for Crosby Innovations, LLC.

LINDA C. WATSON, ’95 (Engineering), an electrical engineer from Richardson, Texas, has earned two Guinness World Record titles for the largest collection of LCD gaming systems – 1,599, and the largest collection of playable gaming systems – 2,430. Linda’s collections span numerous brands and decades. Her first-ever system, a Red Conic basketball game, was collected at the young age of eight.

JARROD SMITH, ’98 (Agriculture and Natural Resources), J.D. ’03 (Law), has been promoted to leader of Dykema Gossett’s Public Finance Practice Group. With nearly two decades of public finance experience, Smith serves as bond counsel to the State of Michigan and has led some of the firm’s most significant and complex transactions.

ERIN PUSHMAN, ’99 (Arts and Letters), is publishing “How to Read Like a Writer: 10 Lessons to Elevate Your Reading and Writing Practice,” with Bloomsbury in January 2022. Pushman is a professor of English at Limestone University 
in Gaffney, South Carolina.

2000s

LIEUTENANT COLONEL ROBERT J. BEAL, ’00 (Engineering), has retired from the United States Air Force as the deputy director of Systems Technology Office, Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. Lieutenant Colonel Beal lead weapons research, space lift operations for the last launch of the Titan IVB, advised the air staff and Joint Chiefs of Staff on Space Control capabilities and requirements and served in the National Reconnaissance Office and the Pentagon.

HEATHER A. HATHAWAY MIRANDA, M.A. ’00 (Social Science), has been named senior advisor of Strategic Operations for R.Evolución Latina in New York City. R.Evolución Latina is an organization that activates individual and collective human growth through artistic experiences for transformation and social change.

DAVON WOODARD, ’01 (Social Science), accepted the role of assistant professor of Race and Urbanism in the School of Urban Studies at the University of Washington–Tacoma following the completion of his Ph.D. in Planning, Governance and Globalization and Urban Computing at Virginia Tech University.

EMILY JANNERETH, ’03 (Natural Science), has been promoted to chief technology officer of LAFCU. In her new role, Jannereth is responsible for planning, establishing and administering strategy for the Michigan credit union’s technology, including its remote infrastructure. Chartered in 
1936, LAFCU is a not-for-profit financial cooperative open for membership to anyone who lives, works, worships, attends school in, or owns a business located in the state of Michigan.

MATTHEW S. MANOSKY, ’04 (Business), has been named tax office managing partner for BDO USA, LLP, in the Detroit market. Manosky will oversee the local tax practice in his new position and will continue providing both private and public companies assistance with various tax matters.

MAJOR ROBERT W. GREEN, ’05 (Engineering), M.S. ’14 (Agriculture and Natural Resources), has been named the Memphis District deputy commander. As deputy commander, he is second in command of the Memphis District. The Memphis District supports flood damage reduction, navigation, environmental stewardship, emergency operations, other authorized civil works and work for others along 610 miles of the Mississippi and White Rivers, encompassing a 25,000 square mile area in six states: Illinois, Missouri, Arkansas, Kentucky, Tennessee and Mississippi.

SIMON C. SEAMOUNT, M.S. ’08, (Social Science), recently published “Hermead” under the pen name Surazeus Astarius. “Hermead” is an epic poem with 126,680 lines of blank verse about 26 ancient philosophers.

2010s

JOSEPH B. GALE, ’10 (Business), has been recognized as a 2021 Rising Star by Super Lawyers. Gale’s practice area focuses on civil litigation defense at Foster Swift Collins & Smith, PC.

BRADLEY R. GERSHEL, ’10 (James Madison), recently authored “Shining a Light on the “S” Visa: A Long History of Unfulfilled Promises and Bureaucratic Red Tape.” The report was published by the National Association of Criminal Defense Attorneys (NACDL). Gershel is an associate attorney in Ballard Spahr’s New York office.

ELISA LINTEMUTH, J.D. ’10 (Law), was recently promoted to managing member of Dykema Gossett’s Grand Rapids office. Over the past year, Lintemuth established herself as a top voice on COVID-19 labor issues, including OSHA guidance, mandatory vaccinations and return to work.

SHANIKA A. OWENS, ’10 (Social Science), was recently named to Michigan Lawyers Weekly’s 2021 Class of “Up & Coming Lawyers.” Owens is an associate based in Butzel Long’s Detroit office, where her practice focuses on business, corporate and real estate law.

LULU GUO, ’11 (Natural Science), M.D. ’16 (Human Medicine), recently joined Valley Sleep Center as a sleep consultant. Guo is committed to a personalized approach to treating a patient’s sleep concerns. Valley Sleep Center is a leader in sleep health management services located in Scottsdale, Arizona.

RACHEL N. OLNEY, ’12 (Social Science and Honors College), M.J and J.D. ’15 (Law), has been recognized as a 2021 Rising Star by Super Lawyers. Olney’s practice area focuses on general litigation at Foster Swift Collings & Smith, PC.

STEPHEN HENNINGER, ’14 (James Madison), recently co-authored “Making the Strange, Familiar: Co-Supervision and Effective Partnerships,” in the SAGE Journal. The article highlights the benefits of co-supervision, drawing from Henninger’s experience co-supervising a building of 29 resident advisors (RAs) and approximately 1,000 undergraduate students in a large residence hall during the 2017-2018 academic year at Virginia Tech.