CLASS NEWS E-mail (sdaniel@odu.edu) Fax (757-683-5501) Web page feedback form (http://alumni.odu.edu) Regular mail (Steve Daniel, 100 Koch Hall, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Va. 23529). These notes reflect information received through June. 1960s Peter L. King ’65 was promoted recently to principal consultant in DuPont Engineering’s Manufacturing Effectiveness-Operations Research Group. His daughter Jan received a dual degree in psychology and mathematics from UVa in May and daughter Courtney entered the University of Delaware in September to study engineering. Pete and his wife, Bonnie, live at 512 Penn Manor Drive, Newark, Del. 19711. William F. Rountree Jr. ’67, president and CEO of Monarch Bank, was reappointed by the Virginia Beach City Council as chairman of the 17-member Resort Advisory Commission, which oversees tourist-related development and programs in the city’s resort area. W.P. “Tink” Wilkinson ’67 (M.B.A. ’77) writes that he lives in LA (“that’s Lower Alabama for the uninformed”) three days a week and elsewhere in the country four days a week. A self-described “road warrior,” he does systems consulting work. Tink has a daughter who recently finished her sophomore year at the University of South Alabama. “She is a much better student than I ever hoped to be and got her mother’s looks!” He and his wife enjoy attending USA athletic events and “hanging at the beach.” Ed Greene ’68, CPA and owner of Don Richard Associates in Virginia Beach, has been elected president of AAFA, the largest and oldest alliance of executive search firms specializing in the recruitment and placement of finance and accounting professionals. Ed has been an active participant in AAFA over the past 18 years. 1970s Maurice Niel Ransom ’70 (M.S. ’71) has been promoted to CTO for Alcatel and is working out of the company’s headquarters in Paris. John A. Mason III ’71, P.E., was named in February as assistant vice president for the Virginia Beach architectural and engineering design firm Hayes, Seay, Mattern & Mattern Inc. John, who had been a project manager and design supervisor for the firm’s highway department, serves on ODU’s Visiting Council for Civil and Environmental Engineering. Horace S. Savage Jr. ’72 has been named chairman of the Portsmouth General Hospital Foundation board. Randy Whitesides ’73, P.E., retired in 2000 from engineering industrial practice. During 27 years of service he was directly associated with Newport News Shipbuilding, E.I. duPont deNemours Inc. and Pfizer Inc. before leaving to pursue his current private practice of engineering. rwhitesides@hotmail.com Patricia Greenway ’74 has completed producing a full-length feature film titled “The Profit,” a period piece about a cult leader’s rise to power. She writes, “The infamous ‘church’ of Scientology is referring to it as a parody of their ‘religion,’ and the film is proving to be quite controversial.” The rough cut was shown at the Cannes Film Festival last year. Media coverage is featured on the Web at www.theprofit.org. Patricia can be reached at tfcvp@aol.com. Bruce E. Brinkley ’75 writes to say that he recently crossed paths with another ODU alum, 25 years his junior, Steve Davis ’00, while on the job. Bruce works for Worsham Sprinkler Co., with offices in five states, one of which is in Portsmouth. Steve works for Oyster Point Construction in Newport News, which is building the new Hampton History Museum. Bruce’s company is designing and installing the fire sprinkler system for the project. Mark H. Thiemens (M.S. ’75), dean of the Division of Physical Sciences and professor of chemistry at the University of California, San Diego, has been elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Also among those elected this year were Sen. Ted Kennedy and violinist Itzhak Perlman. Established in 1780, the academy is the oldest of its kind. Mark R. Babashanian ’77 was named vice president for administration and finance at Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk following a brief stint as interim vice president. A 25-year EVMS employee, he is a certified public accountant. Mark previously served as EVMS director of finance for 14 years. Roger H. Mandel ’77 has a new position as a senior financial analyst with a consulting firm doing business with SPAWAR, San Diego. He previously worked as a business manager and financial and contracts administrator with research and development firms dealing with laser, optics, communications and computer technologies. Also, he has worked as a contract specialist and financial and statistical analyst with the U.S. Civil Service, administering billions of dollars for Navy programs. In all, Roger has more than 35 years’ experience in contract administration, industrial application engineering, field service engineering, and manufacturing and project management. rmandel@pramsco.com Kathleen Ryan Skinner ’77 is the grants administrator for CARE, the international relief agency based in Atlanta. She is responsible for managing the gifts from the top-tier professional U.S.-based foundations, as well as prospect research. Kathleen and her husband, Richard A. Skinner (a former faculty member and administrator at Old Dominion), have two children, Erin, 20, and Sara, 17. Erin attends the College of Wooster in Ohio and is spending the fall 2002 semester studying in Dublin, Ireland. Sara is a senior at Woodward Academy. Richard is president and CEO of Georgia GLOBE, the distance learning initiative of the University System of Georgia. Nancy G. Wren (M.S. ’78) has been named vice chairwoman of the Portsmouth General Hospital Foundation board. 1980s Louis O. Tonelson (C.A.S. ’80), the principal of Kempsville High School in Virginia Beach, was named the 2001 Outstanding High School Principal of Virginia. Jim R. Garrett ’81 (M.S. ’85) has been named vice president of URS Corp.’s Downstream Petroleum Business Line. He will focus on building national programs and strategic relationships with major oil companies and petroleum marketers. A global organization with offices in Virginia Beach, URS offers planning design as well as program and construction management services. Cindy Grechanik ’81 and Charles T. Brown were married March 12 on the island of Kauai, Hawaii. Their new address is 6105 Chapman Road, Mason Neck, Va. 22079. Debra D. Runyon ’81 has received a grant of nearly $10,000 from Toyota for excellence and innovation in mathematics education for her project “Robotics Will Rock Our Future,” a standards-based, interdisciplinary instructional unit that enhances student learning of math and science. The robotics team is composed of sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders. One of only 35 awarded in a national competition, the grant was presented at the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics annual meeting in Las Vegas April 21-24. Debra is a teacher at Oakbrook Middle School in Ladson, S.C. She has received several other national awards for her teaching programs and in 2000 was a Fulbright Scholar to Japan, where she spent a month examining the Japanese educational system. Debra S. Silvers ’81 lists her new address as 3592 Great Falls Circle, Ann Arbor, Mich. 48108. Dan Wallace ’81, worship minister at First Christian Church in Columbus, Ind., writes that his degree in marketing management has helped him put on programs in his community that have attracted more than 12,000 visitors. Church productions have included the outdoor drama “A First Christmas” and an abridged version of “A Christmas Carol,” featuring the great-great-grandson of author Charles Dickens. The programs also featured a Bethlehem village and an 1851 Dickensian London village. More information and photos are available at www.firstchristiancolumbus.org. dwallace@tis.net Richard Barber ’82 recently received a master of divinity degree from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. He attended the Atlanta extension campus. Richard and his wife, Robin Ryerse Barber ’83, live in Lavonia, Ga., with their children, Geoff and Annie-Rae. gtbarb@hartcom.net Frank “Skip” Dirren (M.A. ’82) has been promoted to vice president and general manager of Battelle’s Navy market sector. He will lead Battelle’s multidisciplinary teams, which have a decades-long history of helping to solve the Navy’s diverse and challenging technology needs. Skip most recently worked as a senior program manager for the Navy sector. He lives in Norfolk. Lt. Col. David Duke ’82 was appointed Moody Air Force Base chief of safety in April. He lives with his wife, Linda, and two teenage daughters at 1641 Apollo Way, Valdosta, Ga. 31605. Bob M. ’82 and Patti Barretta Steele ’82 announce the birth of a daughter, Josephine Erin, on Feb. 12, 2002. She joins a brother, Marcus, 7. They live in Excelsior, Minn. pbsteele@mm.com Gerre Craig (M.P.A. ’84) has been elected treasurer of the Portsmouth Museums Foundation, which serves as an advocate for the city’s four museums: Lightship, Naval Shipyard and Children’s museums, and Courthouse Galleries. Su Hyatt ’84 is the associate editor of the Academy Players Directory, a casting directory of actors. The academy is part of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in Beverly Hills. Su’s new address is 3307 Fanwood Ave., Long Beach, Calif. 90808. Rhonda Chambliss-Baxter (M.S. ’85, C.A.S. ’87) became assistant principal of Southampton Middle School in Courtland, Va., July 1. She began her career as an elementary special education teacher in the Southampton County school division, then taught at two Isle of Wight County high schools. In 1994, she returned to Southampton County to work as an educational diagnostician and transition coordinator. Rhonda has one daughter, Joronda. They live in Franklin, Va. blackdiamond336@yahoo.com Cmdr. Craig Herrick ’85, U.S. Navy, is serving on the staff of the Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet, in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, as the afloat supply readiness officer. herriccl@cpf.navy.mil. Brennan J. O’Connor ’85 has been named treasurer of the Portsmouth General Hospital Foundation board. Jim Finley ’86 lives in southeastern Connecticut where he is a research biologist at Pfizer Inc. He works in the neuroscience department on drug discovery projects for Alzheimer’s and Parkinson's diseases. Jim and his wife, Lisa, have three sons, ages 9, 7 and 4. “We spend all our time raising kids and renovating our 230-year-old house. Greetings to all my old karate club buds.” finleyje@groton.pfizer.com John Karr ’87 has been writing fiction almost daily for 11 years. His second horror novel, “Dark Resurrection,” was published last fall by Barclay Books, a small independent publisher in Florida. In May, he signed with a literary agent who agreed to market his medical thriller, “Hippocrates Shattered,” to major publishers and Hollywood producers. He recently has been at work on a draft of a suspense novel about a suspicious retirement center and a protagonist with early onset Alzheimer’s disease. John and his wife, Colleen Carey Karr ’87, live in Raleigh, N.C. John is a computer programmer with BB&T I.S. Financial Systems and Colleen is a physical therapist in private practice. jkarr@mindspring.com Capt. Thomas A. Parker (M.A. ’87), U.S. Navy, assumed his current assignment as vice director of the Plans and Policy Directorate for the U.S. Space Command in Colorado Springs, Colo., in January. Previously, he was assigned to the Cheyenne Mountain Operations Center as a command director. The U.S. Space Command provides space and information operations support, missile warning and computer network defense to U.S. military forces worldwide. Thomas is responsible for overseeing all military planning for the command’s missions to provide missile warning, satellite communications, navigation signals from the Global Positioning System, weather data, space control, information operations and computer network defense. Edward Antoun ’88 (M.E. ’91), president and CEO of AH Environmental Consultants Inc., recently received a Virginia Chamber of Commerce “Fantastic 50” award, which recognizes the 50 fastest-growing businesses in the commonwealth. Ed’s environmental engineering and science services firm, which ranked No. 15, operates offices in Newport News, Portsmouth and Springfield, Va., as well as in Wilmington, N.C. Lt. Cmdr. Lance F. Norton ’88, U.S. Navy Reserves, writes that he “finally hung up his speed jeans last fall as a strike fighter pilot in the FA-18 Hornet after 13 H years of pure excitement.” His last assignment was in VFA-203 at NAS Atlanta as a department head. Lance adds that he is engaged and living in the Jacksonville, Fla., area. He is currently flying as a first officer on the Airbus A-320 for a major airline, dabbling in real estate, working on his golf game “and always looking for a great trail to mountain bike.” lancenortn@aol.com Kimberly Isdell Paterson ’88 still lives in Bermuda and works for PricewaterhouseCoopers. Kim received her SPHR (Senior Professional in Human Resources) qualification in 1999 and is pursuing an M.B.A. She heads the Global HR Solutions line of service for PwC in Bermuda. John Riley ’88 has been promoted to senior vice president at KeyBank, the 11th largest bank in the U.S., with assets of $80 billion. He is responsible for all foreign exchange sales in New England (Vt., Me., N.H., R.I. and Mass.), northern New York and eastern Canada. 800-539-3679 Gail Englert (M.S.Ed. ’89) assumed her role as a new member of the board of directors of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics at the conclusion of the council’s 80th annual meeting in Las Vegas April 24. The 14-member board serves as the chief policy-making body for the world’s largest organization dedicated to the teaching and learning of mathematics. Gail teaches at Sewells Point Elementary School in Norfolk. Tracy C. Harris ’89, ’91 lists her new e-mail address as dance4fun2@hotmail.com. Twanitta Harris ’89 has a new job as an assistant principal at Meadowcreek High School in Norcross, Ga. She lists her new address as 350 Hulan Way, Lawrenceville, Ga. 30044. harristm@earthlink.net Charmain Sutherland ’89 (M.S.Ed. ’95) published a book, “Physical Education Tips From the Trenches,” which was printed in September 2001 by Human Kinetics Publishing. ddjchar@aol.com 1990s Robert Borger ’90 received his M.B.A. from the University of Phoenix Online in June. He moved in October 2001 to the Chicago area from Atlanta to be closer to family. Cmdr. Yvette Brown-Wahler (M.S.Ed. ’90), U.S. Navy, has been selected as commanding officer of the USS Chafee, an Arleigh Burke class destroyer. Bruce Comstock ’90 (M.S. ’96) and Jim Cahoon have formed Bay Environmental Inc. The small business, with offices in Virginia Beach and Chesapeake, provides professional, comprehensive environmental services, including wetland permitting and site assessment for property transactions, development and redevelopment projects, and maintenance activities. Kyle Dietrich ’90 (M.A. ’97) was appointed in May to lead AmeriComm’s business services division, one of four core areas of marketing and communications at the Norfolk company. The division provides companies nationwide with billing and statement processing services, customer retention programs and other communications that enhance customer loyalty. Kyle, who has been with AmeriComm since 1994, previously served as director of information services. Prior to joining the company he served overseas in the Peace Corps. David Johnson ’91 and his wife, Kimberly, announce the birth of their second son, Benjamin Michael, on Jan. 14, 2002. Jane S. Wimbush (M.B.A. ’91) was named in April as the new leader of the Virginia Department of Transportation’s Hampton Roads District, which includes the Eastern Shore, western Tidewater and Hampton Roads. She previously was the engineer in charge of the Hampton Roads construction program and overseer of more than $450 million in road construction projects annually. A 20-year transportation department veteran, Jane will be responsible for maintenance and construction on 820 lane-miles of interstates, 2,070 lane-miles of primary roads, 7,830 lane-miles of secondary roads, and the operations of the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel, Monitor Merrimac Memorial Bridge Tunnel, Midtown Tunnel, Downtown Tunnel, Smart Traffic Center, Jamestown Scotland Ferry and the Coleman Bridges. She and her husband, Blair, live in Virginia Beach. Jason ’92 and Heather Cohen ’94 announce the birth of their third child, Barron Philip, on Nov. 15, 2001. He joins a brother, Warner, and sister, Bay. The family continues to live and work in Fredericksburg, Va. James B. Ewing Jr. ’92, P.E., formerly a project manager with the city of Virginia Beach Department of Public Utilities, has joined McKim & Creed’s Hampton Roads office as office manager. McKim & Creed is one of Engineering News-Record’s top 500 design firms and top 200 environmental firms in the country. James is expected to receive his master’s degree in environmental engineering from Old Dominion in December. Edwin H. Green (M.P.A. ’92), along with Jerry L. Bowman and Thomas B. Kelly, have formed the law practice Bowman Green and Kelly PLLC. A general commercial practice, the firm emphasizes business taxation, commercial real estate and litigation. The main office is in Chesapeake’s Battlefield Corporate Center. Richard “Barry” Nichols Jr. ’92 was selected as Outstanding Employee of the Year for 2001 in the Henrico County, Va., Sheriff’s Office in Richmond. He was also recently appointed by the county manager to serve a three-year term on his employee EEO Committee. The committee is responsible for an annual project related to cultural diversity. rnicholsjr@yahoo.com Dean R. Barkenhagen ’93 has been promoted to the rank of Navy master chief petty officer. He re-enlisted for two years while serving at Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia Beach. Dr. Eric M. Byman ’93 graduated from Eastern Virginia Medical School in May and is now in residency at the University of Cincinnati, where he is specializing in family practice with a focus on international health. Charles J. McDaid (M.B.A. ’93) received CBM certification (certificate in business management) in December. He also holds CPA, CMA and CFM certifications. In May, he accepted the position of regional controller for Nextran Corp. Charles lives in Alpharetta, Ga. Michael Shannon McVicker ’93 and Joanna Furr ’98 were married in March 2000. Michael is a team leader for First Union Securities and Joanna is a manager for First Union National Bank. They recently purchased a home in Chester, Va. Last year Michael joined Chester United Methodist Church, where Joanna has been a lifelong member. “No children yet, but we do have two dogs, Elvis and Rocky, that we adore.” 2elrocks@excite.com John B. Norris III ’93 has been named county attorney for St. Mary’s County, Md. He had previously served as deputy county attorney since December 2000. Capt. Chuck Svelan ’93, who served the last nine years as an infantry officer in the U.S. Army, in February relinquished command of Company A, 1st Battalion (Light), 5th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division shortly after completing “a grueling JRTC rotation.” Chuck is stationed at Fort Lewis, Wash., where he lives with his wife, Rachel. He serves as aide-de-camp for the deputy commanding general for transformation, who is spearheading the Army’s transformation effort. Next summer Chuck will attend the Defense Language Institute and begin training as a Serbo-Croatian foreign area officer. Marissa Galicia-Castillo ’94 and Amel Castillo ’93 announce the birth of their second child, Marciana (Ana) Galicia Castillo, on Aug. 3, 2001. She joins a sister, Rubylin, age 2. Amel is an electrical engineer at SPAWAR (Space and Naval Warfare), and Marissa joined the faculty at Eastern Virginia Medical School in July as an assistant professor at the Glennan Center. Jodi Gidley (M.E. ’94) was promoted to vice president/operations at Virginia Natural Gas June 3. She is the first woman in company history to hold the position. She is now responsible for field services, distribution, meter reading and related customer services, and peak shaving operations in addition to her previous duties in finance, planning and budgeting. Jodi joined VNG in 1986. She became manager of finance, planning and budgeting in 1993 and was promoted to director of that area last year. Angela Jones ’94 and Patrick Hudgins ’94 were married Aug. 4, 2001. Both received master’s degrees in psychology from Virginia State University. They currently are clinical psychology doctoral students in the Virginia Consortium Program and will graduate in 2002 and 2003, respectively. Leslie Page-Taylor ’94 and her husband, Tony, announce the birth of their first child, Lindsey Nicole, on March 19, 2002. Leslie accepted a new job in January as an attorney in the Office of the General Counsel at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. Tony is a Secret Service agent and works out of the Atlanta field office. They live in Lilburn, Ga. lop3@cdc.gov Cheryl Scarboro ’94, an environmental scientist, has joined the civil engineering department of Clark Nexsen, a full-service architectural, engineering and interior design firm based in Norfolk. Donna Cameron Burr (M.S.Ed. ’95) was selected Teacher of the Year by the staff of Great Neck Middle School in Virginia Beach. Donna, who recently completed her second year as a counselor, also coordinated the Student Recognition Program, chaired a school improvement action team and served on the Principal’s Advisory Committee. Jay W. Familant (M.S.Ed. ’95) received his Ph.D. in higher education administration from Ohio University in March. Ben Hannam ’96 recently received his M.F.A. from Virginia Common-wealth University, where he is now teaching. L. Joy Learn ’96 has been promoted to assistant vice president with Bank of America. She will also work as a relationship underwriter by providing financial services to commercial real estate developers in Norfolk and Richmond. Curtis P. McCandlish (M.S.Ed. ’96) has joined the staff at Nadaburg Elementary School as the junior high social studies teacher. CMcCandlish@maricopa.k12.az.us Matthew Towler ’96 and Christina Williams were married in Norfolk on June 8, 2002. They honeymooned in Jamaica and will live in Norfolk. Matthew is the wellness director for a retirement community in Virginia Beach and Christina will teach school locally. Kenneth M. Bowes ’97 completed basic training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, S.C., in January. Regina Brayboy (M.P.A. ’97) assumed her new duties June 3 as chief operating officer at WHRO in Norfolk. She oversees the station’s daily operations with additional responsibilities in business and financial planning and analysis. She previously was the patient financial services manager at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Hampton. Regina is a former member of the WHRO board of directors. Owned by 14 public school divisions in Hampton Roads, WHRO has a $9 million annual operating budget and serves more than 1.5 million people in southeastern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina with public television and radio programs, plus a variety of services to public and private schools and cultural institutions. Capt. Bob Kozloski ’97, U.S. Marine Corps, wrote in May that he was preparing for the Armed Forces Eco-challenge in Alaska in August. The nationally televised race features top military competitors from around the country and is a fund-raiser for TAPS (Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors), which provides financial support and counseling for family members of service members killed on active duty. “My personal training began at the NROTC unit at ODU, and I received advice from Professor Mel Williams for several races,” he writes. Bob, whose wife, Camellia, is also a 1997 graduate, is assigned to the Chemical Biological Incident Response Force. The unit was featured in USA Today and the Washington Post for its participation in the anthrax cleanup at the U.S. Capitol. Tina Marie Phillips Palmer ’97 and her husband, Ryan, celebrated their second anniversary in May. She completed her doctor of pharmacy degree in May 2001 at the Medical College of Virginia campus of Virginia Common-wealth University. Tina is employed by Eckerd Pharmacy as a pharmacist-in-charge at a store in Portsmouth. John L. Bode ’98 lists his new address as 48 F Blake Loop, Newport News, Va. 23606. 757-591-9478 Joanna Furr ’98 and Michael Shannon McVicker ’93 were married in March 2000. Joanna is a manager for First Union National Bank and Michael is a team leader for First Union Securities. They recently purchased a home in Chester, Va. Last year Michael joined Chester United Methodist Church, where Joanna has been a lifelong member. “No children yet, but we do have two dogs, Elvis and Rocky, that we adore.” 2elrocks@excite.com Lt. j.g. Timothy A. Hornocker ’98, U.S. Navy, will complete a six-month deployment to the Caribbean Sea this fall while assigned to the USS York-town, homeported in Pascagoula, Miss. 1st Lt. Nigel A. Fischer ’99, U.S. Marine Corps, was recently designated a naval flight officer. He received his “Wings of Gold” after completing the advanced jet navigation course at Naval Air Station, Pensacola, Fla. Mark Hallinger (M.A. ’99) won three bronze medals in track cycling while competing on the U.S. team at the Pan American Masters Champion-ships in Havana, Cuba. Mark works out of Bethesda, Md., as a freelance writer/editor and consultant for an Asia/Pacific trade publication. tvtpasia@aol.com Lt. Andres Medina (M.S.Ed. ’99), U.S. Navy, recently completed the financial materiel management course at Naval School of Health Sciences, Bethesda, Md. Daniel E. Menteer ’99, an ensign in the U.S. Navy, received his commission as a naval officer this spring after completing Officer Candidate School at Naval Aviation Schools Command, Naval Air Station, Pensacola, Fla. 2000s Kerri D. Bailey ’00, Corey N. Bott ’00 and Sean P. Boyle ’00, U.S. Navy, were commissioned to the rank of ensign early this year after completing Officer Candidate School at Naval Aviation Schools Command, Naval Air Station, Pensacola, Fla. Steve Davis ’00 works for Oyster Point Construction in Newport News, which is building the new Hampton History Museum. John C. Brown ’01, an ensign in the U.S. Navy, received his commission as a naval officer last fall after completing Officer Candidate School at Naval Aviation Schools Command, Naval Air Station, Pensacola, Fla. Rebecca Ferqueron ’01 has joined Wall, Einhorn & Chernitzer P.C. in Norfolk as an associate.