The Magazine of The University of Montana
About Alumni
Keep Us Posted. Send your news to The University of Montana Alumni Association, Brantly Hall, Missoula, MT 59812. Go to www.GrizAlum.com and click on “Class Notes,” fax your news to 406-243-4467, or call 1-877-UM-ALUMS (877-862-5867). Material in this issue reached our office by November 2, 2011.
Note: The year immediately following an alum’s name indicates either an undergraduate degree year or attendance at UM. Graduate degrees from UM are indicated by initials.
Snowbirds/Sunbirds—Anyone! Whenever you change your mailing address, please contact the alumni office.
Let us know where you are and when. Thank you.
Alumni Events 2012
JANUARY
26 U to You Lecture Series, Great Falls
FEBRUARY
9 U to You Lecture Series, Great Falls
16 Charter Day: UM’s 119th birthday
23 U to You Lecture Series, Great Falls
MARCH
8 U to You Lecture Series, Great Falls
APRIL
3-11 Travel Program: River Life along the Waterways of Holland-Belgium
15-23 Travel Program: European Coastal Civilizations—Portugal, Spain, and France
MAY
25- Travel Program: Historic Reflections
JUNE
5 Luxury Cruise
Letter from the director
The University of Montana, through the Office of Alumni Relations, held its first-ever Military Reunion November 3-6, 2011. The most senior of the alumni who attended the reunion was a veteran of World War II. What an honor it was to welcome back these individuals who not only represented our campus, but also served our country with distinction. How impressive it was to see a major general, along with several brigadier generals and naval captains, come together with enlisted personnel to celebrate their service to the United States and their education from The University of Montana. Everyone agreed that regular reunions would be a great idea.
Additionally, UM alumnus David Bell, co-founder of Grateful Nation Montana [www.gratefulnationmontana.com] decided to hold the unveiling of the Fallen Soldier Memorial on Friday during the reunion. The memorial, which honors the forty Montanans who gave their lives during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, was a gift from supporters of the Grateful Nation Montana program. More than 800 people attended both the formal ceremony held in the Montana Theatre and the unveiling of the monument on Memorial Row. A cold rain turned to sleet and then snow as the military parachute used as the veil for the memorial was removed by UM ROTC cadets. People stayed well into the night to see the memorial. It was a very moving ceremony and experience. In a short span of time the memorial has established itself as a place to reflect and contemplate.
Thank you to all our alumni and friends who serve our University and country in many different ways. We are a grateful campus.
Bill Johnston ’79, M.P.A. ’91
Director, Alumni Relations
President and CEO, UM Alumni Association
Above: Tour director Joseph Mussulman (front, center), led UM’s finest voices off to visit military hospitals and entertain troops across the Pacific in 1967.
Top photo: No other USO troop is known
to have gathered for a reunion like the
one held in August 2011 in Bigfork.
Front row: Dennis Burns ’69, Nancy Senechal Schulze ’69, Joseph Mussulman, Carol Ash Wyard ’70, Doug Dunnell ’67, and Diane Morrow Hammack ’67.
Back row, left to right: Susan Emrick ’68,
Jim Selway ’68, Gary Guthrie ’68, Edd Blackler ’70, Greg Devlin ’71, Judy Stowe Colbo ’68, Don Collins ’68, Ruth Silvius Dobson ’68, and Marcia Olson Cobb ’69. Except for Jim Selway and Gary Guthrie, who are reversed, each Jubileer assumed the same position as in the 1967 photo.
In 1967, The University of Montana Jubileers, a select group of the University’s best singers and one of its most beloved traditions, were selected by the USO to entertain men and women serving in the U.S. military across the Asian Pacific. Little did the Jubileers know that the ten-week tour would turn out to be one of the most memorable experiences of their lives. They performed a total of fifty-nine shows in Japan, Korea, the Philippines, Guam, and Hawaii. Forty-four years later, all fourteen Jubileers turned out to attend the group’s reunion this past August in Bigfork. “Flathead Lake provided a beautiful setting for a re-gathering of the group once billed as ‘Montana’s Finest Voices,’” writes Dennis Burns ’69, who helped organize the reunion. “All in the group have enhanced the vocal music climate of many parts of the nation, with several having been professional, full-time musicians since leaving the UM School of Music.” One attendee drove from Florida while others came from as far away as New York and Hawaii. “The get-together was scheduled for one day, but most spent four days catching up on the last four decades and singing,” writes Dennis. “Some even wore their signature red dresses that were made for the USO show in 1967. The group gathered around the piano and sang many of the numbers performed in the overseas shows.”
’60s
Sally Carroll Bultmann ’64 and Chuck Bultmann ’66, M.B.A. ’85, Colleyville, Texas, received the 2011 Grapevine Heritage Foundation Restoration Award from the Grapevine City Council. The award recognized Sally and Chuck’s accurate restoration of the J.E. Foust Building. Built in 1889, the building is located in the Grapevine Historic Township and is home to Chuck and Sally’s store, Good Things for All Seasons.
Phyllis J. Washington
’64, Missoula, is married to Montana industrialist and philanthropist Dennis Washington. A former teacher, Phyllis commented to Forbes magazine in September about the importance of parent-teacher collaboration in education. “The responsibility of learning falls equally on both parents and teachers,” she tells Forbes. “Teaching is a team effort, especially today with so many divided homes.” Financed by a generous gift from the Phyllis and Dennis Washington Foundation and opened in 2009, UM’s Phyllis J. Washington Education Center offers training for new and veteran teachers, administrators, and counselors in current technologies and distance learning.
Rich Moy ’66, M.A. ’72, Helena, was appointed by President Barack Obama to serve as one of three U.S. representatives on the six-member International Joint Commission. The commission works to uphold the 1909 Boundary Waters Treaty between the United States and Canada, which was enacted to prevent international disputes over lakes and rivers that cross the border.
Michael Dwyer ’67, ’76, Missoula, initially earned a degree in sociology from UM and went on to serve aboard two U.S. Navy destroyers, Boyd and Chevalier, as a signalman 2. After two deployments to Vietnam, he returned to UM and earned an additional bachelor’s in social work. In 2007 Michael retired after thirty years as a state social worker for adults with developmental disabilities. He remains active in several veterans groups, including Vietnam Veterans of America Bitterroot Chapter, as well as the associations of both ships he served aboard.
’70s
Fred Woody, M.A. ’78, Austin, Texas, recently retired from the Department of Art and Art History at the University of Texas. During his thirty-two-year career, Fred was twice named “Art Educator of the Year” by the Texas Art Education Association and in 2010 was inducted as a Distinguished Fellow.
Ken Robertson ’70, Kennewick, Wash., retired as executive editor of the Tri-City Herald in July. Ken held the position for twenty of the thirty-five years he worked at the paper. “We can’t thank him enough for his service and leadership over the years,” says Bob Weil, vice president of operations for the McClatchy Co., the Herald’s owner. “Ken is the embodiment of that most fundamental McClatchy value: quality journalism.” The Herald won’t have to do without a Grizzly at the helm for long. City editor and assistant managing editor Laurie Williams ’89 will succeed Ken. Laurie started at the Herald as a reporter in 1984. Weil noted how that length of time reflects Laurie’s roots in the community and at the paper, and continued, “In Laurie, we get a next-generation McClatchy editor, a newsroom leader hard at work transitioning our business and our public service mission for the digital age, serving readers on multiple platforms and in multiple formats.”
Robert Johnson ’71, Olympia, Wash., is chief executive officer and president of PRN Services Inc., which provides relief pharmacy services throughout southwest Washington.
Thomas Brown, M.A. ’71, Queenstown, New Zealand, went on to the Louvre Museum in Paris to study the meticulous art of copying paintings. The experience served him well this past fall when he created a series of original paintings commemorating New Zealand’s hosting of the Rugby World Cup. On display at the BONZ art gallery in the Queenstown Mall, the paintings reflect New Zealand’s nearly religious fervor for the game. One depicts team captain Richie McCaw as a Greco-Roman god surrounded by adoring toga-wearing fans.
Don Wetzel, Sr. ’72, M. Ed. ’81, Statesville, N.C., was inducted into the Montana Indian Athletic Hall of Fame in July in Billings. A former Griz player, basketball coach, and educator, Don established the hall in 2007 in honor of his late father Walter S. “Blackie” Wetzel ’38, also a UM athlete.
David H. Ellis, Ph.D. ’73, and his wife, Cathy, Oracle, Ariz., have published Steamboat Springs, the new volume in Arcadia Publishing’s Images of America series. The book tells the history of the Colorado town from early settlement to its current fame as a winter resort and includes 200 vintage photographs.
Dorothy Brinkel Johnson, Ph.D. ’73, Olympia, Wash., is enjoying her recent retirement from the Washington State Attorney General’s office.
Michael Leib, M.A. ’74,
West Bloomfield, Mich., was recognized for his work in bankruptcy law by his fellow lawyers and named to the 2012 edition of Best Lawyers in America.
Doug Nissen ’75, Evanston, Wyo., was appointed president of 1st Bank, a subsidiary of Glacier Bancorp. He will oversee eleven 1st Bank branches throughout Wyoming.
Richard B. McMaster ’76, Lewistown, is moving to Klawok, Alaska, on Prince of Wales Island, to start an eye clinic. Working with the Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium, Richard has begun making one-week visits to the island every month or so while he waits to sell his All Family Vision Care optometry practice in Lewistown. Residents of Prince of Wales Island previously had an optometrist available only two months out of the year. In an interview with Alaska Native News, Richard called the new eye clinic “a great addition to the Prince of Wales community.” After he settles in on the island, we can expect Richard to enjoy a few of his favorite pastimes, which include hiking, woodworking, bow hunting, and fly fishing.
Ed Smith ’76, Helena, received the J.O. Sentell Award from the National Conference of Appellate Court Clerks during its August meeting in Annapolis, Md. The award is the organization’s highest honor and recognizes exemplary service to the profession and the conference. Clerk of the Montana Supreme Court since 1988, Ed served as official host for the conference’s 2010 Annual Meeting in Whitefish.
Garry South ’76, Santa Monica, Calif., was named one of the top fifty most influential political players in California by the journal Capitol Weekly. Garry, a partner in the public affairs firm California Strategies, LLC, regularly publishes posts on current events on Politico’s The Arena blog.
Doug Betters ’78, Whitefish, believes that “When You’re a Griz, You’re a Griz for Life.” In that spirit, the former Miami Dolphin and member of the Grizzly Sports Hall of Fame created “Griz Life” vinyl decals suitable for display on everything from cars and trucks to boats and boards. A portion of the sales will help fund new and improved facilities for UM student athletes.
Butch Larcombe ’78, Helena, has been named managing editor of the Helena Independent Record. He will continue to oversee content of Montana Magazine, published by Lee Enterprises.
Sherry Scheel Matteucci, J.D. ’79, Billings, received the Montana State Bar’s highest honor in October. The William J. Jameson Award is presented each year to an attorney whose career has exemplified the highest level of professionalism and ethics. During her thirty-two-year career, Sherry served as U.S. Attorney for Montana from 1993 to 2001. Since leaving office, she has devoted much of her time to advising and consulting with the Crow Tribe and currently serves as legal adviser to the tribal court.
Shelley George Van Atta ’79, Billings, received the Billings Outstanding Volunteer Fundraiser Award from the Montana chapter of the American Association of Fundraising Professionals.
’80s
Ross Holter ’83, Kalispell, is the energy services supervisor for Flathead Electric Cooperative. One of his duties in 2009 was to coordinate and oversee the development of the cooperative’s Landfill-Gas-to-Energy plant, the first and only one in Montana. The plant burns methane gas collected from the landfill’s decaying trash and continually generates just under one megawatt of electricity. When it came to having the new up-and-running plant painted, Ross was faced with choosing a roofing color that would go with the gray cinder block walls. “It was a no-brainer,” says Ross. “Obviously it would have to be maroon.” The choice has been a point of contention with some of Ross’s Montana State University alumni co-workers. “Actually we have had a lot of fun with it,” says Ross. “They are quick to point out that even though the Griz colors are on the outside, there is plenty of blue and gold represented on the inside. Regardless I was pretty stoked to be able to make the decision to promote the Griz colors on such a great renewable energy project.” Ross and his wife Janet Morris Holter ’83, have been married for thirty years and have two sons.
Robert T. Isham, J.D. ’82, Lake Bluff, Ill., was elected to the Baytree National Bank & Trust Company’s board of directors. A practicing attorney in Lake Bluff, Robert previously worked in merchant banking in Chicago and served as general counsel to Billing Services Group, a telephone billing company with operations in Texas, Germany, and England.
Donna L. Miller ’82, M.A. ’93, Chinook, earned her Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction with an emphasis in English education from Arizona State University-Tempe. Donna has taught in the teacher training programs at both UM and ASU, and currently teaches in the Elementary Education and Early Childhood Development departments at Fort Belknap College.
Juli Eckmann ’83, San Diego, is a flight attendant and operates her own small real estate business.
Robert “Bob” Keane, M.S. ’84, Missoula, a research ecologist with the USDA Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station, was named to a three-year term on American Forests’ new Science Advisory board. American Forests is the oldest conservation nonprofit in the United States and the only one to focus exclusively on protecting and restoring forests.
Barton Young ’84, Vero Beach, Fla., is president and chief executive officer of Barton Young & Associates. His company received the 2011 Rising Star Award from Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. in recognition of the firm’s outstanding growth in revenues. Barton Young & Associates Financial Advisors is now represented in seventeen states and specializes in meeting the needs of high-net-worth clients.
Daniel Shaneyfelt ’85 lives in Nicaragua but traveled to Kenya this past June through a farmer-to-farmer program funded by the United States Agency for International Development. He shared twenty-five years of management and strategic planning experience with Kenyan rice producers, helping them learn how to overcome market barriers caused by growing competition. Daniel used his own market plan-development manual to assist a 4,500-member farmers’ cooperative. He also spent three weeks investigating market conditions, local resources, and consumer preferences, as well as marketing opportunities and potential strategies. Daniel hopes to return to Kenya and follow through on what he has learned. “I appreciate the struggles of the farmers in developing nations like Kenya and am proud to be a part of a USA effort to assist such deserving people around the world,” he says. “Sending experts from the USA to such areas is a powerful tool to help improve the financial ability of millions of people worldwide.”
Sue Habbe ’85, Missoula, took top honors among women forty-five to forty-nine years old in the international Reebok CrossFit games in August. A worldwide event gaining in popularity, the games attracted a large crowd at the Home Depot Center in Los Angeles and were covered live on ESPN3.com. Over the three days of competition, Sue completed five multi-faceted workouts involving rowing, running, lifting, and other high-intensity tests of strength and conditioning. Named most inspirational player during her days with Lady Griz basketball, Sue credits her trainers and CrossFit enthusiasts for preparing her mentally and physically for the grueling competition. “I really love the atmosphere and camaraderie when I’m training here in Missoula,” Sue tells the Missoulian. “The people at CrossFit Montana I consider my brothers and sisters. No one there will settle for a second-rate effort.”
Elmos Konis ’86, M.B.A.’89, Nicosia, Cyprus, published his novel Magnette: A Cyprus Odyssey in 2010 from Armida Publications. The novel centers on a professor who unexpectedly begins driving a secretive elderly man around the island of Cyprus in his coveted vintage automobile. Elmos himself is an assistant professor at the European University-Cyprus and was once the proud owner of a 1962 MG Midget MK1.
James Shea ’88, J.D. ’91, Helena, will serve a second term as Montana state workers’ compensation judge.
Paul Tuss ’88, Havre, was appointed by Governor Brian Schweitzer to serve on the Montana Board of Regents.
Nick Ehli ’89, Bozeman, is managing editor of the Bozeman Daily Chronicle and editor-in-chief of Montana Quarterly magazine.
’90s
Molly Galusha ’90, Missoula, has opened the Buttercup Market and Café at 1221 Helen Avenue, just west of the UM campus. Housed in a historic University-district building, the café offers a Montana-grown grocery selection, fresh-baked goods, juices, and a selection of freshly brewed coffees.
Shane Vannatta ’90, J.D. ’93, Missoula, was inducted as the president of the Montana State Bar Association in September. A Bainville native, Shane was instrumental in starting the Western Montana Bar Association’s pro bono program and recently finished a seven-year term as its chair.
Deanna Tierney ’92, Clancy, has been promoted to private banker at Wells Fargo in Helena and Missoula. She specializes in assisting high-net-worth customers with their current and future financial service needs.
Bob Clark ’93 and Sue Fletcher Clark, Frenchtown, celebrated their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary in July with a barbecue and reception at their home. Bob serves as vice president of Clark Fork Valley Bank. Sue works as a business management bureau chief for the forestry division of the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation. Their daughter, Erin Clark
’10 performed as a standout track athlete for the Grizzlies while earning degrees in marketing and management.
David Logerstedt ’93, Ambler, Penn., recently received his Ph.D. in biomechanics and movement science from the University of Delaware. David, his wife, Kristen, and their son Matthew have welcomed a new Grizzly, Patrick Michael, to their family.
Tracey L. Hayes, M.S. ’94, Aurora, Colo., attained the rank of colonel in the U.S. Air Force in August. She is stationed at Buckley Air Force Base, where she is vice commander of the 460th Space Wing.
Mark Heintzelman ’94, Carlisle, Penn., is the new publisher of the The Sentinel newspaper. Previously a controller at the Daily Herald in Provo, Utah, the mathematics graduate is looking forward to interacting more with businesses, community leaders, and organizations in his new home. “Being able to make where you live a better place is not a thing to be taken lightly,” says Mark. “You need to embrace that opportunity.”
James King ’94, Shoreline, Wash., is the new director of the Bellingham Parks and Recreation Department. James tells the Bellingham Herald that he wants to make sure the city’s well-established system of parks and greenways keeps up with community expansion and growth.
Brian Tovson ’94, Great Falls, was recently chosen from among fifty candidates to become one of three new Great Falls police officers.
Christopher “Kit” Davis
’96, J.D. ’00, Libby, served as a prosecutor in San Bernardino County, Calif., for seven years. Now an infantry officer in the U.S. Army, he deployed to eastern Afghanistan in September as the mortar platoon leader for 2-5 Infantry BN, 31BCT, 1AD.
Jacqueline Williams ’98, Baltimore, received a Ph.D. in medical family therapy from East Carolina University in May.
Mark Meredith, Ph.D. ’99, Montana City, received the Montana Pharmacy Association’s Fitzgerald Pharmacist of the Year Award.
Will Scharen ’99, Boulder, Colo., is principal trombone with both the Bozeman and Wyoming Symphony orchestras. In demand as a freelance musician, he plays regularly with other orchestras, including the Boulder Philharmonic, the Colorado Springs Philharmonic, and the Fort Collins Symphony.
Paul Strasko ’99, Geneva, Switzerland, was ordained as a rabbi in Bamberg, Germany, in November. He will serve as assistant rabbi at the Communauté Israélite Libérale de Genève.
Michael Trevathan ’99, Monroe, La., is the new executive director of auxiliary enterprise administration at the University of Louisiana at Monroe. Mike remained in Monroe after earning his M.B.A. from ULM with a concentration in hospital and health care administration. A former All-American wide receiver, he hasn’t forgotten his days as a Grizzly. Every year at Griz-Cat football time, Mike hosts a satellite tailgate party for fellow fans.
’00s
Maggie Pierose Gleason ’02, Alison Fisker ’02, Melissa Pryor Kuchynka ’02, and Jacqueline Guest Caselton ’02, all members of the Delta Gamma pledge class of 1998, enjoy the UM chapter’s centennial celebration held in Missoula during Homecoming weekend this past fall. Nearly 500 people attended the celebration, which was themed Sweet Home Montana: 100 years of Delta Gamma. Festivities included a welcoming reception at the Missoula Children’s Theatre, brunch at the Delta Gamma house, the football game, and a gala at the Hilton Garden Inn. Seven decades of DGs were represented, and a donation was given to the chapter for much-needed house repairs and updates.
William P. James ’00 and his wife, Eve Llewellyn James ’01, Portland, Ore., have joined with another singer to release the children’s CD, coloring book, and song reader All Aboard the Zoo Train. Calling themselves Uncle-B, Auntie-E, and J-Dog, the trio recorded classics such as “Camptown Races,” “John Henry,” and “O Susanna,” not to mention “My Home’s in Montana.” In addition to their children’s material, Eve and William perform other music around Portland under the name Floating Pointe.
Jennifer Marie Cooper
’01, ’06, Portland, Ore., earned her master’s degree in health and human development from Montana State University in 2009. She has started an individual counseling practice and uses sliding-scale fees to accommodate clients with limited means.
Kent Hansen, M.S. ’01, Forest City, Iowa, has joined the faculty of Waldorf College as an assistant professor of wellness. “From a teaching point of view, I like the smallness of the class size and the intimate teaching environment at Waldorf College,” says Kent. “I like personally interacting with the students.” Kent previously worked for five years as a research scientist in geriatrics at the University of Colorado-Denver’s School of Medicine.
Quentin R. Hays ’01, Ruidoso, N.M., began teaching in the Science and Natural Resources department at Eastern New Mexico University in 2010, where he has introduced popular courses in fire ecology and tropical biology. Through his firm, Bosque Wildlife and Habitat, he conducts studies and inventories for national forests and conservation groups. Quentin and his wife, Germaine Joseph-Hays, are expecting their first child in February.
Holly Pickett ’02, ’05, Cairo, Egypt, was working as a freelance photojournalist near Sirte, Libya, on October 20. While shooting photos for a feature story on ambulance crews caring for wounded fighters in the civil war, she encountered the ambulance carrying mortally wounded Libyan dictator Muammar el-Qaddafi. “We chased the ambulance with our ambulance,” the Butte native tells the Montana Standard. “They drove us back to the field hospital, where wounded and dead fighters had been brought for the past several weeks in the battle for Sirte. The doors of the ambulance were open, and everyone was chasing it on foot. People were screaming; a few fired their weapons in the air. They were hugging each other.” Holly obtained photos of Qaddafi’s body through the open doors of the ambulance, becoming one of the first journalists in the world to document his passing. Holly’s work has previously appeared in The New York Times, Time, and other national publications. A full account of Holly’s experience on October 20 is available on the Montana Standard website: www.mtstandard.com.
Photo by Remi Ochlik
Andrea “Andy” Garreffa Orizotti ’02, Vancouver, Wash., has joined the fund development team of Second Step Housing. The organization provides safe, stable housing and individual case management for women and families seeking a way out of homelessness.
Joseph Dusatko ’04, East Helena, was chosen from among fifty candidates to become one of three new Great Falls police officers.
Heather Schmidt ’04, Eagleville, Penn., is in sales for Reynolds America, and recently was promoted to a Sales Territory Manager II within the Philadelphia sales region.
Patrick Fox, J.D. ’05, M.B.A. ’05, Helena, is now a partner in the law firm of Doubek, Pyfer, & Fox, specializing in personal injury.
Michael Peluso ’05, Missoula, completed his studies in European history at UM and then planned to enroll in medical school. When traditional medicine failed to come up with acceptable answers to his own health problems, he began investigating natural medicine as an alternative. After completing the four-year training program to become a licensed acupuncturist, Michael opened Missoula’s first community acupuncture clinic. Treating up to four people at a time under the community clinic model keeps costs down. “My goal for this clinic is not to charge people more than I could afford myself,” says Michael.
Alex Burreson ’06 and
Kolleen Lozar ’06, Renton, Wash., were married August 27 in Whitefish in front of family and friends. They may have gone on to honeymoon in Bora Bora, but they never forgot they were Grizzlies.
Anna Lisa D. Chalfoun, Ph.D.’06, Moose, Wyo., has accepted an appointment as assistant professor in the Department of Zoology and Physiology at the University of Wyoming in Laramie.
Cierra Parker ’06, Washington, D.C., completed a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree at the MGH Institute of Health Professions in Boston.
Emily Haas ’08, Portland, Ore., took second place for a picture she entered in the Peace Corps Fiftieth Anniversary Photo Contest. The photo, which is featured on the contents page of this Montanan, was taken in 2010 during Emily’s Peace Corps assignment in Armenia. More than 3,700 photos were submitted to the contest, and she placed second in the Sharing Overseas Culture with America category. “I’ve seen a lot of Peace Corps photos in magazines and brochures and a lot of them come from vivid, beautiful places,” Emily says. “I didn’t know if the drab Armenian concrete and gray landscape would compete. I was happy a cultural moment like that was chosen.”
Megan Boehnke ’07, Missoula, received a Global Master of Arts in international relations from Webster University.
Nicholas Gulig ’07, is living in Bangkok, Thailand, as a Fulbright Scholar and studying contemporary southeast Asian poetry. His own chapbook of poetry, Ecotone, was a finalist for the 2011 Omnidawn Publishing Chapbook Competition.
Abby Lautt ’07, a Hardin native, is one of the producers of the National Geographic Channel’s series Frontier Force, which offers a peek at the day-to-day lives of law enforcement officers across Montana. “This show’s just about law enforcement in rural places,” Abby tells the Billings Gazette. Abby says she thought she “knew everything about Montana” before coming on to produce the show, but the experience proved her wrong. “I’ve been to the Bucking Horse Sale just as someone who attends, which is fun,” she says. “But I had no idea what was going on behind the scenes, especially for law enforcement.” Filmed during the course of a year, the series followed Billings, Miles City, Missoula, and Darby police departments, as well as Montana Fish, Wildlife, & Parks officers, various agencies in Glendive, and the Custer, Gallatin, Missoula, Flathead, and Roosevelt county sheriff offices.
Aaron Schultz ’08, a published author and photographer, has responded to the “Great Recession” he faced after graduation by compiling a photo book, Montana—New York: Perspective, Form, and Volume. “It is a comparison,” writes Aaron, “through photographs, of how two very different, yet iconic, American places have shaped our country’s identity and mythos.” Compiling the book, writes Aaron, gave him hope “while wading through tar from unemployed to underemployed.” Aaron’s photography has previously appeared in Outside, Bozeman Tributary, ESPN.com and other publications.
Mark Chambers ’09, Detroit, is now an inside sales account executive with the National Hockey League’s Detroit Red Wings. How he got there is quite a story. In a letter to former professors and mentors at UM, Mark credits the internships and field experience programs offered by the School of Business Administration with showing him the way. While working at Paws Up Resort outside Missoula in summer 2010, Mark had a chance conversation with Cleveland Cavaliers owner and Quicken Loans founder Dan Gilbert. “He asked me about my work history, education, and career goals,” writes Mark. “I was prepared. I told him about UM, my marketing degree, and goal to work in professional sports. He asked my name, contact info, and if I had a resume. I sure did—I had a great resume to give him.” Mark landed his first job with Quicken Loans in Michigan a few months later, but he didn’t give up on his dream of working in professional sports. “I was determined to get there. I knew that being prepared, fostering contacts, networking, and hard work would pay off. And it did.”
Stuart Wing ’08 and Makenzie Bowen ’06, Lake Oswego, Ore., were married in December in the bride’s hometown of Gig Harbor, Wash. Stuart is branch manager for a global sourcing and original equipment manufacturing firm based in Portland, Ore. Makenzie was recently promoted to business development manager of western operations for Missoula-based Envirocon, Inc.
’10s
Orson Dwayne Ague ’10, Bigfork, has completed his twelfth season as stage manager with the Bigfork Summer Playhouse. Orson has been with the theater company in some capacity since 1977, when he began as a performer. During the offseason, Orson ran restaurants, nightclubs, and sports bars in Portland, Ore., and Seattle for thirty years. “That’s where I learned to understand and deal with people,” Orson tells the Bigfork Eagle. “It helps a lot with stage management, because you have to deal with all kinds of people.” Orson became a year-round Bigfork resident in 2010. “It’s the place I love to be,” he says. “Besides the community and the landscape, this theater keeps me here.”
Trecia Campbell ’10 and Brad Barfknecht, Great Falls, were married July 30 at Camp Paxson in Seeley Lake.
Kevin Harding ’10, Orlando, Fla., completed student internships at Missoula’s Hilton Garden Inn and Hawthorn Suites by Wyndham while earning his communication studies degree. After graduation, he moved to Florida to accept a third internship with Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. In October the company offered him a full-time paid position at Walt Disney World Resort to help organize special events with community-partner organizations. “I am indebted to all my leaders and educators,” writes Kevin, who credits the School of Business Entertainment Management Program with polishing his event professionalism.
Siobhan Kirkpatrick ’11, Colfax, Wash., married Tyler Strom on June 16 at the Gibson Mansion in Missoula. Siobhan began studies this past fall at the College of Veterinary Medicine at Washington State University in Pullman.
Wesley Sarmento ’11, Lakewood, Colo., graduated in wildlife biology this past May and now finds himself on his way to Mongolia to work as a National Geographic Young Explorer. While there, he’ll participate in a collaborative effort between the Denver Zoological Foundation, the Mongolian Academy of Sciences, and the Argali Research Center to preserve Mongolia’s argali sheep. The world’s largest wild sheep, the argali are nearing extinction because of unrestricted hunting and increased grazing competition with domestic livestock. Wesley and his colleagues will work on mapping and characterizing the landscape, building local grazing capacity, monitoring argali and livestock movement, and involving local residents in conservation efforts.
Victoria Zimmer ’11, Kalispell, is the manager of Second Helpings, a new thrift store where sales benefit the Flathead Food Bank.
NEW LIFETIME MEMBERS
The following alumni and friends have made a commitment to the future of the UM Alumni Association by becoming lifetime members. You can join them by calling 877-862-5867 or by visiting our website: www.GrizAlum.com. The Alumni Association thanks them for their support. This list includes all new lifetime members through September 2011.
F. Lynn and S. Paulette Bates, Victor
Mark Counterman, M.S.’92, Broomfield, CO
Bonnie P. Dalton ’58, M.S.’60, Moffett Field, CA
Richard Engel ’72, Jacksonville, AR
Joseph D. McCaffery ’98, M.B.A.’01, Fremont, CA
F. Bruce Posey ’77, Billings
John R. Stark ’74 and Trish Stark ’74, Billings
Tom Stockburger ’74 and
Lucy Reynolds Stockburger ’75, Littleton, CO
Michael A. Stone ’80, Bigfork
Anne Torrey ’81, M.A.’83, Excelsior, MN
William D. Walters, Jr., J.D. ’77, Williston, ND
Wendy Winsor ’87, Mukilteo, WA
In Memoriam
We extend sympathy to the families of the following alumni, faculty, and friends. Names without class or degree years include UM alumni, employees, and friends. To be included in “In Memoriam,” the UM Office of Alumni Relations requires a newspaper obituary or a letter of notification from the immediate family.
Material on this page reached our office by Oct. 31, 2011.
’30s
Thomas F. Wimett ’32, Santa Fe, NM
Lois Blanche George Rimel ’36, Cut Bank
Katherine Mary Backes Shevlin ’38, Helena
Julia Leona Printz Blackburn ’39, Missoula
Frank C. Clapp ’39, Lafayette, CA
Alfred R. Graesser ’39, Missoula
Rudy James “Pete” Pederson ’39, San Angelo, TX
’40s
Charlotte Alberta Fritz Dissly ’40, El Paso, TX
Doris Marjorie Weger Kamerad ’40, Helena
Alison Merriam Payne ’40, Springfield, VA
William Robert Piatt ’40, Ridgecrest, CA
Alice M. Colvin Rose ’40, Hamilton
Theola Mae Meuli Sederholm ’40, Bozeman
Joan M. Kennard Fopp ’41, Great Falls
Jacqueline Deschamps Kennedy ’41, Issaquah, WA
Elizabeth Marie “Betty” Ratcliff LaRue ’42, Hot Springs
James “Harold” LaRue ’42, Hot Springs
Colin Oscar “Scotty” MacLeod ’43, Billings
Chester B. “Chet” Schendel ’43, Bozeman
Elden Harry Sauers ’45, Palm Desert, CA
Joan Engelking Christensen ’47, Polson
Marian Avis Lacklen ’47, Billings
Arthur B. Martin, J.D.’47, Miles City
Benjamin Riddle “Ben” Davis ’48, Missoula
Cecelia F. Williams Anmen ’49, Boulder
Louise Kieckbusch Dunning ’49, Tucson, AZ
Frank Charles Owens ’49, Deer Lodge
’50s
Jere Davis ’50, Great Falls
Jack L. Hensley ’50, Lakeside
Philip R. Palm ’50, Great Falls
Arnold Dare Scott ’50, Missoula
Neil A. Sylling ’50, Merced, CA
Raymond Tyvand ’50, Boise, ID
Maurice O. Wesen ’50, Glasgow
Richard Marlow Willey ’50, Gresham, OR
John E. Sawyer ’51, Missoula
Dennis S. Weir ’51, Tucson, AZ
Marilyn Grace Holden Strawn ’52, Puyallup, WA
Richard Carroll Urquhart ’52, McMinnville, OR
Gordon LeRoy Vinje ’52, Bozeman
Donald D. Cole, J.D.’53, Malta
Seumas Vickie “Jim” Gallagher ’53, M.Ed.’68, Missoula
Louis Gilbert “Gil” Leibinger ’53, Sheridan, WY
Margaret M. Conway Ruetten ’53, Escondido, CA
Ruby Pearl Lindstrom Morris ’54, Billings
John V. Potter, Jr. ’55, J.D.’56, Great Falls
Douglas R. Drysdale, J.D.’55, Bozeman
Frank William Milburn, Jr. ’55, Sarasota, FL
Lois Ann Andrus ’56, Laurel
Murray Louis Madeen, Jr.’56, Aiken, SC
Larry J. Watterson ’56, Helena
Michael D. Lyon, Sr. ’57, Prosser, WA
Ivan Janus Oswald ’57, Campbell, CA
Enid May Bowman Roxton ’57, Santa Barbara, CA
John Lyle Hansen ’59, Polson
June Bowman Johnson ’59, Helena
Laurence A. Tromly ’59, Pensacola, FL
Dell E. Tyler ’59, Missoula
’60s
Alexander A. George ’60, J.D. ’62, Missoula
Robert James Thomas ’61, Stevensville
Cordelia Carlisle Slater ’62, M.A.’88, Missoula
Donald C. Robinson ’63, Butte
Darlene Faith Prichard Smith ’63, Missoula
John Richard “Dick” Rosenleaf ’64, Butte
Ted P. Andersen ’65, Libby
Robert L. Crippen ’65, Butte
Kenneth Owen Nielsen ’65, Driggs, ID
Gary Ray Christiansen, J.D.’67, Mesa, AZ
Anna Bessie Novacek Fossum ’67, Pullman, WA
Martin W. Holt ’67, Helena
Jeffrey S. Meredith ’67, Leavenworth, WA
Thomas Edward Snellman ’67, Billings
Nadia Nadine Brelje ’68, Pueblo, CO
Nicholas H. Browning III ’68,
Marina del Ray, CA
Duane W. Leitzke ’68, Moses Lake, WA
Richard Stanley Gibbon ’69, Post Falls, ID
’70s
Dorothy Lee Preston ’70, Polson
Orville Eugene Getz ’71, Missoula
Jeffrey L. Mann ’71, Missoula
John Michael Mandzak ’72, Lewiston, ID
James Edward Mangan, M.A.’72, Bothell, WA
Phillip Asbjorn Sieler, Sr. ’74, Kalispell
Rodney G. Stebbins ’74, Green Valley, AZ
Steven Robert Singleton ’75, St. Paul, MN
Lucy Reynolds Stockburger ’75 Littleton, CO
George Weikum ’76, Naperville, IL
Gloria Sawai, M.F.A.’77, Edmonton, Alberta
’80s
Arvin Leroy Eyre ’80, Seattle
Tim Martin Flaherty ’80, Missoula
David Mermin Gale ’80, Golden, CO
Todd Roger Ellison ’85, Marine on
St. Croix, MN
Richard Troy Hemmerling ’85, Ashland, OR
Shauna Sue Smith ’85, Helena
Vikki Chaffin Bachurski ’86, Del Norte, CO
Ella Tobuk Thompson ’88, Seattle
Anthony Gardiner ’89, Missoula
’90s
David Frederick Peterson ’91, Sheridan, WY
Philip Joseph Ryan ’91, Missoula
Joseph E. Thomas II, M.A.S. ’92, Charleston, SC
Elaine Patrice “Patty” McClenahan ’95, Columbia Falls
Mark Edward Olson ’96, Portland, OR
Melvin Edward Hargrove ’97, Pleasanton, KS
Gaileen Dolly Brisbo No Runner ’98,
Fort Belknap
Lisa Marie Petersen ’99, M.S.W. ’09, Kalispell
’00s
Katherine Clinton ’00, Spokane, WA
Kristopher Cory Warfield ’00, Spokane, WA
Craig A. Cummings ’02, Belt
Teresa Raye Veltkamp ’02, Helena
Grace Adetomilola Adeogun ’04 Lagos, Nigeria
’10s
Shamus Michael McCarthy ’10, Missoula
FRIENDS
Thomas “Tim” Marion Arnot, Conrad
Judith Helen Beers, Missoula
Mary Lou LePiane Behner, Missoula
Darlene Viola Peterson Butcher, Lewistown
William Preston “Bill” Chilcote, Jr., Missoula
Elouise C. Cobell, Browning
Teresa Lynne Archibald Cook Allison, Salem, OR
Chad Hunter Cyrus, Miles City
Robert Arthur Dame, Marana, AZ
Joseph L. Delilla, Plains
Rosamond Elizabeth Sapp Diggs, Missoula
Mary Ann Dunlap Dorn, Lewistown
Donald L. Doucette, Frenchtown
Mayhew “M.Y.” Foster, Vancouver, WA
Adrienne I. Woupio Frazier, Missoula
Elmer Gentry, Kailua, HI
Francis H. “Frank” Greaves, Hudson, OH
Pauline Hawley Haffey, Missoula
Doris Anne Mudd Haggarty, Missoula
Marsha Cotton Hall, Billings
Michael Edwin Hollenbeck, Butte
Louis S. Hollier, Bozeman
Elizabeth “Betty” Gray Irvine, Stevensville
James P. “Jim” Jacobs, Missoula
Margaret “Maggie” Adele Irene Johnson, Helena
Helen Virginia Ross Kidder, Missoula
Thomas L. Larson, Missoula
Quin LaVern Loendorf, Valier
Helen K. Briggs Miller, Portland, OR
Kurt R. Miller, Missoula
Douglas E. “Doug” Mills, Missoula
Julie Ann Minemyer, Missoula
R. Ray Moss, Lewiston, ID
O’Deane Muir, Jr., Missoula
Jonathan Clarence Nelson, Seattle
William James Nicholls, Kalispell
Kathryn “Kay” Bessie Van Wechel Norenberg, Great Falls
Jo Anne Boyle Olds, Butte
Trevor Cory Olson, Missoula
Richard Glen Parker, Superior
Margaret “Megan” Lorraine Petersen, Belgrade
Rosemarie “Polly” Plain Feather, Fort Smith
Doreena Dee Plant, Spokane, WA
E. Elwood Powers, Spokane, WA
Ronald Lee Rathbun, Missoula
Jack Maurice Smith, Helena
William “Bill” Vogan, Missoula
George A. Weldon, Missoula
Roland J. Wollschlager, Missoula