Reading, writing and playing - Rochester Institute of Technology

Candy Speight ’10 (CAST) became
founder and CEO of Order Your Steps,
based in
Springdale,
Md. Speight
retired from
Xerox as field
service manager
on Dec.
30 after 32
years. She
started her
professional
organizing business in September.
Matthew Syska ’10 (KGCOE) received
a Master of Science degree in industrial
and systems engineering from the
University of Southern California in
December.
2011
Fredrick Redd ’11 (SCB) has been
selected and listed in the Marquis Who’s
Who in the World 2012 publication
among noteworthy individuals from
more than 200 nations, territories and
principalities who have made significant
contributions to their fields, to society
and to the world.
Nathan Polselli ’11 (GCCIS), ’11
(CLA) represented the Rochester
business community at GITEX (Gulf
Information Technology Exhibition) in
Dubai. As solutions architect at iVEDiX,
a business intelligence company, he
engaged in some hot-topic conversations
with leaders from throughout the
Middle East, Asia and Africa. The
consulting start-up company is in
Pittsford.
Nicolas Sawicky ’11 (CMS) and
Rianna Baroody ’11 (CLA) are
happy to announce their engagement.
The wedding will be this summer in
Philadelphia. They are both attending
graduate school in Rochester and continue
to be involved with their respective
Greek organizations, Phi Kappa Psi
and Alpha Xi Delta.
Raymond Toenniessen ’11 (SCB) was
recently promoted to director of operations
and development
from director
of veteran outreach
programs at
Syracuse
University. A former
Army officer,
he has served at
the platoon, company
and battalion
levels. In 2008, he deployed to Iraq,
where he was responsible for the logistical
activity for the entire central region
of the country. Under Toenniessen’s
leadership, his unit successfully redeployed
to Iraq in 2009. He was awarded
a Bronze Star for his service.
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Alumni Updates
N.Y.C. alumni navigate the news
Becky Brubaker ’93, left, Tom Curley ’77 and Katie Linendoll ’05 were panelists at “Navigating the News with RIT,” an event
for alumni in New York City. The three news media leaders talked about the future of technology in media and entertainment.
More than 7,000 alumni live in the New York City area. (Photos by A. Sue Weisler)
In an age where information is delivered in an
instant, journalists can’t make mistakes.
“Everything depends on credibility,” says Tom
Curley ’77, president and CEO of The Associated
Press. “If you have credibility, you can charge a
premium.”
Curley, who in January announced plans to
retire, was a panelist at “Navigating the News
with RIT,” an event for alumni Jan. 26 at the New
York Yacht Club in New York City.
Other participants included Becky Brubaker
’93, vice president for operations for the Tribune
Co., and Katie Linendoll ’05, a technology expert
for CNN and the CBS Early Show. William
Snyder ’81, four-time Pulitzer prize-winning
photojournalist and program chair for photojournalism,
moderated the event. Kathleen
Anderson ’94, president of the Alumni Association,
welcomed participants.
Linendoll says getting it right is critical but
not all that’s needed in today’s world.
“You have to be a personality, have a brand, to
have people listen to you,” she says. “Everybody
is a journalist. With all of this content out there,
you really have to separate yourself.”
Linendoll says there is an old and new guard
in terms of how fast technology is used. The new
guard cuts through the layers and implements
ideas instead of talking about them.
But staying on the cutting edge can be a challenge,
Brubaker says. “My running joke is I’m so
young to be so old.”
RIT Trustee Arthur Gosnell, chairman and
CEO of Stonehurst Capital Inc., sponsored the
event. More than 7,000 alumni live in the New
York City area. To learn about alumni activities
in your city, go to www.rit.edu/alumniactivities.
Mindy Mozer
Becky Brubaker ’93 talks with James Watters, center, senior
vice president of finance and administration, and RIT
trustee Arthur Gosnell.
SPRING 2012 | 45