Pages 19-24 - MacMurray College

Alumni Notes10CHRIS and KAREN WAGNER RIESER(both ’72), of Traverse City, MI, movedinto the house they built for retirement inAugust 2012. Chris retired in June 2011.Karen is also retired.JANET LUTTER SPERRY ’72 retired inMay 2012, and moved to Las Vegas, NV.ED CASPERS ’74, of Chicago, IL,10was awarded a Gold Circle Awardas Security Professional of the Year forhis work in preparation for the NATOSummit in May 2012, as well for chairingthe Building Owners and ManagersAssociation’s (BOMA) Security Committee.Ed is operations manager and helpedBOMA/Chicago members prepare forthe NATO Summit by participating inpanel discussions, facilitating two OpenSecurity meetings, arranging Departmentof Homeland Security training sessionsand developing communications materialsfor members about life safety bestpractices. Ed says, “I have been workingin high rise security and life safety for 14years, following a 22-year career in lawenforcement.”BRUCE COVIELLO ’74 retired from 36years teaching in Connecticut publicschools.BENITA SEVERSON GARNER ’74, ofDunedin, FL, and her husband, Mike, haveboth retired and moved to sunny Florida.Benita writes, “Love living near our sonand his wife, but best of all caring for our2-year-old grandson, Levi!”DEB SWETLAND BURGER ’79, ofJonesborough, TN, writes, “My first fulllength book, a complete course of crochetinstruction for beginners, hit bookstoresand craft stores in September 2012. Mysecond book is scheduled for release May2013. So I’ve been busy, not only helpingmy husband with our historic cottage total11overhaul, but also with book signings andtrunk shows. This fall we also launched awebsite, www.dragonflycottagedesign.com, which is a combination of blog(variety of topics in the realm of creativityand whimsical living) and sales venue formy design patterns and finished folk andfiber art items, and Don’s pottery andmusic. Would love to hear from Mac alumsin the east Tennessee/southwest Virginiaarea.” cerdeb@gmail.com1980sTERES BRAWNER ’84, of Peoria, IL,writes, “Just moved back to Illinois! Closerto family and teaching deaf kids.”TODD STEPHENS ’87, of Spartanburg,SC, received the University of SouthCarolina’s F. William Summers OutstandingAlumni Award. This recognition of meritis awarded by the faculty of the Schoolof Library and Information Science.Todd serves as a member of the school’sNational Advisory Council and assisted insecuring $1.5 million to endow the AugustBaker Chair in Childhood Literacy, the firstacademic chair at the University of SouthCarolina named for an African-Americanfemale. As the director of the SpartanburgCounty Public Libraries, Todd has grownthe library’s endowment to over $1million and has directed a comprehensivestrategic plan focused on library services ina digital age.1990sMEGHAN MURPHY MATHEWS ’93, ofVirginia Beach, VA, says, “The Navy hasbrought us back to the East Coast! Wehope to be in Virginia Beach until 2016.”TROY NOBLE ’93, of Elkhart, IN, writes,“My wife and I are excited about our nextchapter at Elkhart Central High School. Iwelcome all Mac alumni to reconnect withme via email.” troybnoble@hotmail.comOLINDO MARE ’95 signed with theChicago Bears as their kicker. During his15-year NFL career, he has played forMiami for 10 years and for New Orleansand Seattle.MYRNA SALLEE ’95, of Hooper, UT,writes, “I’m retired and loving mygrandchildren.”In October 2012, APRIL EVERS GENTRY’96, of Savannah, GA, was named thedirector for the Center for AcademicSuccess at Savannah State University(SSU), where she has been a member ofthe faculty since 2003. She currently holdsthe rank of tenured associate professorof English. A member of the inauguralclass of the University System of Georgia’sExecutive Leadership Institute, April alsoserved as chair of the department of liberalarts from 2007 until this appointment. TheCenter for Academic Success includesthe university’s honors program, first-yearexperience courses, learning supportcourses and tutorial services, academicadvising, and other key programs. TheCenter is a focus of important initiatives toelevate learning at SSU. April states, “TheCenter is also a key instrument for therealization of our goals for retention andgraduation under the Complete CollegeGeorgia plan.”ANNE PURFIELD ’99, of Decatur, GA,moved to Atlanta to start an epidemicintelligence service fellowship atthe Centers for Disease Control andPrevention.2000sJUSTIN HAMM ’02, of Mexico, MO,recently won the Stanley Hanks MemorialPoetry Prize from the St. Louis PoetryCenter.DEREK JAMES ’03 was named11head basketball coach for theLady Highlanders. He had been a men’sassistant coach since 2008 and a women’sassistant coach since 2009, and themen’s and women’s head golf coachat MacMurray College for two years.Derek was also inducted into the St.Louis Intercollegiate Athletic ConferenceHall of Fame, class of 2013, the secondHighlander to be inducted.SHARON MATHER ’04, of Fulton, MO, isthe new director of alumni engagementand event management at WestminsterCollege in Fulton. Westminster isconsistently ranked among the top 20020