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1950

The City of Altamont, Ill., named Bill Wendling M.S. ’59 Citizen of the Century as part of its sesquicentennial celebration. A World War II veteran, he’s active in civic and veterans’ activities and is a former teacher and guidance counselor.

1954

Dean Smith set a world record in the 2,000-meter indoor rowing event for men 95–99 at the Huntsman World Senior Games in Utah. He also won a gold medal in the 5,000-meter event.

1958

Marquis Who’s Who presented Patricia Ann Helms with its 2019 Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award for being a leader in the academic industry. With more than 40 years of professional experience, Patricia has been recognized as professor emerita of the University of Rhode Island since 1999.

1960

David and Joyce Oedewaldt, Hanna City, Ill, celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary Dec. 8, 2021. They have two children, two grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

1965

The Cabernet Sauvignon at Jim Panfil’s Echo Vineyards in St. Helena, Calif., earned Cabernet honors and a Gold Medal at the prestigious San Francisco wine tasting competition. “I believe creation of a great wine requires a close connection to the soil and minimal canopy management of the vines,” he said of the honor.

1966

The Illinois Basketball Coaches Association named ������ý��Ƶ Athletics Hall of Famer Lee Frederick M.A. ’69 to its 2022 Hall-of-Fame class.

1968

Dr. Romero B. Garrett married Clifford and Beverly Bullitt Irons ’69 in his ������ý��Ƶ Hall office in 1968. They have two children and two granddaughters. Beverly worked in the medical field and Clifford began his career as an electrical engineer. Clifford became a marketing executive and served as president of his own communications company. He completed his career as a public-school administrator and university adjunct professor. Clifford also published three children’s books. The couple is retired and enjoy traveling and visiting with their grandchildren.

United Hebrew Congregation in St. Louis awarded Barry and Sherilyn Rubin Krell ‘70 with the Irene Fox Ruach Award in December for their efforts on behalf of the congregation that embody its spirit. Barry is the chairman of the congregational cemetery; Sherilyn is one of two volunteer archivists.

1970

After his retirement from the Central Intelligence Agency, Jay Grusin founded a company to train public and private sector intelligence analysts across the country. In 2018, he co-founded a second company to advise clients on how to apply intelligence tools and processes to identify and manage decision risk. He and his wife live on a lake outside Ann Arbor, Mich. The couple has two children and four grandchildren. see .

1971

Steve Dunn has written eight bios and six game stories for the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) as well as bios of Iowans who played in the major leagues. In retirement, he enjoys bicycle riding, playing in the Greater Des Moines Community Band and volunteering. He and his wife, Cindy, have two daughters and three grandchildren and live in Des Moines, Iowa.

Bill Wagner’s photo exhibition, “The Flying Scotsman’s Summer of 1970 Texas Tour” chronicling the legendary train’s journey was at the Slaton Harvey House in Lubbock, Texas, from January to March.

The Missouri Valley Conference named Los Angeles Dodgers broadcaster Charley Steiner HON ’10 into its Hall of Fame class of 2022. The five-time Emmy winner is a member of ������ý��Ƶ’s Centurion Society and its Athletics Hall of Fame.

1972

Atlanta magazine named Charlene Crusoe-Ingram M.A. ‘75 as one of “Atlanta’s 500 Most Powerful Leaders in 2022.” She has served as CEO of Meals On Wheels Atlanta since 2015, and previously held senior leadership positions with Coca-Cola.

1976

Gregory F. Bower MBA ‘76 has started his second term as controller for the County of York, Pa. He attended ������ý��Ƶ when he was at Caterpillar in their accounting training program. “I have very fond memories of ������ý��Ƶ and Peoria.”

Tom Platt is director of litigation for Metra, Chicago’s commuter rail service. He previously worked as a deputy corporation counsel for the City of Chicago. He is married to Carolyn and has three grown sons and lives in the Irving Park/Avondale neighborhood in Chicago.

1977

Lori Madsen Christiansen M.S.’78 is vice president of support services at OSF Healthcare Saint Luke Medical Center in Kewanee, Ill. She has been with OSF more than 30 years, most recently serving as a regional director of rehabilitation services.

1979

Kimberly Holme Starr retired last August after 42 years in nursing. “My nursing career was varied and always a joy,” she said. “Caring for people was and is my calling. I wouldn’t trade those years. But, it is time to do that in another setting. And now it is time to do the many (other) things I’ve loved.”

1983

The Illinois Basketball Coaches Association named Eddie Mathews to their 2022 Hall-of-Fame class. He is a part of two ������ý��Ƶ Athletics Hall of Fame basketball teams.

1984

Tannette Elie joins the University of Wisconsin-Parkside’s leadership as executive director of university relations. She is an award-winning journalist formerly with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and recently served as a communications lecturer at the university. Tannette also serves as vice president of print media for the Wisconsin Black Media Association.

1985

The Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development’s Unemployment Insurance Division appointed Jim Chiolino its administrator, effective December 2021. Jim has a law degree from the University of Wisconsin and has spent his career in labor and employment law.

1986

Greg Clapp MBA ’88 is vice president/investment officer at The Farmers Bank group in Indiana.

1987

Paul Jaeger is an agricultural/commercial credit underwriter at Hoosier Heartland State Bank in Indiana.

1988

Sundaram Asset Management Company appointed Ravi Gopalakrishnan MBA ’88 its chief investment officer — equity. Previously, he served as head of equities with Principal Mutual Fund, which was recently acquired by Sundaram.

1992

The Des Plaines (Ill.) Community Consolidated School District 62 named Kathleen Kelly Colgan assistant superintendent for human resources.

Lan Eberle is superintendent of schools in Brown County, Ill. A former math and science teacher, he served 10 years as a superintendent in Bartonville, Ill. Lan earned a master’s degree and certification from the University of Illinois-Springfield and a doctorate from Aurora University, as well as a superintendent’s endorsement at Western Illinois University.

1993

Ryan Ori joined CoStar News, a real estate data company, in their Chicago office. He previously worked at the Peoria Journal Star, Crain’s Chicago Business and the Chicago Tribune.

Paul Witt is general manager and vice president of sales for the Americas with AnyVision, an artificial intelligence-based facial recognition startup.

1995

Burrell Communications, one of the largest multicultural marketing communications agencies, named Terrence Burrell its interim chief creative officer.

1996

Dan Blom is the director of marketing and communications at Illiana Christian High School in Dyer, Ind. Previously, Blom worked as a Chicago-area news producer, winning seven local Emmys.

Missouri Gov. Mike Parson appointed Heather R. Cunningham as a judge for the 21st judicial circuit. She previously served as an associate circuit judge and a family court commissioner.

Joseph A. Gleba has worked for Porte Brown LLC in Elk Grove Village, Ill. for 25 years. The firm named him a partner in 2009 and Joseph became the new CEO Jan. 1.

1997

Anthony Parker is assistant general manager of the NBA’s Orlando Magic, where he previously was a scout and general manager of the Lakeland Magic in the NBA’s G League. Parker played nine seasons in the NBA with Philadelphia, Orlando, Toronto and Cleveland. A member of ������ý��Ƶ’s All-Century basketball team, he also played six seasons professionally overseas.

2000

Missouri Gov. Mike Parson appointed Trevor Wolfe, an emergency medical services quality and education manager at Mercy St. Louis Hospital, to the Missouri State Board of Nursing.

2002

Jennifer Anderson is as a special education paraprofessional at Sault Area Middle School in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.

2004

The city of Freeport, Ill. named Wayne Duckmann its community and economic development director. He previously served as a senior planner for McHenry County, Ill.

Fremd High School in Palatine, Ill., named Hamid Mehreioskouei its athletic director. The ������ý��Ƶ Hall of Fame soccer player was the school’s vice principal.

Infrastructure & Energy Alternatives, Inc. hired Ernie Stephens as senior vice president of equipment management. He previously served in management positions with Superior Construction and Walsh Construction.

2006

Kamal Angelo Bolden, who starred in television hit shows with recurring roles in “Chicago Fire” and “Rosewood,” joins AMC’s new scripted drama “61st Street.”

Michelle Dardis serves as director of the Department of Quality Measurement at The Joint Commission. She has more than 15 years of experience in clinical research and education. Michelle earned an MBA at Loyola University in Chicago.

2007

Daniel Ruffin, a ������ý��Ƶ Athletics Hall of Famer, completed his first full season as head coach of the Peoria High School boys’ basketball team.

2008

������ý��Ƶ will induct Jeremy Crouch again into its Athletics Hall of Fame, this time as part of the 2005-06 men’s basketball team. He’s already a member as a player. Jeremy is in his first year as coach of the Pekin (Ill.) High School boys’ basketball team.

Hims & Hers Health, Inc., a multi-specialty telehealth platform, named Jay Spitzer senior vice president of investor relations.

Matthew Wettersten won a regional Emmy for the Chicago/Midwest region for the video “Mental Health Awareness: ‘Don’t Do Nothing’” produced for the Illinois Farm Bureau in the category of Outstanding Achievement for Informational/Instructional – Short Form or Long Form Content.

2009

Weiss-Kunz & Oliver, LLC, in Chicago promoted Andrew Ference to partner. He earned his juris doctor at the University of Illinois College of Law.

The Defense Trial Counsel of Indiana elected Keith Mundrick to its board of directors for 2022. He also sits on the organization’s Amicus Curiae Committee. Keith is a partner in the Indianapolis office of SmithAmundsen LLC and maintains a transactional and commercial litigation practice.

2010

Jerry Bedor Phillips MFA had an exhibition at the Leu Center for the Visual Arts Gallery at Belmont University in Nashville, Tenn., focusing on his family’s homeland, the Pacific island nation of Palau. He is studio manager and gallery coordinator at Vanderbilt University’s Space 204.

2011

With her photography exhibit “Image Cities,” Anastasia Samoylova MFA won the inaugural KBr Photo Award sponsored by the Fundación MAPFRE in Spain. Her exhibit, “Floodzone,” was at the HistoryMiami Museum over recent months, and was a finalist for the 2021 Florida Prize in Contemporary Art. Her next book, “Floridas” (with Walker Evans), comes out in July.

2012

Jesse Reynolds Jr. is executive director of the Leadership Academy of Madison County, Ind. He also worked in the financial sector and as community relations director for the Lawrence Township Trustee in Marion County, Ind.

2013

Eric Mason is a recruitment manager with Icon Medical Network. He also earned a master’s degree from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and recently became engaged.

WMBD/WYZZ in Peoria named Shaun Newell MBA vice president and general manager. He had served as the stations’ news director since 2017.

Major League Baseball outfielder Mike Tauchman signed a one-year contract with the Hanwha Eagles of the Korea Baseball Organization. He spent the 2021 Major League Baseball season with the New York Yankees and San Francisco Giants.

2016

Chris Kwiecinski is a sports editor of the Columbia Daily Tribune in Columbia, Mo. Previously, he worked at newspapers in Oxford, Miss., and St. George, Utah.

2017

Caroline Whiteside Cazel met her husband, Travis ’16, in David McMullen’s class. They married with a very small group of people in 2020, and had a postponed reception last summer. They currently serve as high school teachers in the Peoria area and expect their first child this summer. See bells & rattles

Melody Mercado joined the nonprofit hyperlocal news site Block Club Chicago as a reporter. She previously worked at the Des Moines Register and WHO in Des Moines, Iowa.

2019

Kelly Ann Christensen won a 2022 SIA RISE Scholarship, offered to young security professionals by the Security Industry Association (SIA). Currently a marketing coordinator at BCD, she’s exploring options to pursue an MBA with the scholarship.

Dwayne Lautier-Ogunleye, a former captain of the men’s basketball team and current member of the British national team, joined Heroes Den Bosch in the Netherlands. Heroes has won a record 16 Dutch national championships.

2021

Sheridan Hurtig is a news reporter with WMBD/WYZZ in Peoria. She previously worked as a digital reporter for the stations.

bells & rattles

Ana Razo ’89 married Dennis Cobb July 24, 2021.

Ryan ’99 and Melissa Dunton Dillinger ’02, Drew Allen, Dec. 16, 2020.

James ’04 and Beth Merritt Jarka ’04, Noah Merritt, August 2020.

Andrew and Claire Vogel Newell ’12, Malcolm, Sept. 13, 2021.

Anthony ’14 and Alison Sherr Gravina ’14, Wyatt, Oct. 8, 2021.

Nathan Adlington ’16 married Jenny Dziedzic ’16, Nov. 6, 2021.

Nick ’16 and Andrea Barr Maggiore ’16, Andrew Patrick, Oct. 13, 2021.

Travis Cazel ’16 married Caroline Whiteside ’17 summer 2020.

Jessica Lack ’19 married Cody Esposito ’19 July 23, 2021.

Daniel ‘12 and Bria Schlax Kneller ‘12, Sabrina, July 2021.