Alumni, we want to hear what you’ve been doing. Mail career, wedding, birth, and death news to Class Notes, Virginia Tech Alumni Association, Holtzman Alumni Center, 901 Prices Fork Rd., Blacksburg, VA 24061; email the news to classnotes@vt.edu; or submit the news online at vtmag.vt.edu/submit-classnote.php, where photos may also be uploaded for consideration.
Alumni mailing addresses may be viewed online at alumni.vt.edu/directory by logging in with your Virginia Tech PID and password.
For assistance, call 540-231-6285.
1950s
career Richard M. Arnold, Blacksburg, Va., received the 2018 Citizen of the Year Award from the Christiansburg-Blacksburg Rotary Club.
career Charles E. Hamner Jr., Chapel Hill, N.C., received a World Changer Award from the Research Triangle Park Rotary Club for his contributions to science.
1960s
career Preston M. White, Virginia Beach, Va., was appointed by Gov. Ralph Northam to serve on the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors.
career Joseph R. “Dick” Commander, Chester, Va., received the 2018 Chancellor's Award for Leadership in Philanthropy from the John Tyler Community College.
career Ferdinand Harvey, Pulaski, Va., was recognized by the Friends of the Pulaski County Library System for providing a facility for monthly used book sales.
1970s
career Ernest F. Benfield, Blacksburg, Va., was named professor emeritus by the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors.
career Alan C. Wade, Annandale, Va., joined the Applied Insight Technology Advisory Council as a founding member.
career Steven C. Angle, Rocky Mount, was elected to a fourth term as mayor of Rocky Mount, Va.
career David A. Christian, Toano, Va., retired as executive vice president and chief innovation officer of Dominion Energy on Jul. 1.
career Leonard E. “Butch” Joyce Jr., Chesterfield, Va., was appointed vice president for LaBella Associates.
career Joseph E. Wells, Reston, Va., is intelligence community market leader for Dewberry in Fairfax, Va.
career John J. Breedlove, Pounding Mill, Va., joined First Sentinel Bank’s Board of Directors.
career Debora M. Collins, Nellysford, Va., was appointed Deputy Superintendent for Albemarle County Public Schools.
career Robert J. Hanley, Hughesville, Md., was appointed vice president and cyber solutions architect for Sabre Systems, Inc.
career Edwin J. Jones, Blacksburg, Va., was elected as a voting member of the National 4-H Council Board.
career Kevin A. Panchision, is working at GuernseyTingle as a mentor with the quality assurance and control programs.
1980s
career Horacio A. Valeiras, La Jolla, Calif., was reappointed to the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors by Gov. Ralph Northam.
career Mary Cunningham Boyce, New York, N.Y., was appointed to the Altair Board of Directors.
career Elizabeth Greene Creamer, Blacksburg, Va., was named professor emerita by the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors.
career Michael D. Abazinge, Tallahassee, Fla., is a professor at Florida A&M University in the School of Engineering.
career Mark M. Asher, Jenkintown, Pa., added a partner and changed the name of his business to Asher Slaunwhite Architects.
career Azim Eskandarian, Blacksburg, Va., was named the Nicholas and Rebecca Des Champs Chair in Mechanical Engineering by the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors.
career Jay B. Jackson, Fredericksburg, Va., established the Law Offices of Jay B. Jackson PLLC and specializes in elder law, estate planning, and personal injury.
career Gregory Scott Faison, Ashland, Va., has opened a second Cigar Realm store in Hanover County. Until 2010, Faison was the chief financial officer at Colfax, a manufacturer of industrial fluid-handling equipment.
career Ellen Rafferty Fish, Timonium, Md., is executive vice president and chief lending officer of Hamilton Bank. She was appointed by the governor of Maryland to serve on the University System of Maryland Board of Regents.
career Shelby A. Kinnaird, Chesterfield, Va., authored a book, “The Pocket Carbohydrate Counter Guide for Diabetes: Simple Nutritional Strategies to Lower Your Blood Sugar.”
career Carol Miller Swain, Nashville, Tenn., was a candidate for mayor of Nashville.
career Michael R. Evans, Blacksburg, Va., is director of the newly formed School for Plant and Environmental Sciences for the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Virginia Tech.
career John P. Grotzinger, San Marino, Calif., mission leader and project scientist for NASA’s Curiosity Rover has found new evidence that may suggest that Mars could have supported ancient life.
career Gary S. Michel, Charlotte, N.C., is president and CEO of JELD-WEN Holding, Inc.
career Laura J. Treanor, Sarnia, Ontario, was appointed Vincennes University provost and vice president of Instructional Services/Dean of Faculty.
career John C. Eisenhart, Alexandria, Va., joined FisherBroyles LLP, as a partner and member of the patent prosecution team.
career Martin A. Kazmierczak, Leesburg, Va., was promoted to senior associate with Dewberry in Fairfax, Va.
career Page Scott Geske, Twin Falls, Idaho, authored a book, “Milepost 95.”
career Elizabeth Canevari Sprouse, Palmyra, Va., received a master’s degree in education from Mary Baldwin University.
career Joan C. Benz, Rockville, Md., retired from Winston Churchill High School after more than 40 years of service in education.
career James R. Martin II, Pembroke, Va., was named dean of the Swanson School of Engineering at University of Pittsburgh.
career Robert J. DiStefano, Harrisburg, Mo., received the 2018 John L. Funk Award of Excellence from the Missouri Chapter of the American Fisheries Society.
career Jagath J. Kaluarachchi, Logan, Utah, was named dean of the College of Engineering at Utah State University.
career Anuj Mehrotra, Coral Gables, Fla., was named dean of George Washington University’s School of Business.
career Maria E. Rocha Sagar, Williamsport, Pa., earned the National Academy of Sports Medicine Certification of Personal Training.
career Brian K. Williams, Hayes, Va., is director of product development at Ferguson Enterprises.
career Richard A. Brisbin, Johns Island, S.C., was selected as a shareholder with Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd P.A.
career Mark A. Debes, Falls Church, Va., is chief banking officer for Touchstone Bank.
career Wiley V. Johnson III, Madison Heights, Va., was the commencement speaker at Central Virginia Community College.
career Sean S. Kilcarr, Springfield, Va., is senior editor for American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials magazine.
career Cecil C. Snead II, Buckingham, Va., is superintendent for Orange County Public Schools.
career Brent F. Harvey, Cornelius, N.C., was appointed chief risk officer for Parsons Corp.
1990s
career Sudip Bhattacharjee, Bethesda, Md., was named the Thomas M. Wells and Kathy Dargo Professor in Accounting and Information Systems by the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors.
career Moses W. Foster Jr., Chesterfield, Va., is president and CEO of the advertising and marketing firm, West Cary Group.
career Mark R. Frascatore, Potsdam, N.Y., is dean of Niagara University’s College of Business Administration.
career Susan Tinsley Gooden, Richmond, Va., was named interim dean of the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs at Virginia Commonwealth University.
career Shafi J. Keisler, Charleston, S.C., is President and CEO of Ad+Genius LLC, a STEM-based advertising technology and cloud services firm.
career Kurt R. Schaubach, Arlington, Va., was appointed vice president of Broadband Technologies with the National Rural Telecommunications Cooperative.
career Carla Szwarc Toth, Sugar Hill, Ga., is senior vice president sales and marketing with GreenMantra Technologies.
career Anthony L. Dipietro Jr., Maineville, Ohio, along with his team, was awarded the GE Design Execution Award for significant advances in state-of-the-art technology.
career Melvin E. Tull III, Richmond, Va., is senior vice president of strategic business development and general counsel at Bankers Insurance LLC.
career Jay A. Altizer, Dallas, Texas, is president, North America, at GES-Global Experience Specialists.
career Christina L. Hennessey, Torrance, Calif., was appointed associate librarian at California State University.
career Anthony L. Martin, Yorktown, Va., celebrated 20 years in practice as a general cosmetic dentist.
career Cynthia L. Romero Rogers, Culpeper, Va., was named assistant principal for Pearl Sample Elementary School.
career Leonard C. Gilroy, Fountain Hills, Ariz., is senior managing director of the Pension Integrity Project at Reason Foundation, a nonprofit think-tank.
career Hugh Boyd Morrison Jr., Seattle, Wash., is an actor in local community theater, developer of Xbox games, New York Times author of adventure novels, and Jeopardy champion.
career Cara B. Cummins, Atlanta, Ga., along with her husband, designed a home featured on the 2018 MA! (Modern Atlanta) Architecture Tour.
career Edward H. Baine, Moseley, Va., was appointed to the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors by Gov. Ralph Northam.
career John C. Bunin, Afton, Va., received the National Council for Geographic Education’s inaugural Brunn Creativity Award for Outstanding Teaching of Geography Online.
career Vinod K. Lohani, Blacksburg, Va., was named the W. S. “Pete” White Chair for Innovation in Engineering Education by the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors.
career Becky C. Bareford, Mechanicsville, Va., was named vice president and chief operating officer for The Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond.
career Nizar F. Danial, Yonkers, N.Y., was promoted to vice president and engineering manager for Universal Builders Supply, Inc.
career Melanie J. Fisher, Roanoke, Va., was named assistant principal for the Burton Center for Arts and Technology in Roanoke County.
career Kimberly P. Greer, Fairfax, Va., is principal of Langley High School.
career Jewel Evans Bronaugh, Chester, Va., was appointed commissioner of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services by Gov. Ralph Northam.
career Matthew S. Cosner, Hollywood, Md., received the 2017 Dr. Delores M. Etter Award for efforts in mission engineering and analysis with the Department of the Navy.
career Ellen P. Jefferson, Austin, Texas, is executive director of Austin Pets Alive, helping animal shelters achieve a 98% no-kill rate.
career David M. Moore, Deltaville, Va., was named senior Extension agent emeritus by the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors.
career James L. Moore III, Lorton, Va., was named vice provost for diversity and inclusion at Ohio State University.
career Mehul P. Sanghani, Vienna, Va., was reappointed to the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors by Gov. Ralph Northam.
career Kristin D. Shultz, Waterford, Va., is CEO for Naval Research Lab Federal Credit Union.
career Tim R. Thayne, Lehi, Utah, is founder and CEO of Homeward Bound, a program in early intervention and in-home transition services for families of troubled teens.
career James W. Barnes, Creedmoor, N.C., earned an MBA from North Carolina State University.
career Lal M. Harter, Chantilly, Va., received the Private Sector Financial Excellence Award from the Association of Government Accountants.
career Ethan E. McAfee, Alexandria, Va., is founder and owner of Amify.
‘99
career Lacy Ward Jr., Prospect, Va., is executive director of the John Marshall Foundation.
’00
career J. C. “Cole” Smith, Clemson, S.C., received The Fellow Award from the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers.
wedding Andrea Williams Scibeck and Richard Scibeck Jr., Arlington, Va., 10/28/17.
2000s
career William G. Abplanalp, Blacksburg, Va., was named director of management systems and data administration for Virginia Tech’s Division of Operations.
career Shawn A. Baker, Richmond, Va., is vice president of research at Forisk Consulting.
career Steven P. Black Jr., Winchester, Va., was promoted to associate with Dewberry in Leesburg, Va.
career Heather A. Campbell, Glen Allen, Va., was promoted to associate with Dewberry in Richmond, Va.
career Peter D. Hancock, Nashville, N.C., was named Roanoke Timberlands Manager for Roseburg Forest Products.
career John D. Lowe, Denver, Colo., was appointed CFO of CPI Card Group Inc.
children Ashby Moran Marcus, Oakton, Va., a daughter, 4/27/18.
career Monica R. Manns, Richmond, Va., is Henrico County Public Schools’ first director of the Office of Equity and Diversity.
career Mary A. Beverly, Abingdon, Va., received the 2018 John Marshall Foundation high school teacher award.
career Richmond T. Brittingham, Purcellville, Va., was promoted to senior associate at Dewberry in Leesburg.
career Priyan De Silva, Montgomery Village, Md., is president and CEO of Helios Electric LLC, an electrical engineering and construction firm.
career Erik C. Dull, Chevy Chase, Md., was promoted to associate with Dewberry in Fairfax, Va.
career Emily C. Winslow Lilly, Beckley, W.Va., is the first woman in the entire national guard to graduate from Army Ranger School.
career Jeremy R. Moss, Norfolk, Va., was named by Virginia Lawyer’s Weekly as an Up & Coming Lawyer for 2017.
career Jhaymee S. Wilson Heinlein, Belmont, N.C., was selected as a 2018 ACHE Thomas C. Dolan Executive Diversity Program Scholar in healthcare.
children Karin M. Conley Steele, Gaithersburg, Md., a son, 5/9/18.
children Lauren K. Shue, Charlotte, N.C., a daughter, 6/6/18.
career Michael P. Giordano, Alexandria, Va., is assistant general counsel with the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
career Jason W. McKenzie, Virginia Beach, Va., is co-owner of Latitude Climbing + Fitness facility.
career Daniel W. Myers, Richmond, Va., is managing director of Lighthouse Labs, a business accelerator that offers grants and mentorship to startups.
career Matthew D. Shoulders, Cambridge, Mass., received the Camille Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Award for his talents and leadership qualities in the field of chemical sciences.
Birth Newschildren Crystal Morgan Fraser and Brian D. Fraser ’08, Aldie, Va., a son, 2/18/18.
children Todd B. Helton and Lauren Gully Helton ’12, Charlotte, N.C., a daughter, 4/29/18.
career Darrell L. Cain, Atlanta, Ga., was named president of Pierce College in Puyallup, Wash.
career Amber Rath Stern, Lake Wylie, S.C., was named to the Charlotte Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 list.
career Terrell L. Strayhorn, Nashville, Tenn., joined the National Association for Campus Activities board of directors as a special advisor.
career Jason R. McDonough, Aldie, Va., is senior vice president/director of commercial real estate lending for John Marshall Bank.
career Jessica D. Squires Colwell, Midlothian, Va., is the minister at the United Methodist Church at Flint Hill.
career Tracy R. Wolfe, Winchester, Va., published her first novel, “Abducted Hope.”
children Adam M. Sayre and Susan Wilson Sayre ’08, Fayetteville, N.Y., a son, 11/28/17.
career Karen N. Schaaf, Richmond Hill, Ga., received the Georgia Watercolor Society’s Peach Award at the 2018 National Exhibition.
career David J. Winokur, Snoqualmie, Wash., is director of Medical Imaging and Interventional Cardiovascular Services at Overlake Medical Center.
career Carl C. Kaczmarek III, Clifton, Va., is associate with Dewberry in Fairfax, Va.
career Manisha P. Patel, Greensboro, N.C., was appointed vice president of the North Carolina Association of Women Attorneys.
career Brian A. Peters, Raleigh, N.C., received a doctorate in educational research and policy analysis at North Carolina State University.
career Loren L. Goble Stewart, Clarion, Pa., co-authored a book, “Final Elements in Safety Instrumental Systems.”
career Brian J. Taylor, Troutville, Va., was appointed associate vice president, commercial relationship officer for HomeTrust Bank.
children Matthew T. Seibert and Anna C. Seibert ’09, Beavercreek Township, Ohio, a daughter, 4/23/18.
career Brian A. Wright, Arlington, Va., authored a book, “Mets in 10s: Best and Worse of an Amazin’ History.”
career Jennifer Tucker, Arlington, Va., was appointed deputy administrator of the National Organic Program, which is associated with the Agriculture Marketing Service of the USDA.
2010s
career Harpreet Singh Dhillon, Blacksburg, Va., was named the Steven O. Lane Junior Faculty Fellow of Electrical and Computer Engineering by the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors.
career Paul J. Longo, Oyster Bay, N.Y., is an associate with Dewberry in Fairfax, Va.
career George Parker III, Virginia Beach, Va., is Newport News School Board Superintendent.
career Chad S. Ratliff, Charlottesville, Va., co-authored a book, “Timeless Learning: How Imagination, Observation, and Zero-Based Design Change Schools.”
career Jeremy P. Stovall, Nacogdoches, Texas, received the Teaching Excellence Award from Stephen F. Austin State University.
wedding Joseph W. Hutt IV and Laura Anne Nolan Hutt ’11, Arlington, Va., 6/17/17.
wedding John D. Salamone Jr. and Elizabeth Anderson Relle Salamone ’11, Potomac Falls, Va., 4/28/18.
children Kendall L. Bailey and Kathleen Bailey ’12, Allston, Mass., a daughter, 3/30/18.
career Olivera Jankovska, Houston, Texas, received the 2017 President’s Volunteer Service Award and the UNICEF USA Global Citizenship Fellowship.
career Kristin E. Robertson, Sunrise, Fla., was named sales representative for Berg + Schmidt America, LLC.
birth Joel R. Osgood, Raleigh, N.C., a son, 5/5/18.
career Bradley A. Copenhaver, Meadowview, Va., was appointed deputy secretary of agriculture and forestry by Gov. Ralph Northam.
career Bruce W. Hammill, Spring Lake, N.C., constructed a rustic venue for weddings and other events. Derek A. Thackston, Richmond, Va., earned a doctor of medicine from Virginia Commonwealth University’s Medical College of Virginia Health Sciences Division.
career Joseph B. Vacca, Neptune, N.J., is an associate with Cushman & Wakefield, providing real estate support to current and potential tenants and landlord clients in Central New Jersey.
wedding Shawn P. McDonough and Alyssa Wohlleben, Arlington, Va., 6/10/18.
birth Kyle J. Moore, Midlothian, Va., a son, 4/12/18.
career Christopher H. Hubbard, Aylett, Va., was a candidate for town council in Old Town, Alexandria, Va.
career Kelsey M. Martin, Roanoke, Va., is an associate for the law firm of Gentry Locke.
children Matthew T. Hoerner, and Caroline Askew Hoerner ’13, Nashville, Tenn., 10/7/17.
career Johnson Y. Bray, Troy, N.C., is Concord Downtown Development Corp’s executive director.
career Alexander M. Koma, Charlottesville, Va., joined ARLnow as a reporter.
children Carter M. Neal, Montpelier, Va., a son, 6/7/18.
career Benjamin M. Welch, Virginia Beach, Va., had the honor of swearing in his father as rear admiral.
career Elizabeth A. Vaught-Jenkins, Roanoke, Va., was selected as assistant principal for Penn Forest Elementary School.
career Severin M. Knudsen, Portland, Ore., is a veterinarian at Enterprise Animal Hospital.
career Gabriella M. Jacobsen, Blacksburg, Va., developed an eco-friendly, reusable tote bag made from 100% organic cotton. A percentage of profits from the sale of the bags supports sustainable food systems.
career Ryan F. O’Toole, Richmond, Va., was appointed to the Board for Professional and Occupational Regulation by Gov. Ralph Northam
career Brett T. Sain, Blacksburg, Va., is an assistant portfolio manager for Cushman&Wakefield|Thalhimer.
career Amelia A. Dirks, Hudson, Ill., is a Fulbright English teacher at the Hellenic-American Educational Foundation in Athens, Greece.
career Shawn T. Trosper, Forest, Va., is principal of Liberty Middle School.
Save the Dates: Fall alumni events in Blacksburg
Oct. 25
Virginia Tech Alumni Association Board Meeting
Nov. 2-3
Highty-Tighty Alumni Reunion
Nov. 3
College of Engineering Tailgate
College of Natural Resources Tailgate
Nov. 3-4
Homecoming Weekend and 50th Reunion
Nov. 17
College of Agriculture and LIfe Sciences Tailgate
For more information, including details about other future events, visit alumni.vt.edu/events.
Pregame HokieTalks
Before you tailgate, join us! During football season, we host a Saturday morning lecture series with our faculty experts. The talks are free, open to the public, and begin at 9 a.m. at the Holtzman Alumni Center.
To learn more and see our complete lineup of speakers this fall, visit alumni.vt.edu/hokietalks.
Mark your calendar for summer 2019
We’re holding our second summertime reunion weekend June 6-9, 2019. Learn more at alumni.vt.edu/reunion2019.
