VIRGINIA TECH MAGAZINE
  • Spring 2012

    Volume 34, Number 3


    Virginia Tech Magazine, spring 2012
  • CLASS NOTES

    Alumni, we want to hear what you’ve been doing. Although we cannot print stories or obituaries, we can post online photographs of weddings, babies, and spirited alumni, with some images appearing in print.

    Mail photos to Virginia Tech Magazine, 105A Media Building, Blacksburg, VA 24061, or email them to vtmag@vt.edu.

    Please mail career, wedding, birth, and death news to Alumni Notes, Virginia Tech Alumni Association, Holtzman Alumni Center, Blacksburg, VA 24061; email them to fleets@vt.edu; or submit them online.

    Alumni mailing addresses may be viewed online in the Virginia Tech Online Alumni Directory by logging in with your Virginia Tech PID and password. For assistance, call 540-231-6285.

  • Key


    • births Births
    • deaths Deceased
    • weddings Weddings
  • Decades


    1930s1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s

    Obituaries

  • HOKIE HIGHLIGHT


    Enter "Best New Playwright," stage right

    Gabrielle Laskey (theatre arts, psychology '03)

    Like many people across the country, writer Gabrielle Laskey (theatre arts, psychology '03) wasn’t immune to the effects of the Great Recession. Unemployed, she moved to Florida to care for her mother who was battling breast cancer. While there, Laskey lightened her situation by focusing on painting, writing, and other creative pursuits.

    Her strategy paid off when, in December 2011, she was named the Best New Playwright in Southwest Florida by The Naples Players for her one-act play "The Unseen Character." The play is centered around a playwright who, sitting in a bar, writes exactly what he sees—an approach Laskey dubs a "meta-play." She said that watching a performance of her play allowed her to see it through others' eyes. "The way they staged it, they made the stage his mind. I saw it as very literal, so it got me to think about my work differently."

    Laskey's first play was produced in 2002, when she was an undergraduate, and she credits her experiences and professors at Tech with giving her the confidence to share her writing with the world. Today, she's back in Blacksburg, working as a grant writer for the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute. She also hopes to get involved in the theater scene in the region. "It's really an honor to be a Hokie and come back and work here," she said.


    Photo courtesy of Natalie Gibbs Photography.

  • FEATURES

    Spring 2012


    The Science of Inspiration: Hokies envision the next space odyssey


    Automatic: Like many others in the region, robotics company thrives


    We Remember: The fifth anniversary of April 16


    Who's Running the Country? How political appointees impact government performance

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  • Class Notes

    '34

    death William A. Cox Jr., Virginia Beach, Va., 12/6/11.

    '37

    death J. Nelson Liskey, Penn Laird, Va., 7/9/11.
    Hazel Robinson Smith, Charlotte, N.C., 5/31/11.
    William M.B. Williams, Austin, Texas, 10/26/11.

    '39

    death Franklin S. Adkins, Cape May Court House, N.J., 12/1/11.
    Jack M. Mason, Newport News, Va., 9/25/11.

    '40

    death M. Winston Redford, Brooklyn, N.Y., 9/6/11.

    '41

    death Irving Abel, Sunland, Calif., 12/11/10.
    Robert N. Hampton, McLean, Va., 7/26/11.

    '42

    death William P. Andrews Sr., Richmond, Va., 11/18/11.
    B.L. Givens, Salem, Va., 10/22/11.
    John W. Martin Jr., Springfield, Va., 10/19/11.
    Reese O. McCormick Jr., Courtland, Va., 10/29/11.
    Mary Ellen Reed Moses, Christiansburg, Va., 8/22/11.
    Edward M. Sears, Melbourne, Fla., 1/26/11.
    Mary Owen Whitsitt, Austin, Texas, 10/24/11.

    '43

    death Robert M. Rubush, Seminole, Fla., 12/30/11.

    '44

    death Joseph F. Guza, Lynchburg, Va., 9/26/11.
    Doris Cline King, Hampton, Va., 7/16/11.

    '45

    death Charles E. Taylor Jr., Bethlehem, Pa., 8/20/11.
    R.G. West, Roanoke, Va., 10/17/11.

    '46

    death John P. Hughes III, Lynchburg, Va., 12/11/11.
    Robert E. Jordan, Ashland, Va., 8/24/11.

    '47

    death William W. Dillon Jr., Blacksburg, Va., 1/9/12.
    Billie C. Pearce, Charles City, Va., 10/26/11.
    Linvil G. Rich, Anderson, S.C., 9/29/11.

    '49

    death James E. Bondurant, Fort Mill, S.C., 11/19/11.
    Robert N. Hufnell, Bon Air, Va., 8/17/11.
    A. Jesse Thompson, Chattanooga, Tenn., 10/15/11.

    '50

    Joseph H. Collie (CHE), Durham, N.C., received the Virginia Tech College of Engineering 2011 Distinguished Service Award.

    F. Knowles (FW), Lakewood, Colo., authored the book "Korean War Letters from a Lieutenant and His Bride."

    death William H. Batts, Carrollton, Va., 7/18/11.
    Charles E. Brown, Painted Post, N.Y., 12/28/11.
    Betty Harman Cooper, Pearisburg, Va., 1/4/12.
    James E. Coutts, Smithfield, Va., 10/4/11.
    Lewis F. Garber, Los Angeles, Calif., 7/2/11.
    Arthur E. Reynolds Jr., San Antonio, Texas, 8/8/11.
    Jack K. Spruhan, Charlotte, N.C., 10/6/11.
    Robert L. Toye, Spring Hill, Fla., 10/15/11.
    Lloyd H. Weatherly Jr., Etowah, N.C., 10/2/11.

    '51

    death Norman A. Amendola, Rochester, N.Y., 5/27/11.
    J. Robert Dobyns, Blacksburg, Va., 1/1/12.
    Marguerite Shannon Gerhardt, Chesapeake, Va., 10/5/11.
    Stephen F. Hart Jr., Richmond, Va., 7/16/11.
    Lynwood D. Wells, Martinsville, Va., 11/8/11.

    '52

    George A. Miller (DASC '56, DASC '56), Columbus, Ohio, was inducted into the Virginia Livestock Hall of Fame.

    death John W. Hammock, Danville, Va., 10/2/11.
    L. Harold Lingerfelt, Richmond, Va., 11/21/11.
    Dewey L. Stinson Jr., Newport News, Va., 1/8/12.

    '53

    death Don S. Cassell Sr., Chattanooga, Tenn., 12/1/11.

    '54

    death Richard R. Graves, Fork Union, Va., 11/18/11.

    '55

    death Lawrence N. Rorrer, Harrison, Ark., 8/23/11.
    Doraine Sanzio, Blacksburg, Va., 11/13/11.

    '56

    death Eugene D. Callaway, Richmond, Va., 12/3/11.
    Matt McCulloch, Washington, D.C., 7/20/11.
    Richard L. Thompson, Merritt Island, Fla., 7/18/11.

    '57

    death Collins A. Chapman, Richmond, Va., 4/15/11.
    Jack Deskins, Pelham, Ala., 2/12/11.
    Karl A. Kalber, Marion, Va., 11/17/11.
    Edsel H. Lester, Roanoke, Va., 1/8/12.
    James B. Loving, Newport News, Va., 10/7/11.

    '58

    death James C. De Jarnette IV, Richmond, Va., 10/16/11.
    Hugo D. Glenn, Suffolk, Va., 10/23/11.
    Dennis F. Hasson, Severna Park, Md., 11/15/11.
    G.H. Lindsay, Ashburn, Va., 7/13/11.
    Willborne A. Smith, Hillsville, Va., 10/25/11.
    Robert J. Whitmire, Ruskin, Fla., 11/6/11.

    '59

    death William A. Cozier, Los Angeles, Calif., 10/20/11.
    Charles A. Gross, Blue Ridge, Va., 11/19/11.
    Philip A. Jaskowiak, Virginia Beach, Va., 9/22/11.
    F. Wayne McKenzie, Sarasota, Fla., 1/17/11.
    John A. Muir, Lake Oswego, Ore., 9/4/11.
    W.C. Olsen, Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., 8/22/11.
    Raymond O. Terry Jr., Winston-Salem, N.C., 8/27/11.
    Penn M. Warriner, Knoxville, Tenn., 8/24/11.
    Richard L. Williams, Columbia, Md., 10/6/11.

    '60

    death C.A. Featherston, Richmond, Va., 10/3/11.
    Lewis B. Mills, Richmond, Va., 10/12/11.
    Lenard A. Old Jr., Fairfax, Va., 7/16/11.

    '61

    death Thomas A. Caldwell, Smithfield, Va., 10/31/11.
    James R. Flynt Jr., Beaufort, N.C., 10/2/11.

    '62

    death Lawrence B. Roberts, Daleville, Va., 10/24/11.

    '63

    death Thomas B. Cleaton, Boykins, Va., 11/1/11.
    Don G. Lambert, Blacksburg, Va., 12/23/11.
    R. Wayne Musick, Bluefield, Va., 7/23/11.

    '64

    Edward A. Wyatt V (PAD), Wilson, N.C., is interim city manager for Roanoke Rapids, N.C.

    death Thomas H. Rose, Raleigh, N.C., 10/10/11.

    '65

    Irving M. Blank (PAD), Richmond, Va., received the Virginia Lawyers Weekly's 2011 Leader of the Year award.

    '66

    death Robert S. Ford, Ebony, Va., 7/20/11.

    '67

    R.A. Boynton (ARCH '69), Richmond, Va., was appointed by Gov. Bob McDonnell to a four-year term on the Virginia Fair Housing Board.

    G. William Kingsbury Jr. (URPL), Snellville, Ga., is director of the Gwinnett County Neighborhood Stabilization Program, which allows local communities to buy, rehabilitate, and sell foreclosed properties to low- and middle-income families.

    death William C. Archer, Oakboro, N.C., 10/13/11.
    James M. Knight, Lake Mary, Fla., 11/1/11.

    '68

    death Michael H. Brooks, Norton, Va., 11/6/11.
    William E. Hardy Jr., Auburn, Ala., 10/14/11.

    '69

    D.H. Horsley (ANSC '70), Virginia Beach, Va., received the Virginia Farmer of the Year award for his contributions to the commonwealth's agricultural industry.

    death G.C. Miller Jr., Seymour, Tenn., 10/27/11.

    '70

  • James E. Pearman Jr. '70; photo courtesy of Partners in Financial Planning.
    James E. Pearman Jr. '70
  • Donald R. DelBalzo (PHYS, PHYS '71), Slidell, La., is a defense contractor for QinetiQ North America, developing an ocean wave-energy harvesting buoy for the Navy.

    James E. Pearman Jr.. (ACCT), Salem, Va., was recognized by Virginia Business magazine as a 2011 Virginia "Super CPA" in the personal financial planning category.

    C.J. Pettus (PSCI), Holts Summit, Mo., retired from the Missouri Department of Corrections after 28 years of service.

    '72

    death Gregory T. Deshields, North Myrtle Beach, S.C., 11/7/11.
    Stephen I. Robertson, Burleson, Texas, 10/17/11.
    Howard J. Tabor, Montpelier, Va., 11/18/11.
    Ellen Haun Williams, East Quogue, N.Y., 10/15/11.

    '73

    William D. Engelke (EE '74), Northport, Ala., is project manager for the Center of Advanced Public Safety for the University of Alabama.

    William R. Fisher (MINE '74), Richlands, Va., retired from Consol Energy after 38 years of service in the coal industry.

    Henry Samuel Mattox (HPE), Richmond, Va., earned his Certified Property Manager designation from the Institute of Real Estate Management.

    Marc W. Sheffler (ASE), Bear, Del., retired from the Boeing Company after 38 years of service and is now president of the Delaware branch of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

    death Lacy C. Harold, Buchanan, Va., 12/25/11.

    '74

    R. Michael Akers (BIOL, DASC '76), Blacksburg, Va., was reappointed as the Horace E. and Elizabeth F. Alphin Professor of Agriculture and Life Sciences by the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors.

    R. Keith Daly (ECON, ECON '80), Annandale, Va., retired from the U.S. Department of Commerce after 37 years of federal service.

    '75

    Jerry L. Archer (EE '76), Round Hill, Va., received the North American Information Security Executive of the Year award for 2011.

    Jane Miller Tabb (DASC), Kearneysville, W.Va., was named 2011 West Virginia Woman in Agriculture and received the Distinguished Service to West Virginia Agriculture, Natural Resources, & Design Award of Merit from the West Virginia University Chapter of the Gamma Sigma Delta honor society of agriculture.

    death Leslie O. Chambers, Goodview, Va., 12/27/11.

    '76

    William A. Gray (PSCI '77), Glen Allen, Va., was elected as a shareholder for Sands Anderson Law Firm.

    death Mary Burnette Giles, Blacksburg, Va., 8/27/11.

    '77

    Earl M. Gaughan (BIOL), Blacksburg, Va., is a clinical professor of large animal surgery at the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine.

    Maury S. Saunders (ARCH), Herndon, Va., is design director for the Naval Facilities Engineering Command in Washington.

    death Franklin D. Lauderdale, Forest, Va., 10/1/11.
    Lois B. Rambo, Fredericksburg, Va., 11/12/11.
    Richard G. Thornhill, Tyrone, Pa., 10/21/11.

    '79

    L. Michael Ewald (ACCT), Woodstown, N.J., is a Bank Secrecy Act senior compliance officer and vice president at M&T Bank in New Jersey.

    Leigh Newton LaClair (HORT), Oilville, Va., is the deputy chief facilities officer at Virginia Tech.

    Mary Leigh Wolfe (AGE, AGE '81), Blacksburg, Va., is the head of the Department of Biological Systems Engineering at Virginia Tech.

    death Vernon C. Bono, Williamsburg, Va., 10/6/11.
    David E. Fulton, Tewksbury, Mass., 10/14/11.
    Raymond E. Leonard, Elizabeth City, N.C., 10/12/11.
    Robert W. Rives, Long Beach, Calif., 10/17/11.

    '80

    Charles M. Earley III (ARCH), Winterport, Maine, designed and patented a one-piece, multi-use, no-squeeze clipping device known as Eklipse.

    Gerald H. Luttrell (MINE, MINE '82, MINE '86), Blacksburg, Va., received the 2012 Robert H. Richards Award from the Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration.

    Jennifer Morris Sauer (ACCT), Richmond, Va., is vice president of finance and administration at Immaculata University.

    P. Bradner Walker (MGT), Atlanta, Ga., was promoted to general manager of Printpack's medical packaging division.

    '81

    Steven S. Prevette (CE), Graniteville, S.C., received a Fellow grant from the American Society for Quality for achieving distinction and pre-eminence in the technology, theory, educational application, or management of quality control.

    Sally N. Schwartz (MKTG), Chicago, Ill., was named one of the Top 50 Global Event Planners by Special Events Magazine and recognized as the Midwest's premier market organizer.

    James L. Smith (FOR), Switzerland, Fla., had the International Spatial Accuracy Research Association's Early Career Scientist award named after him. In 2010, the U.S. Geological Survey recognized Smith with the John Wesley Powell Award.

    death Colette Reeves, Suffolk, Va., 10/21/11.
    Annette M. Sheydwasser, Kingston, Pa., 7/22/11.

    '83

    Suzanne Beamer Bohnert (COMM), Arlington, Va., has received a variety of awards for several of her books, including "Game-Day Goddess: Learning Football's Lingo," "Game-Day Goddess: Learning Basketball's Lingo," and "Game-Day Goddess: Learning Baseball's Lingo."

    Michael L. Burton (ME), Grand Blanc, Mich., is director of global aftermarket engineering for Dana Holding Company.

    Mary Kathryn B. Owens (ENGL), Midlothian, Va., was named one of the 2011 Legal Elite by Virginia Business magazine.

    Alexandria C. Roe (ARCH), West Hartford, Conn., was named a Woman of Accomplishment in the Architectural/Engineering/Construction Industry for 2011 by the Connecticut chapter of Professional Women in Construction.

    death Sheila Denlea Honan, Stuart, Fla., 7/21/11.

    '84

    Sally Frank Phillips (MKTG), Mooresville, N.C., is vice president of marketing at Mariner.

    death Eric N. Fink, Fairfax, Va., 10/12/11.
    Melinda Watson Lautenberger, Jefferson, Md., 11/3/11.
    C.E. Marr Jr., East Hampton, N.Y., 11/17/11.
    Nancy Bowman Sauer, Englewood, Colo., 2/1/12.
    David L. Swain, Roanoke, Va., 10/21/11.

    '85

    Jeffrey N. Johnson (ARCH '86), Alexandria, Va., received the 2011 Andrew Lytle Fiction Prize from The Sewanee Review.

    '86

    Kevin J. Brimhall (IEOR), Raleigh, N.C., is a leadership and business development consultant as well as a recently certified personal and business coach with JFD Performance Solutions.

    James C. Hardter (AOE), Poolesville, Md., earned his master's degree in mechanical and aerospace engineering from George Washington University.

    Thomas A. Schubert (EE), Crofton, Md., is chief engineering officer for Gibbs & Cox Inc.

    '87

    William R. Sarvis (HIST, HIST '90), Eugene, Ore., authored a book entitled "The Jefferson National Forest: An Appalachian Environmental History."

    Gregory B. Streit (IEOR), Charlottesville, Va., is assistant dean for building services at the University of Virginia School of Law.

    David R. Winston (DASC, DASC '98), Blacksburg, Va., received the honorary American Future Farmers of America degree, awarded to teachers who have created high-quality agriculture education programs that inspire and motivate students.

    death Carl W. Cormia, Cedar Park, Texas, 10/29/11.

    '88

    wedding Jessamine Kane-Wiseley and '98 Colin Wiseley, Christiansburg, Va., 4/29/11.

    '90

    death David C. Osucha, Paducah, Ky., 8/25/11.

    '91

    Terri T. Mitchell (ACCT), Christiansburg, Va., is associate vice president for administration and controller for the Virginia Tech Foundation.

    Paul D. Wylie III (FIN), Villa Rica, Ga., is president and COO of K.B. Industries Inc. of Largo, Fla.

    '92

    Jennifer L. Bay (ENGL, ENGL '95), West Lafayette, Ind., is an associate professor of English at Purdue University.

    James D. Bennett (LASC), Red House, Va., was inducted into the Virginia Livestock Hall of Fame in recognition of contributions to the state's livestock industry and its people.

    birth Jennifer L. Bay, a daughter, West Lafayette, Ind., 5/12/11.
    Leisl B. Edwards, a daughter, Ellicott City, Md., 5/6/11.

    '93

    Sylvia M. DeSantis (ENGL), State College, Pa., authored a book, "Watercharms: Ocean-Reiki Meditations."

    Kimberly J. McGovern-Shanahan (FIN), Leesburg, Va., is managing director of Korn/Ferry's Human Resources Center of Expertise, North America.

    Christina Shepherd Meade (COMM), Wise, Va., earned a master's degree in library and information science from the University of South Carolina.

    birth Blake Beach and '97 Ryan Esleeck Beach, Atlanta, Ga., a daughter, 11/11/11.
    Susan Goodman Schaub, a son, Denver, Colo., 10/6/11.

    '94

    Mark A. Clark (COMM), Stoneridge, Va., produced an action-thriller film, "Sinners and Saints."

    Thomas R. Hergert (EDCI, EDCI '97), Manassas, Va., is dean of learning and technology at Northern Virginia Community College.

    Donna C. Noll (MATH), Deltona, Fla., was named Teacher of the Year at Seminole High School in Sanford, Fla.

    Jill E. Norris (FIN), Christiansburg, Va., is the recruiting officer for the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine.

    Dennis Papa (ESEN), Moseley, Va., is vice president and COO for REMSA Inc., an environmental and engineering consulting firm.

    birth Jennifer L. Byrnes, a son and daughter, Gallipolis, Ohio, 11/17/10.

    death Nathaniel H. Hunt, Alexandria, Va., 9/5/11.

    '95

    Scott N. Armstrong (COMM), Lewisville, N.C., received his National Board Certification for teaching.

    Scott W. Weimer (PSCI), Radford, Va., is director of continuing and professional education, part of outreach and international affairs at Virginia Tech.

    birth Stephanie Hartmann Paget, a daughter, Glen Allen, Va., 10/7/11.

    death Lynn Barber, Blacksburg, Va., 11/27/11.
    Rita Kern Voke, Norfolk, Va., 11/12/11.

    '96

    Duane M. Blackburn (EE, EE '01), Fredericksburg, Va., completed an eight-year nonpolitical assignment in the White House's Office of Science and Technology Policy.

    Christina M. Diamond '96 and Ryan J. Walters '98; Photographic Dreams by Michael Keys.
    Christina M. Diamond '96 and Ryan J. Walters '98

    weddingChristina M. Diamond '96 and '98 Ryan J. Walters, Alexandria, Va., 10/29/11.
    Sara Fletcher Lough and William J. Lough, Chantilly, Va., 11/5/11.

    birth Michelle Africa Agnoli and Nicholas W. Agnoli, Little Falls, N.J., a son, 5/11/11.
    Amanda K. Alger, a son, Charlottesville, Va., 4/19/11.

    '97

    Brian M. Sandifer (MSCI), Bristow, Va., is associate pastor of Heritage Presbyterian Church in Warrenton, Va.

    birth John C. Distler and '99 Mary Kallio Distler, Severna Park, Md., a daughter, 10/11/11.
    Lauren Desrochers Niffenegger and Lee E. Niffenegger, Santa Clarita, Calif., a son, 11/18/11.

    death Nora James Spangler, Floyd, Va., 12/31/11.

    '98

    James W. Lanham III (ELPS '98), Sanford, Fla., retired as a teacher and administrator in Virginia after 33 years of service. He is now director of secondary education at the University of Richmond.

    Joshua A. Snyder (HIST '98), Cameron, N.C., was selected as the Hokie Hero for the Virginia Tech vs. Wake Forest game.

    Pavlos P. Vlachos (EM, EM '00), Blacksburg, Va., was named the John R. Jones III Faculty Fellow in Mechanical Engineering by the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors.

    birth Cynthia Rogers Butler, Fairhope, Ala., a son, 6/23/11.
    Jodie Schwarz Goldberg, Washington, D.C., a son, 4/19/11.
    Sharon Sweet Smidler and '99 Jeffery A. Smidler, Glen Allen, Va., a daughter, 10/19/11.
    Dana Lapiska Willis, South Riding, Va., a daughter, 10/24/11.

    death Walter C. Hensley, Duffield, Va., 10/19/11.

    '99

    birth Jessica Savitsky McNeil, Salt Lake City, Utah, a daughter, 7/4/11.

    '00

    Heather Will Beman (BIOL), Mount Pleasant, S.C., is a neonatologist for Bon Secours/Roper St. Francis Hospital System in Charleston, S.C.

    Gary R. Kirk (URBA, EDP '04), Harrisonburg, Va., is director of the Center for Student Engagement and Community Partnerships at Virginia Tech.

    wedding Michael R. Munsey and Jennifer Belcher, Roanoke, Va., 10/15/11.
    Troy S. Smith and Stacy L. Smith, Virginia Beach, Va., 6/25/11.
    Sean Sullivan and '02 Melanie Burgess, Aldie, Va., 5/29/11.

    birth Heather Will Beman and '01 Scott Beman, Mount Pleasant, S.C., a daughter, 7/11/11.
    Charity Gravitt Chung, Montgomery Village, Md., a son, 1/11/11.
    Jason W. Galloway, Waxhaw, N.C., a son, 7/30/11.
    Stephen T. Mason, Miami, Fla., a son, 10/12/11.
    Garrett A. Mears and '00 Kimberly Housman Mears, London, United Kingdom, a son, 4/27/11.
    Claude E. Skelton II and '02 Susanna Wohlford Skelton, Sunnyvale, Calif., a son, 12/28/10.

    '01

    George J. Flynn III (BIT), Oceanside, Calif., was selected as the Hokie Hero for the Virginia Tech vs. University of Virginia game.

    Fangxing Li (CPE), Knoxville, Tenn., is an associate professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville.

    wedding Donald S. Haga III and Kristen L. Ball, Austin, Texas, 5/13/11.
    Thomas R. Greer III and Erika A. Weiberth, Centreville, Va., 7/9/11.

    birth Marilyn Kay Eames Kitchell, Morris Plains, N.J., a daughter, 10/3/11.
    Leanna Konowicz McDonald, Port St. Lucie, Fla., a son, 8/8/11.
    Kenneth E. O'Brien and '02 Abigail Perlstein O'Brien, Barrington, N.J., a daughter, 4/22/11.
    Mark A. Sager and '01 Whitney Simmons Sager, Staunton, Va., a son, 8/29/11.
    Sherry Hall Thompson and '02 Michael A. Thompson, Charlotte, N.C., a son, 3/4/11.

    '02

  • Matthew R. Cook '02
    Matthew R. Cook '02
  • Matthew R. Cook (HNFE '03), Daito-Shi, Osaka, Japan, formerly with the Japan Exchange and Teaching program, lent a helping hand after the Japanese tsunami.

    Daniel M. Kane (IDST), Manhattan, Kan., was selected as the Hokie Hero for the Virginia Tech vs. Georgia Tech game.

    William B. Lewis (COMM '03), Chevy Chase, Md., is chief of speech-language pathology at Fort Belvoir Community Hospital.

    Russell L. McLaughlin III (ISE), Sanford, Fla., is a licensed professional engineer in the State of Florida.

    Emily I. Miller (BIOL, VM '06), Christiansburg, Va., is an assistant professor of surgery in the Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences at the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine.

    wedding Ryan A. Cummins and Caitlin S. Senkel, Falls Church, Va., 9/17/11.
    Bradley H. Nickens and '04 Ashlee Field, Dumfries, Va., 9/17/11.
    Jeffrey S. Smith and Ann M. Trisler, Federal Way, Wash., 3/20/11.

    Lauren Duvall Heisey '02 and her husband, Chris, with their son; photo by Tonya Teran.
    Lauren Duvall Heisey '02 and her husband, Chris, with their son

    birth Lauren Duvall Heisey and her husband, Chris, Falls Church, Va., a son, 12/19/11.
    Jennifer Graves Mohler and John G. Mohler III, Catonsville, Md., a daughter, 8/19/11.
    Kristina Matern Montgomery and William W. Montgomery, Raleigh, N.C., a daughter, 3/9/11.
    Whitney T. Sours, Verona, Va., a son, 7/19/11.
    Heather Kreutter Zakrzewski and Michael V. Zakrzewski, Leesburg, Va., a son, 5/12/11.

    '03

    Roselie M. Enriquez (ARCH), Hughesville, Md., is an associate with Paulett Taggert Architects in San Francisco, Calif.

    Gabrielle A. Laskey (TA, PSYC), North Fort Myers, Fla., received prize money, a plaque, and the Best New Playwright in Southwest Florida honor from The Naples Players for her one-act play, "The Unseen Character."

    Jeremy R. Moss (PSCI, SOC), Alexandria, Va., was named Educator of the Year by the Washington metropolitan chapter of the Community Associations Institute.

    wedding Jennifer Padrick Duszak and David A. Duszak, Wilmington, Del., 4/30/11.

    birth Michelle Guerra Brown, Yorktown, Va., a daughter, 9/12/11.
    David D. Franckeand '03 Rebecca Heath Francke, Huntington, W.Va., a daughter, 11/11/11.
    Kevin M. Gallagher and Krista Pratt Gallagher, Arlington, Va., a son, 11/2/11.
    Elizabeth Lee Senft and Michael S. Senft, Spring Lake, N.C., a son, 5/6/11.
    Heather Parks Turner, Hardy, Va., a daughter, 6/15/11.
    Phillip A. Wadl and '08 Erica Fritz Wadl, Powell, Tenn., a son, 5/2/11.
    Michael T. Walton, Pilot, Va., a son, 9/27/11.
    Heather Moore Bernard, Earlysville, Va., 11/17/11.

    '04

    Katherine L. Weaks (HD), Richmond, Va., launched Vanguard Training Institute, a company providing customized leadership training to student, corporate, and civic leaders.

    wedding Joshua M. Fink and Katherine K. Mason, Baltimore, Md., 9/10/11.

    birth Kristen Chiasson Barton, Seattle, Wash., a son, 9/30/11.
    Brendan C. Gower and Jessica Swicegood Gower, Greenville, S.C., a daughter, 6/26/11.
    Michael R. Shannon and '05 Jennifer George Shannon, Alpharetta, Ga., a daughter, 9/28/11.

    '05

    Catherine W. Harrison (PAPA), Cartersville, Va., is director of community integration for Virginia's Olmstead Initiative, reporting to the commissioner of the Virginia Department of Rehabilitative Services.

    Waldo D. Jaquith (PSCI), Keswick, Va., is an open government technologist for the White House.

    Lindsay B. Lally (CE), Christiansburg, Va., is a project task manager for Draper Aden Associates.

    Patrick B. Lowther (PSCI), Navarre, Fla., was selected as a Hokie Hero for the Virginia Tech vs. Duke University game.

    Christopher J. Parker (HNFE), Eden, N.C., was named the 2011 National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics/Under Armour AD of the Year in the junior/community college category's southeast region.

    wedding Morgan L. Bracken and Erin C. Hawkinson, Arlington, Va., 9/17/11.

    birth Hunter K. Dickenson and '06 Erin Leonard Dickenson, Glen Allen, Va., a son, 9/28/11.

    '06

    Amir A. Abu-Akeel (AE), Centreville, Va., was selected as the Hokie Hero for the Virginia Tech vs. University of North Carolina game.

    Lachelle M. Waller (GSCR, GBCB '10), Kernersville, N.C., was inducted into Chowan University's Athletic Hall of Fame.

    Gregg M. Nelson '06 and Kate Haas '07; photo by Mattnnatt Photography.
    Gregg M. Nelson '06 and Kate Haas '07

    wedding Cory A. Martin and Kristen L. Brown, McKinney, Texas, 3/26/11.
    Seth R. Morris and '08 Lauren E. Wilson, Portsmouth, Va., 9/10/11.
    Gregg M. Nelson and '07 Kate Haas, Cranford, N.J., 6/11/11.
    Lindsay Caine Wetzel and Ryan A. Wetzel, Greenwood, S.C., 10/30/10.
    Randall L. Wright Jr. and '08 Courtney A. Mason, Charlotte, N.C., 9/10/11.

    '07

    Hari K. Pyla (CSA), Blacksburg, Va., received the 2011 John Vlissides Award in recognition of his contributions to computer science.

    Adrienne M. Trier-Bieniek (GSCR, SOC), Orlando, Fla., received a doctorate in sociology from Western Michigan University.

    wedding Joseph M. Derlaga and '09 Anna Pearl Blevins, Blacksburg, Va., 8/13/11.
    Charles A. Neagle Jr. and '08 Rachel A. Marksteiner, Henrico, Va., 12/10/11.

    '08

  • New student center at the University of the District of Columbia; photo courtesy of Marshall Moya Design.
    New student center at the University of the District of Columbia; photo courtesy of Marshal Moya Design.
  • Belilta Asfaw (ARCH), Alexandria, Va., was part of a design team for a new student center (at left) at the University of the District of Columbia that earned a 2011 Professional Design Excellence Award from the National Organization of Minority Architects.

    Katie Netherton Boes (VM), Blacksburg, Va., is an instructor of clinical pathology at the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine.

    Wiljeana J. Glover (ISE '07, ISE '10), Blacksburg, Va., received a Philanthropic Education Organization Scholar Award for 2011-12.

    Nathan T. Kane (MKTG), Dumfries, Va., was selected as the Hokie Hero for the Virginia Tech vs. University of Miami game.

  • Andrew T. Kinney '08
    Andrew T. Kinney '08
  • Andrew T. Kinney (COMM), Yorktown, Va., received the Bronze Star Medal and the Combat Action Badge from the U.S. Army.

    Faren M. McNabb(HTM), Arlington, Va., is a conference center manager for Virginia Tech Research Center Arlington.

    wedding Tara Brown Morris and '11 Kent Morris, Blacksburg, Va., 8/13/11.
    Tiffany Francis Reaves and Jesse L. Reaves III, Williamsburg, Va., 9/10/11.
    Nicholas S. Saunders and '08 Jenna L. Wolfe, Carlsbad, Calif., 7/16/11.

    birth Andrew R. Drozinski and Callie Pope Drozinski, Charlotte, N.C., a daughter, 10/9/11.
    Amanda Smithies Jones, Harpers Ferry, W.Va., a daughter, 7/15/11.

    '09

    Taylor A. Hathaway (PSCI), Ashland, Va., earned a master's degree in health administration from the University of South Florida and is a business-development management analyst at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York.

    birth Amy L. Carrozzino-Lyon and '11 Scott W. Lyon, Christiansburg, Va., 8/6/11.

    '10

    Nathaniel Buss (PAPA '10), Washington, D.C., was named a Presidential Management Fellow by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management.

    Patricia Urick Ryder (PSCI '10), Falls Church, Va., was selected as the Hokie Hero for the Sugar Bowl.

    '11

    death Angela H. Jones, Blacksburg, Va., 8/20/11.


    OBITUARIES
  • Nancy Bowman Sauer '84

    Nancy Bowman Sauer '84

  • Nancy Bowman Sauer (industrial engineering and operations research '84), of Englewood, Colo., died Feb. 1. The international president of the Virginia Tech Alumni Association from 1996-97, Sauer later served on the College of Engineering's Committee of 100, chaired the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering Advisory Board, and in 2008, was honored with the Alumni Distinguished Service Award, the association's highest honor. She reactivated the Denver chapter in the mid-1990s, served as chapter president for more than five years, and worked to establish a chapter scholarship for Colorado students attending Virginia Tech.

    As an undergraduate, Sauer was among the first inductees into the university's Order of the Gavel, following her leadership as 1983-84 president of the Residence Hall Federation.

    She was the president of D2Xchange, a data and document management solutions provider in Denver, and chaired the board of directors for KidsTek, a nonprofit organization dedicated to closing the technology gap for underserved K-12 students. She is survived by her husband, Ron, and two children, Morgan, 14, and Ryan, 10.

    FACULTY/STAFF DEATHS

    Alfred H. Krebs, former vice president for administration at Virginia Tech, died Nov. 17 in Trumansburg, N.Y. Krebs came to Virginia Tech in 1969. He served as head of agricultural education and was appointed director of the summer school program. He became assistant vice president for academic affairs in 1972, vice president for special projects in 1975, and vice president of administration in 1977, retiring in August 1981.

    Derwin Edward Stafford, Ware Lab shop supervisor, died Jan. 6.

    Virginia Tech Magazine

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    © 2012 Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

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