AKRON E-MAGAZINE
Arthur Myers, BS ’53, recently published a memoir, Full and By: A Doctor’s Life of Stethoscopes, Sailboats, and SLRs. Myers book tells of his life as a schoolboy in World War II, medical student, photographer, and father of a family living on a sailboat cruising the Bahamas and Central America.
Norbert D. Thompson, BS ’51, was one of five people from Barberton recently selected for The Barberton Walk of Fame. Thompson, an inventor and engineer who, at the age of 90, is still involved with his company, Technical Products of Georgia. Thompson grew up in Barberton and moved to Georgia in 1966 where he became a pioneer of life-saving medical devices.
Jack R. Lengyel, BS ’58, former UA college football coach and athletic administrator has been chosen as the 2018 recipient of the Tuss McLaughry Award, the American Football Coach’s Association’s highest honor. Lengyel received the award at the American Football coaches Awards in January at the 2018 AFCA convention in Charlotte, NC.
Walter S. Stashkiw, BA ’67, AAS ’75, received the President’s Cup Award during the annual meeting of the Antique & Classic Boat Society, (ACBS), for his devotion to advancing the mission of the society. Stashkiw was cited for his leadership in heading the search committee in locating and hiring a new Executive Director for the 14,000-member society, headquartered in Clayton, New York.
Carla D. Moore, BA ’74, retired judge, was appointed the 2017-2018 President’s Ambassador – a one year appointment – by Kent State University President Beverly Warren. The program, sponsored by KSU’s Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, brings distinguished minority professionals to campus to share their experiences with the university community. Moore is also this year’s 50th recipient of the Bert A. Polsky Humanitarian Award, an annual honor given by the Akron Community Foundation.
Jeffrey L. Moore, BA ’79, a Cleveland Clinic Akron General physician, was inducted into the Society of Distinguished Physicians in October 2017. Moore, with Akron General since 1986, is currently chairman of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and a professor of psychiatry at Northeast Ohio Medical University. He has served as the medical director at Portage Path Behavioral Health for the past five years and has volunteered at the OPEN M medical clinic for more than a decade.
Conrad J. Storad, Jr., BA ’80, was one of five people from Barberton recently selected for The Barberton Walk of Fame. A member of the Barberton HS Class of ’75, Storad will have a star installed in an annual tradition recognizing local sons and daughters who have excelled in their respective fields. Storad returned to Barberton after a 25-year career in children’s publishing and magazine science writing.
Charles J. Fazio Jr., BSA ’83, was recently appointed Vice President of Global Alliances and Channels for Smart Communications. Fazio will build upon the existing SmartCAAS model, providing the strategic direction and leadership for global channel partners to continue deep adoption of the Smart Communications suite of market-leading CCM solutions. Fazio has more than 20 years of global management and alliance leadership experience.
John W. Manzetti, MBA ’84, has authored a column on management accounting for Smart Business Magazine. “Management accounting necessary, but underappreciated” talks about putting emphasis on the numbers that impact management decisions, and is not related to debits and credits and financial statements and balance sheets. Manzetti is managing director of Manzetti Group LLC; executive chairman, Pittsburgh Life Sciences Greenhouse; founder and managing director, Accelerator Fund LLC.
Brian J. Moore, JD ’84, will receive the 2018 H. Peter Burg Community Leadership Award from The American Red Cross of Summit, Portage and Medina Counties at the 22nd Annual Acts of Courage event. The award, honoring the legacy of former Red Cross Board of Directors Chair H. Peter Burg, is given to individual(s) who exhibit community leadership and commitment to people and to the humanitarian mission of the Red Cross. Moore, a shareholder and partner-in-charge at the law firm Roetzel & Andress, specializes in real estate and finance law.
Joseph E. Reece, BS ’84, JD ’87, MBA ’87, Executive Vice Chairman of UBS, has been named one of Worth Magazine’s “100 Most Powerful Men and Women in Finance” for 2017. Reece is a member of The University of Akron Foundation Board of Directors’ investment committee, served on UA’s School of Law Alumni and Intellectual Property advisory boards. Reece established the Corporate Law Scholarship in The University of Akron School of Law and received a UA Outstanding Alumni award in 2008.
Brad J. Dickerson, BSA ’87, CFO of Blue Apron, will replace founder Matt Salzberg as CEO. Dickerson joined Blue Apron as CFO in February 2016, having previously worked as CFO of Under Armour.
Dr. Carol P. Ramsay, EDD ’90, former professor at Lake Erie College, will be honored by Lake Erie College via two planned smart classrooms pay tribute to her. A plaque bearing Ramsay’s name will symbolize her legacy. Ramsay joined Lake Erie College faculty in 1991 and has held posts as field director; coordinator for the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education, Teacher Education Accreditation Council and Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation.
L. Patricia Simmons, MA ’90, has been globally elected as one of three North American delegates to the prestigious World Association of Zoos and Aquariums, (WAZA), a nearly 400 member institution present in more than 50 countries. Simmons has been the director and CEO of the N.C. Zoo since 2015, and is past-president and CEO of the Akron Zoological Park.
Farhad B. Sethna, JD ’90, MBA ’91, has been awarded the American Immigration Lawyers Association, (AILA), Ohio Chapter Pro Bono Champion Award for outstanding pro bono service. AILA’s Pro Bono Champion program honors those who exemplify the pillar of professionalism in pro bono work. Professor Sethna has been practicing law since 1991 and has been teaching immigration law at the UA School of Law since 1995.
Yvette N. Brown, BA ’94, will be returning to TV with the new series The Mayor, about a young rapper (Brandon Michael Hall) who runs for mayor as a publicity stunt and somehow ends up getting elected. Brown plays his mom “Dina” on the ABC sitcom. Brown was previously on the pilot season of The Odd Couple and played the beloved character “Shirley” on NBC’s Community.
Eugene W. Pfister, JD ’95, a Cleveland Clinic Akron General physician, was inducted into the Society of Distinguished Physicians on October 13, 2017. Pfister, with Akron General since 1980, is currently chief of the Geriatrics Service and a clinical professor of internal medicine at Northeast Ohio Medical University. In addition, Pfister has served as director of the Internal Medicine Center of Akron since 1996, in addition to serving on several committees at Akron General.
John P. Huff, AAB ’98, BSBA ’03, formerly the Chief Executive Officer of Good! Greens, has been made the new Chief Financial Officer of VSI Global, LLC (“VSI”) according to their Board of Directors. VSI is a portfolio company of Lakewood Capital, LLC and Spartacus Partners LLC.
Sharon C. Reaves, MPA ’00, formerly with the Cleveland Museum of Art, will be the new director of the human resources department for Summit County. Reaves has been the director of human resources for the Cleveland Museum of Art since 2003, managing a staff of 450 and a budget of more than $4 million.
Frank Costanzo, MT ’01, has joined Cleveland’s The NRP Group as vice president of taxation. He comes to the company from DDR Corp., where he served as the vice president of tax.
Bryce D. Dingman, MS ’01, has become a New York State Licensed Professional Geologist. Dingman works for the firm of Barton & Loguidice in their Albany office. He is now the firm’s second Professional Geologist in New York.
Steven E. Blankinship, JD ’04, was recently sworn in as the 12th Judicial District Division I judge during a ceremony at the New Mexico Otero County Courthouse. Blankinship was appointed by Gov. Susana Martinez. Blankinship earned his juris doctorate from the University of Akron School of Law in 2004, and previously worked as a general counsel in the office of Gov. Martinez. He has previously been a civil litigation attorney, and a prosecutor in the 12th Judicial District Attorney’s Office.
Rachel M. Anderson, BA, ’07, a classically trained singer who has turned to “indie” film work and television commercial work in recent years as she juggles the time constraints of being a full-time mother of two daughters, ages 6 and 7, with her acting career. Anderson stars as Gypsy in the musical production of “Gypsy” in Puffenberger Hall at Northwest High School.
Mikala M. Pritts, MSE ’07, a physical education teacher at St. Patrick School in Kent, came up with the idea of students becoming farmers for a day when she was earning her master’s degree. Pritts said her assignment was to tie something with outdoor education to the curriculum and the Farm Festival was the result. The students participate in activities designed to tie the physical and health aspects of farming to the school curriculum.
Courtney A. Gras, BS ’13, co-founder of Design Flux Technologies, shared her startup experience at the first Founders Exchange hosted by the Tech Belt Energy Innovation Center. The event brings the public and entrepreneurs together to discuss ways to collaborate to improve the community and create more businesses. Gras, is a former NASA engineer and was named to Forbes’ 30 Under 30 last year. As a result of her experiences with Design Flux Technologies, Gras is now the program director with Akron’s Bounce Innovation Hub and recently wrote a book, Entrepreneur is a Verb.
Joseph P. Saporito, MBA ’08, was named president of Akron-based Harry C. Lobalzo & Sons and Consolidated Food Equipment Distributors. Saporito joined Lobalzo/CFED in 2009, working most recently as director and chief financial officer
Annette K. Boulard-Fontaine, BA ’11, JD ’16, an attorney, was recently sworn in to the Ohio Bar Association, and is employed in the field of international aviation contracts in Paris, where she resides.
Rachelle L. Forney, BS ’14, was mentioned in an (Elyria)Chronicle-Telegram article, “Girls encouraged to enter STEM careers at LCCC event.” Forney, an electrical engineer who came to Ford after working at Republic Steel, said she didn’t mind being the only woman or black woman in her studies because she knew the jobs were out there for her.
Kyle Janis, AAS ’13, BS ’14, was sworn in as a full-time firemedic with the Richfield Fire Department during in October 2017. After his swearing-in ceremony, Fire Chief Phil McLean talked about how Janis’ grandfather and two of his uncles were once firefighters for Richfield.
Lindsay M. Powley, BA ’12, MA ’16, has been hired by a U.S. Government agency, after having interned at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France.
Nikolas Sekoulopoulos, BS ’13, was recently mentioned in an article titled, The American Dream: New doctor makes family proud in the UAW in the UAW FORD Community Magazine. Dr. Sekoulopoulos graduated with honors from Northeast Ohio Medical University in 2017, and credits his father with teaching him the value of hard work. “Seeing the work ethic my dad put into Ford sparked me to be more driven and more motivated.”
Mary L. Wunderle, BFA ’14, recently joined Richardson Design as a graphic designer. Ms. Wunderle’s addition to the firm has helped build their graphic design offerings, expanding services to local and national clients.
Zippy took in the waterfall at Hug Point, Ore., in early April 2018 with Bud McAnallen Jr., a member of the class of 1966, who resides in Lakewood Ranch, Fla. The stop at the Northern Oregon site was just one of many along the coast for Bud, a longtime outdoor enthusiast and avid hiker.
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