Class Notes

ISU alumnus Jesse Donner accepted to the prestigious Chicago Lyric Opera's Ryan Opera Center Young Artist program for the 2014 - 2015 season. The Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center welcomes three new members to the Center's 2014-2015 Ensemble - soprano Hlengiwe Mkhwanazi, tenor Jesse Donner, and bass Bradley Smoak. Since its inception, the Ryan Opera Center, the professional artist-development program of Lyric Opera of Chicago, has been recognized as one of the premier programs of its kind in the world. That standing is maintained by providing the finest up-and-coming singers with unparalleled training and experience. Each year the Ryan Opera Center selects gifted young singers from some 400 applicants. Soon after arriving at Lyric in the spring, incoming Ryan Opera Center members begin an intensive full-year residency under the guidance of Dan Novak, director, Craig Terry, music director, and Gianna Rolandi, vocal consultant, as well as numerous other opera professionals. Coaching sessions and master classes are augmented by performance and understudy experience in Lyric Opera’s regular season productions as well as other Ryan Opera Center concerts and recitals. This presents an extraordinary opportunity to work with the world's greatest opera singers, conductors, directors, orc hestra, and chorus. (Until September 2006, the program was known as the Lyric Opera Center for American Artists.) - See more at: http://www.lyricopera.org/about/ryanopera.aspx Jesse Donner, from Urbandale, Iowa, is a 2007 graduate of Dowling Catholic High School in West Des Moines, and is a 2011 Vocal Performance graduate of Iowa State University (where he was mentored by Simon Estes). He went on for his Masters in Vocal Performance at the University of Michigan, where he is currently pursuing a further post-graduate Specialist Degree in Vocal Performance. Jesse is the son of Lynette ('81 pol sci), and Dan ('79 comp sci). Brother Jordan is a current chemical engineering student at Iowa State.

As you may be aware, Dr. Dan Robinson is retiring in May. A retirement reception will be held Thursday, May 1st in Ames, IA at the Alumni Center from 2:30 pm - 5:30 pm with a program at 3:15 pm. Let's all show our appreciation and support by sharing in an alum video collage he won't forget! Video clips (for his retirement) can be sent to Dennis Culver (dculver@iastate.edu) by April 25. V. Lynette Mitchell, c/o 94.

AIA Iowa Establishes Scholarship to Recognize Influential Member, William Dikis, FAIA The American Institute of Architects, Iowa Chapter (AIA Iowa) has established the William M. Dikis, FAIA Architecture Service Scholarship in honor of one its most influential members. The scholarship was presented to Dikis by AIA Iowa’s 2013 Board of Directions on December 5, 2013 and it will benefit selected students in the Department of Architecture in the College of Design at Iowa State University. Dikis graduated from Iowa State University with his Bachelor of Architecture in 1964 and his Masters of Architecture in 1967. He has been an AIA Iowa member since the 1960’s and is a recipient of the AIA Iowa Medal of Honor, the highest of AIA Iowa awards. Dikis is also a member of the AIA College of Fellows. His current involvement and participation in state government affairs is instrumental to the architectural profession and his peers. He has dedicated much of his life to serving the public and profession through his career in architecture. The scholarship, named after him, will recognize students that exemplify Dikis’ spirit of professional service and excellence in architecture. Since 1857, the American Institute of Architects has represented the professional interests of America's architects. AIA Iowa, headquartered in Des Moines, is a statewide affiliate of the national AIA. AIA Iowa members express their commitment to excellence in design and are proactive in the design of livable communities. Members adhere to a code of ethics and professional conduct that assures the client, the public, and colleagues of an AIA member architect's dedication to the highest standards in professional practice.

Nathan Kalaher receives 2014 AIA Young Architects Award Kalaher is the fourth Iowan to receive this national honor Des Moines, Iowa– The American Institute of Architects (AIA) has announced Nathan Kalaher, AIA, with PLaN Architecture, in Sioux City, Iowa, is a recipient of the 2014 AIA Young Architects Award. This national award recognizes individuals who have shown exceptional leadership and made significant contributions to the profession early in their careers. Kalaher will be presented the Young Architects Award at the 2014 AIA National Convention and Design Exposition in Chicago, IL, along with 17 other recipients from around the country. “Mr. Kalaher unquestionably possesses and reflects the personal character and commitment to the community that this award seeks to promote,” said Christopher J. McGowan, President of the Siouxland Chamber of Commerce. “I have worked with Nathan over the past decade and believe he is an exceptional young man, an indispensable part of our Chamber’s efforts to revitalize Sioux City. He was a capable quarterback helping Sioux City overcome stiff competition to become one of Iowa’s first “Great Places.” His passion for this community is contagious. He possesses the skills necessary to transcend boundaries that prove insurmountable to many others.” Kalaher graduated from Iowa State University in 2002 with degrees in both Architecture and Community and Regional Planning. ISU Professor Gregory Palermo, FAIA, points out that “even as an undergraduate, Kalaher was committed to the healthy rejuvenation of Sioux City, and the reclamation of an abandoned industrial/rail area in the city.” Kalaher was also instrumental in the development and fundraising for Design West Studio in Sioux City, a satellite of Iowa State University’s College of Design. He received his Masters of Architecture from Cornell University in 2006 and returned to Iowa where he co-founded PLaN Architecture, a firm committed to community engagement and design, in 2010 with his wife Lisa Kalaher and friend Paul Martin Jr. An active member of AIA Iowa, Kalaher is the 2014 President. In 2013, he chaired a record-breaking interdisciplinary Spring Conference along with ASLA Iowa, APA Iowa and Main Street Iowa. He has generated a long list of award-winning projects and is a frequent presenter and critic in architectural design. His work is recognized for design excellence and is published nationally. His work has been published in more than 100 articles including AIArchitect, Metropolis and Iowa Architect. He has received numerous awards including consecutive Design Excellence Awards from AIA Iowa in 2012 and 2013. Continuing on Kalaher’s theme of improving communities, he serves as the Vice Chair of the Siouxland Chamber of Commerce Community Enhancement Committee. Kalaher continues to work with various public and private groups to reinvent two blighted districts in Sioux City. A dedicated professional on both the state and local levels, Kalaher has also been recognized as an Iowa Innovator by IaBiz Magazine in 2007 and was celebrated in 2012 as one of the “10 under 40” in his region. He serves on numerous state and local boards and has taught at colleges and universities.

(KANSAS CITY, Mo. / MINNEAPOLIS, Minn.) Jan. 31, 2014 – Stinson Leonard Street LLP announced the election of 10 new partners, effective January 1, 2014. The 10 attorneys who have been elected partners are: Castor Armesto, Emmanuel Ayuk, Edwin Caldie, James Cronin, Andrew (Andy) Davis, Thomas Dowling, Katherine (Katie) Moerke, Craig Morgan, Scott Smalley and Cate Heaven Young. Castor Armesto, a member of the firm's Private Business practice, advises clients on transactional matters, providing trusted counsel and practical advice to entrepreneurs and corporate decision makers. His practice focuses on mergers and acquisitions, commercial contracting and investments in emerging companies. Armesto helps clients buy and sell businesses across industries and supports businesses as they buy and sell commodities, chemicals, and engineered products, both in the U.S. and abroad. He was recently named a 2013 Up & Coming Lawyer by Missouri Lawyers Weekly and he is a graduate of Leadership St. Louis. Armesto is active in the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan St. Louis, serving as its president in 2011. As president, he founded the Latino Leadership Institute, a skills-based, leadership-training program focused on young Hispanic professionals, which received a 2013 What’s Right with the Region! award from FOCUS St. Louis. Armesto earned a law degree from Washington University School of Law and a bachelor's degree, cum laude, in computer science and Spanish from Iowa State University.

Schemmer announces Bill Wedeking, AIA, LEED AP, as architect Des Moines, Iowa - The Schemmer Associates Inc. (Schemmer), a local full-service architecture, engineering and planning firm, is pleased to announce Bill Wedeking, AIA, LEED AP, has joined the firm as a senior architect and will be based in the Des Moines, Iowa, office. Wedeking has more than 25 years of experience in the design and construction industry, 12 of which involved leading his own design firm. In the last three years, Wedeking’s experience has grown to include detailed health care compliance review, working as a plans reviewer in the State Fire Marshal’s office. In this capacity, he led the State effort to rewrite Iowa Administrative Code section 481-61, Minimum Physical Standards for Nursing Facilities. While with the State, Wedeking also received training as a fire inspector and CMS Surveyor.

Eilers Authors Book Krista K. (Dockter) Eilers ('93 social work) wrote "My Car & My Tent ... Homeowning in America." A self-help guide for remaining positively focused in home ownership evaluation. Tips for budgeting, loan analysis and supportive stress management to ease the process. The book walks the owner through the perspective of the lender, with a focus on wellness and balance. https://www.createspace.com/4586129 Miss Eilers is a Holistic Practitioner; Specialist in mental and physical disabilities, from the University of Kansas School of Social Welfare (1999). She is a wellness coach and consultant while working as a fundraiser for ecosystem preservation. She is the author of several self-help articles supporting emotional health and healing. As the founder of Holistic Healing, her practice focuses on natural healing at the mind, body, spirit level to support overall balance. She resides in the Kansas City area and can be followed on Facebook/Professional Services/HolisticHealing or contacted at HolisticHealing1996@gmail.com.

Dr. Craig and Terry Denny give $100,000 to Shawnee Mission School District January 21, 2014, Shawnee Mission, KS - Dr. Craig Denny ('71 civil engr, MS '73 civil engr) and his wife, Terry ('71 elem ed), have donated $100,000 to the Shawnee Mission Education Foundation to fund district initiatives around STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) programs. Denny, an engineer by trade, has been a member of the school board since 1997 and has served four terms as its president. The money will establish the Denny Family STEM Fund through the foundation which can support the purchase of equipment, curriculum development, instruction, professional development or specialized student research. Linda Roser, executive director of SMEF, said the money will create a long-term endowment but that use of the money is not limited to just the earnings, it can be tapped right away to make a difference in the district’s STEM programs. Denny and his wife graduated from Iowa State University of Science and Technology where he earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in engineering and she earned a bachelor’s in elementary education. Terry Denny worked in the district from 1992 until retiring in 2008. “We have benefitted from our science-based education and we believe our support of STEM education throughout Shawnee Mission will help spark the interest of current and future students to pursue education and careers in engineering, science and many other technical fields yet to be discovered,” Denny said.

Dr. Craig and Terry Denny give $100,000 to Shawnee Mission School District January 21, 2014, Shawnee Mission, KS - Dr. Craig Denny ('71 civil engr, MS '73 civil engr) and his wife, Terry ('71 elem ed), have donated $100,000 to the Shawnee Mission Education Foundation to fund district initiatives around STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) programs. Denny, an engineer by trade, has been a member of the school board since 1997 and has served four terms as its president. The money will establish the Denny Family STEM Fund through the foundation which can support the purchase of equipment, curriculum development, instruction, professional development or specialized student research. Linda Roser, executive director of SMEF, said the money will create a long-term endowment but that use of the money is not limited to just the earnings, it can be tapped right away to make a difference in the district’s STEM programs. Denny and his wife graduated from Iowa State University of Science and Technology where he earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in engineering and she earned a bachelor’s in elementary education. Terry Denny worked in the district from 1992 until retiring in 2008. “We have benefitted from our science-based education and we believe our support of STEM education throughout Shawnee Mission will help spark the interest of current and future students to pursue education and careers in engineering, science and many other technical fields yet to be discovered,” Denny said.

Four alumni and two future grads!

2013 Hawkinson Foundation Scholarship awarded to Tyler Reedy, MA ‘13 Sept. 16, 2013 - Minneapolis - Tyler Reedy MA ’13 has received a 2013 Hawkinson Scholarship from the Vincent L. Hawkinson Foundation for Peace & Justice in Minneapolis. Reedy, 31, is using his scholarship to pursue a master’s degree in social work at the University of Minnesota. He is a 2006 graduate of the University of Iowa with a BA in Social Work and 2013 graduate of Iowa State University with master’s degrees in History and Political Science. Hawkinson Foundation scholarships are aimed at encouraging students who have already demonstrated a commitment to peace and justice to strive for those values in their educational pursuits and in their personal and professional lives. A community organizer, Reedy has worked for change in the areas of health care, election reform and immigration. Through Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement, he led efforts to oppose hog farm development and illegal dumping of industrial chemicals. His master’s theses recommended policy changes to improve the lives of the marginalized poor in Benton Harbor, Michigan and in small Iowa towns. Since 1988, the Foundation has awarded scholarships to more than 125 students from or attending schools in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, and North and South Dakota. www.hawkinsonfoundation.org

Virginia Tech's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences names two new assistant deans BLACKSBURG, Va., Sept. 13, 2013 – The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences started the 2013–14 academic year with two faculty members taking up assistant dean roles to advise and mentor students by helping to map out academic pursuits, plan career paths, and navigate student life. Erik Ervin, professor of crop and soil environmental sciences, and Alex Niemiera, associate professor in horticulture, will maintain their faculty positions in the college while simultaneously serving in the Office of Academic Programs under Susan Sumner, associate dean and director of academic programs. Niemiera will serve as the new assistant dean of student programs and Ervin will serve as assistant dean of academic programs. “These positions will help enhance students’ undergraduate and graduate experiences,” said Sumner. “They will expand the initiatives offered by academic programs and help students and faculty gain skills that will take them beyond the boundaries of our campus and prepare students for careers long after they have left Virginia Tech.” ... Ervin will serve in college curriculum efforts as an ex officio member on the Curriculum Committee, work with faculty on any proposed new majors or degree programs, and be a part of discussions surrounding proposed changes to the Curriculum for Liberal Education. In addition, he will assist in an ex officio role with the online master's of agriculture and life sciences program, and have active roles in new student orientation and new faculty orientation and mentoring. He will also serve as an undergraduate adviser for life sciences undecided students and work with students facing academic probation and suspension. Ervin, whose research is focused on turf grass management and stress from heat, cold and drought, has extensive experience with experiential learning, research and international experiences, one-on-one advising, and curriculum improvement at the departmental level. His research program focuses on strategies to improve irrigation and fertilization efficiency of container-grown crops with the intent to reduce water use and decrease fertilizer pollution. He also served as the 2013 Chair of the Turf Science Division of the Crop Science Society of America. Ervin received his bachelor’s degree in horticulture from Iowa State and his master’s degree and Ph.D. from Colorado State University.

Great Grandparents Gary ('61, '63, '67) and Jannes ('69) Weede, Iowa State alumni living in Nathrop, CO, bought these outfits at Wal-Mart while visiting Ames in July, 2013. Sybastian (Sam) Knox was born April 8 in Flint, Michigan, and his first trip to Iowa was for his second cousin’s wedding July 27. Gary taught at ISU, and has so many great memories.

Great Grandparents Gary and Jannes Weede, Iowa State alumni living in Nathrop, CO, bought these outfits at Wal-Mart while visiting Ames in July, 2013. Sybastian (Sam) Knox was born April 8 in Flint, Michigan, and his first trip to Iowa was for his second cousin’s wedding July 27.

Timken Names Nathan B. Gerber Regional Sales Manager of Oil and Gas for Steel CANTON, Ohio: Sept. 23, 2013 — The Timken Company (NYSE: TKR; www.timken.com) today announced the appointment of Nathan B. Gerber to regional sales manager of the oil and gas market sector for the Steel Business. Gerber joined Timken in 1998 as an associate sales engineer in Canton. He has held positions in the Steel Business mobile on-highway sector as a sales engineer and account manager. Gerber earned a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from Iowa State University and a master's degree in business administration from the University of Michigan. A native of Lincoln, Neb., he now lives in Houston, Texas, with his family. The Timken Company www.timken.com

Welcomed a son, Jackson, on July 28, 2013

Married to Justin Tucker on May 14, 2011

We welcomed the birth of our son, Barrett Chase Anderson, on 08/14/2013.

Brian Canaday was recently named as the Missouri Department of Conservation's Fisheries Division Chief. Brian graduated from Marshalltown Community College in 1990 with an Associate of Arts degree in Biological Science, Iowa State University in 1993 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Fisheries and Wildlife Biology and the University of Missouri-Columbia in 2005 with a Masters of Public Administration (with honors). Brian was also named a National Conservation Leadership Institute Fellow in 2013. Brian began working for the Missouri Department of Conservation in Fisheries Division in the fall of 1993 and has served the citizens of Missouri in progressively responsible positions within Fisheries Division, Policy Coordination, Wildlife Division and Private Land Services Division. His extensive experience, demonstrated leadership, and ability to communicate and collaborate with partners to achieve conservation goals make him an ideal fit to lead MDC's Fisheries Division. Brian lives in Columbia Missouri with his wife Bridget, also from Marshalltown (class of '87) and they have two children, Josh, a sophomore at Benedictine College in Atchison Kansas and Haley, a freshman at Tolton Catholic High School.

Olivia Muchena - Government Official Olivia Nyembezi Muchena (born 18 August 1946) is a Zimbabwean politician, currently serving in the Cabinet of Zimbabwe as Minister of Women's Affairs. She was previously the Minister of Science and Technology Development. She studied for a PhD in Agriculture Extension Education with minors in Technology and Social Change at Iowa State University. During the late 1970s she was a faculty member at the University of Rhodesia [1]. A strong supporter of President Robert Mugabe, she has served in various positions in the Zimbabwe government, including in the Ministry of Agriculture and the Office of the Vice President, where she was involved in Zimbabwe's land reform process. When the ZANU-PF–MDC national unity government was sworn in on February 13, 2009, Muchena became Minister of Women's Affairs.

ISU alumna's wedding dance with father video goes viral Katie Hughes Roling ('12 psychology) choreographed a father-daughter dance for her July 2013 wedding to Luke Roling ('11 math and chemical engineering). This dance with her father, Scot Hughes, became so popular that the Cedar Rapids Gazette and the Des Moines Register ran stories about it. http://blogs.desmoinesregister.com/dmr/index.php/2013/09/05/father-daughter-wedding-dance-from-iowa…

Doug Struyk had a long and very successful public service career in Iowa first serving in the Iowa House of Representatives for four terms representing Council Bluffs. After his work in elected office, Doug joined the Iowa Secretary of State’s office where he served as legal counsel and this past legislative session served as the top staff aide for Speaker Kraig Paulsen Doug has since left the Speaker’s office and joined the Carney Law Firm in Des Moines.

ISU graduate and former professor authors first book Murder by Guile Written by Bill E. Williams ('84 MA journalism) "Wealthy rural Arizona stockbroker Steven DeMarco stands accused of bludgeoning his ex-wife to death with a golf club on the eve of his first $6,000 alimony payment. But there’s no DNA evidence, no murder weapon, and he has an alibi. Or, does he? As the determined sheriff’s investigators dig into the murder of Carol Washington, a popular local therapist, counselor and artist, they find multiple girlfriends and boyfriends, one home and two condominiums, motorcycles with GPS maps of Mexico, and three BMWs, all being used by DeMarco, his two daughters and the murdered ex-wife. Based on a true crime story, covered by CBS, NBC and ABC News departments we quickly see some of the surprising pieces of evidence found by investigators such as books on how to commit crimes and not get caught, and a backpack hidden on a golf course with a passport and cash inside." BILL WILLIAMS has a masters in journalism and has written for print, radio, television, and advertising agencies. He has won awards for his photography and has sold his prints in five galleries stretching from New Mexico to Missouri. Bill also won an award for his work in television news. He launched the Fox News Hour in Philadelphia and co-produced a documentary for the Discovery Channel. Bill has served as a public information officer for the federal government, and the states of New Mexico and Arizona and he earned a Paralegal degree form a four-year college.

Sarah Brown Wessling featured in book celebrating American Teachers Iowa State alumna Sarah Brown Wessling ('03 MA English; '98 BA English), is one of fifty teachers profiled and celebrated in the new book American Teacher: Heroes in the Classroom by Katrina Fried. This book, published by Welcome Books, goes on sale on October 12, 2013. http://www.welcomebooks.com/americanteacher/

60th Wedding Anniversary Ronald Bay and Anne McClure Furry celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary on July 22, 2013. Ron is Professor Emeritus and a former Chair in Cornell University’s Department of Biological and Environmental Engineering in Ithaca, NY. He received his PhD from Iowa State in Agricultural Engineering, with minors in T&AM and Nuclear Engineering, in 1965. Anne is a founder and former Mayor of the Village of Lansing in Tompkins County, New York State, and a former music teacher and Coordinator of the Ithaca City School District K-12 music program. Anne established the Anne McClure Furry ’55 Endowment Fund for the Promotion and Support of Pedagogical Training in Classroom Music Education at Ithaca College in 2005. They have 3 children, Suzanne, Kenneth and Donna, and 5 grandchildren.