Class Notes

Melissa Mundt ('97 history), Assistant City Administrator/Community Development Director of Gardner, Kan., recently received the Credentialed Manager designation from ICMA, the premier local government leadership and management organization. To receive the prestigious ICMA credential, a member must have significant experience as a senior management executive in local government, have earned a degree, preferably in public administration or a related field, and demonstrated a commitment to high standards of integrity and to lifelong learning and professional development. Melissa has nearly 12 years of professional local government executive experience and has served in her current position since 2003. She has also made significant contributions to a number of other organizations, including: Kansas Association of City/County Management, Midwest Public Rish, Gardner Rotary Club, and the Kansas City Area Iowa State Alumni Club.

Labor and employment attorney Teresa (Seavy) Maginn ('87 English, speech comm.) has joined Barnes & Thornburg LLP's South Bend, Ind. office. From 1996-2001, she was the assistant vice president and counsel for the University of Notre Dame, Office of the General Counsel, where she provided advice on employment issues and engaged in contract negotiations.

Lawrence "Larry" Gay ('57 ag. engr.) was inducted by the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE) as an ASABE Fellow in June, 2010. To be considered, an individual must demonstrate unusual professional distinction, with outstanding qualifications and experience in the field of agricultural engineering. A tractor historian and author, Larry was honored for his outstanding contributions to engineering management and product equipment design and for his thorough research and documentation of farm tractors and agricultural equipment industry history. He retired in 1992 after a 35-year distinguished engineering career at John Deere. At the time of his retirement, he was manager of engineering in Deere's merchandise division, where he led the surveying, selecting, and testing of farm equipment made by other manufacturers but sold by John Deere dealers. Since retirement, he has become a highly respected authority, researcher, and chronicler of farm tractor development.

Jeanne recently earned tenure and promotion to Associate Professor. Last year, the interior design program she coordinates received CIDA [Council for Interior Design Accrediation] Accreditation. In 2008, Jeanne was awarded the Outstanding Service Award for the College of Fine and Applied Arts. Much of her service has been providing and coordinating design services for non-profit organizations.

Mary Whitten ('89 chem.) recently had a mystery romance novel published with Stacey Gillespie, under the writing name of Macy Diamond. The book is entitled "Diamond in the Rough: An Amusing Mystery and Romance."

We took our son Hayden Richard for his 6 months photos with Holt Portrait Design in Fairbank, IA hoping we could get a picture of him wrestling with Herke. Instead our son being the true Cyclone that he is bit down, hard! Even at an early age he knows Cy is number 1. Go Cyclones!

Deborah Tharnish ('77 Engl.) celebrated her 30th anniversary at the Davis Brown Law Firm in June. She is a senior shareholder of the Des Moines, Iowa law firm working with employment and litigation clients.

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's 10-week Man & Woman of the Year Campaign generated funds for vital blood cancer research and patient services. Together, the 2010 winners of the Man & Woman of the Year campaign benefitting the society's Wisconsin Chapter raised more than $28,000. Kelli Cameron ('02 ag. ed. and ag. ext. ed) was named Woman of the Year. The candidates were judged solely on their success in raising money to help LLS, with every dollar raised counting as one "vote." She commented, "Through my volunteering with The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, I have discovered what I value the most and am living my values of family, faith, friends, and health." She lives in Madison, Wisc., where she works in education and training for American Family Insurance.

The Iowa Association of Business and Industry (ABI) Foundation has announced that Allyson Walter ('88 fash. merch.) is one of 40 graduates in the 2009-2010 Leadership Iowa class. She is a manager with the Ames Convention & Visitors Bureau, where she has worked since 2008. Leadership Iowa, a program of the ABI Foundation, is a statewide program designed to develop passion in current and emerging leaders from across the state, representing both the public and private sector.

Carol Sanderson ('78 indus. ed.) was recognized as "Best Success Story" by SCORE of Cedar Rapids during its SCORE ONE Awards presentation in May, 2009. She was recognized for her business, Classic Tax of Marion (Iowa). Classic Tax was established by her in 1999 and offers individuals and businesses full service accounting.

Joseph Andrew (Andy) Yedlik** ('98 ag. studies) has joined the Iowa Financial Group, an office of MetLife, as financial services representative. The group, located in West Des Moines, Iowa, offers financial products and services, including life, disability income, long-term care insurance and annuities, mutual funds, and investment products. Andy resides in West Des Moines and is a member of the West Des Moines Chamber of Commerce.

Dave Kurns ('82 journ. & mass comm.), director of business development for Meredith Corp., Des Moines, will receive the James W. Schwartz Award for Distinguished Service to Journalism and Communication from ISU's Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication during homecoming activities on Friday, October 29, 2010. Kurns' expertise is in creating strategies and business partnerships to make websites successful and profitable. He has been instrumental in developing Web properties as an editor, strategist, marketer, and creative team leader. The Schwartz Award is the highest honor conferred by the Greenlee School and named after James W. Schwartz, department chair for 13 years, who also served as president of the Association for Education in Journalism. The school's advisory council and faculty nominate candidates, and faculty members select the winner.

Mike Helms ('88 civ. engr.) has been promoted to Infrastructure Operations Manager at Stanley Consultants, Muscatine, Iowa. He will be responsible for group objectives established for the performance of projects, the management and development of staff, the support of marketing/business development, and the support of the technical organization. Mike joined Stanley Consultants in 2006. He is a seasoned project manager who has led many domestic and international projects.

Steven Boody ('71 forestry; '74 MLA landscape arch.) is owner of Boody Fine Arts, Inc., which acted as Art Consultant for First National Bank's Pioneer Courage and the Spirit of Nebraska's Wilderness Sculpture Park in Omaha, Neb. Boody Fine Arts assembled a team of three artists and provided project management, transforming five city blocks into a green urban sculpture park depicting a moment in the rich history of the city. The park required eleven years of planning and execution by the team of artists, architects, and contractors to create one of the largest installations of bronze and stainless steel works of art in the country and in the world. The Park comprises one hundred twenty-three site specific commissioned works of art and received the Central States American Society of Landscape Architects' 2010 "Award of Excellence" and the National Sculpture Society's 2010 "The Henry Hering Medal." Boody Fine Arts is headquartered in St. Louis, Mo.

James Hoskins ('81 Ph.D econ.) is a Senior Consultant and Executive Advisor at the new Washington, D.C. values-based research and consulting firm, Heart+Mind Strategies. Heart+Mind Strategies is a rapidly growing, full-service, strategic research and consulting company whose partners are part of the former leadership of Wirthlin Worldwide. The firm specializes in brand, reputation, and communications consulting for corporations, brands, associations, non-profit organizations, social issues advocates, and individuals.

William (Bill) Warner ('57 forestry), a 45-year resident of Lake Oswego, Oregon, received the Bob Bigelow Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his many financial contributions and donations of his time to the community. As past board president for the Lakewood Center for the Arts, he was instrumental in launching a $3 million project that resulted in a stagehouse addition. Over many years, he has also been actively involved with numerous groups such as Little League, Little Guy Football, Babe Ruth American Legion Baseball, YMCA youth basketball, the Oswego Heritage Council, Rotary, Lake Oswego Chamber of Commerce Village Flower Basket Program, and his church.

Dr. John A. Kline** ('67 English & speech), distinguished professor of leadership and director of Troy University's Institute for Leadership Development, is the 2010 recipient of the Ingalls Award for Excellence in Classroom Teaching. The award is given annually to the teacher on the Troy campus who has "most diligently, effectively and cheerfully conducted his or her classes during the current academic year." Students nominate faculty members for the award, and a committee of students and faculty advisors selects the recipient. John joined Troy University in 2000 as a professor of education and became director of the Institute for Leadership Development in 2003.

Alison Monaghan accepted a position as public relations specialist at Wynn Resorts in Las Vegas. She is managing the media relations outreach for Encore Beach Club, Surrender Nightclub, Blush Boutique Nightclub, Wynn Golf Club, Penske Wynn Ferrari Maserati, casino, race & sports book, and poker. She also assists with the ongoing public relations efforts for the resorts' entertainment, including Le Reve and Garth Brooks.

Rachelle Schoessler Lynn ('90 interior des.), an interior designer with the firm Studio 2030, Inc. in Minneapolis, Minn. weill serve on a task force to assist the National Council for Interior Design Qualificiation (NCIDQ) and improve the NCIDQ Examination. She has worked in the interior design field for 18 years. In her current position with Studio 2030, Inc., she is responsible for providing design excellence with integrated sustainable design strategies for her clients. She and David Loehr founded Studio 2030 on Earth Day 2007. NCIDQ's core purpose is to protect the health, life safety, and welfare of the public by establishing standards of competence in the practice of interior design.

Allison Engel ('73 home ec. journ.) and her twin sister, Margaret Engel, co-authored a play which opened in March 2010 in Philadelphia. The play is about the rabble-rousing Texas journalist and columnist, Molly Ivins, and is entitled, "Red Hot Patriot: The Kick-Ass Wit of Molly Ivins."

A pic we took last year at VEISHEA of my family in front of the new Cy Sculpture at the Alumni Center.

Trey Fliehs & Rebecca (Hoffman) Fliehs were married September 5th, 2009 in Redondo Beach, CA.

Rebecca Brooks Janni (LAS '94) of Des Moines, IA, published her first children's book, Every Cowgirl Needs a Horse (Dutton Children's Books, 2010). Check out her website at www.rebeccajanni.com.

William Chilton** ('76 architec.), Principal and co-founder of Pickard Chilton, has been elected to The College of Fellows of the American Institute of Architects. He has directed large projects within diverse political and cultural environments worldwide. He currently serves on the Advisory Board of the College of Design at the University of Minnesota, the Design Futures Council Executive Board, and is a member of the Urban Land Institute. Pickard Chilton, headquartered in New Haven, Conn., is an international architectural practice noted for its expertise in the design of large, complex buildings, including corporate headquarters, high-rise commercial office towers, hotels, and academic and health care facilities.

Samantha Lee Pieper became the newest Cyclone fan on January 29, 2010. She weighed 9 lbs 10 oz and was 21 1/2 inches long.