Class Notes

Todd L. Christy* has been promoted to vice president, business technology, at US Airways. He will oversee systems that support the airline's employees and will manage information technology support for the finance/accounting, human resources, revenue management, data warehouse, baggage, cargo and online marketing teams. He began his career witih US Airways in 2001 with America West Airlines, and has more than 18 years of information technology experience.

Margaret Van Houten* ('74 English) is a member of the Davis Brown Law Firm in Des Moines, which was recognized June 9, 2009, by the Polk County Bar Association for outstanding service to the association's Volunteer Lawyers Project in 2008. She donated more than 20 hours of the time the firm donated to help individuals with legal problems who cannot afford an attorney.

Deborah Tharnish** ('77 English) , is a member of the Davis Brown Law Firm in Des Moines, which was recognized June 9, 2009, by the Polk County Bar Association for outstanding service to the association's Volunteer Lawyers Project in 2008. She donated more than 100 hours of the 900 hours of the time the firm donated to help individuals with legal problems who cannot afford an attorney.

Richard Hersom** ('85 mgmt.) married Mary Sjoblom, a teacher in Oskaloosa, Iowa, August 2, 2008. On May 20, 2009, they became parents of a son, Andrew Hersom.

Wanda Przymus** ('93 trans. log.) has changed careers, married, and moved from Iowa to California to Texas during the past five years. She is a Mary Kay Consultant and lives in Houston, Texas.

C. Robert Kidder** (MS '69 industrial engineering) - Chrysler LLC announced May 20, 2009, that the new chairman of the corporation will be ISU alum C. Robert Kidder. He is the past chairman and CEO of Duracell International, Inc., and Borden Chemical, Inc., and currently serves as chairman and CEO of the investment firm 3Stone Advisors LLC.

Jeff Okones** ('80 an. sci.; '84 DVM), a professional service veterinarian for the swine division of Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc., has completed the Executive Veterinary Program for Swine Health and Production program at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine. The program is a two-year continuing education program designed to enhance the business, communication, and planning skills of animal health professionals. The program consists of ten two-day educational modules focused on swine health management.

Nicole (Turner) Phillips '01 and husband Mark welcomed their first child, Fleur Monteith Phillips, on March 28, 2009 in Reston, VA. Fleur weighed 6 lbs. 11 oz. and was 19.25 inches long. Nicole, Mark, and Fleur reside in Potomac Falls, VA.

Three Iowa State graduates attended the Randy Hundley Chicago Cubs Baseball Fantasy Camp Jan. 25 - Feb. 1 in Mesa, Ariz. The campers were placed on eight teams, practiced, and played 10 games in five days with former Chicago Cubs players as coaches at the Chicago Cubs minor league spring training facility. On the second to last day of camp, the campers played a game against the former Cubs players at Hohokam Park, the spring training home of the Cubs. Phil Santos* (’97 civil engr.), Streamwood, Ill.; Matt Schwab* (’96 statistics), McKinney, Texas; and Joel Jess (’82 an. sci., DVM ’86), Pekin, Ill. were the participating ISU alums. Phil writes, “Matt and Joel were wearing Iowa State shirts in the clubhouse and I introduced myself as an Iowa State graduate. Matt and I were actually involved in one play. I was playing centerfield and Matt hit a sinking line drive and I made an attempt at a diving catch. As I dove and caught the ball, I landed on the ground and the baseball jarred loose from my glove. Matt ended up on second base with a double.”

Bruce Trca-Black ('97 ag. studies) has been employed at Tru Count, Inc. in Ames since January 2007. Tru Count, a leading manufacturer of air and electric clutches that automate individual planter row shut-off, was acquired by Trimble Navigation Ltd. in November 2008. Bruce provides technical support for Tru Count products.

European Engineering Manager, Cereal Partners / General Mills, based in Lausanne, Switzerland.

Deborah M. Tharnish, a senior shareholder of the Davis Brown Law Firm in Des Moines, Iowa, was elected President of the Board of Directors of Iowa Legal Aid at the organization's annual meeting held May 2, 2009. Formerly president of her firm's Board of Directors, she has served on the Iowa Legal Aid Board since 2004, the past two years in the capacity of Vice-President. She also serves on the Iowa State University Alumni Association Board of Directors, the Iowa Law School Foundation, and the Des Moines Public Library Foundation.

Three Iowa State graduates attended the Randy Hundley Chicago Cubs Baseball Fantasy Camp Jan. 25 - Feb. 1 in Mesa, Ariz. The campers were placed on eight teams, practiced, and played 10 games in five days with former Chicago Cubs players as coaches at the Chicago Cubs minor league spring training facility. On the second to last day of camp, the campers played a game against the former Cubs players at Hohokam Park, the spring training home of the Cubs. Phil Santos* (’97 civil engr.), Streamwood, Ill.; Matt Schwab* (’96 statistics), McKinney, Texas; and Joel Jess (’82 an. sci., DVM ’86), Pekin, Ill. were the participating ISU alums. Phil writes, “Matt and Joel were wearing Iowa State shirts in the clubhouse and I introduced myself as an Iowa State graduate. Matt and I were actually involved in one play. I was playing centerfield and Matt hit a sinking line drive and I made an attempt at a diving catch. As I dove and caught the ball, I landed on the ground and the baseball jarred loose from my glove. Matt ended up on second base with a double.”

Jann Freed* (PhD '87 Prof. Studies in Ed.) was one of eight faculty members honored at Central College's 2009 faculty recognition reception. She received the Hutch Bearce Community Building and Faculty Leadership Award, which goes to a faculty member who is a leader, mentor, and community builder. Jann is a professor of business management at Central (Pella, Iowa), and she holds the Mark and Kay De Cook Chair in Character and Leadership Development. She resides in Des Moines, Iowa.

Martha Smith (Ag Bus '04) has accepted a new position within Monsanto Company as the Midwest Community Affairs Manager based out of Farmer City, Illinois. Martha has previously been employed with Monsanto Company in Hawaii and Michigan. She will reside in Mahomet, Illinois.

W. Samuel Easterling** (PhD '87 civ. & const. engr) is the Montague-Betts Professor of Structural Stell Design in Virginia Tech's Charles E. Via Jr. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, and will assume the department's head position effective August 10, 2009. He joined the Virginia Tech faculty in 1987 and has served as an assistant department head since 1998. The quality of his research has been recognized several times, and he is also known as a dedicated classroom instructor, concentrating in the structural engineering and steel design coursework. He and his wife live in Blacksburg, Virginia.

Gary Mulhall** (’71 journ.) will retire June 30, 2009 after 21 years of service to St. Martin’s University in Lacey, Wash. He served as institutional advancement director from 1988-2006, and during that time he directed several fundraising campaigns. “Gary’s complete and total dedication to Saint Martin’s has been a major part of the University’s movement from a small and somewhat fragile institution to a university on the rise,” commented retired president David Spangler. Mulhall and his wife, Rhea, plan to continue to live in the Olympia, Wash. area during retirement.

Scott Baumler* ('91ag. bus.) , director of institutional research at Grinnell College, has been elected to the Higher Education Data Sharing (HEDS) Consortium’s board of directors for a term of three years, beginning in June 2009. HEDS is an association of more than 160 premier private colleges and universities. The national consortium supports member institutions through the collection and sharing of special studies and research reports, networking opportunities, and professional development. HEDS data are used by institutions of higher education for planning, management, research, and assessment.

William E. Quick** ('93 civ. engr.) has been chosen as one of Ingram's magazine "40 Under Forty" recipients for 2009. After earning his degree from Iowa State, he earned his J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School. He is currently an attorney at Polsinelli Shugart PC in Kansas City, MO, where he advises clients on corporate legal matters. "40 Under Forty" recognizes the achievements and promise of young executives, professionals, and community leaders from the nine bi-state counties, 120 cities, and more than 2 million people in the Kansas City region.

Keith Zoromski recently received the Golden Key to the City of Carthage for his work teaching 8th Grade Social Studies at Carthage Junior High School. He was also recgonized by a State of Missouri Resolution honoring his teaching successes.

Chad Kinart (98) and Nicole Zickefoose (97) have 2 beautiful boys: Liam (3) and Finn (9 months).

Sally Beisser** (BS '71, MS '77, PhD '99) was promoted from Associate Professor to Professor of Education at Drake University, where she has been since 1999, after completing her doctorate at ISU.

Allen (Al) Brown** ('73 i.ad.) writes that he is NOT a lawyer, doctor, PhD or in "Who's Who," but is happily retired after a 35-year executive career. He and Cyndee, his wife of 37 years, live in Seminole, Fla., where they live on the Intra-coastal Waterway and enjoy a view of the Gulf of Mixico when not traveling, sailing, diving, biking, or visiting grandkids in the Chicago area.

Eric Laffey and Jenny Lovelady will be getting married in Ames, IA on August 29, 2009. The Ceremony will be at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church and the Reception will be in the ISU Memorial Union's Great Hall.

Deb Stearns is a graduate of the Greenlee School of Journalism at ISU, and her firm Essman/Research has been recognized for the ninth consecutive year as a "Top-Rated" research focus facility by Impulse Research Corporation, an international research firm based in Los Angeles, California. The rating is based on results from the 2009 Impulse Survey of Focus Facilities, an independent survey of over 5000 researchers and moderators worldwide.