Class Notes

By Peggy Bolstetter | Spring 2012

2012

Amy Schill (MNA 2012)

Amy Schill has been promoted to manager of volunteer admissions and recruitment at Christian Appalachian Project. The Christian Appalachian Project is a Kentucky-based, interdenominational, nonprofit Christian organization committed to serving people in need in Appalachia.


2011

Cynthia Gomez (EMBA 2011)

Cindy Gomez (EMBA '11) has joined the financial development team of the American Red Cross. Gomez is the regional director of major gifts for the northern Texas region.
 

Eric Musum (MNA 2011)

Eric Musum has been promoted to chief technology officer at Lutheran Homes of Michigan in Bay City, Mich. Lutheran Homes is one of the largest non-profit providers of residential senior services Michigan.
 

James Brennan (MBA 2011)

James Brennan celebrated the first day of operations for his company, TritonTek on Feb. 1, 2012, in Cebu, Philippines. As an MBA student, Brennan wrote the business plan for TritonTek in his Introduction to Entrepreneurship and Launching New Ventures classes.


2010

Jim Brown (EMBA 2010)

Jim Brown was promoted to vice president of sales for BTI with responsibility for all domestic and international sales. Brown has more than 25 years of experience in sales, sales support and engineering in the mining and construction industry. Brown previously served BTI as director of U.S. sales.


2009

Katie O'Connell (EMBA 2009)

Katie O’Connell has joined the senior management team of AArete as managing director. O'Connell joined AArete in 2008 as one of the company’s founding members. She has nearly 10 years of experience consulting on cost reduction efforts and other procurement and operational improvement services across a variety of industries. Additionally, she has deep experience in non-salary cost reduction across numerous commodity areas.


2008

Steve Huffman (EMBA 2008)

Steve Huffman has been named chief information officer for the newly affiliated organization that combines Elkhart General Hospital and Memorial Health System of South Bend. Huffman has been vice president and chief information officer at Memorial Hospital since 2008. He joined Memorial in 1997 as manager of the data center and has served as director of information technology.


2004

Wheeler Coleman (EMBA 2004)

Wheeler Coleman was appointed to the Board of Trustees of Northern Illinois University.


2005

Kristen Boyd (BBA FIN 2005)

Kristen Boyd was named to Forbes Magazine’s “30 Under 30” list in the field of finance. Forbes, which leaned on the wisdom of its readers and leading minds in business, selected 30 individuals less than 30 years of age, in 12 professional fields who are making a difference. Boyd, vice president, Credit Suisse, sells derivatives products to hedge funds.

Brent Weiss (BBA FIN 2005)

Brent Weiss was named to Forbes Magazine’s “30 Under 30” list in the field of finance. Forbes, which leaned on the wisdom of its readers and leading minds in business, selected 30 individuals, less than 30 years of age in 12 professional fields, who are making a difference. Weiss, a principal with Brotman Financial Group in Baltimore, passed the Certified Financial Planner exam in seven months and became the firm’s second partner in 2011.


2003

James Carris (EMBA 2003)

Jim Carris has joined CBRE as senior managing director. Carris joins the firm from Jones Lang LaSalle, where he served as senior vice president in their Corporate Solutions Group.


2002

Sean Herbold (MBA 2002)

Sean Herbold has joined Redman Pools, a builder of luxury residential pools in the southeast Texas area, and commercial pools across Texas, as construction manager.


2001

C.J. Lanktree (BBA Finance 2001)

C J Lanktree has joined the investment team at Solus Alternative Management as a portfolio manager. Lanktree began his career at Salomon Smith Barney as an investment banking analyst in the Telecom and Media Group. He joined Deutsche Bank in 2003 as a distressed investment analyst.
 


2000

David Rogero (BBA ACCT 2000)

Dave Rogero was promoted to principal in the Chicago office of Cressey & Company, a healthcare private equity firm. Rogero is responsible for evaluating and executing investment opportunities as well as monitoring portfolio companies. He has nine years of private equity experience and has worked with the Cressey & Company team since 2002.

Larry Iwanski (MSA 2000)

Larry Iwanski was named as an Overall Americas Chairman's Values Award representative by Ernst & Young The award recognizes employees who embody Ernst & Young's values and have had a positive effect on individuals, teams or clients.

Iwanski is the southeast assurance, fraud investigation and dispute services senior manager.


1999

Scott James (MBA 1999)

Scott James recently launched CORA, a digital corporation that is creating an eco-app for smart phones that will allow individuals to find a new purpose for items no longer wanted. The Cora Mobile App will connect the user with ways to reduce waste or turn to zero waste alternatives. The mobile app also connects the user to articles about the environmental and social justice impact of "stuff." www.teamcora.com

David Corken ( MBA, '94 BBA FIN 1999)

 David Corken has been appointed COO of Braintree, an online payments provider that powers commerce for many of the Web 2.0, social and mobile businesses in the world. As COO, Corken will help Braintree maintain its high-level of customer service as the company continues its rapid expansion. Most recently, Corken served as chief operating officer at Total Attorneys, a cloud-based software solutions provider for law firms. 


1998

Brian O'Connor (BBA FIN 1998)

Brian O’Connor has been promoted to managing director by Vestar Capital Partners, a U.S. private equity firm. O’Connor is a member of Vestar’s Consumer team.

John Sweeney (MBA 1998)

John Sweeney of Sirona Dental Systems has been named the IR Professional of the Year in the 2012 All-America Executive Team survey, Institutional Investor's third annual ranking of the nation's best CEOs, CFOs, investor-relations professionals and IR companies.


1997

Anthony Jowid (MBA, BBA MARK 1997)

Anthony Jowid (MBA, BBA MARK '92) has joined the Rabine Group as chief sales officer and will oversee the sales and marketing for the Rabine Group companies. Additionally, Jowid is part of the executive leadership team responsible for the long-term growth and strategic direction for the group of companies. Jowid has more than 20 years of sales, marketing, business development and operations experience in a variety of service industries. He was the assistant director of MBA Admissions at Notre Dame from 1993-96.


1995

Chris Remington (MNA 1995)

Chris Remington was named the January 2012 Faculty Member of the Month  at the Wisconsin campuses of the University of Phoenix. Remington has been a part-time faculty member since 2004. He teaches management and strategy-related courses in the undergraduate and graduate programs, including  the MBA capstone, Contemporary Media & American Culture, eBusiness and Critical Thinking.

John Vandemore (BBA Accountancy 1995)

John Vandemore recently joined International Game Technology as CFO and Treasurer. He will have direct responsibility for overseeing IGT's internal and external financial reporting, leading IGT's global financial planning and analysis, and managing all worldwide finance operations inclusive of investor relations, tax, accounting, treasury, credit and audit. Vandemore previously served as CFO of Walt Disney Imagineering – the creative arm of Disney's theme parks.


 1994

Dan Lee (BBA Accountancy 1994)

Dan Lee (BBA ACCT) has been named a managing director with Comvest Capital, a middle-market private equity firm.. Lee was a founding member of Dymas Capital, a middle market lending platform.  Lee also cofounded Square 1 Bank’s late-stage lending group, and served as a managing director at Kugman Partners.

 

Jason Konesco (BBA Marketing 1994)

Jason Konesco was named to the Indianapolis Business Journal's Forty Under 40 list. The list measures the level of success achieved, accomplishments in the community and the likelihood of staying in Indianapolis to build on those achievements.

 

 

Tim O'Neill (BBA Marketing 1994)

Tim O’Neill has been elected to the Notre Dame Alumni Association Board of Directors. O'Neill is president of the O’Neill Brothers, has sold more than 10 million albums of piano music and been nominated for an Emmy. He served as president of the Notre Dame Club of Minnesota and has volunteered his music in hospitals and hospices. 


 

1993

Michael Smith (MBA 1993)

Michael C. Smith has relocated to Avondale in Jacksonville, Fla. After developing 401(k) products, raising assets, and testifying on Wall St. conflicts at the U.S. Senate, Smith is building an ERISA consulting practice for a regional firm. In 2010, Smith and his wife welcomed baby Rocky and shares that he is the oldest guy in his class changing diapers for the first time.


1992

Gil Gomez (BBA Finance 1992)

Gil Gomez has joined software developer Ai2 as COO. Gomez, who formerly was the SAP America senior director, has 19 years of experience in the business-to-business software marketplace, specifically business intelligence and enterprise resource planning solutions.


1991

Mark Rastpvac (MBA 1991)

Mark Rastovac has joined xkzero, a leading Chicago-based provider of Sage ERP software and consulting solutions. As Director of Business Development, Rastovac will manage all sales efforts including new business acquisition and ongoing customer activity.

John Schoen (BBA ACCT 1991)

John Schoen has been appointed Global Head of EBS Spot Platform and Market Risk.  In this role, Schoen will lead EBS's efforts to ensure continuous delivery of  a reliable source of genuine liquidity to the market.

 


1989

Christopher Malone (MBA 1989)

Christopher Malone has been promoted to vice president of Paric Corp. Malone joined the firm in 1999, most recently serving as a project executive. Paric is a regional contractor specializing in agency and at-risk construction management, design/build and general construction of special projects, public, institutional and hospitality facilities, residential projects, senior living and health care facilities, historic renovation and commercial projects.
 


1988

Heather Loisel (BBA Marketing 1988)

 Heather Loisel (BBA MARK) was appointed chief marketing officer for SkillSoft, a leading SaaS provider of e-learning and performance support solutions for global enterprises, government, education and small to medium-sized businesses. Loisel, who has more than 20 years of experience, previously was senior vice president of Marketing for JDA Software.


 

1987

Jeff Chiesa (BBA Accountancy 1987)

Jeff Chiesa (BBA ACCT) was sworn in as New Jersey's 59th attorney general in January 2012.  Chiesa previously served as chief counsel to Governor Chris Christie. Chiesa was previously a partner at the law firm of Wolff & Samson.
 

Christina Smith (MBA 1987)

Christina Smith has been selected as Region 10 director for the Notre Dame Alumni Board. Smith also serves as co-chair of ND Women Connect in New York City. She is assistant vice president of Zurich American Insurance Co. in Jersey City, N.J. with a background in business and insurance law.
 

Constance O'Brien (MBA 1987)

Constance O’Brien (BA '85) has been elected to the Notre Dame Alumni Association Board of Directors. O'Brien has served as a board member for Notre Dame Alumni clubs in Chicago, Kansas City and in Alabama where she founded a chapter of ND Women Connect. She is a board member of Catholic Charities USA and a member in Ladies of Charity of the USA.


1986

Jamie Maguire (MBA 1986)

James J. (Jamie) Maguire Jr., chairman and CEO of Philadelphia Insurance Companies, was recognized by Saint Joseph's University Haub School of Business  with the 22nd Annual Hall of Fame Award. As the recipient, Maguire was acknowledged for his outstanding corporate citizenship, strong leadership and management qualities.


 

1985

Jeff Costello (BBA Accountancy 1985)

Jeff Costello has been named CFO of the newly affiliated organization combining Elkhart General Hospital and Memorial Health Systems. Costello, who has served as CFO of Memorial Health System since 1995, will be responsible for all accounting, financial planning, investments, business office operations, construction and medical records.


 

1984

Scott Malpass (MBA 1984)

Scott C. Malpass has been elected to the board of directors of The Vanguard Group and to the board of trustees of each of Vanguard's mutual funds. Vanguard is one of the world's largest investment management companies and a leading provider of company-sponsored retirement plan services.

Thomas Cushing (BBA Accountancy 1984)

Thomas W. Cushing has been appointed to the Lyons Township, Ill., High School Board of Education.


 

1983

Donald Casey (MBA, BBA Finance 1983)

Donald M. Casey Jr. has joined Cardinal Health, as CEO of the medical segment. Casey will assume full management responsibility for the company's medical segment including medical-surgical products and services for hospitals, physician offices, clinical laboratories, ambulatory surgery centers, long-term care facilities and other health care providers.


1982

Mark Cunneen (BBA Accountancy 1982)

Mark J. Cunneen recently embarked on a second career, joining Exeter Property Group, a private equity real estate firm, as director of corporate finance and new business development. Cunneen previously spent 25 years as an equity analyst and portfolio manager.


1981

Mark Muething (BBA Finance 1981)

Mark F. Muething has been promoted to COO of Great American Insurance Group's Annuity and Supplemental businesses. Muething will also serve as COO for Great American Financial Resources, a wholly-owned subsidiary and continue in his role as General Counsel and executive vice president of Great American Financial Resources.


1979

Ted Carnevale (BBA Accountancy 1979)

Ted Carnevale, CEO of the Oradell, N.J., firm of Gramkow, Carnevale, Seifert & Co., LLC, was elected chairman of the North America Board of Directors of CPA Associates International, Inc., a leading association of accounting firms.


1978

Mamie Ney (MBA 1978)

Mamie Ney has been hired by the Maine State Library to serve as the consultant for the southern Maine library district. Ney works with all types of libraries in Cumberland and York counties and a portion of Oxford County, providing assistance with personnel, building, collection, technology, community and professional development issues and concerns.


1976

Virginia Roberts (MBA 1976)

Virginia C. Roberts joined Webster Bank as senior vice president, credit executive. Roberts has a 30-year career in credit and commercial lending. She also served as a consultant with Harvest Earnings and as chief operating officer for the International Institute of Boston, Inc., where she helped raise funds for the organization’s microenterprise program.


1969

John Strum (BBA Accountancy 1969)

John F. Sturm, former president and chief executive officer of the Newspaper Association of America (NAA), has been appointed associate vice president of federal and Washington relations at the University of Notre Dame effective June 1.

Sturm will oversee a Notre Dame office in the nation’s capital. His responsibilities will include developing a federal relations strategy for the University and strengthening Notre Dame’s relationships with key constituencies in Washington, including the White House, Congress, federal agencies, regulatory bodies, media and alumni.


 

1957

Mark Watson (BA Commerce 1957)

Mark E. Watson Jr. has been appointed to the oversight committee of the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas. Watson, one of three appointees selected by the Speaker of the House to serve on the CPRIT board, will fill a term that expires Jan. 31, 2017. Members of the oversight committee guide the work of the institute, which awards grants to expedite innovation in cancer research.


 

1956

Larry Kennedy (BS Commerce 1956)

Larry Kennedy  is chairman of the Class of 1956 Endowed Scholarship Fund -- which is now in the million dollar range. "The fund continues to grow and the invested market value as of Sept. 30, 2011 is $991,472.  Scholarship awards from the '56 Fund are unrestricted and recipients are selected by the University's Office of Student Financial Services," says Kennedy.  "Continue to keep the Fund in mind in your annual giving to Notre Dame. Specify "ND'56 Scholarship Fund," he adds.
 

Mark Burns (BS Commerce 1956)

Mark Burns, co-president of the Class of ’56, wants classmates to be aware that the Sept. 8, 2012 Notre Dame-Purdue game is the mini-reunion weekend. “It is the senior game so all qualified contributors to the University should be guaranteed tickets,” says Burns.


 

1952

Joe Adler (BA Commerce 1952)

Joe Adler and his wife Jodie recently received the prestigious Recognition Award, presented by Joliet Catholic Academy at the 27th annual Jubilaté. Adler graduated from Joliet Catholic High School in 1948.


Future Domer

Sara and Al Chan (EMBA '10) welcomed a daughter, Kayla Wyndham Hoi Ying Chan, on December 6, 2011.


Wedding

Kevin Thompson (MBA, '10) and Kelly Jentzen (MNA, '09) were married Nov. 12, 2011, at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart.


In Memoriam

Anthony "Butch" Alexander Steffes (EMBA '97) passed away November 12, 2011 following  a courageous battle with cancer.
 

Michael Charles Murphy (BS Commerce '56) passed away on January 22, 2012. Murphy is survived by his wife of 52 years, Mary; seven children and their spouses; 14 grandchildren; his sisters, Maureen and Colleen; a brother, Nicholas; and many relatives and friends.

James M. Tedford Jr. (BC Commerce '56) passed away peacefully in his home on April 8, 2012. Tedford is survived by his wife, sons, grandchildren and sisters.