CLASS NOTES

By Peggy Bolstetter | Fall 2017

1960

Patrick Heenan (BBA) and his wife, Sherron, are residing in Lenoir City, Tennessee.

1970

John Behrmann (MBA) recently retired following 40 years of commercial banking. He plans to spend his time boating and volunteering in the Chattanooga community.

1974

John Latta (FIN) has joined Idaho First Bank as senior vice president for business development. He brings more than 35 years of banking, private banking and commercial lending experience to his new position.

Cindy Parseghian (ACCT) received the 2017 Sorin Award from the Notre Dame Alumni Association for her years of selfless, dedicated service to the University and to those struggling with rare diseases. Established in 1965, the Rev. Edward Frederick Sorin, CSC, Award is conferred on a Notre Dame graduate who has offered distinguished service to the University.

1977

Jim Wolf (FIN) has joined Houlihan Lokey Tax & Financial Reporting Valuation (TFR) practice in New York City within Financial Advisory Services as a managing director. Previously, Wolf spent nearly 30 years at EY, where he held a number of roles, including market leader for its Valuation and Business Modeling Group, a U.S. fairness opinion leader, and as a managing partner for its Center for Strategic Transactions. He is also a chartered financial analyst and senior member of the American Society of Appraisers.

1979

Collete English Dixon (FIN) is the executive director of the Marshall Bennett Institute and chair of real estate in the Heller College of Business at Roosevelt University, Chicago. English Dixon is a Chicago real estate professional with more than three decades of experience in transactions, finance and joint ventures.

1980

David Russo (ACCT) has joined Black Box Corporation, a leading digital solutions provider in Pittsburgh, as its senior vice president, CFO and treasurer. Russo was previously the senior vice president and CFO for L.B. Foster.

1982

Kevin Kenny (ACCT) joined Alliant Insurance Services as its executive vice president and managing director. Based in New York, Kenny will play an integral role in expanding the middle market division’s reach throughout the Eastern United States. He brings more than 30 years of experience in insurance brokerage and consulting to his new position, including property and casualty insurance, risk management, international business and employee benefits.

1984

Greg Geisler (ACCT) was honored by the Financial Planning Association for his exploration of health savings accounts published in the Journal of Financial Planning. The article, “Could a Health Savings Account Be Better than an Employer-Matched 401(k)?” was published in January 2016 and was judged as the article that made the most outstanding contribution to the betterment of the profession in that year. Geisler, a professor of accounting at the University of Missouri in St. Louis, was presented with the 2017 Montgomery-Warschauer Award at the FPA annual conference in October.

Scott Malpass (MBA, ’84), chief investment officer at the University of Notre Dame, has been appointed a member of the lay board of the Institute for Works of Religion (IOR), also known as the Vatican Bank.

William (Woody) Rayburn (ACCT) was promoted to vice president of real estate assets for Publix of Lakeland, Florida. He will be responsible for managing the company’s growing shopping center portfolio and leveraging and acquiring assets as investments for the company. Rayburn began his Publix career in 1993 as manager of business analysis. He was promoted to asset manager in 2000 and director of real estate assets in 2003.

1985

Michael Kearney (MBA) is treasurer of FMR LLC of Boston, the holding company for Fidelity Investments. He is responsible for treasury operations, bank services and capital planning. Kearney previously served as senior vice president with Fidelity Brokerage Operations and as interim head of treasury for FIL Limited, a diversified financial services business. As head of treasury, Kearney oversaw an organization of 20 professionals located in the UK and Ireland responsible for cash, debt and foreign exchange management.

1987

Perry Dellelce (MBA) received an honorary doctorate of laws from Laurentian University during its 2017 spring convocation ceremonies in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada. He is a founding partner of the law firm Wildeboer Dellelce in Toronto.

Mark Ward (ACCT) is the CFO of BidPal, an Indianapolis-based mobile fundraising platform for nonprofits. Ward has more than 25 years of experience with high-growth internet, software and service businesses, where he provided the financial, strategic and operating leadership to scale growth and boost enterprise value. Ward joins BidPal from VacayStay Connect, a technology-enabled service provider to the vacation rental industry, where he was CFO.

Charles “Chip” Avery (MBA) is CFO of Power Solutions Inc., a leader in the design, engineering and manufacturing of emissions-certified alternative-fuel power systems. Power Solutions is based in Wood Dale, Illinois.

1988

Thom Browne (ACCT), fashion designer, was honored by the Couture Council of the Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) with its 2017 Couture Council Award for Artistry of Fashion on Sept. 6, 2017, at Lincoln Center, New York City. Browne was chosen for his creativity, vision, imaginative spirit and couture techniques by an international advisory committee that includes Suzy Menkes, Ken Downing, and Linda Fargo, among others.

1993

Amy Listermann (FIN) is the CFO and EVP for finance and accounting for FOX News, New York. She oversees all financial operations for both FOX News Channel (FNC) and FOX Business Network (FBN).

2001

Heather Short (MNA) is assistant superintendent for instruction for the Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation, Mishawaka, Indiana. Short, who has 23 years of service with the school corporation, most recently served as director of professional development in the Learning Division.

2004

Keith Rowling (FIN) has joined Merrill Lynch Wealth Management in the role of managing director and financial advisor of the wealth management team based in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. He will lead The Rowling Group to provide personalized financial advisory services for individuals and families with considerable assets and complex financial needs.

The 2016 Barron’s Top 1200 ranked Rowling eighth and listed him as one of the top 25 financial advisors in Michigan. He ranked No. 2 on The Wall Street Magazine’s “Top 40 under 40” listing as an advisor in 2016.

Mike Fairchild (MBA, ACCT ’00) joined Bank of America Merrill Lynch, providing credit, wealth management, treasury management, acquisition financing, merchant services and fraud prevention to new vehicle dealerships, with responsibility for managing Illinois, Wisconsin and Northwest Indiana.

Raegen Siegfried (MGT) is vice president of HushWorks, NORDAM’S advanced-development projects effort. He previously served as the program’s director, leading the pursuit of new technologies to integrate into future manufacturing processes and products. As part of his new role, he will assist in mapping Tulsa-based NORDAM’S participation in the new Boeing mid-sized aircraft initiative.

Courtney Bott (MARK) has joined EatPakd, a Chicago-based startup that delivers healthy and customizable lunches and snacks for families, as its new vice president of marketing. Bott previously spent five years at E.W. Scripps Company, where she was most recently vice president of digital marketing.

2006

Joseph Paddock (MBA) was ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Helena, Montana, on June 23. Rev. Paddock celebrated his first Mass in Anaconda on June 24. He shares that he “is most thankful to God and to all the many people who have helped me along this journey.”

Anthony Fasano (MARK), along with Abe Antine, a clinical social worker, opened Next Chapter Addiction, a 10-bed facility, located in Delray Beach, Florida, in 2015. The facility provides a holistic approach to addiction treatment, focusing on treatment and therapy rather than the traditional focus on 12-step recovery.

Fasano is in his 12th season as an NFL tight end and has played for the Cowboys, Chiefs, Titans and Dolphins.

L. Burke Rainey (MSA, ACCT ’05) is chief accounting officer and vice president of CNL Healthcare Properties II Inc. in Orlando. Prior to assuming this role, Rainey served as the company’s controller. He is a licensed CPA in the state of Florida and a chartered global management accountant.

Justin Michaud (FIN) was appointed CEO of REM Surface Engineering, Brenham, Texas. Michaud has been part of the REM Surface Engineering team since 2006, serving in the role of corporate special projects manager before his promotion to director of operations in 2009. Named vice president in 2012, Michaud focused on continual improvement, process optimization across multiple departments, and oversight of operations and sales.

2007

Mike Bartlett (ACCT) is a staff accountant with Whitinger & Company, a regional public accounting and advisory firm. He previously served as a financial advisor at Valeo Financial Advisors in Indianapolis. Bartlett also played professional hockey for seven years in the United States, Austria, and Denmark after graduating from Notre Dame. He lives in Muncie, Indiana, with his wife and two children.

Marie Halvorsen-Ganepola (MBA) and husband Berty welcomed a daughter, Bellamie “Bella” Aya-Grace Willa, Feb. 22, 2017.

Elise Kern (MBA) and husband Byron Kern (MBA ’11) moved to Portland, Maine, recently for new job opportunities. Elise is now senior director of insights and analytics for TideSmart Global, an award-winning independent experiential marketing agency. Byron is director of product management for KICTeam, a manufacturer of specialty cleaning solutions for commercial transaction equipment. The Kerns report they are “loving Maine and enjoying all the lobster, blueberries, and lighthouses that abound there!”

2008

Mark Schwitzenberg (EMBA) has been promoted to vice president of marketing, urology and hospital business unit for Astellas Pharma US Inc. He will have responsibility for all urology, hospital and transplant products for the Northbrook, Illinois-based company. Schwitzenberg previously served as executive director for urology marketing.

Angela Forss Schmit (MGTE) recently joined Woods & Aitken LLP’s Labor and Employment practice group. Schmit exclusively counsels and represents public and private sector employers in a full range of labor relations and employment law matters for the Omaha, Nebraska, firm.

2009

Patrick Patterson (MNA) is the president and CEO of Volunteers of America Michigan. Patterson, who previously served as executive vice president, assumed his new role on July 1, 2017. As EVP, he oversaw fundraising, public relations, construction and maintenance activities for the past five years. Prior to that, he served as vice president of operations, directing social service, construction, building maintenance and community engagement. Patterson joined the organization in 2000.

Vanessa Crescio (MBA) is branch manager of United Federal Credit Union (UFCU) in Buchanan, Michigan. Her background includes mortgage underwriter, real estate broker, and sales and marketing manager.

2011

Justin Whitmore (MBA) has been named to the newly created position of chief sustainability officer for Tyson Foods Inc. As CSO, he will lead the company’s strategies to find profit while building a sustainable food system, aiming to deliver healthier food, animals, workplaces and environment. Whitmore previously was a consultant with McKinsey & Co.

Byron Kern (MBA) see 2007.

2012

Joe Barron (MBA) is the creator of You Bet-Cha!, the first game to be launched by his company, Gray Matters Games of Glen Ellyn, Illinois. The company promotes community and brain health and is donating 15 percent of its profits to the Alzheimer’s Association.

Michael Ostermeyer (EMBA) has joined the Chicago law firm Polsinelli PC, where he will focus his practice on commercial real estate. He spent the previous 27 years with the Milwaukee office of Quarles & Brady LLP.

Joseph Hasto (EMBA) has joined Northwest Federal Credit Union as its new senior vice president/chief financial officer. Hasto has 23 years of credit union experience, most recently serving as EVP/CFO with Elements Financial Federal Credit Union in Indianapolis. His previous experience includes Public Service Credit Union in Denver, Colorado, and Wegmans Federal Credit Union in Rochester, New York.

Daniel Peña (EMBA) is the new vice president of institutional advancement for Siena Heights University, Adrian, Michigan. He previously served as the associate director of graduate business annual giving at the University of Notre Dame.

2013

Christopher White (MNA) is the newly appointed headmaster at Kempenfelt Bay School as of July 1, 2017. KBS is a coeducational independent school located in Innisfil, Ontario, Canada, just north of Toronto.

2014

Dan O’Mahoney (EMBA) is the vice president of technology at the Shedd Aquarium, Chicago. In this role, he will focus on growing the organization’s business technology applications as well as the ability to leverage technology to enhance guest engagement and to deliver mission. O’Mahoney previously held positions with NorthShore University HealthSystem, Evanston, Illinois, and is a retired United States Army major with 21 years of active and National Guard service.

2016

Caleb Capozella (MSM), a contractor at Zimmer Biomet, received the July 2017 Shining Star Employee Award from Peoplelink Group. Capozella was placed at Zimmer Biomet through Zing!Recruiting, which operates under the Peoplelink Group in South Bend.

Laura Jensen (MBA) has been named president and CEO of the United Way of St. Joseph County, Indiana. Jensen previously served as director of one of its partner charities, El Campito Child Development Center. She is also a United Way board member.

David Ladd (EMBA) is VP at STATS LLC, a sports analytics company that provides data-driven digital solutions that feed the sports landscape. Ladd leads the North American business, including current and new customers across teams, digital media, fantasy, brands and broadcasters.

Asusena Reséndiz (MNA) has been appointed to the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) by Texas Governor Greg Abbott. Reséndiz serves as the director of economic development for Brooks City Base. She is a member of the Americas Competitiveness Exchange, the U.S. Global Coalition Texas Advisory Committee, San Antonio Manufacturers Association, the San Antonio Real Estate Council and the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. TDHCA is responsible for promoting and preserving homeownership, financing the development of affordable rental housing, and supporting community and energy assistance programs.


 

EDITOR'S NOTE: 

MCOB CUBS FRONT OFFICE EMPLOYEES

Mendoza Business Spring 2017’s cover story, “Beyond the Field of Play,” featured alums working in the front office of major sports franchises. As it turns out, the Chicago Cubs is loaded with alums! Jordan Tomchaney (MARK ’15), Integrated Marketing Coordinator Melissa (Halac) Shields (ACCT ’94), Senior Director – Controller Katie (Hatfield) Tresnowski (MSA ’09, ACCT ’08), Manager and Accounting Callahan DePorter (FIN ’12), Staff Accountant.