VIRGINIA TECH MAGAZINE
  • Winter 2013-14

    Volume 36, Number 2

    Virginia Tech Magazine, winter 2013-14

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  • CLASS NOTES

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  • Key

    • births Births and adoptions
    • career accomplishments Career accomplishments
    • deaths Deceased
    • weddings Weddings
  • painting by Leslie Roberts Gregg '79

    Leslie Roberts Gregg (ART '79), Blacksburg, Va., was commissioned to paint former Pamplin College of Business Dean Richard E. Sorensen's portrait.
  • son of Catherine Guy Batchelor '93 and Daniel A. Batchelor '13

    Catherine Guy Batchelor (FCD '93, EDCI '96) and Daniel A. Batchelor (MBA ’13), Aurora, Colo., a son, Benjamin, 7/10/13.
  • son of Brian D. Wilkerson '96

    Brian D. Wilkerson (AAEC '96), Concord, Va., a son, Donovan Tate, 12/31/12.
  • son of Mitzi Frank '97 and Scott Frank '00

    Mitzi L. Frank (PSYC '97) and Scott "Ponch" Frank (CE '00, CE '01), Jupiter, Fla., a son, Hagen, 7/17/13.
  • son of Robert Burr '00

    Robert E. Burr (BC '00), North Chesterfield, Va., a son, Cooper, 5/9/13.
  • son of Stephen Korving '00 and Megan Halstead Korving '01

    Stephen J. Korving (FIN '00) and Megan Halstead Korving (FCD '01, EDCI '02), Chesapeake, Va., a son, Mason, 8/1/13.
  • daughter of Claude Eugene Skelton II '00 and Susanna Wohlford Skelton '02

    Claude Eugene Skelton II (ME '00) and Susanna Wohlford Skelton (HIDM ’02), Sunnyvale, Calif., a daughter, Kinsey, 10/21/12.
  • son Kristine I. Purawic Starkey '00

    Kristine I. Purawic Starkey (FCD '00), Chesapeake, Va., a son, Bobby, 2/19/13.
  • son of Amanda W. Burrowes '02

    Amanda W. Burrowes (MKTG '02), Hampton, Va., a son, Hunter, 7/30/13.
  • twin daughters of Blair M. Hoyt '03 and Ashley Dawson Hoyt '04

    Blair M. Hoyt (EE '03) and Ashley Dawson Hoyt (ACIS '04, ACIS '05), South Riding, Va., twin girls, Reese and Michaela, 10/10/12.
  • Kristin N. Delo '04 and Daniel W. Myers '04

    Kristin N. Delo (SOC '04) and Daniel W. Myers (IDS '04), Berkeley, Calif., 6/1/13.
  • Caroline Elizabeth Sneed VanHarmelen '04 and Daniel L. VanHarmelen

    Caroline Elizabeth Sneed VanHarmelen (MUS '04, ARCH '04) and Daniel L. VanHarmelen, Seattle, Wash., 8/31/13.
  • son of Mark Gondek '05 and Megan Heath Gondek '05

    Mark A. Gondek (MKTG '05) and Megan Heath Gondek (FIN '05), Sterling, Va., a son, Jackson, 10/21/12.
  • son of Joshua Elliott '06

    Joshua D. Elliott (PSCI '06, MGT '06), Rockville, Va., a son, Jackson, 5/14/13.
  • son of Elizabeth Barrell Polinsky '06

    Elizabeth Barrell Polinsky (MUS '06), Ashburn, Va., a son, Aaron, 6/18/13.
  • Christopher A. Geruso '07 and Amber Smith Geruso '12

    Christopher A. Geruso (ISE '07) and Amber Smith Geruso (ISE '12), Atlanta, Ga., 9/28/13.
  • son of Jonathan Clifton '08

    Jonathan A. Clifton (COMM '08), Chesterfield, Va., a son, Jackson, 12/20/12.
  • Kate Huffman Harrell '09 and Mathew D. Harrell '10

    Kate Huffman Harrell (IDST '09, EDCI '11) and Mathew D. Harrell (HNFE '10), Roanoke, Va., 6/29/13.
  • Natalie Watson Chamberlain '10 and Ryan T. Chamberlain '11

    Natalie Watson Chamberlain (ARCH '10) and Ryan T. Chamberlain (ARCH '11), Annapolis, Md., 8/24/13.
  • son of Timothy P. Hall '10 and Ashley Hidalgo Hall '10

    Timothy P. Hall (HIST '10) and Ashley Hidalgo Hall (PSYC '12), Washington Depot, Conn., a son, 11/3/12.
  • Ryan A. Anderson '11 and Jenna Ryan Anderson '11

    Ryan A. Anderson (BIOL '11) and Jenna Ryan Anderson (PSYC '11, BIOL '11), Blacksburg Va., 7/13/13.
  • FEATURES

    Winter 2013-14

    Timothy D. Sands named Virginia Tech's 16th president

    Masterpiece: The Moss Arts Center comes to life

    Stagecraft: The versatility of Virginia Tech's newest institute and venue

    The Sounds of Science: Why your ears will love the Moss Arts Center

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    View or download PDF PDF

  • Class Notes

    1940s » 1950s » 1960s » 1970s » 1980s » 1990s » 2000s » 2010s » Obituaries »


    1940s

    '40

    death Lloyd H. Burton (ME), Virginia Beach, Va., 9/29/13.
    Alfred H. Hoblitzell (ARE), Bradenton Beach, Fla., 7/26/13.

    '41

    death Wallace F. Holladay Sr. (ARE '42, ARE '42), Washington, D.C., 1/25/12.

    '43

    death Norman A. Powell (GSC), Edmond, Okla., 1/26/13.

    '45

    death Stanley M. Giddings (ME, ME '49), Williamsburg, Va., 8/9/13.
    Oscar W. Olson Jr. (BAD), Pensacola, Fla., 8/15/13.
    William T. Smorczewski (IE '48), Acton, Mass., 1/8/13.

    '46

    death Paul F. Mowry (BAD '47), Derry, Pa., 7/2/13.

    '47

    death Raleigh S. Rogers (GSC '50), Ripley, W.Va., 7/24/13.

    '49

    death Russell D. Andrews (BAD), Smithfield, Va., 7/21/13.
    Bill B. Gregory (GAG '51), Kingsport, Tenn., 9/4/13.
    TOP  

    1950s

    '50

    death Robert R. Bowen (BIOL), Lynchburg, Va., 8/7/13.
    R. Gatewood "Bob" Dashiell Jr. (EE), Norfolk, Va., 8/30/13.
    Charles M. Fisher (EE), Blackstone, Va., 1/25/13.
    C.A. "Art" Hall Jr. (ME), Toledo, Ohio, 9/11/13.
    John W. Lunsford (AGED), Blairs, Va., 10/1/13.
    J. Curtis Payne (BAD '54), Virginia Beach, Va., 9/22/13.
    H. Lay Phillips Jr. (ANSC), Quantico, Md., 8/12/13.
    Joseph H. Piper (IE), Houston, Texas, 7/3/13.
    James B. Way (IE), Roanoke, Va., 9/26/13.

    '51

    death George L. Evans (ME), Princeton, W.Va., 7/25/13.
    C. Kelsie Hughes Jr. (IAED '50), Elkton, Va., 7/20/13.
    Betsy Cregger Stewart (HEED), Jekyll Island, Ga., 9/13/13.

    '52

    death Frank H. Baber Jr. (AGED), Cartersville, Va., 8/7/13.
    Clyde N. Gauldin (BC '51), Richmond, Va., 9/8/13.
    Brown G. Howard III (BAD), Floyd, Va., 8/2/13.
    Fred W. Thompson (CERE), California, Md., 9/19/13.

    '53

    death Richard A. Downing (DASC), Exmore, Va., 8/14/13.
    John K. Groseclose (ARE, ARE '60), Mobile, Ala., 9/1/13.
    James A. Paul Jr. (IE '54), Richmond, Va., 8/6/13.
    Vernor R. Vines (ME), Atlanta, Ga., 9/6/13.

    '54

    career John Henry Carter Jr. (ANSC, ANSC '59), Suffolk, Va., was inducted into the Virginia Livestock Hall of Fame for his contributions to the commonwealth's livestock industry.

    '55

    death John Dennis Kennedy (CE '59), Pearisburg, Va., 7/20/13.
    Leonard A. Wingard (GSC), Abingdon, Va., 8/11/13.

    '56

    death Donald L. Pemberton (EE), Hague, Va., 7/10/13.

    '57

    death William L. Owens Jr. (BAD '60, ECON '61), Norfolk, Va., 8/7/13.
    Ashton L. Trice (EE), Richmond, Va., 10/11/12.

    '58

    death Leslie H. Christian (IE '53, EE), Chester, Va., 6/27/13.
    Henry "Hank" Crittenden (BAD), Crewe, Va., 8/28/13.
    Earl C. Hancock (EE), Boulder, Colo., 7/10/13.
    Fred C. Prince (EE), Mechanicsville, Va., 8/7/13.
    Robert "Army" Smith (BAD), Kingwood, Texas, 7/27/13.

    '59

    career S.D. Moore (BUS), Roanoke, Va., was named a 2014 Best Lawyer in America by U.S. News & World Report and Best Lawyers.
    death Revel D. Crowson (EE), Suffolk, Va., 9/20/13.
    Kendren A. Jukkola (MATH '61), Aliquippa, Pa., 4/6/13.
    C. John Renick (BAD '60), Roanoke, Va., 8/15/13.
    Donald A. Williams (BAD), Salem, Va., 7/30/13.
    TOP  

    1960s

    '60

    death Thomas E. O'Brien (BAD), Appomattox, Va., 9/8/13.

    '61

    career David A. Leonard (ANSC '62), Lebanon, Va., was inducted into the Virginia Livestock Hall of Fame for his contributions to the commonwealth's livestock industry.

    '62

    death Charles H. Barnes Jr. (CE '64), Midlothian, Va., 9/30/13.
    Jimmie S. Necessary (IE), Kingsport, Tenn., 7/1/13.

    '63

    death Michael J. Reid (BAD), Sioux Falls, S.D., 8/26/13.

    '64

    career J. Burton Eller Jr. (ANSC, ANSC '70), Gaithersburg, Md., was recognized by BEEF magazine as one of the U.S. beef industry's top 50 leaders.
    death Leroy "Roy" M. Crawley (SOC '65), Alton, Va., 7/15/13.

    '65

    death Eugene C. Saunders (ECON), High Point, N.C., 7/15/13.

    '66

    death Paul M. Helbert (GEOL), Broadway, Va., 6/29/13.
    Michael F. Lucier (ME '68), Cape Charles, Va., 7/30/13.

    '68

    career J. Thomas Ryan (BIOL), Fredericksburg, Va., was appointed by Gov. Bob McDonnell to the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors.
    death Glenn Anderson (AGED, AGED, EDVT '85), Mechanicsville, Va., 8/13/13.
    Dan Goodman (BAD '69), Winnetka, Ill., 8/22/13.

    '69

    career Marvin "Skip" H. Schuelke Jr. (MKTG), Virginia Beach, Va., was recognized by the Virginia Biotechnology Association for his contributions to the life sciences in Virginia and beyond.
    wedding David E. McClinton (BAD '70) and Susie Kane, Tucson, Ariz., 3/25/13.
    TOP  

    1970s

    '70

    death Norman H. Jones Jr. (PSCI '71), Franklin, N.C., 12/24/12.
    F. Wayne Martin (BAD), Blacksburg, Va., 8/21/13.
    Jefferson J. Oakes (BAD), Greenville, S.C., 8/11/13.

    '71

    career David R. Mills (IE), Johnstown, Pa., retired from Earthtech Inc. after 33 years of service as vice president, chief financial officer, and founding partner.
    death Berkley "Jack" Elliott (MKTG), Lynchburg, Va., 7/24/13.
    Frank H. Holland (HIST), Midlothian, Va., 9/19/13.

    '72

    career Charles "Buddy" Litchfield III (HIST, HIST '74), Blacksburg, Va., was conferred the title of assistant professor emeritus by the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors.
    wedding Robert E. Bryant (HPE, HPE) and Ruth Harper Bryant, Roanoke, Va., 7/13/13.
    death Jerry W. Bryant (PSCI), Roanoke, Va., 10/6/13.
    James N. Smith (ARCH), Roanoke, Va., 7/6/13.

    '73

    career Edward P. Milhous (FIN, HORT '75), Haymarket, Va., was named a True Professional of Arboriculture by the International Society of Arboriculture.
    death Donald E. Munsey Jr. (FW), West Monroe, La., 8/28/13.

    '74

    career A. Jack Davis (ARCH, ARCH '76), Blacksburg, Va., was named a Senior Fellow by the Design Futures Council.
    death C. Milton Driver (SOC), Staunton, Va., 8/16/13.
    James P. Newman Jr. (ZOOL, BIOL), Santa Rosa, Calif., 8/1/13.

    '75

    career Glen E. Thompson (PSCI), Roanoke, Va., retired after a 32-year career in information technology with Norfolk Southern Corp.

    '76

    death Sam P. Saufley (AGED), Grottoes, Va., 6/16/13.
    Brenda Blackburn Talbott (EDCI), Grundy, Va., 6/12/13.
    Tom H. Twine Jr. (ETE), Altoona, Pa., 5/18/13.

    '77

    career William F. Foy (COMM), Blacksburg, Va., is director of communications and innovative technologies for the Division of Student Affairs at Virginia Tech.
    W. William Gust (PSCI), Roanoke, Va., was named a 2014 Best Lawyer in America by U.S. News & World Report and Best Lawyers.
    death John F. Aubin (EE), Doylestown, Pa., 8/28/13.
    Mark B. Warlick (PSCI), Norfolk, Va., 7/31/13.

    '78

    career David W. Miller (MGT), Louisville, Ky., saw Healthcare Strategy Group, the firm he founded and owns, named to the Inc5000 list of the fastest-growing privately held firms in the U.S.
    death R. Kevin Phelan (ACCT), Clemmons, N.C., 9/11/13.
    Alan L. Roper (DASC), Shippensburg, Pa., 9/7/13.

    '79

    career James L. Chapman IV (HIST), Virginia Beach, Va., was appointed by Gov. Bob McDonnell to the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors.
    Craig S. Eddy (CE), Stafford, Va., is a senior engineer with Pennoni Associates Inc. in Chantilly, Va.
    Leslie Roberts Gregg (ART), Blacksburg, Va., was commissioned to paint former Pamplin College of Business Dean Richard E. Sorensen's portrait.
    TOP  

    1980s

    '80

    career Ronald J. Kendall (FIW), Ransom Canyon, Texas, is the founding director of the Institute of Environmental and Human Health at Texas Tech University and was a finalist for the 2013 Texas Environmental Excellence Award.
    William H. Woodall (STAT '74, STAT '81), Blacksburg, Va., was selected as co-recipient of the first Soren Bisgaard Award, which recognizes the paper in the American Society for Quality journal, Quality Engineering, with the greatest potential for advancing the practice of quality improvement.

    '81

    career Carol "Bitsy" Bland (LASC), Johnson City, Tenn., earned a doctorate in special education from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
    Russell D. Housley (CS '82), Herndon, Va., was elected as chair of the Internet Architecture Board.
    Cindy Smith Leone (MGT), Pittsburgh, Pa., is the trust administrator for The Bank of New York Mellon Corp.
    Craig E. Nesbit (COMM), Naperville, Ill., was selected as a member of the board of advisors for Christina Motley LLC's Chief Marketing Officer For Hire business model.
    Alexander X. Niemiera (HORT, HORT '85), Blacksburg, Va., is assistant dean for the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Virginia Tech.
    death Dolly Serreno Baldwin (EDCI, EDCI '91), Athens, W.Va., 2/14/13.

    '82

    career Gary L. Creasey (PSYC), Bloomington, Ill., received the 2012 Illinois Professor of the Year award from the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the Council for Advancement and Support for Education for his dedication to undergraduate teaching.

    '83

    career Steven H. Bullard (FOR), Mathiston, Miss., received the W.D. Hagenstein Communicator Award from the Society of American Foresters.
    Ernest "Gene" Copenhaver Jr. (ANSC), Meadowview, Va., was inducted into the Virginia Livestock Hall of Fame for his contributions to the commonwealth's livestock industry.
    Daniel C. Josephson (FIW), Old Forge, N.Y., received the 2013 Distinguished Alumnus Award from Jamestown Community College.
    Mary Kathryn Burkey Owens (ENGL), Chesterfield, Va., was included in the 2014 edition of Best Lawyers in America.

    '84

    career Thomas R. Fox (FOR), Christiansburg, Va., received the Barrington Moore Memorial Award in Biological Science from the Society of American Foresters.
    death Richard P. Bowman (CE, CE '86), Alexandria, Va., 2/3/12.

    '85

    career Dennis R. Cogswell (EDAC), Radford, Va., wrote a book entitled "Families are Forever: Communication."
    Kenneth Ritche Moore Jr. (PSCI), Southern Pines, N.C., was promoted to brigadier general.
    death Tony M. Burnette (UA), Fairfax, Va., 7/5/13.
    William D. Colletti (ME), Lisbon, Conn., 9/14/13.

    '86

    career Bradford A. King (COMM), Ashland, Va., was included in the 2014 edition of Best Lawyers in America.
    James B. Lackey (AOE), Madison, Ala., is director of engineering at the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Research, Development, and Engineering Center.
    birth Timothy J. Graver (CHE), Cheshire, Conn., a son and daughter, 4/25/13.

    '87

    career George A. Eberling (FW), Clear Spring, Md., is the western regional forester for the Maryland Forest Service.
    C. Randolph Wimbish III (PSCI), Richmond, Va., was included in the 2014 edition of Best Lawyers in America.

    '88

    career D'Arcy P. Mays III (MATH, STAT '89, STAT '93), Richmond, Va., received the Paul Minton Distinguished Service Award from the Southern Regional Council on Statistics.
    Steven L. Sims (CE), Dumfries, Va., retired as a captain in the U.S. Navy's Civil Engineer Corps.

    '89

    career Richard L. Eisbrouch (TA), Woodland Hills, Calif., retired from his role in theater set design at Pasadena City College.
    Timothy W. Maas (PSCI), Vienna, Va., is assistant director of the division of reserve bank operations and payment systems for the board of governors of the Federal Reserve System in Washington, D.C.
    Stephen W. Shebest (PSCI, BAD '11), Leesburg, Va., is director in the discovery services practice for Deloitte Financial Advisory Services LLP.
    TOP  

    1990s

    '90

    career Bonnie Kerrigan Snyder (EDSP), Lancaster, Pa., wrote two college-themed books entitled "The New College Reality" and "The Unemployed College Graduate's Survival Guide."

    '92

    career James D. Bennett (LASC), Red House, Va., was recognized by BEEF magazine as one of the U.S. beef industry's top 50 leaders.
    Henry T. Kopf (ECAS), Cary, N.C., is an associate for Shanahan Law Group PLLC.
    Patrick S. Larkin (HORT), Nashville, Tenn., is senior vice president of gardens and facilities at Cheekwood.
    W. Craig Short (BAD), Flowery Branch, Ga., helped develop a technologically advanced U.S. Navy SEALS combat submersible.

    '93

    career Steve L. McMullin (FIW), Radford, Va., is interim head of the Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation at Virginia Tech.
    birth Catherine Guy Batchelor (FCD '93, EDCI '96) and Daniel A. Batchelor (MBA '13), Aurora, Colo., a son, 7/10/13.

    '94

    career Mitchell E. Blumenfeld (CSA), Downingtown, Pa., is chief financial officer for Packaging Coordinators Inc.
    Debra Cartwright Meade (ENGL '77, EDAC), Roanoke, Va., retired as president and publisher of the Roanoke Times.
    Mary E. Sams (FCD), Williamsburg, Va., is president of the Friends of Barnabas Foundation.
    Robert L. Smith (FPR), Christiansburg, Va., was appointed head of the Department of Sustainable Biomaterials in Virginia Tech's College of Natural Resources and Environment.
    Michael A. Szymanski (BIOL), Elizabethtown, Pa., is site director of the GlaxoSmithKline vaccines facility in Marietta, Pa.
    Richard M. Wardrop III (BIOL), Raleigh, N.C., is associate professor of medicine and pediatrics at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine and program director for the combined internal medicine and pediatrics residency training program at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill.
    birth Kristina Branstetter Curry (MSCI) and Daniel T. Curry (HIST '96), Springfield, Va., a daughter, 4/25/13.

    '95

    career Scott M. Cowan (MSCI, PAPA '99), Windermere, Fla., founded Little Sinks LLC with his wife. The company offers a HokieBird-inspired hooded towel.
    Peter J. McCourt II (HIST), Glen Allen, Va., is vice president of the Mission for Bon Secours Richmond Health System.
    Jason E. Melby (MATH), Melbourne, Fla., wrote a book entitled "The 4C's of a Meaningful and Lasting Romance."
    James D. Neddo Jr. (ME), Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., is director of mechanical strategy in mechanical operations for CSX.
    Jenifer R. Spisak (EDCI, EDCI '96), Richmond, Va., won the 2012 School Librarian of the Year award from the Virginia Association of School Librarians.
    William C. Worrell (FW, FOR '10), Lebanon, Va., received the 2013 Young Forester Leadership Award from the Appalachian Society of American Foresters.

    '96

    career Daniel H. Dougherty (PSCI), Bettendorf, Iowa, is the manager of business development and solutions strategy for the Intelligent Solutions Group at John Deere.
    Sean D. Henrickson (PSYC), Beaufort, S.C., was selected as the Hokie Hero for the Virginia Tech vs. Georgia Tech football game.
    birth Brian D. Wilkerson (AAEC), Concord, Va., a son, 12/31/12.

    '97

    career John W. Kilareski (MGT), Woodbridge, Va., was selected as the Hokie Hero for the Virginia Tech vs. Marshall football game.
    James L. Moore III (EDSP, EDCO '00), Alexandria, Va., was named the American Council on Education Fellow for 2013-14 and is the Distinguished Professor of Urban Education in The Ohio State University's College of Education and Human Ecology.
    birth Mitzi L. Frank (PSYC) and Scott S. Frank (CE '00, CE '01), Jupiter, Fla., a son, 7/17/13.

    '98

    career Matthew O. Duffey (CHEM), Cambridge, Mass., is a patent scientist with Michael Best & Friedrich LLP.
    Donald L. Grebner (ECAS '96, FOR), Starkville, Miss., wrote a book entitled "Introduction to Forestry and Natural Resources."
    Sherri L. Newell-Kelly (ACCT), Studio City, Calif., is an executive director for Ernst & Young LLP's advisory practice.
    George S. South (ARCH), New York, N.Y., was inducted as the president of the International Interior Design Association's New York chapter.

    '99

    career Ryan N. Burnette (BCHM, LSBC '04), Chesterfield, Va., wrote a book entitled "Biosecurity: Understanding, Assessing, and Preventing the Threat."
    Karen Bednarczyk Cowan (ELPS), Windermere, Fla., founded Little Sinks LLC with her husband. The company offers a HokieBird-inspired hooded towel.
    Robert E. Emard (ARCH), Alexandria, Va., is an associate at The Lukmire Partnership and was appointed to the Beauregard Urban Design Advisory Committee by the Alexandria City Council.
    wedding Melissa L. Hobbs-Hendrickson (BAD) and David Hendrickson, Hagerstown, Md., 7/27/13.
    birth Aron Boggs-Johnson (HTM), Wilmington, N.C., a son, 10/31/12.
    TOP  

    2000s

    '00

    career Mark W. Button (MKTG), Richmond, Va., co-founded Salty Grips, a company that sells cork putter grips inspired by the cork handles on fishing rods.
    Charles D. Gilmer (ME), Harvest, Ala., helped develop a technologically advanced U.S. Navy SEALS combat submersible.
    birth Robert E. Burr (BC), North Chesterfield, Va., a son, 5/9/13.
    Stephen J. Korving (FIN) and Megan Halstead Korving (FCD '01, EDCI '02), Chesapeake, Va., a son, 8/1/13.
    Michael R. Munsey (ME), Roanoke, Va., a son, 7/20/13.
    Claude Eugene Skelton II (ME) and Susanna Wohlford Skelton (HIDM '02), Sunnyvale, Calif., a daughter, 10/21/12.
    Kristine I. Purawic Starkey (FCD), Chesapeake, Va., a son, 2/19/13.

    '01

    birth Orlander B. Harrison Jr. (SOC), Washington, D.C. a daughter, 3/27/13.

    '02

    career Clinton W. Flowers (MKTG), Denver, Colo., co-founded Salty Grips, a company that sells cork putter grips inspired by the cork handles on fishing rods.
    Jolene D. Hamm (APSC, EDCT '03, GSCR '09, LSAE '10), Ringgold, Va., is director of institutional research, planning, and institutional effectiveness at Piedmont Virginia Community College.
    birth Amanda W. Burrowes (MKTG), Hampton, Va., a son, 7/30/13.
    James Kotora IV (BIOL), Chula Vista, Calif., a son, 5/30/13.
    Ashley Smith Seppala (HD), Grayslake, Ill., a daughter, 5/14/13.

    '03

    career Alex C. Brown (BIT, ACIS '06), Apex, N.C., is vice chair of Students Against Violence Everywhere (SAVE).
    Sana U. Hoda (IS), Washington, D.C., wrote a book entitled "Diwali: A Cultural Adventure."
    wedding Josh B. Bishop (MGT) and Monika Anderson Bishop (HD '11), Roanoke, Va., 6/16/13.
    Robert Brent DiGiacomo (COMM) and Stacey E. Vidt (HNFE, HNFE '07), Greensboro, N.C., 7/6/13.
    Stacey Hitzelbery Waite (HNFE) and David S. Waite (MGT '07, MKTG '07), Sterling, Va., 3/23/13.
    birth Blair M. Hoyt (EE) and Ashley Dawson Hoyt (ACIS '04, ACIS '05), South Riding, Va., twin girls, 10/10/12.
    Erich L. Stenzel (AAEC) and Stacey Blackburn Stenzel (APSC), Bedford, Va., a son, 7/20/13.

    Robert Brent DiGiacomo '03 and Stacey E. Vidt '03),
    Robert Brent DiGiacomo (COMM '03) and Stacey E. Vidt (HNFE '03, HNFE '07), Greensboro, N.C., 7/6/13. Photo by Michael Keyes Photography.

    '04

    career Stephen W. Crawford (BIT), Annapolis, Md., an assistant vice president at Alion Science and Technology, led an Alion team awarded a contract to human research protection program accreditation for all Veterans Affairs medical centers. Last summer, the team launched a parallel commercial offering.
    wedding Kristin N. Delo (SOC) and Daniel W. Myers (IDS), Berkeley, Calif., 6/1/13.
    Caroline Elizabeth Sneed VanHarmelen (MUS, ARCH) and Daniel L. VanHarmelen, Seattle, Wash., 8/31/13.

    '05

    career Adam G. Jeckel (ARCH), Philadelphia, Pa., is a project manager for the Coscia Moos Architecture firm.
    birth Mark A. Gondek (MKTG) and Megan Heath Gondek (FIN), Sterling, Va., a son, 10/21/12.

    '06

    career Sonia A. Schmitt (BAD), McLean, Va., is executive director of the College of Business and visiting professor of marketing at the University of South Florida.
    Laura C. Pautler (PSCI), Miami Beach, Fla., is manager of sales delivery for Burger King Corp.
    birth Jennifer Basham Batchelor (COMM), Hope Mills, N.C., a daughter, 6/11/13.
    Jessica Miller Druck (BIT), Vienna, Va., a daughter, 6/14/13.
    Brian R. Dudrow (ISE) and Lindsey M. Weise Dudrow (MGT), Virginia Beach, Va., a daughter, 6/4/13.
    Joshua D. Elliott (PSCI, MGT), Rockville, Va., a son, 5/14/13.
    Jennifer Lennox Folden (ENGL) and Matthew A. Folden (PUA '07), Olney, Md., a son, 9/22/13.
    Lauren Fix Fortenberry (ENGL, EDCI '08, PH '12) and Ryan C. Fortenberry (CHEM '12), Statesboro, Ga., a son, 7/30/13.
    Elizabeth Barrell Polinsky (MUS), Ashburn, Va., a son, 6/18/13.

    '07

    career Alaina A. McCormack (CS), Arlington, Va., developed an iPhone app called TRIPSTOP that allows motorists to efficiently plan their next travel stop.
    wedding Adedoyin O. Adewodu (EE) and Veronica Gentry Adewodu (ACIS '08), Atlanta, Ga., 3/2/13.
    Christopher A. Geruso (ISE) and Amber Smith Geruso (ISE '12), Atlanta, Ga., 9/28/13.
    Michael D. Williams (ACIS, ACIS '08) and Madison Landa Williams (PIA '12), Boston, Mass., 6/1/13.
    birth Seth P. Brewer (CHE), Blue Ridge, Va., a daughter, 11/29/12.
    Joseph B. Church (EDCI) and Jennifer Dawn Church (EDCI '08), Radford, Va., a daughter, 7/23/13.

    Adedoyin O. Adewodu '07 and Veronica Gentry Adewodu '08
    Adedoyin O. Adewodu (EE '07) and Veronica Gentry Adewodu (ACIS '08), Atlanta, Ga., 3/2/13. Photo by Natalie Frank Photography.

    '08

    career Michael V. Butera (PHIL, ASPT '10), Nashville, Tenn., invented the Artiphon Instrument 1—a guitar, keyboard, drums, and bass, all in one.
    April G. Hylton (BAD), Floyd, Va., is interim assistant dean of administration for the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine at Virginia Tech.
    Andrew K. Smithey (AE), Stafford, Va., was selected as the Hokie Hero for the Virginia Tech vs. Western Carolina football game.
    birth Jonathan A. Clifton (COMM), Chesterfield, Va., a son, 12/12/12.
    Aaron P. Myhr (CS, HIST) and Eileen McCaffrey Myhr (IDST), Centreville, Va., a daughter, 5/4/13.

    '09

    career William G. Blevins (ECON), Mars, Pa., was appointed a commissioned risk management examiner for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.
    Amy L. Carrozzino-Lyon (FIW, GSCR '12, FIW '12), Christiansburg, Va., was selected to participate in the Wildlife Society's 2013 Leadership Institute.
    Sarah E. Visich (HNFE), Devon, Pa., earned a master of science degree in physician assistant studies from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine.
    wedding Kevin W. Cupp (BIT) and Taylor J. White Cupp (GEOG), Christiansburg, Va., 6/8/13.
    Kate Huffman Harrell (IDST, EDCI '11) and Mathew D. Harrell (HNFE '10), Roanoke, Va., 6/29/13.
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    2010s

    '10

    career Ryan B. Murphy (IS), Fair Haven, N.J., was selected as the Hokie Hero for the Virginia Tech vs. Pittsburgh football game.
    Tracy M. Porter Jr. (GEOG), West Point, Va., was selected as the Hokie Hero for the Virginia Tech vs. Alabama football game.
    wedding Natalie Watson Chamberlain (ARCH) and Ryan T. Chamberlain (ARCH '11), Annapolis, Md., 8/24/13.
    Gina M. Hayes (BSE) and Joshua L. Arnett (BSE), Silver Spring, Md., 5/26/13.
    Stuart H. Worley (BIOL) and Sarah E. McQuail Worley (HNFE '12, PSYC '12), Columbus, Ga., 9/14/13.
    birth Timothy P. Hall (HIST) and Ashley Hidalgo Hall (PSYC '12), Washington Depot, Conn., a son, 11/3/12.

    '11

    career Nathaniel J. Bier (HIST), Macon, Ga., was selected as the Hokie Hero for the Virginia Tech vs. North Carolina football game.
    Matthew R. Lyons (ACIS, ACIS '12), Blacksburg, Va., is an associate accountant for the Butler & Burke accounting firm in Winston-Salem, N.C.
    Matthew F. Smith (PSCI), Lexington Park, Md., was selected as the Hokie Hero for the Virginia Tech vs. East Carolina football game.
    wedding Ryan A. Anderson (BIOL) and Jenna Ryan Anderson (PSYC, BIOL), Blacksburg Va., 7/13/13.
    Ian K. Barnes (MKTG) and Caitlin A. Boyle (ENGL, EDCI '12), McLean, Va., 7/20/13.
    Emily May Myrick (BCHM) and Joseph T. Myrick (BIOC), Newport News, Va., 6/8/13.
    Rebecca Myers Ovelgoenner (ISE) and Paul A. Ovelgoenner (PHIL, PSYC), Christiansburg, Va., 8/10/13.
    birth Kelley C. Boyer (STS), Leesburg, Va., a son, 2/1/13.

    Emily May Myrick '11 and Joseph T. Myrick '11
    Emily May Myrick (BCHM '11) and Joseph T. Myrick (BIOC '11), Newport News, Va., 6/8/13. At the Daveste Vineyard in Troutman, N.C., Joe smiled and said, "We bring the VT lunch pail commitment to our marriage." Photo by Brad Patterson.

    '12

    career Kyle D. Dingus (FORS), Blacksburg, Va., is a forester with the Northern Virginia Department of Forestry.
    wedding Jacob A. Buttz (CE) and Kaitlin N. Kallini, Blacksburg, Va., 8/14/13.

    '13

    career Robert M. Davis (GSCR, PAPA), Staunton, Va., completed a master's of public administration at Virginia Tech's Center for Public Administration and Policy.
    Krystyn Haecker (ARCH), Austin, Texas, completed a design for the National Museum of the American People near the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
    Amelia E. Liarakos (ARTF), Blacksburg, Va., received a national Gold ADDY Award from the American Advertising Federation for her work, "North by Northwest Titles," in the "elements of advertising, visual" category.
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    Obituaries

    FRIENDS


    Floyd W. "Sonny" Merryman Jr., an entrepreneur and philanthropist for whom the Merryman Athletic Facility is named, died Dec. 7, 2013. Merryman founded one of the nation's premier bus dealerships, Sonny Merryman Inc. Along with supporting capital projects at Virginia Tech, he endowed a professorship in the Pamplin College of Business and multiple scholarships within the university. His generosity and volunteer service were recognized with the William H. Ruffner Medal in 2006.

    FACULTY/STAFF


    Craig Leonard Brians, associate professor of political science in the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences, died Nov. 10, 2013. A member of the faculty since 1998, Brians taught undergraduate and graduate courses in American politics, elections, political communication, public opinion, and political science research methods. Regularly interpreting elections and political behavior for the media, Brians also served as associate chair of the department for several years. Brians completed a bachelor's degree from the California State University, Fresno, and a master's degree and Ph.D. from the University of California, Irvine.

    Antonio A. Fernández, emeritus associate professor of Spanish in the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences, died June 17, 2013, in St. Petersburg, Fla. Born in Cuba in 1949, Fernández earned his Ph.D. from the University of Kentucky and then taught at Virginia Tech from 1979 until he retired in 2010. He received numerous teaching awards and was widely known as "la voz" for his wonderful voice.

    Kenneth F. Rystrom Jr., a retired Virginia Tech journalism professor, died Aug. 4, 2013, in Eugene, Ore. He began his newspaper career in Vancouver, Wash., in 1956, at The Columbian and became an editorial writer for the Des Moines Register and Tribune from 1960-64, moving back to Vancouver to lead The Columbian's editorial page. Rystrom left the newspaper field for academe in 1977 and received a Ph.D. in political science from the University of Southern California in 1983. He taught editorial writing and other journalism courses at University of Redlands and Virginia Tech until his retirement in 1997.

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