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SUMMER 2008

DON’T MISSHOMECOMING

October 17-19, 2008

HOTEL, RESTAURANT& TOURISMMANAGEMENT

HOTEL, RESTAURANT& TOURISMMANAGEMENTThe Business of Making People Happy

Front Cover plm v2 7/11/08 12:31 PM

Summer 2008

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ContentsVolume 9, Number 2

6 Prepared to PleaseSUNY Plattsburgh alums are in the business of making people happy.

10 Measuring UpHRTM program has created the recipe for success.

Features

Departments16 Philanthropy

Making a difference

18 Cardinal RulesCardinals finish fourth in SUNY Cup

20 Alumni NewsAlumni gather for memories and good times

25 Class NotesWhat they’re doing now

32 The Last WordAfternoon on the Upper BoquetArtwork by Margaret Dimock ’09Plattsburgh State art student..

On the CoverHotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management students Jason Hayes and Caitlin Bassegio work the back of the house at Samuel D’s Restaurant during the Thursday night dinner. Photo by Rose McNulty

Left: Kana Takekoshi, Nicholas Gallo and Carolyn Campbell prepare tables in Samuel D’s Restaurant. Photo by Rose McNulty

Rose

McN

ulty

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INSIGHT

2 PLATTSBURGH MAGAZINE

COLLEGE PRESIDENT

Dr. John Ettling

VICE PRESIDENT FOR

INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT

Anne Whitmore Hansen

ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT FOR

INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT

Brendan C. Kinney

DIRECTOR OF ALUMNI AFFAIRS

Rose G. Anderson ’95

ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC RELATIONS

AND PUBLICATIONS

Michelle M. Ouellette

DIRECTOR OF ADVANCEMENT SERVICES

David Gregoire

M A G A Z I N E S T A F F

MANAGING EDITOR

Gerianne P. Wright

ART DIRECTOR

Paula A. Trahan ’85

C O L L E G E C O U N C I L

CHAIRPERSON DONALD L. GARRANT ’57 G’59VICE CHAIRPERSON ROGER J. BURKE

MEMBERS ANGEL ACOSTA ’08ARNOLD A. AMELL '53KAREN J. EDWARDS G’84SALVATORE C.GRAVEN '02M. CATHERINE HOLLINSHEADHEIDI H. KELLYEDWARD S. LURIE '70SOHAM PATEL, M.D.

C O L L E G E F O U N D A T I O N

PRESIDENT DANIEL BURKE '74FIRST VICE PRESIDENT KURT MOWRY2ND VICE PRESIDENT MICHAEL FREED '79

SECRETARY RANDALL GILTZ '87TREASURER KATHY MAGAW '72

DIRECTORS

A L U M N I A S S O C I A T I O N

PRESIDENT DOUGLAS P. MCMANUS '89 G'91VICE PRESIDENT TONI ANNE (TORMOS) NICHELS '88

SECRETARY STASIA O. ARCARESE '62TREASURER STEVEN FREDERICK '88 G'90DIRECTORS ANGEL ACOSTA ’08

NERLANDE ANSELME '96 G'98DIANE M. AUSTIN '73 G'76C. THOMAS CUMMINGS '56JOSEPH DESALVO '89BRYAN ENSEL ’09DR. JOHN ETTLINGASHLEY GAMBINO ’04ANNE WHITMORE HANSENJOHN LONGWARE '56GREGORY RILEY '77KIM SCALZO '89THERESA SIROKY '84DR. HASSAN TETTEH '94ROBERT UERZ '78DR. DAVID VAN SLYKE '90CARRIE HARVEY-ZALES’95 G’98

Plattsburgh Magazine is published three times a yearby the Office of Public Relations at the StateUniversity of New York College at Plattsburgh.Postmaster: Send address changes to Alumni Office,SUNY Plattsburgh, 101 Broad St., Plattsburgh, NY 12901.Tel: 800-964-1889 • 518-564-2090 Fax: 518-564-2094

www.plattsburgh.eduEmail: [email protected]

ANGEL ACOSTA ’08DR. CLAYTON AJELLO '72EILEEN ALLEN '77MARY CASTRO '78DAVID CHAMPAGNE III '84DR. NANCY CHURCHPAUL CONNELLYC. THOMAS CUMMINGS '56SHIRLEY DELLA VECCHIA '64JOSEPH DESALVO '89DR. JOHN ETTLINGCECILY FELDMANNEIL FESETTE

CAROL LONG '79TODD MORAVECDR. DAVID MOWRYGORDON MUIRHENRY PARNASSJOSEPH PETERSON '87DR. JAMES RANDALL '78DANIEL SCAVINO '98DR. RICHARD SEMMLER '68ROBERT STAGNO '81KIRK STALLSMITHTRENT TRAHAN '70

From President Ettling

THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY IS ONE OF THE FASTEST-GROW-ING CAREER FIELDS TODAY. SOME ESTIMATES SUGGEST

THAT ONE JOB IN 10 WORLD-WIDE IS RELATED TO THE

INDUSTRY. THAT NUMBER WILL CONTINUE TO GROWas more of the 76 million baby boomers headinto retirement, giving them more time for travel and leisure.

SUNY Plattsburgh’s hotel, restaurant andtourism management program is up to thechallenge, providing a qualified, well-trainedworkforce. Our HRTM program has producedrestaurant owners, managers and marketingdirectors of some of the largest hotel chains inthe world, cruise ship and tour representativesand events planners in New York City and elsewhere.

Although the program itself has only been inexistence at SUNY Plattsburgh for 20 years, thehospitality industry can claim even more alumniwho earned their degrees from many of ourother programs. Our graduates have found

success in a wide variety of related careers.We have alumni in all corners of the world, from David Murphy ’75, a

senior vice president with McDonald’s Corporation in Hong Kong, to SethSalzman ’94, one of the founders of Moe’s Southwest Grill in Atlanta, Ga. Thelist goes on and is growing. The HRTM program has the largest enrollment ofprograms in our School of Business and Economics, and now the program isjointly accredited with the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools ofBusiness and the Accreditation Commission for Programs in HospitalityAdministration, only the second college in SUNY to receive joint ACPHAaccreditation.

When prospective students and their parents visit SUNY Plattsburgh’sstate-of-the-art HRTM facilities in Sibley Hall, they’re impressed and oftensay they can’t believe a college of our size has such offerings. They’re right to be feel this way: our program and our facilities are extraordinary. SUNYPlattsburgh is among the handful of top-notch programs in the country. Thisis not just because of the working kitchen labs and elegant Samuel D’s, whichserves as a restaurant and classroom. It is also in large part because of ourremarkable faculty, who work well together and complement each others’strengths. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts because the partsintegrate so well.

I’m proud of the HRTM program and the faculty and students who makethat corner of Sibley Hall a vibrant, enthusiastic and close-knit community.Our graduates have gone out into the world and have become shining stars inthe hospitality industry, and that reflects brightly on Plattsburgh State.

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SUMMER 2008 3

UndergraduateOpportunitiesEarn SUNYPlattsburghStudents TopHonors

SUNY Plattsburgh under-graduates are learninglessons, winning awardsand doing cutting-edgeresearch their peers canonly dream about.

Take Elizabeth Lavoie,Melissa Kopp and NishankBhalla, for example.

These students havebeen researching the DNAof ancient Maya skeletons.The skeletons are part ofwhat is likely the world’slargest collection, excavatedover the years with government permission by SUNY DistinguishedProfessor Dr. Mark Cohen.

They work under thesupervision of AssociateProfessor Dr. Nancy Elwessand Adjunct LecturerSandra Latourelle to extractDNA. Then, they amplify a portion, so that they cansequence it, using thecollege’s DNA sequencer. In doing so, they begin tounlock the doors to manymysteries.

This is research that has been done few timesbefore and never by undergraduates.

Lavoie, a sophomorebiology major, was awarded second place overall at the 2008 NorthEast Regional Sigma XiConference PosterCompetition. Before that,Kopp, a new graduate withdegrees in chemistry andbiology and Bhalla, asophomore biochemistrymajor, took top awards atthe 2007 Sigma Xi StudentResearch Conference. Kopp

also took a top award atthe National Association of Biology Teachersconference.

“The project has been amost amazing experience,in terms of learning somuch more and actuallydiscovering something newfor the first time,” saidBhalla.

Faculty MembersEarn Chancellor’sAwardsSix SUNY Plattsburgh faculty members have been honored with StateUniversity of New YorkChancellor’s Awards.

Peter J. Ensel III ’80, an associateprofessorand communi-cationsdepartmentchair,receivedthe

Excellence in TeachingAward, given to facultymembers who have consistently demonstratedsuperb teaching skills.

Student responses indicatethat they not only value hisknowledge and enthusiasm,they also find his courseschallenging and feel thatthey have learned fromthem.

“His effectiveness as ateacher and mentor isshown through the number of his studentswho win awards, securecompetitive internshipsand establish successfuland satisfying careers intheir field,” said SUNYPlattsburgh President JohnEttling.

Dr. Tracie Church Guzzio,an associate professor of English,received theExcellencein TeachingAward.

Guzziohas taught

courses covering topics like multiethnic American,African-American andhuman-rights literature —many of which she herselfhelped to develop. Studentshave consistently givenGuzzio’s teaching a highrating. They cite herenthusiasm, availabilityand respect for students.

“Former students whohave become teachers writethat they attempt to applyin their classrooms andrelationships with theirstudents what they learnedabout teaching from her,”said Ettling.

Dr. Gary M. Kroll, an assistantprofessor of history,receivedtheExcellencein FacultyServiceAward, an

honor extended to facultywho have a demonstratedrecord of sustained superior services.

Ettling noted that Kroll’srecord of service “is truly

CAMPUS NEWS The LatestDevelopments

Dr. George Flynn, a professor of mathematics and physics,received the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Scholarship andCreative Activities, which goes to faculty who have demonstratedsound and sustained scholarship in the sciences, humanities andprofessional studies or consistent creative productivity in the arts.

Flynn is an established researcher and a well-known investiga-tor of extraterrestrial material. Among his work is research onasteroid strength and the dangers that asteroids can represent toearth. Committed to helping others understand such research, heand fellow researcher Dr. Daniel Durda presented this work onthe History, the Canadian Broadcasting and the NationalGeographic channels.

“Dr. Flynn is not only significantly engaged in research himselfbut has encouraged young scientists in the development of their research,” said Ettling. “For example, his work with oneof our students led to her receiving a Chancellor’s Award forStudent Excellence.”

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exceptional for someonewho has been at SUNYPlattsburgh for only thelast seven years. In allthree areas of teaching,scholarship and service, Dr. Kroll has already created an enviableresume.”

The author of the recentlypublished, “America’s Ocean Wilderness: ACultural History ofTwentieth CenturyExploration” and the co-author of “Explorationand Science: Social Impactand Interaction,” Kroll isactive as a scholar who hasplayed a critical role indeveloping the current history/social studies program for adolescenceeducation and in environ-mental activities on campus.

PeterRussomreceivedtheExcellencein TeachingAward.

Thisassociate

professor and art departmentchair is an accomplishedartist. His works haveappeared in exhibits in atleast a dozen states andCanada, earning him suchhonors as the E.M. BirchAward.

Russom brings that artto students, helping themdiscover their own talents.

“He works equally effectively with intermedi-ate and advanced students,with students majoring inart and those taking only afew courses and with thenaturally talented andthose struggling to expressthemselves,” said Ettling.

Evaluations indicate thatstudents perceive him to

be an excellent teacher.These assessments are reinforced by the unusuallyhigh number of his students who get acceptedinto Master of Fine Artsprograms and by the success of his students atthe Senior Exhibition.

Matthew E.SalvatorereceivedtheExcellenceinProfessionalServiceAward for

SUNY professional servicestaff who have consistentlydemonstrated superlativeperformance within andbeyond their position.

Salvatore oversees thePlattsburgh State FitnessCenter, with its budget ofhalf a million dollars. He alsohas helped design the newfitness/wellness leadershipprogram, opening this fall. Inaddition, he teaches coursesin his field and will offermore under the new major.

He has been involved in many committees on campus and volunteers atthe Samuel S. Vilas Home,helping senior citizensincrease their strength and flexibility.

“Mr. Salvatore has estab-lished a reputation on thiscampus as an active citizenof our community and anextremely competent director of the FitnessCenter,” said Ettling.

Ed Brohel Retiresafter 30 Years ofService to SUNYPlattsburghAfter 30 years and 10,000pieces of art, Ed Brohelhas hung his last painting

as director of thePlattsburgh State ArtMuseum.

The Plattsburgh Stateicon is retiring at the endof June, and although hisvoice is softer, his gait a little slower, he is still verymuch the captain of a shipthat navigated a sometimesstormy sea in the quest forart appropriation.

“It’s been enrichingbeing here and being ableto do what I liked to doand contribute to the welfare of the college,”Brohel said from his officethat looks onto one of hisown professional accom-plishments, the NinaWinkel Sculpture Court.Those contributions haveincluded steering the overhaul and transforma-tion of the Rockwell KentGallery, a world-classrepository of many ofKent’s works; the formationof the Winkel court, whichis home to more than 50pieces by the renownedsculptor; and the creation

of the Museum WithoutWalls, which exposes students, faculty, staff andvisitors to art throughoutcampus, both indoors andout as evidenced by thecollege’s monumentalsculpture exhibits.

When Brohel arrived oncampus, the college’s collection of art had lessthan 500 pieces. Today, thecollection boasts 10,000pieces. It was the presenceof Kent’s work that propelled the college “intothe major league,” Brohelsaid. “Kent is an artist ofsuch stature, he can’t beignored. The college has aresponsibility to take careof that. The fact that theKent collection was here iswhat brought other thingsto campus. It showed NinaWinkel we could do thejob. It showed ReginaSlatkin we could do thejob.”

It’s also the reason the college is slated toreceive 162 Andy Warholphotographs for its

CAMPUS NEWS The LatestDevelopments

Plattsburgh State icon Ed Brohel is retiring from his job as directorof the college’s museum. During Brohel’s 30 years at thePlattsburgh State Art Museum, the college’s collection has grownfrom 500 to 10,000 pieces of art. Brohel’s contributions haveincluded steering the transformation of the Rockwell Kent Gallery,a world-class repository of many of Kent’s works; the Nina WinkelSculpture Courtyard; the Slatkin Room; and the creation of theMuseum Without Walls, which incorporates art across campus.

Mic

helle

Oue

llett

e



Robert Abel Allison Busby Melissa Kopp AmberLachapelle

ChristopherMorales

ZacharyWarner

permanent collection as partof the Warhol PhotographicLegacy Program.

Brohel looked aroundhis office, surrounded byart and reminders of art.

“Some say I shouldwrite, and I may some day.I always regretted there wasn’t a book writtenabout Winkel,” he said.“I’ll miss it. It’s what I lovedoing. But you reach thepoint where things arebecoming repetitive.Maybe something thatcatches my imaginationwill come along, and I’llpick up on that.”

Dr. Jay SteinNamed Provost

Dr. Jay Stein, foundingdirector for the Center forHealth and the BuiltEnvironment, College ofDesign, Construction andPlanning at the Universityof Florida, has accepted theposition of provost at SUNYPlattsburgh.

“We are incredibly pleasedthat Jay has agreed to serveas our next provost,” saidSUNY Plattsburgh PresidentJohn Ettling. “He brings awealth of talent not onlyin his field of study butmost importantly as aleader in academia.”

Stein looks forward tocoming to SUNY Plattsburgh.

“In my visits toPlattsburgh, I have metmany outstanding faculty,staff and students.” hesaid. “ … I think we can be a very effective team inenhancing the quality ofan already first-rate college.”

Stein has had a distin-guished tenure at theUniversity of Florida, as a

professor, chair and dean,in addition to serving asthe director for the Centerfor Health and the BuiltEnvironment, College ofDesign, Construction andPlanning.

Stein has also served as interim dean for theSchool of Architecture andPlanning at SUNY Buffaloand as professor and chair

of the Department ofPlanning and Design.

He earned his bachelor'sdegree in political sciencefrom SUNY Binghamton,his master’s degree in political science from York University and hisdoctorate in urban andregional planning from the University of Michigan.

Six SUNY Plattsburgh students have received special recognition fromthe Chancellor of the StateUniversity of New York.Robert Abel, Allison Busby,Melissa Kopp, AmberLachapelle, ChristopherMorales, and ZacharyWarner have been namedrecipients of theChancellor’s Award forStudent Excellence. Theseawards recognize academicexcellence, contributionsto the greater campus community and outstanding achievement.

Abel, from Brewster, N.Y,just graduated with a bachelor’s in anthropologyand a minor in French. He belonged to two honorsocieties and has wonmany awards and scholar-ships, including a KillamFellowship and a RedcayOutstanding Senior Award.

Busby, from New Paltz,N.Y., now has a bachelor’s

in nutrition. She ran cross-country and track forSUNY Plattsburgh and considers her cross countryteam's second place performance at nationalsthis past fall to be hergreatest achievement.

Kopp, from RousesPoint, just earned herbachelor’s degrees in biology and chemistry.Recently named to Who’sWho Among Students inAmerican Universities andColleges, she says her highest achievement isbeing recognized by SigmaXi: The Scientific ResearchHonors Society and by theNational Association forBiology Teachers for hersuperior poster presentationsof her scientific research.

Lachapelle, fromPlainville, Conn., justreceived her bachelor’s inbiochemistry with a minorin math. She has been amember of several honor

societies including SigmaXi, Omicron Delta Kappa,Phi Kappa Phi, Phi EtaSigma, and the Society forLeadership and Success.

Morales, from Altona, N.Y.,just earned degrees in bio-chemistry and computer sci-ence. He considers receivingthe Excellence in BiologyEducation Award to be oneof his most prized achieve-ments before the Chancellor’sAward because he believes inthe power of teaching.

Warner from Averill Park,N.Y., also just graduatedafter going through thecombined bachelor andmaster’s degree program,earning degrees in mathematics and adolescence education. Hehas won many scholarshipsand awards, including thePhi Eta Sigma NationalLeadership Award and the National Award ofAccomplishment from the Society of Success.

SUMMER 2008 5

Six SUNY Students Win Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence

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02-05 plat Campus News 7/10/08 11:23 AM Page 5


by Gerianne Wright

PREPARED TO

HE PRESIDENT OF THE Orlando CulinaryInstitute embraces the idea thatto succeed in the hospitalityindustry, you have to like people. Plain and simple.

“If you don’t like people, you don’t belong in thisindustry because it’s an industry based on making people happy,” said Joe Hardiman ’85, whoseexperience as a business and accounting major atSUNY Plattsburgh helped form his hospitable perspective.“I’m not just talking about the public; I’m also talkingabout those people you work with. Whether you’reworking in restaurants or hotels, you’re going to spenda lot of time with them. It’s all about teamwork. Youneed to like people, embrace the differences and beprepared to celebrate Christmas in July because you’llbe working when other people are relaxing.”

Hardiman has a unique take on hospitality, havingworked in various aspects since earning an associate’sdegree from Paul Smith’s College in the early 1970s.He worked for the Disney organization in Floridabefore returning to the North Country to teach in the Paul Smith’s hotel and restaurant managementprogram.

“At that time, I immediately enrolled in PlattsburghState to finish a bachelor’s degree in business,”Hardiman said. All the while he was attending classes

at Plattsburgh, commuting from Saranac Lake, N.Y., he washoning his craft in the industry, eventually taking over as general manager of the Hotel Saranac. That led to another stintwith Disney in Florida, working in various capacities in theirparks and resorts.

The Orlando Culinary Academy, Le Cordon Bleu Programs,came calling and Hardiman “fell in love it,” he said of the800-student academy.

“Culinary arts is about the food, but it’s also about the people. We encourage our students to go out and talk about thefood, to learn how to interact with the public. No longer is the

IN THEBUSINESS OF

MAKINGPEOPLE HAPPY

T

Joe Hardiman ’85, president of the Orlando Culinary Institute.

�

06-09 plat HRTM Alumni 7/11/08 2:48 PM Page 6

SUMMER 2008 7

Ed M

cDon

ald

PLEASESalzman said he chose Plattsburgh State because of

its hotel and restaurant management program.“I knew I wanted to go to a SUNY school, and

Plattsburgh had one of the few four-year hotel-restaurantmanagement programs,” he said. Tourism was addedto the program’s title and scope in 1996.

Before joining Stevi B’s, Salzman was senior vicepresident for operations for Moe’s Southwest Grill, achain of more than 350 restaurants that he helpedcreate from the ground up. He and his colleaguescreated other concepts such as Boneheads, The FlyingBiscuit Café and Monkey Joe’s, under the parentcompany, Raving Brands. Salzman left Raving Brandsin March 2008 as an employee but maintained hisposition as a shareholder when he joined Stevi B’s.

“I took over the corporate operations as an equitypartner (of Stevi B’s), a small 29-unit pizza buffetchain,” Salzman said. The restaurant was sold to aprivate equity group “that brought me on to help finetune and ramp it up for growth.”

Salzman’s business acumen fits well with the program’s overall design, said David Hensarling, lecturer in the HRTM program.

The first thing we tell prospective students and theirparents is that ours is a clearly defined program in theSchool of Business and Economics. The entire programis management based. We train students to be preparedto go into management positions in traditionalhospitality fields – hotels, restaurants, travel – we’revery different from other schools that offer hotel,restaurant and tourism management.”

“I definitely feel the program helped me in myunderstanding of the business side,” Salzman said. “Icertainly was able to recognize during my time atPlattsburgh that I made the right choice, both in aschool that fit me well – not too big or too small – andin the decision to move forward in the restaurant business.”

Disney Internship a Stepping StoneKate Deyermond, who knew at 11 years old she wasgoing to go into the business of hospitality, foundPlattsburgh the right fit as well.

The other schools … just did not seem like a goodmatch,” she said. The 2003 graduate of the HRTMprogram said she immediately felt at home atPlattsburgh State. A native of the Long Island town ofSag Harbor, Deyermond said she remembers standingon the 10th floor of the Kehoe AdministrationBuilding where the admissions office is, taking in thevista of the North Country, with the Adirondacks tothe south and west, Lake Champlain and the GreenMountains of Vermont to the east.

“I told my dad this is where I am going to go tocollege,” she said. Growing up in a town that had apopulation of 2,000 in the winter and 20,000 in the

chef someone who is in the back, behind the wall, and that’s agood thing,” he said.

No Stranger to the Restaurant BusinessSeth Salzman ’94 would agree. The senior vice president of corpo-ration operations for Stevi B’s Pizza in Atlanta, Ga., said he wasdrawn to the business “because of my love for food and takingcare of people. Food plays such an important role in my life andmeans so much to so many others, it was just the right fit for me.I really enjoy making people feel good and nothing does that aswell as a great meal and great service.”

by Gerianne Wright



resort for service members and theirfamilies.

After learning the ropes from cleaningrooms to general management,Deyermond accepted the position ofgeneral manager of the Army’s officer’sclub at the National Training Center inCalifornia. A longing to get back intothe lodging business and a job asdirector of the Fisher House at WalterReed Army Medical Center inWashington, D.C., broughtDeyermond back east.

Think Ronald McDonald Housemeets the U.S. Army: the Fisher Houseis home to the families of soldiersbeing treated at Walter Reed.

“Since it is a small operation, I handle every aspect of it,” Deyermondsaid. “I work closely with social workers at the hospital to see whichfamily needs the Fisher House environment the most. I manage ourvolunteer program as well as all theprograms for the families and childrenwho are staying at the house.”

A Solid FoundationDeyermond credited her experience atPlattsburgh State for putting her “onthe right path to getting a great job,”she said. “(It) helped me be successfulin all of the positions that I haveworked in.”

Keith Biumi ’89 concurred.“(Plattsburgh State) laid a solid

foundation and gave me the confidenceI needed to get a job and start acareer,” said the regional vice presidentof development and franchising theupscale brands of IntercontinentalHotels in Atlanta, Ga. “I grew up inWestchester (N.Y.) I knew I needed toattend a state school as the cost ofattending was my responsibility.”

Affordability and the enrollment ofseveral friends aside, Biumi said one ofthe compelling factors of choosingPlattsburgh State was its size.

“The size of the student body waswhat I preferred (to that of) largerschools,” he said. “The closeness Ifelt at Plattsburgh was because theclass size was small and would allowyou to foster a relationship with faculty.”

A Host of Alumni in Hospitality Although the hotel, restaurant andtourism management program hasproduced hundreds of graduates allacross the hospitality spectrum sinceits inception two decades ago,

summer, she lived tourism firsthand.That sparked her interest. As a seniorat Plattsburgh, she attended a hotelshow in New York City where she discovered the U.S. Army Morale,Welfare and Recreation division wasrecruiting students to do a one-yearinternship with the promise of a full-time position to follow, but that positionwouldn’t be available until severalmonths after her May graduation.

To fill the lag time, she took aninternship with the Walt Disney organization in Florida before startingher internship with the Army at itsShades of Green Resort at Walt DisneyWorld, an armed forces recreation

Kate Deyermond ’03 always knew she want-

ed to go into the hospitality

business. She is now director of the Fisher

House at Walter Reed Army Medical Center

in Washington, D.C.

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SUMMER 2008 9

hundreds more in the industry foundtheir way there by a different path.Many are graduates of other programsin the School of Business andEconomics. Some, like Biumi, whomajored in psychology, earned theirdegrees in other programs at the college. Michael Paetow ’95 parlayedhis degree in business managementinto a successful career with the sandwich giant, Quiznos, where he is now director of internationaldevelopment. His job takes himaround the world tracking new storeopenings, training employees andaffirming their compliance with corporate standards.

“I really enjoyed my studies atPlattsburgh,” Paetow said. “Just priorto graduating I considered taking aminor in international studies, but Iwas ready to tackle the real world.Little did I know that I would be giventhe opportunity to work in the hospitality field with a great companyand that I’d be working (for Quiznos) internationally.”

Geography Comes in HandyDavid Murphy ’75 has a degree ingeography. That might seem a farreach for the hospitality industry untilyou realize the senior vice presidentchief restaurant support officer forMcDonald’s lives in Hong Kong and isresponsible for the development anddeployment of systems used for operations, training, technology, supply chain, human relations andmenu management for McDonald’s in37 countries and territories that stretchfrom Japan to Australia, New Zealand,across South Africa, up to Turkey andback to Japan.

“I am also on the board of directorsfor McDonald’s Japan, and I am amember of the executive leadershipteam of APMEA (Asia, Pacific, MiddleEast and Africa), which drives thedevelopment of the strategic plan forAPMEA,” he said.

Murphy ended up working forMcDonald’s as a crew person aftergraduating from Plattsburgh State.

“I was looking for a job in cartographyand working at McDonald’s at night,”he said. “As time went on, I reallyenjoyed the personal interaction withcustomers and crew. I worked my wayup to be a restaurant manager andthen through all the staff positions. I was the general manager vice president for the Philadelphia region

working with about 600 restaurantsbefore I went to Asia.”

With his position in Hong Kong,Murphy said his experience atPlattsburgh helped him in his life andcareer now more than ever.

“My geography is a little rusty, but Ispent my time at Plattsburgh learningabout other cultures and the valuethey add,” he said. “As I approachedmy role in APMEA, I reflected back on my days in Plattsburgh and the discussions around how culturesevolve and grow. The exciting news isI now get to see and experience themany things I read about atPlattsburgh.”

Hard Work Part of the JobHis experiences in the industry alsoprepared him for hard work, he said.

“Working for McDonald’s is allabout working with people to improveexecution and drive results,” Murphysaid. “It is a high-energy, challengingand people-oriented business. Ihe hospitality industry is hard work andnot for everyone.”

“You’ve got to be prepared to workhard,” the Culinary Academy’s JoeHardiman said. “There’s nothing asexhilarating as a busy restaurant or abusy hotel. You have to have that kindof fire in your soul. When someonewants to take a vacation, there’s some-one in this industry on the other sideof the wall making sure they enjoy it.They like the thrill of satisfying thepublic.” ■

Above: Michael Paetow ’95 (center),

director of international

development with Quiznos, shows

off the sandwich company’s brand

during a store opening in Ireland.

Below: David Murphy ’75 is

senior vice president chief restaurant

support officer for McDonald’s in

Hong Kong.

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T


he SUNY Plattsburgh hotel, restaurant andtourism management program was a dreamcome true for Michelle Mora.

“I didn’t know Plattsburgh had an HRTM program, so I came in as amanagement major with hopes of getting into the hospitality industry,” thejunior from Schenectady, N.Y., said. “I quickly switched (to HRTM) when Ifound that my dream career was offered as a major.”

In the 20 years since it first came on the scene as hotel and restaurantmanagement in the now-defunct Center for Human Resources, the HRTMprogram has seen itself reinvented and reinvigorated. In 1996, the majorshifted focus, changed its name and moved to the School of Business andEconomics where it took a decidedly different tack, emphasizing the business of hospitality.

“When I first started teaching in the program, we had 130 students,” saidBob Rolfs, lecturer in HRTM. “The program was scattered; there was no realvision. Over the course of a year and a half, I worked with Marilyn Chaseand Norm Howard, and we created a strategic plan that looked at where we

thought the program needed to go, onethat would be like none other outthere. Our biggest hindrance was welacked a facility.”

When SUNY announced it had fundingfor building renovations in the mid-1990s, “everybody on campus wasrushing for that money,” Rolfs said.“We were the only program on campusthat had a strategic plan in place at thetime, and they gave it to us. We luckedout because we had a viable design andoperational plan ready to go. We alsomade the case very well that the hotel,restaurant and tourism managementprogram would go nowhere withoutadequate facilities.”

The plan called for a completeoverhaul of the southwestern corner of

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URING UPH A S T H E R E C I P E F O R S U C C E S S

Sibley Hall, which at the time housedthe Empire State College offices and acafetorium – part cafeteria, part stage, partcommercial kitchen that had been usedwhen Sibley Hall was the Campus Schoolin the 1960s. It was also used by Rolfs’quantity foods class but the room itselfhad no class.

“We would hold dinners there, and thestudents spent more time trying to dressup the cafetorium,” he said.

The new facility would bring the programtogether, giving a central location for classrooms, kitchen laboratories, aconference room, offices for faculty andsupport staff and the piece de resistance, atop-notch restaurant and state-of-the-artkitchen that serves not only elegant mealsbut as a classroom as well.

Hotel, Restaurant, Tourism

Management students take

instructions and watch HRTM

lecturer John Parmalee (below)

pour wine prior to the Thursday

night dinner at Samuel D’s

Restaurant in Sibley Hall.

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by Gerianne Wright


Plans were drawn. Construction began. And theprogram officially moved in in 2004.

“It was brand-spanking new, and it was beautiful,” Rolfs said. “All of us realized as soon as we moved in that we noticed a sense of pride,an increased sense of professionalism and ofcamaraderie.”

“Now, we’re pushing 250 students,” said DavidHensarling, lecturer in the program. “We are thelargest single department in the School of Businessand Economics today. We’re really on the cuttingedge of what can be done in HRTM.”

“The entire country is a service culture,” Rolfssaid. “Lodging, food and beverage, tourism – thereare a lot of untrained, unskilled workers out there,and the industry is looking for trained people towork with them.”

“WE’RE TRAINING STUDENTS FOR ENTRY-LEVELMANAGEMENT POSITIONS in the traditional hospitality fields – in hotels, restaurants, cruise shipsand other travel areas. It’s very different from otherhotel and restaurant programs out there,” saidHensarling.

In addition, students who graduate with adegree in hotel, restaurant and tourism management

“I worked closely with Kim Emery in opening Samuel D’s Starbuck kiosk. I reallyenjoyed my year working with the students.I was responsible for preparing the business

plan, staff scheduling and auditing. I performed barista training to prepare

signature Starbuck’s drink recipes, increasedmarketing and sales and effectively managed a staff of 10 students.”

—Stephanie Brill ’04 G’05

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Stephanie Brill ’04 G’05 issocial and conference servicesmanager at The Langham Hotel in Boston, Mass.

Nicholas Titley (below) serves coffee at the Starbucks café inSibley, which Brill helped establishduring her time at Plattsburgh.

Far right: Chef-Instructor

Kim Emery ’00 G’06gives directions to a

crew of HRTM students in the

kitchen of Samuel D’sRestaurant.

Right:Nicholas Rolls

prepares focacciabread for the

Thursday night dinner.

Below right: Michael Scher and

Caitlin Bassegio slice fresh

strawberries forhomemadeshortcakes.


from SUNY Plattsburgh are prepared for careers with resorts,catering, food service, tour companies, leisure and recreationvenues, travel agencies, convention and events planning,and theme parks such as Walt Disney World and Six Flagsproperties.

The program combines liberal arts with professionalstudies, giving students tools for making sound professionaldecisions. One of the prerequisites for graduation that makesthe SUNY Plattsburgh HRTM program distinctive is the workrequirement. Students must work a minimum of 800 hoursin the hospitality field prior to graduation.

“The field requirement gives students a leg up on the competition before they even graduate,” said Kim Emery ’00G’06, chef-instructor and director of the facility in SibleyHall. “The industry is highly competitive, and employers arenot only looking at education but also at work experience.Many of our students go right into management positionsbecause of the experience they had working before theygraduated.”

The 800 hours can be earned throughout their four yearsat Plattsburgh State, either during summer months or duringthe academic year. Students are encouraged not to spend all800 hours with the same company unless they change positionsor move up the ladder, Emery said.

But perhaps what makes Plattsburgh State’s program standhead and shoulders above many of its contemporaries is the

physical space and what students do there. Students haveclassroom time in the lecture halls and then take what theylearn into the kitchen laboratory. They learn what goes intorestaurant and kitchen management at Samuel D’s andhow to manage a thriving coffee business in the front ofthe house, serving Starbucks coffee, muffins and other to-go breakfast foods all the while earning college creditsfor their hands-on work.

WHILE FACULTY LINE UP DURING THE MORNING FORTHEIR STARBUCKS, students behind the counter are learning sales, marketing and daily operation of a business.They’re handling inventory and finances and learning howto deal with customers. They’re not playing store; they’rerunning one. It’s also helping them meet some of the 800-hour work requirement.

“I get emails from alumni who say all the time howmuch the café or dinner class really helped them,” Emerysaid. “Students have to put everything they learn into practice here. There’s no just learning by the book. Theyjump in and manage the front and the back of the house,thinking about and applying what they learn each day.They see the results immediately.”

“The Sibley Hall facility opened the year after I graduatedfrom the program, (but) since I was going to be around the

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TUCKED IN THE CORNEROF SIBLEY HALL ON THEPLATTSBURGH STATE CAMPUS IS A LIVELY, THRIVING LABORATORY.

Students in this lab don’t mixcompounds or examine specimensunder a microscope, and they’remore likely to say, “Can I take yourorder now?” than “Eureka! The cellshave divided.” This lab is Samuel D’sRestaurant and coffee shop for students in the college’s hotel,restaurant and tourism management program, part of theSchool of Business and Economics.

The HRTM program in Sibley hasits lecture rooms with a faculty workstation and an adjoining test kitchenwhere students take what they learnin the lecture and put it into practice.But what sets this program apart is the restaurant, its adjoining industrial kitchen and the coffeecounter, all part of a $3.5 million ren-ovation that opened in 2004. Thedepartment space also includes aconference room, offices for theprogram’s faculty and a lounge forHRTM students.

At Samuel D’s, students gethands-on experience in the trade,whether it’s working the “back ofthe house” in the kitchen, preparingmeals to be served out in the “frontof the house” or waiting and clearingtables, greeting customers or refilling water glasses. Students whoearn their degree in HRTM leavewith a real-world understanding ofall aspects of the business.

Before they don a waiter’s garbfor Samuel D’s, students have

learned techniques and theories intheir food-service managementclass. Faculty teach at a kitchenwork station in the tiered-seatinglecture hall. Next door, studentswork at several restaurant-gradestoves and stations, putting intopractice what they learned in class.Once they’ve completed this course,they move on to the restaurant classwhere students are responsible fordoing everything, from busingtables to serving as prep cooks.Students rotate positions anddecide who is in charge of what.

“Are they chefs when they leavehere? No. We’re not training ourstudents to be chefs,” said KimEmery ’00 G’06, the instructor incharge of the facility. A chef in herown right and graduate of theCulinary Institute of America, Emeryknows what she’s talking about. “It’ssomething we have to get across toprospective students and their parents when they see the facilitybecause students do learn their wayabout the kitchen.

“We’re preparing managers –people who can walk into a businessand know the jobs of the peopleworking for them. When they’remanaging a banquet facility or hotel,they’ll be able to talk about foodintelligently. If they’re looking to hirea chef, they’ll know what theyshould be looking for. They willknow when something isn’t workingor what equipment to buy or how torun the back and the front of thehouse.”

At Samuel D’s, the “front” of thehouse is a stylized granite coffeecounter, with a recessed-lighting anddark-wood ambiance that makes

patrons forget they’re entering a col-lege class where students serveStarbucks coffee for credit. Beyondthe take-out café is Samuel D’sRestaurant, simply set for the morning coffee patrons but which istransformed into an elegant diningroom replete with linen table cloths,cloth napkins and flowers for dinners served Thursday evenings.

A student maitre d’ seats patronsand leaves them with leather-boundmenus, the contents of which aredecided upon by the students themselves. Student servers pourwater, take drink and dinner ordersfrom an offering of several entrees –often including chicken, beef and pastachoices. All meals come with salad andwarm, homemade bread. Patrons,many of whom are from the communityat large, vie for reservations each week;seatings are always booked to capacity.

For many of the students, working atSamuel D’s as part of a classroom experience is the first time they’ve everacted the part of waiter or waitress.John Parmelee, lecturer in the program,serves as front-of-the-house manager,helping students with orders, directingthose who need it, even rolling up hisshirt sleeves to help bus tables whenneeded.

“It’s all part of the whole experience,”said Emery, who manages the “back” ofthe house during Thursday dinners.“Students are learning as they aredoing.”

The “back” of the house is astate-of-the-art industrial kitchenwhere students prepare the mealthey’ve decided upon. Donned inchef uniforms – a requirement forboth the restaurant class and foodservice management class – studentschop, sauté and grill their waythrough the evening. Because it isnot a restaurant in the true sense ofthe word, food that isn’t used thatevening cannot be stored for use thenext day. Here, there is no next day,only the next Thursday when theystart anew, so students have to planaccordingly.

“Because they can’t save the foodfor use the next day like restaurantsdo, students have to be able to judgequantities needed, budgets, whichentrees may be more popularchoices,” Emery said. And if they dorun out of the prime rib, servers haveto be able to tell patrons they are outof that menu item, just like servers inthe real world have to do.

Emery said when she givesprospective students and their parents tours of the facility in SibleyHall, she can see the excitement andawe in their eyes.

“It’s an impressive facility,” she said.“We work hard to make it that way.”

Samuel D’sA CLASSROOM SO REAL

YOU CAN TASTE IT

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SUMMER 2008 15

year it opened while attending grad school, I was asked tojoin the HRTM faculty as a part-time adjunct faculty member,” said Stephanie Brill ’04 G’05, social andconference services manager at The Langham Hotel inBoston, Mass. “I worked closely with Kim Emery in openingSamuel D’s Starbuck kiosk. I really enjoyed my year workingwith the students. I was responsible for preparing thebusiness plan, staff scheduling and auditing. I performedbarista training to prepare signature Starbuck’s drink recipes,increased marketing and sales and effectively managed a staffof 10 students.”

That’s an aspect of the program that Highland, N.Y.,sophomore Jessica Stokes appreciates.

“The thing I like most about the program is that much ofit is hands-on learning,” Stokes said. She cites the food service operations management class she recently completed.

“This class was amazing. Each week, we would go to classwith a recipe that we had been given a week in advance tolook over the necessary steps, and we would make whicheverdish was assigned. After completing this course, I realized ithelped me not only in the culinary aspect, but I also learnedthat teamwork and leadership is essential to complete a tasksuch as that.”

IN A BUSINESS WHOSE LONGSTANDING CULTURE ISCREATING FUN FOR OTHER PEOPLE, HRTM majors findtheir program is up to the challenge.

“Every class is fun,” said Mora. “People who work in hospitality know how to engage others in conversation, andyou can definitely feel that in the classroom. I feel as thougheveryone in the HRTM department is naturally friendly andcaptivating so you make friends easily and learn from each

other. I love the faculty. In this program, your adviser notonly knows your name but knows your personality.”

Katie Currier, a senior from Plattsburgh, said she found theprogram by chance, but her decision to stay was no accident.

“I started working at Touraid Travel (in Plattsburgh), lovedit and met some girls there who were in the program,”Currier said. “I was graduating from Clinton CommunityCollege that spring and hadn’t declared a major atPlattsburgh State, and so it all fell together. I couldn’t behappier. I enjoy every aspect of the program. The classes areunique, and since I have an avid interest in the subject matter, they’re also a lot of fun. I enjoy the hands-on learningthe most. Not just in the classroom, either. They’ve puteverything you need in the curriculum, including an automaticbusiness minor, so it’s very comprehensive.”

Larissa Guldenstern, a junior from Catskill, N.Y., chosePlattsburgh State over several other colleges she looked atbecause of the program and faculty. Echoing her classmates’assessment of the program, Guldenstern said she hopes toparlay her experiences into a front desk management orevent-planning position at a hotel in Las Vegas or California.

“The good thing about this major is that I have many different options to pick from, and there are nice hotelseverywhere,” Guldenstern said. “I can pretty much choosewhere I want to live.”

Hensarling said that’s at the heart of the hotel, restaurantand tourism management program at Plattsburgh State.

“The hospitality industry is a growth industry, not just inthe United States but globally. By the time the Chinese hostthe Summer Olympics in August, the largest economy in theworld will be the hospitality industry. We’re ahead of thecurve,” he said. ■

FIRST to get ALL FIRED UP

Plattsburgh State’s hotel, restaurant and tourism management programrecently joined an elite group of schools that hold joint accreditation withthe Accreditation Commission for Programs in Hospitality Administrationand the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.

Deciding as a group to go after ACPHA accreditation, faculty members launched an extensive self-study of all aspects of their programto present to accreditation delegates. As such, the program was the firstin the country to participate in the joint ACPHA-AACSB accreditation. A site visit and subsequent suggestions for improvement by the accreditation body were turned into action by hotel, restaurant andtourism management faculty.

The HRTM department was the first to be considered in a pilot program developed by ACPHA for schools already accredited by AACSB,the premier international accrediting body for schools of business. TheSchool of Business and Economics, under which the HRTM program falls,was the first SUNY comprehensive college to receive AACSB accreditation, and the hotel, restaurant and tourism management program only the second in SUNY to receive ACPHA accreditation.

“The new facility at Sibley Hall allowed us to go for accreditation,” saidDavid Hensarling, lecturer in hotel, restaurant and tourism management.“We talked as a faculty about what other schools were doing. We lookedat our competition to see what we could do better and decided to goafter accreditation. A lot of schools are accredited, but ours is the first tohave a joint accreditation with AACSB.”

During the site visit, the accreditation commission complimented thequality of the facilities in Sibley Hall, the dedication of the faculty and itsrapport with students.

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PHILANTHROPY Making aDifference

LACKING A CLEAR IDEAFOR A CAREER PATHAND WITHOUT THEFINANCIAL RESOURCESTO PAY FOR COLLEGEON HER OWN, a youngHeidi Clute was looking fora school that would take achance on her. SUNYPlattsburgh rolled the dice,and the result has paid off inspades for both Clute andthe college that she loves.

“Many students just wantyou to take a chance onthem,” Clute says. “Mostscholarships are based onmerit, but what about students who may notappear to have what it takesto be admitted to college?What about students whomay not seem to be collegematerial? How many livescould have been transformedif students were just given achance?”

Despite a difficultupbringing, Clute decidednot be a victim of circum-stance. Instead, she persevered with passion.

A lifelong resident ofPlattsburgh, Clute received agrant from the EducationalOpportunity Program,designed to help economicallydisadvantaged students.After graduation, Clute started work as an insurance broker.

In 1984, she formed herown company and wentback to college to become acertified financial planner.Four years after receiving herdegree, Clute was the head ofa company bearing her name.

Today, she manages $110million in assets and offerssecurities through LPLFinancial, memberFINRA/SIPC, with clients asfar away as California.

She looks back at her college experience as a formative period, learningfrom her fellow students aswell as faculty.

Grateful for the supportthat made her educationpossible, Clute recentlyestablished an endowedfund to help other womenfollow in her footsteps.

“Women have specialchallenges,” she said. “Theydon’t always have the bestgrades due to economic and

personal circumstances butwant an opportunity to better themselves. You know,not all ‘A’ students make thebest entrepreneurs,” she said.

SUNY Plattsburgh continues to inspire Clute.In 2004, she audited a classwith Dr. James Csipak, anassociate professor in theSchool of Business andEconomics.

“I’ve never been soinspired,” she said.

That experience led her to expand her company intoBurlington, Vt., in 2005.

“Heidi’s life is an examplefor students who face tough odds,” said AnneHansen, vice president forinstitutional advancement.“Sometimes all they need isa helping hand, and we aremost grateful that Heidi isproviding that helpinghand, today and for the generations to come.” ■

Grateful Grad Establishes Fund to Help Disadvantaged Students

ROSE ANDERSON ‘95, DIRECTORFOR THE OFFICE OF ALUMNIAFFAIRS AT SUNY PLATTSBURGH,SPEAKS OFTEN ABOUT “THEPLATTSBURGH SPIRIT,” an intangibleenergy that is generated by alumni andfriends of the college.

While the Plattsburgh spirit is most timesconsidered intangible, data gatheredabout alumni support of SUNYPlattsburgh prove that the Plattsburghspirit can, in fact, be demonstrated andmade tangible.

The results for the most recent fiscal yearare still being tabulated, but trends can beseen from the results over the last few years.SUNY Plattsburgh alumni have supported the college at almosttwice the rate of other public colleges in the nation.

In 2005, 10.6 percent of SUNY Plattsburgh alumni madea gift to the college compared to 9.6 percent at other SUNYcomprehensive schools and 6.8 percent at other public

institutions across the country. In 2006, thenumber of alumni who supported SUNYPlattsburgh jumped to 11.2 percent whilesupport at other similar SUNY schools wasflat and the national average dropped.

However, one challenge facing the college’s fundraising efforts is the fact theaverage gift from SUNY Plattsburgh graduates is lower compared to most of its peers within SUNY. The overall results show that out of the 13 SUNY comprehensive schools, Plattsburgh Stateranks 8th in total charitable gifts received.

“While we take pride in the high rate ofsupport, we know we have much work to

do in educating our alumni about the need to increase theirlevel of support,” said Brendan C. Kinney, associate vice president for institutional advancement. “But given thenature of our alumni and their loyalty to their alma mater,we know we can and will do better.” ■

Alumni Demonstrate the Meaning of ‘Plattburgh Spirit’

Percent of Alumni Who Make a Gift

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SUMMER 2008 17

IN THE BOOK, “THE COMPLEATANGLER,” JOHN BUCHAN WRITES,“THE CHARM OF FISHING IS THAT IT ISTHE PURSUIT OF WHAT IS ELUSIVE butattainable, a perpetual series of occasionsfor hope.”

Rick Stiggins ’68, an avid fly fisherman,spends many hours enjoying the expectancyof hope.

But in his professional life, as founderand director of the ETS AssessmentTraining Institute in Portland, Ore., Stigginsalso helps teachers and their studentsexplore their hopes and dreams by providingopportunities for learning success.

“Our main goal is the support of teachers,”Stiggins says of his work at ATI, which waspurchased by Educational Testing Service in 2006. “Butmore importantly, we reaffirm the importance of goodquality teaching by modeling it in everything we do.”

Fishing for Hope: Alumni Establishes Fund to Assist Future Educators

‘Bright with Promise’ to be Launched at Homecoming ‘08

HOMECOMING IS A TIME FOR ALUMNI TORETURN TO CAMPUS TO VISIT WITH FRIENDS ANDCLASSMATES AND RECONNECT WITH THEIR ALMAMATER.

The weekend is also a time when alumni can learnfirsthand about the latest developments at the college.

This year, the weekend will include the unveiling of acritical initiative for the college: “Bright with Promise,”the first comprehensive campaign in the history ofSUNY Plattsburgh with a goal of $15 million to be raisedby 2011.

Unlike typical fund-raising campaigns, “Bright withPromise” goes beyond bricks and mortar; the primaryfocus of the effort is to raise funds for permanentendowed scholarships and other forms of student aid.

“SUNY Plattsburgh is recognized by Kiplinger’s as a‘best value,’” said Daniel Burke ’74, president of thePlattsburgh College Foundation. “The efforts of this campaign will help ensure that the cost to attendthe college will remain affordable for deservingstudents and their families for years to come.”

Efforts around the campaign have beenunderway for a number of years and todate, more than $9 million has been raised.

Anne Hansen, executive director of thePlattsburgh College Foundation and vicepresident for institutional advancement, is pleased with the progress so far.

“We have made great headway toward our overall goal.With 40 percent of our goal remaining, we are now ready to take the effort public and are asking everyone to help us cross the finish line. We are reaching out to all of our alumni and friends as well as our faculty, staff and parents. This is an incredibly important effort,and our success will help raise SUNY Plattsburgh to new heights.”

The name of the “Bright with Promise” campaign wasinspired by a book written by college historian, Dr. DouglasSkopp, in 1989. In it he captures the first 100 years of history at SUNY Plattsburgh.

“Over the past five years, we have built a tremendousamount of positive momentum,”said SUNY PlattsburghPresident John Ettling. “Our future is bright: interest in thecollege is at an all-time high, we are meeting or exceedingall of our goals with regard to our academic plan, enrollment, improvements to facilities and more. There is

an energy on campus that is unmistakable, and it willbe a treat for alumni to see and feel it for them-

selves during Homecoming weekend.”Throughout the course of Homecoming

weekend, Oct. 17-19, attendees will haveopportunities to learn more details and tohelp celebrate the launch of this historic effort. To learn more about the weekend and to register, visit www.plattsburgh.edu/alumni. ■

Stiggins recalls with fondness his first memorable experience with quality teaching inthe classrooms at Plattsburgh State.

“During my first year at the college I had anoutstanding array of professors. To this day I am stunned at how good they were. They hada huge impact on me, providing my first experience with real academic success,” he says.“I always refer to that time as the start of myacademic life. I am forever indebted to SUNYPlattsburgh for that start; it permitted me toraise my horizons.”

Coming full circle – and as it so happens, onthe occasion of his 40th reunion – Stiggins hasonce again made a generous unrestricted gift tothe Plattsburgh Fund. His support providesadditional financial aid for students and

resources to enrich academic and student life programs.“SUNY Plattsburgh is a fine institution that sets students up for

success; I am happy to help carry that tradition forward,” Stiggins said. ■

Rick Stiggins ’68

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CARDINAL RULES


PLATTSBURGH STATE ATHLETICS HAS FINISHED INFOURTH PLACE IN THE 2008 STATE UNIVERSITY OFNEW YORK ATHLETIC CONFERENCECOMMISSIONER’S CUP. This marks Plattsburgh’s bestshowing in two years.

The Cardinals tallied 116-3/4 total points for anaggregate score of 7.30, trailing only Cortland (9.64),Geneseo (8.43) and Brockport (7.91).

In addition to several individualchampionships throughout the 2007-08campaign, Plattsburgh took hometeam titles in men’s basketball (regular-season and tournament), men’s hockey (regular-season and tournament) and softball (regular-season). Men’s soccer was the conference tournamentrunner-up, and baseball, softball and women’s soccer allwent to the SUNYAC semifinals. Women’s tennis had itsbest season in six years, ending up fourth and just fourpoints out of third. Women’s cross country — despite

Cardinals Finish Fourth in SUNY Cup

missing two starters — still managed a top-three finish inthe conference championships.

And although men’s lacrosse lost on a tie-breaker toqualify for the SUNYAC tournament, the team set aschool record for the most conference victories and hadan above-.500 league mark (4-3) for the first time ever.

Established for the 1996-97 academic year to recognizethe conference’s top overall athletics program,

the 11-school SUNYAC Commissioner’sCup uses an 11-point system that isdetermined by the 20 fall, winter and

spring sports offerings. The first-placeteam gets 11 points, second gets 10 and so on.

A team’s regular-season finish is added to its postseasonshowing and then divided by two for its final point totalfor that sport. The total number of points that a schoolaccumulates is divided by the number of conference sportsit has. The school total determines the overall winner atthe end of the academic year. ■

Danielle Blanchard accepts the Plattsburgh State Women’s Athlete of the YearAward from college President John Ettling.

CENTER DANIELLE BLANCHARD OFNEWMARKET, ONTARIO, IS THEPLATTSBURGH STATE 2008 WOMEN’SATHLETE OF THE YEAR in balloting bycoaches and administrative staff from theDepartment of Sport and Wellness. She isthe first back-to-back winner of the awardand joins soccer’s Gena Rosenbaum, whowon in 2003 and 2005, as the only two-time honorees on the women’s side since1983.

Blanchard, the only three-time All-America choice in the program’s history,led Plattsburgh State to its second consecu-tive NCAA Division III championship inwomen’s hockey last March. JuniorBlanchard, a team co-captain for the pasttwo years, won the Laura Hurd NationalPlayer of the Year Award after scoring acareer-high 28 goals and leading the teamwith 48 points. She also was named theEastern College Athletic Conference Playerof the Year as a first-team member. Shealready ranks as one of the Cardinals’ topall-time scorers: third with 73 goals, fourthwith 67 assists and third with 140 points— in 86 career games. ■

Blanchard Wins Cardinals’ Female Athlete of the Year

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Get the latest Cardinal Sports news at www.plattsburgh.edu/athletics

KEVIN HOULE, HEAD COACHOF THE NCAA CHAMPIONCARDINAL WOMEN’S HOCKEYTEAM, was an assistant coach forthe award-winning U.S. women’shockey national team.

Under his leadership, thenational team captured the gold medal with a 4-3 win over Canada at the 2008International Ice HockeyFederation World Women’sChampionship in China in April.

Team USA finished the tourna-ment with a 4-0-1-0 record andended with back-to-back victoriesover top-seeded Canada for its second gold medal in the lastthree world championships. Houleis a three-time national coach ofthe year and has led the Cardinalsto the last two NCAAA women’shockey championships. ■

SENIOR GUARDANTHONY WILLIAMS ISTHE PLATTSBURGHSTATE 2008 MEN’S ATHLETE OF THE YEARin balloting by coachesand administrative stafffrom the Department ofSport and Wellness. Hejoins soccer’s Jason Sousa,who won 2005 and 2006honors, and hockey’s SteveMoffat, 1997 and 1998, asthe only back-to-back malewinners of the award pre-sented each year since1983.

Kevin Houle Helps Guide U.S. Women’s Team to Championship

Williams is Voted Plattsburgh’s Top Male Athlete for 2007-08

Williams, the program’sonly two-year All-Americaathlete, spurred the men’sbasketball team to a thirdstraight State University ofNew York Athletic Conferencechampionship and anNCAA Division III Sweet 16 appearance in theCardinals’ third nationaltournament trip in a row.

Williams, a history majorfrom Brooklyn, N.Y., was aconsensus All-Americaselection by four differentorganizations and finalistfor the Josten’s Player of

the Year and the V-Foundation Jim ValanoComeback Person of theYear. He was also namedthe player of the year inthe east region byD3hoops.com, NationalAssociation of BasketballCoaches and EasternCollege AthleticConference Upstate, as well as being the SUNYAC player of the year. Williamsset several school records in 2008, including 1,734career points and 727points in a season. ■

Anthony Williams

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Cardinal Women’s Hockey Head Coach Kevin Houle leads the team to victory in theNCAAA women’s hockey championships at the Stafford Ice Arena.

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Communications faculty and alumni gathered together at a reception inAlbany. Front row: Brian Colton ’93, Derek Blakeman ’93 and SamGoldstein ’96. Back row: Chris Rooney ’94, Sonja Stark ’93, Peter Ensel ’80,Randi (Ferst) Colton ’95, Joseph Walsh ’96 and Dr. Jin Kim.

Sorority sisters Adele (Martin) Bongiovanni ’66 and Lauren (Klaxton)Whitehouse ’66 were reunited at a SUNY Plattsburgh alumni reception atThe Villages in Florida where they joined other alums for lunch at LaurelManor.

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Judy Duken ’59, Gil Duken ’56 and Gerald Carozza pose in front of aSUNY Plattsburgh banner. The Dukens hosted a cocktail reception foralums and friends of the college at their home in Naples, Fla., this spring.

Dr. John Ettling, Lisa Lewis, T.J. Mullin ‘93 and Mary Mullin visit at theVox Populi reception in Boston, Mass., hosted by owner JosephQuattrochi ’77.

Rose G. Anderson, executive director of the Plattsburgh AlumniAssociation, presents Jon Bell ’77 with a gift for hosting an alumni eventat Indian River Community College in Fort Pierce, Fla. The event included a tour of the planetarium he oversees.

Dr. Clayton Ajello ’72 (not pictured) hosted a reception for Washington,D.C., area alumni and friends.

ALUMNI NEWS


Alumni Reunion Events Across the Country

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SUMMER 2008 21

Calendar of Events

New York Yankees vs.Kansas City Royals

Aug. 171:05 p.m.

Yankee StadiumBronx, N.Y.SOLD OUT!

Plattsburgh College FoundationAnnual Meeting

Aug. 21Valcour Conference Center

Peru, N.Y.

Homecoming 2008Oct. 17-19

SUNY Plattsburgh

Alumni Reception at New York State MuseumCelebrate the opening of aspecial exhibit featuring the Rockwell Kent collection.

Nov. 14New York State Museum

Madison AvenueAlbany, N.Y.

Plattsburgh College Foundation Holiday Party

Dec. 12Valcour Conference Center

Peru, N.Y.

Regional Alumni EventsIn the coming months, Alumni

Association events will be held in thefollowing regions. Be sure to check

the SUNY Plattsburgh Website for thelatest updates and all the details

www.plattsburgh.edu/alumni.

August – Buffalo, N.Y.

September – Plattsburgh, N.Y.

November – New York, N.Y.– Hartford, Conn.

December – Washington, D.C.

Here’s a list of upcoming alumnigatherings and events. You canalso get more info on any of theupcoming events by contactingRose Anderson ’95, director ofalumni affairs, at 800-964-1889

or 518-564-2090 or byemail at [email protected]

www.plattsburgh.edu/alumni/calendar

WHEN ALUMNI CAME TOGOSPELFEST ’08, THEIR BODIESTOOK UP TWO ROWS OF E. GLENNGILTZ AUDITORIUM. THEIR SPIRITS,HOWEVER, FILLED THE PLACE.

They sang. They danced. Theyclapped. Some directed the GospelChoir. Some sang in the alumni choir.A few – Etsuko Rucker ’05 and SamyJoseph ’06 – even taught the proces-sional choreography. And in the end,many cried.

“They definitely made it morespiritual,” said Director Dr. Dexter

Criss, who is an associate professor ofchemistry by day.

This swell of alumni involvementall started when Michelle Noble-Coursey’94 and Colleen Meredeth ’93 came toHomecoming ’07 and noticed thechoir on the agenda. Little did theyknow that this was the same groupthat was founded in 1991 with five orsix faithful members.

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Alums Play Key Role in GospelFest ’08

Etsuko Rucker ’05 wipes joyful tears from her eyes as she and Princess Stephens ’06 (left) and AndreGrant (center) join in singing the final song of GospelFest ’08. The concert was an all-out alumniaffair with alums singing, directing and even doing some choreography.

continued on Page 22

Dr. David Mowry, SUNY distinguished teaching professor of philosophy and directorof the Honors Program, poses with DouglasSloan ’91 before this spring’s commence-ment ceremonies. Sloan was awarded the2008 Distinguished Alumnus Award at the ceremony. Among other achievements,Sloan was honored for having been theyoungest Alumni Association president inthe history of the college. He and his wife,Jennifer, have also financially supportedinternational growth and developmentopportunities for students through theHonors Program.

Doug Sloan honored with Distinguished Alumnus Award

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ALUMNI NEWS

On behalf of the Plattsburgh AlumniAssociation, I am pleased to share ourvision – to engage and inspire alumni toreconnect with the college and its students. In doing so, alumni forge bondsand inspire students to reach new heights.

Pursuing this vision, the alumni team andOffice of Institutional Advancement havedeveloped new and exciting programs. We established a Student/Alumni Center

for Professional Development, providing a centralized location for student programs like our Student Ambassador Program andCardinal Connections, our volunteer network of approximately 900alumni advising both students and fellow alums.

We have also sponsored regional alumni receptions, the CapitalDistrict Alumni Club, Homecoming, the Alumni Awards Program andmore.

In the past, a number of affinity partnerships were developed foralumni, which, in turn, provided revenue to our programs. In 2007-2008, however, we decided to endorse a fee to support student/alumni programs. The end result, we hoped, would be amore connected college. To date, we are thrilled with the results.

In the coming year, we plan to enhance our electronic communica-tions and provide an online community for alumni, so stay tuned.

There are many avenues to assist our Alumni Association andcollege. You may participate on a committee, host and/or sponsor anevent, volunteer for Cardinal Connections, recommend a student andcontribute to the Plattsburgh Fund. Your time, talents and treasuresare sincerely appreciated.

Though it may have been five or 50 years since you’ve been oncampus, there are endless ways you can help keep the PlattsburghSpirit alive!

Doug McManus ‘89, PresidentPLATTSBURGH ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

From the Alumni Association PresidentDoug McManus’ 89

Consequently, when they learnedthat there were now nearly 60 vocalists and 10 instrumentalists inthe choir, it took their breath away.

“It was amazing,” said Noble-Coursey. “I was moved to tears.”

The two decided to meet up withthe choir’s first advisor Janet Sandersat GosepelFest, and when the guestchoir scheduled to perform atGospelFest cancelled, Criss and SallyUrban, choir advisor and a seniorcareer counselor, decided to turn theconcert into an all-out alumnievent.

They emailed lyrics and music toalumni. Alumni would have torehearse alone until the eve ofconcert. There would only be two

group rehearsals.“It’s nothing new,” said Joseph,

who joined the alumni choir, sang asolo in one number, directed another and won the choir’s AlumniAward. Joseph said that they oftenhad to learn a new song in a week.

Urban was also not worried aboutthe lack of rehearsal time.

“The alumni are ‘pros’ havingsung in so many different placesandsituations,” she said.

Their performance was so successfulthat Urban and Criss now want toschedule an alumni concert onceevery five years.

According to Criss, the alumnitaught members “that life afterPlattsburgh doesn’t have to end –that they can still have a spirit forthe choir and a spirit for thecollege.”

Urban wants to extend a hand toalumni all over the world to attendtheir concerts. The group hasperformed in places like Boston,Chicago and even Tokyo. This year,it is hoping to travel to theCaribbean Islands, Atlanta andWashington, D.C. ■

GospelFest ’08continued from Page 21


STUDENTS CONTINUE TO REAPBENEFITS FROM THEPLATTSBURGH ALUMNIASSOCIATION’S STUDENT/ALUMNICENTER FOR PROFESSIONALDEVELOPMENT.

The program, which began connect-ing students to alumni in January2007, continues to grow. Now, nearly900 alumni and friends of the collegehave offered to network with students,providing them with informationabout careers, relocation and more.

These volunteers meet with stu-dents online through CardinalConnections.

Students search through this data-base, find alums with experience andemail their questions.

Alissa Cody ‘07 has made good useof the system. She plans to graduatewith a master’s in literacy this yearand then move to New York City toteach.

Relocating and maneuveringthrough the channels to find a teaching career in the big city can beintimidating. As a result, Cody wasglad to network with alumni whohave successfully made the transition.

“It was nice to talk to someone whohad done what I’m doing,” said Cody,who encourages others to use the system. “It’s easy.”

Students and alumni are not justmeeting in the virtual world, however.Take Douglas McManus ’89 G’91 forexample. McManus, the president ofthe Alumni Association and directorof the Office of Policy andManagement Operations at the U.S.Department of Justice, returned tocampus this spring to interview somestudents and chat with others aboutcareer options.

“I learned a lot speaking with DougMcManus,” said Zackary Bavaro, whoattended SUNY Plattsburgh this spring.

“One of the most important thingsI got out of meeting with Doug is thatjust because you choose accounting asa major doesn’t mean you have tobecome an accountant,” said Bavaro.“Speaking with great alumni such asDoug helps not only broaden anunderstanding about careers butintroduces new ones as well.”

The center is preparing students forcareers in other ways. For instance,this past year saw the introduction ofthe Dress for Success Fashion Show,supported through a grant fromCollege Auxiliary Services. The eventencouraged students to think aboutthe wardrobe changes they will needas they move into the work world. Itfeatured students modeling careerfashions, a student makeover anddoor prizes. The Student/AlumniCenter plans to offer the show everyyear, making it a tradition the nightbefore Career Night.

“The makeover meant a lot to me,”said senior biochemistry majorMohammed Chandoo, who waschosen for a makeover. “It made mefeel that I can look confident and beable to succeed in what I’m going forin my career.”

The experience also made himthink about coming back to theschool after graduation so that hecould help others.

“Programs like this enable the students to connect to the school andfeel proud of it,” said Chandoo, whoadded that the programs “broadentheir minds and give them the essenceof the real world.”

“I am delighted that the leadershipof our college and the AlumniAssociation support programs intro-ducing today’s students to the worldof alumni,” said Rose Anderson ’95,director of alumni affairs. “Our alumniare a rich resource for our students,our college and for each other.”

Bavaro agrees.“The Student/Alumni Center for

Professional Development and AlumniAssociation are great tools I thinkevery college student should use,” hesaid. ■

SUMMER 2008 23

Students Reap Benefits of Alumni Experience

The Dress for Success Fashion Show, sponsored by the Student/Alumni Center, encouraged studentsto think about the wardrobe changes they will need to make as they move into the work world. Thecenter hopes to offer the show every year, making it a tradition the night before Career Night.

Ann

Dan

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’08


HOMECOMING 2008HOMECOMING 2008

Come Celebrate the Plattsburgh Spirit, Hawaiian Style. OCTOBER 17-19, 2008

✂ Clip and Mail

We encourage you to return your registration form and a gift in honor of Homecoming in the envelopeprovided in the center of this magazine. Thank you.

FRIDAY EVENTS

________ Journalism Seminar ....................................Free________ Lunch & Golf Outing x $40 ea. = __________________ Art Museum Tour/Luncheon x $15 ea. = __________________ ODK Alumni Panel ....................................Free________ Welcome Back Tour ....................................Free________ Planetarium Show 4 p.m. ....................................Free________ Planetarium Show 6 p.m. ....................................Free________ Sports Hall of Fame Dinner x $22 ea. = __________________ Golden Anniversary Reception ......................................Free________ Welcome Back Buffet x $22 ea. = __________________ Jeopardy Contest ❒ Count me in on a team ........Free________ Open Mic Coffee House Email [email protected]

if you want to show your talent..............................Free________ Prism Concert ....................................$5 ea.________ Fabulous Fireworks ........................................Free________ Samuel D’s ..........Munchies - Cash Bar

TOTAL FRIDAY = ____________

SATURDAY EVENTS

________ Bright with Promise ........................................Free________ ODK Breakfast ........................................Free________ Info Session and Tour ........................................Free________ Golden Anniversary Brunch x $15 ea. = __________

________ Anniversary Brunches ❒1963 ❒1968 ❒1973 ❒1978x $15 ea. = __________

________ SSS 30th Reunion ....................................Free________ Akeba Alumni Reception ....................................Free________ Planetarium Show ....................................Free

OPEN HOUSE RECEPTIONS (See listings for times)________ EOP ....................................Free________ Nursing ....................................Free________ Student Association Open House ..........................Free________ Honors Program ....................................Free

________ ‘80s, ‘90s, ‘00s Happy Hour Co-sponsored by Residence Life x $5 ea. = __________

________ Presidents’ Reception & Homecoming Dinnerx $30 ea. = __________

TOTAL SATURDAY = __________

SUNDAY EVENTS

________ Farewell Brunch x $15 ea. = __________________ Gospel Choir ........................................Free

TOTAL SUNDAY = ____________

Please enter your event reservation totalsFriday $ ____________________________

Saturday $ ____________________________

Sunday $ ____________________________

Grand Total $ ____________________________

❒ I have enclosed a check for the above amount❒ Bill my credit card ❒ MasterCard ❒ Visa ❒ Discover

Card # __________________________________________________Expiration Date:_______ /_______ Signature: ________________________________________________

REGISTER BY OCTOBER 4.. Please make checks payable to thePlattsburgh Alumni Association, and return your registration form and checksto: Plattsburgh Alumni Association, 101 Broad St., Plattsburgh, N.Y. 12901-2681. We’ll mail your confirmation material. After Oct. 10, we will hold yourpacket to be picked up at the information table in the Angell College Centeron Friday, Oct. 17 after 3 p.m. or Saturday, Oct. 18 after 9 a.m. For moreinformation please call Rose Anderson ’95, director of Alumni Affairs, at 518-564-2090 or 800-964-1889. Our fax number is 518-564-2094. DuringHomecoming Weekend call 518-569-8565.

Name ______________________________________________________

Class Year __________________________________________________

Former Name ______________________________________________

Major ______________________________________________________

Address ______________________________________ ❒ new address

City ________________________________________________________

State ______________________________ Zip __________________

Home Phone ( ) ________________________________________

Business Phone ( ) ______________________________________

Email ______________________________________________________

Spouse or Guest Name ____________________ Class Year ______

Parent of a student, please fill in the student’s name and class year.

Name ____________________________________ Class Year ______

Homecoming Ad PLM 7/11/08 5:30 PM Page 1

SUMMER 2008 25

CLASSNOTES 1940Dr. Erwin Steinberg is professor emeritus ofEnglish and rhetoric at Carnegie MellonUniversity, retiring after 61 years. He held a variety of posts there, including dean of theCollege of Humanities and Social Sciences andvice provost of education. In addition to teaching at Carnegie Mellon, he served as acommunications consultant in industry and with various government and community organizations. He received the Alumnus of theYear Award from SUNY Plattsburgh in 1971.

1944

Four classmates from the class of 1944 havegotten together nearly every year for a mini-reunion since graduating. Gathering once againin August 2007 were: Phyllis (Welling) Barlow;Ellen (Dobbs) Yarmchuk; Eloise (Coon)Massmann and Laura (Harter) Havens.

1950Anne (Bethel) Heaney is a retired teacher fromthe Farmingdale Public School District. Sheresides in Hempstead, N.Y., and is looking forward to her 60th reunion in 2010.

Jeannine Nolan, who serves as first vice president of the Arc of Onondaga Board, wasappointed by the governor to serve as a mem-ber of the Board of Visitors of the Central NewYork Developmental Disabilities Service Office.The Board of Visitors monitors and improves thequality of care for those with developmental disabilities. Nolan resides in Fayetteville, N.Y.

1960

Carol (Mick) McTigue, Gretchen (Stier)

Brodish, Alice (Williamson) Jones andBarbara (Strader) Gold, home economicsgraduates from the class of 1960, had a mini-reunion during the summer of 2007 at theSaratoga race track in Saratoga, N.Y.

1968Bonnie Demers G’77, elementary teacher forthe Malone Central School District, has beenrecognized by Cambridge Who’s Who for show-ing dedication, leadership and excellence in primary education. She has 39 years of teachingexperience in Malone

1970David Nicandri, executive director of theWashington StateHistorical Society inTacoma, Wash., a distin-guished visiting alum thisspring, spoke to students about his experiences while atPlattsburgh and sincegraduating. A published

expert on the Lewis and Clark expedition, he isworking on a book about Alexander McKenzie,a Montreal fur trader whose explorations influenced Thomas Jefferson to authorize theLewis and Clark expedition. In addition to thehistorical society, Nicandri is also responsible foradministering the historical museum, grant programs, outreach efforts and coordination ofNational History Day for middle and high schoolstudents. Nicandri also serves as executive editor of Columbia Magazine, the magazine ofnorthwest history.

1971Sandra McNeil G’89 isthe recipient of the 2008New York StateDistinguished Dietitianaward, presented annuallyto a dietitian by the NewYork State DieteticAssociation from a poolof more than 5,300 candidates in the state.The award is given based

on professional leadership roles held on thelocal, state and national level. McNeil receivedthe award at a ceremony in Albany, N.Y., in May.

1973Delene (Camplin) Pearl retired from her position as earth science teacher with the LakeShore Central Middle School in Angola, N.Y., inJune 2006. She and her husband, Nick, are the parents of a daughter, Christine, who iscompleting her freshman year at Ithaca College.The family resides in Angola.

1974Warren Liebold, director of metering and conservation with the New York CityDepartment of Environmental Protection, was aninvited presenter at the 2008 WaterwiseConference, Keble College, Oxford, U.K.

Stephen Ptak is the director of food assistancepolicy in the New York State Office ofTemporary and Disability Assistance in Albany,N.Y. He has oversight of the statewide foodstamp program implementation, which servesmore than 1.8 million people and providessome $2.4 billion in federal food assistance benefits to low-income and working familieseach year. He also supervises the implementationof the New York State Food Stamp NutritionEducation Program and Outreach Plan.

1975Retired Lt. Col Hugh Beemer is the new vicepresident for Pacific Asia operations, sales andmarketing for Le Distribution Pointe, which distributes more than 100,000 products and services to Hawaii, the Pacific Islands, Asia andthe Pacific Rim, including North and SouthAmerica. He has been active in veterans’ affairsand was elected chairman of the Veterans Voiceof the Pacific, a veterans’ advocacy group representing veterans from throughout Hawaiiand the Pacific. He serves as a veterans’ servicesofficer for Disabled American Veterans and is onstaff of the Hawaii District Royal Rangers, serving as the program’s coordinator. Beemer isalso active in the American Legion and Air ForceAssociation. He and his wife, Shirley, reside inMililani, Hawaii.

Garry Brown, chairman of the New York StatePublic Service Commission, was a featuredspeaker at the May 8 session of the New YorkIndependent System Operator True Grid:Advanced Metering and New TechnologiesSymposium and Technology Expo. Brown is oneof the state utility commissioners named by theNational Association of Regulatory UtilityCommissioners to serve on a joint federal-stateinitiative created by the Federal EnergyRegulatory Commission and NARUC. Brown hasnearly 30 years of energy sector experience.

1976Dr. James Bonner, direc-tor of the Center for theEnvironment at ClarksonUniversity in Potsdam,N.Y., is the River andEstuary ObservatoryNetwork director ofresearch with the BeaconInstitute for Rivers andEstuaries. A nationallyrecognized expert in

real-time water monitoring technologies, Bonner

Find out what your friendsare doing now!

25-28 plat classnotes 7/8/08 10:23 AM Page 25

CLASSNOTES

What’s NEWS?For best results please submit original print photos instead of digital images.

Name ______________________________ Former ________________

Year ________________________________Major __________________

Address ____________________________________________________

City__________________________ State ________ Zip ____________

Home Phone ( ) __________________________________________

Email Address ________________________________________________

Employer ____________________________________________________

Title ________________________________________________________

Address ______________________________________________________

City__________________________ State ________ Zip ____________

Work Phone ( ) __________________________________________

Fax ( ) __________________________________________________

What’s New? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

❒ Check here if new address.

will lead the development and implementationof the REON to create the first technology-based monitoring and forecasting network forrivers and estuaries. It is a joint effort betweenthe Beacon Institute, IBM and ClarksonUniversity.

Anthony Cassella, chief operating officer, chieffinancial officer and member of the office of thepresident of Croscill Inc., a home décor companyin New York City, has been named director-at-large of the New York State Society of CertifiedPublic Accountants at its 111th annual electionmeeting and dinner at the New York Hilton onMay 15. Casella belongs to the AmericanInstitute of Certified Public Accountants,Financial Executives International, the Instituteof Management Accountants.

1977Wayne Miller and his wife, Denise Zechner-Miller, spent a week with Paul Baillargeon ’78at his home in Snowmass, Colo., where he hasbeen a senior-level ski instructor for many years.Miller and his wife reside in Guilderland, N.Y.

Dr. Keith Trott was promoted to theRaytheon EngineeringFellow Program of thedefense technology company. RaytheonFellows represent the topfour percent of the engineering division. Thetitle recognizes significantindividual contributions

to the company and the engineering profession.Trott has been with Raytheon since 2000 and iscurrently the engineering team lead for thedesign and development effort of the EHF andX-Ka SATCOM antennas for the U.S. Navy’sZumwalt class destroyer program.

Clip, complete and mail or fax your info to: CLASSNOTES, Alumni Affairs, SUNY Plattsburgh, 101 Broad St.,Plattsburgh, NY 12901-2681, 800-964-1889, fax 518-564-2094, or email [email protected]

1978Guy Facteau has retired after 26 years with theNew York State Department of CorrectionalServices. He is substitute teaching French andSpanish in the Chateaugay Central School District.

1979Diane (Miller) Samelak retired from the U.S.Navy and is now a pediatric nurse practitioner atWake Forest University Baptist Medical Centerin Winston Salem, N.C. She married TimothySamelak in 1986. They are the parents ofdaughter, Abigail, 20, and son, Benjamin, 18.The family resides in Greensboro, N.C.

Dr. Margaret Gray-Vickrey, associate vicepresident for academic affairs and interimprovost and vice president for academic affairsat Florida Gulf Coast University, was recentlyappointed editor of Alzheimer’s Care Today, apeer-reviewed journal published by LippincottWilliams and Wilkins that provides informationon dementia-care practices for health-care professionals. She resides in Fort Myers, Fla.

Wendy Weckesser is completing her master’sdegree in botany this summer and was selectedfor the Chicago Botanic Garden’s Conservationand Land Management Fellowship and is working as an intern for the Bureau of LandManagement in Las Cruces, N.M. She taught highschool science for nine years in rural West Texas.

1980Therese Lenz Filkins is a teacher with theSouth Glens Falls (N.Y.) School District. Her son,Mark Bulmer, just completed his freshman yearat SUNY Plattsburgh. Filkins and her husband,Ken, reside in South Glens Falls.

Valerie Fioretta recently relocated to theUnites States from England where she hadworked for 22 years for the U.S. Air Force. She is

currently community readiness technician withMcGuire Air Force Base in New Jersey whereshe supports military families and retirees at theAirman and Family Readiness Center.

After 25 years with theNew York State Police,most recently as staffinspector with theInternal Affairs Bureau,Jack Van Steenburgretired and took a posi-tion as director ofenforcement and compliance with the U.S.Department of

Transportation, Federal Motor Carrier SafetyAdministration in Washington, D.C. VanSteenburg, a distinguished visiting alum thisspring, talked to students about his career as a state trooper. Hesaid his Plattsburgh State accounting degreecame in handy since the police regularly dealwith money crimes, from bad checks to larceny.In traffic services, he dealt with grants and budget issues. As a staff inspector, he dealt withmillions of dollars seized by the police fromdrug dealers and other sources.

1981

William Branthoover (left), Brian Green (right)

Find out what your friendsare doing now!


SUMMER 2008 27

and Tim Shaer ’82 (center) explore Smuggler’sCave in Stowe, Vt., in the fall of 2007.

1983John Carlin, lead anchorand managing editor withthe NBC affiliate station WSLS 10 inRoanoke, Va., accepted a Peabody Award onbehalf of the station’scoverage of the first 48hours of the Virginia Techshootings. The awardspresentation was held in

New York City in June. The station provided livecoverage through two intense days, from thefirst alert to the second day when informationwas forthcoming from officials. The Peabody isthe international prize in electronic media andhas been awarded annually since 1941. In addition to serving as anchorman at the station,Carlin was also an adjunct faculty member atVirginia Tech where he taught broadcast writingfor 11 years. He has twice won the Emmy Awardfor reporting along with numerous AssociatePress awards. He and his wife, Mary (Weinman)Carlin ’84, reside in Roanoke with their sons,Jonathan, Benjamin and Tyler.

Thom Hallock is the newanchor/producer ofMountain Lake Journal atMountain Lake PBS inPlattsburgh. Hallock hadbeen an anchor at theNBC affiliate inPlattsburgh, WPTZ.Hallock will help MountainLake PBS expand its public affairs reporting by

writing and producing the weekly news program.He will also anchor the PBS station’s 2008 elec-tion and political coverage in addition to otherspecial investigatory reports and documentaries.Hallock received two Edward R. Murror awardsand an Emmy nomination for environmentalseries about Lake Champlain.

George Wright is the new vice president ofworldwide sales for SugarCRM, provider of commercial open-source customer relationshipmanagement software. He brings more than 25years of sales and management experience in thehigh-tech sector to SugarCRM. He is responsiblefor the management and expansion of the company’s global sales force. He was previouslysenior vice president and general manager ofworld wide field operations for Epiphany Inc.,where he oversaw day-to-day operations of sales,renewals, professional services and education.

1984Matthew Berman was named executive vice

president and chief operating officer atHomemade Baby, makers of fresh, organicbaby food. Berman joins the company fromRoyal Numico, the world’s second-largest babyfood company where he headed the company’sbaby food operations in Portugal. He startedhis career in marketing at Procter and Gamble and attended the Wharton School of Business. He is the father of three boys,ages 8, 6 and 4.

1986Bill Giesler has returned to college full time forhis master’s degree in education after more than17 years in the automobile business. He isattending Marist College in Poughkeepsie, N.Y.,and hopes to be teaching American historywhen finished. He and his wife, Beth, are theparents of daughters Aubrey, 11, and Marisa, 8,and reside in Hyde Park, N.Y.

Thomas O’Donnell is the new chief of staff toCongressman Phil Hare (D-Ill.). O’Donnell mostrecently served as chief of staff to CongressmanRush Holt (D-N.J.). Prior to that, he spent 13years working for Hare’s predecessor,Congressman Lane Evans – nine of those yearsas legislative director.

1987Dan Ladd published his firstbook, “Deer Hunting in theAdirondacks: A Guide toDeer Hunting in New York’s6-Million-Acre AdirondackPark.” Ladd and his wife,Adrienne, reside in Fort Ann,N.Y.

Retired Marine Lt. Col. Louis Morse is thevice president of contracts for 3D GlobalSolutions, an Indiana-based service-disabledveteran-owned small business that specializes in professional program management services togovernments, corporations and global opera-tions. He retired after 20 years with the MarineCorps, having served at Camp Pendleton;Albany, Ga.; Monterey, Calif.; and Washington,D.C. His last assignment before retiring was aslogistics operations officer, G-4, with centralcommand at MacDill Air Force Base, Tampa, Fla.

1989James Marion G’89 joined the Ellenville, N.Y.,office of engineering firm Barton & LoguidiceP.C., as senior environmental consultant. A resident of Grahamsville, N.Y., Marion recentlyretired from the New York State Department ofCorrectional Services where he was in charge ofthe waste management programs for 70 correctional facilities throughout the state. He isa founding member of the New York StateOrganics and Recycling Council; a board

member of the Federation of New York SolidWaste Associations; and a member of theCornell University Waste Management Institute.

1990Harry D’Elia successfully completed the Realtore-Pro course to become one of a select few realestate professionals to earn the certificationoffered through the National Association ofRealtors. The Realtor e-Pro certification course isan on-line educational program designed tohelp real estate agents stay on the cutting edgeof technology and identify, evaluate and implement new Internet business models.

Matthew Murphy is apartner with the certifiedpublic accounting firm ofRosen Seymour ShapssMartin & Company LLP inNew York City. Murphyjoined the firm in 1998and provides accountingand auditing services forservice, manufacturing,construction, broker/

dealers, private technical schools, publishing,Internet, retail and real estate industries.Additionally, he handles Securities andExchange Commission and employee benefitplan projects. He received his master’s in taxation from St. John’s University in 1995 and isa member of the American Institute of CertifiedPublic Accountants and the New York StateSociety of Certified Public Accountants.

1994Jennifer (Crump) Anderson earned her master’s degree in physician assistant studies in2003 from Methodist College in Fayetteville,N.C., and is a hospitalist for the psychiatry unitat Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital in Albany,Ga. She and her husband, Douglas, were married May 21, 2005. She is the stepmother toson, Michael, 18, and daughter, Katy, 14. Thefamily resides in Albany.

Kriss (Kimmerly) Ruby is a fourth-grade 12:1:1special education teacher at Stevens ElementarySchool in Burnt Hills, N.Y. She started her careerthere 10 years ago and serves as co-adviser forthe fourth- and fifth-grade student council. Sheis the curriculum representative for special ser-vices in the building. Ruby is working on hergraduate degree in curriculum and instruction atthe SUNY Plattsburgh Branch Campus atAdirondack Community College. She and herhusband, Ray, reside in South Glens Falls, N.Y.,with their daughters, Madison, 7, and Brooke, 4.

Dr. Hassan Tetteh was admitted to the John F.Kennedy School of Government’s Lucius N.Littauer Master in Public Administration Programfor the 2008-2009 academic year. The cardio-



thoracic surgeon at the University of Minnesotawill participate in the school’s mid-career master of public administration program, whichprovides courses in microeconomics, analytics,and public management and offers opportunitiesto strengthen basic skills for academic work.

1996

Luigi Crespo (above right) was appointeddirector of special projects and protocol at theU.S. Department of Homeland Security wherehe is responsible for protocol, support, brandingmanagement and high-impact event productionfor the department. Prior to his appointment, he served for six years as director of specialevents and protocol at the U.S. Agency forInternational Development. In addition to hisprotocol and government duties, Crespo servesas assistant troop leader of Girl Scout Troop81632 of Frederick, Md.

Marc Jablon is the new chairman of the boardof AFA Music Group. Jablon has managed morethan 100 public relations campaigns over sixyears. He previously worked for the DisneyCorporation in Orlando, Fla., and later went onto work in the investor relations industry, creating Big Apple Consulting where he currentlyserves as president and chairman of the board.In addition, he serves as CEO and director ofManagement Solutions International, a full-service business and consulting firm.

1997Delena (Dee Garlarneau) Clark G’01 retiredas director of the North Country Small BusinessDevelopment Center of the SUNY PlattsburghSchool of Business and Economics. She hadserved as center director for seven years, super-vising the counseling of 2,169 North Countrybusiness clients and helping to create or save1,168 jobs. Clark and her husband, Robert ’74,are relocating to South Carolina.

Kristina (McCarthy) Martin is a fifth-gradeteacher in the Deer Valley Unified School Districtin Phoenix, Ariz. She received the Deer ValleyEducation Foundation’s Teacher of the YearAward for the 2007-2008 school year.

1998

Michele Byno is vice president of long-termcare at Adirondack Medical Center in SaranacLake, N.Y. She is responsible for the daily opera-tions of AMC’s two skilled-nursing facilities. Bynois the administrator of record for AMC-Uihlein inLake Placid, N.Y., and holds administrative over-sight for AMC-Mercy in Tupper Lake, N.Y.,where she most recently served as the assistantvice president of long-term care. She and herhusband, Robert, are the parents of a son, Rob,and reside in Saranac Lake.

James Dawsey G’98 isthe new chief operatingofficer of MLBConstruction Services,LLC. He is responsible forthe daily operations ofthe commercial construction services firm.He joined MLB in 1987as project manager, was promoted to senior pro-

ject manager in 1992 and was named vice president for operations in 1997. He is a civilengineering graduate of Manhattan College.

Kenneth Drake is the new sportsreporter/weekend sports anchor at WPTZNewsChannel 5 in Plattsburgh. He has workedin various positions at WPTZ for the past sevenyears, both behind the scenes and in front ofthe camera.

Daniel Scavino, general manager of TrumpNational Golf Club in Briarcliff Manor, N.Y.,was awarded the Greater Southern DutchessChamber of Commerce 40 Under 40 “ShakerAward,” which recognizes 40 people under 40who have made “remarkable strides in thecommunity, have a vision for the region’s busi-ness future, are business savvy beyond theiryears and have the passion to take risks tomake their dreams happen.” Scavino and hiswife, Jennifer ’98, are the parents of sonsEthan and Justin and reside in HopewellJunction, N.Y.

1999Kevin Dimino has been a police officer with theNew York Police Department since 2004. Heand his wife, Martine, reside in Staten Island,N.Y.

2001Aaron Rosenbaum earned his doctorate in psychology from Penn State in December 2007after completing his dissertation, “AnExamination of the Knowledge About and Attitudes Toward Concussion in High SchoolAthletics, Coaches and Athletic Trainers.” He iscurrently an adjunct professor at Penn State.

Dr. Adam McGlynn received his Ph.D. in

political science from Stony Brook Universityin May 2007. He is assistant professor of political science at the University of Texas-Pan American in Edinburg, Texas. He and his wife, Jocelyn (Bannwarth) McGlynn ’01,reside with their daughter, Shea Madison, inMcAllen, Texas.

John Tyler works for Public Energy Solutions,a company that helps businesses change theircurrent inefficient lighting, motors and air conditioning to commercial-grade energy-efficient methods. His company helps reducehundreds of megawatts of energy and millionsof dollars in electric costs in WestchesterCounty and New York City.

2002Thomas McNichols, who until recently was aperformer singing bass with the choral group,Cantus, sang at the semi-finals of theMetropolitan Opera National Council auditions. He declined to renew his contractwith Cantus and instead is now under representation by Robert Lombardo andAssociates of New York City in the hopes ofgetting back into opera and concert work.

2003Mark Peek of Gloversville, N.Y., stars in theindependent horror film, “The Abandoned,”produced by the Utica, N.Y.-based company,Mad Angel Films. Peek works at the TargetDistribution Center outside Amsterdam, N.Y.,and appeared on stage at the Glove Theaterin Gloversville and the Colonial Little Theaterin Johnstown, N.Y.

2006Alan Fabiano joinedthe engineering, scienceand operations firm ofWoodard & Curran asa geographic informa-tion system analyst.Fabiano previouslyserved with the U.S.Army and ArmyNational Guard andhas experience with

GIS and infrastructure mapping in New Yorkand at military bases abroad.

2007Bryce Lamberto is a benefits administratorfor Primm Valley Casino Resorts, Las Vegas,Nev. He administers various employee benefits programs such as group insurance,life, medical and dental, accident and disability insurance, 401(k), and health mainte-nance organizations. He is also responsible forimplementing new benefit programs, arranging and conducting employee-informa-tion presentations and enrollments. He

CLASSNOTES Find out what your friendsare doing now!


SUMMER 2008 29

CelebrationsCLASSNOTES Engagements, Weddings and Anniversaries

1997Colleen Kennedy andBrian Cole ’99 weremarried Nov. 4, 2006 atthe Ramapo ReformedChurch in Mahway, N.J.Colleen is a graphic

designer for Mosaic Design Group inNyack, N.Y. Brian is director of guest ser-vices at the Crowne Plaza in Albany, N.Y.A number of Plattsburgh State alumniwere in attendance, including: CraigKennedy ’96; Andrew Casabonne ’96; BillBurkel ’96; Stacey Nowak ’96; DorothyDemou ’96; David Smith ’95; BrianTepper’97; John Shanley ’97; Jill Austin’97; Amy (Yustein) Moran ’97; and JohnMoran ’87. The couple resides in BallstonSpa, N.Y.

1999Craig Storrow and Lori Carlo were married Oct. 14, 2006 at the TurningStone Casino and Resort in Verona, N.Y.Plattsburgh State alumni in attendanceincluded: Jeff LeDioyt ’00; Michelle(Boeshore) LeDioyt ’99 G’01; CharlesAbunaw ’00; Summer Szell ’00; BrianMcQuestion ’01; Tom Boyle ’02; CiroCascella ’97; Paul Neglia ’02; GeoffGordon ’02; Andy Cyr ’99; GeorgeWilliamson ’96; Mary (Dombrowski)DiNardi ’99; Chrissy (Lillo) Block ’00;Erik Block ’00; Peter DiNardi ’00; JustinAimi ’98; Amanda Flowers ’00; TaraHepfer ’01; Ryan Voss ’97; CraigArmstrong ’99; Derek French ’98; DebiMaulucci ’98; Jennifer (Tusa) Hughes’98; and John (Brad) Hughes ’97. Thecouple resides in Guilderland, N.Y.

2000Nicholas Booth and Crystal Schuy ’02were married Oct. 21, 2007 at Christ theKing Church in Commack, N.Y. Crystalworks in human resources for A&ETelevision Networks in Manhattan.Nicholas is a computer programmer forOberon Media in Manhattan. The coupleresides in Bayside, N.Y.

David Etzler and Rachael Racine ’03announce their engagement. Etzler isemployed by WNYT-TV in Albany, N.Y.Racine is pursuing a doctorate at theUniversity of Albany and is employed bythe Wadsworth Center at the university. AMay 2009 wedding is planned.

Mindy Wojewodzicand Donald Johnstonwere married Sept. 29,2007 at St. Patrick’sChurch in Port Henry,N.Y. She is employed at

CVPH Medical Center in Plattsburgh. He isemployed at NES Management Servicesin Plattsburgh. They reside in West Chazy,N.Y.

2002David Fortin and LisaE. LaFave-Kiah weremarried April 21, 2007in Lake Placid, N.Y.David is a secure caretreatment aide at

the St. Lawrence Psychiatric Center-Bridgeview in Ogdensburg, N.Y. Lisa is a

registered nurse at Canton-PotsdamHospital. The couple resides inOgdensburg.

Christine Pierce and Bryan Peltoannounce their engagement. Pierce is aprofessional nanny and educator inNewbury Park, Calif. Pelto is director offood and beverage at the Four Seasonsresort in Westlake Village, Calif. A March 20, 2009 wedding is planned.

Renee Gordon G’03and Matthew DeBlockwere married July 7,2007 at St. Edward theConfessor CatholicChurch in Clifton Park,

N.Y. The reception was held in SaratogaSprings where they were joined by many

Tell Us About Your CelebrationFor best results please submit a high-resolution digital image.

Name ______________________________ Former ____________________________Year ________________________________Major______________________________Date of the Event ________________________________________________________Address ________________________________________________ ❒ New address.City__________________________ State __________Zip ________________________Home Phone ( ) ______________________________________________________Email Address ____________________________________________________________Employer ________________________________________________________________Title ____________________________________________________________________Address ________________________________________________________________City__________________________ State __________Zip ________________________Work Phone ( ) ____________ Fax ( ) ______________________________

Give us the Details________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Clip, complete and mail or fax your info to: CLASSNOTES, Alumni Affairs, SUNY Plattsburgh, 101 Broad St., Plattsburgh, NY 12901-2681, 800-964-1889, fax 518-564-2094,

or email: [email protected]

See more alumni wedding photos at www.plattsburgh.edu/alumni

29 plat celebrate 7/11/08 2:05 PM Page 29


CelebrationsCLASSNOTES Engagements, Weddings and Anniversaries

Plattsburgh State alumni, including severalof the bridesmaids and mother and brother of the bride. Those alumni inattendance included: Amy (Colone)Clancy ’02; Cassie Andrews ’03; Kelly(Quigley) McWilliams ’02; Beth (Ghee)Pereira ’02; Gina Conrad ’01; CourtneyBaldwin ’02; Lynn Conlon ’91; Isabelle(Julien) Dickens ’99; Kevin Gordon ’08;Kim O’Leary ’03; Liz Amati ’02; Nancy(Marcino) Gordon ’74; Amanda(Johnson) Brunson ’01; Kelly Beyea ’03;and Charlie Dickens ’97. Renee teachesfifth grade at the William H. BartonIntermediate School in the Queensbury(N.Y.) School District. Matthew is a financialanalyst at General Electric in Schenectady,N.Y. The couple resides in Glens Falls, N.Y.

Elizabeth Hirschhornand Sage McEnery weremarried Nov. 10, 2007in Charlotte, N.C.Elizabeth is a publicrelations/marketing

specialist. Sage is a programmer. Theyreside in Fort Mill, S.C.

2003Jessica Commo G’07 and Tyler Wilson’08 were married July 20, 2007 at thePlattsburgh Memorial Chapel on the oldPlattsburgh Air Force Base oval. She is ahigh school special educator at BellowsFree Academy in St. Albans, Vt. He graduated this May with a degree in environmental science. He works atAnthony’s Restaurant and Bistro inPlattsburgh. The couple resides inPlattsburgh.

( Jodi Facteau and JaySt. Gelais were marriedOct. 6, 2007 at theSaranac UnitedMethodist Church inSaranac, N.Y. Jodi is a

junior high/high school special-educationteacher and assistant varsity volleyballcoach in Schaghticoke, N.Y. Jay is a software engineer for CommerceTechnologies in Albany, N.Y. The coupleresides in Ballston Spa, N.Y.

Adam Mickel and Julie Gosselin weremarried May 24, 2008 at the FirstPresbyterian Church in Whitehall, N.Y.Adam is a corrections officer with the

Kimberly Brindle andDouglas Smith haveannounced theirengagement. Brindle isa loan officer withAmerican Southwest

Mortgage of Dallas, Texas. Smith is thechief executive officer of Home CentersInc. of Texas in Dallas. A May 2009 wedding is planned.

2006Sam Berrick and ErinO’Neill have announcedtheir engagement.Berrick is employed atFedEx and Schonbek inPlattsburgh. O’Neill is a

certified nurse assistant at MeadowbrookHealthcare in Plattsburgh. A Sept. 12, 2009wedding is planned.

Rosemary Yacoob andErik Wooding wereengaged in Central Park in New York City inDecember 2007.Yacoob is a registered

nurse at New York Presbyterian-WeillCornell Hospital in the acute rehab unit.Wooding is an audio/video technician forCleary, Gottlieb, Steen and Hamilton LLP.A 2010 wedding is planned.

2007Krystal Lugo andJonathan Buhsannounce their engagement. Lugo isexecutive assistant inthe property tax division

for General Electric in Danbury, Conn.Buhs is the main caretaker for the St.Barnabas Church, elementary and highschool in Bronx, N.Y. A Nov. 15, 2008 wedding is planned.

Michael Szabo andDiana Rosner were married April 21, 2007at the WatermillCatering Hall,Smithtown, N.Y. Michael

is a senior associate director of financialservices at Fordham University, and Dianais an attorney. The couple resides in KingsPark, N.Y.

Vermont Department of Corrections. Julieis a medical transcriptionist at Glens FallsHospital. The couple resides in Whitehall.

William Stewart and Jenny Stegel weremarried May 12, 2007 at A Wedding inthe Country, in East Galway, N.Y. The couple resides in Rochester, N.Y.

2004Alexa Gordon andChristopher Bennett’05 were married May20, 2007 at the Rivierain Massapequa, N.Y.Many Plattsburgh State

alumni were in attendance, including:Stacy (Carter) Lindsay ’05; MarissaChasanoff ’06; Jessica Elmendorf ’06;Sheri Beckwith-Trombley ’05 G’07; KellyBeyea ’03; Kate Gardner ’05; SaraCarlson ’04; Cory Conway ’06; MatthewFurst ’05; Mike Anajovich ’04; AdamSears ’05; Bill Lindsay ’05; KatieHafensteiner ’05; Christine Volpi ’04;and Kevin Hanselman ’05.

Bill Lindsay and StacyCarter ’05 were married Oct. 5, 2007 at Mallozzi’s BanquetHall in Schenectady,N.Y. Plattsburgh State

alumni served as members of the weddingparty, including: Faith Ansah ’05; JeremyBartman ’03; Lauren Gim ’05; and JeffMaclutsky ’06. The couple resides inMahopac, N.Y.

2005R. Scott Birge Jr. andDenise Venezio weremarried Aug. 4, 2007 inSaratoga Springs, N.Y.Plattsburgh State alumniin attendance included:

R. Scott Birge Sr. ’75; Nita (Perrelle)Birge ’75; Terri (Hathaway) Sullivan ’83;Melanie (Munson) O’Brien ’77; ToniPerrelle ’87; Ian Finisterre ’05; JoshuaYoo ’06; Kenneth Sherwood ’04; KevinSherwood ’06; Michael Kass ’05; SeanDeBottis ’06; Stelianos Canallatos ’05;Zachary Wyatt ’06; and Steve Matthews’90 G’94. Denise is a second-gradeteacher at Schuylerville Elementary School,and Scott is a teacher at North ColonieJunior High School.

29 plat celebrate 7/11/08 2:06 PM Page 30

SUMMER 2008 31

1987Katie Talmage Homan and her husband,John, announce the birth of their son,Jesse William, April 4, 2006. The family resides in Richmond, Va.

1991Timothy Darcy and hiswife, Erica, announcethe birth of their firstchild, daughter MollyMarie, June 21, 2007.The family resides in

Highland, N.Y.

1993Sheri (Rosenfeld) Davisand her husband, Ted,announce the birth oftheir son, AndrewJames, Oct. 31, 2007.The family resides in

Commack, N.Y.

1994Rachel (Levine)Donnatin and her husband, John,announce the birth oftheir daughter, MiaRose, Feb. 25, 2008.

The family resides in Williston Park, N.Y.

David Noakes and hiswife, Alison (Golini)Noakes ’95, announcethe birth of their daugh-ter, Evelyn Isabella,Sept. 14, 2007. The

family resides in Port St. John, Fla.

1998Erin (Gurski) Butt andher husband, Eric,announce the birth oftheir daughter, KelseyDebra, March 12, 2008.The family resides in

Poughkeepsie, N.Y.

Laurence Saposnickand his wife, Erin, arethe parents of daughter,Riley, 2. The familyresides in Holtsville,N.Y.

1999Adam Hamou and hiswife, Carrie O’Reilly-Hamou ’00, announcethe birth of their daugh-ter, Alyssa Madison,April 27, 2007. The

family resides in Bellmore, N.Y.

Angela (Lambiase)Kiang announces thebirth of her son,Andrew Chaning, Feb.29, 2008. The familyresides in Rocky Point,

N.Y.

Craig Storrow and hiswife, Lori (Carlo)Storrow, announce thebirth of their daughter,Sofia Rose, Aug. 26,2007. The family

resides in Guilderland, N.Y.

2001Adam McGlynn andJocelyn (Bannwarth)McGlynn announce thebirth of their daughter,Shea Madison, Nov. 23,2007. The family

resides in McAllen, Texas.

2002Shawn Davies and his wife, StephanieBoswell-Davies,announce the birth oftheir first child, sonSpencer Ray, Oct. 24,

2007. The family resides in Peru, N.Y.

2003Joseph DeSario and hiswife, Amy (Gramlich)DeSario announce thebirth of their first child,son Landon Joseph,March 6, 2008. The

family resides in Rochester, N.Y.

Lindsay (Williams)Knott G’05 and herhusband, Mike,announce the birth of their first child,daughter Reilly

Margaret, March 9, 2008. The familyresides in Glenmont, N.Y.

CLASSNOTES AlumniBabies

Faculty and Staff

Angela Brown April 4, 2008 – Peru, N.Y.Harold Flannagan Feb. 24, 2008 – Altona, N.Y.Dr. Gerald Kokoszka May 11, 2008 – Peru, N.Y.Claudette Rowe May 3, 2008 – West Chazy, N.Y.

Alumni

Helen (Higgins) Morse ’38 April 13, 2008 – Essex, N.Y.Joan (Dugan) Dubay ’40 ’58 G’62

May 10, 2008 – AuSable Forks, N.Y.Elizabeth “Bette” (Hasseltine) Cole Snow ’45

April 6, 2008 – Lake Placid, N.Y.Margaret (Roider) Reinhart ’46 May 12, 2008 – Colonie, N.Y.Walter Toner ’50 June 1, 2008 – Covington, GaHelen (Evola) Fetzer ’51

May 16, 2008 – Locust Valley, Long Island, N.Y.

Alumni (Continued)

James Keenan ’59 June 3, 2008 – Hudson Falls, N.Y.William Santamore ’61 March 5, 2008 – Morrisonville, N.Y.Joseph Lavin ’71 April 27, 2008 – Springfield, Mass.William Bublitz Jr. ’73 March 15, 2008 – Clear Lake, S.D.Richard Farber ’76 Jan. 8, 2008 – Danbury, Conn.Emily (Johnson) Brown ’81 Feb. 7, 2008 – Cadyville, N.Y.Carol (Wilson) Cates G’82 Feb. 3, 2008 – Buffalo, N.Y.Marilyn (Ryan) O’Connor G’85 May 30, 2008 – Plattsburgh, N.Y.Clare Paolantonio-Locilento ’86 June 13, 2008 – Marlton, N.J.Benita Garland ’87 May 3, 2008 – Albany, N.Y.Kelly (Kipp) Fredenburg ’90 April 18, 2008 – Chazy, N.Y.Larry Brink ’92 March 18, 2008 – Bloomingdale, N.Y.Alyce (Phinney) Kilburn ’92 April 20, 2008 – Elizabethtown, N.Y.Sherry Healing ’93 G’96 May 20, 2008 – Modesto, Calif.David Snyder ’97 ’99 March 21, 2008 – West Coxsackie, N.Y.

In Memorium

31 plat babies and mem 7/7/08 11:56 AM Page 31


TheLast Word

AFTERNOON ON THE UPPER BOUQUETby Roger Mitchell

Backs on the rock, tremorof the rain-fattenedriver beneath us,

the faint drummingof water tumblingthrough closed caverns

below, the earth's pulseours for a moment,sky taking shape

from almost nothing, bluesmelting into paler blues, thoseinto something almost

white, almosterased. I know what you're thinking.I think it, too.

No other life will do.

Roger Mitchell of Jay, N.Y., has published two books on the North Country: “Adirondack,” and“Clear Pond,” a book of non-fiction. Other books include “Braid,” “Savage Baggage (The Figures)”and “Delicate Bait,” winner of the 2002 Akron Prize in Poetry. His most recent book, “HalfMask,”was published in 2007. “Afternoon on the Upper Bouquet” appears in the Saranac Review No. 3.

The Saranac Review is a SUNY Plattsburgh international literary journal created and administered through the Englishdepartment. Its editors are always looking for the best in fiction, poetry, and non-fiction from the United States andCanada. Their foremost goal is to create a forum for faculty and students to experience excellence in contemporarywriting.

For a copy of the Saranac Review, send your name, address and email address along with a check for $12 U.S./$14CAD to: Subscriptions/The Saranac Review, Department of English, SUNY Plattsburgh, Plattsburgh, NY 12901. For more information on subscribing, visit the Saranac Review online at: research.plattsburgh.edu/saranacreview.

Photo illustration by SUNY Plattsburgh art major Margaret Dimock ’09.

32 plat Last Word 7/7/08 11:43 AM Page 32

SUNY PlattsburghOFFICE OF INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT101 Broad Street Plattsburgh, New York 12901-2681

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Recapture it now! Be part ofthe SUNY Plattsburgh Alumni Directory.

Reconnect with memories and catch up with old friends and former classmates with the

upcoming Alumni Directory. This exciting and invaluable resource will include personal,

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Our directory is being researched and compiled by Harris Publishing, the leading publisher of

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take the opportunity to be part of this important project. Update and return your

information — and be sure you’re included so your college friends can find you.

Remember that feeling?

Remember that feeling?Remember that feeling?

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