1960s
Jon Wefald (’61 M.A. Hist. and Polit. Sci.), the twelfth president of Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kansas, will retire at the end of the 2008–2009 academic year. He will continue at the university as a part-time professor of leadership studies and history. He and his wife Ruth-Ann have two grown sons who also live in Manhattan.
Edward J. Brunz (’69 Ed.) taught and coached in the Burlington-Edison School District and retired in 1994. He was elected mayor of Burlington in January 2008.
1970s
Joseph M. Quinn (’70 M.A. Speech) launched a Web site to tell the true story of his friend Amelia Lewis de Gremli, an Oxford-educated scholar and stroke victim who was abducted and held prisoner for six years while her assets were drained by her caretakers. Her plight changed Oregon law regarding elder abuse. Quinn, who lives in Oregon, is a practicing artist (oils, watercolor, silkscreen prints), writer, and baroque wood carver.
Lawrence Mahuna (’72 Psych.) will retire from the Hawaii County police department on the Big Island in December. He joined the department in 1973 and, prior to becoming chief in 2002, served as a detective and assistant chief in charge of the administrative bureau.
Terrie Schmidt-Crosby (’73 Lang. and Lit. ’76 M.A.) and her husband Edward L. Crosby III recently became owners of their hometown newspaper, The Odessa Record. Schmidt-Crosby was formerly a reporter and associate at the newspaper. The couple, along with their daughter, Lauren, have lived in Odessa since 2002.
Rick Wayenberg (’73 Comm. M.A. Phys. Ed.) a longtime wrestling coach, has been inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. Wayenberg coached at various schools in Washington and Idaho. He also wrestled and coached for WSU. Upon retiring from teaching in 2006, he moved to Pullman.
Steve Berentson (’75 Comm.) wrote a 72-page memory book to commemorate Shell Puget Sound Refinery’s 50 year anniversary. The book contains information ranging from history to recognition of current employees. Berentson, an Anacortes native, also wrote a 50-year commemorative book in 2005 for Tesoro Refinery.
Pam Catlin (’76) is the manager of horticultural therapy at Adult Services in Prescott, Arizona. She and her husband Tom live in Prescott, where Tom is the pastor of the Unity Church.
1980s
Kevin Shearer (’80 Comp. Sci.) was named vice president of information technology and chief operating officer at the Weyerhaeuser Company.
David Elms (’81 Arch.) has been promoted to associate at the NAC Architecture firm, where he has worked for the past 16 years. His most recent projects include the acute care addition and remodel for Whitman Hospital and Medical Center in Colfax, and Pathology Associates Medical Laboratories tenant improvements in Spokane.
Lori Drummond (’82 Bus. Admin.) is president and CEO of Olympia Federal Savings and Loan. A longtime resident of the south Puget Sound area, Drummond started at the bank as a receptionist in 1984 and quickly moved into management, most recently serving as senior vice president.
Martin MacKenzie (’82 Ph.D. Plant Path.) is one of the U.S. Forest Service’s go-to guys in California when it comes to fungi. He is stationed at the Stanislaus National Forest’s headquarters in Sonora.
Rick Dunn (’86 Electrical Engr.) has been promoted to director of engineering at Benton Public Utilities District in Kennewick. Dunn has over 20 years of experience as an electrical power engineer.
Steve Hunter (’86 Electrical Engr.) has been promoted to director of operations at Benton Public Utilities District in Kennewick. Hunter started as an engineering intern while earning his electrical engineering degree from WSU.
Tony Olney (’86 Comm.) has been inducted into the 2008 Washington State Lacrosse Hall of Fame. Olney is credited for founding the lacrosse club at WSU in 1983 as well as for founding two Seattle high school programs. As a lacrosse coach he has led three high school teams. Olney is currently a high school history teacher at Bothell’s Secondary Academy for Success.
Sayfe Kiaei (’87 Ph.D. Electrical Engr.) was recently named associate dean of research for the Ira A. Fulton School of Engineering at Arizona State University. Kiaei joined ASU in January 2002 as a professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering. In August 2002, he founded the Connection One Foundation Industry/University Cooperative Research Center.
Sonda M. Sibole (’88 Gen. Ag. and Animal Sci.) is the first woman to be president of the California Grain and Feed Association, a nonprofit agricultural trade association. Since graduating from WSU, Sibole has had a steady career in specialty animal feeds and nutrition including her current position with Kemin Agri Foods North America. She lives in California.
1990s
Celeste Mastin (’90 Chem. Engr.) is president and chief operating officer for MMI Products Inc., a manufacturer and distributor of products used in residential and non-residential buildings. Mastin holds an M.B.A. magna cum laude from the University of Houston. She lives in Cleveland, Ohio, with her husband and two children.
Tracy Krause (’93 Ed.) was named the 2008 National High School PE Teacher of the Year by the National Association for Sport and Physical Education. He teaches at Tahoma High School.
Angie (Anderson) Weedon (‘94 Child, Consumer & Family Studies) and Erik Weedon welcomed their second child, Annika Louise, on November 25, 2007.
Andrew Michael Roberts (’95 Ed.) is one of the two 2008 recipients of the Iowa Poetry Prize. Roberts won the honor for his debut collection, “Something has to happen next.” He currently is the Youth Art Works manager at the Pratt Fine Arts center in Seattle.
Pat Waer (’95 History), a former Cougar baseball player, is assistant baseball coach at Fresno State University. Fresno State is the 2008 Division 1 NCAA Baseball National Champions.
Jodi Watson (’95) and her husband Tim announce the arrival of their son, Nathan Kobe Watson, born on November 5, 2007.
Kailan Elder (’97 Ag.) and his wife Kati welcomed son Robert on June 9, 2008. The family lives in Yakima.
Dave Erickson (’97 Lib. Arts) is a KXLY4 News anchor and Ironman triathlete. This year he held his “Dave’s 30 in 30 challenge” to raise $30,000 for cancer patient care. He asked the public to join him by committing to participate in triathlons during September and/or to collect donations.
Kelly (Keeler) Reep (’97) and her husband Kyle welcomed their second future cougar, Max Theodore Reep, in May 2008. He joins his two-year-old sister Ryann Lea Reep.
Brian Grabinsky (’98 Crim. J.) and his wife Carmen welcomed the birth of their first child, Kayla, on April 5, 2008.
Gene Brown (’99 Soc. Sci.) authored a book titled Reparations for Slavery and Disenfranchisement to Africal Americans: Four Hundred Years. Brown is a writer and advocate for civil rights who lives in Georgia.
Jessica Caldwell (’99 Comm.) and Mark Nazario of Pompton Lakes, New Jersey, married on October 19, 2008, in Lana’i, Hawaii.
2000s
Becky (Staley) Reid (’00 Psych.) and husband Jeff, of Olympia, welcomed the birth of their first child, William Garrison, on August 15, 2008.
Lori (Lyman) Losee (’01 Comm.) and her husband Steve (’00 Bus.) welcomed their second son, Jackson James, on June 28, 2007. He joins big brother Grant who was born January 11, 2005.
Erika Schneider (’01 Bus. Admin.) and her husband Dylan are proud to announce the birth of their daughter, Kassidy Joy, on May 28, 2008.
Kelli (Myers) Collins (’02 Ag. Econ.) and Jason Collins (’01 Civ. Eng.) welcomed their first son, Joseph Hamilton Collins, on July 8, 2008.
Holly (Wysaske) Jones (’02 Engl.) welcomed her son Victor Jones, a future Cougar. His grandparents are Cougar Alumni Ron (’74 Bus.) and Karen Wysaske (’74 Ed.), Aunt Kelly Ritter (’00 Music) and Uncle Kevin Wysaske (’08 DTC).
Ryan Palmquist (’02 Arch.) has been promoted to associate at the NAC Architecture firm, where he has worked for the past five years. He currently is working on the design for Deer Park High School as well as the new addition to NAC Architecture’s office in Spokane.
Brian Ruedi (’02 Bus. Admin.) married Brooke Davis on August 18, 2008, in Wenatchee. The couple lives in Mill Creek.
Hilary Beam (’03 Engl. Lit.) returned to the United States in May after two years of service for the Peace Corps in Ukraine.
Patrick Bradley (’03 Comm) and Kari Kiehn (’03 Engl., Ed.) were married on July 7, 2007, in Puyallup. Patrick works for an advertising firm in Seattle and Kari is a ninth grade English teacher.
Vitaliy Shved (’03 Acct.) was promoted to senior accountant at Tully’s Coffee Corporation in Seattle.
Matthew Weaver (’03 Comm.) has joined the Capital Press as a field reporter after nearly five years in Moses Lake. He will be based out of a home office in Spokane.
Rebecca Fritch (’04 Polit. Sci.) married Andrew Flanagan (’04 Mech Eng) on July 26, 2008. They recently purchased their first house in Portland.
Nicole Schofield (’04 Comm.) is an integrated producer for Crispin Porter + Bogusky and is currently working internationally producing commercials in Germany, Spain, and the United Kingdom.
Anthony “Tony” Kaauamo (‘05 History) and Samantha “Sam” Benavente Kaauamo (‘05 Ed.) married July 5, 2008, in Keanae, Maui. The couple lives in Oklahoma.
Kathleen Wandler (’06) participated in the American Lung Association-Washington “The Big Ride Across America.” She travelled 3,600 miles in 48 days, going from Washington to Washington D.C. She participated with 37 riders from across the United States and Canada and raised over $260K for the ALA of Washington.
Diana Pickler (’07 Gen. St.) made her Olympic debut this summer in Beijing, where she competed in the women’s heptathlon.
Judy Worker (’07) and Paul Monhollen married on February 24, 2007.