1940s
Jack Algeo (’48 BS Ag., ’49 MS Ag.), former head of the department of Animal Science and Industry at California State University San Luis Obispo was inducted into the American Feed Industry Association’s Liquid Feed Hall of Fame for his contributions to the feed industry’s science and growth.
1960s
Haluk Taysi (’64 Mech. Eng.) and Margaret “Maggie” Taysi (x65) recently celebrated their 50th anniversary after meeting at WSU in September 1961.
William E. Ebel (’65 Ag. Econ.) was honored by life insurance company Northwestern Mutual with membership in its 2011 Forum group. Ebel is a Los Ranchos de Albuquerque-based financial representative. The recognition is for an outstanding year of helping clients in his region achieve financial security.
1970s
Jon Rickman (’72 PhD Comp. Sci.), Northwest Missouri State University’s vice president of information systems and the father of the university’s “electronic campus,” announced his retirement after 35 years with the institution.
Jim Piccolo (’75 Hist.) was named as one of the recipients of the 2011 Distinguished Service Awards given by the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association. He was the athletic director at Stanwood High School from 1984 to 2006 and now serves as the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association’s District One director.
Bill Barr (’77 MA Child and Fam. Stud.) was named the new chief executive officer of Regence Life and Health.
Richard Duval (’77 Comm.) is a Northwest-based landscape and scenic photographer. He had an exhibit, “Art from the Vine,” which was featured between November 1 and December 31 at the Wine World Warehouse in Seattle.
Tremaine Smith (’78 Acctg.) joined Ernst & Young LLP’s indirect state and local tax practice in Seattle.
James Farley (’79 Zoo.) was appointed chief operating officer of the Advocate Medical Group, a physician-led medical group in Oak Brook, Illinois, providing primary care, specialty services, medical imaging, outpatient services, and community-based medical practices.
1980s
Collins G. Loupe (’81 Music, ’82 Ed.) is currently instrumental director at North Central High School in Spokane where he teaches band, orchestra, percussion, and guitar. He is a member and director of the Spokane British Brass Band as well as conductor of the Spokane Youth Symphonies.
Don Smith (’82 Ed.) was named a 2011 Legislative Civic Educator of the Year. He was nominated for the award by Senator Linda Evans Parlette (’68 Pharmacy).
Karen Rice (’83 Bus. Admin.) was added to Constant Contact, Inc.’s West Coast regional development team as the regional developer director for Northern California.
Patrick Giroir (’84 Hotel & Rest. Admin.) has been named president of Boardwalk Pipeline Partners’ operating subsidiary, Boardwalk Field Services, LLC. His job will be to guide the company to become a full-service midstream natural gas company.
Ethan Bergman (’86 PhD Nutrition) is president-elect of the American Dietetic Association. Currently, he is interim dean of student success at Central Washington University.
Meg Quinn (’88 DVM) is the new owner of Bush Animal Clinic in Bend, Oregon’s, Old Mill District.
1990s
Lian-Ping Wang (’90 PhD Mech. Eng.) is a professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Delaware and recently has been elected a fellow of the American Physical Society.
Larry Wright (’92 BS Comm., ’98 MA Comm.) became managing director of the Bellevue Arts Museum in September. He has more than 15 years of leadership experience with nonprofits. His last job was in Washington, D.C., as CEO of the National Mentoring Partnership.
Tammy Buss Alejandre (’93 BA Ed., ’98 MA Ed.) is Teacher of the Year for Northwest Educational Service District 189. She teaches at Eagleridge Elementary in Ferndale and is among the regional teachers of the year recognized by the state superintendent of public instruction.
Jerry R. Roberson (’93 PhD Vet. Med.) received the 2011 American Indian Science and Engineering Society Professional of the Year honor. Roberson, a Cherokee, is an associate professor of veterinary medicine at the University of Tennessee.
Jaime Silva (’93 Ed.) is a bilingual teacher for third- graders at Longfellow Elementary in Pasco, where he has worked for the past 17 years. He is among the regional teachers of the year announced by the state superintendent of public instruction.
Chris Gabriel (’94 Geology) is the new commanding officer of the Naval Oceanography Mine Warfare Center based at Stennis Space Center in Mississippi.
Jeff Lanctot (’95 Bus. Admin., Poli. Sci.) is the first chief media officer at the interactive marketing and technology company Razorfish. He returns to the company after spending some time at Microsoft, where he was managing director of advertiser and publisher solutions. He lives in Seattle with his wife and three children.
Gita Bangera (’96 PhD Microbio.), a biology professor at Bellevue Community College, was recently featured in a Science magazine article about community college faculty involving their students in research. Her students work on sequencing the genome of Pseudomona fluorescens L5.1-96, a bacterium that fights a wheat fungus.
Emily Rucker (’96 Ad., ’04 Psych.) is the search engine marketing manager for 451 Marketing, a communications agency with an emphasis on new media technologies based in Boston.
Erik Snider (‘99 Soc.) recently graduated from West Hills College as a psychiatric technician and passed the California state boards. Snider is working at Coalinga State Hospital, a secure treatment facility for sexual violent predators, as a psychiatric technician. He has been assigned as a staff member on the special services unit for individuals with severe behavioral issues.
2000s
Michelle M. Sauer (’00 PhD Engl.) was promoted to full professor of English and gender studies at the University of North Dakota.
Matthew Canterbury (’01 Psych., ’03 Econ.) and Elizabeth “Beth” Kleweno (’00 Microbio.) were married in a Cougar-themed wedding in Spokane on October 8, 2011. The Cougar fight song was featured in the wedding reception.
Chris Grygiel (’01 Comm.) has been named Washington state news editor for The Associated Press. The Washington native had worked at the Seattle Post-Intelligencer since 2000.
Natalie Murillo (’01 Comm., ’03 MBA) recently completed U.S. Navy Basic Training at Recruit Training Command, Great Lakes, Illinois.
Steve Wymer (’01 Comm.) is now director of corporate communications for TiVo, Inc., an advanced television services company based in Alviso, California. He worked as senior advisor and communications strategist to three U.S. senators, most recently Senator Mike Johanns of Nebraska.
Josh Melcher (’02 Mktg.) has been hired by Sterling Savings Bank as vice president and private banker for the company’s Spokane private banking office.
Ian Wallace (’02 Genetics and Cell Bio.) moved from Boston back to Pullman to establish a new genetic counseling clinic at Pullman Regional Hospital.
Matthew Semmler (’03 Bus.) was married in Spokane on July 30, 2011, to Stacy Stone. Matthew and Stacy live in Anchorage, Alaska, where he works for the Department of Homeland Security and she is an attorney.
Brooke Olzendam (’03 Comm.) is the Fox Sports Indiana TV host/sideline reporter for the Indiana Pacers. She had been working with CBS College Sports Network as its primetime football sideline reporter.
Julie Ledford (’04 Comm.), a private practice attorney working in Southern California, is returning to Washington to become Centralia College’s vice president for human resources and legal affairs.
Heidi Banse (‘07 DVM) was presented with the inaugural 2011 EQUUS Foundation Research Fellow for her work to advance veterinary knowledge during the American Association of Equine Practitioners’ 2011 annual convention. She is working on her doctorate at Oklahoma State University.
Carly Jordan (’09 Engl., ’11 MIT) is an English teacher for grades 9 and 10 at Coeur d’Alene High School.
Eric J. Larson (’10 Crim. J.) was recently sworn in as patrol deputy of Lincoln County, Oregon. While attending college, he was a police intern and held the rank of lieutenant.
2010s
Riley Corcoran (’11 Comm.) is hosting Afternoon Drive on Boise, Idaho’s new sports radio 630 The Fan. Corcoran joins the station on-air Mondays through Fridays from 4 to 5 p.m.