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1960s
Verne D. Campbell (’61 Music) recently published his book, Encore Horns: Giving Wind Instruments a New Life for Young Musicians, which chronicles his efforts to acquire, refurbish, and donate used flutes, clarinets, trumpets, trombones, and other wind instruments to middle schools for the use of beginning band students.
Virginia (Franklin) Campbell (’61 Music) was elected president of the National League of American Pen Women, Inc. Comprised of professional writers, artists, and musicians, this is the oldest women’s arts organization in the United States, founded in 1897.
Whitlow W. L. Au (’64 MS Elec. Eng., ’70 PhD Eng. Science), emeritus research professor at the Hawai‘i Institute of Marine Biology, received the Gold Medal of the Acoustical Society of America for contributions to understanding underwater biosonar, and for service to the Acoustical Society.
1970s
Katherine (Kay) Kevan Callentine (’70 History) retired in 2011 after more than 40 years as a high school algebra and history teacher. In her new career as a writer, Kay recently published two devotional books, Lesson Plans for Life and Between God and Me.
Jerry Jaeger (’70 HBM) received the 2016 Idaho Governor’s Lifetime Achievement in Recreation and Tourism Award. Jaeger is Hagadone Hospitality president and Coeur d’Alene Resort co-owner.
Harvey Crowder (’73 DVM) retired from his post as director of the Walla Walla County Department of Community Health after 11 years at the helm. The new retiree said he has only one item on his to-do list: to sleep in. “If the dogs will let me,” he added.
Dale Daniel (’73 Zool.) won the 2016 Physician Exceptional Contribution Award. He was also recognized with an award from the General Surgery-Fontana, and for his leadership establishing the Ontario Vineyard Surgery Center.
David Smeltzer (’76 Acc.) is the 2016 Washington State Apple Citizen of the Year. The award goes to a person who helps advance Washington’s reputation as the apple capital of the world. Smeltzer became plant manager for Custom Apple/Starr Ranch Growers in 1997 and currently serves as chief financial officer.
Bill Nix (’77 Comm., ’77 History) recently retired from three positions. For 26 years he served as municipal court judge for North Bonneville, Oregon. He was a chief petty officer Master-at-Arms for 36 years in the U.S. Navy. After 22 years, he retired from his position as a parole officer in Hood River County, Oregon.
AbSci appointed V. Bryan Lawlis (’79 PhD Biochem.) to its board of directors. Lawlis has been the CEO and founder of numerous biotechnology companies and currently serves on the board of directors for a number of biotech companies.
1980s
Brett Emmons, PE (’80 Mech. Eng.) retired after 30 years at the BP Cherry Point Refinery in Blaine. Emmons worked as a machinery engineer, machine shop supervisor, project engineering superintendent, and reliability engineering superintendent for the refinery.
The Port of Seattle promoted Dave Soike (’80 Civ. Eng.) to the position of chief operating officer. Soike has worked for the port for nearly 36 years, beginning as a junior engineer and quickly advancing into positions in project management.
Paul Gollnick (’81 Biochem.), a University at Buffalo professor of biological sciences, has been elected as a fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology. An accomplished scholar, Gollnick has collaborated on and published more than 100 academic articles, helping to advance the field of microbiology.
Steve Perry (’81 Comm.) has been promoted to general manager of the Peninsula Daily News, Sequim Gazette, and Forks Forum.
Kenneth Boulton ’(84 Music) is the new dean of the School of Fine Arts at Northern State University in Aberdeen, South Dakota. Boulton is a Grammy-nominated pianist whose performances and recordings have garnered international acclaim. His discography features nine recordings of both solo and chamber repertoire, much of which is devoted to contemporary American music.
Professional services firm Sikich LLP announced that its partners elected Chris Geier (’84 Crim. Jus.) as new managing partner and CEO. In that role, Geier will oversee the firm’s strategic and financial planning and guide future growth.
Social media publishing company theAudience brought in publishing industry veteran Debbie Menin (’85 Comm.) to serve as executive vice president of strategic partnerships. She is in charge of the sales team.
Matheson Trucking, Inc. named Brock M. Vann (’85 Ag. Econ., ’97 MBA) its director of operations. Vann taught transportation and logistics at WSU and served as a member of the WSU Transportation Advisory Committee.
Cal Fire’s Glenn Barley (’86 Forest & Range Mgmt.) was promoted to the position of unit chief of Cal Fire’s Inyo, Mono, San Bernardino Unit. The unit is one of the largest in California, stretching from San Bernardino in the south to Topaz Lake in rural Mono County to the north.
Dwight D. Dozier (’86 Social Science) has been named chief information officer of the Georgia Tech Foundation in Atlanta. As CIO, Dozier sets strategic direction and provides leadership for all GTF’s information technology initiatives.
WSU baseball legend John G. Olerud (x’88) was named the Pac-12 Conference Player of the Century. Olerud played for Toronto, the New York Mets and Yankees, Seattle, and Boston during his 17-year pro career. He is a member of the WSU Athletic Hall of Fame and the College Baseball Hall of Fame. The John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year Award, given annually by the College Baseball Hall of Fame, was named in his honor.
1990s
John Bruce (’90 Busi.) has been appointed rooms division manager at Coast Bellevue Hotel, a 176-room property that recently joined Coast Hospitality’s portfolio of managed properties. In his new role, he will be responsible for managing all front-of-house operations.
Doug Hamrick (’90 Mech. Eng.), a retired chemical disposal project manager, was given the WSU Tri-Cities’ Distinguished Alumnus of the Year Award in recognition of his service, career achievements, and dedication to the promotion of educational excellence. Hamrick has 40 years of experience working in nuclear operations and chemical weapons demilitarization.
Jackie van Wormer (’90, ’92 MA, ’10 PhD Crim. Jus.) has been tapped to serve as permanent administrator of Spokane County’s criminal justice reform efforts. Roughly $120 million, or 66 percent, of Spokane County’s general fund expenses in 2016 go toward public safety.
After 25 years at Columbia Grain, Jeff Van Pevenage (’91 Agribusiness) was promoted to serve as the corporation’s CEO and president. Van Pevenage now oversees all operations for a company that manages almost 25 percent of the wheat exported out of Pacific Northwest ports.
The Elk Grove, California, City Council named Jonathan Hobbs (’93 Busi.) the city’s permanent attorney. Under contract through law firm Kronick, Moskovitz, Tiedemann & Girard, Hobbs served as Elk Grove’s city attorney since 2011.
The Washington State Historical Society named Erich R. Ebel (’96 Comm.) its marketing and communications director. “The unique and storied history of the State of Washington has long been a passion of mine, and I can’t fully express how satisfying it is to be able to put my knowledge, skills, and abilities to use doing something I love,” he said.
Jeff Bishop (’98 Accounting) has joined GridLiance as senior vice president, chief financial officer, and treasurer. Bishop will work closely with the board of directors and executive team to address critical electrical transmission challenges and ensure that customers receive reliable and cost effective transmission service.
Irish equine nutrition company Plusvital has hired equine veterinarian Lisa Katz (’98 MS Vet. Sci.) as a consultant. Drawing on her background in equine exercise physiology, Katz will work with the company to provide innovative products across the areas of nutrition, genomics, diagnostics, and equine performance.
Curtis Cleveringa (’99 Elem. Ed.) is the new principal at Capital High School in the Olympia School District. Cleveringa has served as principal and athletic director in the Taholah School District on the Quinault Indian Reservation in Grays Harbor County for the past two years.
2000s
Kjell Anderson (’00 Arch.) received the 2016 Young Architect Award from the Seattle chapter of the American Institute of Architects. Anderson is an architect, author, and sustainability coordinator at LMN Architects in Seattle.
Luke Boehland (’00 Psych.) is now the Idaho regional manager for Veyo Logistics. He will be overseeing Veyo’s Idaho operation as they partner with the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare to provide nonemergency medical transport for Medicaid participants.
Northwest Public Radio’s Richland correspondent, Anna King (’00 Comm.), is WSU’s 2016 Woman of the Year. The award recognizes women who have distinguished themselves in public service. King has covered agriculture, rural issues, and the Hanford nuclear reservation since 2007.
Laramie High School named Travis Brown (’02, ’08 PhD Neurosci.) as its new boys’ basketball head coach. Brown has over ten years of coaching experience. Since moving to Laramie, Wyoming, he has established a competitive youth basketball program, the Gem City Wranglers.
Hong Soon-man (’03 MS, ’07 PhD Mech. Eng.) was named president and CEO of Korail, the Republic of Korea’s state-owned rail operator. Hong was previously president of the Korea Railroad Research Institute and has held key positions in government transport divisions.
Kristina Nelson-Gross (’04 Social Sciences) is the new Sequim city attorney. Nelson-Gross’s previous employment includes private practice and a three-year employment contract with Sequim.
Amanda Blanck (’05 Comm.) recently received the 2016 Nashville ATHENA Young Professional Leadership Award. Blanck is a cofounder of Deviate, a Brentwood, Tennessee, performance consulting firm. ATHENA award recipients are chosen for their dedication to service, professional leadership, and commitment to empowering young women and girls.
Russ Richardson (’08 EDD) has been named the University of Montana Western’s athletic director. Richardson has served as the head athletic trainer and associate professor at UMW since 2012. He previously was a visiting professor at Idaho State University and director of athletic training at Whitworth University in Spokane.
McKenzie Tolliver (’08 Socio.) joined Pinnacle, a property management firm, as a regional property manager. Drawing on eight years of industry experience, she will be responsible for managing a portfolio totaling more than 1,200 apartments in the Tacoma region.
The Naselle-Grays River Valley School District hired Quinn Donlon (’09 MED) as K-12 principal. Donlon recently completed a one-year principal internship at Burbank Elementary, earning his principal certification.
2010s
Robert Maxwell (’11 EDD) took the reins as superintendent of the Pullman School District, taking over for retiring Superintendent Paul Sturm (’09 EDD). Maxwell looks forward to tackling some big projects, like finishing the high school revamp and constructing a new elementary school.
Rachel Solemsaas (’11 EDD) was appointed Hawai‘i Community College chancellor. Solemsaas has more than 27 years of public service experience that includes 12 years at community colleges. She also served as a chief financial officer, finance director, and as a principal accountant in Washington.
Kendra DeLeon Monroe (’12 HBM) has been promoted to front office manager at the InterContinental Hotel in San Francisco. She was most recently the assistant front office manager for the Hilton Bellevue in Washington, where she was named Manager of the Year.
Harris & Co., an accounting firm in Meridian, Idaho, hired Matthew Goodfellow (’13 Acc.) as staff accountant. He previously worked for a small accounting firm and specializes in the preparation of tax returns. He is pursuing his CPA certification.
Quinn Stadshaug (’14 HBM) was named assistant front desk manager at Marriott’s Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center in Nashville, Tennessee. Most recently Quinn was events coordinator at Marriott International in Huntington Beach, California.
Amy Carter (’15 MN Nursing) has joined the Trios Medical Group’s endocrinology team to provide patient care, primarily in Kennewick. Carter has worked as a registered nurse with primary focus in surgical care and family practice, as well as a certified diabetes educator for children and adults.
Commercial architecture and interior design firm Freiheit & Ho Architects hired Charlotte Muschamp (’15 Arch. Studies) as an architectural designer. She is currently working on a South King Street project in Kirkland.