1950s

The Central Washington Sports Hall of Fame will induct its inaugural class in June, which includes Pete Rademacher (’53 Ani. Sci.). Rademacher was a Gold Gloves champion who won the gold medal in heavyweight boxing at the 1956 Olympics. The class also includes two WSU alumni who have passed away: Gene Conley (x’50) and Chuck “Bobo” Brayton (’50, ’59 MS Phys. Ed.). Conley was the only person to have won both a MLB World Series and NBA championship. Brayton was a Hall of Fame baseball coach who coached 33 years at WSU.

1970s

Ronald F. Marshall (’71 Phil.) delivered the endowed Watkin Lecture last November at Saint Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota, on “The Confused Nature of the Century: Luther’s Thought as the Matrix for Kierkegaard’s Writings.” Marshall has been pastor at First Lutheran Church of West Seattle since 1979 and has published two books on Kierkegaard with another forthcoming.

Patricia Kasper (’73, ’78 MS Bacterio.) was selected to lead the Northern California chapter of the Association of Clinical Research Professionals as the organization’s new president. Kasper owns a consulting firm and recently published a book, Six Strategies to be a More Effective and Efficient Monitor.

The Mason County Public Utility District No. 1 in Hoodsport awarded retired commissioner Karl Denison (’74 Forest and Range Mgmt.) with a lifetime achievement award for his commitment to public utilities and exceptional leadership spanning over three decades. Before his commissioner career, Denison served with the U.S. Forest Service and other government agencies to address environmental issues around the state.

The University of California, Riverside announced Gerry Bomotti (’75 MA Math.) as its new chief financial officer and vice chancellor for planning and budget. Bomotti has spent more than three decades in senior executive positions in public universities across the country, including his most recent role as senior vice president for finance and business at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

Enrique Cerna (’75 Comm.) recently retired as senior correspondent for Seattle’s public television station, KCTS, after 23 years with the organization. Throughout his career in media, Cerna brought attention to social justice issues such as race, immigration, and public safety.

The Mark Morris Athletic Hall of Fame recently inducted Jocelyn Schauer (’79 Ed.) and Carol (Smith) Ruiz (’93, ’95 MS Civ. Eng.) into the Longview high school’s newest class. Schauer, a teacher at Curtis High School in Tacoma, also stays active within her local church and all Mark Morris’s sports. Ruiz, a three-sport athlete at Mark Morris, went on to place on the Pac-10 All-Academic Track and Field team three times while at WSU.

1980s

Former WSU football player Leif Erickson (x’81) was recently inducted into Lynden High School’s Athletic Hall of Fame. After claiming the state championship in both football and basketball as a senior at Lynden, Erickson helped the Cougs reach their first bowl game in 30 seasons as a tight end in 1981.

Viridian Advisors of Bothell welcomed Maureen Jones (’81 Fin.) as the company’s newest financial advisor. With more than 30 years of industry experience, Jones will help create financial plans and provide investment portfolio guidance to clients in her new role at the firm.

Centralia College Foundation announced Robert Dowling (’84 MA Crim. Jus.) as its 2018 Distinguished Alumnus. Dowling has an extensive history of intelligence and security work with the U.S. government, and has helped create services used by law enforcement agencies to share information and monitor threats.

Dwayne Lalor (’85 Phys. Ed.) received the Lifetime Sports Achievement Award from the city of Red Deer, Alberta. He played baseball there, at WSU, and on the Canadian National Team. Lalor taught and coached nearly every sport at Lindsay Thurber Comprehensive High School in Red Deer.

Seattle-based Tableau Software has selected Gerri Martin-Flickinger (’85 Comp. Sci.) to join its board of directors. Currently serving as chief technology officer and executive vice president at Starbucks, Martin-Flickinger has also held chief information officer positions at a number of companies, including Adobe and McAfee, Inc.

BlumShapiro, the largest regional business advisory firm based in New England, has announced the election of a new partner, James. J. Krouse (’86 Acc.). Krouse is a partner in BlumShapiro’s tax department in Shelton, Connecticut. He has 20 years of experience as a tax advisor.

Daniel S. Glover (’88 Const. Mgmt., ’95 Busi.) was recently appointed to the Goodwill Board of Directors for the Olympics and Rainier regions. As chief estimator for Tucci & Sons Construction in Tacoma, he brings nearly 30 years of business administration and construction management experience to his new role.

1990s

Staypineapple named Troy Longwith (’90 Hotel and Rest. Admin.) as the Bellevue firm’s new regional director of operations. Longwith will help lead a brand of hotels located in Chicago, San Diego, San Francisco, Portland, and Seattle for the company.

Loren Carlson (’94 Poli. Sci.) was named the western region general manager of sales for online heavy equipment auction company bidadoo. In his new role, Carlson will develop business strategies and work to improve the customer experience for the online industrial equipment auction service. ∞ Knutzen Engineering announced the hiring of Eric Anderson (’96 Civ. Eng.), who has more than 20 years of industry experience. Anderson will provide structural engineering and project management expertise to the Kennewick-based organization in his new position.

After 26 years as a collegiate throws coach, Paul Barrett (’96 Sport Mgmt.) was named Marshall University track and field assistant coach for throwing events. A three-time All-American at Spokane Falls Community College, Barrett went on to compete in the discus and javelin throws for WSU and was a Pac-10 finalist in the hammer throw.

Jennifer Prior (’97 Real Estate, Const. Mgmt.) recently launched her company, PRE Consulting in Phoenix, Arizona. Prior brings more than 20 years of industry experience to the startup, which provides commercial real estate firms with project management services and financial solutions.

California State University, Chico recently named Milton Lang (’98 MA Elem. Ed., ’08 EDD Higher Ed. Admin.) as vice president of Student Affairs. Lang, who has served in a variety of capacities at University of California, Davis since 2013, vowed to support student development in his new role by addressing issues such as affordability and mental health.

After five years at the company, Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc. promoted Robert Truman (’98 Comm.) to general manager of their KATU (ABC) and KUNP (Univision) stations in Portland. He has spent nearly 20 years in the business, holding sales roles at television stations in Seattle, Boise, and Salt Lake City.

2000s

Gary Hill Jr. (’00 Comm.) moved into a permanent role on the Seattle Mariners’ broadcast team after seven years in a part-time position. He takes over for now-retired Kevin Cremin as executive producer/engineer for the radio crew. Hill has hosted Mariners pregame and postgame shows since 2010 and occasionally had play-by-play duties. Hill hosts a Mariners podcast and is a regular contributor to the Mariners Magazine.

Whitney Henion (‘02 Arch.) joined the planning department of the Vancouver Public School District as capital projects lead. She was also recently appointed to the City of Camas’s Design Review Committee.

Brandy Kerr (’05 Busi.) recently joined Portland-based Zelios as the cannabinoid processing equipment company’s director of marketing. Kerr has held positions ranging from account management in advertising to marketing manager during her 12-year career.

BrightSide Animal Center selected Erica Psaltis (’05 Soc. Sci.) as its new coordinator of volunteers and events. She joins the Redmond, Oregon, shelter after serving as Mt. Bachelor Memory Care’s director for four years.

The Bethlehem Inn of Bend, Oregon, appointed Jen Barcus (’06 Fin.) to the organization’s board of directors. In her new role, Barcus will draw upon years of financial experience and nonprofit work to help provide shelter to the situationally homeless.

Chauncey Drinon (’06, ’07 MAR Arch.) and Chad Lawrence (’14 Civ. Eng.) were recently recognized as associates at Mackenzie in Vancouver. Lawrence joined the firm as an intern in the organization’s civil engineering department, while Drinon joined as an architectural designer. Throughout their respective careers, the two have aided Mackenzie in an array of civil design projects and community involvement programs across the state.

SkyOak Financial announced that Ian Bachtel (’07 Busi.) is joining the organization in its Medford, Oregon, office. As a veteran financial advisor, Bachtel is also a member of the Rogue Community College Budget Advisory Committee and serves on the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce.

2010s

Esther Hyun (’10 Busi.) was recently named an associate at Bellingham law firm Carmichael Clark, PS. As a part of the company, Hyun will represent clients in cases dealing with creditor debtor law, business, and real estate.

Rita M. Kepner (’10 PhD Comm.) was recognized in Marquis Who’s Who for more than 45 years of involvement with organizations like the Department of Homeland Security and FEMA. An educator, artist, and author, Rita has also cowritten a book and exhibited her art in galleries across the world.

Freiheit & Ho Architects hired Chelsea Merkel (’15, ’17 MAR Arch.) as an architectural designer, where she will undertake a variety of commercial and tenant improvement projects. Matt Grinnell (’16 Busi.) also joined the Kirkland commercial architecture and interior design firm recently as permit and entitlement coordinator.

Peoples Bank announced Jennifer Evans-Thompson (’16 Busi.) as senior vice president and director of mortgage lending in Bellingham. Evans-Thompson, who has been with Peoples Bank since 2015, will help manage the company’s mortgage production and operations in her new senior management role.

Kaila Lafferty (’16 Comm.) recently joined KATV-TV (ABC) of Little Rock, Arkansas, as the station’s newest morning reporter. Throughout her journalism career, Lafferty has produced a regional Emmy-awarded newscast while at WSU and served as a news anchor and multimedia journalist at KLEW-TV (CBS) in Lewiston, Idaho.

Skagit Valley College hired Shane Servoss (’16 Sport Mgmt.) as the new baseball coach for their Cardinals. Servoss was an infielder for Skagit Valley.

Alexander Wolfe (’17 MAR Arch.) was recently hired as an architectural intern for ALSC Architects in Spokane. Wolfe brings design and graphics experience from working on various projects for the Central Valley and Cheney school districts.