Class Notes
What's new with you? Submit your own class note and photo in MyMichiganTech. If you have a new addition to your family, we'll send you a special gift from Blizzard T. Husky!
1950s
Bruce Cameron '58 (non-degree) is a retired teacher who recently wrote a book about his childhood home of Trout Creek titled Growing up in Sawmill City. A remarkable history of the Upper Peninsula from the 1930s to the present.
Merle Potter '58 '61 (Mechanical Engineering)has written Thermodynamics for Engineers, his 34th engineering related book, eight of which are textbooks along with engineering-help books and exam-review books. He is the self-proclaimed most prolific engineering book writer. He taught at Michigan Tech 1957-61, the U of M 1961-65 and MSU 1965-98.
1970s
John Lendel '71 (Electrical Engineering) retired from active employment as senior vice president MW Industries, Inc. after 10 years of employment. MW Industries (MWI) headquartered in Rosemont, Illinois, is the largest and most diversified specialty spring and fastener manufacturer in the United States.
Greg Bouse '74 (Metallurgical and Materials Engineering) has recently retired from his position as principal engineer casting technology for General Electric Power Systems of Greenville, South Carolina. He lives in Hart, Michigan.
Gene Pesola '74 (Biological Sciences) obtained a PhD in Epidemiology from Columbia University in May 2015. He currently is a pulmonary/critical care physician at Harlem Hospital, affiliated with Columbia University in the City of New York and has been involved with clinical research for many years. His PhD thesis focused on Dipstick Proteinuria and Dyspnea as Predictors of Mortality in rural Bangladesh.
1980s
Stephen Kusnit '80 (Biological Sciences) is the Lead Implementation Project Manager for HireGenics. HireGenics is focused on customer success and delivers workforce risk mitigation and talent optimization solutions to global enterprises.
John Cabaniss '81 (Mechanical Engineering) was recently admitted to the State Bar of Arizona and has opened an office in Phoenix. He will also continue to maintain an office in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and will focus on plaintiff's legal malpractice and personal injury cases in both locations.
Margaret Pinkava Liubakka '86 (Medical Technology) is a System Analyst for MCL Computer Services in Ypsilanti, Michigan.
David Ellis '88 (Electrical Engineering) was named President of Skidmore Pump in Grand Rapids, Michigan, in November 2015. Prior to this appointment David was the chief operating officer of Concept Industries for nine years and spent more than a decade at Johnson Controls/Prince Corporation in a variety of management roles with increasing leadership responsibility. He is an Eagle Scout and a vice president of district operations for the President Ford Council. He and his wife, Michelle, live in Holland, Michigan, and are the proud parents of four children, Michael, Monica, Emily, and Eileen.
Stacey (Roehm) Keener '88 (Computer Science) earned her GSEC (cyber security essentials) certification silver from Global Information Assurance Certification (GIAC) October 9, 2015.
Mike Renier '89 (Chemistry) is currently engaged in community service projects in South Range, Michigan, and Adams Township. He volunteers at Little Brothers Friends of the Elderly holiday dinners, contributes to Holy Family Church food fundraisers, coordinates fundraising for the annual 4th of July celebration and serves as secretary assistant for the Range Lions Club. Last year he also donated science books to the public library at Jeffers High School.
1990s
Douglas Leisenring '91 (Mathematics) was named the Superintendent of Delta-Schoolcraft Intermediate School District July 1, 2015. He was recognized as the 2015 Michigan High School Principal of the Year by the Michigan Association of Secondary School Principals. He and his wife, Becki, traveled to Washington, DC, where he received his award from the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP).
Peter Elzinga '92 (Civil Engineering) and Laura Elzinga are happy to announce the birth of their son, Tripp Robert, born July 14, 2015.
VeRonica Mitchell '93 (Chemical Engineering) Senior Engineer, Vehicle Definition and Balance, General Motors, received a Modern Day Technology Award at the 2016 BEYA Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) Conference. VeRonica is recognized for the work she has accomplished at GM, and for the impact she has had on the automotive industry in creating new opportunities for women and minorities. She was also elected as deputy mayor of Auburn Hills, Michigan.
Douglas Coffman '94 (Chemical Engineering) After being co-owner of a digital marketing agency for 10 years, Doug became a digital marketing strategist with FindLaw, a part of Thomson Reuters in November 2014. He manages a portfolio of clients including the website, PPC, and off-site optimization. He stays current with the ever-changing Internet landscape and works closely with clients to understand their marketing objectives and strategies, analyze the performance of their entire web program, and recommend tactics that will help them realize their goals. He lives in the Keweenaw area.
Jeremy Florence '94 (Mechanical Engineering) has been promoted to chief program manager at Ford Motor Company, Dearborn, Michigan. He resides in Canton with his wife and five children.
Akemi (Johnson) Mitchell '95 (Chemical Engineering) is now the senior vice president, Quality/Continuous Improvement for the Public Lighting Authority of Detroit. Akemi and her husband, Anthony Mitchell '96 (Mechanical Engineering), reside in Livonia, Michigan.
Mark Zivkovich '99 (Business Administration) was recently named Scottrade's top performing manager in the nation and earned their President's Club Award for providing excellent client service and support.
2000s
Rebecca Heckman '00 (Biological Sciences) In summer 2015, she studied model community-based efforts to preserve Bornean species along the Kinabatangan River in Sabah (East Malaysia) on the island of Borneo. Rebecca, the virtual academy coordinator at Inland Lakes Schools in Indian River, Michigan, took the graduate course in pursuit of her master's degree from Miami University's Global Field Program.
Matthew Dina '00 '02 (Civil Engineering) completed a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) degree from the University of California, Davis Graduate School of Management June 13, 2015. "I married the woman of my dreams September 19, 2015 in South Lake Tahoe, California, surrounded by our family and friends."
Burke Abbott Kesti was born to Kelly (Abbott) Kesti '04 '05 (Business Administration, Biological Sciences) and Steven Kesti January 17, 2016. Mom is already hoping he'll be a Husky some day!
Frank Lloyd Mathias '05 and Jody Lynn Kositzky '01 (Chemical Engineering) were married October 10, 2015, in front of family and friends at Greenmead Historic Park. They reside in Livonia, Michigan, with their two Dobermans.
Shannon Pedit '05 (Civil Engineering) and Darrell Ford are excited to announce their latest addition to the family. Joel Conrad Ford was born October 20, 2015, and is excited to be a future Husky.
Matthew Barkley '06 '10 (Mechanical Engineering) was married to Alisa Orrin of Troy, Michigan, September 5, 2015, in Rochester Hills, Michigan, and they currently reside in Troy, Michigan.
Hans Korth '08 (Mechanical Engineering) and Nora (Peterson) Korth '10 (Environmental Engineering) are overjoyed to announce the birth of their daughter, Adrienne Rose, September 18, 2015, at Eglin AFB, Florida.
Pamela Brushaber '09 (Civil Engineering ) and Tyler Fincher '11 (Civil Engineering ) were married September 12, 2015 in their beloved Houghton, Michigan, at Grace United Methodist Church. The two met during an international senior design trip to Panama and were both involved in Engineers Without Borders. Their wedding party was full of Tech grads and their decorations were in the spirit of the Copper Country. The couple currently live and work in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
2010s
Victoria Peters '10 (Communications and Culture Studies) and John Butler '08 (Environmental Engineering) own Copper Pasty, a small business that brings the UP to Bremerton, Washington. Victoria learned how to make pasties from her grandmother in Calumet, Michigan, before moving out to Seattle almost four years ago. Since graduating, John has been working for the United States Public Health Service.
Brian '11 (Electrical Engineering) and Jessica Thompson '12 (Biological Sciences) welcomed their first daughter, Lily Grace, February 9, 2016.
Kiri Kennedy '14 (Wildlife Ecology and Management) is a high school biology teacher in the Apple Valley Unified School District in Apple Valley, California.
Nathaniel Schulz '14 (Civil Engineering) and Anna VanderKooi '14 (Environmental Engineering) were married August 9, 2015. Anna is employed by Fleis & VandenBrink Engineering and Nate is employed by Comprehensive Engineering. The couple resides in Lowell, Michigan.
In Memoriam
The Michigan Tech family extends condolences to the relatives and friends of those who have passed away.
1938David G. Jig 1940Robert W. Rost 1941Raymond Lampsa 1942Loren E. Howard 1943Robert D. Allen 1944Marie G. Sawyer 1947Dr. Donald E. Dawson 1948Betty L. Clark 1949John J. Donnelly 1950Richard M. Berry 1951Roger V. Carter 1952Thomas R. Carlson 1953Prof. Gordon E. Frantti 1954Robert J. Cochrane 1955Ralph L. Baker 1956Marvin J. Carr |
1957James N. Chaffee 1958David E. Cole 1959William A. Longacre 1960Roland B. Burgan 1961William D. Carmody 1962Donald P. Kesti 1963Peter K. Caylor 1964George J. Diem 1965Robert O. Hopkins 1966Albert E. Fountain 1967Bienvenido T. Capul Jr. 1968Roger H. Cope 1969David A. Switzer 1970Dr. David F. Bergman 1971Charles H. Austin |
1972David E. Siirtola 1973Dennis P. Massoglia 1974Gary W. Bopra 1975David M. Korhonen 1976Patricia J. Dalessandro 1977Kathryn L. Brown 1978Kenneth A. Maki 1979David H. Cook 1980Stephen J. Frankovich 1982Arthur P. Judnich 1983Nicholas Geiermann 1985Timothy S. Etelamaki 1987Eugene F. Hammond 1990Charles W. Frederick III 1991Michael G. Chronowski 1994Clarence J. Puska Jr. 1996Cheryl L. Johnson 1998Christopher R. Sullivan 2004Renee G. Marion 2005Beth A. Blumhardt 2010John D. Kinney 2016Benjamin C. Kobane |
Michigan Technological University is a public research university founded in 1885 in Houghton, Michigan, and is home to nearly 7,500 students from more than 60 countries around the world. Consistently ranked among the best universities in the country for return on investment, Michigan’s flagship technological university offers more than 120 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in science and technology, engineering, computing, forestry, business, health professions, humanities, mathematics, social sciences, and the arts. The rural campus is situated just miles from Lake Superior in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, offering year-round opportunities for outdoor adventure.
