Charles Jones was named to the West Virginia Business Hall of Fame in August, reports the State Journal of Charleston. Charles, age 99 at the time of receiving the honor, serves as president and CEO of Amherst Madison, a marine towing, construction, and repair company. Earlier in the year, Charles was honored as a “Distinguished West Virginian” by Gov. Jim Justice.
Roger Regnier emails, “Last year, 47 classmates made a gift to Babson College for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2017. The Class of 1963 won the inaugural Roger’s Cup, an honor awarded to the class with the highest percentage participation. Roger’s Cup, permanently on display in Roger’s Pub, will endure for years to come, and the Class of 1963 can forever claim the distinction of being the first winner. Kudos to all who contributed, and don’t forget our 55th Reunion is Sept. 21 to 23.”
John Whelan recently created a book, I Am of Cape Cod. It features 139 Cape Cod residents, who represent all of its 15 towns, offering readers a broad picture of life on the famed peninsula. Each of the subjects contributed a short passage about his or her relationship with the Cape. Photographer Kim Roderiques took a black-and-white photograph of each participant in a location of his or her choosing. The 312-page book, emails John, “includes the well-known and the unknown, the old and the young, native Cape Codders and ‘wash-ashores.’”
Arthur Scott was interviewed by Ubiquity, the Association for Computing Machinery’s peer-reviewed online magazine, for a September article on energy efficient computing. Art has had a long career in computer technology and is the founder of EETALL: Energy Efficient the Answer to Landauer Limit, an initiative that seeks to reduce energy consumption. Art says he lives the “aloha spirit” with his wife in Menlo Park, Calif.
Tom Glassman has been appointed the Idealliance representative to the U.S. Postal Service’s Mailers’ Technical Advisory Committee. Tom is director of data services and postal affairs at Wilen Direct, which makes direct-mail products. Tom has played an active role for several years with Idealliance, an association serving the information technology and publishing industries.
Joe Campanelli has been named CEO of Needham Bank, reported industry publication Banker & Tradesman in September. He brings to the position 35 years’ experience in the banking industry, including stints at Flagstar, Sovereign Bank, and Fleet Bank. Most recently, he served as founder and principal of New England Community Financial.
Robert Taccini has been named CFO of HyperGrid, a cloud service firm. Robert previously served as CFO at VCE and has held finance positions at Cisco and other technology firms. He began his career at KPMG.
Jane Cebula, founder and president of New Jersey corporate housing company Executive Quarters, has joined the sales team of Lois Schneider Realtor, a firm with more than 40 years’ experience in North Jersey. Jane also founded Hosted Home, a property management service, in 2012. Previously, she spent 10 years working in the pharmaceutical industry.
Tim DeMello, P’18, is the founder of Gradifi, a provider of student loan paydown benefit programs. In November, Gradifi introduced its new College SaveUp Plan, a benefit that helps employees save for college for their children by giving companies the means to make monthly contributions to an employee’s existing 529 college savings account. In a statement, Tim said that the new plan “will help families avoid student loan debt and enable employers to differentiate themselves in the marketplace.”
Kenneth Romanzi has been named executive vice president and chief operating officer of B&G Foods, New Jersey Business magazine reported in November. Kenneth, a Babson trustee, most recently served as president of fresh foods at WhiteWave Foods, where he led Earthbound Farm Organic. He also has been senior vice president and COO, global brands, at Ocean Spray Cranberries and has served as president of Hasbro’s U.S. toys division.
Art Karabelas has joined First Republic Private Wealth Management in the role of managing director and wealth manager. Previously, Art served as a financial adviser and executive director at J.P. Morgan Securities. He also worked at Merrill Lynch for several years.
Lisa McCubbin, along with former Secret Service agent Clint Hill, appeared at Southern Illinois University of Edwardsville in November for a multimedia presentation titled “Five Days in November” about the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Lisa, a journalist and best-selling author, collaborated with Hill on three memoirs about his time in the Secret Service.
Joel Saslaw won his re-election campaign for Peabody, Mass., city council in November. Voters chose Joel for a third term on the council. Fellow alumnus Dave Gravel, MBA’84, also serves on the council.
Karen Hanson was featured in Northshore magazine in October as one of eight “Wonder Women on the North Shore.” Karen is owner and managing broker at By the Sea Sotheby’s International Realty in Beverly Farms, Mass. The magazine reports that Karen oversees a staff of 26 agents and that the firm serves Manchester-by-the-Sea, Beverly, Cape Ann, and Newburyport.
Ben Narasin has joined New Enterprise Associates as a venture partner. Previously, Ben served as a general partner at Canvas Ventures and worked at TriplePoint Capital, where he oversaw the firm’s seed funding investment activities. He founded several consumer companies, including Fashionmall.com, before launching an investing career.
Elbert Ruff (left) and David Granville spent some quality time with Biz E. Beaver during Back to Babson weekend. Music, food, and family activities kept alumni and friends entertained and engaged all weekend long. Elbert emails, “It was exciting to be back on campus, especially when you have the chance to see friends from the Class of ’87. After 30 years, it felt like no time had passed, as we reflected on our Babson years and shared post-college experiences. See you in 2022!”
Trustee Howard Brown (center) and wife Lisa hosted Babson’s first end-of-summer “Michigan send-off” in August. Forty alumni, parents, and friends gathered to support a record nine incoming first-year students from Michigan. Howard, who also serves as Alumni Association president, emails, “Anneliese Glaubitz ’19 (left) gave great counsel to the incoming first-year students. Jeff (right) and Laurie Baker, P’16, ’18, encouraged parents to get involved with the Babson Parent Executive Committee. And Bob Parker ’62 remarked that Babo Detroit has come a long way. We had a great afternoon, and everyone left full of Babson pride and spirit.”
Tim Ryan, PwC’s U.S. chairman, served as keynote speaker at the 20th anniversary Irish America Wall Street 50 awards dinner, presented in October by Irish America magazine. Tim was recognized for his role in addressing issues of diversity and inclusion.
Chris Battersby has been named a member of the 2017 Chairman’s Council of New York Life. Members of the council are drawn from the top 3 percent of the firm’s sales force. Chris joined New York Life in 1995 and co-founded Atlantic Planning Group. He holds a number of professional certifications and is a member of the National Association of Estate Planners & Councils, the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors, and the Boston Estate Planning Council.
Pamela Simpson has been named to the position of senior strategist, branded content and research, for Wells Media Group, publisher of Insurance Journal, Claims Journal, and Carrier Management. Pamela is the co-founder of cybersecurity software company 9yahds. She also founded the consulting firm Extra Day.
Carina Morillo emails, “One year ago, I gave a TEDx talk in Buenos Aires in front of 10,000 people, which was posted last June by TED.com and already has been seen by 450,000 people worldwide. It’s a huge honor, since to that point only eight talks in Spanish had been listed by TED.com. My oldest son, Ivan, who is 16 years old, has autism. In 2010, I started a foundation in Argentina, Fundacion Brincar, which works to ensure the highest quality of life for children with autism spectrum disorder. Babson’s teachings were key.”
Richelieu Dennis was interviewed by The New York Times for the paper’s “Corner Office” column in September. Richelieu, a Babson trustee, is founder of beauty products company Sundial Brands. Sundial also was named to Black Enterprise magazine’s BE 100 List, which identifies the 100 largest black-owned businesses in America. Sundial debuted at the No. 10 spot on the list.
Steve Karam, principal of Karam Financial Group in Fall River, Mass., was named to the board of trustees of the University of Massachusetts by Bay State governor Charlie Baker. Steve also has served on the board of trustees of Bristol Community College and is a past president of the Greater Fall River Development Corp.
Tonia DeGregory Wilson ’97, Eileen Calvo, and Jodie Vasily-Cioffi (from left to right) enjoyed a sunny September afternoon at the Tent during Back to Babson weekend. Jodie emails, “Eileen and I were returning for our 25th Reunion. That was so special! All three of us are also Sigma Kappa sisters. We had enjoyed a brunch put on by the Sigma Kappa chapter prior to heading up to the Tent.” Tonia adds, “Though I’d just met Jodie that day (and bonded immediately), Eileen was my Sigma Kappa sorority adviser way back when I was a student.”
Standing, from left, Paul Lambert ’92, Matt Miller, Eric Dean ’16, Matt Palazini ’14, Zach Price ’14, Matt Droney ’17, Michael Bortolotti ’14, Matt Margolis ’01, Chris Michalowski ’03, Joe Colelli ’03, and Todd Magura ’92; and kneeling, from left, Geoff Ponitz ’06, Jeff Hines ’04, Dan Elliman ’05, and Phil Riffe ’05 turned out for the Men’s Basketball Alumni Golf Tournament at Sandy Burr Country Club in Wayland, Mass. Matt Miller emailed, “Great day with lots of hoop alumni joining our annual tourney. Everyone was still talking about last year’s amazing run and can’t wait for this year’s Beavers to defend the national title.”
Grant Smith: See Jeremy Hill ’04.
Rich Forcier was named CFO of Kuebix, a maker of transportation management software in Maynard, Mass. Before joining Kuebix, Richard served as CFO of Dataxu.
James Young, a 10-year veteran of Toys R Us’s legal division, has been named the company’s executive vice president and general counsel. James played a key role in the business’s refinancing efforts and its recent restructuring activities. In his new position, he will oversee the company’s in-house legal department and serve as a member of the company’s leadership team.
Carim Jafar emails, “In May, I was appointed chairman of the National Committee of Portugal and Mozambique of the Aga Khan Foundation (AKF), an agency of the Aga Khan Development Network. The three-year appointment is full of challenges. The AKF’s goal is to improve the quality of life in various regions around the world, focusing on social and economic inclusion. In Portugal, the foundation helps provide quality early-childhood education, while in Mozambique, farmers and their families benefit from AKF agricultural programs that improve food security, health status and nutrition, household income, and the overall quality of life.”
From left, Ron Sylvestri, Len Sheer, Rob Russell, J.D. White ’81, Tim Swift, and Jeff McLane got together at the Metropolitan Club in New York in September. Len and J.D. serve on Babson’s Board of Overseers. Jeff serves on the Board of Trustees.
Philip Boulton, co-founder of outdoor-furniture manufacturer Kannoa, emails, “In 2015, Kannoa purchased a stake in P’kolino, owned by Antonio Turco-Rivas and J.B. Schneider, both MBA’05. Now, fast-forward to 2017. I joined the Babson Connector, and through that I met Sun Dahan, MBA’17, who is partnerships manager for Spatially, a software startup that helps businesses connect efficiently with customers. We are now looking to use Spatially’s technology for Kannoa, P’kolino, and Eddie Bauer outdoor furniture. The Connector amplifies the power of Babson’s networks!”
Todd Miller has been promoted to COO of Rave Mobile Safety, a provider of communication and data platform tools in Framingham, Mass. Todd has been with Rave for nearly 11 years, most recently serving as vice president of public safety.
Greg Berard has been promoted to president of Lighthouse Computer Services, an IT services firm. Greg had served as Lighthouse’s general manager since 2014. He previously held several positions with IBM.
Jeremy Hill remains an active Babson alumnus, currently serving as vice president of the Alumni Association. He and his wife of six years, Emily, live in Derry, N.H., with their two children, Jacob and Eliana. Jeremy recently started a job as a corporate trainer for Medicus Healthcare Solutions, which was co-founded by Grant Smith ’93. Jeremy emails, “In another Babson coincidence, I’m working for an old friend and manager from my first job after graduating—someone I met in an on-campus interview via the Center for Career Development.”
Jonathan Tardiff has been named president of J.S. McCarthy Printers, a family-owned print provider based in Augusta, Maine. Jonathan has held a variety of positions within the company, including most recently vice president.
Alexander Thoma emails, “Although I am active in the private wealth management industry, music has played an important role in my life. I’ve released two jazz albums, singing some of the classics. You can stream both albums through Spotify. The latest one, When the World Was Young, is very cool, because we exclusively used original recording equipment from the Capitol Records years of Frank Sinatra. We even had the original microphone, and everything is analog. That gives the new album a much warmer sound.” Alexander lives in Zurich and is executive director of Bank Vontobel AG.
Joel Holland was profiled in an Oct. 6 Washington Post article titled “Here’s How to Get Your Video Footage into a TV Show or Movie.” Joel is founder and executive chairman of Storyblocks, a firm that sells B-roll footage to filmmakers, broadcasters, journalists, producers, and others.
Tarang Gosalia was one of a handful of printing professionals profiled in a Sept. 18 article in Printing Impressions magazine titled “Next- Gen Talent? Look No Further.” Tarang is founder and CEO of Optamark, a printing firm that also offers web design, app development, social media management, branding, and more. The business twice has been named to Inc. magazine’s annual list of the nation’s 500 fastest-growing companies, rising from No. 223 in 2015 to No. 198 in 2016.
Dandan Zhu was profiled on Inc.com in a November story titled “This One Bad Habit Prevents Millennials from Achieving Financial Freedom, According to a Millennial Who Retired at 28.” Two years ago, Dandan founded career, headhunting, and recruitment firm Dandan Global. Her take on that one bad habit, the article reports, is that millennials prioritize fun and spend too freely in pursuit of it.
Mark Bollman was featured in a September 8 Boston Globe story, “Buying from a Creator Instead of a Conglomerate.” The occasion was a Boston visit from American Field, the pop-up market Mark founded to highlight and promote emerging artisans with niche products. Mark chose more than 65 makers for this year’s show, held at the Seaport District’s Innovation and Design Building in September, reports the Globe.
Bridget (Thrash) Adiukwu (second row, far right) emails, “I am a board member of The Hive Society, a nonprofit whose mission is to practice and encourage philanthropy through music, culture, and the creative arts here in Houston. We plan to grow and expand to more metropolitan areas. We have recently focused our efforts on those affected by Hurricane Harvey. In October, our annual Houston Cares event continued our tradition of hosting the largest volunteer shift at the Houston Food Bank.” Bridget is shown at Houston Cares, along with other Hive Society members and volunteers.
Amanda Bowman emails, “Gentrification caused many of the small, black-owned businesses in my hometown of Brooklyn, N.Y., to close. In response, I launched Official Black Wall Street in 2015 to encourage support for black entrepreneurs. Since then, I created an app—funded by a Kickstarter campaign—that helps users find, support, and review blackowned businesses. I pitched OBWS as a contestant on BET’s Queen Boss and also gave a TEDx talk in Dover, Del. I have built a small but mighty team, including Quincy Bedeau ’12 as our finance and strategy officer. Attending Babson helped give me the confidence to pursue entrepreneurship.”
Bradley Barreto is a founding partner of Coral Gables Title + Escrow in Coral Gables, Fla., where he serves as CFO. He previously cofounded Capital LED.
Alex Rudolph: See Walter Wilms, MBA’16.
Julian Addy (second from right), owner of Julian Addy Real Estate, partnered with local businesses and nonprofits in Dorchester, Mass., to host a pitch competition. Julian emails, “Preference was given to local businesses owned and operated by women or people of color promoting the ideals of multiculturalism, diversity, and inclusion. On November 2, the final four—selected from an initial pool of 60—pitched their ideas to the community. Winner Anthony Caldwell of 50Kitchen, a personal chef and catering business, receives retail space, $50,000, and business coaching.” Julian and Anthony (center) are shown at the awards ceremony, along with other sponsors of the competition.
Isaac Breen-Franklin has joined Goodstone, a commercial real estate investment management firm headquartered in Washington, D.C., as a senior associate responsible for acquisitions and asset management. In his new role, Isaac will support Goodstone’s efforts to modernize and stabilize a newly acquired office building in North Bethesda, Md. Previously, he served as an investment analyst at Moor & Associates.
Sarah Yim is a product analyst for Flywire, a provider of international payment services. Sarah is responsible for designing and building features for higher education and health-care software as a service (SaaS) platforms. She emails, “In a globalized society, it’s rewarding to know that you’ve built a product that easily allows people to pay from another country. Fun fact: Three of our executive team members graduated from Babson.”
Anushka Doshi launched an online “high street fashion” children’s clothing line, Cuddles for Cubs, in Mumbai, India. Anushka emails, “I was CEO of my FME class freshman year, and that experience gave me the confidence to pursue my dream of starting a business post-Babson. After studying at Babson, I went on to earn my master’s at London Business School. I am a fourth generation family-business entrepreneur and the first woman in my family to set up an independent venture. To learn more about Cuddles for Cubs, please visit our website.”
Sanjay Zimmermann is an associate for White Star Capital, a VC firm in Montreal. Sanjay, a Montreal native, wrote about his circuitous journey from Canada to Babson to London and back to Montreal in an August 24 post, titled “My Journey Home: Back Working with Entrepreneurs, and I Love It,” on website Startups & Venture Capital.
Victoria Bills works in institutional sales for Ariel Investments in Chicago. She was interviewed for an October feature in online publication The Undefeated, titled “Ariel Community Academy Students Are Investing in Wall Street by Fourth Grade.” Ariel Community Academy, a public school founded by Ariel chairman John Rogers, emphasizes teaching financial literacy in the elementary grades. Victoria attended the school, reports the story, before winning a scholarship to the University of Chicago Laboratory High School and then attending Babson.
Christopher de Leon: See Grad News ’17.
Hanson Grant was profiled in an Aug. 25 U.S. News & World Report article titled “How to Make the Most of a Gap Year.” As the magazine reports, Hanson spent several months after high school traveling and working before starting college. He is CEO and founder of Think Board, which makes a film that turns any surface into a whiteboard.
Chris LoGrippo started a promotional products business, Buono Promo, with the goal of helping others in need: 51 percent of the company’s profits are donated to charitable causes, foundations, and religious organizations, among others. One beneficiary is Babson. Buono Promo makes products ranging from apparel to drinkware to magnets. Chris emails, “We are an approved promotional products vendor at Babson, and we’re glad to be helping Babson through our business. The College receives 10 percent of the profits from every Babson order.”
Vladimir Olchanski: See Grad News ’17.
Aboudi Al-Qattan (second from left) and Hamza Bilbeisi (third from right) founded Al-Tareeq, an initiative to facilitate entrepreneurial education for Middle Eastern youth. Aboudi emails, “Our private-school program offers intensive entrepreneurship classes, encouraging high school students to create small businesses in the community. We plan to use the proceeds from this project to fund education programs for refugees, offering courses in entrepreneurship, English, leadership skills, and problem-solving techniques. So far, we have taught 20 Syrian refugees in Jordan through our pilot program.” Aboudi and Hamza are shown in Zarqa, Jordan, along with Al-Tareeq students and supporters.
Brendan Barbato was interviewed for an August Poets & Quants for Undergrads article titled “Alumni Offer Advice for B-School Freshmen, Seniors.” Brendan, reports the publication, advises new students to avoid overcommitting to too many clubs and activities. Brendan is founder and CEO of Shelfie, which creates multimedia fundraising campaigns for nonprofits.
Christina Gee emails, “In my first job out of school, as a product marketer at Microsoft, I work on the Azure field analytics team, helping drive insights about our customers and our services. Although I’m the first person from Babson to join Microsoft’s marketing new-grad program, my manager is a Babson MBA alum. It’s exciting to share that connection. If you’re ever in Seattle, please reach out.” Christina also was accepted to the Clinton Global Initiative University’s annual meeting held last October for her work on a project she started with Michael Pang ’17, which focused on creating storm drain sensors using IoT technology.
Jack McCarthy was featured in an Aug. 28 Bloomberg article titled “Shopify’s E-Commerce Empire Is Growing in Amazon’s Shadow.” The article highlights Jack’s effort to market ugly Christmas sweaters through Canadian e-commerce company Shopify, which, the story reports, allowed Jack to graduate from college debt-free. Jack is working as a marketing specialist at digital strategy firm Inflect Solutions.
Dardan Ostrozubi: See Grad News ’17.
Thomas Cunnington spoke to students at Westside Christian Academy in Detroit about business success. Thomas is a serial entrepreneur who is currently a partner in Cunnington and Cunnington, a professional advisory firm. He is former CEO of the Ward Williston Oil Co. and a member of Babson’s Alumni Entrepreneur Hall of Fame.
Paul Montesino emails, “A former senior bank executive and university senior lecturer, I have completed the publication of books 22 and 23 with my autobiographical paperbacks Pablito: A Cuban with a Boston Accent and Pablito: Un Cubano con Acento Bostoniano, available on Amazon. My 21 additional fiction and nonfiction e-books, paperbacks, and audiobooks in English or Spanish are also available on Amazon.”
Edward Blum has joined the KLR Executive Search Group, which has its headquarters in Providence, R.I., as a partner. Ed has more than 25 years’ experience in the talent recruitment field.
Dave Smith has been elected to the board of trustees of the Andover Newton Theological School. He is managing director of Newagen Group, a consulting firm in Shrewsbury, Mass.
Susan Murphy has been named a principal at WithumSmith+Brown, a public accounting and advisory firm. Susan previously held the position of senior manager at Withum, which she joined in 2015.
Linda Silverstein has retired as general manager of remarketing and rental operations at Ford, reports Auto Remarketing magazine. Linda spent 35 years with the automaker, reports the magazine, which calls her a “pillar of the used-car industry.” In January 2017, Linda won the Barbara Cox Automotive Woman of the Year Award, which honors women who demonstrate business leadership and community advocacy. She was inducted into the National Auto Auction Association Hall of Fame in 2009.
Dave Gravel mounted a successful re-election campaign for Peabody, Mass., city council. Dave has served on the city council since 2007 and formerly served on the town’s school committee. He is president and CEO of GraVoc Associates, a technology consulting firm he founded in 1994. Dave is active in the Peabody community, serving as chair of the Peabody Education Foundation and as a board member of the YMCA of Metro North, among other positions. Fellow alumnus Joel Saslaw ’85 also serves on the Peabody city council.
Thomas Finnerty has been named chief human resources officer for medical technology company Anika Therapeutics, based in Bedford, Mass. Thomas previously worked as senior vice president of human resources at Smith & Nephew, a maker of medical devices.
Mike Hughes is CEO and COO of Exchange Solutions, which designs and builds customer-engagement programs that use data-driven incentives to influence customer behavior. Mike was interviewed by The Silicon Review in November, when Exchange Solutions was named one of the “50 Smartest Companies of the Year” by the tech website.
Enrique Turegano (’83) emails, “Although I retired last year after 31 years of leading top Hispanic ad agencies, starting two companies, and spending time consulting, I continue to work part time with some clients such as Vizio and the American Heart Association. I moved to Barcelona and am enjoying free time in a great city, as well as staying busy through my part-time work. Saludos!”
Michael Cymbrowsky has been appointed president of Laser App Software in Ontario, Calif. Michael began his career in finance and has held marketing and sales roles in various technology firms.
Peter Rice has been named chief commercial banking officer for the Cooperative Bank of Cape Cod of Hyannis, Mass. Before joining “The Coop,” he served as senior vice president and regional vice president of TD Bank. A resident of Brewster, Peter is on the board of Coastal Community Capital and the Arts Foundation of Cape Cod.
Deborah DiSanzo, general manager for IBM Watson Health, has been named to the board of biopharmaceutical company AstraZeneca. Before joining IBM, Deborah was CEO of Philips Healthcare.
Michael Reilly has joined People’s United Business Capital as senior vice president, reports website ABL Advisor. He will be responsible for new business originations in Connecticut, as well as Long Island and Westchester, N.Y. Mike previously held positions with Sterling National Bank, Citibank, UBS, and GE Capital.
Sangeeta Doshi was among those profiled in a November 9 India West article titled “Indian-American Candidates Victorious in City Council, Local Races.” The story reports that Sangeeta won a seat on the Cherry Hill, N.J., township council on Election Day. She has been a volunteer on the town’s planning and zoning boards and has served on the Domestic Violence Response Team.
Rob Reilly, chief investment officer at Sandy Cove Advisors, emails, “I earned my Certified Investment Management Analyst (CIMA) designation in September. The CIMA designation is awarded upon the successful completion of a series of exams and advanced investment coursework. Sandy Cove Advisors is a registered investment advisory firm headquartered in Hingham, Mass., with offices in Boston and New York. More details can be found on Babson’s online community platform, the Babson Connector.”
Mara Charlamb is vice president of United Radio, a family business founded by her grandfather in 1923. Mara was profiled on Syracuse.com, in an Oct. 17 article titled “Mara Charlamb on Leadership: You’ve Got to Listen Not Just with Your Ears But with Your Heart.” United Radio comprises three divisions: automotive electronics, communications, and consumer electronics. Mara serves as director of human resources.
Stephanie Pritchett has been named CMO and executive vice president for Mutual of Omaha’s Departing Well Solutions business unit, which addresses life insurance customers’ final expense needs. Stephanie joined Mutual of Omaha in 2015. She previously held senior marketing positions at The Hartford Financial Services Group, USAA, and Washington Mutual Bank.
John Guthery has joined Provasi Capital Partners in the role of managing director, product and marketing. In this position, John will lead all product-related research, marketing, due diligence, and development initiatives for the Dallas firm. Previously, John served as senior vice president and head of product management for W.P. Carey.
Christine Ward has been appointed executive director of Raising a Reader Massachusetts, a nonprofit organization that focuses on early literacy and parent engagement as a means of closing academic achievement gaps. Christine joined the organization in 2010 as director of operations and became vice president of operations in 2016. Since its founding in 2006, Raising a Reader Massachusetts has circulated more than 71,000 books to more than 45,000 children and families in the state.
Vlad Zachary is the author of The Excellence Habit. The book was named winner in the motivational and self-improvement category of the 2016 New Apple Summer EBook Awards for Excellence in Independent Publishing.
Fred Bierwirth and wife Lindsay were featured in a May 17 article in The Cape Cod Chronicle titled “Couple Plans to Turn North Chatham Eyesore Into Fitness, Shared Workspace Center.” As described in the article, the couple was driving past a vacant building and were struck by the notion of opening a new business on the site. They hope to open Chatham Works—a combined fitness center, shared workspace, and juice bar—this spring, according to the business’s Facebook page.
Michael Gray has been named COO and CFO of Arsanis, a clinicalstage biopharmaceutical company in Waltham, Mass. Michael has been with Arsanis since 2016. Previously, Michael served in senior leadership roles at Curis.
Juan Carlos Mora Uribe, president of Bancolombia, was interviewed by business-news website The Business Year. Juan Carlos formerly served as the Colombian bank’s head of innovation before becoming president in 2016.
From left, Walter Wilms, MBA’16, Heidy Frank, MS’03, and Murilo Amaral, MBA’16, were among the attendees at a fall social gathering for alumni in South Florida. The event took place at Tap 42 in Miami, part of a local chain of gastropubs whose vice president of development is Alex Rudolph ’13. Heidy emails, “We had a great turnout for our alumni gathering in South Florida. We are definitely helping keep the Babson spirit alive in the Miami area.”
Sean O’Brien was named CEO of BSC Companies, an engineering, planning, science, and custom software solutions firm based in Boston. Sean has more than 25 years of industry leadership experience, and he holds a BS in environmental engineering from Norwich University and an MS in civil engineering from Tufts University. He emails, “I am excited to take the helm of BSC. The firm’s emphasis on teamwork, client service, and creating opportunities for others makes it a great fit for me and an exceptional opportunity.”
J.B. Schneider and Antonio Turco-Rivas: See Philip Boulton, Undergrads 1997.
Holly Fox is participating in Babson’s Women Innovating Now (WIN) Lab incubator. She emails, “I’m excited to be re-engaged with Babson. After becoming frustrated with manually tracking continuing-education credits to maintain my CPA, I launched Edu-Cred, an online, simplified, customized platform that tracks continuing education for license maintenance requirements for various professionals. It may take multiple years to complete credits, and tracking completed courses can be time consuming. It’s especially challenging with multiple licenses or across several jurisdictions. Edu-Cred tracks user progress, retains credit evidence, and sends reminders in advance of renewal deadlines.”
Michael Levy emails, “I started MClass Games, and the company just launched its first mobile app game, Mbrane, an all-new strategy game of stunning simplicity and elegant complexity. It turns Sudoku into a competitive two-player game, with players vying for control of territory. MBrane combines the excitement of Risk with the purity of chess. No other game is like it. If you’d like to learn more, or have some ideas to help spread the word, please visit our website. Or just download it on your phone and give it a play!” Michael is shown visiting Canyonlands National Park in Utah.
David Lynch has been appointed CIO of Cambridge Trust, a subsidiary of Cambridge Bancorp, in Cambridge, Mass. Previously, David worked as managing partner and deputy CIO at Athena Capital and as an emerging markets portfolio manager at Colorado Public Employees’ Retirement Association.
Sarah Dyer (’95) started her dog-accessory business in 2012 while living in Montreal. Chuckle Hounds offers collars, leashes, and more for the well-dressed dog. Sarah emails, “My dog Magnus (shown) was the inspiration, and a friend who owned a dog shop in Charlestown, Mass., took my first delivery of items. I love working with animals. It’s great to create fun products and participate in an industry I’m passionate about. We frequently donate products to rescue groups to use as raffle prizes for fundraisers. We also run promotions where a percentage of the purchase price goes back to the rescue group.”
Melissa Waters, vice president of marketing at Lyft, was interviewed for the Forte Foundation’s Business 360 blog about her swift rise through the marketing ranks and her strategies for success. Before joining Lyft in 2016, Melissa held marketing positions at Pandora, Flip Video, and Diamond Foods.
Raj Motwane has been named vice president of global services and support for Tufin, a network security company. Previously, Raj served as senior vice president of client success and operations at IANS.
Isaac Van Wesep’s Quick Key was selected for nonprofit TiE Boston’s accelerator program, ScaleUp. Quick Key is a mobile tool designed to allow teachers to administer and grade short quizzes quickly and easily. Participants in the accelerator receive mentoring, C-suite roundtables, and opportunities to pursue funding.
Ajit Verghese: See Harry Alford, MBA’16.
David Via has been named vice president of marketing for Zoom North America, a maker of recording equipment, effects pedals, and other electronic audio products. He previously served as vice president, international business development, for guitar-string manufacturer D’Addario.
Beth Borges and partner Carl Hirshfeld have a new home for their House Bear Brewing, which produces several varieties of mead. The meadery now occupies the former RiverWalk Brewing Co. space on Graf Road in Newburyport, Mass. Beth emails, “It will feature a tasting room where patrons can enjoy our award-winning mead, brewed by fermenting the sugars in honey. We expect to have a grand opening of the tasting room sometime in January. Please check our Facebook page for updates and current news.”
Conor Carlin (right) emails, “I recently returned from a business trip to Southeast Asia, where I connected with MBA’10 classmates Bret Gorger in Singapore (not shown) and Eddy Yawapongsiri (left) and Tobey Charusorn (center) in Bangkok. I was in Singapore to present a paper at a conference before traveling to Thailand for business meetings. The paper focused on the effects of lightweighting in plastics packaging and the downstream implications for recycling. In emerging markets in Southeast Asia, there is a tremendous amount of growth in plastic packaging, which helps avoid food waste but also poses new challenges.”
Ilya Semin is CEO and co-founder of Datanyze, a firm that helps businesses analyze and track data. The Silicon Review named Datanyze as one of the “50 Best Workplaces of the Year 2017.” The publication profiled Ilya and Datanyze in November, discussing the company’s roots, the challenges it has faced, its work culture, and future plans.
Lizzie Bell and husband Sam Schlussel have launched a new venture, Off the Beaten Path Food Tours, with walking tours of the Davis and Union Square neighborhoods in Somerville, Mass. Plans are in the works to add Harvard Square soon. Lizzie and Sam enjoy introducing customers to the neighborhoods’ quirky, independent food businesses while weaving in a taste of local history. Lizzie emails, “We love travel, food, local finds, and supporting neighborhood vendors. The tours are a fun way to incorporate these interests.”
Luke Cooper was profiled on Afro.com, the website of Afro-American Newspapers, in a September 16 article titled “Black CEO Reflects on Growth of Startup Company.” Luke is the founder of Fixt, an on-demand support platform providing repair, replacement, and setup services for mobile devices.
Karim El-Gamal and Michael Kasseris, along with Jason Kleinerman, are the owners of restaurant Rail Trail Flatbread Co., ice cream parlor New City Microcreamery, and cocktail lounge and restaurant Less Than Greater Than, all in Hudson, Mass. The businesses were profiled in an online Forbes article on Oct. 31 titled “A Restaurant Company Explains the Difference Between Good Profits and Bad Profits,” describing the owners’ sustainable approach.
Guy Fichera has been named director of sensing and control systems for Boston Engineering, which designs products for the defense, security, medical, and robotics industries, among others. Guy has been with the firm since 1999.
Deena Jalal emails, “My husband and I started FoMu, a line of artisanal, all-natural, plant-based ice cream, in 2011. FoMu is a thoughtful, delicious alternative to conventional ice cream. Many of our customers avoid milk products, but others simply prefer FoMu to dairy-based ice cream because of its quality ingredients. We now have three Boston scoop shops, as well as seasonal pop-ups. FoMu also is sold online and at numerous retail stores, including Whole Foods. We live in Boston with our two (soon to be three!) young children, who are FoMu’s biggest fans.” Deena was on campus this fall serving FoMu at the Changemaker Marketplace.
Rajendra Joshi has been appointed chief technology officer for consulting firm Reputation Institute, which helps clients measure, communicate, and manage reputation performance. Rajendra previously held leadership roles at Digilant and Pegasystems.
Jessica Grande has joined Levatus, a newly launched wealth management company in Boston. Jessica is a member of Levatus’ founding team and will serve as senior client adviser to the firm’s clients.
Saul Hernandez Orendain (seated, center), Carlos Rojas, MBA’11 (standing, far left), and Patricia Urias, MBA’08 (standing, third from left), attended a gathering for prospective students at Mexico City’s Hotel Marquis Reforma. The event was organized by Bob Turner, P’07 (second from right), associate professor. Saul emails, “Alumni shared their experiences with prospective students, and all took home samples of DrinkPlus functional beverages. I am the CEO and founder of DrinkPlus. Our products are now in 2,500 stores in Mexico, and we continue to expand.”
Cliff Worley is the digital engagement director at Kapor Center for Social Impact. Cliff creates and manages the digital strategy for the nonprofit Kapor Center, as well as for the investment side, Kapor Capital. Prior to joining Kapor, he was chief digital officer for The Shark Group, a branding consultancy firm created by entrepreneur Daymond John, CEO and founder of FUBU and personality on ABC’s business-pitch reality show, Shark Tank. At The Shark Group, Cliff set the digital strategy for the organization and worked as a digital strategy consultant for Daymond John’s Shark Tank investments.
Tara Foley, founder of natural beauty products retailer Follain, was profiled in a Sept. 8 Forbes.com article titled “These Frameworks Will Hold You Accountable to Turn Your Idea into a Business.” The piece describes Tara’s steps to creating a successful business plan. Follain has shops in Boston, New York, and (seasonally) Nantucket, and sells products online.
Alec Mackenzie has been selected as an Alfond Leader, a new competitive student loan reduction grant awarded by the Harold Alfond Foundation and the Finance Authority of Maine. Applicants must live in Maine and work in a STEM field for at least 10 years; awardees receive grants for half of their outstanding loan debt, up to $60,000. Twenty applicants (out of 400) received a total of $685,000 in this inaugural year of the program. In 2007, Alec founded Mackenzie Design, a mechanical engineering and automation services company, which was acquired by Casco Systems of Cumberland, Maine, in October 2017.
Harry Alford has joined DC Community Carrot as interim executive director. Community Carrot is a nonprofit that helps young people from Washington, D.C., gain entrepreneurship skills. He also is a partner at Humble Ventures, offering an inclusive approach to venture capital that aims to democratize access to opportunity. Harry and Ajit Verghese, MBA’09, were among the co-founders of Humble Ventures.
Cam Fischer, MS’16, and Alfred Schofield, MS’16, founders of VitalFit, have released a new product, Planted, a plant-based drink that functions as a liquid meal replacement. It is made from organic cold-pressed pumpkin seeds and enhanced with a variety of nutrients. The new drink follows VitalFit’s inaugural product, Tart Cherry Extract.
Jennifer Pierre, MS’16, was featured on the syndicated talk show Harry, with host Harry Connick Jr., in November. Jennifer discussed her startup, Melanites, a line of “action pals” that reflects and celebrates its intended audience, young boys of color.
Sarah Case is associate director, education programs and workforce development, at the New England Venture Capital Association. She joined the NEVCA in 2014 and has worked to build, launch, and grow the group’s TechGen and Hack.Diversity programs. Each addresses a critical workforce-development challenge faced by Boston’s innovation community: the “brain drain” and the lack of diversity in tech roles, respectively. Through her work, Sarah engages with students, entrepreneurs, operators, CEOs, and VCs to help students and grads launch their careers in Boston’s innovation community. Sarah is shown running Hack.Diversity’s “match day” for the 2017 cohort.
Sun Dahan: See Philip Boulton, Undergrads 1997.
Joan Segura Oyamburu’s Play Business startup, which encourages first-round investment in early stage companies in emerging markets, was among the finalists in the national Recess Pitch Competition. Another finalist was HubCharge, founded by Christopher de Leon ’16, Vladimir Olchanski ’16, and Dardan Ostrozubi ’17. HubCharge provides wireless charging solutions for mobile devices. Babson was the only college to place two startups among the 15 finalists.
As a teenager, Bruce Taylor ’77, P’15, dreamed of playing professional football or hockey. “I was like all young boys, but it wasn’t close to a reality,” he says with a laugh. Instead, the …
Numerous campus and global events provided diverse and ample opportunities for community members to cultivate their Babson connections and to celebrate with peers. Alumni volunteers were instrumental in organizing many of the social, cultural, and professional activities held this past fall. Additionally, many alumni graciously hosted peers and Babson visitors for intimate gatherings.—Effie Marthinsen, director of alumni operations
Photo: Sky Duanmu ’18
More than 50 undergraduate and graduate students joined trustee Fred Kiang ’70, MBA’75 (back row, third from left), chairman of Sunrise Duty Free in Shanghai, and Gerri Randlett (back row, second from right), managing director of the Alumni and Friends Network, for the fifth annual “Dinner with Fred Kiang,” held on the Wellesley campus. Fred hosts the dinner to help Asian students broaden their networks and learn about the benefits of being Babson alumni.
Junichi Murata, MBA’60, H’92 (left), and Takehiro Okaya, MBA’99, greet each other at the eighth annual Alumni Club of Japan meeting, which was held in October.
Photo: Justin Knight
In November, Babson held its Academy of Distinguished Entrepreneurs ceremony. Established in 1978, ADE recognizes business visionaries for their outstanding professional achievements and philanthropic contributions. Attending the event were (from left) Debi Kleiman, executive director of the Arthur M. Blank Center for Entrepreneurship; this year’s honoree, C. Dean Metropoulos ’67, MBA’68, founder and CEO of Metropoulos & Co.; and Marla Capozzi, MBA’96, chair of the Babson Board of Trustees.
Photo: Thaddaeus McAdams
Rick Sorenson, MBA’00 (left), son of the Richard W. Sorenson Center for the Arts namesake, and wife Camilla Sorenson (second from left), attended the fifth annual Babson Miami Art Basel reception held at the New World Symphony Orchestral Academy. Also attending were Roberto Erana ’00, MBA’08 (right), and his wife, Ana Erana (second from right). The evening featured a collectors’ panel, during which Alan Ross, MBA’80, Nancy Nichols, P’11, and Carolina Fernandez, P’14, shared their stories about art and philosophies on collecting.
Nik Beisert ’11 and Tanya Lancaster ’13 were married on Aug. 25 at Jacuzzi Family Vineyards in Sonoma, Calif. Babson alumni celebrating with the groom and bride (center) included (from left) Sheryaar Butt ’11, Sebastian Florez ’11, Fernando Pereira ’11, and Ryan McDonald ’11. Tanya emails, “The ceremony took place among the vineyard vines. We had a live band—Babson’s very own Jamie Kent ’09—and celebrated the night away.”
Tiffany Diarbakerly, MBA’16, and William Ward, MBA’16, were married on Aug. 12 at Nashawtuc Country Club in Concord, Mass. The couple graduated from the San Francisco MBA program, as did wedding guest Meredith Delia, MBA’16.
Stephanie Rego ’11 married Eric Tidman ’11 on Aug. 12 at Blithewold Mansion in Bristol, R.I. Babson alumni who shared the celebration were Christopher Cole ’11 and Husrav Billimoria ’11, as well as the groom’s father, Chuck Tidman, MBA’82, and uncle, Brian Bagdonovich, MBA’08. Stephanie emails, “The ceremony and reception were outside, surrounded by gardens and with a backdrop of the ocean.”
Lauren Haffer ’10 and Jonathan Birnbaum were wed on Aug. 6 at Carlyle on the Green in Farmingdale, N.Y. Babson friends in attendance were Jodi Brauer ’09, MS’09, Joscelyn Chang ’09, Dina (Gutsol) Hanner ’09, Jacqueline Chambers ’10, Lauren Grazier ’10, Jessica Huang ’10, Katerina Iliades ’10, Ryan Jones ’10, Catherine Lau ’10, and Dan Brauer ’11. Lauren emails, “The wedding had many magical elements. Close Babson friends were bridesmaids. It was a wonderful night!”
Kelly Chan ’12 and Marc Appel were married on Aug. 19 at Riverside Farm in Pittsfield, Vt. Among the many Babson alumni celebrating with the bride and groom (center) were Kelly’s Chi Omega sorority sisters Edlyn Wang ’12, Kelsey Dulac ’12, Samantha Cooper ’12, Jennifer Wang ’12, Isabella Rocha ’13, Wendy Glickenhouse ’12, Carolyn (Crosby) Lavin ’12, Erica Shevlin ’12, MS’12, Nicole Proto ’12, and Justine (Marais) Balas ’12, MS’12.
Makhissa Damba ’11 and Christian Bracy ’11 were married over the summer—twice. Makhissa emails, “We got married on Aug. 19 in Sandwich, Mass., surrounded by our families and friends. Prior to the wedding, we held a traditional party, based on my Guinean culture, on July 7. This is the event that most of our Babson friends attended.”
John Gibson of Chatham, Mass., died Sept. 17. He was the first chair of Babson’s Division of Liberal Arts and the College’s first director of development. Survivors include his son, Craig Gibson ’81.
Anne Jew of Waltham, Mass., died Aug. 30. She worked in Babson’s human resources department until her retirement in 2011.
Jean Lane of Natick, Mass., died Oct. 26. She worked in alumni relations at Babson for many years.
William Robbins ’43 of Morehead City, N.C., died Aug. 6. He served in the Army Air Forces during World War II. He began his career in advertising and was later vice president and director of marketing for Hardee’s Food Systems.
Thomas Mahoney ’47 of Airmont, N.Y., died Sept. 1. A Navy veteran who served in World War II, he had a long career in banking.
Frank Dugan ’48 of Lake Forest, Calif., died Oct. 16.
Frank Roberts ’49 of Acworth, Ga., died Oct. 17. A World War II veteran, he worked as a labor analyst for Lockheed Martin.
Lowell Schulman ’49 of Purchase, N.Y., died Oct. 7. He served in the Army Air Forces during World War II and later worked as a builder and developer.
Leo Gregg ’51 of Trumbull, Conn., died Oct. 6. He served in the Marines during World War II. He was the owner and operator of Gregg Printing.
Richard Jones ’51 of Boca Grande, Fla., and Chatham, Mass., died Sept. 19. He owned and operated Geneva Steel Blanking for more than 40 years.
Herbert Wheeler ’52 of Zephyr Cove, Nev., died Oct. 28. A Navy veteran, he spent 31 years as a pilot for TWA.
Francis Lee, MBA’54, of Darboy, Wis., died Aug. 26. He worked as a security analyst and portfolio manager in New York City.
John Orr ’55 of Sarasota, Fla., died Aug. 25. He had a long career with Gillette.
Theodore MacDonald ’57 of Peabody, Mass., died Sept. 22. An Air Force veteran, he was president of Bay State Bindery for more than 30 years. Survivors include daughter Linda MacDonald ’82 and son Douglas MacDonald ’87.
Gary Petrini ’57 of Needham died Oct. 3. He served in the Army Reserves and was president and CEO of the Petrini Corp., a family real-estate development business.
Arthur Samuels ’57 of South Salem, N.Y., died Oct. 21. He served as president of Golo Footwear and pursued a second career in real estate.
Albert Ascher ’58 of Hollywood, Fla., died Sept. 7.
Robert Sullivan ’59 of Wyoming, Mich., died Sept. 29. He served in the Army and had a 32-year career with Ford, rising to the position of manager of dealer development, U.S. division.
Albert Anzuoni, MBA’60, of Palm Harbor, Fla., died June 28.
Robert McKee ’60 of Great Falls, Va., died Aug. 8. He served in the Coast Guard and had a long career in broadcasting.
Stuart Speed ’60 of Seminole, Fla., died Aug. 28. He served in the Army National Guard and worked for Rust Craft Greeting Cards and Dennison Manufacturing.
Robert Arruda ’61 of Portsmouth, R.I., died Jan. 21, 2017. A Navy veteran who served during the Vietnam War, he was owner and operator of SHI, a lumber company.
Lee Goldstein, MBA’61, of Palm Beach, Fla., died Oct. 1. An Air Force veteran, he spent his career in the food-packaging industry.
James Canniffe, MBA’62, of Marblehead, Mass., died Sept. 11. He worked for investment firm Arthur W. Wood and later taught economics at North Shore Community College.
John Gaddie, MBA’62, of San Marcos, Texas, died Oct. 7. He was an Army veteran who served in the Vietnam and Korean wars, eventually rising to the rank of colonel.
Robert Kilcoyne ’62 of Charlestown, Mass., died Sept. 20. He served in the Army during the Korean War and worked as a stockbroker for many years.
Kent Sandquist ’62 of South Dennis, Mass., died Nov. 12. He was the owner and operator of Sandy’s Fashion Floors in South Dennis, as well as charter captain of the Kimpa, out of Sesuit Harbor.
Stuart Simmons ’63 of Sharon, Mass., died April 28.
Sherman Wetherbee ’63 of Shrewsbury, Mass., died Oct. 1.
Warren Whitehead ’65 of Gloucester, Mass., died Aug. 27. He served in the Air Force and opened Whitehead Motors in 1979.
James Rudnik, MBA’71, of Middletown, R.I., died Oct. 24. He served in the Navy and worked at Raytheon for 30 years.
Scot Bossert ’72 of Brookfield, Conn., died Sept. 21. He was CEO of the Appraisal Company of America.
John Holmes ’73 of Yarmouth, Maine, died Oct. 1. He was founder and operator of Gulf of Maine Yacht Sales.
Peter DiDomenico, MBA’75, of Bonita Springs, Fla., died Sept. 7. He was a senior executive and CFO. Survivors include son Peter DiDomenico ’98.
Barry Pauldick, MBA’75, of Clearwater, Fla., died Oct. 2. He worked as a CPA, operating a successful private practice for more than 20 years.
Richard Reardon, MBA’75, of Beverly Hills, Calif., died Sept. 12. He was the longtime owner of R&R Business Development.
David Grossack ’76 of Hull, Mass., died Sept. 20. He was a lawyer who worked to win custody and visitation rights for fathers in marital disputes.
Brian O’Connell, MBA’78, of Pembroke, Mass., died Sept. 10. A tax attorney, he worked for the IRS for 30 years before starting his own firm in 1995.
Timothy Bradshaw ’82 of Dudley, Mass., died Oct. 1. He had a long career in finance and was employed by the Webster, Mass., school system.
Scott Hagermoser ’83 of Lancaster, Mass., died Oct. 16.
Carl Lofberg, MBA’83, of Wellesley Island, N.Y., died Oct. 22. He and his wife operated several Arby’s and Papa John’s restaurants in northern New York state.
Christopher Curto ’85 of Kissimmee, Fla., died Sept. 10. He owned two gas stations and worked as a manager at Econo-Pak, a family-owned business.
Harrison Holbrook ’87 of Plymouth, Mass., died Oct. 30. He was a partner at Ernst & Young.
Jay Fischler ’88 of Westbury, N.Y., died Oct. 16.
Christopher Dickinson ’96 of Branford, Conn., died Nov. 5. He was VP of collateral for AIG.
