John Butler, P’84, and his wife, Alice, were awarded the degree of doctor of humane letters by the University of Dubuque in recognition of the couple’s leadership in the community and their philanthropic work. The Butlers have contributed to the university through their support of endowed scholarships and new buildings, including John and Alice Butler Hall, the university’s principal performance venue.
Robert Goodfriend was honored by Tennessee Wesleyan University of Athens, Tenn., when the university announced it will name its new business school after him. The Goodfriend School of Business awards bachelor’s and master’s degrees in business administration. Bob’s donation of $2 million will fund several new initiatives. A native of Athens, Bob helped turn the family business, Goody’s Family Clothing, into a national chain.
Paul Iantosca, P’00 (left), and Phyllis Speen ’74 (right) spearheaded a campaign to fund a memorial for Cynthia Clancy Grigsby ’74, who passed away last December. Classmates raised $2,500 to add Cindy’s name to the Memorial Wall in the Connolly Peace Garden near Glavin Family Chapel. Phyllis emails, “I’m indebted to Cindy for being a great friend. Paul suggested doing the Memorial Wall, and donations and stories poured in. We shared memories of a kind soul who was naturally smart, with a Farrah Fawcett smile.” Phyllis and Paul visited campus in February to pass along the funds to Amelia Cortez (center), director of the President’s Society.
Craig Benson, H’03, who served as governor of New Hampshire from January 2003 to January 2005, returned to the New Hampshire Statehouse in April for the unveiling of his official portrait. Among the Babson friends on hand were (from left) trustee emeritus Richard Snyder ’60, H’94, P’93, ’01; trustee emeritus Bill Markey, MBA’64, H’09; senior vice president for advancement Ed Chiu; trustee Marla Capozzi, MBA’96; Craig; President Kerry Healey; chief administrative officer Katherine Craven; professor of management Joseph Weintraub; and Marilyn Snyder, MBA’80, P’93.
Donn Innes married Theresa Maria DaSilva on Oct. 11, 2015. They are living happily in Pennsylvania, and Donn is running a commercial real estate appraisal and consulting company, Tier One.
This April, the Babson Athletics Hall of Fame inducted Jay Conroy ’81 (lacrosse), Meg Lynch ’08 (soccer, swimming), Chris Connors ’93 (soccer), Colleen Kelly Pulaski ’04 (softball, field hockey), and Carson Thurber ’06 (alpine skiing), shown from left to right. All were honored for their leadership, dedication, and good sportsmanship, as well as their outstanding athletic achievements.
Herbert Snyder is a professor of accounting and chair of the accounting, finance, and information systems department at North Dakota State University in Fargo. He was interviewed for a March 7 Wallet Hub article, “2017’s Cities with the Highest and Lowest Credit Scores,” providing tips on building credit and improving credit scores, and addressing common misperceptions about those scores.
Theresa Nanigian was profiled in an April 11 Irish Times article, “The Management Consultant Who Took Her Own Advice and Made the Move Into Art.” Theresa’s photographs are being showcased in three exhibitions, collectively titled “Just a Bit Extraordinary,” in Ireland. The first show ran this spring at the Lab Gallery in Dublin. Subsequent shows will appear at the Limerick City Gallery later this year and at the Highlanes Gallery in Drogheda in 2018.
Eric Luukko has joined Clear Thinking Group as managing director, value preservation practice. Before joining Clear Thinking, Eric spent more than 20 years in the asset-based lending industry, most recently as vice president, collateral manager at Rockland Trust. He also has held positions at Webster Business Credit and Fleet Retail Finance.
Jonathan Morin was inducted into the Methuen High School Athletic Hall of Fame in May, reports the Lawrence Eagle-Tribune. Jonathan excelled in football, baseball, and hockey in high school. At Babson, he continued his hockey career, helping lead the team to NCAA and ECAC championships his senior year. Jonathan has served as assistant hockey coach at Lawrence High School, Brooks School, Salem (N.H.) High School, Phillips Academy, and Methuen High School. He currently serves as vice president of Intercity Home Care.
Jeff Katz, P’21, emails, “I recently made a career move, leaving big corporate globe-trotting after 20-plus years. I’m now a regional director with Future Foam. I manage a sales team and production sites, servicing Maine through Virginia to Ohio. Also, I’m now not only a Babson grad but a Babson dad, as my daughter, Jackie, will be in the Class of 2021. Looking forward to seeing everyone at the 30th Reunion in September.”
John Curran (MBA’98): See Grads.
Melissa (Midinian) Hilbert emails, “In 2016, I started a new career as a research director at Gartner, an IT research and advisory company. I’m helping organizations understand sales performance management and utilize people, processes, and technology to perform better. If you’re a Gartner client, you can read my published work; I’ll be blogging and tweeting about it, too. It’s been a great experience so far. I’d love to see any alumni in the Phoenix area!”
Rhonda (Iannacone) Landers has been named CFO of NanoSteel, which specializes in nanostructured steel materials. Rhonda previously worked for Transas, a global marine communications technology company, and also has held positions at Globe Wireless, Seawave, and Instrumentation Laboratory. She began her career at PwC.
Rusty Vanneman is chief investment officer at CLS Investments in Omaha, Neb. He authored Higher Calling: A Guide to Helping Investors Achieve Their Goals. Rusty emails, “By managing investor expectations and emotions through three straightforward steps outlined in this book, advisers can counsel investors through the ups and downs of the markets, helping investors succeed and achieve their higher calling.”
Colin Murphy has joined Liberty Bay Credit Union, of Braintree, Mass., as vice president of client development. In this role, Colin will be responsible for developing new prospects, converting prospects to members, and generating deposit growth, loan growth, and the sale of ancillary products. Previously, Colin served as business development manager for Forum Credit Union in Indianapolis.
Rich Greif emails, “I’ve been vice president of marketing for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Massachusetts Bay since 2014. Last year, we launched a partnership with Babson, with 20 students mentoring inner-city Boston youth on campus every other Saturday. This September, we’ll be participating as a charity of the Rodman Ride for Kids bicycle ride, raising money for similar programs. Hope to see some alumni out on the course.” Rich is pictured here at last year’s Rodman Ride.
John Reed is founder of Rain BDM, a consulting firm that helps law firms design and implement marketing strategies. John discussed his business in a Feb. 24 Detroit Free Press interview, titled “Firm Aims To Market Lawyers Without Being Obvious.”
Ravi Daswani emails, “I am splitting my time between Jamaica and Florida, working as a graduate diamond gemologist selling loose diamonds. If anyone is in need of a diamond, he or she can email me at ravi@theroyalshop.com. I got a chance to catch up with classmates Stephen Webber, MBA’05, and John Rogaris when they made trips to Jamaica. I am looking forward to seeing some old classmates at the 25th Reunion in September. If you are planning to visit Jamaica, send me an email before you arrive so we can meet up.”
Michael Landsberg, a partner at Landsberg Bennett Private Wealth Management, was named among Barron’s “Top 1,200 Financial Advisers for 2017,” the sixth consecutive year he has been recognized for this achievement. Michael was ranked 69th among financial advisers in his home state of Florida. Factors weighed in the ranking include assets under management, revenue produced for the firm, regulatory record, and quality of practice. Michael lives in Port Charlotte with his wife and their three children.
Amy Gray emails, “In September 2016, my company, New Leaf Speaker Management, turned 15. We celebrated by granting 15 ‘wishes’ to people who demonstrate exceptional kindness in what they do. We also made a commitment to give nonprofits 10 percent of all earnings from any new clients added to our roster. New Leaf manages the speaking careers of six powerful and deeply good people, including Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak and two TED All-Stars. I welcome contact from faculty and alumni.”
Nicole Kefalas (middle, with her colleague, Paul Danforth, and Michele Bernard, of Babson’s HR Office) visited campus this spring to host a presentation on healthy cooking and eating. She emails, “I founded Lifestyle Cooking because so many people I knew were struggling to eat healthy food. We do not sell any supplements or powders; we teach people how to make food that is delicious and healthy. Our plan incorporates real food and workouts that will have the most impact. We customize programs for individuals and groups in order to address the most common missteps and misconceptions that limit long-term success.”
Peter Stratton visited campus to participate in a panel at the Blank Center on reinventing retail. As CFO of DXL Men’s Apparel, a specialty retailer of men’s big-and-tall fashion, Peter spoke about reinventing the brand and developing the consumer experience to meet evolving demands. He emails, “I had a wonderful time meeting with the next generation of fashion entrepreneurs. It was a great opportunity to share the DXL story and discuss the need to differentiate oneself in today’s competitive marketplace.”
David Cohen is CEO of Doc Wayne, a nonprofit that fuses sport and therapy to heal and strengthen at-risk youth. In April, the group hosted its second annual “Leveling the Playing Field” conference in Cambridge, Mass. The theme was breaking down stigma in mental health. David emails, “Mental health impacts us all. The conference created an opportunity for attendees from a variety of industries to learn from each other, hear individuals’ personal stories, and take action.”
Carolina Jannicelli earned a spot on Fortune’s 50 Most Powerful Latinas list, as compiled by the Association of Latino Professionals for America. Carolina is a managing director at J.P. Morgan, leading a team that provides wealth management advice and services to New York area clients. She emails, “I will never forget the snowy February morning I flew into New York from Boston for my interview at the then Chase Manhattan Bank. Babson definitely set me on the right path.” In addition to her degree from Babson, Carolina holds a master’s in the history of art and design from Pratt Institute.
Sameer Patel was a guest on a December 2016 episode of CXOTalk, a podcast featuring conversations with business leaders. The topic of the episode was artificial intelligence in marketing. Sameer is CEO of Kahuna, a business-to-consumer marketing automation provider.
Jonathan Glionna joined Imperial Capital Group as a managing director and senior desk analyst. He primarily will cover global financials, including European and Latin American banks, for Imperial’s credit sales and trading group. Previously, Jonathan served as a managing director at Barclays, in both the London and New York offices.
Jacques Goupil (front row, fourth from right), leading the charge, traveled with several of his Babson soccer teammates to Dublin, where they met up with men’s soccer coach Jon Anderson ’75, P’04, ’08, ’13, ’13, and members of the current team. Jacques emailed, “We joined Jon and the boys for dinner and a walk to the Ireland versus Wales World Cup qualifier game. Truly a great experience to be immersed in the traditional Irish football chants. We had nice representation from Babo alumni: Albie Bargoot, Matt Goodwin, John Pagliuca, Dan Pucci, and Peter Sides, all ’98, and Pat Cavanaugh and Nick Richio, both ’97. Sine Metu.”
Kate Jaspon has been appointed to the position of CFO for Dunkin’ Brands Group. Prior to her promotion, Kate served as Dunkin’ Brands’ vice president, finance and treasury. A CPA, she has been with the company since 2005, joining Dunkin’ as assistant controller after eight years at KPMG.
John Reale was the subject of a May 12 “Five Questions” column in Xconomy. John is co-founder and CEO of co-working space Station Houston in Houston. The startup, launched in March 2016, offers not only space but mentorship and resources for fledgling businesses.
Daniel Drabinski (left) emailed about a recent breakfast at Dallas’ Hotel Crescent Court in honor of Babson’s Enrico Scholars. The Roger and Rosemary Enrico Dallas Scholarship at Babson was established to provide full-tuition, need-based scholarships for economically disadvantaged students from Dallas. Daniel, who serves as president of the Babson Alumni Club of Dallas-Fort Worth, writes, “Roger Enrico ’65, H’86, passed away last year, but his legacy lives on through the program he established in 1997.” He adds, “This was the first opportunity for Rosemary Enrico (center) to meet the scholars, and she was very moved by many of their stories.”
Jamie Siminoff, chief inventor and founder of Ring, was the featured speaker at the recent Babson Connect: San Francisco, which brought together members of the Bay Area Babson community for conversation, networking, and learning. Jamie’s video doorbell business and his entrepreneurial journey also were the subject of a May 12 Los Angeles Times article, “Ring Modernized the Doorbell—then Its Inventor, Jamie Siminoff, Went to War Against Crime.”
Leticia Stallworth, MBA’13 (third row, fourth from left), was among those who attended a jazz brunch at Acadiana restaurant in Washington, D.C., hosted by the Alumni Club of D.C. and the Alumni and Friends Network in honor of Babson’s Global Scholars. Twenty-six current scholars spent the weekend in D.C. visiting sites of cultural significance and exploring the capital’s many neighborhoods. Leticia, who serves as co-president of the D.C. Babson alumni club, emails, “The club is always happy to host a Babson delegation. Hearing the stories of our Global Scholars was quite an experience.”
Lashonda Jefferson and her business were profiled in an April 19 article in the Bay State Banner titled “Lower Mills Shop Owner Enjoys Freedom of Self-Employment.” Lashonda, the paper reported, owns Archangel Boutique, a women’s clothing and accessory shop she launched in 2007 in the Lower Mills section of Boston’s Dorchester neighborhood. The story described Lashonda’s transition from corporate work to entrepreneurship.
Vishal Mehta: See 2004.
Kyle Whyte has been named to Michigan’s Environmental Justice Work Group, as announced by Gov. Rick Snyder in February. The group, which aims to help develop state guidelines addressing environmental and health hazards, grew out of the crisis surrounding the water supply in the city of Flint. Kyle is associate professor of philosophy and community sustainability at Michigan State University. In his role with the work group, he will represent the tribal and academic communities.
Lokesh Bharwani and Samarth Parekh: See 2004.
Vishesh Agarwal emails, “After graduation, a large group of Babson friends started their own ventures in different countries. We recently reunited in Mumbai after 13 years. All of us are entrepreneurs running successful businesses and are married with children. The friends at the reunion included Nishant Agarwal (Dubai), Vishal Mehta ’01 (Belgium), Samarth Parekh ’03 (Kolkata), Anirudh Kajaria (Kolkata), Hritik Khimji (Oman), and Lokesh Bharwani ’03 (Singapore).”
Lindsay Jones Strauss and her Babson friends have been holding an annual Halloween party since their residence hall days. For the most recent get-together, she writes, “This was the first time we were able to include our children. I requested a ‘Babson in a Box’ [from the Alumni and Friends Network]. We were all thrilled with the great Babson party favors that were included.” From left are D.T. Rowe ’07, Jess (Cohen) Rowe ’08 (holding Aspen Rowe), Ashley Needham Molloy ’08, MBA’16 (holding Aiden Molloy), Robert Strauss ’02, Lindsay (holding Samantha Strauss), Andrew Waples ’04, and John deWit ’04 (holding Charlotte deWit).
Amelia Adams was named political director of New York Mayor Bill deBlasio’s re-election campaign, as reported in the New York Daily News. Amelia, the Daily News reports, has served as a top aide to New York City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito. Before joining the speaker’s office, Amelia was deputy director for New York Communities for Change.
Colleen Heidinger (right) is director of events and programming for 43North, a $5 million business-plan competition in Buffalo, N.Y., that is part of Governor Andrew Cuomo’s Buffalo Billion investment initiative. Colleen emails, “One of our recent winners, HigherMe, has two founders from Babson, Rob Hunter (left) and Evan Lodge (center), both MBA’14. HigherMe, a job-search site for retail and hourly workers, was one of more than 500 applicants that made it to our final eight, receiving $600,000, along with incubation and mentorship in Buffalo. Also, Lauren Budzich ’19 and Bessie Shiroki ’20 recently interned with us. It’s been fun to grow the 43North-Babson family here.”
Devika Bakshi and her sister Kanika Bakshi Talwar ’09 opened India’s first Pandora store in April. Located at the DLF Mall of India in Noida, the new shop will carry the full line of the Danish brand’s popular charm bracelets.
Peter Butera, reports the Northborough Patch, ran the Boston Marathon for the New England Patriots Charitable Foundation in honor of his uncle, Chris DiBello. Peter was a mid-distance runner at Babson, according to the story, but this was his first marathon. The money he raised will go to smaller, less visible charities that have a direct impact on their communities.
Kanika Bakshi Talwar: See 2007.
Jose Castello emails, “After a successful career kickoff in tech, I took off for a life less ordinary. I bought a sailboat and sailed more than 10,000 miles, from San Francisco to New Zealand, accompanied by my girlfriend, Gina Harris. You can see videos of the adventure on couchsailors.com.” Jose is shown aboard the Carthago, a Beneteau Oceanis 423, as it makes its way to the warmer waters of Mexico.
LaShonda Cooks, along with classmate Jamaal Eversley ’10, will be featured in a joint art exhibition on campus in September. The show, titled “A Coming of Age,” will be held in the Hollister Gallery. LaShonda, whose work draws on the traditions of impressionism and pointillism, will display paintings that focus on the theme of womanhood. Her subjects have ranged from Serena Williams to Frida Kahlo to Zoe Saldana. In 20 to 30 pieces, says LaShonda, she hopes to display a spectrum of female identities. For more on LaShonda’s artwork, see Spotlight.
Jamaal Eversley, along with classmate LaShonda Cooks, will hold a month-long joint art exhibition on campus this fall. On Sept. 15 at 5 p.m., the Hollister Gallery will host an artists’ talk and reception for “A Coming of Age.” Jamaal will be exhibiting his series of bold abstract paintings. He emails, “I am excited to kick off the Back to Babson weekend with this reception. Reuniting with LaShonda to share our passion for painting with the Babson community shows that anything really is possible at Babson.”
Ali Gul emails, “I have built Pakistan’s fastest growing new-media company, MangoBaaz. Some people call it the BuzzFeed of Pakistan. Our content touches millions of people every month. I left my fulltime job at an enterprise tech company in San Francisco to create my own startup.” MangoBaaz generates original content, analyzing user data to create stories that connect brands with an audience.
Marco Di Mattino helps run Anna D’s Cafe and Ice Cream, a restaurant founded by his mother in Portsmouth, R.I. In a March 29 Newport Daily News article, “Anna D’s in Portsmouth Plans Kitchen Addition,” Marco described the cafe’s expansion plans, which include a two-story addition that will increase storage and prep space, making it easier to fulfill catering orders.
Tim Chae was profiled in a Feb. 16 Ozy article, “The 25-Year-Old VC Powering Korea’s Tech Boom.” Tim works for 500 Startups, the story reports, and heads its South Korea fund, called 500 Kimchi. Tim left Babson early to pursue his startup, PostRocket, backed by 500 Startups. Later, the venture firm offered him a position as entrepreneur in residence, which eventually led to a partnership in 500 Startups and the February 2015 launch of 500 Kimchi. The Seoul-based $15 million fund has invested in 22 Korean companies and five American startups to date.
Bobby Reddy (left) emails, “Animan Technologies was founded by me and my Babson roommate, Tony Cairo ’12. Our first product is HealthePets, a video chat technology that connects pet ‘parents’ with veterinarians via virtual consultations. We are making vet care more accessible and convenient.” Bobby (left) and Tony are shown at SoCal Startup Night, organized by the Startup Leadership Program’s San Diego chapter. They showcased their telemedicine solution for vets and announced their partnership with a group of pet hospitals in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
Glenn Anderson, Julian Addy ’14, and Michael Corkrum ’15 (front row), and Kwaku Abankroh ’14, Orjada Cinari ’15, Taelyr Roberts ’15, Noora Al-Mana ’15, and Lilian Ruiz ’14 (back row) came back to Babson to participate in ONE Week, sponsored by the campus organization Origins of Necessary Equality (ONE). Kwaku emails, “It was great to be back on a lively Babson campus for ONE Week. ONE alumni were invited to join a breakfast panel called ONE Insight. The theme of the chat was community, and we shared our experiences spreading diversity in the ‘real world.’”
Hanson Grant and his Think Board, a product that turns flat surfaces into white boards, was featured in April on the Home Shopping Network in an “American Dreams” segment.
Henry Hu launched Cafe X, an automated coffee shop, in San Francisco in January, as reported in Wired and elsewhere. As described in the Jan. 30 Wired story, titled “This Robot Barista Makes a Dang Good Latte,” an automated Cafe X barista that goes by the name Gordon can crank out cappuccinos, espressos, and more, all untouched by human hands. Henry began working on Cafe X in 2014 and has raised $5 million in venture-capital funding.
Tan Kabra, founder and CEO of accelerator and venture capital firm LaunchByte, was profiled on VentureFizz in March. Tan has created what he calls a “reverse angel model,” in which LaunchByte provides startups with free tools such as marketing, data analytics, and product development in return for an equity stake.
Emily Levy and Maria del Mar Gomez, founders of Mighty Well, were named “women to watch” by Women & Wealth Magazine, a publication of private bank Brown Brothers Harriman’s Center for Women and Wealth. Mighty Well features innovative PICC line covers and other accessories designed to support people undergoing treatment for illness.
Julianne Carlin and Spencer Rivera received Fulbright awards from the U.S. Department of State and the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board. Both will serve as Fulbright English Teaching Assistants— Julianne in the Czech Republic, beginning in August, and Spencer in Malaysia, beginning in January. This is the first time in College history that two Babson students have received Fulbright awards in the same year.
Bill Markey: See Undergrads, Craig Benson ’77, H’03.
Jon Newsome was profiled in the newsletter of the Les Turner ALS Foundation. Jon, a Vietnam veteran diagnosed with ALS, also was inducted into the Iowa Insurance Hall of Fame. He was honored for having built three insurance and annuity organizations over the course of a long career. Jon emails, “I am proud of having helped to create a thousand good jobs for Des Moines.”
Frederick Harris, who last year retired as president of the General Dynamics Nassco and Bath Iron Works shipyards, has joined the operating executive board of private equity firm J.F. Lehman, which focuses on the aerospace, maritime, and defense industries. Frederick has more than 50 years of experience in ship operation, naval engineering, shipbuilding, and ship repair. A graduate of Maine Maritime Academy, he began his shipbuilding career at General Dynamics Electric Boat, where he rose to hold various leadership positions.
Richard Tock is a member of the second generation of the Tock family leading Do-Gree Fashions, which makes “active lifestyle hats” under the Chaos and CTR labels, as reported in a March 22 article, “The Textile Legacy Behind Chaos Hats,” on SGB Online. The line of knit hats, beanies, gloves, face protectors, and more is a favorite among skiers, snowboarders, hikers, and others who enjoy outdoor adventures.
Bob Howard (right) emails, “Mark Kaizerman, MBA’77, P’05 (left), and I have stayed in touch over the years, since our Delta Sigma Pi fraternity days in the mid-1970s at Suffolk University. Here, I’m at Mark’s office getting some valuable financial advice on retirement planning. Mark is a CPA/CFP practicing in Natick, Mass., while I’m a retired commercial bank officer, formerly with the Village Bank in Newton, Mass. Both of us are very proud of our Babson education.”
Joseph Redman and his Portland, Maine, haberdashery, Joseph’s, were profiled in the Bangor Daily News. The April 17 story, “For 43 Years this Merchant Has Been Turning Portland’s Men Into Stylish Gents,” described the store as a Portland landmark. Joseph set up shop selling fashionable men’s clothing in the Old Port neighborhood before it became a trendy tourist mecca, and he is credited with helping to turn the district around.
Marilyn Snyder: See Undergrads, Craig Benson ’77, H’03.
Michael DeBernardi has joined The Alta Group, a global consultancy dedicated to equipment leasing and finance. Michael previously served as executive vice president and COO of Oritani Bank in Washington Township, N.J.
Harold Dubin has joined Fairway Independent Mortgage’s Newton, Mass., office. In his new role, he will be offering a range of home loan products. He has many years of experience in the mortgage industry and is a member of the executive committee of the Babson Real Estate Alumni Network. Harold emails, “I enjoy helping people understand the process of purchasing a home. Lender credit is available for qualifying Babson alumni, students, faculty, and staff.”
Scott Hines has turned his passion for sailing into a nonprofit by founding 1-By Design, a 501(c)(3) organization with a mission to create awareness and financial commitment for the blind and visually impaired and their seeing-eye canine service companions. Scott, who serves as CEO, and his team accomplish this through participation in competitive national sailing events throughout New England, racing under the banner of “1-By Design, Sailing for the Blind.” To learn more, email Scott at Scott@1-bydesign.com.
Ann Carter has been appointed by Pope Francis to an advisory panel on Vatican communications. Ann is a longtime Boston-based public relations adviser who recently left Rasky Baerlein Strategic Communications to launch her own firm, ACcommunication Partners.
Mary Chevalier, founder and president of Attain International, celebrated the company’s 20-year anniversary and its history as a woman-owned business. Mary emails, “This has been the fastest and most interesting 20 years of my life. I feel fortunate and grateful for my Babson education and all the wonderful clients who made this special milestone possible.” Attain specializes in change and transition management, leadership development, and high-performance teams.
Walter Dillingham, who serves as managing director for endowments and foundations at Wilmington Trust, researched religious-based fundraising for his master’s thesis in philanthropy at NYU. His particular focus was on diocesan foundations and charitable giving by Catholics. Walter’s work was cited in a February article written by Catholic News Service and subsequently published in Catholic news outlets; it also was covered last year in a story, “Fast Growing Catholic Foundations Manage $4.6 Billion,” on Pensions & Investments Online.
John Murzycki published his first novel, Elthea’s Realm. John emails, “The plot follows five friends who have drifted apart after graduating from college. Now, years later, someone is after them because of a course they took together. The story quickly shifts to the fictional Elthea’s Realm, and it depicts how ordinary people react not only when they are threatened but when Earth is endangered. It’s available in paperback at most online book retailers and on Kindle eBook. Visit www.johnmurzycki.com for more.”
Mark Nathan sends word that Tucker Toys, where he serves as CEO and president, was a finalist for the 2017 Association for Corporate Growth award. The award recognizes New Jersey’s most successful middlemarket growth companies. Tucker Toys’ award-winning products include the Phlat Ball, E-Z Grip Balls, and Zoingo Boingo Pogo. Mark emails, “We grew nearly 1,000 percent in the past three years.”
Brian Annese has been named vice president of commercial and industrial lending at Needham Bank. Brian, a Needham resident, previously served as a senior vice president with Santander Bank and as CFO at Commonwealth Capital Ventures.
Edith Millard has joined the Foundation for Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital-Plymouth, where she will serve as director of major gifts and special campaigns. Edith has held senior fundraising positions at South Shore Hospital, Cape Cod Healthcare, and Massachusetts General Hospital.
Michael Schmidt was inducted into the Academy of Chemical Engineers at Missouri University of Science and Technology. Mike is principal at Bluefield Process Safety and has worked for several chemical companies, including Union Carbide. After the Bhopal gas tragedy in 1984, he committed himself to working on improving process safety. As a lecturer at Missouri S&T, Mike trains graduate-level engineering students in safety and process risk management.
Harium Martin-Morris, a retired Boeing IT manager, spent eight years on the Seattle School Board, stepping down in 2015. He is a board member of the Equity in Education Coalition, an organization committed to eliminating the opportunity gap for children of color in Washington State. Harium penned a guest opinion column for the Auburn [Washington] Reporter. Posted online on April 14, the column called upon the state to ensure an equitable distribution of school funding.
Marla Capozzi: See Undergrads, Craig Benson ’77, H’03.
Chris Conry has been appointed CIO at Fuze, a cloud-based communications platform headquartered in Cambridge, Mass. Previously, Chris was vice president of IT and office services at Arbor Networks.
John Curran (’88) has been promoted to CFO at Cognex. He has been with Cognex since September 2016. Before joining the firm, John had a 21-year career at EMC. Cognex, founded in 1981 and headquartered in Natick, Mass., is a developer and manufacturer of machine vision products.
Andres Siefken has joined Mastercard as executive vice president of marketing and communications for North America. He most recently served as adviser and principal of the New England Consulting Group. Previously, he was CMO and executive vice president of Daymon Worldwide.
Julie (Thompson) Totten is the new director of development for Project Hope, a Boston-based nonprofit that helps families move out of poverty, providing low-income women and children with access to education, jobs, housing, and emergency services. Before joining Project Hope, Julie worked in corporate relations at Boston University. She also founded Families for Depression Awareness, a national nonprofit organization that supports families coping with mood disorders.
Pam Boiros started a marketing advisory consultancy, Bridge Marketing Advisors, in July 2016. Pam has spent more than 20 years in the education and information industries and is putting that experience to work for clients. Bridge Marketing Advisors specializes in helping startups and growth companies in the education technology and human resource technology industries to create market awareness and drive revenue. Advisory areas include corporate communications, messaging, sales enablement, events, and demand generation.
Nichole Mace has joined Quilt, a provider of digital insurance products, as senior vice president of product and customer experience. Previously, Nichole was vice president of product and member experience at Zipcar. At Quilt, she will be responsible for spearheading efforts to change how people buy and use insurance.
Lisa Edinberg was elected to the Westborough, Mass., school committee in March. The race’s top vote getter, Lisa is a writer, entrepreneur, and educator who taught middle school for several years before coming to Babson for her MBA.
Melissa Rancourt, based in Belgium, emails that her Greenlight for Girls nonprofit, which supports and encourages girls studying STEM subjects, has “grown to a network of 3,500 role models reaching 15,000 children on six continents. Our global partner companies include Nokia, Cisco, Procter & Gamble, AIG, Covestro, Stanley Black & Decker, and more.” Melissa also leads a global executive masters of science program in strategic design and management at Parsons School of Design and owns a luxury wellness company in Brussels.
Kristin (Thalheimer) Bingham, along with two collaborators, created March On! bumper stickers just after the Women’s March on Washington, D.C., to raise money for Emily’s List (supporting female, Democratic candidates) and the ACLU. Kristin (left, with partners Lisa Mainella and Nancy Jordan) emails, “Following the D.C. event, we developed March On! to stay visible—to both our fellow marchers and the government—and to capture the feeling of community we experienced before, during, and after the march.”
Mark Nelson has been named senior vice president and CFO of Biolase, a medical device company that provides laser systems for medicine and dentistry. Previously, Mark served as CFO and COO for Beyond Meat, a producer of plant-based “meat,” where he focused on fundraising, public company readiness, and manufacturing and supply-chain redesign.
Stephen Webber (’92): See Undergrads, Ravi Daswani ’92.
Alex Arata and Andrew Austin have launched Sidekick, a concierge service that simplifies the home- improvement process for home owners and contractors. Operating on Boston’s South Shore, Sidekick recommends trustworthy contractors and provides a single point of contact for home-improvement and repair projects. In May, the startup launched a public offering on Netcapital to help grow the business.
Bob McDonald is vice president of marketing and communications at Boston’s Emmanuel College. He was previously managing director of marketing at Babson’s Executive and Enterprise Education division. In a March 4 interview on Her Campus, Bob discussed Emmanuel’s new brand advancement initiative.
Mathieu Massa was named to Haute Living Miami’s “Haute 100” list, which “celebrates the biggest names in the city.” Mathieu is founder, president, and CEO of the Massa Investment Group and co-founded the Mr. Hospitality food and beverage management group in 2014. He operates several restaurants and nightlife destinations in the Miami area.
David Jamieson has been named COO of Kimco Realty, a real estate investment trust headquartered in New Hyde Park, N.Y. David joined Kimco in 2007 and until recently held the position of executive vice president of asset management and operations.
Martin Lewit emails, “An annual MBA soccer tournament is held in Santiago, Chile, with the participation of alumni from 16 MBA programs from around the globe. Many alumni come with their families to the Sunday morning tournament to enjoy a day out. Nine Babson alumni participated this year.” Front row: Diego Biehl; Cristian Leiva, MBA’19; Felipe Baldwin, MBA’16; Felipe Sotomayor, MBA’15; and Joaquin Solis de Ovando, MBA’15. Back row: Sebastian Brant; Cristian Biehl; Clemente Eblen, MBA’16; Raul Garrido, MBA’11; Juan Pablo Arias, MBA’08; Martin (with son Oliver); Felipe Soto; Andres Marinakis; and David Furman, MBA’13 (with daughter Leah).
Richard Spurling, president and co-founder of ACEing Autism, a nonprofit that provides tennis programs for children with autism, emails, “On April 22, ACEing Autism held its second annual Racquet Run at UCLA. More than 100 runners raised funds for ACEing Autism, helping to provide scholarships to participants in the program. Three other cities (Pittsburgh; Charlotte, N.C.; and Stuart, Fla.) held Racquet Runs at the end of April to close out Autism Awareness Month.” Here, Richard is crossing the finish line while bouncing a ball on a racquet at the UCLA race.
Kyle Housman has been appointed president of Native Shoes, a Vancouver, Canada, company that produces casual footwear. Before joining Native Shoes, Kyle worked for yoga apparel-maker Lululemon, leading the company’s Australian expansion.
Florence Furaha was among those profiled in an April 14 WBUR Bostonomix story, “From Dying Wishes to Support for Substance Abusers: How 5 Health Startups Tackle Tough Problems.” The piece looked at startups participating in a competition led by Pulse@MassChallenge, a health-focused startup accelerator. Florence’s initiative, Meetcaregivers, helps connect families with qualified home health aides.
Esmeralda Lambert (with husband Matthew Lambert, MBA’11), was on campus in April to participate in the 11th National Dominican Student Conference. She emails, “Being back at Knight Hall for a TED Talk-style presentation was surreal. In front of an audience of students and professionals from my native Dominican community, I shared my entrepreneurial journey launching my socially conscious jewelry business, Esmeralda Lambert. The conference was a forus-by-us event that I found extremely inspirational, re-energizing, and relevant. It showed that even if you come from a small island, you can make a big impact.”
Paul Sale has been named senior vice president and chief human resources officer at Flir Systems, a maker of sensor systems used in applications such as security, surveillance, navigation, and machine vision. Before joining Flir, Paul served as chief human resources officer at Mentor Graphics.
Ben Seldon emails, “I started Seldon Marketing during my second year of the MBA program. We are a high-end search-engine-optimization firm with a roster of America’s top hospitals, auto dealerships, and technology firms. We are proud to report we have recently hit the $2 million sales mark and celebrated our 30th client. There is no way I could have found this opportunity or built this company if it weren’t for my Babson education. I’m very grateful to be an alumnus and part of the community.”
Jenny Flores was named to San Francisco Business Times’ “40 Under 40” list, which recognizes young business leaders in the Bay Area. She is head of community affairs and corporate social responsibility for the Bank of the West. Jenny has helped raise the profile of the firm’s Bank of the West Philanthropy Awards and created the bank’s $30 million community development investment fund, among other initiatives. Jenny emails, “I’m excited that my position gives me the opportunity to institute innovative practices and develop strategic community partnerships and programs.”
Eric Curry joined The Training Associates, a provider of training services based in Westborough, Mass., in the role of vice president of sales strategy. Previously, Eric was senior vice president of business development at Impact Performance Group.
Leticia Stallworth (’99): See Undergrads.
Rob Hunter and Evan Lodge: See Undergrads, Colleen Heidinger ’06
Mike Silverman has been promoted to director of marketing strategy at GWC Warranty. Mike joined the firm in 2014 as manager of product strategy. He previously held sales and marketing roles with Dunkin’ Brands, Bose, and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Abby Speicher Carroll swam with the sharks in February—and came away with a great deal. Abby appeared on the ABC show Shark Tank, pitching her drone training company DARTdrones, which offers classes for drone pilots. Shark Mark Cuban bit, offering Abby $300,000 in exchange for 10 percent ownership in the company she founded in 2014 while at Babson. She emails, “My Babson education truly made me feel ready to pitch to the Sharks. I was more nervous about the Sharks crashing my drone on set than about answering their questions.”
Bryanne Leeming and her Unruly Studios (formerly known as JumpSmart) startup were named to LearnLaunch Accelerator’s seventh education-technology cohort. The Boost program provides seed funding, several months of residency at LearnLaunch’s Boston campus, and mentorship. Unruly Studios teaches kids coding through interactions with physical objects. Its first product is a set of interactive floor tiles.
Ashley Needham Molloy (’08): See Undergrads, Lindsay Jones Strauss ’04.
Alfred Schofield (right) and Cam Fischer (left), both MS’16, founded VitalFit Nutrition, producing nutrition products from simple, plant-based ingredients. This spring they helped put together a “Small Business for Big Impact” panel at Babson, collaborating with change-makers in the health and wellness industry. Alfred emails, “We are proud to have been able to organize an event bringing together some of the thought leaders in this area. Panelists and attendees gained a better understanding of how to create a more integrated health, wellness, and fitness community.” Cam and Alfred are shown at Cambridge Naturals, the first distributor of VitalFit.
Erica Zahka (left) took top honors in the Boston WIN (Women Innovating Now) Lab Finale in May. Erica’s startup, Own The Boardroom, is an “on-demand business mentor and professional closet” for men and women. Erica was supported by WIN Lab coach Nettie Nitzberg (right) of West5 Consulting. Erica emails, “WIN Lab was an incredibly valuable experience, providing guidance, community, and access to prominent men and women in the Boston business ecosystem. The best part? The WIN cohort may last eight months, but the connections are forever. Having a community to tap into is invaluable for anyone starting a business.”
Matt Haggman knows how to spot trends and follow his instincts. Before becoming the Miami program director in 2011 for the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, a nonprofit that strives to …
This April, the Babson community came together for “Celebrating Achievements in Entrepreneurial Thought & Action.” A highlight of the evening was the annual Alumni Entrepreneur Hall of Fame induction ceremony, which honors alumni who have distinguished themselves in entrepreneurial endeavors across all types of enterprises. The ceremony also recognized Rising Stars, alumni who have founded or co-founded businesses within the past 10 years that are making an impact in the marketplace. Adding to the excitement, the winners of the Babson Entrepreneurial Thought & Action (BETA) Challenge were revealed.—Lindsay Magoon, associate director, advancement communications
Photo: Justin Knight
Pictured with President Kerry Healey (right) are business partners and serial entrepreneurs Tom Cunnington, MBA’63 (center), and his wife, Laurie, the 2017 Alumni Entrepreneur Hall of Fame honorees. Tom and Laurie are partners at Cunnington & Cunnington, a consulting firm specializing in midsize energy projects. Tom also is the former CEO and Laurie the former president of Ward Williston Oil.
Photo: Justin Knight
Professor Candida Brush, P’14, vice provost of global entrepreneurial leadership, speaks with (far left) Rising Star honorees Michael Kasseris, MBA’11, and Karim El-Gamal, MBA’11, co-owners of eateries The Rail Trail Flatbread Co. and New City Microcreamery.
Photo: Justin Knight
Rising Star Jamie Kent ’09, musical artist and founder of record label Road Dog Music Group, opened the evening with a performance of his song Look Up.
Photo: Justin Knight
Enrico Palmerino ’11 (second from left), founder of botkeeper, which automates bookkeeping, was the alumni winner of the 2017 BETA Challenge. Enrico is shown with (from left) wife Carlie Palmerino; Louie Balasny, managing director of botkeeper; and mom Christina Palmerino.
Photo: Justin Knight
Abby Speicher Carroll, MBA’15, co-founder of DARTdrones, was honored as a Rising Star. DARTdrones offers training and support to beginner drone operators so they can become safe and licensed pilots.
For photos and more information about the evening’s celebrations, visit Celebrating Achievements in Entrepreneurial Thought & Action.
Julian Addy and Lilian Ruiz, both ’14, started dating their sophomore year at Babson. On Sept. 3, they were married in Haverhill, Mass. Lilian writes, “Among the 31 alumni in attendance were bridesmaids Annie Salem ’14, Imani Smith ’14, and Alma Lopez Sanchez ’16, and the ‘Addyventure’ guys: Manuel Paredes, Marzan Khan, Imran Rashid, and Chia Chou Pan, all ’14.”
Hilary Franklin ’12 and Tyler Low ’09 were married on Sept. 4, 2016, at the Corinthian Yacht Club in Marblehead, Mass. Babson alumni on hand were Jim Castrataro ’93; Amber Satagaj Castrataro ’97; Raymond Roy and Jason Wellemeyer, both ’08; Chris Cieslak, Matthew Enright, Max Owen, Jillian Riccio, MS’09, and Megan Wellemeyer, all ’09; Max Artz and Lindsay Owen, both ’10; Julia Frenette, Olivia Jette, Jamie Schmidt, and Meaghan Schmidt, MS’12, all ’12; Ben Jette ’13, MS’13; Alex Bunick ’15; and Spencer Low ’16. Mike Connors, formerly Babson’s “Officer Mike,” served as DJ.
Zach Bouzan-Kaloustian ’07 married Samantha Taube on Sept. 17, 2016, at Flanagan Farm in Buxton, Maine. Among those in attendance were (front, from left) Eric Yale ’07, Adam Pacelli ’07, Rick Rosemarin ’07, the bride and groom, Preston Lin ’08, and Andy Goff ’79; (back, from left) Patrick Cahill ’06, Olga (Brik) Cahill ’08, Gautam Gupta ’07, Jenna Kochen ’09, Todd Stupell ’06, Tina Papadopoulos ’09, and John Holden ’07.
Matthew Nolan ’03 and Brittany Shellington were married on Aug. 26, 2016, in Danvers, Mass. Many Babson friends joined in the celebration, including Christine (Megrue) Angelakis and Michael Angelakis, both ’86; Peter Apostolides, Lindy (Holway) Fitzgerald, and Katie (McCue) Volante, MBA’11, all ’02; Bill Fitzgerald, Tyler Frick, David Hsu, Joe Kehoe, Geoffrey Robinson, and Dave Volante, all ’03; Rick Deveney, Andrew Gallinaro, Eleni (Comuntzis) Vera, and Keith Vera, all ’04; Caitlin Pardo ’07; and Sam Scarpato ’10.
Charlie Burckmyer, MBA ’08, and Denise Atesoglu were married on May 29, 2016, at Chandler Hovey Park in Marblehead, Mass., with a reception following at the Eastern Yacht Club. Guests included Wendy Burns ’99, Scott Noll ’98, MBA’08, Lisa Halpert Mesicek, MBA’07, and David Mesicek, MBA’08.
Patricia Harper of Plymouth, Mass., died March 24. She was program manager at Executive Education for several years.
William Butler ’39 of Lafayette, Calif., died Dec. 22.
Edward Best ’41 of Cambridge, Ontario, died April 13. He was a veteran of World War II.
John Taylor ’47 of Salem, Ore., died April 7. He served in the Navy during World War II and worked in lumber and manufacturing metals.
Henry Niemitz ’48 of Maplewood, N.J., died Feb. 28. He served in the Army Air Corps and spent 35 years in management and marketing at New Jersey Bell.
Gerald Zedren ’48 of Sarasota, Fla., died March 24.
Alvin Swanson ’49 of Los Altos, Calif., died March 26. He served in the Navy during World War II and worked in sales and purchasing at several companies, including Lockheed and Varian.
Richard Bourne ’50 of Sandwich, Mass., died Dec. 25. A longtime antiques dealer on Cape Cod, he served in the Marines.
Robert Curran ’50 of Marion, Ind., died March 12. An Army veteran, he served as president and chairman of Curran Roofing.
John Jenkins ’50 of Wayne, Ill., died Dec. 20. A veteran of the Navy and the Merchant Marine, he led Jenkins Machine & Tool for more than 50 years.
Robert Walter ’52 of Mattapoisett, Mass., died March 30. He served in the Army and, with his brother, started Yankee Box, where he was CFO.
Walter Dufresne ’53 of Holyoke, Mass., formerly of West Springfield, died April 10. He was an active member of the parish of St. Thomas the Apostle.
Sanford Russell ’53 of Northborough, Mass., died Feb. 21. He served in the Navy, retiring from the US Navy Reserve with the rank of captain in 1986.
Henry Vogt ’53 of Somerset, Pa., died Jan. 24. He spent 29 years in the Navy, serving in Korea and Vietnam.
Richard Tishman ’56 of Boynton Beach, Fla., died March 6. He was a managing partner of CPA firm Abrams, Little-Gill, Tishman & Witty.
Peter Mortensen ’57 of Cape Vincent, N.Y., died March 2. Born in Denmark, he was a lifelong entrepreneur, running several agriculture businesses in South America.
Michael Krohn ’58 of Deerfield Beach, Fla., died Dec. 26.
John Morris ’59 of St. Petersburg, Fla., died Nov. 20. Survivors include his brother, Robert Morris ’59.
Roland Sherrer ’59 of Oyster Bay, N.Y., died March 16. He was a partner in the brokerage firm Spear, Leeds & Kellogg and a member of the New York Stock Exchange.
Harry Bailey, MBA’61, of Orlando, Fla., died March 31.
David Umanoff ’61 of Boynton Beach, Fla., died Nov. 13.
Kenneth Coughlin ’62 of Duxbury, Mass., died April 8. He worked as a sales manager at the Container Corporation of America and later moved into investment management, retiring from Kidder, Peabody.
Charles Davis ’62 of East Falmouth, Mass., died April 12. He was an accountant at ComElectric (later Eversource) for almost 25 years.
Samuel Hawley ’65 of Fairfield, Conn., died March 8. He served in the Marine Corps and had a long career as a financial advisor.
Andrew Mazzone ’65 of New York City died Feb. 21. An Army veteran, he was president of Metco, a division of Perkin-Elmer, and served as president and board chairman of the Henry George School of Social Science.
William Leader, MBA’67, of Medfield, Mass., died March 14.
Robert Powers ’67 of Duxbury, Mass., died April 10. He founded Powers Financial Services, providing financial consulting to a variety of clients.
Paul Norton, MBA’70, of West Roxbury and Harwich Port, Mass., died April 3. He served in the Navy during the Korean War and worked as a CPA for more than 50 years.
Curt Smalzel ’70 of Cohasset, Mass., died March 1. He was an entrepreneur who worked in many businesses, from lobsters to hospitality to real estate.
Thomas Gill, MBA’72, of Plant City, Fla., died Dec. 4.
Henry Porter, MBA’72, of Wellesley Hills and Ashland, Mass., died on March 28. He worked as an electrical engineer at Raytheon, contributing to the Apollo program.
Galen LaRose, MBA’73, of Lexington, Mass., died Jan. 25. He served in the Navy.
Daniel Needham ’74 of Hill, N.H., died April 23. He had recently moved to New Hampshire from Falmouth, Mass. He was an avid supporter of Falmouth High School sports.
Samuel Tattersall ’74 of Raymond, Maine, died March 3. He spent his career in education, retiring as dean of students at the Peddie School in 2012.
William Ruffin ’75 of Jacksonville, Fla., died March 23. He was the owner of Community Insurance Agency.
Carl Bomhard, MBA’76, of Scarborough, Maine, and Indialantic, Fla., died March 12. He worked at Vortech, where he served as president.
Alan Hayes ’76 of Clinton, Mass., died April 19. He was a retired financial analyst for Raytheon.
Raymond Hollander, MBA’77, of Portland, Ore., died April 1. An Army veteran, he worked in finance at Ecotrust.
David Freeman, MBA’84, of Wakefield, Mass., died April 9. He was co-proprietor of WITS in Waltham.
Rose Robinson Mauriello, MBA’88, of Woburn, Mass., died April 3. She worked for more than 20 years in marketing and sales before founding RRM Staffing Solutions.
John Paulino ’90 of New York City and Cape May, N.J., died March 9. He worked as a recruiter and trainer of IT specialists.
Robert Tarrant, MBA’90, of Sunbury, Ohio, died April 1. An army veteran, he worked for the Franklin County Data Center. Survivors include wife Anne Tarrant, MBA’90.
Charles Robertson, MBA’04, of Beverly Hills, Calif., died Jan. 26.
Justin Yu ’16 of San Ramon, Calif., died in March. He was a member of the Babson Investment Banking Association and served as director of curriculum innovation for Moneythink Babson.
Olivia Brodt ’19 of Centerville, Mass., died April 2. At Babson, she was a Presidential Scholar, a member of the volleyball team and the Babson Dance Ensemble, and vice president of Chi Omega sorority.
Daniel Cooney ’19 of Verona, N.J., died April 9. A member of the National Honor Society in high school, he pitched for Babson’s baseball team.
