Scott Borowsky was profiled in an article, “Kane Communications Publisher Scott Borowsky Shares Secrets to Success,” in the May issue of Main Line Today magazine. Scott is founder and executive editor of Kane, which publishes three thriving magazines: Souvenirs, Gifts & Novelties for the retail-gift industry, Podiatry Management for the foot-care industry, and Tourist Attractions & Parks for managers of entertainment facilities and parks.
Rudy Crew, H’96 (right), is shown with Khalif Heatley ’17 at the Black Affinity Conference in February. About 110 alumni, students, faculty, staff, and friends attended the daylong event in Olin Hall. Khalif presented the Black Affinity Achievement Award to Rudy, who has been president of Medgar Evers College of the City University of New York in Brooklyn since 2013. His previous positions include chancellor of New York City Public Schools, superintendent of Miami-Dade County Public Schools, and most recently Oregon’s chief education officer. Ken Bouyer, Americas director of inclusiveness recruiting at EY, delivered the keynote address.
Carlos Echeverria (MBA’76) emails, “In 2014, I became the Costa Rica ambassador to El Salvador and simultaneously the representative for the Central American Integration System, the area’s economic and political organization. I have held both positions for two years now. I’m working on a higher education project with Intercultura, a firm owned by Alfredo Fonseca ’97. Alfredo also is president of Babson’s Costa Rica alumni association, of which I am No. 2 in seniority. All the best to my Babson friends!”
Jeffrey “Hoz” Hosley emailed in March, “Aloha! I recently retired as a property manager for the Massachusetts Department of Revenue and relocated to Honolulu. I’m shown with my good friend, Pauline Benson. Sundays are fun days at Duke’s in Waikiki. Working to get the NFL Pro Bowl back to Hawaii.”
Clifford Garnett emails, “I currently own and operate a Boston-area company in the medical device industry. Looking forward to seeing as many classmates as possible on campus at Reunion in September. Come back and experience Babson again, for the first time!”
Jim Judge (MBA’81) has been named president and CEO of Eversource Energy, a utility company that serves 3.6 million customers throughout New England. In addition, he has become a member of its board. Previously, Jim was executive vice president and CFO of Eversource, which he joined 20 years ago. Jim also serves on the boards of Analogic and United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley.
John Rogol (left), a Babson overseer, is CFO of the marketing division at TIAA as well as treasurer of the Boston chapter of Financial Executives International. On behalf of the Boston chapter, John presented an outstanding senior award to Shirley Wu ’16 (second from left) and a scholarship award to Joshua Boutin ’17 (right). Both awards recognize excellence in students who major in accounting, economics, or finance. Babson accounting lecturer Shay Blanchette-Proulx ’90, MBA’13 (second from right), was the students’ faculty sponsor. The annual academic awards banquet was held in April at the UMass Club in Boston.
Mitch Osur was profiled in a March 13 article, “Mountain Character: Aspen Parking Czar Takes a Retailer’s Approach,” on AspenTimes.com. Since mid-2015, he has been leading the Aspen, Colo., parking department, which, when he arrived, had 12 employees and revenue of $6.7 million. Previously, he ran customer service, logistics, and distribution at American Recreation Products in Boulder.
Bob Wahlert emails, “After serving on the board since 2007, I was privileged in May to be elected chairman of the board of trustees of Clarke University, a liberal arts and sciences university founded in 1843 in my original hometown of Dubuque, Iowa.” Bob is director of corporate development at Hormel Foods in Austin, Minn.
Greg Fontana (fourth from right) emails, “In February, 17 alumni from the classes of ’82 to ’86 gathered in Vail, Colo., for the 23rd Babson Rugby Ski Team X-Games. This tradition was started by Charlie Harrington ’83, who died in 1996. It has been continued every year since, with the last nine in Vail, and has been organized by Ken Jasper ’82 (kneeling, middle). Rounding out the rugby team attendees were lacrosse teammates Peter Cain ’84 (fifth from left) and Rick Bruno ’83 (far left). Steve Libbey ’83 took the team photo.”
Gary Coon (MBA’02), managing director and COO of Finer Wealth Management in Salem, Mass., has been elected to serve a two-year term as clerk of Essex National Heritage Commission. He emails, “The commission is truly a national leader in promoting and preserving natural and historic assets in Essex County. I’m proud to serve it in a more active way.” In 2014, Gary was elected a trustee of the nonprofit commission.
David Schneider has been appointed COO of Walter Investment Management, a diversified mortgage banking firm headquartered in Tampa, Fla. Previously, he was executive vice president of Walter Investment and president of Ditech Financial; David will continue to serve in the latter position. Ditech is a wholly owned subsidiary of Walter Investment.
Tim Ryan has been appointed U.S. chairman for PwC U.S. for a four-year term. He had been vice chair and leader of U.S. markets, strategy, and stakeholders since 2013 at the firm, which he originally joined after graduation. A CPA in Massachusetts and New York, Tim is on the board of trustees for The Children’s Aid Society and the Securities and Exchange Commission Historical Society.
Hans van Houte has been appointed vice president for finance at Nurix, a biopharmaceutical company headquartered in San Francisco. He had been interim CFO at the company since 2014.
Umang Hutheesing was featured in a May 1 article, “Living the Weave,” on DailyPioneer.com. President of and consultant for his family’s Ahmedabad, India-based company, Hutheesing Design, Umang has been reviving historic textiles woven by the company, which was established in 1881. He also is founder and president of the Hutheesing Heritage Foundation, which restores and protects local cultural and architectural heritage.
Marc Freedman, P’18, CFP and CEO of Freedman Financial in Peabody, Mass., emails, “I was featured in the Feb. 29 cover story of InvestmentNews, ‘So, You Want a Radio Show?’ I shared the secrets for building my firm’s local presence by hosting a radio show, Dollars & Sense, which runs every Sunday from 8 to 9 a.m. on North Shore 104.9 FM. Freedman Financial has provided financial planning and investment advice to individuals and families since 1968 when my father, Barry Freedman ’64, now retired, started the firm. Our goal is to provide financial advice in a language you can understand.”
Will FitzSimons has been named senior managing director, equity advisers retail brokerage services practice group in the Chicago office of Arthur J. Gallagher & Co., an international insurance brokerage and risk management firm. Will previously was management director, private equity M&A services in the Chicago office of Marsh USA, where he had worked since 1996.
Shaun McMahon, founder of Boston-based Illuminate, emails, “Illuminate develops innovative clinical sales training programs for the life-science industry. I was profiled in an article, ‘Prescription for Success,’ in Boston Business Journal’s April 29 issue. I related the strategies that have brought success to my company.” Shaun also recently addressed the group Women Leading the Way about Illuminate’s commitment to inclusiveness, diversity, and empowerment, and how those policies have contributed to his company’s growth.
Yvonne Kizner has been appointed a senior vice president for the asset-based lending division at Blue Hills Bank, a community bank headquartered in the Hyde Park section of Boston. Previously, she was first vice president at First Niagara Commercial Finance, where she was director of collateral control and compliance. Yvonne also is a member of the Commercial Finance Association and the Turnaround Management Association.
Dawn (Jasie) Parker emails, “After 17 years in the pharmaceutical industry, I made a career change and went to the Institute for Integrative Nutrition to become a health coach. Since 2013, my business, Dawn J. Parker Health Coach, has helped clients throughout the U.S. and Canada improve their health through nutrition and lifestyle changes. My first cookbook, The Healthy Chocoholic, was published in 2015. The book, which covers the benefits of chocolate, has more than 60 chocolate recipes free of gluten and dairy and proves that healthy food can be delicious, too.”
Geri Herlihy successfully won her first three-year term on the Holden, Mass., board of selectmen in May. A CFA, she has been involved with the community since moving there in 2003 with her husband, Mark. Geri plans to focus on improving municipal infrastructure, public safety, and education in the town, as well as preserving its financial stability.
Adam Sachs, CFP, a financial adviser with Centinel Financial Group in Needham, recently was named a Five Star Wealth Manager for the fifth time. He also qualified for the 18th year for the Million Dollar Round Table, an association for financial professionals. Adam emails, “I enjoy my work because it gives me the opportunity to build close relationships and help my clients achieve their goals.”
Chris Menard has been appointed CFO at Cayan, a Boston-based payment technologies company. A Babson overseer, Chris earlier held executive-level financial positions at various technology companies such as Bit9 and Brightcove.
Alvaro Pena (seventh from left) emails, “In March, almost 20 people from Babson’s Latin American community attended Babson Connect: Worldwide 2016 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The group included (from left) Sunil Vasandani ’93; Global Advisory Board member Bettina Beckhoff, P’11, ’14, ’19; Natalia Pinzon ’16; Paulina Bosque ’16; Wilma Miranda ’89; Martin Restrepo Velasquez ’17; myself; Manuel Arango, MBA’00; GAB member Eduardo Barco ’82, P’18, ’20; overseer and GAB member Vicente Carvajal ’91; GAB member Giuseppina Vinaccia ’74, P’15; and Elvira de la Guardia and her husband, Carlos Herrera ’92.”
Ivan Cadiente emails, “In February I joined fellow Babsonian Dan Calista ’96 at Vynamic as an executive. Vynamic is a 100-plus-person, health-care industry management consulting firm that Dan started in Philadelphia in 2002. I’m part of the team working on our expansion in Boston.”
Christine Jenkinson has been promoted to president and CEO of Preservation Management in South Portland, Maine. The residential property management firm’s portfolio includes more than 90 affordable multifamily, subsidized, and tax-credit properties in 15 states. She previously was senior vice president and COO at the company, which she joined in 2009 as a special assets manager.
Daniel Drabinski emailed in May, “In 2015, I received the Freshman Five award from MassMutual Financial Group as one of its top five new financial advisers in the U.S. I moved to the company’s Dallas- Fort Worth office in 2014, and I focus on business succession planning and executive estate planning. Previously, I had worked in credit analysis, trading, and portfolio management at several firms, including Bear Stearns, Seaboard Ventures, ORIX Capital Markets, and Highland Capital Management.”
Joseph Nappi, a managing director in the Boston office of Phoenix Management Services, has received the 2016 Emerging Leaders Award from M&A Advisor, publisher for middle-market M&A information and producer of industry conferences and awards. The award honors M&A, financing, and turnaround professionals who have made a notable contribution to their industry and community. Phoenix Management provides services to distressed and growth-oriented companies.
Jay Rivera works for QuickBase in Cambridge, Mass. He emails, “I am honored to have been named to Sigma Phi Epsilon’s 40 Under 40 list in SigEp Journal, the fraternity’s magazine.” The list recognizes members for professional success, volunteer work, or mentoring. Jay is a founding board member of the Natick Youth Orchestra and coaches his son’s soccer team. He also was alumni president for two SigEp chapters in the Boston area.
Nick Tommarello (MBA’04), cofounder and CEO of Wefunder, was featured in a May 12 article, “Crowdfunding Rule to Open Investment to Public,” in the San Francisco Chronicle. Nick emails, “Since May 16, anyone can invest in the next Uber or local startup. This means businesses can raise capital from friends or neighbors and not be limited to banks or venture capitalists. Check out Wefunder and join us!”
Ingrid Miller, COO of Rural Sourcing in Atlanta, was interviewed in April on Atlanta Business Radio, a live talk show, to discuss the company’s domestic IT outsourcing model. She emails, “Rural Sourcing provides a range of IT services by leveraging highly skilled IT resources in smaller cities. We bring jobs back to the U.S. through this cost-effective alternative to offshoring. I can be contacted at ingrid.miller @ruralsourcing.com.”
Katrina Majkut, a multimedia artist, will display her cross-stitch artwork at Babson. She emails, “My series, ‘In Control,’ which addresses women’s reproductive rights and needs, will be in Hollister Gallery from October through December. My art has been featured on Broadly, Vice media’s new women’s channel, and I was named a must-see artist by Hyperallergic, an online art forum.” Katrina recently completed a residency at Mass MoCA.
Keith Whittier emails, “My wife, Lauren, and I have founded Denver-based Old Wood Soul, a business that blends sustainability with style. We handcraft and custom-make one-of-a-kind furniture from reclaimed wood. We recently partnered with a local nonprofit, Mile High Workshop, and as a result we have been providing jobs for disadvantaged workers in Denver. We’re also involved in commercial projects, making custom pieces for hotels, restaurants, and work spaces.”
Dan Armstrong was featured in an April 15 article, “Ice Rebs Promote Armstrong to Head Coach,” on TheDMOnline.com. This is Dan’s second year of coaching at the University of Mississippi, where he began as an assistant coach of the Ice Rebels, a Division III member of the American Collegiate Hockey Association. Dan played at Babson, but his college career was cut short when he was injured during a game.
Vanessa (Stasio) Costa emails, “After working in finance and strategy, I earned a Master of Science in Nutrition Education from Columbia University. I also attained the Registered Dietitian credential after meeting educational and professional requirements and passing a national exam. Charting an untraditional career path at the intersection of nutrition and business has been exciting. I recently joined Kind Snacks in New York City, where I help build the company’s health and wellness communications platform.”
Perla Brito Cuevas emails, “In 2015, I closed Tistik, my brick-and-mortar jewelry and accessories store in Cambridge, Mass., and moved to Atlanta. I now sell only on shoptistik.com, where you can purchase items made by artisans in Latin America. I also have started to provide small-business owners with a full-service e-commerce solution that includes creating an online store, uploading inventory, and running email marketing campaigns.”
Morgen Newman, co-founder of Cora, emails, “Cora offers a customized subscription service for our organic cotton tampons with BPA-free applicators, plus accessories such as a storage box and leather carry clutch. Because more than 100 million girls worldwide miss school when they have their periods, Cora donates a month’s supply of sustainable products to a girl in need for every month’s supply delivered to a subscriber. Cora launched in February to praise from the media, including Bustle.com, Forbes, TechCrunch .com, and Teen Vogue. Support for Cora from the Babson community, from investment to social sharing, has been incredible!”
Tyler Saldutti, founder and CEO of Prime Realty in Jacksonville, Fla., was named to Jacksonville Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 list in April. Tyler emails, “May marks 10 years after graduation and my move to Ponte Vedra Beach. To be recognized as one of the top 40 Under 40 leaders in our business community is a great honor.” Founded in 2008, Prime Realty focuses on commercial, industrial, and multifamily properties in Florida’s northeast corner.
Joel Holland, founder and CEO of VideoBlocks, wrote an article, “How Traveling 20,000 Miles Made Me a Better Leader … and Changed My Business,” posted on Feb. 18 on Fortune.com’s Entrepreneur Insiders network. Joel, who purchased an RV in 2014, traveled more than 20,000 miles in two years through 28 states, stopping to hike, bike, camp, and explore, as well as reflect about his business.
Miwa Nakata (front, far right) emails, “In January, 16 students in an undergraduate elective abroad, sponsored by the Glavin Office of Multicultural and International Education, met with Alumni Club of Japan members in Tokyo. The gathering gave students, alumni, and prospective Japanese students an opportunity to meet and network. The 10-day trek, led by Yasuhiro Yamakawa, associate professor of entrepreneurship (front, fourth from right), took the class to Japan to study culture and business.” Miwa is a member of the alumni club and an associate at an American asset management company in Tokyo, where she lives.
Alex Moazed emails, “I have co-authored a book based on my experience running Applico, the company I founded at Babson. Modern Monopolies: What It Takes to Dominate the 21st Century Economy, released in May, explains what has changed in the economy, what those changes mean, and how managers, entrepreneurs, and business owners can adapt and thrive by building platform business models. Reviews have been positive, and Handy CEO Oisin Hanrahan called it ‘a must read for any entrepreneur or investor.’” Alex is president and CEO of Applico, a mobile app design and development firm with offices in New York City, Los Angeles, and Boston.
Alyssa (Hood) Flynn (sitting) emails from Boston, “Saved Kisses, my line of beachy resort wear, recently launched. A model and I are wearing samples of my eco-friendly and animal friendly apparel, all made in the U.S. under humane and ethical working conditions. Our dyes contain no formaldehyde or lead, and 92 percent of our fabric content is made from sustainably harvested beech trees. Shoppers may ‘add an animal’ to their purchase to support small local rescues or large global organizations, from an SPCA shelter to the African Wildlife Foundation. Check out our website and follow us on Facebook.”
Enrico Palmerino emails, “My latest investment, botkeeper, automates day-to-day bookkeeping and provides entrepreneurs with accurate financials, beautiful dashboards, and 24/7 service. Botkeeper also pairs each client with a CPA to ensure accuracy and provide support. The rapidly growing company, a cost-effective alternative to a traditional bookkeeper or outsourced firm, will change the way small businesses do bookkeeping and accounting.”
Tommy Duquette (left) is wrapping a sensor on the hand of professional featherweight boxer Victor Pasillas. Tommy, a former nationally ranked amateur boxer, is co-founder and head of business development at Hykso in the San Francisco Bay Area. He emails, “Hykso has developed boxing-focused, smartphone-connected sensors that track each punch, calculate its speed and intensity, and recognize its specific type. We started selling sensors in mid-February and sold $20K that month, $100K in March, and $150K in April. We’re focused on growth now, and our vision is to create the Nike of athletic-performance tracking.”
James Hilton (left) and Dean Bubello (right) recently launched Cambridge, Mass.-based Xavinci. James emails, “Inspired by Leonardo da Vinci, the name Xavinci represents the convergence of creativity and innovation. Our agency specializes in the creative design and development of digital experiences. New technologies are emerging at an alarming rate, and it’s tough for companies to keep up. Responsive websites and apps for mobile devices, tablets, and desktops are the solutions for today, but versatility and creativity will allow us to continue creating effective experiences. Check out our website and follow us on Facebook.”
Dan Ustayev is founder and owner of Los Amigos, a fast-casual burrito restaurant and taqueria in West Roxbury and Newton, Mass. He emails, “I recently opened a third Los Amigos. Our new restaurant is in Brookline’s Coolidge Corner. This is our most thoughtfully designed and largest location, with about 40 seats. Our walls are covered in reclaimed barn wood, which gives it a great atmosphere. The menu is the same— our fresh and delicious tacos, quesadillas, salad bowls, and burritos.”
Nitiya Walker (center, in orange dress) emails, “I founded Seeds of Fortune during my senior year at Babson. We believe ‘every seed planted helps a flower grow.’ The nonprofit helps young women of color in minority communities apply for college scholarships and grants. We also teach personal finance and career skills. In 2014 and 2015, Seed Scholars were awarded $240,000 in scholarships and grants to attend colleges and universities across the country, and since January 2016 our scholars have been offered $500,000. I am shown with our Seed Scholars, including Posse Scholar Isis Edmunds ’20 (front, third from right).”
Saniya Waghray emails from Los Angeles, “In addition to starting my postgrad career at Walt Disney Studios, I knew I wanted to keep dancing (shoutout to BDE). I became Zumba certified last year and now incorporate those techniques in a Bollywood dance/fitness class I teach twice a week. Teaching gives me a great workout, and I love seeing my students enjoy the music and choreography.”
Martin Carroll has been elected to the board of directors of Inotek Pharmaceuticals, a biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Lexington, Mass. He also has been elected board chair. Previously, he led global strategy and development for Boehringer Ingelheim. He also is a board member of Catalent, TherapeuticsMD, and Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals.
Thomas Keon is chancellor of Purdue University Northwest in Indiana, overseeing more than 15,000 students on the regional institution’s Calumet and North Central campuses. He is among 27 college presidents and chancellors to receive this year’s Giving Back Award from Insight into Diversity magazine. The award, which was announced in the April issue, recognizes diversity leadership as well as commitment to and support of charitable and community service on and off campus. Thomas’ other commitments include being a board member of the Urban League of Northwest Indiana and board co-chair of One Region, a nonprofit focused on quality of life in Northwest Indiana.
Carlos Echeverría (’74): See Undergrads.
William Teuber has been named a nonexecutive director of the board of CRH, a building materials company. Since 2006, he has been vice chairman at EMC, where he started in 1995 as vice president and controller. Bill also is a member of the board of directors of Popular, a financial services company, and Inovalon, a health-care technology company, as well as a trustee of the College of the Holy Cross.
Jane Cleland emails, “I’m thrilled to announce that my latest nonfiction book, Mastering Suspense, Structure & Plot: How to Write Gripping Stories that Keep Readers on the Edge of Their Seats, is available. Every story—from memoirs and literary novels to children’s literature and literary nonfiction to romance and crime fiction—is improved when you add suspense. I’m also working on the 11th novel in my Josie Prescott Antiques Mystery series.”
John Peters emails, “I have been appointed president of the Palm Springs [Calif.] Writers Guild. The guild, which was founded in 1977, has more than 200 members and is dedicated to helping both beginning and experienced writers. Palm Springs has an incredible wealth of experienced writers who assist guild members with their work. My genre is nonfiction and technical writing, with more than 250 publications, including four books.” John lives in Palm Desert, Calif., and Las Vegas.
Tommasina Olson, a resident of Belmont, Mass., recently ran a successful campaign for a three-year position on Belmont’s Housing Authority. In the past, she has served on various town committees and commissions, including the Council on Aging, Traffic Advisory Committee, and Economic Development Advisory Committee. Tomi also was founder of the Payson Park Music Festival and a PTA president. In addition, she produces Belmont Rising, a local TV show that focuses on the problem of domestic violence.
John “Mac” Regan recently released his free e-book, Global Citizen Patriots. He emails, “My new book describes the essential citizen and representative reforms needed for America to progress. I look forward to reader debate on Facebook and LinkedIn, and intend that my findings and suggestions will be helpful in the context of the upcoming election.”
Larry Kashuk has been named director of sales, merchant business at Spinnaker Coating in Troy, Ohio. The company manufactures pressure-sensitive paper and film products for the printing industry. Before this, Larry was president and subsequently owner of Paper Solutions, representing Spinnaker Coating and other specialty mills.
Robert Conway is an attorney with the law office of HoustonHogle in Lexington, Mass. He emails, “I recently had a nice win before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board in the Trademark Office. I represented the plaintiff to prevent registration of two trademarks and contest the defendant’s ownership. My motion was granted confirming the defendant was not the owner and should be denied registration. Annually 5,000 oppositions are filed with only a third of about 200 motions for summary judgment granted.”
Jim Judge (’77): See Undergrads.
Stephen Johnson has been appointed CFO and treasurer of the Wakefield, Mass.-headquartered tranSmart Foundation, a nonprofit organization that enables scientists worldwide to share research data. A CPA, Steve has more than 30 years of financial and operational leadership experience.
Thomas Farley has been promoted to executive vice president and chief commercial banking officer at Middlesex Savings Bank, based in Natick, Mass. Thomas, who has more than 35 years of corporate and commercial banking experience, joined Middlesex in 2014 as a senior vice president and senior credit officer. Before that, he was senior vice president and credit officer for the Massachusetts banking group at Citizens Bank in Boston.
Barry Bliss has been named senior vice president and chief commercial banking officer at Fidelity Bank where he leads the commercial lending team for the Leominster, Mass.-based bank. He previously was senior vice president and managing senior credit officer at TD Bank, where he was responsible for loan approvals, credit quality, and credit risk throughout southern New England.
Marguerite “Peggie” Thorsen recently launched her consulting firm, Thorsen & Associates, in Marlborough, Mass. She emails, “My firm specializes in marketing solutions for medium-sized businesses. I have more than four decades of strategic marketing experience in areas such as consulting, management, publication design, and public relations. I also was an adjunct professor at Nichols College for several years. Creative problem solving is key in finding business solutions.” Peggie is a past president of the Rotary Club of Marlborough, a Paul Harris Fellow, and assistant governor of Rotary District 7910.
Karl Wohler has joined the mergers and acquisitions team at PSMJ Resources, based in Newton, Mass. Karl provides advisory support to the team on valuation and ownership transition practices for architecture and engineering firms.
Walter Towner emails, “I’m an adjunct instructor at the Foisie School of Business at Worcester [Mass.] Polytechnic Institute. I’m also director of WPI’s Center for Innovative Manufacturing Solutions, which is partially funded by MassDevelopment, the state’s economic and finance agency. My colleague and former classmate, Shari Worthington, MBA’91, offers me guidance. We still discuss professor Natalie Taylor’s classes. In addition, I’m enjoying my advisory role as the Purple Legionnaire for the college’s Phi Gamma Delta chapter, which is celebrating its 125th year on campus. And I have section-hiked 500 miles of the Appalachian Trail to date.”
Henry Turner, a retired Army officer and Gulf War combat veteran, was inducted into the African American Golfers Hall of Fame in May. Henry is co-owner of the Marlton Golf Club in Upper Marlboro, Md. Purchased in 2015, the 18-hole golf club is the only minorityowned course in Maryland and the 12th course in the U.S. added to African American Golfer’s Digest’s list of black-owned, operated, or managed courses in the country.
Sheri Trocchi has been appointed vice president at J Barrett & Co., a real estate firm with offices on Boston’s North Shore. Sheri works out of the company’s Prides Crossing location.
James Jackson has been named a director of the merger and acquisition advisory services practice at The Alta Group, an equipment leasing and asset finance company. He provides services for buyers and sellers in North America. Previously, James was senior vice president and CFO at MicroFinancial in Burlington, Mass.
Thomas Needham has been appointed chief business officer at C4 Therapeutics, a biotechnology company in Cambridge, Mass. Before joining C4, he was managing director at Synthesis Capital, a Boston-based venture capital firm.
Jeannie Diefenderfer has been appointed an independent board member of Little Rock, Ark.-based Windstream Holdings, a telephone services company. She also serves on the board’s governance committee. Jeannie, founder and CEO of courageNpurpose, advises boards and CEOs on strategic initiatives for operational and business efficacy. She also is an independent board member of MRV Communications and Westell Technologies, a member of Accenture’s Network Advisory Council, an advisory board member of Vasona Networks, and a trustee of Tufts University.
Marie Presti, a residential real estate broker, is owner of the Newton, Mass., office of Realty Executives Esteemed Properties and leader of The Presti Group. Marie recently was named to Realty Executives’ New England Dream Team, which represents the company’s top 20 agents in New England based on their annual sales. She also received the company’s Diamond Award, based on commissions received, which placed her in the top 5 percent of the company’s agents.
Marc Becker has been appointed CFO of Crispr Therapeutics, a biopharmaceutical company based in Basel, Switzerland, with research and development operations in Cambridge, Mass. Previously, Marc was CFO and senior vice president at rEvo Biologics.
Nick Chakalos has been appointed vice president for global TV and data partnerships at VideoAmp, a technology company headquartered in Santa Monica, Calif. Previously, he was senior vice president for global distribution at Cognitive Networks, which was acquired by Vizio.
Marcus Cox, CAM, is an assistant professor of management in the Nelson Rusche College of Business at Stephen F. Austin State University (SFA) in Nacogdoches, Texas. In April, he received a Teaching Excellence Award from the university in recognition of his knowledge, enthusiasm, and commitment to the subject matter and students. Marcus, who earned a doctoral degree from the University of North Texas, was a lecturer at SFA before becoming a tenuretrack faculty member in 2013.
Jeff Pzena emails, “Co-founder Chris Crowell and I have operated Cotton Tree Lodge, our sustainable, 100-acre resort in Belize, for the past 10 years—and now it’s for sale. Cotton Tree is in San Felipe, on the beautiful Moho River. We want to pass along the resort to someone who would like to live the eco-lodge lifestyle and share oncein- a-lifetime experiences with the guests. I can be contacted at jeff@cottontreelodge.com, through the lodge’s Facebook page, or through our website.”
Mike Gray has been named CFO and chief business officer at Arsanis, a biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Waltham, Mass., with research and development operations in Vienna. Previously, Mike had worked for 15 years at Curis, where his positions included CFO, chief business officer, and COO.
Jonathan Heuser emails from New York City, “Our big news is that my wife, Nicola Cooney, and I welcomed a son, Sebastian Dallas Trowbridge Heuser, on April 26, 2015. Sebastian is thriving and delights us each day. There was change on the job front, too. I now lead the global trade business for J.P. Morgan’s commercial banking division. One final note: Last summer I had the chance to work with a Babson undergraduate intern and was pleased with the experience.”
Mike Schultz, co-president of Rain Group, a sales training and consulting firm with offices in Boston, London, Sydney, Johannesburg, Toronto, and other cities, signed copies of his book, Insight Selling, in Olin Hall in March. Mike emails, “Sales have changed drastically in recent years, so we studied more than 700 business-to-business purchases to find out what sales winners are doing differently. It was great to be back at Babson to share the results. I taught in Babson’s Marketing Division for five years and now teach at Brandeis International Business School.”
Gary Coon (’86): See Undergrads.
Owen Richardson is vice president for sales and marketing at Laddawn, a Devens, Mass.-based film-extruding company that makes plastic bags and packaging products. Laddawn operates five U.S. plants that run 24/7. Owen and the company were featured in an April 20 article, “Film Extruder Laddawn Takes Unconventional Route to Growth,” on PlasticsNews.com. He joined the company, which sells only to distributors, 12 years ago.
Todd Sperry has been named senior vice president for marketing strategy and communications at the Museum of Science, Boston. Todd emails, “I’m thrilled to join the Museum of Science to help lead new marketing strategies that honor its historic roots in the Boston community and embrace its new global initiatives for STEM education.”
Jay Rice, CAM, emails, “I formed Thinking Chat from the intellectual property I spun out of Rice Camera Technologies, which I sold in 2015. My new firm helps generate and qualify sales leads by adding an automated agent, based on artificial intelligence, to a website. It looks like live chat, but no human is involved until a lead is captured and qualified. We’re expanding and plan to seek angel investment. Akshay Kolte, MBA’09, is a key part of the technical team.”
Nick Tommarello (’01): See Undergrads.
Joshua Johnson, 2016 chairman of the Wisconsin Automobile & Truck Dealers Association, was featured in the cover story, “Leadership for the Future,” in the winter issue of Dealer Point, the association’s magazine. Josh emails, “It’s an honor to serve as chairman of WATDA and give back to the organization that supports countless businesses in the automotive industry throughout Wisconsin.” A fifth-generation member of his family’s century-old business, Don Johnson Motors, Josh is its executive manager. He bought out his father’s partners to also become principal of Don Johnson’s Hayward dealership as well as its Cumberland location.
David Lynch has been promoted to president of Athena Capital Advisors, a privately owned investment firm headquartered in Lincoln, Mass., with a second office in New York City. A managing partner, he also continues in his role as deputy chief investment officer. Before joining Athena in 2004, he was portfolio manager of emerging markets fixed income at Colorado PERA.
Sabri “Murat” Bicer was elected in April to a three-year term on the Belmont, Mass., School Committee. This was his first run for elected office. One of the reasons Murat and his family moved to the town was for the public school system, and he ran for election in order to help strengthen the system.
Julia Shanks is co-author of The Farmers Market Cookbook, published in April. A chef and former adjunct lecturer at Babson, she helps restaurants, farms, and food producers become and stay financially profitable through her company, Julia Shanks Food Consulting. Julia also is an advisory board member of Future Chefs, a nonprofit that educates youth about the culinary industry, and a coleader of Slow Money Boston, an organization focused on creating a fair and sustainable community-based food system.
Matthew Valego has been appointed CEO of BeoCare Group, a Hudson, N.C.-based manufacturer of seamless knit medical fabrics for fixation, compression, and support. Matt previously was senior vice president and chief commercial officer at Precept Medical Products.
Vasana Jantarach (fifth from right), president of the Babson Alumni Club of Thailand and deputy managing director of Exotic Food in Bangkok, planned the club’s annual entrepreneurship get-together in January with the help of alumni club volunteers. Vasana emails, “More than 70 participants, including 50 alumni, attended the event, which featured Ake Sarawut Pornpatanarak (fourth from left), CEO of SnailWhite, a skin-care brand. He addressed managing a high-growth business in his presentation, ‘When a Billion Is Just the Beginning,’ which used his company as an example. The entrepreneurial story about SnailWhite made the meeting one of the club’s best-attended gatherings to date.”
Christina Clohecy has been appointed CFO at Stratus Technologies, a provider of computer servers and software headquartered in Maynard, Mass. Previously, she was vice president for finance and administration at Airvana, a mobile technology company she had joined in 2009.
Veronica Chapman emails, “After seeing how media negatively affects teenage girls, I wrote I Know I Can! as an early intervention method to help empower black girls. It’s an inspiring story about a young girl named Faith, who has courage and confidence and dreams big. Faith dreams of touching the stars, going back in time to sing with Mahalia Jackson and meet other African-American heroes.” Veronica also is the founder of Boxxout.org, an educational organization that provides teens with workshops and events where they can learn the skills required for success, and My Crowning Jewel, which sells nighttime head wraps.
Charlie Burckmyer has joined JMC Capital Partners, a Boston-based private equity buyout firm. He leads the firm’s business development efforts to identify successful acquisition candidates. Previously, Charlie was director of Nixon Peabody’s Capital Connector, the law firm’s proprietary and complimentary referral service for clients and friends.
Benjamin Lawrence (back, second from right), is a foreign service contracting officer at the U.S. Agency for International Development in Washington, D.C. Ben emails, “With the broader goal of alleviating extreme poverty, I manage the government’s funding mechanisms addressing disaster assistance, market development, and HIV/AIDS alleviation. Utilizing entrepreneurship, I strengthen and streamline these resources. Starting next year I’ll be stationed in a different developing country every four years. This picture was taken with a group of displaced women and children at a UNICEF camp in Juba, South Sudan, in 2015. USAID funds these types of programs in post-conflict locations.”
Matthew Klein emails, “I graduated in May from Georgia State University with a doctorate in business administration. I am managing partner of Redrock Capital and director of Clemson University’s Spiro Institute for Entrepreneurial Leadership, both in Greenville, S.C.”
Daniel Mazor has been promoted to principal at Altman Vilandrie & Co., a consulting firm focused on communications, media, and related technology sectors. He joined the company in 2011. Based in Boston, where Daniel works, the firm also has offices in New York City and San Francisco.
Angela Sanchez and her family have launched Artyfactos, a business that makes vibrantly colored jewelry from all-natural materials. Angela and the company were featured in a Feb. 25 article, “This Jewelry Startup Makes All Its Pieces from Beans, Seeds, and Fruit,” on BostInno.com. Artyfactos works with artisans in Colombia, where the family originates, and provides artisans with technology and tools in order to help them earn a sustainable income.
Abhijit Gupta emails, “It has been a whirlwind three years since graduation. My startup, ACI Clean Energy, manufactures carbonneutral solid biofuel from agricultural and wood waste. It is used by industrial consumers as an environmentally friendly and cost-effective alternative for fuels such as diesel and coal. I am shown in front of our manufacturing facility in Nagpur, India. I have used skills and tools I learned at Babson to navigate around the wideranging challenges I have faced. My perseverance is slowly beginning to pay off; our sales figures have more than tripled this year.”
Walter Armer has been named vice president for development and portfolio management at Broe Real Estate Group in Denver. He is responsible for the group’s multifamily portfolio. Previously, he worked at Core Companies, a multifamily development firm in San Jose, Calif.
Brian Dixon was interviewed for an April 22 article, “Meet Brian Dixon, Partner at Kapor Capital,” posted on Vator.tv. He joined Oakland, Calif.-based Kapor, which focuses on socially diverse startups, in 2011. Brian identifies and evaluates earlystage investments as well as helps portfolio companies grow.
Dave Rego has been promoted to director of sales, eastern region at PI (Physik Instrumente), a Karlsruhe, Germany-based company that manufactures motion-control equipment as well as other standard and custom precision products. Dave has worked at PI USA for 15 years, most recently managing the company’s key industrial accounts on the East Coast.
Elizabeth Luce, founder of Dandelion Technology, has launched her first app. She emails, “AllerPal, which was released in January, is designed to improve the care of children with food allergies. The app allows parents to enter and share emergency-care information about their child’s allergy, including how and when to treat. In less than five minutes, a food-allergy family can create an electronic plan and have it on every caregiver’s phone.”
Matt McDonald has been promoted to vice president for engineering at Nasuni, a data storage company in Natick, Mass. He joined the company in 2010 and played a key role in building the backbone of the company’s global file system, UniFS.
Since marrying in the early 1970s, Ron Weiner ’66 and his wife, Vicki, have devoted about 25 percent of their time to nonprofit organizations. “I believe it’s our responsibility to change the …
On April 13, the Babson community gathered in Knight Auditorium for an evening of “Celebrating Achievements in Entrepreneurial Thought and Action.” During the gala, the College inducted Eric Johnson ’72, P’08, owner of Baldwin Richardson Foods, into the Alumni Entrepreneur Hall of Fame. Established in 2008, the Hall of Fame celebrates alumni who have distinguished themselves in myriad entrepreneurial endeavors, recognizing their accomplishments in creating economic and social value. Since 2010, the Hall of Fame ceremony also has recognized Rising Stars, entrepreneurs who have founded or co-founded businesses that are less than 10 years old and are making an impact. As part of the celebration, The Arthur M. Blank Center for Entrepreneurship announced the winners of its Babson Entrepreneurial Thought and Action (BETA) Challenge, which awards entrepreneurs who have taken action to achieve major milestones in their businesses. —Lindsay Magoon, associate director, advancement communications
Photo: Paige Brown
Trustee Eric Johnson ’72, P’08 (center), the 2016 Alumni Entrepreneur Hall of Fame honoree, poses with President Kerry Healey (left) and Vice Provost Candida Brush, P’14. Johnson is owner, president, and CEO of Baldwin Richardson Foods, one of the largest African-American owned businesses in the food industry.
Photo: Paige Brown
The 2016 Rising Stars are (from left): Alex Debelov ’10 of Virool; Savitha Sridharan, MBA’14, of Orora Global; Alex Moazed ’10 of Applico; and Jamie Siminoff ’99 of Ring.
Photo: Paige Brown
“Celebrating Achievements in Entrepreneurial Thought and Action” was held in Knight Auditorium and welcomed alumni, parents, faculty, staff, students, and friends of the College.
Photo: Paige Brown
The night concluded with the announcement of the 2016 BETA Challenge winners, including (from left) Fernanda de Velasco and Joan Segura Oyamburu, MBA’17, of Play Business; Kiran Kashalkar, MBA’15, and Shiva Kashalkar, MBA’11, of Green Pinata; and Emily Levy ’16, Maria del Mar Gomez ’16, Julianne Carlin ’17, and Yousef Al-Humaidhi ’15 of PICCPerfect.
Tara Hagan and Thomas Malloy ’04 were married May 7 in Oklahoma City at Myriad Botanical Gardens. Guests included John Cain ’01; Elliot Brook ’02; and Mike Allietta, Maxime Lestringant, and Scott Olsen, MS’07, all ’04. Tom emails, “Tara is a director for TBWA\Chiat\ Day, and I’m a researcher for Harvard Business School as well as CEO and founder of Equire.co, a marketplace for investing in profitable small companies. We live in Brooklyn, N.Y.”
Kathy Custer and James Burke, MBA’07, were married Sept. 12, 2015, on the beach in San Diego. James emails, “Following the wedding, we held a party on Oahu, Hawaii, with sky diving and helicopter or airplane tours for our guests. We live in Hawaii where Kathy owns a nanny agency, and I am a major in the Marines with the Wounded Warrior Regiment. We just bought a home and are expecting our first child, a boy.”
Ximena Guerrero was married to Daniel Carranza, MBA’14, on Jan. 23 on the beach in Guanacaste, Costa Rica. The reception was held at the Reserva Conchal Beach Resort. Daniel emails, “Babson friends Jad Antoun, Luca Ceschin, Jorge Gutierrez Alvarez, Camila Rezino Goncalves, Netza Perez Amezcua, and Alvaro Valdez, all MBA’14, flew from Brazil, Peru, or Mexico to attend the event and drink one more beer together. Pura vida!”
Abigail Brown was married to David Mastroianni ’10 on June 27, 2015, at the Crane Estate in Ipswich, Mass. Among the guests were Dan Brown, MS’09, Erik Israni, Christina Mendonca, MS’09, Meishan Piao, and groomsman Ryan Ricciardelli, MS’14, all ’09; and groomsman John-Kevin Delegas, Vanessa Delegas, Stefan Hunt, Casey Matthews, Eric Solfisburg, Ashley (Hunt) Stein, and Jillian Vaillancourt, all ’10. The couple lives in Charlestown.
Alexa Flinton ’08 was married to Jason Gold on June 27, 2015, at the Conanicut Yacht Club in Jamestown, R.I., where the couple lives. Alexa works at EMC in Hopkinton, Mass., and Jason owns Gold’s Wine and Spirits in Middletown, R.I.
Courtney Hancock ’07 and Ryan Haig were married March 12 at the Red Lion Inn in Cohasset, Mass. Among guests at the wedding were 26 alumni, including bridesmaids Robyn Patnode and Nikki Penikas, both ’07. Courtney is a senior account director of global accounts at TechTarget, and Ryan is a dentist in the oral surgery residency program at Walter Reed hospital in Bethesda, Md., where they live.
Sarah Clark ’07 was married to Eric Girouard ’08 on Sept. 19, 2015, in Sugar Hill, N.H. The wedding was officiated by their close friend, Sunil Desai ’07. More than 15 alumni attended, including bridesmaids Wyn Zurowski ’06, Emma Eigenberg ’07, and Julie Reeves ’07; and groomsmen Matthew Hart ’06 and Brandon Eigenberg ’07.
Roger Enrico ’65, H’86, of Dallas died June 1. He served in the Navy during the Vietnam War. Recipient of the Roger W. Babson and the Glavin Center Distinguished Global Manager awards, Roger received the Babson Medal in 2015. He was a Babson Corporation member from 1982 to 2000 and a trustee from 1983 to 1989. In 1989, as president of PepsiCo and director of its foundation, he secured $1M to name the Webster Center’s PepsiCo Pavilion. He and his wife established the Roger and Rosemary Enrico Dallas Endowed Scholarship in 1995.
Otto Bresky ’46 of Naples, Fla., died April 17. He served in the Army Air Forces during World War II. He retired after 40 years of commercial sales and executive management at Seaboard. He was predeceased by his brother, Harry Bresky ’47.
Richard Patch ’50 of Delray Beach, Fla., died Feb. 4. He was an insurance broker in Boston.
Donald Butler ’51 of Guilford, Conn., died Dec. 31, 2014. He served in the Navy during World War II and later worked for AT&T.
John McLean ’51 of Hilton Head Island, S.C., died Jan. 29. A Navy veteran, he was a bank officer at Danbury [Conn.] Savings Bank.
Mark Levine ’54 of Pikesville, Md., died Jan. 10. A Navy veteran, he owned a construction and home-inspection business.
Peter Grammas ’55 of Andover, Mass., died March 23. A Navy veteran, he served in the Navy Reserve until 1962. He was director of manufacturing at Honeywell and at Wang Laboratories.
Richard Knowland, MBA’57, of Fayetteville, N.Y., died Dec. 29. He served in the Air Force during the Korean War. He was the payroll manager at Agway in DeWitt.
Richard Ash ’58 of Meredith, N.H., died Jan. 12. He served in the Army during the Korean War. He owned and operated Ash True Value hardware store in Ashland.
Joseph Bartram ’58 of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., died Dec. 24, 2013. A Navy veteran, he co-founded Bartram & Brakenhoff, a yacht brokerage firm.
Harry Hogan, MBA’58, of Ormond Beach, Fla., and Marshfield, Mass., died March 27. He served in the Army during the Korean War.
William Rogers ’58 of Tequesta, Fla., died Jan. 30. A Navy veteran, he owned Lowell Bros. & Bailey.
Raymond Gotta ’59 of Springfield, Mass., died Feb. 25. He was chief of staff at Zampiceni Financial.
William Allan ’60 of Virginia Beach, Va., died March 10. He was an Army veteran.
Charles Farrell ’60 of Arlington, Mass., died March 7. An Army veteran, he also served in the National Guard.
Robert Fain ’61 of Providence, R.I., died March 2. A chartered life underwriter, he founded Fain Financial Services. Survivors include his son, David Fain, MBA’98.
Edmund Lumley ’62 of Freeport, Maine, died March 14. He worked in the securities industry.
Roy Pardee ’62 of Winston- Salem, N.C., died Nov. 13, 2015.
Bruce Monahan ’63 of Doylestown, Pa., died March 10. He served in the Air Force during the Vietnam War. He later taught business administration at Chaminade University of Honolulu. Survivors include his brother, Barry Monahan ’65.
Thomas Nadolski ’66 of San Juan Capistrano, Calif., died March 13. A retired Marine Corps lieutenant colonel, he served during the Vietnam War.
Jacques Dejoux ’69 of Locust Valley, N.Y., died March 31. During his banking career, he worked for HSBC in New York City and BIL in Luxembourg.
Louis Stevens, MBA’69, of Port St. Lucie, Fla., died March 10. He served in the Army Reserve and worked for 37 years at Stanadyne, where he was appointed treasurer in 1989. His brother, Michael Stevens, MBA’72, died April 19.
Donald Nickerson, MBA’70, of Burlington, Vt., died March 12. He worked in finance and accounting.
Gary Carr, MBA’71, of Tolland, Conn., died March 10. An Air Force veteran, he retired as a systems analyst at Aetna.
Michael Stevens, MBA’72, of Marlborough, Conn., and Sausalito, Calif., died April 19. He was a financial officer at U.S. Leasing in San Francisco. He was predeceased by his brother, Louis Stevens, MBA’69.
Christopher Bowker, MBA’75, of Scituate, Mass., died March 12. He was a Navy veteran.
Roland Caron ’82 of Salem, Mass., died Feb. 22. He worked for the Levesque Funeral Home.
Allen Seletsky ’82 of Boston died March 15. He owned and operated the Five Seventy Market in the city’s South End.
Kerry (Gurl) Northridge ’85 of Woodstock Valley, Conn., died April 15. An attorney, she was a partner at Avis & Northridge in Worcester, Mass.
Charles Lang ’86 of Frisco, Colo., died March 19.
Timothy Sheridan ’88 of Stamford, Conn., died Feb. 2. He was managing director of global payment product sales at Bank of America.
Charles Flaherty, MBA’91, of Hingham, Mass., died April 9. A CFA, he was a first vice president at Morgan Stanley.
Amie (Shapiro) White, MBA’95, of Needham died Feb. 11.
Brian McDonough ’97 of West Newbury, Mass., died Feb. 3. He was a computer software analyst and research manager at IDC.
