Laurence Fitzmaurice has been named a “lifetime achiever” by Marquis Who’s Who. Among his other accomplishments, Laurence served as president and CEO of the New England Center for Homeless Veterans. During his tenure, the organization was recognized by Babson as a leader in social entrepreneurship.
George Tavlas emails that he was appointed to the supervisory board of Hellenic Corporation of Assets and Participations, the Greek government’s sovereign wealth fund. George is pictured with (from left) his wife, Sophia, and their daughters, Louisa and Julia, at Louisa’s wedding in Athens in September 2016. George is the alternate to the governor of the Bank of Greece on the European Central Bank’s Governing Council, a member of the Bank of Greece’s Monetary Policy Council, and a professor at the University of Leicester. During this academic year, he will be a visiting scholar at Stanford University and the University of Chicago.
Walter Riseman has been named to the board of directors of TriCounty Mental Health Services in Lewiston, Maine, as reported by Bloomberg. According to the news service, Walter previously worked for Community Concepts, a nonprofit community action agency, and has served as a volunteer board member for several Maine organizations.
Vincent Nolan was named interim co-CEO of the Greater Delray Beach [Fla.] Chamber of Commerce, according to a report on the website Palm Beach Live Work Play. He previously served as regional director for the Florida Small Business Development Center at Palm Beach State College and, before that, as economic development director for the City of Delray Beach, where he led the strategic planning and implementation of development programs.
Many well-wishers attended a surprise luncheon honoring the 40th work anniversary of Annette Robinson, executive administrator (fourth from left). Alumni enjoying the celebration, which was organized by Annette’s husband, Tom, included (from left) former president Brian Barefoot ’66, H’09, P’01; Betsy Powell, MBA’76, P’01; Wes Sparks ’77, MBA’80, P’09; Joe Winn, MBA’74, P’15; Jesse Putney ’56, MBA’59, P’90, ’93; Hank Deneault ’70, MBA’72, P’90; Richard Snyder ’60, H’94, P’93, ’01; Pam Anderson Sparks ’78, P’09; and Bill Markey, MBA’64, H’09. Wes emails, “Annette is a great friend who has done so much for Babson.”
Jon Carson was the subject of an Inc. article, penned by Babson lecturer Peter Cohan, titled “Why These Harvard Dropouts Hired a 60-Year-Old Yale-Educated CEO.” The article describes how the startup CollegeVine, a virtual college guidance platform that connects high school students with collegestudent mentors, chose serial entrepreneur Jon to serve as CEO. Jon had connected with the young founders at the Harvard Innovation Lab, where he served as a startup mentor.
Michael McQuillan ’79, John Salvatore, P’21, Glenn Ricciardelli ’79, P’09, ’14, and Rick Renwick ’79 posted a one-shot victory at the 36th annual President’s Cup Golf Tournament. The June event at the Walpole Country Club benefited the Babson Athletics Excellence Fund. Rick emails, “Despite the rainy weather, we had a great time, and I’m glad to support this great cause.”
John Nichols, P’11, has been named to the board of directors of Baldwin & Lyons, which specializes in marketing and underwriting insurance for the transportation industry. John was CEO at Axis Re, a reinsurer to global property and casualty insurance companies, from 2012 to 2017. He also serves on the board of directors for Delaware North Companies.
Linda Simmons has been named senior vice president and CFO at HarborOne Bank, reports the Cape Cod Times. Linda previously served as senior vice president, CFO, and treasurer for the Bank of Cape Cod, and she has held positions at Bancorp Rhode Island, Bank of America, and Citizens Financial Group.
Paul Clancy has joined Alexion Pharmaceuticals, where he will serve as CFO. Alexion focuses on developing and delivering therapies for patients with rare disorders. Paul previously spent 16 years at Biogen, the last 10 as CFO. Prior to that, he served in various executive positions at PepsiCo.
David Schneider has been named CEO of Stearns Lending, a provider of mortgage lending services in the wholesale, retail, and strategic alliance sectors. David has spent nearly 30 years in the mortgage industry, most recently serving as president of Ditech. He also has held leadership positions at CitiMortgage, Washington Mutual Home Loans, and Vericrest Financial.
Peter Cosco, a media industry veteran, organized and moderated a panel of high-level media executives at the LMHQ collaboration space in New York. The panel addressed the radical transformation of the media landscape over the past quarter century and included alumni Lauren Haffer ’10, sales development manager at Google, and Chelsea Scanlin ’14, who works in channel sales at Yelp. Peter emails, “The media ecosystem has been transformed beyond recognition over the past couple of decades, with traditional business models totally turned on their heads. As the panel highlighted, everyone is now chasing this extremely elusive media consumer.”
Greg Tufankjian P’21, and his wife, Ellen, were among the alumni and friends of Babson who enjoyed a special evening at Free Shakespeare on the Common in July. Commonwealth Shakespeare Company, Babson’s resident theater company since 2013, presented Romeo and Juliet on Boston Common, continuing a 21-year tradition of free Shakespeare performances in Boston. Greg emailed, “We enjoyed a wonderful summer evening of outdoor theater, and sharing it with Babson friends both old and new made it even better.”
Thomas Walbridge has been named CFO at the nonprofit Community Health Programs of Great Barrington, Mass. Thomas was previously CFO and vice president for the Kinsley Group and has served as CFO for the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority. He also is the founder of LuckBridge Sports, which creates inclusive team-building opportunities for young people and coaches.
Anne Yount emails, “My Boston Tutoring Center and Boston ISEE Prep are entering their 15th years of business. Life is good. My son, Justin, married a lovely young woman in February. Daughter Mia will be entering high school in the fall. My husband, Bob, and I have been together almost 20 years. We look forward to several trips, including to Italy and Cuba, in the next year.”
Kim Nelson was featured in the “Meet a Minnesota Tech CFO” series on Tech.MN. Kim is CFO of SPS Commerce, which supplies cloudbased supply-chain management software to retailers, suppliers, third-party logistics providers, and partners. Before joining SPS, Kim served as a finance director for Amazon and, before that, for Pillsbury.
Douglas Coggins has been promoted to senior vice president at NBT Wealth Management. Douglas leads the retirement services team and is responsible for overseeing retirement plans and products for businesses and nonprofit organizations. Before joining NBT, he was assistant vice president and director of compliance and government reporting for CitiStreet Retirement Services.
Richelieu Dennis’ Sundial Brands was named to Happi magazine’s “Top 50 Household and Personal Products Companies” list. Sundial, with product lines including SheaMoisture, Nubian Heritage, and Madam C.J. Walker Beauty Culture, was cited by the magazine for its rapid growth and “purpose-driven business model.” Happi also applauded the company’s 2016 awareness campaign for SheaMoisture, called #BreakTheWalls. Richelieu is a Babson trustee.
Sanford Arbogast is teaching computer skills at Tewksbury (Mass.) Memorial High School, reports the Tewksbury Town Crier. After Babson, Sanford earned a master’s degree in education from Framingham State College. Until recently, he taught math and technology at Middlesex Community College.
Marc Kurschner was named CEO of Jackson Galaxy Enterprises. Marc is responsible for creating and executing strategy across all aspects of the business, including brand development, licensing, and distribution. He will report to Jackson Galaxy, cat behaviorist and host of the Animal Planet reality series My Cat From Hell. Previously, Marc served as senior vice president of sales at Getty Images. He also founded sports-marketing firm Tele-Sports.
Sedgwick Saunders ran the ABA Basketball Camp at Fryeburg Academy this summer, reports The Conway [New Hampshire] Daily Sun. Sedge is in his 19th year as varsity boys basketball coach at Fryeburg Academy, a private high school in Maine, where he also teaches social studies.
Adam Sachs was named a 2017 Five Star Wealth Manager, an award conferred by the Five Star Professional organization. The honor recognizes wealth managers who excel in quality service and client retention. Adam is a resident of Ashland, Mass., and a financial adviser with Centinel Financial Group in Needham Heights. Recently recognized by Signator Investors for “Achieving Client Excellence,” he also is a member of the trade association Million Dollar Round Table.
Dan Deresh was selected for the Maccabi USA Masters Soccer Team, participating in the 20th Maccabiah Games in Israel in July. Dan emails, “I just got back from the games, and what an unforgettable experience it was. From walking into a full stadium, representing the USA with 1,100-plus other American athletes, to playing soccer against other countries to getting a chance to visit historical sites built more than 3,000 years ago, this was definitely something I’ll never forget. On the soccer field, we beat Masters Australia 2-1 and lost very tight games to Brazil and Israel.” Dan (#16) is shown in a game against Great Britain.
Jonathon Dussault joined Benefit-focus, a provider of cloud-based benefits management software, in the role of CFO. Most recently, Jonathon served as senior vice president and senior financial officer for Wex Health, formerly Evolution1, a provider of cloud-based healthsavings account technology.
Sameer Patel(left), CEO of Kahuna, a marketing automation firm, participated in a talk at Thrive, a series of conversations with company leaders presented by Babson San Francisco, branding and marketing company Free Range, and the Leiden University Centre for Innovation. At the event, Sameer and Free Range CEO Randall Ussery, MBA’16 (right), discussed navigating change in the mobile era. Sameer emails, “Today’s consumers are willing to share astonishingly high levels of preferences, but only in exchange for a ‘10x experience.’ Machine learning gives organizations an unprecedented opportunity to build genuine one-to-one relationships with every consumer. At Kahuna, we call that ‘treating every consumer as an audience of one.’”
Nanette Medved-Po, who once played superhero Darna in a movie made in her native Philippines, has been named to Forbes Asia’s 2017 “Heroes of Philanthropy” list. She is the founder of Generation Hope, which uses all profits from the sales of its Hope in a Bottle bottled water to build classrooms in the Philippines. In its coverage, Forbes Asia reports that the organization has sold almost 9 million bottles, raising money to build 37 classrooms and improve the learning environment for more than 7,000 students.
Michael Papay: See Grads, Peter Eisenman, MBA’15.
Michael Phaneuf was one of 60 members of the Babson community— students, alumni, faculty, staff, friends, and family—who marched in Boston’s Pride Parade in June. Michael, who works as a Boston Public Schools teacher and a skating coach, emails, “It was a great day for a parade, and my family and I were proud to march with the Babson contingent.”
Jamie Siminoff has partnered with former NBA star Shaquille O’Neal to donate $1 million in Ring video doorbells to neighborhoods across the country, reported BostInno in a May 18 article titled “Surprise! Shaq is delivering 100 Video Doorbells to Framingham.” Jamie founded the home security company, based in Santa Monica, Calif. Shaq helped deliver the video doorbells to the Framingham, Mass., police department as part of an effort to promote neighborhood safety; he paid a surprise visit to one local resident with a new Ring system for her home.
Eric Dosal emails, “I spent a day on campus this past spring to deliver two guest lectures. I spoke to a family business class in the morning. After lunch at Trim and a visit to the bookstore, I addressed an Evening MBA class. It was great to visit Babson again, and I left very proud of my alma mater.” Eric is a secondgeneration entrepreneur who has founded several businesses, including BrightGauge Software and Compuquip Technologies.
Linda Pizzuti Henry was the subject of a Boston magazine cover story in June, headlined “Can Linda Henry Save the Globe?” The article reports on Linda’s tenure at The Boston Globe, where she has served as managing director since 2013, when she and her husband, Red Sox owner John Henry, bought the paper.
Emily Hoang has been named director of marketing and business development at the Burlington Mall in Burlington, Mass. Emily has worked for Simon, the mall’s parent company, since 2002. Prior to taking on her new role, she served in a similar capacity at The Mall at Rockingham Park in Salem, N.H., where she oversaw a mall-wide renovation project in 2015.
Lokesh Bharwani was featured in a July 11 Forbes India article, “Making Dough from Doughnuts.” Lokesh launched his Indian doughnut business, Mad Over Donuts, in 2007. The chain has grown to comprise 50 outlets across four cities in India, Forbes reports.
Luis Gomez has created two businesses based in Guayaquil, Ecuador. GoExport.net provides foods from Ecuador and Peru to markets in North America and Europe, specializing in canned tuna, hearts of palm, and asparagus, among other items. Luis’ other business is Blue Marlin Fishing Charters, which offers sport fishing packages in Salinas and Manta, two popular Ecuador destinations. Luis emails, “I’m enjoying every minute of this. There is nothing like being your own boss. If it wasn’t for Babson, I would probably be working for someone else.” Luis adds that he got married in 2006 and has two children.
James Antonopoulos has been named managing director and cohead of health-care investment banking at Roth Capital Partners. He will be working in the firm’s New York office. After Babson, James attended the Villanova School of Law, where he was on law review. Before joining Roth, James was a senior investment banker at Canaccord Genuity. He has advised and raised capital for a wide range of healthcare companies.
Tanya Campbell has been named a partner with Melanson Heath, a full-service CPA firm where she has worked since 2006. Tanya, a CPA, is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and has served on the finance committee for the town of Conway, Mass.
Katrina Majkut was one of four artists featured in a group exhibition this summer at contemporary art gallery Victori + Mo in Brooklyn, N.Y., reports online magazine Wall Street International. The show, titled “Nasty Stitches,” celebrated the political dimensions of fabric and embroidery. Katrina is a Brooklyn-based artist and writer whose work has been shown at galleries and museums around the country. She had a solo show at Babson in 2016 and has served as an artist in residence at Mass MoCA.
Jeremy Balboni and Stephen Spaeth: See Lance Pinn ’06.
The first Babson Black Affinity Network Leadership Retreat, organized by Leticia Stallworth ’99, MBA’13, took place at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Washington, D.C., in early June. Attendee Melony Isaac ’05 (second from left) emails, “The opportunity to reconnect and plan for the future of BAN was an invaluable experience. Great things are happening, with much more to come for the students and alumni who take part in this initiative at Babson.” From left are Taelyr Roberts ’15, Melony, Leticia, Amy Lafleur ’18, Shatiek Gatlin ’16, Mike Bruny, MBA’19, Jeff Meade ’98, Patrick Walsh ’99, and Katrina Fludd ’08, MS’10.
Teddy Dziuba was featured in an Aug. 7 profile on WickedLocal.com titled “Alibrandis Catcher Teddy Dziuba, a former New York Mets’ draftee, still exhibits love for the game.” The onetime Babson baseball standout was a member of three Massachusetts amateur baseball leagues this summer: Somerville’s Alibrandis, in the Yawkey Baseball League; the Boston Bombers, in the Boston Men’s Baseball League; and the Braintree White Sox, a member of the Cranberry Baseball League.
Alex Melen, co-founder of digital marketing agency SmartSites, was one of the featured speakers at NameSummit, a digital branding conference held in New York in August. Alex spoke about creating brand equity through digital marketing and developing a holistic approach to marketing strategy. At Babson, Alex was a winner of the College’s Student Business of the Year Award (which has since merged with the BETA Challenge).
Lance Pinn was featured in a March 15 New York Times article, “A Boom in Rock Climbing, Minus the Rocks.” Lance, along with Jeremy Balboni ’05 and Stephen Spaeth ’05, opened Brooklyn Boulders in 2009 in—where else?—Brooklyn. The company has since launched outposts in Chicago; Somerville, Mass.; and Long Island City, N.Y. Boston magazine reported in March that the Somerville location is the first U.S. site for a “napping cabin” from Sleepbox, a Boston company providing private snooze spots for airports, offices, and other public spaces.
Terry Trail joined Inntopia, a developer of technology for the travel industry based in Stowe, Vt., as a project manager. Terry previously worked for various Boston-area software companies, including most recently Runkeeper, founded by Jason Jacobs, MBA ’05.
Sarah Girouard emails, “My husband, Eric Girouard ’08, and I are so pleased to announce the birth of our son, Maverick Joseph Girouard. Maverick was born on Tuesday, July 18, at Winchester Hospital in Winchester, Mass. We are already so in love!”
Suzanne Cover has signed with Wilhelmina Models. An accomplished runner, fitness enthusiast, and wellness spokesperson in NYC, she currently stars in the latest Apple Watch Nike+ ads and can be seen on billboards and in Apple stores worldwide. Since being discovered on Instagram last year, she has appeared in numerous magazines and campaigns and on book covers. She will represent Wilhelmina Fitness in the 2017 New York City Marathon, on behalf of the Children’s Cancer & Blood Foundation. Suzanne, who spent six years as a risk arbitrage sales trader, emails, “I never saw myself making the jump from Wall Street to Wilhelmina, but hey—Babson kids can do it all, right?”
John Hudspeth and Jeffrey Browne ’11 both were named to Forbes’s list of top next-generation wealth managers, which identifies top advisers born after 1980. The Browne-Hudspeth Group at Merrill Lynch, based in Mount Laurel, N.J., focuses on identifying clients’ wealth-management needs and customizing a plan around their goals and priorities. John and Jeffrey emailed, “Using many of the tools we acquired at Babson, we make sure all facets of a client’s financial life are working in synergy toward their stated goals.”
Fan Bi launched his custom menswear business, Blank Label, online in 2009. Stores in Boston, Washington, and Chicago followed over the next few years. In July, Blank Label opened its fifth outlet, in Atlanta’s Colony Square.
Tahira Adatia emails, “I recently joined Deloitte as a manager in the agile transformation group within the digital integration practice. My area of focus is in the financial services industry.”
Mark Bollman, founder of apparel company Ball and Buck, has launched a line of activewear, reported BostInno in a June article. The new line features “technical” fabrics that provide moisture wicking, breathability, water repellency, and other qualities.
Lauren Haffer: See Peter Cosco ‘88.
Mason Wartman was profiled in The Daily Pennsylvanian, the student newspaper of the University of Pennsylvania. The paper reported that Mason, whose Rosa’s Fresh Pizza in Philadelphia garnered widespread attention after being featured on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, spoke at the university about connecting philanthropy and business. Mason’s appearance kicked off the Wharton Undergraduate Giving Society’s Giving Month on campus. Patrons at Rosa’s can “pay it forward” by buying $1 pizza slices for people in need.
Mary Blackford has opened a new marketplace, the Market 7 Flea Market, reports Afro.com, the website of Afro-American Newspapers, in a July 20 article, “D.C. Native Opens New Market Place in Ward 7.” Located in Washington’s Ward 7, the pop-up market features blackowned businesses. The market’s goal, according to its website, is to “provide a safe, intergenerational, and affirming space for thousands of residents and visitors to shop,” as well as to “shift the culture and attitude of a historically underserved neighborhood.”
Jeffrey Browne: See John Hudspeth ’08.
Amanda Greenslet emails, “Referred by a fellow Babson grad, I have been working at Wayfair for nearly three years, currently as a product manager. It’s been a wonderful learning experience so far, even more so as the Babson ‘family’ grows at Wayfair. A group of alumni and student interns met for lunch near the company’s Copley Square offices in Boston. From left are Teresa Wolf ’17, Rachel D’Agostino ’13, Nijanth Velmanikandan ’18, Max Iseson ’19, Pretty Varghese ’11, MBA’16, Amanda, Mike Gray ’13, Giulia Prete ’17, Bradley Darling ’18, and Scott Schechner ’17.”
Cameron Sheldrake, founder of Off the Cob tortilla chips, participated in a podcast with Shopify Masters, discussing online sales and how to build and grow a business. The podcast launched on August 8. Cameron, who was featured on Shark Tank in 2014, emails, “I started Off the Cob with just $20,000 in winnings from the Babson BETA challenge. Now, four years later, we are selling $200,000 per year in 300 stores.”
Aya Sadder emails, “Post-Babson, I’ve gotten involved in the innovation space, most recently focusing on aviation in the United Arab Emirates community. I’m currently working on the Emirates Airlines challenge, which is partnering with the government’s Dubai Future Accelerators initiative, seeking the foremost aviation startups to solve the airline’s most pressing issues. This initiative will foster the spirit of innovation and drive the city’s aspirations to become a powerhouse for travel innovation. I also am part of the Babson Alumni Club of the Middle East and served on the host committee for Babson Connect: Worldwide in Dubai in 2016.”
Tommy Drummy emails, “I recently proposed to Carley Martyniak. And guess what? She said yes!” Tommy and Carley met on the soccer fields during their first year at Babson. Several Babson friends were on hand to celebrate the engagement, which took place during a June bike ride in Falmouth, Mass. A September 2018 wedding is planned.
Joanne Louis emails, “I am the founder and CEO of Writing Stylist, a consulting company that uses unique writing techniques to enhance personal branding for entrepreneurs. My writing journey began when I was a peer consultant at the Babson Writing Center in 2012. My services include business plans, website content creation, ghostwriting, speechwriting, and more. My passion for people, writing, business, and entrepreneurship has led Writing Stylist to be recognized by social change organization Women’s Empire. I also was named ‘Entrepreneur of the Week’ by C Charles Consulting.” Joanne recently started a master’s degree program in corporate communications at Georgetown University.
Chelsea Scanlin: See Peter Cosco ’88.
Henry Medine: See Benjamin Cohen ’16.
Benjamin Cohen launched Space Jam Data in 2015 during Babson’s spring semester in San Francisco, and he now runs the startup in New York City, along with co-founder Henry Medine ’15. Benji emails, “Space Jam Data asks shoppers to vote for which new stores they want in their neighborhoods. Our customers are public real estate investment trusts and shopping centers that use our tool to learn what types of stores local shoppers desire for their vacant retail spaces. We’ve crowdsourced for more than 400 shopping centers in the U.S.”
Kevin Dooley emails, “I have just self-published my first children’s book, titled Griffey’s Christmas Eve Flight. It’s the story of a dog named Griffey and an elf named Tin who must race against time to save Christmas for a young boy. Along their journey, Griffey and Tin discover that Christmas means much more than presents. The book is available on Amazon, and you can follow Griffey’s real-life adventures on Facebook at Griffey’s Christmas Eve Flight.”
Josuel Plasencia, Yulkendy Valdez, and Courtney Wilson, MBA’17, were featured in a May 26 Boston Globe article, “Meet the Class of 2017’s MVP Entrepreneurs.” The Globe called out 21 newly minted grads from Boston-area schools, choosing students who won entrepreneurship competitions, worked on social impact projects, and launched businesses. Josuel and Yulkendy founded Project 99 while at Babson, focusing on helping Fortune 500 companies retain black and Latino employees. Courtney’s startup, DropZone, is a directory of benefits available to veterans.
Jeremy Cai was one of several Thiel Fellowship recipients profiled by Inc.com. In 2014, Jeremy launched OnboardIQ in response to the need for quick, automated hiring in the on-demand economy. The article reports that OnboardIQ has screened more than 3 million job applicants in 40 countries.
Bill Markey, H’09: See Undergrad, Wes Sparks ’77.
David Johnson was recognized for his long service to Direct Federal Credit Union in Needham. He recently stepped down from his position as chairman of the board. David has been a member of the DFCU board for 35 years, twice serving as chair, and will remain on the board as vice chair. His most recent tenure in the top position lasted nine years. He will be succeeded by Donald Kelliher, MBA’81 (see Grad News, 1981).
Joe Winn, P’15: See Undergrad, Wes Sparks ’77.
Betsy Powell, P’01: See Undergrad, Wes Sparks ’77.
Peter Hussey, a watercolor artist who specializes in images of New England architecture, was profiled in the Westerly (R.I.) Sun newspaper in August. An exhibition of Peter’s work was on display at the Newport Art Museum this summer.
Jane Steinberg Albert was named senior vice president for marketing, communications, and external relations at Baystate Health in Springfield, Mass. Jane has held numerous positions at Baystate Health since joining the organization in 2002. Previously, she served as vice president of advancement and marketing at Western New England College.
John Peters is co-author of Wheelchair: Officers’ Field Guide, an 80-page book designed to assist law-enforcement officers encountering individuals who use wheelchairs. It includes a section on the Americans with Disabilities Act and how it applies to law-enforcement interactions with disabled individuals. The publication summarizes many of the topics covered in a two-day program developed by John for his training firm, Institute for the Prevention of In-Custody Deaths. John emails, “The instructor program is believed to be seminal in law-enforcement training.”
Vincent Accorsini is a sales representative for Bermuda Sands, a manufacturer of performance apparel for leisure sports and activities, particularly golf. Vincent covers the firm’s New England territory.
Donald Kelliher has been elected chairman of the board of directors of Direct Federal Credit Union, succeeding David Johnson, MBA’70 (see Grad News, 1970). Donald’s career includes stints at Boston Trust & Investment Management; Hutchins, Wheeler & Dittmar; and Abt Associates.
Jeffrey Macartney has been named CFO of Sertant Capital, which invests in equipment lease transactions. Jeffrey brings more than 30 years of equipment finance experience to the role.
Scott Hines (center, in red, leaning on the boom) emails, “I’m excited to have founded a nonprofit called 1-By Design, with a mission of creating awareness and financial support for the blind and visually impaired and their canine service companions. My team and I race in competitive national sailing events under the banner ‘1-By Design, Sailing for the Blind.’ In July, we hosted a gathering aboard the American Eagle, attended by six companion dogs and their owners. We all enjoyed the sunshine and fresh air, and we were happy to have the opportunity to meet and mingle.”
Pat Campbell (right) recently joined (from left) Professor of Entrepreneurship Heidi Neck, Theresa Holland of Babson’s HR Office, and Vice Provost Candida Brush for golf at the Duxbury Yacht Club. This year marks the 30th anniversary of Pat’s retained executive search firm, The Onstott Group. She continues to provide advisory services to clients in technology, consumer products, higher education, professional services, and private equity. Pat emails, “I was delighted to join Candy’s foursome for a fun day of golf with members of the Babson community and to hear about all of the exciting new initiatives at the school.”
Cheryl Quist has been named to the newly created position of executive director of the Petaluma Gap (Calif.) Winegrowers Alliance. She is working with the PGWA board to increase awareness of the Petaluma Gap as a premium growing region for viniferous grapes. Cheryl, who has worked with several other wineindustry groups, began her career in marketing and business development in the technology sector.
Robert Johnson emails, “In spring 2017, the entrepreneurial bug finally bit me. I founded Bennett Frank Associates, a consultancy that helps companies grow through customer intimacy. I’m learning a lot and having fun. Check out our website and let me know what you think.”
Robert Perille has been elected to the board of trustees of Lawrence University, his alma mater. He retired in 2015 from Shamrock Capital Advisors, a private equity firm focused on the communication, entertainment, and media industries.
Steve Keches recently joined Exceptional Leaders International, a team of C-level executives that offers guidance to businesses through periods of growth and transition. A manufacturing and supply-chain veteran, Steve will lead the firm’s operations practice in his new role. Previously, he served as president and CEO for Berkshire Manufactured Products.
Lynne Rosansky has been named interim provost and vice president of academic affairs at Bentley University in Waltham, Mass. Lynne has held numerous higher-education positions, among them founding president of Hult International Business School, dean of the University of New Haven College of Business, provost of SUNY’s Levin Institute, and interim provost of Franklin Pierce University. She also has served on the Babson faculty.
Paul Flynn has been appointed COO of BDC Capital, headquartered in Wakefield, Mass. He also serves as president and COO of New England Certified Development, BDC’s Small Business Administration 504 lending affiliate. Before joining BDC Capital, a private company that provides financing and investment capital for growing companies throughout New England, Paul was senior vice president at Berkshire Bank.
Thomas Needham has been appointed chief business officer for Merrimack Pharmaceuticals, based in Cambridge, Mass. Previously, Thomas served as senior vice president of business development at C4 Therapeutics and as managing director at Synthesis Capital.
Rick Fine has been named a principal and shareholder in Sensible Financial Planning and Management in Waltham, Mass. Rick started as a part-time intern with Sensible 14 years ago and rose through the ranks. He works directly with clients on their financial plans and is responsible for planning and implementing the firm’s internal processes and systems.
Marie Presti was named 2017 Realtor of the Year by the Greater Boston Association of Realtors (GBAR). The award recognizes outstanding volunteerism and industry work. In addition to running The Presti Group, an independent real-estate agency in Newton, Mass., Marie serves as the 2017 president-elect of GBAR. She serves on the association’s forms task force and is a member of the executive, mediation, and professional standards committees.
David Stern has joined Symbiomix, a biopharmaceutical company in Newark, N.J., as CEO. David has spent a 20-year career at firms developing and promoting women’s health and fertility treatments. Previously, he was chief commercial officer of Celmatix, and he is an independent board member of California Cryobank, a provider of reproductive services.
David Waddell was among the Memphis, Tenn., business leaders interviewed for a May 27 Commercial Appeal story, “Building a Black Middle Class.” David is founder of Waddell & Associates, a Memphis investment management firm. The article shares his ideas for creating and supporting a black middle class in the city. The story also reports that David is a founder of the Greater Memphis Chamber’s Chairman’s Circle, a group of local corporate leaders.
Rebecca Earlewine has joined Matrix Solutions, which provides a platform for managing advertising revenue, in the role of new business executive. Previously, Rebecca served as a senior account manager at Datel Software Solutions.
Rocco Braeuniger was named Australian country manager for Amazon, reports SmartCompany. Rocco has been with Amazon since 2006. He was previously head of consumables for Amazon in Germany.
Nate Curtis and his partners have opened one of the largest virtual-reality arcades in North America. Located in Tempe, Ariz., VR Junkies brings VR gaming and entertainment to consumers. Nate sees VR arcades as similar to video arcades in the 1980s. He emails, “High-end VR systems cost $3,000 and take up space. Until cost and size come down, there is a commercial window.” Nate adds that opportunities to use VR in education and therapy are promising. “We can put students anywhere in the world in VR. We can treat phobias and PTSD with VR, and this is just the beginning.
Kevin Krueger: See Sebastian Gomez Puerto, MBA’14.
Jason Jacobs: See Undergrads, Terry Trail ‘06.
Mihael Mikek is founder and CEO of Celtra, which recently announced a $15 million investment led by WPP and Unilever Ventures, giving Unilever access to Celtra’s cloud-based creative management platform. He incubated Celtra, which helps advertisers improve the quality and effectiveness of their digital advertising, in 2006 while at Babson.
Pamela Pantos, who recently was appointed executive director of the Newport Music Festival, emails, “The excitement surrounding the Newport Music Festival’s upcoming 50th anniversary is palpable, and I am delighted to lead the organization at this special time. It is an opportunity for me to leverage my experience in the arts, finance, festival management, and nonprofit worlds to craft and execute a yearlong celebration that honors the rich legacy of the festival and embraces today’s diverse classical music landscape. It is a new day for the festival, and we look forward to sharing it with the world.”
David St. Denis has been named chief operating operating officer of Admedus, a health-care company focusing on developing next-generation technologies. He previously led Merck’s commercial operations in Europe and Canada.
Melissa Waters has joined ridesharing company Lyft as vice president of marketing. Previously, Melissa served as vice president of brand and product marketing at Pandora.
Dave Mesicek emails, “I am excited to share that this spring we successfully launched Suns, a collection of sun-activated, colorchanging footwear on a mission to spread smiles. Over the spring semester, we partnered with Babson marketing professor Richard Hanna. Student groups from his digital marketing classes worked with us on marketing plans and content for Suns. Much of the students’ work is currently in use by the brand. We are thrilled with the outcome, and I am once again so proud to be a Babson alum.” Dave is shown holding a pair of Suns in Machu Picchu.
Isaac Van Wesep emails, “My company, Design by Educators, sells software to K-12 schools. The key is getting a beachhead school in a district and then expanding sales in that district. The process can take years, but the rewards are potentially huge. More than 90 percent of our 2016 schools are renewing, and we are on pace to double revenue in 2017. If other Babson alums out there are thinking of starting a K-12 business, drop me a line.”
Todd Hall, who serves as general manager of service sales for GE Healthcare, was one of three featured speakers in a July webinar sponsored by GE. The subject was managing risk and balancing cost and quality in health-care programs. Todd has spent many years developing medical maintenance and asset management programs.
Kathleen Belmonte emails, “In my role as vice president of clinical services for the nation’s leading dialysis provider, Fresenius Kidney Care, a part of Fresenius Medical Care North America, I draw on 20 years of health-care experience and my education at Babson. I recently co-authored a chapter in my company’s 2017 Annual Medical Report, in which I dive deeper into the importance of quality and safety in health care. It’s humbling to be recognized as an expert on the topic, but it’s equally rewarding to know I’m helping my organization strengthen its company-wide ‘culture of safety.’”
Dan Hermann is co-founder of Paint Nite, which hosts group painting events at bars, restaurants, and other venues. In September, Paint Nite, based in Somerville, Mass., was ranked 220th in the 2017 “Inc. 5000” list, which recognizes the fastest-growing firms in the U.S.
Marek Herrmann-Nowosielski has joined Heartland Water Technology, a company that addresses wastewater challenges, as senior vice president for product management. He was previously senior vice president of technology at Oasys Water.
Puru Trivedi was featured in The Washington Diplomat for his work with the U.S.-India bilateral relationship. The Meridian International Center, for which Puru serves as director of corporate relations, held a forum for business and cultural leaders from the two countries, including Indian ambassador to the U.S. Navtej Sarna and member of parliament Shashi Tharoor. At the forum, Puru moderated a panel on the convergence of innovation, expanding workforces, and opportunity. Puru emails, “The Meridian Corporate Council remains the premier way for the world’s top companies to engage with the diplomatic corps in Washington.”
Leigh Cole emails, “In late January 2017, my husband, Ron Vinluan (left), and I launched Smushed Organics, a service delivering fresh, homemade, organic baby food in the New York and New Jersey area. Every week, Smushed Organics provides new, interesting flavor combinations, such as pears and roasted figs with olive oil and quinoa, and green peas, zucchini, and fresh mint. At the 2017 New York Baby Show, Smushed Organics was one of five businesses selected (from almost 200) as a ‘blogger favorite,’ voted on by 75 distinguished baby- and family-product bloggers.”
Among the many alumni, faculty, administrators, and friends who turned out for the July launch of Babson’s new expansion into Miami were (from left) Kevin Krueger, MBA’04; the College’s chief administrative officer, Katherine Craven; Babson vice president of strategic corporate relations and engagement Kevin Sullivan; and Sebastian Gomez Puerto, MBA’14. The College’s presence in Miami will bring its top-ranked graduate programs to Miami’s thriving innovative ecosystem. Sebastian emails, “Miami is an amazing place for entrepreneurs to call home, with a collaborative and dynamic entrepreneurial community. Babson is now positioned to be a part of it. It was inspiring to attend the launch event with so many members of the Babson family.”
Peter Eisenman (second from left) participated in a Babson San Francisco panel that also included marketing professor Anirudh Dhebar, Michael Papay ’98, and management professor Allan Cohen. Peter is VP of enterprise sales and partnerships for Stratim. Michael is CEO and co-founder of Waggl. The panel was part of a program offered in collaboration with INCAE Business School of Nicaragua and Costa Rica, designed to provide insights into the changing world of global business for senior executives from Central America. Peter emails, “I enjoyed sharing my experiences with my counterparts from Central America and describing how entrepreneurship is never a straight line from A to Z.”
Rahul Maheshwari co-founded Levo, a Bengaluru-based startup whose app helps travelers connect with one another during downtime at the airport, according to a May article in the Hindu BusinessLine. Levo enables its members to meet offline, especially in airport lounges or on flights, to help build communities of like-minded people.
Annie Feldman, Daniel Budnik, MBA’17, and Courtney Wilson, MBA’17, were among the applicants chosen to take part in the 2017 MassChallenge Boston accelerator. Annie is a co-founder of Gems Boxes, which will provide remotely unlockable stations stocked with life-saving supplies such as naloxone and EpiPens. Daniel is the cocreator of DentalTor, a dental device that makes dental treatment quicker and more comfortable. Courtney’s DropZone for Veterans is a directory of benefits available to veterans.
Sanjeeve Martyn emails, “Classmates from the 2016 MBA program met at Felipe’s Taqueria in Cambridge, Mass., for an informal oneyear reunion and had a blast! Attendees included Siddharth Astir, Marielle De Blois, Chris Dowd, Alison Henry, Pooja Prasanna Kumar, Linh Le, Jonathan Lee, Bryanne Leeming, Gaurav Makkar, Kartik Mathur, Ronak Mehta, Kara O’Keefe, Nidhi Parikh, Suraj Patel, Varun Ramdevan, Hector SanchezCano, Anil Sarode, Isabella Soto, Garima Thakker, and Shaun Tham.”
Rich Palmer (left) emails, “Gravyty, an artificial intelligence and machine learning company that Adam Martel, MBA’18, and I started at Babson, continues to thrive. We have secured an additional round of funding, allowing us to scale our solutions, which primarily help nonprofit organizations fundraise and sell more intelligently. We recently released First Draft, which uses AI to auto-draft emails for donor personalization at scale. The product has received acclaim from the industry, including notable clients such as Yale, Yeshiva, and Lahey Hospital. Additionally, we are thrilled to be hosting a Babson MCFE group this fall.”
Liz Sullivan has been named executive director of Brighton (Mass.) Main Streets, accredited by the National Main Street Center, which addresses challenges facing historic downtowns. The center’s Main Street America program fosters partnerships between residents and local businesses to promote neighborhood growth. Liz previously worked at Babson as a senior digital marketing manager. She emails, “The entrepreneurial mindset and hands-on education I gained at Babson prepared me well for this new role. I’m lucky to have the opportunity to put my education and experience to work for my community. Brighton’s greatest asset is its people.”
Randall Ussery: See Undergrad, Sameer Patel ’96.
Daniel Budnik: See Annie Feldman, MBA’16.
Ross Chesnick and John Kluge were recognized by Poets & Quants in its third annual “Best & Brightest MBAs” feature in May. John and Ross were honored for their role in creating a social innovation track within Babson’s MBA program.
Flora Ekpe-Idang and Courtney Wilson (also see Annie Feldman, MBA’16) were named to Poets & Quants’ list of “100 MBAs to Watch in the Class of 2017” in August. Flora is the founder of Corage Dolls, a multicultural doll company. Courtney founded DropZone for Veterans, a directory of benefits available to veterans. Both participated in Babson’s WIN Lab accelerator.
Caleb Singer is the cofounder of a new app called ForkOut, which helps simplify the process of making group dining plans. ForkOut combines messaging, restaurant choices, and geographic location in one app for both users and restaurants, which can gather data through the app to tailor promotions and marketing. Caleb emails, “I saw a niche for this product, which enhances both the dining experience and the restaurant’s revenue.” An Army veteran who served several combat tours in Iraq, Caleb is shown in Amsterdam, where he participated in a multinational airborne jump to commemorate WWII’s Operation Market Garden.
Growing up in the Boston suburb of Belmont, Joe Winn, MBA’74, P’15, fondly recalls being exposed to the world of international business as a child. His father, a banker, attended Harvard Business …
This fall, Babson alumni, students, faculty, staff, family, and friends reunited at Back to Babson. The weekend featured many highlights, including fun activities at the Tent, sporting events, and class parties. On Friday evening, Babson held its annual Celebrating Achievements in Entrepreneurial Thought & Action, honoring the Alumni Entrepreneur Hall of Fame (AEHOF) inductee and recipients of the Rising Star award. During the weekend, President Kerry Healey led groundbreaking ceremonies for two exciting campus expansion projects, the Weissman Foundry and the Babson Recreation and Athletics Center. We also held our first Volunteer Forum to celebrate our extraordinary volunteers and provide them with access to Babson’s senior leaders and tools for enhancing their volunteer efforts with us. Thank you to all!—Elizabeth Atwater, senior manager, thought leadership content; photos by Paige Brown and Justin Knight
Festivities began on Friday with the half-century class of 1967 visiting campus and lunching with President Healey at her home.
The Rising Stars were honored: (third from left) Yousef Al-Humaidhi ’15, Maria del Mar Gomez ’16, and Emily Levy ’16, co-founders of Mighty Well; Leon Logothetis ’99 of his eponymous company; and Daniel Dalet ’03, co-founder of SoloCoco. Also shown are (from left) Cheryl Kiser, executive director of The Lewis Institute; Candida Brush, P’14, vice provost of global entrepreneurial leadership; President Healey; Debi Kleiman, executive director of the Blank Center; and Susan Duffy, executive director of the Center for Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership.
Photo: Justin Knight & Paige Brown
Winners of the Volunteer Leadership Awards were celebrated by the Babson community: (back row, from left) Dan Marques ’07; Howard Brown ’88; Oliver Brandt; John Chaimanis, MBA’07; Marco Gargurevich, MBA’01; Professor Richard Bliss; George Recck ’82, MBA’84, lecturer; Elizabeth Powell, MBA’76, P’01; Dave Barber ’81, P’16, ’17; Dorie Barber, P’16, ’17; Leticia Stallworth ’99, MBA’13; Professor Joe Weintraub; (front row, from left) Kristin Lorenzo, MBA’08; Martin Lewit, MBA’08; Richard Snyder ’60, H’94, P’93, ’01; President Healey; and Board-Chair Marla Capozzi, MBA’96.
Cyril Camus ’91 (center), chairman and CEO of Camus Groupe SA and a Global Advisory Board member, was the AEHOF inductee. He is shown with GAB members (from left) Greg Burrill, P’04, ’04, ’06; Elsie Burrill, P’04, ’04, ’06; Ingrid Prasatya, P’19; Gudmundur Kjaernested ’91; President Healey; Elizabeth Powell, MBA’76, P’01; Richard Snyder ’60, H’94, P’93, ’01; Marilyn Snyder, MBA’80, P’93; Dorie Barber, P’16, ’17; and Dave Barber ’81, P’16, ’17.
Danielle Sandahl ’12 and Adam Urban were wed on June 10 at Kalmar Village in North Truro, Mass. Danielle emails, “We had a beautiful ceremony at the water’s edge, followed by a lobster bake and epic dance party.” Other Babson alumni who joined in the festivities were Antonio Lopez ’09, MBA’13; Cori Allen ’12; Haya Alzaid ’12, MBA’16; Joshua Bennett ’14; and Allie Schiffer ’15.
Sarah Switlik and Alexander Brooks, both ’11, were married on May 6 at Hudson Farm in Andover, N.J. Among the 23 Babson alumni who shared in the celebration were bridesmaids Alyssa Sullivan ’11 and Sara Chizek ’10 and groomsmen Yates Campbell ’11 and Michael Zukas ’11. Spencer Hughes ’12 served as officiant.
Nicole Latini ’12 married Ramiro Torres on June 17 at the Mirbeau Inn in Plymouth, Mass. Babson graduates in attendance were Jessica Pashos ’12 and bridesmaid Megan Brain ’13. Nicole shared in an email, “The best part of the celebration was having our 2-week-old daughter, Lucy Elizabeth Torres, present for the ceremony.”
Abby Speicher, MBA’15, married Michael Carroll on Jan. 7. The couple took a cruise from Miami and were wed in Nassau, Bahamas. Babson friends in attendance were Lisbet Crowley, Evie Barber Merrill, May Thisyamondol Wong, and Nick Wong, all MBA’15.
Prescott Crafts of San Diego, Calif., died June 30. He served as director of international programs at Babson.
Laura Godtfredsen of Wellesley died May 1. She taught political science at Babson for more than 30 years.
David O’Connor of Newton, Mass., died Aug. 22. At the time of his death, he was serving as a Babson police officer. He was a member of the public safety department for 15 years.
Lucille Van Baars of Needham died May 29. A longtime Babson employee, she received the Nan Langowitz Women Who Make a Difference Award in 1996.
Adelaide Van Winkle of Boca Raton, Fla., and Mystic, Conn., died Aug. 27. The widow of Arthur Van Winkle ’32, she was a longtime friend and supporter of the College. She served as an overseer, hosted Babson events in Florida and Connecticut, and had a successful career in real estate. Survivors include granddaughters Kristen Cunningham Kime ’90 and Heidi Watkins Helwig ’96.
George Ackerman ’42 of Los Angeles, Calif., died April 21. He served as a naval aviator during World War II and retired as vice president of sales from Vicro Manufacturing at 70.
William Bradley ’47 of Shamokin, Pa., died May 16. An Army veteran who served in World War II, he owned the Yoch Bakery for more than 30 years.
Edward Grace ’49 of Gouldsboro, Maine, died May 11. After serving in the Army during World War II, he worked as a consulting management engineer.
Brucks Hall ’49 of Houston died May 2. He worked as a mortgage banker and taught Sunday school for more than 55 years.
John Legg ’49 of St. Simons Island, Ga., died June 1. He served in the Air Force and later opened his own business. Survivors include his stepson, Joseph Shortlidge, MBA’03.
Richard Smith ’51 of West Dennis, Mass., and Longboat Key, Fla., died May 19. A Navy veteran, he owned and operated Franklin Lumber for more than 30 years.
Edward Traub ’51 of Millington and Long Beach Island, N.J., died June 13. He served in the Navy during World War II and worked in various sales and marketing roles for A. Gross and its successor companies.
William Waldeisen ’51 of Williamsport, Pa., died June 9. He served in the Army during the Korean War. He had a long career at Trimtex, eventually rising to the position of president and director.
Milton Heath ’53 of Scottsdale, Ariz., died June 20. An Army veteran, he spent more than 60 years working in the natural gas industry.
James Kuh ’54 of La Quinta, Calif., died May 28. An Air Force veteran who served in the Korean War, he had a long career in estate planning and life insurance.
David Jennings ’56 of New Canaan, Conn., died March 13. He was an investment banker.
Kirk LaVigne ’56 of Shreveport, La., died Aug. 13. An Army veteran, he was active in the Shreveport Chamber of Commerce.
William Whitescarver ’56 of Ruxton, Md., died Feb. 6. He was an Army veteran.
Lloyd Anthony ’57 of Wayland, Mass., died June 17. He served in the Navy during the Korean War and spent a 37-year career with BayBank (now Bank of America).
Aaron Silverman ’58 of Townsend, Del., died Aug. 8. Survivors include his daughter Cheryl Dorenfeld ’82.
Eugene Fleming, MBA’59, of Durham, N.C., died July 8. A former Army officer and a Korean War veteran, he was employed in the civil service at New Cumberland Army Depot before his retirement.
Gayton Holmes ’59 of Woodstock, Ga., died July 12. A Coast Guard veteran, he worked in the family business, T.B. Holmes & Sons, selling construction equipment.
Edward Shulkin ’59 of Enfield, N.H., died March 27. He was a founding partner and president of GiftCard Partners.
Richard Olsen, MBA’60, of Boston died July 21. A Navy veteran, he worked at Boston College, Massachusetts General Hospital, and medical laser company Candela.
Fredric Woogmaster ’60 of Plainfield, Vt., died Sept. 26, 2016.
Neil Lande ’61 of Houston died Dec. 19, 2016.
Dennis O’Leary ’61 of Norwood, Mass., died March 24. He served with Air Force intelligence.
Barry Nickerson ’63 of Georgetown, Texas, died June 12. He worked for Liberty Mutual and served as CIO for the New Haven, Conn., Knights of Columbus.
Michael Hanna ’65 of Bradenton, Fla., died Aug. 1. He was affiliated with his family’s business, Ken’s Steakhouse, in Framingham, Mass.
Francis Tezzi ’66 of Yarmouth Port, Mass., died June 5. He was a financial analyst at IBM for 38 years.
Nelson Miller ’68 of Stuart, Fla., died June 20.
Darius Franche ’70 of Lake Geneva, Wis., died June 2. He founded Paint Chip, a manufacturer of protective coatings, and invented the Handy Hopper pet food dispenser.
Richard Finigan, MBA’72, of Naples, Fla., died on July 4. An Army veteran, he worked at various tech companies, including Prime Computer, Viewlogic Systems, and PADS software.
Joseph Russo, MBA’72, of Osterville, Mass., died July 7. He worked for many years in the spirits industry, eventually serving as president and managing director of Todhunter Mitchell.
Robert Waters ’72 of Somerville, Mass., died June 19. He served in the Army during the Vietnam War and later worked as a CPA.
Thomas Coveney, MBA’73, of Malden, Mass., died Aug. 2. He was a computer specialist and programmer for various insurance companies, including Delta Dental.
John Tilton ’74 of New York City died May 7. He was an art dealer who helped launch the careers of several contemporary artists. Survivors include son Robert Tilton ’09.
Kathleen Sevigny, MBA’75, of Dover, Mass., died May 7. A CPA, she was a founding faculty member of Bridgewater State University’s accounting and finance program.
Clinton Beaven, MBA’80, of Peabody, Mass., died June 22. He worked for many years as an engineer at Hewlett-Packard.
Richard Nurge ’83 of East Hartland, Conn., died July 8. He had a 30-year career in sales.
Debra Anderson ’84 of Tampa, Fla., died June 23.
Matthew Shapiro ’08 of Los Angeles died June 14.
John Carter ’13 of Ann Arbor, Mich., died June 9. He was a software engineer who founded Recovery Management Technology.
