leadership fall 2009

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LeadershipThe Magazine of WesTMinsTer College

Fall 2009

contentsfall2009

Features

10 you can Do anything... Your Westminster degree can take you around the globe.

16 Wizard of Wine Success built on extraordinary customer service.

19 alumni Weekend 2009 recap Legends, legacies and leaders bring alumni back to campus.

22 creating Legacies Planning now to benefit the future.

25 Blue Jay across the usa! Life is a highway...with Westminster connections at every stop.

In every issue...

2 President’s column

4 campus news

9 Blue Jay trivia

30 class notes

36 Wedding album

38 Baby Blue Jays

39 in Loving memory

41 Last impression

Leadership magazine • Fall 2009

Leadership is published twice a year submit suggestions and comments to: [email protected] if you are interested in advertising in Leadership please contact the office of Development at (573) 592-5370

Kris lensmeyer, executive Director of alumni & college relations rob crouse, Director of college relations melanie barger, alumni & college relations coordinator jeni WHiTTingTon, alumni & college relations coordinator gina campagna, alumni & college relations coordinator Dale ley iii, graphic DesignerDaK Dillon, james fasHing & Dale ley iii, photographers

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PresiDent’scolumn

Dear Friend of Westminster:

A s we start a new academic year at the College, how great it is to be able to report to you that Westminster is on the move. Our theme for this

year is “Exceeding Expectations,” and we are already seeing amazing results.

Through most of July, two of our recent graduates and two current students traveled by van on the College’s first ever cross country road trip called the Blue Jay Across the USA Tour. They brought their enthusiastic love for Westminster to 19 cities in 18 days, engaging alumni, parents, students,

and prospective students at events all along the way. I want to thank all our alumni and friends who helped make this tour such a success by offering hospitality to the road crew and attending the events. You are truly living the Westminster mission.

Also this summer, Jane and I had the pleasure of traveling to Civil War sites in the South with a group of our alumni on what was probably the best President’s Trip ever organized. This trip was spectacular because we had former Westminster professor and historian Bill Parrish and HelenSue along as our co-hosts. Bill made these historic

places come to life with his insightful background knowledge.

We are also exceeding national expectations at Westminster. We have a long tradition of academic excellence and national education authorities continue to recognize that excellence. The Princeton Review just named Westminster one of the best colleges and universities in the Midwest for the eighth year in a row. Forbes magazine recently ranked Westminster as the Top Value College in Missouri and one of the Top 150 colleges or universities in the nation. U.S.News & World Report also named Westminster one of the Best Liberal Arts Colleges in America.

I am happy to report we are meeting the challenges of a struggling economy as well. We have been able to meet our budget, thanks to the financial support of many of you, and record enrollment for the tenth straight year. In addition, we are in the midst of intensive strategic planning to ensure the College has a healthy financial future.

2 LeaDershiP fall 2009

This Leadership edition will show you some of the exciting ways our successful alumni are applying their Westminster degrees to make major contributions to the areas where they live and work. You will learn about the Churchill Institute and its role in the College’s future. You will discover how the Churchill Memorial on campus was elevated to national status with its new designation—the National Churchill Museum. You will hear about our record breaking class and enrollment.

With all of these events taking place, it is easy to understand why all of us want to be at Westminster…why we thrive on being at Westminster. We want you to be here as well. Please plan to join us for the Symposium, Alumni Weekend, or any of the other great events taking place on campus this year. I want the opportunity to connect with every one of our alumni.

As you can see, “Exceeding Expectations” is not just a catchy slogan here at Westminster. We are living up to that goal in a multitude of areas. We want to exceed your expectations as well, so let us hear from you. Come see us on campus; we want you to be a part of the exciting future ahead for Westminster.

Go Blue Jays!

Barney Forsythe, Ph.D.President

WWW.WesTminsTer-mo.eDu 3

camPusneWs


Hjalma johnson, former president of the american bankers association, was a huge hit with his entertaining ibm lecture april 21 on leadership in the current financial environment.

carol bellamy, former executive Director of unicef, challenged Westminster students in her keynote

address at the symposium on Democracy to fight poverty wherever they find themselves.


pandemic disease expert Dr. nathan Wolfe from stanford university opened the two-day fourth

annual symposium on Democracy september 22, a series of lectures, presentations and panel discussions

on the subject of “global Health: Who cares?”

lynne olson, noted churchill author and first woman correspondent for the ap bureau in moscow, delivered the annual Kemper lecture april 26 in the church of st. mary the virgin, aldermanbury.

The research and presentation of 180 Westminster students from 15 different departments were showcased before the entire college community at the 2nd annual undergraduate scholars forum april 15.

(insert below) students participate in poster presentations.

camPusneWs

featured commencement speaker for the 2009 graduation may 9 was Dr. phil geier (left with Westminster president forsythe), executive Director of the Davis united World college scholars program.

graduates jason Warncke and gina campagna were named seniors of the year.

Westminster faculty process to the traditional

columns ceremony.

graduates patrick clark and peter frank walk through the columns.


graduates join in the traditional cap toss celebration following the may 9

commencement exercises.

rev. charles Dreyer ‘57, retired presbyterian pastor, delivered inspiration to graduates at baccalaureate, with the

theme “The Whole World in His Hands.”

athletes of the year (left to right) andrew Darkow (tennis), abby stuck (basketball) and jason Warncke (basketball).


camPusneWsleadership team changes, (from left) Dr. bob Hansen, interim vice president and Dean of student life; Dr. carolyn perry, vice president for academic affairs and Dean of faculty; Terry bowmaster, vice president for business and finance; Dr. john comerford, interim vice president for institutional advancement.

students were welcomed back to campus this year with a Rock The Hill celebration

filled with live music, prizes, food and fun.

as the year begins with the 10th straight year of record enrollment, the largest Westminster freshman class in history

takes its traditional walk at the columns ceremony. The school has now reached its goal of over 1,000 students.

(insert above) new students attending convocation received words of advice from Westminster alumna Dr. elizabeth malm-batsi, ’01, on making Westminster the experience of a lifetime.


BLueJayTrivia

W estminster not only creates leaders in the classroom but leaders on the field as well. Today, over 300 student-athletes participate in intercollegiate athletics at Westminster, representing

30% of our student population. They compete on the Division iii level of the national collegiate athletic association and in the st. louis intercollegiate athletic conference. Westminster truly has a proud tradition of student-athletic competition. but how much do you actually know about our blue jay athletes? now is your opportunity to find out with this latest edition of blue jay Trivia. you can check your answers at the bottom of the page and learn more about our rich history in athletics.

1. in what year did Westminster begin playing football again?

2. The career scoring leader in Westminster women’s basketball is now an athletic administrator at north carolina. Who is she?

3. What former blue jay athlete coached two national champion teams and three olympic teams and now has his name on the court in Historic Westminster gym?

4. Which athletic team has won the most st. louis intercollegiate athletic conference titles?

5. This former olympian coached cross-country, golf, swimming and diving, and track and field at Westminster. Who is he?

6. Who is Westminster’s only individual national champion?

7. Which athletic team won the school’s first sliac tournament title?

8. The Westminster college baseball field is named after this former blue jay and professional player. Who is he?

9. Who is the first blue jay student-athlete to earn cosiDa academic all-america honors?

10. This record holding blue jay baseball player is currently coaching women’s collegiate fast-pitch softball. Who is he?

ansWers1. 1996 (the program was dropped after the 1931 season) 2. amy schaeperkoetter-Herman ‘98 3. Henry iba ‘28 4. men’s Tennis (9) 5. coach Dick ault 6. Keith journey ‘79 (ncaa Division iii long jump champion, 1977) 7. Women’s softball (1991) 8. frank saucier ‘48 9. Katie Zagar ‘99 (1998, Third-Team, soccer) 10. ehren earleywine ‘94


Macris, Gusewelle, caMeron, ursitti, ottinG, sherill, Jacobson, coppenGer, hildebrand and Meeks.

Unfamiliar? These are just some of the names of Westminster alumni who have significantly shaped our nation and our world. And while you may not have immediately recognized the names of these influential alums, you certainly recognize the prestige and reputation for academic excellence associated with Westminster itself. Current students, faculty, staff and alumni know well the value and significance of an education here. But they often fail to recognize that Westminster is so great because of its people who live the Westminster experience and enjoy its sense of community. The students of Westminster College are the inspiration and driving force for this thriving institution. However, it is the alumni that ultimately give Westminster its outstanding reputation throughout the world. From the first graduating class in 1855 to the alums of 2009, Westminster has carried a proud tradition of successful graduates-graduates who have traveled the world, possibly unaware of their contribution to Westminster’s reputation. This article will take a glimpse at just a few of the many great alumni of Westminster College


dean Macristhe architect

Dean Macris graduated from Westminster College in 1953 with a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and obtained an MA in City Planning from the University of Illinois. After spending time as a planning consultant for the California Academy of Science’s museum and facilities, Macris eventually went on to work as San Francisco Planning Director and continued under four consecutive mayors, from 1980 to 1992. Consequently, Macris became renowned as the architect of the San Francisco skyline, as he redefined the status quo for high rise apartments and office buildings in 1984 with his progressive Downtown Plan. During his term, Macris erected nearly 30 million square feet of office space and ushered in the largest real estate boom San Francisco had seen in over 50 years. In 2004, he was actually called back to the job to fill the Planning Director position on an interim basis while San Francisco was short about two dozen civil planners and searching for a full-time director. Currently, Macris is still on staff at the Planning Department. It is clearly a labor of love, as Macris has been scrutinized and placed in a scene of heavy politicization in regard to San Francisco’s booming development.

Although he is widely known and credited for the success of the city’s downtown plan and an influential zoning package that is acclaimed by urban planners nationwide, Macris was once criticized for pushing for taller, more striking buildings and running a bureaucracy that catered to big business at the expense of environmental quality. However, as Macris pointed out in an interview for USA Today, “In San Francisco, oftentimes tall buildings become political statements rather than a building form.” In the 1920s, three 400-foot-tall buildings caused a political stir (the San Remo towers and the Beresford), and forty years later, the Transamerica Pyramid and 52-story Bank of America Center did just the same. Macris has always pushed for higher-density and taller buildings in order to encourage more ecology-friendly mass transit systems throughout the city and create more residential spaces, which are badly needed in San Francisco. Ultimately, Macris is an artist and a friend to San Franciscans and their environment. He’s left some pretty big shoes to fill for the next Planning Director, but he or she can

always find the Westminster alum for some valuable advice and tips from experience.

charles Gusewellethe columnist

In 1955, Charles Gusewelle (better known as C.W. Gusewelle) graduated from Westminster with a bach-elor’s degree in English and joined the Kansas City Star as a reporter. Not surprising, Gusewelle was an editor for The Columns newspaper right here on campus. Within a few years, Gusewelle became a well known and prolific

columnist for The Star. In 1963, Gusewelle traveled to the South to investigate growing racial unrest, discrimi-nation and the terrorism and tragedies that followed. Civil rights demonstrations and waves of violence took hold of a nation, and brutality and aggression in the South took the lives of citizens. Gusewelle wrote and published nearly forty articles that year that were at once objective, provocative, and ultimately, eye-opening.

Three years later, his continued efforts were returned when his column was moved to the editorial page and in 1976, Gusewelle was promoted to Foreign Editor. He left the foreign editorship in 1979 to become associate editor and columnist for the paper. Since then, Gusewelle has maintained his productivity and creativity as one of the most renowned and celebrated columnists for The Star. He was named daily columnist of the year by the Missouri Press Association in 1984, 1985, and 1987. He has traveled extensively on assignment for The Star in Latin America, Africa, the Middle East, west Europe, east Europe, and the former Soviet Union. With a dozen books and fifty years of journalistic integrity under his belt, and a handful of documentaries and live productions to his credit, Gusewelle is an inexhaustible source of inspired fiction and artistic non-fiction alike. It was no surprise when he was inducted into the Writers Hall of Fame of America in 2000 or the Missouri Press Association Newspaper Hall of Fame at its 141st annual convention in 2007. He has been heralded by newspapers, authors


and screenwriters across the nation and, to this day, continues his prolificacy in all venues.

w. bruce caMeronthe writer

W. Bruce Cameron, class of 1978, has become a national sensation. His career took off in 1995 with an online humor column, which quickly gained national attention. Within a few years, Cameron was one of the most popular humorists on the internet. His popularity continued to snowball when he published his first book in

2001, 8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter. A year later, the book was converted into a television series for ABC starring John Ritter, Katey Segal and David Spade. In 2005, Cameron’s humor column celebrated its 10th anniversary with over 42,000 subscribers, 8 Simple Rules (the television series) concluded, and Cameron published another bestseller, How to Remodel a Man. During his fast-paced career, Cameron has been seen on Oprah, The Today Show, Good Morning America, CBS Early Show, FOX News, CNN, Anderson Cooper, John Walsh, Wayne Brady, and many other local and cable television shows. His humor column is now online and in syndicated newspapers everywhere, and his most recent book, How to Remodel a Man, is being turned into a television series as well.

chris ursittithe studio owner

Chris Ursitti graduated in 1983 with a bachelor’s degree in performing arts. Today, Ursitti is an owner of L.A. Center Studios in downtown Los Angeles. The full-service studio has been the site for many blockbuster movies such as the new Planet of the Apes, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, Mission

Impossible II, Charlie’s Angels, John Travolta’s Numbers, and Bounce starring Ben Affleck and Gwyneth Paltrow. The building itself has even appeared on the big screen. Because of its modern look, inside and out, the lobbies and lavish executive offices have been used in a number of movies.

Yet the L.A. Center Studios building is more than just a great view. It is one of the most technically advanced and progressive full-service studio buildings in Los Angeles—not to mention the first major film studio built downtown since 1920. Once the Unocal headquarters office, the building has been turned into a state of the art facility for filmmakers, television producers, music videos and commercial artists alike. With six brand new soundstages (and 8 more on the way) and complete fiber optic communications, L.A. Center Studios can’t be beat. But why the choice of downtown Los Angeles? Location, location, location. Ursitti realized that preferred film locations in L.A. were concentrated in downtown scenes and wanted to provide an “on-location” venue for filming. And that decision has led to Ursitti owning one of the top studios in L.A. Banquets, film screenings, game releases, events, night clubs, theater, television series—you name it—L.A. Center Studios does it. They’ve hosted star-studded events for every occasion and continue to expand as Hollywood invests in Ursitti’s dream. Today, L.A. Center Studios has leased out over 25,000 square feet of office space with major corporations like Entertainment Industry Development Corporation (EIDC), Promotional Partners, Creative Kingdom, and Mice Creative. It is the location for many television programs such as “CSI: Miami,” “NUMB3RS,” “The West Wing,” “ER,” “Blue Collar TV,” and much more.

Though Ursitti is undeniably a Hollywood mogul, the fame hasn’t made him “go Hollywood.” Recently, Ursitti hosted an event at his studios for his Delta Tau Delta brothers. For many, memories from college days are fond (and always good for a chuckle). What better way to say thank you for all those memories than hosting a reminiscent gathering? Ursitti’s success and kindness are true hallmarks of a Westminster graduate.

Ursitti took other lessons from Westminster to heart as well—the wide range of knowledge and experience gained from a liberal arts education and the commitment


to make a difference in the world. In recent years, he has begun making his mark in fields far removed from the Hollywood scene. In 2006, he co-founded a construction development company to build homes in the Pacific Palisades. Out of this grew his interest in the “green” sector. In 2008, he became Chief Executive Officer and managing partner of GreenHouse, an alternative green energy company based in San Diego. The company is the exclusive distributor for E-Fuel100, MicroFuele100TM, the world’s first non-combustible ethanolmicrorefining system that combines fuel delivery systems with an ethanol production unit. These combination pump-stations and ethanol distillers are installed in homes and businesses by the GreenHouse distribution teams where occupants make ethanol fuel for their vehicles. After an inexpensive conversion kit is installed, any vehicle after 1991 can run on the ethanol product in addition to gasoline. The organic fuel produced is made from carbohydrate waste, algae and cellulose, rather than the typical Midwestern corn-based ethanol. On June 4, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger joined GreenHouse officials to unveil the final production model of the microfueler and to announce a state pilot plan to test it on state flex-fuel vehicles.

Whether it be the arts or the environment, Ursitti has established himself as a strong and innovative leader.

Jennifer ottinGthe traveler

Jennifer Otting graduated from Westminster in 1993 with a bachelor’s degree in English and immediately took her degree and spirit of service around the world. She joined the Peace Corps, as a volunteer in The Gambia, West Africa for two years. Dave Collins, Professor of English and long-time friend of the Ottings, recalls an amusing anecdote when Jenny returned after years in The Gambia. “When Jenny came back from Africa, she came by the house to say ‘hi’ and talked with my wife and me for an hour or so. She wanted to ‘do something’ with her hair and got the name of my wife’s hairdresser in Columbia. When she went to him, Steve told her ‘Your hair is a mess! What have you been doing?’ Jenny told him that she had been washing it in a river for two years. Steve laughed, thinking she was joking. He quickly realized that she was not.”

After volunteering in Africa, Jenny received her master’s degree in International Relations at School for International Training in Brattleboro, Vermont (a school that works with former Peace Corps volunteers). Jenny spent two more years in the U.S. working with immigrant families and a school for underprivileged children just outside of Boston, Massachusetts. But, as rich and as rewarding as it was, Jenny couldn’t stay for long. Her desire to travel and lend a hand to a world in need led her to Cuba, Nepal, China, India, Romania, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Syria, Jordan, Egypt, France, Italy, England and, if you can believe it, many more destinations. Teaching, however, one of the most difficult and most rewarding positions there is has become Jenny’s way to give back to the global community. Today, Jenny is an English Language Teacher at Koç University in Istanbul, Turkey.

dr. Michael p. williaMsthe pastor

Serving the spiritual needs of people has been the life’s work of Dr. Michael P. Williams, a third generation Baptist pastor. A 1973 Westminster graduate, he has taken his ministry to 37 states, three continents and the Middle East. He holds a Master of Divinity degree from Yale University and a Doctor of Ministry degree

from Southern Methodist University. He has served as Senior Pastor for East End Baptist Tabernacle in Bridgeport, Connecticut, Antioch Missionary Baptist Church of Christ in Houston, Texas, and JOY Baptist Tabernacle in Houston for 35 years. As the Founding Pastor of JOY, he led an historic relocation of that church in the heart of the inner city. He is also the founder of HOPE for Houston, Inc., a not-for-profit agency serving at-risk young people and their families.

Known as a powerful motivational speaker, Williams has spoken from pulpits, on college campuses and at conventions in all parts of the United States. His daily radio program, aired for over a decade, was the most listened to radio broadcast in the African American religious community. He still ministers through his


weekly television program, “A Celebration of Joy.” In 1994, he was inducted into the Martin Luther King, Jr. Board of Preachers at Morehouse College as a “Distinguished Preacher whose proclamation and community service exemplifies the social ministry of Dr. Martin Luther, King, Jr.”

stephanie sherillthe food critic

In a totally different milieu, Stephanie (Foust) Sherill is making a name for herself as the food critic and chef in Shanghai for Enjoy Shanghai, an organization that offers entertainment advice and resources. A 1995 Westminster graduate, she recently completed a course in economics in transition in Prague, Czech Republic,

and Budapest offered by the Technology University in Helsinki, Finland. This international study program is part of her course work toward her master of business administration degree and certificate in management of information systems at Northeastern University in Boston. She is also coordinating all International Summer Study Programs at the University. Previously, she traveled internationally as a member of the Up With People cast and later taught English in Morelia, Mexico. She plans to complete her degree this summer.

dr. david Jacobsonthe physicist

Dr. David Jacobson, a 1990 Westminster graduate, has been recognized by the Arthur S. Flemming Awards Commission with the Arthur S. Flemming Award in Applied Science and Mathematics. This award is given to public servants for their extraordinary contribution to the federal government and is recognized by the President of the United States, agency executives, and the private sector. Jacobson was recognized for his accomplishments and leadership as a physicist in the Ionizing Radiation Division at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in Gaithersburg, Maryland. His work has led to the development and application of cutting edge neutron metrology

techniques that address key technical barriers to the development of robust and efficient hydrogen fuel cells. He has played a leading role in developing the world’s most advanced neutron imaging station to study water transport in fuel cells. NIST and the Department of Commerce are conducting crucial research at the facility to develop alternative power sources for the future, an area of high national priority.

eric coppenGerthe conservationist

Soon after graduation from Westminster in 1997, Eric Coppenger launched his commitment to conservation and development in Africa as a Peace Corps volunteer living in a wildlife reserve in western Uganda. He worked with communities and the government wildlife authority to develop tourism in Katonga and actively

engage the communities in conservation practices. Due to the insecurity of the area, he was evacuated in 1999 and moved to Washington, D.C. where he began working with the Environmental Law Institute to develop African environmental policy and train judges and advocates to implement the policies. Later he moved to Earth Day Network as Director of Program Development and helped revitalize its global network in 186 countries with new programs, a new structure, and a new fundraising operation which grew from revenues his first year of less than $300,000 to over $11 million by the time he left to join his present company Conservation International (CI). Coppenger is Director of Resource Strategy for CI, a global organization that focuses on science, partnership, and field demonstration that empowers societies to utilize nature for the well being of humanity. In this position, he mobilizes the resources to assist the organization’s programs and African partners. Much of CI’s work is focused on helping African communities and governments deal with climate change. CI helps these communities develop more adaptive economies and protect ecosystems that are key to buffering the effects.


leiGh hildebrandthe advisor

A tour of our nation’s Capitol reveals another Westminster alum in a key position. Leigh Hildebrand ’97 serves as the Assistant Parliamentarian for the United States Senate. In this position, she advises the presiding officer of the Senate on all aspects of Senate procedure and interprets the standing rules and orders, relevant

constitutional and statutory provisions, precedents, and unanimous consent agreements. She has also been selected for the 111th Congress Stennis Congressional Staff Fellows program, which is a bipartisan leadership development experience for senior-level staff of the U.S. Congress. Stennis Fellows are selected competitively and work together to explore ways to improve the effectiveness of those who work on Capitol Hill. They focus on the future challenges of Congress as an institution and the leadership role played by senior congressional staff in meeting those challenges.

Obviously, from just these few examples, the influence of Westminster graduates is vast in a wide range of fields and world locations. Architecture, journalism, motion pictures, environment, education, culinary arts, science, law, politics, business, medicine, military service, entrepreneurship, and not-for-profits are just a few of the areas where Westminster alumni are making their mark.

A liberal arts education at Westminster gives graduates a broad and solid foundation to think critically and creatively about the range of issues that face our society. At Westminster, leadership is not a role, but a way of life. Like these men and women profiled in this article, Westminster students and graduates are prepared to step forward and make a difference in their families, neighborhoods, communities, vocation, and the world. A Westminster degree is a ticket to do anything and go anywhere, but it carries with it a responsibility to make this world a better place for others.

DIFFERENCEE V E R Y G I F T M A K E S A

Any way you slice it, gifts to the Westminster Fund help nourish our most critical need - student support!

Please consider contributing your slice of the pie to the Westminster Fund today by calling (888) 687-9266, returning your gift in the enclosed envelope or visiting our website at the top of the ad.

www.westminster-mo.edu/giving

Westminster College provides students the opportunity to develop leadership skills and participate in numerous service projects. It was

not hard at Westminster to dig into the life long learning environment thanks to all of the donors and what they have contributed to this school.

-Jessie JohnsonClass of 2010

A rmed with a degree in pre-med/biology, Johnson walked through Westminster’s Columns and into the world with the class of 1975. Thirty-three years later,

having joined the Board of Trustees in 2001 at the behest of President Fletcher Lamkin, Johnson is full of ideas, full of enthusiasm—and determined to see Westminster assume its rightful place among the best liberal arts colleges in the nation.

Reflecting on thirty years and more working in the wine trade, Johnson quipped in a recent interview that “Sometimes lucky is better than hard work.” But with a twinkle in his eye—sure foreshadowing that the ironic twist he loves so much will follow quickly—he added that “over time the person who works the hardest is always the luckiest.” For the past two years Johnson has presided over the Pantheon Wine Shoppe, a small but extraordinarily high end store in Northbrook, Illinois that caters to the carriage trade in the wealthy, northern suburbs of Chicago and a worthy successor to his first business, the Knightsbridge Wine Shoppe, opened in 1986. But he began work in more humble circumstances.

Sally Reynolds, Westminster’s Director of Placement in 1976, remembers that at graduation Johnson took a job

as a salesman with a company that sold German wines exclusively. Assigned a not-so-promising territory in southwestern Missouri, Johnson quickly became one of the company’s top performers. He used his head, he worked hard—and in short order he was promoted to sales manager. When sales in his formerly lackluster territory skyrocketed, he was promoted again. Now a special assistant to the president, he moved around the country rescuing troubled offices. And though he had no legal training beyond Westminster’s course in Business Law, he rose in time to become that company’s Director of Legal Affairs.

Two positions later—recruited both times by former bosses who knew that his knowledge of wine and people would guide their ventures to success—Johnson was ready to set off on his own. The boy born in Taiwan who fell in love with wine at the age of seven when his father, a military attaché turned commercial consul, took him to a wine festival in Germany and allowed him a glass of Moselle, had found his niche.

Understanding the level of excellence Johnson Ho insists upon in his own life and wants for Westminster is as easy as walking through the door of the Pantheon Wine Shoppe where another world, knowingly crafted, awaits. The air inside, moist and cool, is carefully

Begin with a life-long passion for wine and a world-class education in the sciences. Fold into the mixture a desire to teach that is nothing less than professorial and a first-rate head for business. Stir well. The result? Johnson Ho. By Dave Collins, Professor of English


monitored to keep the 1500 bottles of carefully screened wines displayed in the front of the shop, the portion open to the public, at their peak. Lit from above by halogen lamps, resting securely on wooden racks whose warm tones suggest the elegance of by-gone eras, the bottles glow almost as if they had been lit from within. Predictably, the arrangement is orderly, an exercise in taxonomy that provides a glimpse into the mind of Johnson Ho. Horizontally the collection is arranged by country—and then by region moving from north to south. Vertically the collection is arranged by quality—good, everyday wines at waist level; better, special occasion wines, just above. And at the top the best wines, bottles of interest to serious enthusiasts and

collectors. A separate area is devoted to high-end liquors, a dazzling display of pricy cognacs and

single-malt scotches.

Dressed in a dark suit, a blue shirt with a white collar and a Gucci tie, Johnson looks the part of a man serious about what he does. His opinions on wine have been cited in the Wall Street Journal, the Chicago Tribune, and a host of other newspapers and magazines. He has written on wine for Decanter magazine, Chicago Home and Gardens, and Weinwirtschaft (Germany). But like any good teacher, Johnson doesn’t wear his knowledge on his sleeve. Schooled in European and Asian traditions, Johnson understands the need to build a relationship with the customer, to establish a sense of mutual trust before moving to business.

He refuses to sell wines by their numerical scores, preferring instead to learn about his customers’ flavor preferences, about the nature of the occasion and the budget, about the foods with which the wines are to be paired. Only then does he suggest a wine, usually offering several choices. Often hired for corporate events to educate employees, not just about wine, but about the culture of wine, Johnson learned early on that he is as much educator as salesman, that he functions best when he’s able to turn the often tense task of choosing the “right” wine into a pleasurable epiphany.

A master of five languages who travels regularly to Europe and California to sample new vintages, he understands the importance of building personal relationships whether with new customers or with the wine producers he has known for decades. “My philosophy,” he asserts, “is a stakeholder philosophy, a win/win approach to business. Make a living, not a killing. If a customer comes into my shop prepared to spend eighty dollars a bottle to buy wine for a dinner party, and I show him a better wine for less, that customer will be back. Again, and again, and again.” Like the professors at Westminster he remembers so fondly, Johnson works to make his customers confident in their decisions.

Recognizing that the success of any enterprise depends on the people whose job it is to move things forward, Johnson takes particular care of his employees. Because the average bottle of wine at the Pantheon Wine Shoppe is in the two-hundred dollar range, employees receive wine allowances that allow them to sample what they sell. In addition, he pays for a wide variety of educational experiences: trips to wine seminars, research trips to California and Europe, language classes and business classes leading to the MBA. Investing in your employees, Johnson maintains, recognizing and rewarding their achievements, results in a more informed, not to mention a happier staff, willing to work harder to guarantee success in the future.

As a trustee of Westminster since 2001, Johnson has brought that philosophy to the college. The wines served at all college events come from the cellars of the Pantheon Wine Shoppe. He has sponsored recognition and appreciation dinners for faculty and staff at the beginning of the school year and Christmas, dinners from which everyone in attendance takes home a bottle of wine. In the 2008-2009 academic year Johnson sponsored the Alpha Chi Honors Dinner, insisting only that the usual menu be raised to meet his exacting standards. More than a few on campus have begun to refer to him as “the Trustee of Good Times.”

A man whose passion for wine is exceeded only by his passion for excellence, Johnson Ho lives the words of Westminster’s mission statement—success, significance, and perhaps most of all, service.

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aLumniWeeKenD 2009

over 400 alumni, family and friends came home to Westminster for alumni

Weekend 2009 – a weekend of Legends, Legacies & Leaders

suzy (Dugan) nelson ‘88, elizabeth johnston ‘90, elizabeth (Dunn) Kaul ‘89, Wendy( cobaugh) leiker ‘91, Tamara coatney ‘91

(left & center) past and current professors and staff spent the afternoon talking with alumni and signing their trading cards at lunch

ruthie and phil ’61 reynolds and earl ’51 and pat o’rourke enjoyed the president’s club luncheon at the president’s Home

Dr. bill parrish and sally reynolds back on campus


aLumniWeeKenD 2009

alumni achievement award recipients – jack bangert ’73, roger Kunkel ’56, philip merry ’76, president barney forsythe, scott lilly ’68, gary schmidt ’69 and jeff sanders ’79

alumni award of merit recipient – Kirk carpenter ’65

The class of 1959 was welcomed into the order of the golden legion (aka old guard) by being presented with 50 year medallions at a ceremonial lunch, dinner with other old guard attendees, and recognition at the alumni Honors convocation

a tree dedication ceremony was held in memory of

Dr. Tammy stiller


aLumniWeeKenD 2009

remley center award recipient – betsy (schultz) Humphreys ’83 and Dr. audrey remley

frank Hunter ’77 and emily Hunter ’08 enjoyed some father/daughter

golf time at the tournament

retiring professors, Ken muse (left photo) and sharon salem, were honored with an afternoon reception in the coulter science center

past professor and Westminster history guru, Dr. bill parrish, returned to give a standing

room only lecture on saturday morning

The highlight of the alumni golf tournament was the first hole

in one in tournament history by carson steinheimer ’57

alums were entertained by the student production of neil simon’s Rumors


Dr. Wayne Lowen has now returned full circle as the new Director of Planned Giving at Westminster College. He actually started this program at the College and now, after

a stint as the Vice President for Business and Finance of the institution, comes back to administer his brain child. Dr. Lowen began his career in higher education as a faculty member at Central Christian College in Moberly, Missouri, teaching philosophy and religion and was named Academic Dean during his 14 years there. During this time period, he completed his Ph.D. at the University of Missouri. In 1987, he accepted a position as President of Florida Christian College where he doubled enrollment, constructed eight buildings without any debt assumption, and established a successful planned giving program. Since coming to Westminster in 2002, he has become a role model for the College’s mission of service to others. He has taught college administration and leadership courses throughout Southeast Asia, served as President of the Fulton Rotary Club, and is currently Co-Chair of the Fundraising Committee for the Rwanda Community Partnership, which has raised over $80,000 of its $100,000 goal to build a health clinic in Kibungo, Rwanda. Leadership magazine talked to Dr. Lowen about his years at Westminster and his vision for the Planned Giving Program.

what brought you to westminster?Shortly after becoming President of Florida Christian College, I started a planned giving program and enjoyed that experience of helping people shape their estate plans. That new program resulted in over 200 wills naming the college as a beneficiary. Then after spending 14 years as a college president, I needed to reduce my stress level and I thought working in planned giving exclusively would make that possible. Westminster College was looking for someone to initiate its Planned Giving Department, and I was glad to receive that opportunity in late 2002. However, when a sudden vacancy occurred in the Business Office in 2004, I was asked to serve as the Interim Vice President for

Business and Finance. Later I was asked to assume the position permanently. So now I am happy to be able to return to Planned Giving, which is my love.

I developed an educational plan to provide alumni and friends of the College with information to assist them in planning what they wanted to do with their assets. I found it extremely valuable to meet with many of our alumni to help me in shaping the process. Jack Marshall had done work in the planned giving area before I came here…even though that wasn’t his specific area of responsibility…so I consulted with him. Jack turned out to be a great resource in those early years of starting the program and still is very helpful.

how has planned giving changed since you started that initial westminster program in 2003?Planned giving is a very technical field. Tax laws are constantly changing. Today we have an excellent web page which includes educational articles, illustrations of planned gifts that our alumni have given, and an area that allows our alumni to do calculations to see the tax benefits of a possible planned gift.

is this difficult time in the national economy creating any new challenges for you in increasing the number of planned gifts? This is certainly a challenging time for fundraising in general, but I believe all of us recognize we are going to need a good estate plan at some point in our lives. And from the college’s perspective, the need for good estate planning is larger because our student enrollment has increased every year for the past few years and with that, the demand for more resources. I also hear from those who already have gift annuities with us that they are very happy. They are still getting the same rates in these tough economic times, while individuals who

creating legacies


invested in other places have lost money. I talked to an alum recently who has received his 7% annuity check every quarter during the recession and was very thankful that he invested with the College.

how do you find new prospects for planned giving?You would be amazed at how many of our alumni contact me asking for advice because they are proud of having attended Westminster and want to remember their alma mater in their estate plan. Often these inquiries are prompted by the planned giving newsletter we send out. Some of our alumni come to us or are identified because they have a specific need….they need a new tax deduction or a higher interest rate to increase the amount available to live on.

why is planned giving so important?Because you can’t leave your legacy where you want it to go without some sort of estate plan. For example, I encouraged one woman to have a will drawn up for years. But she didn’t want to visit a lawyer. She ended up dying with no will, and her family lost literally millions of dollars in estate taxes that could have been avoided. She had intended to establish a memorial to her husband at Westminster, but that couldn’t be done because she had no will. Ultimately, all of us want to leave some sort of legacy. We want to think our lives have meant something…that we will have some importance after we’re gone and that we’ve made the world a better place for having lived in it. Endowed scholarships or endowed chairs make it possible to have

something live on for the good of future generations in your name. My role is to suggest appropriate vehicles that will accomplish the donor’s intent, while hopefully providing some benefit to the College, and then direct them to legal professionals who can prepare the appropriate documents.

how has the westminster college endowment fund performed in this challenging economic environment?Westminster has been fortunate to have a tremendous investment committee on our Board of Trustees who work with our financial advisors. As a result, the Westminster endowment fund has outperformed the average college endowment. According to a report by the National Association of College and University Business Officers, an organization that conducts large endowment studies, the average college endowment lost 2.8% the 2008 fiscal year ending June, 2008. Westminster’s endowment showed a gain of .5%. NACUBO reports on college endowments by size of endowment, and both for FY 2008 as well as this year to date, Westminster has outperformed the overall average, as well as the average of each of the six endowment size categories. So our alumni can feel confident in Westminster’s ability to manage their funds.

For more information contact:Dr. Wayne Lowen

[email protected] 573-592-5020


W hat this trip has meant to me over the past 18 days is very much in line

with what Westminster college in general has meant to me over the

past 4 years of my life. it has challenged me to be a strong individual, an aware

thinker, and a leader for others. it has educated me about the world and inspired

me to be a person who helps to make it better. it has engaged me with diverse

people who are living the Westminster values of fairness, integrity, respect, and

responsibility. it has reaffirmed the value and importance of giving back and

serving the college that i love and that has given so much to me.

i cannot explain in words how wonderful this trip has been. first of all... what a

success! over 600 people met up with the road crew throughout our journey to

celebrate Westminster. over 6,000 hits were logged on our website. almost

5,000 miles were put on our rockin’ van. and most importantly, we saw too

many smiles to count! our road trip truly helped to keep people up to speed

about Westminster and get them excited and engaged in all the awesome things

happening on campus. i could not ask for anything more from the trip. i love

Westminster, and i love to see other people fall in love (again) with the school.

Total success!

i am so thankful for the ways that this trip has changed me. The amazing people

i met during the course of the blue jay adventure and the way that the road crew

members came together as a family, these things have changed me. i am so

thankful for the opportunity to be a part of this trip! i promise to never forget it!

thanks for following our journey.

thanks for supporting our adventure.

thanks for loving Westminster.

blue jay love,

gina campagna ’09

peace, love, and road Trips

life is Highway

go Westminster!

What a trip!!

our road trip truly helped

to keep people up to

speed about Westminster

and get them excited

and engaged in all

the awesome things

happening on campus.


Oklahoma City

Denver

Little Rock

Colorado Springs

Nashville

Dallas

ChicagoQuincy

Louisville

St. Louis

Fort Worth


Lexington

Northwest Arkansas

Columbus

Amarillo

TulsaSpringfield

Cincinatti

Kansas City

sT louis – nancy and jerry ‘59 middleton, Karen calabria, scott Wilson ’74 and Trustee suzanne and David richardson Quincy – bill ’71 and chris Daniels, john and Dawn ufkes cHicago – emily muse ‘99, jeremy ’99 and Kiersten fordemwalt columbus – jackie and russ ’81 Hodge with gina cincinnaTi – beth (selmons) pack ‘95, sarah beth, bill Hartford ‘61, maddy, jason, gina and chris packlexingTon – maddy with a horse owned by sam barnes ’68 louisville – The road crew at churchill Downs nasHville – Whit smith ’93, john barker ‘93, jim Williams ‘86, steven riley ’87, garrett Daniel ‘04, ashley crow ‘06 liTTle rocK – Dorsey jackson, ‘57, lesley roberts and lucy jackson norTHWesT arKansas – casey ’06 and Whitney (johnston) ’03 moore springfielD – bill ‘59 and roanne brell, bob ’54 and mary stufflebam Tulsa – meggie meacham ’09 and shera Deroga ‘09 Dallas – matt ’98 and mary loomis, Darcie (Keith) ’99 and michael garza forT WorTH – leslie (brooke) Hunt ’99 and steve conder ‘86 oKc – lindsey (borgelt) manning ’04, julie linden ‘05 and jenna manning ‘06 amarillo – gina, jeff ’75 and rene brain, maddy coloraDo springs – Kent fruedenberg ‘85, Kirk johnson ‘92, Kristen freeman, Tiffany stringfellow Denver - Ty and brian ‘84 boatright Kansas ciTy – janet and paul ‘50 revare and mary cross

A special thank you to everyone that participated in the 2009 Blue Jay Across the USA summer road trip!

roaD Trip album

sixteentrips to the gas station for a fill up

95total hours spent in the van

nineteencities that hosted exciting & engaging events with prospective students & parents, current students & parents, alumni and friends of westminster college

total miles logged on the road trip van

1,555,200seconds spent on this exciting road trip (18 days)

634total trip attendance of all events!

five

delicious meals at subway, the favorite food stop of the road crew

26gracious overnight hosts; the road crew thanks each and every one of them!

t-shir ts given away, along with 48 coolers, 46 blankets, 75 hats and 3 wine totes

5686000+ hits on the road trip website

w w w . b l u e j a y a c r o s s t h e u s a . s h u t t e r f l y . c o m


Westminster college is now on facebook, Twitter & youTube! stay up to date with all of the Westminster college news & events!

find us by searching the following:

Westminster college mo

wcmonews

wcvideo1

coming soon To a ciTy near you

save the dateapril 23rd & 25th, 2010

legends, legacies & leadersalumni weekend

cLassnoTes

neaL creighton, former Westminster College President, is the author of A Different Path - The Story of an Army Family published by Xlibris 2008.

1955Dr. norm FreiBerger was selected by the Missouri Academy of General Dentistry as the recipient of the “Dentist of the Year” award in April 2009.

1959Dr. PauL “PePPer” Davis gave The Solomon A. Berson Distingished Lectureship entitled Thyroid Hormone Signaling at the Membrand: Physiology and Therapeutics at the American Physiological Society’s at the Experimental Biology 2009 Conference.

Dr. Peter yu is featured in “Witness to War: You do your best to survive” in the December 7, 2008 issue of Huntsville Times.

1961Dr. Jim PasLey is an Associate Dean for Educational Advancement and a Professor of Physiology and Medical Humanities in the College of Medicine at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock.

1962stePhen Johnson retired as the Regional Vice-President, Eastern Region from Cass Information Systems in St. Louis, MO after 38 years of service. Johnson will continue as President of the

St. Louis Benefit Polo which coordinates charity polo matches in St. Louis.

1963richarD garBer received the Paperboard Packaging Council Volunteer Leader Award of Excellence during PPC’s Annual Outlook & Strategies Conference in May 2009.

1966Jim hance was elected to Morgan Stanley’s Board of Directors in July 2009.

1967Dr. W. mike DuFF is the Medical Director of Lake Regional Wound Healing Center in Osage Beach, MO.

Jim mckechnie [2] received the 2008 Humanitarian Award from the Illinois College of Optometry Alumni Association. McKechnie is the Executive Director of the Illinois Society for the Prevention of Blindness.

1969Dr. Jerry kennett is the Vice President and Chief Medical Officer with Boone Hospital Center in Columbia, MO. Kennett will continue to practice with the Missouri Cardiovascular Specialists while serving in his Boone Hospital role.

1970Dr. John BenDer has been promoted to full professor in the College of Journalism and Mass Communications at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Bender teaches

undergraduate and graduate courses in news reporting and writing, media law, media history and controls of information.

Dr. DaviD mauritson received a Juris Doctorate from the Birmingham School of Law in May 2008. He previously earned a medical degree from Harvard Medical School in June 1974. Mauritson is the co-founder of the law firm Grammer & Mauritson and the Founder and President of Cardiology Associates of West Alabama. He practices law and continues his cardiology practice. He is an active flight instructor in airplanes, helicopters, gliders and gyroplanes.

1973FreD BinggeLi and his Southeast Missouri State University (Division II) Cross Country team was inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame during a February 2009 ceremony in Springfield, MO. Binggeli is a past US Olympic Trials distance runner and member of the Missouri Track & Cross Country Coaches Association Hall of Fame.

1977WaLter hester, [3] CEO of Maui Jim, Inc., was awarded the ESA Visionary Award by Rod Lane at the 15th European Sunglass

1. from left to right: louise and Walter Davis ‘49, richard ‘50 and jeannette alexander, beulah alexander, arthur ‘50 and aurelia reuck, eleanor lyons, fred Tanzberger ‘51, sally and francis ‘47 catch up at a dinner in st. louis, mo. Note: Arthur & Aurelia Rueck’s name was left off the caption in the Spring Issue. 2. arol augsburger, o.D. president, illinois college of optometry and jim mcKechnie ‘67 3. Walter Hester ‘77 and rod lane, esa president. 4. chris ursitti ‘83

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cLass notes Photo PoLicyphotographs for the class notes section of leadership magazine are encouraged. pictures must be accompanied by a list of those in the photo and cities and states of residence. emailed photos should be taken in at least 300 dpi resolution in tif or jpg format. submit photos for class notes electronically to: [email protected] or by mail to: class notes office of alumni and college relations Westminster college 501 Westminster ave fulton, mo 65251-1299

Deadline for next issue is january 1, 2010.30 LeaDershiP fall 2009

5. ah choo yeoh-Tan ‘83 meets with Dr. pat Kirby in china. 6. colonel Keith Hirschman ‘87 with wife, staci, and children emily (15)

and erik (11) 7. David ‘88, andrew (10), becky (loebs) ‘88 and jeff (14) Deveydt hiking at the grand Tetons 8. mark ‘89 pfeiffer &

brady, age 13 9. lieutenant colonel Todd johnson ‘94

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Association’s MIDO Fashion Event on March 7, 2009.

Pat thomason was named Criminal Defense Attorney of the Year in May 2009 by the Los Angeles (CA) County Bar Association.

1978maJor generaL Byron BagBy is the Chief of Staff of the US Army Europe in Heidelberg, Germany.

1980BiLL Porter is serving as an Engineer Operations Sergeant Major for Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 35th Engineer Brigade, of the Missouri Army National Guard at Fort Leonard Wood.

Lou van horn is the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial and Operating Officer with Store Financial Services, LLC in Overland Park, KS.

1981Jay keLLer has been deployed to Pristina, Kosovo as a Legal Advisor for Headquarters Kosovo Force under NATO command where he provides legal advice on all international law matters, to include the Law of Armed Conflict, Humanitarian Law, the interpretation and application of international treaties and customary international law.

reveranD eric Petrie was featured in the July 21, 2009 issue of the Columbia Missourian in “Family seeks to engage First Ward community with new church.” The article highlights the God’s

Creation Worship Center he founded with his wife Linda.

1982scott schenck received an Educational Specialist degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Converse College in Spartanburg, SC.

1983Jim Boeckman opened a business law office in Austin, TX. He was named a “Super Lawyer” by Texas Monthly in 2008 and March 2009.

chris ursitti [4] is a Managing Partner and Chief Executive Officer for Green House Energy in San Diego, CA. Ursitti founded Na Pali Coast Development, a company that builds high-end estate homes in the Pacific Palisades. He incorporates his love for the environment in the building process and is constantly looking for ways to promote a sustainable future. He is also very involved with his other companies, Hollywood Locations and Los Angeles Center Studios. More information can be found at www.greenhouseenergy.com.

ah choo yeoh-tan [5] is a Math Lecturer at Singapore Polytechnic University in Singapore, China.

1984JeFF Davis is a Senior Vice President with Bryant Group, Inc. in St. Louis, MO.

Jerry ZitZmann is a Senior Vice President of Investments with Stifel Nicolaus in St. Louis, MO.

1987keith hirschman [6] was promoted to Colonel in the US Army on September 1, 2009 at Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland. Hirschman is currently assigned as the Deputy Director for the Combined Test Organization for the Army’s Future Combat System. He was recently selected as the Project Manager for the Army’s Aerial Common Sensor Program and will assume command in July 2010. Colonel Hirschman graduated from the US Army War College at Carlisle Barracks, PA with a Master of Science in Strategic Studies. He resides in Bel Air, MD with his wife Staci and children Emily, age 15, and Erik, age 11.

1989mark PFeiFFer [8] was appointed by Governor Jay Nixon to the Missouri Court of Appeals, Western District. Pfeiffer is a Shareholder and Attorney with Bley & Pfeiffer in Columbia, specializing in civil litigation.

1991BiLL russeLL is Director of Targeting Services with MSHC Partners, Inc. in Washington, DC.

1994toDD Johnson [9] was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel with the US Army. Johnson is an Engineer Officer in Heidelberg, Germany, with the Seventh Army.

maLissa PisteL is an Elementary Principal with the New Franklin (MO) School District.


cLassnoTes

1995matt Devoti was elected President of the Lawyers Association of St. Louis and will serve in that position through June 2010. The Association is the local trial bar association for the St. Louis Metropolitan area. Devoti is a Partner with Casey & Devoti, PC.

Brooke sLoss works in the Incoming Accounts Division of Operations in the corporate headquarters of Stifel Nicolaus & Company, Inc. in St. Louis, MO.

1997Jason agee and his partner, Yoav Borsuk, adopted Emma Louise Agee Borsuk on September 18, 2008. The family resides in New York, NY where Agee is an Interior Designer with Jason Agee Design.

1998orinDa Basha is a Senior Manager in the Audit & Risk Advisory Services with KPMG LLP in Washington, DC.

nathan ross is a Partner with the law firm of Graville & Ross, LLC in Chesterfield, MO.

1999scott gassen received the 2008 Top New Advisor of the Year award from Securian Financial. Gassen is a Financial Advisor with Renaissance Financial in St. Louis, MO.

raecheLL (haWkins) young is a United States Probation Officer for the Eastern District of Missouri. She and her family reside in Fenton, MO.

2000Dr. carrie Peecher graduated from Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine in May 2009 and will begin her residency in Family Medicine at Northeast Regional Medical Center in Kirksville, MO.

scott PingeL [14] was inducted into the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Hall of Fame on Saturday, January 31, 2009 in Fulton, MO during a halftime ceremony at the Westminster vs. Blackburn men’s basketball game. Pingel arrived at Westminster College in 1996. In four years, he owned the NCAA all-division career records for receptions (436), receiving yards (6,108) and touchdown catches (75). A four-time all-conference performer, he earned All-American honors in 1997, 1998 and 1999. A CoSida Academic All-American in 1999, Pingel also was named the 1999 Melberger Award winner as the NCAA Division III National Football Player of the Year. His #10 jersey is retired.

Josh thomPson was named 2009 Athletic Trainer of the Year by the Missouri Athletic Trainers’ Association. The award was presented during the Honors and Awards Banquet of the Missouri Athletic Trainers’ Association on June 6. Thompson is the Athletic Trainer for Westminster College.

2002kristy haLverson received a PhD in Science Education from the University of Missouri. Halverson is a tenure-track Assistant Professor at the University of Southern Mississippi.

Dr. Jamie sPurrier completed her Pediatrics residency in June 2009 and has accepted a one-year appointment as the Chief Resident of Pediatrics at St. Louis Children’s Hospital in St. Louis, MO.

2003roBin Ferguson is serving as a Transportation Captain stationed in Baghdad, Iraq on a 15 month deployment. When stateside, Ferguson is assigned to Hunter Army Airfield, GA.

kate mccLain is a Teacher at Kearns-St. Ann Catholic School in Salt Lake City, UT. McClain teaches 6th, 7th and 8th grade writing and composition, social studies and sixth grade religion.

richarD sheets is an Executive Buyer for Sam’s Club in Bentonville, AR.

irina stoyanova [15] received a PhD in Environmental Science and Public Policy from George Mason University in Fairfax, VA.

2004LinDsay casteLLo is an Assistant Manager with First National Bank of St. Louis in O’Fallon, MO.

tara estaBrooks is a Project Manager in Planning & Business Development at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, OH.

Leigh (keLLman) koLB is an English Instructor at East Central College. Kolb received a Master of Fine Arts from Lindenwood University.

Pete miranti is a Senior Consultant in Public Services with Deloitte Consulting LP in Washington DC.

10. lauren (6) and luke (3), children of Tracy (arnold) ‘94 and ryan ‘94 myers 11. future bluejays! madelyn schaefer, daughter of Tom & jennifer (Whitaker)’00 schaefer, owen Zastrow, son of joshua ’02 & casey (lionberger)’00 Zastrow, emory freesmeier, daughter of justin ‘02 & Dala (reuter) ‘00 freesmeier, and Dylan entwistle, son of buddy & abbi (fischer) ‘02 entwistle 12. brandon ‘97 and nathan eckardt (7) 13. matthew cogbill (7 months) son of blake ‘00 and allison cogbill 14. justin peery ‘00 and scott pingel ‘00

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roBBie murray received a Master’s in Activities and Athletic Administration from William Woods University. He teachs high school English and coach boys and girls soccer for Moberly (MO) High School.

Juris PuPcenoks completed doctorate coursework and is working on his dissertation on migration and security at The University of Delaware.

Jenny WiLkins [16] received a Master of Business Administration from Baker University in Baldwin City, KS. Ethan Whitehill ’93 was the commencement speaker. Wilkins is a National Account Representative for Gray Automotive Products Company in St. Joseph, MO.

2005Patricia catroW is pursuing a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine at A.T. Still University School of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona.

vaLentin LePPert [17] was named Articles Editor to the Mercer Law Review at the Mercer University Walter F. George School of Law in Macon, GA.

katie murray graduated with a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine from A.T. Still University-Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine. Murray resides in Kansas City, MO where she is doing a residency in Urology at the University of Kansas Medical Center.

manJu PanDey received a Master’s of Social Work from St. Louis University. Pandey is a Social Worker with Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, MO.

aLex vintu is a Senior Auditor and Advisor with Ehrhardt Keefe Steiner & Hottman PC in Denver.

2006emiLy (greeno) BerenDt was honored by the Missouri Association of Colleges of Teachers Education at a luncheon for outstanding first and second year teachers in Jefferson City, MO on April 2, 2009.

tamara caston was honored by the Missouri Association of Colleges of Teachers Education at a luncheon for outstanding first and second year teachers in Jefferson City, MO on April 2, 2009.

austin houP is a Social Studies Teacher at Smith-Cotton High School in Sedalia, MO.

matt house is a Programmer and Analyst with the Boeing Company and is pursuing a Master’s in Business Administration and Management Information Systems at the University of Missouri in St. Louis, MO.

eric LangLanD [18] is a Summer Associate with the law firm of Lehman Lee & Xu in Beijing, China.

John Logan is a Client Service Administrator in the Large Group Benefits team with Oswald Companies in Cleveland, OH.

LiZa moLer is a Sales Representative for Anheuser-Busch in Denver, CO.

catie vogeDing received a Juris Doctorate from St. Louis University School of Law with a certificate in health law.

2007nina BaDoe participated in the Georgetown Experimental Medical Studies Program at Georgetown University. Badoe will apply to medical school for Fall 2010.

casey coFFey is pursuing an Environmental Engineering degree at the University of Central Florida.

sWanZy essien is pursuing a dual Master’s degree in Economics and Philanthropic Studies at Indiana University.

JenniFer WinsLoW is a Counselor at the Fulton (MO) Treatment Center.

2008shauna aminath is the Deputy Under Secretary, appointed by the Maldives President. Aminath works in the monitoring and evaluation unit of the policy office.

mary FLorence Boone is a Teacher Aide for the Special School District at North Glendale Elementary School in Kirkwood, MO.

Jessica chase is attending Officer Candidate School at the US Naval Academy in Newport, RI.

roBert chiLDress is an Assistant National Sales Manager with S.M. Arnold, Inc. in St. Louis, MO.

michaeL harris completed the US Navy Basic Training at Recruit Training Command, Great Lakes, IL.

JuLio noguera is a Research Assistant I at the Center for the Study and Prevention of Injury, Violence and Suicide at Education Development Center in Washington, DC.

15. irina stoyanova ‘03 16. jenny Wilkins ’04 17. valentin leppert ‘05 18. eric langland ‘06, aldo

settimio boni de nobili, sosia bradi and lily Han 19. josua ray ‘09 and robert

graves ‘11 visit a graveyard across from David spielman’s ‘72 gallery in new orleans.

20. bob epperson & Katie smith ‘09

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cLassnoTes

JacoB Pratt is an Agency Member with State Farm in the Agency Development Program in Lee’s Summit, MO.

vaLerie schoFieLD is a Biological Student Trainee (SCEP) with the US Army Corps of Engineers in Jefferson City, MO.

sarah yates is pursuing a Juris Doctorate at the University of Tulsa School of Law.

2009DaviD auLgur has been accepted to the Teaching Fellowship Program offered at the University of Missouri-Columbia. Through this program he will be pursuing a Secondary Education degree, as well as teaching history at Hickman High School in Columbia, MO.

DanieLLe Bauer received the Wall Street Journal Student Achievement Award. This award recognizes the student for leadership in the classroom, demonstrated exceptional intellectual ability, character, work ethic, ability to work with others, and principled behavior. Bauer is pursuing a MBA with a concentration in Finance and Management at the University of Missouri-Columbia and is an Intern with the VA Mortgage Research Center in Columbia, MO.

Barron BroWn is pursuing a Juris Doctorate and a Master of Business Administration at Oklahoma City University Law School.

meLissa BroWn is an Auditor with Pricewaterhouse Coopers in Tulsa, OK.

gina camPagna is an Alumni & College Relations Coordinator with Westminster College. Campagna

coordinated the Blue Jay Across the USA-Westminster on Tour 2009 summer road trip.

Brian casaLone is a Programmer Analyst with Edward Jones in St. Louis, MO.

Lauren casteLLo is a Field Worker with the Missouri Ozark Forrest Ecosystem Project in Ellington, MO.

cLauDia cerna is an Elementary Teacher with Bentonville Seventh Day Adventist in Bentonville, AR.

Patrick cLark is an EFL Teacher (English as a Foreign Language) with Chaungdagh Learning in South Korea. He plans to attend New Mexico State University for a Master’s of Fine Arts in Creative Writing and Poetry in Fall 2010.

erin cLay is a Manager In Training with Family Video in the Missouri area.

PameLa corneLison is a 4th Grade Teacher with the Dixon (MO) School District.

mason craWForD is pursuing a Bachelor’s in Nursing at Cox College in Springfield, MO.

mike craWForD is pursuing a Juris Doctorate at the University of Missouri School of Law in Columbia, MO.

LinDsey creek is an Executive Team Leader for Target in Kansas City, MO.

Darius Dashtaki is an Account Manager with Aetna Corporation in Seattle, WA.

travis eWing is pursuing a Master’s in Bioethics from Kansas City University of Medicine and Bioethics in Kansas City, MO.

Joe FLaugher is an On-Air Announcer with KWWR Radio in Mexico, MO.

Beth garrett is a High School Business Teacher at Carthage (MO) High School.

DaviD graves is pursuing a Master’s of Divinity at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, MO.

Jermaine green is an Utility Regulatory Auditor I with the Missouri Public Service Commission in Jefferson City, MO.

Le’aLLen haWkins is the Owner and CEO of Hawkins & Associates in Rolla, MO.

annie huBBeLL is an Admissions Representative with Columbia College in Columbia, MO.

katherine humPhreys is a Business Technical Intern with AT&T in St. Louis, MO.

Jesse Jett is a Staff Auditor with Brown Smith Wallace in St. Louis, MO.

hayLey Jones is pursuing a Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Washington University in St. Louis, MO.

cLayton JorDan is pursuing a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine at Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine in Des Moines, IA.

ginnie khoZa is pursing a Master’s of Biology at Indiana University-Purdue University in Indianapolis.

aLLeson LieBLing is pursuing a Juris Doctorate at Valparaiso University in Valparaiso, IN.

Jia Liu is pursuing a PhD in Electrical Engineering at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, CA.

gary LuDvik is a Sales Agent Representative for Bankers Life & Casualty in Town & Country, MO.

Alumni & friends enjoyed a Civil War

history trip with Dr. Bill Parrish

August 2-8, 2009

ian mackey is a Teacher at the Early Headstart in Springfield, MO.

megan mccormack is pursuing a Master’s in Literature at the University of Missouri-Kansas City.

Pat mcDermott is a District Manager with Aldi in Charlotte, NC.

megann meacham is pursing a Master’s of Education in Applied Behavioral Science at Oklahoma City University.

scott oLDeBeken is a Research Technician with Bringham & Woman’s Hospital in Boston, MA.

JosePh ott is a Financial Advisor with Edward Jones Investments in Quincy, IL.

meckenZie (hayes) oWen is a Forensic Rehabilitation Specialist with the Fulton State Hospital in Fulton, MO.

sharaD PauDyaL is a Research Associate at Washington University School of Medicine, Department of Pathologoy and Immunology in St. Louis, MO.

amanDa ramo works in the Records Office at St. Louis University.

tyLer shaLBot is a Physical Education and Health Teacher and Assistant Baseball Coach at Eugene (MO) High School.

mike siLver is an Accountant I at the Boeing Company in St. Louis, MO.

Broc siLvers is a High School Teacher with the Eldon (MO) School District.

katie smith [20] received the Bob Epperson Scholarship award. The award was established by the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity in recognition for all the work Epperson did as their advisor from 1960 - 1976. The Phi Psi’s were originally the Highlanders and became a national fraternity in 1960.

roWan steineker is pursuing a Master’s in History at the University of Oklahoma in Norman.

James sterrett is a Financial Advisor with Waddell and Reed Financial Advisors in Columbia, MO.

Jenny tayLor is in the Nurse Practitioner program at the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg, MO.

Ben toBen is a Financial Advisor with Edward Jones in St. Louis, MO.

cara vanDiver is a 3rd Grade Paraprofessional with Lincoln County R-III School District in Troy, MO.

kyLe vesLeDahL is pursuing a Master’s in Business Administration at the University of Oklahoma.

shaina Wankum is pursuing graduate studies in Occupational Therapy at St. Louis University.

Jason Warncke was awarded the 2008-09 St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SLIAC) Post Graduate Scholarship. Warncke was a four-year member of the Blue Jays men’s basketball team and was a two-time All-Conference performer, and a 2009 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District Second Team selection. He also helped the 2008-09 Westminster squad capture a share of their first regular season SLIAC crown. Warncke is attending the University of Missouri-Columbia Medical School.

trevor Wiegers is a 2nd Lieutenant in the US Army based in Fort Lewis, WA.

racheLLe WiLson-Loring is pursuing a Master’s of Arts in Classical Languages at the University of Missouri-Columbia.

Westminster Book corner

Westminster alumni continue the legacy of learning as published authors of novels, biographies, textbooks and more. Check out these recent and upcoming titles:

Giles Fowler ’55Deaths on Pleasant Street:

The Ghastly Enigma of Colonel Swope and Doctor Hyde (2009)

Bob Rubright ’53Breakfast, Lunch and Diner (2008).

Dr. John Bender ’70Reporting for the Media - 9th ed(2008)

Matthew Murrie ’98 and Steve Murrie

Every Minute on Earth (2007)

We congratuate these authors and wish them continued success in their endevors.

LinDsey WooDLanD is pursuing a PhD in Mathematics at the University of Missouri-Columbia and is also a Teaching Assistant.

anDreW ZeBeLL is a Staff Accountant with LarsonAllen LLP in St. Louis, MO.

2010coDy BLount and his sister Cassie demonstrated leadership and service on May 29, 2009 when they rescued a woman after her car flipped off the road and landed upside-down in a creek in Wildwood, MO. Cody pulled the woman from her car and lead her to safety.

Westminster College is proud to announce the newest members to its Board of Trustees. John R. Elrod ’68 - A member of Beta Theta Pi. Elrod is an Attorney with Connors & Winter in Fayetteville, AR. Scott Wilson ’74 - A member of Phi Delta Theta. Wilson is the President of S.M. Wilson & Co. in St. Louis, MO. Heather (Triplett) Biehl ’89 - A member of Kappa Alpha Theta, Alpha Chi and Student Foundation. Biehl is a Vice-President with BBN Technologies in Cambridge, MA. Thom Mangan ’91 - A member of Phi Delta Theta. Mangan is the Chief Executive Officer of Corporate Synergies Group, Inc. in Mt. Laurel, NJ.

Please join us in wishing them the warmest welcome!


WeDDingalbum

1948Dr. John WinDLe married Barbara Baker on December 9, 2008. The couple resides in Joplin, MO where Windle is a retired physician.

1989John hughes [1] married Shirley Richter on May 2, 2009 in Santa Monica, CA. The couple resides in Marina Del Rey, CA where Hughes is President of Hughes Property Company, LLC.

1993Jim BraDForD [2] married Alisha Lindt on June 13, 2009 in Olathe, KS. The couple resides in Olathe, KS where Bradford is a Managing Editor with Ascend Media.

1995Jessica sPangLehour married chris macy [3] on March 28, 2009 in the Church of St. Mary the Virgin, Aldermanbury in Fulton, MO. Westminster alumni in attendance were Betsy (Elley) Barnes ’95, Jennifer (Chestnut) Strada ’95, Dan Wilhelm ’96, Samantha Mathieson ’09 and Natalie Nekouian ’10. The couple resides in Columbia, MO where Spanglehour is the Executive Director of the Boone County Council of Aging and Macy is an Information Technology Director with Central Missouri Community Action.

1999JaDe Long [4] married Jason Elwess at Les Bourgeois Winery in Rocheport, MO on May 1, 2009. They were married by Dr. Bill Young, Professor of Religious Studies

at Westminster College. The couple resides in Columbia. Long is a Writer and Editor at the Missouri State Employees’ Retirement System in Jefferson City, MO.

2000ray thorn married Allison Salyer on April 18, 2009 in St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands. The wedding party included Jason Veach ’99. The couple resides in Washington, DC where Thorn is a Legislative Assistant for Congressman Chris Van Hollen (MD-8th).

2001BraD kiesLing [5] married Lauren Palmer on October 18, 2008 in Wichita, KS. The couple resides in Arlington, VA where Kiesling is a consultant with Hassett Willis & Company.

aaron morris married Lauren LaFollette on January 24, 2009 in Houston, TX. The couple resides in Houston where Morris is a Senior Associate with Fulbright & Jaworski LLP.

2004sera kate timmerBerg [6] married Matthew Dobrinic on June 7, 2008 in Cook Station, MO. The wedding party included Jessy Stubblefield ’04, Suzanne Hellebusch ’04, Tara Estabrooks ’04 and Lindsay Castello ’04. The couple resides in Crestwood, MO.

kyLe grayson married Hailey Heseman on April 4, 2009 at the Church of St. Mary the Virgin, Aldermanbury in Fulton, MO. The couple resides in Jefferson City, MO where Grayson is an Environmental

Specialist for Missouri Department of Transportation.

Brian Jahnsen [7] married Megan Schaeperkoetter on November 1, 2008 in Owensville, MO. The couple resides in Columbia, MO where Jahnsen is a Senior Loan Officer for American Mutual Mortgage Company.

2006evan mccormick married Kendall Gill on August 2, 2008. The couple resides in Oklahoma City, OK where McCormick attends law school.

DaviD mcDorman [8] married eva raDer on June 6, 2009 in Lake Ozark, MO. The wedding party included Catie Vogeding ’06, Sara (Griffith) Miller ’06, Laura Cohen ’06, Adam Froidl ’05, Jared Genenbacher ’06, Josh Young ’06, Eric Barthold ’06, and Bob Petersen ’06. The couple resides in Versailles, MO where McDorman is a Middle School Special Education Teacher and Middle School Basketball Coach. Rader is an Elementary Special Education Teacher for the Morgan County School District.

eLLiott schaum married DanieLLe Workins ‘07 on June 6, 2009 in Dallas, TX. The wedding party included Mark Laurenzi ’04, Evan Daugherty ’07 and Dusty Harris ’08. The couple resides in Dallas where Workins is a Marketing and Community Relations Coordinator with Bank of Texas and Schaum is a Wine Professional with Goody Goody Liquor.

Josh young married Jaime stonner [9] in December 2007. The couple resides in St. Peters, MO. Josh is


an Account Executive for Aetha, Inc. and Jaime is enrolled in the Accelerated Nursing Program at the University of Missouri-Columbia.

2007Lauren PiLgram [10] married Korey Elkin on June 13, 2009 at the Church of St. Mary the Virgin, Aldermanbury in Fulton, MO. The wedding party included Katie Pilgram ’08, Emily Hunn ’07, and Sarah Walden ’07. The couple resides in Columbia, MO where Pilgram is a Math and Physics Teacher and Head Softball Coach with the North Callaway R-1 School District. Other Westminster attendees included Adam Kloppe ’06, Stephanie Parker ’04, Gera Stewart ’06, Samantha

Mathieson ’09, Samantha Smith ’07, Emily Jarosz ’07, Heather Hartin ’07, Kelly (Lewis) Jones ’07, Matt ’06 and Joanna (Carpenter) ’06 House.

cLayton stuDyvin [11] married Kacey Myers on May 30, 2009 in Fulton, MO at the Church of St. Mary the Virgin, Aldermanbury. The wedding party included Joseph Flaugher ’09, Sean Manners ’09, Spencer Head ’08, Carter Garrett ’09, Andrew Chambers ’08, and Ryan Cook ’08. The couple resides in Bentonville, AR where Studyvin works for Arvest Bank Group.

2008shaWn a. camPBeLL married Jenny smith ‘09 on June 13, 2009 in Fulton, MO.

The wedding party included Megan Munzlinger ’09 and Maggie Gross ’09. The couple resides in Columbia, MO where Jenny is a Kindergarten Teacher at Kingdom Christian Academy in Fulton, MO and Shawn is pursuing a Master’s in Mathematics at University of Missouri-Columbia.

2010esnath PoPe married Daneil Terrence Barker on June 24, 2008 in Kirkwood, MO. The couple resides in Weldon Spring, MO where Esnath is a Supervisor with UTI Intergrated Logistics.

1 2 3 4 5 6

1110987

1. john ‘89 & shirley Hughes 2. jim ‘93 and aisha bradford 3. jessica (spanglehour) ‘95 & chris ‘95 macy 4. jason & jade (long) ‘99 elwess 5. brad ‘01 and lauren Kiesling 6. sera Kate (Timmerberg) ‘04 and matthew Dobrinic 7. brian ‘04 and megan jahnsen 8. David ‘06 and eva (rader) ‘06 mcDorman 9. josh ‘06 and jaime (stonner) ‘06 young 10. lauren (pilgram) ‘07 and Korey elkin 11. clayton ‘07 and Kacey studyvin


BaBybluejays

faculTy/sTaffDr. John comerForD [1] and wife Rachel Rumple-Comerford announce the birth of Reagan Renee Comerford on December 30, 2008. The family resides in Fulton, MO where John is the Interim Vice President of Institutional Advancement and Rachel teaches education courses at Westminster College.

1996michaeL and trisha (hoWarD) PFLantZ [2] welcomed Maisy Katherine Pflantz on March 18, 2009. The family resides in St. Louis, MO where Mike is Vice President of Corporate Finance with Suddenlink Communications and received a Master’s of Business Administration from Washington University. Trisha volunteers as a court-appointed special advocate for foster children.

1997trey Davis [3] and wife Paige announce the birth of Jackson Wyatt Davis on April 22, 2009. The family resides in Columbia, MO where Davis is the Vice President of Governmental Affairs for the Missouri Chamber of Commerce.

tiFFany (WaDman) rhoaDes [4] and husband Michael welcomed Finley Madison Rhoades on December 10, 2008. Finley joins older brother, Quintan, age 3. The family resides in Mission, KS.

1998Dena (suDar) christensen [5] and husband Scott welcomed John “Jack” Preston Christensen on March 23, 2009. The family resides in Littleton, CO.

1999anne (reeD) and scott richarDson [6] announce the adoption of Lillian Maud Richardson, age 4, from Henan Province, People’s Republic of China on April 14, 2009. Lillie joins big sister Juliet, age 6. The family resides in Shanghai, China where Scott is the Global Commercial Director for the Acetyl Intermediates division of Celanese Corporation.

2000kara (nicoDemus) heim [7] and husband Greg welcomed Gavin Heim on January 7, 2008. The family resides in Fayetville, AR where Heim is a Pharamaceutical Representative for Pfizer.

gaLe (scott) and greg Patterson [8] welcomed Isaac Easton Patterson on November 18, 2008. The family resides in St. Louis, MO where Gale is the Director of Product Marketing with Essence Healthcare and Greg is an Attorney with Thompson Coburn.

2002corrie (anDerson) and mark giFForD ‘01 [9] announce the birth of Addison Millie Gifford on April 17, 2009.

The family resides in Pineville, NC where Corrie is an Assistant Managing Editor for Sporting News magazine and Mark is an Optometrist at Vision Care Associates in Charlotte, NC.

2004Darcy (o’hanLon) Brignac [10] and husband Jeff welcomed Olivia Gayle Brignac on November 12, 2008. The family resides in Grand Prairie, TX where Brignac is a stay at home mom and adjunct English Instructor at Tarrant County College, NE campus.

2005Brett eiDson and wife Naomi announce the birth of Kathryn Olivia Eidson on February 28, 2008. The couple resides in Mansfield, MO where Eidson is a Licensed Funeral Director with Holman-Howe Funeral Home.

aLyn (saxBy) WiLLiams [11] and husband Bryan welcomed Rylee Grace Williams on March 26, 2009. The family resides in Broken Arrow, OK where Williams is a Senior Contract Analyst with Walden Energy, LLC.

2006DaviD Day [12] welcomed Leala-Ann Rose Day on April 25, 2008. The family resides in Leavenworth, KS where Day is a 2nd Grade Teacher and is pursuing a Master’s in Education from Mid-America Nazarene University in Olathe, KS.

1. reagan comerford 2. maisy pflantz 3. jackson Davis 4. finley rhoades 5. jack christensen 6. lillian richardson 7. gavin Heim 8. isaac patterson 9. addison gifford 10. olivia brignac 11. rylee Williams 12. leala-ann Day

1 2 3 4

87

65

9 10 11 12


inLovingmemory

T hey were our classmates, our friends, brothers and sisters. Together we

remember those who shared their lives with us and left behind hearts full of precious memories.

JosePh m. DanieLs of Quincy, IL on May 24, 2009. Daniels was a former Westminster Board of Trustee member and received a Westminster College Honorary Doctor of Laws degree in 1995. Daniels joined the Army Air Corps and served in WWII. He retired as Chairman of the Board for Penn-Daniels. His sons, Bill ’71 and David ’76, and grandchildren, Lauren ’05, Spencer ’08 and Andrew ’09 are also Westminster alumni.

aaron D. meaLy of Steadman, MO on May 15, 2009. Mealy was a Mechanical Trades Technician in the Plant Operations department of Westminster College.

susan m. rueter, former Student Activities Director, of Batesville, AR on February 16, 2009.

WiLLiam L. camPBeLL '38 of Springfield, MO on February 4, 2008. He was a member of the Highlanders. Campbell was a veteran of WWII, serving in the European Theater and was at the Liberation of Rome. Campbell was a Supervisor for Child Welfare Services until his retirement.

marion h. rasmussen ‘39 of Lewistown, IL on December 16, 2008.

JacoB J. eige ‘40 of Houston, TX on January 22, 2009. He was a member of Phi Delta Theta and an avid golfer. Eige was a Sales Engineer with Puffer-Sweiven for 30 years.

eDWarD a. Butts ‘41 of Austin, TX on April 19, 2009. He was a member of the Highlanders. Butts served as a Weather Observer in the US Army from 1942-45 in China and India and graduated from the University of Michigan Law School in 1948. He was an Insurance Agent with Allstate for 38 years.

kenneth m. thomPson ‘41 of Mount Vernon, IA on February 17, 2009. He was a member of Phi Delta Theta. A veteran of WWII, he served as an MP in the 42nd Rainbow Division, European Theater. Thompson worked in sales for Phillips Petroleum, Ruud Manufacturing and

Goodin before starting his own company as a Manufacturer’s Representative in the gas industry, retiring in 1980.

otto J. Becker ‘43 of St. Louis, MO on March 21, 2009. Becker served as a pilot on the CVE Carrier USS Nehenta Bay during WWII and retired after 26 years of service in the US Navy. He was a member of the Military Officers and Tailhook Associations, the Lambskin Lodge 460, and a past Worshipful Master in Moscow Mills Masonic Lodge and Shriners.

Dr. gorDon o. guerrant ‘44 of Dunwoody, GA on June 26, 2009. He received the Alumni Achievement Award in 1989 and was a distinguished medical researcher and analytical chemist. Guerrant served in the US Navy as a Navigator during WWII and in 1949 earned a PhD in Analytical Chemistry from the University of Illinois.

John B. mccuBBin ‘44 on December 20, 2008 in Wilmington, DE. He was a member of Beta Theta Pi. McCubbin served in the US Navy and attended Columbia Law School.

WaLter W. ross ‘44 of Leawood, KS on January 1, 2009. He was a member of Beta Theta Pi and the Skulls of Seven. Ross was a US Navy veteran of WWII. He was President of Walter W. Ross and Company, Inc. from 1953-99 and then became Chairman of the Board until his death. Ross served as the Director of the Board for Girlstown USA, the Kansas City Philharmonic Orchestra, Past President of Kansas City OPO. His brother, John Ross ’48 also attend Westminster College.

James W. Wright Jr. ‘44 of Webster Groves, MO on July 22, 2009. He was a member of Delta Tau Delta. After serving in the US Navy, Wright joined his father’s firm and later became president of the company. He was a volunteer fireman for the Webster Groves Fire Department and served on the Webster Groves Pension Board as president in 1964.

Dr. oscar W. shaDLe ‘45 of Seal Beach, CA on June 12, 2009. He was a member of the Highlanders and the Skulls of Seven. At the age of 21, he received a PhD from University of Louisville. After serving in the US Army, he held post-doctorate fellowships and

then became a Professor of Physiology at the University of Louisville. Shadle worked from 1962-89 as an Internist and Cardiologist in the Memorial Medical Group in Long Beach, CA where he helped establish the Heart Institute and served on its Board of Directors.

aLBert t. hancock ‘46 of Blue Springs, MO on November 10, 2008. Hancock’s education was interrupted by service to his country in the US Navy. He received a Master’s of Business Administration from the University of Michigan and spent his entire career at Hoover Brothers School Supply and Equipment, retiring as Chairman of the Board.

hoWarD F. FinDLey ‘47 of Corpus Christi, TX on January 20, 2009. He served as a dentist in the US Navy attaining the rank of Lieutenant. and was stationed at NAS CC and aboard USS Telfair. Findley had a private dental practice in Corpus Christi, TX and was an active member of CC Civitan Club, South Shore Christian Church, and the Parkinson Support Group of Corpus Christi.

ray F. sniDer ‘47 of Pleasanton, CA on June 14, 2009. He was a US Naval Lieutenant in WWII. Snider received a Juris Doctorate from Cal Berkley Law School and owned a private practice in Castro Valley, CA.

Dr. rhys a. WiLLiams ‘49 of Mexico, MO on April 19, 2009. He was a member of Phi Gamma Delta. Dr. Williams practiced general surgery in the North Arkansas Medical Center for 32 years prior to his retirement.

roBert c. hansen ‘50 of Hillsboro, MO on March 10, 2009. Hansen was a US Navy veteran, served in the Korean War and was a Line Officer in the Naval Reserves, retiring as Captain.

cLinton imBoDen ‘50 of St. Louis, MO on June 29, 2009. He was a member of Phi Delta Theta. His son, Clint Imboden ’76, is also a Westminster alum.

richarD a. sPiering ‘50 of St. Louis, MO on March 16, 2009. He was a Veteran of WWII serving as a Naval Medical Corpsman in the South Pacific. After service to his country, he was a


Cartographer with Defense Mapping Agency in St. Louis, MO.

hoWarD s. reiD ‘51 of Carrollton, MO on November 9, 2008. He was a member of Phi Delta Theta and the basketball team. Reid joined the US Marines for two years before attending college and re-entered the Marines for a short time during the Korean War. After service to his country, he ran the family farming business, raising corn, beans and livestock. Reid served on the Carrollton School Board for 12 years and was president for six years.

thomas W. coLLins ‘52 of Glendale, MO on April 30, 2009. He was a member of Beta Theta Pi. Collins served with the US Army during the ccupation in Japan and spent more than 30 years in the dental sales industry as a Territorial Manager with Dentalez Inc. until his retirement in 2005.

ross DoBBerteen ‘52 of Citrus Heights, CA on April 13, 2008.

WiLFreD t. c. tyau ‘52 of Honolulu, HI on October 31, 2008. He was a member of the Highlanders. Tyau served in the US Army and retired as a Major. After service to his country, he became Vice-Principal at Farrington High School.

Jack L. chamBers ‘54 of Sedalia, MO on March 29, 2009. He was a member of the Skulls of Seven. Chambers was a member and former Chairman of Deacons of First Baptist Church, a member of Sedalia Lodge 236, Order of the Eastern Star and was a York Rite Mason and past state officer. Chambers received a Master’s degree from the University of Central Missouri and spent his entire career teaching at Green

Ridge School, retiring as the High School Principal in 1983.

george W. chaPman Jr ‘54 of Tyler, TX on January 17, 2009. Chapman worked for Sun Oil and Placid Oil until becoming an independent landman in 1974.

herBert e. green ‘56 of Greenville, TX on March 18, 2009. He was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon and the baseball team. His education was interrupted by service to his country in the US Army. Green worked for McDonnell Douglas Aircraft in St. Louis, MO and E-Systems Inc. in Greenville, TX.

carL kLePPinger ‘57 of Pittsburg, TX on February 18, 2009. He was a member of Phi Delta Theta. Kleppinger was an Executive Vice President with United Security Group, Inc.

george v. nichoLs ‘57 of Kansas City, MO on April 27, 2009. He was a member of Phi Gamma Delta and the baseball team. Nichols retired from Calmar, Inc.

PauL m. ross ‘57 of St. Louis, MO on December 30, 2008. He was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon, the Student Government Association and the baseball team. Ross received the Alumni Achievement Award in 1985, was a lifetime member of Westminster’s Board of Trustees and a Friend of the Winston Churchill Memorial and Library. Ross was Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Citizen’s National Bank in St. Louis, MO. His brother, David Ross ’61 is also a Westminster graduate.

herscheL a. stuLts ‘60 of Springfield, IL on May 27, 2009. He was a member of the Highlanders. Stults was President and Chief Engineer of Stults Scientific Engineering.

DougLas L. WeLLs ‘65 of Newport Beach, CA on December 10, 2008. He was a member of Phi Delta Theta.

gary g. graBau ‘70 of St. Louis, MO on January 20, 2009. He was a member of Kappa Alpha Order.

gary e. hess ‘71 of Seymour, IN on May 2, 2009. He was a member of Sigma Chi. Hess was a Financial Manager at Acra Automotive until his retirement.

James r. BitZer ‘73 of Shelbyville, IL on December 29, 2008. He was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon. Bitzer was Owner and Broker of BITZER & Associates, Realtors for 33 years during which time he obtained numerous designations and accreditations in his profession.

DaviD m. FinLay ‘79 of Kansas City, MO on March 11, 2009. He was a member of Beta Theta Pi. Finlay was a member of Boy Scout Troop 187, an Eagle Scout and a member of the Tribe of Mic-O-Say. He worked as Manager of Euston Hardware’s Brookside Store, as an Agronomist for Farmland Industries and in pharmaceutical sales.

inLovingmemory

We want to hear from you!The office of alumni and college relations produces a monthly electronic newsletter – Columns Connection, which has the latest news on campus, events and sports. if you are interested in receiving Columns Connection, please send your email address to [email protected] or fill out this form and check the box “i am interested in Columns Connection.” as always, we love to receive your news – about work, travels, family – for class notes, Leadership’s most-read section. To share your news, complete this form and send it to the address below, or simply email us at [email protected].

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Office of Alumni and College Relations • 501 Westminster Avenue • Fulton, MO 65251-1299 • www.westminster-mo.edu

Lastimpression

“groWing a fuTure for peace” was a wonderful summer opportunity to go to Trinidad and apply the knowledge learned at Westminster while making a difference in people’s lives. To supplement the government funding for the Hope Centre, a temporary children’s home, the project had two goals: the construction of a green house structure and empowering the children to positively change their standard of living by learning new skills and growing their own nourishment.

The goals were accomplished on the 20 day trip as a secure and environmentally friendly green house structure is in place. Following the advice of the Ministry of Agriculture of Trinidad & Tobago, high yield and nutritional value crops like tomatoes,

cabbage, squash, cucumbers, peppers, etc. were planted. The children have taken ownership of the project by making schedules for everyone to help maintain the crops, adding new crops and enjoying the amazing yields of the project.

The project took place in the heart of San Fernando, Trinidad; which is the second biggest city of the country after the capital. The Hope Centre houses on average 30 children, who are appointed by the courts to reside there while their custody cases are on trial.

The projects members included Eddie Arrieta ’10, Sera-Leigh Ghouralal ’11, Matthias McCurren ’11 and Andres Veintimilla ’10. The project was made possible by the Projects for Peace grant from the Kathryn W. Davis Foundation.


leadership fall 2009

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