uh alumni quarterly - spring 2012

32
Q U A R T E R L Y 2012’s oldest graduate crossed the stage at 70 years young The Magazine of the University of Houston Alumni Association SPRING ISSUE 2012 Campus Meet & Greet - Dr. Richard Walker Wayne Luckett’s journey to South Africa and back A look at 2012’s youngest graduate Never Too Late To Take A Walk

Upload: university-of-houston-alumni-association

Post on 23-Mar-2016

230 views

Category:

Documents


7 download

DESCRIPTION

The official magazine of the University of Houston Alumni Association

TRANSCRIPT

Page 1: UH Alumni Quarterly - Spring 2012

Q U A R T E R L Y

2012’s oldest graduate crossed the stage at 70 years young

The Magazine of the University of Houston Alumni AssociationSP

RIN

G IS

SUE

2012

Campus Meet & Greet - Dr. Richard Walker

Wayne Luckett’s journey to South Africa and back

A look at 2012’s youngest

graduate

Never Too Late To Take A Walk

Page 2: UH Alumni Quarterly - Spring 2012

To the Class of 2012, congratulations!Welcome to the Cougar alumni family!

Page 3: UH Alumni Quarterly - Spring 2012

HoustonAlumni.com | Spring 2012 | 1

ContentsVolume 5 | Issue No. 2 | Spr ing Issue 2012

10 That Was QuickA look at UH’s youngest Spring 2012 graduate, April Nelsen

8 Never Too Late To Take A WalkJuliette Brown crossed the stage in Hofheinz Pavilion at the age of 70

5 Campus Meet & Greet Meet Dr. Richard Walker, Vice President of Student Affairs

20 Wayne Luckett’s Journey to South Africa & BackUH alumnus goes from telecommunication executive to purveyor of wines

UHAQ Essentials3 From the Desk of Mike Pede

4 Campus News

6 By The Numbers

13 Alumni Association Update

17 Newest Members

22 Class Notes

24 Leaving Their Print

26 Calendar

28 Paws & Remember

Write To:Director of

CommunicationsP.O. Box 230345

Houston, TX 77223-0345

E-mail To: [email protected]

Page 4: UH Alumni Quarterly - Spring 2012

Mention Priority Code VAASM6. You can also visit www.newcardonline.com and enter Priority Code VAASM6.

To apply, call toll-free 1.866.438.6262

Get something back for your everyday purchases. Use your University of Houston

Alumni Association Platinum Plus® Visa® card with WorldPoints® rewards, and you’ll earn points you can redeem for cash, travel, merchandise, even unique adventures.◆ Rewards for the things you buy anyway. You also have the chance to show your support for University of Houston Alumni Association every time you present your card.

2 4 / 7 S E R V I C E S E C U R I T Y P R O T E C T I O N O N L I N E A C C O U N T M A N A G E M E N T

For information about the rates, fees, other costs and benefits associated with the use of this Rewards Card, or to apply, call the toll free number above, visit the Web site listed above or write to P.O. Box 15020, Wilmington, DE 19850.◆ Terms apply to program features and Credit Card account benefits. For more information about the program, visit bankofamerica.com/worldpoints. Details accompany new account materials.

*The $0 Liability Guarantee covers fraudulent purchases and payments made by others using your account. To be covered, don’t share personal or account information with anyone. Claims may only be filed against posted and settled transactions subject to dollar limits and verification, including providing all requested information supporting fraudulent use claim.This credit card program is issued and administered by FIA Card Services, N.A. The WorldPoints program is managed in part by independent third parties, including a travel agency registered to do business in California (Reg. No.2036509-50); Ohio (Reg. No. 87890286); Washington (6011237430) and other states, as required. Visa is a registered trademark of Visa International Service Association, and is used by the issuer pursuant to license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. WorldPoints, the WorldPoints design and Platinum Plus are registered trademarks of FIA Card Services, N.A. Clarity Commitment, Bank of America and the Bank of America logo are registered trademarks of Bank of America Corporation. WP.MCV.0908

© 2012 Bank of America Corporation ARI005O0-091611 AD-01-09-0012.C.WP.NT.0109

Page 5: UH Alumni Quarterly - Spring 2012

HoustonAlumni.com | Spring 2012 | 3

Executive PublisherMike Pede (’89)

Chief EditorJeff Sutton

Art DirectorBrice D. Wiley

ContributorsTonja Jones (’00)Thomas Henley

Adrienne DeLeon

Alumni AssociationBoard of Directors

ChairRicky Raven (’83, JD ’86)

Immediate Past ChairReece Rondon (’92, JD ’95)

TreasurerStarlet Agrella (’86, MBA ’89)

SecretaryJoe Pogge (’79)

Chair ElectJohn Clarke (’82)

President’s Council Rep.Patty Godfrey (’89, MBA ’97)

Earl Cummings (’91)Fermeen Fazal (’96,’97, JD ’00)

Cathy Coers Frank (’80)Carl Glaw (’77)Janet Hoover

Russell Hruska (’93)Durg Kumar (’82, MBA ’83)

F. Carl LewisJudie Lilie (’95)

Shannon McClendon (JD ’92)Gerald McElvy (’79)

Trey Wilkinson (’92, MBA ’02)Martha Wong (MED’76, EdD ’83)

Ex-OfficioPresident Renu Khator

Ex-OfficioMike Pede (’89)

The University Renaissance

Renaissance may be difficult to spell but it sure is easy to watch! Isn’t it a great time to watch the renaissance of our University of Houston?

I know that every university or college has a period of change or transition that spells the path for the coming decades and the University of Houston is in just such a historic period but it feels like more than that is going on at UH. There is a feeling of overdue and overwhelming pride to be a Houston Cougar in 2012! There is so much more to

come, just this fall!

With the massive and seemingly ongoing construction of academic buildings, new residence halls to house over 8,000 students (officially making UH a residential campus), nationally ranked programs in so many fields of study, a robust athletics program and the potential to break the 40,000 student mark this fall, UH is in a period of success not seen in over 30 years. Keep in mind, UH is young by university standards, just turning 85 this year.

This coming fall, the change will be more evident than ever for Cougars who really pay attention. You will see giant billboards lauding the academic accomplishments in an attempt to continue to attract the best and brightest. That’s never really been done before. You will see openings of new residence halls at a record pace. That’s never been done before. You will see a rail line that connects UH to the business districts of Houston, making it easier for the working men and women of Houston to get an education. That’s never been done before. You will see exciting new athletic facilities being built on campus. Certainly it’s been done before, but not at the level that this UH administration is taking it.

So ask yourself, “Where am I in all of this?” Are you a Cougar content to sit on the sidelines or are you one of the many Cougars who have had their school spirit invigorated by what’s going on at your alma mater. Are you part of the renaissance at the University of Houston?

I want to thank the 35 constituent groups of UHAA, made up of graduates who actively volunteer their time and efforts to be a part of something bigger at UH and make a difference in this renaissance. As a UHAA member, life or annual, you can participate in any of these groups that you feel comfortable in, whether it be the college from which you graduated or a diverse group of special interests that have gathered under the UHAA banner to support the greater UH mission. Our web site, www.houstonalumni.com has a listing of every group under our umbrella that is out in the community spreading the word and doing great work on behalf of UH.

A renaissance is defined as “a resurgence, a revival, a renewal or a revitalization” and I don’t know about you but right now my Cougar spirit feels all of those going on at the same time!

Enjoy this issue of UHAQ and I hope you feel the same way.

True we’ll ever be,

UH Alumni Quarterly is published for alumni, friends, donors, and members of the University of Houston Alumni Association. Views expressed within do not necessarily represent those of the University of Houston.

All editorial comments and class note submissions should be sent to [email protected] or ATTN: Director of Communications, P.O. Box 230345, Houston, TX 77223-0345.

For information on advertising or to discuss corporate partnership opportunities, contact UHAA at [email protected] or 713.743.9550.

UH Alumni Quarterly, Volume 5, Issue 2 (USPS 018-676) (SSN 1089-9154) is published four times a year (February, May, September and December) by the University of Houston Alumni Association, located at 3100 Cullen Blvd., Suite 201, Houston, Texas 77204-6000. Annual memberships start at $50, $4.50 of which is allocated for a subscription to this publication. Periodical postage paid at Houston, Texas.

Postmaster: Send address changes to the University of Houston Alumni Association, P.O. Box 230345, Houston, Texas, 77223-0345.

A message from the UHAA President & CEO

Mike L. Pede ('89)UHAA President + CEOLife Member

{ From The Desk Of Mike Pede }

Page 6: UH Alumni Quarterly - Spring 2012

4 | Spring 2012 | HoustonAlumni.com

Campus NewsWhat’s New?

Just Hanging AroundShasta VI, the newest live mascot for UH relaxes at the Houston Zoo. Shasta VI was welcomed on March 24, 2012.

Join us in supporting Shasta VI by making a gift at HoustonAlumni.com/shasta

Renowned Neuropsychologist Receives UH’s Esther Farfel AwardH. Julia Hannay, the John and Rebecca Moores Professor of Psychology, has earned the University of Houston 2012 Esther Farfel Award, a symbol of overall career excellence and the highest honor UH bestows on a faculty member. The annual award carries a cash prize of $10,000.

“The Farfel Award is a high honor recognizing the many roles that we may have as professionals, as mentors, teachers, scholar/researchers, clinicians and administrators reaching out to the local, national and international communities to different degrees in our varied careers,” Hannay said. “The UH has afforded me the opportunity to strive for excellence in those roles in the multicultural environment that is so important to our future.”

Hannay, who is also a fellow of the American Psychological Association, is the fifth female to receive the award since it began in 1979. She is a clinical neuropsychologist and

also a pioneer in the field of experimental neuropsychology, deriving paradigms for studying cerebral specialization and assessing cognitive functions in normally developing children and adults and in clinical populations, such as spina bifida, stroke and traumatic brain injury. She continues to work on issues pertaining to assessment of acute status in brain injury and long-term outcome hoping to spend time on rehabilitation research.

“Dr. Hannay is a household name in our field. She has been one of the leaders of our field for the past three decades and has achieved all of the major successes – being elected president of the International Neuropsychological Society, leading the landmark workshop that established training credentials in our field (the Houston Conference in 1997) and contributing to the book that is the ‘bible’ in our field,” said Daniel Tranel, a professor in the department of neurology at the University of Iowa.

Page 7: UH Alumni Quarterly - Spring 2012

HoustonAlumni.com | Spring 2012 | 5

What’s New?

of Student Affairs to better support student success and engagement--including creating a new team devoted to Student Health and Wellness.

Since beginning at UH in Fall 2011, Dr. Walker has been involved in a number of projects and has plans for many more. The construction of two brand new residence halls, set to be completed in Fall 2013, will provide about 2,000 more beds to the campus, and contribute to creating what Dr. Walker calls “a more residential campus.” In conjunction with these projects, Dr. Walker has plans for furthering the development of a residential culture by enhancing the on-campus living experience with improved

housing sign-up and roommate selec-tion processes, better staff training and programming, and upgrading of facilities. In developing the university’s residential community, Dr. Walker hopes to strengthen student involvement. “Student engagement is a big initiative of ours. Making sure that students get involved is important because the research shows the more likely to be successful you are if you’re involved in at least one organization or something outside of just going to class.”

Dr. Walker cites UH’s new tier-one status as a source of enthusiasm and excitement that has spread throughout the campus, and contributes to his efforts to create a tier one Division of Student Affairs. “The tier one status is something that I have sensed the entire institution has caught hold of. It‘s a great symbolism of what the university is and what it can be,” he says. “I hear students says things like ‘Well I don’t think that’s a very tier one operation.’ It’s been really fascinating to see students really gravitate to the idea that tier one really means excellence and that we should be setting the bar higher.”

FACT

By Fall 2013, UH will have the second-most

residential students of any university in the state of Texas

{ Campus News }

This past fall, the University of Houston welcomed its newest Vice Chancellor and Vice President for Student Affairs, Dr. Richard Walker, and can look forward to some big changes. Before joining the UH staff, Richard Walker spent 24 years at the University of Miami. He began his work in the Dean’s Office, handling everything from judicial affairs to Greek life, until becoming Assistant Vice President and then Associate Vice President for Student Affairs. Some of his accomplishments during his tenure at UM include nearly doubling the university’s Greek system, as well as managing the creation of a brand new student center.

When asked about his reasons for choosing to accept a position at UH, he says that UH provided much of what he was looking for including, among other things, a large metropolitan environment, prominent research, and the opportunity to fulfill one of his career goals, becoming Vice President for Student Affairs. Since arriving here he has, like many, been inspired by President Khator’s vision. “I was extremely impressed with the trajectory she was on in terms of the leadership of the institution,” he says. “Really what attracted me was where the institution was moving and President Khator’s leadership.” Ensuring that leadership promotes the overall success of students is one of Dr. Walker’s key focuses. As VP, he has realigned the divisional leadership structure within the Division

Campus Meet & Greet - Vice President of Student Affairs, Dr. Richard Walker

Dr. Walker addresses the crowd at the Spring Ring Ceremony

Page 8: UH Alumni Quarterly - Spring 2012

6 | Spring 2012 | HoustonAlumni.com

The number of University of Houston football games that will be broadcast on tv during the 2012 season. This is the second straight year every game will be shown.

By The NumbersAll the numbers that make up one great univers i ty

12 7,800

On March 24, the UH community was introduced to Shasta VI at the Houston Zoo. Shasta

became the first live mascot of the University of Houston since 1989.

25

120 6

5,000,000

The number of campus construction projects currently in either the “planning,” “design,” or “under construction” phase.

The University of Houston awards more than 7,800 degrees annually.

The number of undergraduate majors and minors offered at

the University of Houston. Additionally, the university offers several pre-professional programs, dual-degree programs and various other special programs.

UH College of Optometry alumnus Dr. Doug Barnes and his wife, Molly, have made a $5 million pledge to the university. The gift will be submitted for state matching funds through the Texas Research Incentive Program. The first two floors of the new Health and Biomedical Sciences Building at UH will be named the Molly and Doug Barnes Vision Institute in their honor.

Page 9: UH Alumni Quarterly - Spring 2012

HoustonAlumni.com | Spring 2012 | 7

All the numbers that make up one great univers i ty

25

On March 27, 2012, University of Houston Director of Athletics Mack Rhoades announced Kaddie Platt as the Cougars’ new head volleyball coach. Platt comes to UH after spending 17 years as head coach at Houston Baptist University. She is the sixth head coach in program history.

Platt’s 499-157 career record over 17 seasons at HBU and her extensive playing experience made her a top choice for UH’s volleyball program. She is entering as head coach during UH‘s last season in Conference USA.

Platt graduated from HBU in 1994, where she played for the Huskies for four years. Following her playing career, Platt was an assistant coach at Howard Payne University for one sea-son before returning to coach at HBU, where she enjoyed an accomplished tenure. Platt led the Huskies to eight conference championships, five regional titles and six appearances at the NAIA National Tournament. She was also named NAIA National Coach of the Year and National Tournament Coach of the Year. In 2011, she led the Huskies to a 22-9 record.

“I would like to thank Mack Rhodes, T.J. Meagher, and DeJuena Chizer for giving me this amazing opportunity to lead the University of Houston volleyball program,” Platt said. “I am honored to be a part of the University of Houston athletics department’s vision and commitment to excellence. I am looking forward to working with the current players to compete for a Conference USA Championship next season and future BIG EAST Conference Championships.”

Chris Pfau became the fourth head coach in University of Houston women’s soccer history with his hiring on June 1.

Pfau joins the Cougars after spending the last four seasons at Akron. There, he helped lead the Zips to the 2009 MAC East Division championship and three straight Mid-American Conference Tournaments (2009-11).

Prior to Pfau’s arrival, Akron women’s soccer had produced only one winning season and no MAC Tournament berths in its first eight years of existence before Pfau led the Zips to a MAC East Division championship and three straight MAC Tournaments.

“Chris has a tremendous understanding on how to build a championship program and will be a great fit within our athletics family. He is exceptional strategically on the field during competition and has demonstrated throughout his career the ability to develop student-athletes to perform at their highest levels both on and off the field,” Rhoades said. “He is a terrific recruiter who cares about his student-athletes, and I know parents and coaches will want their kids to play for him. We are very excited to have Chris, Tracey, Paige and Connor join our family and look forward to the start of the 2012 season.”

Patrick Sullivan was named the University of Houston head women’s tennis coach on June 6. Sullivan becomes the eighth head coach in program history after spending two successful seasons as head coach at Stephen F. Austin.

Sullivan took over the reins at Stephen F. Austin following a 9-11 season and led the Ladyjacks to the two greatest seasons in school history, compiling an overall record of 43-10.

Sullivan’s youthful 2012 squad, which featured four freshmen in the lineup, captured the school’s first-ever Southland Conference regular- season and tournament titles en route to its first NCAA Tournament appearance in program history.

“Patrick is one of the nation’s top young talents who is well respected in the college tennis industry, and we feel he’ll be an excellent fit within the Houston Athletics family,” Rhoades said. “He has demonstrated the ability to take programs to new heights and is a dynamic recruiter who truly cares about his student-athletes. We are very excited to have Patrick, Caroline and Vera join our family.”

Ka

dd

ie P

latt

Vo

lleyb

all

Chr

is P

fau

Soc

ce

r

Patr

ick

Sulli

van

Ten

nis

{ New Head Coaches }

Page 10: UH Alumni Quarterly - Spring 2012

8 | Spring 2012 | HoustonAlumni.com

It doesn’t take long to realize that Juliette Brown is a person you can sit and talk to for hours, with her own stories to tell and a genuine interest in, not only telling them, but hearing yours.

This past May, Brown was the oldest graduate to receive her diploma at the University of Houston commencement ceremonies. She graduated at the age of 70, just one week shy of her 71st birthday, with a bachelor of arts in broadcast journalism.

Brown began taking college courses over 50 years ago, taking classes on and off and even earning an associate degree from Del Mar College along the way.

During those 50 years, Brown worked in various professions, from being a hairdresser to real estate to finance. She has also been able to pursue her passion for travel and visit multiple continents, hitchhiking in Spain and discovering Paris, her “favorite city in the world.”

At one point, while hosting a folk music radio show, Brown got the opportunity to interview director Robert Altman (MASH, Gosford Park) and as a result ended up appearing in his movie Brewster McCloud. She played a protestor on top of a car (on the UH campus, no less) screaming

By: Jeff Sutton

Page 11: UH Alumni Quarterly - Spring 2012

HoustonAlumni.com | Spring 2012 | 9

about pollution as one of the main characters passes by.

Eventually, Brown settled in Corpus Christi, Texas where she owned and operated the Deli Santa Fe for 14 years before retiring.

Brown then moved back to Houston and decided it was time to get her bachelor’s degree.

She realized her quickest route to a degree, based on the credit hours she had accumulated over the years, was in communications. She found

broadcast journalism tickled her fancy.

“It’s instantaneous gratification. You can shoot a scene and then edit it immediately,” Brown said. “I want to be a gypsy filmmaker and go around the world or even just my neighborhood and shoot films just, of life.”

As part of an independent study program, Brown did a film on Joe Galloway, who served as a newspaper correspondent during the Vietnam War and co-authored the best-selling book We Were Soldiers Once… And Young.

Brown added, “I called it A Regular Joe. I wanted to hear about the guy who gets up in the morning, puts his socks on, etc…”

Brown noted the difficulties she faced returning to college in a different era than when she first started taking classes in 1960.

“I remember wondering ‘What the hell am I doing?’ I took a statistics class online and it was very difficult to acclimate and get into it. I grew up with technology like the refrigerator and the car.” She continued, “The professor would tell someone to create a new folder, and they would just do it. For me, I had to remember each step to get to the point where I could create a folder.”

Brown was born a Christian Arab in Palestine in 1941. In 1948, during the 1948 Palestine War, her family fled Haifa and crossed into Jordan. Her family eventually made its way to Syria and settled in Damascus. Her father then came the United States and the rest of the family followed in 1952, becoming “instant Americans, eating hamburgers and playing baseball,” as Brown tells it.

Speaking about differences between her and her fellow students, Brown added, “The town I moved to when I was 11 had a pep rally every Thursday night with the band and the twirlers with the whole town walking from the high school to downtown where there was a bonfire in the street.”

“The things (traditional college students) learn, they already have a base for and I have no base. So, I have to refresh myself and learn all of this. It was good because I was being dragged into the technological age and thinking and learning.”

Despite the generational gap and the challenges she faced in returning to school, she graduated magna cum laude. Now, she spends her time between Houston and the gulf coast, no doubt filming “regular joes” and deciding where she wants to travel next.

Juliette Brown

Page 12: UH Alumni Quarterly - Spring 2012

10 | Spring 2012 | HoustonAlumni.com

April Nelsen could have graduated with her bachelor of art degree in communications with a concentration in corporate communications at the age of 19, but she took an extra year to enjoy being a college student. Nelsen, at the age of 20, was the youngest graduate from UH in May.

Nelsen’s road to UH started when she enrolled in the “Early College” program at New Heights Christian Academy, which allows students to take courses at Houston Community College and earn college credits while receiving high school graduation credits. Having earned her associate degree at 17 in a year and a half, she started at UH already qualifying as a junior.

“Whenever I started college, it took a little getting used to at HCC because students there are all ages and then there’s little ol’ me walking in there…” said Nelsen.

With an affable nature in general, a childhood that involved multiple stepsiblings of varying ages, races and nationalities was no doubt beneficial for Nelsen as she made the transition to college courses at a young age.

She added, “I’ve lived with seven homeless people. My mom has a big heart and takes people in. It helped make me very open with people.”

Having grown up in the greater Houston area, Nelsen had the forethought to stay near home. She said, “Whenever I was 17 I felt like it would be a bad idea to go to another city.”

“I really like that even though it’s a bigger campus, there were always so many familiar faces,” she added.

Nelsen received a scare shortly before graduation, realizing she had received a failing grade in a graphic design course. Luckily, it was simply a matter of human error that was already in the process of being rectified.

“I thought I wasn’t going to graduate.” She continued, “I emailed my professor and she told me it was a mistake and she was already taking care of it. She had already put the paperwork in to the Dean’s office to get it changed.”

Nelsen worked various jobs while she worked on her degree, including working for a mortgage lender in the unenviable position of foreclosing on homes. While staying busy with classes, she was a member of the Delta Zeta sorority and was involved with the American Marketing Association.

“I liked that there were so many opportunities to get involved (on campus),” Nelsen said.

Youngest Graduate

Nelsen, far left, was the youngest graduate of 2012 from University of Houston

A Look At 2012’s

Page 13: UH Alumni Quarterly - Spring 2012

HoustonAlumni.com | Spring 2012 | 11

Youngest Graduate

Alumni Travel Program

Start making plans for your 2013 travel abroad. The alumni association has a great slate of trips scheduled for you to join fellow alumni for fun, enjoyment, and memories. Save these dates!

Cruise the Caribbean Sea12 Day Cruise January 4-16, 2013

Holland and Belgium - Magnificent Waterways8 Day Trip April 12-20, 2013

Canadian Rockies by Train9 Day Trip August 5-13, 2013

For more information and to secure your spot please visit: HoustonAlumni.com/travel

Page 14: UH Alumni Quarterly - Spring 2012

12 | Spring 2012 | HoustonAlumni.com

Laurie Rutherford is a three-time alumna of the University of Houston, holding a BBA, MBA, and, most recently, an MS in Finance. She has more than a few good memories to share from her experience at UH and the opportunities that it afforded her. She exhibits her pride and appreciation for UH as a UH Alumni

Association Life Member and board member of the CenterPoint Energy Alumni Association.

Rutherford was initially inspired to work in the energy industry because of her father’s 38-year career as a geologist, and she sought the education and resources to achieve that goal at UH in 1981. As an undergraduate, she developed an interest in finance which she was ultimately able to merge with her dream of working in energy. She also played basketball and recalls the excitement and advantages that being a Lady Cougar brought her.

“As athletes, we had to be excellent time managers to handle all of the additional demands required for our sport, all while maintaining our grades to remain eligible and fulfill our athletic contract. It better prepared me to handle the busy schedules

and performance expectations of the corporate world,” she says.

“To this day, I enjoy saying that I

was a ‘Little Sister of Phi Slama Jama!’ We weren’t too shabby in my day at UH! One of my most memorable moments was when we beat the No.4 ranked team in the country, Louisiana Tech.”

After graduating in 1986 with a BBA in Finance, Rutherford began working for United Gas Resources, where she worked in marketing and accounting before landing a job at Enron. She also worked for Reliant Energy as a credit and contracts manager beginning in 2001, and remembers the challenges facing the industry during this time.

“Within four months of starting with Reliant, I experienced the gridlock of the credit markets following Sept. 11 and the

collapse of Enron,” she says.

She continued advancing in her career despite these challenges, moving on to work as a risk manager for CenterPoint Energy. For the last ten years has held multiple management positions at CenterPoint, from Portfolio Valuation to Enterprise Risk Management. She currently directs the CenterPoint Energy Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) process, and has been the lead Risk Manager for Center-Point’s Smart Grid deployment for three years.

Since first getting involved with UHAA, Rutherford has enjoyed reconnecting with old classmates/teammates, participating in various alumni events, and giving back to UH. Becoming a Life Member has enhanced this experience even further, strengthening her commitment and connection to UH. “Life Membership is my commitment to giving back to a great university that has for so

long been undervalued and underestimated amongst the population.” In addition to bringing recognition to UH and giving back, Rutherford also contributes valuable enthusiasm and spirit to the many functions put on by the UHAA each year. She is able to transfer her skill on the golf course into positive competitive energy by participating in the CenterPoint UHAA main fund raising event, the annual golf tournament, which funds over $30,000 in scholarships each year.

“The University of Houston has experienced so many positive, dramatic changes since my undergraduate years of the early 1980’s and I am very excited for the future of UH on all fronts: academics, athletics and the overall atmosphere/environment. Great things are happening at UH and I hope our alumni connect back to the university for a fulfilling experience.”

M E E T

LIFEMEMBER

LAURIE RUTHERFORD (’81)

What We’ve Been Up To

By: Adrienne DeLeon

Page 15: UH Alumni Quarterly - Spring 2012

HoustonAlumni.com | Spring 2012 | 13

Association UpdateWhat We’ve Been Up To

On April 14, the UH Alumni Association hosted its 58th annual Awards Gala at the new Westin Memorial City. Truly a star-studded event, this year’s gala boasted one of the largest turnouts in the event’s long history. Hosted by ESPN SportsCenter anchor Robert Flores (‘92), guests were entertained by the immensely talented Men of Moores prior to the main event, presenting our honorees with their awards.

2012 Distinguished Alumni Award honorees included Durga Agrawal (MS ‘69, PhD ‘74), Brett Cullen (‘79), Lt. General Robert Milstead (‘74), Dorothy T. Nicholson (‘77), Dennis Quaid and Robert Wuhl. Receiving the Distinguished Service Award were Audray McMillian (‘84) and Ron Page (‘80). Lillie Therese Robertson was presented with the Chair’s Award while Judy Chong (‘69, ‘76) was honored with the Outstanding Volunteer Award and James Hong (‘05) received the Rising Star Award for Achievement.

58th Annual Alumni Awards Gala

Page 16: UH Alumni Quarterly - Spring 2012

14 | Spring 2012 | HoustonAlumni.com

{ Alumni Association Update }

1. UHAA board member, Durg Kumar, and his wife Sujatha. 2. Audray McMillian during his acceptance speech. 3. Table centerpiece. 4. Robert Wuhl addresses the crowd. 5. Members of the Cougar Brass play to start the program. 6. Dr. James Anderson, and his wife Sandy, gather with friends. 7. Dennis Quaid and Brett Cullen await their turn to speak. 8. Robert Planck presents Dorothy Nicholson with her Distinguished Alumna Award. 9. The ballroom at the Westin - Memorial City. 10. Lt. General Robert Milstead is congratulated by Welcome Wilson, Sr.

1

5

6

2

3

4

7

8

9

10

Page 17: UH Alumni Quarterly - Spring 2012

HoustonAlumni.com | Spring 2012 | 15

feedback

Join the conversation and become a fan of UHAA at

www.facebook.com/houstonalumni

University of Houston’s own President Khator not only received the Light of India’s “Jury Vote”, but she also received over 50,000 votes to win the coveted “People’s Choice Award” as the 2012 Light of India Awardee in Education this past Friday night.

What’s on your mind?

Live Feed Views News Feed

James Aldridge Way to go Dr. Khator!

40 minutes ago • Comment • Like

14 minutes ago • Comment • Like

Nyle Kibbe Nice! One of the best presidents we’ve ever had. Please don’t leave us Dr. Khator.

17 minutes ago • Comment • Like

Margo Massad Kaplan Well deserved! Go Coogs!

32 minutes ago • Comment • Like

Adilia Colina Congratulations, you are the Best!

43 minutes ago • Comment • Like

Tom Franklin likes this.

Fausto Almazan Dr. Khator you have done so much for UH. Thank you!!!!!

{ Alumni Association Update }

Spring Ring CeremonyThe 2012 Spring Ring Ceremony saw the largest crowd ever for a Ring Ceremony as over 1,000 ring recipients, family and friends filled Cullen Performance Hall on Sunday, April 29. A total of 536 class rings were sold during the spring semester, more than double the amount sold during the same time period in 2011.

Shasta VIThanks to a unique partnership between UHAA and the Houston Zoo, the University of Houston has its newest live mascot, Shasta VI! On March 24, hundreds of UH alumni and supporters were present for the official unveiling of Shasta in the cougar habitat at the zoo.

Page 18: UH Alumni Quarterly - Spring 2012

16 | Spring 2012 | HoustonAlumni.com

{ Alumni Association Update }

wake up on the bright side®

OVER 800 LOCATIONS

• FREE Bright Side Breakfast®

• FREE high-speed Internet

• Comfy Pillowtop Beds

• Swimming Pool

• In-Room Coffee Maker, Hair Dryer, Iron and Ironing Board

• Kids 18 and Under Stay FREE in Their Parents’ Room

Your travel dollars go furtherat la quinta inns & suites® with:

special 10%* off

10% Discount Nationwidefor all U of H Alumni,Family and Friends.Book online: LQ.comPromo Code: UHALUMNI

800-SLEEPLQ | LQ.com(753-3757)

Sandy Clinton, Global Sales [email protected]

For more informationcontact:

LA QUINTA is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. © 2012 LQ Management, L.L.C.

La Quinta® proudly supports the University of Houston Alumni Association’s student scholarship fund by donating 5% of all Alumni room sales booked using Promotional Code: UHALUMNI

Senior SendoffOn April 25, UHAA hosted its second annual Senior Sendoff, celebrating the university’s graduating seniors with a party in Lynn Eusan Park. DJ Da4th provided musical entertainment throughout the afternoon while students were able to enjoy inflatable games and free food provided by Chik Fil A.

Career MixerThe second annual Alumni Career Mixer, hosted by UHAA and University Career Services welcomed approximately 120 UH alumni, both new and old, with the opportunity to network with representa-tives from over 40 companies in a reception-style atmosphere.

Page 19: UH Alumni Quarterly - Spring 2012

HoustonAlumni.com | Spring 2012 | 17

Cathleen M. Meredith (MBA ’11)Marla L. Meriano (’98, MED ’08)Paul J. Meriano (’93)Otto O. Meyers, III (MBA ’99)John D. Millner (’09)Brandon Mocek (’07)Lananh T. Nguyen (’98)Tho V. Nguyen (’96)Dr. Mark Lynn Nichols (’83)John James Papasideris (’06)Zoe K. PapasiderisBhavana J. Patel (MARCH ’97)Jay K. PatelDavid L. Phillips (’97)Lani D. Ramsey (’94)William A. Ramsey (’93, MBA ’99)Dr. Melissa Raymundo (’03, MA ’06)Jennifer L. Rivera (’02)Mario A. Rodriguez (’91)Kathleen P. Rubinstein (MA ’96)Diane St. Yves (’01, JD ’06)David P. Saiz (’10)Michael Samson-MetzgerRobert Lee Scholz (’77, MS ’88)Dr. Lisa M. Scholz (PHD ’99)Katherine A. Settle (’11)Alisa Stevenson-Williams (’11)Jon Walter Trevett (’80)Ethan J. Tritt (MBA ’11)Taylor Tritt (’03)Matthew R. Vaksdal (’08)Jeffrey M. Van Hal (’07)Dr. Alex C. Varkey (PHD ’05)Dr. Divya VarkeyRobyn R. Weller (’93)James F. Wiggins (JD ’76)Michael R. Williams (’92)

The Honorable Welcome W. Wilson, Jr.Reginald K. Hickok, II (’87)Sean Patrick Allen (’94)Elizabeth D. Alvarado (’85, JD ’88)April Andres (’76, MBA ’82)William A. Armstrong, Jr. (’72, MS ’82)Robert L. Arnold (’94)Terry M. Arnold (’75)Mark Jeffrey Atkins (’94)Gene Aydinian (MBA ’87)Gordon Lamar Benner (’74)Karen D. Benton (’84)Faye B. Bryant (MED ’67)William J. Burhans (MBA ’86)

{ Newest Members }

The University of Houston Alumni Association expresses appreciation to our newest members who have joined as Life Members & Century Club!

Century Club

Norman Craig Alexander (’92)Fausto Almazan, Jr. (’08)Erick R. Bartusek (’04)Michael Craig Bradburn (’93)Eric N. Cain (MBA ’04)James Terrell Campbell (’83)Mark Alan Carswell (’08)Father John G. Cathcart (’62)Geoffery Tsun-Hung Chow (MS ’83)Cheryl B. CoryErik Sean Danna (’10)Angelic Davis (’95)Elaine J. Disney (’87)Dennis W. Disney (’83)Eric Edwards (MBA ’10)Dr. Emmanuel Ekwelundu (PHD ’88)Rolando B. Elizondo, Jr. (’01, MSW ’04)Pamela Denise Ellis (’97)Phil H. Elting, Jr. (’69)Pearl Esparza (’00)Anna Cecilia Espinoza (’08)Dr. Laura L. Faulkenberry (’95)Tarrell Joseph Florent (’86, MARCH ’88)Jose R. FloresJavier Garcia (’11)Charles L. Gauzer (’73, MED ’81)Elvis A. Gonzalez (‘05)Bonita Y. Green (’83)Tammy Guest (’85)David S. Hackenbruch (’97, ’01)Dr. Mark Jason Harris (’89, OD ’92)Theodore Harydzak, Jr.Jo Lane HarydzakDouglas D. Haude (’02)Ana Hernandez (’05)Douglas Hidalgo (’90)Norma E. Hidalgo (’88, ’94)Jon D. Huffman (’84)Patricia A. Huffman (’84)Donna C. Kohlhausen (JD ’77)Robert C. Kramp (’96, MS ’11 UHV)Agnes T. Lai (’04, MSACY ’10)Quyen H. Le (’09)Dr. Hugo R. Lopez (AA ’51, ’54)Chrissy Lu (’10, MSACY ’11)Patrick S. Mahoney (’07)Dennis L. Maresh, Jr. (’82)William Carl McClain, Jr. (’80, MBA ’98 UHCL)John P. McClure (’67)Kathleen Bettis McClure (’70)Eva McDonald (’83)Kelly McDonald (’81)Christopher Archer McKinstry (’07)

Robert L. Burr (’72)Charles C. Campbell (’80)Marilyn Caplovitz (’80)Dr. Joseph A. Caputo (PHD ’67)Sandra L. Caton (’82)Donna Sabita Charles (’99)DeJuena M. Chizer (’90)Audrey Jeanette Christiansen (MSACY ’91)Dr. Jeffery A. Collins (MBA ’80)Carole Cook (’84)Tyrone E. Cooper (’76, JD ’79)Frank P. Covey (’83)Lourdes M. Cuellar (’73, MS ’79)Connell Hugh Cunningham (MA ’10)Harry E. Darnell, Jr. (’84)Emily Dart (MBA ’10)Edward Justin Davis III (’02)Jon C. Day (MS ’83)Robert J. de Lachica, Sr. (’64)Carlos De Leon (’93)David C. Dinwoodie (MBA ’92)Patricia B. Dundee (’84)Alexandra L. Emsley (’00)Joe Howard Frey (’92)Carl A. Gamble (’68)Robert E. Garcia (’98)Jojy Mattackal George (’95)Chad Glessman (’97 UHCL)Robert Roy Glover (’83)Jeffrey Gerard Graebert (’90)R. E. Grimes (MSME ’89)Alun Richard Hansen (MBA ’96)Lisa S. Harrison (’83)Christopher M. HayesMark W. Heathcote (’79)Chad M. Helmcamp (’99)Richard Holman (’78)Robert L. Ideus (’73)Dr. Mary A. Jackson (EDD ’00)Lionel R. Jellins (MBA ’93)Keith A. Jenkins (’89, MBA ’97)Cynthia D. JonesTheodore “Ted” Jones (’53)Sam P. Kamas (’71)Carolynne Bond Kent (’52, MED ’53)Cher K. Lay (’05)Rene F. Leandro (’72, MSIE ’74)Daniel E. LeGaye (’77, JD ’80)Dr. Lubert James Leger (PHD ’70)Yulan Li (PHD ’94)Nancy Liu, C.P.A. (MSACY ’80)Edward Franklin Livsey (’68)Capt James R. Lovering (’68, ’75)

Life Members

Page 20: UH Alumni Quarterly - Spring 2012

18 | Spring 2012 | HoustonAlumni.com

Richard D. Lozano (’77)Kenneth W. Maddox (’69, MSACY ’71)Dr. Lorena Maher (EDD ’93)Ronald Major (’79)Michael L. Martin (’83)Rieza Canlas Marukot (’08)John Conrad Massey (’47, ’49)Beth Louise Maxey-Knapp (’81)Steve E. MaysRay B. McComb (’78)Leah McDonough (MED ’94)Gary Wayne McGill (’84)Lucy M. McLaughlin (MED ’92)Elad Menashe (’99)Rose Anne Mendlowitz (MBA ’84 UHCL)Scott Sean Miller (MBA ’93)David Moller (’81)Marcia Crystal Money (’93)Dr. Celia A. Morgan (MA ’67, PHD ’71)Anthony I. Nasser (’10)Angela R. Neill (’98)Toby E. Newman (MSW ’87)Dr. Vu K. Nguyen (ODD ’99)Richard D. Norton (’07)Gene Matthew Nowak (MBA ’91)Rafael Ortega (’81, MBA ’85)Kathleen A. Palmer (’99)Nancy H. Parchois (’95, MSW ’98)Robert E. Perricone (’53)Esther Madrid Perrine (’82)James L. Persky (MS ’83)Steve E. Peters (’98)Robert R. Pinder (’07)Helenan H. Polansky (’70)Andrew T. Purcell, Jr. (’84)Megan Raben (’07)Michael N. Ray (’81)Robert R. Reed (’60)John Reinert (MBA ’10)Charles A. Reyes (MBA ’04)Carmen Reznik (’92)Michael Andrew Rivera (’80)Sonia M. Rocha (’99)Bernard R. Roesler (’52)Elizabeth Rossi (’83)Philip T. Rummel (’72)Darrel D. Rusnell (’79)Arlina Huerta Saenz (’09)David C. Salazar (’98)Michael John Sambasile (MBA ’92)Terry E. Sanford (MBA ’98)Lawrence Roy Saunders (’80)David Alan Schaefer (’84)Katherine A. Scharer (MS ’90)Stewart K. Schmella (JD ’01)Samuel A. Schreiber (’74)Rise Bronstein Schuster (’80)Michael C. Seifert (’98)Marianne K. Shaver (’98)

{ Newest Members }

Stephen Li-Chun Shen (’83)William J. Shinneman (’58)Shahin Shirzadi (’91)Kelly R. Showalter (’98, MBA ’04)Carey C. ShuartArt Skillman (’76)Ann S. Sledge (MED ’84)Dr. Laurie Lyn Sorrenson (’84, ODD ’85)Michael Charles Stall (‘84)William E. Stapelfeldt, III (’91)Steven Douglas Steger (’82)Michael R. Stein (MBA ’84)Maurice C. Stokes (’72, MBA ’75)Bruce E. Stowell (’10)Kendall C. Surles (’88)Martha M. Szescila (’99)Mohammad Ali Tabrizi Fard (’91)Christin F. Taschery (’04)James V. Temple (MBA ’83)Carl N. Tongberg (MBA ’93)John Walter Touchet (’84)Juan Cruz Trujillo, Jr. (’94)Dr. Sharon S. Tunstall (’73, MA ’78, PHD ’81)Richard T. Upton (’83)Kruti K. Vohra (’96)David Benton Walls (’79)Gary S. Walter (’76)Gail Yvonne Walther (’68, MED ’81)Roderick Washington (’81)Patricia A. Wehring-Rheinboldt (’76, MED ’82)Vivian May Wen (’88)T. Gerald Wesbrook (’67, MA ’72)Dr. Sandra Eslinger Whetsell (MED ’76, EDD ’82)Richard F. Whiteley (’93, JD ’99)Dr. Wendy E. Willett (’94)Troy Allen Williams (’90)William R. Williams (’72)Preston E. Wilson (’53)James A. Wingo (’54)George William Wolf, Jr. (’79)Loyd H. Wright (JD ’81)Gloria L. Yampey-Jorg (’86, MS ’87)Charles E. Zogg (’79)Vanessa Zuniga (’05)

Mr. and Mrs. Michael Aaly (’82)Mr. William D. Buchan (’68) and Mrs. Jo Ann Buchan (’67)Ms. Lisa A. Buckner (MS ’91) and Mr. T. J. Bronsberg-AdasMr. and Mrs. Kenneth Carpe (’95)Mr. and Mrs. Mark R. Carter (’90)Mr. and Mrs. Paul Chang (’98) (’02)Mr. and Mrs. Gary E. Church (’88, MS ’90) (MS’87)Mr. and Mrs. Bruce G. Davidson (’82)

Mr. and Mrs. Reynold Thomas Decou, Jr. (’93, MA ’95, MBA ’98) Mr. and Mrs. Keith Ronald Derrington (’86) (’82, ’88)Mr. and Mrs. John P. Donovan, III (JD ’93) (’87)Mr. and Mrs. Gerald M. Dougherty (‘68) (’71)Mr. and Mrs. George E. Frey (’59)Ms. Nancy Diaz-Garcia (‘06) and Mr. Juan E. Garcia (’01)Mr. and Mrs. Lee Roy Gleghorn (’68)Mr. and Mrs. Billy E. Gray (’82)Dr. and Mrs. Stephen T. Ha (MS ’87, PHD ’94) (’89)Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Tracy Hannon, Jr. (MED ’81)Mr. and Mrs. Randy Edwin Hazlewood (’80)Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Chao-Hui Huang (’78)Mr. and Mrs. Scott Neal Huntsman (’83) (’83)Mr. and Mrs. Gary L. Hurta (’72)Ms. Luciana Ann Jackson (’06) and Ms. Stacy L. AlfredMr. and Mrs. Dale W. Kempenski (’82)Mr. Aaron T. Love (’96) and Mr. Van TubergenMs. Wendy Lowery (’03) and Mr. Kirby LoweryMs. Susan E. Maddison (’89) and Mr. Bland S. Ridley (’05)Dr. Danette Maldonado (EDD ’07) and Mr. Juan A. Maldonado (’94 UHD)Mr. and Mrs. Frank H. Mangold (’90)Mr. and Mrs. Richard Wayne McMillan (’79)Ms. Margaret J. Mottesheard (’83 UHCL) and Mr. Keith HamMr. and Mrs. Dung N. Nguyen (’81, ’83) (’83)Mrs. Catherine E. Novak (’94) and Mr. John E. Novak (’90)Mr. and Mrs. Carl Mikael Odfalk (MS ’88) (’88)Ms. Lizanna M. Pierre (’90) and Mr. Martin Lavergne (’90)Mr. and Mrs. James P. Ray (’75, JD ’82) (’75)Mr. Gary J. and Mrs. Clalyn Schaefer (’80) (’80)Mr. and Mrs. Charles T. Sollock (’67)Mr. and Mrs. Jerry S. Sondag (’88 UHCL) (’86)Dr. Edward W. Soo (’82, ODD ’84) and Mrs. Nitza Quiles-SooMs. Patrizia Fontana-Stankovich (’03) and Mr. Joseph P. Stankovich (’82)Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth C. Sutton (’03) (’02)Mr. and Mrs. James P. Sweeten (’58, MED ’64) (MBA ’83)Mr. and Mrs. Gary Allen Walker (’71, ’73, ’84) (’72)Mr. and Mrs. Carl D. Walker (’01)Ms. Sandra A. Wesson-Ward and Mr. Cecil L. Ward (’82, MBA ’88)Mr. and Mrs. Blake H. West (’55) (’55)

(January - April 2012)

Century Club - Joint

Page 21: UH Alumni Quarterly - Spring 2012

(January - April 2012)

BECOME A UPS MY CHOICESM MEMBERGoodbye missed deliveries. With UPS My Choice, you now have more control of your home deliveries.

•Getafreealertthedaybeforeyourpackagearrivesviaphone,textoremail.•Goonlinetoauthorizeustoleaveyourpackageifyouwon’tbehome.•Rerouteorrescheduledeliveries.

Become a UPS My Choice member today at ups.com/mychoice

© 2011 United Parcel Service of America, Inc. UPS, the UPS brandmark, and the color brown are trademarks of United Parcel Service of America, Inc. All rights reserved.

TIRED OF SEEING THIS?

Page 22: UH Alumni Quarterly - Spring 2012

20 | Spring 2012 | HoustonAlumni.com

When Wayne Luckett graduated from the University of Houston in 1974, he already had an impressive resumé. He had a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and had served as Polemarch of his undergraduate chapter in Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity. Being the first in his family to earn a college degree, Luckett was just warming up for what he would achieve later in life.

Backed by his father’s encouraging words, Luckett had a drive that nothing could stop since childhood. An entrepreneur to the core, Luckett had his first job at age 12 as a paperboy. He went on to co-run a weekend landscaping business with his father, splitting the profits down the middle. Looking to the future, Luckett met with his high school counselor in San Antonio. The counselor knew that Luckett had a passion for math, and recommended UH because of its excellent math program and its close proximity to the Johnson Space Center in Clear Lake.

When asked about UH’s role in his life Luckett says, “I have much to be thankful to the University of Houston for providing me with

Wayne Luckett’s journeyto South Africa and back

the education, experience and opportunities that started my professional career which led to me now owning my own business.” Luckett’s membership with Kappa Alpha Psi also had a great impact on his character. He says [in Kappa Alpha Psi] “I developed an appreciation of service and community, and a desire to seek the highest level of achievement in all aspects of my journey through life.” He also credits his parents for his drive and success. Luckett recalls, “Dad would always tell me to never give up and always do your very best in all that you do. Mom taught me compassion, love, spiritual development and how to be accepted in the world. Through their teachings, support, sacrifices and encouragement, they prepared me for life.”

Utilizing all of his resources, Luckett took advantage of the University of Houston’s co-op program which landed him a job in the Engineering Department at Southwestern Bell Telephone Company. Luckett held many different management positions in his 33-year career, one of which led him to a path he never imagined he’d be taking. He was one of 50 SBC executives chosen as an expatriate to assist with

By: Thomas Henley

Page 23: UH Alumni Quarterly - Spring 2012

the privatization of Telecom South Africa. He spent five and a half years overseas helping to upgrade the telecommunications network with state of the art technology, developing more efficient business operations, transferring management knowledge and skill sets, and developing Telecom South Africa into a world class telecommunications company.

Accompanying his successful assignment in South Africa, Luckett developed more than a world-class telecommunications company. He developed a taste for what would be his next successful business adventure; a taste and deep appreciation for South African wines. Upon his return to the US, Luckett brought home 200 bottles of South African wine. The supply would only last around 6 months once friends and family got a taste of the delicious wines, and Luckett found himself phoning his friend Ron Gault for more. Gault informed Luckett that he and his wife, Charlotte, were starting a label and offered Luckett a chance to join them as a US broker for their label, as well as for several

other high quality South African wines.Given his experience and entrepreneurial mindset, Luckett took this opportunity and expanded upon it. Taking the first letters of each of his son’s names (Brandon and Warren) Luckett developed Branwar Wine Distributing Company. He saw this as an opportunity not only to keep an adequate personal collection of exquisite South African wines, but also as a chance to build a legacy to pass down to his children.

Luckett’s son Warren currently serves as Branwar’s vice president of marketing and sales. Branwar distributes over two dozen products from South Africa, Italy and Spain in over 65 locations in the Houston, Dallas, San Antonio and Austin areas.

In case you were wondering, Luckett’s favorite wine is a Red Meritage (made Bordeaux style) with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc varietals.

Branwar Wines originate from Stellenbosch, Wellington, Robertson, and Caltizdorp in the Western Cape.The Western Cape is considered the premier grape growing and wine producing region of South Africa and has produced some of the world’s most outstanding wines.

to South Africa and back

Page 24: UH Alumni Quarterly - Spring 2012

22 | Spring 2012 | HoustonAlumni.com

Class NotesUH Alumni Making News Across The Globe

1964Robert Cozens (‘64) and Joe Summerlin competed in the Masters National

Indoor Championships, Bloom-ington, Il. on March 17. We were part of the Houston Elite 4x200m relay team (75-79 age group) that set a new world record for the relay - 2:03.45. The old record was 2:07.5.

1976Perry E. Seeberger (’76), AIA, LEED AP, of Seeberger Architecture has been elected to

serve as the 2012 President of the American Institute of Architects (AIA), Houston Chapter Board of Directors. Mr. Seeberger has been a dedicated AIA member since 1982, serving on the Board in several capacities. In recent years he has held positions as the President Elect and Treasurer. As a native Houstonian, Mr. Seeberger looks forward to advancing the organization’s mission and objectives.

1972Ann Ryan Robertson (’72, JD ’77, LLM ’05), an attorney with Locke Lord Bissell

& Liddell, has been selected to serve on the Executive Committee for the North American Branch of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb). Her selection to the three-year term was announced at the group’s recent annual general meeting in Atlanta.

2006Matt Manning (’06) has joined McGlinchey Stafford PLLC ‘s Houston, Texas office. Mr. Manning is an Associate in the commercial litigation section of the firm.

1978Paul Lee (MS ‘78) was recently named first vice president, senior audit manager at MB Financial Bank.

2002Edgar Saldivar (JD ‘02), a senior asso-ciate with Houston law firm Boyar-Miller, was recently

named one of the Houston Business Journal’s “40 Under 40” Class of 2012 for his leadership in the Houston community and professional accomplishments.

2008Nichala (Nini) LeDecia Davidson (’08) received her Master of Arts in Counseling from Prairie View A&M University this past May. In December, she also received her Licensed Professional Coun-selor Intern Credentials from the State of Texas. Nichala currently works as an LPC Intern at Family Time Crisis and Counseling Center, and is pursuing her Reg-istered Play Therapist Credentials.

Craig Enochs (’94), an attorney at Jackson Walker L.L.P., was selected as a

2012 “Rising Star” by Thomson Reuters.

1994

1973Jim Braden (‘73), Danny Braden (‘03), Amanda Johnson (MS ‘06) and Elizabeth Braden (‘03) announce the opening of their

fourth Fleet Feet Sports-Houston

store just north of The Woodlands

in Shenandoah. Fleet Feet is a

national franchise specializing in

running and walking footwear

and apparel geared toward

fitting people as individuals, and

will celebrate its 25th anniversary

in Houston later this year. The

family also owns two New

Balance stores in the Houston

area.

1983John Magness (‘83), President of Old Republic Title’s Central Title Group, was

elected Executive Vice Pres-ident (EVP) of the Old Republic National Title Insurance Company (ORNTIC) at a recent Old Republic International Board of Directors’ meeting.

1983Ricky A. Raven (’83, JD ’86) has been awarded the 2012 Dr. Marguerite Ross

Barnett Alumni Achievement Award presented by the University of Houston African American Studies Program.

1992Dr. Cissy Matthews (‘92, EdD ‘09) was recently named as the Vice President of Instruction for Galveston Community College.

1997Greg Turner (MBA ’97) is pleased to announce that his firm, Turner-Duran Architects,

LP, has completed the Brazos Valley Schools Credit Union headquarters building, located in Katy, Texas.

1992Dan Worthington (JD ’92) has been elected President of the Texas Association of Defense Counsel 2012-2013.

1996Lance Livingston (’96) was recently appointed as an inaugural member of the board of directors of the recently formed ALS Association – Texas Chapter.

2007Navy Seaman Ho P. Yu (’07), recently completed U.S. Navy basic training at Recruit Training Command, Great Lakes, Ill.

2003Ruth Gannon Cook (EDD ‘03), Ph.D., associate professor in De-Paul’s School of

New Learning, was named editor of the Journal of Edu-cators Online www.thejeo.com.

2008 & 2011Weston Ludeke (‘08) and Ga-briela Ochoa (‘11) were married on May 26th, 2012.

2010Navy Seaman Emmanuel J. Taylor (‘10) recently completed U.S. Navy basic training at Re-cruit Training Command, Great Lakes, Ill.

UHAA Life Members are listed in RED

Page 25: UH Alumni Quarterly - Spring 2012

{ Class Notes }

Get your feet wet, give your apartment a quick facelift, or donate to your alumni organization…whatever moves you most.

To the extent permitted by law, applicants are individually underwritten; not all applicants may qualify. Coverage provided and underwritten by Liberty Mutual Insurance Company and its affiliates, 2100 Walnut Hill Lane, Irving, TX. © 2012 Liberty Mutual Insurance Company. All rights reserved.

You could save hundreds of dollars on your auto insurance with Liberty Mutual. You could also enjoy valuable discounts tailored to the way you live today and save even more by insuring your home as well.

COME IN

CLICK

CALL

to your local office

LibertyMutual.com/uhaa

800-687-8131

CONTACT US TODAY TO START SAVING

UH Alumni Making News Across The Globe

Page 26: UH Alumni Quarterly - Spring 2012

Anwar Elgonemy (’88)

$kin in the Game: The Past, Present, and Future of Real Estate Investments in America

Whether you are seeking to get in or out of the real estate market, advising investors, or restructuring deals, Skin in the Game is an indispensable book. This multi- dimensional book highlights the

lingering risks in the US property sector. If these risks are dealt with effectively, real estate in America will get its gallant groove back and be better prepared for inevitable crises in the future. The following five unresolved problems in US real estate—and their suggested solutions—are discussed in detail in the book: 1. Misconceptions about housing. 2. Negative home equity. 3. Delinquencies, defaults, and foreclosures. 4. Commercial debt maturities. 5. Private-label mortgage-backed securities. Included are timely advice, new perspectives, and practical suggestions for coping with excessive debt risk in the US property market.

{ Leaving Their Print }

Klaus Mehltreter, Lawrence R. Walker and Joanne M. Sharpe (’96)

Fern Ecology

Ferns are an integral part of the world’s flora, appreciated for their beauty as ornamentals, problematic as invaders and endangered by human interference. They often dominate

forest understories, but also colonize open areas, invade waterways, and survive nutrient-poor wastelands and eroded pastures. This is the first comprehensive summary of fern ecology, with worldwide examples from Siberia to Hawaii. Topics include a brief history of the ecological study of ferns, their biogeography and population dynamics, their role in ecosystem nutrient cycles and adaptations to xeric environments, and their responses to disturbance and interactions with other organisms. Fully illustrated concepts provide a framework for students and professionals in ecology, conservation, and land management, and a wealth of information for anyone interested in ferns.

Page 27: UH Alumni Quarterly - Spring 2012

HoustonAlumni.com | Spring 2012 | 25

Joan H. Fleming (’72) Donald Merton Hoffpauir (’72) Douglas Reo (’72) Toni Beauchamp (’73) Margaret Buse (’73) Roberta Anne Forbes (’73, MSW ’77) James Holston Jr. (’73) Record Sampson (’73, JD ’78) Eloise Farrar (’74, MS ’83 UHCL) Clay D. McMullen (’74) Lawrence Warner Miller (‘74) Gene Oley (’74) Donald A. Witt (MS ’74, MED ’76) Lester Anderson (’76) Debra Coleman (’76) Helen McIntyre (’78)

1980s Cynthia Ann Garrett (‘80) Michael Anthony James (’80) Susan Sausley (’81) Cynthia A. Ford (‘82) Walter Thurmond (MS ’82) Nicholas Henry Howell (MBA ’84) Stacy Smith (MED ’84) Karri J. Faigen (JD ’86) Penny Goeser (’86)

1990s Michael Muirhead (MSW ’91) Donald Rosenfield (MS ’91) Heather Bonser-Bishop (’93) Gilbert Kennedy (LLM ’94) John Christopher Eckart (’95) Julia A Padron (MA ’97) Drew A. Hesson (’99) Lawrence Louis (’99, ’00)

2000s Bruce West (MBA ’00) Frank Matthew Perez (’04)

Dr. W.P.Buckner (UH Emeritus Professor, Retired Faculty) Walter Rubin (UH Emeritus Professor, Retired Faculty)

{ In Memoriam }

Alumni1940s John Johnson (’48) Eugene T. Wallace (’49)

1950s James Brogdon (’50) Renoy B. Davis (MED ‘50) Paul Hibberd (’50) J. C. Herrington (’51) Russell Landry (’51) Elizabeth Jean Nagel (MED ’51) Peter Sultis (’51) Earl Adams (’52) Julian B. Cox (’52) Kathryn B. Johnson (’53) Leslie Ray Burton Jr. (’54) The Honorable Herman Gordon (’54, JD ’69) Leslie Smith (’54) James H. Wright (JD ’56) John Gladfelter (PHD ’57) Joe B. Lay (’57) Oscar Leder (’57) Flora Cain (MED ’58) James Ellis (MED ’59) Bruce D. Richards (’59) Wyatt Sawyer (MA ’59) Duke Woodward (’59) 1960s Harold Mellina (’60) Sybil Fay Coffey (’61, MED ’67) Daniel A. Kocian (’61) Philip Donisi (JD ’62) Burton Strait (’62) Robert Morehead (MA ’63) Frances R. Berry (’64) Albert Morin (’65) Kathryn Vandre (’65) George Butterworth Sr. (JD ’66) John Heil (’66) Joann Small (MA ’66, EDD ’75) Louis Cerny (‘67) Gary Angelle (JD ’68) Frank Cmajdalka (’68) Joyce N. Crittenden (’68) Leroy Hafer (’68) David Paul Seikel (’69)

1970s Eddie Garza (’70) Joe S. Holm (’70) Dr. Ralph O. Teter (EDD ’70) Andrew Thacker (MBA ’70, EDD ’77) Jay Wendell (’70) Marie Charlston (’72)

Friends

UHAA Life Members are listed in RED

Page 28: UH Alumni Quarterly - Spring 2012

26 | Spring 2012 | HoustonAlumni.com

CalendarStart Making Plans

JULY

12Spirit of Houston Annual Meeting

6 p.m.- 8 p.m. The Black Lab

8Graduate College of Social Work

Alumni Annual Meeting 5:30 p.m. - 9p.m.

The Hampton at Post Oak

20UH Black Alumni Association

Annual Meeting 6:30: Meeting | 8:30: After Party

Brady’s Landing

11Cougar Power Hour

6 p.m. – 9 p.m. BlackFinn American Grille

29San Antonio New Student Welcome

Reception featuring Tony Levine3 p.m. – 5 p.m.

Saltgrass Steakhouse

AUGUST

8Cougar Power Hour

6 p.m. – 9 p.m. BlackFinn American Grille

16Bauer College of Business

Alumni Annual Meeting 6 p.m. – 7 p.m. | Cemo Hall

16Fort Bend Alumni Annual Meeting

5:30 p.m. Pappisito’s Sugar Land

19Soccer vs. Houston Baptist

7 p.m. Robertson Stadium

23Texas Hold ‘Em Showdown:

Bayou City Event Center, 6 pm

Proceeds benefit UHAA programs and scholarships

Visit HoustonAlumni.com/poker

27UHCAA Golf Challenge

7:30 a.m. Riverbend Country Club

SEPTEMBER1

Football vs. Texas State 7 p.m.

Robertson Stadium

7Volleyball vs. UTSA

7 p.m. Athletics/Alumni Center

8Football vs. LA Tech

7 p.m.Robertson Stadium

10CenterPoint Energy 23rd Annual

Cougar Golf Classic 1:30 p.m.

Tour 18 Golf Course

14-15Flo Hyman Collegiate Cup

Volleyball Althetics/Alumni Center

15Football at UCLA

8:30 p.m.Pasadena, California

UHAA will be in California!Pre-game events and travel

packages are available. Visit houstonalumni.com/athletics

6Natural Science and Mathematics

Alumni Annual Meeting 6 p.m. - 8 p.m.

Athletics/Alumni Center

16Engineering Alumni Annual Meeting6 p.m. Reception | 7 p.m. Meeting

Athletics/Alumni Center

14Technology Alumni

Annual Meeting 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Athletics/Alumni CenterAustin Alumni Annual Meeting

6 p.m.- 8 p.m. Sagra - San Antonio Street

Page 29: UH Alumni Quarterly - Spring 2012

HoustonAlumni.com | Spring 2012 | 27

Start Making Plans { Calendar }

Event dates, times and locations are subject to change.

Visit HoustonAlumni.com for the latest information.

21Soccer vs. SMU

7 p.m. Robertson Stadium

26UH Cougars Athletic Alliance

Annual Meeting 6:30 p.m.

Athletics/Alumni Center

29Football at Rice

2:30 p.m.Reliant Stadium

OCTOBER6

Football vs. North Texas 7 p.m.

Robertson Stadium

13Family Weekend Football vs. UAB

Robertson Stadium

18Football at SMU

7 p.m. Dallas, TX

26Volleyball vs. Rice

7 p.m. Athletics/Alumni Center

26Soccer vs. Rice

7 p.m. Robertson Stadium

27Football vs. UTEP

Robertson Stadium

NOVEMBER3

Football at East Carolina Greenville, North Carolina

8UHAA Celebrity Golf Classic

Quail Valley Golf Course

9CEO President’s Forum Athletics/Alumni Center

10Homecoming

Football vs. Tulsa 4 p.m.

Robertson Stadium

17Football at Marshall

Huntington, West Virginia

24Football vs. Tulane

Final Game at Robertson StadiumProceeds benefit UHAA

programs and scholarships

Visit HoustonAlumni.com/golf

Page 30: UH Alumni Quarterly - Spring 2012

28 | Spring 2012 | HoustonAlumni.com

{ Paws & Remember - 1977 }

Paws and Remember highlights photographs—some funny, some nostalgic—from a single year in Cougar history, to relive the dreams of students eager to make their mark on the world. Please enjoy these selections from 1977.

1. Students take part in the 25-hour “Dance-a-Thon” to raise money for special needs children. The event was sponsored by Chi Omega and yielded nearly 400 participants.

2. Homecoming Queen, Kathy Ferguson poses with Mr. UH, Jim Perry, after they both are announced as winners.

3. A students performs a skateboarding stunt on the ramps outside of Hofheinz Pavilion.

4. UH football player, Wilson Whitley, hoists the Lombardi Award given annually to the nation’s best college lineman. Wilson remains the only UH player to win the award.

1

2 4

3

Page 31: UH Alumni Quarterly - Spring 2012
Page 32: UH Alumni Quarterly - Spring 2012

P.O. Box 230345 | Houston, TX 77223–0345713.743.9550 | toll-free: 1.877.Cougar1HoustonAlumni.com