SUMMER 2005
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A L B I O N O T E S
to assets of more than $100 million in the seven years the bank has been in existence. The bank will soon break ground on a new building. Robert previously worked for First Michigan Bank prior to its 1997 merger with Huntington Bank. He lives in Muskegon. Mike and Katie Giblin Olsson, both ’88, moved to Bloomington, IL, a year ago. Mike works for State Farm Insurance, and Katie is a stay-at-home mom. They have four children and can be reached via email at: mkolsson1@juno.com. Samuel Shaheen, ’88, has been appointed to the Citizens Bank-Saginaw Board of Directors. He is a surgeon with Midwestern Surgical Associates in Saginaw. Sam earned his medical degree from the University of Michigan School of Medicine. He is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons and a member of the American Board of Surgery. Darrin York, ’89, was recently elected treasurer of Harrison Township, a suburb of Detroit. He is active in the Republican Party, sitting on the Macomb County Republican Executive Committee and the executive committee for District 10 for the state Republican Party. Darrin and his wife, Mary Jean, have been married for 10 years. They have twins that are five years old. They live in Harrison Township and can be reached via e-mail at: Darrinyork@hotmail.com.
90-94 1990 Reunion Co-Chairs: Nelson and Stephanie Hatton Cary ncary@columbus.rr.com Kristen Neller Verderame, ’90, has been appointed chief counsel for British Telecom (BT) Americas. She will be consolidating strategic and operational legal activities throughout the United States, Canada and South America. Kristen most recently was vice president of U.S. regulation and government relations for BT Americas. Prior to joining BT in 1998, she worked as an associate attorney in the international trade practice group for the Washington, D.C., office of Dewey Ballantine. Kristen earned her law degree from the University of Michigan Law School. She also completed post-JD work at the Georgetown University Law Center. She is the current board president of the British-American Business Association and also serves on the board of the European-American Business Council. Kristen and her husband, Mike, have two children and live in McLean, VA. Mark Sinila, ’92, is now with Michigan Agricultural Commodities as a commodities merchandiser. His wife, Christena, is a fourth-grade teacher with Okemos Public Schools. They have two children. The Sinilas live in Okemos and can be reached via e-mail at: mark@sinila.com. Julia Vossler Watters, ’94, has been promoted to the position of senior professional sales representative for Merck & Co. She and her husband, Kevin, live in Scottsdale, AZ, where he is employed by Mobile Productivity, Inc. as market area manager for the Southwestern United States.
95-99 1995 Reunion Co-Chairs: Michelle Lifford Khoury mlkhoury@hotmail.com Nicole Dupraw Carter ncarter@bellsouth.net Leigh Greden lgreden@yahoo.com
Amy Wasiak, ’00, went on a mission trip to Ecuador in April and May, where she provided general medical and surgical work as part of the Christian Medical and Dental Association (CMDA). She graduated from the Des Moines University (Iowa) College of Osteopathic Medicine in May. Amy was a volunteer for Special Olympics and Literacy Army. She also organized a Big Sister/Little Sister program for the Women’s Medical Association student chapter, pairing second-year students with incoming ones.
Todd Obren, ’01, has been promoted to assistant vice president for Niles Community Bank. He began with Chemical Bank Shoreline in 2001 as a commercial credit analyst. Todd is a volunteer for the United Way and the Edwardsburg Youth Soccer Association. He lives in Niles. Larry Lloyd, ’02, was promoted to sergeant on Jan. 1, 2005. He is currently serving with D Co. 1/187 Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, in Ft. Campbell, KY.
Jonathon Husby Jonathon.husby@teleatlas.com
Sarah Morin, ’02, was chosen as the AmeriCorps Volunteer for the West Central Groundwater Stewardship Program. The program covers Mason, Manistee, Oceana and part of Lake counties. She has started conducting groundwater flow model demonstrations for K-12 groups. Sarah earned her master’s degree from Western Michigan University. Megan Thayer, ’02, is the athletic director/administrative assistant at Sacred Heart Academy (middle school and high school) in Mt. Pleasant where she lives.
Jason Allgire, ’97, recently received his PADI OWD and advanced open water diver certifications in the Red Sea. He continues to live and teach in Egypt. He is preparing for a six-week visit to the United States from June through midJuly. Jason can be reached via e-mail at: jallgire@softhome.com. Sarah Coburn, ’97, is a claims analyst for Allied Insurance Brokers. She has lived in Atlanta, GA, for three years. She can be reached via e-mail at: sarah@coburnworks.com. Steven Willis, ’97, was recently promoted to internal audit services manager at JSJ Corp., a privately held mid-sized manufacturing company with several locations throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico. JSJ Corp. is headquartered in Grand Haven. Steven and his wife, Shannon, have two children and live in Grand Haven. Lara Lenzotti Kapalla, ’98, has joined Miller Canfield as an associate practicing commercial litigation. She earned her law degree from Michigan State University College of Law. She is the author of an article that was printed in the 2004 Michigan State Law Review 207. Lara lives in Haslett. Jim Freer, ’99, was part of a group of Teleflex employees who were lucky enough to ring the bell opening the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on April 14. Jim and his colleagues got to spend time with the head of the NYSE and tour the exchange floor. They also got to witness some Teleflex stock being traded by their agents on the floor. Jim works in global strategic sourcing for Teleflex, Inc., and lives in Milford. Kim Buffington Otto, ’99, has been promoted to manager of the tax group of Wright Griffin Davis, the second largest business consulting and CPA firm in Washtenaw County. The firm has offices in Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti. She has been with the firm since 1999. Kim lives in Belleville.
00-04 2000 Reunion Co-Chair: Herb Lentz herblentz@yahoo.com Doug St. Martin, ’00, received his doctor of chiropractic degree in December 2004 from Life University. He is now practicing as an associate doctor in the highest volume practice in the state of Georgia. His wife, Jennifer Jodway St. Martin, ’99, started chiropractic school in April. The St. Martins have two children and live in Marietta, GA.
(Above left) B.J. Abbott Schweitzer, ’64, wearing her family’s heirloom gown at her Albion graduation, is flanked by her mother, Miriam Langley Abbott, ’35, and her grandmother, Cora Langley, the original owner of the gown. (Above right) The gown made its appearance once again at an Albion graduation when B.J.’s daughter, Heather, wore it at this year’s ceremony. They are pictured with B.J.’s parents, Miriam and Warren Abbott, both ’35.
Gown becomes family heirloom When Cora Langley graduated from Simmons College in the 1890s, little did she know that her academic gown would become an heirloom that would be passed down through three more generations. This May, Heather Schweitzer, ’05, became part of the fourth generation in her family to graduate wearing the same gown. Heather’s mother, B.J. Abbott Schweitzer, ’64, also wore the gown at her Albion graduation, as did Heather’s grandmother, Miriam Langley Abbott, ’35. Heather’s Albion roots also include her grandfather, G. Warren Abbott, ’35, and his mother, Jenny Congdon Abbott, Class of 1892, and, in all, some 23 of Heather’s relatives are Albion alumni.
All in the family Q.What family has had four generations attend Albion? A. Probably a few. Q.Okay, what family’s Albion experience covers 83 years from 1883 to 1966? A. That would be the Austin-Houghtaling-Newman family! Jenny Houghtaling, Class of 1888, from Oak Grove, Mich. enrolled as a freshman at Albion in the fall of 1884 and joined Delta Gamma. John Austin, Class of 1891, though the same age as Jennie, didn’t start Albion until the fall of 1887 and became a Delta Tau Delta. After she graduated from college, Jennie went into teaching and eventually became principal of Howell High School. John went west in 1891 to “read the law” with an attorney in Union, Ore. After an extended long-range courtship, Jennie and John married in 1895. They eventually returned to Michigan, settling in Highland Park, where John practiced law and served two terms as village president. Jennie passed away in 1933, John in 1946. Jennie and John’s daughter, Margaret Austin, ’18, was born in Oregon in 1896. She entered Albion in the fall of 1914. At registration, she met J. Richard Newman, ’16, a Sigma Nu who was there recruiting members for The Spooners, a boarding club located at 410 E. Porter St., of which he was the steward. Margaret followed her mother into Delta Gamma. After Dick graduated from law school, he and Margaret married in 1918. They settled in Detroit where Dick practiced law, first in partnership with his father-in-law, then on his own. Dick passed away in 1965, Margaret in 1976. Two of the Newmans’ three sons graduated from Albion: Kenneth, ’43, and William, ’50, both of whom joined Sigma Chi. Kenneth and Laura Jane Clement, ’43, a Delta Gamma, married in 1941. After graduation and army service, Kenneth became an executive at Michigan Bell Telephone Co. He was called to duty as a Naval officer during the Korean War. He passed away in 1998, followed by Jane in 2003. Kenneth and Jane’s son, K. Robert Newman, ’66, enrolled at Albion in the fall of 1962. Like his great-grandfather, he became a Delta Tau Delta. Following graduation, he obtained a master’s degree from the University of Michigan, became a CPA and a partner in a national accounting firm. He is now retired and living in Florida with his wife, Meredith Morden Newman.