Alumni news Newsmakers Huston Smith ’40 has published his 15th book, The Huston Smith Reader, a summary of his life’s work in religious study. Robert ’42 (dec.) and Anna Mae (Besgrove) ’44 Hodge received the Distinguished Service Award from the Board of Trustees for the Friends of Arrow Rock. Bob “Lefty” Grove ’53 and wife Dorothy celebrated their 50th anniversary in June 2012. Lawrence Dickerson ’57 and wife Juanita celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary in Sept. 2012. Margaret (Thompson) Hewitt ’54 retired from University of South Florida, College of Education after 30 years of service. Dr. Hewitt was awarded Professor Emerita and will continue to work with the college and continue her research in readability, using her published readability formula with test developers. She remains an active member in Kappa Delta Pi and Omicron Delta Kappa. Ralph Lee Woodward, Jr. ’55 participated in a panel discussion of Ponce de Leon’s Arrival in Florida Celebration at the University of South Florida in October. He also had his book, Rafael Carrera and the Emergence of the Republic of Guatemala 1821-1871, published as Vol. 3 in the “Basic Library of Guatemalan History” by F & G Publishers of Guatemala City. Max Nickerson ’60 was selected as a 2012 School of Life Sciences Distinguished Alumnus Award recipient at Arizona State University. Lee Potts ’63 is now an Enrolled Agent, the highest credentials awarded by the IRS. Michael Bording ’66 retired in June after working on the railroad for 42 years, including the Northwestern Pacific, Southern Pacific, Saint Louis, and Southwestern. He retired from a career working as a Pool Freight Conductor between Tucson (Ariz.), Yuma (Ariz.), and El Paso (Texas). Suzanne (Armitage) Drummond ’67 retired from the Boonville School District after 17 years. She is working part-time in the Dean’s Office at Central Methodist University.
Mary Bancroft ’70 was honored by the First Christian Church, for her 30 years of service and dedication to the church as the Coordinator of Music and as organist. Carol Howe Schwartz ’71 retired from the Missouri Division of Family Services after 28 years. Stephen Frazier ’72 is the new Chief Information Officer/Executive Director of University Technology at Western Illinois University. Jay Long ’73 is the director of the American School of Antananarivo in Madagascar. Avian Bear ’74 was elected President of the Kansas Music Educators Association (KMEA), 2013-2015. Rod Hoffman ’74, while out campaigning for a state house seat, used his CPR training to save a two-year-old-boy who had nearly drowned in a backyard pool. Don Pesek ’74 has been promoted to Director of Audit & Rating Services at Cass Information Systems, Inc. in St. Louis, Mo. He has held various positions with increased responsibilities at Cass since March 1990. Timothy Rice ’74 lived and worked in St. Louis for the past 38 years as an insurance broker and former printing and graphics business owner. He has recently moved back to his hometown of Fulton, Mo., where he is enjoying his retirement and his hobby of buying/selling/trading collectibles and antiques, online and at flea markets. Mark Harbison ’76 celebrated 36 years of service to Commercial Trust Company on Aug. 9, 2012. Sharon (Perkinson) McNeill ’77 received her Transitional Doctorate in Physical Therapy, T-DPT from the University of South Dakota Vermillion. Sally (Watkins) Vinyard ’81 and husband Herb `83 sponsor the Festus High School Rocket Club, which earned third place last spring in the national meet. Sally is the middle school band director at Festus and Herb owns and runs the family funeral home. Dr. Keith Gary ’82 was recently appointed as the new Chair of the Missouri Workforce
Dr. C. Fred Bergsten ’61, the Founding Director of the Peterson Institute for International Economics, is stepping down from that position in December. One of the world’s leading experts on international economic policy issues, Bergsten will remain active with the institute as a Senior Fellow and Director emeritus. He plans to spend more of his time researching and writing on a variety of international economic topics. Already this fall he has had several articles published, including “Why the Euro will Survive” in the Sept./Oct. edition of Foreign Affairs; “Time for a Fightback in the Currency Wars,” an op-ed in the Financial Times; and “Five Myths on the Euro Crisis” in a September edition of the Washington Post. Fred and wife Jenny (Wood) ’59 recently celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in Italy with their son, his wife, and several friends.
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Investment Board (MoWIB). Dr. Gary is a business member of the state board, affiliated with the Kansas City Life Sciences Institute, and previously served as MoWIB’s Interim Vice Chair. Clayton Loos ’82 received his master of arts degree from the University of Oklahoma in May 2012. He is now pursuing his Ed.D. in Organizational Leadership with an emphasis in Organizational Development from Grand Canyon University. Paul ’82 and Elaine (Kaercher) ’82 Swofford have retired from St. Clair Schools after 30 years of directing the bands. Dave Fox ’83 is the Assistant Director for the Show-Me State Games. Andrew Glover ’83 was promoted to Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the C.L. Barnhouse Co. in Oskaloosa, Iowa. Bob Slate ’84 published a book, Do Unto Others: Jesus Was A Liberal, in July 2012. Mike Dimond ’85 was named the new Assistant Scout Executive of Programs for the Boy Scouts of America, Great Rivers Council. Tim Puyear ’85 started his own agency, Secure Retirement Solutions of Kansas City. Dean Anthony ’86 left Shreveport Opera after three seasons and has been named the new Director of the Janeic Opera Company at Brevard Music Center in North Carolina. He is working on several other shows scheduled all over the country, including at Carnegie Hall. Eugene Peebles ’87 performed for the Eugene Peebles Benefit Concert to Support the Lincoln High School Music Department on May 10. Raymond Glover ’88 is an entertainment coordinator for Walt Disney World. John Bucksath ’89 was appointed as President of ABC Laboratories in Columbia, Mo. Dr. Kevin Dishman ’89 was named one of the top doctors in the Kansas City area by Ingram’s magazine. Dr. Dishman is married to Julie (Wilburn) Dishman ’92. They have two daughters, Allison and Abigail. Rhonda Schumann ’90 retired from the Moberly School District. Bill Chott ’91 was awarded “Best Improv Coach” at the Inny Awards. Rebecca Dierking ’93 earned her Ph.D. in Learning, Teaching, and Curriculum, specializing in English Eduction from the University of Missouri. Brian Hamlett ’93 portrayed Levi in the production My Brother’s Keeper at The Theatre Project in Baltimore, Md. He also has a weekly radio show on www.blis.fm called “The Dialogue with Brian Keith.”
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