Class Notes Howard “Todd” Wirt ’99 was named North Carolina High School Principal of the Year by the National Association of Secondary School Principals. He is principal of Mooresville High School where his school district provides a one-to-one laptop environment for all students. His school was recently named an Apple Distinguished School for the second year in a row. Only 52 other schools nationwide were given this honor. He lives with his wife, Kelly White Wirt ’98, in Salisbury, N.C.
Regan Beaudry Burney ’03 received her doctorate in human development and family studies in December from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She is the project coordinator for the Triad Child Study at uncg. She lives in Raleigh, N.C. Maurice Williams ’99
’00s reunion ’01, ’06 Patrick Donovan ’00 has accepted a position as a social media lead coordinator for bjc HealthCare in St. Louis, Mo. bjc HealthCare is one of the largest nonprofit health care organizations in the United States. He lives with his wife, Megan, in Chesterfield, Mo. Matt Myatt ’02 was voted 2010 Real Estate Agent of the Year and was also recognized as Sales Agent of the Year
Laura Wright ’04
at Village Realty Outer Banks, an award he also won in 2009. His accomplishments for the year include 36 closings and $10.3 million in sales. He lives in Southern Shores, N.C. If you would like to get in touch with Matt, please visit www.mattmyatt.com.
Life blossoming in Japan It’s sakura (cherry blossom) season and life is slowly returning to normal more than two months after the trifecta of disasters – earthquake, tsunami, nuclear crisis – devastated Japan. We continue to experience aftershocks on almost a daily basis. There have been more than 1,000 aftershocks since the March 11 earthquake, 60 of them over 6.0 (on the Richter scale). As I write this, I have felt two small aftershocks. Sometimes they wake you out of a deep slumber. Other times you can barely feel them, though you feel like you have just walked off a ship and still have sea legs. We have rolling blackouts to conserve electricity, but some days they’re cancelled because users are being frugal with electricity and there isn’t a need to shut the power off. Can you imagine Americans just deciding to use less power to keep from needing a scheduled blackout? We couldn’t even keep people from looting in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. There has not been a single reported case of violence or looting here. In fact, I asked my staff about looting, and they didn’t even understand what I meant. That word doesn’t exist in their vocabulary. Recently, I traveled to Yokohama, about 30 minutes north of Yokosuka, to see the cherry blossoms and experience the annual Yokohama Street
relationships with pharmaceutical clients. He will support the business development team focused on the Mid-Atlantic region. He lives with his wife, Sarah King Lindberg ’02, in Raleigh. Laura Wright ’04 has joined the Foreign Service, a branch of the U.S. Department of State. She is currently posted in Beijing, China, at the U.S. Embassy, where she will work for the next two years.
Jason Coosner ’03 received the prestigious National Choreography Plan Award from Regional Dance America for his new ballet, “Composition vii,” which premiered at the Wortham Theatre in Houston, Texas. Jason lives Andrew Barnes ’06 earned the chartered financial consultant proin Los Angeles, Calif. fessional designation, financial planKatherine Hoomans Knoerzer ’04 ning’s highest standard, from The is a communications specialist for American College in Bryn Mawr, Pa. Medical Mutual Insurance Company Individuals who complete the proof North Carolina. She recently was gram can provide expert advice on elected president of the Highwoods topics such as retirement planning, Kiwanis Club in Raleigh, N.C., and wealth accumulation, income taxaserves as an advisor for the Sanderson tion and estate planning. He works High School Key Club. She lives with as an institutional liaison for tiaacref. His wife, Lindsey Paquette her husband, Jeremy, in Raleigh. Barnes ’06, is an event planner for Jonathan P. Lindberg ’04 was pro- Bank of America. The couple live in moted to the inside sales team at Charlotte, N.C. pra International in Raleigh, N.C. He will be responsible for outreach, Raphael A. Garcia ’06 has puband building and maintaining lished his first book of poetry, Playing
By Amy Jo Jenkins ’05, aquatics director at the U.S. Navy base in Yokosuka, Japan Festival, signs that life truly is returning to normal in Japan. Thousands of Japanese and gaijin (means “non-Japanese”) alike joined together under the sakura trees, eating, drinking and enjoying the company, but also being thankful for everything we have and that this area was spared. Had the Tokyo or Yokohama areas been hit, the fatalities would have at least tripled because of the dense population. This event will come up in conversations for many years to come, much like remembering where you were on 9/11 or when President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. Although I am not native Japanese (my friends say I could be because I can fall asleep on trains and wake up just in time for my station), this disaster hits me just as hard. For me, what stands out is how the entire nation pulled together. U.S. Armed Forces assisted with recovery and relief efforts. Those of us working as civilians on the military bases tried to maintain business as usual under unusual circumstances while donating time and money toward relief efforts. Some Japanese went up north to directly assist while others stayed behind to help from afar. One thing is for sure: Although it will take many months, perhaps even years, to rebuild these devastated areas, the Japanese will persevere with hard work and their positive attitude.
Amy Jo Jenkins ’05
Yokohama, Japan
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