THE BRIDGE
1972 Send notes to: John Norton 13 Botany Court Emerald Hills, CA 94062 650-361-8062 john@declarity.com
1973 Send notes to: Bona Hurst Ellis 513 Point Field Drive Millersville, MD 21108 410-987-3949 rellis@msn.com
1976 Send notes to: Catherine Clarke 104 Castletown Road Lutherville, MD 21093 410-823-7777
1977 News from Joe DiRenzo: “On May 19th, my wife Captain Karen DiRenzo, NC, USN and I watched our son now Ensign Joe DiRenzo IV walk across the stage and receive his diploma at the United States Coast Guard Academy in New London CT. A few minutes later Karen, with then USCG Commandant Admiral Thad Allen, handed Joe his commission. As I write this Joe is already underway as the ANAV on CGC VIGILANT a 210’ Medium Endurance cutter home ported in CoCo Beach, Florida. On top of the excitment of graduating from the academy and heading to sea, Joe was also selected for a Fulbright Scholarship. In 2011 he will depart VIGILANT and head to Iceland where he will enter a program that will result in a Master’s degree in Renewable Energy Science. He will study hydrogen cell design and its application to cutters. Following completion of his studies Joe is slated to return back to VIGILANT to finish his Deck Watch Officer tour. It was pure joy for both Karen and I to watch Joe enter “the family business.” As for Karen, she is still stationed 26
in Newport, RI as the Director of Nursing and Director of Branch Clinics for Navy Health Clinic New England. In addition, with the current OIC deployed to OEF she is tripled hatted as the Acting OIC of Naval Branch Clinic, Groton where she has run into a few members of the Class of ’82 in both Groton and Newport! Karen has one more year left on the tour. Being in New England has worked well as Joe, and our daughter Lauren (who just finished her freshman year at Mitchell College) were an hour and twenty minutes away from Karen’s apartment in Newport. As for me, with Coast Guard modernization came a small change, I am now the Chief of Operations Analysis at Coast Guard Atlantic Area. Our branch does all the ops reserach work, modeling, simulation and technology interaction with our R&D Center supporting the Commander of Atlantic Area who is a three star. Little bit of change from my former job which was Chief of Operational Planning and Anti-Terrorism Coordination. The new billet is exciting, wonderful people and a challenging environment every day. I get to work with the Navy Labs, and the DHS Academic Centers of Excellence. I am still
Rear Admiral Frank Thorp IV ’77, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Communications for the USO
teaching for American Military University online and as an Adjunct at the Joint Forces Staff College in Norfolk.” n The USO has named Rear Admiral Frank Thorp IV (USN ret.) Senior Vice President of Marketing and Communications. He will be responsible for internal and external communications, brand management and marketing for the USO. Frank is a 25-year communications veteran. As the Navy’s Chief of Information, he served as the senior spokesman for the U.S. Navy, provided strategic communication counsel to Secretary of the Navy and the Chief of Naval Operations and led a global team of more than 2,000 communications professionals. Frank also served as a Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense, where he led the Department of Defense strategic communication program. His assignments also include Special Assistant for Public Affairs to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and to the Chief of Naval Operations, as well as Chief of Media for US Central Command (forward) during Operation Iraqi Freedom. “Frank’s innovation communications leadership and government relations expertise will be a great asset to the USO.” said Sloan Gibson, President and CEO of the USO. “His commitment as a senior communications professional
will be essential as we move our communications efforts forward.” Frank earned a BS from the US Naval Academy, a Master of Arts in Public Affairs and Broadcast Journalism from American University in Washington, DC and a Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies from the Naval War College. “Returning to serve our people in uniform is an honor and an opportunity of a lifetime, Said Frank. “I look forward to using the skills I received during my 28 year military career to give back to those who serve today.”
1978 Send notes to: Denise Tray Rosson The Boone House Severn School 116 Maple Avenue Severna Park, MD 21146 d.rosson@severnschool.com
1979 Send notes to: Kim Corbin Aviles 443 Maryleborn Road Severna Park, MD 21146 kaviles@csalaw.com
1980 Send notes to: Andy Long 7034 Irongate Lane Dallas, TX 75214 214-821-4526 AFLong@sbcglobal.net
Ham Tyler ’81 finishes up the tough Massanutten Mountain Trails 100 miler.