Webb News Summer 2011

WebbNews The Webb Institute Magazine

SUMMER 2011 Volume 23 Issue 1

Saluting Compton and Hadler with Cheers, Tears – and Endowments CLASS OF 2011: Graduates Celebrate and Sail on to New Opportunities GIVING BACK: Having Fun on Founder’s Day www.webb-institute.edu

2

in this issue Features

2 3 6 8 11 12 14 16 18 20

11

8 F R OM T H E P RE S I D E N T TH E G RA D U A T I N G C L A SS O F 2 0 1 1 F O UND E R’ S D A Y CELEBRATION 2011 W EB B H OM E C O M I N G

20

12

SA I L I NG TH R O U G H L I F E ZEI E N L E C T U RE : D R . JA M E S H . S I M O N S ONE L A S T , M O S T H EA R TF E L T M E S S A G E F R OM T H E A RC H I V E S : W EB B ’S H I S T O RI C S H I P S G R OW I N G L E A D E RS A T W EB B

M I S S I O N S TAT E M E N T To prepare graduates for prominent careers by: • Providing a rigorous education in the principles of engineering and a broadbased knowledge of the fundamentals of naval architecture and marine engineering • Developing skills that will enable graduates to become leaders in and make significant contributions to their chosen profession, and to the social environment in which it functions • Instilling in our graduates the highest ethical standards and sense of professionalism; cultivating curiosity in the arts, sciences, and humanities, and providing the background and encouragement necessary to support life-long learning • Perpetuating the legacy of William H. Webb

AN AFFAIR TO R E M E M BE R

Departments

22 26 27 28

CAMPUS NEWS I N M E M O R IA M H E R IT A G E S O C IE T Y C LA S S N O T E S

WebbNews Webb Institute Robert C. Olsen, Jr. President John W. Russell ’67 Chairman Dr. Roger H. Compton ’61, PG’64, Dean, Shirley N. and Stephen R. Towne Professor of Ship Design Jennifer E. Kollmer ’91 Chairman, Outreach Committee

Summer 2011 |

Supervising Editor Gailmarie Sujecki Executive Assistant to the President & Director of Alumni Relations Editor Christine Slattery Editorial Contributors Jay P. Carson ’73 Richard C. Celotto ’73 Roger H. Compton ’61, PG’64 Hampton K. Dixon ’11 Matthew J. Groff ’12 Holly D. Lemoine Kyle S. Manis ’12 William G. Murray

Volume 23 Issue 1

Photo Contributors Keisha M. Brown John R. Carlson ’14 Hampton K. Dixon ’11 Eric S. Harris ’14 Gailmarie Sujecki Design Lum & Associates

Advertisement Sales Patrick Stansbury Pentagon Publishing, Inc. Webb News is published bi-annually in the Summer and the Winter

by Webb Institute, 298 Crescent Beach Road Glen Cove, NY 11542-1398 1-866-708-9322 (Webb) www.webb-institute.edu

1

W E B B N E W S

from the President

W

By Robert C. Olsen, Jr. President

“ …Jacques Hadler and Roger Compton have retired after making an incredibly significant and positive impact on the quality of our academic program… ”

2

e are at the end of an era at Webb – Jacques Hadler and Roger Compton have retired after making an incredibly significant and positive impact on the quality of our academic program and the culture of this great institution. Their contributions are now a matter of record and the impact of their legacies will be substantial for many, many years.

These wonderful leaders and teachers are irreplaceable, of course, but that’s natural. Our new colleagues, Dean Rick Neilson and Assistant Professor of Naval Architecture Adrian Onas, are very different – each unique in his own right and very highly qualified. I know they are both excited to join the team and we are all looking forward to knowing and working with them. They will both bring their own ideas, passions, skills, and experiences to our family, and take us to new places and successes. We are ready to cast off the lines and get underway on the next phase of Webb’s journey into the future. Please join me in welcoming them at your first opportunity.

Otherwise, things have been fun and interesting since the last issue of Webb News. Our first group of three exchange students from Southampton University arrived and were a wonderful addition; we had a very special speaker for Senior Seminar, Gerry Lenfest, and another one for our second Zeien Lecture of the year with Dr. James Simons; our retirement celebration for Roger Compton and Jacques Hadler was a major success as were Homecoming and Graduation. Read all about them inside. Whew, it just flew by…

You will note in reading about our event to salute Jacques and Roger that we established two endowments in their honor. They are both important from a practical as well as a commemorative perspective, particularly the one for Roger.

When I began thinking in earnest about him and Jill leaving this summer and got beyond the obvious problem of the Deanship and the teaching, the problem of not having anyone to carry on with the choral program became very troublesome because it has become such a wonderful and integral part of our culture and student life. If you had experienced the show that the WooFS put on during Homecoming, you would understand how important it has become.

It was inspiring to see the 20 alumni who had participated during their time as students and came back to rejoin the WooFS for Roger and Jill’s final show – nothing short of phenomenal to see the 45-person chorus on stage!

By the end of the Homecoming weekend we had raised $105,000 for both endowments and that was wonderful. Thanks to all who participated! For those who have not yet done so, you are welcome to join this special effort by making a donation.

Have a great summer, come visit, and thanks so much for your continuing and loyal support.

115th Commencement Exercises

Class of

2011

Graduates Celebrate and Sail on to New Opportunities Commencement was held on Saturday, June 18th.

Twenty-one worthy young men and women were awarded Bachelor of Science Degrees. We wish them well as they pursue their careers or continue their education.

Webb Institute also awarded two honorary degrees. John C. Couch received a Doctor of Commercial Science degree, and Joseph A. Burns received a Doctor of Science degree.

3

Post Graduation Plans Michael Abbruscato Working 1-2 years, then graduate degree in EE

Esteban Castro-Feliciano Ph.D. Program, University of Michigan

Hampton Dixon InterMarine de Panama, S.A.

David Donatelli Graduate School at MIT

Jenna Ferrieri Graduate School, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada. Project: Experimental Study on Ice Management through the Use of Azimuthing Propeller Wash

Benjamin Fisher Viking Marine Services, Annapolis, MD

Zachary Harris SAIC, Washington state

Casey Harwood Ph.D. Program, University of Michigan

Christopher Hooper Applied Physical Sciences Corp., CT

Richard Kim GVA, Houston, TX

Commencement Speakers John C. Couch and Dr. Joseph Burns Address the Class of 2011 with Words of Encouragement and Advice “The quality of your experience here and your success in meeting Webb’s challenges bode well for your future. You are about to join an elite group, and I am confident that you will be among the many who have launched quite remarkable and highly satisfying careers from this campus.”

These were the opening remarks to the graduating class of 2011, by John C. Couch, Vice Chairman of C. M. Capital Corporation, son of Webb graduate Richard Couch ’33, and recipient of a Webb honorary Doctoral degree in Commercial Science, at Webb’s 115th Commencement ceremonies held on Saturday, June 18th.

Dr. Couch, a graduate of both the University of Michigan and Stanford University, has held executive appointments with Alexander & Baldwin, Matson, Litton and MSC. He went on to encourage the class to take initiative and risks, develop an international perspective, stay involved and remain humble.

Dr. Couch was followed at the podium by the day’s other Honorary Doctoral Degree recipient, Dr. Joseph Burns ’62 who has had a long and

Justin Klag Gibbs and Cox, Inc., Arlington, VA

Michael Klein SanSail, New York

Andrew Lachtman Bruce S. Rosenblatt and Associates, LLC

At right, Honorary Degree Recipients Dr. Joseph A. Burns '62 and Dr. John C. Couch with Webb President Admiral Robert C. Olsen.

Below, Lidia Mouravieff embraces a classmate.

Joshua Lambertsen SAIC, Washington state

Ian McMahon American Bureau of Shipping

Brent Morrison The Glosten Associates, Inc., Seattle, WA

Lidia Mouravieff Job search in progress

Ryan Pfeifer Graduate School, Norwegian University of Science and Technology

Christopher Rose Graduate School, TU Delft

Katherine Whalen Graduate School, TU Delft

Ethan Wiseman SanSail, New York

4

At right, Jenna Ferrieri and Ethan Wiseman proudly display their diplomas.

distinguished career at Cornell University where he earned his Ph.D. in Space Mechanics in 1966.

In 2010 Dr. Burns was the recipient of Cornell’s College of Engineering’s Cowie Teaching prize.

In addition he serves as President of the International Astronomical Union’s Commission on Celestial Mechanics and Dynamical Astronomy, a fellow of the American Geophysical Union and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. After receiving his Honorary Doctorate of Science, Dr. Burns spoke to the graduates of his “humbling” start at Webb and how the rigorous academic program, projects and practical work experience was a background that proved, “crucial in my effectiveness as an engineering and science educator.”

On graduation day, as is typical of most Webb graduations days, nearly all of the eighteen men and three women of the class of 2011, had already selected jobs and graduate schools and were about to put into practice the advice they received. To them all we wish fair winds and following seas.

Commencement Awards & Prizes Chaffee Memorial Prize best all around record Ryan A. Pfeifer J. Lewis Luckenbach Memorial Prize highest general average in four year course Andrew J. Lachtman SeaRiver Maritime Award For Excellence In Engineering Design Andrew J. Lachtman Charles A. Ward, Jr., Memorial Awards highest average in naval architecture curriculum Andrew J. Lachtman second highest average in naval architecture curriculum Christopher D. Rose Keeler Memorial Prize highest average in mathematics Andrew J. Lachtman Samuel D. McComb Memorial Prize second highest junior & senior average Christopher D. Rose

The Graduating Class of 2011

Curran Memorial Prize for most outstanding & consistent scholastic improvement Michael E. Klein Urena

Thesis Titles Michael Abbruscato and Christopher Hooper: Structural Optimization of a Floating Surface Collector Esteban Castro-Feliciano and Joshua Lambertsen: An Investigation on the Effects of Water Emulsified Fuel on the Performance Characteristics of a Four-Stroke, Four-Cylinder Diesel Engine Hampton Dixon, Andrew Lachtman, and Lidia Mouravieff: The Detail Design of a Wooden, Solar-Electric Launch for the Carmans River Maritime Center David Donatelli and Richard Kim: Analysis of Collision Risk During FPSO and Shuttle Tanker Offloading Operations Jenna Ferrieri and Ethan Wiseman: An Evaluation of Lifting Line Theory as Applied to a Current Turbine Design with Model Test Evaluation Benjamin Fisher: A Forensic Investigation of the Sinking of the S.S. Edmund Fitzgerald

Zachary Harris: Design and Simulation of the Control System for a Dynamically-Positioned Drill Ship

Lewis Nixon Memorial Prize for excellence of a thesis in naval architecture Brent J. Morrison

Casey Harwood: Hydrodynamic Design of a Hydrofoil for a High-Speed Catamaran

Patrick S. Matrascia Good Shipmate Award Brent J. Morrison

Justin Klag and Ian McMahon: Calm Water Resistance Study of a Novel Trimaran

Richard A. Partanen Humanities Award Brent J. Morrison

Michael Klein: An Economic and Environmental Optimization Methodology for Hull Cleaning Schedules Brent Morrison: A Comparative Lengthening Study of a Shallow-draft Purse Seiner Ryan Pfeifer and Christopher Rose: Development of a Sizing Model and a Cavitation Analysis for Cupped Propellers

Connecticut Maritime Association demonstrating academic excellence with intent to pursue a career in the maritime industry Ryan A. Pfeifer, David J. Donatelli American Bureau Of Shipping Prize highest junior and senior average Andrew J. Lachtman Stevenson Taylor Memorial Prize for excellence of a thesis in any field Zachary J. Harris

Katherine Whalen: A Forensic Analysis of the American Civil War-Era Sub Marine Explorer

5

Pitching In and Having Fun:

2011

Founder’s Day

This year our annual celebration of

Founder’s Day was marked by much enthusiasm – and, strangely, the lack of rain.

The enthusiasm came from faculty, staff and students all pitching in together to make the day one of hard work and good fellowship. As is our custom, all hands proceeded to their assigned tasks of giving back to Webb in small measure by participating in the afternoon’s field day. Tasks included everything from washing windows to planting flowers, cleaning up the beach and painting the barn doors on Haeberle Lab.

Professor Tom Bond ’45, the most senior Webbie present, is accompanied by the youngest Webbie, Connor Bennett ’14.

6

“ Tasks included everything from washing windows to planting flowers, cleaning up the beach and painting the barn doors on Haeberle Lab.” Joining the students and staff this year was Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Mr. John Russell ’67. When chores were completed, all hands shifted out of their work clothes, cleaned up and put on their best attire, and sat down to a delicious dinner.

Highlights of the dinner included the traditional cutting of the cake by the most senior Webbie present, Professor Tom Bond ’45, accompanied by the youngest Webbie, Connor Bennett ’14. This was all topped off by a most memorable speech and presentation by our own beloved Dean, Roger Compton, who presented a retrospective of Webb Institute’s Deans.

Powerwashing and beach cleanup, two of the many Founder’s Day jobs!

7

Reunion, Renewal, Remembering When:

Homecoming at Webb

T

hough the events are familiar – Alumni Association meeting, senior inductions, class gift dedications – there is a distinct quality about each homecoming. The annual Webb Institute Homecoming reunites alumni/ae with their Webb family: past and present students, faculty, staff, and friends of Webb Institute.

2

This year’s Homecoming Weekend on Saturday, May 21 brought the reunion Classes of ’51, ’61, ’66, ’71, ’81, and ’91, home to see their classmates, and to see how Webb has changed since their last reunion. Our largest reunion in recent history with 158 attendees was bolstered by 20 alumni WooFS who came to participate in the final WooFS performance directed by Jill and Roger Compton.

The Class of ’81 Class Agent Erica Hansen said, “This Homecoming was a good opportunity to renew with classmates.” Although only three of the nine members were able to return, they revived the “Half a Ship, Half a Grade” shirt 8

as a commemorative Homecoming 2011 keepsake. Erica communicated with the entire class and said “Just emailing about the reunion got everyone talking again.”

To acknowledge their 30th reunion, the Class of ’81 made their first unrestricted class gift to Webb, to support general operations. The class weighed several options for their reunion gift; in the end, classmate John Tullai said, “I’d like the money to go where it’s most needed.”

The Class of ’91 returned for their 20-year reunion and also decided to make their reunion gift an unrestricted gift to Webb. Members of the class contributed

an additional $20,000 over their “typical annual giving” so as to provide Webb this special gift. Fourteen out of 18 members of the class were able to attend reunion 2011, which may be a new participation record for 20th reunion classes. Matt Tedesco ’91 reported that his classmates may have shut down the pub two nights in a row. The Class of ’91 really liked reconnecting with their Webb days. Many of them had not returned to Webb since their graduation, but they won’t wait so long to return again.

The “metric dozen” returned for their 50th reunion and to congratulate fellow continued on next page

1

4

3

5

1

Class of ’61 dedicates the new scoreboard.

4

Tom Hagner ’66 and his wife Andrea.

2

George Phillips and Bill Cleary, Class of 1951.

5

3

Jennifer Rogers-Ryan ’99 and her husband Patrick.

Past Chairman of the Parents Association, Keith Dixon, President Robert Olsen and Peter Needham, the Chairman of the Parents Association dedicate the Waterview Dining Room.

9

Homecoming 2011 continued from previous page

classmate Roger H. Compton ’61, PG’64 on his retirement from his post as Academic Dean of Webb Institute.

“Once we broke the ice that resulted from not seeing each other for ten years, it was like ‘old times,’” said Roger.

The Class of ’61 dedicated a new scoreboard for the Thorpe Field, which was swampland during their days at Webb. After the class trekked down the steep hill overlooking the field, Roger proclaimed, “We’ll be needing wheelbarrows for our 60th!”

On Saturday evening, the Webb Family Singers (WooFS) celebrated 12 years of making music, and welcomed back more than 20 WooFS alumni/ae.

The reunited WooFS performed “Willie Webb’s SNAME Follies,” a musical history of Webb coupled with the rise of Broadway directed by the dynamic team of Roger and Jill Compton, who started having students to their home for music and cookies in 1999.

The musical revue included a powerful medley from Broadway classic “Les Misérables,” and the emotion in the room built – this was the final homecoming concert under the Comptons’ direction.

The concert concluded with “You’ll Never Walk Alone,” a reminder that “at the end of the storm there’s a golden sky and the sweet silver song of the lark.”

A perfect end to a beautiful day of fellowship with the Webb family.

–Hampton K. Dixon ’11

6

7

8

9

10

12 11

10

6

Class of ’71 with their spouses.

7

Falls ’95 – Ward’ 95 family.

8

Gregg Diggs ’91 and Jacquie ’92 and their children.

9

Bagpiper Doug Clough.

10

Waters family: Tom ’89, daughters Linda and Alli, and Jennifer ’91.

11

As a token of appreciation, Webb Institute presented Heritage Society members an exclusive reproduction of an 1853 line drawing of William Webb’s clipper ship Young America.

12

From the Class of 1981: Bill Peters, Bill Krol and Erica Hansen.

Sailing Through Life: Lenfests Share Lessons on Education, Success and Philanthropy In the final semester of the senior year, President Olsen facilitates the Senior Seminar course, designed to prepare the graduating class for life after Webb. The Class of 2011 concentrated on the topics of leadership, business management, career planning, and entrepreneurship.

G

erry and Marguerite Lenfest visited Webb on Wednesday, April 6, bringing sunshine from Philadelphia with them after days of rain on Long Island. The Lenfests were greeted by Webb President Admiral Olsen, Class President Hampton Dixon ‘11, and Trustee Joseph Cuneo ‘57. It had been ten years since the Lenfests’ last visit to Webb, and we had much to share with them.

Today’s visit was different, however, as Mr. Lenfest had been invited to address the Senior Class as part of the Senior Seminar taught by President Olsen. This class is part of the Leadership Development Program emphasized by President Olsen upon his arrival at Webb. The Senior Seminar provides an opportunity for Webb seniors to be exposed to industry leaders. These highly successful individuals have wisdom that can serve to inform Webb students as they go forth in their own careers and lives and aim to make a difference in the world.

Gerry Lenfest, the son of Harold Churchill Lenfest, has a special relationship with Webb.

Mr. and Mrs. Lenfest honored Gerry’s late father (a graduate of Webb’s Class of 1918) by dedicating the Lenfest Gallery in Stevenson Taylor Hall. It is without a doubt the most utilized area at Webb, its hallowed walls adorned with Mr. Webb’s collection of halfhull models.

We were delighted to host Gerry Lenfest as our Senior Seminar speaker. Mr. Lenfest addressed the seniors on leadership, entrepreneurship, and other points of interest. He was eager to share some of the lessons learned from his interesting career, and from the opportunities he took advantage of along the way.

Following his own college graduation from Washington and Lee University in 1953, Mr. Lenfest attended Columbia Law School.

Between college and law school, he spent some time in the Navy.

Mr. Lenfest later joined Triangle Publications as associate counsel, which was a decision that changed the course and direction of his remarkable professional career.

A member of the close circle of Mr. Walter H. Annenberg’s communications empire, Gerry Lenfest was well positioned when Mr. Annenberg learned none of his family wished to pursue the business. The decision was made to divest it.

At this point, Gerry and Marguerite purchased the cable companies and began their own business. No one foresaw the explosive growth at the time, and the Lenfests saw their own empire grow from a business they ran together out of their home to the multi-billion dollar enterprise they sold a number of years ago.

Mr. Gerry Lenfest.

During the seminar, we learned that career only defines a portion of a man or woman.

Avid sailors, the Lenfests continue to spend as much time on the water as possible, owning a boat yard in Rhode Island. Together they continue to redefine themselves, now as leading philanthropists in the United States. Education has been and continues to be important in their philanthropic work, as is the environment and their latest venture, the conservation of the SS United States, a conservancy effort that is currently underway.

Webb seniors enjoyed their time with Marguerite and Gerry Lenfest, and appreciate the life lessons shared by them. It isn’t every day we have the opportunity to lunch with such distinguished guests.

Some students, faculty, trustee and Webb President with the Lenfests.

11

The Zeien Lecture presented by Dr. James H. Simons

Renaissance Man:

Good Luck, Good Partnerships, And an Eye for Beauty

D

Dr. James H. Simons.

r. and Mrs. James H. Simons visited Webb Institute on April 27th on the occasion of Dr. Simons’ presentation for the Alfred M. Zeien Lecture Series. During a campus tour led by Webb S.O. President Kyle Manis and Senior Class President Hampton Dixon, Dr. and Mrs. Simons were particularly impressed with the sense of pride in Webb so evident in the president, faculty, and students.

Mr. John Russell ’67, Chair of the Webb Board of Trustees, introduced Dr. Simons to the lecture audience, noting his very successful career as a mathematician, money manager, founder of Renaissance Technologies (one of the world’s most successful hedge funds), and “Renaissance man.” The title of Dr. Simons’ talk was “Mathematics, Common Sense, and Good Luck,” but first he wanted to talk about what brought him to Webb – his interest in boats. As he put it, “I have had a lot of boats, and I have loved every one of them.”

Dr. Simons learned from his grandfather why people own boats: because no matter how humble, a boat always evokes a sense of romance.

Dr. Simons’ own first boat was a very humble 23' Chris-Craft that had seen much better days. Over a number of years, bigger and nicer boats and longer trips followed, finally leading to his having a 220' motor yacht built for his 70th birthday.

So how did he afford all these boats? That’s where the mathematics came in. Dr. Simons received a B.S. degree in mathematics from MIT in 1958 and a Ph.D. in mathematics from Berkeley in 1961 (at age 23). For five years he worked as a code breaker for the Institute for Defense Analysis. He taught for a number of years at MIT and at Princeton University, and then in 1968 became chairman of the Mathematics Department at SUNY Stony Brook. It was while he was at Stony Brook that he met his wife Marilyn, one result of his good luck.

Meanwhile, he had started a business with some friends in which they used their knowledge of math to create new business and investment models. The knowledge acquired as a code breaker and mathematician worked exceptionally

“ First, don’t run with the pack.

Try something different. Secondly, find great partners, people who are really good at what they do.

Third, be guided by beauty.”

12

The Zeien Lecture

well in the business world. Dr. Simons retired in 2010 and he and Mrs. Simons now focus their energies on their charitable and foundation work.

So what valuable life lessons might be learned from Dr. Simons’ experiences? First, he said, don’t run with the pack. Try something different. Secondly, find great partners, people who are really good at what they do. Third, be guided by beauty. Mathematics involves beautiful and elegant systems, and a business organization can be a beautiful system if you have bright people who are motivated and work well together. Also, learn from your mistakes. Finally, never underestimate the importance of luck. Dr. Simons always hopes for good luck, and sometimes it happens.

John Russell ’67, Dr. Simons and President Olsen.

13

By Roger H. Compton ’61, PG’64, Dean, Shirley N. and Stephen R. Towne Professor of Ship Design

One Last, Most Heartfelt Message

I

t is truly bittersweet and entirely hard to believe that this is my last message as Dean to you, our alumni/ae and friends.

Thirteen years have flown by and I can truly say, I’ve loved every day of them.

Since our last issue, a lot of wonderful things have happened to make the academic program at Webb even better, including: Matt Werner was promoted to full professor.

Rick Neilson ’70 was named to succeed me as Academic Dean and Professor of Naval Architecture.

Dr. Adrian Onas will join the Webb faculty as an Assistant Professor of Naval Architecture.

We have three University of Southampton students spending the Spring 2011 Semester with us. Elie Amar (from New Caledonia), Marion James (from Normandie, France), and Ruth Taylor (from Barry, United Kingdom) have become active members of the Webb Family since their arrival in March.

Thanks to the hard work of Rick Royce and Geoff Whitely, we have a new segmented wavemaker in Robinson Model Basin. Funding for it and several other upcoming improvements to our facilities materialized thanks to our New York Congressman, Peter King, through ONR. Thanks to the hard work of Matt Werner and Geoff Whitely, we now have a state-of-the-art electronic classroom/conference room in Luckenbach Hall. HD video distance learning (incoming and outgoing) and video conferencing are now possible. Campus Computing and Development departments had to be relocated. This project was funded as a part of our involvement with NEEC (Naval Engineering Education Consortium) with funding through the U.S. Navy.

We had five upperclassmen serve their winter work internships internationally this year: one with Stolt Tankers in Rotterdam, The Netherlands; one with the 14

Bermuda Maritime Museum; two with InterMarine de Panama in Dubai, UAE; and one at Memorial University of Newfoundland in St. John’s NL, Canada.

Domestically, juniors and seniors interned at NSWC-Carderock, ABS, General Dynamics Electric Boat, General Dynamics NASSCO, Sparkman and Stephens, Guido Perla, Elliot Bay, NSWC-Combatant Craft, SAIC, Navatek, SeaRiver, Northrop Grumman Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock, M Ship, Maritime Applied Physics Corp., Quantum, Jensen Maritime Consultants, Rolls Royce Naval Marine, Alion S&T, Gibbs and Cox, Westport Yachts, Metal Shark Aluminum Boats, Alaris Companies, Bollinger Shipyards, Resolve Marine Group, MSC, and DRS Defense Systems.

Sophomores went to sea aboard MSC, Stolt, International Shipping Partners, Polar Tankers, and Totem Ocean Trailer Shipping Express ships. This winter work experience is one of the high points of their Webb experience.

Freshmen worked in the yard trades at Bollinger Shipyards, Chesapeake Shipbuilding, Detyens Shipyards, General Dynamics Electric Boat (RI), General Dynamics NASSCO, Northrop Grumman Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock, Northrop Grumman Ship Systems Pascagoula, Seeman Composites, and Vigor Marine.

All students participated in a leadership development program which was developed primarily by the students themselves (with guidance from a corporate leadership consultant). The program is a carefully planned progression from freshman to senior work terms that starts with knowing oneself through self-directed supervisor interaction, includes teaming, and ends with the leadership of large organizations (via a personal interview with the top of the management pyramid at the student’s workplace). This was the first year that participation was mandatory, and the feedback was very positive.

Four conceptual designs are being developed by teams of three juniors for Ship Design I

this spring. Projects are a Wind Turbine/Tower Installation Vessel, a short-sea-shipping RO/RO, a Saudia Arabian patrol boat, and a Glen CoveNew York City commuter ferry. Presentations to twelve invited judges took place on May 18.

All of the junior class plus our Southampton exchange students and two seniors whose thesis involves shuttle tanker/FPSO interactions attended the Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) in Houston in early May and were really impressed with the size and scope of both the exposition and the industry sector it represents.

So, as you can surmise, things are jumping here at Webb. This is as it should be. Please welcome Dean Neilson as he authors the next several issues of “From the Deanery… ” and give him the same unbelievably positive support you have given me for the last thirteen years. The Webb Family is truly unique.

Thanks for being a part of it.

Winter Work Term Reflections: In The Shadow of The Arabian Sun My first memory of traveling to Dubai is still the strongest. As I exited the air conditioning of Dubai’s glitzy airport terminal, a wave of heat and humidity swept over me, my glasses, and my luggage. While the temperature itself was not foreign, the reality that Houston’s winter high was Dubai’s winter low was a quick jolt, reminding me that I was now working in the shadow of the Arabian Sun. The United Arab Emirates offer a glimpse into a fading culture, a culture suppressed by a nation’s desire to be the world’s biggest, world’s tallest, world’s… you get the point.

–Hampton K. Dixon ’11

TY AL 11 IR 20 M B ADCLU 15

America, center, lays at anchor at Vladivostok, August 1880. (Wikimedia.org, public domain photograph, Vladivostok archives)

From the Archives:

Webb’s Historic Ships in Imperial Russia

16

Webb history buffs that are members of SNAME may have noticed the recent article on William H. Webb’s ships built for the Imperial Russian Government. A pdf copy of this article, courtesy of SNAME, is available at http://sname.digitalwavepublishing.com/Home/MT/201104 (see pages 6872). With thanks, this article relies on Edwin L. Dunbaugh and William duBarry Thomas, William H. Webb, Shipbuilder (1989, Webb Institute of Naval Architecture, Glen Cove, NY). While the SNAME article deals with the bare facts surrounding the ships themselves, the role of these ships in the larger geo-political context makes for very interesting story telling. Two ships, America and General Admiral, have particularly interesting stories.

America

W

ebb’s paddle steamer America plays a significant role in Imperial Russia’s expansion in the Far East. At the same time that the Crimean War raged in Europe, Russia also pushed forward with expansion in the Amur River region between China and Siberia and competed with USN Commodore Matthew C. Perry in opening trade relations with Japan.

Russian ADM Yezfimy Putyatin arrived in Japan in 1854 a month after Commodore Perry’s second visit had resulted in the trade agreements that opened Japan to a Western nation. Putyatin was a key figure in Russian Far East diplomacy, returning several times to Japan and negotiating the border between China and Russia in the Treaty of Aigun in 1858. America transported him back to Europe and Russia in 1858/1859. She shows up in newspaper accounts relating to General Admiral’s arrival in England in summer 1859.

Later in 1859, East Siberian Gov. General Nikolay Muravyov visited the peninsula near Golden Horn Bay where Vladivostok was founded, using America as his flagship. Vladivostok was formally founded in 1860; the first street was named in honor of the America, Amerikanskaya Street. (However, within two years thereafter, the street was renamed Svetlanskaya Street.)

Well before the hostilities of the RussoJapanese War of 1905, the America also supported a collaborative diplomatic mission transporting Russian and Japanese exhibits to the San Francisco Exposition at the Mechanics Institute in 1871. They also transported a Meiji Japanese prince and nine commissioners, as well as cargo valued at over $2 million dollars.

During her long life, America frequently travelled from the Amur region to European Russia, and we have photos of her (with altered rig) in Vladivostok in 1880 when the settlement was officially proclaimed a city.

General Admiral General Admiral was one of the most celebrated war ships of its day and was enthusiastically received by the Imperial Russian Navy.

William Webb and his family participated in its delivery to Russia, and in 1859 Webb was presented with a gold jewel-encrusted snuff box by Tsar Alexander II at a naval review introducing the ship to the Baltic Fleet at Kronstadt. Following a clue in Mrs. Webb’s 1902 will, this snuff box was re-discovered in 2009 in basement vaults of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in Manhattan. Inside it is engraved with a dedication in both Cyrillic and English, documenting its presentation to William H. Webb by Tsar Alexander II.

neutrality had been violated during the Crimean War. However, Mr. Webb and his supporters successfully countered that America was not a warship, and that General Admiral was the correct precedent in that construction had been suspended by a neutral party until hostilities ended. As a result, Great Britain seized the Laird ironclad rams and enforced a strict interpretation of neutrality for British shipbuilders. The Laird ironclads were eventually commissioned in the Royal Navy.

In 1871 the U.S. Government successfully won a lawsuit against Great Britain in the Court of Arbitration in Geneva, resulting in a judgment of $15.5 million in damages related to the case of construction of CSS Alabama.

But all this does not imply that Astoria/Alexander II and Japanese/Japanis do not have interesting stories as well. Their history is just not documented well in the English-language web, so we are attempting conventional, but slower, research activities through historians at Vladivostok, Sitka, and San Francisco. Stay tuned for more information as we unearth new facts on this interesting part of our history.

–Jay P. Carson ’73 Webb Institute Trustee

Commemorative Snuff Box, General Admiral, Gift of Tsar Alexander II to William H. Webb, Kronstadt, Russia, July, 1859. Diamonds, rubies and engineered green enamel. Photo courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

The Crimean War rivalry between Britain and Russia continued to play out during the American Civil War. Russia sent Imperial Navy squadrons to New York and San Francisco in 1863/1864 to show support for the Union and to dissuade Great Britain from officially recognizing the Confederacy.

William H. Webb was a key dignitary as Mayor George Opdyke welcomed Russian ADM Stepan Lesovskiy at New York City Hall in 1863, to the roar of approval of tens of thousands following a parade cross-town from the North (Hudson) River piers at 23rd Street.

Apprehension was expressed both in British Columbia and in Australia that the Russian Navy could use support for the Union as a pretext for invasion. The Russian fleet visits probably contributed to Great Britain’s remaining neutral in the Civil War. Webb’s construction of America and General Admiral subsequently became a major international precedent for neutrality during the U.S. Civil War. British shipyards built gunboats, the famous raider CSS Alabama, and two ironclad rams for the Confederate Navy, raising questions about violation of Britain’s Foreign Enlistment Act. In defense, Member of Parliament Hon. Mr. John Laird raised Mr. Webb’s construction of America as precedent under which U.S. 17

By Rich Celotto ’73 President, Webb Alumni Association Webb Institute Trustee

Growing Leaders at Webb

A

lumni who attended Homecoming this year had an opportunity to attend a presentation by two students on the Student Leadership program that has been underway at Webb for the last three years.

The students responded to a request from the Alumni Association that this briefing occur while alumni would be available on campus to hear and ask questions. The presentations were made

by Michael E. Klein ’11, S.O. Leadership Committee Chairman, and Kyle R. Manis ’12, outgoing S.O. president and new student representative to the Board of Trustees. They covered the history of the program from its initiation in 2009 up to the present, and discussed the objectives and challenges of the program, along with their recommendations for future improvements.

The program was established in response to suggestions from industry representatives that they didn’t look to Webb simply as the source for the best new naval architects and marine engineers, but also as the source for the future leaders of the marine industry. The Crowley Maritime Corporation felt that this was so important that it generously committed to provide a “leadership consultant” and to fund program expenses. A group of students, faculty, and administrative staff came together with other industry representatives to establish a program with the following objectives: Prepare students for leadership roles in their careers Introduce students to a number of common leadership models Amplify existing student leadership activities Establish an organized feedback loop for the Student Organization

18

When the program kicked off in the 2009-10 school year, leadership units were formed from members of each class. These units were intended to provide guidance for the incoming freshman boat competition at the beginning of that academic year, carry out an annual community service activity, and participate in leadership simulations.

Consultant Bob Albright taught each of the four classes a different leadership model. For winter work, seniors were to assess and document the leadership style of one of the heads of the companies for whom they worked. Feedback loops were put in place for reports on the activities back to the S.O. leadership.

Webb being Webb (i.e., most students were already struggling to manage their overwhelming academic and extracurricular workload), there wasn’t universal acceptance of these new requirements. The result was that some units did not carry out intended activities, the leadership model seminars were not well-suited to the students, and the winter work assignments were not clearly articulated and effectively assigned, with the result that some students really got into it, but most didn’t. However, the feedback loop to the S.O. leadership was successfully implemented, so the S.O. leadership got the message.

The core planning team realized that the program needed to be more grass-roots oriented to interest and inspire students, the leadership model seminars needed to be more interactive and student-led, the focus needed to be on small groups with more interaction and participation, and more faculty support was needed.

For the 2010–11 academic year, a Leadership Committee was chartered by the S.O. to enhance the planning of the program. The committee organized smaller scale activities, such as sailing, lectures, and excursions. They arranged for students to lead the leadership model lectures, and ensured that the Winter Work Leadership assignment was formally tasked.

“ The core planning team realized that the program needed to be more grass-roots oriented… the leadership model seminars needed to be more interactive and student-led, the focus needed to be on small groups… and more faculty support was needed .”

The Leadership Program has the following near term goals: 1) Maintain student interest 2) Make leadership part of the Webb tradition 3) Improve scheduling of leadership activities to increase student participation 4) Get the student body as a whole to consider the program to add value to their Webb experience

Meanwhile, Bob Albright worked to create faculty awareness and support. These changes paid off. The Winter Work assignments were successful in meeting their goals, there was more collaboration with the faculty, and the leadership model lectures were much better received.

There was limited success, however, at getting students to the leadership events. The Leadership Committee now plans to further refine the S.O. feedback mechanism, look for more local events for leadership groups to attend, organize an interactive activity in the early fall for the freshmen, continue working to improve the leadership model presentations, work more closely with the S.O. Leadership Top Six, and increase faculty involvement (likely since the incoming Dean was in the audience that day).

There was a prolonged question-and-answer period following the formal presentation, not only

between alumni and students but also among the alumni, President Olsen, and the new Dean-select.

The attendees applauded Mike and Kyle for their presentation and lauded the efforts of the Leadership Committee to make this important and distinctive initiative an essential element of the Webb experience.

Michael E. Klein ’11, S.O. Leadership Committee Chairman, and Kyle R. Manis ’12, outgoing S.O. President and new Student Representative to the Board of Trustees.

19

Banquet Honors Compton and Hadler:

An Affair to Remember‌ On May 20, 2011, Webb Institute hosted a banquet for retiring Dean Roger Compton and Professor Jacques Hadler.

One hundred and eighty-six guests joined in celebration of our honorees.

The impact made on Webb by these gentlemen is felt throughout the Webb community. Proceeds from the event, as well as generous donations helped establish endowments in their honor. A minimum of $100,000 is needed to fully fund each of Webb’s newest endowments, and ongoing efforts will be made to reach this goal.

Please visit us online to make additional donations or contact Webb at (516) 759-2040 to learn more.

1

5

8

The Jill and Roger Compton Endowment for Performing Arts The Jill and Roger Compton Endowment for Performing Arts was established in honor of retiring Dean Roger Compton, who served as Dean of Webb Institute for 13 years, and his wife Jill, who along with Roger, directed the Webb Campus Players and the Webb Family Singers (WooFS). In recognition of their lifelong passion for music and theater, and in appreciation of their sharing their passion with the Webb Family, upon reaching a minimum of $100,000, the proceeds from the Jill and Roger Compton Endowment for Performing Arts will support the ongoing direction of the Webb Family Singers and the Webb Campus Players.

20

9

1

Musical entertainment by David Clarke and the Renegades.

5

Jill and Roger Compton with Ron Kiss and Matt Werner.

2

Professors Werner and Hadler.

6

Caryl and Jacques Hadler with Jacques Hadler, Jr., Matt Werner and Keith Michel.

3

President Emeritus Ron Kiss and Dean Compton.

7

The reception.

4

8

Joe Mazurek (Hon.)

9

Friends, family and colleagues celebrate with the Comptons.

10

The Hadler family.

11

Tisha and Professor Werner, John Russell ’67, Rich Celotto ’73, Rita and Joe Cuneo ’57, Maureen and President Olsen.

Professor Hadler and Roger Compton.

3

2

4

6

7

10

11

The Jacques B. Hadler Endowment for Research The Jacques B. Hadler Endowment for Research was established in honor of retiring Professor Jacques B. Hadler, who served Webb for 33 years. In tribute to Professor Hadler’s lifelong passion for research and unquenchable search for knowledge, the Hadler Endowment will support ongoing research and theses projects including but not limited to use of special laboratory equipment for Webb student theses projects and faculty research at Webb, as well as supporting students who publish the results of their theses in the public domain. Upon reaching the minimum funding amount of $100,000, proceeds from the Jacques B. Hadler Endowment for Research will support ongoing research at Webb.

21

W E B B N E W S

campus news Juniors Offshore: OTC Conference in Houston In early May, the Junior Class was fortunate enough to travel to the Offshore Technology Conference in Houston, Texas. This conference is the largest gathering of offshore oil industry leaders internationally, and this year the conference hosted some 2,000 vendors with over 84,000 attendees from around the world.

Organized annually by Professor George Petrie ’71, the students of the Class of 2012 had the opportunity to visit a good number of these vendors over the course of May 2nd and 3rd and were astounded by the variety of technologies represented, many of which they had never even heard of before.

Several students seized the occasion to secure jobs for the summer for companies such as ABS and in places as exotic as Gdansk, Poland. Said Junior Steve Guglielmoni: “In all I thought it was an awesome learning experience. Naval architecture and marine engineering is just one tip of the iceberg that is the offshore industry, and with our packed schedules we’re not afforded much time to study the industry’s other facets. OTC gave us a chance to explore the sides of the field that we were interested in, but hadn’t yet studied.”

At the trip’s culmination, Lars Henriksen of Viking Systems and Keith Michel of Herbert Engineering hosted a discussion highlighting the multitude of unique challenges for marine engineers and naval architects in the offshore industry, with a focus on the importance of teamwork among colleagues and corporations.

When Webbies were not at the conference, they could be found relaxing at the beach just off the coast of Galveston, go karting, or attending any of a variety of shows in downtown Houston. All in all, it was a successful and informative trip.

–Matthew Groff ’12

Welcoming the Class of 2015 They come from as far away as Hawaii and Switzerland, and four of them, the largest number since the war years, are not fresh out of high school. They’re the 26 students who make up the class of 2015, and they’ll be arriving on August 15th to start their Webb careers.

This fall Webb will welcome the 22 men and four women who demonstrated through their academic and extracurricular achievements that they are excellent candidates for the Webb scholarship and academic program.

Sure there are sailors and other watercraft enthusiasts among them, and there are six of them who spent their high school years on Robotics teams, but we also have 22

five Eagle Scouts, nine musicians, and eight cross country and track competitors. The Webb coaches of tennis, soccer and basketball will be glad to learn of the numbers in this class who may be joining the teams in this next year and keeping Webb’s sports teams competitive. As a class they can almost make up their own stage crew based on their experiences, and there are a number of actors among them as well – so there may be life to the WooFS and Webb Players after Roger Compton’s departure after all.

They were a pleasure to interview last fall and spring, and we greatly look forward to their positive impact on the campus this fall.

–William G. Murray Director of Enrollment Management

faculty spotlight:

Dr. Richard C. Harris John J. McMullen Chair of Humanities

P

rofessor/Assistant Dean Richard Harris has taught at Webb since 1982 and has been a full-time member of the faculty since 1995. In the 1980s he was instrumental in developing and implementing the courses in Technical Communication and Professional Presentations. In addition, in 2006, in consultation with Dean Roger Compton and with the blessings of the Board, he developed the sophomore-year, twosemester, interdisciplinary courses Western Culture I and II. In addition to his teaching, Professor Harris serves as Assistant Dean. From 20082010 he headed up the school’s successful efforts for reaccreditation by the Middle States Association. He currently serves on a number of committees, edits senior theses, advises students about writing resumes

and interviewing for jobs, coordinates the Zeien Lecture Series, and writes a number of articles for the website and the Webb News.

His scholarly work has focused on the 20th-century American writer Willa Cather.

He has edited three books and has more than two dozen published articles on Cather and other literary figures. In late April Dr. Harris was a panelist for a discussion of Willa Cather and Her Popular Culture at the Cather Spring Conference in Red Cloud, Nebraska, Willa Cather’s home town. In June he was a plenary speaker at the 13th International Willa Cather Seminar, held at Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts.

In addition, to his work at Webb and his scholarly activities, Professor Harris is a member of the Board of Trustees of the North Shore Historical Museum and is coordinator of the museum’s oral history project.

The Admiralty Club is a select group of corporations and foundations that have made a commitment to contribute a minimum annual gift of $10,000 toward the Webb Annual Fund. The students, faculty, staff and the entire Webb community gratefully acknowledge these organizations for their leadership and support of excellence in naval architecture and marine engineering education. For information on becoming a member of the Admiralty Club, please contact the Development Office at 516-759-2040.

In an unsolicited email, two recent graduates (Class of 2010), who are doing their graduate work at Technical University Delft in The Netherlands, described an oral presentation they were assigned to make to a team of engineers from Shell Oil Company. After all of the student teams had made their presentation, the team from Shell and the Dean of the Offshore Engineering Program commented to them that theirs was by far the best presentation of the day. The email concluded: “So thanks again for all the tips you gave us… and helping us practice so much. The things we learned in your course… gave us valuable skills that can be applied throughout the rest of our studies and career.”

A D M I R A LT Y CLUB 2011

TY AL 11 IR 20 M B ADCLU

The Admiralty Club

Sentiments from Recent Grads

Bollinger Foundation Crowley Maritime Corporation GAMCO Asset Management Company The G. Unger Vetlesen Foundation Foss Maritime Company/ Marine Resources Group Rolls-Royce Naval Marine Inc. SeaRiver Maritime, Inc. The Society of Naval Architects & Marine Engineers

23

W E B B N E W S

campus news Playing to Win: Sports on Course at Webb Our athletic teams have held their own against their competition this spring. Webb’s sailing team is fully student-run, while the search for a coach continues, but the team’s determination and hard work have led them to success.

Volleyball, Tennis The Volleyball team finished with a split 4 and 4 season, and our Tennis team finished second in our division by scoring a 9 – 0 team win in our last match before the season-ending tournament. To add to the success of our Tennis team, our very own Pat Doherty was named Coach of the Year!

Sailing The Sailing Team has traveled to three regattas so far this season and has been fierce competition in each. The team enjoyed finishing the rest of the season in the warmer weather, especially with the home Regatta which took place May 14th – 15th.

2011 Coach Of The Year Pat Doherty (pictured at right) was voted by his peers as the 2011 HVMAC Tennis Coach of the Year. Doherty guided Webb Institute to a fourth-place finish in the conference tournament and to a second-place finish in the 2011 regular season.

24

Work Hard, Play Hard – and Celebrate!

A CLDM UB IRA 20 LT 11 Y

When the students have not been shining on the court, or at sea, they have been working hard on bringing everyone together through some wonderful events. The Social Committee hosted Webb’s first Box Robot Party and a Cinco de Mayo Party; a great time was had by all who attended. With the success of two parties behind them, Webbies enjoyed the nice weather and music at their annual Webbstock celebration which was held on June 4th.

People who know Crowley know our capabilities are timeless.

On April 18th, 1906, a devastating earthquake struck San Francisco. The city was enveloped in flames, and Tom Crowley jumped at the opportunity to help. First, he used his vessels and barges to transport people to safety. Then, realizing that businesses were in danger of being looted, our founder invited bankers to store their cash and securities on his vessels out on the bay. Once order was restored, the goods were safely returned to the mainland.

It was just this kind of innovation and creative thinking that made Tom Crowley a success in marine transportation back then – and it’s what Tom Crowley Jr. continues to build our business on today. To find out more about Crowley’s resourceful ways – past and present – call us at 1-800-CROWLEY or visit www.crowley.com.

www.crowley.com Liner Shipping • Worldwide Logistics • Petroleum & Chemical Transportation • Alaska Fuel Sales & Distribution • Energy Support • Project Management • Ship Assist & Escort • Ship Management • Ocean Towing & Transportation • Salvage & Emergency Response

25

W E B B N E W S

alumni news

in memoriam 1941 Joseph A. Kockanczyk passed away on January 22nd one day after his 93rd birthday. His wife, Mary and two brothers predeceased him. He is survived by a son, David, and daughter, Jane, and four grandchildren. He worked for 45 years for Todd Shipyards as the General Manager of the Brooklyn Division. He retired, only to assume a position of Special Assistant to the President of the company supervising the production of the largest floating drydock in the world, constructed in Japan. He was a lifetime member of SNAME, among other professional maritime organizations.

Joe traveled extensively throughout the world, and was an avid reader who also enjoyed duplicate bridge and the New York Times crossword puzzle. As a golfer, he had three hole-in-one shots to his credit. At his retirement community, he was active in many study groups and integral to many financial and planning committees.

A memorial service was held on March 18th.

1942 Dr. Michael Costagliola of Sea Cliff, NY passed away on May 1, 2011 in his 92nd

26

year. Beloved husband of Ann; loving step-father of Robert and Scott (Margot) Townsend. Loving grandfather of Alexandra and Rachel Townsend. Cherished brother of Frank, Joseph, Louisa White, Grace Perry and Sister Beatrice. After his graduation from Webb Institute he received his Masters and Doctorate of Science from MIT. He was well known for his ship models – he presented Webb with the model of the Young America. Dr. Costagliola was featured in the alumni spotlight in the Summer 2010 issue of Webb News.

Edward R. Weber passed away in Riverside Terrace, RI at the age of 90, on January 19, 2011 surrounded by his loving family. He was the owner of the Bullocks Point Boat Yard for 11 years before retiring in 1983. He previously was a manager in the Exxon Shipping Division from 1959-1983. He is survived by three daughters, two sisters, 10 grandchildren and six great granddaughters.

He was active in local Rhode Island watercolor painting activities, and painted the beautiful watercolor of the original Webb campus, that is displayed at the school.

The funeral will be private; a memorial service will be held at a later date.

1944A Wallace B. Brian of Somers, NY passed away on May 3, 2011 at the age of 87.

He had a long career with National Bulk carriers, as successively, Engineering Manager, Director of New Construction and Operations Manager. He retired as Vice

President in 1980 to pursue a career as Consulting Engineering and to spend more time on his farm in the Adirondacks. His tours of duty as a Naval Officer during the World War and the Korean War supervising the repair of battle-damaged ships at mare Island, the Philippines and Okinawa. He is survived by his wife, Demaris.

1953 William “Bill” Ferrara, died peacefully on November 9, 2010. Bill was born July 17, 1931, in Brooklyn, and graduated from Brooklyn Technical High School and Webb Institute of Naval Architecture. Following his graduation, he spent two years active duty in the U.S. Navy. He settled in Crofton, MD spending 30 plus years as a Nuclear Engineer, designing nuclear submarines for the Department of Defense in Washington, D.C. Following retirement, he enjoyed time substitute teaching at Anne Arundel County Schools in Maryland and Johnston County Schools in Clayton, NC. His hobbies included cooking, spending time with his family at Pine Knoll Shores, and caring for his pet miniature schnauzers.

His Italian ancestry was evident in his love of family and passion for food. He was predeceased by wife, L. Diane Ferrara and is survived by wife, Bobbie Ray Ferrara, one daughter, and numerous grandchildren.

PG’62 Capt. John R. Bond, USN (Ret.), of Panama City Beach, FL passed away on September 27, 2010 at his home with his daughter, Debbie, and son, Bill, at his side. Capt.

Bond was predeceased by Ruth Bond, his loving wife of 53 years, in August. He is also survived by his sisters, Marion Bond and Lolly Bond Faust; brother, Charles Bond; and all of his friends that knew and loved him. A memorial celebration will be announced at a later date.

1977 Michael William “Bill” Langan, age 55, died peacefully on December 31, 2010 after a courageous battle with leukemia.

In the fall of 2010, Bill was honored with the prestigious Leadership Award by the International Superyacht Society (ISS), for his outstanding contributions to the standards, prestige and character of the luxury yachting industry.

Although he was unable to travel to accept the award in person, he was deeply moved by this tribute.

Bill competed in most of the major ocean sailing races around the world. Starting in the sport on Long Island Sound at age 10, he was proud to have participated in 20 consecutive Newport Bermuda Races, his first at age 15, and to eventually serve as the race’s Technical Director.

Following a student internship at Sparkman & Stephens, he joined their

design department in 1978 as Chief Draftsman. Two years later, Olin Stephens named him Chief Designer, the position Olin himself held for 50 years.

In 1998, Bill fulfilled his own dream to found Langan Design Associates, Inc. of Newport, RI, and settled his family in Jamestown. With Bill at the helm, his firm completed over 40 designs, each unique, but all of them timeless in style, with attention to craftsmanship, advanced technology, and seaworthiness. His design vision was well received starting with his first design, the 130-foot ketch Victoria of Strathearn that won design awards from both ShowBoats International and the ISS. Later designs include Eos, a 305-foot three-masted schooner, the largest private sailing yacht in the world to date. Bill encouraged his wife to start her own firm, Candace Langan Interior Decoration, specializing in yacht interiors. Their most recent collaboration, Calliope, a 42-meter motor yacht, is featured in the December issue of Yacht International.

Bill was a member of Conanicut Yacht Club in Jamestown, New York Yacht Club, and the Storm Trysail Club. He served as Chairman of the Cruising Club of America Technical Committee for over 12 years.

Bill was devoted to his family. He is survived by his wife of 30 years, Candace Register Langan, and two children, Tom and Annie, his parents, and six siblings and their spouses and children.

A memorial service was held on January 8th.

W E B B N E W S

heritage society Walmer E. “Jerry” Strope ’42 Walmer E. “Jerry” Strope ’42 passed away on August 15, 2010. A proud alumnus of Webb, Jerry Strope was a loyal donor who designated a bequest as his parting legacy gift to Webb.

Jerry was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan and graduated from Creston High. He attended Webb, receiving his degree in 1942, at the outbreak of WWII. He was immediately employed by the Department of the Navy as a civilian naval architect and marine engineer.

During WWII, Jerry held various positions in the Department of the Navy and eventually became the head of Radiological Defense research. Later he joined the Department of Defense as head

of research for the Office of Civil and Defense Mobilization. Jerry’s efforts led to many breakthroughs in the knowledge of radiological and health impacts on humans and specific approaches to limiting the impacts should a nuclear strategic exchange have occurred.

After leaving the federal government in the late 1960s he became a principal in the Center for Planning and Research, Inc. of Palo Alto California and Fairfax Virginia where he and his wife Dee Jay raised two children, Chris and Cynthia. Jerry and Dee Jay retired to Mt. Holly, Virginia in the Northern Neck in the early 1990s. Here, he turned to his other passions: music and playing the organ; tending to his vegetable garden; and enjoying his beloved lower Potomac, specifically Machodoc Creek. There

Walmer E. “Jerry” Strope ’42

they lived until Dee Jay passed away in 2003, after 60 years of marriage.

Webb Institute is grateful to Jerry for his cherished loyalty to Webb and for his choosing to extend his legacy beyond his own lifetime, as a member of Webb’s Heritage Society.

–Edited from Chris Strope, Stropes.net

Heritage Society Established in 1991, the Heritage Society honors donors who have included Webb Institute in their estate plans. Alumni, Family and friends show great foresight by providing for Webb in this manner. The benefits of estate plans, although great for Webb, may also be greatly beneficial to the donor and his or her family by reducing the size of their estate.

by providing for Webb beyond their own lifetime. The estate gift provided by William H. Webb provided the cornerstone of our College and exemplifies just how powerful an impact a planned gift can make on an institution.

Planned or estate gifts provide the donor the opportunity to provide a significant future contribution without changing one’s current lifestyle. It assures the donor a continuance of their support for Webb beyond their lifetime. Planned gifts provide Webb the fiscal strength and security required for continued growth, ensuring that Webb remains a leader in naval architecture and marine engineering education.

Your legacy gift will enable you to establish your own meaningful and permanent connection to Webb Institute.

Many gifts provide the donor immediate and valuable tax benefits and a secure income stream that lasts a lifetime.

The most common legacy or planned gifts are beneficiary designations of a retirement plan or life insurance policy or bequest made in a will. There are many additional ways to make a difference and our staff will gladly work with you to find an option that is right for you.

Members of the Heritage Society choose to invest in the future and through their generosity will leave a lasting legacy

To learn more about the Heritage Society, please contact the Development Office at (516)759-2040.

27

W E B B N E W S

alumni news

class notes 1935 Willard Markey wrote: 73 years in La Jolla and still think it’s the best home!

Happy to show anyone!

1950 Steve Dvorak continues to battle Parkinson’s; Neil Spillane’s wife Dee, passed away in January this year; and Fendall Marbury’s attempt to get to Webb last May for our 60th Reunion ended with him being hospitalized for several months. Dave Purdy has two historical articles published recently – one about de Soto’s second in command, Moscoso, taking over after de Soto’s death during the exploration down the Mississippi River and guiding it to a successful completion.

The second article was about Lewis and Clark published in Sea History magazine.

PG’51 Lawrence Ward writes: Still hanging in there sailing and skating but in the latter I’m no longer carrying a weapon e.g. playing hockey. Seven grandchildren (all girls!) keep Grace and I busy. Our best to all our good friends and ex-students in the honorable profession of naval design!

28

1954 Art Burr reports that he is recuperating from shoulder surgery and has some dental issues but overall is enjoying retirement in Sewall’s Point, FL. As Art recovers from these transient setbacks, he can be comforted by the knowledge that he inherited great genes. Art’s mother is enjoying life in Florida with Art and Marilyn and going strong at 101 years of age.

Bob Williams is doing well in Sunnyvale, CA. Bob has long had a penchant for travel and right now he is looking forward to a trip to the rainforests of Costa Rica. Farther out on the travel horizon is a possible trip to Egypt.

1958 Pete Hall reports: Since our great 100% attendance 50th reunion at Webb in 2008 our class has been communicating more often by using email. Rob Goldbach wrote a small book “Faith in an Imperfect World: A Letter to My Grandchildren”, available on Amazon.com. I read it with interest and felt that all the class should read it, so I sent out my copy to be circulated. It triggered lots of interest and personal sharing that brought a close class even closer together.

Thanks Rob. Rob is working on another book while he and Dottie winter in the Bahamas.

It made many feel that we received much more than just an excellent engineering education at Webb. As we grow older the personal

relationships we developed are even more important to us.

Several classmates are still working at least part time.

Others are active in civic volunteering efforts. Many have been traveling home and abroad and enjoying their grandchildren.

Len Thunberg completed a beautiful strip-built kayak.

Ed Christensen is busy with his clock repair business in Newport, RI. Joe Schetz is teaching an on-line course to over 200 students “Fluid Flows in Nature” and is revising his textbook “Boundary Layer Analysis”.

1959 Pete Gale recently stepped down from his post as Class Agent after 20 years of faithful service. Jo and Pete are doing well. Their third daughter, Erin, gave birth to a boy Callan, on March 7th. Callan is Erin’s fourth child and the Gales’ fifth grandchild.

“All the grandchildren are a delight to us.”

Larry Harrison and his wife Donene report that they manage to gather the whole family for celebrations at least once a year. That’s two daughters, a son and eight grandchildren. Last winter they traveled to New York City for a very enjoyable four days, including entertainment by the Radio City Rockettes. More recently, they rendezvoused with Bill and Betty Webster in Sausalito to reconnoiter the site of our class reunion in October. They found the Tiburon Lodge to be very

accommodating, complete with free bicycles for guests, so we can explore a paved rails-to-trails bicycle path.

They also met a local docent who will guide our tour of the China Cabin. Now they’re refining plans for our winetasting expedition. Thanks Harrisons and Websters!

Bill Hurt and his wife Ruth live in the village of Schleiden in West Germany near the Netherlands border. “We left the U.S. thinking we’d be in Europe a short time,” says Bill, “and now we’ve been away for eighteen years.”

Bill works under a Boeing contract with NATO developing avionics software for AWACS airplanes. “It’s always interesting working with people one-third my age,” he says. He also continues his lifetime avocation playing the organ. He’s played in many cities in Europe and has built his own electronic organ for their home. Ruth retired from the Seattle School District as a music teacher when they left this country, but continues a musical life of singing, piano playing and teaching students. They enjoy cycling and mountain hiking in the summer.

Bob Johnson and Donnell live in Deale, MD, in a justright-size house thirty feet from the waters of Chesapeake Bay. Bob works in business development for CDI Marine, and says he works “eighttenths time.” A year ago they journeyed to Cairo and Istanbul on a trip that was a real vacation for them. We can all wish them many more.

For the first time in 52 years I enjoyed a long conversation with George Kerr and also his wife Sarah. They live about

ten miles from Carlisle, PA, which was George’s childhood home. “I recommend retirement for everyone,” says George. “At last I can come and go as I please, and relax in the country with our four dogs and a neighbor family we have sort of adopted.”

Regarding Webb, he says “I have always appreciated William H. Webb. I wanted to design ships, and never could have afforded to learn naval architecture without the complete Webb scholarship.

Now I’m upset about the school charging increasing room and board fees. It eliminates students who really need financial help.” “It’s a big adventure learning how to grow older,” says Bill Marrin.

He’s had plenty of time to reflect on life during recovery from a fall last October that cost him some broken ribs and a punctured lung. Now he’s resumed a counseling practice with his wife Carmen, and enjoying the lives of their five children and two grandchildren. Although he left the priesthood to marry Carmen, he says the religious dimension of life is still very important to him.

Bill expressed gratitude for his Webb years, is impressed with its success in a rapidly changing world, and especially enjoyed the Webb Family Singers. They both look forward to our reunion.

And I, Ed Shope, still live in Seattle with my wife Diann in the house we have owned for 43 years. I have a part-time practice as a marine cargo surveyor, a task that takes me down to the Duwamish River at odd hours to measure barge freeboards and calculate the precise weight of cement or other bulk cargo. I work with

friendly people and enjoy sightings of seals, sea lions, blue herons, ospreys and the occasional eagle. Diann retired from the City of Seattle three years ago, and is inspired to write novels when she isn’t planning the budgets of two non-profit corporations.

Together we watch our two sons, one a househusbandcarpenter and one a successful entrepreneur, as they compose the stories of their own lives.

I know I benefitted greatly from those tough years at Webb, and hope to show my gratitude as I take up my new role as Class Agent for our class. See you in Tiburon! The first thing I noticed when I spoke with Oren Stephans was that he’s lost his New York accent and sounds very Midwest. After a turbulent life of self-discovery, Oren seems to have found a safe harbor in Fort Meyers, FL. He describes his life as laid-back: going to church, holding down the post of Vice President of his condominium association, enjoying membership in a model railroad club and driving across town to see his girlfriend. Oren has a computer and email (rnstph@gmail.com), however his computer is currently stricken with a virus, so he requests us to wait awhile before contacting him. This morning I found an email from Don Szostak in my inbox. Here’s most of it: “Received your voicemail today while in Geneva visiting our daughter and her family.

Now heading off to Ireland for a week before returning home on the 2nd of May. Our trip also included a week in London visiting our son who is a Sainsbury Fellow taking a year’s sabbatical

from his position as Associate Professor of Asian Art History at the University of Hawaii.

Other than anticipation of the next ’59 reunion, that’s about all of our news. Be safe. “I’m as busy as I’ve ever been,” says Bill Webster. Bill advises six universities in Asia: two in Thailand, three in India and one in China, where he has the imposing title of Master of the Deep Water Ocean Engineering Program at Harbin Engineering University.

This client load gives him six trips to Asia every year and, I suppose, plenty of jet lag. Closer to home he still runs his own consulting practice. Bill, like many other alumni, is concerned about the financial health of Webb and hopes that these problems will be resolved in the future. His wife Betty is involved with volunteer work, and they both look forward to our next reunion. Gene Yourch underwent successful back surgery over a year ago, and reports 100% recovery.

“I can do anything I want to do,” he says. Gene recently retired from the board of a local hospital after serving for twelve years, but still sits on the board of the Yourchs’ condominium community.

Mary keeps busy with the landscaping and gardening, and they both enjoy cruising in their 26-foot power boat and singing with the North Fork Chorale. I was lucky to reach Dick Zuerner between patients in his part-time medical practice. He and Joan look forward to celebrating their tenth wedding anniversary soon with a trip to New York, and yes, they’ll see us at the reunion.

1960 Ken Court reports that the class celebrated their 50th reunion in October 2010.

Ken and Maggie Court The East Coast contingent of Webb 1960 held our 50th reunion in mid-October 2010.

All attended except the three couples on the West Coast and Endel Mann. Thirteen of us were there: Jack & Bobbi Mercier from Houston, Bill & Peg Brink from Tennessee, Bill & Andrea Terney from Connecticut, Cliff & Ann Meyer from Delaware, my wife Maggie Garey and I from Maryland’s Eastern Shore, Pete & Judy Van Dyke from Baltimore and Rod Barr. What did we do? We meandered over to the National Aquarium and took in the exhibits. Maggie & I did a tour of the WWII diesel submarine USS Torsk; for me nostalgia, a reprise of my Pearl Harbor Days, 1960-1964.

That evening we ate upstairs at The Point at Fells where we enjoyed the relative peace and quiet. We all owe a lot to Rod for bringing us together and his excellent orchestration.

It was such a treat that we are now planning the 50th Reunion West in August at Port Townsend,Washington State. All are invited.

continued on next page

29

W E B B N E W S

alumni news

class notes 1962

1967

Roy Johnson: We finally became grandparents on July 31, 2010 when our daughter Valerie gave birth to a baby boy named Connor William Choinski.

Wayne and Kiki Martin have a new great-grandson: Winslow Gray was born three months ago to Erika. Erika and her husband live close to Wayne and Kiki near Sun Valley. Bob and Joyce Hall have moved to rural Lancaster County from “hectic” New Jersey. Bob said that on his way to work the other day he passed three horsedrawn buggies, which seldom happens in Jersey. He and Joyce cruised in January from New York to Los Angeles through the Panama Canal on Cunard’s Queen Victoria.

Kit Ryan is trying out ham radio, with the call sign W4KIT. He invites classmates to send call signs and preferred bands to his email (jc.ryan@verizon.net). Kit and Cathy are planning to have dinner over Memorial Day with John Russell, Mary Fellows and Wayne and Kiki Martin. Richie Storch has a better offer of a traditional weekend gala in Port Townsend. Tom Koster has been active with the Alumni Association in Houston. He wrote that a few weeks ago a number of Webbies toured the historic battleship Texas, circa 1912, with triple-expansion engines. Tom offered an open invitation to classmates for an OTC reception on May 3. And he hopes to see classmates at the SNAME annual meeting in Houston. Irv Raphael’s Syracuse University basketball team had a disappointing NCAA playoff loss. Irv and I were corresponding, because Syracuse was ranked high.

Maybe next year. Irv’s son will soon join him in his practice.

1963 Bill Birkhead: (1) last child graduated from JMU in May, 2010. Empty nesting here we come. Already have three cruises in the works, including a Class of ’63 Alaska trip in 2012. (2) I am a class fundraiser for my Univ. of Virginia law school class. The law school was proud of having the best alumni participation of any law school in the country – slightly over 50%. They were a little deflated when I told them my college is consistently over 70%.

Way to go Webbies!

1963X Tim Graul wrote: Busy doing yacht surveys and consulting with passenger vessel owners with respect to new Coast Guard rules on passenger weight.

1965 Paul Risseeuw: Keeping busy teaching design apprentices at Electric Boat, coaching a high school sailing team and directing a sailing and powerboat training school during the summer.

30

Kit Ryan, John Sirutis, Wayne Martin and John Russell.

John Russell writes: In late May, the four of us (Kit Ryan, John Sirutis, Wayne Martin and I) and our spouses met in Seattle at the houseboat of Wayne and Kiki. Fabulous dinner and lots of laughs. Some thoughts toward our 45th class reunion in May of 2012.

PG’68 Jon Elliott: I have published my first novel, entitled The Hands of Christ, now available from online booksellers.

1970 Mark R. Bebar: Continuing to work for CSC-Advanced Marine Center by telecommute from Midlothian, VA. Currently supporting High Speed Sealift/Agile Port Action Officers Group, OPNAV N42.

Bonnie and I will celebrate our 35th anniversary in June 2011 with a cruise to Ireland and Scotland. Our son Jacob is in sales for Rosetta Stone.

Stuart Bunnell wrote: It was great to see everyone again at our 40th reunion last May. As I told some of you, I retired the week after I returned home after 28 years with BP. I’m now a happy member of the “every

day is Saturday” club. Still in Anchorage, hoping to win the “farthest traveled prize” again at our next reunion.

Eric Linsner retired as Senior Vice President of PRONAV Ship Management, Inc. at the end of 2010. He is now working part-time for International Registries, Inc. as an LNG Advisor to the Marshall Islands vessel registry. Pat and I have our first granddaughter, Madeline Witts-Linsner, who was born in September 2010.

1971 Dudley Dawson and his wife of thirty years, Joni, have three children, ten grandchildren and seven boats, and enjoy all of them immensely. After starting off at USCG Headquarters, he spent two decades in marine design with Jack Hargrave and Hatteras Yachts. He then found that journalism had been added to his career, more by accident than any real intent. For the past 15 years, this has included such tough assignments as sailing aboard the Maltese Falcon off Cinque Terra in Italy, cruising the WallyPower tripleturbine yacht at 60 knots off Monaco, and racing off Sardinia in the Perini Navi Cup. Then there’s the periodic

Dudley Dawson (top row, third from right) and his family. sojourns to Italy, Holland and France, and an allexpense-paid week in Monte Carlo each year, to tour the latest deliveries from the world’s super yacht builders.

Isn’t it amazing where a Webb education can lead if you refuse to have a plan?

Paul Gronwall: After 17 years in an assortment of naval architecture roles, Paul left the engineering side of the business to become a consultant to ship builders and operators, and he has been drifting farther and farther from naval architecture ever since. He has spent six of the last seven years writing about the management consulting industry, and today he is an industry analyst involved in assessing the demands on and performance of consultancies.

Paul and his wife Gail live adjacent to the Hood Canal in Port Ludlow, WA. They both enjoy sailing, and they keep in touch with things that float by volunteering at the Northwest Maritime Center and Wooden Boat Foundation in Port Townsend.

They are anticipating the launch of a grandchild in September of this year.

They spend their spare

time hiking, landscaping, and watching submarines on their way to and from the Bangor Trident base.

Chris Llana worked in Washington in regulatory and policy positions for the government and an international satellite communications company, picking up a master’s degree in marine affairs and a law degree along the way. He left Washington at 40 to write fiction and explore the creative arts – worked in the movie/television industry, built high-end electric guitars, and became an accomplished potter. He was an active consumer advocate during the transition from analog to digital TV, and maintained a consumer-oriented web site. He also created a popular web site on the maritime navigation rules that supplanted the print versions of his nav rules reference book. His science-fiction and political thrillers are available as Kindle e-books (www.telomeremedia.com).

firm. Retirement has changed from a dream to a myth.

There is a new “normal” for consulting engineers and it is not what used to be. After 11 years of marriage, Mary-Lou and I decided to adopt a fur child. Siegfried Wolf is cute, willful, smart, and mouthy.

We think he might have ADD, though it could be just the Border Collie genes. I still hope to complete the last great kinetic sculpture. Parts are starting to accumulate and the design is well along.

I’m sure I’ll get some heat from some kinetic sculpture people for having something that is “too professional.”

Denny Antweiler windsurfing at Santa Cruz.

Denny Antweiler writes: It is an ill wind that blows no good, so having been laid off last fall has given more time for me to be on the water. I have been Stand-Up-Paddle Boarding (SUP) on a 7'-6" Advanced Hull Dynamics continued on next page

Paul Vibrans writes: The economy has not been good to Vibrans Machine Works.

I have become one of the horde of contractors at a big Seattle naval architecture

31

W E B B N E W S

alumni news

class notes

Sea Lion this winter and am getting better at it with time and effort. Just recently found that going barefoot versus wearing booties helps significantly. I have windsurfed the last seven days straight and would have been out again today save for breaking my 100% carbon fiber mast yesterday. I hope to be back out on the ocean tomorrow. Santa Cruz County, where I live, is where I wish to live. Windsurfing is great here in Spring, Summer, and Fall. Winter usually is too calm. Thus the SUP. I think I have the four seasons covered.

(Now if work just does not come and get in the way!)

Scott Bristol also lives in Santa Cruz, where he likes mountain biking along the cliffs on the north end of town in the company of the pelicans that play the air drafts in that area.

He and Virginia, his wife of 22 years, have seven children between them, very dispersed geographically.

Scott and Virginia enjoy swimming and vacationing in the Virgin Islands and at Lake Meade. Scott has a Ph.D. in Education and has specialized in organizational development and training.

He’s been associated with Stanford University for the past eight years, full time for the last four. He teaches a “touchy feely” course (group dynamics) that, unfortunately, involves a weekend retreat that conflicts with Webb Homecoming.

Jerry Bellows continues to work for the U.S. Maritime Administration in Alameda, CA. He and his wife Fran are pleased that their older

32

daughter Miriam is moving back to the Bay Area from Southern California, just as their younger daughter Jeana is finishing her undergraduate studies at UC Santa Cruz and contemplating where to go to graduate school.

Danny Greene with his wife, son, at home in Bermuda.

Danny Greene and his wife were unable to make it to the 40th reunion from their home in Bermuda, but Danny encourages the class to consider Bermuda as the venue for the next reunion!

Bob Kramer continues medical treatment that began with surgeries performed 12 years ago to mitigate the effect of a brain tumor.

He splits his time living with family members in Florida, upstate New York and Madison, WI. He often reminisces about his years at Webb, and would enjoy hearing from Webbies from his era. Send mail c/o Annette Kramer Trout, 40 Sanford Place, Altamont, NY 12009.

Bill Blanton currently divides his time between Tall Timbers, MD and St. Petersburg, FL. While in St. Petersburg, Bill met his new wife, Judith, whom he married in October of 2010. With the addition of her three children, Bill’s “Brady Bunch” includes eight daughters and three sons

aged 22 through 40. Bill is a member of the Webb Board of Trustees, where he chairs the Building and Grounds Committee and is looking forward to this summer’s project to replace the Webb bulkhead along Long Island Sound with a rock revetment.

Bill still sails the same class of sailing dinghy he built before he attended Webb, although he states he spends more time swimming when the wind picks up than he used to (a factor might be that in those days he did not outweigh the boat, as he does today).

Keith Brainerd: After getting a Ph.D. in Oceanography and working in that field for five years, Keith returned to engineering and currently works in yacht design. He is looking forward to retiring (soon), but in the meantime enjoys living the life of a “happy hermit” on Bainbridge Island, working only a block from home, and not having to own an automobile!

Phil Sims retired from NAVSEA and now works at CSC Advanced Marine. He regrets not being able to attend the Class of ’71 40th anniversary reunion, but already booked a long-planned “check-offmy-life-list” tour of Provence with particular focus on the Roman ruins there.

John Malone is still consulting in the marine industry, but spending more time doing volunteer work for Webb (as member of Board of Trustees and Chairman of the Webb Alumni Fund), SNAME, and several other professional organizations. He is also finding more time to enjoy the good life with Amy, his wife of 34 years. They

recently enjoyed three weeks in Hawaii and are looking forward to visiting friends in Denmark and cruising the Baltic Sea in August.

1971X Doug Clough writes: It’s been more than 40 years since Webb burped me and a few classmates out into the streets. Without the parchment cushion the landing seemed premature and rough, so I have spent the last 39 years claiming to be part of University of Michigan Class of ’72.

However it is Webb Class of ’71 reunions that I attend and thoroughly enjoy. My wife of 34 years, Samira, is retiring from teaching this year. My two sons, one a 30-yearold engineer, the other a 28-year-old law student, are both suffering from second thoughts on how they wish to squander their working careers. I was planning to retire this year, but with my wife being the first to attain house-spouse status puts my plans on hold. Meanwhile I am preparing for retirement by driving my 27-year-old Pontiac Fiero down the left lane of the highway, at 55 mph, with the direction lights on.

Mike Pepper writes: Of course, I’m one of the ones that was, as Doug so

delicately described “burped” out onto the street. A year + at Michigan was good but you can’t get over being a Webbie.

(Where else would you have to pour ice water in your roommate’s (Malone) ear every morning to get him up for class!). Having kicked around with model basins, drilling rigs, offshore construction, tankers, tugs, barges and even an old aircraft carrier; I have a standard evening toast: “To rust! If it wasn’t for rust, I wouldn’t have a job.” The picture is me and Cherie, my blushing bride of six years now, in Galveston where (What else?) I was fixing a rusty old drill rig. I work with a small NA office in Houston, less than a mile from my house. Projects are interesting, different all the time and if I win the lottery I can retire someday. Although walking to work would be best for my rotundity, I’m trying to finish restoring an old BMW R100S as my steed. Other project is an old Mako 19 converted into an “old man’s fishing boat” – the “old man” needs to hurry. My two sons, Tommy and Terry, work as a marine surveyor and a bartender – at least one is respectable.

making, and other creative activities. We welcome contact with classmates and other Webbies.

1977 Scott Orlosky: Celebrated my 55th birthday in 2010 by climbing Mt. Whitney (14,497' above sea level) in the snow and ice. Nice to sit on top of the world!

Douglas Wolff: No grandchildren yet, but I finished up an M.B.A. (on-line classes) in March 2011. With 12 years left in my career, it should come in handy.

1978 Ed Vienckowski: I made a career change in June 2010 (my choice, not my employer!). I am now VP Sales and Marketing for Switlik Parachute Co in Trenton, NJ, a U.S. manufacturer of safety and survivor equipment for marine, aviation and military/ government markets. It’s an exciting new set of challenges looking at technical products from a marketing perspective rather than the engineering side. All good.

1972

1981X

Tom & Letty Chadwick had their nine-year-old granddaughter (foster son Jack’s daughter) live with them for five months then return to the therapeutic foster home she was previously living in. We are both healthy and happy and looking forward to a return to RVing, photography, guitar-

Ivan Kirschner is enjoying the change of venue to Applied Physical Sciences.

1982 Lori Sharpe is back in school, this time at West Chester (PA) University getting her teaching certificate (K-6).

She’s almost finished and will be student teaching in January 2012 (looking for new Webb recruits, let’s hope – only the best).

Ali is a freshman at Pratt Institute. Emma is a junior in high school and Will is in 8th grade. Everyone is doing well.

Dave Delevante has remained in the Northern Virginia area for 29 years since graduation.

He has been happily married for 28 years to Trish (an honorary Webbie having spent almost every weekend there).

They have four beautiful children ages 11 through 22. Dave and Trish left religion behind and pursued a renewed commitment to God nearly 20 years ago, and have been living in the joy of a relationship with Jesus Christ ever since.

Dave’s favorite expression is “It’s relationship, not religion.” Dave left the Naval Architecture gig six years ago to pursue his passion for health and financial freedom. He is now one of the top earners in a nutritional supplement company called USANA Health Sciences and loves to educate crowds on the concepts of disease prevention, low glycemic eating, and building residual income through business ownership. Check Dave out at www.daviddelevante.com.

Spencer Schilling is celebrating 25 great years with Elaine, still working as an NA with Herbert Engineering (28 yrs.), and oh, our son’s a duck! (Univ. of Oregon that is).

Mark Gagnon continues to trek back to Webb annually to find new recruits for Electric Boat. Despite best efforts, he has not been able to recruit any of his brood to be naval architects. Daughter #1 Stephanie is a cognitive scientist in Boston and loves to sail. Sam is an engineer-intraining at WPI, and prefers to stay away from the water.

There’s still hope for Grace, she just started sailing in high school. Last fall, Mark met up with Tom and Ann Rider when they visited Jim and Marisol Moody’s house for dinner while Tom was taking a break from carrying Ann’s bag around the East coast (from Minnesota) with her publishing work. Hopefully they survived another winter managing the Lutsen Mountains resort (New York Times: “King of the Midwest”).

1985 Jim McMahon hopes all his classmates and friends from Webb are doing well.

He and his wife, Linda, just celebrated the 17th birthday of their son, Jimmy, and the third birthday of their twin girls, Katie and Jessie. Their other son Derek is fifteen and their other daughter Megan is ten. All are doing well.

Jim still works at TASC in northern Virginia. A few years back Jim decided to count continued on next page

33

W E B B N E W S

alumni news

class notes

down each birthday, and so he will soon turn 30. Again.

Mark Paulhus wrote: Barbara, Nathan and I are enjoying life in Belgium.

Travelling a lot for both work and pleasure. Another milestone being hit for us with my oldest son, Matthew, graduating from University of Washington this year.

1986 Michael Birmann: I have dropped my lounge act and am now fronting a heavy metal polka band, delighting audiences with a heavy metal polka rendition of the ZZ Top classic, “I’m Bad/I’m Nationwide”.

James Q. Rice IV (Jamie): Wife and three boys are doing well. I recently joined a new firm that manages a closed-end mutual fund which invests in Taiwanese equities with a large stake in mainland China. Still sailing and skiing.

1988 Steve Pagan writes: “Toto, I’ve a feeling we’re not in New Jersey anymore.” I’ve been living in Jakarta for a year now, on assignment to a deepwater gas development project. Indonesia is an amazing and diverse country full of wonderful people and I’m trying to experience as much as I can while I’m here, which could be anywhere from one to five more years. Daily life can be an adventure, but my wife and I are getting pretty good at speaking Indonesian so we are starting to feel like locals. The occasional

34

hardship is offset by the help we get from our driver, maid, gardener, and pool man.

Mitch Dmohowski married Maria and is busy building wind farms and solar projects in Hawaii. In a chance meeting between all of their business trips, Vicky Dlugokecki met up with Mitch for dinner the last time she was out in San Diego doing some consulting work for NASSCO, where she also meets up with Ian Busch, Manager of Initial Design and Naval Architecture at NASSCO, and his family.

1991 Jen Kollmer: Now officially an employee of Rolls-Royce Naval Marine, Inc., my day-to-day naval arch work hasn’t changed much, yet.

Still spending my nights and weekends with our kids’ activities and as a volunteer EMS in Deep River, CT.

1993 Cathy Anderson is living the good life in New Orleans spending most of her free time working for charity events and festivals.

Otherwise she spends a fair portion of her week at Raytheon, building LPD 17 Class ships at Avondale, LA and Pascagoula, MS. Joe Corvelli, is heading up GibDock yard in Gibraltar, commuting from London, and getting an M.B.A. in his spare time.

Matthew Denson has been in the software industry since 2001. A couple times a week

he sees the SS Matsonia tied up, seeming abandoned, along a San Francisco pier. It makes him think of his time as a sophomore aboard her, redoing Diffy Qs… long ago.

Carey Filling culminated his 16 years of service with CSC and joined NAVSEA as the Senior Ship Concept Manager for Surface Combatants.

He was awarded the 2010 ASNE Frank G. Law Award for leadership, dedication, and service. Carey, Diana, and the kids can often be found boating on the Chesapeake near their home in Riva, MD. In 2010, Jake Neuman and family moved back to Kingwood, TX for ExxonMobil Development now focusing on LNG Shipping. Family is doing well but Mary is tired of moving (VA/TX/VA/TX in 8 years)! Erik Nilsson & his wife, Josie, bought a house in Doral, FL and a boat in 2010. They spent most of 2010 and 2011 either using or improving the two purchases.

Pete Wallace is in the marine group at ConocoPhilips in Houston and is in a final sprint to the end finishing his M.B.A.. Mel Wolfgang, although becoming an expert in tuna-dynamics… enough so that MIT awarded him a Ph.D. in the subject, threw that aside for a position at Boston Consulting Group. He and his wife, Sarah, live in Boston with their children Lola three and Miles one.

1997 Robert Bolling wrote: We welcomed Edward Henry Bolling to the world on 17 September 2010. He joins his brothers Aidan ten and John three, and sister Emma five. While four kids is quite a challenge, there are rumors that there might be a fifth before too long. Something about needing a sister for Emma. If that doesn’t work, we might have to resort to the mail-order, baby-sister route. I wonder how many I can talk into going to Webb?

1999 Anne Pence Fullerton and her husband, Brian, had a baby girl, Sarah Mary, born on March 9th!

2001 Tony Beale recently celebrated the one-year anniversary of his marriage to Kristy back in January.

Tony and Kristy are active and avid sailors who were able to qualify for and race at Nationals in Annapolis last year. They also sail in many events in southern California throughout the year. Tony’s kegerator is mostly filled with select Karl Strauss brews these days.

Tony is still working at Reichel Pugh on Shelter Island.

Jamie & Gwen (McGlauflin) Benoit welcomed their son Kai into the world in December and have since returned to Webb student hours. Gwen has been on an extended maternity break

with plans to head back to the office in early May. Out of the office, Gwen enjoys swimming, a new found interest in gardening and young well-built tan men. Jamie continues to draw lines at Murray & Associates while playing ice hockey (right defense) at night. Jamie enjoys playing with Kai and our dog Missy.

Kai enjoys eating, diaper changes, Sesame Street and female babysitters. We have been laying low on personal and business travel but look forward to some exciting summer trips to visit family and friends.

Steve Geiger is still in the great state of NJ. He is still living in Dunellen and has been working at Blue Water Wind, an off-shore wind energy firm, for the past few years. Steve still spends a fair bit of time at his church working with youth and music groups primarily. An avid hiker, Steve hopes to sneak in a few trips up to the Catskills and/or other locations this summer.

Brian and Christine Heberley welcomed Derek (seen above) into the world in June 2010.

The Bostonians are chasing him all over the city as Brian still has another two years to complete a Ph.D. as part of the EDO (engineering duty officer) program at MIT.

Pat Hester and wife Kasey recently celebrated the 2nd birthday of daughter Maryn a.k.a. “Mare Bear.” Both sets of in-laws descended upon their Norfolk house but no tents were used for lodging this time around. Pat has been busy teaching Systems Engineering courses at ODU and is looking forward to the completion of the semester so he can devote more time to research work and kickball.

When John Hootman isn’t metaphorically fighting programmatic or budget fires on the Navy’s OPNAV Staff, he is physically doing so. As a volunteer firefighter and EMT in Fairfax County, VA, most of his time is actually spent waxing fire trucks and responding to false alarms but there is the occasional incident requiring John to suit up and drive pumpers or ambulances. John and his girlfriend, Jen, are doing great with lots of travels this year (Disney, CA, NM, WI). He recently left his job as Deputy Ship Design Manager for LPD 17s at NAVSEA for a job as a program analyst at the Puzzle Palace (err, Pentagon) in the Navy’s Programming Division (OPNAV N80).

Luke Hurt is still slipping in work around his vacation schedule. A recent move to Annapolis has increased his commute to/from Silver Spring. Audio book recommendations and calls are highly appreciated, especially considering he still hasn’t joined Facebook.

One vacation sure not to be overlooked is his upcoming honeymoon filled with surfing and windsurfing and planned for Hawaii. Luke and Emily,

are planning to wed at her mother’s home in Cape Cod over the 4th of July and both bride and groom are excited to see and celebrate with classmates. Like a true boat-lover, Luke has lined up 2-hour sailing trips out of Barnstable on a schooner (not a sailboat) on the Saturday prior to the wedding.

Don and Alma(Munkenbeck) Jacobson recently welcomed baby boy number two into the world on April 10th. 8 lbs. 13 oz. and 20.5 in. were the stats at time of birth for Arthur Edwin Clifford Jacobson, affectionately known as “Teddy” (because Arthur means bear). Big brother Alex, who will celebrate his third birthday in August, thinks his little bro is very cute and is enjoying the time his mommy gets to stay home. Don is traveling a bit to FL these days for work.

Elizabeth Jeffers is glad to be finally enjoying spring in the hills of West Virginia.

She is kept busy managing her daughter’s social life.

Who knew five year olds were invited to so many birthday parties, not to mention the play dates and ballet lessons! When not playing chauffeur, Elizabeth is often assigned the part of “Maid” while her daughter always gets to be the “Queen.” When not working with the threeyear-old junior kindergarten class at Wheeling Country Day School, Elizabeth has been honing her glass-making skills, mainly making marbles, blown ornaments and other small torch-work items.

Nate Smith has been enjoying wedded bliss with Carrie, his wife of six

months. Both thoroughly enjoyed seeing many of the class in scenic Pembine, WI last fall and the subsequent honeymoon to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Particular thanks go out to Steve, Gabe, Jamie, and Jason for surveying the water temp (confirmed as DAMN cold) of the Menominee River, and ensuring a safe post-wedding bridge jump by the bride and groom. Many thanks go to the craftsmen and purveyors of courage that made the whole weekend possible, including Jody and the mysterious woman in the rain jacket, standing by the lamp post. Nate is keeping pace at Seacraft Design in Sturgeon Bay but life may be a far cry from normal come October. Ice boating is cool. Go. Pack. Go. John Sullivan and Val have been keeping busy with their dogs in Mississippi. John is still modifying several vehicles in the garage and gets out to the racetrack once in awhile. John is still working mainly with composites research and design with Northrop Grumman.

Elizabeth Tuckel indicated Jensen Maritime just celebrated 50 years, and we’re on our second year as a Crowley company, which is going very well, we are expanding our horizons more and more and continue to hire. She was able to get to Santa Fe with Hoot and Jen back in February and had a great time. She was able to get an overseas trip in by visiting a friend in Berlin.

Looking forward to Luke’s wedding. Ruby is good and getting longer in the tooth. continued on next page

35

W E B B N E W S

alumni news

class notes

She was able to attend a Webb social event in Seattle a few months back and was able to see a few of the NWarea winter work interns.

Luke, Emily, Jason and friend above Machu Picchu.

Jason Updegraph has been kept quite busy at work lately thanks to two coworkers going out on paternity and maternity leave. Alma (and I guess partially Don) are to blame for one of them. Work travel should slacken in a few weeks for which Keira (3-yearold terrier mix) will greatly anticipate. He was able to travel to South America with Luke Hurt and a gang of other adventurers from the States last July and hike the Salkantay Trail up to Machu Picchu and then tour the islands of Lake Titicaca. Aside from a few road trips on the Bonneville this summer, he is looking forward to visiting the farm in western PA he was raised on as the family intends to sell it off later this year. Beer league ice hockey and beach volleyball have been supplemented with P90X workouts, and Jason thinks he has now lost all the weight gained in part to Pete Morris and the Brocket Arms pub.

Gabe Weymouth is an American in Singapore these days where his new daughter Alexandra has just joined the family along with his wife, Rebecca, and U.S. born

36

daughter Arabella. Gabe is working at S.M.A.R.T., the Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology on environmental modeling.

Living in Asia has been a great experience, but he always looks forward to his trips back to the states for familiar food and old friends.

of the hydrodynamics group at Electric Boat working on the replacement for the Ohio Class submarine. He still has his 1989 BMW M3 which he bought while at Webb and swears the best way to get rid of strange noises under the hood is to let it sit for the long winter.

New daddy Stephen Van Denburg and Heidi are enjoying their first child who was born only two days after Stephen’s birthday in September. Finding time to ride on his bicycles has been a bit more challenging with Miles around, but adaption rather than life change has been their goal. Stephen is now responsible for new technology development at Quantum Marine and has recently been back to Webb for a Monday Lecture and recruiting session.

June and July 2010 were busy months as Christine Gill (Heberley), Jason Dahl, and Anthony Constable all welcomed new additions to their families.

2002 The class of 2002 has been quite busy the past year and a half as there will be at least 10 Little Webbies running around by the time our 10year reunion comes around.

It all started with Karyn VanVeen (Cox), who has been busy raising her son Aaron down in Charlotte, NC. She recently returned to work in a consulting role with Parsons, an engineering and construction company that has been nice enough to let her work from home.

Karyn’s husband, Rob Cox is a professor at UNC Charlotte.

Nick Dombrowski and his wife Bonnie still live in CT with their daughter, Darcy.

Nick is currently Supervisor

Christine and her husband, Brian Heberley ’01 currently live in Cambridge, MA where she spends most of her time at home with her son Derek. Christine got her Masters in Supply Chain & Logistics from the MLOG program at MIT in 2010.

Jason and Rachel Dahl welcomed their daughter, Kezia into the world in July 2010. Jason is current completing post-doc work at MIT and has accepted a job at the University of Rhode Island as a professor in their Ocean Engineering department over the summer.

Although still playing soccer he says it’s time to retire due to “tendonitis in my butt and hamstring”.

Anthony Constable is currently working at NAVSEA as a program manager at the Washington Navy Yard. He is working on hydrodynamics for the next class of submarine for the U.S. Navy and often crosses paths with classmate Nick Dombrowski. Anthony and his wife Elizabetta have two kids – Gianluca and Rocco, and the recent big news is that a 3rd is

on the way due in October 2011! Keep ‘em coming!

Doug Frauenberger and his wife Johanna welcomed their daughter Maia in February 2011. Doug received his M.B.A. and M.S. from MIT in 2007, and spent the past 3+ years working as an operations consultant living in Chicago and Washington DC. He and his family recently relocated to the Philadelphia area in May where he joined AAMCO Transmissions as the VP of Manufacturing Development.

Brandon DeWolfe and his wife, Tessa, recently put the finishing touches on their new custom home which they had built down in Houston, TX. They are moving in justin-time to welcome their new baby boy around May 23rd! Brandon is currently Marine Operations Manager for Wild Well Control where he has been for four years now, the first two of which he spent out on offshore rigs doing salvage work.

Corey Bruno and his wife Jenelle currently live outside of Allentown, PA and are expecting their first child in June 2011. Corey completed his M.B.A. from the University of Michigan in 2007 and has since held multiple operations roles at Knoll, a high-end furniture manufacturer.

Most recently Corey has been spending quite a bit of time up in Grand Rapids, MI helping turn-around the performance of one of their manufacturing facilities.

Dave Fogg and his wife Emily met in Australia and currently live in Danbury, Connecticut. Dave works in sailing yacht design for

Tripp Design in Norfolk. He and his wife are expecting their first child in September 2011, so Dave is taking advantage of the opportunity to get out while he can, hosting an open-mic night at his local bar each week.

Jackie Schultz (DeSpirito) is living in Virginia and currently works as an engineer at Oceaneering in Hanover, MD. She recently got herself a nice new red Ford truck, nicknamed Darla, to commute to/from work as well as pull her horse on the weekends.

Sean Smith is “living” out in the Bay Area, but his job at Chevron Shipping has him on the road racking up frequent flyer miles. Sean is currently

working in fleet operations as the Lead Engineer of hull & coatings. He also spent July – December 2010 in Korea as part of the newbuilding team. When asked if he still spent time on his bike he recounted a recent weekend cycle from San Francisco to Yosemite National Park, a 600km ride in Japan, and a 400km ride in Bali.

Not much has changed for Joe Tooker in the past 10 years, who spends the majority of his free time outside of work fishing. As for work, Joe is at BAE Systems Southeast Shipyard in Jacksonville, FL where he’s been since graduation. Although his primary fishing boat Easy

Money is laid up with a blown motor, he recently purchased a small canal boat named Chump Change to take down the red fish, sheephead, and speckled trout inshore.

2004 &2005

After an 18 month voyage from Rhode Island to New Zealand across the Pacific aboard his family’s 62' sailboat, Gram Schweikert is currently working as Project Manager in Auckland, NZ completing a major refit on the yacht after an engine room fire just before New Year’s. Gram is planning to stay in New Zealand until January 2012 when he will look to find his next adventure.

Ryan Hackel and Evelyn Reimer Hackel announce the launch of new daughter, Elsa Rebecca Hackel, a Hackel-class Human, on 27 January 2011. At launch, Elsa has a displacement of 3.1kg and an LOA of 51cm.

Mom and baby are doing well and glad to be home.

A CLDM UB IRA 20 LT 11 Y

continued on next page

Providing world class solutions for mission critical systems.

Rolls-Royce...

Trusted to deliver excellence. www.rolls-royce.com

37

W E B B N E W S

alumni news

class notes 2005 Emily Whitman wrote: Edo and I welcomed our daughter, Matilda Tudoric-Gemo on December 27, 2010.

2006 Brian Eisenhower – Associate attorney at New York office of Hill Rivkins LLP practicing in the areas of transportation (especially maritime), insurance, energy, and international commerce.

2008 After returning from her stint in China with ABS, Kristin Jarecki has changed her focus and is moving to New Orleans to work as a Pre/Post Natal Exercise Specialist.

Johanna Lee is still enjoying sunny Fort Lauderdale. She recently traveled to Peru and hiked Machu Picchu.

Sarah Patrick Wickenheiser and Vince Wickenheiser are keeping busy with home improvement projects in their newly purchased home in Bowie, MD. Jessie Tomczak is still enjoying Seattle, the outdoors, and looking forward to the Maritime Festival.

Lindsey Burns Lindgren and her husband, Mårten, have welcomed many Euro-traveling Webbies at their home in London.

38

Alana Smentek and Phil Duerr were married in August ’10 and honeymooned in London and Rome.

They are living in Fort Lauderdale and both working towards Ph.D.s at FAU. After training with superstar power lifter AJ Loreto, Leah Sosa now holds three Florida State Powerlifting records (yes, you read that right).

She’s still living in Fort Lauderdale and keeps busy playing soccer and traveling.

Adam Van Doren is still living in Houston and enjoys regular outings with the Houston Young Professionals group.

Anthony Loreto keeps busy getting himself and others freakishly strong. He is still living in Fort Lauderdale and is rebuilding a 1969 23’ Sea Bird with his roommate Mark D’Angelo ’07.

Luke Soletic is busily finishing up his prerequisites so he can apply for dental schools in the fall. Don’t forget to floss!

After working for ABS in New Orleans for nearly a year, Chris Becker is returning to Florida to design sportfishing boats for Contender.

After finishing a graduate degree at MIT, Russell Pollock recently relocated to California near SF to work for Chevron.

John Stebe completed the Navy Intern Program and has accepted a full time position at the Center for Innovation in Ship Design in D.C. He volunteers at the Alexandria Seaport Foundation to help build wooden boats, and is looking to buy a house with Steve Minnich in the near future.

Dan Mannheim is living in Boston and is looking forward to vacationing in Europe twice this summer. That doesn’t make up for the fact that the Cubs are still losing.

After completing his graduate degree at University of Michigan, Steve Minnich relocated to D.C. He is looking to buy a house with John Stebe in the near future.

Justin Shell completed a Masters degree in Yacht Design at the Instituto Europeo di Design in Venice, Italy. He spent a few months working in Amsterdam and has recently returned home to MD to plot his next move.

Jeff Reifsnyder is living in Houston and looking to buy a house. He keeps himself busy singing in two choruses and one quartet, and is looking forward to an international chorus competition in Kansas City this summer.

Porter Bratten has departed from the world of Naval Architecture and has started his own company, BTO Multisports, where he works full-time as a race director and triathlon coach.

2009

Emerson Smith is living in Annapolis working for Farr Yacht Design and is sailing regularly in his free time.

Paul Schweizer and his wife Lauren have relocated to Shanghai, China for Paul’s job with ABS. Cody Kurtz’s career in salvage has taken him all over the world – Guam, Mexico, the Arctic circle, just to name a few places. When he’s home in Fort Lauderdale, he keeps his motorcycle running.

Dave Sawyer and Rachel Drollinger, ’09 were married in July ’10 and spent their honeymoon on an Alaskan cruise. They are trying out their green thumb by planting a garden in their newly purchased townhome in D.C. Matt Donatelli recently accepted a position with Stolt and relocated to Rotterdam. He’s keeping his weekends busy gallivanting around Europe.

It’s hard to believe, but it’s already been two years since we were singing “Webb is all around me” under the commencement tent. While two years can go by in the blink of an eye, don’t let that fool you, the Wolfpack has been getting up to some extraordinary things! The major news for the Class of ’09 is that Robert Carelli is engaged to Lindy Deal ‘11X. We’re all looking forward to their wedding, and the new Class ’09 Hawaii beach house they’ll be opening.

Josh McMinn is now living in Korea and working for ABS. He and Austin French recently went on a dive trip to Koh Tao in Thailand and had a close encounter with a very large whale shark. Austin is nearly finished with his master’s program, at which point he’ll be heading back to the States from Adelaide.

Josh also met up with Andrew Harville in January for a New Zealand adventure. Sticking with the international flare, Bret Smart just recently transferred from Stolt’s offices in Rotterdam to Singapore.

He’s having fun despite the rough exchange rate. Lauren Moeller is stationed on the USS Reuben James (FFG 57).

She is about to embark on her second deployment to the western Pacific Ocean.

Niko Martecchini and Diana Look were down in Florida for Key West Race Week this year doing some sailing as well. I’m told they represented Webb admirably both on and off the water. Rorie Zuzick graduated from University of Maryland in December with a master’s degree in fluid dynamics. She and Andrei Mouravieff are both working at NSWCCD. Jon Ward is still at SAIC and living at the Bowie house (one of two D.C. area Class ’09 fun houses) with Rorie and Dan Wilson.

Rachel Sawyer is also in the D.C. area, but hasn’t had much time for Class ’09 fun lately. Now that her Cleric Raechelle has attained Level 4 by defeating the Ghost of Azrian and vanquishing the Lizardman Warriors though (congratulations, by the way!), we’re all hoping that we’ll be seeing more of her.

Phillip Duerr is working on his Ph.D. at Florida Atlantic University but will be spending the summer in the Washington, D.C. area.

And wrapping up the Mideast region, Laura Patterson is working on her Ph.D. in biomedical engineering at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond.

Robin “Wombi” Rose is testing the management consulting world out and recently started working for McKinsey & Company in Boston. He’s enjoying his first assignment and has stayed true to his work hard,

play hard spirit. John Wise continues to work hard and play hard as well in Louisiana at Metal Shark Boats… usually with at least one string of Mardi Gras beads around his neck. Stefan Wolczko is still at Guido Perla & Associates.

Jon Dowsett: Last time I saw Stefan was in London while he was presenting a wind farm maintenance vessel design. In between pints and tour guiding in Scotland, I am working on my master’s degree at University of Cambridge and enjoying the experience of living in a new country and making new friends. England’s actually not that bad when it’s warm and sunny. I’m also planning a sailing trip out of Croatia in August that promises to be a lot of fun and a great way to say goodbye to Cambridge.

I hope you’re all having fun and doing well. And I look forward to seeing many of you at the Jacques Hadler and Roger Compton retirement event. Seeing those two amazing men off will certainly be one amazing night.

Flower, of Bayville, NY, in October 2011. Lowell loves his job with Transocean Upgrade and Repair Projects, where he specializes in subsea equipment. Lowell and Christine expect to move to Brazil to overhaul a couple of rigs in Macae. Congratulations, Lowell and Christine!

This fall, Simmy Willemann will be studying with Professor Hank Marcus ’65 at MIT. Her year of working at Applied Physical Sciences and exploring Eastern CT has been exciting and challenging.

She already misses life there, but looks forward to transitioning to Cambridge for her next adventure.

Dusty Rybovich taught English in Angol, Chile for a few months after graduation. He’s currently job hunting in Buenos Aires.

Michael Cariello, our class’ self-proclaimed black sheep, is managing an optics program at SAIC. He loves San Diego, CA, and has recently taken up hiking. Although his work hasn’t yet required his NA/ ME expertise, he continues to support Webb – last month he went to a college fair with John Malone ’71.

Ian McCauley and Dan Snyder are working at The Glosten Associates and DRS Technologies, respectively.

Both are involved in continued on next page

2010 It seems like yesterday that the Class of 2010 was deep in the middle of thesis and Large Ship Design, but a summary of what we’ve accomplished in the months since graduation tells differently. As we look to our promising futures, for which Webb is largely responsible, we must continually strengthen our connections to each other and to Webb.

Our biggest news is the announcement that Lowell Dickerson will marry Christine

39

W E B B N E W S

alumni news

class notes

community bands. Ian says that he’s been involved with NA projects ranging from barge mooring to conceptual ship design.

Josh Rothman, Chris Lyons, and Alex Scott have received commissions as U.S. Naval Officers. They now reside in Charleston, SC, and expect to be nuclear and dive-qualified in 2012. Josh says that Nuke School is tough, but that Webb prepared him well for the challenge. He still finds time to socialize with ’09 Webbies from nearby states; one recent such event proved that Josh is invincible.

This winter, Will Markuske and Jenna Ferrieri ’11 acquired a collie/shepherd mix. Will is also taking a

Masters degree in OE/NA at Memorial University of Newfoundland while working full time as a testing engineer at Oceanic Consulting. Always one for understatement, Will says, “Canada is cold.”

Tom Tindale, Dave Gross, and Seth Cooley are working on Masters degrees in yachts/small craft and marine CFD at the University of Southampton. Tom has extended his passion for flying into gliding, and replaced the inimitable Escalade with a black Range Rover. Back in Ardmore, Tom continues the family tradition of sculpting granite. Dave claims that each day he spends 16 hours in his room doing computational fluid dynamics.

Doug Slocum still shares Seth and Dave’s passion for sailboats – in fact, he’s knee deep in sail design at North Sails. Less than a year after Webb and he’s already involved with the Volvo Ocean Race and the America’s Cup! On a more

If you have any individual notes you wish to publish in the next Webb News Magazine, please send them to Gailmarie at gsujecki@webb-institute.edu

40

financially reasonable level, he recently purchased a Laser.

Tedi Derrickson is quickly becoming an expert in the design of RHIBs and small aluminum craft at Metal Shark Aluminum Boats – but her big news is a new apartment and an adorable four-week old puppy!

Peter Lee and Jay Nonemaker are very busy working on Offshore engineering degrees at TU Delft in the Netherlands. When Jay isn’t designing offshore wind farms, he competes on the TU Delft swim team, plays beach volleyball, and travels around Europe. Most recently, Peter and Jay spent six days in Portugal.

No surprise here: Amanda Malarkey, Bradley Gelles, and Cullen Sarles are still overachievers. Amanda practices aikido five days a week, rides horses once a week, and is quickly becoming the sharpest shot in Houston (9mm). And in her spare time, she works on the IACS

Hull Panel at ABS. Brad is too engrossed in his work at Donald L. Blount and Associates to write about his personal life. Cullen splits his time between more than five soccer teams and a rotation with the Office of Naval Research. To top it off, Amanda, Brad, and Cullen recently modified their Webb Senior Thesis for publication in FAST 2011.

Jacob Genauer is Keppel Shipyard’s newest, youngest, and only employee from the western world. While he feels nothing but disdain for Singapore’s heat and humidity, he relishes the opportunity to work on projects ranging from containership and tanker repairs to FSO/FPSO conversions to drillship newbuildings. While Jacob enjoys his Singaporean lifestyle, he struggles to stay in touch with friends at home in the U.S.A. Don’t forget about him!

3

298 Crescent Beach Road Glen Cove, NY 11542-1398 1-866-708-9322 (Webb) www.webb-institute.edu

Printed on recycled paper.

T O D A Y ,

T O M O R R O W . . .

Webb Institute – An engineering college unlike any other.

F O R E V E R