Webb News Summer 2013

WebbNews The Webb Institute Magazine

Summer 2013 Volume 25 Issue 1

Saying Goodbye After Eight Years At The Helm President Robert C. Olsen and his Wife Maureen Embark on a New Journey

Alumni Recruit, Support, Look Ahead Offshore TechNOLOGY CONFERENCE: “Comic Con for Engineers” www.webb-institute.edu

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M I S S I O N S TAT E M E N T

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To prepare graduates for prominent careers by: • Providing a rigorous education in the principles of engineering and a broad-based 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

WebbNews S u m m e r 2 0 1 3 Volume 25 Issue 1

in this issue Features

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F R OM THE PRE S IDE NT TH E G R ADU AT ING C LASS OF 2 0 1 3

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HO ME CO MIN G 2013 L aser D esigner Bruce Kirby at Webb

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TH E C HAI R MAN’s ME S S AGE : M OV I NG F ORWARD WIT H C ONV I C TI ON

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ALUMN I A S S O CIA T IO N REPORT

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TH E DEAN’s CO RNE R: SPR I NG AND A WO RL D OF GOOD NEWS

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PL A N N IN G 125T H AN N IV E R S A R Y CELE B R A T IO N S

SAYI NG G OODBYE AFT E R EI G H T YEARS AT T HE HE L M

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F OU NDER ’s DAY

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ALUMN I S P O T LIGH T : VICKY D LUGO KE CKI ’88

OTC 2013: 12 “ENG I NEER COMIC CO N”

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S outhampton S tudents J oined Webb T his S pring

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ALUMN I S P O T LIGH T : R O B E R T CO N A CH E Y ’80

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Z EI EN LEC T URE : BR U C E KNECHT

S.O. PRESIDENT reflections PH O N A T H O N

Departments 2 5

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c a m pu s n ews i n m em o ri am c l as s n o tes h eri ta g e s o c i ety

WEBB INSTITUTE R. Keith Michel ’73 PRESIDENT

George Campbell, Jr. Chairman oF the Board

Richard P. Neilson ’70 Dean and Professor of Naval Architecture

Erica L. Hansen ’81 Director of Communications

Supervising Editor: Gailmarie Sujecki Executive Assistant to the President & Director of Alumni Relations

Photo Editor: Keisha M. Brown Associate Director of Web Technologies

Editor: Christine Slattery Editorial Contributors: Roger Basu Keisha M. Brown David Byrnes George Campbell John Carlson ’14 Robert Conachey ’80 John Costello ’89 Hampton K. Dixon ’11 Vicky Dlugokecki ’88 Photo Contributors: Thomas Brackin ’16 John R. Carlson ’14 Gill Photography

Elena Goloubeva Richard Harris R. Keith Michel ’73 Bill Murray Richard Neilson ’70 Colin Spillane ’13 Matt Tedesco ’91 Alex Wilson ’16

Eric S. Harris ’14 Gailmarie Sujecki Alex Wilson ’16

Design: Lum & Associates Webb News is published semi-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

W E B B N E W S

from the President

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y the time you receive this summer issue of Webb News, I will have commenced my term as Webb’s sixteenth President. I follow in the footsteps of giants, so it is with a sense of humility and awe I take on this new endeavor. Admiral Brockett was running Webb when I was a student: an imposing, no-nonsense sort of president.

I remember my freshman interview as if it was yesterday. We sat down at the table in R. Keith Michel ’73 and his wife Peggy President and First Lady his office and exchanged a few pleasantries; then he got down to business. The Admiral described the rigors of Webb, the hard work, challenges and opportunities. Then, he looked me in the eye and asked, “Do you still want to come here?” I said “yes” without hesitation, and he stood up, shook my hand, and said he looked forward to seeing me in August. That was it: A half hour that changed my life.

Now, 43 years later, as I once again sit in the beautiful wood-paneled president’s office, I cannot quite believe what has happened. To have a chance to serve one’s alma mater, first as chairman of the board of trustees and then as president, is a special privilege. My wife Peggy and I could not be more excited. For those who don’t know us personally, we met at Webb my sophomore year, had our first date at one of John Malone’s infamous Webb mixers, and later married. For the next 40 years, I worked at Herbert Engineering Corp., a small naval architecture firm headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area. People ask why we are giving up the benevolent weather and charm of San Francisco to return to Long Island. It’s easy—we are going to Webb!

College presidents say the first 120 days in the job are a bit overwhelming, as they seek to learn as much as possible about their institution and its many stakeholders.

Even though I come in strongly familiar with Webb, there is still much to learn with little time to do so. The strategic plan presented to the Board of Trustees in May sets out a number of short term objectives calling for immediate action, and we are now conducting a feasibility study in preparation for Webb’s next capital campaign. Of course, there is no better training for a few sleepless nights than four years at Webb and a career as a marine consultant.

Year 2014 marks the 125th anniversary of the founding of the Webb Academy and Home for Shipbuilders.

William H. Webb’s philanthropy was an extraordinary act, both in its kindness and its vision. As alumni, we have benefitted from Mr. Webb’s generosity and each of us, in our own way, has contributed to the rich tradition that is now known as Webb Institute. We have many plans to celebrate our 125th year including a two day Homecoming event in May 2014, regional meetings around the country, publication of a Webb 125th Anniversary Book, and a video on life at Webb.

During my tenure as Webb president, it is my intention to call every alumnus, seek your input on the future of our treasured college and to thank you for your generous support of Webb. But don’t wait for me to call. If you have ideas or just want to chat, please do not hesitate to phone or email me at kmichel@webb-institute.edu. This is our college. Its success and prosperity depends on our unwavering support.

­­­ “ People ask why we are

giving up the benevolent weather and charm of San Francisco to return to Long Island. It’s easy—we are going to Webb! ”

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Commencement Exercises

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Class of 2013

Commencement ­­Awards & Prizes KEELER MEMORIAL PRIZE highest average in mathematics William B. Bartling SeaRiver Maritime Award for Excellence In Engineering Design William B. Bartling J. Lewis Luckenbach Memorial Prize highest general average in four year course William B. Bartling Charles A. Ward, Jr., Memorial Awards highest average in naval architecture curriculum William B. Bartling second highest average in naval architecture curriculum Jonathan J. Soja

On Saturday, June 22nd, 16 Webbies were ushered into the world with a bang—or perhaps that was the ceremonial cannon firing.

This year, Webb honored Mr. H.F. ‘Gerry’ Lenfest with an Honorary Doctorate of Law degree. The address was presented by Dr. George Campbell, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees. His inspiring words were to succeed in life but more importantly, in doing so, to be just and fair, inspired not only the graduates but everyone else that attended.

American Bureau Of Shipping Prize highest junior and senior average William B. Bartling Stevenson Taylor Memorial Prize for excellence of a thesis in any field Donald E. Rickerson III Samuel D. McComb Memorial Prize second highest junior & senior average Donald E. Rickerson III RIchard A. Partanen HuManities Award Justin C. Van Emmerik

The WooFS performed the Navy Hymn followed by a verse of the Coast Guard Hymn. The student farewell was presented

by Colin Spillane—it was “brilliant” as our British exchange students would say. It was, however, the last time that President Robert Olsen would present degrees before retiring.

Being true to tradition, the senior class went out with a smile on their face and ready to take on the world with the upbeat choruses from the song “I Love It” by Icona Pop.

Curran Memorial Prize for most outstanding & consistent scholastic improvement Kierstin M. Del Valle

Chaffee Memorial Prize best all around record Douglas C. Zangre Lewis Nixon Memorial Prize for excellence of a thesis in naval architecture Roxanne R. Schacht and Douglas C. Zangre Patrick S. Matrascia Good Shipmate Award Sean P. Murphy PAUL E. ATKINSON MEMORIAL PRIZE IN ETHICS for ethical behavior Sean P. Murphy

H.F. ‘Gerry’ Lenfest presents a few remarks after receiving his Honorary Doctorate of Law Degree.

Connecticut Maritime EDUCATION FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIP demonstrating academic excellence with intent to pursue a career in the maritime industry William B. Bartling, Daniel A. Dwyer, Jonathan J. Soja, Samuel K. Waterhouse, Douglas C. Zangre 3

Post Graduation Plans

The Graduating Class of 2013

Thesis Titles Bryce Bartling, Kierstin Del Valle: Hydrophobic Coatings and Their Effect on Flat-Plate Drag Reduction Roland DeMarco: Applying Molecular Cracking to Marine Diesel Engines Daniel Dwyer, Justin Van Emmerik: A Comparative Cost Analysis of Floating Wind Turbine Platforms Michael LaRose, Marc Smith: Validation of CFD Optimized Demi-hulls for Tri-SWACH Sean Murphy, Colin Spillane: The Effect of Air Lubrication on a Flat Plate at Varying Angles of Trim With Regard to Drag Reduction Gerardo Nixon: Analysis of 19th Century Maritime Warfare Technologies and their Influence on the Development of the 20th Century Battleship

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Donald Rickerson: Evaluation of a Calibration Method for Distortion Analysis of One-Sided Submerged Arc Welding Roxanne Schacht, Douglas Zangre: A Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) Analysis of Curved Daggerboards on HighPerformance Sailing Yachts Jonathan Soja, Samuel Waterhouse: A Performance Comparison of the Axe and Wave-Piercing Bows Applied to Offshore Supply Vessels Troy Zangle: A Seakeeping Analysis of the Semi-Elliptical Hull Catamaran

William Bartling: Considering his options

Kierstin Del Valle: Working for the Cruise Lines International Association as of August 1st

Roland DeMarco: University of Southern California, Masters of Science in Green Technologies

Daniel Dwyer: Working at AMSEC in Manhattan as a Junior Naval Architect

Michael Larose: Working at Elliott Bay Design Group as of September 3rd

Sean Murphy: Working at The American Club in Manhattan as a Marine Surveyor

Gerardo Nixon: Working for ECS-Federal as a Junior Naval Architect/Systems Engineer

Donald Rickerson: Working for Newport News Shipyard (NNS) in the submarine structural engineering department

Roxanne Schacht: Working at Morrelli & Melvin Design and Engineering, Inc.

Marc Smith: Working at Navatek in RI

Jonathan Soja: Working with Donald L. Blount & Associates

Colin Spillane: Working at Norbridge Inc. in Concord, MA

Justin Van Emmerik: Joining the The Glosten Associates

Samuel Waterhouse: Working at Elliott Bay Design Group after a summer of working on the farm and long bicycle rides

Troy Zangle: Waiting to hear back from potential employers

Douglas Zangre: Joining The Glosten Associates as a Junior Naval Architect

W E B B N E W S

The Chairman’s Message:

Moving Forward With Conviction

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ince this is my first Webb News, since becoming chairman of the board of trustees, I begin by telling you how deeply honored I am to have the opportunity to serve in that capacity at one of the nation’s premiere institutions of higher education.

While Webb is a relatively small college, throughout its long and illustrious history its graduates have had an incalculable impact on the maritime industry— an enterprise that for the foreseeable future will be critically important to global commerce, basic research in the life sciences, technological innovation, national security and leisure activities essential to the human spirit. I offer my solemn pledge to do what I can while chairman, working with the other Trustees, to sustain Webb’s great legacy.

In the short time I have served on the board, it has been a great pleasure and a privilege to work with the current president, Admiral Olsen, who is preparing to retire after serving with distinction for eight years. I’ve also gotten to know the incoming president, Keith Michel, an alumnus who has had an extraordinary career in the maritime industry, and I look forward to working with him and with the other trustees in the coming months.

Since the fall, 2012 meeting of the board, we have undertaken a comprehensive review of our governance structures, governing practices and governing documents. Our goal is to improve our operating efficiency as a board, to align our structures and procedures with best practices in higher education and to ensure compliance with the changing

George Campbell Jr., Ph.D.

Chairman of the Board regulatory environment, while reaffirming our commitment to excellence and endorsing the best of traditional higher education principles. The strategic planning committee has also been active. The Strategic Plan for Webb is in its final stages of review and will be ready for public consumption very shortly.

I remind you that Webb today is one of a vanishing small number of colleges in the United States with an unwavering commitment to a full tuition scholarship policy. This represents an enormous ongoing financial challenge for us, and the Board has devoted a substantial effort this year towards strengthening our development effort. We have been working with the renowned expert, Jerry Panas, as well as with our development staff to accelerate our progress in this area. We have also engaged Cambridge Associates to work with the investment committee to improve our efficiency, information flow and, ultimately, the performance of our investment portfolio, which is the other crucial component of our financial infrastructure.

Our raison d’etre, of course, is to provide an engineering education of the first rank for our students. I have taken some time this year to interact with some of the graduating seniors, and as you will see from the coverage of graduation in this issue, Webb has delivered: producing another outstanding class of naval architects and marine engineers, young men and women that I know will make us all proud to be associated with the college.

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W E B B N E W S

The Dean’s Corner:

Spring and a World of Good News

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pring has come to Webb again and, despite the damage done

by Hurricane Sandy, the campus looks great. The enthusiastic activity on Founder’s Day helped clear away some of the debris, and John Ferrante and the Facilities Staff have done the rest.

If you haven’t been here in April or May recently, you should plan to visit.

The students returned from their Winter Work term rejuvenated and, in turn, have rejuvenated the faculty and staff. Freshmen worked in ship and boat yards from Maine to Guam and collected a wide assortment of nicknames. Several of the yards had not employed Webb students before. The sophomores had a variety of experiences during their sea term with one pair literally going around the world, thanks to A.P. Moeller Maersk. We were able to obtain berths with the Denmark-based line for the first time, and the two students flew from New York to Los Angeles to catch the ship (one of the M-class vessels), visited ports in Russia and the Far East, traversed the Suez Canal, went through the Mediterranean into Europe, and flew back to New York from England. Quite a trip. One student had the “opportunity” to repel a boarder in the Gulf of Suez while on one of the U.S.-based Maersk Lines Ltd. vessels; another pair rode an articulated tug-barge in the Gulf of Mexico, and two

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students spent the winter in Diego Garcia on a Military Sealift Command vessel.

The experiences certainly were varied, and listening to the sophomores’ stories when they return is always a treat.

The upperclassmen scattered themselves generously, although a gaggle of them landed in the Pacific Northwest. Two spent the winter in South Korea, one in Finland, and one in Canada. We were also able to establish contact with Titan Salvage, and with a little perseverance were able to obtain four positions with them. Two sophomores worked in Cyprus on a salvage liftboat, and a junior and a senior worked in Italy on the Costa Concordia project. As usual, the students are our best ambassadors and their performance will help establish a close relationship with Titan as well as with other first time work term employers.

Professor Basu has announced his intention to leave Webb at the end of the spring semester for personal reasons.

His stay here has been all too brief, and he will be greatly missed. His technical knowledge and professionalism are unsurpassed. He has promised to stay in touch and help us in whatever way he can. We are searching for a replacement.

Four sophomores spent last term at the University of Southampton and enjoyed the experience immensely. Southampton

Richard Neilson ’70 Dean

has changed some of the courses our students typically take while there, and that has created some problems for us. If they cannot be satisfactorily resolved, the exchange program may be in jeopardy. There is considerable interest in this program among the freshmen, so we will do our best to see it continue.

We have two Southampton students spending the spring with us. They have fit in extremely well and are enjoying our more practical, hands-on approach.

The seniors have chosen four courses for their final semester elective: Manufacturing Processes, Sustainable Design, Economics, and Composite Material Engineering. The last is essentially a new course for us and fills a real need. It is being team-taught by Professors Royce and Basu and an adjunct with extensive experience in the design and application of marine composites. The material gathered from this course can be used in the future for a similar one and/or integrated into the standard curriculum.

The juniors have chosen an eclectic collection of designs for their Ship Design I course. The list includes an IMOCA 60 offshore sailboat, an offshore liftboat, a ferry for use in Third World nations,

an Arctic icebreaker, and a floating Arctic platform. The concept for the last vessel was conjured up by Professor Basu and me. It presumes significant growth in the exploitation of natural resources in the Arctic and the need for various kinds of support. Therefore, this platform will have a significant medical facility, house emergency response personnel and equipment, provide housing for contract personnel working on the surrounding platforms, and provide logistics support. It will be interesting to see what the students come up with.

We continue to improve our laboratories.

We have installed a new Instron 8801 Fatigue Testing System in the Structures Lab and have used it in the Materials

­­­ “ As usual, the students are our best ambassadors and their performance will help establish a close relationship with Titan as well as with other first time work term employers. ” Science course to conduct experiments on tensile specimens. We will refurbish the Baldwin Southwark structural test bed this summer. Emissions measuring equipment has been installed and is being used on the 125 hp. 4-cylinder engines in the Marine Engineering Lab. A similar installation on the 700 hp. Detroit Diesel engine is underway. A dynamometer has been

a cooling tower and associated equipment have been purchased and are being installed for the dynamometer. The system provides the ability to run the engines on various fuels and under varying conditions and make emissions comparisons.

Things are moving forward. The students remain our favorite spectator sport. Life is good.

installed on the Detroit Diesel;

A Global Leader • New Construction • Support Services • Repair • Conversions • Engineering

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11/26/12 2:01:48 PM

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Saying Goodbye After Eight Years At The Helm:

President Robert C. Olsen and his wife Maureen embark on a new journey

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fter eight years as the president of Webb Institute, Rear Admiral (Ret.) Robert C. Olsen, Jr. officially retired on June 30, 2013. Admiral Olsen grew up in New London, Conn., where he graduated from the United States Coast Guard Academy in 1969. He later earned an M.S. in Administration from the U.S. Naval Post Graduate School in Monterrey, Calif., and an M.S. in National Security and Strategic Studies from the Naval War College. During his 36 years of service in the United States Coast Guard, Admiral Olsen served as Commanding Officer of four Coast Guard cutters and was Director of Personnel Management for the Coast Guard immediately before becoming Superintendent of the Coast Guard Academy.

Over 200 guests gathered at Webb Institute on May 17, 2013, to thank Admiral Olsen and his wife Maureen for their support and leadership. A cocktail and seafood bar reception in the Cuneo Courtyard kicked off the event, and the party then transitioned to presentations and dinner under a tent overlooking the Sound.

Chairman of the Board Dr. George Campbell served as the Master of Ceremonies and lauded how President Olsen’s many years of experience and dedication to support the mission of Webb Institute. Campbell said, “Bob possesses attributes of a great leader… clarity of thought, vision and decisiveness but also sensitivity, human compassion, honor, and the highest standards of ethics and value. These later elements are particularly important at Webb which has a deep tradition of shared governance and dedication to democratic principles.” Earlier in the day, the Board 8

of Trustees presented Admiral Olsen with a college resolution in honor of his years of service, leadership, and stewardship of the mission of Webb Institute.

Dean Emeritus Roger Compton spoke of Admiral Olsen’s passion for education. Olsen has always been “a strong advocate for Webb Institute’s academic program,” Compton stated. They first met during Olsen’s interview for the presidency, and Compton was immediately impressed with his background. Dean Emeritus Compton thanked Olsen for his service to our nation and his last eight years of dedication to Webb Institute.

Dean Richard Neilson felt that it was easy to transition from the corporate world to Webb because of the support he received from President Olsen. Dean Neilson went on to thank Maureen for her graciousness, saying she “brings a sense of calm and peace to Webb.” Neilson added, “We are in the opportunity business,” in reference to how Admiral Olsen describes the college and its students. “It’s clear how engaged Bob was with everyone at Webb —he knows the names of all the students and often stops in the hallway to ask how things are going.”

Webb Alumni Association President Matthew Tedesco echoed many of the sentiments about dedication and service that were common throughout the night. Tedesco attributed the enthusiasm and spirit of community in the newest alumni to Olsen’s leadership over the last eight years. Tedesco went on to thank Admiral Olsen for always asking what Webb could do to support the Alumni Association.

“I have had the honor of working for Webb Institute… it is not just a single person, it is all of us that make Webb what it is…

I have seen and felt it each and every day. It is indeed special.”

Student Organization President Colin Spillane noted how Admiral Olsen’s leadership changed his outlook on handling situations. Spillane presented Admiral Olsen with the American flag that was flown over Webb on Founder’s Day in April to complement a similar gift President Olsen received when he retired from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy.

Olsen’s dedication to Webb Institute extended beyond the campus. Soon after arriving in Glen Cove, he became involved in the leadership of the Glen Cove Chamber of Commerce. Glen Cove Mayor Ralph Suozzi said, “Admiral Olsen has not only been a leader within the college but has also been a leader within Glen Cove.”

Suozzi presented Admiral Olsen with a proclamation that celebrated his years of service to Glen Cove.

Accepting the numerous gifts and accolades, Olsen said, “I have had the honor of working for Webb Institute… it is not just a single person; it is all of us that make Webb what it is.” Olsen added he and Maureen will miss Webb and that “every single student, staff member, professor, parent, and trustee is truly passionate about learning, teaching, and the stewardship of the school and William H. Webb’s legacy.

It is also clear the alumni appreciate their Webb education and continue to support the legacy. I have seen and felt it each and every day. It is indeed special. Thank you for the opportunity and for your support.”

The Webb Family Singers (WooFS) capped off the evening with a tribute to Admiral Olsen, followed by dancing and the musical talents of the Constitution Jazz Band.

Admiral and Mrs. Olsen retired to Florida after more than 40 years of service and leadership to the nation and Webb Institute. We wish the Olsen’s well in the next chapter of their lives and hope they keep the Webb family spirit with them wherever they travel.

– Keisha M. Brown and Hampton K. Dixon ’11

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Founder’s Day:

Gratitude and

With boots laced and sleeves rolled up, on April 5 the entire Webb family set out to give back to our shared home.

From power washing patio furniture to cleaning the towing tank from the inside, students and faculty alike set out with smiles to improve the campus for this year’s Founder’s Day celebration. This honors the generous spirit of our founder, William H. Webb, by striving to give back to the institution that has given us all so much.

Founder’s Day activities typically focus on manual labor projects that can be completed in an afternoon. Popular examples include pub cleaning, power washing and yacht club restoration; although anybody is welcome to suggest a project and potentially lead a team. This combination of widespread student activism and volunteer work is a symbol of what makes Webbies unique, and is deservedly a great source of pride among members of the community.

After a day of hard work, all were rewarded with a delicious dinner prepared by Peter Morris and his staff. In addition to this, the ceremonial cutting of the Founder’s Day cake by the youngest and oldest members of the Webb family was carried out by Professor Emeritus Tom Bond ’45 and freshman Kurt Gavel. The Webb Family of Singers (WooFS) also performed, thus completing a hard day’s work with dinner and a show.

Legendary naval architect Halsey Herreshoff ’55, who is famous for his custom yacht production and designs, delivered the guest lecture. He is the former president of the Hereshoff Maritime Museum and a co-founder of the America’s Cup Hall of Fame. The student body was delighted to hear of Mr. Herreshoff’s experiences at Webb, and it was a great honor to have him speak.

Another guest appearance was made by Professor Emeritus John Hennings, the “founder” of the Founder’s Day event. His dedication to hard work, gratitude, and giving back to the community are symbolic of what this day is about.

– John Carlson ’14

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Giving Back

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OTC 2013: “Engineer Comic Con”

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his May, the class of 2014 was invited to participate in the annual Offshore Technology Conference in Houston, Texas.

Student attendance was sponsored by the TK Foundation and Webb Institute, allowing every student to go free of charge.

This convention attracts industry leaders from around the world to show off the cutting edge innovations of the offshore industry, and to recruit new engineers, especially enthusiastic Webb students. Housing was generously provided for the students by local alumni and family, allowing them to stay within driving distance of the convention. Attendance to OTC is a mandatory event for all juniors, but it is an event highly anticipated by all.

OTC is affectionately referred to as “Comic Con for Engineers” by some of the juniors, and we were able to dart around from booth to booth, collecting corporate freebies while learning all about the newest technological advancements in the offshore industry. My classmates and I were thrilled to take part in this convention, despite the Houston traffic that plagued our commute.

One of the highlights of the trip was the series of presentations given to us in private on our first day of the event. Tom Koster ’67 organized this experience, and gave us a glimpse into our potential futures as prospective naval architects and marine engineers in the offshore industry.

– John Carlson ’14

Dates of Interest

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Freshman Orientation August 12, 2013

Family Weekend September 20-22, 2013

Start of the Fall Semester August 19, 2013

Fall Break After classes on October 11-14, 2013

America’s Cup in San Francisco, CA September 7-21, 2013

Open House October 26, 2013

SNAME in Bellevue, WA November 5-9, 2013 Fall Recess After classes on November 22-December 1, 2013 Finals December 9-13, 2013

Zeien Lecture

Author-Sailor Bruce Knecht Presents Zeien Lecture

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n April 10, 2013, Mr. G. Bruce Knecht, former senior writer and foreign correspondent for The Wall Street Journal, presented the 15th Alfred M. Zeien Lecture at Webb.

Based on his recent book “Grand Ambition”, Knecht’s presentation focused on the construction of the 187-foot luxury yacht Lady Linda, built for multi-millionaire Doug Von Allmen and his wife, for whom the boat was named. Von Allmen was determined that the yacht would be the best ever built in the United States, but while the $40 million boat was under construction the economic crisis of 2008 hit, and he became a victim in a Ponzi scheme. Knecht’s book also traces the lives of a number of the individuals involved in the story, from the Von Allmens themselves to the boatyard workers, whose lives were radically different both socially and economically.

A graduate of Colgate University and the Harvard Business School, Knecht is also the author of two other books, “The Proving Ground: The Inside Story of the 1998 Sydney to Hobart Race” and “Hooked: Pirates, Poaching and the Perfect Fish”, as well as articles that have appeared in The New York Times Magazine, The Atlantic Monthly, and Conde Nast Traveler. In 2005 he was a crew member on the boat that broke the hundred-year-old Transatlantic Race record.

– Richard Harris, Ph.D.

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n Saturday May 18, 2013 over 100 alumni gathered at Webb for Homecoming. The first event of the day was a sailing regatta. Paul Kamen ’73 and Rich Celotto ’73, celebrating their 40th anniversary reunion, put a 420 into the cold Sound water to participate in the regatta reprising their respective roles as skipper and crew from their time on the Webb Sailing Team.

Roland DeMarco ’13, John Carlson ’14, Kirsten Wunder ’14, Alex Hanford ’15, Matthew Gianforcaro ’15, Glenn Burnett ’16 and Dylan Przelomski ’16 made presentations related to their winter work experiences. The class of 2013 was inducted into the Webb Alumni Association during the annual meeting. Athletic awards were presented to Daniel Dwyer ’13 (Tennis), James Codega ’14 (Sailing), Cody Owen ’15 (Volleyball), Brian Mills ’16 (Soccer, Volleyball, and Basketball).

This year we had two reunion classes 1973 and 1963. Rich Celotto ’73 wrote “twelve members of the twenty surviving graduates of the Class of ’73 came together… to celebrate their 40th anniversary of graduation.”

Ron Kiss ’63 and Abbott Weiss ’63 reported ”eleven of the fourteen surviving members of the Class of ’63 gathered in Glen Cove to celebrate the 50th anniversary of their Commencement.

Pre-reunion activities included fund-raising for a special gift, led by Class Agent Bill Birkhead.

Abbott Weiss, Don Deckebach, Hank Olson and Max Altmann did an amazing job creating the Anniversary Binnacle souvenir. Dave Rodger was in charge of local arrangements. In addition to the aforementioned Dave Rodgers, Bill Lindenmuth, Bill Hall, Bill Smith, Joe Verdon, and Mike Silber attended [to] make this the best reunion yet.”

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Class of 1954

Class of 1955

Dinner

Alumni Regatta

2013

A barbeque lunch was served on the first terrace, and the Webb Family Singers (WooFS) carried on with a fantastic performance. Following the WooFS performance, the classes of 1963 and 1973 gathered to pose for their reunion photographs. During this time Nathan Fast ’14 found the original unicycle upon which Doug Loeser ’73, John Knobel ’73, and Keith Michel ’73 rode. Luckily Webb President-Elect Michel didn’t break his neck riding the unicycle.

A dedication was made of the World War I plaque on the patio and World War II scroll in the Visconti Reception Room. The WWI plaque lists 74 alumni and undergraduates of Webb. Easily recognizable Webb names on this plaque include: Byron Blood— Continues next page

wwI and WWII plaque dedication

Class of 1963

Class of 1973

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Alumni association meeting Continued from previous page

Jeremy Blood ’22, long time Professor of Marine Engineering at Webb, Harold C. Lenfest ’18 for whom Lenfest Gallery is named, James G. Motley ’14 for whom Motley Hall is named, Norman B. Hall ’06, grandfather of Bill Birkhead ’63 who was present, John C. Niedermeyer, Jr. ’18 who became the Technical Director of the US Navy’s Bureau of Ships in WWII and designed the LST, and W. Selkirk Owen ’03, for whom our alumni association’s highest honor is named. Also listed is Lieutenant Ward H. Ream of the Class of 1908, who to our knowledge is the only name that appears on the plaque who was killed in action.

The World War II scroll was hand lettered by Charlie Visconti ’55 and there are 178 names on it including Thomas H. Bond ’45, Electrical Engineering Professor emeritus—present at Homecoming this year; Joseph N. Spillane ’50, grandfather of Colin Spillane ’13 and Lieutenant JG Robert L. Glatt ’41 from New Jersey. Glatt was captured upon the fall of Corregidor

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on May 6, 1942 and was one of 1,619 prisoners aboard the Oryoku Maru on December 13, 1944 for transport to Japan.

Dean Neilson closed with an emotional message: “One day, Webb senior Bob Glatt was sweating away trying to get his thesis done. He made it and graduated in June 1941. Six months later Pearl Harbor was bombed and he took a commission in the Navy. Less than a year after graduation, he was taken as a prisoner of war. He was just like you—just like us. These are not just names on a plaque or scroll. These are real people who lived real lives and it is our responsibility to honor them.”

Next year we will be celebrating Webb Institute’s 125th Anniversary and planning is underway for a multi-day event in conjunction with Homecoming. Alumni are encouraged to attend what promises to be our best Homecoming celebration yet.

– Matt Tedesco ’91

Laser Designer Bruce Kirby at Webb

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implicity and performance are the attributes that make the Laser one of the world’s most popular sailboats. On this April 29, Laser designer Bruce Kirby came to Webb to present a lecture, entitled “A Career in Sailing,” as part of the Monday Lecture Series. Mr. Kirby’s lecture described his love of sailing, and its evolution from his favorite sport to his very way of life.

Born February 2, 1929 in Ottawa, Mr. Kirby was late to sailing, as the Canadian season didn’t really begin until June. His family was filled with avid sailors, and he and his brother would race together frequently. At 27 he sailed in his first Olympic games; eight years later he sailed in the Olympics again—and both times he placed among the top third of sailors.

Early on in his career Mr. Kirby worked at a magazine though sailing remained his passion. Eventually he began designing, and when he was 29 he designed and built his first sailboat. Named Kirby Mark 1, his International 14 was an early success, with 28 boats built for various sailors by the end of production.

His greatest success, the Laser, came about when a friend asked Mr. Kirby to design a “car topper” dinghy. The designed turned out to be a phenomenon; since its inception in 1971 the Laser has become one of the worlds most sailed boats.

Now based in Rowayton, Conn., Mr. Kirby continues to design boats even after having sold more than 200,000 Lasers worldwide. From the Sonar to his personal boat, Nightwind, he continues to indulge his passion for the water. Even when the wind is down, Mr. Kirby maintains, there are always new boats to be designed.

– Alex Wilson ‘16

Mr. Bruce Kirby with Trustee Emeritus Mr. Bill Gray.

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W E B B N E W S

Alumni Association Report:

Regional Events Pick Up Steam

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ince the inception of the regional organization over a quarter of all alumni have participated in regional events which are typically held when students are in an area for internships or attending conferences. Regional events are a great way to network with local alums and to show support for the students.

This year’s events included a chili party in New England, a gathering associated with ASNE Day in D.C., a dinner with winter work students in San Diego, a gathering with students attending OTC in Houston, and two events with students in Seattle.

Alumni participated in recruiting opportunities at approximately 15 high schools and NACAC college fairs this year. We will continue to work with the admissions office and the Board of Trustees Outreach Committee to identify high schools with which we can foster relationships. I would like to thank the following alumni who helped with recruiting this year, and apologize in advance for any omissions: Pete Johnson ’56, Paul Risseeuw ’65, Tom Koster ’67, David Bovet ’70, James Greenlees ’72, Jim Gretzky ’80, Michael Meinhold ’82, Jim McMahon ’85, Paul Weber ’92, Matt Zahn ’05, Taylor Herinckx ‘06, Brian Petersen ’07, Justin Shell ’08, Wombi Rose ’09, Michael Cariello ’10, Will Markuske ’10, Jenna Ferrieri ’11, Ben Fisher ’11, Michael Klein ’11, Brent Morrison ’11, Ethan Wiseman ’11.

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The Board of Trustees 125th Anniversary Planning Committee, under the leadership of John Costello ’89, has been developing plans to commemorate the anniversary of the founding of Webb throughout 2014. The WAA is working with the committee to support the 125th Anniversary in two ways. First, planning is underway for regional events to be held in association with the 125th anniversary in addition to the gala event to be held at Webb Institute. Second, the WAA is funding the production of a 125th Anniversary Book that provides new material and updates the information in the prior Centennial book. This book will be over 240 pages, and will include eight chapters and 15 appendices. We anticipate a print run of 500 copies, with production completed by Homecoming in 2014. Alumni biographies are a critical element of the book, and all alumni will have the opportunity to update their bio or provide one for the first time if they graduated in the last twenty-five years. Michael Klein ’11 is leading the charge to coordinate the development of these bios, and we plan to provide a template to all alumni in June.

At Homecoming 2013 we elected several new officers in the WAA Executive Committee. John Malone ’71 was reelected as alumni fund chairman. Joseph Signorelli ’54 was elected as a member at large, taking over for Tom Manuel ’54. I

Matt Tedesco ’91 WAA President, 2012-2014

would like to thank Tom for providing the insight of a past president instrumental in the creation of the Owen Award to the Executive Committee during his tenure as a member at large. Allan Childers ’12 was elected as our fifth member, with primary responsibility for liaison with current students at Webb. Allan takes over for Simmy Willeman ’10. Jennifer Ryan ’99 was elected as our sixth member, responsible for coordination of our regional organization. Jennifer takes over for Ian Mutnick ’96, who had been our sixth member when the regional coordinators were established and who spearheaded development of our regional organization.

It is also my pleasure to welcome the class of 2013, inducted to the WAA at the annual meeting at Homecoming.

In closing, I would like to thank all of our alumni for their significant support to the school and the students throughout the year. I encourage all of you to get involved by attending an alumni gathering in your area this year.

Please remember to keep your contact information current on the Alumni Portal.

You can check your information and make any necessary changes by visiting http://alumni.webb-institute.edu/

125 YE

Planning

125th Anniversary Celebrations

T WEBB INS

CE EN L

To Honor Webb:

F EXC EL SO R A

ITUTE

I

t’s almost here: the 125th anniversary of the founding of our fine school. Two years ago, a committee was formed to help plan a series

of events and activities intended to celebrate the anniversary and honor William H. Webb as well as the institute itself. Geographically widespread in the hope that every Webbie will have the opportunity to take part in one or several gatherings, these events and activities offer something of interest for everyone, and were designed to enable us all to reconnect with our former compatriots in arms and renew friendships.

Here, without further ado, is a brief summary of some of the highlights.

Regional Celebration Dinners The Committee has been working in conjunction with the alumni regional coordinators to plan a series of 125th Celebration dinners/events spread throughout 2014. Eight regions around the United States with a significant concentration of alumni have been identified, including New York, Northern and Southern California, Seattle, Southern Virginia, Southern New England, Texas and Washington D.C. Each regional will be hosting a celebratory gathering.

Updating Webb’s History A host of writers are feverishly authoring an update to Edwin Dunbaugh’s A Centennial History of Webb Institute. The new section will document the broad history of Webb Institute from 1994 to 2013, and is intended to function with Dunbaugh’s book as an extended work. New alumni biographies will be included, and we hope to have the authors available at regional events to sign copies of the new book which will be published in the spring of 2014.

William H. Webb Symposium Webb will host a one-day symposium focusing first on our founder’s contributions to innovation in ship design, leading edge research, and technology development in the marine industry, and second on the need for innovation in the widely diverse segments of the maritime industry to which Webb graduates continue to contribute. The William H. Webb Symposium will be held close to Webb Homecoming in 2014, and will be conducted in panel format. A keynote speaker will expound upon the topic: “William H. Webb—Innovator,

Entrepreneur, Public Servant and Philanthropist,” and we expect that everyone in attendance will learn many exciting things about Webb Institute’s founder that are not generally known.

Webb Art Exhibit Retrospective A William H. Webb Art Exhibit Retrospective is also planned, with the Fine Arts Committee compiling a list of the known art works (paintings, sculpture, objects d’art and art books) owned by William H. Webb as well as the current locations of those works to the extent that they are known. Similarly, a traveling exhibit of William Webb designs and innovations is in the works, and it’s envisioned that this could be moved from one regional alumni gathering to the next throughout 2014.

Commemorative Gifts It will come as no surprise that a series of custom 125th items will be stocked in the Webb Book Store, available for purchase online and at Homecoming 2014.

We hope that each and every one of you will take the opportunity to join us in celebrating the 125th Anniversary of Webb Institute. Further, we welcome any suggestions you may have and encourage you to join the committee and help with the planning and execution; to do so please shoot me an email at: 125@webb-institute.edu. Thanks and we look forward to seeing you all in 2014!

– John Costello ’89

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W E B B N E W S

From Whiteface to Webbstock:

Reflections from the S.O. President

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lthough I cannot accurately speak for everyone, the past semester has been a blur. It seemed as though no time at all had transpired between the annual Webb ski trip and the beginning of the thesis presentations, but surprisingly, quite a bit had transpired.

After returning from an eventful winter work period, the large majority of the school travelled up to Lake Placid to spend the weekend skiing at White Face Mountain.

It was Webb’s third time returning to

Phonathon Raises Money, Prospects The Class of 2016 (21 in total) was able to secure in excess of $130,000 in pledges.

Three sittings were held over two nights (April 2nd and 4th) and the students securing the highest dollar amount in pledges were Lauren West with $9,050, Erin Hub with $7,650, and Andrew Ko with $7,950.

Special thanks to the students and to the many alumni, past parents and friends who so generously pledged.

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the Ledge Rock Hotel, and we could not have asked for better accommodations.

Upon returning from the ski trip, the semester was at full speed ahead. The volleyball team began nightly practices, and once the weather was nice enough, the tennis and sailing teams began honing their expert skills. Outside of the standard Webb sports, students had found new and exciting ways to spend their time. The yoga club, spinning club, Brooklyn Boat Works volunteers, FIRST

Colin Spillane ’13 Student Organization President

Robotics volunteers, Anchor Club bible study, Culture Club, Cooking Club, and WooFS Choir had provided countless opportunities for students to stay active and get involved around campus.

There were also quite a few new projects going on within the classrooms. The

junior class Ship Design I (SDI) projects ventured into some new territory with the design of the following vessels: Liftboat, Icebreaker, IMOCA 60, Arctic Floatel, and a Third World Ferry. As always the SDI projects allowed the junior class to stretch their imaginations into what is possible while teaching them the unknown factors that arise when designing a ship.

The senior class had also been stepping outside the box by taking a new mix of electives including a manufacturing processes course, a composites course, an economics course, and a sustainable design course. It is always interesting to see what Webbies will elect to design and learn when they are given the freedom to choose.

It seemed as though Webbstock managed to sneak up on us, with an awesome set list that combined a mixture of new faces and old favorites. After Webbstock, everyone looked forward to the always popular Gatsby party, where everyone cleaned up and the night was filled with delicious food and jazz music from the Constitution Jazz Band. Before I know it, it will be June 22nd, time for the seniors to say goodbye to the home that we have come to know so well.

With that in mind, I would like to thank all of the people who worked with me throughout my term as S.O. president. The faculty and administration have all provided valuable insight into the job, as

they have seen many S.O. presidents come and go throughout their time here. Admiral Olsen and Dean Neilson have provided amazing amounts of leadership guidance that has proven extremely helpful over the past year. Most importantly however, I would like to thank the students that have supported me. The S.O. is an ever-changing body, and to be given the opportunity to lead it is something that I cherish very much. It is my honor to announce that in the upcoming year, rising senior John Carlson ’14 will be taking over the helm as the new S.O. president after spending this past year as secretary. I have great confidence that he will do a stellar job in the position of president.

People who know Crowley know we’ve always set the gold standard for marine technology.

In 1896 when gold was discovered in Alaska, Americans left San Francisco in droves aboard northbound ships hoping to strike it rich. At the same time, Tom Crowley, the local owner of a fledgling marine transportation business, noticed whalers returning from Alaska with heavy garments made of animal hides and furs that they no longer needed in California’s mild climate.

Realizing that gold seekers would need these clothes for Alaska’s bitter cold, he decided to buy the garments from the whalers and sell them in bulk for a $900 profit.

He then used this profit to build the Bay area’s most technologically advanced vessel at the time – a gasolinepowered launch boat named Jenny C. Tom Crowley always set his sights on technologically advanced equipment as does his grandson, Tom Jr., who’s at the helm of Crowley today. To find out more about the technological advancements we’re making, call us at 1-800-CROWLEY or visit www.crowley.com.

2012 Webb Ad.indd 1

10/24/2012 8:58:52 AM

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alumni spotlight

“I am an Engineer:” Vicky Dlugokecki ’88

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hen asked what I do for a living, I say, “I help companies design and build ships.” When asked what profession I am, I answer: “I’m an engineer.” I realize that these are very broad statements, but they both go back to my roots as a Webb Institute of Naval Architecture graduate.

A member of the Class of 1988, I was class president for my junior and senior years. I was also Social Committee Chairman, and those of you at Webb at that time might remember “Greek Weekend for a Day,” a throw-back to my time as a sorority girl during my one year at George Washington University. Winter works included a stint as an outside machinist at Newport News, sailing on the

­­­ “ Mr. Cushing told me when he hired me that he didn’t hire any co-pilots, only pilots, and I always thank him when I see him…”

Exxon Charleston from New York to Houston, and two winters at Combustion Engineering in Connecticut. As a Long Islander, I conveniently spent my summers at Gibbs and Cox in the city, a short LIRR train ride away, working my way through their various ship design departments.

After graduation, I continued on to MIT with four of my Webb classmates, and received my masters in ocean system management in 1989. Then, after six years of college, it was time to join the working world.

My time at C.R. Cushing & Company in New York had me working on varied projects, including the Exxon Valdez legal case, developing and installing a planned maintenance and condition-based monitoring system

22

for nine Del Monte refrigerated cargo vessels (that I affectionately called “banana boats”), along with concept and preliminary designs for all different types of vessels. Mr. Cushing told me when he hired me that he didn’t hire any co-pilots, only pilots, and I always thank him when I see him for the many opportunities he gave me during those six years working for him.

Down the block, on the 106th floor of the World Trade Center, ABS Headquarters was my next stepping stone in the industry. As a member of ABS’s internal quality department and their rules development group, I learned the ins and outs of the ABS Rules and regulatory agencies in general. One of my bosses at ABS once told me that a naval architect should spend some time in a shipyard during their career, so off to NASSCO in San Diego I went. As supervisor of initial design and naval architecture, I was lucky enough to be able to work on six different ship classes for the six years I was there—AOE, LSMR, LSMR conversions and T-AKE for the government, and the TOTE Ro-Ro vessels and BP Tankers.

I’ve since gone out on my own as a ship design/ship building consultant, which I’ve done for the past 10 years now. My business brings me to shipyards all over the U.S., so follow me on TripIt, and if I’m in your neighborhood, drop me a line and we can catch-up over dinner.

I still have a strong connection to Webb. You will most likely see me at the annual banquet held during SNAME every year and at homecoming in May. I am also the treasurer of the Webb Alumni Association, holding that position for the last couple of years.

Jolly Good:

Southampton Students Joined Webb This Spring Alexander Liddle’s interest in the design of watercraft came at the age of 14 when he first began to sail. For Benjamin Forbes, the interest was solidified during the year he took off between secondary school and the start of college, when he got the opportunity to spend a year offshore racing in Sydney, Australia with his uncle, Dave Bull.

Alex, from Cheltenham, and Ben from Basingstoke, United Kingdom are the two Master’s track students from the University of Southampton attending Webb this spring as members of the senior class.

They both are enjoying their time at Webb and their new found friends among the members of the senior class.

According to both they are able to appreciate Webb—and spring in New York—a bit more than their classmates thanks to not having to complete a thesis during the semester. With

Alex Liddle and Ben Forbes.

some time on their hands they’ve been able to spend time in New York City, taking in many of the attractions they’d seen and heard about growing up in the U.K. Next fall they will return to Southampton for their final Master’s year. Alex has set his post-graduation sights on working with BMT or DSL on British naval vessels, while Ben thinks maybe a year or two of professional offshore sailboat racing is the first stop for him after his degree.

– Bill Murray

IS PROUD TO SUPPORT

WEBB INSTITUTE “The more you give the more you receive” One Corporate Center, Rye, New York 10580-1422 Ph: (914) 921-5237 • Fax: (914) 921-5060 www.gabelli.com • info@gabelli.com Christopher C. Desmarais

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alumni spotlight

A Life in Engineering: Robert Conachey ’80

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obert Conachey ’80, has been working on special projects—some unrelated to his Webb education for most of his career… and he’s enjoyed every minute of it. He attributes his success in working on these disparate activities to his natural curiosity, along with the broad, well-rounded education he received at Webb.

Bob was very interested in math and science as a child. One of his hobbies was stamp collecting, which exposed him to the history and politics of other countries. He would look up the location of those countries on a map, or read further about their history in an encyclopedia—but little did he know how useful this would become when he chose a maritime career.

Bob applied to Webb and was admitted with less than four days remaining for the May 1st final decision. Like all engineering majors, Bob worked hard and did his share of all-nighters. He was elected class president and Student Organization president (aka “dictator Bob”) until being relegated to the faceless masses over some paperwork controversy involving something called a constitution.

Upon graduation he joined Exxon International’s Tanker Department in Florham Park, New Jersey, working on development projects addressing anti-fouling coatings and determining if office computers could be installed onboard tankers and accepted and used by crew members. Even though these projects were only peripherally referred to at Webb, Bob’s curiosity and initiative more than made up for his deficiencies. Two years later he was offered a temporary assignment in New Orleans, at Avondale Shipyards as a steel inspector for the construction of three products carriers. This experience proved very useful throughout Bob’s career, and as an unexpected bonus he met his wife of 29 years on that assignment! Upon his return to New Jersey, Bob worked on several energy efficiency and monitoring projects.

After two years Bob joined the American Bureau of Shipping to work in the machinery department in the rotating equipment group. While there he was exposed to all types of equipment and design philosophies, and participated in various forensic analyses of failed equipment. ABS relocated its offices to Houston, Texas in 1991, and Bob was promoted to principal engineer of that group. In 1999 Bob was transferred to the corporate 24

technology department to work on a special project seeking improvement of machinery reliability through maintenance.

Bob had never been exposed to reliability engineering or maintenance theory but, in Webb fashion, he quickly got up to speed. His work resulted in the publication of the “ABS Guide for Surveys Based on Reliability-Centered Maintenance.”

Several years later Bob was asked to participate in a winterization committee to create a guide addressing details of vessels' systems not covered by the Ice Class Rules. This turned out to be a fascinating area of marine engineering: applying risk principles so as to address those areas of the vessel that were paramount to successful operation in low temperatures. In addition to issues with diesel engines, electrical equipment and life saving equipment, human response to cold temperatures, extended daylight and suitable clothing were concerns. Bob participated in several seminars and traveled to several overseas ABS offices to train staff.

About this time Bob was supervisor of the Safety Analysis Group. This group analyzed various ABS generated data, engineering and survey reports. This information could be used to determine the presence of trends or improve design reviews or surveys. With the encouragement and support of his wife, Shirley, and ABS management support, Bob pursued a M.S. in Industrial Engineering at University of Houston in the evenings. He successfully achieved this life goal in December 2012. Some of the courses he thought would be easy such as, reliability engineering and advanced statistics were more difficult than anticipated. Some of the industrial engineering courses presented challenges because Bob had no background in those topics such as simulation, linear optimization and human factors. Soon after beginning classes Bob realized he thoroughly enjoyed this much needed “tune-up.”

The graduate school experience exposed Bob to numerous ideas and more technological innovations. It showed the importance of additional higher education to maintain skills and acquire new skills. Bob was reminded of a conversation with a career counselor who informed him that one could expect to work in five to seven jobs over their career and three of those jobs do not presently exist. Accordingly, one needs to keep abreast of change and be open to new ideas.

campus news Webbies In Action At the end of winter break most students came back to Webb fresh off of their internship experiences, while others came back to us from their experience abroad in Southampton and brought a couple of new faces with them. With little time to settle in, many of the Webbies geared right up for the annual ski trip at Whiteface Mountain in Lake Placid, N.Y. Then, after two exhausting days of skiing, it was back to normal for everyone.

The first social event on campus was the St. Patrick’s Day party, held in the Brocket Arms Pub. As the semester continued the parties did, too, with highlights including a Cinco de Mayo fiesta, and classic bashes such as the Gatsby party. Our “Webbstock,” was a good time for all; headlined again by Spidernick and the Maddogs and boasting an extra special treat this year in the form of an appearance from Radio DJ Joe Rock, who performed with Twisted Sister’s Mark Mendoza.

Groups of Webbies attended the Chesapeake Sailing Yacht Symposium and several FIRST robotics tournaments. Other events planned for the semester included the Day of Silence in support of LGBT people, a trip to see Once the Musical, and the Spring Blood Drive.

– David Byrnes

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campus news

Sports Wrap Up The Net Set Tennis had a promising start as Coach Doherty led the team to a 2-5 season record. Highlights included a shutout victory against St. Joseph’s College and Cocaptain Jon Soja ’13 earning HVMAC Tennis Player of the Week for his 6-0 combined performance in doubles and singles. Jon has had seven victories this season, four of them with co-captain and doubles partner Dan Dwyer ’13.

In addition to their success, Chris Licato ’15 made the HVMAC Tennis Honor Roll and scored six wins this season.

The Championships were held at the National Tennis Center on May 4th.

Webbies had to get set for volleyball with only a few days of practice before the season opener against Yeshiva University. Our team had to work extra hard to cope with the departure of six starters from the class of 2012.

Additionally, Coach Werner could not continue and was replaced by Daniel Swayne. But spirits remained high for the team, led by Captain Cody Owen ’15, who was named to the All-Conference team. Other achievements included Cody Owen ’15 and Nolan Conway ’15 being making the HVMAC Volleyball Honor Roll. The season ended as it began with Webb playing Yeshiva in the semi-finals.

– David Byrnes

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Students Step Up: Leadership at Webb Do we have leaders at Webb?

Look at some of the initiatives and projects that have been implemented here, and make your judgment.

Super Sails The sailing team has fared the seas well. Webb earned second place in the Ocean County 2-on-2 race and qualified for the America Trophy race at the North Spring Qualifier. The last race of the year was Webb’s spring home regatta “The Engineer’s Cup,” which was attended by other top engineering schools such as Drexel University, Rochester Institute of Technology, and Stevens Institute of Technology. Like last year, Webb won on the Sound. In other sailing news, Webb students, Professors Royce and Gallagher ’78 took 3rd place at the American Spring Sailing Series aboard Patience.

– David Byrnes

Elena Goloubeva, Ph.D. The Leadership Committee, formed with Professor of Mathematics support from the Crowley Maritime funded “Marty Johnson Leadership Program,” realized the importance of Prospective Freshman (PF) visits, and the committee chairs—Justin Van Emmerik, Nolan Conway, and Nathan Fast—worked with representatives of all classes on this issue. As a result, the PF committee was organized, under the leadership of Andrew Ko and Alexander Donlan. Six people joined the committee, working together with upperclassmen to work on the structure of the PF visit. The student organization took it seriously, and once it was decided that PF—upperclassmen interaction was extremely beneficial many students volunteered to meet, talk, play, and even sail with our PFs. When Justin Van Emmerik suggested peer mentoring for the freshman class, John Carlson, Nolan Conway, and Cody Owen took the initiative. At the beginning of the fall semester each member of the freshman class was assigned to an upperclass volunteer mentor.

Student mentors worked closely with their advisees, trying to make the freshmen’s adjustment to Webb as smooth as possible.

There are many other things that can be mentioned where leadership comes to mind. We can talk about the Self-Assessment Initiative, changes in the Leadership Lecture Series, Founder’s Day, Winter Work assignments, the Robotics Conference, Pi Day, fishing trips, and Leadership Projects for Homecoming.

Each project has a student name or names associated with it. Yet, there is one initiative that should not be forgotten: the one formed in the wake of Hurricane Sandy. Junior Mathew Graham, sophomore Nolan Conway and junior John Carlson organized three groups of students to help Sandy victims, and about a quarter of the school participated in the Sandy relief initiative. A whole saga could be written about the kind hearts and strong hands of our amazing students, going to cold houses and bringing hope and help to their heartbroken owners.

Leaders at Webb? We have many. I am very proud to be part of the Leadership Committee, and I am happy to work with the bright, kind and enthusiastic leaders that are called Webb students.

– Elena Goloubeva

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campus news faculty spotlight

Roger Basu Associate Professor of Naval Architecture

A Fond Goodbye: Professor Basu Retires

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ssociate Professor Roger Basu announced that he will be retiring from Webb at the end of the spring semester. While he has been here just a short while, he wishes he could have stayed longer, stating that he has thoroughly enjoyed his time here and hopes he has made a contribution, even if small, to the work of Webb.

Professor Basu was born in England and shared his childhood years between there and India, spending his high school and college years in England. He got his start as an engineer working on the design of bridges and buildings, and caught the “marine bug” when he worked on offshore structures destined for the North Sea. He and his young family immigrated in the mid-seventies to Canada where he and his wife, Rufina, raised two daughters. At this time he was working mostly on Navy and Coast Guard ships. Once their daughters were grown the Basus moved to Houston, Texas where he worked for the American Bureau of Shipping for 15 years before joining Webb.

In his work he had run across “Webbies” numerous times, and even in those professional encounters their unique quality was clear to him. It wasn’t until he worked at Webb, however, that Professor Basu started to understand why. He notes that so many aspects of Webb distinguish it from other institutions it is hard to imagine the intimacy of Webb existing at any other similar institution. The small size allows a close connection between all who work at Webb, and Professor Basu notes that the student-teacher relationship lends itself to an especially effective and satisfying learning experience.

Professor Basu and Rufina will be moving after the spring semester to Toronto, where one of their daughters lives with her family, which includes two grandchildren and another one on the way. Their other daughter lives in London, England with her family—two more grandchildren. The desire to spend more time with the grandchildren is the main reason Professor Basu will reluctantly leave Webb this summer. We wish him and his wife all the best; they will be missed.

Pi Day: When Pies Aren’t Squared, They’re Baked Pi Day was celebrated on Monday, March 18 and true to Webb standards, no work on the festivities was started until the night before, somewhere around 10 p.m. At that point, the student kitchen burst into a flurry of pecans and berries as each class slaved over their prospective prizeworthy pies.

That Monday afternoon, the entire school gathered on main deck to see the results of the late night baking. The seniors and sophomores submitted pecan pies, with the sophomores adding a bit of a twist in the form of bacon, while the juniors and freshmen submitted berry pies. Both the juniors and freshmen incorporated a Webbie theme into their pies: the juniors’ pie depicted a classic weekender, while the freshmen went with the Webb logo crafted in crust. One prospective freshman even baked a pie for this auspicious day: a mouthwatering key lime pie to be exact.

After much consideration (and just as much pie tasting) the results were announced. The senior class came in first, followed by the junior class. The sophomores came in third while the freshman class took fourth place. Regardless of the ranking, a delicious Pi Day was had by all.

– Alex Wilson '16

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alumni news 1942

in memoriam

James A. Mulcahey passed away in Colebrook, Conn. on April 13, 2013 two weeks shy of his 95th birthday. A moving and beautiful funeral service was held on April 27, 2013 with bagpipes, flags and a Navy flyover in memory of his WW II Navy service.

The following excerpt is from the Centennial History of Webb Institute of Naval Architecture

by Edwin L. Dunbaugh: James A. Mulcahey ’42.

Graduated Massachusetts Maritime Academy 1937.

Commissioned Ensign USNR on graduation from Webb. Served in the Brooklyn Navy Yard 1942-44 and in the Aleutians 1944-45. Joined Dunham Bush Inc., a manufacturer of air conditioning, refrigeration and heating equipment in 1946 as Application Engineer. Held various sales positions including V.P. Sales, and in 1963 was appointed Managing Director of British subsidiary. Returned to U.S.A. 1966 as Executive V.P., became President 1968, and retired as Vice Chairman 1983. Active in the Air Conditioning Refrigeration Institute, an industry association, serving as Director and representing the industry on the Advisory Committee to the Secretary of Commerce on Trade Policy. Was member of ASHRAE and served as Chairman of the Conn. Valley Chapter. A member of the Regional School Board, Chairman of the Finance Board and served on a number of town ad hoc committees. Married to Patricia.

He is survived by three children, six grandchildren and three great grandchildren.

Jim Mulcahey had a shock of red hair. At his Webb graduation he was awarded the Chaffee Memorial Prize for General Excellence, a characteristic he exhibited throughout his career and activities. Jim Mulcahey was the brother-inlaw of Paul E. Atkinson, also in the class of ’42.

1945

Rev. John B. Woodward passed away at the age of 87 on January 23, 2013 at Manresa Hall of St. Joseph University, in Merion Station, Pa. A funeral mass was held on January 26.

1946

Robert King Kistler passed away on August 10, 2012 at the age of 86.

Bob graduated from State College High School with the Class of 1943. A veteran of the Pacific Theater during World War II, Bob joined the U.S. Naval Reserve in 1943, and was discharged as a lieutenant, junior grade, in 1952. He served briefly onboard USS Ajax and then commanded YF-990 during tests of the atomic bomb at Bikini Atoll. He earned his commission and a degree in Naval Architecture/Marine Engineering from New York’s Webb Institute in 1946. Following the war, he attended Stanford Law School, passing the California Bar in 1950. He was Assistant District Attorney in Merced, Calif., before returning to State College to establish his own practice. He and John Miller, Jr. formed a partnership that is now the firm Miller, Kistler, & Campbell. Bob specialized in municipal law, and was State College Borough solicitor for many years.

He was a longtime member of Centre Hills Country Club and an avid golfer, beating his brother-in-law to win the 1972 Club Championship. In retirement, Bob and Jean divided their time between homes in Ellicottville, N.Y.; Seabrook Island, S.C.; and State College.

They traveled extensively throughout Europe and the Caribbean, and enjoyed annual sailing trips to the British Virgin Islands.

His wife passed away in early 2013 and he is survived by three children: Leigh, Thomas and his wife Mary Jane; and John and his wife Jane. Also surviving are eight grandchildren, as well as two great-granddaughters.

1952

David Wm. “Bill” Lerch, III was born on July 26, 1929 in Canton, Ohio. At age 83, and after a long and wonderful life, he passed away peacefully surrounded by his wife Gail of 57 years, his three children, Summer, John and Bill (the IV) and two (of four) grandchildren, Keali and Fitch on October 25, 2012. Bill was a wonderful husband, father, grandfather and friend; people’s lives were enriched by his presence. He had a smile and exuberance for living that would not quit! He loved to explore

people, places, things, life. When he was young, he wanted nothing more than to “mess around in boats.” So he did that! He learned to sail on Long Island Sound in small boats as a teenager.

He then entered the Merchant Marines for a year before college. That set his path to becoming a Naval Architect and a Marine Engineer. He then attended Webb Institute of Naval Architecture graduating in 1952. One of his escapades with fellow student John Simms was to sail in an open 17’ sloop from the head of Long Island Sound, out around Cape Cod up to John’s home in Maine in spring amidst foul weather and treacherous seas. (Did we say he loved adventures?) John, along with the other 3 surviving members of the original 9 of Webb Class of 1952 were the last people he visited before his death.

He was a member of the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers for over 50 years. Bill has many inventions to his name.

He served as President of the Oceanographic Institute of Washington 1978-81, the Ballard Rotary Club 1983-84, and the Puget Sound Maritime Historical Society, 2001.

His professional career was spent at Marine Construction and Design Co (MARCO) retiring in 1994. After retiring, he enjoyed 10 years of cruising to SE Alaska on their boat T. Puffin.

1959

Our classmate, George D. Kerr, passed away in May. He was a consummate Naval Architect and a quiet, but very effective leader—rising to head the preliminary design group at the Naval Sea Systems Command as a Senior Executive. He could always see through the fog of the bureaucracy. Earlier as a senior naval architect, he designed the FFG 7 Class, a notable feat because its cost and weight constraints required him to find savings that did not endanger its core requirements.

His greatest accomplishments were in the development and care of his employees. He made sure that they were exposed to all phases of design in order to realize their potential. He protected them as best he could. When a coop’s father passed away suddenly, he converted her position to permanent so she could earn a living.

George was born and raised in Carlisle, Pa, and throughout his life his heart was close to Perry County, Pa.

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W E B B N E W S

alumni news

class notes

1955

Reuben Taylor: Finally finished trip preparation work on our 1930 Lincoln today, and moved it from Chicago to Weimer Machine in Berwyn this afternoon. Rick at Weimer is to adjust the carburetor using an exhaust analyzer to achieve a better combustion output than what we are getting manually. I expect that the car will be ready by noon Friday, April 26, 2013.

My sister May-Anne and I will then board the beast with the intent of joining the Classic Car Club of America caravan that departs from Times Square on Sunday, May 5. Our goal is to drive Route 30 to San Francisco to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Lincoln Highway. That road is the first U.S. transcontinental highway. Forty-four antique cars are scheduled to be in the group; Emily has opted to cheer us on from home and son Charlie is standing by to a) fly spare parts to us or, b) hitch up the trailer to rescue the car.

1956

Linc Cathers was diagnosed with mesothelioma, a rare cancer of the lungs caused by exposure to asbestos, about three years ago. Linc is what is called a ”Meso Warrior” as he is continuing his fight which has included several types of chemotherapy, extensive radiation and major lung surgery. Linc is not the old Linc, but he is able to do things that are important and most things he enjoys.

He currently is in a chemo treatment at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital in NYC, but felt well enough to take a threeweek riverboat trip with his wife of 54 years, Nancy, from Brussels to Vienna.

Mesothelioma has no cure but many individuals such as Linc have been able to extend their lives and enjoy a meaningful quality of life. See Heritage Society page 37 for further details.

1957

Don Caldera writes that it is hard to believe that he and Lilivet—Webb sweethearts who just celebrated a 54th anniversary—have been in Colorado’s Grand Valley on the Western Slope of the Rockies for more than 2 years.

Getting to a slightly warmer climate than Lake Placid (20 degrees better in winter!), uncomplicating a very active business and “good works” life, and being nearer to family was the inspiration for the move, although there is no doubt that one is at an extended distance from kids (2), grandkids (3), greats (6), maritime buddies, family friends… and Webb. In addition to settling in a rural sceneryfest, the Calderas have enjoyed cruises to Iceland/Scandinavia, Rio and the Amazon, and recently Hawaii and the South Pacific; a February Yale Edu trip to Tanzania for three weeks of animals and anthropology… the travel itch still beckons. Don is keeping active with visitors, playing bridge, a directorship in the Grand Junction Symphony and related mischief, and helping to get a fledgling electronics waste recycling company off the ground.

Good health is a blessing, and the welcome mat is always out for Webbies.

1959

Larry Harrison and spouse Donene are doing well and are happy to report the expected launch of a new grandson for 2013. “This will be our 10th grandchild and is a follow-up of a granddaughter launch in 2012. We have become active retiree’s and now stay busy with family interaction and travel without the interference of work or career concerns. We recently enjoyed the First Communion Service for our grandson Eric in Roseville, Ca (in our photo along with his younger sister and little brother).

“For June, We plan a tour of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island which

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Larry Harrison and family. is the birthplace of Donene’s mother.

We are looking forward to our 3rd Class of ’59 Reunion in Newport R.I. followed by a road trip through the Adirondack region of New York State.”

Bill Hurt writes from Germany: “Main news from this end is that Ruth and I plan to be leaving Germany for Seattle on 31 August 2013, after 17½ years on the job here. It’s been a great experience, but a chance to slow down will be truly welcome.

See alumni portal for updated contact information.

“Spring is putting in a reluctant appearance; For a few days the temperature reached 19, but now is back to 5–10, too cold for sitting on the patio! But lots of green leaves, and the flowering trees are in full bloom.

“Maybe when things settle down we can work in some photos. At the moment I'm swamped with NATO work and the move on top of that.”

Our friend George Kerr passed away last May. In conversation he expressed gratitude for the generosity of William H. Webb, without which he could not have become a naval architect. Please read about George on the “In Memoriam” page.

Bill Marrin writes: ”Long Island’s only known naval architect/theology

professor/clinical psychologist has moved his practice to Setauket. If anyone needs to talk about their neurotic sailboat, or the seaworthiness of the Q Document, or the glorious craziness of life, they should feel free to call—insurance plans accepted.

Looking forward to seeing you guys.”

And Carmen writes: “Our latest project, which was finished the day after Easter, was to make a home office for our psychotherapy practice. We moved out of the space we had rented for over 20 years and it was chock full of the accumulated evidence of that. Sorting through the books alone was a massive enterprise. We are now settled into a much smaller space, an office for each of us at home.

“The destruction to trees and shrubs in this year’s storms has been considerable, so once the basement offices were finished, Bill started on the outdoors and the heartbreaking work that is necessary to get the space looking tame again. Ravaged isn‘t much of an exaggeration to describe the outdoors.

“Bill’s 75th was a great success, a party with Irish music supplied by a nephew who is a music major at the Peabody School in Baltimore. As part of Bill’s present, we will go to Ireland, to Sligo and Mayo, in June with one of the kids, her husband and 13-year-old daughter.

Then, in August, there is Maine.

Then, in August, there is Maine.’

in Japan in April. After this family reunion we’ll fly home to Seattle to prepare for the wedding of our son Michael to his fiancée Mary in mid August. This wedding will take the form of a block party, with most of our neighbors joining in and one of our neighbors officiating at the ceremony.

Yes, we’ll have a street dance!

“Wait, there’s more. In September we’ll break ground for construction of a backyard, 800-square-foot cottage for Michael and Mary. It’s a real compliment to us parents and many neighbors that M&M want to settle down and live right here.

“Diann has her hands full with all this planning, and somehow manages to be the treasurer for two nonprofit corporations. As for me, I still run my marine survey practice and manage to ride my bike to the gym.

We both look forward to our Class of ’59 reunion in Newport this October.

“I grow more aware that reunions with people who have shared our lives are a most valuable use of the precious time we all have remaining. Best wishes to all my Webb classmates and friends.”

Oren Stephans says that he has fully recovered from knee surgery and cataract surgery on both eyes. Also he has retired from his position as vice president of his homeowners’ association, and enjoys his extra free time in Fort Meyers, Florida.

“Greetings and best wishes to all my classmates and friends.”

Don Szostak has a serious medical condition, but plans to be on hand for our Class of ’59 reunion in Newport, R.I., in October. His wife Pat asks for all our prayers, and Don sends this message, “Every moment counts. Grasp every moment.”

Gene and Mary Yourch: Hi, all: Our highlight of the year was a family reunion in Santa Cruz, Calif. Mary determined that all three families (Saratoga Springs, NY, Raleigh, N.C. and Santa Cruz, Calif.) had Easter vacation at the same time. In August ’12 she found a large house near the beach (VRBO.com, vacation rentals by owner).

It had 6 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, 2 dining rooms, living rooms and kitchens and a game room, a few houses from the beach where you could build bonfires. So, at Easter this year, all 15 of us gathered there for a week and had a great time. While the families have all been together before, this was very relaxed and we all enjoyed each other. Each day we toured the area’s abundant sightseeing opportunities.

We are already enjoying our boat even though it is still quite cool. By the way, we are looking forward to our reunion in Newport. See you in October.

continued on next page

A Welcome Change, Thanks to the Class of 1962 Ed and Diann Shope.

Ed and Diann Shope are bracing for a busy summer. “In July we’ll fly to Aberdeen, Scotland, for the wedding of our nephew Tuomas and his bride Donna. While in Scotland, we’ll celebrate a reception for his brother Jussi, who married Takako

Many thanks to the Class of 1962 for their generous gift. Webb Institute needed a handicap accessible bathroom in Stevenson Taylor Hall and their gift was used to provide that facility and renovate the Ladies’ Room on the Main Deck at the same time. The gift provided for the purchase of all-new fixtures, partitions, lighting, and tiles and the facilities staff performed their magic to transform the outdated lavatory into a bright, handicappedaccessible restroom. This is a beautiful, practical addition and a welcome facility for all visitors to the Webb Campus.

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W E B B N E W S

alumni news

class notes

1966

George Berger writes: “This is a bit off the beaten path for a Webbie, but yesterday I received notification that my historical debut novel, “South of Burnt Rocks West of The Moon” is a finalist in the San Diego Book Awards for 2013, covering works published in 2012. The awards will be announced at the end of June.

“The San Diego Book Award is in its 19th year of recognizing authors of all types and genres, from poetry to self-help, and thrillers to travel books.

The common thread through them all is high quality. Among recent winners are Susan Vreeland, NYT best-selling author of “Girl In Hyacinth Blue,” and the international writing star, J.K. Rowling, a winner in 2008. Unlike some contests, the SDBA charges only a modest entry fee ($25), does not sell or link to any other product or service, and is staffed by volunteer readers and organizers.

The SDBA draws from all writers who produced or published a work in the prior year (2012) and then lived in San Diego County, California. San Diego County, of over three million people, is home to many well-known writers in all genres, perhaps starting with Theodore Geisel. Hence, the top prize of the SDBA each year is named after him.

“My writing is a lot of fun. You can check it out here: http://www.gjberger.com.”

1967

Paul Chapman and Susan are doing the annual spring trip to Europe. This year is Spain (as usual) plus a couple of weeks touring and biking in southwest France (Loire and Dordogne valleys.) “Awesome.”

Bob Hall is still working part time in ship design, and he says that he is reminded that our 50th reunion is approaching because his brother’s 50th is this year. He and Joyce spent last July in Beijing teaching conversational English at a large university.

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Tom Koster is back to work nearly full time, “maybe temporarily.” He and Masumi had a great vacation in Kyoto, staying in a small apartment in the Gion district instead of a hotel. He offers thanks to Frank and Anne Nicastro who mentioned at the 2012 Homecoming that they had done this. Tom teamed with Peter Lee ’10 and Richard Kim ’11 to host a dinner for three Webbies in Houston: Bryce Bartling ’13, David Smith ’14 and Chris Licato ’15. Tom and Bob Conachey manned a Webb booth at the Houston National Association for College Admission Counseling on April 11.

Wayne Martin offers 2012 numbers “in Webb style: 46 years married, two kids, five grandkids, 17 years retired, 12 inches colon removed, 80 ski days, one cat. To paraphrase Richie, life is good.”

Tom Mattson went skiing with his son in the Colorado high country.

Tom is “wondering if age is catching up.” (Editor: “Yes.”) He plans a trip to Italy this year, so we’ll wait to hear about that next time. He is still teaching high school math. He’s waiting for a Webb recruiter to show up.

Irv Raphael and his son, the team doctors for the major Syracuse University sports teams, were present as Syracuse made it to the Final Four as part of March Madness but lost in a very close game. No talk about retirement for many years. Irv says he “is having fun with life as is and no grandchildren to play with. Ava is still thoroughly enjoying being the Surrogate Judge.

John Russell and Mary went to Belize in January with friends to experience warm rain there, in contrast to the cold rain in Portland. Then in March they camped on St. John in the Virgin Islands with their son and his family. Later that month he and Mary went to Sun Valley in their annual trip to visit Kiki and Wayne Martin. John has just purchased a Hinckley 59 sailboat, which he’ll help sail to St. John in June. 50th Reunion there?

Kit Ryan claims that he’s “enjoying retirement to the max.” He’s trying to start a business producing circuit boards for high-end audio equipment—his life-long passion (to which many of us who were awakened in the middle of the night by 120 db Rolling Stones records will attest.) His wife Cathy is still slugging it out at her office (she’s a pediatrician.) Their son Todd and his wife Jamie are expecting their first child.

It’s going to be a boy—but no names yet—we’ll have to wait for the next Webb News. Their daughter Tiffany “is melting in Austin for another year while her husband tries to find a job in colder climes. Hello to all my classmates!”

John Sirutis and Barbara recently returned to their home in San Diego after seven years abroad. They have been blessed by the arrival of second grandchild, Mia, born to son Sean and family, in Seattle. John continues to work on ship projects. He and Barb plan to return to Australia this year for an extended exploration of the Outback.

Richie Storch completed his sabbatical with trips to Turkey and Greece, visiting shipyards in Istanbul and attending a conference in Rhodes. He’s now back at the University of Washington, again serving as Department Chair. He intends to retire September 2014. He looks forward to being able to spend even more time as a grandpa (three grandkids, two in Portland and one in the D.C. area). He is competing in an over 60 (Las Vegas) and over 65 (San Diego) soccer tournaments in addition to continuing to play twice weekly on over 50 and over 55 teams. “Life is good.”

Bob vom Saal finally retired on January 1, 2013, and is now catching up on all the projects he let slide while working, and spending more time working with the Severn River Association.

1970

In February of this year, Doug Rabe, John Harrison and Eric Linsner had their annual fishing adventure at Doug’s house in Islamorada in the Florida Keys.

In addition to gin and tonics and other activities, the focus this year was on charter fishing trips offshore to Gulf Stream and to the Everglades. Doug caught a sailfish while John and Eric exhausted themselves on mahi mahi. This

was the product of an old school charter captain that cared less for the modern concept of a fishing trip as camaraderie and means to commune with nature as contrasted with the primal desire to put dead fish on the dock. At any rate, the fillets were delicious when barbecued. In deference to subsistence fishing, Doug now has a large stash in his freezer.

Following the offshore trips, there was a back country charter to Everglades for redfish. After bouncing around for six hours on a flats skiff in 15 knot headwinds, John Harrison decided that this would be an ideal application for a surface effects vehicle. John is currently seeking technical support and active investors for his scheme. The agenda item for next year’s trip to the Keys is a rod and reel swordfish.

Proud members of the Class of ’70—Bob Jenner, Eric Linsner and Dave Bovet, seen in our intrepid reporter’s photo— enjoyed a memorable evening together at the Jenner residence in Lowell, Mass., in March. Bob and Jannaruth treated Eric and Pat, Dave and Maureen to a fascinating tour of their 1872 Victorian mansion, perched high above the city on the aptly-named Belmont Hill, overlooking the Merrimack River, before digging into a lovely home-cooked dinner. This huge house allows plenty of room for the Jenners’ many hobbies and visits from their grandchildren. The three classmates exchanged notes on current lifestyles—all are still gainfully employed but finding a bit more time to visit with old friends these days.

continued on next page

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33

W E B B N E W S

alumni news

class notes

1975

John Archibald reports: “I’m living in the Washington, D.C. area. I got started in D.C. in 1977 with JJ McMullen and eventually took a job with the Military Sealift Command. Then on to NAVSEA with ship acquisition, then the Pentagon Energy Office and the U.S. Dept. of Energy, working on energy management inside the Federal Government. In 1995, while having a drink on my back porch and looking at a neighbor’s solar collector sitting catawampus on the roof, I decided there had to be a more attractive approach to solar energy. I came up with a way to recover solar heat from the existing roof. I got a patent and in 1999 left DOE to start American Solar, Inc. with visions of great wealth and success. Today, I still run American Solar which is a small solar energy company that is unlike any other in North America. We recover solar-heated air from the conventional metal walls and roofs of buildings, to providing weather-tight roofs and walls in order to heat the buildings and water, and supply equipment to use the heat for a variety of other purposes. In one application, we proposed to recover the heat to drive a low-cost, low-temperature turbine generator using Chris Tupper’s Blackbird generator. I had to pull out some of my old steam turbine design notes to evaluate the performance. (Yeah, I still have all those files. You all know that you haven’t thrown these notes away either, right?... Right?...

Anyone?) Most of our business has been large Federal projects, reroofing with solar air heating roofs, and solar air heat recovery from the walls. More importantly, I have been married to Kathryn McGeehan since 1983. We’re still enjoying travelling and getting together with family locally and up the east coast.

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1992

Theresa Haven: “April 2013, view from my front window: No shortage of snow in Alaska this winter, um, spring… . But we have a positive attitude about it. Actually, we loved winter. I was very sad, despondent almost, when the city stopped maintaining Westchester lagoon for ice skating recently. I had to console myself with dreamy thoughts of fresh peas from the farmer’s market in summer… ”

2007

Brian Petersen and Anjali are now living happily in Boston. Brian will graduate from MIT with a dual M.S. and M.B.A. in June. After graduation, Brian will join Podimetrics, a medical device company he cofounded in 2012.

2009

Josh McMinn and his fiancée Elisti are busy planning their South African wedding from different continents.

They’ll be getting married on Thursday, July 4 in the Oribi Gorge near Durban, South Africa. Everyone is pretty excited for the first international Class of ’09 wedding ever.

Lauren Moeller married Matt Kadlec in November 2012. She is currently a Lieutenant Junior Grade in the U.S. Navy and is stationed on the USS Winston S. Churchill (DDG 81).

Andrew Harville married Michelle Clark last summer in Houston at a big Texas wedding. The reception ended with Andrew and Michelle roaring out onto the highway in Andrew’s unforgettable

custom-built sidecar motorcycle that he built at Webb. He and Michelle will both be at Josh’s wedding this summer.

Robert Carelli recently qualified to “drive” his submarine and will be deploying later this year to an undisclosed location near you. He and Lindy are still renovating their house in Hawaii and encourage everyone to come and visit.

Alana and Phil Duerr moved to Alexandria, Va. in January. “We are really enjoying living in the D.C. area and are so happy to be able to see all of our friends who live here too.

We found out after we moved in that Kathleen Cain lives less than two blocks away!” Phil will be in D.C. for the summer, but come fall he’ll be bouncing between Fort Lauderdale and D.C. Some people are starting to call Stefan Wolczko Maurice now that he’s rekindled his side career as a professional musician in Seattle. He and Michelle did a lot of work on their apartment over the last year and it sounds like it’s about 99% finished.

Stefan’s excited to see everyone in South Africa this summer, and both he and Michelle are looking forward to a sailing trip in Thailand this November.

Niko Martecchini is competing with Carelli for the sweetest Class of ’09 vacation destination location now that he’s living in Miami working for Carnival. He’s slowly trying to get the entire class to visit. Bret Smart and Jon Dowsett visited for New Year’s and John Wise, Jon Ward, and Dan Wilson ’09X visited for the Ultra Music Festival back in March.

Niko’s also looking forward to the Thailand sailing trip this November.

Diana Look was accepted to Johns Hopkins University where she’ll be getting her Masters in Applied Computational Mathematics. She also just got LASIK so she’ll be able to see all the crazy equations on the board!

ULTRA: Webbies and friends at the Ultra Music Festival in Miami, Fla. Back row from left: John Wise ’09, Lauren Bender, Dan Wilson ’09X, Niko Martecchini ’09.

Front row from left: Paulina Jenna, Courtney Bender, Jon Ward ’09.

Rorie Zuzick is keeping the Webb Annapolis sector alive. She has Webb family dinners with Diana Look, Jon Ward, and Dan Wilson ’09X every so often.

After a great run at Metal Shark, John Wise is leaving the bayou to go back to school. He’ll be starting at Harvard Business School in August.

Before hitting the books again, John is going to take some time to do some rafting at Wild Water as well as spend some time visiting fellow Webbies in South Africa and Europe.

Bret Smart has been looking forward to the forthcoming month-long “summer” in the Netherlands ever since he visited the island of Tenerife back in February.

He’s planning to soak up every cubic meter of sunlight when it appears. Bret, John Wise, and Jon Dowsett will be heading down to South Africa early this summer to spend a week teaching Cape Town about Webb before Josh’s wedding.

Robin Wombi Rose moved to London but doesn’t spend too much time there.

He’s been working with both liquefied natural gas and shipbuilding, and recently spent a lot of time in Australia.

He’s also excited to be leading the Webb Board’s Outreach Committee and welcomes any ideas from anyone about how Webb can improve its program.

BIG SKY: Webbies and friends having fun after a day on the mountain in Big Sky, Montana. Back row from left: Lauren Bender, Wombi Rose ’09, Josh Rothman ’08, John Wise ’09. Front row from left: Jon Ward ’09, Dan Wilson ’09X, Brittney Waldman.

Jon Ward and his girlfriend Courtney planned a big ski trip to Big Sky, Montana for a bunch of Webbies and friends back in February. Based on reports, photos, and even a video shot from a GoPro camera mounted to a champagne bottle, it looks like it was a really fun trip for everyone. Jon was also in Miami for the Ultra Music Festival. Now he’s back to working and getting ready for sailing season in Annapolis.

Austin French is working at Groton and going paintballing when he gets the chance. He recently bought his plane tickets to South Africa for Josh’s wedding and is excited to see everyone in Durban this July.

Laura Patterson is getting temptingly close to finishing her doctorate at VCU in Richmond and despite all the school and work hasn’t lost her mind yet!

Jon Dowsett just finished a year at Maersk and only barely survived his first Danish winter. He misses getting to see everyone on the East Coast but really enjoys all the travel opportunities he’s been able to take advantage of in Europe, especially now that there are so many Webbies around. He saw the Delft

group recently for a ridiculous Queen’s Day weekend and is really looking forward to trips to the U.S., South Africa, and Thailand later this year.

Andrei Mouravieff is “still” living in Arlington, Va. where he is “still” working for the Navy. He’s also enjoying watching a third Mouravieff make his way through Webb.

This summer, Dave and Rachel Sawyer will be touring South Dakota with Dave’s family as well as attending DragonCon. This fall, she will be enrolling parttime in a graduate program for Operations Research at George Mason University. Rachel has been taking Japanese lessons for just over a year now. “It’s going well, but I have so many kanji to learn. Ganbarimashou!”

2011 Tophi Rose is staying at TU Delft to pursue a PhD. Ben Fisher and his wife, Maria, are getting closer to the due date of their baby! They are getting settled into their new home. Ben is staying busy at SAFE Boats, and will soon be going on his first Navy tests and trials experience!

Lidia Mouravieff had a great two months hosting Kierstin Del Valle ’13 for her Winter Work! She continues to enjoy her work at BMT Designers & Planners and her life in DC metropolitan area.

Fourteen members of the Class of 2011, from time zones ranging between South Korea to Hawaii, participated in a video chat to reminisce on their two-year anniversary of 100 Days!

This past winter, Jon Soja ’13 and Doug Zangre ’13 visited Korea for Winter Work with ABS Busan. They had a mini Korean-style reunion with Josh McMinn ’09 and friends, including soju, makgeoli, kimchijeon, continued on next page

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W E B B N E W S

alumni news

class notes

bulgogi, and skiing. Work related, they recently named their first vessel at DSME, Woodside Rogers, and launched their third ship. Dave Donatelli continues indulging in state-of-the-art LNG cargo containment systems and learning Korean by singing along with the greatest female K-Pop songs!

Dave Donatelli Bret Smart and Katie Whalen became flock masters extraordinaire in December 2012. Living the happy life in the backyard at their house in Delft, Netherlands, hens Kristopher, KF, Khalifa, Kimchi, and Knut Knutsen provide eggs and entertainment to all who visit.

Casey Harwood is continuing his graduate study at the University of Michigan. In the past year, he achieved candidacy status in his Ph.D. program and received a National Science Foundation fellowship to fund the remainder of his doctoral work.

This winter, Zak Harris came as close to fulfilling his dream of being a ski bum as is possible while still holding a full-time job. Although his multiple streaks of skiing 14-plus days in a row were invariably cut short by angry phone calls from his boss, he still managed to ski over 100 days. He plans to quit his job to climb all summer before beginning his doctoral studies in the robotics program at Johns Hopkins.

2012

Stacey Bishop is currently at Bollinger Shipyards learning how to be a proper Cajun, and is now the proud owner of a pair of precocious kittens. She recently had a chance to spend some time with Lee Boltz, who temporarily left his post with Jensen Maritime in Seattle to work in their NOLA office.

Mike Cheng is at Rolls Royce in Connecticut, when he’s not travelling all over for work.

Brett Smart and Katie Whalen.

After graduating last year, Elie Amar travelled for six months between Ukraine, Brazil, Japan and Noumea.

Now, he is living in Hong Kong and has been working for a consulting company for a few months. Elie is looking forward to the summer, when he will be able to wear flip-flops and shorts.

Ethan Wiseman is still barely tolerating Michael Klein in the office.

Michael Klein is still barely tolerating Ethan Wiseman in the office.

Andy Lachtman is working for Bruce S. Rosenblatt & Associates in Oakland, Calif. and enjoying all of the East Bay.

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Allan Childers is working hard at Alion, and is keeping up with his fencing and piano skills. Also in the D.C. area, Nathan Hagan is managing projects at Carderock while attending the Naval Post Graduate School, recently joined a rugby team, and has mentored a robotics team all the way to a world championship.

Speaking of Hamburg, Kyle Manis, Schuyler Needham, and Dale Pederson are still in Deutschland, riding bikes and being European while working with Rosenblatt & Associates and Herbert Engineering.

Sean Doran is back in his hometown of Rochester, N.Y. working at HydroAcoustics Inc. and bowling in his

spare time. Well, he hasn’t mentioned anything about bowling but it seems like something he’d be doing.

Nick DelGatto recently moved back to the States and is working for Herbert Engineering in Annapolis after his brief stint in Hamburg.

Matt Groff is working at the Watson McDaniel Company in Pennsylvania, and has been looking particularly slim lately thanks to a sweet new exercise regimen.

Also in Pennsylvania are Jack Oczeretko and Rob Talarico at Aker Shipyards in Philly. Jack was recently named employee of the month for being awesome, and Rob T is undoubtedly green with envy.

Jared Harlan has been busy at Kvichak Marine in Seattle, where he recently bought a cat, got engaged, and is looking into buying a house. Everyone agrees these are big moves for a kid who normally can’t find his shoes.

JC Morgan and Nick Walker are in the Bay Area working with HerbertABS Software. JC recently got to visit China, and hopefully Nick is being kept out of trouble by girlfriend and former classmate Claire Spilde.

Finally Steve Guglielmoni and BJ Walling are in Hoboken at Stevens Institute, where BJ is diligently working on his Master’s thesis while Steve continues to be a bad influence and generally the most awesome guy ever. When they can, they spend time hanging out with Andrew Lum, who’s living with his family in Brooklyn while he works on his own Master’s at the City University of New York.

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

W E B B N E W S

heritage society Outstanding Alumnus:

Lincoln D. Cathers ’56 A Webbie Who Has Truly “Given Back” Lincoln D. Cathers ’56 has been a member of the Heritage Society since 1989, when he made a bequest to Webb Institute. Mr. Cathers has also been recognized for his lifetime giving to Webb. In 2010, he received the WebbEY award for 50 years of consecutive giving. He is being spotlighted here not only for his generosity but for his extensive commitment of service and dedication to Webb.

Since his graduation, he has proven to be one of the most dedicated alumni, volunteering on many different levels. He is a Life Member of the WAA and was president of the Alumni Association during Webb’s 100th year anniversary. He is also a past trustee and in 2009 was awarded the distinguished William Selkirk Owen Award.

He served as the Washington D.C. alumni representative for many years, planning their big annual gatherings.

Mr. Cathers was very instrumental in helping Webb develop and initiate its Planned Giving Program. He additionally volunteered his time to write numerous articles for Webb News explaining the variety of ways other alumni have included Webb in their estate planning.

In 1949, Lincoln first came to know Webb through his high achievements in the Boy Scouts of America, which initially cemented his desire to attend Webb. He decided to attend Webb after reading an article in the Saturday Evening Post, where Webb was said to be a better school than Princeton.

He saw Webb as a real challenge and it seemed to be a good fit since he always wanted to be an engineer.

As a student, Lincoln was very inspired by the Webb Honor Code and his participation in Student Government, they were both very strong elements of the Webb experience. His favorite professor at Webb was Humanities Professor Woody Long, whose economics and public speaking classes he really enjoyed.

After leaving Webb in 1956, Lincoln attended George Washington University, where he pursued a J.D. Degree. He

As we approached the final had an exciting career working as a stage of producing this naval architect for the Department issue, we were informed of the Navy. His diverse career that Mr. Cathers passed assignments included two Presidential away on Saturday, June 1, Commissions, design and development 2013. We’ve lost a devoted of the two rescue subs built in member of the Webb the aftermath of the USS Thresher Institute community and (SSN593) on sea trials in 1963. His he will be missed by all career also included several years in who knew him. the Polaris Program and as design manager of USS Seawolf (SSN-21) during its preliminary and contract design. For this effort he was awarded the Navy’s Superior Civilian Service Award.

Currently, Lincoln and his wife Nancy reside in Queensbury, N.Y. Together they raised four daughters (Caren, Jennifer, Courtney and Lynsey) and they also have 10 grandchildren ranging in ages 10–20. One is currently a senior at the University of Maryland and three others will be entering college in the fall of 2013, with one who recently received a full Air Force ROTC scholarship to Duke University.

Throughout the years, Lincoln devoted a lot of his time to the Boy Scouts and the Glens Falls Rotary Club. He was awarded an Eagle Scout at 14 and represented Region 2 (New York and New Jersey) in 1949 where he met President Truman. In 2004, he was awarded the Silver Beaver by the Boy Scouts (the highest award one can attain at the Council Level). Lincoln also served as president of 156 member Glens Falls Rotary Club, was recognized as Club Rotarian of the Year in 2006 and District Rotarian of the Year in 2004.

During his lifetime, Lincoln has almost 50 years of vacationing with his family at Lake George. He and his wife Nancy and four daughters are currently building a new “Camp Cathers,” tearing down the 70-year old summer home and replacing it with a much larger year-round home, in order to accommodate their growing family and provide them with a place to gather in the future.

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

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