Bentley University Magazine - Spring 2017

IN N O VA TI O N

SPRING 2017

175 Forest Street Waltham, MA 02452 USA

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Is business the cure for health care?

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If your class year ends in 2 or 7, come on home for your Bentley reunion.

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Come one, come all to the festive close of our anniversary year.

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Reunion Weekend June 2

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Centennial Finale Saturday, June 3

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Join us for a celebration 100 years in the making!

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Cover story | 11 Inside a drug launch | 16 Confessions of a grocery fanatic | 20 TR

Centennial celebrations near and far | 26

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BETWEEN THE LINES Consider the johnny. This standard-issue garment at a doctor’s office or hospital — ­ unstylish, uncomfortable, tied in the back to ill effect — is an apt metaphor for many personal encounters with the U.S. health care system. We feel vulnerable. Anonymous. Parted from everyday life. A company that triggered those emotions would not survive for long.

Take heart: Work by Bentley faculty like Danielle Hartigan and alumni such as Karl Wagner ’87 shows providers moving to treat patients more like the health care consumers they are. Our cover story, starting on page 11, explores the emerging customer-focused mindset and other business strategies with potential to improve the quality, cost and delivery of care.

Elsewhere inside, the partnership between business and health care gets personal.

The topic is drug development; our experts are Lance Colwell ’92 of biotech giant Biogen and a Bentley family living with a gut-wrenching diagnosis. Their paths connect in a surprising way, which came to light thanks to a third alumnus (and one very high peak). We appreciate the courage and honesty of all involved.

These stories suggest a measure of optimism in contentious times. At places including Bentley, there’s collaboration underway that promises better solutions for social ills. Complex issues are best addressed with expertise from across business sectors and academic disciplines. Let’s say fewer walls, more bridges. As for that johnny situation? Paging Calvin Klein.

Stay well and stay in touch.

LEGACY SOCIETY

What will your legacy be?

The late John Rhodes ’33, executive vice president of Schlumberger Ltd. and trustee emeritus of Bentley, created a profound and enduring philanthropic legacy.

“I am just one of many lucky people who are at Bentley because of Mr. Rhodes’ gift,” says Hannah Williams ’19 (left), pictured with some of the more than 60 students to receive the John E. Rhodes Scholarship over the past three decades. “I plan to become a CPA like my sister [Emily ’15] and I’ll be an intern at Grant Thornton this year.”

CENTENNIAL LINEUP

Members of the campus community braved the August heat to mark Bentley’s founding year. The video of their choreographed tribute debuted — when else? — on 1.9.17.

This issue of Bentley Magazine offers you a digital experience.

Whenever you see this icon, scan the magazine page to see photo galleries and videos. This one launches the 1.9.17 video noted above.

Mohammad Abdolmohammadi (center), the Inaugural John E. Rhodes Professor of Accountancy since 1988, fondly remembers his friend: “When John couldn’t afford his last semester, Mr. Bentley told him to write an IOU.”

Download the free Layar app at the iTunes or Android store.

Susan Simpson Editor

1917

Years later, Rhodes repaid the debt — and much more — by establishing Bentley’s first endowed professorship. As the current recipient observes: “We need champions for our initiatives, research and talent, and John was one of our greatest.”

CONTRIBUTORS

Today, the John E. Rhodes Scholarship is Bentley’s largest such endowed fund, thanks to the addition of his transformative bequest.

TASLIM SIDI URNEK

CHICAGO, ILL.

MICHAEL BLANDING BOSTON, MASS.

The independent journalist is a regular contributor to the online Medscape Medical News; her work has also appeared in the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times and several news magazines. This look at the intersection of business and health care is the latest in her coverage of health care trends, clinical developments and policy changes.

Michael’s two stories show the impact of drug development in real time, on real lives. In addition to writing for Wired, Slate, The Nation and Boston magazines, among others, he is the author of The Map Thief (Gotham, 2014).

His next book, for MIT Press, traces the rise of Kendall Square as the leading high-tech and biotech innovation district of the Northeast.

The freelance photographer counts environmental portraits among her very favorite assignments. “Each subject brings something unique to the shoot, in this case, a love of the outdoors. The juxtaposition of Lance Colwell’s work attire against a beautiful scene is striking. You’d never know the setting is steps outside his office!”

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Your legacy. Bentley’s gratitude.

SOMERVILLE, MASS.

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PHOTO ABOVE BY KARALYNN OJEDA-POLLARD

MARCIA FRELLICK

If you have included Bentley in your future plans, let us thank you with membership in The 1917 Legacy Society. Contact us today for more information.

Office of Gift Planning Liz Siladi (781.891.2475) or Kris Otto (781.891.2586) giftplanning@bentley.edu bentley.edu/giftplanning

CLASS NOTES >>

Contents

2 | HERE SAY

SPRING 2017

COLUMNS

3 | ON CAMPUS

7 | Five Things: Smart moves for connected cities 8 | Take Two: Siblings handcraft a business 10 | Inside Job: What goes into a curated box 30 | Family Matters: A surprise homecoming 34 | Next Stop: London by locals

FEATURES 11 | Best Practices: Solutions at the intersection of business and health care 16 | The PROfile: Lance Colwell ’92 of Biogen 17 | Anatomy of Hope: A Bentley family’s journey 19 | Expanded Thinking: Thought leadership in health care 20 | Super Market Savvy: Noor Faisal Al-Qatami ’07 23 | C LASS NOTES

AND VIDEO VIDEO

BY TWIN TWINLENS LENSMEDIA MEDIA 1 PHOTO | SPRING 2017 BY

SECTION >>

HERE SAY

MAGAZINE

Editor Susan Simpson Writers Michael Blanding Marcia Frellick George Grattan Meredith Mason Mary K. Pratt Kristen Walsh Senior Associate Director Creative Services Claire Anderson Art Direction & Design Carol Dirga Sara Kaminski Creative Consultant Greg Gonyea Assistant Director Print & Production Judy Metz Project Managers Skadi Gidionsen Diane Kehoe

Executive Director Advancement Relations Leigh K. Gaspar Executive Director Advancement Communications Terry Cronin Senior Assistant Directors Advancement Communications Caroline Cruise Kristin Livingston

Thank you for the most outstanding issue of the Bentley Magazine, The Centennial Issue 1917-2017.

The content reflects the combined efforts of many people, all working together to produce the realities of 100 years of educational benefits

by Bentley School of Accounting and Finance, Bentley College and Bentley University. Great job by all!

Donald A. Nicholson ’64

the profession. We paved the way.

I hope those that come after us appreciate what we have done.

Pat O’Meara ’71, MST ’82 Awesome! Thanks for paving the way for all of us women Bentley grads! Proud to be a double Falcon.

Sharon (Marano) Baranowski ’84

Amazing seeing our old 18-pound “laptops” in the @bentleyu100 magazine. LCD screen & dual 1.44 MB floppy drives, baby!

Tim King ’93

First Person: Rae D. Anderson [page 32]. One of my favorite professors at Bentley. He was the first person we invited to speak for the newly formed Bentley Accounting Society in 1977.

Gene Rodgers ’78, P ’15

Loving the #centennial edition of the latest @bentleyu magazine.

Awesome job! #bentley100 @bentleyalumni Blake Reynolds ’07

He was definitely my favorite professor. Rae instilled my love for taxes and led me to earn my [graduate degree] from Bentley.

Bill Gibelli ’73, MST ’79

Great success. Upward ever and backward never. Good luck Bentley University.

Osayi Obaseki ’84

Bold Moves [page 34]. Forty-five buildings? Sheesh. I would have guessed about half that!

Vik Murty ’93

If it wasn’t for Bentley, I would never be where I am today.

Mike McGee ’02 The Story So Far [page 6]. Wow! A great history lesson on a great school. Proud to be a graduate.

Mark Semanie ’85 First Person: Katherine (O’Keefe) O’Leary ’64 [page 32]. Yes & I was not far after you. A lot has changed, there are a lot more women entering

Speaking recently with Henry [Workman], we shared the bittersweet pain of reading a very impressive Bentley University 100-year centennial book and seeing our picture, the then-core leadership of the Black United Body, appear without our names.

Henry and I, along with Noel Byers, Larry McNeil, Pauline Jackson, Stephanie Fullard, Bill Netter, Clarence Fullard, [Robert] Brad Haywood, Ed Matthews, James Hardaway, Sherraine Diaz, and so many others — black, brown and white Bentley students, faculty and staff — worked through those years to support our struggle and mission: respect and pride in diversity at Bentley. The feeling lives on today.

It was a powerful time, a powerful movement and a powerful institution that did the right thing. Bentley, 100 Years.

Ernest Washington Jr. ’73

BUB principals (front, from left): Thomas Sweeney ’73, Noel Byers, Robert Brad Haywood ’72; (back): Arthur Jetter, Larry McNeil ’73, Henry Workman ’72, Ernest Washington Jr. ’73.

President Gloria Cordes Larson

We welcome your feedback.

Vice President for University Advancement William Torrey

Send your compliments and critiques on the stories inside — or suggest one for the future.

Chief Marketing Officer Valerie Fox

MAGAZINE@BENTLEY.EDU || @BENTLEYU || @BENTLEYALUMNI || 781.891.2076 175 FOREST STREET, WALTHAM, MA 02452

Bentley Magazine is published by Bentley University, Waltham, Massachusetts, and distributed without charge to alumni, parents, students, faculty, staff and friends of the university. BENTLEY UNIVERSITY is one of the nation’s leading business schools, dedicated to preparing a new kind of business leader — one with the deep technical skills, broad global perspective, and high ethical standards required to make a difference in an ever-changing world.

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ON CAMPUS PEOPLE >> PROGRAMS >> EVENTS >> IDEAS

OPEN FOR

BUSINESS Bentley’s original Classroom Building — renamed in 1997 to honor the generosity of trustee emeritus Gary Jennison ’66, H ’98 — is back online after a seven-month makeover. Learn more on page 4 and at bentley.edu/jennison.

Take a slideshow tour of the building PHOTO BY MATT DELPHENICH

BENTLEY MAGAZINE | 3

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IN THE NEWS Huffington Post Be the Captain of Your Intern Ship DECEMBER 6, 2016 President Gloria Cordes Larson offers guidance to students on maximizing the value of an internship.

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BizEd magazine Bentley University Creates a Social Space for Tech

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DECEMBER 20, 2016 Senior Lecturer in Computer Information Systems Mark Frydenberg explains how the school’s CIS Sandbox encourages students to collaborate in learning new technologies.

The Atlantic The Original Sharing Economy JANUARY 3, 2017 Dan Everett, interim co-provost and dean of arts and sciences, shares his experience working with the Priahã tribe of the Amazon.

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Forbes The 10 Technical Skills with Explosive Growth in Job Demand JANUARY 8, 2017

WHAT'S NEW IN JENNISON HALL

1. Spaces called “collaboratoriums” support interactive, team-based learning for courses that don’t involve working with chemicals. 2. Enclosing the building’s portico created office space for the Academic Services department.

3. Lounges and group-study areas hit a welcoming note with stunning views and lots of natural light. 4. Some classrooms have an amphitheater layout; others, movable desks that support breakout sessions and similar types of group work. 5. One of three traditional science labs, built from scratch on the ground floor. Offices for Natural and Applied Sciences faculty are on the same level. Glass walls look in to many of the teaching and research labs, so passersby can see “science in action.”

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The ability to analyze big data and share information in a visual way are among skills in the highest demand by employers, reports research from Bentley’s PreparedU Project.

Boston Business Journal These Mass. Colleges Produce the Highest-Earning Students JANUARY 9, 2017 According to data in the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard, Bentley produces some of the best-paid graduates in the nation.

The Princeton Review Colleges That Pay You Back FEBRUARY 1, 2017 Bentley ranks No. 1 for internship opportunities among 200 U.S. schools that the Princeton Review cites for delivering “the best bang for your tuition buck.”

LEARN MORE | bentley.edu/newsroom/ media-coverage PHOTOS BY MATT DELPHENICH

<< ON CAMPUS

Recruiting Talent Meet Carolina Figueroa, who joined Bentley in October as vice president for enrollment management

What’s your working definition of enrollment management?

Are there ways you part company with traditional thinking about EM?

It is about planning and balancing a complex mix of priorities.

These include attracting the right students, who will persist, succeed and eventually become engaged alumni, while also meeting the institution’s academic and financial goals.

Since I am always looking for opportunities to innovate, I’m willing to use tools and lessons from outside higher education perhaps more readily than the traditional enrollment manager.

This doesn’t mean chasing every shiny object — but finding ways to test new ideas with potential to improve our ability to attract and enroll the students we seek.

hat drew you to the W field, after having studied biological sciences and information systems management?

Coming from a science and systems background, I was naturally attracted to the area of higher education administration that could benefit the most by data-driven study and innovation. Admissions and enrollment also allows me to make a difference in how an institution provides access to education.

PHOTO BY REBECCA BISHOP

Have you seen college admissions from other vantage points, say, as a parent?

My oldest child is in middle school, so not quite yet.

However, I am advising my nephew and, this summer, I joined him and his mother on various campus tours. I already understood how overwhelming the college search can be for

families, but this drove home how time-intensive the process is and how much information there is to sort through. So anything we can do to make a campus visit more welcoming, and information easily digestible, can help Bentley make a good impression.

What is your advice for those immersed in a college search?

To me, the most important part is finding a school that is the right fit, where your student can succeed academically and take advantage of the best opportunities the school has to offer. This means something different for each family and student, depending on their interests, background and financial considerations.

A college search can be stressful, but keeping in mind what is important to the student and being flexible with options will help them zero in on the right schools.

Do other people and departments have a role in the admissions process?

It takes a village. EM is a cyclical loop and the better the output, the better positioned we are to recruit the next class. Staff and faculty are a key part of the student experience but also involved in many levels of interaction with potential applicants. The same goes for alumni. They are ambassadors who can spread the Bentley story at a more personal level than any marketing publication we could produce.

What else should we know about you?

My sister [Marianella (Avendano) Grieco ’99] is a Bentley graduate and thus I feel personally connected to the university.

LEARN MORE | See the full interview: bentley.edu/vp BENTLEY MAGAZINE | 5

ON CAMPUS >>

When conversation turns to race, religion, sexual orientation and gender, people usually clam up.

What if, instead, we ventured outside our comfort zone?

A group of faculty, students and staff is determined to find out.

Breaking Brave

BY MEREDITH MASON

Subjects such as race and religion bring up personal differences that are difficult to discuss — even among friends. The same discomfort with diversity prompts many to filter their newsfeeds, attend universities that feel familiar, and look for jobs at companies whose culture appears to match their own. At Bentley, a group of faculty, staff and students aims to break the silence around sensitive issues.

Their initiative — Bentley Brave — creates opportunities for the campus community to engage in tough conversations. Events and programs encourage meaningful education, conversation and reflection on controversial issues around diversity and identity.

BELIEFS AND BIASES Launched this fall and sponsored by the Office for Diversity and Inclusion, Bentley Brave has offered conversation groups, film screenings and lectures. Each event introduces basic concepts and provides a venue for dialogue, training and experiences that push participants to dig deep into their own belief systems and implicit biases. More than 450 campus community members have taken part so far.

“For most of us, being able to effectively engage in difficult conversations requires a skill set you need to develop and practice,” says Katie Lampley ’96, director of diversity and inclusion. “We want to help students build these skills before they begin their lives outside the university.”

Its name is a nod to what Bentley Brave asks of participants. “Having conversations about the things that make us different requires a willingness to ask honest questions of ourselves and others, and a desire to keep talking even when we’re afraid of saying the wrong thing,” explains Lampley. “That is what being brave is all about.”

All events are facilitated by instructors who can help navigate through conflict and set ground rules, such as maintaining an overall level of respect.

CAMPUS-WIDE COMMITMENT Computer Information Systems major Ciara Morley ’17 developed an interest in social activism through courses in gender studies and sociology. From there, she started looking for opportunities outside the classroom.

“Once I began paying attention to the tragic, racially charged events happening around the country, such as the Michael Brown shooting, it opened my eyes to how much work there is to be done,” says Morley.

Joining the Bentley Brave planning committee was “one way to make a contribution to my immediate community.”

In previous years, campus dialogues around diversity often took place in reaction to national current events. Morley sees value in having these conversations through a structured campus program.

“Bentley Brave is normalizing these conversations and creating a space where students won’t feel like they are being shut down.”

The new initiative builds on a strong tradition of diversity education at Bentley.

Each year, the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, along with the Multicultural Center, Center for International Students and Scholars, Spiritual Life Center, and Center for Women and Business, among others, offer programs ranging from ally training to diversity retreats for faculty, staff and students.

LEARN MORE | bentley.edu/brave

Post-election Reflection … A glass wall in the Smith Academic Technology Center invited members of the campus community, including La’Von Campbell ’18, to share observations and hopes for the future.

6 | SPRING 2017

PHOTO BY JOY UYENO

<< FIVE THINGS

Five Data Points ON SMART CITIES Bentley’s Sandeep Purao (right) is working with Waltham officials and the Council on Aging to understand how city priorities line up with the values of residents, and how these factors will influence the design of smart-city solutions. The Trustee Professor of Information and Process Management is pictured with Council on Aging Director Marybeth Duffy and City Councilor Carlos Vidal.

COMMUNITIES ARE KEY “Smart cities” use infrastructures and connected devices to make operations more efficient and improve citizens’ lives.

A city is made up of different groups or communities — and it’s vital to consider them when developing these initiatives. So, the better phrase is “smart cities and communities.” It isn’t about listening to the loudest voices, but to the individuals and groups most in need of support, such as elderly, disabled and immigrant populations.

PHOTO BY TASLIM SIDI URNEK

VALUES DRIVE DESIGN Every city faces different concerns — security, energy, crime, aging infrastructure — which can guide a smart design unique to the setting.

Singapore, for example, is densely populated and strictly monitors law and order, traffic and the cleanliness of public places. Waltham has many residents aged 65 or older and a diverse immigrant population.

It’s important to explore how a city’s values align or conflict with community values, then design effective solutions.

LEARN FROM EXPERIENCE Some concerns, such as physical, fiscal and social infrastructure, persist in cities across scale and age. Traffic woes are a prime example, with rush hours (or rush minutes) a fact of daily life for many people.

To alleviate congestion, cities may use sensors to detect traffic patterns, and strategies such as tolls or different rules for cars and trucks. Studying the experiences of others can help cities get out in front of such issues.

COLLABORATION EASES CHANGE Even the best solution may not work unless everyone is on board.

Typically, a number of players must come together to address policy and organizational changes and bring ideas to fruition. For example, city councilors must work with the mayor’s office and several city government departments to coordinate efforts and resources.

TECHNOLOGY IS ONLY THE START A smart city may gather data via technology platforms such as sensors and cameras as well as infrastructures such as WiFi. New York City, for example, tracks entrances and exits from metro train stations. Using large data streams to improve efficiency and citizens’ quality of life is a promising research direction.

But the technology platforms and resulting big data provide only a starting point. The challenge remains to design solutions that build on these platforms in response to community values.

BENTLEY MAGAZINE | 7

TAKE TWO >>

8 | SPRING 2017

PHOTOS BY TASLIM SIDI URNEK

<< TAKE TWO

More Shine for a Family Business INTERVIEW BY MARY K. PRATT

Kyle Raeburn ’08 and Lauren Raeburn ’10, MBA ’11 grew up with entrepreneurial dreams.

Their father is the fifth generation to own and run International Insignia Corp., a manufacturer of military insignia based in Rhode Island. Kyle joined the company himself in 2007 and Lauren built a career in software sales. The siblings’ year-old venture — LK Meyer — operates out of the family’s foundry to make handcrafted jewelry inspired by the New England coast.

What pointed you to the jewelry business?

Lauren Raeburn: I’ve always had aspirations to create my own jewelry line and start my own business.

With my family’s history in the manufacturing industry, it seemed like a natural fit, but I needed the right inspiration. In spring 2015, Kyle and I stumbled across a store in Boston and realized they were selling things we could make at our family’s foundry.

Kyle Raeburn: LK Meyer seemed like a nice complement to what International Insignia is already doing.

The name combines our first initials and the maiden name of our great-grandmother whose side of the family started the business.

What were some initial challenges?

LR: Creating brand awareness. It’s all-encompassing, from creating a cohesive logo to marketing yourself on social media platforms to doing strong analytics to figure out who we want to target.

KR: On the production end, I ran into little things that I didn’t foresee.

Here’s an example: When we were electroplating necklaces in gold, we didn’t have the right rack to hold them. So all the necklaces were getting tangled up, and we had to get racks to hold them correctly.

Can you walk us through your design and production process?

LR: I am constantly jotting down design ideas. I draw inspiration from my own personal style, current trends, and often our foundry’s existing military pieces. From there, Kyle and I will discuss all the potential new product concepts and the manufacturing logistics.

KR: I’m fortunate to know the manufacturing process inside and out. I’ve been exposed to a blend of Old World craftsmanship and newschool technologies, so we really can do almost anything we want.

Who is your target customer?

LR: The typical LK Meyer guy or girl is someone who embodies the diversity and style of New England, with an appreciation for quality, handcrafted products.

KR: I would add that appreciation for products manufactured in the USA has never been higher. That is a serious value-add for many people and something we are both very proud of.

Does being siblings help or hurt with working together?

LR: We have a great relationship and as much as we have a lot of similarities, our work style is very different. Kyle’s focus is operations.

My strengths are in marketing and on the creative side, handling a lot of our orders and our relationships with partners. From that perspective, the roles are obvious and we’ve never had an issue. Things just fall into place and we get stuff done.

KR: By no means do I have the secret to sibling success.

But we were lucky in having a good relationship to start with and complementary skill sets. I’m more of an introvert, and I like the behind-the-scenes things — operations and logistics. Another core thing is being able to shelve our egos when it comes to respecting what the other person does better.

How did your Bentley education shape what you’re doing now?

KR: I really wanted to go to business school and ended up being enamored with Bentley. I liked the location; I liked the idea of a business-focused education. The key things I learned were how to lead and motivate a group, how to organize people to accomplish a common goal, how to get things done.

LR: One of the unique things Bentley does is emphasize group projects.

It teaches how to harness people’s differences to get a common goal achieved. It gave me an opportunity to take a leadership position and boost my confidence. I’ve been able to leverage that in my career and in starting our own company.

What do you want for LK Meyer down the road?

LR: I would want the company to get as big as possible. I’d like to scale it beyond New England, scale it region by region, and one day be a household name.

KR: While it has looked like a hobby business so far while we get our feet beneath us, we’re both successful enough in our regular jobs that we didn’t have space in our lives for a hobby business. We’re laying the groundwork for something that could be quite big. That potential is what drew us.

What’s your biggest victory to date?

LR: The re-launch of our website. It was a labor of love that was twoplus months in the making. We couldn’t be happier with how it turned out and feel that it embodies our brand and aesthetic perfectly.

KR: I would agree with that. Personally, I feel it is a victory whenever I see friends wearing our stuff.

BENTLEY MAGAZINE | 9

INSIDE JOB >>

Making the Cut Our customers complete a style profile when they sign up. It’s very visual: “Do you like this look? Does this picture appeal to you?” From there, a stylist can see that they like a specific kind of look, and send pieces they think would appeal.

We like to add surprises as well. We’ll send a piece outside the customer’s core style, but a fun piece they can try.

Selling Point I don’t have a ton of time to shop for my kids. But what they’re wearing and where it comes from is important for me. I still want to get quality clothing from emerging brands. That’s what Mac & Mia is giving to customers.

Fashion and Function We follow a lot of trends in fashion overall … something you’d buy for yourself, but in a mini version.

This fall and winter season it was a lot of fringe, plaid and kind of an ode to the 1990s.

Coming into spring and summer, it’s more bright prints. But we’re styling children, so choices are always a bit whimsical. And there are nuances with children’s clothing. We have clients whose children have sensory needs or are learning to crawl. So we consider these things when choosing items so the child will be comfortable. Our 25 stylists are trained on all the products. They educate customers on everything from the story behind the designer to how to care for the product.

Unpacking Delight When Sarah (Matos) Cincotta ’07 moved to Chicago in 2014 with her husband, Chris ’07, and their two young children, the former Finance major landed a position as head of styling and customer experience for online boutique Mac & Mia. The two-year-old company taps into the “curated box” phenomenon, which started with beauty products and now includes all manner of items. Here, the customers are busy, style-conscious parents who want quality clothes for tots sized up to 6T.

Well Turned Out The box is the visual experience of our brand. When customers open it, we want it to be delightful in every way and it starts with fun packaging. Our customers will always see variety in their boxes and that the stylist is giving them what they want, combined with an element of surprise.

They’re getting pieces to mix and match into different outfits, plus unique accessories that you won’t find at a big-box retailer.

Navigating a New Industry Mac & Mia is a new business operating in a new avenue for retail — the assisted-commerce industry. So a lot of the key performance indicators we’re creating ourselves. We don’t always have the answers and that’s part of the fun. We’re still figuring out what the future is going to look like.

From a Firm Foundation What I learned at Bentley as a Finance major serves as the foundation for all the analytics I do. When people hear that I work in kid’s fashion, they assume I play with tiny clothes all day. The truth is, I have my head in a spreadsheet for most of the day, and rely on data to drive my decisions.

As told to Mary K. Pratt

10 | SPRING 2017

BOX PHOTOS BY RACHEL BROWN KULP

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<< FEATURES

S E C I T

Solutions at the intersection of business and health care

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BY MARCIA FRELLICK

he statistic that best summarizes why business and health care must join forces may be this one: The United States spends more on health care by far than any other country, but ranks 42nd in global life expectancy. As health care spending has ramped up to an annual $3 trillion — the fastest rise in any sector of the U.S. economy — Americans have not benefited in line with that investment. Culprits include a host of inefficiencies, among them, a fragmented care system; electronic health records that can’t talk across systems; poor communication among the many stakeholders; and incentives that are often misaligned for patients, providers and payers. Cue the business acumen. Experts in economics, finance, consumer experience and information technology bring critical knowledge of reducing cost and waste, making use of electronic data, and improving systems efficiency. As health care entrepreneur Leonard D’Avolio ’98, MSIT ’01 puts it: “The medical research world is great at discovery. What it’s not as good at is industrialization or scaling.” Now, as the health care system moves from a fee-for-service model to one built on value of care, the industry will need to draw on expertise in creating and leading teams — another strength of the business world.

ILLUSTRATIONS BY SMARTBOY10/ISTOCK

BENTLEY MAGAZINE | 11

FEATURES >>

BREAKING DOWN BARRIERS Academia is recognizing the need for partnership. Consider the growing number of joint MD/MBA programs, which doubled from 33 in 2009 to 65 this year, according to the national association that tracks such programs.

The interplay of medicine and business already engages a healthy swath of Bentley faculty and alumni. The work takes aim at longstanding barriers between academia, clinical health care and industry. Each sector has a role in making sure that research findings find their way into meaningful applications.

The Bentley Research Colloquium for 2016 highlighted scholarship underway to address inefficiencies, improve communication among different stakeholders, and navigate issues such as privacy that are common to medicine and business.

“Our faculty and PhD students are doing exciting work across the divide and we wanted to showcase that,” says Marcia Millon Cornett, professor of finance and chair of the Bentley Research Council, which sponsors the annual colloquium.

“ The amazing advances in biomedical science in recent decades have not increased the flow of new drugs to the market.”

2020 FORESIGHT Bentley experts forecast the future of health care.

12 | SPRING 2017

COUNTING ON BIG DATA Among the research topics at the colloquium: how big data, now widely available through registries and electronic health records (EHRs), can help answer health care questions and inform strategies for cutting costs and improving health outcomes.

Professor of Economics Dhaval Dave, for example, used a database of more than 91 million U.S. births to examine an aspect of raising the minimum wage that falls outside labor market concerns.

“Usually these discussions center on productivity and income,” he explains. “No one had looked at how it directly affects health.”

He collected data on every infant born in the States since 1988 and identified which mothers were likely to be affected by minimum wage policies, based on their area of residence. Dave’s analysis showed that a higher minimum wage improves birth weight, increases gestational age and decreases the incidence of prematurity.

Widespread use of Internet of Things (IoT) technologies will increase health care quality through real-time tracking and tracing of medication in pharmaceutical supply chains, management of medical assets, and monitoring of patients.

— Alina Chircu Professor, Information and Process Management

Terms like big data, machine learning and natural language processing will move from ambiguous buzzwords to being associated with the delivery of real value for clinical care and operations.

—L eonard D’Avolio ’98, MSIT ’01 CEO and Co-Founder, Cyft Assistant Professor, Division of General Internal Medicine and Primary Care, Brigham and Women’s Hospital

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Big data may also help accelerate the discovery and development of new drugs.

“The amazing advances in biomedical science in recent decades have not increased the flow of new drugs to the market,” says Fred Ledley, who holds appointments in two academic departments: Natural and Applied Sciences and Management. He also directs the Center for Integration of Science and Industry (CISI) at Bentley.

Ledley points to relevant work underway in CISI. Researchers and students are studying patterns of innovation in the biopharmaceutical industry. The models they are building could eventually be used to improve the efficiency of drug development.

Health care entrepreneur D’Avolio notes that the math and computational power that enables business forecasting has been around for a long time. Applying the principles to health care takes focusing on a specific problem, he says.

The company he founded — Cyft, in Cambridge, Mass. — develops predictive models for health care. One client organization, for example, wants to be able to anticipate which patients with diabetes and heart disease and lung disease are most likely to seek emergency care.

“We’re making it possible for health care organizations to quickly pull in all of the raw data, and turn it into the rank-ordered list of exactly which patients are likely to end up in the ER in the very near future,” explains D’Avolio. “Clinicians can take that information and, for the first time, health care becomes proactive versus reactive.”

SEEING PAST THE TECHNOLOGY The forward march of technology to improve health care practice and decision-making can falter without accounting for the different people who will use the new tools.

According to Bentley researchers who study systems and information, flexible health systems that consider a wide spectrum of users — from hospital management to doctors to nurses to patients — are most likely to deliver higher productivity, increased buy-in and other positive results. But as systems such as electronic health records and telemedicine change how people work, emotions can run high and reactions can vary by health care role.

David Murungi and Marco Marabelli, both assistant professors of information and process management at Bentley, examined those roles and reactions as two groups of hospitals implemented new information systems. Their analysis of productive conversation and arguments shows how emotional responses are negotiated. Underestimating emotional aspects associated with adopting technology, they found, might prevent successful implementations.

MATTERS OF TRUST Mary Beth Dynan, MSCIS ’92 has seen emotions roil as clinical operations manager for Partners eCare at Boston-based Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital. The hospital is completing its installation of an EHR system; she was brought in specifically for the project.

“When I was introduced, I had people very excited about the project,” says Dynan. “But I also had multiple people telling me, ‘I will retire before I use that system.’ I had physicians who said, ‘I’ll never touch that system. The residents will do all my work.’ People put a wall up before anything had been rolled out.”

The first step to negotiating those emotions and fears was recognizing where people were starting from. Some nurses, for instance, not only had never used an EHR, but had not used a computer in their job.

They needed practice in sending an email or creating a document.

Physicians, meanwhile, were used to having someone else input information. The new system required their direct participation. Recognizing that physicians’ most important role is providing care, the implementation team made sure there were dictation tools and shortcuts such as smart text to reduce the number of keystrokes. Training also included how to use an EHR without turning your back on the patient in the room.

In the end, says Dynan, providers do realize what is newly possible with the systems. For instance, even if a patient tells just one doctor about a medication allergy, the information will be in the record and accessible by others.

“The first eight or nine months, we got a lot of people being uncomfortable with the system,” she says. “Then they started appreciating what they can see.”

“ You really need to create an environment of trust.”

Health care will continue to be the nation’s largest growth industry, reaching more than 20 percent of the GDP. This will make health care a required element of business education, and business courses will be incorporated in the medical curriculum. This interdisciplinary fusion will produce an effective integration of quality business practices with patient-centered and precision medicine, leading to continued improvement in health care improvement and health outcomes.

— Fred Ledley Professor and Director, Center for Integration of Science and Industry

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“Would you go into any store or restaurant without knowing the prices?”

Telemedicine systems, too, prompt different reactions among doctors, nurses and patients that affect their use of the technology. Trust is a major factor.

Research by Monica Garfield of the Computer Information Systems Department and Janis Gogan of Information and Process Management examines how users develop trust in systems, how it changes with use, and how interpersonal trust and system trust affect each another.

“You really need to create an environment of trust,” says Garfield, “so people want to use the system in the first place.”

Visual contact is a key — an important finding since telemedicine can be conducted via phone. Being able to see the patient and the care team or the person to whom information will be sent builds more trust in the system.

PRIVACY AND SECURITY Perceptions of privacy shape the meaning of information security, that is, how information is recorded and used across the technology we turn to daily.

A study by Bentley’s Mystica Alexander (Law, Taxation and Financial Planning), Patrick Scholten (Economics) and David Yates (Computer Information Systems) with Cheryl Kirschner of Babson College notes that the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) covers many aspects of health care communication. The coverage does

2020 FORESIGHT (continued)

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not extend to health-related Internet searches, where data aggregators can use different tracking technologies to collect sensitive information about health and other matters. These technologies, which were originally designed to facilitate communication between website and computer, enable data aggregators to track browsing histories and — potentially — to build individual profiles and target advertising. The research cites the lack of federal law that protects the tracking, collection or use of this data.

Alexander’s research team proposes to study how data aggregators collect information and use it to direct advertising content to specific users. They point out that 75 percent of the world’s 500 most popular websites use tracking mechanisms. Potential abuses of the information include price discrimination: the act of charging different prices for an identical item or service based on a user’s search history and other identifiable information.

The researchers argue that “at a minimum, the legal framework needs to catch up to the ever-evolving technology-based economy to protect individual privacy.”

Liz Brown, assistant professor of law, taxation and financial planning, studies privacy losses related to one of the corporate world’s most progressive benefits: workplace wellness programs. She examines whether the trade-off of privacy is worth any benefit for employees and whether some low-income employees feel financial pressure to participate.

“These programs are technically required to be voluntary,” writes Brown. “They may not be voluntary in practice when there is a significant cost associated with nonparticipation.”

She notes potential downsides if employees refuse to provide personal data, including “potentially harmful, yet legal, consequences.”

NEW ROUTES TO DRIVE DOWN COSTS Other research explores innovative ways to cut costs. Typically, when analysts look at how systems improve business, the scope narrows to designers and users. But where health care is concerned, Bentley researchers have discovered a broad range of stakeholders; each may have very different ideas about what constitutes success.

Deborah Gregory, assistant professor of finance, looks at cost control through the lens of improving task flow in the operating room (OR). Using assets already in place (both capital assets and labor) to generate more cash flow is critical for hospitals under increasing pressure to reduce costs.

She notes the complex interactions that must be considered in changes to the OR routine. For instance, surgeons are concerned with on-time starts, anesthesiologists want to reduce downtime, and nurses would like flexibility to delay or accelerate cases based on the patient’s condition. These different goals call for designing OR routines that have the

New technologies will offer exciting potential to advance how we monitor, treat and prevent disease.

But effective communication and care centered around patient preferences will continue to distinguish quality care.

— Danielle Hartigan Assistant Professor, Natural and Applied Sciences Director, Health Thought Leadership Network

Expect even less privacy at work than there is now.

Employers will be able to make decisions about employees based on their weight, blood pressure, physical activity and even stress levels. Advances in sensor technology, fewer regulations limiting employers, employees’ own reduced expectations of privacy, and legal rulings that chip away at employee rights will all combine to make it easier to hire and fire people on the basis of their health.

—L iz Brown Assistant Professor, Law, Taxation and Financial Planning

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least negative impact on all stakeholders, while improving accounting and financial models for the hospital.

Another potential avenue for cost savings emerged from research that analyzed the efficacy of older drugs to treat bipolar disorder compared with second-generation antipsychotics (SGAs). Older drugs are often off patent, with generic versions that are less expensive. Numerous anti-manic treatments have been introduced over the past two decades, but their advantages over older treatments were unclear.

Colloquium presenter Mingfei Li, associate professor of mathematical sciences, shared research that used a historical cohort design. She and colleagues looked at more than 27,000 outpatients with bipolar disorder treated in the Veterans Affairs system between 2003 and 2010. People started on lithium or valproate alone, compared with those beginning with a much more expensive SGA alone, were significantly less likely to be hospitalized in the next year. The researchers say that randomized, controlled trials should follow.

The costs of drugs and services are a major red flag for Francis Melaragni ’84, who directs Pharmaceutical and Health Care Business Programs at MCPHS University in Boston. He blames the inability of the U.S. government to negotiate for lower drug prices for a large share of the country’s health care problems.

“We’re in a crisis situation,” he says. “This is going to make the U.S. less competitive in the world market and bankrupt, eventually. And we’re not talking decades away.”

Melaragni tells his students they are entering the work force at a time when health care is broken; their opportunity is to find solutions that help fix the system.

Transparency about prices will be crucial, he says. Today’s consumers have no idea what health care services cost or what they will be expected to pay. “Would you go into any store or restaurant without knowing the prices?”

The knowledge should give patients and employers incentives to choose lower-cost options.

“We also need to open up health care borders to global competition,” Melaragni adds, noting that other countries and territories have learned to do common procedures for much less money.

He points to the example of Health City, a high-tech hospital in the Cayman Islands. According to HealthCatalyst, a company that gathers and analyzes health-related data, the hospital performs heart surgery for less than U.S. $1,400 — about 2 percent of the procedure’s cost in the United States.

PATIENTS AS CONSUMERS Underlying transformation of the health care system is a fundamental change in the patient role.

“Health care is shifting to a model where patients are encouraged to act more like consumers,” says Danielle Hartigan, assistant professor of natural and applied sciences. Better communication is a big part of that dynamic.

Some of her communication-based research focuses on the ability of physicians and nurses to estimate patients’ pain. She and colleagues found a large underestimation of patients’ pain on the part of care providers and a large overestimation by families and caregivers. The findings have implications for educational needs, she says. “We might want to better train providers to assess verbal and non-verbal cues for patient pain.”

Health care executive Karl Wagner ’87 says that treating patients as consumers is particularly relevant because they have increasing choices in selecting providers.

“Consumers are going to be selecting providers based on cost and quality,” he says. “Part of that quality will be how providers interact with patients as health care moves to a value-based system.”

Wagner is president of the eastern division of Mednax, in Weston, Fla., which provides subspecialty physician services. The company has many programs in place that follow up with the patient, just as consumers might get a post-purchase call for a service or product. For example, outreach to families of children with hearing deficits tries to make sure they’ve seen an audiologist as recommended after the screening.

“Better outcomes are a result of strong patientphysician relationships,” Wagner says. “If patients are on board with what they need to do and they participate in their care, they’re going to be more successful. And if there’s poor communication, you’re going to have missteps and poor hand-offs and poor understanding.”

Sources: Figures for annual health care spending in the U.S. are from the Commonwealth Fund (commonwealthfund .org) and World Factbook (cia.gov); global life expectancy, from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (cma.gov).

There will be a significant increase in access to and tracking of high-quality health care data. New health-related technologies will come to market that will lower costs and improve care from many people (especially if the medical device tax is repealed).

Health care costs will continue to be under extreme pressure and the number of underinsured and uninsured will increase with the repeal of the Affordable Care Act (the working poor will be impacted at the highest rate). We may also finally see the importance of the state boundary diminish as there is a reduction in government regulation in the insurance and medical licensure fields.

— Monica Garfield Associate Professor, Computer Information Systems

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THE PROFile A Rare Impact on Improving Lives

AS TOLD TO MICHAEL BLANDING Photography by Taslim Sidi Urnek As vice president for the U.S. Rare Diseases Group at biotechnology company Biogen, Lance Colwell â&#x20AC;&#x2122;92 connects people suffering from debilitating diseases with potentially life-saving treatments. His current focus is launching Spinraza,â&#x201E;˘ developed for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) and one of the fastest drugs ever to be approved by the Food and Drug Administration.

Here, he shares insights on the process.

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You have to play the long game. At a typical high-tech company, it’s about what new app or device can I launch every six months. Developing a new drug takes an average of seven to 10 years from beginning to end. It is also really expensive — usually over a billion dollars — and the majority of what we do is unsuccessful. To go from a research concept through clinical trials and receiving approval is highly unlikely.

Meet Bodhi, who was part of clinical trials for the first drug to treat spinal muscular atrophy.

Rare diseases present special challenges. When you have a relatively small population, it can be difficult to identify patients and the physicians who treat them. Spinal muscular atrophy is one of the worst diseases you can imagine and a leading genetic cause of death in infants and toddlers. In most cases, babies with the most serious form of the disease lose their ability to sit up and roll over, and typically die before age 2. Others may live longer, but will be significantly impacted by loss of muscle strength.

The science needs to get personal. Years before a drug is going to launch, I am meeting with doctors and patients to understand their needs. We may have an endpoint in a clinical trial that talks about a very technical motor improvement, but what does that really mean to the patient? I recently saw one child who can’t chew anymore; helping with that would be fantastic for the family. For other patients, it could be the ability to lift her hand to her mouth or the ability to hold his head up. We have to translate the science into terms that show a drug’s meaningful impact on the patient’s life.

Education doesn’t stop at the patient. Even though my job typically starts with understanding the patient’s needs, it ends up being about educating physicians about a new drug. Doctors have hundreds and hundreds of diseases they need to keep up with. My role is helping them understand the therapy and how it’s going to benefit their patients.

In the case of SMA, specialists have never had an approved drug that actually worked for these kids and they need to understand the benefits and risks of using the therapy.

There will be a long line. There are very few experts in the country who know this disease, but we estimate there are 7,000 to 10,000 patients. So there’s a capacity problem. At this point, you have patients anxiously awaiting this therapy, so there could be significant delays in some getting access to it. We’ve talked with doctors about what they might to do increase capacity at their own centers, and about whether there are doctors who may not be experts in SMA, but who can help administer the drug closer to where patients live.

It’s not just about distributing the drugs to the clinics. This treatment requires an injection directly into the spine, and you initially need four doses over the first two months. Some of these kids have rods in their back or are in a wheelchair and can’t breathe well. That makes it difficult to administer the drug and challenging for families to travel back and forth to their specialist physician. We’ve developed a pretty unique model called Family Access Managers, who understand and help support patients’ needs.

Collaboration rules. There are probably 30-plus departments involved in bringing a drug to market, between manufacturing, regulatory, legal, patient services, medical, marketing, IT and so forth. It takes 20 different vendors alone to get the drug into a box with the proper bottle, label and packaging. I feel very fortunate about the classes I took at Bentley in marketing, finance, law, management. I use different elements of my education every day.

This work is inspiring. In December, I met a 7-year-old girl from New Hampshire who was in one of our clinical trials. She would most likely be dead if she hadn’t gotten our therapy. Listening to her mom and dad, who feel so fortunate and blessed to have their daughter with them now, gave me chills. I can’t fully appreciate everything they are going through. But as a parent myself, I can understand how awful this disease can be … how every week and every day matters to these families. Just thinking I can have a meaningful impact on their lives is amazing.

Anatomy of Hope

By Michael Blanding

F

rom the moment he was born, Bodhi Bhattarai was charming and inquisitive, talking early and winning over strangers with a big smile. There was no reason for parents Déodonné and Ranjan, MBA ’10, MSHFID ’15, to suspect anything was wrong.

By 9 months old, however, Bodhi had missed some milestones.

“He didn’t start to crawl or roll over,” says Déodonné. “He wasn’t cruising on the furniture.”

The couple, who live in Concord, N.H., took Bodhi to see a specialist in Boston who made the diagnosis: spinal muscular atrophy (SMA-Type II).

“It was overwhelming,” says Ranjan.

“Almost in passing, the doctor said, ‘He may not ever be able to walk.’ Suddenly we had to come to grips with the fact that our son, who looked perfectly healthy, was not going to have a traditional life.”

A few weeks later, at the annual Cure SMA conference for care providers, researchers and families, Déodonné and Ranjan learned about a treatment being developed by Biogen.

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Bodhi’s doctors identified him as a perfect candidate for the drug’s clinical trial and the family was eager to have him enrolled “We took a leap of faith,” says Déodonné, a lawyer who left her job in health policy to better care for Bodhi. “We essentially agreed to use our infant as a human test subject, not knowing what the side effects could be or what the future might hold.”

In November 2015, the family began making regular 300-mile round trips to Hartford, Conn., for the injections.

Since the trial was blinded, they didn’t know whether Bodhi was receiving the real drug or a placebo. Still, over the next year, they saw his overall strength and energy levels improve.

He began rolling over independently and continued to eat and breathe without assistance.

He gradually gained strength in his hands, arms, abdomen and leg muscles. When the trial’s first phase ended in November 2016, their hunch was confirmed: Bodhi had been in the dosing group for the drug, which earned FDA approval in late December.

“The wave of relief has been huge,” says Déodonné. “It’s been one of the greatest sources of strength for us, knowing that Bodhi is getting the best treatment out there.”

As the search for a cure continues, the family takes things one day at a time.

“It has helped us not worry so much about what his life will be like in one year or three years,” says Ranjan, a user experience architect for a cybersecurity company, whose office is just blocks away from Biogen’s Cambridge headquarters. “I see the building all the time, and it makes me feel good knowing there are people inside literally doing life-changing work.”

Back at home, Déodonné recently found 2.5-year-old Bodhi in the kitchen, opening up cupboards and pulling out pots and pans. “We had never needed to child-proof anything,” she says with a laugh. “Now he has the strength and energy to get into trouble.”

Mike DeGagne, MBA ’11 climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro last summer to raise awareness of spinal muscular atrophy. The news and photos he sent for Class Notes (more on page 32) introduced us to his inspiration: Bodhi Bhattarai.

“ It’s been one of the greatest sources of strength for us, knowing that Bodhi is getting the best treatment out there.”

18 | SPRING 2017

PHOTO PAGE 17 COURTESY OF BHATTARAI FAMILY; ABOVE BY FEBIAN SHAH, MSF ’10

Expanded Thinking Network crosses disciplines, collects insights

BY GEORGE GRATTAN

The Zika virus is well known by now. You probably remember the Ebola epidemic (2014) and may recall outbreaks of H1N1 and H5N1 (a.k.a. “bird flu”) in 2009 and 2004, respectively.

But have you heard of Chikungunya? MERS-CoV? How about health threats posed by oil and chemical spills, toxins in consumer products, and natural disasters like floods?

These might not have registered on your radar or, for that matter, received attention by the U.S. government.

What accounts for the gap in awareness? And what are the broad implications?

These questions inform research by Assistant Professor of Global Studies Rob DeLeo. He has been studying what drives — or fails to drive — government preparedness for various types of disasters, including public health crises.

His work included developing an empirical model to predict when, say, Congress would respond to an emerging disease. But DeLeo ran into a roadblock.

“My discipline doesn’t have an obvious modeling technique for these types of problems,” he explains.

“I needed to take other areas of study into account.”

Enter Bentley’s Health Thought Leadership Network (Health TLN), through which DeLeo connected with colleagues in other fields, notably in the sciences and economics, and refined his model drawing on their expertise.

NEWFOUND VIGOR Launched in 2014, the Health TLN is directed by Danielle Hartigan, assistant professor, Natural and Applied Sciences.

It engages a wide range of scholars and experts — from both within and outside Bentley — to foster, advance and share impactful research on health and health care issues that no single academic discipline can adequately address alone.

ILLUSTRATION BY EVGENII BOBROV/SHUTTERSTOCK

“Cross-disciplinary discussions reinvigorated parts of my research and teaching in ways I never imagined,” says DeLeo. “I was talking to natural scientists and economists, and broadening my universe as a scholar.”

Now into its second phase of development and funding from the university — and continuing to grow — the Health TLN brings together 34 faculty and staff from 17 academic departments and centers. It sponsors annual retreats for faculty and alumni representatives, brings thought leaders to campus for lectures and seminars, offers workshops for members, assists in grant research and applications, and takes a lead role in convening experts around the relevant topics.

GROWING CONNECTIONS Some 87 percent of participating faculty surveyed credit the Health TLN with developing new scholarly connections, research ideas, projects or funding opportunities.

In other areas of accomplishment, faculty working with the Health TLN and Career Services have helped create internship opportunities for students at Mt. Auburn Hospital in nearby Cambridge. Other faculty are working with Children’s Hospital on the communication of risk in the informed consent process.

“Health is an inherently interdisciplinary field,” says DeLeo, who attributes at least two scholarly articles (one at press, the other under review) to his participation in the network. “The TLN has had a major impact in shaping how I think about health care, research it, write about it, and teach about it.”

LEARN MORE | bentley.edu/healthtln

DOUBLESTRENGTH EXPERTISE: The Business of BioPharma Mini-MBA A leading-edge business curriculum, combined with the research focus of Bentley’s Center for Integration of Science and Industry, delivers an education tailored for biopharma professionals. This intensive, six-day, noncredit program provides a solid grasp of business fundamentals, covering topics such as strategy, finance and leadership — all in the unique context of the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries. Choose fall or spring.

LEARN MORE Contact Deb Kennedy: dkennedy@bentley.edu Visit the Web: executive.bentley.edu/ biopharma-minimba

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SUPER MARKET SAVVY

BY KRISTEN WALSH

Noor Faisal Al-Qatami ’07 used to pass time between her Bentley classes doing what she loved: window shopping at local supermarkets. “I like food products, the way they are merchandised and placed on shelves,” says the former Management major. “It’s an art to have it done in a way that’s attractive and sends a message to the customer.”

The self-described “grocery fanatic” knows she’s atypical. Most people regard food shopping as mundane at best. Top complaints include congested aisles, too-few open checkouts, out-of-stock items and indifferent staff, according to a 2015 study of U.S. supermarkets

by Consumer Reports. These criticisms have no place on the shelf at Saveco, the three-yearold mega market that Al-Qatami founded in her native Kuwait. As she puts it: “I wanted to create a destination shopping experience for the family.”

CREATING AN EXPERIENCE A trip to Saveco would likely leave new customers wide-eyed at the generously sized aisles of food and beverages, kept up to Al-Qatami’s high standards of organization and cleanliness. Then there’s the indoor playground for the kids, restaurants and cafés, florist shop, toys, clothing, home furnishings and electronics … even a food academy that offers cooking classes.

The attention to detail includes the store’s design. Al-Qatami worked closely with architects to incorporate natural elements that would create a relaxing environment for shoppers. Sunlight pours in through large windows; spacious aisles provide ample room to navigate the shopping cart (or trolley, as they say in Kuwait); palm trees sit at the base of the escalators, with treetops towering high over the second floor. The logo’s colors — green and blue — were chosen to symbolize land and water.

“We provide customers with more than what they want,” she says of a philosophy that crosses into the after-shopping experience: A Saveco worker, wearing a crisp white shirt and tie, transports and unloads purchases to the customer’s car.

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BRANDING THE MARKET The idea to open her own store surfaced in 2010. Al-Qatami had been living in Boston, while her husband, Fawi, was doing a fellowship at Boston University. Pregnant and battling morning sickness, she temporarily returned to Kuwait to live with her parents. Having gotten used to U.S. supermarkets, she was shocked at the condition of the government food co-ops where most Kuwaitis shopped.

“I complained to my Dad about the lack of product availability, organization and aesthetics,” she recalls. “Products are thrown in piles, in no particular order. You might find chocolate in the chocolate aisle or the chip aisle.”

Her father’s answer: “Do something about it.”

Al-Qatami developed a business strategy based on high-quality food and other products, convenience, competitive pricing, customer service and a commitment to work with young Kuwaiti entrepreneur suppliers. Store models were inspired by U.S. brands such as Target, Gelson’s, Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods Market.

Her original plan was to launch an online store before settling on the location for a brick-and-mortar operation. A small team began working out of her parents’ garage, doing data entry and product photography (“I would meet suppliers at Starbucks rather than the garage because it was less embarrassing”).

Building the technology infrastructure was more difficult than expected, however: The flagship store opened in Al-Rai before the website was even complete. The opening came with challenges of its own. A two-year wait for electricity to be linked to the building, for example, meant two years of paying rent, paying salaries, and ordering and returning product.

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“ I don’t have the fear factor that most people usually have.”

PHOTO BYJOHAR S.

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“I had already imported products from the U.S. and they were expiring,” Al-Qatami recalls. “I also lost the trust of local suppliers who had placed product on our shelves.”

Staffing presented hurdles as well. Companies are required to hire people already living in Kuwait, with or without appropriate skills and experience. Al-Qatami designed an education program for Saveco employees, to teach skills such as merchandising and product promotion. The now-prestigious program enables staff to earn ISO (International Organization for Standardization) certification.

“I’m successful because I have a good team working with me,” she says. “If they’re happy, they make sure the customer is happy.”

The philosophy seems to work. There are two Saveco mega stores, a Wholesome Foods by Saveco organic food market and, coming soon, a Saveco-To-Go convenience store. Customers are 80 percent Kuwaitis and 20 percent expatriates. Most are middle to high income, though high promotion days — Mondays and weekends — draw a wider spectrum of shoppers.

“We have a very loyal customer base,” she reports. “They get offended if anyone talks badly about the Saveco brand, even going so far as to defend the company on social media before we get a chance to respond.”

That kind of confidence has been essential for Al-Qatami, particularly in a male-dominated landscape. While noting that Kuwait is one of the most liberated Gulf countries regarding women in the work force — the National Bank of Kuwait and Zain telecommunications company have female CEOs — Al-Qatami has taken roads less traveled by women, in the steel and supermarket industries.

“If you realize that there’s no difference between you and your male colleagues,” she says, “you will be able to prove that you’re just the same or even better.”

RISK AND OPPORTUNITY Setbacks come with the territory of being an entrepreneur. Back in 2007, Al-Qatami had joined franchise kings Robert Grayson and George Nadaff to co-found Boston-based Business Expansion International, which focused on taking well-known U.S. brands to the Middle East. Most manufacturers didn’t recognize the benefit of having a mediator, however. The trio then opened a Prep cosmetics store in Newport, R.I., which fell into bankruptcy when the city closed its main street for renovations during the peak summer season.

(Al-Qatami says nearly every store on the street went out of business.)

Though the experiences prompted Al-Qatami to question her business acumen, she held fast to the risk-taking spirit.

“I’m quite the opposite of my husband, who thinks everything HARD LESSONS through the long term,” she laughs. “I don’t have the fear factor that Al-Qatami had a mind for business early on. In 1990, at age 7, she became fascinated by the different currencies of France and Switzerland when most people usually have. I see the benefit more than the risk.”

The business world has taken notice. Her accolades include a place on she was buying candy bars in the neighboring countries. The same year brought a hard lesson for her family, which had prospered in the the Arabian Business list of the 100 Most Powerful Arab Women 2016 and selection as 2016 Businesswoman of the steel industry. When Iraq invaded Kuwait, the Year; the Arab Woman Awards’ 2016 Entreprefamily lost millions and was pushed into debt. neur Award; and Europe Business Assembly’s “My Dad told my cousins and me that if Best Manager and Best Enterprises awards. we wanted money, we had to work for it,” she n 750 employees in three locations.

Al-Qatami’s three sons are already showing recalls of her first job, tending the vegetable n Two 13,000-square-meter mega stores an eye for enterprise. During a recent school garden of her family’s nursery for 5 francs (U.S. (conversion: 139,930.8 square feet). vacation, her 7- and 9-year-olds earned Lego $0.35) a week. n Saveco marketing is done by wordmini-figures from Mom for promoting iTunes Postwar, her father was able to rebuild the of-mouth and on social media — gift cards to Saveco customers. Their business company, now the largest steel provider in no radio and television advertising. bent has some precedence. Working in her Kuwait.

Top tools are Instagram (with more father’s nursery at age 8, Al-Qatami focused on “It was very inspirational,” says the alumna, than 250K followers) and Snapchat. selling one product. who worked in the steel factory for a year n L aunched in 2011, Saveco Cares “Roses were the most expensive thing in that before forging her own path. “I wanted people organizes parties for terminally ill size. I could easily carry them around and tried to to respect me in the same way they respected cancer patients. make sure that everyone who came in bought one.” my father. I always wanted to be like him. But I n The company’s food bank program She smiles at the memory of her persistence. wanted to make a name for myself.” serves 400 families per month.

“It kind of embarrassed my mom.”

FAST FACTS

22 | SPRING 2017

PHOTO COURTESY OF SAVECO

CLASS NOTES

RUSTIC BEAUTY

Albanelly Diaz ’07, MSA ’08 and James O’Grady were married on July 22 in Topsfield, Mass. The couple is living in Fairfax, Va.

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1951 Don Sheehan, Hilton Head, S.C., feels fortunate to have survived Hurricane Matthew.

“I’m going through a massive cleanup of debris. FEMA has declared this a disaster area,” he writes, noting that his own home sustained very little damage.

1952 Writing in November from Naples, Fla., George Bailey reports: “Next year will be my 65th year after graduating from the Bentley School of Accounting and Finance on Boylston Street (at night).

This month my wife and I drove to Waltham and we’re amazed at the size and activity at Bentley University.”

1967

50th Reunion June 2 to 4, 2017

1972

45th Reunion June 2 to 4, 2017 Paul Arsenault, Delray Beach, Fla., moved to the Sunshine State after graduation. He took a position with the Internal Revenue Service in West Palm Beach and subsequently opened Paul Adams, CPA, PA

in Delray Beach. The tax practice is in its 30th year.

He writes: “Thanks, Bentley, for giving me a career opportunity.”

1974 Alan Gerofsky has been the comptroller of Finegold Alexander Architects for more than 16 years. He was promoted to senior associate in 2016. A resident of Sharon, Mass., for almost four decades, he has a daughter, a married son and two grandchildren: Noah and Talya.

1977

40th Reunion June 2 to 4, 2017 Joseph DiLorenzo, P ’09, ’12, Humarock, Mass., received the F. Gorham Brigham Jr. Lifetime Achievement Award at an annual ceremony sponsored by the Boston Business Journal to recognize CFOs. The alumnus was honored for creating a meaningful legacy in the local finance profession.

Marcia Sweezey, Pelham, N.H., has retired from Amazon in Washington and resettled on the East Coast, where she lives on a horse farm. A freelance global

operations consultant, she writes: “I’ve had the good fortune to travel the globe, co-publish a book, and publish multiple articles on the topic of globalization of operations and on internationalization, localization and translation for high-tech audiences. I’ve also been a speaker at major localization conventions.”

1978 Brian Lanigan, P ’06, Concord, Mass., was elected a trustee of Middlesex Bancorp MHC and a director of Middlesex Savings Bank.

1979 Richard Manville Jr., P ’12, Southbury, Conn., retired from accounting three years ago when he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. He writes: “I still keep busy on the farm I own with my two brothers. Harvesting 3,000 bales of hay each summer, fixing fences as needed, feeding the 20-plus animals all winter, and butchering our grass-fed beef for customers keep me busy.” For fun, he owns a 2011 Mustang GT Premium, which he modified with high-performance parts.

The car won Best in Show for 2010 to 2014 models at Mustang Week 2016, held

in Myrtle Beach, S.C. He also participated in a quarter-mile race at the Darlington Dragway. “My fastest run was 12.73 seconds at 115 miles per hour. The car is a dream to drive.”

David Riesmeyer, Chicago, Ill., has joined AEG Partners as a managing director.

1980 Alan Lury writes that his firm’s tax practice is celebrating its 15th anniversary. He serves on the board of directors for Stoughton Cooperative Bank and the Touro Fraternal Association, where he is also vice chairman. He has lived in Sharon, Mass., for 17 years, contributing to the community as president of the rotary club and a member of several town committees.

The alumnus and his wife, Andrea, have two daughters, Abagail and Halle.

1981 Jim Kelliher, Walpole, Mass., was a finalist in the Large Private Company category at the annual CFO of the Year awards ceremony, sponsored by the Boston Business Journal.

1982

35th Reunion June 2 to 4, 2017 David Flynn, P ’20, Glastonbury, Conn., has earned Chartered Financial Consultant certification from the American College.

After Bentley, Karen (Spinnler) Goersch, Norwalk, Conn., received her Master of Science in Finance from Boston College, where her daughter, Jenny, is now studying to be a teacher; her son, Chris, attends the University of Michigan. The alumna is a financial adviser with Ameriprise Financial.

“These continue to be such exciting years for us,” she writes. “I feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity to attend Bentley and BC, and to now experience BC and Michigan with our kids.”

Joseph LaGambina, Plymouth, Mass., has been promoted to vice president, Sales and Customer Services, at Water Borne Sports LLC in Plympton.

1984 John Kapral, Folsom, Calif., merged his tax incentives consulting practice, Back Bay Incentives Advisors LLC, into Gallina LLP.

The Global Alumni Board (GAB), governing body to the Bentley University Alumni Association, has appointed three new directors: Lisa Hurley ’86, MSF ’93 of San Francisco, Calif.; John Ioakimidis ’98 of Arlington, Mass.; and Charles (Chuck) Coppa ’85 of Chelmsford, Mass.

“Their efforts to deepen alumni engagement with the university have helped the association make substantial strides during the past several years,” says GAB chairman Mike Dubuque ’00 (standing, third from left). “ I look forward to the impact they will make as directors, using their leadership skills to help promote Bentley as a premier business university, and further strengthen the association and our network of more than 65,000 alumni across the globe.”

24 | SPRING 2017

PHOTO BY BRIAN SMITH

<< CLASS NOTES

1986 After Bentley, Greg Gagne, Salt Lake City, Utah, received a master’s degree in computer science from the University of Vermont. He moved to Utah in the early 1990s with his wife, Patrice, and is now a professor and program chair of computer science at Westminster College. “I am so thankful for the guidance from Doug Robertson, a CIS professor at Bentley, who was the one that originally advised me to pursue graduate school,” he writes. “Doug’s mentorship was certainly one of the pivotal moments of my life.”

Nancy (Guyott) Kannenberg, Suffield, Conn., has joined MassMutual Financial Group as an assistant vice president in its Accounting Policy group.

Nancy R. (Brush) Mendizabal, Chepachet, R.I., graduated from the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program. The alumna is co-owner and agency principal of Apple Valley Insurance Inc.

1987

30th Reunion June 2 to 4, 2017 Antonio Balson writes: “Greetings from Naples, Florida! In May, I received my PhD in Spanish literature from UNC Chapel Hill.”

He is teaching Spanish and French, as well as coaching girls’ varsity soccer and tennis, at Seacrest Country Day School in Naples.

Stu Benton, North Easton, Mass., won in the Large Private Company category at the annual Boston Business Journal CFO of the Year awards ceremony.

1989 Dick Howell, Foxboro, Mass., has joined the Bulfinch Group.

Robert “Hector” Raimondo and Pippa Fesjian, Woodland Hills, Calif., welcomed a son, Ryan Jaden, on July 25, 2016.

Christine Roberts, Wayland, Mass., has been appointed to head of student lending at Citizens Bank.

1990 Edward Demeritt, Florence, Ky., successfully completed the Association for Talent Development Master Trainer Program.

1991 Sean Henderson, Westerville, Ohio, was named chief financial officer at Henry Schein Animal Health.

1992

25th Reunion June 2 to 4, 2017 Carrie (ViVenzio) Couto writes of living in Durham, N.C., with her husband, Paul, of 14 years, and children Vikram and Ravi. She is a controller for Delegate Advisors LLC in Chapel Hill.

Greg Wilcox, Melrose, Mass., has joined Fidelity Investments as a senior account manager.

1995 Robert Gibson, Marblehead, Mass., has suffered a heart attack and can no longer work. Classmates and friends can contact him at gibson. robert@gmail.com.

Continued on page 28

A group of former colleagues at Arbella traveled to Bentley from across the country to reunite after 30 years: Peter and Mary (Morgan) Barrett ’84, Westford, Mass.; Michael Bourgea ’84, Burlington, Vt.; Linda Follansbee ’85, Wayland, Mass.; Daniel Kutner ’85, Bahama, N.C.; Eric Marino ’85, Los Angeles, Calif.; Susan (Soucy) Nichols ’85, Northborough, Mass.; and David Walsh ’84, Boston, Mass. They write: “We delighted in all the changes that have taken place since our days of attending what was then Bentley College. Many of us had transferred to Bentley from other schools and resided together at Stratton House.”

SPOTLIGHT: NICK STAVROPOULOS ’79

BY CAROLINE CRUISE

Bentley trustee Nick Stavropoulos ’79 has been named president and chief operating officer of San Francisco-based Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E). The formerly separate roles of president for the gas and electric businesses were consolidated into this single utility president.

Since assuming the new role on March 1, Stavropoulos has remained committed to work he led during the past five years to improve performance and strengthen the company’s safety culture, which has earned international recognition by several leading organizations.

He is a sought-after keynote speaker on leadership and safety culture. In recent years, he has addressed the International Atomic Energy Agency (Austria), the Global Safety Culture Conference (U.S.), the Institute of Engineering and Technology/ Institute of Asset Management Conference (U.K.) and the International Safety Culture Symposium (Canada).

Prior to joining PG&E in 2011, Stavropoulos was executive vice president and chief operating officer of U.S. Gas Distribution for National Grid, and held leadership roles at KeySpan Energy Delivery.

The former Accountancy major began his career with a summer internship at Lowell-based Colonial Gas, a small energy-distribution company facing hard times in the late 1970s. His effective work led to a permanent job there, followed by a steady rise through the ranks. His early push to incorporate information technology into operations helped Colonial earn the Smithsonian Award for innovation.

He shares expertise on several public and nonprofit boards. His eight years as a Bentley trustee include current service on the Administration and Finance, Student Affairs, and University Advancement committees. Earlier, he was instrumental in forming the Bentley Executive Club.

Stavropoulos credits the school as “a launching pad for my career. It instilled a drive to always expect more of myself and my teams as we continually strive to get better, along with a desire to help other people and find ways to give back to the community.”

BENTLEY MAGAZINE | 25

Gatherings Winter Break Celebrations Alumni, students, parents, faculty and staff around the world took the chill off January by celebrating Bentley's centennial.

26 | SPRING 2017

PHOTOS BY FRANCES IACUZZI, ROSS MARLOWE, SIMON MENDIOLA AND CRAIG WILLISTON, MSF '94

<< CLASS NOTES

Frozen Fenway Fever Bentley Hockey beat Army West Point in their second straight win at Frozen Fenway, on January 5, 2017.

Alumni fans prepped for victory at a pre-game reception hosted by the Center for Alumni, Parents and Friends.

PHOTOS BY KARALYNN OJEDA-POLLARD AND TASLIM SIDI URNEK

BENTLEY MAGAZINE | 27

CLASS NOTES >> Continued from page 25

1996

2000

Alicia Amaral, MSA, Somerville, Mass., writes that after many years in accounting and finance as an auditor, controller and CFO, she co-founded Juna Financial Solutions. The company specializes in serving emerging businesses.

Mark Milewski, MBA, Manchester, Conn., is an assistant professor of business administration at Tunxis Community College in Farmington. An avid mountaineer, he summited the 29,029-foot Mt. Everest on May 20, 2016.

1997

Brigitte (Wudernitz) Muehlmann, MST, Waltham, Mass., was promoted to professor of accounting with tenure at Babson College, where she also chairs the Division of Accounting and Law. She has been appointed to the executive committee of the International Fiscal Association as well.

20th Reunion June 2 to 4, 2017

1998 Elaine Dickson, MBA, Cumberland, R.I., has joined the boards of Trinity Academy for the Performing Arts and Blackstone Valley Prep Mayoral Academy.

1999 The MEMIC Group has welcomed James Keck, Wilmington, Mass., as a senior production underwriter.

David MacKeen Jr., MSA, Boxford, Mass., was a finalist for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year New England.

Isa Terzi, Newton Center, Mass., joined Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance as vice president, Global Analytics and Reporting Lead.

Michael Pierce, MBA ’04, Medford, Mass., has launched a nonprofit foundation to help find a cure for Fragile X Syndrome; the condition affects both of his sons.

Visit piercefxfoundation.org to learn more.

2001 Jeremy Shea and Cecily Valdes, North Grafton, Mass., were married on June 11, 2016, in Gardner. Falcons in attendance: Nicholas Burt ’06; Whalen Chin; Craig Nigro and his wife, Danielle (Lowe) ’00; and Joseph Waters ’02, MSFP ’03.

2002

15th Reunion June 2 to 4, 2017 Shant Banosian, Belmont, Mass., and Bryan Brown, Hopkinton, Mass., were featured in Boston Agent magazine’s “Who’s Who in Boston Real Estate.”

Kara DeMarco and Ryan Putnam were married on September 24, 2016, on Plum Island in Newburyport, Mass.

The bride’s father, Richard DeMarco ’76, MST ’89, P ’02 celebrated along with other family and friends.

Joelle (Wiita) Spear, MBA, Stow, Mass.; Dan Flanagan, MSFP ’03; and Chris Gullotti, MSFP ’03 — all with Canby Financial Advisors — hosted an event with other industry professionals at Jack’s Abby craft brewery in Framingham.

2003 Dan Flanagan, MSFP, Sudbury, Mass.; Chris Gullotti, MSFP, Sudbury, Mass., and Joelle (Wiita) Spear, MBA ’02 — all with Canby Financial Advisors — hosted an event with other industry professionals at Jack’s Abby craft brewery in Framingham.

Angela (Ciacera) Gusso, North Reading, Mass., was promoted to senior service delivery manager at FIS Global.

Brian Nash ’05 and his wife, Coreen, Milton, Mass., welcomed Olivia Kate on December 8, 2015, at 11:00 p.m. in the breakdown lane of I-95 in Dedham. They delivered her while on the phone with 911. “The paramedics arrived right after I had finished tying off the umbilical cord,” writes the new father.

“The Bentley twist is that I happened to be wearing my men’s lacrosse shirt during the delivery.” [See photo no. 5 at right.]

Jennifer (Gentile) Martin and husband James, Dracut, Mass., welcomed their first son, Remy John, on July 3, 2016.

Sara (Yousefi) and Sean Roy, Wake Forest, N.C., said hello to son Callan Charles on April 5, 2016. He joins proud brother Mason Maxwell, age 3.

Gregory Zelfond, MBA, Ottawa, Canada, is a founder and CEO of SharePoint Maven, a consulting agency that helps small and mediumsized businesses collaborate using SharePoint and Office 365 technologies.

2004 Kira (Abraham) Aprahamian Sullivan, MSA ’05 and her husband, Kris, Newton, Mass., welcomed Peyton Vittoria on April 27, 2016.

Bob Croak, MST, Wilmington, Mass., traveled to England to attend a conference, hosted by the CFO Centre Group, on international business relations with the United States.

Jessica Donahue, Augusta, Maine, has been promoted to account supervisor at Nancy Marshall Communications.

Abigail (Lipinski) Fenlason and husband Jay, Somers, Conn., welcomed Colleen Grace on July 4, 2016. She joins big siblings Mallory, age 1, and Kyle, age 4.

In summer 2016, more than 55 alumni gathered in Miami for a Bentley minireunion. They shared memories and life updates, and made plans to reunite in 2020, in either Puerto Rico or Waltham.

28 | SPRING 2017

Allison (Lodge) Forsman and husband Ryan, Denver, Colo., are proud parents of Jillian Jo, born May 29, 2016.

James LaFleur and Sheila Slattery, Squantum, Mass., were wed on September 17, 2016, in Duxbury. Falcons in attendance: best man Christopher Tardif ’05; Ra (Un) Tardif ’05; Leia Amarra ’05, MSF ’06; and Greg Lacasse ’05.

Dawn Marinelli and Andrew Kurzon, Weston, Mass., gave a warm welcome to Benjamin Kurzon on September 7, 2016.

2005 Editor’s note: The name of alumna Leia Amarra, MSF ’06 was misspelled in the summer 2016 edition of Bentley Magazine. We regret the error.

Scott Demers, Auburn, Maine, is the co-founder of Cheating Gourmet. The company was named one of the fastest-growing small companies in Maine by Mainebiz.

Stephanie Murdough and Pramod Sanaga, Jersey City, N.J., were married on July 9, 2016, in Castleton-onHudson, N.Y. Falcons in attendance included Sonia Chan; Michael Giraldo ’04, MSIT; Evan Horn; Dereck Johnson, MSA ’06; Jessica Lee, MSHFID ’06; Jennifer McDonough, MBA ’13; Matthew Petit; Gloria Shum; and Elba Valerio.

An additional celebration was held in Hyderabad, India.

2007

10th Reunion June 2 to 4, 2017 Meghan Burtt, North Haven, Conn., continues to lead the tax function at Stone

<< CLASS NOTES

Point Capital and, in early 2016, opened Next Level Fitness with her partner, Dan Lewinson. She writes: “This was an easy addition to our family business, since we have been running youth football training camps in the summer (Next Level Sports) and manage a local nonprofit for inner-city kids, using athletics as a tool to connect with them (Next Level Mentors). I definitely have been putting all the various business skills to use in both my professional and personal endeavors. Can’t wait to see you all at the reunion in June!”

Albanelly Diaz, MSA ’08 and James O’Grady, Fairfax, Va., exchanged vows on July 22, 2016, in Topsfield, Mass.

Fellow alumni attending were Elizabeth Bonilla, MSA ’08; Rossemary Calderon; Aurora Castillo ’08; Mui Chhua; Gabriela DeLeon, MSA ’08; Eric Filkins ’04, MSA ’05; Maria Guerrero ’09; Joemarie Hernandez ’08; Liana Kipp ’06, MSA; Ben Ortiz ’08; Tatiana Peralta; and Chrismaldi Vasquez.

William Kavanagh and Casey Pereira, Brighton, Mass., were wed on October 22, 2016, in Bristol, R.I. The Falcon contingent included Kevin Baker ’09; Kevin Brown ’08; Mike Cloutier; Jon Conelias; Matt and Beth (Howell) Freedman; Bryan Kennedy ’08; Eric Lohwasser, MSA ’08; Katie (Coveney) Lohwasser; Kyle McCarthy; Gina McClary ’12; Adam Mushaweh, MSF ’08; Michael Perkins; Reid Prinzo; Tonya Smith ’08; Brian Thompson; Erica Weeks ’08; John Whittaker; and Phil Wilson, MSA ’08.

Susan Lowe, MSA, Northampton, Mass., is the new chief financial officer for Home Healthcare, Hospice & Community Services in Keene, N.H. She writes: “I’ve also become treasurer of the board of directors for Pitch in for Baseball, a nonprofit bringing the joys of baseball and softball to boys and girls around the world, as well

Future Falcons 1.

4.

2.

1. Remy John, child of Jennifer (Gentile) Martin ’03 and husband James 2. Ryan Jaden, child of Robert “Hector” Raimondo ’89 and Pippa Fesjian 3. Benjamin Kurzon, child of Dawn Marinelli ’04 and Andrew Kurzon 4. Peyton Vittoria, child of Kira (Abraham) Aprahamian Sullivan ’04, MSA ’05 and husband Kris 5. Olivia Kate, child of Brian Nash ’05 and wife Coreen 6. Blake Michael, child of Jennifer (Donoghue) Twombly ’08 and husband Donald 7. Vivian Elena, child of Paloma (Ferreira) ’10 and Tom ’10, MBA ’11 Standley 8. Austin, child of Sarah Pluck ’08 9. Jillian Jo, child of Allison (Lodge) Forsman ’04 and husband Ryan

5.

6.

7.

8.

as treasurer of the board of directors for Strategies for Youth, a national nonprofit focusing on better outcomes for police and kids.”

Shana (Orczyk) Sissel, MBA, Chicago, Ill., was named vice president, client portfolio manager at Ariel Investments.

Elise Noël and Daniel Yagoda, Brookline, Mass., were married on May 28, 2016, in Playa del Carmen, Mexico. Falcons in attendance: Mike Caliva ’08; Kaitlin (Anelauskas) Curbeau, MSHFID ’14; Danielle (Stewart) Knope, MSF ’11; and Zach Knope.

2008

Jennifer Ricci and Keith Roux, Quincy, Mass., were wed on May 24, 2015.

James Schortemeyer, MSMA ’10 and Caroline Sheedy ’09, MBA ’14, Reading, Mass., were married on November 5, 2016.

Rebecca Baird, MSA ’09 and Lieutenant Peter Lang of the U.S. Coast Guard were married on May 7, 2016, in Simsbury, Conn. Fellow grads included bridesmaids Megan (Sullivan) Armitstead, Anne Culver and Kara (Armbruster) Peabody; groomsman Jack Baird ’03, MBA; and 11 other alumni. The couple now resides in Hernon, Va. Dan Berlin, MBA, MSHFID, Waltham, Mass., reports: “I

3.

9.

just hired yet another Bentley HFID alum for the research team at Mad*Pow, a design agency in Boston. All five members are HFID alumni, including my manager, Mike Hawley, MSHFID ’06, who was one of the first HFID grads and will be teaching in the program starting in the spring. I specifically look to Bentley HFID grads when I want to hire for the research team, as I know they can hit the ground running, will be good in front of clients and will be rigorous UX researchers.”

Vienne Cheung, MBA, Brookline, Mass., is the founder of hosiery brand VienneMilano, which launched a new website

(viennemilano.com) and a collection made in Italy.

“Our business turned five in November!” she writes.

“I could not have made it happen if it were not for the business education I received at Bentley.”

Bill DeRusha and Hannah Pelton, Medford, Mass., said “I do” on September 17, 2016, in Enfield, Conn.

Falcons in attendance: bridesmaids Stephanie (Canton) Haddad ’03 and Amanda (Perrotti) Owens ’13; Theresa Dagumboy; Matt Dempsey, MSMA ’09; Suzanne deSousa ’07; Chris Murphy ’06; Tim O’Brien; Tom Schofield; and other Bentley-connected friends and significant others.

BENTLEY MAGAZINE | 29

FAMILY MATTERS >>

An Unexpected Legacy Brooke Jameson ’19 never planned to join the Bentley family, but as soon as she visited campus she knew it was home. She follows in the footsteps of her parents, Ed ’85 and Megan (Zielinski) ’85.

“That’s smooth, Dad!” Brooke is surprised, hearing Ed’s story of meeting Megan in auditing class during their senior year. He reports that his now-wife asked if the adjacent seat was taken, and he boldly invited: “It is now.”

As it unfolds, the tale gets more and more fuzzy. Was it actually geology class? Had the two met once before? Did Ed register for auditing just to get closer to Megan? The details are less important than the result: a tight-knit family of Falcons who continues to be impressed by their shared alma mater.

Each family member started with some knowledge of Bentley but forged an individual path once on campus. In Ed’s case, the connection was his father, Gordon ’63, who had taught him to prepare tax returns at age 16. It felt natural to pursue his own accounting degree at Bentley, while working for the family business, which Ed now owns. Megan likewise wanted to study accounting;

“I told my parents there was no way I would attend Bentley just because they did,” says Brooke, a competitive swimmer who was sizing up schools based on academics and athletic opportunities. She finally agreed to attend an information session and swim recruiting weekend at the university. It immediately felt like home and Brooke canceled the rest of her recruiting trips.

And now? “My favorite spot on campus is the pool with my swim team family.”

A Marketing major with a minor in Information Design and Corporate Communication, Brooke is considering her career options.

Ed and Megan are encouraged by Bentley’s strong placement record.

The competition for jobs is tougher now than when they graduated, but they know Brooke will be well served by her education. Says Ed: “I really have a complete respect for the way that the school has grown with the times.”

her sister, Pauline ’76, pointed the way to Bentley.

Their daughter was not inclined to follow suit.

30 | SPRING 2017

As told to Caroline Cruise PHOTO BY TASLIM SIDI URNEK

<< CLASS NOTES 2008 continued Courtney Lynch and Christopher Luongo, Marshfield, Mass., were wed on April 9, 2016, in Harwich Port. Many Falcons joined the celebration, including bridal party members Arden Brust and Megan (Culver) Skinner.

Rohan Mehta, Marlborough, Mass., has earned the Accredited Portfolio Management Advisor™ designation as well as the Certification in Long-Term Care.

Ben O’Sullivan-Pierce, Medford, Mass., is the owner of Fresh Start Contracting in Belmont. The 22-person company specializes in renovations and additions to homes. One recent project — a historic renovation in Cambridge — earned recognition by Design New England magazine.

Christine Pape and Robert Rizzi, Long Island City, N.Y., were married on May 29, 2016, in Old Saybrook, Conn., surrounded by 23 fellow Falcons.

Nicholas and Sharon (Risoldi) Prendergast, MST ’09, Georgetown, Mass, welcomed Nolan Patrick on February 15, 2016. He joins big sister Audrey, age 2.

Jennifer (Donoghue) Twombly and husband Donald, Hull, Mass., welcomed a second baby boy to their family. Blake Michael was born on March 30, 2016.

2009 Courtney Beinhaur and Michael Duggan, Gloucester, Mass., were wed on October 8, 2016, in Jay Peak, Vt. Falcons on hand included bridesmaid Colby (Durant) Harney and groomsman Brian Morin.

Monica (Nicholas) Dambach, Falmouth, Maine, writes: “After seven years within the advertising and marketing world, I decided to pursue an entrepreneur path as a Realtor out of Ocean House Real Estate in my hometown of Cape Elizabeth.”

Captain Jonathan G. Krug, U.S. Army JAG Corps, and Catherine Anne Larson were wed on April 9, 2016, in Charlottesville, Va. Guests included Andrea (Ranney) Sprague and Jacob Sylvain.

The couple is living in Germany.

Mai Phung and Benjamin Shou, Everett, Mass., were wed on August 27, 2016, in Boston. Falcons in attendance: Aubrey Batzinger ’14, MST ’16; Alec Biedrzycki; Melinda Chan ’08; Hannah Chi; Charles Choi; Steve Demetrius ’10; Michael Dong; Clayton Huynh, MST ’13; Lauren Kristoff; Kitty Lee ’08, MBA ’14; Christine Li; Tina Lin; Steven Long ’12; Theeda Long, MST ’10; Enji Lu, MST ’12; Theary Phat ’06, MST ’07; Delia Price ’14; Jimmy Vo, MSA ’10; Winette Vo; David Wong, MSHFID ’14; Mark Yong ’07, MSF; and Nicole Yong ’03.

Kim Rush and Mike Kelley, Westbrook, Maine, were married on September 24, 2016, at Spring Meadows Golf Club in Gray.

Caroline Sheedy, MBA ’14 and James Schortemeyer ’07, MSMA ’10, Reading, Mass., were married on November 5, 2016.

2010 Jim Fletcher Jr., Hollywood, Fla., founded JF Residential LLC, a residential brokerage company focused on ethics and corporate sustainability.

Alex Hintlian and Erin Merrell, Reading, Mass., exchanged vows on August 20, 2016, in Cohasset. Twentytwo Falcons marked the nuptials: groomsmen Greg Davis ’11, Chris Skoufas, MSIT ’16 and Carl Vellali; Dan Arsenault; Jeff Basile; Amanda (Mongell) Border ’09; Matt Border ’09, MBA ’13; Dan Christo ’11; Michael DeLuca; Brian Gilbreath ’09; John Hawkins; Eric Kelly ’12; Vram Kherlopian;

Sam Mayville ’11; Catherine O’Neill; Christine Pape ’08; Michael Payne ’92, MBA ’98; Neil Phelan; Matt Pupa; Robert Rizzi ’08; Jonis Shehu; and Drew Tewksbury ’08.

Laura Jackson and Eric Young, Chelmsford, Mass., were wed on June 18, 2016, in Harvard. Twelve fellow Falcons were in attendance.

Paloma (Ferreira) and Tom, MBA ’11 Standley, Tewksbury, Mass., welcomed Vivian Elena on May 3, 2016.

Lauren Westling, MBA ’11, MSA ’16 and Jared Fostveit, Medford, Mass., were married on September 17, 2016, in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. More than 30 Falcons celebrated with the couple, including some 20 members of Alpha Phi. They included Martha Perry, maid of honor; Amanda (Mongell) Border ’09; and Ashley (Remsen) Sadowsky.

2011 Taylor Fisher, Nashville, Tenn., has joined the Nashville Sounds, a Triple-A affiliate of the Oakland Athletics, as part of their business development team.

Erik Ginthwain, MSA ’12 and Angela Meadows, West Roxbury, Mass., were married on August 14, 2016, in St. James, N.Y. Thirty-one Falcons attended, including father of the groom Peter Ginthwain ’77, P ’11, ’12; bridesmaids Victoria Bergantino ’12 and Alexa Hassaram, MSA ’12; and groomsmen Ryan Amoia ’10, MSA; Christopher Dukich; Joseph Dzwiniarski ’10, MSA; Richard Proscia ’13; and Michael Stavrakos ’09, MSF ’10.

Alyssa Minchella and Justin Helms, Nashville, Tenn., were wed on June 4, 2016, in Salem, Mass., joined by 18 fellow Falcons.

SPOTLIGHT: ARNOLD MARCUS ’48

BY KRISTIN LIVINGSTON

When Arnold Marcus ’48 sailed to the South Pacific as a machinist aboard the USS Columbia in the winter of 1945, he never expected to come home.

The Dorchester, Mass., native had enlisted in the U.S. Navy at age 17, knowing he wanted to serve his country. “They didn’t tell me they used real bullets,” he jokes.

Over two years, his unit would endure five kamikaze attacks — suicide missions by Japanese pilots who dove into the Columbia with torpedo bombs strapped to their planes. One such crash, on the deck where Marcus was stationed, occurred just moments after he had left the area. The trauma took a toll: Marcus never spoke of the war to his wife of 67 years, Enid, or to family and friends.

That changed when Rep. Joe Kennedy III reached out for the Veterans History Project. Sponsored by the Library of Congress, the 16-year-old initiative collects first-person accounts by those who served in all branches of the U.S. military during wartime.

“Mr. Marcus is an American hero, and I am humbled to play a small part in telling his story,” Kennedy said upon reissuing the Combat Action Ribbon and Navy Unit Commendation Ribbon, during a service held in September 2016 at the Marcuses’ home in Easton, Mass.

Honored by the recognition, Marcus says that his life has been blessed — including by a connection that brought him to Bentley in 1946.

“The wait-list to get in was long, but my good friend took me to see Harry Bentley,” he recalls. “Mr. Bentley asked, ’Why the hell do you want to come here? You’re a sailor!’”

Marcus assured the founder of his interest and earned admission. His relationship with the school has held steady through what he calls “charmed years.” These include raising three children, working in insurance, teaching tennis to Special Olympians, cheering on the New England Patriots, and being a partner to “the warmest, nicest, most thoughtful person,” he says of Enid.

“I did well.”

The alumnus talks about his wartime experience at bit.ly/arnoldmarcus.

BENTLEY MAGAZINE | 31

CLASS NOTES >>

On August 26, 2016, Mike DeGagne, MBA ’11 embarked on an eight-day trek up Mt. Kilimanjaro to raise awareness for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). The disease affects one in 10,000 babies worldwide, including 2.5-year-old Bhodi, the son of DeGagne’s close friend Ranjan Bhattarai, MBA ’10, MSHFID ’15.

“I want to make this hike for all the children … who battle SMA every day while they wait for a cure,” writes DeGagne, who urges readers to visit curesma.org. “If I can raise awareness … maybe we can get there a little faster.” [The Bhattarai family is featured on page 17 of this issue.]

2012

5th Reunion June 2 to 4, 2017 Brittany Auerbach and Chris Hebert, Glastonbury, Conn., tied the knot on October 8, 2016, in North Stonington. Falcons in attendance included Alyse

Rigoli, bridesmaid; Michelle Bisson ’11; Phoebe (Johnson) Diamond; Bridget Long; Melissa (Rivers) Magoon; Sean Ruegg ’07; Scott Tindall ’08; and the groom’s aunt and uncle, Mike ’87 and Sue (Gregory) ’87 Hebert, who met at Bentley.

Alyssa Callanan, MSA ’13 and Brian Irvine, MSA ’13, Framingham, Mass., said “I do” on August 19, 2016, in Portsmouth, R.I. Many fellow Falcons joined in toasting the newlyweds.

Katie Donnellan, MSA ’13 and Ethan Harrington ’13, MSA ’14, Brighton, Mass., were wed on August 7, 2016, in Newport, R.I. The Bentley contingent included David Szymanski, associate professor, Natural and Applied Sciences, who officiated; maid of honor Melissa Reohr; and groomsmen Ken Cross ’13, Mitch Hadfield ’13, MSA ’14 and Mike McDermott ’13.

Others on the guest list: Greg Bucci and wife Susan Matano Bucci ’10; Bill Dailey ’13; Taryn Dooley ’13; Rachel Fearn ’14, MBA ’15; Elliott Gordon ’13; Joe Hark ’14, MSA ’15; Steve MacKenzie ’15; Andrew Marsano ’13; Kaelyn O’Connell ’13; Rick Oches, professor and department chair, Natural and Applied Sciences; Heather Sprinkle, MSA ’13; Justin Woodard, assistant director, Residential Center; and Hayden Ziebel-Lipitz ’13, MSA ’14.

SPOTLIGHT: MODEL REUNIONERS

BY KRISTIN LIVINGSTON

The idea was cooked up over breakfast one day

by Peter Cowie ’81, P ’10 and David Splaine ’81: create an endowed class scholarship — the first of its kind at Bentley — in honor of their 35th reunion.

Cowie and Splaine knew they’d need power in numbers.

Calling classmates, many of whom they’ve seen every summer since graduation, was easy.

Nancy (Hacker) Place ’81 was quick to contribute. With two younger alumni colleagues in her office at Appleton Partners Inc., Place is always impressed by each graduating class. The scholarship, she hopes, “will help Bentley continue to attract the best and brightest who have a passion for business.”

“We’ve all gotten help along the way in our lives — a scholarship, a loan, advice,” says Splaine. “We have the chance to do the same for deserving students.”

32 | SPRING 2017

April Gammal, Westborough, Mass., was published in the Massachusetts Society of CPAs magazine, SumNews.

Gregg Grenier and Kate Baker ’13 are engaged and planning a wedding for 2018.

Kerrin Kasianowicz and T.J. Santalesa, Boston, Mass., were married on June 4, 2016, in Scituate. Many Falcons were in attendance.

Kristen Lavallee and John Spencer Hayes, MSA ’13, Boston, Mass., were married on June 11, 2016 in Middletown, Conn. Many Bentley friends were in attendance, including maid of honor Marie Viscardi and ceremony reader Evelyn Marrero, MSA ’13.

Gabrielle Mason and Gregory Jacques, Lindenhurst, N.Y., were married on September 3, 2016, on Long Island, surrounded by fellow Falcons from the classes of 2012 and 2013.

Emily McDonald and David Horovitz, Secaucus, N.J., were wed on June 18, 2016, in Mount Sunapee, N.H. More than 40 fellow

Falcons attended, including bridesmaids Ashley Donahue ’13; Alex Hitchcock ’14 and Corey Shaw, MSA ’13; best man David Endich; groomsmen David Bernstein and Casey Millman ’11, MSA ’14; and officiant Matthew McDonald ’06.

Justin Temple and Yoko Boschetti ’13, New York, N.Y., were wed on August 2, 2015, in Newport, R.I. The wedding was attended by fellow Falcons and the couple’s appropriately named puppy, Bentley.

2013 Kate Baker and Gregg Grenier ’12 are engaged and planning a wedding for 2018.

Yoko Boschetti and Justin Temple ’12, New York, N.Y., were wed on August 2, 2015, in Newport, R.I. The wedding was attended by fellow Falcons and the couple’s appropriately named puppy, Bentley.

Erin Crisanti and Michael LeBlanc, Medford, Mass., were wed on June 25, 2016, in Westbrook, Conn. Fellow Falcons in attendance: Kyle DeLuca ’11; Ryan Harkins, MSIT ’14; Meaghan

Adds Tom Keene ’81: “If alumni as a community get into this pattern of giving, we’ll raise the bar for all programs.”

To date, 65 donors have given more than $563,000 to the Class of 1981 Endowed Scholarship — ­ making it the largest class gift in Bentley’s history. The reasons to give back are many; the impact will extend for generations. And the scholarship is always open for business.

“Anyone can contribute,” Cowie says. “And we hope you do.”

To create your own class scholarship, contact Betsy Whipple, director of leadership giving, at 781.891.2769 or bwhipple@bentley.edu.

<< CLASS NOTES

LaFrancis; Manuel Perez-Benitoa; Bobbi Prior LeBlanc ’82, P ’13; Andrew Remus, MSA ’14; and Katherine Theroux.

Tony Dello Stritto, MST ’14, Rutland, Mass., is now a senior tax associate at Grant Thornton LLP. Drew Gilmore, MSF ’14, Park City, Utah, founded and launched Legend Sleep, an online luxury sleep products company based in Park City.

Visit legendsleep.com.

Ethan Harrington, MSA ’14 and Katie Donnellan ’12, MSA, Brighton, Mass., were wed on August 7, 2016, in Newport, R.I. Falcons on hand included David Szymanski, associate professor, Natural and Applied Sciences, who officiated; maid of honor Melissa Reohr ’12; and groomsmen Ken Cross, Mitch Hadfield, MSA ’14 and Mike McDermott.

Others on the guest list: Greg Bucci ’12 and wife Susan Matano Bucci ’10; Bill Dailey; Taryn Dooley; Rachel Fearn ’14, MBA ’15; Elliott Gordon; Joe Hark ’14, MSA ’15; Steve MacKenzie ’15; Andrew

Marsano; Kaelyn O’Connell; Rick Oches, professor and department chair, Natural and Applied Sciences; Justin Woodard, assistant director, Residential Center; Heather Sprinkle ’12, MSA; and Hayden ZiebelLipitz, MSA ’14.

Mikerson Laurent, Boston, Mass., joined the Office of Richard R. Miller as an associated financial adviser.

Garrett McNeill and Catherine Durant, Charlestown, Mass., were wed on June 4, 2016, in Georgetown. Falcons and friends in attendance: Greg Bonomo; Howie Boyce; Bryan Carton; Ariana DiMona; Jane (Czelusniak) ’81 and Michael ’80 Durant, mother and father of the bride; Danny Guadagnoli ’14, MSF ’15; Bob Hand ’79; Steph Kos ’14; Jeremy Koufakis; Ryan McCarthy; Kyle McKay; Patrick McNamara; Amanda McVay; Mike Morin ’79; Evan Pincus; Lauren Pflanz; Chris Thiel; John Uhlmann; John Wadman ’80; Maribeth Wadman ’80; Dylan White; and Maggie Woods.

Paige Purdon and Julian Valentine, Putnum, Conn., were wed on February 12, 2016, in Hartford. The couple also celebrated with family and friends in Puerto Rico.

2014 James Donato, Winston Salem, N.C., received his Master of Business Administration, Supply Chain Management, from the Smeal College of Business at Penn State.

Angela Maria Hart, Danvers, Mass., received her master’s degree from Georgetown University and is pursuing a PhD at American University.

Chih-Ying Lee, MBA and Markus Sieber, MBA, Augsburg, Germany, were married in that city in July 2016. Alumni on hand for the nuptials: Karen Chang, MBA; Kashyap Gandhi, MBA; Adam Hammond, MBA, MSF; and Amitav Khandelwal, MBA, MSIT. Christopher Orihuela, New York, N.Y., was promoted to business strategy consultant at Accenture Strategy.

Kanchan Nebhwani, Paramaribo, Suriname, had a fun Class of 2014 mini-reunion in Boston with Maria Veronica Santos Beliaeva, New York, N.Y.; Gunveen Chadha ’13; Zhamilya Korgasbekova, Almaty, Kazakhstan; and Fariba Shamim, Braintree, Mass.

2015 Lisa Belliveau, MST ’15, Manchester, N.H., was promoted to senior manager in the tax practice at Baker Newman Noyes.

2016 Citizens Bank tapped Thomas Duggan, Canton, Mass.; Daniel Shaughnessy, Sudbury, Mass.; and Kristina Schneider, Boston, Mass., for its commercial banker Early Career Development Program.

summer of “adulting.” He launched the app MyBarber, which secured its first B2B client and a board of advisers.

Other highlights: “I was an Uber driver for a month before quitting, secured a part-time job as an inbound marketing specialist, finished Game of Thrones, and got a lot better at basketball.”

2018 Ken Newton, MST, Webster, N.H., was promoted to manager in the tax practice at Baker Newman Noyes.

Christopher Fevry, Providence, R.I., writes to share lessons from his first

NO TESTS

Waive the GMAT

NO FEES

Pay no application fee

NO BRAINER

Get moving on your master’s degree

Jeff Rhodes, Houston, Texas, reports that his fantasy football league, formed during freshman year at Bentley, is holding fast. The Class of 2009 group gathered in Houston this past August: Chris Caputo, Springfield, Mass.; Ryan Carroll, San Francisco, Calif.; Michael Credit, MST ’11, Westminster, Md.; Pete Hodor, Caldwell, N.J.; Brian Malconian, Cambridge, Mass.; Joel Nadeau, also from Houston; Will Quinn, Jamaica Plain, Mass.; and Andy Stuart, Lancaster, Penn.

This new program serves students with a cumulative 3.2 GPA who want to pursue a master’s degree within five years of graduation. Request details by emailing falconfast-track@bentley.edu or calling 781.891.2108.

BENTLEY MAGAZINE | 33

NEXT STOP:

LONDON Spotting royals is hardly the only thing to do in this city across the pond.

The culinary scene changes constantly! Try Dishoom, the best Indian meal you can get without shelling out for a ticket to Mumbai.

I’m partial to the one in King’s Cross for its architecture and design. One of my favorite pubs is the Portman in Marylebone, for fancy cocktails and a great beer selection. The Friendship Society in Soho is a small mixed bar/club where everyone is welcome — just bring good energy and a positive attitude!

After a night out, treat yourself to an English or American-style breakfast at the Breakfast Club. Rodney Cornelius ’99 The Sky Garden at the top of the “Walkie Talkie” skyscraper (20 Fenchurch) has one of the best views of London. And it’s free!

Just book in advance. South of the city, Seven Sisters Country Park is a nice day34 | SPRING 2017

trip with chalk-cliff hiking. St. Katherine Docks near Tower Bridge is highly recommended in the summer, when you can sit outside, relax and eat some pizza.

Lilach Epstein ’08, MST ’10 A wonderful example of Victorian architecture is the recently restored St. Pancras train station, which has a beautiful hotel lobby and bar. For the musically inclined, there are two street pianos inside. The Jewish Museum in London is a great place to learn about the long and rich culture of Anglo-Jewry. Those interested in World War II can experience what life was like during German attacks in the 1940s by visiting the Churchill War Rooms. For fun on the cheap side, take the 82 bus through London and its suburbs.

The trip from one end to the other is about an hour; it’s lovely sitting upstairs. For a bus line that visits all the sites, try the 15, which features vintage double-decker buses.

Astrid Zajdband, MSF ’93

Take a day-trip to the Pennyhill Park Hotel and enjoy the amazing spa, or head to Brighton and visit the new British Airways Tower. Grab a pint at the Anglesea Arms, located in both South Kensington and Hammersmith, try the Painted Heron for Indian food, and book a table at one of the restaurants in the Shard — Aqua Shard, Oblix or Hutong — to dine at the top of the city.

It’s a must! Andressa Perondi ’97 Regent’s Park is my favorite park in London.

It’s home to the Queen Mary’s Rose Garden and a lovely stretch called the Avenue Gardens, which rival those of a European palace or château — all for free! If you’re up for trendy drinks in a quirky setting, check out Sketch: Their egg-shaped bathroom pods are legendary! Bea’s of Bloomsbury is great for tea, coffee and cakes.

Jessica Gioglio ’05 (Look for more of the alumna’s tips on thesavvybostonian.com/ london-guide.)

<< CLASS NOTES

In Memoriam 1935 Earl Champion

1937 Clifford Cooper Jr.

1939 Corydon Howland Benjamin Kostin Robert Morse

1941 Kenneth Hohensee John Zunka

1942 Lincoln Robinson

1943

Alvin Bronevick John Hallisey Jr. Allan Howard William Kavanagh Jr. Alfred Lebrun Charles Moran Sr. Kenneth Smith

1951 Elmer Cozzens Frank Durante Joseph McCarthy Sr.

1952 Ralph DiNapoli Myron Smith Marion Stacey

John Hooley

1953

1945

Alfred Higuera John Kelliher John Miller Sr.

Dorothy Mann

1947 Ceasar Anquillare Edward Brown Arnold Chistianson John Cole, P ’73, Former Professor of Accountancy Gaetano DiGiovanni Irene Hutchinson David Monroe Miller

1948 John Casey Roger DeRaleau David Leavitt Richard Roulx

1949 Benjamin Benson, P ’80 Edward Comber Jr. Joseph Daly Albert Gualtieri Henry Thyne

1950 Joseph Anastasi Natalie Balboni

1954 Eber Currier Jason Novitch

1955 Charles Hovey Jr. John Howard, P ’88

1956 Thomas Manning Roger McCann William Palmer William Ryan

1957

1959

1976

1998

Lorraine Fitzpatrick

Joseph Salmon

1960

1977

Scott Klein, MSA, MSFP ’02

Francis Bresnahan Joseph Enos

Stephen Baldi, MST

1961

2001

Garifalia Martinos

Paul Maloney Donna Mates

1962

1979

2004

William Freedman Brian Peavey Sr.

Harold Sobel

Michael Hughes, MSCIS

1980

2007

1963

Joyce McCarthy

Reed Nixon

1981

2008

Hector Araniz Joseph Keaney, MSA Marie Vizzari

Michael Albano Ruari Sean O’Shea

2010

Richard Abcunas Sr. Arthur Bell Rosaire Morin

1984

Nicholas Depass

Samuel Bonasoro

2011

1985

Michael Freedman

1969

Mary Connolly-Cabral Tara O’Brien-Quinn Donald Tupper

2012

Duane Dunbar Dean Harrington Joseph Lapietro Sr.

1987

Richard Bove Former Adjunct Professor of Human Resources

1971

Darren Zysk, MST

Muriel Wellington

1965 John Lonergan

1968

George Bragdon

1970

Fraser Delaney Robert Hague

1972 Elliot Gropper Alfred Sera

Norman Boisvert, P ’95 Laurence Cable Philip Doherty Doran Hallett William Murphy Robert O’Handley

1973

1958

1975

James O’Donnell, P ’86

James Matson James Powers

1974 Louise Bilodeau Henry Norland Steven Kelliher David Pshenishny

1978

Harry Alexanian, MBA

1988 1989 Richard Murdock

1990 Robert Courchene-Roy, MBA Ralph Raynard

1991 Mark Ferman, MBA

1999 Michael Pedroli Mark Rezendes

Matthew McDonough

Friends of Bentley

Robert Fano Trustee (1973 to 1993) Frank Fessenden Founder, Natural Sciences Department and Professor of Geology Gerard McShane Former Equipment Manager Elwood “Al” Shields Founder, Bentley Athletics Program and Athletics Director (1963 to 1991)

1992 Timothy O’Connor, MBA Richard Smith, MBA

1993 James Burns, MSCIS, P ’94 Henry Heffernan, MSA

Editor’s Note: The summer issue column mistakenly included Robert Sewall, MSA ’82; his father, Bob Sewall, passed away. We regret the error.

BENTLEY MAGAZINE | 35

CLASS NOTES >>

1.

2.

3.

4.

6.

5.

36 | SPRING 2017

7.

9.

8.

10.

12.

13.

11.

14.

1. Emily McDonald ’12 and David Horovitz ’12 2. Jeremy Shea ’01 and Cecily Valdes 3. Courtney Lynch ’08 and Christopher Luongo 4. Alex Hintlian ’10 and Erin Merrell 5. Chih-Ying Lee, MBA ’14 and Markus Sieber, MBA ’14 6. Mai Phung ’09 and Benjamin Shou ’09 7. Captain Jonathan G. Krug ’09 and Catherine Anne Larson 8. Kara DeMarco ’02 and Ryan Putnam 9. Bill DeRusha ’08 and Hannah Pelton 10. Caroline Sheedy ’09, MBA ’14 and James Schortemeyer ’07, MSMA ’10 11. Erik Ginthwain ’11, MSA ’12 and Angela Meadows 12. Gabrielle Mason ’12 and Gregory Jacques 13. Courtney Beinhaur ’09 and Michael Duggan ’09 14. Paige Purdon ’13 and Julian Valentine 15. Kim Rush ’09 and Mike Kelley 16. Brittany Auerbach ’12 and Chris Hebert

15.

16.

BENTLEY MAGAZINE | 37

19.

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22.

23.

24.

25.

17.

18.

20.

21.

<< CLASS NOTES

26.

28.

27.

29.

30.

31.

33.

34.

32.

17. Brittany Topham ’12 and Matthew Zahoruiko ’10 18. Jennifer Ricci ’07 and Keith Roux ’07 19. Laura Jackson’10 and Eric Young ’10 20. Rebecca Baird ’08, MSA ’09 and Lieutenant Peter Lang 21. James LaFleur ’04 and Sheila Slattery 22. Katie Donnellan ’12, MSA ’13 and Ethan Harrington ’13, MSA ’14 23. William Kavanagh ’07 and Casey Pereira 24. Garrett McNeill ’13 and Catherine Durant 25. Erin Crisanti ’13 and Michael LeBlanc ’13 26. Lauren Westling ’10, MBA ’11, MSA ’16 and Jared Fostveit 27. Kerrin Kasianowicz ’12 and T.J. Santalesa ’12 28. Elise Noël ’07 and Daniel Yagoda 29. Christine Pape ’08 and Robert Rizzi ’08 30. Yoko Boschetti ’13 and Justin Temple ’12 31. Alyssa Minchella ’11 and Justin Helms 32. Stephanie Murdough ’05 and Pramod Sanaga 33. Kristen Lavallee ’12 and John Spencer Hayes ’12, MSA ’13 34. Alyssa Callanan ’12, MSA ’13 and Brian Irvine ’12, MSA ’13

CLASS NOTES >>

Share your travels at #FlexinFlight Bentley’s centennial year finds Flex with a serious case of wanderlust. Alumni have been helping our fearless mascot travel all over, and winning prizes along the way! See photos and contest winners at flexinflight.bentley.edu. jerriethefrenchie

jake_mekin

Rob Bondy ’10, MBA ’14 @rob_bondo: Marty & Flex nesting under the covers on these cold nights! #flexinflight @bentleyalumni Kira Sullivan ’04, MSA ’05: Flex is spending NYE hiking in the 100 Acre Wood in Vermont. #FlexinFlight @bentleyu @bentleyalumni

Jake Mekin ’17: Little flex here can’t help but warm up on this cold New England day. #FlexinFlight

kkerbergram

Kathleen (Alonzo) Kerber ’89: Super Bowl party is how I hang with people I love in February. …

Younger alumni might recognize Ed Gerety, the guy pointing at Flex the Falcon. He often speaks at Bentley. #flexinflight

Jason Josephiac ’08 @jasonjosephiac: #flexinflight @bentleyu #classof2008 #class of 2038 #bentleybaby

40 | SPRING 2017

Bentley Spiritual Life @bentleysplife: The Bentley interfaith team bringing Flex to Atlanta! #flexinflight

debramead47

Debra (Sargent) Mead ’82: Bentley Class of 1982 celebrating 31 years of Christmastime glögg parties on Cape Cod. #flexinflight #bentley100 @bentleyalumni

Shawn Grosser ’02 @shawngrosser: Happy 100th birthday to you — from Emmett (& Emmett’s dada). #flexinflight

jburnhamnyc

Jim Burnham ’80: Alta exceeds 20 feet of snow and #flexinflight is loving all his fresh tracks!

THE

BETWEEN THE LINES Consider the johnny. This standard-issue garment at a doctor’s office or hospital — ­ unstylish, uncomfortable, tied in the back to ill effect — is an apt metaphor for many personal encounters with the U.S. health care system. We feel vulnerable. Anonymous. Parted from everyday life. A company that triggered those emotions would not survive for long.

Take heart: Work by Bentley faculty like Danielle Hartigan and alumni such as Karl Wagner ’87 shows providers moving to treat patients more like the health care consumers they are. Our cover story, starting on page 11, explores the emerging customer-focused mindset and other business strategies with potential to improve the quality, cost and delivery of care.

Elsewhere inside, the partnership between business and health care gets personal.

The topic is drug development; our experts are Lance Colwell ’92 of biotech giant Biogen and a Bentley family living with a gut-wrenching diagnosis. Their paths connect in a surprising way, which came to light thanks to a third alumnus (and one very high peak). We appreciate the courage and honesty of all involved.

These stories suggest a measure of optimism in contentious times. At places including Bentley, there’s collaboration underway that promises better solutions for social ills. Complex issues are best addressed with expertise from across business sectors and academic disciplines. Let’s say fewer walls, more bridges. As for that johnny situation? Paging Calvin Klein.

Stay well and stay in touch.

LEGACY SOCIETY

What will your legacy be?

The late John Rhodes ’33, executive vice president of Schlumberger Ltd. and trustee emeritus of Bentley, created a profound and enduring philanthropic legacy.

“I am just one of many lucky people who are at Bentley because of Mr. Rhodes’ gift,” says Hannah Williams ’19 (left), pictured with some of the more than 60 students to receive the John E. Rhodes Scholarship over the past three decades. “I plan to become a CPA like my sister [Emily ’15] and I’ll be an intern at Grant Thornton this year.”

CENTENNIAL LINEUP

Members of the campus community braved the August heat to mark Bentley’s founding year. The video of their choreographed tribute debuted — when else? — on 1.9.17.

This issue of Bentley Magazine offers you a digital experience.

Whenever you see this icon, scan the magazine page to see photo galleries and videos. This one launches the 1.9.17 video noted above.

Mohammad Abdolmohammadi (center), the Inaugural John E. Rhodes Professor of Accountancy since 1988, fondly remembers his friend: “When John couldn’t afford his last semester, Mr. Bentley told him to write an IOU.”

Download the free Layar app at the iTunes or Android store.

Susan Simpson Editor

1917

Years later, Rhodes repaid the debt — and much more — by establishing Bentley’s first endowed professorship. As the current recipient observes: “We need champions for our initiatives, research and talent, and John was one of our greatest.”

CONTRIBUTORS

Today, the John E. Rhodes Scholarship is Bentley’s largest such endowed fund, thanks to the addition of his transformative bequest.

TASLIM SIDI URNEK

CHICAGO, ILL.

MICHAEL BLANDING BOSTON, MASS.

The independent journalist is a regular contributor to the online Medscape Medical News; her work has also appeared in the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times and several news magazines. This look at the intersection of business and health care is the latest in her coverage of health care trends, clinical developments and policy changes.

Michael’s two stories show the impact of drug development in real time, on real lives. In addition to writing for Wired, Slate, The Nation and Boston magazines, among others, he is the author of The Map Thief (Gotham, 2014).

His next book, for MIT Press, traces the rise of Kendall Square as the leading high-tech and biotech innovation district of the Northeast.

The freelance photographer counts environmental portraits among her very favorite assignments. “Each subject brings something unique to the shoot, in this case, a love of the outdoors. The juxtaposition of Lance Colwell’s work attire against a beautiful scene is striking. You’d never know the setting is steps outside his office!”

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Your legacy. Bentley’s gratitude.

SOMERVILLE, MASS.

Page 16

PHOTO ABOVE BY KARALYNN OJEDA-POLLARD

MARCIA FRELLICK

If you have included Bentley in your future plans, let us thank you with membership in The 1917 Legacy Society. Contact us today for more information.

Office of Gift Planning Liz Siladi (781.891.2475) or Kris Otto (781.891.2586) giftplanning@bentley.edu bentley.edu/giftplanning

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