Bentley University Magazine Summer 2023

Balancing books, breaking barriers

CONTENTS

Features

12 Fundamental Figures: All due credit to women who have shaped Bentley for 80 years and counting

20 Cultivating Potential: Alumni find opportunity and challenge in the cannabis industry Departments

3 News from the Nest: A multicultural makeover, the world as a classroom and more

8 Forward Thinking: President Chrite on why colleges must embrace disagreement and debate

9 Five Things: Human skills that AI can’t replace . . . yet

10 Take Two: e new rules of (employee) engagement

24 A Force for Bentley: Donors honor a mentor and invest in first-generation students

36 The PROfile: Bringing the outdoors in with designer Julie Sousa ’17

38 Trending: Alumni expertise in real estate to plot your next move

39 Family Matters: A happy reunion becomes a thriving business

40 Inside Job: Translating a book into chocolate 26

Prepare to meet some remarkable Bentley women. Our cover story features four whose talent with numbers and infinite determination brought them to this accounting school on Boylston Street, newly coeducational as of 1941. Elizabeth McAuliffe ’45, Rosaline ’48 and Eunice ’51 Berkowitz, and Mary (Durgin) Kline ’48 recall those early days with still-vibrant affection and pride.

“Hearing these stories that no one had asked about in a very, very long time was just magic,” reports Kristin Livingston, who invited two current students along to talk with Mary at home in Virginia.

With coeducation, Bentley seized on changes reshaping the world and American society in the 1940s. Decades earlier, the school founded to professionalize the field of accounting was primed for the rollout of a federal income tax. In the 1960s, students’ calls for a 24/7 college experience spurred construction of a campus in Waltham. And the list goes on.

Innovation and adaptation have stayed constants here. Consider the evidence to follow, including news of an expanded Multicultural Center, best practices for recruiting Gen Z employees and a management professor’s take on the limits of artificial intelligence. The entrepreneurial spirit that drives so many Falcons features prominently in “Cultivating Potential.”

We welcome your feedback.

Editor Susan Simpson

Class Notes Editor Molly McKinnon

Staff Writer Kristen Walsh

Contributing Writers Michael Blanding, Mary K. Pratt, Amanda Siebert

Designers Claire Anderson, P ’14 ’18, Juliana Freire

Multimedia Producer Kevin Maguire

Project Managers Casey Brennan, Vanessa Salas

Print and Production Judy Metz

Meet three who’ve found opportunities in the emerging industry of cannabis.

I have seen almost three decades of Bentley history since joining the staff in 1995. The spring 1997 magazine, my first as editor, bid a fond goodbye to the school’s fifth president, Joseph M. Cronin. Now it’s my turn to retire. This final issue has been special in countless ways: learning about Bentley women over time; highlighting Falcons — of both genders — who carry on their legacy of learning; presenting every story in a design newly refreshed by our talented creative team. The vibe is clean, modern and highly readable, with compelling photos, illustration and other elements to catch your eye.

It’s been a pleasure and a privilege to bring Bentley to you on the page and, starting in 2009, online. The range of topics we’ve explored together is breathtaking. But their throughline is a school ever ready to meet the moment. As a brand new editor once wrote in this space: “There is plenty at Bentley to be proud of.”

Thank you for sharing this remarkable place with me, a non-alumna who has come to feel every bit a Falcon. Take care on your own road ahead and always keep reading.

Assistant Vice President for Strategic Communications John McElhenny

Creative Director Greg Gonyea

Executive Director of Advancement Communications Terry Cronin

Senior Associate Director of Advancement Communications Caroline Pelletier

Associate Director of Content Development Kristin Livingston

President E. LaBrent Chrite, PhD

Vice President for Marketing and Communications Christopher J. Joyce

Vice President for University Advancement Chris Grugan

from the NEWS NEST

PHOTO BY JAMISON WEXLER

Connecting in Style . . . A beautifully renovated Multicultural Center Lounge welcomes students of color to recharge and build community.

Multicultural Center Expansion

The Claudette Blot Multicultural Center Lounge has opened in the Student Center, with students having played a key role in planning the dramatic makeover of an existing lounge. Its namesake, pictured below, has made a positive impact on countless Falcons over 30 years, most recently as assistant director of mentorship and advising. A gift from trustee Robert Alan ’91 made the project possible. Construction was completed by Walker Development, whose president is Nick Poirier ’05. It is the first space on campus named for a person of color. To read about the dedication of the space, see page 24.

Media Highlights

CNBC | Oct. 17, 2022

The network’s morning show welcomed President Brent Chrite, who shared findings of the Bentley – Gallup Force for Good survey.

Newsweek | Dec. 3, 2022

Professor of Economics Dave Gulley commented on the impact of energy and technology sanctions on Russia’s economy.

CBS News | Sept. 9, 2022

Professor of Philosophy Jeff Moriarty, executive director of the Hoffman Center for Business Ethics, discussed the importance of pay transparency.

The Washington Post | Nov. 2, 2022

Assistant Professor of Marketing Shelle Santana discussed her research into online shopping for an article about booking travel on your phone.

USA Today | Nov. 15, 2022

Assistant Professor of English and Media Studies Traci Abbott was interviewed about the importance of transgender storylines in TV and film.

The Boston Globe | Nov. 22, 2022

Assistant Professor of Mathematical Sciences Noah Giansiracusa co-authored an op-ed about the cryptocurrency collapse.

Read these and more at bentley.edu/news.

Bentley - Gallup Force for Good Survey

Should businesses take a public stand on issues in the news? Almost 60% of adults aged 18 to 29 say “yes.” Older adults disagree. Only about 40% of those 45 and older say businesses should speak out. That’s according to the Bentley – Gallup Force for Good survey.

The nationwide survey measures how Americans think business is doing to make a positive impact on the world. Part of a multi-year partnership between the university and polling giant Gallup, the survey has been covered on CNBC, National Public Radio, Fox News, The Hill and other media. Results of a follow-up survey will come out this fall.

Find out more at bentley.edu/gallup.

Student-Athletes Earn Highest Graduation Rate in the Nation

For the sixth straight year, Bentley’s student-athletes have the highest graduation rate in the nation at 99%, according to the latest NCAA Division II Academic Success Rate report. Bentley was one of only three institutions nationwide to receive that ranking.

Engaging Experts

The new President’s Speakers Series invites business experts to share their experience with the campus community. The first speaker was Edward Hightower (right), president and CEO of Lordstown Motors, a commercial electric vehicle company. He was interviewed on stage by Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Paul Tesluk and took questions from the audience.

The Academic Success Rate represents the percentage of studentathletes who graduate within six years of initial enrollment at a college. This marks the sixth year that Bentley received a success rate of 99%, far above the national average of 76%.

“Being ranked number one in Division II in academic success rate is a tremendous tribute to Bentley, our professors, our student-athletes and their dedication to succeeding in the classroom,” said Director of Athletics Vaughn Williams.

Griffin Named Associate Provost for Student Success

Jane Griffin is serving in her first year as associate provost for student success. The new role aims to support and ensure the success of all Bentley students, with a particular emphasis on firstgeneration students. Griffin joined the faculty in 2010 as an associate professor of modern languages. She has also served as interim dean of arts and sciences, chair of the faculty senate, chair of the Modern Languages Department, and faculty director of the FirstGen Presidential Fellows program. The Class of 2026 is the most diverse in Bentley’s history. Some 25% of members are the first in their families to attend college and took part in the inaugural first-generation pinning ceremony.

Watch the video at bentley.edu/pinning.

MLK Celebration Honors Indigenous Communities

The 37th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration marked the civil rights leader’s life and legacy. In keeping with this year’s theme — Honoring Indigenous Communities — Bentley unveiled its Statement of Acknowledgment of Indigenous Peoples and their Ancestral Lands. Lecturer in Marketing Isaura Beltre ’01, MSIAM ’02 received the Dr. Earl L. Avery MLK Leadership Award for her work advising and mentoring students. The student award went to Anyfern Gonzalez ’23, a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and Women’s Leadership Program.

Read the story and watch the video at bentley.edu/mlk2023.

Award winners Anyfern Gonzalez ’23 (left) and Lecturer in Marketing Isaura Beltre ’01, MSIAM ’02

“

In this time of climate chaos, you’ve got to protect what is life. You’ve got to protect the biodiversity of the world.”

WINONA L A DUKE

Activist for Indigenous People’s rights and keynote speaker at the MLK Celebration

Worth (More Than) a Thousand Words

With access to 80 study abroad programs in 25 countries, Bentley students can truly call the world their classroom. Here are some of the stellar images they captured for the latest International Photo Contest.

Clockwise from top … Lake Brienz in Interlaken, Switzerland, by Demi Katinas ’23; atop Rainbow Mountain in Peru, by Mike McEvoy ’25; toasting Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany, by Ashleigh Bolduc ’24; a view of the Northern Lights in Tromo, Norway, by Kade O’Reilly ’22.

BY BRENT CHRITE

Forward Thinking

At universities across the country, what should be a core principle — the discussion of divergent opinions from different viewpoints — has bumped up against a bureaucratic desire to avoid conflict and uncomfortable conversations. Avoiding hard conversations is much too common on college campuses today. The trend is consistent with the growing tribalism in our national discourse, with each of us moving further into our own corners.

To create the best learning environment, colleges and universities need to be intentional about diversifying their student body and attracting learners from all backgrounds. Creating a diverse economic, ethnic and religious community is not just the right thing to do;

it leads to a stronger institution

We’ve been intentional about this at Bentley. The Class of 2026 is our most diverse ever, and its members have the highest cumulative high school GPA of any first-year class in years.

But a diverse student body isn’t enough. I believe the most important facet of diversity is an embrace of differing and even contrarian opinions. This applies equally to viewpoints on the right and the left. I am as committed to protecting the right of expression of students on our campus who hold conservative political views as I am to defending those who hold liberal views.

“Protecting” students from disagreement and conflict is the antithesis of what a college should do.

As the middle ground in America continues to shrink, colleges can and should play a key role in showing students that it is OK to disagree . That not every argument is black and white. That it is a good thing to debate and listen and even change your mind.

This is difficult terrain to navigate. But know that, at Bentley, we are determined to lead the way As the students of today become the leaders of tomorrow, colleges and universities must provide the blueprint to improve the way our society communicates with each other even when we disagree — especially when we disagree.

PHOTO BY KEVIN MAGUIRE

FIVE HUMAN SKILLS THAT

AI Can’t Replace (Yet)

BY MATEO CRUZ, ASSISTANT PROFESSOR

OF MANAGEMENT

Artificially intelligent (AI) technologies are positioned to disrupt the world of work. But creating a workplace where employees feel valued and able to bring their unique perspectives to the table still takes some very human skills.

Suss Out Subtext

Whether it is tone, humor, or irony, humans possess the uncanny ability to say a lot without saying much. That requires inclusive leaders to listen for more in a message than merely the stated facts. They pay careful attention to the subtext of what is being shared. While AI can potentially detect the tone of our communication, it cannot interpret our silence or subtleties, which often say a lot more than intended.

Respond Reflectively

Instead of jumping to advice-giving when someone shares a problem, an inclusive leader asks questions and reflects feelings shared. While ChatGPT can provide a response to a troubling life question, it cannot reveal what may underlie that question. (And as any therapist or executive coach will tell you, the presenting problem is rarely the real “problem.”) Reflective responses help leaders deepen connections and build shared meaning across differences.

Solve for Systems

An act of prejudiced behavior in an organization is rarely about one individual. Diversity dynamics are embedded in social structures, influencing our behavior on a visceral level. AI can map the physical, and even technological, structures of an organization. But it has

yet

to grasp “systems thinking.”

The ability to see implicit patterns in the norms of a company’s culture helps leaders understand individuals’ behavior in the context of their organization.

Decipher Dynamics

Humans are social animals and, as such, we achieve our goals in groups. Yet the way we behave in groups is not the same as when we are alone. This concept is foundational to the psychology of group dynamics. AI might be able to summarize a large amount of data, draft and email a report, and take notes during a meeting about the report. But it cannot decipher how a group’s interactions may reflect greater implications for their ability to reach a shared goal.

Engage with Empathy

Many of us see the value of empathy but fall short on practice. This is not because we don’t care about others’ feelings; rather, we may struggle to accept them in ourselves. To engage effectively with empathy, an inclusive leader must be in touch with their own emotions and vulnerabilities and share them in a way that feels genuine to the other person.

Mateo Cruz, PhD, has more than 20 years of experience researching, teaching and consulting on diversity, equity, inclusion (DEI) and change. He teaches courses in management and psychology, and designs and delivers corporate programming for Bentley’s Center for Women and Business and Office of Executive Education. He holds a doctorate in Social-Organizational Psychology from Columbia University. Learn more about his work at drmateocruz.com.

Mentoring and Meaning

INTERVIEW BY KRISTEN WALSH

Is it really all about the paycheck? For Gen Z, not so much. The Bentley – Gallup Force for Good survey found that 71% of young Americans say they’d switch jobs to work at a company that has a greater impact on the world.

Monique Jefferson ’96 and Chris Ronzio ’08 explain how to attract young workers — and keep them happy once they’re on the payroll.

What are some tips for bringing in and keeping Gen Z workers?

Monique Jefferson: We have five generations in the workplace right now, which makes it difficult not only for HR but also for people who manage teams. I’ve found four areas that work well for recruiting and retaining employees who are early in their careers. The first is purpose: finding work that has positive impact versus taking the highest pay. Second, opportunity for career growth. Third is an inclusive company culture that promotes a sense of belonging. Finally, flexibility. Everyone — not only Gen Z — values flexibility. But they define it differently: remote work, paid time off, or being able to leave early to watch their child’s sports game, for example.

Chris Ronzio: This generation has so many options. They can start a business on their laptop, join the gig economy, drive for Uber. So when hiring, remember that often they’re not just applying for a job, they’re considering if that job will allow them to keep doing a side project of their own.

Gen Z isn’t looking for a home for the next 20 years. They’re deciding whether they can gain skills to put on their résumé and parlay into the next thing. As employers, we have to sell that next year or two, particularly the level of responsibility. And a company needs a compelling mission — solving something that employees want to be a part of — so that when they show up every day, they feel like they’re contributing to a larger purpose.

Flexible work schedules seem here to stay. How do you handle that with young workers who have little experience working in an office?

MJ: Although Gen Z is looking for flexibility and remote-work options, it doesn’t mean they don’t want to come into the office. But if they come in, they want someone they can learn from to be there, too. Organizations must be intentional in creating opportunities for people to connect in person — specific days when the team is in the office, for example. This is especially important for the younger generation so they can learn from older colleagues. And these in-person opportunities also help Gen Z learn

relationship-building skills. They grew up communicating with technology and social media, but there are many situations where a face-to-face conversation is more effective.

When a leader is trying to decide whether someone’s position can be remote, I advise them to decide based on the job, not the person. A client-facing or hightouch job probably won’t work remotely. Basing the decision on the role helps ensure it is done in a fair and equitable way.

CR: Working remotely is a skill, just like HTML coding. We’re always vetting people for a proven ability to work remotely. Do they have the skill set to work independently and be intentional in building relationships?

When hiring a group of people, you have to give everyone a consistent experience to help them understand a company’s mission, vision, values, various job roles and customer personas. A single source of truth. Once everyone has the same foundation, then you can start aiming higher at how to innovate and drive the company forward.

Monique, you have a record of building diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace. What’s the best way to do that?

When we talk about an organization’s culture, inclusion and belonging go hand-in-hand. Do you have a culture where people feel committed to the mission? Do they feel like they can be their authentic, full self? That will lead to a sense of belonging, which will lead to loyalty, creativity, innovation and retention.

Inclusive leaders lead with empathy: They reach out to employees, understand what’s going on inside and outside work, and make sure the employees have the resources and tools they need to develop and grow.

Chris, how does a knowledge of human resources contribute to your success as a CEO?

It’s more a people-first mindset than HR knowledge. At my first company, we didn’t offer benefits. We hired people who were young, and I thought that would be enough of a competitive advantage. But it became

a disadvantage to not invest in people, because we had too much turnover.

My second business was a consulting firm. Several clients had problems because employees didn’t feel recognized or valued. Hearing that month after month seeped into me. So my third business was all about the benefits — health insurance, 401K, paid time off — from my very first hire. If you want to build a business that’s scalable, you have to put the people first. People are what make your business better.

advancing talent with a focus on diversity, equity and inclusion.

MONIQUE D. (YOUNG) JEFFERSON ’96 is chief people officer at Community Preservation Corporation, a community development financial institution. She has more than two decades of experience in human capital management, including

CHRIS RONZIO ’08 is an author, podcast host and the founder and CEO of Trainual, a software platform that transforms the way small businesses onboard, train and scale their teams. Through his work with hundreds of entrepreneurs, he has developed expertise in centralizing business processes and onboarding practices.

Fundamental Figures

More than 80 years after Bentley’s doors opened to coeducation, four of ‘the firsts’ tell their tales

BY KRISTIN LIVINGSTON

ART BY DANA SMITH

Much of history is a book filled with the stories of men, written by men —- and the Bentley of 1917 was no exception to the times: a school founded by a man for male accountants. Thankfully for the university as it stands today, in 1941 women were not only finally, officially admitted to Bentley, but accepted, supported and celebrated.

It’s time to fully witness this journey of more than eight decades. Let’s start by peeling back the sepia filter on four of their number: Bentley women who never intended to pioneer a thing but, just by being themselves, helped write history for all who followed.

Sisters Rosaline ’48 (left) and Eunice ’51 Berkowitz, now and then, with “Mr. Bentley”

PHOTO BY KEVIN MAGUIRE

A String of Pearls

1945, Exeter, New Hampshire

For almost 100 years, the Robinson Female Seminary was housed in the old Exeter town hall. Each school day, flocks of girls raced up and down the grand Victorian mansion to class, studying history and English, geology and domestic science. Mary (Durgin) Kline ’48 was one of Robinson’s star math pupils. For her, numbers were as easy to piece together as the colors in a quilt. All it took was a quick step back to see the pattern.

Eight miles up the road and a generation back, the names Durgin and Gallant had meant something. The silk mill, the grocery store, the bank — Mary’s family practically owned the town of Newmarket. But, with two world wars and the hospitalization of her father, Mary was waiting tables and doing odd jobs from 13 on.

It was her bookkeeping teacher who approached Mary about an accounting school in Boston. “You have a flair for it,” she said.

Mrs. Durgin didn’t approve. Her daughter at an all-boys school, in the city? All by herself? But Mrs. Durgin also realized that, someday, Mary would marry. What if something happened to Mary’s husband, as it had to hers?

1945, Chelsea, Massachusetts

Saturday mornings meant citrus and stacking for Rosaline ’48 and Eunice ’51 Berkowitz. Mountains of oranges. Pyramids of grapefruit. Weekends were a busy time at the family’s kosher grocery store. Fresh produce was their best marketing — and math lesson. Mrs. Berkowitz was a whiz at weighing and calculating each order in her head, and she expected the same of her daughters.

The girls did not disappoint, and never would.

Their father had passed away when Ros was 12 and Eunice 9, bonding them even closer to their mother, a Ukrainian immigrant. “How did I get two crazy children like this?” she’d ask in Yiddish. In their tight-knit Jewish corner of the city, friends looked out for Mrs. Berkowitz. A neighbor offered bookkeeping work to Ros: five days a week for $10. After two months, she was already making $12.

Mary (Durgin) Kline ’48 looks over her class photo with Ashleigh Tain ’24

Ros loved numbers because the answer was either right or wrong; there was no in-between. When you finish the job, she reasoned, you know you’re right because everything balances out.

One day she rushed home to tell Eunice: “Bentley’s is admitting women.” That was Mr. Harry C. Bentley’s School of Accounting and Finance, and Ros was desperate to go. But when her letter came, the envelope was as thin as a deli slice. Mrs. Berkowitz grabbed their coats and drove them to Boylston Street.

“We’re all booked up,” Maurice Lindsay, then professor and future president of the school, told them. The war had ended, he explained, and the boys were coming home. Ros tried not to cry — the end of the war was a miracle — but she couldn’t help it. She wanted and deserved a seat.

Professor Lindsay leaned forward. “Go home. You’ll hear from me in a week or so.”

1940, Lawrence, Massachusetts

Elizabeth McAuliffe ’45 always worried about leaving her mother alone.

Mrs. McAuliffe’s first “shock” came when Elizabeth was 14 — a stroke that left her in no position to work. Elizabeth thrived in math and history at school, but the latter didn’t earn much on Main Street. A local auto repair shop hired her as an accountant and teller. She also found work with the area’s first “superstore” that sold all kinds of food and goods. In the limited free time she could muster, she made it out to Canobie Lake Park on a Saturday night to see acts like Tommy Dorsey, but her days as the breadwinner were long.

Three years later, Elizabeth sent her own application to Bentley’s — and soon found herself sitting in a class taught by the man himself.

Take the ‘B’ Train

Each school day, Elizabeth packed her lunch, kissed her mother goodbye, and caught a ride with Dorothy Keighley ’45 to the Haverhill station. The pair studied or played cards with fellow riders to pass the 45-minute ride to Boylston Street, not a Prudential Center in sight. The classroom they stepped into was more gender balanced than one might imagine. Of the 42 day students, 16 were women.

Harry Bentley was steering his school through another world war.

Twenty-six years earlier, World War I had taken 4 million American men into battle — about 4% of the U.S. population at the time. Turning to coeducation for revenue, Bentley admitted 162 women in the fall of 1918. But when an armistice was declared just three months later, many of these new students rightly suspected that returning servicemen would take or resume all the available accounting jobs. Only three women would graduate. And Bentley’s doors closed to women until it faced the same economic dilemma in 1941.

Even so, Elizabeth never felt a social divide or discrimination for her gender. “We sat side by side with the men, and, no matter who you were, no one was allowed an adding machine,” she remembers. Harry Bentley taught taxation himself and employed Elizabeth and Dorothy for two summers: first, as bookkeepers, and then as test students for his course curriculum and proofreaders of his book.

“He trusted us implicitly,” she says. “Working for him over the summer was wonderful because it was just like being back in school, and he was such a nice man.”

WOMEN OF BENTLEY

1917

Jennie Bell Bentley is instrumental to the success of her husband’s new school, handling finances and enacting policies and procedures to sustain it through the early years.

1918

The First World War prompts Bentley to admit women. Within months, male servicemen begin returning home and to the workforce. Only three of the 162 women who enrolled would graduate.

1920

Bertha Stratton begins a 30-year career as the first woman administrator. She was the only woman to have a campus space, Stratton Hall, named for her — until 2016.

1941

Bentley officially opens its doors to women.

1944

The first fully coed class to graduate includes 11 women.

Tuxedo Junction

Mary and Ros share Elizabeth’s memory of a kind Harry Bentley. But their first day of class, in 1946, was a bit different.

“All of the women were told to come to the front of the room,” Mary says. “I think there were about five of us girls.” (The commencement program shows eight.) “We were told to sit right up front and stick together.”

For seven hours a day, they took classes in law, taxation, English and corrective script in the company of 392 men. “We felt as women we were equal to every man there.”

Financially, Bentley was a bold bet for Mary and Ros, who were paying the full tuition of $350 (about $4,250 today). The average family income in 1948 was $3,200. But, Eunice says, an accounting degree was assured income, absolutely worth the investment.

In 1949, she took that Bentley wager herself. From their home above the family market, the sisters watched the Tobin Bridge rise and bemoaned the traffic it caused. “I was always late to class!” Eunice laughs. She, like Ros, loved math. In fact, a high school teacher had said she was smart enough for MIT — an observation that sent Mrs. Berkowitz to her brother for advice.

His less-than-encouraging response: “If and when Eunice needs to wash diapers, she won’t need a diploma.”

“So that was that,” says Eunice, who remembers a far better reaction to news of her attending Bentley. “A friend of our mother’s was a butcher and when he heard I was going, he took me aside and said, ‘That’s a good school. The best in the country.’

“I knew I’d made the right choice.”

Some Enchanted Evening

After class, Mary either worked as an accountant for a baby product factory downtown or headed straight home to the Franklin Square House, a former hotel that once hosted Ulysses S. Grant and now a working-women’s dormitory in the South End. Curfew was at 11, except on Saturday when the doors were locked at midnight.

With so much school and part-time work, there wasn’t much time for socializing. Respect and discipline for their studies were paramount; that memory is unanimous. But Elizabeth remembers playing hooky with classmates for Ladies Day at Fenway Park, Mary recalls the odd movie for 15 cents, and Ros helped organize a Valentine’s Day dance with male and female students from college clubs around Boston.

“Bentley boys weren’t invited,” Mary says. “But Harry finagled his way in.”

That’s Harry Kline, who made a point of sitting by the pencil sharpener so he could have face time with Mary. Harry Kline, who surprised her by asking her to dance. Harry Kline, who, Mary adds with a smile, “made sure we danced for the rest of our lives.”

Years later, after Harry and Mary had their first son, the couple returned to Boylston Street to see the man who’d unwittingly made their match. “He took the baby,” she says, “and he looked and he said, ‘Well, I finally have a product.’”

As Time Goes By

Mary became a full-time mother after Bentley, working for a short while for her father-inlaw. “I was so proud to be able to whip up an accounting system for him,” she says. The Klines spent a few years in South America and relocated 36 times in the U.S. before retiring in Virginia.

Ros also married and devoted her time to motherhood, but returned to accounting when her youngest turned 13. In retirement, her biggest wins have been on the BINGO board, where she has won time and again.

Elizabeth made a name for herself with J.W. Robinson’s, once a prominent shoe purveyor, and has stayed a lifelong learner. She continued her education at Northeastern University, graduating in 1957 and becoming an early adopter of computers in the workplace.

Harry Kline and Mary Durgin married in 1949

PHOTOS BY CAROLYN (HOEY) LIVINGSTON, MSCIS ’91 AND KEVIN MAGUIRE

In the 1960s, Elizabeth McAuliffe ’45 was among the first to use computers in the workplace

In roles from office manager to controller to accountant, Eunice worked until Mrs. Berkowitz passed away in 1993 at the age of 99. She credits Bentley for helping her continually move up in her career and support her mother.

“You didn’t even have to go for an interview if you didn’t want to,” she says. “If they heard you came from Bentley’s, the job was yours.”

Sentimental Journey

In early 2023, Mary met with Ashleigh Tain ’24 and Nicole Castelblanco ’23 to share her experience for this story. What the Bentley women of today have astounds her.

“I can picture walking into the building and there was a big sign up there: Bentley College,” she remembers. “Across the street was the railroad, and that was our campus. I come to Bentley now and I think, ‘Oh, I wish I could’ve come here at this time.’”

The freedom to explore your talents in creative ways, to give time to social growth — that’s what Mary envies most. Ashleigh wishes Mary could be a student again, too. Creative Industries is her major and her résumé has no end of activities, from the Bentley Asian Student Association to the Bentley Women’s Network.

As president of the Bentley Investment Group, Nicole says the respect that Mary experienced still holds across gender lines. While she is one of a few women in the group, “Everyone is pushing to add more balance to the club.”

In 2018, Mary visited the Waltham campus for her 70th reunion. She plans to return this spring for her 75th. She hopes to march down the commencement aisle, leading the way for Nicole and the hundreds of other women who have followed her path. For her, Bentley will always be more than books and Boylston Street.

“It was a happy time in my life, because I hadn’t had much happiness before that,” Mary says. “It was the start of everything.”

1948

Frances Crawley becomes the first woman instructor, teaching a series of lectures on Etiquette and Social Ethics.

1950s

The first women’s alumni chapter is established.

1962

Marion Graham Willis is the first woman to teach full time at Bentley and, in 1974, becomes the first to receive tenure.

1971

Dorothy Willard is appointed the first woman member of the Board of Trustees.

1973

The first club sports for women — basketball, field hockey and softball — take the field; varsity teams arrive the next year.

Ashleigh Tain ’24 (left) and Nicole Castelblanco ’23 with Mary (Durgin) Kline ’48 at her Virginia home

PHOTO BY KATE THOMPSON

THE 50-YEAR-OLD HAT TRICK

Back in 1973, Theresa Angell ’77 (left) lobbied hard for classmates to join the club field hockey, basketball and softball teams. They shared one coach, she recalls, “and no budget!” By the next year, all three were varsity level. Talent and tenacity are still hallmarks of student-athletes like field hockey co-captain Madison Halas ’23 (right). Says Angell: “The school’s nurturing nature has not changed and that’s awesome to see.”

For the Record

Do you have a story or more information to share about women’s history at Bentley? Send a note to magazine@bentley.edu or archives@bentley.edu.

The Stand-Up Standout

Pat Flynn didn’t resign from her first full-time job because of the women’s liberation movement. She left the almost entirely male ranks at Paine Webber in 1972 because of something she knew personally: Her skills were worth investing in. She was worth investing in. The finance firm seemed to think otherwise, barring women from its stockbroker training program.

Her tenacity started early. The high school senior, known as “Flynn from Lynn” (of the legendary Massachusetts “City of Sin”), sent 50 handwritten scholarship appeals to secure a full ride to Emmanuel College. Next came master’s and PhD degrees in economics from Boston University. She joined the Bentley faculty in 1976, where her work on hightech economic development, corporate governance and women in business earned wide recognition. That includes stories in The Wall Street Journal and on The Today Show, testimony before the U.S. Congress, and dozens of journal articles and publications. When her son was 7, instead of a book or souvenir, he brought Mom into school for “show and tell.”

Pat was a natural choice for dean of the McCallum Graduate School of Business, which she helmed from 1992 to 2002. As one of only six woman deans in the country at the time, she was in high demand, with offers to join business groups and corporate boards, alumni meetups around the world and more. She served as co-chair of the United Nations Working Group on Gender Equality, which encompasses more than 700 business schools in over 85 countries, and started the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business committee to cultivate women leaders in business education. During her time, Bentley’s Entrepreneurship, Management of Information Systems and Part-Time MBA programs earned national top 25 rankings — the foundation for their outstanding reputation today.

With plans to retire in June, Pat is excited for what comes next, including further work on mutual fund boards. In tribute to this consummate statistician, below are some numbers from 2020 in which she takes special pride.

1980

Barbara Paul-Emile becomes Bentley’s first woman professor of color and, in 1984, the first woman of color to earn tenure.

1991

Susan Schwab, MBA ’91, vice president for Information Systems, is the first woman member of the President’s Cabinet.

1992

Professor of Economics and Management Pat Flynn becomes the first woman academic dean.

2007

Gloria Cordes Larson is named the first woman president of Bentley.

2011

Kimberly Westermann and Guangying Hua are the first women to earn their PhD at Bentley.

2014

Coach Barbara Stevens leads women’s basketball to a 35-0 season and the NCAA Division II national championship.

2023

The Multicultural Center Lounge is dedicated to long-time mentor and administrator Claudette Blot, P ’12, the first space on campus named for a person of color.

Inside one of America’s fastest-growing industries

BY AMANDA SIEBERT

The cannabis industry ended 2021 with national sales of $25 billion, which experts predict will double by 2026. It employs nearly half a million people in medical and recreational markets across 37 states. It has seen jobs increase by more than 27% for five years running.

Who are the people behind the numbers? Some 428,000 are full-time job holders who either work with cannabis directly or for companies that serve the industry. More than 48.2 million Americans were customers in 2019 — and their ranks have grown during the pandemic.

Metrics like these can be catnip to investors and entrepreneurs. Even so, succeeding with a product that some people, and the federal government, object to in varying degrees requires a certain mindset and skill set. Meet three alumni who, much to their own surprise, have taken up the challenge.

PHOTO BY NATE BURDICK ’09

BENTLEY MAGAZINE

Stephen Albarran ’07 studied finance at Bentley and headed to Wall Street after graduation. His path wound from investment banking to M&A advisory to equity investing in consumer products. Then, in 2015, a change of direction.

“I realized I wanted to be an entrepreneur,” he says of a road that his parents and both grandfathers had followed.

Albarran’s strong interest in the consumer products industry, particularly in the health and wellness sector, had put cannabis on his radar. He himself was a light recreational consumer. But growing up in Mexico City, amid Reagan-era “war on drugs” messages from the U.S., had always left him feeling guilty. Now, the stigma around cannabis was lifting and laws were changing. Colorado and Washington state had recently legalized it for adult use.

“I started learning about the social justice benefits, the economic benefits, and the health benefits [of cannabis],” says Albarran, who lives in California. “That pushed me over the edge to make the decision: ‘Yes, I’m going to start a company that helps cannabis businesses thrive.’”

His 8-year-old venture, Confident Cannabis, provides laboratory information management software to more than 60% of cannabis testing labs, cultivators, manufacturers and distributors in the U.S.

Hands and Heart

Like Albarran, Nate Burdick ’09 grew up with entrepreneurs in the family. His father owned a landscaping business but pushed for his son to take a different path.

“I was trained my whole early life that you want to work with your head and not your hands,” says the former Management major and Falcon football team captain, who took a sales job after graduation.

But working at a desk, in an office where he arrived and left in the dark, did not jibe with his lifelong love of the outdoors. When a former Bentley roommate asked for help trimming a batch of freshly harvested cannabis, he said yes.

As word got around that Burdick had a green thumb, other friends working in the cannabis space began to reach out. Before long, he was maintaining entire farms.

“Eventually, I declared free agency, and took everything I learned and applied it here,” he says via Zoom from inside a greenhouse on his off-grid property in Porter, Maine. Upward Organics, founded in 2018, grows medical cannabis for dispensaries, caregivers and patients.

Green Light

Michael Spengler ’00 is another recent arrival to the industry. A week after graduation, the former Marketing major began what would be a nearly 20-year career in the electronic component distribution industry.

Cannabis, he says, was “not at all on my radar” until a friend who owned a 150-acre

property newly zoned for cannabis cultivation asked if he’d be interested in working in Massachusetts’ emerging recreational market. This was 2018.

“I felt pretty confident that we could put something together, so I worked on behalf of our group to get licensing,” says Spengler, whose primary business partners include his wife, Carolyn (Gaffney) ’00, and their friends Danielle and Steve Phaneuf. At the time, he adds, just 4% of applicants were being licensed in the Bay State.

By 2020, United Cultivation was green lighted for retail operations, product manufacturing and cultivation. The company completed its first outdoor harvest in 2022, and construction is underway for a product manufacturing and extraction lab on its property in Ashby, Mass.

Opportunities and Challenges

Like any industry, cannabis comes with both opportunities and challenges. Albarran saw an opportunity in the ancillary market, when he learned that growers have to assure the quality and safety of their products.

“Manufacturers and cultivators have to test every batch before it’s sold to a distributor or retailer,” he explains. “These tests have to be tracked and measured and reported — and there are third-party labs that have to do all this work.”

Cannabis products are tested for potency, where cannabinoids such as THC and CBD are measured as a percentage of the product. Cannabis is also tested for contaminants that include residual solvents, microbes, heavy metals, and pesticides. Sometimes producers test for terpenes, the naturally occurring chemical compounds that give each cultivar or “strain” its unique aroma.

Early on, Albarran and his team noticed that labs were underserved. They developed a laboratory information management system, or LIMS, that allows growers to order tests and see results in one place. Today, 60% of all legal cannabis produced nationwide is tested through Albarran’s company. Even so, Confident Cannabis had to wait eight years for its first profitable month: September 2022.

“Startups are hard. Cannabis is hard. Cannabis startups are really hard,” says Albarran. “We don’t even physically touch cannabis, but we’ve lost three bank accounts — and that’s a common problem.”

Stephen Albarran ’07 (third from left) and his team at Confident Cannabis

91% AMERICANS WHO FAVOR SOME FORM OF LEGALIZATION

Getting bank loans can be next to impossible. That’s in part because, at the federal level, cannabis remains classified as a Schedule I controlled substance. So tax provisions such as 280E, which aim to prevent drug dealers from claiming deductions for business expenses, leave many cannabis companies strapped for cash.

To cope with that problem, Burdick’s strategy has always been to cultivate cannabis with as little overhead as possible.

“There’s no more-sustainable resource than the sun,” says Burdick, a longtime advocate for environmental causes.

The Maine climate is not ideal for outdoor cultivation. So he built greenhouses to withstand drastic temperature changes. They use a mix of solar panels, a wood-burning furnace that heats greenhouse sediment, and a first-of-itskind climate battery.

“We’re 100% electric,” he says. “We’re not using propane or fossil fuels to heat or cool the property, because we want to be able to offset our carbon footprint with solar power.

“Our mission is to produce the highest quality cannabis possible with the lowest environmental impact.”

Burdick’s focus is a big deal in an industry that is not as green as it may seem. Cannabis plants consume large amounts of water. And when grown indoors — as is most cannabis in the U.S., given its status at the federal level — it requires lighting and climate control that put serious demand on electricity.

defined business case to observe. “We were really on the forefront of this emerging market,” he says, “so there wasn’t a lot of historical data to look at to help us plan our operation.”

Finding the right tools to manage the business proved difficult as well. Upon learning they were involved in cannabis, some vendors refused to work with Spengler and his team. Those challenges still exist, he says, but they’ve lessened quite a bit since United Cultivation was founded in 2018.

“There’s still a bit of stigma around it, particularly in Massachusetts,” says Spengler, who believes that education is the antidote. “For some people, we’re their first interaction with legal cannabis. We feel a strong responsibility to make their experience in cannabis a good one, so we spend quite a bit of time on education.”

Looking Ahead

Burdick and Spengler intend to keep their focus local for the next few years, building on the companies they’ve created.

For Burdick, this means consulting to indoor cultivators in Maine who are interested in transitioning to growing outdoors for environmental reasons. “Feeling like you’re making a difference is incredibly intoxicating,” he says. For Spengler, it includes looking ahead to federal legalization, which he considers “an inevitability.”

$52.6B CANNABIS SALES PROJECTED FOR 2026

#6

RANK OF CANNABIS AMONG CASH CROPS IN THE U.S.

Burdick’s push to be the first net-zero cultivator in Maine takes aim at another challenge.

“We’re a small fish in a small pond,” he says of operating in a state with 1.6 million people. The company’s socially conscious mindset has “awoken people who want to work with us. When a customer gets our goals, we don’t have to go to our fifth line of defense in the sales pitch.”

Burdick’s commitment has caught the attention of local media. Upward Organics has been featured in Green & Healthy Maine Homes, Green Energy Times and News Center Maine. Last fall, it graced the cover of Beer & Weed magazine.

For Spengler, in Massachusetts, the biggest early challenge was not having a

“We don’t have plans to expand at this point, but we recognize that with federal legalization, the boundaries and state borders are going to change quite a bit. We’re excited about reaching the retail maximum in our state, and beginning to service the retail menu with our own products.”

Albarran is considering a different path, one that few before him have taken: expanding outside of cannabis into mainstream agriculture, food and beverage, oil and gas, and diagnostics and environmental testing labs.

“We wanted to be that Amazon b2b software of cannabis, and now we’re going to be the lab software of the world,” he says. “Starting from cannabis is actually a powerful position. It’s not this dirty, stoner, hippie culture that people think it is. It’s a lot of really smart people, doing hard things, solving interesting problems. I think we can bring that to other industries.”

Nate Burdick ’09 of Upward Organics, with Goose, aims to be Maine’s first net zero cultivator; Michael Spengler ’00 oversees retail and other operations at United Cultivation

Donors help open doors for deserving students

Access and opportunity. Both are vital for creating a stronger, more supportive, more excellent community. The best resources ensure the best and brightest not only arrive — they thrive.

PHOTOS BY JAMISON WEXLER, ALEX TORRES AND PARK CITY STUDIOS

The guest of honor with Mackenzy Bernadeau ’08 (top) and Robert Alan ’91

WHOLEHEARTED SERVICE

Trustee Rob Alan ’91 counts March 3, 2023 as his proudest day at Bentley, when more than 250 fellow Falcons joined him on campus to officially dedicate the Claudette Blot Multicultural Center Lounge. The space is the first on campus to be named for a person of color.

At Bentley, the name Claudette Blot has long been synonymous with support. Alan’s generous investment of $250,000, with an additional $50,000 from Mackenzy Bernadeau ’08, ensures it always will be. For almost 30 years, Blot has been a mentor, advocate and safe haven for hundreds of students, particularly students of color, with the Multicultural Center in all its iterations as her home base.

“She is perhaps the most selfless individual I know,” Alan says. “It was a very easy decision to support this program.”

Receiving a world-class education from Bentley was a privilege that Alan benefits from every day, he says. In turn, it is his privilege to now serve as a trustee and Great Benefactor of the university.

Though never one to take the spotlight, Blot shined at the dedication, thanking her family — biological and Bentley: “I’m a servant at heart. This was about making sure that our students were safe on this campus and that there were doors open for them.”

The renovated space and close-knit MCC community exemplify what is possible when you lead like Blot, adds Katie Lampley ’96, vice president and chief diversity and

inclusion officer. “With a spirit of service, a heart of caring and a dedication to helping those around you to be their most authentic selves.”

GENERATIONAL TALENT

“I am the grandson of immigrants,” Rick Oricchio ’78 told families at the First Falcons Pinning Ceremony in October. “They came with nothing but the desire to work and put their children and families in a place where they saw opportunity and hope.” To honor all his parents did to support his own education, he and wife Lore created the Francis and Rosemarie Oricchio Endowed Scholarship Fund

A recent gift to the fund of $150,000 — which includes a generous match by Deloitte, where Oricchio enjoyed a long career as a partner — brings the family’s total campaign giving to $500,000. “What we’re doing is really not very remarkable,” Oricchio insists. But ask any Bentley student: Scholarships change lives.

ARRIVING AND THRIVING

Once a student enrolls, how does Bentley help them thrive? It takes partners like Dan Farley, MBA ’95; the trustee has donated $250,000 for programs that support first-generation student success. Farley is impressed with the vision of

Associate Provost for Student Success Jane Griffin, who is building an environment where every Bentley student feels a sense of belonging, through leadership opportunities, mentoring and career development. “The program is a great example of what can be if we’re able to widen the net and support these students in their academic endeavors,” Farley says. “That has longstanding implications not only for the individuals, but for the university, and for society more broadly.” The executive vice president and CIO, Investment Solutions Group for State Street Global Advisors is a longtime advocate and philanthropist for educational success, as is his wife, Cheryl.

SECURING SUCCESS

Angelo G. Manioudakis ’88 is paying his father’s dream forward: He and wife Melani Cammett gave $10,000 to the First-Generation Student Success Fund as a match challenge during Falcons Forward (below). A first-gen student himself, the CIO of Northern Trust Asset Management says: “Access to a Bentley education for those who don’t have the natural competitive advantages of our society is so important. I want to give a boost to this group of students who are hungry to build, grow and achieve when given the chance, and who may not have had the opportunity otherwise.” The new fund will support the Bentley chapter of the Tri-Alpha national honor society, first-gen programming and the annual pinning ceremony for incoming first-gen students.

Bentley’s Biggest Giving Day!

1,947 GIFTS

$552,000 RAISED

Another record-breaking Falcons Forward unlocked $100,000 from trustee Brian Zino ’74! With 22 countries represented and support for first-generation students, the Multicultural Center, athletics and more, it’s clear: Bentley soars when we rally as one community. Thank you!

Rick Oricchio ’78 and wife Lore

CLASS NOTES

Sea Worthy … Ben Brayton ’18 and Jen Potluri, MSBA ’21 said a scenic “I do” on June 9, 2022, at Oceanview of Nahant in Nahant, Mass.

A Pitch for a Purpose

Sonya Yee Coleman ’86 (right), Arlington, Mass., is the executive director of Stop Handgun Violence. In June 2022, she attended an event and panel discussion at Fenway Park, hosted by the Red Sox Foundation in response to the mass shootings in Buffalo, N.Y., and Uvalde, Texas. Coleman met U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts Rachael Rollins (left) as well as survivor and former U.S. Representative Gabby Giffords. “The following day,” she writes, “we were invited on the field with Gabby to throw out the first pitch of the game, which was dedicated to Wear Orange in June, gun violence awareness month.”

1982

Michael F. Carignan retired after spending the last 18 years with the County of San Mateo, Calif., most recently as financial services manager in the Human Resources department. He and his husband, James Seyda, have moved from San Francisco to Portland, Ore., to begin the next chapter of their journey together.

1984

Janine Danielson, Arlington, Mass., was named among seven Women to Watch by the Massachusetts Society of CPAs, in the Experienced Leader category. Presented at the group’s 2022 Women’s Leadership Summit, the awards honor recipients’ significant contributions to the accounting profession, to their own organizations and communities, and to developing other women as leaders. Danielson is a CPA, partner and managing director of outsourced management accounting, at LitmanGerson Associates.

1984

Mark Freeman, MSF ’88, MST ’93, Danvers, Mass., has opened Mark A Freeman Counseling LLC; he is a licensed mental health counselor in Mass. and N.H.

1986

Loretta D. Keane, MST, West Roxbury, Mass., was elected a trustee of Eversource Energy. She has been appointed vice chair of the board’s Audit Committee and as a member of the Finance Committee. Keane is CFO of Arcadia Solutions.

1988

35th Reunion

Ricardo Perez has resided on the Dutch island of St. Maarten in the Caribbean for 32 years. In 2010, he became general manager of the Oyster Bay Beach Resort and the Coral Beach Club. The alumnus and two partners founded SXM Padel Club in December 2021, the first such club on the island. Padel is a mix of tennis and squash, usually played in doubles on a court enclosed by glass and metallic mesh.

1990

In October 2022, David Yoskowitz, Corpus Christi, Texas, was named executive director of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. The new post builds on his 16 years at Texas A&M University, Corpus Christi and its Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies.

1992

Andrew P. Lawendowski, Charlton, Mass., was elected partner at Morrison Mahoney in October 2022. While wellversed in all areas of professional malpractice and general liability, the alumnus focuses on dental and medical malpractice. He represents doctors, dentists, specialty care practitioners and other health care professionals in professional liability matters throughout state and federal courts, and regularly represents dentists before the state licensing board.

Tony Remington, Covington, Ky., won the 2022 C-Suite Awards, presented by the Cincinnati Business Courier. He was recognized in the Chief Executive Officer category in the Greater Cincinnati area. The alumnus is CEO and co-founder of Gravity Diagnostics, a state-of-the-art, CAPaccredited and CLIA-certified laboratory. Licensed in all 50 states, it provides innovative diagnostic testing in toxicology, pharmacogenetics, infectious and upper respiratory diseases, blood and COVID-19. Read more about Remington’s achievements and Gravity’s impact at bentley.edu/ news/2020-vision

1995

Jess (Demoy) Hennessey, Hudson, Mass., shares that she is co-owner of 3 Media Web, an award-winning website design and digital marketing agency that works with growing organizations to design, develop and promote websites on the WordPress platform. The alumna is the company’s CEO.

1996

Monique D. (Young) Jefferson, Brooklyn, N.Y., was recognized as an HR Notable Leader 2022 by Crain’s New York Business. The alumna is the chief people officer at The Community Preservation Corporation, a leading nonprofit affordable housing and community revitalization finance company. Jefferson runs programs, policies and initiatives to advance the organization’s people, passion and growth-centric culture.

Foos for Thought

BY MOLLY MASTANTUONO

Mythical lion-like creatures revered for their strength and loyalty, foo (or fu) dogs have been celebrated among Asian cultures for nearly 2,000 years. Jonathan Yu ’18, MSMA ’19 is turning these ancient symbols to a fresh new purpose.

“I want to help modernize Asian art and promote cultural inclusivity,” says the alumnus, who lives in Los Angeles and has adopted the professional name Johnny Haiki.

Through his “We are the FOOS” project, Yu honors and shares his heritage with diverse audiences. He uses Discord, a social media platform popular with gamers, to offer foo-inspired art as NFTs: digital assets authenticated via blockchain technology that can be bought, sold and traded. Buyers can join Yu in developing storylines for the characters in his artwork.

Yu’s inspiration stems from his first weeks at Bentley. Exploring Boston, he came upon the two giant foo dog statues that flank the entrance to Chinatown.

“I instantly felt a sense of comfort,” says Yu, who was born in Taiwan and raised in the Philippines. “As soon as I got back to my dorm, I began sketching my own foos. I wanted to replicate that sense of home and create something tangible I could take with me.”

Today, the alumnus also produces electronic/house/hip-hop music with fellow members of the LA-based trio Torsades and creates paintings that have found homes with NBA player Andre Drummond, Grammy-winning musician Post Malone and other notables. And that’s all while working full time as a business analyst for a marketing technology firm.

“I need something to exercise the analytical part of my brain,” he says, adding that the job’s focus on marketing trends helps him “think strategically about ways to monetize my art.”

Yu hopes that his artwork, like foo dogs, can be a conduit for goodwill and harmony. “At the end of the day, you need to build a community, you need to be connected to people. You need to take time to understand other people’s stories.”

Follow Yu on Instagram: @haiki.studio

Read about his fall 2022 visit to Bentley: bentley.edu/yu

I want to help modernize Asian art and promote cultural inclusivity.

Falcon in Focus

After 30 years in higher ed Carolyn (Hoey) Livingston, MSCIS ’91 (right), Peabody, Mass., retired in 2015 and fixed her lens on a new subject: bees. A member of the Greater Lynn Photographic Association, she has earned first-place ribbons and an affectionate nickname, “the bug lady.” For the story on page 12, she helped daughter and staff writer Kristin Livingston capture the spirit of Elizabeth McAuliffe ’45 (left), one of the school’s first woman graduates. In the process, Livingston discovered that she and Trustee Professor Patricia Flynn (p. 19) were just a year apart at Lynn Classical High School. Also, like all the alumnae featured, Livingston was the first in her family to earn a college degree.

1997

John Taylor, MSA , Beverly, Mass., joined Zozimus, a Boston-based advertising agency, in November 2021 as controller. He has been to Red Sox and Celtics games, and numerous Boston restaurants, to celebrate the agency — and looks forward to sharing Bentley with his colleagues! The alumnus attended the Bentley Boston holiday party in December 2022, where he caught up with Joe Guth, MBA ’87 and Larry Gazda ’00. “It was a blast!”

Tiffany R. Warren, Montclair, N.J., was recognized by New York Women in Communications with the Matrix award. She is EVP, chief diversity and inclusion officer for Sony Music Group, the founder of ADCOLOR, and a Bentley trustee.

1999

Isaura Beltre, MSIAM ’02 , Lynn, Mass., earned Bentley’s Dr. Earl L. Avery MLK Leadership Award for 2023. The lecturer in marketing, adviser for Coming Full Circle, and associate director of the FirstGen Fellows Program was praised for her teaching skills and for mentoring students inside and outside the classroom. She received the honor in January, at the 37th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration.

2000

Angela Nuss, Braintree, Mass., completed all requirements to qualify for the Toastmasters District 31 Pathfinder Award, which recognizes individual members who have demonstrated a high level of achievement in the Toastmasters Pathways Learning Experience. The alumna is a real estate agent and director of special projects at Jay Nuss Realty Group LLC.

2001

Janak Joshi, MBA , Wakefield, Mass., led the successful exit of Life Image Inc. to Intelerad Corp. on a full-cash acquisition in September 2022. “Our broader engagement with Intelerad now leads the global medical image exchange market, impacting close to a billion patients annually,” writes the alumnus. Joshi stayed on as chief technology officer and head of strategy until March 2023.

2002

Deniz Ozturk , Cambridge, Mass., joined Community Teamwork as director of development. The organization’s mission is to help people help themselves with child care, family support, nutrition, fuel assistance, housing, skills training, employment, financial education and individual asset and small business development.

2003

20th Reunion

Sean Roy, Wilton, Conn., earned a PhD in organizational leadership at Indiana Wesleyan University, successfully defending his dissertation: “Empowerment and Intrinsic Motivation of Employees: A Case Study of Virtual Team Leaders.” His wife, Sara (Yousefi), and their two children joined Roy at the graduation ceremony. He has been at Oracle Corporation for 15 years, most recently serving as senior consulting practice director; he works on clinical trial software in the Health Sciences Global Business Unit.

2004

Harold Mateo, Wakefield, Mass., is now vice president of Linkvest Capital, an alternative real estate co-investment platform founded by investors for investors, and by a private lender based in Miami.

2006

Kat (Kaufman) Emery, McLean, Va., was elected secretary of the Mid-Atlantic Ninety-Nines in June 2022. The nonprofit organization of women pilots promotes aviation through education, scholarships and mutual support, while honoring their unique history and shared passion for flight.

“I’m honored to give back to women in aviation and to support new generations of female pilots,” writes the alumna, whose term as secretary runs through June 2024.

2007

Blake Reynolds, Attleboro, Mass., has been promoted to senior operations manager at CBRE, which ranks No. 122 on the Fortune 500 and is the world’s largest commercial real estate services and investment firm. The company has more than 105,000 employees and serves real estate investors and occupiers through approximately 500 offices worldwide; clients include more than 90 companies on the Fortune 100. Reynolds leads operations of the firm’s New England offices, overseeing finance, human resources, facilities and administration, information technology, and marketing.

2008

15th Reunion

Katelyn (D’Eramo) Campbell and husband Christopher, Burlington, Mass., welcomed Emerson Shea on January 9, 2023. “Big sister Kennedy was so excited to welcome home her little sister,” writes the alumna.

Eric Jackson, Waltham, Mass., is now senior vice president, head of residential lending at Everett Co-operative Bank.

2009

Patricia (Pires) Barbosa, Brockton, Mass., is now director of administration at Brookview House, a nonprofit that provides families experiencing homelessness with safe housing and support services. The alumna oversees daily operations there, including financial and business functions, and human resources responsibilities.

Alexander Esposito, MBA ’10, Amagansett, N.Y., is co-founder and CEO at Circuit, an all-electric, on-demand shuttle service. The company received funding through an $85 million competition sponsored by the New York State (NYS) Transportation Authority. Circuit will apply its share of the NYS Clean Transportation Prize to establish new services in the Rockaways and Brentwood/Suffolk County, Long Island. The services aim to benefit these communities for years to come, create jobs, reduce emissions and set an example for how community mobility should be delivered in underserved areas around the state.

Courtney (Somerville) Rahamin, MSA ’10 and husband Andy ’10, Sagamore Beach, Mass., welcomed baby boy Colin on July 2, 2022. Colin joins big brother Ashton.

2010

Andy Rahamin and wife Courtney (Somerville) ’09, MSA , Sagamore Beach, Mass., welcomed baby boy Colin on July 2, 2022. He joins big brother Ashton.

Kimberly Royer and Jeff Strittmatter tied the knot at Solitude Mountain in Utah on September 24, 2022. Bentley guests included Katy Fuller, MBA ’11; Brooke Bronkovic ’09, MSFP; Angela DeBarros, MSIT ’11; and Heather Hamilton. The newlyweds honeymooned in Italy and live in Salt Lake City.

SPOTLIGHT CLASS OF 1988

Bringing the Heat

BY MARY K. PRATT

One of the first things John Brown ’88 did after moving to Chelsea, Mass., was put in a garden full of peppers. It included the legendarily hot ghost pepper variety.

His kitchen became a lab for perfecting a recipe that, based on his research, would balance a spicy punch with a mellow finish. In 2009: a red-hot winner.

“The reaction from my friends was, ‘This is really good! You should sell it,’” says Brown, who began devoting nights to cooking and bottling the sauce. He named the company to honor his home city and its resilience after devastating fires in 1908 and 1973.

On weekend breaks from his job as director of administration and finance for a Massachusetts state agency, Brown headed to farmers markets. His Chelsea Fire Wicked Hot Sauce routinely sold out. Buyers from grocery chains took note, and put the product on shelves at Market Basket, Big Y, Whole Foods and Stop & Shop, among others.

Today, Brown is focused full time on growing the company. Two new varieties — one pineapple, one bourbon — joined the lineup in early 2023. (The original is the hottest of the three.) His collaborators include Endorphin Farms, which oversees manufacturing, and a food broker working to expand the number of stores and locations that carry his creation.

Brown’s deep respect for those who battle blazes everywhere inspired an early partnership with the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation. Every year he commits 5% of company revenue to the organization.

“I figured that if the Great Chelsea Fires gave me the name for the hot sauce, I needed to give back, too.”

PHOTO BY KEVIN MAGUIRE

The reaction was, ‘This is really good. You should sell it.’

SPOTLIGHT CLASS OF 2019

Catching up with a ‘Sea-E-O’

BY MARY K. PRATT

Emily Wilder, MBA ’19 is bringing a taste of the Pacific Northwest to customers near and far. Her 2-year-old online store, Salinity Seafood & More, features food and wares from Washington state.

“I’ve always been really drawn to food and the excitement around food,” says the native of Whidbey Island. “I knew that would be my journey from the time I was a teenager.”

Her preparations for the venture included earning a Bentley graduate degree and working as a tour guide for a Mass.-based oyster farm and as a sales rep for a shellfish company back home. She credits the experiences for revealing “the niche I needed to fill: telling the stories of local farmers and artisan makers.”

Salinity sells sweet and savory foods, including local oysters that Wilder champions, along with crafts and household goods. It carries 100 to 200 products at any given time, sourced from more than 50 vendors. She calls them “small businesses with good intentions.”

These are companies whose values reflect her own, which focus on making a positive impact on the community, the environment and the workplace.

Accordingly, as the self-dubbed “Sea-E-O” works on growing Salinity, she donates a portion of revenue to schools and nonprofits such as Whidbey Island Nourishes and Island Senior Resources.

Wilder says those dual goals are in her DNA, pointing to her late grandfather, Joel B. Wilder ’58, H ’02. A real estate entrepreneur and lifelong philanthropist, he was among Bentley’s most generous donors; in fact, Wilder Pavilion was named in recognition of his immense contributions to the university.

“He taught me to deal ethically with others in all matters,” says Wilder, “and to always give back.”

(Class of 2010, continued)

Michelle (Brouillard) Rubin and husband Daniel, Framingham, Mass., welcomed Andi Samantha on October 3, 2022. She joins big sister Kenna Stevie. Fun fact: Daniel is the broadcaster for Bentley’s DI ice hockey team.

2011

Daniel and Kimberly (Markowitz) Bonamassa , Pleasantville, N.Y., welcomed baby girl Juliana on March 15, 2022. She joins older brother Nicholas.

After postponing their wedding for a year due to the pandemic, Michael Shea and Shelly D’Aleo ’13, MBA ’15 were married at last on May 21, 2022, at Belle Mer in Newport, R.I. Fellow Falcons at the nuptials included maid of honor Erica Thibodeau ’13; bridesmaid Deanna Sleeper ’13, MBA ’20; and Amber Clarke ’12, MSA ’13. The newlyweds live in Hingham, Mass., after a honeymoon in Bali, Indonesia.

2012

David Koschei and Amanda (Wagner) ’14, Wilmington, Mass., welcomed daughter Ruby on June 26, 2022.

Katie (Donnellan) Harrington, MSA ’13 and husband Ethan ’13, MSA ’14, North Billerica, Mass., became parents to Weston Daniel on August 27, 2022.

2013

10th Reunion FOLD

Shelly D’Aleo, MBA ’15 married Michael Shea ’11 after having to postpone their wedding for a year due to the pandemic. The couple were married at Belle Mer in Newport, R.I., on May 21, 2022. Fellow Falcons included maid of honor Erica Thibodeau; bridesmaid Deanna Sleeper, MBA ’20; and Amber Clarke ’12, MSA The newlyweds live in Hingham, Mass., after a honeymoon in Bali, Indonesia.

Ethan Harrington, MSA ’14 and Katie (Donnellan) ’12, MSA , North Billerica, Mass., became parents to Weston Daniel on August 27, 2022.

The niche I needed to fill was telling the stories of local farmers and artisan makers.

2014

FOLD

Jenny Brown and Scott Roy tied the knot on August 27, 2022, at Maquam Barn & Winery in Milton, Vt. The alumna reports that 30% of the wedding guests were fellow Falcons; that includes the wedding party: Mark Adamiak, Molly (Lepine) Aldrich, Jake van Berkum, Stacey Raap and Max Rick ’13, MSA . The couple hiked the Tour du Mont Blanc, which is a 105-mile hike through France, Italy and Switzerland, for their honeymoon. They call Belmont, Mass., home.

Andrew Goemaat and Christa Sirignano ’17 said, “I do!” on September 30, 2022, at the Black Swan Country Club in Georgetown, Mass. They celebrated with fellow Falcons Sebastian Brunell ’17; Dillon Carlyle; Harrison Chan ’15; Paul Cheek ; Katie Chin ’18, MSHFID ’21; Alex Davies; Jeremy Dulong ’17; Gabriel Fermaint; Rob Iwany ’86, MSA ’98; Alyssa (Gonyea) Kusmin; Andrew Kusmin; Donna McKnight ’82; Nick Morin ’17; Nia Santiano ’17; Nikki Sirignano ’15 and Dan Sirignano ’21.

Amanda (Wagner) Koschei and husband David ’12, Wilmington, Mass., became proud parents to Ruby on June 26, 2022.

Love and Basketball

Andrew Gosselin ’14 and Lauren Battista ’14 said, “I do!” on August 14, 2022, at Lakeview Pavilion in Foxborough, Mass. Gosselin proposed to Battista in August 2020 on the Barbara Stevens Court in the Dana Athletic Center. A shared sport and connection to the university makes Bentley an integral part of their happily-ever-after.

“Since Bentley was such an important part of our love story, we wanted that to be reflected in our wedding,” shares Gosselin. Who better to officiate the ceremony than the school’s seventh president, Gloria Cordes Larson? “Since graduating, we both kept in touch with Gloria and we were so thrilled when she said ‘yes!’”

The Falcon-packed guest list ranged from former teammates and

2015

FOLD

Kayli Kemperle married John Austin Vance on August 20, 2022, at Troutbeck in Amenia, N.Y. The Falcon contingent included Wyatt Allread, Courtney Bailey, Tom Baxter, Lauren Desrosiers, Kirsten Holzer-Liang, Chris Ippolito, Juliana Bahring King, Harry King, Tessie Lammle, Theresa LeBlanc, Justin Leis, Kevin Liang ’14, Grace Alenson McCormick, Meghan O’Brien, Ariana Oshiro, Crystal Park ’16, Andrew Peppel ’16, Kayla Perkins, Katy Perry, James Purdy ’17, Jeff Sheehy and Emmeline Van Der Post ’14. The couple lives on Long Island now, in Huntington, N.Y. They honeymooned in southwest Utah, with stops at the Grand Canyon and Las Vegas.

Sean Naughton and Chloe Wright tied the knot at the Fairmont Copley in Boston, Mass., on October 29, 2022. Many fellow Falcons from the Class of 2015 celebrated the newlyweds on their big day — 11 years in the making! They met as first-year students in Spruce, where Naughton lived. The couple lives in Boston and plan a fall honeymoon in Paris.

2016

FOLD

Âriel de Fauconberg, MBA , Concord, Mass., was selected as a finalist for the Bracken Bower Prize, awarded by the Financial Times and McKinsey & Co. to recognize the best business book proposal by an author under age 35. The alumna wrote Racing to Net Zero on the Front Lines of Climate Innovation

Alexandra Gent and Daniel Lonardo exchanged vows at Red Lion Inn in Cohasset, Mass., on November 18, 2022, with over two dozen Falcons joining them to celebrate the big day. The newlyweds reside in Newton, Mass., and honeymooned on Italy’s Amalfi Coast.

(Continued on page 34)

roommates to retired coach Barbara Stevens and retired assistant athletics director Cindy Scott to groomsman and Andrew’s roommate of three years Stephen Dickey ’14 to the bride’s parents, Carol (Kaplan) ’80 and Tony Battista ’80.

Christiana Bakolas ’14, MBA ’16; Jacqui Brugliera ’14; Caleigh Crowell

’14; and Courtney Finn ’13, MBA ’15 stepped up as bridesmaids for their former team captain. The five were starters on the undefeated NCAA champion women’s basketball team of 2014.

“It was a great night that we will cherish forever,” says the groom. “Lots of Falcons in one place!”

Nirin Kulvanit ’17 (right) met up in Asia with Johannes “Hans” Eijmberts, senior lecturer in Global Studies and director of the Valente Center for Arts and Sciences. The alumnus took one of the first courses that Elimberts taught, in spring 2014. After graduation, he worked in finance and consulting before taking over his parents’ business: a beach resort and organic farm on Phuket Island in Thailand.

(Class of 2016, continued)

Chris Gormley and Jenny Seuling ’19 tied the knot on September 16, 2022, in Scituate, Mass. The newlyweds celebrated with alumni of the Swimming and Diving team, including Kate Kaduboski ’19; Paige MacNeil ’20, MSDI ’21; Ryan McGeary ’19, MBA ’20; Delaney Molnar ’19; Hannah Rauch ’19, MBA ’22; and Ariana Revelas ’20. The couple lives in Boston.

Kristi (Hemmer) Yadav, MSBA and husband Ashish, MSBA , Clarksburg, Md., welcomed baby girl Kaya in June 2022. Kaya is the granddaughter of TinaMarie (DiFranco) Hemmer ’83.

2017 FOLD

Davin McCarthy and Jess Solomon were married on October 15, 2022, at The Gardens at Elm Bank in Wellesley, Mass. They honeymooned in the Bahamas. “Throwback to senior year!” writes the bride. The couple is living in Boston.

Christa Sirignano and Andrew Goemaat ’14 said, “I do!” on September 30, 2022, at the Black Swan Country Club in Georgetown, Mass. They celebrated with fellow Falcons Sebastian Brunell; Dillon Carlyle ’14; Harrison Chan ’15; Paul Cheek ’14; Katie Chin ’18, MSHFID ’21; Alex Davies ’14; Jeremy Dulong ; Gabriel Fermaint ’14; Rob Iwany ’86, MSA ’98; Alyssa (Gonyea) Kusmin ’14; Andrew Kusmin ’14; Donna McKnight ’82; Nick Morin; Nia Santiano; Nikki Sirignano ’15 and Dan Sirignano ’21.

Katie Wood and Jake Carvalho, MBA ’23 exchanged vows on October 8, 2022, at Granite Links in Quincy, Mass. Falcon guests included Paul Bolick ’87, P ’17; Tim Bolick ; Meg Greco; Greg Karpacz; AJ Lacey ’16; Jeff Molgano; Tom O’Donnell, MSA ’18; and Ellie Shuman, MSA ’18

2018

5th Reunion FOLD

Ben Brayton and Jen Potluri, MSBA ’21 tied the knot on June 9, 2022, at Oceanview of Nahant in Nahant, Mass. The newlyweds went to Turks and Caicos for their honeymoon, staying at The Shore Club. They live in Somerset, N.J., after relocating to the Garden State to work for Novartis, a pharmaceutical manufacturing company.

INTRODUCING A NEW SOCIAL MEDIA SERIES:

Falcon Flight Paths

Meet Bentley alumni on unconventional paths: a chocolatier, reporter, Formula 2 racer and more.

Follow @bentleyalumni to watch their stories!

Know someone who should be featured? Email gab@bentley.edu.

Brought to you by the Global Alumni Board

Nick Buttafuoco, MBA ’21 and Catherine Wojnar were married on September 23, 2022, at Willowbend Country Club in Mashpee, Mass. The couple honeymooned in Saint Lucia and lives in Boston.

In September 2022, Nico LaStella , Lawrenceville, N.J., was promoted to assistant vice president at SLR Business Credit. The asset-based lending financing company is located in Princeton and provides financing up to $30 million.

Resort Reunion

FOLD

Brooke Jameson, Bedford, Mass., wrote a children’s book that has been professionally published. She reports that Seasons of Change illustrates the concept of compromise for young audiences. In her telling, summer and winter have differences that make each special and unique, but to get along, they must meet in the middle. The beauty of their compromise is reflected in the creation of spring and autumn. The former swimmer dreamed up the idea for this story during countless laps in the Dana Center pool. She has always had a passion for writing, poetry and the arts.

Jenny Seuling and Chris Gormley ’16 tied the knot on September 16, 2022, in Scituate, Mass. The newlyweds celebrated their nuptials with Bentley swim and dive alumni, including Kate Kaduboski; Paige MacNeil ’20, MSDI ’21; Ryan McGeary, MBA ’20; Delaney Molnar; Hannah Rauch, MBA ’22; and Ariana Revelas ’20. The couple lives in Boston.

2020 FOLD

Renee Perkins, South Boston, Mass., was named a Boston Business Journal 25 Under 25 Honoree. The alumna is CEO and founder of Nantucket Island Marketing, a digital marketing agency t hat provides growth-driven marketing solutions to connect businesses to target customers, regardless of size or industry.

Anukriti Amarnath Sharma, MSHFID, West New York, N.J., works as a UX writer at Amazon.

2021 FOLD

Jen Potluri, MSBA and Ben Brayton ’18 tied the knot on June 9, 2022, at Oceanview of Nahant in Nahant, Mass. The newlyweds went to Turks and Caicos for their honeymoon, staying at The Shore Club. They live in Somerset, N.J., after relocating to the Garden State to work for Novartis, a pharmaceutical manufacturing company.

FOLD = Falcons of the Last Decade

Reunion celebrations for classes ending in 3 or 8 will take place in fall 2023.

Send us your notes and photos!

bentley.edu/class-notes

Save

Weekend: October 13 to 15!

Enjoy the best that Bentley has to offer this fall! With the homecoming football game on Saturday and plenty of activities for parents and families, alumni, students and children, you’ll love a walk down memory lane and exploring what’s new on campus. Plus, reunion celebrations for classes ending in 3 or 8 will take place during Falcon Weekend so you can reconnect with your classmates and all other Falcons in one amazing, jam-packed celebration!

Learn more: bentley.edu/falconweekend

Organic

BY KRISTEN WALSH

“I was always looking for an excuse to decorate my room. But my dad, who’s a contractor, didn’t necessarily trust my decisions because I was young,” Sousa recalls. “So I’d think of alternative ways to achieve a desired effect. Interior design is like that: starting with a small idea and finding creative ways to fulfill it that are feasible at that moment in time.”

The same kind of pragmatism helped Sousa launch an interior design business, Avant Garde Home LLC, in 2020. At the time, she was working as a digital marketing specialist at PTC computer services company — and redesigning her condo in Boston.

“During COVID, I started using TikTok and Instagram to document what I love doing, which is home decor and design,” Sousa says. “But having gone to Bentley, I understood that not everyone has an artistic side; they may be more analytical. So I started sharing more about the process of design.”

She had a knack for making videos that turned artistic concepts into practical advice.

“That’s how I started building my audience on social media,” says Sousa, who, three months into the new endeavor, left corporate life and began taking on interior design clients.

Her own analytical skills came into play as Sousa monitored traffic to her website and best-performing posts on TikTok and Instagram. Her first video to go viral, with 5.1 million views, featured tips for avoiding “farmhouse” decor.

A Natural Selection

In her own home, Sousa favors biophilic design, which brings nature indoors.

“Plants help ground me and spark some Zen,” she says of one strategy for managing her attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. “Whenever I start to feel like there’s a lot going on in my head, walking into a room with lots of greenery tends to be very relaxing.” Other ways to incorporate biophilic design: maximize natural light; choose wood or glass, not plastic, for furniture and accents; set up small indoor water features; and incorporate natural stone.

“The goal is to make a seamless transition between the outdoors and your home,” Sousa explains. “In addition to providing health benefits, biophilic design has a sustainability aspect. Using more natural light and less plastic, for example, is better for the environment.”

The approach also ties into her Brazilian roots. “I particularly love the jungle concept. I’m incorporating it into my baby’s nursery and using Brazilian-based furniture, bold colors and earthy materials. My culture has a major influence on my style and taste.”

A package of multicolored construction paper was inspiration for Julie Sousa ’17 during high school. When her request to paint her bedroom hit a wall, she grabbed some tape and thumbed through the stack, choosing the boldest hues to transform her space.

Lay down a piece of tarp. Add your favorite contrasting paint color or peel-and-stick wallpaper for a nice backdrop.

Add some fresh greenery or opt for faux if you don’t have a green thumb or the natural light.

Lay out a thin layer of marble chips topped with your choice of rocks from the local hardware store.

Finally, tuck in some battery operated lights for uplighting and an elevated look.

Take to TikTok and create an indoor garden nook. Follow the alumna on Instagram and TikTok: @the_avantgarde_

TRENDING

Smart Moves in Real Estate

As the real estate market starts to settle down, what will it mean for you as a buyer, seller, renter or investor? We asked Bentley alumni in the field to weigh in.

Hans Brings ’89

Broker/Premier Associate, Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage

Pent-up demand has kept the market stable even with increased interest rates. Buyers are finding it easier to achieve their home buying goals with somewhat less competition for homes as rates have increased, but prices are still stable. Life is short. Don’t pause your dreams waiting for an interest rate to come down. There’s so much value in peace of mind and enjoying life in your own home.

Harold Mateo ’04

Managing Broker, RSC Global Realty

If you’re looking to purchase, the best thing you can do right now is be pre-approved and open to doing the dance with the seller. Price may not be everything that motivates a seller — flexibility in terms is important. Think: closing date, option to find another property, purchase of existing items inside the home, and so forth.

Sellers who are smart about their pricing strategy and realistic about the market should start to see more activity with their properties. Make sure you understand how your broker is being creative getting your property in front of potential buyers.

For real estate investors, winter is always a great time to find opportunities and identify potential weakness in structures (heating systems, roof leaks, lack of insulation). I expect an increased level of opportunities in the second and third quarters of 2023. If you buy right that’s half of the battle; you must also have a clear exit in mind with a plans A, B and C as the landscape changes.

Brian Sykes ’87, MBA ’95

Managing Director, Lument, Responsible for originating multifamily loans

The robust apartment industry continues to have a huge impact on the 35% of the population who rent. Over the past 20 years, the pace of multifamily construction has not kept pace with demand, evidenced by double-digit rent increases in several major markets. Although owners of apartment communities have fared very well over the past decade, the downside of this multifamily industry’s “success” is rising rents. They are making housing unaffordable for wide swaths of our population, including young families and recent college graduates. The trend we need to focus on for the next decade is creating more affordable rental housing to meet the demand, which is only going to grow as home ownership becomes even more out of reach for many.

Built on Trust

BY MARY K. PRATT

In 2015, Enis Karavil ’06 (above right) was chasing his dream, working and studying interior architecture in London and collecting kudos for redesigning his own home there.

But in their regular phone calls, Amir Karavil ’10 (left) could tell that his brother was missing home. “One day,” he says, “I told him to pack his suitcase and come back to Istanbul, taking the first plane.”

The move led to more than a family reunion. Within months, the pair launched Sanayi313, an architecture and design studio that artfully brings together each brother’s skill set.

“Enis is an artist and has always been an artist. I walk beside him down this path to help him carry out his business more comfortably,” says Amir, who is also a principal at the manufacturing company their father started.

Their shared venture, located in Istanbul’s industrial district of Sanayi, comprises a design studio, a canteen and a curated shop for furniture and home accessories. It keeps an international clientele connected through a newsletter, focused on creativity and contemporary culture and edited by Amir’s wife, Sidni.

Enis serves as creative director. “Having grown up in a city where East meets West in every way, I’m always drawn to a coordinated fusion of the two and inspired by the harmony of their contrasts.”

He notes the “swings and roundabouts” of working with family, but considers it “mostly highly beneficial. You already know and trust the person with whom you start a business.”

Adds Amir: “It feels like home: sincere and full of trust.”

One upcoming project has special significance. The company will build a boutique hotel and serviced apartments (illustrated at right) on a derelict property in Balat, one of the oldest districts in Istanbul. Enis and Amir had bought the land while students at Bentley.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Writing in February, Enis Karavil noted that Istanbul is far from the earthquake site in southeastern Turkey, but “on a psychological level we are devastated by this disaster as a whole nation.”

Sweet Success

What do you do when your local celebrity author is also a chocoholic? Vermont’s Lake Champlain Chocolates jumped at the chance to honor Chris Bohjalian with a limited-edition chocolate bar. Green Mountain state native Allyson Haynes Myers ’93, the company’s director of marketing and customer experience, helped bring the bar into being for the bestselling writer’s latest novel — a historical thriller set in Hollywood and the Serengeti.

SELLING FROM THE HEART

chocolate bars for field trips and the Girl Scout who sold a lot of cookies. So I guess I’ve been selling sweets since I was 6 years old!

PERFECT PAIRING Chris is a chocolate freak — and especially likes dark chocolate. When his publisher, Doubleday, approached us about a partnership, it was appealing because while we have products that change holiday to holiday, we don’t create a lot of brand-new formulations specific to a campaign. From research, we know that our customers are big readers, so we thought it would be exciting for them, and might bring in new customers.

TASTE OF PLACE Kate Brown [innovation and product development manager] and I discussed the book’s themes and homed in on a sense of place. Starting with extra dark chocolate, she used coconut to make a toffee, which is always a crowd pleaser, and added a berbere spice blend, which is customary in African stews. A number of the book’s female characters are fiery, and there is also some literal fire and smoke, which connected with the warming nature of the spices.

COLLECTIVE IMPACT We are a Certified B Corp, and our motto is “‘B’ the change” we seek. Chris said he’d like to do something where we could collectively give back. So we sourced fair-trade cocoa from a farmer’s co-op in East Africa, where the book is set, and set up a special fund for women in the region, which resonates with the themes of female empowerment in the book.

STAR POWER Launching the product in May — outside of Christmas and Valentine’s Day — let us give the campaign special attention. We created packaging with artwork from the book, and Chris came on launch day and made chocolate bars with us. Some of the retailers we work with hosted him for book-signing events. One of his fans drove to Vermont all the way from New Jersey.

GIVING BACK After I was accepted to Bentley, I got a scholarship, which was unexpected and made a big impression on me. Now, being fortunate enough to work at an organization that is all about giving back, I give back to Bentley as well. I hope my donation gives others those same feelings of delight, and sets them up for success.

As told to Michael Blanding

Weddings

1.

3.

2.

1. Jenny Brown ’14 and Scott Roy ’14

2. Jenny Seuling ’19 and Chris Gormley ’16

3. Lauren Battista ’14 and Andrew Gosselin ’14

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4.

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Want to borrow an alumni banner for an upcoming wedding? Email alumni@bentley.edu.

4. Michael Shea ’11 and Shelly D’Aleo ’13, MBA ’15

5. Katie Wood ’17 and Jake Carvalho ’17, MBA ’23

6. Davin McCarthy ’17 and Jess Solomon ’17

7. Christa Sirignano ’17 and Andrew Goemaat ’14

8. Nick Buttafuoco ’18, MBA ’21 and Catherine Wojnar ’18

9. Kimberly Royer ’10 and Jeff Strittmatter

10. Sean Naughton ’15 and Chloe Wright ’15

11. Alexandra Gent ’16 and Daniel Lonardo ’16

12. Kayli Kemperle ’15 and John Austin Vance

Then Friends Now

Alumni share photos, stories and gratitude for friendships that started in dorms and elsewhere at Bentley. Look for more at bentley.edu/magazine/friends and submit your own to classnotes@bentley.edu.

Striking No. 1

Both born on April 5, 1952, Bentley buddies Barry Arntz ’74, MBA ’84 and Paul “Tango” Tangusso ’75 shared their 70th birthday party in April 2022. The pair’s bond was solidified knocking down pins as winning teammates in the 1973 Bentley intramural bowling championship. The Tumblers won again in 1974 and changed their name: We’re Number 1. Fifty years later, Barry and Tango still keep in regular touch.

From left: Barry Arntz ’74, MBA ’84; Paul Gagnon ’75; Paul Tangusso ’75; Kenneth Sawicki ’74 and Bernard Polselli ’74. Seated: Kathleen Bready ’75

2022

Gary Comoletti ’75, Arntz and Tangusso. Seated: Kenneth Surabian ’74

How We Roll

Best friends for 43 years and counting, Marianne Melbinger ’83 and Patty Shinkwin ’82 (pictured at the former’s graduation and in 2022) were members of the women’s basketball team, including the 1983 roster — the first in Bentley history to participate in the NCAA regional finals.

1983 2004

The Jens

Jennifer (Loeb) Jesus ’04 and Jennifer (Heizer) Gridley ’04 met at student orientation in 2000. They decided to be roommates and, as Gridley says, “the rest is history!” They talk every week and “are forever grateful to Bentley for our forever friendship!”

1942

Michael Weiss

Evan Ypsilantis

1944

Mildred (Monson) Dawson

1946

Albert DiVenuti, P ’76

1948

Gertrude (Pshoter) Kohen

1949

Walter Boland, P ’76

Harold Forguites

Richard Peabody, P ’81

Earl Ware

1950

Raymond Geiger

Thomas O’Connor, P ’83

1951

John Dowling

Rio Leone

Raymond Sundstrom, MST ’81, P ’90

William Wixon

1952

Frank Cieplinski

Paul McElhiney

Roland Wermers

In Memoriam

1953

David Goldrup

Robert Montana

Joseph Talerico

1954

Robert Holbrook

1955

Lawrence Auron

Richard Erickson

Wayne Jenkins

1956

Edward Dimmock

Albert Fenn

Clifford Purvis, P ’85 ’97

1957

Morton Bryant

Richard D’Amato

Ovide Flannery

William Grover

Daniel Hurley

David Warren

1958

Bernard Kavanagh

Donald Kelly, P ’85

Charles Mahoney

Dominic Piccirilli

1959

Michael Kilmartin

Richard Libby

John O’Brien

Paul O’Reilly

Melvyn Robbins

Joseph Vella

1960

Charles Balkam

Roger Levesque

1961

Norman Cloutier

Kenneth Elliott, P ’92

James Legault

Wayne Nelson

Robert Stevens

Bruce Willard

1962

James McCarthy

1963

Hervey Clay

Robert Ritchie

Fred Tavares

Joel Winograd

1967

Anthony Agresti

Anthony Bevere

James DePietro

1968

Francis Conway

1969

Robert Conlon

David LaCouture

Ira Rakatansky

1970

Fred Conway, MST ’83

Joseph Delorfano

1972

Alfred Appel, MST ’77

1973

Robert Newcomb

1974

George Mucci

Michael Reardon

Richard Toole

1975

Bobby Ney

1977

Brian Darcy

1978

Paul Lafford

Marc LaPenta

1979

Suzanne Castro

1980

Lance Thomas

1981

Donald Mitchell, MST

Roger O’Connor, MSA

James Tivnan, MSA

1982

Patricia (Kosinski) Cherkowski

Peter Christiana, MSA

Thomas McNamara, P ’10

1983

Jeanne (Anderson) Sanders

1984

Kevin O’Brien, MBA

Michael Riley

1985

Christine (Quinn) Landry

1986

Susan “Susie” (Cody) Carroll

Timothy Dean, MBA

Elizabeth (Russo) Lussier

1987

Susan Carlson

Pamela (Kiss) Corcoran, MST ’95

Lisa Courchene

Ronald Weinberg

1988

Timothy Ondrick

1989

Thomas McQuaid, MST

Catherine (Gerhardt) Miller

John Padellaro

1991

Anthony Chaves

Ed O’Brien, MBA

1992

Mark Lebkuchner

1995

Robert Studley, MBA

1995

Fatima Karantonis, MSBE

2010 McKenzie Mathews

2011 Corey Goodermote

2014 Michael Figueroa

2016 Andrew Elsaid

2024

Victoria Carrion Gonzalez Rubio

Faculty, Staff and Friends

Concetta “Connie” Coppola, Former staff member, Faculty and Staff Dining Room

David Fedo, Former Professor of English and Associate Undergraduate Dean

Michael Haselkorn, Associate Professor Emeritus, Accounting

Richard MacKinnon, Former faculty member, Computer Information Systems

Nancy Milburn, Trustee Emerita

Fred Tuffile, Former Senior Lecturer and Director of Entrepreneurial Studies, Management

Annette Wong, Former Senior Academic Coordinator, Academic Affairs

Remembering Howard Winer ’58

For more than 20 years, Bentley students have had a dedicated learning space in the Howard A. Winer ’58 Lab for Economics, Accounting and Finance (LEAF) — formerly known as the ACELab. The LEAF Lab is a legacy of collaboration, technology and peer-to-peer support, named in honor of Winer to recognize his years-long generosity to the university. An avid golfer and proud grandfather of five, Winer owned and operated rest homes in New England. He also helmed a CPA practice for more than 50 years, and credited Bentley for much of his success.

Remember Bentley classmates, friends, faculty and staff by making a gift in their name. bentley.edu/memorial-gift

Future Falcons

1. Ruby, daughter of Amanda (Wagner) Koschei ’14 and husband David ’12

2. Juliana, daughter of and Kimberly (Markowitz) Bonamassa ’11 and husband Daniel ’11, with brother Nicholas

3. Weston Daniel, son of Katie (Donnellan) Harrington ’12, MSA ’13 and husband Ethan ’13, MSA ’14

4. Andi Samantha, daughter of Michelle (Brouillard) Rubin ’10 and husband Daniel

5. Kaya, daughter of Kristi (Hemmer) Yadav, MSBA ’16 and husband Ashish, MSBA ’16

6. Emerson Shea, daughter of Katelyn (D’Eramo) Campbell ’08 and husband Christopher ’08

7. Colin, son of Courtney (Somerville) Rahamin ’09, MSA ’10 and husband Andy ’10, with brother Ashton

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SCHOLARSHIPS GIVE OUR

access to an unparalleled business education, the tools to lead and the drive to pay it forward. It’s unlimited possibility for talented Falcons — regardless of where they come from.

Help open doors for students to shine

How will you BE A FORCE?

PHOTO BY MICHAEL QUIET