Bentley Magazine Winter 2021

WINTER 2021

BACK BACK TO TO

BUSINESS BUSINESS President E. LaBrent Chrite Leads Bentley into a New Era

Contents WINTER 2021 3 | ON CAMPUS COLUMNS

9 | Inside Job: Happy hunting with Ryan Collins ’10, MBA ’11 10 | Take Two: Trading insights on commerce and COVID 28 | Family Matters: How to grow potential

FEATURES

12 | Let’s Get to Work: President E. LaBrent Chrite on the challenges and opportunities ahead 18 | Purpose is the Strongest Force: When one great act leads to another 20 | Many Happy Returns: Dispatches from the in-person fall semester 24 | C LASS

NOTES

See more from Bentley’s action-packed fall semester on pages 6 and 7.

PHOTO BY BILLIE WEISS

SECTION >> Magazine

BETWEEN THE LINES Editor Susan Simpson Senior Director Strategic Communications John McElhenny Project Manager Vanessa Salas Writers Michael Blanding Mary K. Pratt Kristen Walsh Creative Director Greg Gonyea Senior Associate Director Creative Services Claire S. Anderson Art Direction & Design Juliana Freire Multimedia Producer Kevin Maguire Associate Director Print and Production Judy Metz

Executive Director Advancement Communications Terry Cronin Senior Associate Director Advancement Communications Caroline Cruise Associate Director Content Development Kristin Livingston Class Notes Editor Molly McKinnon

President E. LaBrent Chrite, PhD Vice President Marketing and Communications Christopher Joyce Vice President University Advancement Maureen Flores

Stop by my Bentley office and you’ll know a few things immediately. I like my colors bright and bold. I am all in for Team Feline. I have a borderline obsession with owls. This fall, as I returned to campus, these objects packed with personal meaning have offered surprising comfort and inspiration.

The only thing better than occupying my own carefully curated space is seeing someone else’s. So it was exciting when President E. LaBrent Chrite opened his office door, literally, to Bentley Magazine. We turned up some clues to his past and present, catalogued on page 16 for your consideration.

However meaningful his office décor, the president is often elsewhere.

Falcons who shared their impressions of Brent (page 17) were quick to note his impromptu walks around campus, “making it a point to have a conversation with anyone who will speak with him.” These encounters have informed his semesterlong mission: to learn about Bentley from some of the people who know it best. Your introduction to Brent starts on page 14: He writes on what drew him here; meeting students, faculty, staff and alumni; and the work ahead to keep the university thriving in challenging times.

Our pages also aim, through firsthand accounts and plenty of photos, to capture some of the energy that came with the return of teaching, learning and working on campus. It’s great to be back.

This summer brought sad news about John “Jack” Fagan ’34, believed to be our oldest alumnus.

His family reached out to the staff member who profiled John in the spring 2019 issue of Bentley Magazine.

Our beloved Grandpop (Greatgrandpop to our daughters) passed away on August 29 at age 107. His quality of life was high and his mind was sharp right up to the end. It has been difficult to say goodbye, but he left us with a wealth of wonderful memories and we were privileged to be able to spend the past six years with him.

We also wanted to thank you personally for your great work on the story and video, and all the fun memorabilia you brought him. He got such a kick out of it and we have shared the article and video with so many friends and family. They all say how wonderfully it captures him.

Thanks again, and as Grandpop would say, “Tally ho!”

Kind regards from our whole family, John and Michelle Fagan Washington, D.C.

Take a video tour of the century with John Fagan.

We welcome your feedback.

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

MAGAZINE@BENTLEY.EDU || @BENTLEYU || @BENTLEYALUMNI || 781-891-2076 175 FOREST STREET, WALTHAM, MA 02452 Bentley University is more than just one of the nation’s top business schools. It is a lifelong-learning community that creates successful leaders who make business a force for positive change. With a combination of business and the arts and sciences and a flexible, personalized approach to education, Bentley provides students with critical thinking and practical skills that prepare them to lead successful, rewarding careers. Founded in 1917, the university enrolls 4,000 undergraduate and 1,000 graduate and PhD students and is set on 163 acres in Waltham, Massachusetts, 10 miles west of Boston. For more information, visit bentley.edu.

72M10/21AP.MC.614.21

NEW LEASH ON LIFE It was a busy fall as students, faculty and staff returned for in-person learning, teaching and working. Campus comfort dog Blue kept a full calendar of meet-and-greets, spreading smiles and good vibes at every turn. The now 2-year-old Labrador mix joined Bentley in May 2020.

PHOTO BY FISHER L e VASSEUR ’23

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ON CAMPUS >>

BY KRISTEN WALSH

The term “boot camp” conjures up visions of rigorous training with a big payoff. Michael Watkins ’22 had a similar thing in mind (minus the pushups and rope climb) when he created the Bentley Consulting Group Boot Camp.

Launched in January 2021, the camp places students in consulting roles for businesses and nonprofits. The payoff is twofold: Students train with mentors and put their skills to work, and companies gain free consulting and valuable perspectives.

“I wanted to give Bentley students the ability to get hands-on consulting experience working with small businesses and startups to help them see the impact of their work,” says Watkins, an EconomicsFinance major and president of the Bentley Consulting Group.

The student-run organization has more than 200 members, who work on projects with companies such as RSM audit, tax and consulting services. The boot camp, which will be offered each semester, includes several weeks of trainings to help students understand the consulting field before completing a capstone consulting project for a company.

Boot camp participant Matthew Spiegel ’23 consulted to RemNote, an MIT-based technology startup. His team analyzed user

demographics and target market data to create advertisements across four social media platforms; the goal was to increase brand awareness, user conversions and website traffic.

“We produced a comprehensive PowerPoint to share findings and recommendations to improve long-term growth and revenue, based on ad analytics, user testing and extensive outside research,” says Spiegel, a Computer Information Systems major. “My favorite part was designing the slide deck and using graphics to make the presentation come alive.”

After the boot camp, Spiegel put his new skills to immediate use in a data analytics internship at Sweep, a car-buying-andselling app based in Dublin.

Lecturer in Management Susan Vroman advised the Bentley Consulting Group as it designed the boot camp.

“At any reputable consulting firm, they do their own version of this very thing,” Vroman says. “When I started at Accenture, we spent six weeks training both in hard skills like coding and writing memos and soft skills like business etiquette and adhering to the client’s value proposition.”

Boot camp mentors include professionals such as Andrew Murphy ’19, who shared insights with students based on his

At any reputable consulting firm, they “do their own version of this very thing.”

SUSAN VROMAN, LECTURER IN MANAGEMENT 6 | WINTER 2021

management consulting work at RSM audit, tax and consulting services.

“Having the opportunity to get a taste of consulting work with real businesses is so important to help students apply what they’re learning in the classroom to reallife situations,” says Murphy, who was a member of the Bentley Consulting Group as a student and started his career with RSM as a management consulting intern during his junior year. “I gave students tips for putting together client deliverables as well as common ways of solving problems and developing solutions.”

Michael Watkins ’22 PHOTO BY KEVIN MAGUIRE; ILLUSTRATION BY SHUTTERSTOCK/MODVECTOR

<< ON CAMPUS

Two Join Board of Trustees Pull out

Pull out

table

table

New trustee Pauline Callender Han ’91 excels at formulating business strategy and building and motivating teams. Her current role at The Walt Disney Company, which she joined in 1995, is vice president of global product and labor standards. Bestselling author Debora Spar studies the interplay between humans and technology.

At Harvard Business School, she holds a named professorship and serves as senior associate dean for business and global society.

INTERVIEWS BY KRISTEN WALSH tolerance that comes with that. You stay a lifelong learner by being open to a diversity of people and experiences.

What does Bentley mean to you?

I’m proud of my Bentley education; the level of preparedness was the foundation to get me to where I am today. I’m dating myself, but I remember when my first employer introduced computers.

For some of my colleagues this was brand new. But it was old hat for me because Bentley was one of the first universities to require laptops. It’s exciting to be able to give back to a university that’s given me so much and, especially, to bring that to students.

Pauline Callender Han ’91 Pauline, you work for a company that’s famous for storytelling.

What would be the main themes of your own story?

Resilience: We all face obstacles and have to learn from them and keep marching forward. Determination, because I like to finish what I started — and while I know we can’t achieve perfection, I’m always striving to do my best. Adventure: I’m not afraid to try new things and I love to travel and explore different cultures. There’s a

PHOTOS BY ROBERT BECK (ABOVE) AND COURTESY OF THE TRUSTEE

Debora, you are the former president of Barnard, a college for women. “Reluctant feminist” is a term you’ve applied to yourself.

Why? I’m not against feminism in any way; certainly not as the president of a feminist college. But women of my generation were brought up to believe that we could have it all. Particularly women who were white and uppermiddle class. So, I came to my feminism reluctantly because I thought — naively in retrospect — that women of my generation would no longer need it.

Clearly the struggle is not over.

Why did you say “yes” to joining the Bentley board?

I love higher education and remain really interested in what it takes to run a university. My role at Barnard was to help the institution define and leverage its niche as a liberal arts college, and I look forward to helping to do the same for a business university — particularly at a time when parents and students are increasingly interested in having a rigorous education focused on both the person and career path.

Debora Spar

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ON CAMPUS >>

ALL IN WELCOME Class of 2025 The campus sprang to life in September as about a thousand first-year students moved into residence halls. Classmates bonded over a week that featured games on giant inflatables, a concert by rapper Flo Milli, Falcon football, Convocation and more.

8 | WINTER 2021

<< ON CAMPUS

PHOTOS BY MANSI JESRANI, MSMA ’22, FISHER L e VASSEUR ’23, KEVIN MAGUIRE, DAMIAN STROHMEYER AND JAMIE WEXLER

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ON CAMPUS >>

Falling into Place

THE FALCON

FILES

The September return of students, faculty and staff inspired this quick tour of current and former campus landmarks.

BY JAIMIE FRITZ, UNIVERSITY ARCHIVIST

Brick archways were a unifying feature of the seven buildings that comprised the newly constructed Bentley campus in 1968. They are design elements outdoors and indoors, such as this one in the library. (1) A small observatory, built in 1974, once stood where the Adamian Academic Center is today.

Though a highlight of campus tours, it was removed to keep the cohesive look of Georgian architecture on the main campus. (2) 1.

2.

The steep stairway from the Tree dorms to the library is familiar to generations of Falcons, who have braved it in all kinds of weather. Since 2002, the Smith Academic Technology Center has offered an alternative, weather-protected route to the center of campus. (4)

3.

4.

Located on what is now south campus, the Dovecote building was part of the historic Lyman Estate when Bentley purchased the land in the 1960s. Traditionally, dovecotes are built to house pigeons or doves, and we believe this is the purpose it served for the Lyman family. (3)

5.

The pedestrian bridge opened in 1989, lowered into place across Beaver Street in one large piece.

It offered a safer commute from residence halls to classes as more students chose to live on campus. Upgrades through the years include installing better-lighted pathways and emblazoning “Bentley” on both sides so drivers know they’re passing by. (5) One of Bentley’s most iconic structures almost wasn’t. The library was designed to be topped with a clocktower, but funds were tight as campus construction wrapped up in the late 1960s. A gift by Solomon R. Baker ’24 enabled the project to move ahead and the clocktower was installed in fall 1972. (6)

6.

10 | WINTER 2021

<< INSIDE JOB

Marks the Spot

In March 2020, Ryan Collins ’10, MBA ’11 put a $100 bill in a plastic box and posted clues to its north-of-Boston location on his Facebook page.

The forensic accountant’s solution to pandemic fatigue and isolation found hundreds of takers.

Today, the venture he named “Happy Hunting” lets people chase their Treasure Island fantasies on a monthly basis.

ce Ryan ’s O ffi

P u z z le s + in spir at io

INSPIRATION FOUND I’ve always been into stories of people discovering sunken ships or using a metal detector to find a box of treasure. During quarantine, I watched a show on the Discovery Channel called The Secret, where a guy in the 1980s buried 12 boxes containing keys that could be traded in for actual jewels. It was so cool!

I decided to do something similar.

UNCOVERING DEMAND Immediately after the first one ended, everyone was like, “When’s the next one?” I ended up doing five hunts, giving away my own money, before my wife said, “We’re not putting our dollars in the ground anymore.”

Now, it’s $20 for teams to get in, and winners get 100% of the entry fees. We have 1,300 people on the Facebook page and prizes up to $2,000.

BODY AND BRAIN Some of the puzzles are physical, for instance, you’ve got to hike in the woods for two miles to get to a clue; others are riddles to solve. One recent hunt had five stages. You had to go into all these stores in Rockport and find letters in signs that spelled out the next place to go — which was Dogtown, an abandoned town in the woods of Gloucester.

PHOTOS BY JAMIE WEXLER

n

STRATEGIC MISDIRECTION I enjoy watching teams jockey with each other and trade information. During that five-stage hunt, the team that was first to reach stage four put a guy there for like, six hours, directing other teams away from the clue. I just put the puzzle together. People are allowed to do whatever they want — beg, borrow, steal and lie — to win.

SHOW ME THE MONEY I got my degree in accounting and learned about an opportunity with Ernst & Young to do forensic accounting. You basically go to a company where the financials aren’t adding up, or where they’re missing $5 million, and you investigate to understand what happened. It’s a good challenge because every day you don’t know what you’re going to be doing.

GROWING FORTUNE Bentley taught me a lot about marketing, figuring out how to reach the masses and get people involved and excited. It’s all about relationships and building your network. Right now, my goal for Happy Hunting is growth, and it’s great to have a career that pays the bills while I explore this. I’d love for it to turn into a profit-making business and become my full-time job.

THRILL OF THE HUNT For more than half the people, it’s not really about the money. It’s about the experience of getting to places they’ve never been before and trying to solve some puzzles. Some parents say, “I couldn’t pay my kids $100 to get them away from their laptop, but the idea of going out to look for treasure is so awesome and intriguing, they’ll do it.” For $20, you get a full weekend of entertainment.

As told to Michael Blanding “ The hunt is on — it has begun In a place divided by one Start your search where land and sea Are opposite and split by she Follow her gaze toward the scarlet rest Then pass one hundred along your quest Two rows two columns lead to a key Your entryway to liberty And here is where your treasure lay Just below the USA”

f p l a ce o Hiding re #1 u s t rea

Saugus ,M First h ass. unt

Check out Happy Hunting.

BENTLEY MAGAZINE | 11

TAKE TWO >>

Brandon Hendrix ’06 is senior vice president of marketing and a founding team member at Thrasio, which buys and grows businesses that sell goods on Amazon.

One of the fastest-growing companies in U.S. history, Thrasio has raised $2.3 billion in funding and reached unicorn status in fewer than three years.

12 | WINTER 2021

Assistant Professor of Marketing Shelle Santana is an expert in consumer behavior and decision-making.

Her research focuses on behavioral pricing and the psychology of money, including the trajectory of changing payment methods.

PHOTO BY KEVIN MAGUIRE

<< TAKE TWO

COMMERCE COVID The pandemic changed the way that people shop and companies sell. Brandon Hendrix ’06 and faculty member Shelle Santana trade insights on which online buying habits and marketing strategies are likely to stick.

INTERVIEW BY KRISTEN WALSH What are the biggest changes in consumer behavior during COVID-19?

Brandon Hendrix: It feels like trends have accelerated by decades — and you can see that through e-commerce growth curves.

People who were not accustomed to buying online were forced into it much faster than they normally would have been. Considering my own habits, I never used to buy groceries online and have them delivered, but it’s so convenient that now I almost don’t want to go grocery shopping in person.

Shelle Santana: COVID sped up consumers’ use of non-cash payments. For example, the payment processing company Square found that, within its customer base, the pandemic accelerated the adoption of digital payments by three years. That is coupled with changes in how people shop for things. Pre-COVID, we talked a lot about “omnichannel consumers,” who connected with brands through many different channels, across the web or in a brick-and-mortar store.

The pandemic really brought that to life.

I’m now an Instagram shopper extraordinaire.

How did retail companies adapt marketing strategies and messaging to reach consumers?

SS: Health and safety were on the forefront of communications. Nearly every brand sent emails to their customer base about the actions being taken to keep employees and customers safe — from limiting the number

of shoppers in a store to requiring everyone to wear masks. The message was clearly, “We’re in this together and we’re going to do our part to help keep our community safe.”

I think consumers really valued that.

Flexibility, particularly by online providers, was also important — making products easy to shop for, easy to have shipped to your home and easy to return.

Companies have realized that, without the benefit of trying things on or having that tactile experience, people are guessing on their purchases. So we’re seeing much more generous return policies.

BH: A lot of e-commerce companies are trying to figure out how to engage with consumers’ sensory feelings — the emotional response of how a leather shoe would feel, for example. There are now better chat functions so questions are answered in real time. Many companies also had to speed up third-party logistics to try to improve shipping capabilities. Before, you could almost always walk into a Peloton store and have one of their exercise bikes shipped that week, but during COVID there was a three-month wait.

Are the changes temporary, permanent or both?

BH: When you’re trying to form a habit, like exercise, you might commit for 30 days because it’s more likely to stick with repetition. With COVID we were all locked down for six to 12 months, so our psychology was changing. We formed new online shopping behaviors, like clicking on Instagram ads and buying things, when we never had before. You could order 12 pairs of shoes and just return 11 of them.

From a seller standpoint, a lot of traditional retailers may move to a showroom-style platform where consumers go to a store and try something on, then it’s shipped to them. Online advertising and marketing on platforms like Facebook and TikTok are growing faster than they would have if COVID had not happened. How people discover and shop for products is going to be different.

SS: Looking at how consumers have changed their payment preferences, I’d say this shift is permanent-ish. That is, the overall trend toward more cashless transactions is permanent, but I wouldn’t be surprised if some segments of consumers drift back to a mix of cash and credit or cash and non-cash payments.

Were there changes that especially surprised you?

BH: I was surprised by the sheer increase in volume within some categories like fitness products. That had a direct impact on the supply chain. Companies often could not predict fast enough how much supply they needed; those that could were in a much better position.

New businesses with lower sales are feeling the most impact, as the world’s largest manufacturer — China — pushes its production to large and established vendors.

Are large-scale changes necessary with these shifts in consumer behavior?

SS: A long-term issue with cashless transactions is that individual differences impact consumers’ ability to pay electronically. Lower-income or older consumers may have less access to or comfort with the resources that enable non-cash payments, like credit cards and the internet.

BH: We need to find better ways for those communities to get access to banks or offer two forms of payment to buy things online, especially in cases where physical locations for necessities like groceries shut down.

It’s something that people don’t talk about very often.

Is brand loyalty important in the current landscape?

BH: Online, there are so many options it can be hard for consumers to know what‘s legitimate and what’s not. Products may have thousands of positive reviews, and everything works out fine. But at some point you might need something to hold on to — like a brand that has been around for a while.

SS: Brand loyalty is even more important in the COVID era because competition is just a few clicks away. Competitors are able to reach your same customer group by running algorithms. It’s so easy for a consumer to compare products and prices; so easy to find the next best thing.

BENTLEY MAGAZINE | 13

FEATURES >>

14 | WINTER 2021

<< FEATURES

‘LET’S

GET TO

WORK’ PHOTO BY BILLIE WEISS

BENTLEY MAGAZINE | 15

FEATURES >>

FROM THE

PRESIDENT W

hat a semester it’s been. As I continue to meet more members of our great community in this, my first fall at Bentley, I’m reminded time and time again why I was drawn to this extraordinary university.

From day one, I’ve seen firsthand how my own belief in the power of business to change the world for the better is affirmed every day by the students, faculty, staff and alumni of Bentley University.

I’ve always believed in the power of business education. I’ve been fortunate in my career to work on issues of economic development across many countries, and I’ve seen how the dynamism and impact of business and entrepreneurship can create solutions to so many human problems. For over a century, a Bentley education has prepared leaders to do just that, while meeting the demands of an increasingly discerning and evolving marketplace. That’s been true since Harry Bentley first enrolled a class of prospective accountants in 1917. And it’s certainly true today.

At its core, business can — and should — address the needs of our society. At Bentley, the academic journey is based on that very idea.

The connection between the classroom and our commitment to practice and engagement in the “real world” is clear. I see it in the way that our students apply their lessons and ideas to today’s business world. I see it in the timely, consequential research of our world-class faculty and the way they inspire in the classroom. And I see it in the alumni who are creating exciting new ventures and leading in industries around the world.

In my career in higher education, I’ve always had a deep appreciation for the role that alumni assume in a community. Alumni are the living proof of the success of a university’s mission — they embody and affirm the most important institutional characteristics. There are no stronger ambassadors, no bigger champions, for a university than those who have passed through its doors on their paths to success.

16 | WINTER 2021

PHOTOS BY BILLIE WEISS

<< FEATURES

Together with our Falcon community, I look forward to continuing to empower students to use business as a force for the positive change our world so deeply needs.

I’m looking forward to meeting more of the Falcons who have proudly carried Bentley’s name into the world and helped strengthen the very reputation that drew me and so many others to this great university.

As we look to Bentley’s future, we know there will be hurdles to our continued success. The COVID-19 pandemic has fundamentally altered a business landscape already transformed by increasing internationalization and technological advances. But adapting to change — excelling at the intersection of intellectual rigor and market relevance — is exactly what Bentley does best.

So much has changed since that first group of accountants-in-training came together in a classroom on Huntington Avenue in Boston.

But what has remained central to this university is that our students leave Bentley equipped with the skills to succeed and meet the demands of an increasingly competitive and connected economic marketplace. To continue that mission and to sustain and strengthen our competitiveness, we must be willing to innovate and adapt once again as the global economy requires.

Alumni and friends of the university will play an important role in that success. So far, generous alumni have established scholarships, served as mentors and networkers, and launched our Badavas Center for Innovation in Teaching and Learning and Pulsifer Career Development Center, to name just a few examples. We are a stronger university thanks to your collaboration and partnership.

Today, higher education is at a crossroads. The landscape is now defined by new and emerging platforms of engagement, low-cost market entrants, and an emerging focus on competencies over credentials as well as increased price-point sensitivities.

I have no doubt that we are up to the challenge. I believe in Bentley, and we are uniquely well-positioned to emerge from this period stronger and more agile. I’m excited for what will come next. Together with our Falcon community, I’m looking forward to continuing to empower students to use business as a force for the positive change our world so deeply needs — changing the world for the better, just as Harry Bentley envisioned more than a century ago. Let’s get to work.

— E. LaBrent Chrite

Photo of president with alumni from Falcon Weekend

BENTLEY MAGAZINE | 17

FEATURES >>

PERSONAL

The president’s office speaks volumes about his path and passions.

TREASURES A pipe picked up in West Africa during travels to support private sector development

Personal hero Nelson Mandela

With Hank Aaron and his wife, Billye; the baseball great supported President Chrite’s former institution

Plaque from Afghanistan’s Herat University for helping to create graduate business programs

With wife Phyllis and Elijah, the oldest of their five grandsons Immortalized in bobblehead form, for service to Junior Achievement, an organization that brings the principles of business into middle and high schools

18 | WINTER 2021

A thank you from the country’s oldest African American fraternity, Alpha Phi Alpha, of which he’s a member

His jazz-centric office soundtrack features favorites McCoy Tyner, John Coltrane and Miles Davis

PHOTOS BY KEVIN MAGUIRE

“

President Chrite is thoughtful, caring and a true leader. His depth of experience will no doubt help Bentley grow and evolve.

In the few months he has been with us, community members have already noticed a shift in momentum, and it is clear he will lead us in a positive direction.

Christine W. Lookner, Associate Dean of Student Equity and Inclusion

”

“

Dr. Chrite is an inspirational leader. I feel like he can inspire us all and make lasting change at Bentley. He has been the first president in my tenure at Bentley to walk through the academic buildings meeting the faculty in their offices. To me that shows he is invested in all of us.

Kiana Pierre-Louis ’99, Senior Lecturer, Law and Taxation

”

“

Since President Chrite’s first day here, he’s been willing to intentionally interact with students.

It’s not uncommon to see him walking around campus, and he makes it a point to have conversations with anybody who will speak with him. This is refreshing to see, and Bentley has a strong future under his leadership.

Aman Ailani ’20, MSBA ’23

”

“

President Chrite is a wellaccomplished but humble leader.

His vision for Bentley — that a true integration of arts and sciences with business can produce knowledge that will change the world — resonates with many. I am very excited to have him here with us.

“

Having participated on the Presidential Search Committee representing the GAB, I was most struck by President Chrite’s track record as a strong ‘relationship builder’ on multiple levels. I welcome his leadership to help engage with our nearly 65,000-strong alumni community

in meaningful and lasting ways.

Chuck Coppa ’85, Chair, Global Alumni Board

PHOTO BY JAITRA DIXIT ’21

”

”

Christian Rubio, Chair of the Modern Languages Department

BENTLEY MAGAZINE | 19

FEATURES >>

CA still working on design Tom was always teaching. Whether in the classroom, mentoring colleagues, guiding user experience professionals online or at conferences, or helping a stranger, he was a natural — and his passion was evident to anyone on the receiving end.

IS THE

STRONGEST

FORCE To be a force for Bentley is to give students access to an education they might otherwise not have. To build programs that shape the next generation of great business leaders. To help define what happens at Bentley outside the classroom, which can be just as lifechanging as what happens inside. As of this publication, thousands of Falcon donors have been a force for positive change, raising more than $78 million of our $100 million goal.

Here are just a few of the countless ways gifts to this university are making a difference.

BILL GRIBBONS Professor, Information Design and Corporate Communication

Last year, Bentley lost a dear friend, professor and colleague, Tom Tullis (below). In his career of more than 40 years, Tullis oversaw thousands of user experience tests; worked on all kinds of projects, from NASA’s International Space Station to 70-plus publications; and taught for over 25 years. To honor a man who gave so much to the university and his profession, a scholarship established in his memory supports deserving students in the Human Factors in Information Design (HFID) program.

Seed money for the scholarship was provided by Fidelity Investments, with whom Tullis collaborated. HFID alumni and staff provided additional support — ensuring that Tullis’s memory lives on, and generations of students benefit from his legacy.

ONE GREAT ACT LEADS TO ANOTHER In 2019, Great Benefactors Gordon ’80 and Annellen ’80 Pulsifer, P ’08 ’19 generously donated

$2 million to elevate career services at Bentley

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Inspiring 300-plus alumni to connect with Bentley students via mentoring, guest lecturing, coffee chats, mock interviews and job opportunities

<< FEATURES

I wouldn’t be at Bentley right now without this fellowship. I can’t thank the donors enough. At my Bentley info session, faculty member Kiana Pierre-Louis spoke about going to law school and she really inspired me, because I want to use my degree to become a lawyer someday, too. Knowing I’m at Bentley — safe and supported — is a huge relief to my family.

Bentley was my first idea of ‘college.’ As a Waltham kid, I went to after-school programs run by Bentley service-learning students. I had always planned on taking multiple student loans to get here, but because of the fellowship, I’m better set for success. It’s changed my life and I am hugely thankful.

KENDRICK AGYAPONG ’25

JOANN RAMIREZ ’25

A $100,000 corporate gift from Sun Life U.S. has helped create the Sun Life FirstGen Scholarship Fund, which provides $12,500 annually to two FirstGen Presidential Fellows over their four years at Bentley. The program engages a small group of high-achieving students who are first in their family to attend college, through resources that include program-specific workshops, and leadership and community-based experiences.

Helping more than 4,000 students per year, like Molly McGreevy ’21, now at Goldman Sachs, reach their career goals through courses, coaching, internships and more

PHOTOS BY KEVIN MAGUIRE (ABOVE) AND COURTESY OF THE ALUMNA

Ensuring that the Pulsifer Career Development Center reclaimed its No. 1 spot in the country for Undergraduate Career Services, as ranked by the Princeton Review.

BENTLEY MAGAZINE | 21

FEATURES >>

HAPPY

MANY

In-person teaching and learning was back at Bentley this fall. We caught up with six Falcons as they arrived on campus — some for the first time.

As told to Kristen Walsh Photography by Kevin Maguire 22 | WINTER 2021

<< FEATURES

TEAM

OPEN TO Banmai Huynh ’24 Corporate Accounting and Finance Major Orientation Leader

Ethan Roswell ’22 Economics-Finance Major Captain, Men’s Hockey

In fall 2020, I was a first-year student and fully remote. When the spring semester started, I wasn’t in the best place mentally.

Though I’m an extrovert, I was hesitant to live on campus.

My mom pushed me to move in. She saw me struggling and knew I needed a change.

When I got here, one of the biggest challenges was feeling like everyone had already made their friends in the first semester. I had made friends during online classes, but these were people I only saw on a structured Zoom call twice a week.

After a couple weeks, I realized that classmates I’d met virtually were happy to see me on campus. I reached out to people I knew from class and asked if they wanted to grab lunch. A lot of people, even if they had been on campus in the fall, still felt a little disconnected because of COVID. Something that helped was my virtual participation in the Women’s Leadership Program and the Asian Students Association; it was the best feeling to meet everyone in person.

During the spring semester, when the country experienced a rise in Asian hate crimes, it was good to be together. We worked to raise awareness. We had a lot of heartfelt conversations and became closer.

Having classes in person is so much more engaging for me.

I’m huge on class participation — to the point where classmates probably get annoyed! But honestly, I believe in getting the most out of my education and connecting with my professors helps me do that.

As an orientation leader, I was excited to tell first-year students that this is my first fall semester on campus, too. I’m really glad that things are getting back to normal, but I learned that self-discipline goes a long way and that I’m more capable than I thought.

The biggest impact of COVID was the uncertainty — how to plan and get ready for a hockey season we weren’t sure we would have. That’s a hard mindset for an athlete.

What I learned is to always be prepared, because you never know when an opportunity will come your way. If you’re able to step on the ice, you have to give 110%, because the next day you might be quarantining in your room for two weeks.

Don’t take anything for granted.

This season the team is really excited. We were able to get nearly everyone here in August to start training before our first game, against Northeastern. We skated just about every day. Now, I’m grateful to be able to spend senior year in the rink lacing up my skates. I know seniors who graduated during COVID and never got the chance to have that closure.

I couldn’t wait to play in front of a sold-out crowd during our first home game, against Ohio State on October 8. Having fans in the arena is always electric.

Athletics is such a great way to bring the Bentley community together. We’ve all gone through so much, as a university and as a student body, so it’s really something special to be together in the arena.

One of my main goals as captain is to help us stay positive and focused on opportunities throughout the year. We have 10 new players this season, so it’s going to be competitive.

That will really help propel us to become a championship team.

BENTLEY MAGAZINE | 23

FEATURES >>

ACE

TEACHING Pon Souvannaseng Assistant Professor of Global Studies

Like some of my students, this fall is my first time on the Bentley campus. I was in lockdown in the U.K. when my contract at Bentley started in July 2020. When I arrived in the U.S., I went to Los Angeles to quarantine with family. I could really empathize with students who were navigating different zones. To teach an 8:00 a.m. EST class, I was up by 4:00 a.m.

Setting up my office was exciting because many boxes had been packed up since I was in the U.K. I was surprised when I pulled out a manual typewriter, which I had purchased while completing my doctoral thesis. I would take breaks from the computer by spending time at a local park to do less-serious writing on the typewriter. It represents a particular project, at a particular time in my life.

When it comes to teaching, I try to keep the same spirit of engagement regardless of the medium. Being on campus brings both excitement and anxiety for people. Health and well-being are priorities, so I offer a hybrid class model. If students prefer to take class from their dorm room to focus and learn, that’s OK, because they will be better engaged. Each of us is navigating our own struggles. I respect that students are managing in the best way they can in their own circumstances.

In person, I can better understand a prospective student and what their interests are, and then tweak the campus tour.

24 | WINTER 2021

Rashmi Rajesh ’22 Computer Information Systems Major Student Ambassador, Undergraduate Admission I always sit on the bench near the falcon statue to study or grab a bite to eat between classes. The clocktower bells add to the calming ambiance. That is my favorite spot on campus and I missed it while being remote.

Something else I really missed was meeting with professors in person. This semester I get together every couple of weeks with Dorothy Polatin [director, Gender and Sexuality Student Programs] to discuss my independent research on the 21st century definition of inclusive beauty. Plus, she’s a great sounding board for chatting about everything from my dog, Zeus, to cooking — which I’m really bad at — to life after college. I’m also able to meet in person with [Professor of Computer Information Systems] David Yates, who’s coaching me through an honors research project to identify sociocultural factors that influence the global digital divide.

As an admission ambassador, I love the impromptu conversations that happen with prospective students. Last year, giving virtual tours, I could show many photos of the campus, but it was difficult connecting with students who might be shy on Zoom; some families didn’t even turn on their cameras. In person, I can better understand a prospective student and what their interests are, and then tweak the campus tour.

Bentley was my first college tour and I really connected with my tour guide. Her family dynamic was similar to mine in that she’s very close to her mom. My parents immigrated from India in 1998, and the concept of having a child go away to college was foreign to them. In India, students go to college in the city where they live.

Bentley is close enough that my parents have had lots of opportunities to visit from Connecticut. Bentley’s been the home-awayfrom-home I was looking for.

<< FEATURES

TAKING A

EPIPHANIES Marcus Stewart ’92, MBA ’95 Associate Professor of Management Associate Dean of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Betsy Stoner Assistant Professor of Natural and Applied Sciences

For nearly a decade I’ve taught First-Year Seminar [FYS] for the incoming class. Having that experience on campus this semester puts me back in my element — in front of students. That’s the reason I became a professor.

What’s really stimulating and rewarding for me are the hallway conversations with students, faculty and staff about anything from current events to content-specific topics like leadership and diversity. Those kinds of interactions are where epiphanies and inspiration happen.

So much of communication is body language and non-verbal cues, which means the richness of exchange is more complete in person.

We can more effectively support each other. We can more readily laugh and cry together. That may be possible virtually, but there’s a learning curve to doing it well — for students and professors.

Coming back to campus this fall felt like coming back to my roots. I remember how impactful my first year at Bentley was.

The experience and the relationships I formed then are still among the most important I’ve ever had.

During the COVID shutdown, I was teaching oceanography and environmental science courses while quarantining at my parents’ home on the east coast of Florida. A lot of the concepts we were discussing in class, like manatees and seagrass, were right outside my door. So, I’d put on my wetsuit, mask and snorkel, and explore estuaries while my husband videotaped live for my remote classes.

Students reacted very positively to these “virtual field trips,” but it’s exciting to hold labs on campus again. I love seeing students put on a pair of chest waders and walk into the Bentley pond to collect samples. They discover critters and explore ways that humans impact the pond ecosystem. Those kinds of interactions are hard to replicate virtually.

I’ll continue to show my videos in the classroom to supplement lectures and labs. Media content is a great way for students to absorb information; they already get a lot of their information on YouTube or Instagram. My hope is to create a dedicated Vimeo account to use in much the same way as listening to a podcast or reading an article — freely accessible to Bentley students and anyone else who is interested in the content.

I’m thrilled to have students explore science through handson learning, especially during outdoor labs, which allow for discovering the natural world. I believe these experiences help them gain a deeper understanding of the ways that business leaders can tackle global environmental problems.

So much of communication is body language and non-verbal cues, which means the richness of exchange is more complete in person.

BENTLEY MAGAZINE | 25

CLASS NOTES Gillian Patrick ’02 and Terence “TC” Connors 26 | WINTER 2021

<< CLASS NOTES

1984

1998

Mark E. Ahern, Jupiter, Fla., has joined Wexford Capital as managing director of investor relations, based in the firm’s West Palm Beach office. His oldest daughter is a sophomore at UMass Boston, middle daughter is a freshman at Jupiter High School and son is a seventh grader at Jupiter Independence Middle School.

“We continue to spend the summer months on Cape Cod,” he reports. “Looking forward to an in-person Reunion Weekend in 2022!”

Semeon “Sim” Hargan, Woburn, Mass., is now branch manager at the Wellesley Lower Falls office of Brookline Bank. The alumnus, who has more than 20 years of banking experience in Greater Boston, will team up with the bank’s business, mortgage and investment specialists to deliver a full range of financial support and solutions.

1995

Gillian Patrick married Terence “TC” Connors on September 14, 2019, at the Connors family home on Edgartown Harbor, Martha’s Vineyard. She writes: “My brother-in-law, Michael Mastropaolo, ushered my mother down the aisle!” The two live in Boston’s Back Bay and enjoy weekend getaways.

Kerry O’Shea Gorgone, MBA ’97, Mount Juliet, Tenn., has joined Appfire as senior editor and writer.

Appfire, a Massachusettsbased company, is the largest global provider of Atlassian apps. The alumna will lead editorial duties for the organization’s content and customer education division.

The Boston Business Journal has selected Peter Rockett, Needham, Mass., to receive its CFO of the year F. Gorham Brigham Lifetime Achievement Award. He is the founder of Rockett Strategy Group.

1996 Monique (Young) Jefferson, Brooklyn, N.Y., has been named to the EMpower Ethnic Minority Executive Role Model list.

Supported by Yahoo Finance, this list is among several that showcase business leaders who are breaking down barriers at work for ethnic minorities in the U.K., Ireland and Europe and for people of color in the U.S. and Canada. Jefferson is chief human resources officer for New York Public Radio.

2002

20th Reunion

2004 Jacquelyn (Mascetti), MBA ’07 and Jared Katz, Smithtown, N.Y., welcomed Joseph Charles on July 20, 2020. He joins big sister Giulia.

Schnelle Shelby and Carrington Moore tied the knot on April 24, 2021, at Olio in Peabody, Mass., with a half dozen Falcons joining them in person and online.

After a honeymoon in Maui, the two are living in East Boston.

in Katy, Texas. Prior to this role, he managed photo and video production for Cole Haan in New York City.

Financial services veteran Kaine Nicholas, San Pedro, Calif., was hired as the first executive director of the Black Cooperative Investment Fund (BCIF). The alumnus is responsible for leadership, brand expansion and strategic partnerships; he also oversees the BCIF microloan program throughout Southern California. Nicholas has extensive knowledge of financial operations and transformative community development for Black business advancement.

Chris Ronzio, Scottsdale, Ariz., is among the Phoenix Business Journal class of “40 Under 40” honorees for 2021, chosen from a field of nearly 450 applicants.

He is founder and CEO of Trainual, a platform that companies use to on-board, train and scale teams; it was named the #1 small business workplace in Arizona for 2021. “We raised $27 million in Series B with investors including Altos Ventures, Shark Group CEO Daymond John, and Indeed Co-founder and Chairman Rony Kahan,” reports Ronzio, who also won the EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2021 Mountain Desert Region Award.

2009

2005

Scott Chandler, MSF ’10 and Melissa (Nazar) ’05, Boston, Mass., welcomed twin boys Alex and Luke on March 18, 2021.

Melissa (Nazar) Chandler and husband Scott ’09, MSF ’10, Boston, Mass., welcomed twin boys Alex and Luke on March 18, 2021.

Kim (Rush) Kelley and husband Mike, Westbrook, Maine, are proud parents of Noah Christopher, born on March 24, 2021.

2008

Sara (Kovacic) and John Rossley welcomed a daughter, Kate Madison, on July 21, 2021. She joins big brother Patrick.

Bobby Forgione, Houston, Texas, is now brand content specialist at Academy Sports + Outdoors, based at its corporate office headquarters

Michael Stavrakos, MSF ’10 and Lindsay Mensher ’13, MBA ’14 were married on October 4, 2020, at the Liberty Hotel Boston, surrounded by close family.

Their original wedding date, June 12, 2020, was delayed due to the pandemic. The happy couple celebrated their nuptials with family and friends on June 20, 2021. Fellow Falcons who attended were Ryan Amoia ’10, MSA ’11; Julie Bourgeois ’13; Shannon Finneran ’13; Erik Ginthwain ’11, MSA ’12; Alexa Hassaram ’11, MSA ’12; Jamie Justice ’13; Josh Mahoney ’13; David Mullins ’12; Claire Schectman ’13, MSA ’14; Lindsey Theriault ’13, MBA ’15; and Yiyi Xia ’10. They honeymooned in Greece in September 2021 and live in Boston.

2010 Katie (Passkiewicz) Green and husband Andrew, Coppell, Texas, welcomed their first child, Lucille Mae, on May 4, 2021.

2011 Sucheta (Desai) Hattiangadi and husband Rohan, Seattle, Wash., became proud parents of daughter Riya on May 28, 2021. “Fun fact,” the alumna writes. “Riya was delivered by her father, who is an OB/ GYN.”

2012

FOLD 10th Reunion Melissa Reohr and Clayton Brown tied the knot on June 19, 2021, at the Dedham (Mass.) Town Hall and celebrated their nuptials in Boston. They live in Dedham and are planning a honeymoon in the Azores.

2013 FOLD

Ryan Abbot, Boston, Mass., was promoted to assistant vice president, Commercial Real Estate Banking, at Brookline Bank.

His responsibilities include business development and relationship management as well as providing clients with services such as cash management and 1031 exchange.

Lindsay Mensher, MBA ’14 and Michael Stavrakos ’09, MSF ’10 were married on October 4, 2020, at the Liberty Hotel Boston, surrounded by close family. Their original wedding date, June 12, 2020, was delayed due to the pandemic. The happy couple celebrated with family and friends on June 20, 2021.

Fellow Falcons who attended were Ryan Amoia ’10, MSA ’11; Julie Bourgeois; Shannon Finneran; Erik Ginthwain ’11, MSA ’12; Alexa Hassaram ’11, MSA ’12; Jamie Justice; Josh Mahoney; David Mullins ’12; Claire Schectman, MSA ’14; Lindsey Theriault, MBA ’15; and Yiyi Xia ’10.

They honeymooned in Greece in September 2021 and live in Boston.

Kelsie Tidman and JB Marston celebrated their nuptials on June 4, 2021, at the Harbor View Hotel in Edgartown, Martha’s Vineyard. Many fellow Falcons were on hand for the joyous occasion. The couple lives in South Weymouth, Mass., and honeymooned in Hawaii in October.

2014 FOLD

Tyler Durant and Stefanie Gorman said “I do” at Birch Wood Vineyard in Derry, N.H., on July 10, 2021, surrounded by many fellow Falcons. The newlyweds traveled to Hawaii — Maui and the Big Island — for their honeymoon. “It was BENTLEY MAGAZINE | 27

CLASS NOTES >>

amazing,” reports the alumna. The couple lives in Abington, Mass.

Zachary Gregoricus, Waltham, Mass., is a member of the Bankruptcy and Creditors’ Rights Practice Group at Murtha Cullina LLP and a resident in the firm’s Boston office. He represents clients in state and federal courts on complex civil litigation and bankruptcy matters and has extensive experience counseling clients in bankruptcy and insolvency proceedings.

Zahra Tabatabaie-Alavi, MSA ’15, Laguna Woods, Calif., is now a senior accountant at the World Surf League. The WSL sponsors international tours and competitions for surfers, and operates a studios division that creates live and on-demand content, among other initiatives. Previously, she was a staff accountant at Orlando City Soccer Club, a Major League Soccer team.

2015 FOLD

Peter Koopman and Kayla Anghinetti ’17, MSA ’20 celebrated their nuptials on June 4, 2021, at Blithewold Mansion in Bristol, R.I., in the company of many fellow

Falcons. They tied the knot during the pandemic on June 13, 2020, at the bride’s parents’ house in Falmouth, Mass. The couple honeymooned in Hawaii. They are currently building a house in Upton, Mass.

Michael W. Walton, Bath, Maine, joined First Federal Savings & Loan Association two years ago. “It’s a five-year succession program and I will be president and CEO,” he reports. “I have new accountability as vice president of strategic development, responsible for implementing our three-year plan.”

The alumnus also serves on the board of directors for Maine’s First Ship, Sagadahoc Preservation Inc. and the Bath Rotary Club.

2016 FOLD

Emily Monigan, Peekskill, N.Y., is working with the American Red Cross. She has been promoted to manager for the Albany district in the Eastern New York region.

Dusty Sacco and Joe Krawiec exchanged vows on August 14, 2021, surrounded by lots of fellow Falcons.

The wedding was in South Berwick, Maine, which is close to their new house in Scarborough.

A Bentley tradition continued with alumni in New York getting together at Saratoga Race Track!

From left: David Hennel ’88; Tom Maslanka ’92; Alex Rusate ’13, MSA ’13; Katy (Roy) Rusate ’13; Joe Simonini ’16; Elaine (Marden) Kemp ’79; and John Simonini ’19.

28 | WINTER 2021

2017

FOLD 5th Reunion Kayla Anghinetti, MSA ’20 and Peter Koopman ’15 celebrated their nuptials on June 4, 2021, at Blithewold Mansion in Bristol, R.I., in the company of many fellow Falcons. They tied the knot during the pandemic on June 13, 2020, at the bride’s parents’ house in Falmouth, Mass. The couple honeymooned in Hawaii. They are currently building a house in Upton, Mass.

Andrew Nickerson married Emily Wilson on May 15, 2021, at The Margate Resort on New Hampshire’s Lake Winnipesaukee. The two honeymooned in Napa Valley, Calif., and Hawaii. Many fellow Falcons celebrated with the newlyweds on their big day, including the groom’s parents, Charlie ’85, MBA ’89 and Diana (Farrar) ’85, P ’14, ’17; his brother, Charles ’14; and Global Alumni Board Chair Chuck Coppa ’85. The couple is living in Ellsworth, Maine, where Emily is pursuing a PhD in neuroscience.

Christopher Volberg, Farmingdale, N.Y., was highlighted in a Fox Business article on NFTs and blockchain: Inside the NFT bubble: How valuable are digital collectibles?

The alumnus is managing director at Northeast Financial Network.

walk and fundraiser.

The event benefited the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) and took place on November 6, 2021, at Boston’s Franklin Park Zoo. The three chose to support LLS while working together on a project for the Bentley course Leading Responsibly.

2018

2021

Syed Hassan Bin Veqar, Karachi, Pakistan, has joined Hysab Kytab Pvt Ltd., a startup company focused on digitalization and financial inclusion through a personal finance management tool for financial institutions and consumers. “Since returning to Pakistan, I have been heavily involved in the startup space, particularly in fintech,” he reports. “We are in the middle of a boom, with a 97% increase year-over-year in investments for local startups in Pakistan. These are truly exciting times to put my Bentley education to use!”

Monica Fanaria, Gurgaon, India, joined Anthony Prata ’20 and Yana Kamshilina ’20 for the Light The Night annual walk and fundraiser. The event benefited the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) and took place on November 6, 2021, at Boston’s Franklin Park Zoo. The three chose to support LLS while working on a project for the Bentley course Leading Responsibly.

FOLD

2020 FOLD

Anthony Prata, Walpole, Mass., and Yana Kamshilina, Omsk, Russia, joined Monica Fanaria ’21 for the Light The Night annual

FOLD

Jackson Le, Dorchester, Mass., is an electric vehicle product and sales specialist at Polestar, a Boston-based automotive company that aims to be a top competitor with Tesla. “I’m helping to build Polestar Boston on a twoman team,” reports Le, whose résumé includes internships at Vertex Pharmaceuticals and State Street.

David A. Hughey ’55, P ’01, GP ’24, Meredith, N.H., shares that when William and Cheryl Goebel, P ’19 moved to his neighborhood, they were “surprised to meet the Hughey of the Hughey Financial Center.” Marking his 90th birthday in August, Falcons praised the Trading Room for helping them secure jobs. Most recently, the trustee emeritus and Great Benefactor supported his named space and scholarship with a gift of $250,000. From left: Brianna Cefaloni ’19, Julianne Florez ’19, Nikki Christopulos ’19, Zoe Gillies ’18, Hughey, Olivia Lazar ’19, Ashley Kirk ’19, Sabrina Goebel ’19 and Melissa Makarius ’19.

<< SPOTLIGHT

New Venture Taps Old World Tastes

BY MARY K. PRATT

Enterprising sisters Casey White ’14 (left) and Vanessa White

As a kid, Casey White ’14 loved playing restaurant with friends, using rocks for money and cooking up business ideas.

“My mind was always, ‘How do I create something people want, and how do I manage that?’” says White, whose role models were a mother who worked in business operations and a grandfather who started a deli in the 1940s with his siblings. “I knew I wanted to own a restaurant or do something with food.”

That “something” is Jaju Pierogi. The 6-year-old company, which White co-founded with sister Vanessa, makes the Polish dumplings that are still a staple at family dinners. “Jaju” means grandfather in Polish and pays tribute to the inspiration for their recipes.

Why pierogies? The alumna recalls bringing them in from home during her student days.

“My roommates had never seen them before,” says White, who was happy to share. Their enthusiasm suggested a wider market for the comfort food of her youth.

Initially, she and her sister rented space in a deli and swooped in after hours to make pierogies. Customer demand has since PHOTOS BY CHRISTIAN GILBERT AND ILLUSTRATION BY CLAIRE S. ANDERSON

pushed the company — twice — to larger quarters; a third move is on the horizon.

The two are co-owners and co-CEOs. They divide responsibilities based on interests and strengths.

“We each have our own book of business,” says the former Management and Liberal Studies major. She handles finance-related tasks such as accounting and payroll, while Vanessa oversees marketing; both work on sales.

The pierogies are on offer at farmers markets and grocery stores throughout their native Massachusetts and in supermarkets Big Y, Roche Brothers and Hannaford. Their goal is national distribution.

Today, six full-time employees turn out dumplings in combinations ranging from tried-and-true (potato and cheese) to unexpected (jalapeno cheddar). And the sisters are OK with reserving their skills for family dinners.

“We’re not chefs,” says White. “We’re entrepreneurs.”

BENTLEY MAGAZINE | 29

FAMILY MATTERS >>

GROWING POTENTIAL

From left, Emily, Jim and Cindy Wilson; Nick and Jenn (Wilson) Viglotti with sons Luca and Nico

BY MARY K. PRATT

Like three previous generations, Jim Wilson ’76 grew up plowing, planting and weeding his family’s 32 acres in Lexington, Mass. As he puts it: “There’s not a job here I haven’t done.”

30 | WINTER 2021

<< FAMILY MATTERS

T

hat experience seeded his decision to study at Bentley.

“I learned agriculture from my dad, but I saw how he struggled as the business got bigger. So I knew a business education would be valuable,” says Jim, who would be the first in his immediate family to earn a bachelor’s degree.

Today, the former Management major is vice president and treasurer of Wilson Farm. He and his cousin, who serves as president, have grown the 137-year-old business from one producing mostly vegetables and some berries into a local institution. During peak season, some 350 employees staff the farm’s 67-year-old retail store and business operations, along with tending its Lexington fields and 500 acres of New Hampshire farmland.

The family also runs an import division and wholesale operations, distributing produce from Canada, Holland, Israel, Mexico and Spain as well as from other U.S. growers.

“Bentley gave me a bigger perspective on what was possible,” says Jim, who stays in touch with former roommates, golfs with fellow grads, cheers on Falcon hockey, and gives back as a True Blue donor and member of the President’s Club. He adds with a smile: “I never had weekends off until I went to Bentley.”

Nick, meanwhile, is the fifth generation of family helping to lead the business. The former Accountancy major and Kappa Pi Alpha member joined Wilson Farm in 2017, after working as a CPA at a New York accounting firm. As is family custom, he has rotated through positions — first in the outdoor yards, tending plants and helping with produce, then in imports, wholesale and retail. He’s now revamping the cut flowers department, leaning on his accounting experience to help move the business forward.

“I’m excited to see where Wilson Farm can go in the future,” says Nick, who joins Jenn in parenting a sixth generation of family: sons Luca and Nico.

Strength in Versatility Studying business “makes the most sense” for careers of all kinds, says Cindy (Murray) Wilson ’83. She met Jim while working at the farm; they married in 1982, just months before she graduated.

“My courses in economics, accounting and computer science — all of that — have been really helpful,” says the former Management major, who’s built her own career at Wilson Farm.

She serves as insurance administrator but has held various positions through the years.

The versatility of a business degree drew two of Jim and Cindy’s three daughters to Bentley; both were Management majors, too.

“I felt extremely prepared for the corporate world,” says Jenn (Wilson) Viglotti ’09. “I have an invaluable network of Bentley alums to connect with and who I come across in professional life.”

The bonus? Making lifelong friends through classes and her sorority, Gamma Phi Beta, and meeting her now-husband, Nick ’09, MSA ’10. The two exchanged vows in September 2014, amid rows of poinsettias in a Wilson Farm greenhouse.

‘Everything is a Business’ Emily Wilson joined the ranks of Falcon alumnae in 2016.

“Growing up, I saw that everything is actually a business,” she says of life and work in a family enterprise. “I had the best four years of my life at Bentley.”

Jim and Cindy endorsed their daughters’ college choice, which gave them eight years of opportunities to visit campus and track the school’s growth.

Today, Jenn is senior manager of global talent acquisition at Sonos Inc. Emily is an HR project manager at Reebok. Both say they think about returning to Wilson Farm but are happy pursuing their own paths for now.

PHOTOS BY DAMIAN STROHMEYER

BENTLEY MAGAZINE | 31

CLASS NOTES >>

In Memoriam 1934 John “Jack” Fagan

1960 Norman Forest, P ’82

1977 John Quinlan, MST

2002 Cindie Champagne, MSCIS

1935 Igino Giudice

1962 Angelo Luongo

1978 John DeBaie

2005 Robert Daddario

1942 Armand Giarrusso, P ’77

1963 Joseph Harrington Kenneth Plumb Alan Raymond

1979 Robert Blazewicz

2008 Elizabeth (Doulbakian) Damigella

1945 Justine (Rzewnicki) Dennis 1948 Wilfred “Homer” Richardson 1949 Gloria (Peachey) O’Reilly

1966 Gerald T. McMahon 1967 Louis Sanville

1950 Royden Douglas

1968 Bertrand Levesque Allen Stasulis

1951 William Pike

1969 Peter Antonitis

1952 Francis Aker Harry Nalbandian Joan (Briggs) Paterson

1970 Bruce Avery Richard J. Donahue, MSA ’77

1953 Pierce Sears 1954 James A. Casey 1955 Robert Finlayson Harold Smith 1957 John Ambrose Roland Beaulieu Robert Hood, P ’84 Walter Horvay 1958 Allen Wells 1959 William Skinner

32 | WINTER 2021

1971 Paul McCully 1972 Arthur Curtis Mark Wizansky 1973 Lucille Dube Paul Judd James Prygocki Donald Schwinn Francis “Len” White 1975 Lt. Col. Alvin Watkins 1976 John B. Dolan III

1980 Patrick Demeo Barbara Dorian 1981 Marcia (Lee) Pelletier Mark Schultz William Sheehy Wendy (Parrish) Taylor Edward Wagner, MST 1982 Douglas Fischer Mary J. McDonald Thomas Moran 1983 Thomas Vahey C. Ruth (Hollett) Wooster 1987 William Redmond 1989 Bradley Litman, MSA ’92 1991 James Sugarman, MSCIS 1994 Kathleen Marcos, MSCIS 1997 Tricia Stewart 1998 Brian Pesetsky 1999 Crawford Kinney

2013 James Collins, MSA ’15 Faculty, Staff and Friends Michael Carney, Former staff member, Human Resources Anthony Eonas, Former professor, Marketing Marshall Jeannero, Former professor, Economics Elaine M. Landry-Pion, Former program director, Adult Evening Program

<< SPOTLIGHT

Finding Sanctuary

BY MARY K. PRATT

David-Jaya Piot’s office measures 1,100 acres and his work companions can weigh upward of three tons.

The Class of 2017 alumnus is co-founder and managing director of Kulen Elephant Forest, a 2-year-old sanctuary in Cambodia that’s home to 13 formerly captive Asian elephants.

“Elephants are by far the most intelligent animals I’ve ever seen,” says Piot.

“Their social structures, communication and distinct personalities make them a pleasure to work with.” That work includes supplementing their diet of bamboo and other vegetation with sugarcane, king grass and whole banana trees — shredded for older ones who have lost their teeth.

“And I walk around to give them a quick pat hello,” he adds, noting that regular interaction is essential for keeping his charges safe and well. Thorng Kham and Kham Song were an early success story.

“Only a year ago, they displayed overwhelming aggression as a result of frustration and lack of stimulation. Today they roam the countryside, able to socialize and be themselves again.”

Piot’s education for the venture started in childhood: His parents owned an inn in Siem Reap, a town near the archeological ruins of Angkor. The elephants in his care once lived at a nearby camp, and carried tourists to temples that are part of the UNESCO World Heritage site.

“Elephant rides were the main way tourists interacted with captive elephants,” Piot says of the times. “Very few people would pay to see elephants roam free.”

In fact, his family had tried, without success, to open a sanctuary in 2003.

POISED FOR A REBOUND Piot left Cambodia at age 12 to attend secondary school in Switzerland and went on to earn his Bentley degree in Economics-Finance. In 2017, he returned home for a break before starting a master’s program, but stayed to help run his father’s hospitality business. The inn had grown to become the Angkor Village Group resort.

“My father and I agreed that the elephant camp had no place in the future — and that we should try the sanctuary project,” says Piot.

Fluent in English, French and Khmer, he stepped up to learn about conservationbased ecotourism and negotiated an agreement with the government to manage the preserve as a sanctuary. Within months of opening in December 2019, Kulen Elephant Forest had earned a No. 1 rank on TripAdvisor.

As tourism rebounds from COVID-19, Piot is hopeful. The return of guests will mean revenue for an elephant clinic; upgrades to the nearby Bos Thom village school; and new toys for Thorng Kham, Kham Song and the rest of the herd.

Learn more about Kulen Elephant Forest.

PHOTO BY REMI ABAD

BENTLEY MAGAZINE | 33

1.

2.

34 | WINTER 2021

2.

3.

<< CLASS NOTES

4.

7.

5.

8.

1. Schnelle Shelby ’04 and Carrington Moore 2. Lindsay Mensher ’13, MBA ’14 and Michael Stavrakos ’09, MSF ’10 3. Melissa Reohr ’12 and Clayton Brown 4. Kayla Anghinetti ’17, MSA ’20 and Peter Koopman ’15 5. Andrew Nickerson ’17 and Emily Wilson 6. Tyler Durant ’14 and Stefanie Gorman ’14 7. Kelsie Tidman ’13 and JB Marston 8. Joe Krawiec ’16 and Dusty Sacco ’16

6.

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CLASS NOTES >>

Falcon Weekend

More than 2,000 Falcons joined us for an exciting weekend on campus, with wins on the football field, on the pitch and on the court!

Families met their students’ friends and roommates, alumni visited with old friends, and Flex got to hang with future Falcons. Those who couldn’t make it to Bentley were able to enjoy many of the events through our first-ever hybrid Falcon Weekend.

36 | WINTER 2021

Watch the highlight video.

CLASS NOTES >>

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1. Riya, daughter of Sucheta (Desai) Hattiangadi ’02 and husband Rohan 2. Twins Alex and Luke, sons of Melissa (Nazar) Chandler ’05 and husband Scott ’09, MSF ’10 3. Kate Madison, daughter of Sara (Kovacic) Rossley ’09 and husband John ’09 4. Noah Christopher, son of Kim (Rush) Kelley ’09 and husband Mike 5. Lucille Mae, daughter of Katie (Passkiewicz) Green ’10 and husband Andrew 6. Joseph Charles, son of Jacquelyn (Mascetti) Katz ’04, MBA ’07 and husband Jared ’04, with sister Giulia

Send us your notes and photos! bentley.edu/class-notes 38 | WINTER 2021

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Have you met up with a Falcon in the wild?

Tell us about it!

Katie (Donnellan) Harrington ’12, MSA ’13 and husband Ethan ’13, MSA ’14 visited Zion National Park in Utah in May 2021. While hiking Angels Landing and waiting for their turn to climb, Katie spotted some Bentley swag — a backpack, shorts and even socks — belonging to Tim Fay ’20, who was hiking with Emily Weiner ’20. The fellow Falcons chatted briefly and took a selfie to mark the unexpected meeting, before parting ways to continue their respective climbs. From left: Ethan, Tim, Emily and Katie