CulverCurrents Alex Kurrelmeier ’83 takes over as director of Ron Rubin School for the Entrepreneur The Ron Rubin School for the Entrepreneur, one of the Academies most noteworthy student/academic endeavors, is now being headed by H. Alexander “Alex” Kurrelmeier W’79, ’83. “I have coached a number of people in my professional career and have always found it rewarding. I find Culver’s program a great way to get students to begin thinking about entrepreneurship; whether it be in small business, large corporations, or in the non-profit sector. There is a great foundation in place and many opportunities to take the program to the next level,” Kurrelmeier said. Rubin founder Harry Frick explained that now that the curriculum is in place, a business person was needed to teach those courses. “Alex has a solid background in business, so he is perfect for the position,” Frick said. Most recently, Kurrelmeier was the president and chief operating officer of International Airport Centers, a commercial real estate development company in Highland Park, Ill. IAC is a $1 billion national developer of transportation-related warehouse distribution facilities with locations throughout the United States. He also spent part of his career in commercial banking. Kurrelmeier earned his bachelor’s degree in Business Management at Eastern Michigan University (1987) and his MBA in Finance at the University of Toledo (1996).
He has maintained an active association with Culver, serving on The Culver Legion Board since 2004 and as president in 2013 before assuming the Rubin post. Kurrelmeier also has been a class agent, class president, and Ethics Day discussion leader. He and his wife, Stephanie Alex Kurrelmeier Scopelitis, Ph.D., ’83, have an extended family connection with Culver. Stephanie’s father is Alki Scopelitis ’55 and she has four siblings who are graduates: Andrea ’82, Anastasia ’86, Penelope ’88, and Emmanuel ’90. Also, Alex’s daughter Katie Thostenson graduated in 2006. His son, Marty Kurrelmeier, and Stephanie’s son, Emmanuel Koutsouras, are current third-classmen. The couple have two other sons; Conrad Kurrelmeier, who will matriculate this fall, and Savas Koutsouras. The Ron Rubin School for the Entrepreneur was founded on the principle that entrepreneurship is the indispensable element to the growth and prosperity that is critical to America’s continued economic and political leadership in the world. A 1968 alumnus, Rubin is the chief executive officer for The Republic of Tea and endowed the Culver program in 2010.
Faculty, Staff & Retiree Notes Jeff Kenney, curator of the Academies Museum and editor of The Culver Citizen newspaper, was honored in December as Volunteer of the Year by the Culver Chamber of Commerce. Kenney’s volunteer involvements include St. Mary’s of the Lake Catholic Church, the Culver Public Library, and the board of the Antiquarian and Historical Society of Culver. Academies’ Comptroller Rick Tompos also was recognized for his time spent on the Chamber board.
•••• Three faculty and staff members were presenters at the TABS (The Association of Boarding Schools) Conference in Boston on Dec. 5-7. Humanities instructor Jen Cerny spoke about Culver’s Thinking Smart and Living Well course. Harry Frick, founder of the Ron Rubin School for the Entrepreneur, was part of a panel discussing entrepreneur-
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ship in the boarding school environment. Bill Hargraves ’77, the director of strategic marketing and communications, facilitated a discussion on leveraging social media, appropriate messaging, and best practices. TABS represents nearly 300 schools in the United States, Canada, and abroad.
•••• John Yeager, Ed.D., has been named one of the top 20 New England lacrosse players of all time by the New England Lacrosse Journal. Yeager was the goalie for Boston State University (now the University of Massachusetts-Boston) and an All-New England selection four years. He was Boston State’s MVP his senior season and is also a member of the UMass-Boston Hall of Fame. Yeager is the director of Culver’s Center for Character Excellence, joining the faculty/staff in 2000. He was the CMA
lacrosse coach from 2001-04, winning two state championships, and currently assists with the program.
•••• Director of Development Mike Hogan has been elected as a director-at-large for the CASE District V board officers and directors. He will serve a two-year term. His election was announced at the District V conference in Chicago in mid-December. With Culver since 2005, Hogan is a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy with 20 years in educational fund-raising. The Council for the Advancement and Support of Education is an international professional association serving educational institutions and the advancement professionals. District V is comprised of 400 colleges, universities, and independent boarding schools in six Midwest states.