Darden Report | Winter 2026 (with Class Notes) by Darden School of Business

BOUNDLESS GRATITUDE

In January, I accepted the opportunity to serve as the 10th president of the University of Virginia. This honor brings to mind so much of what has made the preceding years satisfying and rewarding — professionally and personally — while serving as Darden’s dean.

Gratitude doesn’t nearly cover the emotion, but I remain eternally grateful to you. I’m also grateful to Professor Mike Lenox, who selflessly and enthusiastically agreed to serve as Interim Dean while a search for Darden’s 10th dean is conducted this year.

Darden is in very good hands with Mike. He’s an incredible teacher, leader and innovator, and an even more extraordinary person. Mike is action-oriented and will continue to build on the School’s hard-earned reputation as the best business school in the country.

For these and so many other reasons, I enter the new year with boundless gratitude and optimism.

Darden’s past has provided the foundation for the world’s best student experience, delivered by our unmatched faculty. Our present demonstrates a moment of strength, with an earned reputation for excellence (Page 7) supported and strengthened by our recently concluded — and record-setting — Powered by Purpose campaign (Page 4).

And the future? That is the most inspiring of all. Darden holds immeasurable promise, defined by our ability to continue building on core strengths and values. That means investing in program and curricular innovations as well as a new generation of faculty and faculty research so that Darden remains on the cutting edge of business leadership. On Page 5, we explore the next generation of philanthropic support for Darden. On Page 24, we highlight the LaCross Institute’s thought leadership reflecting the urgency of the moment to ensure ethics are embedded in AI so that it serves the greater good.

In our cover story (Page 12), we look behind the curtain at the boom in data centers required to support AI’s growth. Darden professors and alumni help us answer how data centers can be better, more ethical neighbors to communities that are understandably skeptical of facilities that can strain local electricity and water supplies. With expert insights from our professors, Darden Executive Education & Lifelong Learning shares strategies for future-proofing supply chains amid global disruption (Page 18). The Darden community has invested meaningfully in lifelong learning, and I

“My boundless gratitude and excitement comes with zero doubt that the Darden community will continue to drive the School to great heights, and that the School’s mission to develop responsible leaders has never been more relevant or needed.

invite all alumni to engage with us to continue their professional and personal growth (Page 34).

To help empower us to enter 2026 with a positive mindset and practical tools, Professors Sean Martin and Bobby Parmar explore why imposter syndrome (Page 30) and persistent doubt (Page 11) might not be as threatening as we think, if we can reframe them as cues for learning, growth and problem-solving.

My boundless gratitude and excitement comes with zero doubt that the Darden community will continue to drive the School to great heights, and that the School’s mission to develop responsible leaders has never been more relevant or needed. I thank you for allowing me to be part of this wonderful place.

SCOTT C. BEARDSLEY President, University of Virginia, and Charles C. Abbott Professor of Business Administration, Darden School of Business

GLOBAL SUPPLY CHAINS ARE SHIFTING. HERE’S HOW COMPANIES CAN BE FUTURE READY.

Rapid changes are affecting supply chains. Darden experts provide four strategies for leaders to future-proof organizations facing supply chain disruption.

WHEN THE CLOUD HITS THE GROUND 12

With a global data center building boom putting new strains on communities and local resources, Darden experts offer insights on how data centers can achieve business goals and be good corporate citizens.

The world is running out of time to embed ethics into AI’s foundations. The time is now to secure a future of ethical AI.

What if we’ve misunderstood the concept? And what if having thoughts that one might be an impostor isn’t entirely negative?

The Darden Report is published twice a year with private donations to the University of Virginia Darden School Foundation.

University of Virginia Darden School of Business Office of Communication & Marketing P. O. Box 7225 Charlottesville, Virginia 22906-7225 USA communication@darden.virginia.edu

Mike Lenox

Interim Dean, University Professor and Tayloe Murphy Professor of Business Administration

Robert Weiler President, Darden School Foundation

Juliet K. Daum (TEP ’22) Chief Marketing and Communications Officer

EDITORS

Jay Hodgkins

McGregor McCance

ART DIRECTION & DESIGN

Hyphen

WRITERS

David Buie-Moltz

Lauren Foster

Dave Hendrick

Caroline Mackey

Molly Mitchell

Sally Parker

CLASS NOTES EDITOR

Egidijus Paurys

PHOTOGRAPHY

Tom Daly

Ali Johnson

Jack Looney

Caroline Mackey

Andrew Shurtleff

Sanjay Suchak

ILLUSTRATION

James Gilleard

Hyphen

Fien Jorissen

Daniel Liévano

Sébastien Plassard

ANSWER. John Fowler (MBA/JD ’84)

POWERED BY PURPOSE CAMPAIGN CLOSES WITH $632 MILLION IN TOTAL IMPACT

DARDEN THIS SUMMER announced the successful close of the Powered by Purpose campaign, with a total impact of $632 million including gifts, pledges, UVA matching funds and funds held outside Darden but designated for its exclusive benefit. The campaign galvanized support from more than 70 percent of Darden alumni.

“This campaign has been extraordinary in every sense,” said UVA President and former Darden Dean Scott Beardsley. “It’s a story of generosity, vision and trust in Darden’s mission. I’m deeply grateful to our alumni, donors, volunteers, faculty, staff, students, foundation and friends — this success

belongs to all of you.”

Launched publicly in October 2019, Powered by Purpose set an ambitious goal to secure $400 million in support for the people, programs and spaces that define the Darden experience. That first milestone was surpassed in April 2023 — well ahead of schedule. Milestone I delivered transformational investments in professorships, scholarships, the student experience, learning environments and key capital projects.

“The first milestone was about laying the foundation — and building belief,” said Jim Cooper (MBA ’84), Milestone I chair of the Powered by Purpose

campaign. “We set a bold goal and exceeded it by focusing on what matters most: students, faculty and the long-term vitality of the School. It was inspiring to see how the Darden community rose to meet the moment.”

Building on that success, the campaign entered Milestone II — Faculty Forward — a focused effort to strengthen faculty excellence. This phase increased support for research and teaching and elevated Darden’s faculty as global thought leaders. Milestone II proved especially successful, with the campaign ultimately achieving $200 million in total faculty support — the largest area of investment across both milestones.

KEY CAMPAIGN HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:

→⃝ 29 endowed professorships and more than 100 scholarships created over the course of the campaign

→⃝ Batten Foundation Darden Worldwide Scholarship Program, established in March 2018

→⃝ Sands Family Grounds of UVA Darden DC Metro, opened in March 2018

→⃝ Sands Institute for Lifelong Learning, launched in October 2020

→⃝ The Forum Hotel, opened in April 2023

→⃝ C. Ray Smith Alumni Hall, rededicated in April 2023

→⃝ Tahija Arboretum & LaCross Botanical Gardens, fully dedicated in June 2024

→⃝ LaCross Institute for Ethical Artificial Intelligence in Business, launched in September 2024

→⃝ On-Grounds student housing, groundbreaking in October 2024

WHAT’S NEXT AFTER POWERED BY PURPOSE?

With the Powered by Purpose campaign complete, Darden is already looking ahead. The fall 2025 Powered by Purpose Campaign Final Report closed with a forward-looking section titled “The Unfinished Case” — a glimpse at the priorities shaping the School’s next chapter. The following excerpt from that report outlines how Darden will continue to invest in the people, programs and places that ensure the School’s enduring impact.

[Q] How do we create an environment where faculty thrive?

We’re fueling the ideas that change business and society by:

➀ Building the Initiative for Transformational Capitalism — uniting the Institute for Business in Society and the Olsson Center for Applied Ethics — to scale Darden’s leadership in ethics, sustainability and stakeholder capitalism.

➁ Building on the momentum of the Mayo Center for Asset Management to expand into areas such as private equity and venture capital — reflecting students’ growing interests and preparing them to navigate the future of finance.

➂ Growing the Bruner Fund for Faculty Excellence to attract and retain the world’s best teachers and scholars.

➃ Refreshing the Faculty Office Building to foster collaboration, spark innovation and give faculty room to grow. Because great teaching is what makes everything else possible.

[Q] How do we make a Darden education possible for every talented student?

Cost of attendance for the Full-Time MBA now tops $240,000. That’s a potential deal-breaker for far too many.

A fund for student excellence would provide flexible, need-based financial aid — unlocking potential and leveling the playing field for future MBAs. We’ve started. But we need to go further.

[Q] What happens when students don’t just attend Darden — they live it?

New on-Grounds housing will transform student life, learning and connection.

Construction continues, and there are still meaningful ways to invest in its future. Supporting this project isn’t just about buildings — it’s about community, competition and long-term sustainability.

New Grads Notch Remarkable Job-Market Success

Nearly nine out of 10 Darden Full-Time MBA Class of 2025 graduates who were seeking employment accepted a full-time job offer within three months of graduation.

The class also maintained a high median compensation of $175,000 base salary and $30,000 signing bonus for the fifth year in a row.

This year’s graduating class secured positions in top industries with 37.3% of graduates entering consulting, 26% entering financial services and 16.1% entering the technology industry. The number of students entering tech nearly doubled, from 26 students in the Class of 2024 to 47 students in the Class of 2025.

Darden’s most recent alumni can be found across the U.S. in the mid-Atlantic (25.3%), Northeast (25%), South (14.4%), West (13.4%), Southwest (12.3%) and Midwest (7.9%).

They will be joining leading global companies, including Amazon, Barclays, Bank of America, Boston Consulting Group, Capital One, Emerson, McKinsey, JP Morgan Chase, Bain, Visa and more.

LENOX NAMED INTERIM DEAN

FOLLOWING THE APPOINTMENT of former Darden Dean Scott Beardsley as 10th president of the University of Virginia, the University in January named longtime Darden Professor Michael Lenox as interim dean of the School.

Darden is conducting a global search for a successor to Beardsley, whose term as UVA president began 1 January.

UVA Interim Executive Vice President and Provost Brie Gertler announced the selection of Lenox, outlining the veteran professor’s significant and varied roles serving both Darden and the greater UVA community.

“Mike has the experience, acumen, integrity, and deep familiarity with Darden’s values and programs to propel Darden forward,” Gertler said, adding that Lenox advised her that he will not apply for the role of Darden dean.

Darden’s 10th dean likely will be in place by fall 2026, Gertler said, adding that the Provost’s Office soon will provide additional information on the search and ways the School and UVA communities can contribute to the process.

Lenox joined the Darden faculty in 2008. He has served as senior associate dean and chief strategy officer, senior advisor to the dean, associate dean of innovation programs and executive director of the Batten Institute. He has served UVA more broadly by leading UVA Innovates, the University’s entrepreneurship initiative, and co-leading the development of the University’s strategic plan. He also serves as special advisor to the provost.

He holds a Ph.D. from MIT in technology management and policy and bachelor’s and master’s degrees in systems engineering from UVA.

NEARLY 600 STUDENTS BEGIN THEIR DARDEN JOURNEY

Darden welcomed nearly 600 students to Grounds in Charlottesville in August at an “all-Darden” event, including members of the Full-Time MBA, Executive MBA, Part-Time MBA and Ph.D. programs. The Full-Time MBA and Executive MBA students will be part of the Class of 2027, while Part-Time MBA and Ph.D. students will earn their degrees at different paces.

MEET THE MBAS

STUDENTS

32 24 21 3.5 18 countries represented industries represented percent hold an advanced degree percent served in the military average undergraduate GPA Future Year Scholars

MEET THE MSBAS

Darden also welcomed the Master of Science in business analytics (MSBA) Class of 2026 in August. The MSBA is presented jointly by Darden and the UVA McIntire School of Commerce.

DARDEN NAMED NO. 1 FOR BEST PROFESSORS, BEST MBA FOR MANAGEMENT

Darden came out on top in The Princeton Review’s ranking.

Darden is ranked in the Top 5 in nine of 18 categories, the best the School has ever performed. The accolades include No. 1 in the country for Best Professors and No. 1 for Best MBA for Management. Overall, UVA Darden has 10 rankings in the Top 10 across all categories this year, tied with Northwestern University for the most among business schools. Over the last three years, no business school has had more Top 10 rankings than Darden.

MEET THE 10 FACULTY MEMBERS NEW TO DARDEN IN 2025–26

Ten scholars joined Darden to start the academic year, bringing valuable knowledge in key areas such as finance, data analytics, decision sciences, strategy, entrepreneurship, communications, ethics, accounting and more.

SHUAIYU CHEN ASSISTANT PROFESSOR, FINANCE

ARTHUR DELARUE ASSISTANT PROFESSOR, DATA ANALYTICS AND DECISION SCIENCES

PAUL FREED ASSISTANT PROFESSOR, FINANCE

Chen was on the business school faculty at Purdue University, and he earned a Ph.D. in finance from the University of Rochester. His research interests include empirical asset pricing, asset management, and short selling and securities lending. He will teach First Year finance and “Quantitative Portfolio Management.”

Before Darden, Delarue was an assistant professor at Georgia Tech in industrial engineering. He completed his Ph.D. in operations research, and his research focuses on marketplace and public sector operations. He will teach First Year core decision sciences courses.

Freed earned his Ph.D. in finance from the University of South Carolina. His research agenda focuses on household and behavioral finance, and he will teach First Year core finance courses.

RENÉE KATHAWALLA ASSISTANT PROFESSOR, LEADERSHIP AND ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR

Kathawalla was a visiting assistant professor at Georgetown University. She holds a Ph.D. from Harvard University, and she is an expert on the unconscious dynamics and defensive behaviors that impact learning, growth and change in organizations. She will be based at UVA Darden DC Metro, where she will teach negotiations in the professional format programs.

KEITH MCCORMICK VISITING SCHOLAR, BODILY BICENTENNIAL PROFESSOR IN ANALYTICS

An expert in predictive analytics, AI and data science, McCormick joins Darden as a visiting scholar for the academic year. He will focus his attention on writing, industry research and curriculum development. He studied computer science at Worcester Polytechnic Institute.

ASA PALLEY ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, DATA ANALYTICS AND DECISION SCIENCES

Palley joins Darden from the faculty at Indiana University. He completed his Ph.D. in decision sciences from Duke University. His research uses tools from various decision sciences fields to help individuals and organizations make better decisions. He will arrive at Darden in January and teach core decision sciences courses.

ANNA MCKEAN ASSISTANTPROFESSOR, STRATEGY, ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND ETHICS

McKean was most recently a post-doctoral fellow at the University of Utah. She completed her Ph.D. in management and organizations at Northwestern University. Her research interests focus on interactions between corporations, the state and stakeholders. She will teach the First Year core strategy course and “Strategic Analysis and Consulting.”

ROB PHILLIPS PROFESSOR, STRATEGY, ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND ETHICS

Before Darden, Phillips taught business ethics at York University. He received his Ph.D. from UVA. His research interests include stakeholder theory, network ethics and historic corporate responsibility. He will teach in the doctoral program and the First Year core ethics course.

SCOTT MILLER ASSISTANT PROFESSOR, BUSINESS HISTORY

Miller has been a research assistant professor at UVA’s Miller Center, and he earned his Ph.D. at UVA. He is an economic historian, and he examines the development of modern economic systems during periods of instability and volatility. Now in a full-time role at Darden, he will continue to teach business history electives on financial crises.

MATT SHAFFER ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, ACCOUNTING

Shaffer comes to Darden from the faculty at the University of Southern California. He earned his doctorate from Harvard Business School. His research interests focus on valuation and corporate governance. At Darden, he will teach First Year core accounting courses.

TIME ‘MOST INFLUENTIAL PEOPLE IN AI’ AWARD HIGHLIGHTS FACULTY ACCOLADES

Gabe Adams won UVA’s All University Research Award.

“The Discount Rate for Investment Analysis Applying Expected Utility” by Manel Baucells and Sam Bodily was named co-winner of the 2024 best paper award by the Decision Analysis Journal

Peter Belmi won the UVA All University Teaching Award.

Rich Evans and co-authors won four awards for their paper “Cross-border Impact on Asset Managers”: the SFA Conference Best Investments Paper Award, 2025 FMA Asset Management Consortium Best Paper Award, Bolsas y Mercados Españoles-Six Research Grant and Antonio Dionis Soler Research Award.

Anton Korinek was named to TIME’s third-annual TIME100 AI list recognizing the 100 most influential people in artificial intelligence. Earlier in 2025, he was one of a handful of international experts selected to deliver a report to the G7 nations on how AI might affect the world’s leading economies.

Mike Lenox was awarded the Organizations & Natural Environment (ONE) Distinguished Scholar Award for 2025, given annually to distinguished scholars who have had a foundational impact on sustainability scholarship and leadership.

Panos Markou received the M&SOM Meritorious Service Award, recognizing excellent work by volunteer reviewers in service to the M&SOM journal.

Anthony Palomba was named to the 2025 Best 40-Under-40 MBA Professors list by Poets & Quants.

Saras Sarasvathy was awarded the Schumpeter School Prize for her outstanding academic achievements and pioneering contributions to entrepreneurship research.

DARDEN EXPANDS CURRICULUM WITH NEW AND INNOVATIVE COURSES

From artificial intelligence to timeless wisdom from Confucius and lessons from Alexander Hamilton, new courses introduced in the 2025–26 academic year reflect Darden’s commitment to cutting-edge knowledge and enduring leadership principles.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE FOR CUSTOMER GROWTH

This Marketing area course equips future business leaders with the tools to harness AI for customer acquisition, engagement and retention. Students will explore how advanced AI methods can transform traditional approaches through rapid experimentation, real-time optimization and hyper-personalized campaigns.

THE ANALECTS: TIMELESS WISDOM, CONFUCIAN THOUGHTS BECOMING GLOBAL STRATEGIST

Drawing from the deep traditions of Confucian philosophy, the course explores personal ethics in leadership, cross-cultural negotiations and sustainable development. Students will apply classical concepts to modern business challenges, developing a framework for ethical and effective global leadership.

DISRUPTIVE INNOVATION: WINNING IN NEW MARKETS AND PRODUCT CATEGORIES

This course examines how companies

succeed or fail when entering new-to-theworld markets. Students will learn to identify patterns of innovation and organizational behavior that determine whether strategies thrive in uncertain market conditions.

ALEXANDER HAMILTON: LESSONS IN MANAGEMENT, STRATEGY AND LEADERSHIP

Exploring the legacy of one of America’s most influential historical figures, the course examines Hamilton’s career and contributions through the lenses of finance, leadership, political economy and strategy. Students will gain insights into the intersection of history and management practice.

ENTREPRENEURSHIP CLASSICS

Students will engage deeply with the seminal works of entrepreneurship, learning to approach research as producers of knowledge. The course emphasizes developing complex arguments and contributing to impactful intellectual conversations in the field.

NEW BOOK ASKS HOW TO TURN DOUBT AND UNCERTAINTY INTO OPPORTUNITIES

oubt is pervasive. So, too, is our reluctance to tackle it head-on, according to research and insights revealed in a new book by Professor Bobby Parmar.

Running away from uncomfortable moments of doubt and uncertainty exacts a price in our personal and professional lives, according to Parmar. In Radical Doubt: Turning Uncertainty Into Surefire Success, Parmar suggests this doesn’t have to be the case. Doubt can be an opportunity, rather than a threat. Parmar recently shared his thoughts on Radical Doubt with The Darden Report.

How is Radical Doubt different from other books about decision-making?

Most decision-making books try to get the reader to act like a machine. This is a decision-making book that tries to help you unleash your human talents and skills. That means

Bobby Parmar

Shannon G. Smith Bicentennial Professor of Business Administration

trying to understand multiple conflicting goals rather than trying to optimize a single goal, dealing with both quantitative and qualitative information instead of trying to get human beings to act like a robot and only deal with information that you can quantify. Your values, your beliefs, your perceptions, all of those are deeply human things that are sometimes discounted in traditional decision-making books.

Where’d you get the idea for this book and topic?

This is my 18th year at Darden, and I’ve taught leadership, innovation and design thinking, and business ethics. I’ve noticed that my students are really good at the technical problems, but they struggle with more complex decisions with multiple competing criteria and multiple interpretations. That got me really interested in how to help them.

Leaders can lack the skills for making these difficult decisions, but they need those skills. The more they move up in an organization, the more they have to deal with problems that cut across finance and accounting and operations and strategy, when there isn’t a simple, clear answer. There’s demand for people who are good at addressing these moments of doubt and a clear gap in the fact that there isn’t curriculum or research on how to do it.

You write that “the goal is to proceed wisely by training you to experience doubt as a catalyst

for learning.” Could you explain?

When we experience doubt, it’s because we have these conflicting perspectives about what we see in front of us and what we should do. Most of us experience doubt as a weakness, not as a signal for getting more curious or a signal for starting to learn more effectively. The book tries to make the case and to provide opportunities for the reader to experience the feeling of these multiple conflicting interpretations. Typically, because we associate the experience of doubt with feeling inferior or feeling weak, we give up too early in our decision-making process. We don’t frame the problem effectively. We don’t spend enough time generating alternatives or testing potential alternatives to learn about what would be effective. All kinds of counterproductive things happen when we experience doubt as a red flag rather than a green flag.

What do you mean when you suggest that we can get better at dealing with doubt?

When you’re doing a set of bicep curls or squats at the gym, the first couple of reps feel great, but you’re not actually getting any stronger. You’re just warming up. By rep eight and by rep nine, it hurts. It’s uncomfortable, but those are the reps where we’re actually building strength. And when we see doubt as, ‘I might be uncomfortable, but this is the part where I’m improving the way I think about something. This is the part where I’m learning some-

thing new,’ then it’s easier to lean into it rather than running from it.

What’s the cost of intentionally avoiding uncertainty and doubt?

You forgo the opportunity of improving the way that you think about the world. You rely on incomplete assumptions and beliefs to navigate the world, so you might end up wasting time and money and making decisions that you regret because they’re much more reactive.

How can a leader in an organization help their teams in the workplace?

The first is to be really careful to reward effort and learning versus only rewarding outcomes. Setting the expectation that we’re all going to grow and get better is important. Giving them some grace when they stumble is important.

The second thing is making sure that there are systems in place that promote learning. Before launching a product or a new process improvement or a change initiative, have a structured premortem where we think about the things that could go wrong. Then use that to improve plans. Conduct postmortems. What did we learn? What are we going to do differently next time? Finally, doubt is a lot scarier when our choices are irreversible, when we’re taking big risks. When leaders find small ways, experiments, small bets for people to learn with minimal investment and minimal cost, that makes doubt a lot easier to deal with.

Professor Bobby Parmar’s new book helps readers position their doubt as an opportunity, rather than a threat.

WHEN THE CLOUD HITS

WRITTEN BY SALLY PARKER

BY JAMES GILLEARD

When several large data centers were proposed in Loudoun County, Virginia, a couple of years ago, residents learned the projects would be allowed “by right.” That means, they wouldn’t require public hearings or local government approval. Home to what is known as Data Center Alley, the county already has nearly 200 data centers with dozens more in the pipeline.

Public backlash was strong. Residents organized petitions and packed county planning meetings to protest the facilities’ scale, noise, water and electricity use, and architecture. As a result, the county board voted in March 2025 to end by-right zoning for data centers, requiring public review and special exceptions for future projects.

To Byrne Murphy (MBA ’86), who grew up in Northern Virginia and pioneered sustainable data centers in Europe, the conflict could have been avoided.

“Demand exploded so much and so fast, the industry struggled to catch up. These operators were under massive pressure to produce — so they did,” he says. “It’s the story of the product life cycle for most every explosive new product or industry. But the operators — and public officials — should have understood the implications of what was to come.” They did not take into account the wider context: the communities in which they operate.

Loudoun County is not alone. The growth of data centers is a global story, but developing them the right way has to start at the local level, says Murphy, owner of Kitebrook Partners. Murphy co-founded DigiPlex, one of the original data center operators in Europe, in 2001 and sold the company in 2021. Murphy launched Kitebrook

☀ There are somewhere between 5,000 and 5,500 data centers in the United States, according to various sources.

Exact totals are challenging to pin down.

☀ More than 2,200 additional data centers have been announced.

Source: Aterio

↓⃞ With booming demand for computing power, larger and louder data centers are coming to more communities around the world, where they are using more power and more water than prior generations of data centers.

Infrastructure, a developer of AI-enabled data centers, in 2023.

“Local is king. Context is key. Even in America, what happens in Texas doesn’t happen in Massachusetts doesn’t happen in Oregon. For water, power, zoning, architecture — context matters a lot.”

An Economic Boom Runs Into Resource Constraints

Data centers have been around since the 1950s, but they gained traction with the growth of the internet and were boosted again by the rise of cloud computing in the last decade. Since OpenAI’s public release of ChatGPT in November 2022, the exploding use of artificial intelligence has driven a new data center building boom.

Northern Virginia, Texas, Northern Illinois, Arizona and the Pacific Northwest are considered development hotbeds, but data center developers have proven they will go wherever they can successfully build a facility.

As the building boom advances, constraints in public resources are emerging. Disadvantaged communities that are dependent on electricity and water utilities are especially vulnerable, says Professor Vidya Mani, a supply chain expert. “If you want to create a data center, you have to be very careful to make sure that it doesn’t disadvantage a section of society that’s already suffering. It’s not a new societal problem or new ethical problem. It’s a new technology.”

Despite a fiercely competitive environment, operators can

find ways to align their goals with local needs, Murphy says.

“Let’s not be naive: The speed with which everything is happening is affecting how these projects roll out,” Murphy says. “If they roll out too big and too fast, and with zero consideration for the wider community, then bad outcomes result.”

One such outcome is that those communities are pushing back — with dramatic effect. Darden professors are focused on two critical resource constraints that businesses must navigate with communities and policymakers to align interests: electricity and water.

The Electricity Problem

Electricity demand in the United States was relatively flat for more than 20 years, starting at the turn of the century, thanks to technology advances that improved energy efficiency. However, that has started to change rapidly in the last two years. AI and cloud computing are dramatically increasing electricity demand, and it’s only going to keep rising, says Professor Mike Lenox.

The problem isn’t just limited to finding enough energy supply to meet demand. The growth of data center-driven demand is expected to stretch some electricity transmission and distribution systems to — or past — the breaking point in the near future. Massive electric grid investments will be required to serve data centers, and local communities are increasingly protesting a cost-sharing system that can saddle residents with the cost of grid upgrades needed to serve a large corporation’s data center.

To find ways to responsibly develop data centers without harming the reliable, affordable electricity service communities depend on, stakeholders can embrace new ways to generate power, says Lenox.

Lenox believes one viable path forward leads to more reliance on renewable energy sources. The majority of new generation added to the electric grid in recent years has been solar, wind and battery storage systems. Even in the current policy environment, Lenox says, the economics of renewables are strong, and battery storage is addressing issues around the inability for renewables to provide energy when, for example, the wind is not blowing or the sun is not shining.

The way forward may include a new business model for utilities — a more distributed electric

↑⃞ Data centers consumed about 4.4% of total U.S. electricity in 2023, but are expected to use between 6.7% and 12% by 2028. Source: U.S. Department of Energy

☀ U.S. electricity demand is expected to grow 25% by 2030 from 2023 levels.

Source: ICF

☀ Almost all forecast electricity demand growth in the U.S. is attributable to data centers powering AI, cloud computing and other services.

Source: U.S. Department of Energy

grid with democratized participation by “prosumers” who both produce and consume electricity, Lenox says. This would be good news for individuals and businesses alike: Utilities orchestrate a system in which community solar, microgrids, and prosumers with rooftop solar and home batteries can buy and sell.

“This is a much more resilient, distributed, networked electrical system,” Lenox says. “All of this would be working in a very coordinated and complex system, which, ironically, will probably require AI solutions to manage.”

A growing number of data centers are also beginning to build or source their own energy from solar farms, wind turbines and natural gas turbines. Some are actively considering options not yet commercially available in the U.S., such as small nuclear reactors.

In 2001, DigiPlex chose Norway for its first data center in large part because of abundant hydroelectric potential. Early on, few cared that its data centers ran on 100% sustainable energy, Murphy says, but it was 30 or 40 percent less expensive to power than with fossil fuels. Word spread.

With today’s 100- to 500-megawatt centers, he says, companies can realize billions in savings over time and support corporate sustainability goals at the same time.

“My point is, you can do very well while you also do a lot of good,” he says.

The Water Problem

Water use in the United States has actually decreased since 1975, says Professor Peter Debaere, an expert in water economics. In general, water is being used much more productively, he says.

↑⃞ Data centers are increasingly located throughout the United States, but Northern Virginia remains the largest hub for data centers in the world with many new facilities in the development pipeline. Source: Pew Research

☀ U.S. data centers withdraw 449 million gallons of water per day and 163.7 billion gallons annually, as of 2021. ↓⃞

☀ Large data centers can withdraw up to 5 million gallons per day, equivalent to the water use of a town populated by 10,000 to 50,000 people. ↓⃞

However, water issues are local. Data centers have recently been linked to water shortages and quality issues in places like Newton County, Georgia, and Goose Creek, South Carolina. In dry western states, agriculture is by far the largest water user, but data center growth in hubs like Phoenix, Arizona, and Southern California is adding stress to an already challenging situation. Debaere notes that data center water use will create more value per gallon used than many agricultural uses of limited value, so the conversation about water’s best uses is a complicated one, but the bottom line is still new demand for an already limited resource in the desert.

Large data centers can use up to 5 million gallons per day, depending on the cooling technology they withdraw, according to the Environmental and Energy Study Institute. What’s more, the latest high-power chips being developed for AI use cases require liquid cooling systems, which means data center water withdrawl could surge in the coming years. While much of this water can be preserved in closed-loop systems or returned to water sources through open-loop systems, the reality is that many data centers purchase water from public utilities and allow it to evaporate into the atmosphere after use.

☀ A medium-sized data center can withdraw up to roughly 110 million gallons of water per year for cooling purposes, equivalent to the annual usage of 1,000 households.

Source: Environmental and Energy Study Institute

Debaere urges companies to be more transparent about water. Though some data is publicly available, data center companies aren’t required to disclose how much water they use to cool their facilities and equipment.

“Getting data on the actual water use is not so easy,” he says. “But if you want to manage water, you’ve got to know what you can expect — and also, whether there are plans to expand and

whether the water use would increase.”

Operators are exploring and using new cooling and energy technologies that conserve water: Closedloop systems continuously recycle and reuse chilled water. Liquid and immersion cooling and gray water systems that use municipally treated wastewater don’t require as much fresh water. Renewable energy sources like solar, wind and batteries also don’t use water, whereas nuclear, natural gas and other steam turbine-based sources of generation do.

Water needs to be more than an afterthought for both the community and the developer, Debaere says. Before a project is greenlit, the right policies need to be ironed out, including cost-sharing agreements for infrastructure upgrades.

“Upfront cost-sharing for specific investments these companies need for their water can be a way of ensuring that, whatever happens in this uncertain environment, communities are not left holding the bag.”

Can Data Centers

Be Better Neighbors?

Can Data Centers Beco Neighbors?

Big tech firms have a responsibility to invest in the communities in which they operate, and this is often folded into their sustainability goals, Mani says. Developers can help innovate new ways of partnering with policymakers, utilities and municipalities to help prevent surprises down the road.

“We can get all of this done. It just requires that initial thought to make this work,” she says.

It’s a tall order for the data center operators moving at warp speed in this space, Murphy says. “The pressure is unbelievably intense. There is a firstand second-mover advantage, but the sentiment is that if you’re a distant third or fourth mover, you may be out of business.”

However, Murphy believes they don’t have a choice when it comes to aligning interests with communities over the use of resources as critical as electricity and water.

“Change is coming, whether the data center operators embrace it or whether it’s forced upon them,” he says. “There will be those who adapt faster, more efficiently, and thereby offer a more palatable product locally. In turn, by taking into consideration all the stakeholders, they are offering a more viable long-term solution. Those that implement such a delivery model will become the disruptors, and they shall reap their just rewards.”

GLOBAL SUPPLY CHAINS ARE SHIFTING.

WRITTEN BY DAVE HENDRICK

HERE’S HOW COMPANIES CAN BE ‘FUTURE READY.’

In early 2025, the Trump administration’s plans for wide-ranging tariffs on all imported goods both altered traditional supply chains and put new emphasis on reshoring efforts in the United States. Dramatically altering global supply chains built on free trade principles became not just an aspiration but an imperative for many organizations.

Yet rethinking and, in many cases, reversing longstanding logistics practices is no easy task. According to Darden Professors Doug Thomas and Vidya Mani, issues at the heart of the latest instances of supply chain tumult are unlikely to become less complicated.

The two Darden Operations area professors believe today’s organizations can expect greater changes in global supply chains than at

any time in the past 30 years.

The rapidly shifting terrain can lead to decision paralysis, but forward-thinking organizations are moving ahead despite the uncertainty and ambiguity. The professors’ research suggests organizations can remain future-ready by both fully understanding the key factors driving global supply chain changes and, once the landscape is understood, committing to key elements in organizational transformation.

ILLUSTRATIONS BY FIEN JORISSEN

FOUR FACTORS DRIVING SUPPLY CHAIN CHANGE

While tariffs attract outsized attention in the current supply chain discussion, trade and economic policy is just one of the four key factors that make the current moment more dynamic than at any time in the past 30 years. Also driving shifts: consumer and investor preferences, emerging technology, and instilling resilience. Before making strategic decisions or revamping an organization for the future, leaders must be aware of the forces impacting supply chains across four key factors, according to Thomas and Mani.

1. ECONOMIC POLICY

Economic policies are created to protect countries’ national interests and reflect the relative bargaining power in the global supply chain. They include trade agreements, import and export controls, subsidies, sanctions and more. Today’s policies are unprecedented in scale, scope and the intricacies of their details — with complex rules related to products, components, and manufacturing and labor practices. While specific tariff pressures remained in flux in late 2025, it has become clear that a new era of uncertainty with highly detailed policies will continue to lead to a tactical reshaping of supply chains.

2. CONSUMER AND INVESTOR PREFERENCES

There is an increase in consumer concern for fair trade and ethical sourcing, which can be seen in purchasing decisions when an economy is considered strong. Affordability concerns dominate during inflationary and recessionary periods. Evolving consumer preferences and continued capital flows into environmental, social and governance (ESG) funds suggest transparency in supply chains and sourcing will continue to be a major factor.

3. EMERGING TECHNOLOGY

Increased automation and advances such as artificial intelligence, blockchain and 3-D printing are reducing the importance of inexpensive labor and potentially making it more economical to manufacture closer to points of consumption. Additionally, the ability to capture more data than ever has a range of implications for potential enhancement.

4. THE PUSH TO INSTILL RESILIENCE

Resilience has been a popular and elusive goal for those working in supply chains for generations. Shocks to the system are routinely deemed to be a “wake-up call” that will lead to diversified, resilient supply chains, only for organizations to fall back on the familiar.

Given the unprecedented shifts taking place, as noted in the preceding three factors, true resilience has never been more urgent. Organizations that succeed will increasingly understand that resilience is a strategy, not a contingency.

Once fully conversant in the forces buffeting global supply chains, leaders can turn toward ensuring long-term competitiveness. According to Thomas and Mani, organizations interested in leading on futureready supply chains should commit to four principles.

Every organization aspires to peak operational performance, but how is that defined? Are leaders laser-focused on operational excellence or is the door open to inertia? Perhaps more importantly, how is operational excellence measured? Organizations prepared for the rapidly shifting production terrain create key performance indicators and organizational structures with end-to-end views.

2.

ELEVATE TALENT AND DEVELOP A LEARNING MINDSET

Business fundamentals still apply, which means retaining and promoting good people is critical. Organizations with the desire to lead must prioritize talent development, and end-to-end coordination must be ensured through roles and structures. There are opportunities to use AI to automate simple tasks, opening new windows for talented employees.

While processes and roles are formalized, they are not rigid. Resilient organizations have learned to instill a culture of experimentation and even risk-taking. Encouraging this mindset allows teams to find opportunities and solve messy problems, particularly around segmentation and end-to-end analysis.

WHAT IF, INSTEAD OF WAITING FOR THE NEXT MANUFACTURING CRISIS, ORGANIZATIONS EFFECTIVELY STRESS TESTED THEIR GLOBAL SUPPLY CHAINS TO ENSURE READINESS?

3. REPLACE ASSUMPTIONS WITH DATA AND USE AI

New technologies and data capabilities have opened new pathways for enterprising organizations. Data-backed inventory planning has changed many previously standardized practices. Organizations embracing data-driven capabilities have new opportunities to set safety stock levels and can use bootstrapping techniques — essentially, resampling from historical data — to anticipate complex demand patterns. Organizations embracing these techniques are gaining supply chain flexibility and accuracy not available to many of their peers.

INVEST IN SCENARIO PLANNING AND STRESS TEST SUPPLY CHAINS

What if, instead of waiting for the next manufacturing crisis, organizations effectively stress tested their supply chains to ensure readiness?

Financial institutions must show evidence of adequate liquidity and their ability to manage through a crisis. No such imperative exists for supply chains. In the absence of industry-wide measures intended to protect vulnerable supply chains, savvy organizations can consider their sourcing capabilities through a heightened strategic lens, working through the needs of today while anticipating challenges of tomorrow. As leaders become aware of vulnerabilities and chokepoints, stress testing may lead to significant revamping while other organizations may proceed with a clearer understanding of the road ahead.

DOUG THOMAS

VIDYA MANI

DARDEN RECOGNIZED BY THE ‘OSCARS OF EXECUTIVE EDUCATION’

Darden Executive Education & Lifelong Learning (EELL) celebrated its fifth consecutive year of being recognized by the Brandon Hall Group Human Capital Management Excellence Awards. EELL brought home eight awards for its custom client programs, bringing its total to 26 awards since 2021.

The awards are a testament to the strong partnerships EELL has built with its clients and highlight best practices across categories including learning and development, leadership development and the future of work. The awards, shared with EELL’s valued client partners, include:

Kohler Capability Accelerator — GOLD for Best Custom Content

Executive IQ by Money Management Institute —

GOLD for Best Executive Development Program, SILVER for Best Unique or Innovative Leadership Program, SILVER for Best Association Professional Development Program and SILVER for Best Leadership Development Program

AARP LeadUP — Bold Leadership for AARP’s Future — SILVER for Best Executive Development Program

PBS Executive Leadership Program — SILVER for Best Hybrid Learning Program

FanDuel Executive Leadership — BRONZE for Best Competencies and Skill Development

To design a custom client program with Darden EELL, reach out at darden.virginia. edu/executive-education/ contact.

RESILIENT ORGANIZATIONS HAVE LEARNED TO INSTILL A CULTURE OF EXPERIMENTATION AND EVEN RISK-TAKING. ENCOURAGING THIS MINDSET ALLOWS TEAMS TO FIND OPPORTUNITIES AND SOLVE MESSY PROBLEMS, PARTICULARLY AROUND SEGMENTATION AND ENDTO-END ANALYSIS.

Organizations taking the time to learn how to take strategic supply chain action in the new landscape have a map, meaning ambiguity will not lead to paralysis.

While the challenges are immense, they are not insurmountable, and solutions are available for those willing to put in the time and effort to learn the landscape and make strategic and sustainable sourcing, production and distribution decisions across the supply chain.

To support the development of leaders who understand today’s supply chain challenges and have the tools to manage through the uncertainty, contact Darden Executive Education & Lifelong Learning at www.darden.virginia.edu/executive-education.

ETHICS IS THE DEFINING ISSUE FOR THE FUTURE OF AI. AND

TIME IS RUNNING SHORT.

ILLUSTRATIONS BY DANIEL LIÉVANO

WRITTEN BY MCGREGOR MCCANCE

As investment in artificial intelligence (AI) continues to surge, a critical element is not getting enough consideration, increasing risks to people, businesses and society.

University of Virginia President Scott Beardsley believes significantly more attention must be focused on ethics as it applies to AI, in theory and in practice.

“What’s going well is that the tools, frameworks and conceptual clarity for ethical AI exist and are advancing rapidly,” said Beardsley, former dean of Darden. “What’s going poorly is implementation. Many companies still treat ethics as optional, while structural risks like bias, opacity and concentration of power remain entrenched.”

Time is running short to make a meaningful difference.

The next five years, Beardsley said, will determine whether ethics are embedded as infrastructure — or patched in too late at greater cost.

Darden is leading in the effort to implement ethical AI. The subject also has emerged as a core focus for Darden in the classroom, in research and in thought leadership that helps businesses thrive.

Darden’s LaCross Institute for Ethical Artificial Intelligence in Business, launched in 2024, provides a nexus for AI-related knowledge creation and instruction across Darden and the University of Virginia.

Here are several key issues framing the urgency of the ethical AI challenge, identified from research and scholarship conducted by the LaCross Institute. Learn more at darden.virginia.edu/ lacross-ai-institute.

WHY ARE AI ETHICS AT A CRITICAL INFLECTION POINT RIGHT NOW?

The technology is scaling faster than governance or safeguards can keep up. AI is already shaping people’s lives, the harms are real, regulation is behind and adoption is accelerating. Decisions made now will shape how AI is embedded into society for decades.

Ethics cannot be bolted on later. Waiting until AI is fully woven into critical systems to correct bias, opacity or governance failures will be like retrofitting seatbelts after cars are already on the road. The next five years represent a window of opportunity to embed ethical frameworks — before risks become locked in and irreversible.

The United Nations’ Ethical AI Agenda 2030 frames the next five years as a window of opportunity: close enough to demand immediate action but long enough to implement structural safeguards.

WHAT FACTORS CONTRIBUTED TO THE CURRENT SITUATION?

A “move fast and fix later” culture may work in consumer tech, but it is dangerous when applied to AI systems that determine creditworthiness or medical treatment. Once these systems are deployed, adding ethics after the fact is slower, costlier and harder to enforce. By 2030, AI will be so embedded in business and government infrastructure that retrofitting ethical standards may be nearly impossible.

Regulatory frameworks are fragmented and lagging. The EU AI Act, which comes fully into force in 2026, represents the first comprehensive regulatory regime. Elsewhere, the landscape is patchy: the U.S. has only partial guidance, while countries like Brazil, South Africa and Indonesia are still developing policies. AI is global, yet rules are national.

AI ethics is the academic and philosophical study of the moral, social and political issues raised by artificial intelligence. It is concerned with principles, frameworks and normative debates. It addresses the question: What should we do?

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AI ETHICS AND ETHICAL AI?

While they are related, they describe two perspectives: one theoretical, the other practical.

Ethical AI, by contrast, refers to the practical implementation of those principles in the design, development and deployment of AI systems. It is about ensuring that AI behaves in ways that are helpful, honest and harmless — not just in outputs but throughout the development lifecycle. It addresses the question: How do we actually do it?

AI ethics without ethical AI is toothless. Ethical AI without

AI ethics is aimless. Both are required. The current imbalance — heavy rhetoric on ethics, lighter focus on practice — is what makes this moment particularly risky.

HOW DOES DARDEN APPROACH ETHICAL AI?

The LaCross Institute frames ethical AI as a value chain — a set of end-to-end activities where ethics must be designed in and continuously verified. In this model, there are five interconnected stages:

• Infrastructure — compute, cloud, networks and their environmental footprint

• Measurement & Data — sourcing, preparing and governing data

• Models & Training — architecture, tuning and optimization choices

• Applications & Implementation — deployment into real workflows

• Management & Monitoring Outcomes — ongoing oversight and impact assessment

Each stage creates opportunities for value and distinct ethical risks that need controls and accountability built in from the start.

The value chain operationalizes ethics. It turns “be ethical” into who does what, when and with what evidence. It’s the difference between aspirational principles and repeatable management practice — and it’s how leaders make ethics part of AI’s ROI, not a bolt-on cost. cost. LaCross Institute Director Marc Ruggiono is the lead author of an institute white paper on the value chain of ethical AI that will be published in early 2026.

THE VALUE CHAIN OF ETHICAL AI

Too often, AI ethics have been treated as an afterthought rather than a core design principle. Organizations may sign on to broad “ethical principles,” but when it comes to building or deploying AI, ethics is bolted on late in the process, if at all.

ARE AI ETHICS AN AFTERTHOUGHT FOR MANY COMPANIES OR ORGANIZATIONS?

When ethics is left until the end, it is always the weakest link. Companies find themselves reacting to scandals instead of building trust and resilience.

DO COMPETITIVE PRESSURES CAUSE BUSINESSES TO RUSH IMPLEMENTATION OF AI?

Organizations often feel pressure from investors, boards or competitors to roll out AI products quickly. When AI is rushed, small errors can scale into systemic harms. For example, biased datasets may lead to discriminatory lending or hiring practices, which can then ripple across markets. Tesla’s Autopilot illustrates how pressure to launch quickly created gaps between what the system could do and how users perceived it — resulting in accidents and regulatory scrutiny.

Speed may provide a temporary competitive edge, but it often backfires. Flawed launches damage consumer trust, attract lawsuits and invite regulatory crackdowns. This creates reputational harm that outweighs early gains. Companies that chase speed without safeguards are gambling with trust, compliance and long-term sustainability.

IS THERE A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE TO A COMPANY COMMITTING MORE ATTENTION TO ETHICAL AI?

Companies that are transparent and fair build stronger trust and brand loyalty. As the LaCross Institute emphasizes, “Helpful, Honest and Harmless” AI is not a brake on innovation but a foundation for sustainable growth.

Companies that build ethics into their AI strategy gain a dual advantage: They mitigate risks while building trust as a growth engine. Ethical AI is shifting from a cost center to a strategic asset. The companies that understand this early will be better positioned for the next decade.

WHERE WILL LEADERSHIP ON THESE ISSUES COME FROM?

From the actors who design, buy, deploy, insure and audit AI — especially large enterprises, standards bodies, multistakeholder consortia,

AI automates some analysis, but it elevates the need for leaders who can design systems that are reliable, fair and auditable in production. The MBA stays relevant by becoming the degree that teaches how to run the business of AI.

universities and civil society. In the near term, these players can move faster than legislation and shape norms through procurement, standards adoption and market discipline.

HOW IS AI AFFECTING MBAS?

AI is automating pieces of analysis and content creation, but the managerial work that MBAs are trained to do — framing problems, balancing tradeoffs, governing risk and orchestrating crossfunctional execution — grows more important as AI scales. Rather than displacing MBAs, AI is creating management roles: AI product owner, model risk manager, AI procurement lead, responsible AI officer and data governance director. These roles reward graduates who can connect technical teams, legal and compliance functions, and profit and loss owners using shared frameworks and measurable controls.

AI automates some analysis, but it elevates the need for leaders who can design systems that are reliable, fair and auditable in production. The MBA stays relevant by becoming the degree that teaches how to run the business of AI or manage AI as a business function.

WHAT IS THE LACROSS INSTITUTE DOING DIFFERENTLY THAN OTHER ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS FOCUSING ON AI?

The LaCross Institute stands out through its operational, managerial focus — distinct from both theoretical ethics centers and purely technical AI labs.

It treats AI ethics as an operational, leadership-driven discipline embedded in research, education and practitioner engagement. Through robust funding, a value-chain management framework, ambitious academic programming and university-wide collaboration, it equips business leaders with real-world tools to govern AI ethically and effectively.

MARC RUGGIANO DIRECTOR, LACROSS INSTITUTE FOR ETHICAL AI IN BUSINESS

IMPOSTER SYNDROME ISN’T WHAT YOU THINK

HOW MANAGERS CAN USE 4 DEBUNKED MYTHS TO HELP EMPLOYEES THRIVE

Impostor syndrome — more accurately called the impostor phenomenon — is often used to explain why capable people doubt themselves at work, despite clear evidence of their success. But what if we’ve misunderstood key parts of the story, including its definition? And what if having thoughts that one might be an impostor isn’t entirely negative?

A new integrative review, recently published in the Academy of Management Annals, challenges long-held assumptions and offers a more constructive perspective on impostor phenomenon.

Professor Sean Martin co-authored the paper with Basima Tewfik of MIT Sloan and Jeremy Yip of Georgetown. Drawing on nearly 50 years of research, the authors argue it’s time to reframe the conversation.

“When we dug into the literature it became incredibly clear, incredibly quickly, that the definition of the term ‘impostor syndrome’ was all over the place, and so were a lot of the findings,” says Martin. “A lot of people who were using the term were not talking about the same thing and were not using it correctly. They were using ‘impostor syndrome’ to mean things like cultural fit, or a sense of belonging or feeling like an underdog. And they were assuming that if you felt like an impostor, it must be a bad thing.”

The paper argues that the core of the impostor phenomenon has drifted from its original definition. At its heart, it’s a belief that others overestimate one’s abilities. But researchers and popular discourse have increasingly focused on emotions or feelings, such as fear, shame and not belonging.

IMPOSTOR THOUGHTS MIGHT BE LESS A WARNING SIGN — AND MORE A SIGN THAT YOU’RE GROWING.

To restore clarity, the authors call for a “course correction” that recenters the concept on the phenomenon’s cognitive origins. They propose a new term: “workplace impostor thoughts,” which Tewfik coined in an earlier paper.

The authors note these thoughts are often temporary, shaped by context and, in some cases, may even offer unexpected interpersonal benefits.

HOW IMPOSTOR SYNDROME WENT MAINSTREAM — AND GOT TWISTED

Interest in impostor syndrome has exploded in the past decade, thanks to media fascination with the idea that some famous and successful people think they’re faking it.

For example, Stephen Curry, the Golden State Warriors star considered the greatest shooter in the history of basketball, said he suf-

Insights from Professor Sean Martin

Written by Lauren Foster

Illustration by Hyphen

fers from impostor syndrome.

“I’m human,” Curry told CNBC during an interview. “Like everybody, you have doubts about yourself, you have impostor syndrome at times.”

Although impostor syndrome seems to be everywhere today, the concept dates back to the 1970s. Psychologists Pauline Clance and Suzanne Imes first introduced it as “impostor phenomenon” after noticing that many high-achieving women struggled with persistent feelings of intellectual fraudulence. They described it as an “internal experience of intellectual phoniness in people who believe that they are not intelligent, capable or creative despite evidence of high achievement.”

The concept gained traction with the rise of social media, which helped spawn a micro-industry of self-help books aimed at addressing impostor syndrome. It also became a popular topic at women’s leadership conferences.

While Clance and Imes described the phenomenon as an experience, rather than a pathology, over time the word “phenomenon” gave way to “syndrome” in the popular press. The definition also grew to encompass a range of feelings related to inauthenticity and a lack of belonging or feeling like an outsider. This, the authors say, “muddied the conceptual waters, especially because this affective influx is relatively recent.”

4 MYTHS ABOUT IMPOSTOR SYNDROME DEBUNKED

After examining 316 articles and books on impostor phenomenon, the authors found many of the assumptions about the concept to be “ill-founded or inadequate.” They identify four misconceptions about the impostor phenomenon and offer a counter-narrative for each.

sented groups, the evidence is mixed. The review notes that gender differences do sometimes emerge in specific settings, such as medical school students. But working professionals, in particular, don’t exhibit clear gender differences. This suggests that context plays a significant role in triggering impostor thoughts.

THE IMPOSTOR PHENOMENON IS UNIFORMLY HARMFUL.

Much of the existing research assumed that the impostor phenomenon is correlated with negative outcomes, such as stress or decreased self-esteem. But newer studies, including the authors’, show the effects are more nuanced. In fact, Tewfik’s research shows workplace impostor thoughts can have advantages. In her 2022 paper, “The Impostor Phenomenon Revisited: Examining the Relationship Between Workplace Impostor Thoughts and Interpersonal Effectiveness at Work,” she found that employees with more frequent workplace impostor thoughts may also be seen as more interpersonally effective at work and no less competent than those with fewer such thoughts.

THE IMPOSTOR PHENOMENON CREATES NEGATIVE OUTCOMES THROUGH HARMFUL PATTERNS OF BEHAVIOR.

Many assume that impostor thoughts cause people to spiral into shame or avoidant behavior, but the research doesn’t clearly explain exactly why impostor thoughts cause outcomes, whether bad or good. The authors’ review of research finds that most studies fail to directly test the psychological mechanisms behind the phenomenon. Where they are tested, findings are mixed.

HOW MANAGERS CAN RETHINK THE IMPOSTOR PHENOMENON — AND HELP EMPLOYEES THRIVE

For Martin, who teaches and studies topics such as psychological safety, speaking truth to power and social class mobility, the paper has two big takeaways.

THE IMPOSTOR PHENOMENON IS PERMANENT.

The trio argue that many scholars treat impostor phenomenon as stable and trait-like when, in reality, workplace impostor thoughts are more accurately viewed as transient and situational. This is why lead author Tewfik, who has researched the topic for more than a decade, started using the term “workplace impostor thoughts” to more accurately describe the experience.

1. 2.

THE IMPOSTOR PHENOMENON IS MORE PREVALENT AMONG WOMEN OR THOSE WITH MARGINALIZED IDENTITIES.

While many assume the impostor phenomenon is more prevalent among women or underrepre-

First, workplace culture. “If employees say they are experiencing impostor thoughts and are associating the feeling with negativity, that suggests they don’t feel safe,” he says. “What I hope is that managers think about whether they have created safe conditions for employees to grow.”

Second, an opportunity for reframing. “People who are experiencing workplace impostor thoughts should recognize that this is not something that is going to last forever. It can pass,” Martin says. “It’s also a sign that others think highly of you.”

In other words, impostor thoughts might be less a warning sign — and more a sign that you’re growing.

Professor Sean Martin is co-author of “Workplace Impostor Thoughts, Impostor Feelings, and Impostorism: An Integrative, Multidisciplinary Review of Research on the Impostor Phenomenon” (2025), with lead author Basima Tewfik of MIT Sloan and Jeremy Yip of Georgetown.

JOHN FOWLER

TRANSFORMATIONAL DARDEN EXPERIENCE MOTIVATES A LIFE OF GIVING BACK

(MBA/JD ’84)

With over 40 years of affiliation with the Darden School, it’s more than fair to describe John Fowler Jr. (MBA/JD ’84) as an ambassador for the institution. His connection as a student in the 1980s sparked a passion that evolved into a feeling of responsibility to Darden across his lengthy career in investment banking (during which he hired many Darden graduates), his service as a member of the Darden School Foundation Board of Trustees, and even the ultimate insider view as a visiting lecturer using the case method to teach mergers and acquisitions.

After all that involvement, you could understand if Fowler decided to dial things back. But that’s not about to happen. In July, he began a two-year term as chair of the Board of Trustees.

“The School gave so much to me, and I had a transformational experience,” said Fowler, a “Triple Hoo” with an undergraduate history degree and a law degree from UVA to go along with his Darden MBA.

Fowler broadly defines his role as chair as helping the Board of Trustees, the Foundation and Darden leadership secure the resources to allow Darden to protect its hard-earned place among the world’s top business schools and to enable it to keep executing on the ambitious strategies that will define the future of a school approaching its 75th anniversary.

Darden is completely self-funded. It receives no operational support from UVA or the Commonwealth of Virginia. As such, it relies on philanthropy, tuition and revenues generated by the Foundation and the School’s own programs and initiatives. Fowler said part of his responsibility is to work with his fellow trustees and leadership to continue supporting the tremendous momentum the School has established through that model.

“We can’t take our foot off the gas pedal. We need to continue to play offense versus defense and ensure we have the resources and vision to

John Fowler (MBA/JD ’84) became chair of the Darden School Foundation Board of Trustees in 2025 following his career as a senior executive in finance.

retain our well-earned reputation,” he said. “We have the best faculty, the best facilities and the best experience here. It’s a challenge, but my approach is to focus on how to keep doing what we’re doing, just even better.”

However Fowler fulfills that key leadership responsibility, it almost certainly will not be with fanfare. Across his years leading major investment banking operations, Fowler always preferred to do so without seeking attention. The approach was intentional.

“I’ve kept a lower profile as self-promotion is not my style. Plus, I was also working in a highly regulated industry,” he said. “Don’t be mistaken — surviving in the business that I did for 40 years, I am very competitive and outspoken. But I live by the mantra of ‘results count,’ so I don’t feel a need to blow my horn. To me, results speak for themselves.”

Fowler currently serves as executive chairman of Aonis Therapeutics, a drug discovery company that deploys artificial intelligence to investigate potential opportunities to reposition FDA-approved drugs for other unknown therapeutic indications. He retired in 2024 from Wells Fargo, where he served in a variety of roles, including most recently as vice chairman of corporate and investment banking. Previously, he held leadership and executive positions in investment banking at Deutsche Bank, JP Morgan & Co. and Salomon Brothers. He began his banking career in 1979 with Jefferson National Bank (now Wells Fargo) in Charlottesville after earning his undergraduate degree and before attending Darden.

Through the years, Fowler hired many MBAs from schools across the country. Even recognizing his potential inherent bias, the Darden graduates typically impressed him.

“The differentiation with Darden people is they work harder. They’re thoughtful and respectful. They’re doers,” he said. “They also tend to speak up more and ask questions and challenge you, which is something I look for in people.”

Martina Hund-Mejean (MBA ’88), former chair of the Foundation board and former CFO of Mastercard, described Fowler as a “down-toearth strategic thinker who works well across many different stakeholders.” She noted his success “quietly but effectively adding terrific new trustees” to the Board of Trustees over the years.

She said when she thinks of Fowler, she thinks of a phrase coined by John Strangfeld

THE

DIFFERENTIATION

WITH DARDEN PEOPLE IS THEY WORK HARDER. THEY’RE THOUGHTFUL AND RESPECTFUL. THEY’RE DOERS.

(MBA ’77), former chairman and CEO of Prudential: “High impact, low ego and no drama. He truly represents the Darden way,” Hund-Mejean said of Fowler.

Jim Cooper (MBA ’84) is a member of the same Darden class as Fowler, and the two have shared time on the board over the years. Cooper said he’s confident that Fowler will have a successful term as chair, building on the success of strong chairs before him.

“He’s a problem-solver with a keen eye for the issues, both obvious and not so. And frankly, he just gets the job done,” Cooper said. “Darden has been on such an upward trajectory the past decade or so, and we all want to keep that momentum going. John will no doubt achieve that and more in his term.”

Now living in Charlottesville after retiring from Wells Fargo, Fowler laughed when asked why he returned. “Doesn’t every UVA grad want to come back to Charlottesville?” he asked.

The town’s allure for Wahoo alumni is unmistakable. And it’s got ahold of the Fowler family.

His wife, Corey Phillips Fowler, grew up in Charlottesville and also graduated from UVA. She is a photographic artist who enters juried shows and has had solo shows in Havana, Cuba, and Brooklyn, New York. John’s father, John Sr., is a UVA School of Law alumnus who also lives in town. One of Fowler’s two sons and the son’s wife are UVA grads who also moved back to Charlottesville. His other son and his daughter live, respectively, in Los Angeles, California, and Minneapolis, Minnesota, with their families. Fowler’s backyard backs up to the backyard of his brother Ed Fowler (MBA ’93).

Away from professional pursuits, Fowler enjoys gardening and raising vegetables, and in years past has home-brewed more than 100 bottles of hot pepper sauce annually for friends and family. Naturally, he also enjoys cooking and discovering new foods with his wife.

A voracious reader of history, spy and crime novels; nonfiction; news; and classics alike, Fowler rarely travels without his Kindle, filling any downtime with as many chapters as he can squeeze in. Recently, he re-read George Orwell’s classic dystopian novel 1984

Maybe something about reading widely and frequently — constantly gathering different stories, different perspectives — feeds back into why Fowler recalls his Darden experience so fondly and remains dedicated to the School thriving.

“Darden teaches you how to work with other people. It teaches you how to look at a problem, come up with solutions and recognize that there isn’t one answer,” he said. “You want people to be part of a team and community, to learn and be open, and to have, hopefully, a civil dialogue, which I’m all for, especially these days.”

Now, with the Powered by Purpose campaign over but much yet to be accomplished, Fowler said he’s excited to keep helping the Darden School in his new Foundation board role and any other way he can. It’s the same approach he favored during his years of leadership in business.

“Let’s go!” he said. “Let’s just get things done.”

Taught by the nation’s #1 ranked faculty, UVA Darden Executive Education equips you with the tools, confidence and network to deliver impact from day one. Sharpen your influence. Strengthen financial acumen. Unlock your team’s full potential. Rise higher — and bring others with you.

Darden alumni receive 20 percent discount.

SPRING 2026 PROGRAMS:

• Collaboration & Influence (Online, Self-Paced)

• Finance for Non-Financial Executives (Charlottesville, VA)

• Women in Leadership (Washington, D.C. Area, Hybrid)

• Leading Teams for Growth & Change (Charlottesville, VA)

CLASS NOTES

ABBOTT SOCIETY (1957-75) CLASS NOTES

R. Conley Ricker Jr. conleyricker@yahoo.com

It was with a great deal of sadness that I received a call from Maggie Townsend that her father, our classmate Tony Townsend, passed away in August. Although we had not located him until recently, he was very appreciative that he was recognized in detail in our Class Notes of October 2024. From our Class of 1959, we extend our deepest sympathies and condolences to Maggie and her family.

I have a collection of many pictures of our grads, and some faculty members, enjoying themselves at our various reunions over the

years. Jeff Robertson and I discussed what to do with these pictures, and we came up with a plan. We can tie the pictures into a campaign to increase our class percentage of contribution to the Darden Annual Fund due by 30 June 2026.

So, here is the plan. When your contribution is received by Darden for the Annual Fund on or before 30 June 2026, I will send you an album of these pictures covering the many reunions. With this plan, I dispose of my many pictures, the Darden Fund benefits, and our percentage contribution ascends to record levels.

When discussing the plan with Bill Smith,

Dick (MBA ’59) and Fleming Rutledge at a previous Class of 1959 reunion

Bridge Tunnel — taking the 1.5-hour drive over and back weekly to visit her parents. The Blanchards also are visited frequently by their sons Reb and Will.

As you may recall, our Professor John D. Forbes passed on before finishing his autobiography,

Building Imagination, which was completed by his wife, Mary Elizabeth. Bob has a copy and when he finishes it, he will send it on to Jeff Robertson.

the board of directors of Charlotte Pipe & Foundry. Ned and his whole family are quite proud of his nine grandchildren. Ned follows the fortunes of the Carolina Panthers and was very excited to see his team come up with a win against the division leader Green Bay Packers with a last second 49-yard field goal!

he said, “Let’s go for 100 percent!” Bill and Jean are enjoying their retirement at their home in Wilmington, North Carolina, and, of course, they are enjoying their five great-grandchildren.

Note: All the grads with whom I have spoken to about the album plan have endorsed it enthusiastically! Fleming texted me immediately asking where to send Dick Rutledge’s check. Theo Herbert has a mountain of red tape to go through before he can send money internationally, so he will send me his check personally, and I will contribute on his behalf.

I spoke to Rich Ruedi, who just returned from his annual summer-time visit to the family’s compound/retreat at Muskegon, Michigan, that has been in the family since 1915. It is a special place for him and his family and Rich has visited it for 89 consecutive years, except for one year when he served in Germany while in the U.S. Army. The manor house is on Silver Lake and includes five cottages. On Rich’s 90th birthday this summer, the family celebrated with the attendance there of 35 family members.

Jim Daniel and Coleen, known affectionately as “The Squirrel,” mentioned that they travel from their condo in Richmond, Virginia, to their resident home on the water in Moon, Virginia. Soon, to enjoy non-winter weather, they will journey to sunny Florida to winter at their condo with the ocean views in Delray Beach.

Bob and Ginger Blanchard reside at a retirement home in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and are visited by their daughter, Melinda, who lives across the bay in Eastville, Virginia, near Cape Charles. Melinda crosses the engineering marvel — the 17-mile Chesapeake Bay

Jeff and Nancy Robertson are quite proud of the progress of their grandson, who is a senior at Denver University while at the same time he is a veteran member of the United States Ski Team. At present he is in New Zealand training for his slalom runs at the Winter Olympics coming up in February of next year in Milan, Italy.

Theo Herbert in far-off Belgium expressed his concern over changes President Trump is forcing in the administration of the American government. The values of American Democracy are in danger. Philippe, his son-in-law, and Charlotte, one of his three daughters, now live next to him and Therese. This is a great help to them in the challenges of their daily life.

In a conversation with Wally Stettinius and Winkie, we have learned that the prodigious family now has 12 great-grandchildren. There is speculation that the coming Thanksgiving dinner at their home will be held in two shifts!

Fleming Rutledge mentioned that she and Dick are still living in Rye Brook, New York, in the house where they have lived for the past 56 years. They are especially appreciative of the special visits to them from their two daughters, Elizabeth and Heyward, both of whom live in Virginia.

Chandler Marburg, Bill Marburg’s daughter, reports that her dad is doing well in his home in Mendota, Virginia, where one of his daughters visits him regularly from her nearby home. Turns out he is a voracious reader and enjoys his many magazines, especially The New Yorker.

We learned from Howard Ulfelder that he and Susan have relocated to another location in their retirement home in New Hampshire. It was a pleasure talking to Ned Hardison, and his son, Hooper (MBA ’88), who succeeded Ned as president and CEO of Charlotte Pipe & Foundry. Ned is doing fine, having adjusted to his retirement from the management and

The news of your undersigned class secretary is that I have focused the activities of my real estate company, Bankers Realty LLC, to help those clients who need to downsize to smaller quarters or to retirement facilities. I continue the active management of my five houses that I own in my Winter Hill neighborhood in Falls Church, Virginia. My fourth book, Midnight Ditties, is well underway and we expect to publish early next year.

The response to the plan to increase our Class participation in the Annual Daden Fund is over the top! I look forward to working with all of you next spring sending you photo albums of your fellow grads and setting new records on our Class of 1959 participation percentage. Best wishes for continued health and prosperity.

Frank Ellett ftellett@exceltg.com

News is sparce this time around as our numbers, age, and mobility issues have put a damper on adventures and travel. While some of us continue “working,” others like Henry Dodge and Walter Witschey put their Darden talents to good use with significant volunteer and eleemosynary activities.

Henry Dodge recently retired as chairman of a project where he spent 22 years “developing and delivering to the world a better understanding of Elvis, the Entertainer. It’s the story of ‘the Boy’ until 13 when he leaves Tupelo, Mississippi, going to Memphis, Tennessee, to develop into ‘The Entertainer.’”. Henry also writes that his grandson received a leadership scholarship to SMU. He had been president of the student body at McCallie School in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and on McCallie’s nationally ranked tennis team. He now is president of the student body at SMU.

Walter Witschey reported earlier this year: “A project of mine quietly moved into the realm of ‘published.’ My colleague, Dr. Cliff Brown of Florida Atlantic University, and I have been working on data for a comprehensive survey of the Maya area since 1992 and also working

To update your contact information, call +1-434-243-8977 or email alumni@darden.virginia.edu

on a print volume Atlas of the Ancient Maya World since 2016. Brill, a publisher in Leiden, the Netherlands, accepted the book and had it peer reviewed. They put up a web page on their site, and one on Amazon Books, that indicates Atlas is now available in e-book and hardback form. Brill has some sample pages available for viewing on their website at brill. com/display/title69502.”

Gordon Sidford writes, “All’s good here. I’m still doing commercial mortgages. After 20 years, we’ve downsized from Westfield, New Jersey, to the neighboring town of Fanwood. It was our first experience with eBay, Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace getting rid of stuff. It was tiresome, but cashing in some silver things was easy and profitable.”

Bruce MacAlister reported: “For the MacAlisters, the home update continues at a slow and plodding pace. Unfortunately, we live in what has become a very fancy neighborhood, but in retirement we no longer have the very fancy income. So, when I call carpenters, electricians, etc., they see the address and double the price. Finding professionals who are affordable is the biggest challenge. The deportations are making it worse, but we persevere. I suspect my classmates are, like us, losing friends and family members. I lost my baby sister in April. The good news is our children, nieces and nephews are stepping in to help.

“Our church is also helping. For me, though, my ham radio hobby and the ham radio community are especially rewarding. Listening through the static and talking to a new voice in Finland or Greece, etc., brightens my day.”

alumni@darden.virginia.edu

Ned Darnall writes: “I’m still vertical and moderately active. I gave up tennis two years ago as partners began to drop out with back and knee problems, but I am still playing golf, though at a diminished rate (same problem with partners having bad backs and knees). At a 60th year college reunion this spring, one of my classmates, an All-American college football player, mentioned that he doesn’t keep score anymore. If he hits a good drive, he plays on, if not he picks up and goes to the next hole. He said that he only likes to remember the good shots and that keeping score only depresses him. That’s golf in your 80s! Also, I had been playing duplicate bridge in an interclub bridge

league here in New York City until my partner’s death and other physical disabilities from possible partners caused us to drop out last year. I’m still playing friendly bridge with friends. No more master point tournaments!

“I’m singing T2 and president of the oldest men’s choral group in the United States, the Mendelssohn Glee Club, formed in New York City in 1866. When featured on a 10-minute broadcast in December 2008 by NPR, the announcer stated that we were the oldest men’s choral group in the country. Ten minutes later an email was received from the Harvard Glee Club reminding us that they were formed in 1858, eight years prior. We have since modified our claim to longevity by adding the phrase ‘oldest independent men’s choral group.’ Of note is the fact that eight of the original eleven members of the Mendelssohn Glee Club were Men of Harvard.

“I’m moderately active with freemasonry and military retiree activities (retired LTC, USA). Otherwise, I’m catching up on a family library of books on American history. One of my grandfathers was an English professor who was a visiting professor at UVA for several years around 1930, and who had an extended Civil War library and whose father had been a 15-year-old cannoneer with Stonewall Jackson’s Rockbridge Artillery at Gettysburg (the War of Northern Aggression). My father had added to the collection, and I have supplemented the library with both Southern and Northern accounts. My mother had both Northern and Southern sympathies, from an Episcopal bishop in Minnesota (Whipple) and an Episcopal bishop of Virginia (Meade). It will take me another 25 years to read and sort through all of the writings.

“Doctors are winning but keeping us going.”

Ned shared his contact information: 250 West 94th Street, #3C New York, NY, 10025-6954 home: (212) 666-9592 cell: (347) 306-8032

edarnall@nyc.rr.com

Jay McDonald

jay@jaymcdonald.com

Mark your calendars for our 55th Reunion, taking place on 24–26 April 2026, in Charlottesville. We have sent each of you an RSVP to create a block of rooms for our Class. By the time you read this,

Doug Watson (MBA ’71) and his wife, Cindy, welcomed their first grandchild, Hunter Bennett Watson, on 29 May.

you will have hopefully booked your reservations. It will be an exciting and fun weekend. We’d love to see all of you, so hopefully you’ll make plans to attend. Bill Mims, Hugh Ewing and I are working on it with Darden. If you’d like to help, please let us know.

Tom Foster plans to attend our Reunion and reports that his clan is doing well.

Doug Watson let us know he feels fortunate to have climbed the career ladder without the help of AI. On 29 May, their first grandchild was born. Doug wrote: “Cindy and Doug are pretty pumped to be grandparents! Hunter Bennett Watson is a lively guy, and his parents, son Taylor and wonderful daughter-in-law Carly, are great parents. Of course, with some guidance from us!”

Reid Carter and Marsha are coming to the reunion and are looking forward to seeing everyone.

Rick Heugh hopes to be at our reunion. He’s retired three times already and maybe a fourth time before our reunion, but he doubts it.

Betti and Roger Krapfl are doing fine in Colorado, and Roger continues his passions for skiing, biking and tennis while serving on the boards of a couple of nonprofits. Betti is well and continues competitive running, “even at her age.” He’s often thought about those Darden reunions, but just never got around to going. He wrote: “Maybe 2026 will be the year to make it happen!”

Davis Bonner’s wife, Patricia, sadly passed away in November 2023, so life’s a bit different these days. He has our reunion on his calendar and hopes to make it.

Dave Meriwether continues to support

both UVA and Darden, as both have enriched his career. He hopes to see us all in April. Wahoo Wah!

Pam and Gaither Shaw will be at the reunion in April. They’ve had a wonderful time traveling the world and have spent quality time with Jeanne and Ken Hutton at the Huttons’ summer cottage on Skaneateles Lake in New York. Ken says he’s finally decided to retire. We’ll see.

Sam Tallman is still part-time active in church work. He confesses that B-School is a distant memory, and he hopes all goes well with the reunion.

Gloria and Bill Mims are doing well and will attend the reunion. Gloria and he are still fairly active, and like lots of other old folks, they enjoy traveling. They just returned from a trip to Poland, the Czech Republic, and Germany, which was a real history lesson for this “essentially uneducated” guy from Georgia Tech. They still live in the house their children grew up in, which kind of amazes him. Their two daughters, both UVA grads, are doing well, at least for the moment. Without getting into politics, the uncertain economy is affecting them negatively. Bill recently stopped flying and got out of the flying club he was in. He started flying in 1966, so that was a good run, some 59 years.

Gordy Crawford says being all the way across the continent and pushing 80 years old has meant he has been back to Charlottesville less and less. “Maybe our 55th!” Let’s give him more than a gentle nudge.

Susan and Hugh Ewing have been traveling the world and spending quality time with their family, while Hugh continues to serve on four boards.

Susie and Tom Duke have graciously agreed to host our Friday evening dinner at their home. Both are doing well.

Bill Sigler wrote that he would love to attend the reunion, but his wife, Myriam, is deep into Alzheimer’s, and they can no longer travel away from home. At 89, he’s in excellent health, if one discounts the minor events and ailments that come with age to most of us. Please keep them in your prayers.

From his bio, Bill shared: “I am currently serving or have served as a volunteer member of the Diocesan Finance Committee of the Catholic Diocese of Richmond, the Diocesan Haitian Education Fund, and the board of the

Notre Dame Club of Richmond. I have also assisted with grant research and proposal writing for All Saints Catholic School in Richmond.

“My wife of 64 years, Myriam Castro Sigler, worked as counsellor for the Embassy of Spain in Nairobi, Kenya, while I served there, and then as a senior conference interpreter for the U.S. State Department, and as conference and court interpreter for a number of other U.S. government departments and agencies and for the U.S. federal courts system. She is past president of the American Society of Interpreters.”

Dana Hansel, Steve Hansel’s widow, is planning to join us for our reunion. She’s doing well in New Orleans, Louisiana, and of course, misses him terribly as we all do.

Sadly, Ian Falconer peacefully passed away in April. Here’s the web address to his obituary: oakland.chapelofthechimes.com/ obituaries/ian-falconer. May he rest in peace — a wonderful person with so much energy, wit and intelligence.

Jay McDonald continues to flunk retirement, spending time with his executive coaching practice; writing his third book, Jaywalking With Purpose: Pursuing Achievement & Happiness in a World That Won’t Stand Still; serving on several boards; and enjoying family, especially his grandson, Mid, a senior in high school who’s enjoying an outstanding academic and athletic journey while pursuing many outside activities and deciding on where to attend college. The “Wonder Years” pass quickly!

We hope to have a Zoom call sometime in early to mid-December with the Class. Happy holidays! Stay safe and healthy, and we hope you can join us at the Reunion. We’re not getting any younger! Thanks for staying in touch and providing updates to me.

Clint Bolte, Ned Haley cbolte3@comcast.net, nedhaley@gmail.com

Bubba Morgan happily reports that in August his company Southeastern Salvage, based in Chattanooga, Tennessee, opened its biggest store in the historic Golden Flake (potato chip) factory in northern Birmingham, Alabama. This new 135,000-square-foot store contains a cornucopia of imported pottery, garden decor, rugs, furniture and assorted home improvement items.

“We have close to 5,000 rugs in stock in

this store,” Morgan said. Bubba is proud of the Golden Flake heritage, and talks about when children from schools all over the state came for tours of how potato chips were made. Morgan bought the entire 36-acre campus for $6 million. He sold most of its equipment for about $750,000. This Golden Flake Birmingham factory made its final potato chip on 9 June 2023, ending a historic run as one of Alabama’s favorite snack foods. From 1960 through 1982 Golden Flake sponsored the weekly Bear Bryant Show on Birmingham television with Coca Cola as co-sponsor. Their slogan was “Great pair, says the Bear.” Paul “Bear” Bryant did every show with a bowl of Golden Flake potato chips on the set. While most everything in and outside the building was for sale, Morgan is keeping the Golden Flake clock on the wall as a memory.

Robert Kibble is looking for classmate visitors this winter: “I met up with Martin Dalgleish last year in his new digs in La Jolla in San Diego, California. He was in good form and is very much the ‘old Martin’ we know and love. Ironically, I had moved from San Diego to Utah a year before, to be near my daughter and son. I am trying the life of living in a country club environment, and again have a season pass this coming season for Deer Valley ski resort in Park City, Utah. This resort will start the season this year with over double the ski acreage of the prior season, which will probably catapult it to the number one ski resort in North America. If any classmates come this way to ski, please look me up and we will have a fun day on the slopes!”

Bob and Lori Oster returned from Barcelona, Spain, after a very nice Regent cruise around the Iberian Peninsula. Bob wrote: “Next on our agenda is a reunion at Randolph-Macon, where Clay Stiles and I went to college. We plan to have dinner together next Friday. We are headed north to the 1000 Islands, on the border of New York and Canada, to close our little cottage in early October. We continue to enjoy our nine grandchildren (ages 16 to 4), all of whom are within 25 miles of where we are.”

Lewis Miller: “I turned 81 this year and I’m still going strong! My wife, Poohdie, and I are getting ready for our next trip on the Sea Cloud. This time we started in Malta, traveling to Sicily, Italy; Sardinia, Italy; Corsica, France; and ending in Genoa, Italy. From there we will go to Paris to visit the renovated Notre Dame

To update your contact information, call +1-434-243-8977 or email alumni@darden.virginia.edu

Cathedral. All in October. Best wishes to all of the class of ’72!”

Larry Killgallon remarks: “Retirement life is good.”

Ned Haley and his wife, Fricka, are doing well: “Our son, daughter-in-law, and grandson (age 5) from Oregon visited us briefly during their return from a destination wedding in Italy. It was so good seeing each of them for only the fourth time in the past five years. We haven’t traveled as much this year as we’d like, so we recently took a two-week trip to New England in August to see some of Fricka’s family in Massachusetts, then gathered in Rhode Island with Fricka’s brothers and other relatives for a ‘Geezer Celebration’ in honor of four people with August or September birthdays. The weather cooperated, it was delightful being with everyone, some whom we hadn’t seen in several years, and all had a great time. Plans are underway to continue meeting in a different city each year as long as we can, since we’re ‘all of an age.’

“That applies equally to all our Darden ’72 classmates. It would be great if a gathering of our Virginia classmates could get together on occasion, in addition to the scheduled reunions we have.”

Rob Platten brings us up to date: “You may recall that I returned to finish my second year at Darden after a three-year, all-expenses-paid cruise in the U.S. Navy. I did make some good friends at UVA, but have not kept in touch. I am rather dedicated to my undergraduate college (Hobart in Upstate New York), but I support Darden as I am able.

“We had some wonderful faculty at Darden, and it seems that this is still the case; and lots more women and a richer variety of students make up the student body. In our class, we had some ‘good old boys’ from Southern colleges and universities, and a handful of people like me from the North. It was civilized and engaging, and I learned as much from my classmates as I did from the professors.

“I was advised to become a line manager, and not a staff manager, because ‘you will want to make the decisions, and not just the recommendations.’ I chose the staff job anyway for three reasons: 1) I wanted to be able to sleep at night and not work and worry about the company, 2) I thought that being the adviser to the throne was a pretty powerful position, and 3) I hated the prospect of playing politics,

joining the right country club, kissing the ass of people and beating other people out for plum jobs along the way. I am competitive, but I didn’t think that was an ideal way to live my entire life. My uncle was CEO at Chemical Bank, and I saw firsthand how that hijacked his life and messed up his family.

“Like all of us, I had my ups and downs, but I ended up as a director at Unilever, and retired at the age of 59 to support my wife’s career running a nonprofit corp. in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She is a lawyer and so I can’t get away with anything, but she does amazing work.

“She has rebuilt a 40-square-block area of the city just north of Center City, and does all the things I was afraid of doing in my career. She is fearless. We moved out of Philly in 2014 and are living on a farm in New Jersey. Still, she works on the computer 12 hours a day, and we hike the hills and enjoy friends when we can. Life is good here, and I do not regret my choices, including Darden and all you fine Southern Boys.”

From Bobby Ukrop: “My fellow classmates, a day doesn’t go by without thinking about or using what I learned from classmates and our professors during my time at Darden. I give thanks daily for the blessings of the Darden experience, including the ongoing relationships over the years. Even though our paths rarely cross in person, each time I see someone’s name or hear their voice, memories come back of good times and some awkward moments we shared. While numerous classmates have passed, others are still involved with their businesses in some capacity or using their energy, expertise and passion to help meaningful causes in their communities to enhance the quality of life for others.

“My wife, Jayne (56 years of marriage), and I have been blessed with 11 grandchildren. Three of them attend the University of Richmond, which is especially pleasing to me.

“Ukrop’s Homestyle Foods, the fresh food manufacturing company that was established when my family sold its retail food business in 2010, is now 15 years old and now serves 250 supermarkets in the mid-Atlantic region four to six times a week with chilled prepared foods and baked goods. Our retail passion was addressed when we opened a 6,000-squarefoot Ukrop’s Market Hall in a former church sanctuary near the University of Richmond.

“Lastly, I want to share that SwimRVA, a 13-year-old organization committed to changing lives through aquatics, in concert with local YMCAs, has served 125 public schools in 12 school jurisdictions this past school year. Each second grader in these schools received seven free swim lessons during the school day. Our mission has been to ‘drown-proof Richmond.’

“Based on the success of ‘drown-proof Richmond,’ we are now striving to drown-proof Virginia and seeking General Assembly legislation to help fund the program. Incidentally, for $13 million a year, less than 0.01 percent of the Commonwealth of Virginia’s operating budget, all 93,000 second graders in Virginia public schools could receive seven free swim lessons.

“I share the above in case you live in a community where a large percentage of children do not know how to swim. Perhaps local leaders might want to look at a free ‘learn to swim’ program during the school day.

Doug Smith responded: “Where to begin? The year 2025 (basically the June to September period) was a family milestone year in many ways: Joan and I celebrated our 60th anniversary; we had five significant birthdays (my 85th, son Scott’s 60th, and three granddaughters turning 20, 21 and 22); and we have been going to our summer cottage for 50 consecutive years. The cottage is now 100 years old and is on Lake Champlain due west from Burlington, Vermont. Of our three children, their two spouses and our six grandchildren, they collectively have missed going only five times in their entire lives! Joan and I were very gratified to have everyone present when we had a big party in July, Adirondack style, to celebrate all the above — with the middle granddaughter arriving by boat from Burlington, Vermont, in the middle of the party just to demonstrate the meaning of a grand entrance!

“In the background is a strong UVA connection: my son Colin was born in Charlottesville in 1972 just before my graduation; son Scott was a 1993 graduate from Darden; grandson Will was a 2022 graduate from the College; and granddaughter Sophie is now a senior. Always fun going back to C’ville, especially on those occasions when we’re able to visit with my Big Brother (and Sister!), Bill (MBA ’71) and Janet Danneman from the class ahead of us. Otherwise, Joan and I are fine and continuing to enjoy Charlotte, North Carolina, where we’ve now been for almost 15 years! Come see us!”

Howard Wilkinson hpandcw@yahoo.com

Since the last issue, I have heard from a few of you guys. Going back a while, Buddy LeTourneau emailed me, just after the deadline for the last issue, with an announcement that L.F. Payne was a speaker at W&L University this past March in his capacity as president of the U.S. Association of Former Members of Congress. More recently, I received my annual happy birthday phone call from Rick Dent. Carolyn and I were in France on that day, so I could only listen to his voicemail when we returned to the States. I did accidentally butt-dial Rick, but I was busy at the time so we only had a brief conversation. Since I relayed the date of my birth in the last issue, I also received an email from Bill Stewart and a text from Fred Horneffer. All three were doing just fine.

John Sherman writes that as he and Martha approach their 80s, they are well and enjoying travel, golf and grandchildren. He reported that he had a double knee replacement several years ago, which greatly enhanced his mobility until he recently tripped and fell, which led to rotator cuff surgery. Let’s hope that he has several more years of accident-free enjoyment.

Sadly, as reported to you earlier, we lost another classmate — Dave Boyle — not long after our 50th Reunion. Dave was in my study group, and contributed greatly to my getting through First Year marketing (I was not very good with that specialty).

Finally, I received a nice detailed email from Speight Overman, whom we haven’t heard from in a long time. He reported that after working for GE for 15 years (in the Jack Welch era, when it was fun!), he settled in Signal Mountain, Tennessee, for 20 years, running his own business. Speight then changed careers and became a high school teacher in math and physics. He is currently semi-retired, but still teaching in a homeschool co-op. He is active in his church and with a Celebrate Recovery Ministry chapter. His wife, Trudee, is still substituting as a teacher and they spend their spare time on home projects and five grandkids.

That’s it for now. Let me know what you are up to and I will let the rest of us know.

Mike Mayer mike.mayer@cox.net

Leading off this time is Brad Arm-

Bob Lawson (MBA ’74), joined by wife Charlotte and son Robbie, and Dave Johnson (MBA ’74) cheered on the Hoos at the UVA–NC State football game in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Frazier, wife of Brad Armstrong (MBA ’74), with their grandchildren Miles, age 17; Frances, age 14; and Violet, age 12

strong with a personal note that he is currently recovering from shoulder surgery, which was due to a 20-year old motorcycle accident. However, the rest of his family is doing very well.

While on the subject of grandchildren, at least one member of our class is happily introducing his great-grandson. John Gould, currently a pastor in Chester, Virginia, has led congregations in Baltimore, Maryland; Charlotte, North Carolina; Austin, Texas; and Atlanta, Georgia, during his many years of ministry. He has also held positions in health care administration, corporate development and finance, nonprofit financial management. He has taught at several business schools, and credits all this activity to his preparation at Darden. While still a minister in his church, John says he is otherwise retired and has time to enjoy his five children (three since Darden), six grandchildren and great-grandson, Osiah.

Dick Crawford and his wife, Barbara, have moved from their farm in Keswick, Virginia, to Westminster Canterbury of the Blue Ridge in Charlottesville, a continuing care retirement community that is a popular location for UVA faculty and alumni. Dick says Professors Bill Sihler and Ed Davis also live at WCBR, and he and Bill have lunch once a week. He noted that while he and Barbara were enduring the process of downsizing and moving, Bill was cruising the Atlantic coast of Europe.

Ed Burdett and Claire have made a much different kind of move to be close to kids and grandkids. They sold their home in California and bought two homes, one near Seattle,

Washington, and one near Brattleboro, Vermont. Both needed renovations, so they have been living in bicoastal construction zones, although that phase should be completed by the time you read this. That means, of course, that Ed is out of the wine and olive oil business, but he’s looking at moving into the maple syrup and apple cider markets. Ed says the welcome mat is out for classmates traveling either east or west.

Speaking of wine, the subject came up in Mike Santoro’s travels last spring. He says: “Martha and I made our anniversary river cruise in April, through the south of France down the Rhone River. We got ‘adopted’ by a group from a winery in Eugene, Oregon, and met some interesting people. We ate well, drank some and saw some great sites as the ship made its way down the river. I took a cooking class and a watercolor painting class on the ship. I allegedly learned how to make coq au vin in the cooking class, but mostly we watched the chef prepare the meal and tasted the result of his effort. Needless to say, I haven’t tried this one at home yet!

“I’m still active at the Virginia War Memorial. My two-year tenure as the foundation board chair starts in January. Our latest exhibit concentrates on Virginia’s Missing in Action and how the search continues to locate them. The exhibit opened on National POW/MIA Day this year, and I was honored to be part of the ribbon cutting ceremony.

“Regarding family, I believe the UVA indoctrination is in full force for my two teenage

Mike

part of a ribbon cutting ceremony for the Virginia’s Missing in Action exhibit at the Virginia War Memorial on National POW/MIA Day.

grandchildren, who are quadruple legacy kids. It doesn’t hurt to have the UVA football team playing well. I don’t think those provisional appointments to VMI that I got for my grandkids when they were born will be used.

“As I have reported before, I see Steve Hoard often at the Independence Golf Course. Golf, like French cooking and watercolor painting, is not something I excel at, but it is fun nonetheless. In other physical activity news, my wife, Martha, and I see a personal trainer together on a regular basis, which also has been fun.”

Mike’s golfing partner, Steve Hoard, is spending a good bit of time on the golf course and also a lot of time visiting his daughter and family near Detroit, Michigan. Steve is reluctantly adjusting to life as a widower and is making progress, helped by four grandchildren all under eight years old. He says his summers are focused on weekly golf lessons, followed by some time on the course. He notes that he plays with two classmates in addition to Mike, but he is accommodating their wishes to remain anonymous — at least until their handicaps are in single digits.

Bob Pride continues to stay busy raising his 16-year-old grandson, whom he and Pat adopted when he was a baby. Raising a 16-year-old includes driving him and two friends to Charlotte, North Carolina, for a concert and amusement park visit. Bob was recently elected to the Christopher Newport University alumni board, and he also serves the Virginia Shooting Sports Associ-

ation as its treasurer. Bob still works at Ferguson Enterprises, but he was on leave for a period when this was written.

Fauquier County, Virginia, has been home for George Korte and Deborah for several years. George writes: “I re-retired this year. Since 2015, I have been president of an LLC our church created to manage its 5-acre campus, which includes the church’s sanctuary, a parking garage and a 150,000-square-foot commercial office building with 16 tenants. It’s an unusual but effective business model for a church. In March, I announced my resignation as president, effective the end of 2025. I’ll remain on the LLC board because I know where all the bodies are buried. Literally. The church has a columbarium on site.

“Fauquier County is equestrian country and Texas-born Deborah enjoys riding horses at a nearby riding school. She took up golf several years ago, despite my warning that it would drive her crazy. Now it drives us crazy together. But we can play 18 holes in under three hours, and she’s by far my favorite playing partner. She follows a great rule for lady golfers. “Play fast, don’t keep score and dress cute.

“I never thought I’d use my bachelor’s in civil engineering again, but I’ve been supporting our property owners association as the Pond and Dam Committee Chairman. After about 20 years of neglect, I’ve been focused on bringing the three largest of our six dams into compliance with the Virginia Dam Safety Act.

“Lastly, Deborah and I had a very pleasant dinner with Bob and Jan Wanke as they were

passing through the area on the way to visit family. Bob told me later that one of Fauquier County’s finest pulled him over for doing 39 in a 25-mph zone but only gave him a warning. I apologized that I hadn’t warned him that when our sheriff’s deputies see a Pennsylvania license plate, they think, ‘Damnyankee.’ Yes, that’s one word. No doubt a driver from points north would have been ticketed.”

Sandy Boyce is still working for Merrill Lynch in Chicago, Illinois, with a focus on private equity. He says he is still enjoying the “work from cottage” rules that make it possible for him to spend longer periods at his summer residence in northern Michigan. He described a recent trip back to Chicago when he drove north to Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, and westward to Thunder Bay, Ontario, then south through Duluth, Minnesota, observing that if you had been a French fur trader from 1700, you would say not much has changed.

Among classmates who have relocated are Bob Lawson and Charlotte, who moved from their home in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, to a condo on the Wando River on Daniel Island, near Charleston, South Carolina. Since the move, they have been doing a lot of travel, including the Galapagos Islands in Ecuador, Machu Picchu in Peru, Turkey and sailing from South Africa to Singapore. In late 2025, they planned a southeast Asia trip: Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Thailand. Their travels also took them to the Raleigh, North Carolina, area to join classmate Dave Johnson for the UVA-NC State football game.

George (MBA ’74) and Deborah Korte attended a family wedding recently.

John Gould (MBA ’74) with his great-grandson Osiah

Santoro (MBA ’74), third from right, was

For anyone interested in a large family reunion or just a good time at the lake, Bob suggests his son’s rental houses on Lake Gaston and Lake Kerr on the Virginia-North Carolina border. The web site is mrlakerentals.com.

Ken Hodge explained why he missed our 50th reunion. He wrote: “I was ever so sorry to have missed last year’s 50th reunion, but I am ever so pleased that the reason (knee replacement surgery) has worked so well. There was one in April and one in June, and I still participated in a 5K in December 2025. Now I can walk, run and do most everything except dance. But I was never good at that, so...

“My life is not as exciting as it was about 15 years ago, when I went coast to coast on a BMW R1150 in 48 hours; drove 8,500 miles on the same BMW from Lima, Peru, back to Newport News, Virginia; and raised $360,000 for a nonprofit. But I still go to the office three days a week because it is good for my marriage. After almost 50 years as an insurance agent, my work now focuses primarily on Medicare beneficiaries, from the lowest of the income to the highest, and I enjoy taking a complicated subject and explaining it in simplified terms that allow people to be comfortable with their decisions. I don’t know when I will stop. It will probably be when it gets too confusing because of complicated technology or my deteriorating memory leads to where it is no longer enjoyable.

“I am surprised at how often I reminisce about our days at the B school and how I never would have survived without the support of study groups and friends. It is where I learned to not be overwhelmed by the magnitude of the problem but to be able to break it down into manageable components. That is probably the second-best thing that I learned during those two years: Take the complicated and make it simple. I can’t speak for anyone else, but I am glad that I was a part of the Darden community 50-plus years ago.”

The last issue of The Darden Report noted the passing of our classmate Alex Spivey in the memorial section, but the notice came too late to include reference in our last installment of Class Notes. Alex passed away in April 2024 at age 85, in Pawley’s Island, South Carolina. Alex was a Citadel graduate and served in the Air Force, after which he worked in banking for his entire career. Interestingly, several years after graduating from Darden, Alex was

transferred to Atlanta, Georgia. In need of a corkscrew, he knocked on his neighbor’s door and met his neighbor, Pat. He never returned the corkscrew, and he and Pat were married in 1986. The Spiveys have three children and five grandchildren. I believe Alex was the oldest (or perhaps better said, senior) member of the Class of 1974. With his passing, I believe that dubious distinction is now held by Alan Henry I spoke to Alan about this a few months ago, but he declined to come from New Zealand for any kind of recognition ceremony, which is probably understandable.

One final, but very important bit of news from Darden: At the April 2025 Principal Donors dinner, Frank and Susan Genovese received a special tribute for establishing the Genovese Fellowships 30 years ago. It was announced that two $1 million gifts made years ago, invested by the School with the UVA Investment Management Co., has allowed the endowed fund to award $7 million to 96 rising Second Year students, and the endowment balance remains at $7 million. The power of compounding interest! In case you missed this online, here’s the link: https://news.darden.virginia.edu/2025/04/29/uva-darden-campaignmomentum-grows-with-new-principal-donors/.

Of the 96 recipients who are out of school, 92 percent are general managers or company owners, which is the main purpose of the awards. As we all remember, we were basically a general management MBA program in 1974. As a reminder, each Genovese Fellow has an unfunded liability to Darden to give $1 million to the School as their way of paying back Darden for the life changing experience it is for most graduates. It was also announced at the dinner that the Genovese Fellows, as a surprise honor to Frank and Susan, raised $2.8 million in gifts and pledges in the past year to give to the School. The overall giving for this group of graduates was more than $8 million. It was quite an honor and a surprise for Frank and Susan.

Mark Howell mwhowell@msn.com Classmates,

After our milestone 50th Reunion in April 2025 in Charlottesville — and the morning-after Advil sales — the Class of 1975 did not slow down. The following updates from classmates indicate the Class may be

single-handedly keeping the tour industry afloat. In addition to travel, anniversaries and grandkids are keeping us busy and active, which is great news!

Bruce Bowers let me know that he has just come back from the Black Hills and Badlands in South Dakota. Even though he is back living in Virginia, he considers himself officially a Southern Cowboy, complete with cowboy boots and Stetson hat.

Chip Harpster and Diane updated me with two especially important milestones in their lives. First, they are first-time grandparents as of 9 October with the arrival of Johathan Vincent Forsyth V, nicknamed “JJ.” JJ’s mom is Chip and Diane’s youngest daughter. Congratulations, Chip and Diane. Welcome to the world of unsolicited grandparents’ advice and tiny socks everywhere. Second, Chip and

Bruce Bowers (MBA ’75) visited the Badlands in South Dakota.

Fred Siller (MBA ’75) and Mary celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in July in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Diane celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on 18 October. Their 50-year love affair began with the Darden Dress Game in the fall of 1973. Wow, the Dress Game … now that brings back some memories!

Ed Hawfield and Nancy continue to travel as much as possible. In September, they completed a one-week trip to the Camden/Rockland, Maine, area which included a four-day schooner sail aboard the Ladona. “Avast, ye mateys! Another draft of grog. Hoist the jib!” Clearly it was an awesome trip where Ed was honing his skills to audition for Pirates of the Caribbean 7. Hawfield’s plans for 2026 include the Kentucky Derby in May, Scotland in July and a cruise on the Columbia and Snake rivers in September. Ed says they are living by the motto that “it’s hard to hit a moving target.”

Mark Howell (yours truly) traveled to Spain in May to follow the El Camino pilgrimage from Lugo to Santiago (the Primitivo). My sister, her husband, and I explored/hiked for eight days enjoying Spain’s espresso coffees, olives, black ham, bread, wine … and several rainy days. It was a wonderful experience for 100 kilometers … especially for a Methodist seeking forgiveness for all my sins. “Nice try,” said my Catholic brother-in-law.

Tom Hudson and Lili have also been living by the motto of “it’s hard to hit a moving target,” with trips to Peru, Ecuador, Turkey, Greece, Sicily, and Iceland. This fall, the Hudsons visited Rwanda with the goal of seeing mountain gorillas. They saw much more, but their brief visit with a family of gorillas was the

highlight. On the way to Rwanda, they stopped in Brussels, Belgium, to adjust their body clocks and enjoy local beers and chocolates. Lili also had to eat mussels in Brussels. Hudson is always the poet! Stateside, the Hudson’s visited Jonesborough, Tennessee, for the National Storytelling Festival. Tom found the festival to be moving, surprising, and joyful. Tom was reminded that Story Telling would have been a great subject for a first year A&C talk. Note that the Tennessee area visited by the Hudsons was severely affected by the same hurricane that devastated Asheville, North Carolina, last year, and Tom observed the area appears to have largely recovered.

Jim Farkas and Cheryl celebrated their 57th anniversary on Bora Bora in September at the Four Seasons Resort. The fun continued on the Windstar Sea Breeze and then on to Va-

hine Private Island Resort on Taha‘a. This was the seventh vacation to the Society Islands and Tahiti for Jim and Cheryl, because they feel that Bora Bora remains the most magical place on Earth.

Joe Magyar shared a memory for our reunion. On the occasion of our 50th Class Reunion, Ron Kamin, Suresh Tata and Joe were reminiscing about the annual faculty reception hosted by the graduating foreign students. Also invited were the messieurs Moët & Chandon.

Jim McKinley and LingLi spent a week in September in the Alps of Arizona. At 9,200 feet, the Apache Trout campground and its lakes were a pleasurable respite from the higher temperatures near home. Motorcycling through the area, as well as through Greer and Springerville, was beautiful.

While organizing his memorabilia, Chip Harpster (MBA ’75) discovered a 50-year-old etching of Monroe Hall.

Jim Farkas (MBA ’75) and Cheryl celebrated their 57th anniversary in Bora Bora.

In September, Jim McKinley (MBA ’75) and LingLi enjoyed a week of motorcycling through Arizona.

Mark Howell (MBA ’75) journeyed through Spain in May, walking the El Camino pilgrimage from Lugo to Santiago along the Primitivo route.

Tom Hudson (MBA ’75) and Lili embrace the motto “It’s hard to hit a moving target” during their travels, shown here in Sicily.

Joe Magyar (MBA ’75) shared the Class of 1975 invitation to the annual faculty reception hosted by graduating foreign students.

Fred Siller and Mary celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in July in Las Vegas, Nevada. Fred notes that 1975 was a landmark year with their wedding and graduation from Darden. Continuing with the travel theme — the Sillers are scheduled for an expedition cruise to Antarctica at the end of the year.

Dave Schein reports that shortly after the wonderful Darden Reunion, he and Karen made a three-week trip to Brittany, France, then Belgium and wrapped up in the Netherlands. Mid-summer, Dave attended his annual business law teaching seminar in Providence, Rhode Island (alsb.org). They ended the summer with a trip with some of the kids and grandkids to Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg and Sweetwater, Tennessee. Dave is continuing to do his weekly shows, Saving America and Unscripted Politics, along with Business Law 101 — short pieces after the noon news, Monday through Friday, on the Apple/Brushwood Media Network. Dave’s broadcasts are also found on USA Global TV & Radio, YouTube and Spotify, among others. The challenge now is monetization of the shows. Dave is seeking sponsors and advertisers. If that is not enough action, Dave is teaching five courses this semester and is scheduled for five courses next semester. Whew … slow down Dave. There are some roses to smell, and sleep is not overrated! Thanks to all our classmates who sent notes. Until next time, please send me your updates, tall tales, and photographic evidence. The Darden Class of 1975 is still a moving target, and proud of it!

Dana Quillen painterdana21@gmail.com

Thank you to everyone already thinking about our upcoming Reunion. We look forward to celebrating together this spring and marking 50 years since graduation. Wishing all classmates good health and happiness in the months ahead.

Ed Doucette writes: “I’m greatly enjoying retirement along with Peggy, my partner for the past 51 years. We enjoy domestic and international travel while we divide our residential time between Dallas, Texas; Minneapolis, Minnesota; and Olympia, Washington; where we have multi-generational living arrangements with our children and five grandchildren. It really keeps us engaged and involved.”

Scott Harris sent in an update: “It’s good to hear from you and I’m looking forward to our 50th Reunion. It’s so hard to believe it has been that long … My wife, Betty, and I are in Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina, as we have been for 41 years. We are both still working. She is in real estate, as she was when we were in C’ville after teaching. I am in financial services. Very recently, we celebrated our 51st wedding anniversary. We travel to our camp in Maine frequently. We have two sons, one in Raleigh, North Carolina, and one in Kathmandu, Nepal.

Bill Battison writes: “Over the past year, I have found that retirement does not agree with me and so I am grateful for having recently been elected chair of the Board of Human Good, an NFP organization that is a significant provider of senior living facilities with 123 communities across nine states from Washington to Pennsylvania, serving over 15,000 residents with a staff of almost 5,000. I have worked on the board of this group for over 10 years, and I am honored to have been selected for this role. I will continue to split my time between our home in New Hampshire and our former residence in California, hopefully enjoying the best of both worlds.”

Mel Beale and Ann have already booked a room at the Forum Hotel for the Reunion. Mel is looking forward to seeing everyone.

Sandy Schenck writes: “It has been over 35 years since I ‘dropped out of’ the for-profit business world and founded a nonprofit children’s summer camp called Green River Preserve. It should probably be illegal to have as much fun as I’ve had with this career. I’ve loved working and living wholeheartedly within

a mission: to inspire environmental stewards through a joyful connection to nature.

“I’m now proud to report that my daughter, Catherine Schenck, has been elected by our board of directors to take over as our new executive director. So, I am happily put out to pasture … or in my case, released on the unsuspecting trout, bonefish and salmon of the world with my fly rod. Tight lines my friends!”

Thanks everyone for your participation and support. Have a happy and healthy next several months.

Paul Nelson lpaulnelson@mindspring.com

Winter greetings to the Great Class of ’77! Many of our classmates answered our cold-call for an update … and they have some interesting and fun news to share.

First up, our indefatigable class agent, Mike DeCola writes to say: “Barbara Comin and husband, Tim, left their home outside of Charlotte, North Carolina, to go nearly halfway around the world to Lausanne, Switzerland, hoping to have a relaxing, fun vacation. Instead, who did they run into?”

So as to allay any concerns that Mike may have used an AI-generated image and faked this small-world Darden story, Barbara verified the happy event by writing: “By now I’m sure you’ve heard of the incredible coincidence that Tim and I found ourselves traveling in Switzerland last month with Mike and Lee DeCola. There were just 18 people in our small group. I told many people that when I saw a nametag for ‘Mike DeCola’ at our first get-together, I thought to myself ‘there can’t be many Mike DeColas in this world,’ and I was right! What an unexpected pleasure to be able to spend two weeks catching up and getting to know Mike and Lee better, amidst some of the most incredible scenery in the world.

“In terms of what’s been happening with me, Tim and I have now been in the Charlotte, North Carolina, area for the past 32 years. The banking business brought us here and kept us here too, though after a short period of both of us working for C&S Bank in Florida in the ’90s, we ended up diversifying our employment portfolio by working for different banks — me for Bank of America and Tim for Wells Fargo. We’ve both been very happily retired for over 11 years now. Eight years ago, we took a major leap and sold our house and moved

into Matthews Glen, a life care community (aka CCRC) just outside of Charlotte. We are absolutely delighted with our move because of the many opportunities we have here and friends that we’ve made. Forget your preconceptions of the ‘old folks home,’ this is a cross between being at college (without the stress of papers and exams) and being on a cruise ship!

“In addition to our activities at Matthews Glen, I’ve been involved over the last 25 years as a volunteer tax preparer with the AARP (yes, I do taxes as a hobby), as well as a number of church-related activities. We’re also doing quite a bit of traveling, trying to knock down those bucket list items while we can. The highlight of this past year was our expedition trip in January to Antarctica with National Geographic. Antarctica is truly a world unlike any other, and I was mesmerized by the icebergs, penguins, seals, clouds and landscape. And yes, for those who were wondering, we both did the polar plunge!”

What a great story, Barbara! And congrats on your active retirement in the Charlotte area … and your trips to the Matterhorn and Antarctica. The Antarctica trip sounds amazing, but I’m not sure I’d have to moxie for a polar plunge!

Speaking of interesting travels and giving back to people in need, Carolyn Heim provided this update: “Don and I are doing great. We had a wonderful trip to Japan for two weeks back in May. We saw lots of shrines, temples and Japanese gardens, and sampled a lot of Japanese food. We have been trying to get these long plane trip excursions in while we

are still young enough to do it. August found us in Italy and Greece for two weeks with my oldest son and his family and my other son. We managed to be in Florence, Italy, when the temperatures were 104 degrees Fahrenheit. Fortunately, we had a beautiful villa outside of Florence with a large swimming pool and somewhat air conditioned bedrooms. By the time we got to Rome, Italy, we had a cooling spell of just 98 degrees Fahrenheit. Part of the trip was a cruise; my grandson, age 13, ate everything he could on the ship and my granddaughter, age 9, spent her time finding rubber duckies on the ship. We had lots of fun family time. We just got back from a mission trip to Baldwin, Louisiana, where we packed hygiene kits and flood relief buckets at the United Methodist Committee on Relief center. I am in charge of the winter relief mission at our church where we house up to 40 guests overnight for a week and provide meals and other necessities. After that, it is on to the holidays. I’m looking forward to our 50th Reunion (ouch!) in a couple of years.”

Thanks for this update, Carolyn and Don. That’s all good stuff. And thanks for the reminder to all the members of our class to hold open late April 2027 for our 50th Reunion! It will be a blast!

Keeping it short and sweet, Bob Dykes wrote: “Thank you for keeping me on our list. Nothing new to report … just off to the Caribbean next week. I’ll be back in April.”

That sounds like a good winter plan, Bob. Where in the Caribbean? Need some help having fun? Maybe you can send pics for our next report.

Our class seems to have pretty busy travel schedules. When I was in Maine this summer I had the great pleasure to catch up with our consummate globe-trotter, June McCormack Here’s her amazing update: “It was so good to catch up with you recently in our favorite place and my now permanent residence, Maine! I’ve really enjoyed centering myself here after 25 years in Indianapolis, Indiana. And it was great to learn more about what you are up to.

“Retirement is treating me well. When I am not enjoying being in Maine, where my son and his wife live as well, I am exploring the world. I was in Australia and India this past year and just returned from a wonderful two-week trip to Japan to hike and enjoy lots of art. My art guide and I explored many of the Seto Islands

for five days, immersed in the Setouchi Triennial Art Festival events while based in Naoshima. Since I collect contemporary art it was so fantastic to see innovative art installations across the islands of Japan.

“I’m off to Nepal, Bhutan, Laos and Vietnam next week for hiking and cultural explorations! Packing will be crazy since it is winter time in Nepal and Bhutan and hot summer-like weather in Laos and Vietnam. I’ve started to get involved with the Portland Museum of Art and Colby College Art Museum as well as a number of nature conservancy groups in Maine. I’m especially looking forward to the black necked crane migration in Bhutan. I look forward to our reunion in a couple of years to catch up with our classmates! Hopefully we can catch up again next summer to try another fabulous Portland restaurant!”

June, thanks for this note and your hospitality this summer. And you can be sure that I’m planning on a repeat culinary excursion with you in Portland or the Midcoast Maine area! Safe travels, June, and bon voyage!

Another update comes from Susan Coram, who writes: “JB and I have moved from Scaly Mountain to Franklin, North Carolina. We loved living on the mountain and now enjoy a lovely view of the Great Smokies.”

That sounds great Susan. Congrats on the move. Also, if you’ve finished unpacking the moving boxes, please make sure the School has your new address.

Updating us from halfway around the world, our friend and classmate Ajit Sahgal writes to say: “There’s no particular change in my profile since my last update. I am leading a retired life in my New Delhi, India, apartment, which I had built on a plot of land that I owned. It’s a four-floor apartment building where I have occupied the upper two floors along with a private terrace garden. I am happy living in India as my roots are in this country. And I do spend summer months in London, U.K., and also visit my two children who are based in New York. All is good, other than some recent health issues, which are being treated successfully.”

It’s so good to hear from you, Ajit. And maybe we can meet in London or New York City this coming year!

Moving much closer to home, I had the pleasure of watching one of our football games from the Darden School box and sharing that time with Tom Haling and his wife, Debbi,

An unexpected reunion in Switzerland brought Class of 1977 classmates Mike DeCola and Barb Comin together, joined by their spouses, Lee and Tim.

A long-overdue visit in New England brought together Joanna Miller-de Zwart (MBA ’77) and husband Pieter with Paul (MBA ’77) and Lee Nelson on Lake Damariscotta, Maine.

who have moved back to Charlottesville. Tom provided this update: “Debbi and I spent our second summer in Charlottesville. We are settling in. We are also getting acquainted with Darden today. The facilities are amazing. I was very impressed with the operations professor I met, but I do miss John Colley. John loved UVA football, but I never went to a game while I was a student. I watched UVA beat Stanford this year. The team improved while we were gone. Finally, my neighbor’s house blew up. The house was 0.4 miles away. We ended up with no damage to our house but there were pieces of insulation in our backyard. One neighbor was killed and one was badly burned. Be careful. Enjoy each day.”

Thanks, Tom. It was a fun game to watch, made better by spending that time with you and Debbi. Let’s get together in C’ville — sooner than later.

Finally, I am extremely pleased to report that, at long, long, long last, Joanna Miller-de Zwart and her husband, Pieter, finally connected with us at our rustic cottage on Lake Damariscotta in Midcoast Maine! We were able to spend a few great days on the lake and visiting local sites. Prior to their visit, Lee and I had the great pleasure of visiting with them at their lovely home in Mystic, Connecticut, as we made our way up to Maine at the start of summer. While there, we were treated to an insider’s tour of the historic Mystic Seaport Museum where both Joanna and Pieter are active volunteers. It was great fun. And for the doubters about our long overdue Maine get-together.

Lastly, it is clear that many of us make

Lang Craighill (MBA ’78) and Lynne stopped in Athens, Greece, during their three-week European junket in October.

Margot Bearden (MBA ’78), Chew-Mee Kirtland (MBA ’80) and Art Gilbert (MBA ’81) enjoyed a fabulous wine tasting at Chiesa del Carmine in Umbria in October.

travel plans a few years out, so please ink in your calendar for April 2027 and plan to attend our 50th Reunion! Our class will be honored by the School and I can guarantee it will be a very fun and memorable event! Cheers to all!

Margot Bearden jmbearden@gmail.com

Margot Bearden: “Reflecting back on my somewhat-downbeat comments from March, I’d love to say that all my depression, ennui and paranoia have been magically resolved. That said, life’s not perfect (yet) but in truth, things are much improved, and I’d have to give the last six months a well-above-average grade!

“Recovery from my April surgery went more quickly than expected, and I was able to resume a normal level of fitness activities by mid-summer. My second grandchild, Kellen James Powell, arrived on schedule and without drama on 15 April, and Meredith and Neil have adapted to life with multiple children remarkably well. Melissa’s career at Capital One continues to be wonderfully bright, though I’m guessing she’s spending more and more time wondering when work-life balance begins to kick in. She’s kept the farm she purchased during COVID-19 here at the river so I see her regularly.

“I had a wonderful two-week jaunt in July through Colorado, split between the front range and Aspen, with lots of hiking and touring. I need to ask Colorado resident Mike Sullivan for advice on dealing with altitude while exercising … I was absolutely gassed most of the time! But I was also able to tick off one of my

bucket list items by taking in a concert at Red Rocks just outside Denver. It’s an absolutely iconic venue — especially at sunset. You just have to do it!

“I’ve also just returned from a three-week romp through Switzerland, Portugal, and Italy. It was fabulous and I’m already planning my next trip after the New Year! Through all the twists and turns of life, I’ve not previously done much solo traveling (for pleasure). While I’d love to report that traveling as a single woman — transgender or otherwise — is stress free, the reality is more nuanced. That said, I seem to attract far less obvious attention most places in Europe than I do here in the U.S. … Yet another argument in favor of the expat life!”

Betsy Bruce: “Things are looking great! I had lots of summer guests here in Portland, Maine, including Missie Ludlow. Then I had a wonderful September visit with Cynthia and Byron Grant in the other Portland in Oregon. I have lots of international travel planned next year, including Cynthia and Byron’s fabulous invitation to Portugal.”

Lang Craighill: “Lynne and I are in Europe for a three-week trip to Athens, Greece; Istanbul, Turkey; and London, U.K. Places are still crowded, but lovely!”

Mark Johnson: “Ginny and I just completed a major renovation on our home outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. We gutted and rebuilt the kitchen, expanded it and took down some walls. We have lived here for 32 years and plan more! Life is good with both of us still working and enjoying our grandson, age 3, and granddaughter, age 1. I’m planning a trip to northern France next year. Any tips on visiting the D-Day beaches?”

Mike Ganey (MBA ’78) received the Harry N. Lewis Distinguished Service Award for exceptional, long-time alumni service in September.

to have dinner with me whenever I am in Charlottesville. My middle granddaughter, Reese, is a freshman at Brown. I continue to volunteer with SCORE; a nonprofit affiliated with the SBA. We provide free mentoring to small businesses and startups. I am also on the board of my UVA fraternity housing corporation, which gets me back for meetings at the University.

“Lucy’s Alzheimer’s is stable, but she is under hospice care in her memory care assisted living facility. That’s it for now. Best regards.”

Tory Blackford: “I had a wonderful trip overseas this August. I started with four days in Dubrovnik, Croatia. Then I boarded a small ship (Ponant line) and sailed Croatia, Montenegro, Greece and Italy, ending up in Malta. I stayed there for four days and then flew home. “I really enjoyed seeing sights I had never seen before.”

Anne Bryant: “I took a trip across country to Mount Rushmore with my brother, his wife and other family. It was good to have two weeks with my brother — we don’t often get that chance as adults. I went to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio; the Badlands, Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse Memorial in South Dakota; the St. Louis Arch in St. Louis, Missouri; and the Ark Encounter in Kentucky. It was fun. I also just spent a few days on Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, at a photography retreat. The surf was rough and winds were howling, but I had a great time.

Paul Shipman: “My wife and I split our time between a cottage on Whidbey Island and a condo in Seattle, both in Washington. I’m working on starting a car wash. To that end, I have hired an environmental scientist to prepare for rigorous political debate. I’ve never had to do that for any of the breweries, which had a much bigger impact. Times evolve. Also, putting on my entrepreneur boots was not expected after 20 years of retirement. I’m very grateful for my Darden years and friendships.”

Steve Mischen: “I was able to spend much of the summer with family members at our cottage on Lake Michigan in Frankfort, Michigan. My oldest granddaughter, Calla, is a fourth year at UVA majoring in biology. She is happy

Chris Mahoney: “Joan Barrett and I just gave ourselves a three-day Washington, D.C., vacation using Amex membership miles. We stayed in a suite at the Willard with a view of the Ellipse. We dined at Rasika, an Indian restaurant in a part of town (7th and D) that didn’t exist when I knew D.C. We ate at the timeless Le Refuge in Old Town and at the Occidental on its Paris-like sidewalk patio. We visited the Museum of American Art, National Portrait Gallery, National Archives, National Gallery, Museum of American History (a shocking travesty), Marjorie Merriweather Post’s amazing estate above the Zoo, and finally the Museum of Natural History which, like American History, appears to have been vandalized since I knew it as a young man: cheap, shoddy exhibits. The weather was perfect.

“Sadly, we never saw any battalions of the National Guard but were glad they stood in readiness in case of any problems.”

Mike Ganey didn’t provide this update himself, but I can’t let the opportunity pass to put a spotlight on the amazing contributions he’s made — to the school as well as our class — over the last 47 years. At the recent annual Darden Volunteer Leadership Summit in September, Mike was awarded the Harry N. Lewis Distinguished Service Award. This high honor recognizes an alumni volunteer leader who has demonstrated dedicated, exceptional, longtime volunteer service to the School, a class, or an alumni chapter; demonstrates passionate and creative commitment to engaging more alumni in the ongoing life of the School; and provides loyal financial support.

We’re incredibly fortunate to have Mike as a member of and tireless advocate for our class. Congratulations, Mike!

David Charlton: “Very briefly, we have had a shockingly normal year, so far. No major injuries or expenses. We traveled to Europe twice, once to Ireland with friends and once to

Norway for our son’s wedding. He and his wife have moved from the far arctic north to the balmier climes of southern Norway, about an hour west of Oslo. Our middle daughter started a Ph.D. program in Glasgow, U.K., having moved from London, U.K., early this year. We are so grateful that British Airways has opened direct flights from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to London Heathrow. It’s almost civilized to travel to Europe now. In the U.S., our other two daughters are looking over their shoulders at intermittent government job actions. Both are partially or fully dependent on federal programs. In fact, one was laid off earlier this year from the IRS but has found new employment right away. Good tax accountants are always in demand!

“Laurie and I volunteer at our church most weeks. I also agreed to serve as president of the fundraising affiliate owned by the church, a 501(c)(3). There’s lots to learn. We still bike as often as we can (no e-bikes, please).

“Oddly, we have virtually no travel on the horizon until next August when it is back to Norway for a while. Therefore, it’s a great time to drop into Pittsburgh!”

Judy Glazier: “I’ve lived in Charlotte, North Carolina, for four years now, and it’s beginning to feel like home. I did very little in 2025, due to cancer and chemo treatments. But I’m getting better and hope for more fun in 2026, including traveling again. Best wishes to all of you as the year winds down!”

Bahns Stanley: “It’s nice to hear about your travels and those of classmates. Like most, we travel when we can and enjoy life with grandchildren. Judi and I celebrated our 30th anniversary in Australia in January and February, with a return to Sydney and first times in Melbourne (I really liked the laid-back culture with less tourism) and Tasmania (really laid-back, with a lovely coast and fabulous food and wine from the island).

“I made a spring trip to Scotland with the guys for lots of golf (Dornoch and Gullane). I returned to Scotland in September with Judi and another couple for golf and touring in St. Andrews, Edinburgh and Gullane. Scotland is now a twice-a-year trip for me in spring and fall.

“In between, we spend the summer in Highlands, North Carolina, at 4,000 feet, keeping it cooler than Atlanta, Georgia, but close enough to return when needed. Our three grandsons, ages 9, 6 and 4, visit for camp with us and for long weekends with their parents.

complete update: “Still doing trail races.”

I used the occasion of Missie Weigel Ludlow’s birthday in August to send best wishes and can report she’s doing well and still calls Cincinnati, Ohio, home. That said, she’s felt similar despair at the world situation today as have many of you, but says: “I am desperate to find something to do that will make a difference. In the meantime, I walk the dog, love my family and feel blessed for what I have. Ben is good and still in Las Vegas, Nevada. My younger sister passed away this spring from dementia, COOD, and heart failure. She lived here and we were very close. I am spending as much time as I can with her kids and five grandkids. All the more reason to work on our health!”

… which I thoughtlessly neglected to publish. Herein is said update and big thanks and apologies to Randall!

“Greetings, everyone, and I hope all of you are doing well. I’m checking in from sunny Turlock, California. I’m currently retired after 42 years of teaching and directing the MBA program at California State University, Stanislaus (‘Where, you say?’), but still teaching one evening class. Education seemed a better career choice for me than ‘mature’ industrial sales, so I went to UMass, got a Ph.D. and came here.

We’ll celebrate Thanksgiving here in the mountains and Christmas in Atlanta. Next spring, we have San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, on tap.”

Phil Knisely: “Pattie and I started a tradition of taking each grandchild on an individual trip of their choice, starting with taking Jonathan to London and Paris. Our grandson Nathan chose Japan, so that’s our 2026 adventure. I just completed a two-year immunotherapy trial with encouraging results. I’m still working as an operating partner at CD&R. Life is good.”

Andy Long: “Margot, your note prompted two thoughts: Who are all those old people? I look the same as I did 47 years ago, and I have no photos that disprove it.

“Mark Johnson asked for tips about visiting the D-Day beaches. For me, the one thing not to be missed is the Mémorial de Caen, a museum in Caen (go figure) that tells the story of WWII from both sides. Despite all those John Wayne movies about the evil Nazi bastards, the museum is a reminder that your average German soldier was pretty much the same as your average Allied soldier, and both suffered through the same things. A reminder that war sucks.”

Ann and Keith Wilkerson appear to be keeping an aggressive travel schedule. Anne provided the following photographic log: “Antarctica; Glacier Day in Alaska; greetings from the Seattle Space Needle, Washington; all the grandkids (to-date) at the Fort Worth, Texas, stockyards; Pont du Gard, France; and Butchart Gardens, Victoria, Canada.”

Bucky Rulon-Miller provided a short but

Toby Burr: “After two granddaughters, ages 5 and 7 and both extraordinary young women, a grandson has arrived, 7 months old! Other than sleeping and eating, he smiles and laughs all the time. He’s a great delight to his grandparents and only half a mile away.”

Paul Rubin: “Janet and I have had a very busy last six months. We took trips to Ireland and the U.K. — we had fantastic weather; it never rained. We enjoyed Dublin, the Cliffs of Moher, Belfast and the Giants Causeway as well as Stratford and Galway. We saw several fantastic West End shows. Then we took a Jewish Heritage Eastern European tour: Budapest, Hungary; Prague, the Czech Republic; and Kraków and Warsaw, Poland. It was beautiful, educational and emotional (we visited two concentration camps).

“Nathan and Emily were married at a waterfall at Fall Creek Falls State Park in Tennessee, and a few weeks later were toasted at a 200-person reception. I am subcontracting with a client in Phoenix, Arizona, who repairs airplane seatbelts and restraints. Janet was thrilled I went back on the road for a few trips.

“It’s great to see UVA football relevant again.”

Lynn MacMillan and I manage to stay in contact (mostly) regularly, and while she didn’t send in a formal update, I believe she’s continuing to enjoy her own retirement while, more recently, adjusting to Darrel’s retirement. In an earlier text she noted: “I am in Atlanta, Georgia, enjoying my grandson while Darrel remodels their downstairs bathroom. My sonin-law is in Costa Rica for ten days for a school field trip. Emily is trying to hold down the fort!”

Randall Brown had thoughtfully included an in-depth update with his last note to me

“My partner of 42 years, Marcia Ross, Esq, and I are still together. No children. We’ve enjoyed several domestic and overseas trips through the years, mostly to Europe but also New Zealand and Fiji, along with several road trips to eastern and western Canada. Overseas, Italy is our favorite. Age, though, is putting a crimp on lengthy exploring on foot.

“I’m keeping busy these days with travel, bridge, walking and swimming, and writing fiction. My books Mountain Misery, The Night Hiker, and The Night Ward are all light mysteries and on Amazon. I recently completed my longest and boldest, Lost Utah, after two years and counting. Lesson learned: once the first draft is complete, the real work begins.

“Thank you, Margot, for handling our Class Notes, and I’d love to hear from anyone else who’s taken up writing or other second careers. My email is rbrown@csustan.edu.”

Arriving in from the cold, Mike Dutchak has reconnected and sent a marvelous update. Mike and I shared a house our Second Year and stayed in touch after I moved back to Richmond, Virginia, but lost contact over the years. This is his first update for Class Notes in some time. Many thanks and congratulations on retirement!

Mike wrote: “I have finally retired. I spent my first 25 years with E-Systems/Raytheon helping grow a mid-sized autonomous division of E-Systems into a large $2 billion sector within Raytheon.

“Friends have asked me why I was still working well beyond retirement age. The answer was simple: the people and the interesting challenges associated with growth, acquisitions and business transformation. For 47 years I was proud to have collaborated with dedicated colleagues, government clients and external partners, all focused on delivering

Phil Knisely (MBA ’78) and Patti visited Paris, France, with their grandson Jonathan last summer.

To update your contact information, call +1-434-243-8977 or email alumni@darden.virginia.edu

cost-effective, technology-advancing, efficiency-improving products and services to our internal and external mission-focused clients.

I have witnessed significant improvements in efficiency, services, and capabilities throughout my career in the GOVCON sector and am beyond frustration at the negative stigma being amplified by the current administration.

“Cathy and I flew down to Costa Rica the day after I retired. We are living in a long-term rental alongside Lake Arenal near the small town of Tilarán, Guanacaste, Costa Rica. We plan to stay in this area for a year to fulfill various family and personal goals, including being out of the country as much as possible over the next four years. One of our sons and his family live on Ometepe Island in Lake Nicaragua. We will be able to visit with them more often while living here.

“My wife, Cathy, lived overseas teaching English for four and a half years between 2010 and 2017, a portion of this during our ‘marriage vacation,’ and thoroughly enjoyed the live-abroad experiences, traveling throughout Asia, the Middle East and the Mediterranean region. After numerous trips to the comfortable confines of Europe, we changed our focus in recent years to the more challenging region of Latin America, visiting Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Mexico, El Salvador, Colombia and Ecuador. We travel on our own and immerse ourselves into the local culture and continue to improve our Spanish speaking skills every week. We plan on visiting Panama, Belize and Guatemala while living here and are traveling to nearby beach and mountain locations in Costa Rica on a regular basis. The natural beauty of this region is amazing, and the people are so humble and kind.

“Feel free to reach me on my personal email at mdutchak@verizon.net or text me via WhatsApp at 1-703-304-3946, to find out more about this journey.”

Dave LaCross: “First and foremost, our granddaughter Ella Belle entered our lives on 3 December 2023 on our daughter (her mother) Kristin’s birthday. Born seven weeks early, she lived in the NICU for five weeks before coming home. Thankfully, she has been thriving ever since. We care for Ella one day a week and at other times when needed, and we feel incredibly lucky to be only a 15-minute drive away. It’s remarkable to witness Ella as she evolves, even from one week to the next. It’s

like time-lapsed photography with profound physical and mental changes. Kathy and I both have been much more sensitive to her development than we were to our own kids, Michael and Kristin — a phenomena often noticed by other grandparents.

“It’s hard to believe we got this far, but Kathy and I celebrated our 50th anniversary on 1 June 2024. We made it an official celebration of this milestone in June 2025 when we chartered a yacht to troll around Croatia’s Adriatic Sea islands with family and friends. We had perfect weather and it was the most memorable experience we have ever had.

“AI represents a huge time-sink for me — hours every day. I spent the last two weeks this past October at UVA getting presentations from Darden, the School of Data Science, the Engineering School, and School of Education. It was like drinking from a fire hose. There is a lot going on all over the university.

“My other time-sink involves supporting my son Michael and Morgan Territory Brewing. I help out by doing our accounting. I’ve also developed and maintained a large and critically important management information system, that, among other things, measures the profitability of every single customer transaction made by distributors of our beer — circa 250,000 records. Like any other brewery, we need to decide what to brew, when to brew, how much to brew and how to package it. We’re proud to have been named California’s Brewery of the Year for three consecutive years.”

Bill Bunn, Ray Todd, Peggy Watts Gup wbunn@zoomtown.com, raymantodd@gmail.com, wattsgup@gmail.com Jonathan Conley shares: “I have retired, as of May, after 46 years with the same firm: Federated Investors Inc., now known as Federated Hermes Inc.

“Activities still include: tae kwon do, soccer and weights. New activities: being a grandfather.”

Charlie Edwards writes: “In June after a hiatus of 48 years I am now again living in Canada … well, at least for half of the year. We still have a home in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Our condo looks over the Strait of Georgia, which separates Vancouver Island from the mainland. We are in small-town Qualicum Beach on the island. As one of the largest islands in the

world, we have a tremendous mix of water and mountains. I am still doing some training and advisory work in the air cargo industry. We will spend Christmas on the island and then New Year’s in London.

“We took the Rocky Mountaineer from Calgary to Vancouver in June. It was my first time to see the Canadian Rockies at ground level; it’s a much better view than from 30,000 feet! It’s well worth it.”

Jay Wyper reports that he retired in Q1 2025 after 45 years in commercial real estate development for Hines, a global real estate firm. Over this tenure, he led the land use, design and construction contracting activities of large office, residential, industrial and mixeduse projects in cities across North America, Europe, the U.K. and India and spent 15 years living in Spain and London to manage many of those projects. He was also the country head and lead the firm’s activities in Hines Spain and Hines U.K. Outside of Hines, Jay just celebrated 20 years on the board and chair of the finance committee for TASIS England, a K-12 coeducational, day/boarding school outside of London. Jay and Heather have been married for 44 years and are blessed with two children and three grandchildren. They have retired to Milton, Georgia.

Mikael Salovaara shares: “I finally have a child going to business school! Alas not to Darden. My fourth son, Malcolm Jenningston S. is starting at Booth as I write. While his would be the family’s first business degree, his older brothers are already in that world.

Charles Edwards (MBA ’79) captured the sunrise views from his condo.

Spencer Makepeace is the founder of the Airway Dentists (mostly in Houston, Texas); Jackson Stewart, after a stint at McKinsey, is VP of Strategy and Investment at SB Energy; and Mikko Helander just began as CFO of Travis Kalanick’s CloudKitchens. (Jackson’s most strategic move: hiring his younger sister as a financial analyst.)

“I own a bed and breakfast in the Monongahela National Forest in West Virginia, where my most strategic move was engaging a savvy manager. Go say hello to Marsha Waybright if you need time away from it all (LRCBNB).”

John Robertson notes: “Not much to report other than that our grandson Jack is taking his first steps, and we just got back from five weeks in Western Australia, including driving 1,300 miles up the Ningaloo Coast and 12 days bumping through the Kimberley. If you can stand 30 hours en route to Perth, it’s worth it! Cheers to all you ’79ers!”

Claire Terry cterry66@gmail.com

My email box has been empty of news from our classmates, with the exception of the sad news of Doug Campbell’s passing on 2 September after his four-year battle with ALS. Now that most of us have retired and moved on to new challenges and adventures, let’s share that news with each other.

As for me, I have been spending most of my time this year as president of the board of our local performing arts organization and fund raising to revitalize our 101-year-old theater here in Evergreen, Colorado. Ted Terry and I took a road trip across the USA in our new EV visiting friends and family last summer, which included some time in Charlottesville. Then in October, we had a brief trip to Bordeaux and Toulouse, France, where the food and wine were exquisite! Drop me an email and share where you have been spending your time.

Fenton Priest fentonpriest@icloud.com

It was great to get this update from Alan Sandler: “The winds of change have blown our way! In late October, Jill and I moved from Scottsdale, Arizona, to Estero, Florida, halfway between Naples and Fort Myers. For the first time in two decades, our entire family will be in the same time zone, and with

the Fort Myers airport just 20 minutes away, it is an easy trip to see our kids and grandkids in Washington, D.C., or New York City.

“It is also a big change in lifestyle, as we moved to a high-rise condo in a golf community, overlooking a mangrove reserve and Estero Bay. (I am very happy to not own a house anymore.) We loved our 12 years in Arizona, but are extremely excited about what’s next.

“This is our ninth home since Darden, and if I move again I hope it’s to an urn. If anyone visits the area, please look us up. We were actually in Virginia recently when our youngest son, Gabriel, got married at the Stone Tower Winery in Leesburg. It was a beautiful setting and a good time was had by all.”

It was also great to hear from Pat McNeela, who is also on the move: “I hope all is well. Just a quick update: After 44 years in Connecticut, Sally and I have moved to Beaufort, South Carolina.”

I received some big news from Robin Randall Purcell: “I recently was able to complete a bucket list item by painting at the Grand Canyon National Park for the Grand Canyon Conservancy Celebration of Art. The Celebration of Art was a fundraising plein air event in September 2025, in between the north rim fire and the government shutdown!”

And big news from Ellen Naylor: “I have recently published my second book, Loosen Their Lips: How to Capture What You Seek During a Conversation. I wrote this book because I have worked in competitive intelligence for 40 years, acquiring hard-to-get information from

individuals by engaging them in conversation. When you engage with another person during a conversation, you learn things that will never be posted on the internet or social media or from AI!

“The book is available on Amazon as a paperback and Kindle Unlimited. It’s also available as a paperback from the other common channels like Barnes & Noble. I plan to do a more major book launch in early 2026 when the Audible version is up and I have updated my website! All these things to do!”

From your secretary, Fenton Priest: My wife, Tina, and I have continued traveling to see our children over the past few months, and our family is growing! My daughter, Elisabeth, gave birth to Noah (a really handsome baby boy) in June! I was blessed to be in Barcelona, Spain, for Noah’s arrival.

In September, Tina and I traveled to Barcelona to visit Elisabeth and husband, Andre, who are “enjoying” life as new parents! It was a wonderful visit, and we were able to make a quick return trip to one our favorite places in the world: Positano, Italy.

This year we also had a big trip out west to help Tina’s son, Caleb, move from Laguna Beach, California, to Austin, Texas. Driving across the vast desert from Southern California to South Texas in my air-conditioned van, I kept thinking about the toughness of those early settlers in their wagon trains!

In closing, I want to take this opportunity to ask everyone to consider attending our 45th Darden Class Reunion, 24–26 April 2026. We

Fenton Priest (MBA ’81) welcomed his grandson, Noah.

Robin Randall Purcell (MBA ’81) paints at the Grand Canyon in Arizona.

have an amazing class, and it has been far too long since many of us have been together. A good gathering of classmates will make our reunion a truly special and meaningful event!

Also, I hope you received my email with the very sad news that our beloved classmate and long-time class agent Pat Graney has passed away. Pat poured his heart into Darden and strengthened our community through his many volunteer roles. I was blessed to meet Pat as an undergraduate at UVA in the early ’70s and then later to be with Pat at Darden. He was a truly extraordinary leader with a gift for bringing people together. Pat made a real difference and will be terribly missed.

We have received a number of special notes from classmates. Here are a couple that I wanted to share. We will also be recognizing Pat at our 45th reunion in April, if you want to add a note.

From Alan Sandler: “Pat Graney represented the best of us, and his passing was an im-

measurable loss to his family, his community and the countless entities to which he generously gave his time and treasure. In addition to his wonderfully successful business career, Pat’s lengthy involvement in a wide variety of organizations is testimony to an insatiable appetite to contribute, enhance and lift up. Pat did all this with an unstoppable positive attitude without ever having a negative or cynical thought. He leaves a great legacy and our class has lost one of our best.”

And from Ellen Naylor: “Rodgers and I were saddened to hear about the loss of Pat. He was such a gentleman, and also smart! I don’t have a particular Darden story to share, just the memory of Pat, overall. I can see the twinkle in his eye.”

On behalf of our entire class, I want to extend our deepest sympathy and condolences to Pat’s family and close friends.

I also want to express my sincere appreciation to everyone for sending Class Notes.

Class of 1981: Take care, stay in touch, and I hope to see you at our 45th Reunion!

Michael Diefenbach mike.diefenbach@gmail.com

Dave Tew and Margaret have been married for 50 years. Says he: “My faults still outnumber hers by orders of magnitude.”

Margaret had her 50th reunion at Wellesley College with friends she hadn’t seen for decades.

Their three grown children, now in their 40s, spent lovely days with them in Boothbay Harbor, Maine, this summer with their four children — two girls and two boys. Says Dave: “Margaret dotes on the girls and they follow her everywhere in a constant flood of shared observations. The boys are too fast for me to keep up with. They roughhouse all day and do everything together that young boys should. Our gratitude knows no bounds.”

• Bequests and Beneficiary Designations

• Qualified Charitable Distributions

Modern-day medicine: Patrick Partridge pays regular visits to the physical therapist for his pickleball injuries.

Suzi Stone in Jacksonville, Florida, enjoys her adorable granddaughter Margot, age 18 months, who lives in Tallahassee, Florida. Suzi does volunteer work with the UVA Club of Jacksonville. She got the best birthday present when they beat FSU. UVA plays basketball and baseball in Florida in January and February, so Suzi’s working with the Office of Engagement on those plans.

Her other volunteer gig, communications chair for the Sierra Club of Northeast Florida, has seriously sharpened her social media skills.

Sally Genster Robling delighted in celebrating the second birthday of her granddaughter, Sloane, who lives in Montclair, New Jersey, with her son Jack, Suze and her grandson Reid, age 4. Happily, Sally’s daughter Anna just moved east to Portland, Maine, from Salt Lake City, Utah (much closer). She and Catherine Foster connected several times over the summer.

Sally’s still working (“not too much, but just enough”), primarily as a consultant and advisor to nonprofit Understood.org. Sally had her first body parts replaced early this year, with successful back surgery. So, she’ll be travel-worthy again next year!

Kevin Kelly still hangs with Ann Tholstrup Taylor, Sheldon Taylor (MBA ’81), Alan Quarterman and Marty Edmunds Zakas.

He has three married daughters. Two daughters are in Atlanta, Georgia, where one has two boys. His middle daughter and her husband just moved to Richmond, Virginia, this summer, which, happily, gives Kevin and Harriott new reason to be up in Virginia.

Kevin’s still recruiting, though, having “increased his gray hair count,” he’s earned the right to work in the boardroom where, for the past seven or eight years, most of his recruiting and advisory work has taken place.

Ann (Tessier) Farrington checked in from sunny Phoenix, Arizona, where she’s lived for 35 years. She misses New England because, although Arizona has many fine qualities, she finds the people there “are not a particularly humorous lot” and are pretty awful drivers!

Ann’s son Jay got married last year and lives in upstate New York with his wife and two dogs. So that brings her back east. She also travels to visit her husband Marc’s three sons.

John Guinee (MBA ’82), center; with daughter Meghan (MBA ’14), wife Michelle and daughter Caitlin (standing); sons-in-law Simon and Leo (seated); and grandkids Charlie, Leo and Welles (on laps)

feel young). They celebrated Michael’s 70th in March on the Jersey Shore with all six grandkids. That’s pretty sweet.

Chip Guinee celebrated birthday number 70 at the beach with his three grandchildren and a cupcake-eating contest. Says he: “70 feels much, much older than 60 did!”

Chip thought Charlottesville was great 45 years ago, and finds it that much better with a daughter and two grandkids there now.

Susan Schott and Cy Karr visited in Jupiter, Florida, visiting Darden friends Eric Freeman (MBA ’81) and Karen Freeman (MBA ’80), reliving old memories of C’ville before heading home.

Bill Huyett welcomed his fifth grandchild, Cyrus, in August. He took a nine-day backpacking trip in Gates of the Arctic National Park in Alaska with his youngest daughter, her husband and a hiking friend. (Lauren respectfully declined the invitation to sleep in the snow.)

Bill continues to teach a strategy elective in the spring, along with Scott Beardsley and Patrick Viguerie.

He is active in several not-for-profits in basic science (under the onslaught of the new administration).

David Harrison and Kathy met up with Curt and Loralie Mildner in their RVs at the New York Blues Festival in Syracuse in June. They’ve seen Buddy Guy, Samantha Fish, Mike Zito, Albert Castiglia, Little Feet and more. They went on to 10 straight weekends of music festivals — reggae. zydeco, blue grass, country, southern rock and jazz. Anybody is welcome to join them next year, or to visit them at The Villages in Florida.

They stay in touch with Pat Partridge in Utah, who hasn’t changed much. Pat is still curious, and always humorous.

Also on the music festival scene, Michael Diefenbach and Michele enjoyed their 13th trip to Newport, Rhode Island, for the folk festival there, enjoying acts from Lukas Nelson to Kenny Loggins (who, at 77, made them

Continuing to shame many of us, he swims daily and does competitive open-water swims. This year, he did the 4.4 mile Chesapeake Bay swim between the bridge spans, two Swim Across America swims (2 and 3 miles) near Baltimore, Maryland, and Islamorada Florida, and two 5K swims at the Monte Cristo Challenge in the Mediterranean Sea at Marseille, France. (Like I said, the man puts us to shame.)

Mitch Bland mitch.bland@cox.net

Drew Tamoney reported in from Boston, Massachusetts: “Michael Whitcomb and his family visited the Tamoneys in Boston in April to watch their son, Alex, compete in the Boston Marathon. Alex came from his home in Vienna, Austria, to run in Boston. He ran his personal best … Who does that?” Apparently, Drew was a little aggressive in his efforts to show them all a good time and earned the new handle of “Druber.”

Drew also reported that Melanie Hale and her four-legged companion, Travis, drove from Central Virginia to Alaska and back in her Sprinter van. It was 14,000 miles at a leisurely pace that took 2.5 months. Sounds like a great trip.

It was a pleasant surprise to hear from Celia Suratt Powell. “The last nine months have been a roller coaster, for both personal and career reasons. This month marks 16 years that I have worked as a civilian employee for the U.S. Army’s Combat Capabilities Development Command Soldier Center (DEVCOM SC), first as a contractor and then as a federal government employee.

“Today marks two weeks as a retired person, as I accepted the Department of Defense (War?) Deferred Retirement Program at the end of May and spent four months on administrative leave (full pay for no work). It would seem to be a no brainer, but it was a difficult

2023 after a long struggle with ovarian cancer. Many of you knew Jessie from our Darden years where she taught in the Orange, Virginia, school system. She had a long career as an educator that she continued when they moved to Maine. Pender and Jessie were married for 45 years. Her obituary can be found at pressherald.com/2023/11/30/obituary/jessie-morse-norton-lazenby-2/.

where they let me steer for a moment. Now I’m planning to renew my pilot’s license so I can fly a Spitfire.

choice because I loved the mission of making things better for soldiers and other warfighters.

“I entered Darden hoping to make a major career change after five years working as a textile chemist at a major chemical company providing technical support for textile dyeing and finishing plants. However, as graduation approached, I discovered that prospective employers were willing to pay more for my technical experience on top of the MBA. My first job after Darden was again as a chemist and technical representative for a chemical company, but it led me into the small world of flame resistant protective clothing. This included military combat uniforms, industrial protective clothing, children’s sleepwear and, eventually, military uniforms for protection against chemical weapons.

“In the commercial world, it was often a goal of keeping customer companies out of trouble with the Occupational Safety & Health Administration or the Consumer Product Safety Commission. In the military world, the goal was protecting the warfighter, an effort that was infinitely more rewarding. The mixed background of technical and business education and experience made it possible to make winwin solutions for both the manufacturers and the ultimate customers.

“It’s been an unusual career and life path, but I am glad it’s been my path. On to the next phase.” Sounds great, Celia. What an experience.

I have sad news to report. Pender Lazenby’s wife, Jessie, passed away in November of

As if that wasn’t enough, shortly afterwards Pender broke his neck while traveling and, after spending a month in the hospital and lots of therapy, is only just now able to walk with a cane (and shortly will be able to drive). He is resettling down in Annapolis, Maryland, near his daughter Laura. He was able to hook up with Paul Cavicchi and his wife, Mel, a few months ago. Oddly enough, I spent a month in the hospital this spring due to spinal surgery for an infection, so we had a fine time comparing medical and rehab notes. Yes, getting old is no fun. Paul Frankel checked in to confirm his retired status: “I retired in 2022, selling our construction company to our employees through an ESOP, and Laura retired soon afterwards. We also sold our longtime home in Solana Beach and permanently escaped from California in 2024. We now spend the year chasing the sun, spending summers in Incline Village, Nevada, playing golf, boating on the lake and enjoying the perfect summer weather, and spending winters in Boca Raton, Florida, playing golf and enjoying the perfect winter weather. We also get to travel a bit during the shoulder months of May and October. I am also happy to report that my annual living expenses for both of our new homes is far less than what I used to pay for one house in California. Laura and I also celebrated over 30 years together this past year and get to see our two granddaughters, who live in Raleigh, North Carolina, as often as we can.” Congratulations, Paul. It sounds like you are truly living well.

It was also wonderful to hear from Glenn Hudson: “I had a bucket list experience this summer. I got to ride in an Avro Lancaster WWII bomber, the English equivalent of the B17. There are only two airworthy in the world. The RAF have one and the Canadian War Museum in Toronto has the other. They only take about 180 passengers a year, so I was very lucky to get one of the places. It was a one-hour flight over Toronto and Niagara Falls. I got to sit in the gun turret and visit the cockpit,

“In other news, my son is on a house team with Upright Citizen’s Brigade in New York City. They perform monthly sketch comedy and will be included in the New York Comedy Festival in November. Two of Jim Beach’s kids came to see his last show. In the meantime, I’m looking forward to seeing everyone at the next reunion.”

And an update on our resident world traveler Julie (Fairchild) Andrews. Last year you may recall she and her husband, Andy, made it to Japan and the Panama Canal. This year they got to Eastern Europe (Croatia, Serbia, and Romania) and India, though it took nearly 39 hours to get home from India. They have nine grandchildren now!

Tim Laseter, Debbie McPhillips lasetert@darden.virginia.edu, dashmcp@gmail.com

Tim Laseter, the newly appointed MacAvoy Professor of Practice at Darden and a UVA AI Faculty Guide, is now teaming up with our longstanding class secretary Debbie McPhillips to assemble the Class Notes. The teaming addresses a bandwidth issue facing Debbie due to her other laudable volunteer activity as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) for Piedmont, Virginia. Debbie noted in reaching out: “It is among the most rewarding volunteer roles I have ever had, and I have never felt so appreciated, well trained or supported in any other role.”

Tim sent a request for input using a picture from a visit to the leading commercial quantum computing company, IQM, during his Finland–Estonia Darden Worldwide Course to entice submissions, noting how much the world has changed since the class graduated over 40 years ago! The response was spectacular.

Kent Smith seems well connected with our classmates. He wrote: “It was great to crash the annual Bob Donohue, Martin Curran, Marty Seffrin and Ryvers Wright golf weekend at our home club in the North Carolina mountains. Bob hosted and kept a tight lid on the stray balls and slow play, telling them ‘to pick up.’ Martin C. retired from Corning as EVP. He is probably the only Class of ’84 member who spent his entire career with one company. Amazing! It was a joy for Mary and me to talk to Ryvers about life’s twists

Mike Diefenbach (MBA ’82) and Michele attended the Newport Folk Festival in July.

president of the board of trustees for the UVA Engineering Foundation, roles that keep me in touch with classmates Karen Edwards and John Fowler.

“I’m also interested in joining additional public or private company boards, particularly companies with more than $300 million in revenue in enterprise technology (including AI), insurance or fintech, and I welcome introductions.

“Robert and I continue to thrive in Florida and the Tampa Bay sunshine. If you travel this way, please reach out. I’d love to reconnect. It is too long between reunions to wait for the next one.”

and turns. Marty S. and Marty C. now live in the same community in Sarasota, Florida. As an aside, Marty S.’s first wife, Bev, worked with my Mary at the UVA Bursar’s office — as did Greg Kirsch’s first wife, Sharon. And if you are wondering, Mary is still my first wife!

“While in New York City last December for the Army-Notre Dame game, Mary and I had dinner with Susan Webb. She is exactly the same — laughing and debating everything. I am still positive that she likes Mary more than me!

“I saw Tim Laseter at the Darden AI Conference last December. I know all is right and well in the world when he is at Darden. My son and I will be back this December.

“I am still chairing the multi-billion dollar health care system in Florida, but at the end of 2024 gave up the interim CEO role after 18 months. The turnaround is complete, and my mind is still intact — at least I think so. I had also started my master’s in public health care at Yale, but Mary nixed that after a year. ‘Retire or else’ was the message I heeded!

“Finally, Mary and I still support the UVA tennis program that is fourth in the number of NCAA championships. We will be up for quite a few matches and travel to others, including against my old team Vandy. Go Hoos!”

Speaking of Ryvers Wright, here’s his take on the traditional outing: “In the latest round of an epic, decades-long battle, Bob Donohue and I crushed the self-styled ‘Jackals,’ Marty Seffrin and Marty Curran, over four days of golf. And it wasn’t close. Bob hosted the event in late summer at his homes in Atlanta,

Georgia, and Lake Toxaway, North Carolina, and was a superb host, as always. The weekend was highlighted by excellent dinners, copious libations, a Braves game and midrange golf, although the serious butt-kicking on the links is not to be minimized. This event may have finally put a dagger into the Jackals’ unrealistic expectations and, perhaps, their golfing partnership. We all had a blast!”

David Dross reported on another relocation, but not to Florida: “After two and a half decades in the heat of South Texas, we moved to western North Carolina where the daily temperature averages 20 degrees Fahrenheit lower than our previous location! Everyone is loving our new abode, including the common bear sightings. (Fun fact: North Carolina has the largest black bear population of any state.)

“I am still working full time, albeit remote. I’m still with international benefits consulting firm Mercer but in a new role as drug pricing and policy leader. I help our employer clients deal with legislative drug pricing changes — so between TrumpRx, tariffs and trade wars, I’m busy!

“I’m now within reasonable driving distance to Charlottesville, so I hope to make it to a game or two. I hope everyone is well!”

Nancy (Lyons) Callahan, who was instrumental in setting up a visit to SAP for Tim Laseter’s Darden Worldwide Courses in Germany, reported the following: “After accepting a very early retirement package from SAP, I am enjoying contributing through board and nonprofit leadership. I currently serve as lead independent director for Canal Financial Group and as

Laurel Quinn replied to the Helsinki, Finland, request, noting she had just returned home from a knitting and art trip to Sweden and Finland. She explained that she has no grandkids to report nor a Nobel Prize but “still lives in Lewes, Delaware, and travels frequently.” This year she has had dinner in Paris with Kathleen Shaw and had a fun time in Charlottesville visiting Ros and Dan Smythe. This summer she has seen Beth Bartholomew, Karen Edwards and Page Lansdale at the beach.

She spends a fair amount of time in Ann Arbor, Michigan, with her sweetheart, Paul Evanoff, a retired landscape architect. In the past year, they have traveled to either end of the globe, visiting Patagonia in Argentina and Chile, and Alaska.”

John Workman reached out to explain why he has been out of touch since our 20th reunion. He highlighted the bane of aging that we all face: breaking his leg figure skating in 2007, having two surgeries, and retiring due to ongoing disability from it in 2015. Fortunately he added: “I’m able to get around OK but never was able to return to jogging, and I miss my academic career. I got a Ph.D. from the Sloan School at MIT in 1991, was on the faculty at UNC Chapel Hill until 1998, and then at Creighton University until my retirement. My main research was in the areas of new product development and marketing organization. According to Google Scholar, my publications have been cited over 7,400 times.

“I’ve been married to Jeanne for 32 years and both of our daughters are in Omaha, Nebraska. Justina, the older one, has autism and cannot live independently. She got a BA in library science from the University of Nebraska at Omaha and has worked for the Omaha Public Library for over eight years. Her younger

From left to right, Class of 1984 classmates

Bob Donohue, Marty Curran, Ryvers Wright and Marty Seffrin

Laurel Quinn (MBA ’84) and Paul Evanoff at a rooftop bar in Detroit, Michigan

sister, Juliana, got an undergrad degree in athletic training from TCU, a master’s in athletic training from UNC Chapel Hill, and works in an orthopedic group at Children’s Nebraska Hospital. She had better luck ice skating than I did and made it to the senior level. Since returning to Omaha, she’s reconnected with her skating club and moonlights teaching lessons four to five days per week. If any of you are coming to Omaha, let me know. Contact info and more info on my career is at jpworkman.com.”

John Skalar reported in from nearby Northern Virginia: “It has been an interesting two years. I have a new job in GovCon — wow, has the world changed. The number of people in my network who are in the same position with new companies is enormous. I was scared, but it is a great opportunity. After selling in 2021, all the non-competes have expired, so we are getting the band back together. Just in time for a government shutdown.

“Deb and I are finally breathing more easily — both girls are graduated and have jobs. There is something great about that phrase ‘they both have jobs.’ No more car or tuition payments. Unfortunately, both tell me that it is a new law that parents have to pay for kids’ cell phones forever. I must have missed that one. One is in federal sales and the other is working at a biomed lab in C’ville. The family joke is that one will cure cancer and the other will sell it. We are so proud.

“I got two new hips in 2025, and am back to taking the dog for walks. I’m down 10 pounds already. The technology is amazing — 90 minutes of procedure and they kick you out, and then no rehab! And I am an inch taller after the procedures. If anyone is thinking about this, I highly recommend it. Knees are different, but hips are easy. We also hit our 30th wedding anniversary this year, and Deb hasn’t killed me yet, although she keeps asking about the life insurance. So far, so good.

“If anyone finds themselves near Dulles Airport or in Reston, please drop us a line. We need help reducing the wine inventory.”

Interestingly, quite a number of our classmates maintain strong Charlottesville links. For example, Mark Bronfman wrote: “Lisa and I are so happy to share that our son Daniel just graduated from McIntire School at UVA with honors. Daniel’s next stop: He joined the great Management ‘Launch’ program at Hilton Corporate in August. Further, our daughter

Jodi is successfully starting her third year of public school teaching in Potomac, Maryland. Lisa and I could not be any more proud of Jodi and Daniel.”

John Fowler, who now leads the Darden Board of Trustees, shared that he retired from Wells Fargo in July 2024, but has yet to slow down and enjoy the alleged benefits of retirement. He and Corey spent the remainder of last year and most of this year finishing renovations on a house they bought in Charlottesville (but they retain their New York City apartment as well). Charlottesville is also home to John’s dad (Law ’55), his brother Ed (MBA ’93) and his family, and their son Doug and his wife Kelly (both Col ’11 UVA grads).

Corey continues her work as a photographic artist and has had pieces selected and exhibited this year in juried shows at the Fralin Museum and the 2nd Street Gallery here in Charlottesville as well as in shows in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and Norfolk, Virginia. John started a new drug discovery and development company and has been hanging around Darden a lot teaching classes and working with various faculty members offering guidance on expanding health care course offerings.

John and Corey have also been spending more time in Los Angeles, California, and Minneapolis, Minnesota, where their other son and daughter live along with their four grandkids.”

Erik Slingerland, one of the current Darden trustees, reported as follows: “I’m back from a wonderful two-week sailing trip in the Greek Isles. I’m sending warmest regards to all from Geneva, Switzerland, where I continue to live, healthy and happy. I have two adult kids still living with me while studying and working (seems more convenient for youngsters nowadays and great fun for me).

“I continue to be quite busy with consulting mandates in the NGO governance, family governance, and strategic HR fields. My trustee role at the Darden Foundation has the huge added advantage of keeping me in touch with other classmates on the board (Jim Cooper, Debbie Draughan, and now recently Vincent Rague). Much of my recent focus has been on my Swiss and international governance roles at Save the Children, the global NGO, due to the radical restructuring and downsizing of the entire social sector … sadly with devastating effect for children in need around the world.

“If any of you come this way to Geneva, let

me know. I would love to catch up in person!”

Ros Smythe reported in (and co-signed for Dan), noting: “We continue to enjoy living here in Charlottesville. Not much has changed since we attended Reunion. Dan is still at Virginia Public Media. I am still riding, tending to our three dogs and working in the yard. The nationally ranked UVA football team has us astounded but adds another degree of excitement to our autumn.

“We do have extra rooms for any classmates that might be venturing back to town.”

Gary Wilhite, who you receive updates from regularly in his role as class agent, reported the following: “I suppose you could say I’m settling into my retirement along with my wife, Toni. So far, I’ve been mostly doing projects at our home, with a modest amount of travel, mostly to visit family. I’m sure I’ll pick up responsibilities as time goes on, but I’m not committing myself in ways that will leave too little time for the good ones as they arise.”

Finally, Dean Johnson, who left Charlottesville a decade or so ago to be “arm candy” for his amazing wife, provided a brief report (knowing Tim could fill in details): “I am quite enjoying my life supporting the new president of Yale, although it was not part of my life plan. In addition to Yale, I spend time on volunteer activities in New Haven, Connecticut, and spend 25 percent of my time riding my bike in Europe. I just completed a ride from Slovenia to North Macedonia.” Tim was among the fortunate few beyond wealthy donors and immediate family invited to attend Maurie’s inauguration as the 24th president of Yale (and the first female president since its founding in 1701!).

In closing, Tim asked the Darden instance of ChatGPT (among the first enterprise education accounts negotiated with OpenAI) to summarize these notes. It concluded: “The notes convey a strong sense of community continuity, with many classmates still connected to UVA/ Darden through leadership, philanthropy and proximity to Charlottesville. The updates blend career reflection, retirement transitions and active pursuits — golf, travel, volunteering, teaching and governance — illustrating how the Class of 1984 remains vibrant and engaged four decades after graduation.”

Tom Taylor

tomtaylornj@gmail.com

The coveted First Responder Award

for this edition goes to Bill Pearce, who provided this update: “I’m still working for a (for profit, believe it or not) USG agency, U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) investing as an LP in PE/VC funds in emerging markets; survived the DOGE; and probably ‘retiring’ in two years (or less depending on the changing whims of this administration!).

“My wife, Sarah, is semi-retired. My daughter Natalie is finishing up her senior year at Washington University. She is unclear on job prospects, but interested in sports marketing.

“Sorry to have missed our 40th Reunion (I was traveling), but my best to my classmates.”

In a follow-up email exchange, Bill went on to add that he and his wife recently bought a place in Nantucket, Massachusetts, which sure would be a nice place to go during the government shutdown.

Stuart Moss wrote: “I am thoroughly enjoying San Clemente, California, particularly since my two sons are working or going to school within an hour’s drive. I closed an M&A transaction a month ago — fortunately the day before my wife and I left for our Banff and Vancouver, Canada, vacation — and I’m working on three others that will bleed into 2026. I hope everyone’s doing well back east!”

In previous editions, I’ve mentioned that we have a few authors in our class. In the spring of 2025, Will Worsley published his third novel, The Potusgeists, a satire about a new president who discovers that the White House is haunted by the ghosts of her predecessors, who think she’s unfit for office and decide to take action. I’m impressed with the imagination it takes to come up with this idea and then build a whole story around it. Bravo! I wonder what the spirits are saying about the East Wing.

Joyce Rothenberg, our new and esteemed class agent, has an exciting family development: “My news is that my daughter, Stephanie, brought our first grandchild into the world in early June. Everyone told us how great it was to be a grandparent, but it’s even better than expected; it is just so joyful. Consequently, Mace and I are spending a lot more time in New York City so we can be a normal part of Harper’s life. We retired back to Nashville, Tennessee, at the end of 2020, but we kept an apartment in New York so it’s super easy to come and go. As usual, we’ve been traveling (maybe not quite as much as David and Adele)

and are heading off to Greece on Friday.”

Celia Martin was nice to compliment the update I wanted to include. Celia wrote: “I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that the highlight of the Martin family summer was attending the wedding of your son to a wonderful lady, Britt. It was a beautiful weekend in St. Michael’s, Maryland, made better by the company, the festivities, and the joy!”

Yes, our oldest is now a married man and the newlyweds live nearby in New York City. Our golden retriever made a lot of new friends over the wedding weekend and only barked twice during the ceremony.

I’m not the only one with progeny who were married this year, as Follin Smith writes: “My son James married in June in my backyard, and Perk and Lee Bandlow were able to attend. In September, I attended the wedding of their daughter in Nashville, Tennessee, and got to spend time with Joyce Rothenberg and her husband, Mace.”

Deb Lennington also has a new daughterin-law: “After ten days of climbing up and down stairs in Lisbon, Portugal, with my daughter, I’m now hanging out and running around for several weeks with an old friend in Germany, on my very well-timed (this year) annual escape from the States. I managed to finally see my son get married in April. (Yay, Maggie, for finally asking him — 11 years in, and 3 years since they bought their house!) I’m still happily working at the University of Michigan’s Medical School, albeit deeply not happy about the present environment faced by higher education and healthcare providers (amongst so, so very many others). Not much else to report, unless anyone who is not me cares that I have now welcomed two less-than-well-bonded 5-year-old brother and sister cats. They help keep day to day life a bit chaotic and insane. Grandchildren are still not close to being on the horizon.”

James Totten shared this update, and notes having contact with other classmates: “I may have mentioned this previously, but we relocated from Tennessee to Mountain Brook, Alabama (a suburb of Birmingham), to be closer to family. Last Christmas, while helping to set up our neighborhood decorations, I discovered we lived about three houses away from our Darden ’85 classmate, Sam Yates. Sam spends the summer in North Carolina and we go to Florida in the winter, so our paths had not crossed previously. Sam has since

moved (hopefully not because of us). I did finally catch up with Monro Lanier, who lives just up the road in Huntsville, Alabama, and I regularly see the (Carl) Borntraegers in Florida. Other than anxiously monitoring for hurricanes in and around southwest Florida (we sustained three in a little over two years), not much else going on.”

Bob Reeve continues his active lifestyle. Here’s what he’s been up to: “Georgeann and I and our pack are getting used to having two residences. Going back and forth between Cashiers, North Carolina, and Leesburg, Virginia, is a nine-hour drive, all in all a good problem to have. I am driving to Pinehurst, North Carolina, from Cashiers for an invited group tournament with my good friend Mark Fry, who is the director of golf at The Homestead. We have played in several of these; it is a three-day tournament with a pro and four amateurs. It’s fun to play with a guy who can hit it 300.

“A Paris to Normandy, France, river cruise on the Seine is another bucket list item. I’m doing the Normandy part in May 2026 and then will head to Cashiers for a summer of fun.”

Tom Paine’s update describes his efforts to give back: “I’m trying to follow the words of Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr., who said, ‘One has to be engaged in the passion and action of one’s time at peril of being judged not to have lived.’ As president of the Friends of the Longfellow House – Washington’s Headquarters, I’m trying to make up for the lapse in National Park Service stewardship just when the nation’s 250th is arriving. Seven grandkids all under age 10 each get a hand-drawn portrait from me (aka TomTom), so I have plenty of skin in the game.” For somebody who just had a kid get married, it’s hard for me to imagine one grandchild, let alone seven. I’m sure they keep you young.

Our class has a new member of the R club — Frank Huston: “The big news for me is that I retired from NAES Corporation. After Darden, I returned to the Pacific Northwest and rejoined NAES, where I have worked for more than 41 years. Spending most of my time in business development, I have had the honor of working with great people while helping NAES grow into the leading provider of third-party operations and maintenance services of power generation facilities. My wife and I celebrated the start of retirement with a Lewis and Clark canoeing and camping adventure in Montana. We enjoy visiting our daughter, who is in

To update your contact information, call +1-434-243-8977 or email

graduate school in Orlando, Florida.” Hey Allan Vartelas, can you claim more than 41 years with one employer? It’s probably close. By the way, as things happen in our life that you’re willing to share, please send me a note anytime. No need to wait until the next solicitation. I’ll spread immediately or save for the next edition, as you wish. In the meantime, I hope all of you have a wonderful holiday season.

Jeff Griffin jeffreygriffin1926@gmail.com

I will start off by urging everyone to attend our 40th Reunion, which is 24–26 April 2026. A number of you have expressed your intent to attend, which is great. Think how boring it would be if only Pat O’Shea and I were there. On a personal note, I retired two years ago and it’s still sticking. I got married last year, which means I now have five daughters, and Kris and I now reside in the North Hills area of Raleigh, North Carolina. I have been working on my golf game, and I volunteer as president of the HOA where my beach house in the Outer Banks of North Carolina is located. Kris and I enjoyed a week with Kit Baker (MBA ’87) and his wife, Vicky, on a one-week cruise aboard a 44-foot catamaran in the British Virgin Islands. We then celebrated our one-year anniversary by riding bikes over the colls of Mallorca for six days and then hopping over to Barcelona, Spain, for the celebration.

Teresa Cooper: “Greg and I made the move back to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in late July, landing in a suburb near our old place and not far from our kids. Our Charlottesville home sold in one day (I didn’t see that coming), so we went into overdrive and luckily the right house for us was on the market. We’re in Glenside/Upper Dublin, and if any Darden pals are nearby and want to connect, please reach out! We have a big deck that’s perfect for morning coffee or evening cocktails and we’d love to see you. We have woods behind the house and the deer often join us for drinks. They have no fear of us whatsoever. Anyway, we are working on the house, unpacking and spending lots of time with our kids, grandson and many long-time friends. There are many people and places we loved in Charlottesville, but it feels like we are home. Oh, and we both retired! (I forgot that little tidbit.) I highly recommend it to everyone. Honestly, I didn’t realize

how much I was going to love it!” Judy Dorow Conner: “I’m still retired and doing volunteer work for our church, Meals on Wheels, CASA, etc. Our big news is really about our kids. Our youngest, Olivia , age 23, graduated from UVA last year with a degree in systems engineering, is now working for FTI, a consulting company, and just moved to Washington, D.C. She is loving being close to friends from UVA and I love visiting her! I’m hoping to make it back to Charlottesville soon. It’s truly God’s country! Our middle son, Noah, age 28, just got married in Knoxville, Tennessee. It was a wonderful, joyous wedding! He and Sarah live in Denver, Colorado, and love all of the outdoor activities. Our oldest, Nick, age 30, is living in Brooklyn, New York, and also working for a consulting company, but is in the process of buying a company in the vacation home management space. He closes in November and then we’ll see! Anyone looking for an investment opportunity with a young, bright, amazing young man, let me know! He’s raising funds now. I’m looking forward to visiting them all and trying to plan a big trip for all of us this summer.”

George Tahija: “I sold our family business in May 2025 and have since been working on a backlog of things including downsizing, medical checkups, family visits, etc. After almost 40 years of building and worrying about business, I am now free to chart a new course. I’m feeling grateful to be mentally and physically fit enough to make good use of remaining time. I did a Harrison Assessment to calibrate where I am as a person, which was really useful. Laurel and I welcomed a grandson recently and hope we can spend time with our daughter and her family. My family foundation in Indonesia supported a successful project to eliminate dengue fever, and we were delighted when Professor Ed Freeman agreed to coauthor the book Defeating Dengue. If any of my classmates come to this part of the world, call and visit!”

Fran Tolson: “Life is good. I’m retired and still living in Falls Church, Virginia. I’ve been traveling domestically and internationally, volunteering, working out and keeping up with local happenings.”

Tom Carruthers: “I’m living in Birmingham, Alabama, where I have always lived. I’m married to Brooke, who teaches elementary school. My oldest daughter, Scout, recently graduated from Colgate and lives in Birming-

David Freeman (MBA ’86) and his wife Patty vacationed in Japan near Mt Fuji.

ham, but not with us. My younger daughter, Neely, is a junior at Montana State University, attending class when she is not snowboarding or fly fishing. I’ve recently stepped away from my leadership role with a commercial real estate company and have become a co-CEO at a central Alabama Sotheby’s International Realty franchise. I’ve never sold a house in my life, but I now work with nearly 200 agents who have. It’s lots of fun. I hope to see everyone at our reunion!”

Karl Brumback: “We finally have grandbabies! Matt and Catherine (UVA ’09) have a brand new baby girl named Ellie. We’ve moved to the Dumbo neighborhood of Brooklyn in New York City (after 33 years on the Upper West Side in New York City) to be closer to them. Mark, born and bred in New York City, has moved to Charlotte, North Carolina, where he and Georgia are settling in with baby Charlie. Home base for Eileen and me is Chapel Hill, North Carolina, where we are happy to report the Belichick era is off to a great start!”

Bill Deuchler: “I’m looking forward to seeing everyone at the 40th Reunion! You know time has gone by when your class year is near the bottom of the menu selector! A quick family update: we just celebrated our 35th wedding anniversary and from a quiet, empty-nest existence, things have picked up immensely as our oldest son and his wife had their first (and our first grandchild) in early September. Our oldest is in Boulder, Colorado, working remotely as a software engineer for a large tech company (what else in the Boulder area!), and our

second son is working in customer success for another tech company in Richmond, Virginia. Our daughter is a rising fourth year med student attending Liberty University’s DO school, and currently based in the Tidewater area of Virginia doing rotations.

“Workwise, since working with Professor Bob Vandell post-Darden at his investment consulting firm until his tragic, early death, I’ve spent most of my career at traditional and alternative investment firms. I was fortunate to bring things full circle and get back to the allocator side of the business when I was asked to join a family office as chief investment officer just as COVID-19 was breaking. That led to another stint as CIO for another family office. Currently, I’m doing advisory work for an early-stage VC firm and also setting up for-profit and nonprofit organizations for an acquaintance for her passion project. Additionally, I’m going on 10 years as a trustee for our municipal police pension fund, which has been very rewarding, helping to ensure the retirement security for our first responders. Beyond all this, we have been active at our local Episcopal church working in outreach, homeless ministry (my wife is a hero preparing meals!) and hosting a small-group Bible study.”

Dan Kipp (under the category of “if you write it, I’ll publish it”) writes: “I have a boring, boring life; nothing newsworthy to report.”

Thomas Scott-Morey: “Sadly, my father-inlaw passed away quietly in his sleep on 26 September, but at nearly 93 he had a good run.”

Charles “Chip” Bassett: “I’ve been back in Maine since 2014. I slowly wound down my family’s herd of Belted Galloways and had to let the last ones go at the end of 2023. I miss them … except in January and February. Now I’m just a tree farmer. I did get elected to the town’s Select Board in June, so that gives me something to do, hopefully constructive. Steve Zoota and I reconnected a couple years ago and I enjoyed talking with him from time to time.”

Miriam Eaves did not provide an update, but she did write to give me grief for asking for submissions two days in a row so she gets a mention here: She is living somewhere in the U.K. (or at least that is where her cell phone is from).

Peter Meisel: “In February, Susi and I welcomed our first grandchild (courtesy of our oldest daughter, Cari), Edgar Boyle Hurwick IV. A

big name for a little boy, but Eddie fits him very well. We’re becoming very familiar with all the flight options between our home in Cleveland, Ohio, and theirs in Boston, Massachusetts. Our other two children, Eric and Leah, are in Austin, Texas, and Davis, California, respectively. Despite the geographic spread, we manage to get together as a family several times a year. It’s always a joy for us as parents! On the professional front, I’m still actively working at Carnegie Companies Inc., our real estate investment company. However, the integration into the business of the next generation (two of my nephews) has started me down the path towards retirement, or something like it. Any advice on that front that I can get would be very welcomed.”

Chris Lalik: “I earned the Distinguished Toastmaster award, which is the highest recognition in Toastmasters International. Here is to continuous learning! I am currently a division manager at Sellmark and still enjoying the optics/outdoor business. My wife, Claire, and I live in Fort Worth, Texas, with our three children and would be delighted to hear from any fellow Darden grads.”

Pat (Bland) Nicklin writes in with the following: “Dear family and friends, some of you may know that I began as an understudy in the play It’s My Party! — a historically based play about the struggle and then triumph of the women’s suffrage movement and the struggle between the two leading women’s parties: one revolutionary, run by Alice Paul, and the other traditional, run by Carrie Chapman Catt. Well, I’ve now assumed the role of Carrie Chapman Catt, which means I will definitely be on stage and in every performance! So, I really hope you will come!”

The play was produced by Pipeline Playwrights. It’s My Party! ran from Friday, 17 October, through Sunday, 26 October, at Theatre on the Run.

Chris Padgett padgett60@gmail.com

Wow, is it already another edition of the Class Notes!? It sure is, thanks to the contributions of the following classmates. We have news of retirements, travel, adventures, and get-togethers — so let’s get started!

Michel Denarie writes: “I retired in June 2024 from IQVIA (a company focused on

health information technology and clinical research) after some 21 great years there, and we moved last fall from Pennsylvania to Charlotte, North Carolina, to be closer to some of our kids. After 27 years in the same house, and having raised four kids there, the move was a major endeavor, but we survived it.

“I have taken up pickleball and fly-fishing and still do a lot of biking. I would love to connect to classmates who might be living in the Charlotte area. We went to France for my 70th birthday in July and could not help posing with the statue of Thomas Jefferson on the banks of the River Seine.”

Al Scerbo writes: “You have shamed me into writing of my pedestrian life. After chasing the almighty dollar for more than 40 years, the last 25 of these with NRG Energy Inc., I retired in May. My wife, Denise, seeing my new carefree lifestyle, retired from Princeton University the following month and we soon started crossing things off our travel bucket list, including a trip to Ireland in early June. There I learned why Ireland is so green and was glad I packed a raincoat. It may be sacrilege to say I am not fond of Guiness beer, but I do love Dingle gin.

“We then visited our son in Ann Arbor, Michigan, for a few days, and then a visit to Napa Valley and San Francisco, California. By the time this gets to print, Denise and I will have completed a November trip to Finland and a trip above the Arctic Circle where we will chase reindeer and the northern lights. Apparently, the northern lights follow an 11year cycle and 2025 is the peak of activity in

Class of 1987 classmates Wheat McDowell, Werner Stahlecker and John Moffet at the lake

this cycle for viewing this phenomenon. Also, for this guy, aging and cold weather don’t mix well so it’s best I cross this off the bucket list now. I am sure my travels have put me close to several classmates.”

Tony Clark shares: “We spend most of our time in Sweden but have a place in Wellfleet on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, that we normally rent out during the summer and then we instead try and stay there in the gorgeous shoulder months of May, September and October. This summer, we got to the U.S. in August for my niece’s wedding, but I also spent some time showing my youngest son, a senior in high school, some possible colleges.

“While in Pennsylvania, I saw Ken Trippe and Scott Gregory for dinner and then, while in Massachusetts, my wife and I saw Mike Donnelly and his wife for dinner. If any others are on the Cape occasionally, drop me an email at axelrasmus@hotmail.com. Risk is, of course, that a photo just might be sent to our fellow ’87 alumni.”

Along with a picture, John Moffet sent this note: “Here’s Werner Stahlecker, Wheat McDowell and me about to brave the cold waters, angry Canadians, and mosquitoes, to see some harbor seals up close on the coast of Nova Scotia, Canada. It was truly a pleasure to run into these Section C mates.”

A day later, I got this from Werner: “Did Wheat McDowell or John Moffet send a picture of our great adventure on Nova Scotia, Canada, in September of this year? We had a reunion at Wheat’s and John’s houses and

paddled to John’s private island off the coast of Nova Scotia. It’s a great island, but the infrastructure had not yet been fully developed!

“John works on it ambitiously, so he might invite our section next class reunion in either 2027, or perhaps 2037. What a great adventure, with nothing but mosquitoes in the air and sharks in the waters. It truly took some Viking blood in our veins to make it back and forth. Take the story and the pic, as it will be the first entry of the three of us in the ’87 Class Notes in over 35 years!”

This seems like a good connector place for a quick update of my own: During the summer, I was in Canada, too, Montreal specifically, for the Canadian Grand Prix F1 with my oldest son (he’s a big F1 fan). I’m trying to have an adventure with each of my four boys each year, though it is getting tougher as their lives get more packed. And now I’m traveling back from Spain after a week in Barcelona with my second son (a big Barça soccer fan), followed by a few days walking the Camino with my wife. Life is good, and at some point, we’re coming to Sweden, Tony Clark!

Coincidently, Alyce Outlaw shared a travel update, too: “Looks like we were both traveling across the Atlantic this week! Mark and I just returned from a trip to northern Italy sponsored by Darden/UVA Alumni Travel. Darden professor Yiorgos Allayannis joined our trip with 11 other UVA alumni and spouses.

“We started in Milan and travelled through Verona, Bologna, Florence and Rome. Some highlights were a boat trip on Lake Como and

opera in the 2000-year-old Roman arena in Verona! I highly recommend this type of trip with Darden, especially with the added pleasure of two cases that Yiorgos led for us!”

And thanks to Dave Morris for writing: “I am guilty of blowing you off on just about all of your requests for Class Notes in the past. The only update of note I have to share is that my older son, Jack Morris (MBA ’22) was married in New Hampshire over Labor Day weekend to classmate Martina Costa (another Darden romance!). Martina is from Italy and attended Darden for what amounted to her Second Year of business school through an exchange program with a Chinese business school. I hope to catch up with you and others from Darden Class of ’87 at a future reunion.”

And for those who remember the photo contest in my last Notes solicitation (and if you didn’t even open it, you missed your chance to win a lapel pin and other NPR goodies ), the correct answer was submitted first by Scott Gregory, who identified Barcelona, Spain, as the picture’s location. Charlie Duffy was close-ish but no cigar, guessing Iceland (only off by about 1,800 miles!). The picture itself was the Joan Miro sculpture, “Woman and Bird” (1967), located at the Joan Miro Foundation Museum. It’s definitely worth a visit if you are in the area.

Keep the news and photos coming, and keep in touch with each other!

Chuck DiMeglio darden1988@aol.com

Jack Oakes shares: “Last year,

Michel Denarie (MBA ’87) poses with a statue of Thomas Jefferson.

Mike Donnelly (MBA ’87) and his wife Margaret had dinner with Tony Clark (MBA ’87) and his wife Ylva.

Ken Trippe, Scott Gregory and Tony Clark (all MBA ’87) got together for a mini-reunion recently.

Jack Oakes (MBA ’88) shares the “million-dollar view” from his and Kelly’s “retirement” home in New Bern, North Carolina.

forward to hearing from you soon!”

Martha Shenkenberg is still loving retirement. She’s been traveling (Dublin, Ireland; Rome, Italy; and Miami, Florida, this year) and is active in Rotary. After going to the Darden Alumni Leadership meeting, she got to spend a great evening in Richmond, Virginia, with Mikhael Williams, his wife, Sofia, and Beth (Moffett) Powell. As you know, the Olympics are coming to Los Angeles, California, in 2028 (after our Reunion). Tickets to the Olympics and Paralympics go on sale in January, so if you’re interested, sign up to get notified at la28.org/ en/ticketing.html#stay-informed. In Pasadena, California, at the Rose Bowl area, about 1.5 miles from her house, there will be diving and soccer. You are welcome to stay at her house (two bedrooms and one bath upstairs).

Dallas, Texas, and their twin boys, age 9, are with them in Nashville, Tennessee.

Steve and Jennifer launched a Patchmaster franchise in Nashville to support a great friend with an entrepreneurial appetite. They assist consumers, HVAC electrical contractors and plumbers with nagging holes in ceilings and walls. They each have recently earned “masters” degrees in patching and painting. Case method instruction, of course. Steve notes it has been fun applying many of those start-up concepts studied in the late ’80s while folding in technologies available to start-up companies today.

we bought our ‘retirement’ house in New Bern, North Carolina, … a house with a million dollar view that did not cost us a million! We hope that it will be in the family for generations to come. And, Darden ’88s have an open invitation to come on down, over, or up whenever they are in the area! I’m still working for Duke helping MBAs get jobs, and I look forward to retiring in a few years. Kelly’s art business is thriving and now includes traveling to Italy in June to teach her students how to paint plein air. Take a look at her work at kellyoakesart.com.

Kevin Price intends to remain engaged: “I have several ‘managed money’ accounts and an offshore fund — the Agio Gold Sector Fund. It’s for non-U.S. investors domiciled in the Bahamas. I run it for my partner’s company, Agio Ltd (agiodigital.com). It’s the first of its kind in that it enables local Bahamians to participate in non-BSD securities investments with foreigners.

“My daughter Sophie is matriculating at UGA and is investigating a career opportunity in the military — the new Space Force — as an intelligence officer. My enthusiasm matches hers on this unexpected path.

“I have been in touch with the UVA Alumni Association while in Nassau, Bahamas. There is an active chapter in Palm Beach, Florida, that liaises with Bahamas resident UVA grads. Turns out there are a number of Bahamians who attended or are connected to the University. In fact, Dr. Hubert Minnis, our previous prime minister, spoke in Charlottesville in a recruiting effort with the medical school.

“My best to all the Class of ’88, and I look

Champe Fisher champe59@gmail.com

I am thrilled to share that one of our esteemed Darden classmates, Greg Graves, has stepped forward to help advance the School’s academic mission by joining the Darden School Foundation Board of Trustees (https://www.darden.virginia. edu/about/leadership/board-of-trustees). The Foundation Board of Trustees provides strategic oversight, governance and support for the foundation. Along with Greg, the board welcomed six new elected trustees for three-year terms beginning 1 July. You can learn more about Greg and the other inspiring new trustees in the Darden Report. Greg is former chief financial officer of Entegris. His leadership, financial acumen, and enthusiasm will strengthen Darden’s efforts to cultivate excellence in business education. Please join me in celebrating Greg’s commitment and the unwavering support of the Class of ’89 that continues to enrich our Darden community.

Also of note, Darden concluded the Powered by Purpose campaign in June, with 70 percent alumni giving participation and the majority of contributions directed to Faculty and Scholarships. Read about it here: news. darden.virginia.edu/2025/08/19/poweredby-purpose-campaign-close/. It was a very successful effort indeed.

Now on to the Class Notes: Jennifer and Steve Stradtman are enjoying being active in a number of new areas since the last update. Their oldest child and grandchildren are in

For those looking for spots to relax in Georgia and Florida, Steve and Jennifer launched Turn Properties to assist people traveling to St. George Island, Florida, or Lookout Mountain, Georgia, for fun with family or friends. You can find Oceans 9, Little Cloudland or Little Cloudland Too on VRBO or AirBNB. Lookout Mountain now has some amazing golf at McLemore. The Stradtmans saw this emerging community on Facebook four years ago and fell in love with it. They report a second course just opened and it is breathtaking.

Pete Ten Eyck is continuing his work with the Fairfax Marine Research Fund (The Fairfax Fund), which provides money for basic marine research projects at UVA, that after proof of concept can then apply for large grants from the National Science Foundation, Nature Conservancy, and other agencies, to fund fully scaled marine projects. Pete says it is a kind of business incubator for marine science and restoration! Charlie Wilson was involved in “hatching” the concept of the Fairfax Fund and has continued to be active in project selection and funding. Bob Bruner advised Pete on the fund structure. Since the Fairfax Fund started in 2019, it has participated in a project with UVA and the Nature Conservancy in rebuilding oyster reefs in eastern Virginia. In addition, they have an ongoing brain coral restoration project in Bermuda and a “ghost forest” mapping project on the Albemarle-Pamlico Peninsula of North Carolina.

Bill Seery emailed from Prospect Park South in Brooklyn, New York. Bill reports they have lived for 27 years in their drafty old Victorian house built in 1904 and have owned their upstate house in Stanfordville, New York (located in Dutchess County), for 33 years. He just celebrated his 42nd wedding anniversary to the former Mary K Korczowski on 1 October!

Mary K works part time as a legislative aide for their local assemblyman Robert Carroll in Park Slope in Brooklyn.

Bill is still working at Valley National Bank as the head of CRE loan syndications in midtown Manhattan, New York, and enjoys being around deal makers and younger colleagues to help guide and mentor them in their development.

The Seerys have three adult children: Ellie is 30 and works as an environmental scientist in Manhattan and lives in Queens, New York; Audrey is 26 and works as a water resource management consultant in Seattle, Wahington; and Quentin is 23 and is pursuing his environmental studies at Hunter College in Manhattan and lives with them in Brooklyn. Bill signs off with a full-throated “Go Hoos!”

Chip Shore reports “all is good” in Boston, Massachusetts. His daughter, Remi, graduated from University of Washington in June with her master’s in social work, and is working at Seattle Children’s Hospital. His son, Max, lives in San Francisco, California, so Chip has both kids on the west coast.

Chip wrote: “Shari and I are enjoying retirement, doing biking/hiking trips, and traveling a lot in general.” Chip is playing a lot of tennis and looking forward to skiing this winter.

Steve Barto checks in to say: “John McNicholas, Rich Jacobsen, Mark O’Malley and I enjoyed four days of Florida golf at Streamsong, playing all three of their main courses.” This foursome has met to golf roughly every five years beginning with their Ireland trip the week after graduating in 1989, playing Pine-

hurst, Bandon Dunes and Olympic Club as well. Steve advises that we can learn a lot about the “golf swing” by simply watching Rich swing the club, and they all remain good learners.

Lee Nyberg and Matt Nyberg welcomed their first grandchild in January. Ezra Holmes Spencer is a wonderful, brilliant baby, reports the very proud grandmother. The Nybergs had a wonderful trip to see a Vermeer exhibition at the Frick in New York City with their daughter Catherine Nyberg (MBA ’24). They have continued their family tradition of sampling delights of breakfast at the Neue Café and Tea at the Whitby. Of late, Matt and Lee spend most of their time in Ashville, North Carolina, and Charleston, South Carolina. Rest in peace, Professor Alan Beckenstein. You can read about his life in the In Memoriam section toward the end of this magazine.

Heather McGrew, Steve Silbiger heatherjmcgrew@gmail.com, silbigers@gmail.com

With the reunion behind us, and hopefully with reunion pics in this issue, some of us hopefully have reconnected with our classmates. I have promoted my own book here, but I am glad to announce that Scott Gakenheimer has published his first book, To-Do-List: (And Some Don’t-Do’s) for Building Wealth. I can honestly say I read it cover to cover, all 95 pages, rather quickly because it was well written. It has meaty materials, but not super science. I don’t want to be a spoiler but Scott ends up a winner. Scott shares:

“When I retired at 54, Amy told me I needed to do something more productive than playing golf and partying with my friends and kids, so I decided to share some of my learnings from my personal finance/investing journey that resulted in hitting (beating!) my lifetime goal of retiring at 55.” The target audience is not us, but for “20- and 30-something-year-old kids” as it is a long-term life planning book. It’s available on Amazon at very attractive prices. I enjoyed how Scott wrote about his family and his dad and included a lot of substantive information to be successful. I am not giving the book’s gold away here; check it out. Scott says it is an “excellent stocking stuffer.” Scott currently is “enjoying time with friends at his homes in Charlotte, North Carolina, and Honolulu, Hawaii. Amy and his three children, Alex, Ali and Bean, are constant partners in fun.”

Bear Albright, Giles Fox, Phylis Doig, Mike Kennedy, Steve Silbiger and Louis Elson (all MBA ’90) visit on Flagler Courtyard on Darden’s Charlottesville Grounds.

Members of the Class of 1990 attend their class dinner during Darden Reunion Weekend.

Heather McGrew and Susan Sobbott (both MBA ’90) at their 35th Darden reunion

Class of 1990 classmates Steve Silbiger, Mike Kennedy, Robin Kennedy, Phylis Doig, JaneScott Cantus and Jim Hart enjoy an event at The Forum Hotel during Darden Reunion Weekend.

Mary English (MBA ’91) and Dan Ray (MBA ’91) met up in Boston, Massachusetts, back in late 2023.

Mark (MBA ’91) and Melynda (MBA ’91) Klausner joined 1991 classmates in celebrating the wedding of their daughter, Morgan (MBA ’22) to Zak DePasquale (MBA ’22), alongside thier Darden Class of 2022 friends.

Darden Class of 1991 classmates celebrated with Mark (MBA ’91) and Melynda Klausner (MBA ’91) at their daughter’s wedding.

In a totally different career direction, Nelson Patterson is as far from retirement as it gets. After raising money for his last start-up, Anavasi Diagnostics, a medical company, he sold it in March 2025. He moved on to a startup as its president. It’s a medical company based on the work of DEKA Research & Development. Also in March, Nelson added, “Mom passed away peacefully at home at age 90. It was a crazy month.”

If that was not enough, Nelson has been working with the famous Dean Kamen of Segway fame and his large team of engineers in Manchester, New York, to launch a “disruptive medical technology.” At an August military show in Orlando, Florida, Nelson met up with the chief of medicine and the chief of surgery for the Ukrainian Defense Forces in addition to many other armed forces. He is looking forward to getting the new technology to doctors and nurses for the benefit of their patients. Nelson wrote: “Dean is an incredibly inspiring mind and leader with whom to work, and his network of contacts — let’s just say, very little surprises me anymore.”

Laurel Peltier laurel77@comcast.net

Hello Class of 1991! By the time you read this, you will have made all your travel arrangements for our 35th Darden reunion! If you are unable to attend, know that you will be missed. I’ll take plenty of reunion photos and email them to the Class. It was terrific to hear from Jeannie Tabor,

who lives in Memphis, Tennessee: “I am working as managing editor of River City Lifestyle magazine in Memphis. Still married to Owen, and I have three grown kids: Sherman (child #1) and his wife, Martha, are both UVA grads and they live in Boston, Massachusetts; Harrison (child #2) is in Charlotte, North Carolina; and Virginia (child #3) resides in Dallas, Texas. I hope we can make the reunion. Thanks for wrangling us!”

Scott Crawford and his wife, Linda, have settled in South Carolina and he shared this: “We’ve both hung up the cleats and split time between Johns Island and Westminster. We try our best to manage a hobby farm in Westminster in the growing season and donate most of what we grow to local pantries. I’ve also been volunteering for several years with Undue Medical Debt (unduemedicaldebt.org, a great charity), mentoring kids from Clemson that want to get into sales and supporting local charities. Otherwise, we travel a bit and connect with family and friends as much as possible.”

Pascal Monteiro de Barros wrote in from Lisbon, Portugal: “After 23 years in the U.K., I have moved back to Lisbon, Portugal, for a few years of sabbatical. It has been great fun reacquainting myself with my home city, which has changed so much — mostly for good. My eldest two daughters are now also living here, and we were blessed with our first grandchild, a boy, in July! I am wrapping up the fundraising of our fifth fund at Stirling Square, where I have been for over nine years as a partner and head of investor relations. I commute between

Lisbon and London.”

Jim Kent sent in his dispatch: “My daughter got married in May to a wonderful guy. My son is in the home stretch on his Ph.D. in math. Anybody out there hiring math wizards? My wife, Lisa, and I have done a bit more traveling. In May we went on a Mediterranean cruise with stops in Greece and Italy. It was lots of fun. The Greek isles were beautiful but too crowded. Next trip we will avoid Santorini and Mykonos. Italy was much more fun, especially Rome. We spent three days there and wish we’d done a week.

“We’re headed to Guanacaste in Costa Rica in February. La Pura Vida! It’s the second trip for us and we highly recommend staying at the all-inclusive RIU hotels. This will be a celebration of Lisa retiring from medicine. Primary care is too much of a headache now. Huge doctor shortages are looming as others are quitting in droves.

“I’m still working part time and holding off on social security until full retirement age. Anyone headed to Winchester, Virginia, should look us up. There’s tons of room here.”

Ruthie Hill-Klinck sent this from the ferry going to Nantucket Island, Massachusetts:

“After many years in a suburban setting, I am experimenting with life in small towns, beautiful places where family and friends like to visit. I continue to volunteer on a few boards and I apply my skills to various projects closer to home: creative, DIY, etc. My black Labrador, Willow, keeps me company. We travel to see my kids, ages 30, 28 and 24, and my 96-year-

George Collins (MBA ’92) released a new album, “New Ways of Getting Old,” featuring 14 original songs that span genres including rock, pop, Americana, reggae and soul.

I have published a book, The Story of Bertoldo, available at Amazon and other stores, travelled extensively, and focused on AI/tech investing until I figure out what I want to do next. With respect to the last endeavor, Darden Finance derivative/option classes of old have come in extremely handy and proved fruitful. In the meantime, our four children are all enrolled in different colleges in Virginia. Related to our children, Elen and I expect to celebrate graduation every year, beginning with one late this year, so fingers crossed!”

Like each one of us, Aradom looks forward to connecting with any one of us at some point!

old mother unless they come to me! If anyone is near Nantucket or the Mad River Valley in Vermont, let me know. All is good, and I hope all of you are well.”

Dan Ray shared: “In January 2025, I moved back to my hometown of Gloucester, Virginia, to be close to my parents, who still live here. This was after 29 years of living in Lake Tahoe, Nevada. I now live on the Ware River, which is the river where I grew up fishing, waterskiing and playing. It’s one of the many rivers that feed into the Mobjack Bay, which in turn opens into the Chesapeake Bay. I’m still working as a freelance management consultant and writing and recording songs and putting them out there in my small way.”

Asli Eksioglu

asli@aslieksioglu.com

Greetings from rainy Istanbul, Turkey! So many happenings in the world and I am still grateful for life and happy memories.

For the fall, the first update came from dear Rick Edmunds: “Unfortunately I missed our last major reunion (30 years!) so it has been a long time! I’m curious as to what you are up to these days.

“While I had little to report professionally for over 30 years (having stayed in consulting all that time at McKinsey and then Booz/PricewaterhouseCoopers), I have now moved on to my next chapter after retiring from PricewaterhouseCoopers in June. Mainly we have been enjoying much more free time and flexibility. I

have also increased my time around community, not-for-profits, and early stage company investing in health care (mainly Medtech), which has been quite fun.

“Regarding Darden, I have been quite involved over the last decade as a leader of the Corporate Advisory Board, as a Darden Foundation board member, and now being on the Alumni Board. And just to add to my connections to the school, both of our kids went to Darden over the last five years and, ironically, are now in consulting at BCG and Bain!

“I hope to cross paths soon and definitely will plan to see you at our 35th in ’27!”

How wonderful to hear about Rick Edmunds’s new chapter in life and of so much valuable and significant involvement in and for Darden.

Our artist friend George Collins sent us great news from Prague, Czechia: George released a new album, New Ways of Getting Old, a diverse collection of 14 original songs ranging across genres from rock, pop, Americana, singer/songwriter, reggae and soul. You may find out more on his website, georgecollins. com. Separately, his screenplay for PLAYING THE CHANGES, a “jazz-infused love story,” won second place in the drama category of the StoryPros Screenplay Competition. The novel version will be published next year.

A long-time-no-hear Aradom Iyob’s update made me very happy: “After years of working for Verizon, leading Public/Federal Sector FP&A, I have successfully applied for a voluntary separation program late in ’24. Since then

An awaited update is from our Jim Stramm: “All is well with the Stramms. I retired from the corporate world in February 2023 and have been filling my days with traveling, reading, and playing pickleball! Our daughter lives in San Diego/Del Mar, California, and we visit her and our two granddaughters two to three times a year. Our son lives in Brooklyn, New York, and we visit him and our new grandson regularly as well. I do a little consulting on the side and this past August I began teaching an operations/supply chain class at UNC Charlotte. I’m looking forward to the new year and hopefully visiting with some Darden classmates!”

As is everyone who sent an update, all of us are looking forward to hearing from and seeing Darden classmates. Please do keep in touch more often and drop a note to me and/ or each other in the visiting areas as our 35th Reunion is approaching (well, time flies!) in 2027! Have a good fall and upcoming winter. With much love and hugs!

Laura Curran, Woody Dunstan, Rebecca Kilduff, May Ng lauracurran@me.com, guswoody@gmail.com, beccaindc@gmail.com, ngmay2000@yahoo.com

We’re super excited to hear from so many classmates for the fall season. Despite the plethora of social media, our Class Notes still prove to be an enduring way of keeping our class connected. You’ll read below how Dan Parsley, while on a business trip, purposely connected with a classmate after reading about him in our notes. Hearing how you all enjoy reading our Class Notes keeps your class secretaries motivated, and it’s so important now for us to keep connected as we

Ruthie Hill-Kline and Laurel Peltier (both MBA ’91) in Nantucket, Massachusetts

Danny Parsley (MBA ’93) recently visited with Matt Lowry (MBA ’93) and his wife Samantha in Boston, Massachusetts.

Class of 1993 classmates Ed Fowler, Laura Curran and Larry Mueller visited in Flagler Courtyard during a Darden event.

Our twins, Jane and John, are getting started in their careers with Jane getting her master’s degree in computer science and John working in consulting in New York City. My wife, Elizabeth, is working in her family business and doing communications consulting and teaching at Wharton from time to time. I am back at work, after a little break, running another IT consulting business, which has me busy visiting clients and traveling to our offices around the U.S., Canada, Argentina and India. I still try to play golf in between everything else. Tom Peltier and I played together this summer, which was a lot of fun! I hope everyone is doing great in the Class of 1993!”

begin to move forward with different stages of our lives. We’re happy to announce that Woody Dunstan will be joining us as class secretary! (Don’t miss Woody’s reflections on serving his country for the last 26 years.)

We notice we get more responses when we contact you personally for updates. As a result, we are looking for additional people to join as class secretary and to especially help with outreach to those classmates we haven’t heard from in a while. You can also team up with a classmate and share the effort! Contact May or Laura if you’re interested in helping out however you can.

On behalf of the class secretaries, we send our condolences to our classmate Rick Jones, who lost his partner, Mervyn Han, also a Darden alumnus, from the Class of 2011. I (May) first met Mervyn when he and Rick lived in San Francisco, California, where they would often host parties at their home. I can’t forget those delicious gougères that Mervyn would whip up, among other treats, for his guests. You couldn’t help but like Mervyn right away; he was simply a ray of sunshine that people were drawn to. He always wore a smile on his face and made everyone feel immediately comfortable. Our thoughts are with you, Rick.

May Ng shares: “I’m still living in San Francisco, California, one of the places with the highest percentage of kids in private school. It’s competitive! Thankfully, my daughter was accepted into a great high school and she’s having a blast! I’m continuing to manage our family properties, play tennis

and pickleball in my spare time, and I’ve got a three-year streak learning Spanish on Duolingo. Kristin Carlock and I are friends in Duolingo; anyone else out there? If so, be sure to look us up and add me as a friend!” (Laura’s note: I have a Babbel streak, and will join you on Duolingo.)

May continues: “Lastly, one of our favorite restaurants we frequent in the Bay Area is the Cuban Kitchen, owned and operated by Lynna Martinez (MBA ’94) and daughter Lilah Arrazcaeta. They just celebrated their 10th anniversary! Be sure to stop by and show your support if you’re ever in the Peninsula.”

From Paul Buansi: Paul is currently in jobsearch mode, looking to leverage his extensive experience in business/data analyst roles as well as leadership roles in process re-engineering, project/product/program management, business analysis, risk management (operational, regulatory, financial), change management and data governance. He recently worked with the GCO/GAOO, GPO, GMO (fixed income/ capital markets) and NTCR FLUs to develop and test metrics required by the European Central Bank (ECB) for inter-affiliate service (IAS) providers. Please reach out to Paul if you have a relevant opportunity to share, or would like to catch up.

From John Castleman: “I am still living in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, after more than 25 years. Our four children are mostly out of the house: The oldest, Caroline, is in fourth year of medical school. Andrew is in San Francisco, California, working in the private equity world.

From Matt Young: “Hello, classmates! It’s been a while since I have provided an update. Dana and I are happy and healthy in Tampa and loving our life in Florida. I am still managing Mangrove Equity Partners, the PE firm I co-founded in 2006. We just raised our fourth fund and, believe it or not, it is still fun. Dana recently retired after 14 years in public service. She served eight years in the state legislature and six as CEO of Visit Florida, the state’s tourism promotion agency. We are having fun enjoying our beautiful state fishing in Boca Grande and the Keys and enjoying our farm in North Florida. We have been traveling extensively on wine/food, biking/hiking and hunting trips. Our girls, Carson and Alex, are both in Florida and thriving. Alex lives in Tallahassee. Carson is in Tampa and is a social media marketer for the hospitality industry. If you find yourself in Tampa, please reach out.”

From David Noon: “Jeanne and I are in Dallas, Texas. Our son Collin is finishing up his last year at the University of Notre Dame and we have been visiting him as much as we can before he heads off into the United States Air Force. We recently just got back this weekend from South Bend, Indiana, after watching the Fighting Irish win the game against USC. Wishing everyone all the best and go Irish!”

From Jason Lunday: “I was serving on my company’s executive team at Syntrio, and after the road show and several interested parties, we sold the business to Mitratech in January 2024. I assisted in the transition until November, when I left for new pastures.”

From Rebecca Kilduff: “My kids are still small; I’ve got a fourth, sixth and seventh grader! I am teaching full time at Old Dominion University and still running my small business. That makes

To update your contact information, call +1-434-243-8977 or email alumni@darden.virginia.edu

for several full-time jobs at the moment!”

From Blake Myers: “After 32 years in sales and trading in New York City, Ann-Marie and I retired from our respective careers and moved to Southampton, New York, full time this past March.

“I continue to be blessed by the great friendships formed during our time together at Darden. I went on a recent golf trip in Georgia with Darden classmates, Bill Ruckelshaus, Martin McGahan, Mark Sarbiewski and Ed Field.

“I hope to see as many classmates as possible at our 35th in three very short years!”

From Kim Morrish: “After 25 years in the U.K. and 20 years leading my business, I exited and took what I jokingly referred to as a gap year. It was the first time in over two decades that I didn’t have to go to work or to think about the care and logistics of four children. Freed from work, with the two older kids at university in the U.S., the third traveling on an actual gap year and the youngest in boarding school, I was suddenly free from daily obligations and responsibilities to others. It was a great opportunity to breathe, see people I love, visit beautiful places, and reflect on life and what’s next. It also allowed deeper engagement with things I care about.

“Of the myriad of activities remaining on my buffet, serving as a trustee on the Darden Foundation Board has continued to be meaningful and inspiring. It’s a privilege to work with like-minded alumni, faculty and staff in Darden’s mission to develop responsible leaders — not just in business — but in government and education.

“I was fired up to learn that 21 years ago, our very own Tierney Temple Fairchild founded an amazing joint program between Darden’s Exec Ed and UVA’s School of Education. The UVA Partnership for Leaders in Education (PLE) merges cutting-edge leadership development and evidence-based educational strategies to improve education and life outcomes for students K-12.

“It was fascinating to see how one program can contribute to society. It inspired me to support Darden’s plans to launch the Next program in September 2026. Next is designed for lifelong learners looking for purpose and meaningful ways to contribute to society.

“My role last year as an advisor to University of Cambridge’s Better Futures program

led to my enrollment in the inaugural cohort here last month. I hope to be able to contribute all that I learned at Cambridge to help shape the program at Darden next year. If you’d like to hear more about either program, please reach out.

“I’m settling into a new routine of full-time education and what feels like a return of the flock. My gap year was easier! If you’re in the U.K., please drop me a line at kim@canterburypartners.co.uk.”

Danny Parsley recently visited with Matt Lowry and his wife, Samantha, in Boston, Massachusetts. Danny read Matt’s update in the last issue of the Darden Notes and reached out to visit while on a recent business trip to Boston. Editor’s note: We love hearing about these connections.

Michael Zimmerman reports: “I’m appreciating the life of an empty nester with my wife, Catherine, as we alternate between Paris and Connecticut as I continue my work leading Kearney’s Logistics consulting capabilities. I’ve had the pleasure of working with classmate Steve Mehltretter on many client projects. I still remember Sherwood Frey’s bargaining and negotiating class as my favorite at Darden, where the salary case study taught us the work location (e.g., live where you want) could tip the scales in deals struck.”

From Roy Perticucci: After three years leading Allegro.eu, Europe’s largest native online marketplace (ca. $12 billion GMV), he was ranked by two separate rating agencies as the third most value accretive tech CEO in EMEA. Roy stepped down in June. He has a flat in Munich, Germany, and will relocate there this autumn. He plans to divide his time between there and Ibiza, Spain, where he has a second home. Roy plans to eventually take a few part-time jobs, but he spent the summer traveling: Mexico and Ibiza beach trips with his girlfriend, Lisa, kite-surfing with his daughter Elena, climbing in the Dolomites with another daughter, Valeria, and seeing lots of family and friends in Ibiza. He was also lucky to join Stuard Detmer and Chris Haga for a five-day motorcycle tour. Roy says that he needs a proper break from having a break before the ski-touring season opens!

From Yoichi Tamura: “This March I celebrated my 60th birthday, and just around that time I had a wonderful reunion with Ken Good, who was visiting Japan from Colorado. We

From left to right, Class of 1993 classmates Bill Ruckelshaus, Blake Meyers, Martin McGahan, Mark Sarbiewski and Ed Field took a golf trip to Georgia.

met in the beautiful mountain town of Hakuba, surrounded by breathtaking snowy landscapes, and spent two long meals catching up on the past 12 years and sharing thoughts about the years ahead.

“On the business side, two years ago I became the head of Robert Fritz Consulting, and now, as I approach my third year, I’m preparing to open the Fritz Business School of Structural Dynamics. This new school will differ from traditional business schools — it will serve as a place for continuing education, focusing on developing managers, leaders, creators, entrepreneurs and professionals. The launch is only possible thanks to the support and shared vision of many like-minded colleagues.”

Laura Curran attended the 2025 Darden Alumni Council meeting. Dean Beardsley, Vice Dean Yael Grushka-Cockayne and Vice Dean Melissa Thomas-Hunt discussed how Darden’s positioning has changed given Darden’s consistent ranking among top-five business schools. It was a great opportunity to meet more than 90 alumni from 1955–2025 graduates, from the MBA, Executive MBA, and Part-Time programs.

Larry Mueller led a wonderful Lawn and Colonnade Club (Pavillion VII) Tour with Rick Jones and Laura Curran. Later, Ed Fowler and Larry joined the Cold Call Picnic, where Larry (past president of the Colonnade Club) and Ed (Treasurer) discussed their mutual appreciation for the Colonnade Club architecture and shared that alumni are eligible to join. It’s a

Adam Martinez (MBA ’94) and Michelle Amy Montague-Mfuni (MBA ’95) were married in June in Richmond, Virginia.

great place for a coffee stop on Main Grounds. Apparently, leadership runs in Ed’s family, as his brother (and neighbor) John D. Fowler Jr. (MBA/JD ’84) is the chair of Darden School Foundation Board of Trustees.

Recently Paul Thiel joined the UVA San Diego social, where five Darden alumni, including Lauren Murphy (MBA ’94), had the highest percentage attendance by school, based on school size.

Dorene Saltiel joined Martha Collins and Laura Curran for the trivia competition at the Biltmore in Needham, Massachusetts. They came in second, bolstered by the strong contributions of Martha and Bob Collins’s sons.

Michael Quan and Paul Thiel joined the Case Discussion with Les Alexander at the Darden San Diego event, co-led by Lauren Murphy (MBA ’94).

From Woody Dunstan: As Woody begins serving as class secretary, he would like to share this look back. Woody shared: “In September I retired from the Foreign Service on my own terms. Including my time in the Navy, I am proud to have served my country for 26 years (interrupted by six exciting years as director of operations at Christie’s, followed by a few humbling years as COO of an unsuccessful start-up).

“The State Department first posted our family to El Salvador, where I regularly visited incarcerated Americans in appalling prisons. One morning as I drove to work, adversarial intelligence services ran my car off the road. In Brazil, I took notes in Portuguese for the am-

bassador’s meeting with former (and current) President Lula, who extolled the meaning of his friendship with George W. Bush. I reported on the horrendous plight of Bolivian migrant workers in São Paulo and on the success of American industry giants in Brazil. During each of my three years as embassy ‘CFO’ in Serbia, I returned millions of unused funds to the American taxpayer. Once again foreign intelligence approached me, this time with my 9-year-old in tow. In Türkiye, I coordinated the charter flight of the first COVID-19 vaccines for our 1,000 mission employees. In both Belgrade, Serbia, and Istanbul, Turkey, my family and I witnessed the tragic migration of thousands of refugees from Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq, which inspired me to join our refugee resettlement team in the Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration in Washington, D.C. In this last and most fulfilling tour I facilitated the resettlement of over 10,000 refugees.

“In short, my diplomatic career continually thrilled and rewarded my family and me, and I look forward to sharing stories with classmates over cocktails. My retirement is bittersweet because I believe in American diplomacy. Unfortunately, agency morale is at its lowest in my career.

“On that note, Gussie and I will retreat to Maryland’s Eastern Shore and do very little for the rest of 2025 … maybe read, take short trips, garden, hold hands, etc. Our three children, ages 28, 25, and 19, are in New York City, so we’ll probably visit and harangue them often. In 2026, I’ll search for a meaningful way

to meld the spirit of service I take from the Navy and Department of State with the creativity I enjoyed in the private sector. Please reach out and let me know if you have any ideas!”

If you have an individual story you would like to share with classmates, which you may not wish to have published in the Darden Notes, please contact Laura or May for help.

Tamara Harvey de Dios, Kathryn Welsh Thompson tamaradedios@yahoo.com, kthompson@girlsontherun.org

Hello, Darden ’94! Lesson learned. We treated Class Notes like a case: ask sharper questions, get better answers. Instead of the traditional “any updates?” (cue silence), your responses poured in. We will cover what we can in this edition but stay tuned for part two as well as more prompts!

Since these are the Darden/UVA notes, we’ll start with updates related to the University. Adam Martinez wins with the closest connection of all — he found true love with a Darden 1995 grad! In June, he married Michelle Amy Montague-Mfuni (MBA ’95) in Richmond, Virginia. She shared a great photo on our Facebook page with the women of 1995 and Adam. We wish them many happy years ahead!

Others have a UVA connection through their children (yes, we are that old): Dave DeMartin’s youngest child, Lily, is a First Year Echols Scholar on Grounds in pre-health. Trudy Selena Sanderson’s daughter Kylee graduated

Larry Mueller and Rick Jones (both MBA ’93) took a stroll across UVA Grounds.

Paul Thiel and Laura Curran (both MBA ’93) got together in San Diego, California.

from the McIntire School Class of 2025 and will be working for Deloitte Consulting in Washington, D.C. Her start date was delayed due to our government cutbacks, so she’s in Hawaii working on an organic farm (hard labor) until early 2026. Dave Nielsen’s youngest daughter, Julia, is UVA undergrad class of 2024 and is already talking about going back for her MBA — let’s hope it’s Darden!

Our dedicated classmates serve on boards, alumni chapters and other volunteer roles: Kristina (Friberg) Mangelsdorf stays very involved with Darden as an alumni board member and particularly enjoys mentoring and supporting students. Kristina attended the board meeting and Leadership weekend in September where she also met up with Kathryn Thompson, Mike Burke and Christian Balbontin Lauren (Pantos) Murphy has been co-leading the Darden San Diego/Orange County chapter with Laura Curran (MBA ’93), and she recently joined the Darden alumni board and looks forward to reconnecting with other fellow classmates who are on the board too!

Goli Sheikholeslami joined the 2025 Darden Jefferson Fellowship selection committee and is very excited to be serving on the committee for the first time! The committee will meet in Charlottesville in November to make the selections for this year. Carl Peoples continues to serve on the Darden foundation board and he is part of the team that recruits for the PWM division at Goldman Sachs. Trudy Selena Sanderson joined an online group of Darden indie consultants whose goal is to share experiences (their first networking meeting was in October). Cliff Farrah delivered the keynote at Darden’s annual consulting conference.

Now for updates about travel, work, and families, starting with a few of us updating on our retirements. We received an inspiring update from John Meiling. After 15 years as senior director at HP, leading several different global business units, he retired in March 2025. He and his wife, Pamela, are now serving a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, assigned to New England for the next 12 months working with French-speaking immigrants and refugees from Africa and Haiti, helping them with life skills, English, and integrating successfully into their communities. He wrote: “We have been very blessed throughout our lives, and this mission is a great opportunity to give back to communi-

ty, society, and people in need. It’s been a very rewarding experience thus far.” On a separate note, John and Pamela plan to hit four states to visit all of their grandchildren upon the completion of their missionary service in late 2026. John noted: “Retirement has been awesome!” They spent a month in Australia, Thailand, and Singapore earlier in the year before their mission began.

Kristina Mangelsdorf retired from the corporate world two years ago and is now a part-time executive and career coach. Her youngest is now a sophomore in college, and she and her husband, Mark, are in the process of transitioning from the New York City suburbs to a lake outside of Greenville, South Carolina (not far from Tom Smallhorn, who is teaching at Clemson). They look forward to lots of hiking and water fun, continued travel to kids’ baseball games and musical performances, and lots of visits from family and friends — please let them know if you are in the area!

Mark Dewey also checked in with retirement and longevity tips: “I’m (one of) the oldest in our class at 63 so I’ll address longevity. Since I sold my news company in 2022, I’ve devoted myself to health and fitness. My tips are simple: eat better, move more — repeat daily. Find an activity you enjoy (for me it’s tennis) and build around that. I always listen to my doctors, except that they all have their own opinions and I’m not sure which to listen to. I have about 10 metrics I track regularly, and I use a fitness device (Garmin watch) to measure my heart rate, sleep quality, and stress levels. I’ve found that alcohol disturbs sleep and adds stress. Oh well! Nobody’s perfect.” (Additional health tips from our classmates will be shared in a future edition.)

Rob Cross reported that he is on “the glide path” when it comes to retirement. He tried to retire in May and then in August, but each time the group he was working with asked him to hang around a bit longer. He promises a firm stop at year end and is winding down work to only a few hours a week. He leans heavily into a range of hobbies (tennis, cycling, white water kayaking, spending time on the boat, playing mandolin and traveling) and volunteer work with disadvantaged families with a program called Stepping Stone. Rob wrote: “I’m loving it all and don’t miss work. But I will likely take some of the ideas I developed on well-being for execs into schools to not completely check out.” He

saw Kelley and Matt Shields in Chicago, Illinois, when driving his son across country for his first real job at Amazon at the end of August. He hosted some friends at his annual stay in the Outer Banks, including the Shields, John and Sharon Peffer and Karen and Tim Gatzulis

Mark Riser said he was told recently that he is “pre-tired.” He’s not forced off the field but is not being pulled off the bench regularly either. Travel included trips to Bolivia and Croatia with Patagonia and Egypt next year and maybe a Japan hike with Mr. Burke. He stepped off all nonprofit boards last year after more than 30 years and is building back slowly. He recently joined the Louisiana Tech Foundation board. His oldest child got married in New Orleans, Louisiana, in October. For “honors” Mark reported that last year he was the holder of both fishing trophies in the Graham, Klenke, Elvis, Fletch and Governor gang. He lost the flyfishing one this year to Michael Hinshaw (Mark was a no-show).

Dave Nielsen is still working, but spending a lot more time down at Kiawah, South Carolina. For travel, he spent some time last fall on the Dalmatian coast (mostly in Croatia) with his wife, Amy, and eight other UVA undergrad couples. The great scenery and the white wines are sneaky good! For Darden connections, Dave mentioned that he loves how Joe Zuber is always up for getting a beer in New York City anytime he rolls through town. Some things (the best things) never change.

David Raphael isn’t yet retired but Brenda Raphael is! She is the traveler in the family. with trips to Antarctica and Iceland. She is also the volunteer in the family and is on the board of Mt Kisco Food Pantry and Alzheimer’s Association of the Hudson Valley. Both support Friends of the IDF. David reports: “I’m having fun with my Adtech businesses. I guess in 2008 my DCF model should have went out 20 years (or I should have paid attention in that M&A class).”

The Raphaels saw Joe Zuber and Chris Howe in New York: “I wanted to see Rob and Daryl, but Rob didn’t return my call. I saw Dave Valiaveedan but that was over a year ago and he wasn’t that talkative, so it doesn’t count.”

Our takeaway from this data is that there is a high correlation between retirement and travel. But we also noticed that correlation is not causation, as there are quite a few that are traveling regardless! Moving on now to the trips. If wanderlust was a major, we’d all have honors.

Darden Class of 1994 alumni and spouses attended a fundraiser for the SCN2A Foundation held at Darden’s Sands Family Grounds in Arlington, Virginia, in October. John Howley and Clarissa Cullers, Carl Peoples, Frank Sands, Jorge and Tamara de Dios, Mike Burke, and Karen and Tim Gatzulis posed for a picture with NFL Hall of Famer and special guest John Riggins.

lives — outside the reach of gangs and prostitution. They also offer mission trips to Guatemala for those who want to see firsthand the impact being made. It’s truly a life-changing experience for anyone who takes part. To learn more or support this mission, please visit transformingfutures.org/waystohelp.

We are clearly a group that likes to travel!

Lauren Murphy’s travel included a trip to Croatia (Croatia is clearly very popular!) and Amsterdam, Netherlands, this summer. She keeps in touch with Lea (Varelas) Medow, Christy (Brock) Miele, Ellen (Klee) Van Oostenbrugge, Christine (Pany) Heiss and Susanna (Jacobus) Greenup; they had a fun reunion together while hiking, relaxing and hanging out in the stunning red rocks of Sedona, Arizona!

In May, there was a small reunion on Broadway: Daryl and Robert Lubin; Carl Peoples and his wife, Stephanie; Mike Burke; and Tom Klenke took part. Carl seems to pop up everywhere! He let us know he has a golf trip to Ireland planned for the summer of ’26 — who will he meet there?

In August, Graham Anthony organized a trip to Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Attendees included Daryl and Rob Lubin, Jenny and Mike Burke, Michael Hinshaw, Ellen Klee Van Oostenbrugge, Christie Miele, Linda and Chris Matt, Bobbi and Matt Hapgood, and Ian Ratcliffe. (Apologies if we missed anyone on the list.)

Clarissa Cullers and her husband, John, have traversed the globe with trips to Kenya, Tanzania, Switzerland and Italy. When in Italy they met up with Martha White and her husband, Alf, in Milan! Clarissa wrote: “Martha is a wonderful guide for all things Italy and Europe and a fantastic sommelier. They are restoring a beautiful home, and their dog, Elvis, has the best life ever.” Clarissa credits the amazing trips to Rhona (Hughes)

Wendler, who helped plan their travel: “All was spectacular, thanks to her!”

Speaking of Rhona: She returned from a five-week trip to Singapore, Australia and Melanesia. She took an Expedition cruise from Darwin, Australia, to Eastern Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, the Soloman Islands, Vanuatu and Fiji. She explored tiny Melanesian islands where, in some cases, she and her husband, Chip, were the only western visitors seen all year. She snorkeled in the world’s best coral reef system in Raja Ampat and learned a lot about World War II in the Pacific, including a visit to Kennedy Island where JFK swam to after his boat was rammed by the Japanese. He and his crew survived there for six days eating coconuts and collecting rainwater. They swam five kilometers to reach this tiny island that is only about 100 yards wide. Rhona was named a 2025 Virtuoso Cruise Icon (top 100 advisors who sell cruises out of 20,000) and was also named an Inaugural Member of the Virtuoso Pinnacle Club (top 40 advisors in North America).

Rick Berry and his wife and four sons took a mission trip to Guatemala before COVID-19. They interacted with many orphans who had little hope for the future, as well as families in the countryside living with dirt floors and no beds for their children. Witnessing these conditions deeply changed their perspective on what it means to serve others and inspired them to take action. A group of families, led by director Pablo Villagran, formed Transforming Futures (transformingfutures.org) to prepare orphans to live healthy, independent

Paul Mattaliano and his family still live in downtown Boston, Massachusetts. Paul has two children: Mariella, age 18, is a freshman at IU’s Kelly School, and Mark, age 16, just committed to play lacrosse at the Naval Academy. Paul is in regular contact with Susanna Jacobus, Tom Smallhorn, Jeff Dubiel and Robert Lynch. Recent travel highlights include two quick family trips over Thanksgiving: They went to Paris, France, last year with side trips to Normandy, the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower, macaron making class etc. They went to Dublin, Ireland, the year before with side trips to the Cliffs of Moher, Galway, Guinness brewery, Jameson distillery etc. They also spend a lot of time on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, and in Vermont. Paul offered “inside baseball” or “pro tips” about Boston if you’re visiting, and he will gladly provide guidance!

Jonathan White and his wife, Mary, recently spent two weeks hiking up and down the Canadian Rockies (Jasper, Banff, Waterton, Yoho and Kootenay) as part of their ongoing self-challenge to get in as many U.S. and Canada parks while they can still move. They are headed to Disney World with the grandkids in late October, which he feared would be highly likely to be far more exhausting.

Mark Kotzer and his wife traveled to Japan in September for their 20th anniversary. They highly recommend seeing a Japanese professional baseball league game. Shout-out to Ken Amano — Mark had hoped to connect with you but couldn’t find your contact details anywhere.

When not traveling, Mark is spearheading a global study on startup accelerator best practices with a university in Seattle, Washington, and recruiting research partners in different countries.

Next up: the anti-retirees. They’ve swapped ladders for lattes, titles for teaching gigs, and deadlines for “selective yeses.” They are still very much in the game! Sunil Kakodker was happy to host Jerry Martinez and his lovely family in Florida back in July. Direct quote: “What is this strange and wonderful ‘retirement’ thing?!”

Cliff Farrah shared: “In addition to my role at Accenture, I’m honored to join the Tulane University A.B. Freeman School of Business as an executive in residence. In this capacity, I’ll be: teaching MBA courses on Strategy and consulting in an AI-led future world; leading the brand-new Freeman Futurist Series of roundtable discussions with top global executives across industries, exploring how disruption, reinvention, and technology are reshaping the next decade; and mentoring and advising Freeman students and alumni as they face the challenges of the future market landscape. This is more than a professional milestone — it’s an opportunity to give back: connecting with students and alumni, collaborating with faculty, and preparing future leaders to not just adapt to change, but drive it. Expect a tap on the shoulder if you’d like to join a roundtable to help us reimagine what’s next.”

Trudy Selena Sanderson is consulting two days or so a week, working mostly with PEowned mid-market companies. Her specialty is sales process/management coaching. She is on a few boards (Towne Bank plus two nonprofits) and volunteering (mentoring students at UR and through her church). She is mentoring a fifth-grade girl who is a refugee from Egypt — they have a special bond because Trudy moved to the U.S. when she was in fourth grade. But it is not all work; she mentioned that her best trip this past year was to Japan and highly recommends it. The food, culture, history and hiking were amazing! And when she’s in town, Trudy meets up with a few of our classmates: she had lunch with Sharon Peffer this summer, saw Adam Martinez and his wife Michelle (who teaches at UR), regularly sees Robert Lynch and also ran into Turner Bredrup and his wife at the Dominion Charity golf course.

Thomas Falck is launching a Defense Tech fund and took a road trip with his wife from Las Vegas, Nevada, to Bozeman, Montana, through nine national parks. He loved it, but missed Daryl, Rob, Graham and more by a week in Jackson Hole/Grand Teton, Wyoming.

Marc Bivona has joined the group of classmates who are now teaching. Check him out at www.marcbivona.com. He developed a course, “Transforming Marketing with AI,” in 2021 and has been teaching since. Marc is always looking for New York City visitors. Tom Klenke’s been the coordinator for a few of these get-togethers. Marc has also run

the NYC Marathon each year since 2013 and will run again this year. In fact, he has run all six Major Marathons and earned the Abbott medal. Marc wrote: “You will find it in Goodwill when my family gives it away after I check out.”

At the Boston Marathon he saw “speedy Clarissa” Cullers and her super-fast daughter. That was a highlight! And speaking of running … Chris Melling ran the Army 10 Miler in October! Chris (Piorkowski) Barth is also in the “not retired yet” club. She is working at Monticello and hopes that everyone will visit in 2026 for the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Chris reminds us: “Remember, our guy wrote it!” She also recommended the best gift for most of our classmates that’s under $100: Monticello Declaration of Independence glasses. And for random run-ins she told us she ran into Robert Lynch in the ORD airport in Chicago, Illinois. Small world!

Tanya (Kulbitskas) Tolpegin is on the final stretch of her second career in nonprofit leadership that started 20 years ago; she is just starting a new position as CEO of the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission. If you ever wondered if the CT scanner at your location meets standards for safe, effective care, check whether the facility is IAC accredited! Tanya and her husband, Bill (MBA ’95). went to a wellness retreat in the mountains of North Carolina; it was an amazing reset with great food, great exercise, nice people and a fun environment. If anyone wants info, email Tanya and she can refer you for a discount! Tanya also volunteers with the Lost Dog and Cat Rescue Foundation, which hosts three to four adoption events each weekend; she is the interview coordinator at about two events per weekend. It is an amazing organization and can use all the help it can get. Based in Northern Virginia, they have placed over 45,000 dogs and cats in their short history. More info at lostdogrescue.org.

This is also a nice reminder that our experience produced well-rounded citizens. Our class supports many amazing causes! Clarissa Cullers is on the Genentech Patient Caregiver Council and is a blood donor for the Dana Farber MiDe Study, with the goal to develop an early detection test for ovarian cancer. Carl Peoples serves as development chair for a nonprofit, the nsoro foundation, that assists kids who age out of the foster care system

to get college scholarships and/or workforce readiness training.

One last note about a special event that happened on the eve of our submission deadline. A few members of our class (Karen and Tim Gatzulis; Frank Sands; Carl Peoples; Ian Ratcliffe; Christy Miele; Clarissa Cullers and her husband, John; and Jorge and Tamara de Dios) attended a fundraiser to support the FamilieSCN2A Foundation that is near and dear to Jenny and Mike Burke. They started this foundation to connect families and fund research for a rare genetic defect that affects children like their son Alex. You can learn more about their work (and donate) at https://www. scn2a.org/. It was our honor to be there and support this important project! We enjoyed the Washington, D.C., views from the Sands Family Grounds reception area and had a group photo with special guest John Riggins.

As we close, we want to pause and remember that not every update is joyful. It is with heavy hearts that we share the news that Mike Traina passed away on 20 August after courageously living with the effects and complications of a severe stroke for 11 years. Many of us remember Mike for the lasting impact he had on our class and the Darden community.

In 2019, our class established the Class of 1994 Michael D. Traina Scholarship, an effort led by Mike’s close friend Rick Berry. Mike’s daughter presented the first award at our 25th reunion, and since then six Darden students have benefited from this half-tuition, needbased scholarship. Mike’s wife, Julie, welcomes memorial contributions to the fund. Donations may be made online, designated to the “Class of 1994 Michael D. Traina Scholarship Fund.”

Rick Berry shared the following tribute to Mike: “You probably remember Mike Traina as tall, easygoing, smart, and one of the most well-liked people in our class. On his 44th birthday in 2014, Mike was the picture of good health. He and his family of seven, along with my family of six, were on the first full day of a much-needed vacation on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Later that day, while spending time on the beach with the kids, Mike suffered a stroke that would forever change his family’s life. He fought hard for more than 11 years to overcome those complications.

“If the measure of a person’s success is the family they raise, then Mike was the most successful person I know. Together with his

incredible wife, Julie, he raised five truly amazing kids. All five of them are humble, kind and thoughtful — just like their mom and dad.

“The night before Mike’s stroke, we stayed up late talking about the future. He had just sold a large staffing company and wanted to devote the next chapter to service — a conviction rooted in his own adoption. After Darden, Mike founded FosterAmerica, built on deep research into foster-care and group-home models. In Baltimore, Maryland, FosterAmerica modernized parts of the system and delivered real results. His next goal was to bring that same kind of innovation to the welfare system in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He believed that every child should have the same opportunities he’d been given and he wanted to spend his life making that a reality.

“Mike’s story is one of love, purpose and resilience. He was the kind of person who inspired everyone around him to be better. His legacy lives on in Julie, in their remarkable kids, and in all of us.”

Consider this now a strategic pause. We will leave a little white space and pick it up again in the next issue. Before we sign off, a note from the heart: life is not always a box of chocolates (apologies to Forrest Gump). Many of you are navigating transitions, health hurdles and hard goodbyes. Please know this community holds you close. Text, call, send a note — let’s keep showing up for one another in ways that matter.

Dr. Gina Merritt, Nene Spivy drginamerritt814@nreuv.com, nspivy@aol.com

The Class of 1995 has been very involved this year, between the 30th Reunion and new activities to help alumni stay connected.

Brad Macomber has reconnected with the Washington, D.C., area Darden alumni network and is participating in the newly launched Darden councils. Brad just started volunteering as a facilitator and meets once a month with a group of seven alumni from a range of graduating classes.

Teresa and Don Epperson lauded how much fun the reunion was and how great it was to see everyone. They now split their time between Cape Cod, Massachusetts, and Park City, Utah, since they have recently become empty nesters. They also note that

anyone headed to either city should let them know; they would be happy to connect. After “semi-retiring” from work and from kids, they have both jumped back into the fray with a new venture, Annise, a software platform for managing alternatives, custodial assets, and banking (Quicken meets Addepar.). It’s been in the works for a few years, and it’s finally ready to launch this November. Check out Annise. io. It’s still a work in progress, but they would love feedback from you. Speaking of launching new adventures, their daughter Maddie will be joining Darden’s class of 2028 next August. They are, of course, so excited for her and look forward to spending more time in Charlottesville.

Walt Pickell also connected with Greg Johnson and his wife, Carrie, and celebrated the wedding of Walt and Sandra Pickell’s son Charlie to Courtney Peters. Lots of older and younger wahoos are connecting this year, keeping it all in the family.

Ariel Eckstein is enjoying his coaching practice and taught again this winter term at Darden. The class is called “Building and Leading Professional Sales Organization.” Ariel was also happy to see so many people at the 30th Reunion and is thankful to Teresa Epperson for co-chairing the effort. Over the summer, he ticked off a bucket list item by cycling from the Atlantic coast of France to the Mediterranean through the Pyrenees. Go, Ariel! Darden classmates are connecting here and abroad. Ariel was excited to spend time in Mexico City with Jay Mulay. Ariel’s wife, Kerri, continues to work at Hearts and Homes for Refugees, working hard to help people rebuild their lives in the U.S. Their daughter, Sonia, works in alternative energy in Boulder, Colorado, and their son, Nico, is finishing his architecture major at Tulane. The Ecksteins remain in Rye, New York, and would love to see Dardenites who live in or are visiting the New York area.

Tom Roberts, Walt Pickell, Chris Merlini and Tyler McMullen got together for a round of golf at the Urban League in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, before Chris Merlini moves to Japan. Chris has been commuting between Philadelphia and Japan, where his kids and six grandchildren live, for the last six years. He decided to move permanently to Tokyo, where he has a home, so he no longer misses any of his family’s life journey.

Frank Martien frank.b.martien@gmail.com

Jen Beindorf reports that Anthony is still at USC as the founding dean of the USC Bovard School and vice president for Global and Online Initiatives. Their two children are both studying at USC. Jen has landed a new role as head of agency for Lacy Maxwell Experiential, a global sports marketing/live events and brand activations agency that helps major brands activate sponsorships in Formula 1, PGA, LPGA, music festivals and other cool experiences.

Toni Bowden shares it’s been two years since she and Bruce made a spontaneous decision to leave their house of 13 years in Concord, Massachusetts, and move to Lake Winnisquam in Belmont, New Hampshire. It was the best decision they’ve ever made; they are loving their new lake life of sunsets on the dock, boating and loons, and they welcome Darden friends to visit. They are proud of Nico, who graduated from MIT last spring with a degree in AI and is now working at Blackstone in New York City, and Tyler is a junior at USC in California.

Agi Dalos has moved to Hamburg, Germany, with her husband for a three-year period. She still works for Diageo, and the company gave her the opportunity to help bring success to the DACH (Germany, Austria and Switzerland) market and its new executive team as HR director. In this role, she will have a chance to help a very talented first-time general manager and his team to grow into great enterprise leaders. She and her husband are learning German to be able to enjoy more about the culture. Hamburg is a great city, with lots of green areas, parks and similar bicycle traffic as Amsterdam, Netherlands. Their son has stayed in Budapest, Hungary, and he will apply this school year to the music academy in Budapest as a classical pianist.

Kasey Fukada shares that last fall, he and his son Connor celebrated his father’s 99th birthday in Tokyo, Japan, where his parents have lived in a nice retirement home together.

Kent Goeking is still in Thailand and enjoying the trials and tribulations of being a deep tech entrepreneur. His most recent project is the reclamation via proprietary chemistry of gold from e-waste. With the price of gold rising, Kent has seen huge demand for sustainable supplies.

Tonny Andersen and John Freuhwirth (both MBA ’96) got together in Copenhagen, Denmark.

and leading risk management across the airline. Their daughter, Lara Orhon, age 24, has graduated from Wake Forest and is pursuing her dream of becoming an attorney and getting ready for law school. Their son, Kaya Orhon, age 21, is a junior at Indiana University Kelly Business School.

enjoyed a mini-reunion.

Vickie Hayashigatani is proud to announce both kids have graduated from their respective colleges this May. Marika, who graduated from Haverford College with a degree in environmental studies and minors in education and Asian American studies, will likely stay in the North Philadelphia area for the next year or so. After transferring from Smith College two years ago, Erika graduated from Claremont McKenna College with a degree in psychology and has accepted a position with AmeriCorps’ Reading Partners program and started teaching in Altadena, California, in September. Now that both kids have graduated from college, Vickie continues to volunteer at the local food bank and with the Placer Land Trust. She spends weekends trail running and hiking in the local foothills of Auburn, California.

Molly Hughes still lives in Hinsdale, Illinois, with her husband, Jerry. She sees Gretchen (Amann) McCarty often as she lives less than a mile away from Molly. As Molly and Gretchen are both empty nesters now, they also tutor together at Chicago Jesuit Academy on Chicago’s west side. This is almost as rewarding and exhausting as raising their own kids has been. Molly’s business in college consulting is strong and continues to grow. In addition to Chicago, Illinois, and Seattle, Washington, her firm has a Washington, D.C., office and has been engaged by several Darden alumni to help them and their kids navigate the tricky world of college admissions. With these decades-long Darden friendships and connections, Molly continues to be grateful that she’s part of our Class of 1996.

Tony Jacobs had a great Darden get-together this summer in Oxford, Maryland, on the Tred Avon River and Choptank River with Chris Bracken, Cristin Bracken, Mike Bucci, Robert Kuftinec, Anne Middlesworth, Bill Passer and Paul Whyatt.

Mark Kockler enjoyed linking up with classmates in Northern Virginia for a happy hour in September.

Frank Martien has reached five years in business for Windward Strategy Inc. and has collaborated with a former First Annapolis Consulting colleague, Allan Reynolds, since early 2024. Sailing, sailboat racing, and daily 5K runs still provide welcome diversions from work. Of Laura and Frank’s two sons, Craig is a Fulbright Scholar on Grand Canary Island, Spain, as an English teaching assistant and Grayson commenced engineering studies at Purdue University.

Michele Minton and Paul Minton moved their family to Houston, Texas, in late summer 2025 to support their daughter at university. They have twin boys in 10th grade and are busy with all of their activities. They are also grateful for encouragement and advice received from Doug Fordyce.

Elhan Orhon reports he and Esra are both continuing their careers in Aviation in Chicago, Illinois, and both are still working at United Airlines. Esra is director of payroll strategy and is leading the team responsible for multi-year modernization of payroll systems for pilots, flight attendants, technicians and ground crews. Elhan is the chief risk officer for United

Kevin Stein recently started a new role as an executive partner in the chief sales officer practice at Gartner, a global advisory and research firm. He and his team help senior commercial leaders tackle their mission-critical priorities. Kevin is an empty nester now living in Guilford, Connecticut, with his better half, Christine Kinney, whom many classmates met at the last Darden reunion.

Donn Takaki shares a warm aloha from Hawaii, is merrily juggling frequent travel and two teenagers and welcomes any classmates visiting Hawaii to reach out to him.

Karen Castellon, Mark W. Bridgers karencastellon908@gmail.com, mbridgers@continuumcapital.net

From Karen Castellon: August 2025 marked 30 years since we began our Darden adventure and thus the many relationships that exist today. Thank you, Class of 1997, for your accompaniment in learning together and growing over these many years.

Our 30th Reunion is still a good way away (April 2027). And yet, Kip Pagach wants us to lead with this exhortation: “April 2027 is closer than you think and it’s time to reserve time on your calendar for the Darden ’97 30th Reunion. Yes, we are now approaching 30 years since graduating! If the event follows the same schedule as the 2026 calendar, 23–25 April 2027 are the likely dates to target. It’s never too early for important travel plans, so start making yours now to be in Charlottesville in April of 2027.

Kip continued: “On a personal note, I had a nice video chat recently with Andres Camacho and, along with a conversation that addressed kids, family, work, politics and life in general, we also discussed making plans for an April 2027 30th Reunion rendezvous.”

For those who cannot wait, Rob Coury is promoting an “off cycle” rendezvous in April 2026 in Charlottesville. Contact Rob if this appeals to you.

Vijay Venkateswaran: “This summer, I had 97

Class of 1996 classmates Tony Jacobs, Chris Bracken, Robert Kuftinec, Mike Bucci, Anne Middllesworth, Cristin Bracken, Bill Passer and Paul Whyatt

the chance to visit Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks. This was a long-awaited trip for our family that exceeded our expectations. I also recently completed the Army Ten-Miler in Washington, D.C., which was both challenging and rewarding. On the professional side, I continue to lead work through my firm, Viventum, collaborating with senior executives at mobile and internet service providers, cloud software platform providers, and network infrastructure operators on implementing AI into their products and operations.”

Dave Eichler: “I’m excited to share some updates on both the professional and personal front. After four years as president of Cobalt Ventures (the corporate venture arm of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City), my business partner and I spun out at the end of last year to launch a new firm called Valeo Ventures (www.valeovc.com). Valeo combines the attributes of a traditional VC fund and a corporate venture platform as a comprehensive, outsourced solution that supports both strategic impact and investment returns for regional hospital systems and health plans. While my wife, Elizabeth, and I loved our time in Kansas City, this recent career move gave us an opportunity to relocate full time to Maine where we built a lake home about 12 years ago. Now empty nesters with our son living in Brooklyn, New York, and our daughter studying abroad for her senior year of college, we’re loving life up here with our 3-year-old Great Pyrenees rescue. Let’s see if we feel the same way when winter is in full force. We’re close to

Acadia and Bar Harbor, so for anyone planning a visit to Downeast Maine, please reach out!”

Stephen Boschulte: “I have just published a new book, Optimizing High-Performance Teams, which delivers a standards-based, lifecycle-focused framework for improving technical program and project teams from inception through post-shutdown. Offering practical tools, templates, and tactical guidance across 10 critical domains, this book helps project teams standardize processes, accelerate onboarding, strengthen governance and improve delivery outcomes. Here’s the book’s website: ohpteams.com/. I am offering a special Darden discount when ordering using this web address: shop.pinnaclelearninggroup. com/discount/UVA2025 (code UVA2025 is automatically applied).”

Ben Pivar: “After 10 months of retirement I decided that I missed working, so I recently took a job with Fanatics in their commerce division as SVP of technology. Lots of challenges with the new job but I’m excited to return to the sports industry after doing my Darden summer internship at a similar company, Starter, back in ’96! So far it’s been great, but I’m traveling heavily and I’m often in Tampa, Florida; Jacksonville, Florida; New York City; Boulder, Colorado; and San Francisco, California.

“On other fronts, I’m in the second year as board chair at Quality Care for Children and Vicki Raimey is running governance for us, Saira Joseph is incoming board chair, and Romvadee Overbey (MBA ’96) is our new secretary. It’s great to be working closely with

our Darden team!

“If anyone is visiting Atlanta, Georgia, we often do dinners together and would welcome visitors to join us!”

Smalls (“Real, good food. For Cats.”) named Nathan Kredich as chief operating officer, responsible for overseeing the company’s retail expansion. Nathan previously served as COO of the Honest Kitchen. “With Nate joining the team, Smalls is doubling down on our mission to create a healthier, happier future for cats.” If you are a cat lover, check out the crocheted goodies. Meow!

Matt McConnell and his wife, Aileen (MBA ’98), hosted Elaine Anderson and her husband, Kevin, at their home in Alaska this summer. The group had a wonderful time hiking, fishing, avoiding bears and moose, and kayaking to glaciers! And if you find yourself in Colorado, give them shout! Matt wrote: “Aileen and I are in the process of moving back to Boulder, Colorado, after our two-year stint in Alaska. We really enjoyed the time in Alaska, especially the summers, but with aging parents and associated challenges, and both kids living in Boston, Massachusetts, we thought it made more sense to be somewhat closer. That, and two winters in Alaska also seemed like enough.”

Mark Fell: “September saw my 56th birthday. I celebrated with an epic day of pickleball, wine tasting and dinner with Lisa and friends. Then I’m heading to the Frank Church Wilderness in Idaho for a seven-day backcountry elk hunting trip. We’ll be horse-

Jose Maria Cazal-Ribeiro (MBA ’97) with his granddaughter

Josh Smith (MBA ’97) and his wife, Kristine, celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary on safari in Zambia.

Kevin and Elaine Anderson (both MBA ’97) and Matt (MBA ’97) and Aileen McConnell (MBA ’98) enjoyed their Alaskan adventures.

Rob Coury and Julie Steckel (both MBA ’97) visited in Mystic, Connecticut, where Julie is working for the Mystic Seaport.

back riding and camping at about 7,000 feet. Cross your fingers for me. Lisa and I are still enjoying life in Santa Barbara, California, and our daughters are in California as well. Our oldest is in San Francisco and our youngest is in nearby San Luis Obispo.

“Over the summer, I had an epic weekend with Stephen Saunders in San Francisco for the 60th anniversary show by the Dead and Co. in Golden Gate Park. I had a phenomenal visit with Stephen topped off with an epic concert! I’m still in tech, and am fortunate to lead our strategic accounts business working with the hyperscalers to facilitate their data-driven GTM. If anyone’s coming through Santa Barbara, California, or nearby, reach out. I would love to connect, host and reconnect. Cheers all! Mark Fell, (805) 895-9337.”

Josh Harrison: “I’m completing my 50th full marathon, the NYC Marathon this time. Let’s hope I don’t jinx it. I would add that while 50 is decent in terms of quantity, I’m more proud of achieving 45 Boston qualifying times (45/50).”

Jose Maria Carvalho: “Time flies. I’m moving definitively to Portugal at the end of the year and opening Julius Baer Branch in Lisbon. The most precious news is that I became a grandfather to Maria do Mar last year, which is incredible. As my beloved grandfather used to tell me: grandchildren are the dessert of life! Everyone is great and I hope the same for you! Fortunately, Portugal is fashionable and Americans are some of our best and most loved tourists! It’s been 30 years since we started the journey at Darden, Francisco is 30 years old and I turn 60

next year … Amazing! Love to everyone. I miss you all but I carry in my heart our incredible years together in Charlottesville!”

John Vaccaro continues his role as partner at Juicyorange, a web design and development agency located in New York City. While Juicyorange spends a lot of time developing Shopify websites for major CPG brands, as a side hustle John has co-founded BuckSoup. com, a marketplace for any type of digital good (Excel spreadsheet templates, anyone?) sold for just $1 each. John would love to speak with any Darden alumni in the creator/ influencer space or in AI creation. That’s “buck” like the money, “soup” like the food, and “dot com” like all the sites you go to. John regularly sees Monica Spencer and Annie Tronoski for lunch in New York City and would love to have other folks join them!

Josh Smith and his wife, Kristine, celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary by going on safari in Zambia. Congratulations on this amazing milestone of matrimony.

Bob Loria, Rob Steinberger robertloria@gmail.com, robsteinberger@hotmail.com

From Karan Capoor: “I’m still in Chevy Chase, Maryland, where I advise diverse global clients on managing climate risk, carbon markets and energy transition in these uncertain times. After seven years as general counsel at MIGA, my wife, Aradhana, assumed a new role this summer as vice president and corporate secretary of

the World Bank Group. Our beloved daughter Anya, now a sophomore at the University of Pennsylvania, recently informed us that she is likely to declare math as her major. It almost makes me forget the PTSD I experienced long after being cold-called by Mr. Pfeiffer for George’s T-shirt in Quantitative Analysis!” Thanks for the update, Karan!

Kirsten (aka “K-Mac”) Martin has some exciting news to share. She has a new job: Kirsten is now the dean of Heinz College of IS and Public Policy at Carnegie Mellon University! Congrats, K-Mac/K-Mart!

Read about Kirsten’s new job here: www. cmu.edu/news/stories/archives/2025/june/ kirsten-martin-appointed-the-h-john-heinz-iii-deanof-the-heinz-college-of-information-systems-and.

Congratulations also to Kelly Thomson as she is one of six newly elected trustees to the University of Virginia Darden School Foundation Board of Trustees for a three-year term that began this past July. Thank you, Kelly!

And congratulations and a thank you to Sonia Hounsel, Wei Jin, David Tayman and Brandt Vaugh, who all serve on the Alumni Association Board of Directors, too!

Jill and Jeffrey Dixon have recently made some big moves: “We took a recent trip to Athens, Greece, where Jeff and I spent a few days with John Koumblis, Irini Chondraki, and John’s sister. Occasionally, I get to see Shubha Ukhade and Stephen Wu, when I’m visiting family in Arizona. We are saying hello from Dallas, Texas, where Jeff and I just moved from Los Angeles, California. We hope to see Scott

Jill Dixon (MBA ’99) visited Greece recently.

Jed Barry and Hutch Corbet (both MBA ’99) met up on the campus of the University of Wisconsin.

KELLY THOMSON (MBA ’99)

Finding Her Own Path in Finance

BY MOLLY MITCHELL

When Kelly Thomson (MBA ’99) first stepped into an introductory microeconomics class in college, it wasn’t her idea. It was her father’s ultimatum. “He told me if I didn’t take an econ class, I’d have to pay him back for my college education,” she jokes. During her undergrad education, “that was the extent of anything quantitative.”

That one economics class was a small step that would ultimately lead Thomson down an unexpected path from a Russian language major in New Jersey to the boardroom of a sovereign wealth fund in Abu Dhabi.

Thomson fell in love with the Russian language in high school, and her interest grew in college, where she majored in Russian language and minored in political science and women’s studies.

“My dad thought I’d grow up to be a spy,” she says. “It was the mid-’80s, the height of the Cold War.”

But Russian language jobs were thin on the ground when she graduated, so she took a job at a nonprofit in Washington, D.C., funded by the U.S. State Department. While there, she read Banker to the Poor: Micro-lending and the Battle Against World Poverty by Muhammad Yunus, about the establishment of Grameen bank in Bangladesh, which makes very small loans to people who can’t access traditional banking. “I thought, this is it. This is what I want to do with my life. I want to go and do micro-lending in former Soviet countries.”

There was just one problem. She didn’t have any finance or economics experience, except for that one class in college. So she decided to go back to school and ended up at Darden, where she graduated in 1999, and today serves on the Darden School Foundation Board of Trustees.

Darden wasn’t easy at first as a student.

“I was terrified,” Thomson says. “In my first week, I realized that debit doesn’t always mean ‘minus’ and credit doesn’t always mean ‘plus’ in the world of accounting. It really rocked my world, and I thought, ‘I have made the biggest mistake of my life. I’m not going to get through this.’” But she credits “Learning Team Six, the most amazing learning team in the entire world,” for helping her succeed. “They kind of carried me through that first semester.”

Kelly’s plan was clear: learn finance, work in a bank and then go do micro-lending. Everything went to plan, except that the middle step — work in a bank — became her ultimate career. After a summer internship with Citi in New York City, New York, she was offered a full-time role and soon found herself climbing the ranks in investment banking. She moved to London, United Kingdom, with Citi and discovered a niche that appealed to her in project finance.

“You can actually go and kick the tires and see what it is that the money is being spent on,” she said. “I got really interested in that.”

One of her clients was Mubadala, a relatively new investment company owned by the government of Abu Dhabi. Eventually, they offered her a job. Thomson took the leap and moved her young family to the United Arab Emirates, where she would stay for the next decade of her life. At Mubadala, she found an environment full of possibility. “It was like the world was their oyster, and they exploded onto the scene and were just doing so many different things in so many different parts of the world. It was exciting and fun, and everyone was a little bit unconventional.”

She stayed at Mubadala when she moved back to the U.S. in 2017 and helped form its subsidiary Mubadala Capital a few years later,

“

I’M VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT THE PLACE.

I WOULDN’T HAVE THE LIFE I HAVE IF I HADN’T BEEN AT DARDEN.

where she is back to building things in a more entrepreneurial mode. “I’ve now been in finance for 27 years, and I’m still doing new things. I think it’s really cool,” she says.

Darden helped her along the way with more than the quantitative skills she needed to break into banking. “Darden teaches you the value of collaboration and partnership,” she says. “From Day One with your learning team, it creates people who are comfortable with collective recognition and collective responsibility.”

She links that skill to her success in Abu Dhabi, where consultation and collaboration are more important culturally. “It’s not a place where you get rewarded for being the standout individual; it’s a place where you get rewarded for what your team says about you, or how the firm as a whole does.”

While it was hard to stay connected to Darden in Abu Dhabi, Thomson was eager to get involved when she got back to the United States. She now serves on the Board of Trustees and previously served on the Darden Alumni Association Board of Directors.

“I’m very passionate about the place. I wouldn’t have the life I have if I hadn’t been at Darden,” she says.

As much as things have changed at Darden since Thomson graduated, the important things remain the same. “I think at its core, Darden is still doing all of the amazing things that it did when I was there,” she said. “And there’s always stuff to do to make things better. I’m excited about just being one single voice in that discussion.”

To update your contact information, call +1-434-243-8977 or email alumni@darden.virginia.edu

John Koumblis and Jeff Dixon (both MBA ’99) toasted to their chance to visit on a recent trip.

each other recently on another campus for Wisconsin freshman drop off! Best of luck to both your Badgers!

Swindell soon — plus anyone else who’s passing through. Please look us up!”

Edward Barry and Hutch Corbet ran into

Laura Rottman also wanted to share an update: “My wife, Cat, and I are currently in New Orleans, Louisiana, on a vacation celebrating our 20-year wedding anniversary. Since I’m writing, I guess I might as well mention that we sold our business Clear Handbags & More to an individual investor in 2019 after I started it in 2010 (it’s actually a great business story, which would probably make for an interesting case). After selling that business, we bought a travel agency, which we sold in 2020 (during the pandemic!). I have spent the past few years serving on the boards of a couple of nonprofits, taking a break from paid work while also dealing with some health issues. This year I am feeling better and exploring buying or starting another business … although after being semi-retired for almost five years it’s hard to

imagine going back to work full time! I’m still in Nashville, Tennessee, so if anyone is in town and wants to get together, let me know; it would be great to catch up.”

Adele Mouzon shared the following update: “All is well in the Mouzon-Perry household. Mark and I are very much looking forward to the imminent empty nest when our youngest, Elsie, heads to college next year. Thomas is a senior at William & Mary (still my favorite alma mater!), majoring in biology and hoping to teach high school students after completing a master’s in education next year. Susannah is in grad school at UNC, working on her master’s in library science and starting her own college admission essay editing side gig.

“We still make our home in Arlington, Virginia, but we spend increasing amounts of time in New York City. We are enjoying our (gulp) late 50s by going out more than we ever did in our 40s. Retirement is looking more and more as if it will be winters in New

YOU BUILT YOUR CAREER AT DARDEN. NOW BUILD YOUR TEAM

You know the power of Darden talent — strategic thinkers, ethical leaders and purposedriven innovators who make things happen.

Partner with the Darden Career Center to connect with exceptional MBA students through:

Full-Time Recruiting

Summer Internships

Batten Venture Internship Program

Darden Nonprofit Internship Fund

Your next great hire is part of the Darden community. Start recruiting today.

BRIAN GOLDBERG (MBA ’02)

A Career Built on Smart Risks

BY CAROLINE MACKEY

SkinnyPop Popcorn. C4 Energy. Waterloo Spar kling Water.

If you’ve heard of these brands, you’ve seen the impact of Brian Goldberg (MBA ’02), whose career has spanned building, investing and advising some of the most recognizable names in consumer-packaged goods.

“I spent my 20s on a more traditional big-company track,” Goldberg said. “But as I was approaching my 30s, I wanted to pursue a more entrepreneurial career path.”

He enrolled at Darden to open new doors. After earning his MBA, Goldberg joined Pfizer, then moved to New Capital Partners, an investment firm where he discovered a defining opportunity.

“I was looking at investing in a startup beverage company based in Austin, Texas, called Sweet Leaf Tea,” he said. “I ended up moving into that company as CFO and COO to partner with the founder, and we built that company over about a five-year period and sold the business to Nestlé in 2011.”

Leaving behind a stable career for Sweet Leaf was a risk. “I took an 80 percent pay cut and did it for the equity upside,” Goldberg said. “I bet on myself and bet on the company.”

FROM SKINNYPOP TO REDBUD/ASTO

Not long after Sweet Leaf, Goldberg took on one of his most high-profile ventures: SkinnyPop Popcorn.

“When we acquired it in 2014 in partnership with private equity firm TA Associates, it only had four employees,” he said. “It was a real business, but it didn’t have the basics. Within one year, we took the company public.”

In 2018, Amplify Snack Brands, SkinnyPop’s parent company, was sold to Hershey for $1.6 billion, one of the bigger exits of Goldberg’s career. His next move was to invest in and join the board of a startup called Waterloo Sparkling Water, which had a sizable exit to

“

AS LONG AS YOU HAVE VALUES-BASED LEADERSHIP AND STRONG BUSINESS FUNDAMENTALS, YOU CAN TACKLE AN EXTRAORDINARY RANGE OF CHALLENGES.

private equity in 2020.

In 2020, Goldberg launched Redbud Brands, a venture studio and holding company focused on creating and scaling early-stage consumer businesses. That same year, he began building an institutional investment strategy to back later-stage brands, which became Asto Consumer Partners, a $350 million private equity fund. Via this strategy, Goldberg has invested in brands such as Nutrabolt (C4 Energy), Kitsch, Torani, BeatBox, Physician’s Choice, Clean Skin Club and Overnight Oats.

LESSONS FROM DARDEN

Goldberg said his time at Darden reshaped how he viewed leadership.

“I came in as an accounting major, so I was already very analytical and finance focused,” he said. “What I didn’t fully appreciate until Darden was the importance of soft skills. I thought finance and quantitative stuff were what made people stand out in their careers. In reality, it’s the relationships and how you manage and work with people.”

For current Darden students and recent graduates, Goldberg’s advice is simple: take smart risks.

“I’m a big believer in taking more risk than you’re comfortable with while you’re young,” he said. “I left the traditional corporate track to join a startup iced tea company, but I knew I could always go back. Those big leaps are where you can learn and grow the most.”

To update your contact information, call +1-434-243-8977 or email alumni@darden.virginia.edu

York and summers at my happy place, Touisset Point in Rhode Island. I’m now serving as vice president of the board of governors of our Touisset community social club there, which has been great because I’ve gotten to know so many more of our neighbors, but it’s weirdly stressful — probably because of all the socializing. I’m kidding — sort of. I also joined one of the Darden councils that started this year, and that has been interesting, too. We’ve only met twice so far, but the group is — as expected — full of supportive, intellectually curious people in various stages of career and life.”

Meredith (McAlear) McClements delivered on an update this edition: “Life in Charlottesville seems like both yesterday and a lifetime ago. Kyle and I live just outside Boston, Massachusetts, and continue to balance a busy schedule with our three boys. The stars aligned and our oldest two are a junior and freshman at the University of Pennsylvania. Both play on the men’s lacrosse team, so if you’re at a game this spring please let me know! The big news is that I officially retired. After my stint at Accenture post Darden, I spent 22 years at KPMG in transaction services, strategic investments, market intelligence and most recently working for the chief strategy officer. It was an incredible experience but I’m excited for this next chapter … intentionally slowing down a bit to focus on things that matter most to me. Our youngest is a freshman in high school, so there’s lots of runway left to an empty nest, and I’m ready to enjoy every minute. I’ve come up for air so if anyone is ever in the Boston area I’d love to get together!”

Thank you to all who sent updates! Please send them to us at any time and we will save them for the next publication.

Paige

Killian, Serena Matsunaga paigekillian@mac.com, serenamatsu2@gmail.com

The Class of 2000 remains a model of purposeful leadership and lifelong connection that defines the Darden experience. As you read through these notes, you’ll see our spirit of connection carries forward around the world — from volunteer leadership, personal connections and even pickleball victories.

Pablo Ciano was recently appointed to the

Darden School Foundation Board of Trustees. Pablo, who serves as CEO of eCommerce and sits on the board of management for DHL Group, joins a distinguished group of business leaders and alumni helping to guide Darden’s strategic direction and philanthropic vision for the years ahead. Congratulations, Pablo! You will represent us well!

The Class of 2000 was recognized with the Outstanding Reunion Leadership Award at the 2025 Darden Volunteer Leadership Summit. The award acknowledged that “the committee went above and beyond — planning custom class events, reaching out personally and persistently, and bringing over one-third of the class back to Charlottesville. Their leadership also boosted class giving from an average of 26 percent to an impressive 36 percent. And, in a lasting show of generosity, they established the Class of 2000 Scholarship Fund — creating a legacy that will support Darden students for years to come. Congratulations to the Class of 2000.” There will be more to come on the Class of 2000 Scholarship!

Jen Finn and Kerry Hartigan recently connected at the Blueprint Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada. Jen is CEO and co-founder of HIO, a company based in Richmond, Virginia, transforming how property managers deliver service through conversational and cooperative AI. Jen took the Built World Challenge stage to deliver a pitch on the future of property technology and AI-driven operations with Kerry in attendance to cheer her on.

Further class connections this summer happened in the Midwest and around the world! Ilan Danieli and Dave Pinto caught up in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Abby and Dave continue to hold down the fort in the Twin Cities. Down the road in Chicago, Illinois, Serena Matsunaga met up with Uday Malhotra when he was in town dropping off his son for college. Uday continues to live and work in London. Around the globe, George UyTioco caught up with Jing Yew in Singapore.

Mark Chevalier recently joined the ranks of the retired! He shared: “amid some recent downsizing at Chevron, I elected to take the severance package and retire as of 1 September. Since then, I’ve been enjoying sleeping a little later (although the dogs still want their breakfast once the sun comes up and they let me know when it’s time), fishing, and traveling. My wife and I are in the Pocono mountains in

Kevin Klau (MBA ’02) and his daughter Maggie caught the Boston Bruins-Washington Capitals hockey game with Dave Woynerowski (MBA ’02) and his daughter Kate.

Pennsylvania as I write this update, enjoying the fall color and much cooler weather, and we’re going to Cozumel, Mexico, in November. It’s only been a few weeks, but I am enjoying this new phase of life immensely.”

Heather (Heaton) Wiederholt (another retiree) continues to make waves in the pickleball scene in Switzerland. She rocketed to the top of the 2025 Swiss Pickleball Championship and ranked second in the women’s doubles 50+ division.

Our class is living proof that the Darden connection only deepens with time. Please continue to stay in touch!

01

Trina Rogers

jones_trina@yahoo.com

We look forward to welcoming the Class of 2001 back to Grounds for your 25th Reunion, taking place 24-26 April. It promises to be a wonderful weekend of celebration and connection — we hope to see you there!

02

Flip Martin

flippidot@gmail.com

On a trip to Washington, D.C., in October, Kevin Klau and his daughter Maggie got to take in a Bruins-Capitals game with Dave Woynerowski and his daughter Kate.

Tearsa Coates celebrated a milestone birthday by completing her quest to visit all 50 states with an Alaskan adventure, braving tiny planes, open-air trains, boats, Jeeps and more.

Before crossing into the Arctic Circle, Tearsa stopped to plant the Darden flag (sweatshirt) in Coldfoot, Alaska.

Graham Beatty, Lauren Macleod, Meg Nesbitt gbeatty@fergusonpartners.com, lmacleod@alumni.virginia.edu, megnesbitt@hotmail.com

While we may not be the best at consistently submitting Class Notes, this one has a whole bunch of updates from people we don’t hear from often. Thank you! It is so nice to see what everyone is doing.

From Brian Hughes: “Time sure keeps flying! Jadene’s and my Darden baby just graduated college and is working in her field of software engineering. Our next two kids are together at Brigham Young University (our alma mater). And we regularly look around at our three at home and say, ‘where is everybody?’ I recently bumped into Jacqueline Claudia on an AI webinar, which was fun. She made a fantastic recommendation for a really practical course on AI agents. I also ran into Mike Wasden (MBA ’07) spraying Super Soaker guns at each other in canoes at a family camp in Heber Valley, Utah. We were friends from an internship to Jerusalem before Darden. Small world! I just wrapped up my second CFO stint leading a high growth tech start-up through the process of preparing for sale, leading it through a transaction, and ramping up with new private equity investors after the sale. I’m excited about my new chapter in

business/M&A advisory, helping owners of businesses nationwide in the high Main Street and lower middle-market range to harvest the value of what they’ve built and safely transfer their company to good hands, with a focus on preserving legacy and trusted relationships.”

Anand Stanley shared: “My oldest son, Zach Stanley, has started at the University of Virginia’s College of Arts & Sciences as part of the Class of 2029. A highlight of his first month was storming the field after the UVA–FSU game.”

Our class has two Darden grandchildren (so far). Bob Dubow and Lilian are “blissfully enjoying” their first grandson.

From Joao Pedro Montes: “Personal: I recently became a grandfather! Baby Xavier was born to my daughter Pilar, who, fun fact, was herself born in Charlottesville at Martha Jefferson Hospital. I’m not sure if I’m the first Darden grandfather, but I might be the first grandfather of a daughter born in Darden! It’s truly something special — the dessert of life. We’re all over the moon, and we’ll definitely bring little Xavier to the next reunion! Professional: Over the past year and a half, I became a partner at Beresford Capital, an investment fund and corporate finance boutique based in Lisbon, Portugal. Beresford focuses on industry, real estate, hospitality, energy, and technology, advising on M&A, capital structuring, and private equity investment projects. Our investor base and transactions span Portugal, Spain, Africa, Europe, Canada, Japan, China, and the U.S., and we are currently seeking new LPs,

funds, individuals and private capital groups interested in investing alongside Beresford Capital.

“On the family-business side, our WWS Wines (Wine With Spirit) brand continues to grow. We export to 23 countries and are looking to expand further — particularly in the U.S. market, where we’re still underrepresented. We also launched a new wine from Alentejo (southern Portugal), where we are building a rural tourism hospitality project. For more info, visit www.montedaaferrada.pt/. Sending warm greetings to all my Darden friends — hope to see you soon, preferably with a glass of Portuguese wine in hand!”

Rebecca Goldberg Dvorak reports: “I’m having a lot of fun writing another book, this time with OPS professor Raul Chao, on the topic of new product development in Gen AI. On a personal note, my son Jackson (born our second year) is in sales. My younger son Wyatt is a U.S. Marine. Jimmy and I just celebrated 15 years together, and we live in Corolla, North Carolina (the Outer Banks), on the off season, which is fun. No grandbabies yet! I always have fun when I see fellow Darden classmates; let me know if you’re planning to be in either Richmond, Virginia, or the Outer Banks. I would love to see you!”

Lloyd Dahmen shared: “Nothing too exciting to report from the Boston, Massachusetts, area (other than the Pats showing signs of life again). Both boys are now off at college. The older one is studying economics in Buenos Aires, Argentina, this fall (perfect timing). We are

Tearsa Coates (MBA ’02) paused to plant the Darden flag (in sweatshirt form) in Alaska.

Anand Stanley (MBA ’03) with his oldest son, Zach Class of 2003 alumni meet ups have been plentiful recently!

Dubow’s (MBA ’03) grandson Nico being tortured in a pumpkin by his loving parents, Jesse and Josh.

thinking of visiting him in December. If anyone is there and has any tips or wants to meet a nice young man and treat him to a good meal, let me know!”

We also heard about a number of get-togethers happening around the world with our classmates. Here are a few recent ’03 meetups:

Evance Stalley went to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to meet up with Sanmitra Deo and see Hayley Williams and have brunch with their teen daughters.

Speaking of Evance and Sunny, they were also in Puerto Rico to celebrate Karen (Lyski) Beatty’s 50th with Lindsay (Vaughan) Kalaw and Carey (Douglas) Delia

Also spotted by Karen, Kendall Moore was at Rye High School track meets. This might actually be the first time I’ve typed Kendall’s name since 2003! Feels like a bingo moment.

As part of their farewell to the U.S. tour, Lisa and Jeremy Jones made a trip to New York City, where they met up with aforementioned Karen and Graham Beatty

The Beattys are busy. Graham also caught up with Aron Grodinsky when he was visiting Denver, Colorado. Graham said Aron is Benjamin Button. I say, pot calling the kettle black.

Nishita Henry hosted a ladies’ weekend at her house in Deep Creek, Virginia, that included Keri Dole Renganathan, Kate Siefert, Jen Dresback, Andrea DiMarco and Jenny Hsieh

Jules Lataillade said: “David Freccia came out to Detroit, Michigan, this past July for the Wu-Tang Clan farewell tour. We spent a few days touring some Detroit historical landmarks, caught a Tigers game, and topped the visit off with an amazing concert with two of my sons.”

Marion McGowan met up with Kazue and Atsushi Matsumoto in Tokyo earlier this year (LT9 reunion!).

Angela Li and Ashok Kalyana ran into each other on a flight.

Hsung Chen has been incredibly busy. He recently went to Brussels, Belgium, and met up with Sebastien de Liedekerke Beaufort and his family. Hsung also had dinner with Yuki Aoyama “for the first time since graduation in Nagoya, Japan, back in May! That guy looks as young as ever! I reckon the secret is the Nagoya miso in the pot.” Hsung also caught up with Yutaka Mogi, who is “staying as cool as ever in Tokyo!”

Thanks to all for what might be our most complete Notes since our first pre-Facebook years. You all submitted so many pictures we combined a few so we could share all of them.

Jill Lewandosky

jill.lewandosky@gmail.com

We’ve got updates from a few classmates we haven’t heard from in a few years. Don’t shy away from sending me your notes, no matter how long it’s been.

Neil Bendle has news on the career front. He is now a professor at the University of Georgia, Terry College of Business. And maybe he’ll have Hartley Fuller in his class. Josh Fuller reported in from Charlotte, North Carolina, that his oldest daughter is a freshman at the University of Georgia. He also has Grace, age 16, and Lottie, age 13, not far behind. He’s

Bob

Hsung Chen (MBA ’03) has been traveling the world and caught up with friends in Brussels, Belgium, and Nagoya and Tokyo, Japan.

Joao Pedro Montes’s (MBA ’03) daughter Pilar with her baby, Xavier

Julien Lataillade and David Freccia (both MBA ’03) got together in Detroit, Michigan, in July for the Wu-Tang Clan farewell tour.

Nishita Henry (MBA ’03) hosted a ladies’ weekend at her house that included classmates Keri Dole Renganathan, Kate Siefert, Jen Dresback, Andrea DiMarco and Jenny Hsieh.

surrounded by classmates.

started his own real estate investment firm called Blue Ridge Capital, and you can find his firm at blueridgecapitalnc.com. Josh made the trip to Charlottesville to support UVA football in their game against Stanford in his free time.

Helen Sheirbon moved to the Bay Area of California with HP, taking on a new role as SVP and chief operating officer at Global HP Solutions. We haven’t connected yet in person, but I hope to report in our next notes that we actually met up in San Francisco. While my triathlon days are many years (decades) behind me, Helen continues to kill it in her races. She placed first in her age group in the Olympic distance at Mission Bay, and was joined by her dad (5K) and middle child (sprint distance).

I think I may actually need to get back into triathlons to meet up with Helen if we can’t make the San Francisco rendezvous work.

Markus Kritzler might be our most consistent note provider, always providing lots of content. He joined a startup based in Calgary, Canada, but still lives in Mexico City. As you can imagine, he is commuting quite a bit and the miles are adding up. When he’s not at Darden representing our class, he’s also traveling for fun to visit classmates. Markus tells us that Pedro Libano Monteiro celebrated his 50th with a bang and a large group made it to Lisbon, Portugal! In attendance were Humberto Preve (who is still in Genoa, Italy), Antonoaldo Neves (in Abu Dhabi, UAE), Timothy Fratta, Leo Biagini, Dominique Vincent, the “Three Joses” (Jose Salinas, Jose Gonzalez and Jose de la Borda), Philip Hause, Prashant Prasad,

Francisco Simon, Nicolai Shekhovtsov, Dmitry Tikhonov, Hatem Hatem, and “obviously Travis” Travis Massey

I spoke with Mehul Vora on a call after connecting on LinkedIn, catching up about kids and AI and customer success. He had celebrated his 50th birthday as well (lots of 50ths these days). He celebrated with Vikas Chawla, Noelle Mendez-Villamil and Uday Gupta

The classmate gatherings continue in Virginia. Elizabeth and Peter Conn and their two sons met up with Will Luckert and his wife, Sarah Luckert, in Richmond for brunch. Elizabeth is still with McKesson, traveling to their global locations, and will be in Southeast Asia in early 2026, for our Darden classmates in the region.

And if you missed it, our very own Raj Dutt represented the Class of 2004 on an alumni career panel to discuss his long career at Capital One and how he has continued to grow in his career there.

ToTran Nguyen totran05@gmail.com

For those who are not yet aware, it is with deep sadness that we share the news that Pablo Odriozola Canales passed away on 22 May. Pablo is greatly missed. His dedication and generosity to Darden included kicking off the first official Darden Chapter reunion in Monterrey, Mexico, at his home in early 2024. Our hearts go out to his wife, Conchita Ulloa de Odriozola; their three children, Pablo, Jorge and Eugenio; and

those who knew him best.

Kyle Shen, president and CEO of Nexceris, an advanced materials energy company based in Ohio, led the sale of the company’s leading off-gas detection business Li-ion Tamer to Honeywell International in July 2025.

Robert Birdsey (MBA’08) of GreenFront Energy Partners served as the financial advisor on the transaction. Robert and Kyle, who had met through their Darden connection two years prior, worked very closely together in the many months leading up to the announcement. A great example of two Darden grads collaborating to achieve a mutually beneficial outcome!

Carsten Lebeck, who regrets missing our big reunion, is still living in the Bay Area of California with his wife, Naima, and daughter, Olina Liv, who is in fifth grade. He shares: “My Corp Dev job often crosses paths with some of our favorite banker classmates, which is a great bonus.”

After a good 14 years in Belgium, ToTran Nguyen is now back in New York City and working for Triad Consulting Group, where she designs solutions and delivers programs that help leaders and teams navigate difficult conversations and collaboration challenges.

To join our new Class of 2005 group on LinkedIn or to share an update for the next issue, please reach out: totran05@gmail.com.

Ellie Off ellie.off@gmail.com

Hello, friends! As we gear up for our 20th Reunion this spring,

Darden Class of 2004 alumni Betsy Gorton, Markus Kritzler, Uday Gupta and Noelle Mendez-Villamil attended the 2025 Volunteer Leadership Summit in Charlottesville.

Pedro Monteiro (MBA ’04) celebrated his 50th birthday in Lisbon, Portugal,

Carsten Lebeck (MBA ’05) with daughter Olina Liv

I hope everyone is planning to join us back on Grounds. It’s hard to believe it’s been two decades since our Darden days, and I can’t wait to reconnect and reminisce. We have a fantastic weekend planned, full of fun events and plenty of opportunities to catch up with classmates. I truly hope to see as many of you there as possible — it won’t be the same without you! See you in April!

Ryan Davis, Heather Danforth Hill, Alice Ganier Rolli ryandavis07@gmail.com, heatherraedanforth@gmail.com, aliceanna@gmail.com

Piros Zulas shares from Mexico: “A year ago, I founded Agave Route Spirits (www.agaveroute. com), a company dedicated to crafting and exporting premium Mexican spirits. We are now launching our first brand, Caballo Mexicano Tequila, a project that combines a deep appreciation for Mexico’s rich traditions with the spirit of perseverance, innovation, and passion that I’ve carried since my time at Darden. This past year has been an incredible journey of learning, experimentation, and personal growth. From selecting the finest agave and crafting the recipes to building a brand identity, every step has reinforced the importance of dedication, creativity and staying true to one’s vision. Launching this venture has reminded me how much our Darden experience shaped the way I approach challenges and opportunities, both professionally and personally. I’m excited to continue this journey, and I look

forward to reconnecting with classmates — sharing stories, experiences, and, of course, a toast whenever you visit Mexico!”

Piros shared this great news with many classmates who joined for a retro COVID-19style Zoom happy hour in early June.

Sheldon Young updated those attending the happy hour on his podcast No Footprints, where he interviews professionals about making sustainability a practical reality in their industries.

Nathan King has also launched a podcast about making bold decisions and has several classmates lined up for early episodes!

Jack Malgieri has continued his career with Deutsche Bank and is keeping up with his three kids — now ages 15, 13 and 11!

Dustin Renn is the CFO of Celero, based in Brentwood, Tennessee. He makes frequent trips north to his other alma mater, Vanderbilt — which isn’t all bad in this particular football season!

Sandeep Saggar has continued his successful career in pharma, which has included roles with Merck, Pfizer, Novartis and Jazz. He reports he’s recently joined Ascendis as head of U.S. finance.

Jay Campbell is still hanging his hat in Houston, Texas, where he serves as the managing director at Alvarez & Marsal, an energy consulting group.

Kelly Greenauer called in from Buffalo, New York, where she works at the intersection of HR and technology and enjoys a wonderful life with her husband, Dustin, and their very active son, age 9!

Ryan Davis and his wife, Victoria, hosted an event on 9 August for Darden alumni in the Atlanta, Georgia, area. More than 85 alumni attended, along with Professor Elena Loutskina and Chip Sawyer from the Darden School Foundation. Fellow 2007 alumna Alex Drohobyczer was kind enough to drop by on her birthday.

Christa Avampato reports: “It’s been a wonderful summer and early fall filled with all good things! In July, I graduated from University of Cambridge with my master’s in sustainability leadership. My dissertation focused on the use of storytelling to galvanize investments from family offices for commercial climate solutions. After graduation, I joined Professors Ed Freeman and Bobby Parmar at their Stakeholder Theory Summer Seminar in Tampere, Finland. In September, I brought back NYC’s Secrets & Lies, my live storytelling

Pablo Odriozola Canales (MBA ’05), 1975–2025

Christa Ayampato (MBA ’07) hosted “NYC’s Secrets & Lies” at Climate Week in New York City, New York.

Piro Zulas (MBA ’07) lauched his first tequila brand, Caballo Mexicano Tequila.

Ryan Davis (MBA ’07) and Alex Drohobyczer (MBA ’07) attended an Atlanta, Georgia, area Darden event hosted by Ryan and his wife Victoria.

Umang Choudhary (MBA ’08) and his Seattle, Washington, based classmates got together for wine, eats and a catchup at his house in Seattle last summer. This year, the gathering hosted Rich Baltimore (MBA ’08). Also in attendance were Mandy Lozano (MBA ’09); Jenny Zenner (MBA ’03); and Class of 2008 classmates Pratyush Kumar, Rebecca Rasch, Rajesh Mathew, Shelley Reese and Katrina Shackelford.

show about secret New York City history, as an official event at Climate Week NYC (and it was great to have Bobby in the audience for that!). I staged the show at The Hidden Jewel Box Theater, a secret theater inside Port Authority Bus Terminal. The show has a slate of performances coming up in October and December, and I’m excited about upcoming collaborations with the South Street Seaport Museum, Natural Areas Conservancy and SF Climate Week in San Francisco, California. This month, we had a wonderful opening night for the 2025–2026 season at Carnegie Hall, where I’ve worked in the digital media department since 2019 looking after our streaming television channel, Carnegie Hall+. All this is possible because of the excellent medical care I’ve received from my team at NYU Langone Health and Perlmutter Cancer Center. In October, I celebrated five years cancer free, and I am beyond grateful to be healthy. What a gift.”

Got news? Please send contributions to the Class of 2007 Notes anytime to heatherraedanforth@gmail.com, ryandavis07@gmail. com, or aliceanna@gmail.com.

Pratyush Kumar pratyush@gmail.com

In what’s becoming an annual tradition, Umang Choudhary and his Seattle-based classmates are getting together for wine, eats and a catch-up at his house in Seattle, Washington, each summer, often centered around the visit of a classmate from

Uyi Edebiri (MBA ’08) and his family joined Liz Cundari (MBA ’08) and Todd Dreyer (MBA ’08) and their family in Sydney, Australia, for a Darden mini-reunion.

John Flippen (EMBA ’08) and Ron Matthews (EMBA ’08) enjoyed a trip to Iceland for a few days and then went on to Carnoustie, Scotland, for a few humbling days of golf.

someplace else. Umang reports: “This year, we played host to Rich Baltimore, who was visiting from Washington, D.C. It was great to see him! We were also joined by Mandy Lozano (MBA ’09) and Jenny Zenner (MBA ’03). Others attending included Pratyush Kumar, Rebecca Rasch, Rajesh Mathew, Shelley Reese and Katrina Shackelford.” It’ll be tougher to keep this tradition going, now that Umang has moved to Singapore for a new job, but he promises to visit Seattle each summer.

Rich, Mandy and Umang also ran the Lake Union 10K together. Mandy was fastest, of course!

After 12 years in various finance and M&A roles in electric utility construction at Quanta Services, Brian Burke pivoted to mid-cap Granite Construction in May as VP of strategy and corporate development. At Granite, Brian leads inorganic efforts to grow the southeastern U.S. operations and enjoys shaping strategy and process improvements across the firm.

Granite focuses on civil infrastructure throughout the U.S. and Brian welcomes all leads on privately held quarries and civil construction firms located from Texas to Virginia to South Florida.

Uyi Edebiri and his family joined Elizabeth Cundari Dreyer and Todd Dreyer and their family in Sydney, Australia, for a mini Darden reunion. Uyi travelled from his home in Singapore to participate in the Sydney Marathon. Charlie Yardley reporting from Houston, Texas, says: “I live with my wife, Kaitlin, and three daughters, ages 15, 13 and 10. Un-

surprisingly, I’m surrounded by a lot of Taylor Swift music (“Out of the Woods” is probably my favorite song). Our oldest daughter is in 10th grade, so we’re just beginning the whole college dialogue, which still doesn’t seem possible, and is a long way from living in a house on Birdwood Golf Course with Chris Delaney, Tad Lehmann and John McCann

“I’m five years into my current role as CFO of Alchemy Technology Group. We’re a nine-yearold technology services firm focused on emerging technologies like cybersecurity and cloud infrastructure. I’ve really enjoyed helping to grow a company, and we just took on our first outside investment last year via private equity.

“I live near and see Brian Burke frequently, and would love to catch up with anyone travelling through Houston (or otherwise!).”

EMBA

Davina Myers davinajmyers@gmail.com

After a prolonged bachelorhood in New York City, Noah Smith got married in 2023 to Elisa Gianni, a lawyer from Italy. They had a baby boy, Leonardo, in January 2024 and just had a daughter, Isabella, in October 2025. They continue to live on the Upper West Side in New York City. Professionally, after years working in tech startups, Noah raised a “search fund” in 2024, Inu Capital, with a mandate to buy a midsized business services company ($1–7 million in EBITDA/ profits, if any readers know one that might be

To update your contact information, call +1-434-243-8977 or email alumni@darden.virginia.edu

Noah Smith (EMBA ’08) married Elisa Gianni, a lawyer from Italy, in 2023. They had a baby boy, Leonardo, in January 2024 and a daughter, Isabella, in October.

on the market!).

John Flippen updates: “My son, Jake, is now in his senior year at Virginia Tech and majoring in finance (trading is his thing if anyone

knows of any opportunities). After an amicable divorce two years ago, I have traveled a lot — Iceland, Scotland, Barcelona, a Mediterranean cruise, France, Italy, St. Thomas and St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Aruba and many, many places in the U.S., but I really enjoyed Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and Montana in July! I have attended several musical concerts — Zootown Festival; Dave Matthews Band; Hozier; Teddy Swims; the Revivalists at Red Rocks; Imagine Dragons for New Year’s in Las Vegas, Nevada; Nickelback; Maroon 5; Pink; Cody Jinks; and Neil Young. I took my mom to Melissa Etheridge, Jewel and James Taylor. I attended many comedy shows, took up a little pickleball, continue to avidly play golf and was so bored last winter that I studied and obtained my real estate license — no more big exams for me now! I’m always looking to share adventure anywhere in the world, so don’t hesitate to reach out!”

On that note, John Flippen and Ron Matthews enjoyed a trip to Iceland for a few days

and then went on to Carnoustie, Scotland, for a few humbling days of golf. Ron shares that they both found Iceland to be incredible, from the Blue Lagoon to the sights of northern parts of the island, including the largest geyser spring in the world after Yellowstone: “The food and the locals were also amazing! Our trip to Carnoustie proved that it is one of the toughest challenges in the world, even though the weather was unseasonably mild.”

In September, Evan Inra completed a nine-year term on the Darden Alumni Board and he is excited to pass the torch to the next generation of EMBA and part-time MBA representatives to advocate for these programs. He writes: “It is incredible to note that this year was the 20th class to start the EMBA program, and I’ll always be proud to have been a part of the inaugural cohort. While I remain at AWS as an HR leader, this year I also started an executive coaching certification program that I’ve really enjoyed — and it’s the biggest nonwork challenge I’ve tackled since Darden. All

YOUR CAREER

Meyer (MBA ’09) and wife Megan welcomed baby daughter Lucia.

Several members of the Class of 2012 gathered with their families for a gorgeous fall weekend at Devin and Pat Murphy’s house in Wayland, Massachusetts.

my best to the EMBA ’08s and the rest of our Darden family!”

As for me, Davina Myers: After a planned career pivot in 2024, I was lured back to the corporate world to work with some former colleagues at Wolters Kluwer on a clinical decision support solution for healthcare providers called UpToDate. It was an opportunity right up my alley, involving healthcare plus product management, and I was responsible for the international segment. My team is scattered around the world and my market is more than 140 countries outside of North America. It’s culturally complex and challenging, yet very engaging. In 2025, work engagements took me to Singapore, France, Spain, Vietnam, China, India and Japan. Unfortunately, I’m a little too busy working to get to explore as much as I’d like!

Lizzie Breyer lizziebreyer@gmail.com

Christof Meyer and his wife, Megan, welcomed their fifth child, Lucia Josefien Meyer, on 12 August. Christof says: “Observant classmates may remember this is the exact same date on which our firstborn daughter, Analiese, was born in 2010! Our other children are (mostly) happy with her arrival and we are extremely pleased that she has quickly become our best sleeper to date.”

Ivy (Zuckerman) Ghatan hosted a surprise 50th birthday gathering for her husband, Babak, in August. Per usual, the Darden crew brought the party. Ivo Voynov, Lara (Kagan)

Port (MBA ’08), Justine (Lee) Mohr, Elizabeth (Hawkins) Voynov, Scott Norville and Andrew Shapiro (MBA ’08) attended the party this past August. A great time was had by all!

Sarah Boice, Stephanie Conell sarahsboice@gmail.com, stephanie.h.conell@gmail.com

Hey everyone! Our 15th Reunion is coming up 24–26 April 2026, and we hope you’re already making plans to come back to Charlottesville! It’s going to be an awesome weekend. We can’t wait to see everyone back at Darden!

EMBA

Chris Mehalic chrismehalic@gmail.com

Mark your calendars! The EMBA Class of 2011 Reunion is happening 24-26 April. We can’t wait to see everyone back on Grounds!

11 11 12

Sadie Wieschhoff, Travis Danysh swieschhoff@gmail.com, travis. danysh@gmail.com

Several members of the Class of 2012 gathered with their families for a gorgeous fall weekend at Devin and Pat Murphy’s house in Wayland, Massachusetts.

EMBA

Courtney Johnston courtney.johnston@gmail.com

Greetings from the EMBA Class

of 2012! It’s been a while since we’ve heard from many of you, and I’d love to change that. You don’t need a major life milestone to share an update; we want to hear about new cities, jobs, puppies or even favorite hiking or wine discoveries. Let’s remind everyone that our class is thriving — personally, professionally, and everywhere in between. Please keep those updates coming!

Babs (Rogol) Fernandez shares that she and her family have moved back to the Charlottesville area. She writes: “If you’re ever in town or visiting Darden, drop me a line — I’d love to catch up!” Welcome home, Babs!

April Fearnley is selling real estate in The Villages, Florida, a vibrant retirement community north of Orlando. Her husband, Dennis, and their daughters, Elizabeth, age 12, and Kath-

A Darden crew showed up for Ivy Ghatan’s (MBA ’09) husband’s 50th birthday in August.

Christof

April Fearnley (EMBA ’12) and Dennis Monahan (EMBA ’11), with their daughters, showed off their new wheels — a golf cart.

Emily Yee Schifman (MBA ’14) and husband Jason welcomed their son, Cooper, in July.

Executive MBA Class of 2016 classmates Liz Goldstein, Jessica Pearson and Tiffani Moore reunited at Darden for the Volunteer Leadership Summit in September.

erine, age 10, are enjoying their new favorite mode of transportation — the golf cart.

Deanna de Arango, Janet Pittman deannadearango@gmail.com, jspittman20@gmail.com

Classmates Rodman Tilt, Henry Sheehan, Taylor Morris and Court Nexsen gathered for a golf overnight in Virginia in September.

EMBA

Joshua Newell, Elisabeth Wright josh.newell@gmail.com, elisabethbwright@gmail.com

Jim Koehr celebrated 40 years of parenting — by dropping their 12th and final child off at college. Jim continues to teach high school

Class of 2013 classmates Roddy Tilt, Henry Sheehan, Taylor Morris and Court Nexsen gathered for a golf overnight in Virginia in September.

precalculus and coach the swim team. In May, Jim was recognized as one of the 25 most influential people who shaped the Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association (VISAA).

Sean Caldwell has joined GID as president of GID Residential Partners, leading the firm’s newly launched national multifamily development platform (announced 30 October 2025).

Margot Crivelli margotsakoian@gmail.com

Michelle and Brandon Uy welcomed their third child, Sebastian Callen Uy, on 16 March. Big siblings Avery and Theo are smitten and excited to pass on their orange and blue gear.

Emily Yee Schifman and her husband, Ja-

Margot Crivelli (MBA ’14) and husband Miguel welcomed their son, Nicolas Sakoian Crivelli, on 12 October.

son, joyfully welcomed their son, Cooper, in July.

Margot Crivelli and her husband, Miguel, welcomed their son, Nicolas Sakoian Crivelli, on 12 October 2025. Big sister Lucia is tolerating Nico and all are enjoying the chaos!

Adrienne Brewbaker, Kelly Gerhardt, Saranya Sundararajan afbrewbaker@gmail.com, kelly.gerhardt@gmail.com, catchsaranya@gmail.com

Hello, MBA 2016! We’re so excited for our 10th Reunion in April and hope you’re making plans to attend. Weekend highlights include: classroom sessions with our favorite faculty, Friday class dinner at the beautiful new Forum Hotel on Grounds, Saturday Foxfield (or pickle-

Liz Goldstein and Jessica Pearson (both EMBA ’16) presented their marketing research at DataConnect 2025 in Columbus, Ohio.

Casey Floyd (GEMBA ’17) launched her own business in franchise coaching, The Franchise Fit Company, in July.

ball tournament), and Saturday evening “Cold Call Cookout” followed by late night afterparty at the Forum. You do not want to miss it! Angenette and Anshu (Reunion Committee Chairs)

16 GEMBA

David Maruna defiance21@me.com

It’s reunion time! The GEMBA Class of 2016 will return to Grounds 24-46 April to celebrate their 10th Reunion. See you in Charlottesville!

Alice Cassin (MBA ’17) and husband Andrew with son Charles and baby Rose 17

Gabe Legendy glegendy@gmail.com

Alice Cassin lives in Washington, D.C., with husband Andrew;

Michael Meredith and Janeth Gomez Gualdron (both GEMBA ’17) reunited on Grounds in September for the Alumni Board Meeting and the Darden Volunteer Leadership Summit.

Charles, age 2; and her latest addition, baby Rose. She works at Accenture.

Amy Menendez and husband Steven (MBA ’18) welcomed a baby boy on 7 October. Matthew James Menendez joins big siblings Charlotte and David.

GEMBA

Amanda Fox amanda.j.fox.1@gmail.com

After several years in franchise leadership and as a franchise owner (Archadeck of Central Virginia and the Valley), Casey Floyd launched her own business in franchise coaching, the Franchise Fit Company, in July of this year. She takes her experience and expertly educates and guides clients into business ownership, if that is their next journey to

A Taste of Monterey.

pursue. Franchising is not the typical path postMBA, but it is a great way to get into business ownership. It is way more than fast food!

Michael Meredith: “Earlier this summer, two of my Navy buddies and I purchased a wine bar and bistro on Cannery Row in Monterey, California, called A Taste of Monterey, as a bit of a bar rescue project. We have since reopened the bar and are in the process of updates and improvements while we continue to showcase Monterey County/Carmel Valley wines with the best view (no joke) in Monterey. Over the past few months, I’ve been working with Casey Floyd, the CEO of the Franchise Fit Company, on some potential small business options near Nashville, Tennessee. I even managed to visit Cannon Ridge last month while I was in Charlottesville for the semiannual Darden Alumni Association board meeting. As an added bonus, I got to see Janeth and participate in the Darden Military Association’s 9/11 commemoration. I also spent a couple of wonderful fall days at Dollywood (it is Tennessee, after all).”

Oksana Polonskaya shares that she recently relocated to Augusta, Georgia, for the next three years and continues her work with the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, working remotely.

Teresa Fuller launched TeresAI, her consulting venture focused on AI-driven marketing and brand strategy. She also teaches AI marketing courses at Shenandoah University, where she is helping establish a new AI lab to advance practical applications of artificial intelligence in business and education.

Jessica Gilmore and her husband welcomed

Jessica Gilmore (GEMBA ’17) and her husband welcomed Emberly Claire Gilmore in October.

Michael Meredith (GEMBA ’17) purchased a wine bar and bistro in Cannery Row in Monterey, California, called

JD Alexander (MBA ’18) and wife Michelle Cino (MBA ’19) are enjoying life in Washington, D.C., with their daughter Avery, born 20 November 2024.

New York-based members of the Class of 2018 continue to get together every few months, now including the next generation! Pictured: Daniele Giraldo (MBA ’18) and Matias Rabelo (MBA ’18) with their two daughters, Almagul Bissembiyeva (MBA ’18), Agatha Patterson (MBA ’18) and Tunmise Osinubi (MBA ’18) with their son, and Shota Loria (MBA ’18) with his wife Nini and son.

Justin Masters’s (MBA ’19) baby, Noah, enjoyed a taste of the Flager Court dirt.

a new baby in October 2025, named Emberly Claire Gilmore!

Kali McFarland, Collin Bauer, Lauren Hansen kalimcfarland12@gmail.com, collin.bauer@gmail.com, lehansen23@gmail.com

Nenna Akpaete Culliver had her second child, Isaac, in April. He is a super happy baby who laughs often. His big sister loves him so much and is so excited to have him join her adventures once he gets older.

Part of the 2018 New York Darden crew continues to get together every few months, now including the next generation! Recently together were Daniele Giraldo and Matias Rabelo with their two daughters; Almagul Bis-

Nenna

sembiyeva; Agatha Patterson and Oluwatunmise Osinubi with their son; and Shota Loria with his wife, Nini, and son.

JD Alexander and his wife Michelle Cino (MBA ’19) are enjoying life in Washington, D.C., with their daughter, Avery, born 20 November 2024.

18 EMBA

Adam Doyle, Laura Pettus, Chris Schenkkan

adamdoyle0369@gmail.com, lmpettus1276@gmail.com, cms4v@hotmail.com

Kellen Ball says: “Hello, everyone! 2025 has been all about the boardroom and the yoga mat for me. I am honored to chair the Business Impact Northwest Board, where we work to

Katie Roche (MBA ’19) was married to Chris Merola in March. Chris proposed to Katie at the Class of 2019’s five-year reunion.

support underserved Pacific Northwest entrepreneurs with business coaching and capital. If this kind of work excites you, check them out at BusinessImpactNW.org. Speaking of exciting, I’m officially a certified yoga teacher. Namaste!”

19

Peggy Bermel, Sophie Jung, Cait Pearson, Freyan Soonawalla, Allison Yarborough mmbermel@gmail.com, sophie.n.jung@gmail.com, cms2hu@virginia.edu, f.j.soonawalla@gmail.com, ayarborough12@gmail.com

Katie Roche married Chris Merola in Mexico in March. The Portu-galz (Devon Pagoaga, Jennifer Rose and Sophie Rudolph) and Brennan Fox channeled their inner SY and made the

Peggy Bermel (MBA ’19) and her husband, Max Ebb, at their wedding in Nantucket, Massachusetts in June.

Akpaete Culliver (MBA ’18) had her second child, Isaac, in April.

Hanna Dobbels (EMBA ’19) was featured in Main Line Today.

international trip to celebrate!

Justin Masters recently visited Darden for a Cold Call BBQ with his family, and baby Noah, age 1, took a taste of the Flagler Court dirt. He confirms the energy at Darden is high, and though we’ve only been out for six years, somehow the students all seem decades younger than he remembers.

Peggy Bermel married Max Ebb in Nantucket, Massachusetts, on 14 June, joined by many fellow Darden alumni to celebrate, including Sophie Rudolph, Amanda Joseph, Sally Ra, Brennan Fox, Claire Jervis, Peter and Janie Taylor, Courtenay Selden, Gordon Stewart, and Maggie and Kevin Minogue.

EMBA

Charlotte Gage, Terrell Fuller charlotte.jean.gage@gmail.com, terrell.fuller@gmail.com

Skip Calvert wrapped up over 20 years in

naval aviation, officially retiring from the Naval Reserves in September. He looks forward to continuing his career at Five Guys and spending more time at home with his wife, Tori, and their son, Quinn.

Jason Smith recently circumnavigated the globe on a work trip to Thailand while supporting the U.S. Navy. In September, Jason reunited with his U.S. Naval Academy friends for their 25th class reunion. He and his wife, Liz, also celebrated empty nesting with a wine trip to Napa Valley, California.

Hanna Dobbels was recently named one of Main Line Today’s Power Women, which has helped her grain traction in advocating for more women in finance.

Katrin Kempiners was promoted earlier this year to senior director at EY-Parthenon, focusing on M&A transactions. She also recently moved to Waxhaw, North Carolina, just south of Charlotte, where she and her son

Meg (Lyons) Mahoney and Stuart Jay Mahoney (both MBA ’20) welcomed their second child, Olivia Jane Mahoney, in June. Carter is thriving in his new role as big brother.

are enjoying their new home and community.

Jono Peters recently welcomed his son, Nate Peters, earlier this year. His daughter, Ellie Peters, age 3, is at nursery school in Rye, New York. He and his wife, Elizabeth, recently moved back to the New York area where Elizabeth will be starting at White Plains Hospital as a gynecologic oncologist. Jono recently joined Daiwa Corporate Advisory as co-head of U.S. private capital markets.

Jordan Casserley

jchart92@gmail.com

Asher and Ann-Catherine Begley: The Begleys paid off their Honda!

Caroline (Inglesby) Crawford and her husband, Jon, welcomed their second son, Patrick Henry Crawford, on 29 August.

Meg (Lyons) Mahoney and Stuart Jay Mahoney welcomed their second child, Olivia Jane Mahoney, in June. Carter, age 17 months, is thriving in his new role as big brother.

Katrin Kempiners (EMBA ’19) and her son, Jackson

Skip Calvert (EMBA ’19), right, and family and friends celebrated his Naval retirement.

Jason Smith (EMBA ’19), right, and fellow U.S. Naval Academy classmates celebrated their 25th reunion.

Grandchildren Griffin Charles and Dean Warren Valeiras visit with their Darden grandparents Carlos Valeiras (MBA ’95) and Karen Henneberger (EMBA ’20).

EMBA

Karen Henneberger

karen.henneberger@gmail.com

Hello, EMBA 2020! We hope everyone’s year is off to a great start. Jonas Porcar and I just recently returned from Charlottesville, where we attended the Darden Volunteer Leadership summit. As class volunteers, we received terrific updates on the Darden student experience and construction on Grounds (new student housing and faculty building modifications are ongoing). We also got to experience a live case discussion about the Savannah Bananas. What fun!

Did you know that Darden is celebrating its 70th anniversary this year? Our support is vital to the next 70 years! We are currently brainstorming ways to improve engagement across our class and keep you better informed of ways you can contribute; please send any and all ideas our way.

Inglesby

Bridget Coburn and Nate Morgan (both MBA ’22) were married on 25 October in Bridget’s hometown of Cleveland, Ohio.

Tom Connor and Meghan Cabell (both MBA ’22) were married in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, on 28 June surrounded by family, friends and many of their Darden classmates.

’20)

On the personal side, my husband, Mark, and I were blessed with the arrival of adorable twin grandsons this past June. Griffin Charles and Dean Warren Valeiras are double-DardenHoos with Carlos Valeiras (MBA ’95) and Karen Henneberger as grandparents. They are already getting ready for the 2050 Darden class. We would love to hear and share any news from each of you in future class notes.

James Nish jdnish@gmail.com

Khaliyah Legette of Section D and Pat Herrin of Section C got married in Jonesborough, Tennessee, on 11 October.

Will Kelly and Katherine (Brown) Kelly (MBA ’23) welcomed their first child, John Joseph “JJ” Kelly on 8 September. JJ was born in New York City, but lives in New Jersey. He loves naps, leaf peeping and his dog, Buoy. As of this writing, JJ has never seen a UVA

Khaliyah Legette and Pat Herrin (both MBA ’22) got married in Jonesborough, Tennessee, on 11 October.

football loss in his lifetime.

Meghan Cabell and Tom Connor first crossed paths in Ivy Gardens and became fast friends during Core. Their friendship turned into romance and they moved to Washington, D.C., together after graduation. Tom and Meghan were married in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, on 28 June surrounded by family, friends and many of their Darden classmates. They currently reside in Arlington, Virginia.

Bridget Coburn and Nate Morgan were married on 25 October in Bridget’s hometown of Cleveland, Ohio. Fellow learning teammate and classmate Will Kelly did a fantastic job officiating the ceremony. The couple began dating during FY in Charlottesville and have been living and working in Boston, Massachusetts, since graduation, recently moving to Cambridge.

Will Kelly (MBA ’22) and Katherine (Brown) Kelly (MBA ’23) welcomed their first child, John Joseph “JJ” Kelly, on 8 September.

Caroline

Crawford (MBA

and husband Jon welcomed their second son, Patrick Henry Crawford, on 29 August.

Christy Sisko

’22) has been promoted to chief operating officer at CrossBoundary Advisory.

EMBA

Michelle Cobb michelle.leah.turek@gmail.com

Post-Darden, Kyle Endyke went to EY Parthenon in Boston, Massachusetts: “We stayed there for a couple years and welcomed our third child, Olivia, in January 2024. In summer 2024, we moved our family to England. I secured a senior manager role with Strategy& at PricewaterhouseCoopers in London in March of this year doing technology cost and strategy work. My wife continues to build her brand on social media and has since started a newsletter and her own podcast. We bought a house outside London in Surrey in June of this year and are well on our way to a life in the U.K.! Our oldest, Sophie, is age 6 now … she was less than a year old when we started at Darden, and she is thoroughly enjoying ‘real’ school. I certainly miss aspects of home, but we are very

happy with our life here after a year in the U.K.”

Christy Sisko has been promoted to chief operating officer at CrossBoundary Advisory. In her new role, she leads global operations and drives strategic growth across emerging and frontier markets, with a focus on blended finance and investment advisory. Christy continues to expand partnerships that mobilize private capital into high-impact sectors such as renewable energy and financial inclusion.

Will Payne: “In August, Squabble State Hard Cider & Spirits took home the Outstanding New Tourism Business of the Year award at the Virginia Celebrate Tourism Summit.”

Michelle Cobb accepted a role in late August as senior vice president at Truist in middle market banking, serving large privately held companies in the western half of Virginia.

Ross Meglathery: “This year brought a professional shift for me, as I moved from

president to CEO of Integritek, an IT managed services firm based in Austin, Texas, with teams also in Los Angeles, California; Dallas, Texas; and Wisconsin. We continue to support law, financial, and healthcare practices, and we’ve begun embedding AI into our service operations to improve resolution speed and unlock efficiencies while keeping a high-touch client experience. The transition has been intense, but seeing the results at scale has made it one of the more energizing chapters of my career.

“I’m still serving in the Marine Corps Reserve and expect to close out that part of my life by mid-2026. On the personal side, I’ve unexpectedly taken up collecting vintage watches and have enjoyed traveling more whenever the calendar allows. Always glad to connect with classmates working through similar transitions — or to host anyone passing through Austin.”

(EMBA

Emily Corelli and Christophe Drapanas (both MBA ’23) welcomed a baby boy, Theodore James, in October.

Emily Greene (MBA ’23) married Brett Johnson (MBA ’22) in October in Washington, Connecticut.

Erik Smith (MBA ’23) and wife Jessica moved to Richmond, Virginia, and welcomed their son Braxton last summer.

Katherine (Brown) Kelly (MBA ’23) and her husband Will (MBA ’22) welcomed their son JJ in September.

Flo Angelica (MBA ’23) married Gaurav Dhar in Pune, India, late last year.

Skyler Clark-Hamel (MBA ’23) married Stacey LeClair in a civil ceremony in June and celebrated with friends and family in Lake Winnipesaukee, New Hampshire, in October.

Emily Corelli eacorelli@gmail.com

Hi, Class of 2023! Lots of updates for you in this edition.

Florencia Angelica married Gaurav Dhar in Pune, India, late last year. Skyler ClarkHamel married Stacey LeClair in a civil ceremony in June and celebrated with friends and family in Lake Winnipesaukee in October. Tyler Brown married Alena Howe in Burlington, Vermont, in June. They moved to Raleigh, North Carolina, where Tyler started his own sticker business, Stickymade. Emily Greene married Brett Johnson (MBA ’22) in October in Washington, Connecticut.

Mary Mayrath and her husband, Austin, welcomed their daughter, Sophie Ryan, in July. Erik Smith and his wife, Jessica, moved to Richmond, Virginia, and welcomed their son, Braxton, this summer. Rachel (Sorrells) Sev-

erino and her husband, Stephen (MBA ’22), welcomed their daughter, Scarlett, in May. After parental leave, Rachel will return to Bain & Company and Stephen will start a new position as senior director of strategy at ADP in Atlanta, Georgia. Katherine (Brown) Kelly and her husband, Will (MBA ’22), welcomed their son, JJ, in September. Emily Corelli and Christophe Drapanas welcomed a baby boy, Theodore James, in October. Here’s to all the future Hoos!

Angel Monrroy is starting a new role as manager of compensation with Family Dollar in Norfolk, Virginia, in November. Celia Aidinoff moved back to Charlottesville to work in the strategy office of UVA Health. Let her know if you’re in town; she’d love to connect. Annie Page also relocated to Charlottesville. She acquired a local business, Rudy’s Rug Cleaning, in July and has been enjoying

alongside wife Chelsea, Nick Farmer (MBA ’23) and Rachel Brown.

the team, transition and integration into the community.

Jakob Eichengreen travelled to Uganda this summer to climb Mt. Stanley’s Margherita Peak on the border with Democratic Republic of the Congo alongside his wife, Chelsea; Nicholas Farmer; and Rachel Brown. They reached the glaciated summit after six hard days of swamps, rain and self-reported bad jokes.

EMBA

Annette Stock annettecstock@gmail.com

Paul Edwards: “My wife, Abby, and I had a baby girl, Eleanor Virginia Edwards, on 12 August. Abby completed her Ed.D. in education from UVA and defended her dissertation in the UVA Rotunda while eight months pregnant! I got a new job as a manager of

Mary Mayrath (MBA ’23) and husband Austin welcomed daughter Sophie Ryan in July.

Rachel (Sorrells) Severino (MBA ’23) and husband Stephen (MBA ’22) welcomed daughter Scarlett “Scottie” in May.

Jake Eichengreen (MBA ’23) traveled to Uganda over the summer to climb Mount Stanley

Hannah Solomon (EMBA ’23), husband Chris and big sister Sophie welcomed twins Patrick and Sadie in true twin fashion on 11 November.

Abby and Paul Edwards (EMBA ’23) welcomed baby girl Eleanor Virginia Edwards on 12 August.

DR. PAULA FERRADA (TEP ’25)

When Leadership Is a Matter of Life and Death

BY MOLLY MITCHELL

As chair of surgery at Inova Fairfax Medical Campus, Dr. Paula Ferrada (TEP ’25) knows what it means to lead in high-stakes environments. A nationally recognized trauma surgeon, Ferrada thrives under pressure and making quick decisions that can mean the difference between life and death.

“When you’re a surgeon, you’re the leader of the team,” Ferrada says. “Whether you rise to the moment or fall short, you’re the one steering the ship.”

After more than a decade as a surgeon, researcher, professor and mentor, she’s turned her focus to what she believes is a “critical gap” in health care: leadership.

Despite the gravity of their responsibility, most medical professionals are never formally taught how to lead. That gap, she says, isn’t just a missed opportunity — it’s a risk to morale, to performance and, ultimately, to patient lives.

Determined to change the status quo, Ferrada sought leadership training the same way she pursued clinical excellence — with urgency and purpose.

She joined national boards, mentored the next generation of physicians and immersed herself in the dynamics of health care systems. Today, in addition to her surgical leadership roles, she proudly serves as a professor of medical education at the University of Virginia, helping to prepare tomorrow’s doctors not just to heal but to lead.

The leadership approach she developed fueled Ferrada’s efforts to reform a long-standing trauma resuscitation protocol. For decades, clinicians followed the “ABC” sequence — airway, breathing, circulation — when treating trauma patients. Ferrada and other frontline experts saw better outcomes when circulation was prioritized first.

Over 10 years, Ferrada conducted studies, gathered data, pub-

“

TEP IS NOT ONLY FOR PEOPLE IN BUSINESS AND ADMINISTRATION. IT HELPED US BUILD A COMMUNITY WITH OTHER LEADERS WHO ARE ASKING THE SAME HARD QUESTIONS, LIKE, ‘HOW DO WE HEAL BROKEN SYSTEMS?’

lished findings, and taught students and peers. Eventually, the standard changed — saving lives as a result.

Her experience navigating that change — while also confronting the additional hurdles faced by women and minorities in medicine — inspired Ferrada to pay it forward through mentorship.

“Mentoring is how we build a more just and compassionate future,” she says.

For Ferrada, running toward the fire has never been a choice — it’s who she is. Born in Colombia during a time of intense cartel violence, she grew up in a world where resilience wasn’t optional. Her parents both worked in health care, and her father was also a trauma surgeon.

“I loved it,” she recalls. “In life, there are those who run from trouble, and those who run toward it. I’ve always known which one I am.”

Teaching leadership at a larger scale has been on her mind, so she jumped at the offer from Inova’s executive team to attend The Executive Program (TEP), delivered by Darden Executive Education & Lifelong Learning. She was delighted to learn that the TEP classroom applied across disciplines. She came away convinced of the value of space where leaders from diverse disciplines can learn from each other.

“TEP is not only for people in business and administration,” says Ferrada. “It helped us build a community with other leaders who are asking the same hard questions, like, ‘How do we heal broken systems?’”

T. Whitelow

’24) joined Willcox Savage Consulting as vice president.

project finance and development at global construction firm Bechtel.”

Aly Searles started a new role at PricewaterhouseCoopers! She is now their extended workforce solutions technology leader.

Hannah Solomon; her husband, Chris; and big sister Sophie welcomed twins Patrick and Sadie in true twin fashion on 11 November. Hannah was also recently promoted to principal at Heritage Capital Group, a lower-middle market M&A investment bank in Jacksonville, Florida.

EMBA

Liza Burke, Megan Fitzpatrick, Anthony Ranghelli lizaaburke@gmail.com, meganfitzpatrick9@gmail.com, anthony. ranghelli@gmail.com

Carter T. Whitelow has joined Willcox Savage

Consulting as vice president, bringing his exceptional expertise in high-stakes procurement and government relations to a new platform. This move follows a distinguished career advising clients on complex public policy and procurement across the Commonwealth of Virginia. Carter is celebrated for his decisive impact on regional infrastructure. His major accomplishments include assisting in the $9 billion Airports Use Agreement for MWAA and successfully procuring $160 million in state funding to secure the solvency of WMATA, averting a crisis for regional transit. He also drove significant expansion for clean energy, adding 150 MW to Virginia’s shared solar program for CCSA. Carter remains committed to the Darden community, continuing his service on the Darden Alumni Association Board of Directors. He also serves on the

in October.

Henrico County Finance Board and the Board of GraceInside.

EMBA

Amanda Freitag Thomas, Rebecca San Juan, Shilpa Kyarla, Jordan Gladman afreitag@gmail.com, rebeccamabillesj@gmail.com, shilps.kyarla@gmail.com, jtgladmanphd@gmail.com

Congratulations to Deirdre Leary and Emily Leary on the birth of their son, Liam Joseph, born 25 July.

Julia (Szalwinski) Laser and Jared Laser welcomed daughter Cora June on 2 July. Julia and family are moving to Richmond, Virginia, where Julia will be starting a job at VCU in strategy planning and development within their

their Wahoo pride.

Carter

(EMBA

James and Cara Hewitt (EMBA ’25) with their new family of four

Gabby Carter (EMBA ’25) and Nathan Herring shared a photo of their dog, Maya, rather than of their wedding!

Kathleen Morrison (EMBA ’25), Liz Twilley (EMBA ’25), Jasmine Saei and Dylan Kenney (EMBA ’25) attended the Waterford Fair

Keerti Deshpande Mehta (EMBA ’25) celebrated her graduation and anniversary with Darden classmates.

Rayla and Sofia Ivester, daughters of Kristen and Kyle Ivester (EMBA ’25), showed

Noah Julius Waghelstein, Darden class of 2050, with his parents Dara (EMBA ’24) and Evan Waghelstein (EMBA ’25).

virtual care institute.

James and Cara Hewitt welcomed George Read Hewitt on 19 May (two days after Cara walked at graduation). George joins big sister, Willa, age 3.

Kristen and Kyle Ivester welcomed Sofia Isabella on 28 June. She joins big sister Rayla, age 4.

Congratulations to Renuka and Sanjay Gupta on the birth of their daughter, Rhaya, born on 10 May!

Dara Busman (EMBA ’24) and Evan Waghelstein welcomed Noah Julius Waghelstein to the Darden Community on 19 August!

Madison (Mahoney) Porter married Nick Porter on 29 September in Colorado. Madison also joined Bravere’s CEO, Jimmy Anthony, as their chief operating officer in June of this year. Based in Arkansas, Bravere is redefining the future for dental practices and oral healthcare delivery. A mission-driven oral health company focused on providing high-impact support for dental practices, Bravere is reducing the risks of ownership and fostering long-term growth and stability — especially in those rural communities where dentists face even greater challenges.

Haley O’Brien started a new role as an enterprise optimization analyst for Chevron in June. Based in Houston, Texas, her first assignment is within the Finance & Commercial MBA Development Program.

Rachel Folmar accepted a role as vice president of human resources of Thorpe Specialty Services Corporation in Houston, Texas. Thorpe, a private equity backed compa-

ny, is a leading multi-craft industrial service provider with engineering and manufacturing capabilities.

Martin Park moved to Seattle, Washington, in September to accept a role as vice president at Brookfield. Brookfield is a leading global investment firm that invests on behalf of institutions and individuals around the world, with the goal of helping them to create long-term, sustainable wealth.

Joshua Johnson moved from Blacksburg, Virginia, to East St. Louis, Illinois, following graduation to accept a role as pathways operations manager for Amazon. He and his family are enjoying the new city!

Earlier this year, Ashley Timm received a promotion in her transportation engineer role at the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Christin Bear launched Bear Valley Vineyards in the beautiful Shenandoah Mountains, bringing new and exciting varieties to Virginia!

Madhavi Menon accepted a new role at her current firm, Latham & Watkins, as a global attorney training manager.

Congratulations to Matthew Reass, who married Christina Baur on 24 August in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

Moving from Washington, D.C., to Virginia Beach, Gabby Carter checked in to her next command as the assistant supply officer on the USS Kearsarge (LHD-3). Gabby recently married Nathan Herring and together they rescued a dog named Maya.

Keerti Deshpande Mehta and Parveen Mehta recently celebrated both graduating

with their MBAs and, more importantly, their 20th wedding anniversary in October.

Shannon Cole was recently promoted to a new position as a director at Govini and she was also a speaker at a U.S. Army conference called LandEuro in Germany.

Anthony Cirino is pursuing a doctor of business administration (DBA) degree at UMD Smith.

In keeping with tradition, Ben Bianchi still has nothing to say.

TEP

alumni@darden.virginia.edu

Drue Pearce (TEP ’84) is honored to announce that she joined the Department of the Interior as counselor to the assistant secretary for Land and Minerals Management in May. Her portfolio is primarily Alaska based; over half the lands under DOI stewardship are in Alaska.

Madison Mahoney Porter (EMBA ’25) with her husband on her wedding day.

Rhaya Gupta, daughter of Sanjay Gupta (EMBA ’25) and Renuka, is happy to be part of the Darden family.

DARDEN LEADERSHIP BOARDS

The two leadership boards of the Darden School of Business are composed of nearly 100 distinguished leaders who serve as an innovative force in the advancement of the Darden School throughout the world.

(as of 31 December 2025)

Thank you to our alumni and volunteer leaders for their continued unwavering support for Darden.

DARDEN SCHOOL FOUNDATION BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Chair

John D. Fowler Jr. (MBA/JD ’84) Retired, Wells Fargo

Vice Chair

Robert W. Smith (MBA ’87) Retired, T. Rowe Price Co.

Immediate Past Chair

Frank M. Sands (MBA ’94) Sands Capital

Scott C. Beardsley University of Virginia

John P. Bolduc (MBA ’90) H.I.G. Capital

Kim Brown Morrish (MBA ’93) Canterbury Partners

Pablo Ciano (MBA ’00) DHL Group

Rodney B. Clemente (EMBA ’17) Energy Recovery Inc.

H. William Coogan Jr. (MBA ’82) Retired, Firstmark Corp.

James A. Cooper (MBA ’84) Thompson Street Capital Partners

Guillaume M. Cuvelier (MBA ’91) SVEDKA

Robert G. Doumar Jr. (MBA/JD ’88) Park Square Capital LLP

Debra Draughan (MBA ’84) The Process Management Group LLC

Frank S. Edmonds (MBA/JD ’95) Panning Capital Management

Richard B. Evans University of Virginia Darden School of Business

Catherine J. Friedman (MBA ’86) GV

George S. Geis

University of Virginia School of Law

Peter M. Grant II (MBA ’86) Anchormarck Holdings LLC

Gregory B. Graves (MBA ’89) Retired, Entegris

Ira H. Green Jr. (MBA ’90) IHG Advisors LLC

Owen D. Griffin Jr. (MBA ’99) Currie Medical

Constance J. Hallquist (MBA ’91) Garnet Hill

Taylor P. Heaps (MBA ’13) Robert W. Baird

Robert J. Hugin (MBA ’85) Retired, Celgene Corp.

Mark J. Kington (MBA ’88) Kington Management LLC

David M. LaCross (MBA ’78) Retired, Risk Management Technologies

Beverly B. Ladley (MBA ’92) Consultant

Nicole M. Lindsay (MBA/JD ’99) Mastercard International Inc.

Amanda Lozano (MBA ’09) North Fork Partners LLC

Paul Mahoney University of Virginia School of Law

Richard A. Mayo (MBA ’68) Game Creek Capital

Donald E. Morel Jr. (TEP ’97) Progenitor Capital LLC

Adair B. Newhall (MBA ’09) Greenspring Associates

Diem H.D. Nguyen (MBA ’01) SIGA

Carl Peoples (MBA ’94) Goldmach Sachs Group Inc.

C. Evans Poston Jr. (EMBA ’17) Troutman Strategies

Vincent M. Rague (MBA ’84) Retired, Old Mutual Holdings PLC

Matthew J. Reintjes (MBA ’04) YETI

Michael Sabel Venture Global LNG

Erik A. Slingerland (MBA ’84) EAS International S.A.

Shannon G. Smith (MBA ’90) Abundant Power Group

Susan N. Sobbott (MBA ’90) Retired, American Express

Anand Emmanuel Stanley (MBA ’03) Airbus

Mark J. Styslinger Altec Industries Inc.

Melissa Thomas-Hunt University of Virginia Darden School of Business

Bruce R. Thompson (MBA ’90) Bank of America

Kelly M. Thomson (MBA ’99) Mubadala Capital

Lilo Simmons Ukrop (MBA ’89) University of Virginia Darden School of Business

Edward W. Valentine (MBA ’93) Harris Williams & Company

Steven C. Voorhees (MBA ’80) Retired, WestRock

Marietta Edmunds Zakas (MBA/JD ’84) Mueller Water Products Inc.

DARDEN ALUMNI ASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Chair

Cynthia K. Soledad (MBA ’02) Egon Zehnder

Vice Chair

Taylor P. Heaps (MBA ’13) Baird

Jennifer Beckett (TEP ’25) Office of the Secretariat

Jennifer Briggs (MBA ’14) Dechra Pharmaceuticals LTD

Stephen (Gregg) Brooks (MBA ’09) Self employed

Mary Buckle Searle (MBA ’86)

Jordan H. Casserley (MBA ’20) McKinsey & Company

Sandhya K. Chhabra MD (EMBA ’17) Albemarle Endocrinology

Sean M. Corrigan (MBA ’05) Boston Consulting Group

Lynnette D. Crowder (EMBA ’10) Mill Rock Packaging

Richard P. Dahling (MBA ’87) Institutional Investment

Zhana Edmonds (MBA ’19) CVS Health

Richard C. Edmunds III (MBA ’92) Retired, PricewaterhouseCoopers

Rachel M. Edwards (MBA ’22) Stealth Startup

Teresa A. Epperson (MBA ’95) Annise

Sarita T. Finnie (MBA ’01) Bayer

Theresa O. Frankiewicz (MBA ’87) Retired, Crown Community Development

James Freedman Aponte (MBA ’10) Meta

Michael J. Ganey (MBA ’78) GaneyNPD

Lee S. Gordon (MBA ’80) Morningstar Corporation

Leslie P. Gordon (MBA ’89) Korn Ferry

Betsy Gorton (MBA ’04) Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.

Jacqueline Grace (MBA ’10) Beam Living

Dave Heimbach (TEP ’22) Metronet Broadband

Karen O. Henneberger (EMBA ’20) 7 Rules Consulting LLC

Sonia L. Hounsell (MBA ’99) FunkkOFF! Inc.

Nathan A. Hukill (PTMBA ’25) Accenture Federal Services

Gen A. Izutsu (MBA ’15) Veralto

Marcien B. Jenckes (MBA ’98) Comcast Corporation

Melissa Jenkins (MBA ’16) Kansas City Current

Kendall Jennings (MBA ’12) Accenture

Wei Jin (MBA ’99) Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company

Patrice Ju (MBA ’14) Google

Matthew A. Kaness (MBA ’02) GoodwillFinds Ecommerce Inc.

Markus A. Kritzler (MBA ’04) Carbon Upcycling Technologies

Michael J. Lipsey (MBA ’08) Compass Communities

Xiang Liu (MBA ’05)

Jared Love (MBA ’07) NBCUniversal

Kristina F. Mangelsdorf (MBA ’94) KFM Executive Coaching (self-employed)

Sherry McCray (MBA ’05) Constellation

Lois M. McEntyre (MBA ’95) Intuit Inc.

Michael W. Meredith (GEMBA ’17) Command Star Capital LLC

Tami M. Moore (EMBA ’09) Tillman Fiber Co.

Tiffani C. Moore (EMBA ’16) Federal Housing Finance Agency

Betsy M. Moszeter (EMBA ’11) Newday Impact Investing

Lauren A. Murphy (MBA ’94) Prime Theraputics

Nikhil Nath (MBA ’00) InterGlobe Enterprises

Ann H. S. Nicholson (MBA ’01) Corning Inc.

Alyssa N. Perez-Melendez (MBA ’20) Bain & Company

Alex R. Picou (MBA ’89) JP Morgan Private Bank

Anthony James Ranghelli (GEMBA ’24) Bank of Charles Town

Jason Sinnarajah (MBA ’07) Kansas City Royals

Sara Smith (EMBA ’25) NVR, Inc.

Malcolm Stewart (MBA ’24) Brown Advisory

David L. Tayman (MBA/JD ’99) Tayman Lane Chaverri LLP

Zachary G. Upcheshaw (MBA ’15) Goldman Sachs Group Inc.

Brandt A. Vaughan (MBA ’99) Ballmer Enterprises

Gerrud Wallaert (TEP ’18) Brightmark

Carter Whitelow (EMBA ’24) Willcox Savage Consulting

Daniele M. Wilson (MBA ’11) Google

Chong Xu (MBA ’14) F-Prime Capital Partners

Jose Maria Zertuche (MBA ’00) BlackRock

DARDEN COMMUNITY SAYS GOODBYE TO 3 FACULTY LEGENDS

Recent months have brought a season of farewells for the Darden community as we honor the lives of three beloved professors who combined to serve the School for more than a century. Read how preeminent teachers and scholars Alec Horniman, Alan Beckenstein and Andy Wicks left lasting legacies of impact at Darden.

DARDEN PROFESSOR FOR 54 YEARS, ALEC HORNIMAN WAS 'FIRST AND FOREMOST A TEACHER’

PROFESSOR EMERITUS ALEC HORNIMAN , 89, passed away unexpectedly but peacefully in his sleep on 9 November in Charlottesville, said his wife, Eva Clorisa Phillips.

Over 54 years as a professor, Horniman’s legacy of kindness and commitment to creative, engaging experiences for students never faded, nor would his early emphasis on business ethics that helped build Darden’s reputation. He retired in 2021 as the Killgallon Ohio Art Professor of Business Administration. He was the founder and first executive director of Darden’s Olsson Center for Applied Ethics.

“Alec loved teaching. He was first and foremost a teacher, and it brought him indescribable joy,” Phillips said. “He loved Darden, and he loved the University. It’s that simple.”

Senior Associate Dean for Faculty and Research Sankaran Venkataraman said Horniman “had a mesmerizing presence in class and was one of the master teachers of Darden. His approach to people, everyone and everywhere, could be encapsulated in his favorite phrase — ‘invite, include and inspire.’”

Horniman earned an undergraduate degree in political science from Middlebury College, where he was an ROTC member; an MBA from the University of California at Los Angeles; and a Doctorate in Business Administration from Harvard Business School. Prior to joining Darden in 1967, Horniman was in the U.S. Army and worked for the aerospace firm North American Aviation.

During his five decades at Darden, Horniman taught all facets of the MBA program and Executive Education. He also taught UVA undergraduates studying psychology and regularly led sessions with professional support staff across the University.

A member of Beta Gamma Sigma international honor society, Horniman earned numerous academic accolades over the years, including the Thomas Jefferson Award for excellence in public service, the highest faculty award bestowed by UVA.

ALAN BECKENSTEIN WAS ONE OF DARDEN’S

LONGEST-SERVING FACULTY MEMBERS

DARDEN MOURNS PASSING OF PREEMINENT ETHICIST ANDY WICKS

ALAN BECKENSTEIN JOINED the Darden School faculty in 1972, immediately after completing his Ph.D. in economics at the University of Michigan. In the years that followed, he would become one of the longest-serving faculty members in Darden history.

More importantly, say colleagues and friends who forged lasting and rewarding relationships with him, Beckenstein came to represent and help grow the values that would cement his and Darden’s reputations.

Beckenstein, 78, passed away on 17 July in Charlottesville.

Beckenstein’s academic focus spanned economics and public policy, and he taught generations of MBA students. He shaped Darden’s Global Economies and Markets (GEM) area as the area head when it was still called BPE. He was especially passionate about executive education and took great pride in his leadership roles in The Executive Program (TEP) and Darden’s New Zealand executive education initiatives. He also became well known to many through his annual economic

forecast talks, which he delivered to alumni audiences across the country.

Peter Prowitt (MBA ’81), Darden senior lecturer and longtime friend and colleague, said Beckenstein served as his advisor and professor while he was a Darden student. Later, they taught a Second Year elective together for 34 years.

“No one who had the good fortune to study under Alan will ever forget his classes,” Prowitt said. “But Alan was more than a great teacher. He was always available to Darden graduates throughout their careers. He was a lifelong learner himself, and for me, remained my teacher and advisor long after I received my degree from Darden. And I know I am just one of many.”

Professor Frank Warnock was a colleague of Beckenstein’s since joining the Darden faculty in 2004. “Alan was incredibly generous with the time and effort he put into others’ careers,” Warnock said. “That will stick with me forever. As will his singing of 1950s and ’60s doo-wop songs — the latest being ‘Life Is But a Dream.’”

ANDY WICKS, 62, the Ruffin Professor Emeritus of Business Administration, passed away 23 October in Colorado from a neurodegenerative disease.

In a message to the Darden community, Professor Bobby Parmar referenced Wicks’ wry humor and his well-known devotion to thinking deeply about ethics and life’s purpose.

“His final moments were at home with [his wife] Cathy, a lifelong hospice nurse. Andy was surrounded by the Colorado mountains he loved,” Parmar wrote. “Cathy reports that he was open, light and ready to leave his body. He was surrounded by music and candles and said he was relieved that he didn’t have to watch the Tennessee vs. Alabama game. He didn’t want that to be what took him before his time.”

An ethicist with a background in religious studies, Wicks earned his undergraduate degree at the University of Tennessee, and his master’s and Ph.D. in religious ethics from UVA. He joined Darden’s faculty in 2002 after teaching for a decade at the University of Washington School of Business.

During his time at Darden, Wicks served as director of the Olsson Center for Applied Ethics, academic director of the Institute for Business in Society, academic adviser for the Business Roundtable Institute for Corporate Ethics and director of Darden’s doctoral program. MBA courses he taught included “Business Ethics;” “Leadership, Values and Ethics;” “Faith, Religion and Responsible Management Decision Making;” and “Ultimate Questions and Creating Value in Business.”

For Wicks, becoming a business professor wasn’t part of the original plan, but he met Professor Ed Freeman, who opened his eyes to what business ethics was all about. Wicks would become Freeman’s research assistant, and Freeman joined Wicks’ dissertation committee. The pair went on to write three books together, in addition to a number of papers.

“Andy was one of the most thoughtful people I’ve ever known,” Freeman said. “He really lived the values that were important to him.”

The Darden School offers its condolences to the families of the following individuals whose deaths have been reported to us in the past six months.

Roger Bonney (TEP ’68)

Karen L. Bowers (MBA ’83)

David W. Boyle (MBA ’73)

Adam Briggs (MBA ’63)

O. Woodward Buckner Jr. (MBA ’79)

Douglas Campbell III (MBA ’80)

Dr. Galen F. deGraff (MBA ’76)

E. Gulen Desteli (MBA ’06)

Julius E. Eldridge Jr. (MBA ’67)

Eric Freeman (MBA ’68)

Jerry N. Gauche (TEP ’87)

Patrick C. Graney III (MBA ’81)

Paul B. Griffith (MBA ’92)

Mervyn W. Han (MBA ’11)

Suzanne R. Hoglund (MBA ’86)

David C. Jamison (MBA ’74)

Terral M. Jordan (MBA ’76)

Douglas R. Lebda (MBA ’14)

Hauthaway Mabbett Jr. (MBA ’65)

Pablo Odriozola Canales (MBA ’05)

Thomas A. Pitt, PhD (MBA ’81)

John W. S. Rick III (MBA ’67)

Lawrence Wood “Chip” Robert IV (MBA ’64)

William P. Schubmehl (MBA ’61)

Anthony M. Townsend (MBA ’59)

Michael D. Traina (MBA ’94)

Gregory A. Williams (MBA ’82)

The Charles C. Abbott Award is named in honor of the first dean of the University of Virginia Darden School of Business. The award is presented annually to a graduate of the Darden School or The Executive Program whose contributions of time, energy and talent are outstanding. The Alumni Association recognizes the recipient as an individual who:

Demonstrates a strong level of interest in and concern for Darden’s mission Commits a generous amount of time, energy and funds to Darden Brings initiative and persistence to projects and responsibilities Is regarded by other stakeholders as an outstanding contributor

Please nominate a fellow alumna or alumnus at drdn.mba/ abbottaward

You will be asked to provide the nominee’s name and an explanation of why you identify this person as a strong candidate for the award. The Abbott Award will be presented to the recipient during Darden Reunion Weekend. Please direct questions to the Office of Advancement at +1-434243-8977 or alumni@ darden.virginia.edu.

University of Virginia Darden School Foundation

Change Service Requested

“The MBA stays relevant by becoming the degree that teaches how to run the business of AI.”

LaCross Institute for Ethical Artificial Intelligence in Business

READ THE FEATURE ON PAGE 24 AND DISCOVER MORE ABOUT DARDEN’S DIFFERENTIATION IN AI THOUGHT LEADERSHIP INSIDE.