ALUMNI
NEWS
Rutar elected president
Nine begin three-year terms Pat Hoehner
had Rutar ’97 is the newly-elected president of the UNK Alumni Association. Rutar of Omaha, a financial advisor with Renaissance Financial, was elected at the fall meeting of the board of directors. He replaces B r e n d a Snodgrass Christensen ’83 of Minden. Other officers for Chad Rutar 2009-2010 are Bryan Kuntz ’95 of Kearney, president-elect, and Andrea
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Walton Miller ’02 of Scottsbluff, secretary. Nine board members were elected to three-year terms that began with the annual fall meeting during Homecoming weekend. Dr. Pat Hoehner ’57, MSE’67, EDS’82 of Kearney is an assistant professor of educational administration at UNK. Nancy McCarthy Polk ’74 of Kearney is a Media Associate Para at Emerson Public School with Kearney Public Schools. Mark Felker ’86 is president at JAM4 Creative in Alliance. Dr. Brett Kuhn ’86 of Omaha is associate professor of pediatrics at UNMC. Kip Magner ’92 of Lincoln is a reimbursement analyst at Lincoln Surgical Center.
Nancy Polk
Mark Felker
Brett Kuhn
Kip Magner
Katrina Jacobsen Rother
Carol Green Ballain
Bethany Spilde
Bret Walker
Katrina Jacobsen Rother MSE’00 of Grand Island is integration specialist with the Grand Island Public Schools. Carol Green Ballain ’65 of Fort Collins, Colorado, is a retired teacher. Bethany Spilde ’06 of Council Bluffs, Iowa, is president of a company she owns, Social Buzz Media. Bret Walker ’00 of Brighton, CO, is business development manager for Westwood College.
Seven board members completed three-year terms on the board of directors. They will now serve as trustees of the association. They are Fred Arnold ’83 of Fairbury, Sue Batie ’73 of Cypress, California, Candy Fernau ’96 of Dallas, Andrew Romatzke ’01 of Omaha, Bob Warren ’64 of McMinnville, Oregon, Deb Schwenka ’76 of Minden, and Dr. Stephanie Hueftle Vogel ’89, MAE’96 of Stillwater, Oklahoma.
Meeting alumni from the other side of the world
orty Japanese graduates of UNK traveled from all over Japan last fall to gather at the historic Okura
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18 l UNK Today l Spring 2010
Hotel in Tokyo to celebrate their first alumni gathering. It was a time for emotional reunions, joyous greetings and the sharing of fond memories. Guests were ELI instructor
and Japanese Student adviser Jayne Heimer, International Education Director Dr. Dallas Kenny and the Nebraska Department of Economic Development representative in
Tokyo Koji Nagasaka. After the gathering that included testimonials, shared stories and tearful farewells, the former classmates vowed to meet again next year.