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SunDAy, SEptEMbER 25, 2016
OWEn DExtER HARRy, 22, son of Christine and Robert Harry Jr. He is pursuing a degree in interior design at the University of Idaho. Owen is an escort chairman this year. His parents were both members of the Royal Court in 1990, his mother as a princess, his father as an escort. Robert Harry was escort chairman the next year and also has served as Floor Committee chairman and on the Aksarben Stock Show & Rodeo board. Among Owen’s other ties to Aksarben: His grandmother Kathleen Fuchs Owen was a princess; his grandfather Robert E. Owen was an escort, served on the Floor Committee, was an Aksarben councillor and a governor. His great-grandmother Dolores Carlson Owen was a princess. And his great-grandfather Edward F. Owen was an Aksarben governor and was king of Aksarben in 1975. The escort’s father is vice president of Lockton Cos. He is a member of the Omaha Parks and Recreation advisory board and of a Metro Community College advisory board. The escort’s mother, the former Christine Owen, served on the board of Omaha’s Ronald McDonald House and has been active in the Junior League of Omaha and Child Saving Institute. She is a member of the All Saints Episcopal Church Vestry.
MicHAEL tHOMAS KOcH, 21, son of Lisa and Daniel Koch. He expects to obtain a business degree from Creighton University in December. His brothers — Alexander, Jonathan and Thomas — were pages. His father was a page, an escort and an Aksarben councillor. His grandfather Harry Koch was king of Aksarben in 1997; he also served as an Aksarben governor and a councillor. His grandmother Gail (Young) Koch was Aksarben queen in 1952; she also was Women’s Ball Committee chairman. Daniel Koch is president of Phoenix Capital. He has served on Creighton’s conflict of interest review committee, Children’s Hospital Foundation board, Catholic Charities Foundation board and St. Robert Bellarmine stewardship committee. The escort’s mother, the former Lisa Mainelli, serves on the Children’s Hospital/UNMC Institutional Review Board and the Creighton University Institutional Review Board. She is a member of the Sacred Heart Guild, St. Robert’s Ladies Guild and the Omaha Symphony Guild. The Kochs serve on the Dobleman Head and Neck Cancer Institute board.
ADAM JOHn KOtuLA, 21, son of Suzanne and Dr. Rudy Kotula. He is pursuing degrees in biochemistry and Spanish at Creighton. His sister, Anna, was standard bearer at the 2014 coronation ball. His mother, the former Suzanne Ganzhorn, has served on the Women’s
OMAHA WORLD-HERALD
aksarben omaha escorts Ball Committee. The escort’s father is a physician at Methodist Physicians. He serves on the Nebraska AIDS Project board and is a consultant for the Nebraska Immunization Task Force. He serves on the Creighton University Alumni Advisory Board and the Creighton Parents Leadership Council. The Kotulas were honorary co-chairmen of the 2016 Heartland Family Service Gala. They are co-chairmen of the 2017 Brownell-Talbot Gala. Suzanne Kotula serves on the Omaha Symphony Governing Board and the Children’s Hospital Friends Board.
cOnnOR MicHAEL KOuKOL, 21, son of Elizabeth and Dr. Steven Koukol. He is pursuing a finance degree at UNL. Connor was an Aksarben page, as was his sister Libby. His other sister, Katie, was a princess in 2010. His brother, Jeff, was an escort in 2012. The escort’s father is a urologist and a partner at the Urology Center. He is a member of the finance committee of the South Central Section of the American Urological Association. He also is a member of the American College of Surgeons. The escort’s mother, the former Elizabeth Tooley, is a registered nurse at the Methodist Pain Management Clinic. She is immediate past president of Methodist Volunteers in Partnership. She has served on a number of boards including Boys & Girls Clubs, Girls Inc. and the Rose Theater.
HEnRy HuDSOn KutiLEK, 21, son of Anne and Steve Kutilek. He is pursuing a chemical engineering degree at UNL. Henry was a page in 2001. His uncle Joseph Kutilek was an escort in 1988. The escort’s father is president & CEO of Customer Service Profiles. He has been president of the board of Omaha’s Ronald McDonald House and now is on the charity’s advisory committee. He has co-chaired a CUES corporate drive and he remains a CUES corporate drive team leader. The escort’s mother, the former Anne Rothfuss, is director of special events for CUES. She serves on the Stephen Center board and is active in the nonprofit’s guild. She has served as a Sacred Heart mentor. Her volunteer work has benefited Creighton Prep, Christ the King, Catholic Charities, TeamMates and Westside High. The Kutileks are past chairmen of the annual CUES fundraising event.
MicHAEL FLOyD MELLEn, 21,
JAcK RiccERi, 21,
son of Lisa and Gary Gotsdiner and Mike Mellen. He is pursuing a mechanical engineering degree at the University of Arizona. His brother Andrew was an escort in 2011; Michael, Andrew and their sister, Jessica, were Aksarben pages. Their father was an escort as well. The escort’s mother, the former Lisa Marietti, is a business consultant at Gallup Inc. She serves on the boards of the Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, the Westside Community Schools Foundation and Phoenix Academy. She is a mentor in the Girls Inc. Pathfinders Program, has served on the Girls Inc. board and has been president of the nonprofit’s friends group. She also is a member of the Project Harmony Community Cabinet. The escort’s stepfather, a lawyer, is chairman of McGill, Gotsdiner, Workman & Lepp. The escort’s father is founder of Lowry Mellen Realty Advisors and has been involved in the United States Tennis Association.
son of Buffy and Tom Ricceri. He is assistant manager of the Fossil Store at Village Pointe. He and his sister Skylar were train bearers at previous coronation balls. His mother, the former Buffy Fricke, and his aunt Cathy Bonnesen have served on the Women’s Ball Committee. His father and his uncle Scot Bonnesen have served on the Floor Committee. The escort’s father is a plumber for Mainelli Mechanical Contractors. His volunteer work has benefited Westside Community Schools, Boys & Girls Clubs and All Saints Episcopal Church. The escort’s mother is a business analyst for First National Bank of Omaha. She was general co-chair of the 50th anniversary bash for Boys & Girls Clubs and has been president of the nonprofit’s Family Guild. She has been active in fundraising for Westside Schools, Fontenelle Forest, Opera Omaha, Lauritzen Gardens and more.
nAtHAniEL tHOMAS nEMER, 22,
son of Cynthia E. Epstein and David A. Wiesman. He is studying computer science and linguistics at the University of Michigan. Mathew and his brother, Harison, were Aksarben pages. The escort’s father is president of Wiesman Development. He serves on the board of Joslyn Art Museum and contributes to many community causes. The escort’s mother is an attorney at Epstein & Epstein. She is a Nebraska State Bar Fellow, serves on the Nebraska Supreme Court District 2 Committee on Inquiry and has been a Nebraska State Bar delegate. She also has served on the Child Saving Institute board.
son of Susan Nemer Haddix and Michael Nemer. He is pursuing a business degree at UNL. His brother, Nick, was an escort in 2007. The escort’s mother, the former Susan Meehan, is married to George Haddix. Among her community activities, she is a Creighton University trustee and serves on the boards of Child Saving Institute, Fontenelle Forest and Jesuit Academy. She has served on the Omaha Symphony Debutante Ball Committee. The escort’s father, a business executive, is married to Denise Nemer.
niKOLAOS pipERiS, 21, son of Christina and Dr. Peter Piperis. He is pursuing a degree in philosophy at Boston College. Dr. Piperis is a chronic pain specialist and anesthesiologist at Momenta Pain Care. The escort’s mother, the former Christina Koliopoulos, works at the Momenta clinic. She is former parish council president at St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church. Her volunteer work has benefited the church, St. Vincent de Paul Parish and the Rose Theater. The Piperises have been active at Creighton Prep.
MAtHEW F. WiESMAn, 21,
JAMES ROMAn WORtMAnn, 22, son of Cecilia and Thomas Wortmann. He is pursuing a business degree at UNO. His sister Rachel was a standard bearer at the 2013 ball. The escort’s parents founded InterTech Collision Centers in 1987; the company now has eight locations. Tom Wortmann was active in the D.R.E.A.M. Foundation car giveaway for many years. He has been a sponsor of the Millard Business Association’s Project Wee Care and of the Omaha Soap Box Derby. He supports the Creighton Prep trapshooting team. The escort’s mother, the former Cecilia Klosner, is a longtime volunteer with the ReRuns R Fun consignment sale and is a longtime sponsor of the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. Her volunteer work has benefited St. Columbkille Catholic School, Marian High School and the Open Door Mission.