Spotlight

Spotlight on Graduate Brothers

Michael D. Deetsch (Hanover 1998)

Mike Deetsch was named the senior director of learning & interpretation at the Toledo Museum of Art (TMA) in February 2022. In this position, Mike plays a critical role in developing TMA's culture of belonging and operationalizing its commitment to quality. Mike has worked for TMA since 2013, when he was hired as the assistant director of education. In 2015, he was named director of education & engagement, overseeing the Museum's docent program, art classes and curriculum. He served in that role until his recent promotion. Prior to joining TMA, Mike worked at the Brooklyn (New York) Museum as a senior museum educator, the Lexington (Kentucky) Art League as exhibition & programs director, and the Kentucky Historical Society as the student programs manager. In 2012 he was selected to participate in the Getty Leadership Institute's NextGen program. Mike received a B.A. in art history from Hanover and a M.S. in art education from the Pratt Institute (Brooklyn, NY).

Dr. Kenneth A. Jessell (Florida State 1977)

On January 21, 2022, Dr. Ken Jessell was named interim president of Florida International University in Miami. Ken has served FIU as senior vice president of finance & administration and CFO since 2009. He is also a professor of finance in the College of Business Administration. He moved to FIU from Florida Atlantic University, where he worked for 26 years, serving in several key leadership positions, concluding as senior vice president for financial affairs. Ken earned three degrees from Florida State University, a bachelor’s in political science, a MBA, and a Ph.D. in finance. He has served the Phi Sigma Chapter at Florida State on the Board of Chapter Advisors and the House Corporation, including four years as House Corporation President.

Bruce K. Kidd (Purdue 1980)

Bruce Kidd is the co-founder and president of Concerts for a Cause (CFAC), which supports small nonprofit organizations in the Indianapolis area that provide important services for children, adults and families. Launched in early 2016, CFAC generates its support through ticket sales for live music events that it organizes. Even with an 18-month cessation of live events during the pandemic, CFAC has donated $360,000 to over 19 organizations. CFAC resumed live performances in 2021 and has four events scheduled for 2022. Bruce says that brothers of all ages from the Purdue Chapter have been some of CFAC’s biggest supporters. In addition to his volunteer work with CFAC, Bruce is chairman of the board of Flight1, which conducts an aviation centered mentoring program for children who face health challenges or have lost a loved one to illness. He also serves on the Purdue Biological Sciences Alumni Advisory Council, and he was chairman of the board of the Indiana Chapter of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation from 2014-16. Professionally, Bruce is the founder and president of Kidd Consulting Group, a business advisory firm that assists privately held companies in finding solutions to their business challenges and needs. Find out more about CFAC at www.indyconcertsforacause.org.

W. Brent Powell (William Jewell 1992)

The Honorable Brent Powell was one of four William Jewell alumni to receive the College’s 2022 Citation for Achievement. Brother Powell is a justice on the Supreme Court of Missouri, having been appointed to that position in 2017 and then elected in 2018 for a 12-year term. Previously, he served as a circuit judge in Jackson County, Missouri, for nine years. Prior legal experience included executive assistant U.S. attorney for the Western District of Missouri and assistant prosecuting attorney in the Platte County (Missouri) prosecutor’s office. Among the honors Brent has received for his professional contributions are Judge of the Year from the Association for Women Lawyers of Greater Kansas City and the President's Award from the Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association. He majored in political science as an undergraduate and earned his J.D. from the University of Missouri School of Law.

Tom Roy (Arizona 1981)

Tommy Roy is lead producer for all golf coverage at NBC Sports, including year-round PGA TOUR coverage and major championships that include The Open (British Open), KPMG Women’s PGA Championship and the Senior PGA Championship. His first encounter with NBC Sports came in 1978 as an undergraduate at the University of Arizona, when he served as a runner for the network at the Tucson Open. Upon graduation in 1981, he joined NBC Sports as a production associate and rose steadily through the ranks, promoted to associate producer in 1983 and producer in 1986. In 1993 he was named executive producer and remained in that role until 2005, when he transitioned to producing golf full-time. He has produced or executive produced the broadcasts of many of the world’s biggest sports events, including the Olympics, Super Bowls, the NBA Finals, the Kentucky Derby, the Daytona 500, and Wimbledon. He continues to serve as producer for swimming and speedskating events at the Summer and Winter Olympics, respectively. Tommy’s work has earned 29 Emmy Awards.

Dr. Charles L. Shearer (Kentucky 1964)

Dr. Charles Shearer was inducted into the University of Kentucky Hall of Distinguished Alumni on October 1, 2021. The honor recognizes recipients for “meaningful contributions to the Commonwealth, nation and the world.” Brother Shearer is the former president of Transylvania University in Lexington, Kentucky. His 27 years in the position was the longest tenure among Transy presidents. Under his leadership, university enrollment grew by more than 75 percent, with attendant growth in majors offered and faculty numbers. Before becoming president in 1983, he was the University’s vice president of finance. In addition to his undergraduate degree in accounting and a master’s in economics and international diplomacy from UK, Dr. Shearer holds a master’s and a Ph.D. in economics from Michigan State University. He was awarded an honorary Doctor of Letters from UK in 2012 and was inducted into the Alumni Hall of Fame of UK’s Gatton College of Business and Economics in 1999. He was named a Distinguished Fiji in 2010.

Francis G. Thompson (Virginia Tech 2000)

Francis Thompson was one of six honorees to receive this year’s Richmond History Makers Award, presented by The Valentine, a museum in Richmond, Virginia, and the Community Foundation for a greater Richmond. Honorees were recognized for “improving people’s lives and creating a stronger Richmond for generations to come.” Francis received the award in the category of Advancing Our Quality of Life. He is the art program manager for real estate services firm JLL and manages a team that has maintained and expanded a contemporary corporate art collection installed within office buildings throughout North America. Francis earned a B.A. in studio art and a Master of Fine Arts in arts administration from Virginia Tech. He serves on the advisory board of the Longwood Center for the Visual Arts in Farmville, Virginia, and on the Virginia Tech School of the Visual Arts Advancement Council. From 2013 to 2018, he served the Fraternity as Purple Legionnaire for the Mu Pi Chapter at Virginia Commonwealth University, and he currently serves as Section Chief for the chapters at Richmond and Hampden-Sydney.