Christopher John Wylie ’92 of Appleton, Wis., is the head tennis coach at University of WisconsinFox Valley in Menasha, Wis., and also is selfemployed in various endeavors. Paul Combs ’93 of Wayne, Neb., has been named the new head men’s basketball coach at Wayne State College in Wayne, Neb., and began his new duties June 1. He previously served six seasons as head coach at the University of WisconsinPlatteville. There, he guided the Pioneers to a 103-56 record, including a 23-6 mark this past season that saw University of Wisconsin-Platteville reach the NCAA Division III National Tournament. The team was ranked No. 1 in the country for a short period of time in January, its first number-one ranking since 1999. Elizabeth Thomasma Krcmar ’93 of Waupaca, Wis.: “After being a stay-at-home mom to our three boys for almost eight years, I went back to teaching last year in 2007-2008. I am teaching Title 1 math part time for grades 1 through 3 at the Waupaca Learning Center.” Chris Lizak ’93 and his wife, Julie, of Glenview, Ill., have a son, Michael Chester Lizak, born April 23, 2008. Stacey Ventura ’93 of Chicago, Ill., married Joseph “Joe” Koszela, Aug. 16, 2008. Stacey is a senior assistant in the circulation/newsstand department of Playboy Enterprises Inc. Doug Long ’94 and Wendy Davis Long ’97 of Ripon, Wis., have a daughter, Amelia Louise Long, born June 22, 2008. Christine R. Metzo ’94 of St. Cloud, Minn., completed her doctorate in philosophy at the University of Kentucky in May 2008. She recently was appointed the assistant director of First-Year and Transition Programs at St. Cloud State University. Matthew M. Phillips ’94 of Stoughton, Wis., is a policy adviser on the staff of Wisconsin State Senator Neal Kedzie. Chad Adam Lueck ’95 of Furlong, Pa., now is the director of leadership training and development at Centocor Ortho Biotech Inc., a Johnson & Johnson company which represents the biotech pharmaceutical arm of J&J. Centocor Ortho Biotech, Inc. generates approximately $5 billion of J&J’s $64 billion in annual sales. Kim Phu ’96 of Daly City, Calif., married Danny Lee July 19, 2008. Edward G. Stewart ’96 and his wife, Lisa Bright Hollenback, of Traverse City, Mich., have a daughter, Clara Grace Stewart, born April 19, 2009. Tiffany Marie Thomas ’96 of Greenfield, Wis., is a clinical supervisor at the Wisconsin Early Autism Project. Amy L. Tincher-Durik ’96 of Indianola, Iowa, is the managing editor of BHG.com, the Better Homes and Gardens Web site (Meredith Corp., Des Moines, Iowa). She also is co-chairing the Make-
36 RIPON MAGAZINE
A-Wish Foundation of Iowa 2009 auction and gala. Eric J. Van Dyken ’96 of Florence, Ky., is a pilot with Northwest Airlines. Becki Parsons Baird ’97 and her husband, Chris, of Ripon, Wis., have a daughter, Adeline Rose Christine R. Baird, born Feb. 18, 2008. Metzo ’94 Becki graduated with her master’s degree in educational leadership from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, May 16, 2009. She also has completed her fourth year at Ripon High School where she teaches world history and Asian/ African studies. In addition, she teaches U.S. history at REACH, Ripon’s exploration and application charter school. Zach Baitinger ’97 and his wife, D. Tobiassen Baitinger, of Fort Collins, Colo., have a son, Jacob Carter Tobiassen Baitinger, born July 17, 2008. In February, Zach accepted a position in supply chain at the New Belgium Brewing Company in Fort Collins, Colo. Suzie Soeldner Barrock ’97 and her husband, Christian, of Kohler, Wis., have a son, Edward Christian Barrock, born Dec. 24, 2008. Brian Cahoon ’97 and Cathy Mattson Cahoon ’97 of Naperville, Ill., have a son, Will James Cahoon, born June 18, 2008. Andrew Drechsler ’97 and his wife, Beth, of Washington, D.C., have a daughter, Ellis Margaret Drechsler, born July 19, 2008. Stephanie Bosman Fernhaber ’97 of Bloomfield, Ind., and her husband, Ethan, have a third daughter, Valerie Jean Fernhaber, born Jan. 4, 2009. Aaron Goldstein ’97 of Fond du Lac, Wis., was promoted to a training coordinator for the Fond du Lac Police Department effective Jan. 1, 2009. He coordinates nearly 80 employees’ career development, including in-house, specialized and advanced training opportunities. He also coordinates the Field Training Program, hiring process and assessment centers. He also has taken on additional responsibilities at Marian University as a part-time director where he does student advising, administers the criminal justice track of the undergraduate CRJ program and recruits for the adult accelerated program in the Fox Valley Region. Mike Guenther ’97 and Jessi Kofler Guenther ’97 recently relocated to Kirkland, Wash. Mike is an account executive for Salient Surgical Technologies and handles the greater Seattle market. Jessi has taken a new role as director of operations with Allegis Group Services and manages the Talent Source program at Microsoft. Ryan Johnson ’97 of Chanhassen, Minn., is the
Ryan Johnson ’97
Charles Leroy Larson III ’00
national sales director for CIGNA LifeSOURCE Transplant Network. Ryan is based out of Minneapolis and has responsibility for the entire country. CIGNA LifeSOURCE provides clients with the access they need for solid organ and bone marrow/stem cell transplantation while improving cost containment and reducing their financial risk. They manage more than 5,000 active transplant cases per year and have contracts with over 400 transplant programs at more than 115 independent transplant centers nationally recognized for their clinical outcomes. Felicity Meade ’97 of Seattle, Wash., is a community outreach program manager in Zune, an MP3 player and music service, at Microsoft. She also “has a really awesome dog called Umlaut.” Lisa Budgell Ritcher ’97 of Lexington, Ky., is the bookkeeper for Energy Sports & Fitness International. Amanda Schwantes ’97 of Greenfield, Wis., graduated from Marian University in Fond du Lac, Wis., with a master’s of arts in curriculum and instruction with a focus on differentiated instruction for at-risk learners in December 2008. Amanda teaches math at Bradford High School in Kenosha, Wis. Abbey Smoll ’97 of Phoenix, Ariz., earned a master’s degree in elementary education in December 2008 from Northern Arizona University. She teaches first grade at Kyrene del Milenio Elementary School. Emmy Litschke Swartz ’97 and Billy Swartz ’98 of Wauwatosa, Wis., have a daughter, Summerlyn Marie Swartz, born Jan. 12, 2009. Trisha Schmitt Anderson ’98 and her husband, Matt, of Hoffman Estates, Ill., have a daughter, Allison Elizabeth Anderson, born May 7, 2009. Rachel Thompson Casey ’99 and Patrick Joseph Casey ’00 of St. James, Minn., have a daughter, Willow Ann Casey, born May 22, 2008. Rachel teaches English as a second language and Patrick is an assistant public defender. Amy M. Letcher ’99 of New Holstein, Wis., has completed a master’s degree in education leadership with a global educator emphasis from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh.