[ class notes ] were promoting a new Student Loan Borrower Bill of Rights that became law Aug. 1.
1974
Warren Cook retired as an umpire, a role he’s had since 1980. Cook officiated every level except midgets and covered eight All-Star Games. His last game was June 26 at the Minnesota State Baseball Coaches Association’s All-Star series.
1979
Terry Culhane, MS ’00 retired from coaching the SMSU volleyball team after the 2021 season.
1985
2010
Cook
Jackson
at the 2021 Best of Illinois History Award Ceremony for his book Poles in Illinois which he co-authored with Ann Gunkel. John teaches history at the University of Alaska-Southwest in Ketchikan.
1991
Rachel Wolter Mattson named interim middle Tom Jackson, president of Humboldt school principal, Marshall, Minn. University in Arcata, John Sterner, MS ’99 Calif., received the Distinguished Alumni created a sculpture to tie the city of Northfield to Award from Highline the native tribes that live College, Des Moines, there. The new sculpture Wash. is entitled “Wanbli 1987 Mitakuye Oyasin/We are Justin Ingalls is the high all Related,” and stands school athletic officials 15 feet tall. It depicts coordinator for the an eagle in flight and is state of South Dakota, located at Hwy 3 and a position he started in Third St. in Northfield. July 2021.
1988
Rhonda (Lembke) Fenner started a position in May as the senior vice president of operations transformation for AmeriLife Group, LLC in Clearwater Fla. Keith Helgeson was appointed by Gov. Tim Walz to fill the Eighth Judicial vacancy. He is chambered in the city of Granite Falls, Yellow Medicine County. Jeff Schelhaas, MS ’00 retired in November from his teaching career of 33 years with 26 of them at the Pipestone Area Schools District.
1989
John Radzilowski received the Superior Achievement Award
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1993
Becky (Timmerman) Degreeff became an assistant professor of communication at the University of Wisconsin-Stout in Menominee, Wis., on Aug. 2020.
1996
Dr. Rhonda (Bartels) Bonnstetter joined the Worthington School District in Worthington as a secondary math teacher. She began the position at the start of the school year.
1998
Chris Hmielewski is the chief of staff with Benaiah Co., an insurance company in Sioux Falls, S.D. Kent Roers and his brother, Brian Roers, were named finalists in Ernest & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year Awards recognizing them as the Heartland Region’s elite entrepreneurs.
1999
Jenifer (Kirsch) Goblish was presented the Outstanding Adjunct Faculty Award by the Communication and Theatre Association of Minnesota.
2000
Kindra (Witthans) Helin was selected to be the new activities Jeff Loots was named to the College Football director of North Hall of Fame ballot on Branch Public Schools June 3. Loots played for in North Branch, in Nov. 2021. SMSU from 1990-92. His career was one 2002 of the most prolific Michael Daugs is quarterbacks in school the first principal at history. Loots lives in Tiger Elementary in Hugo. Hutchinson and started Jennifer (Kaczrowski) this new position in the Taylor started a new 2021-22 school year. position as the principal Josh Turek, the most of United South Central decorated wheelchair Elementary in Wells. basketball player in program history at
1995
Natasha (Thompson) Boe is the new Financial Aid Director at SMSU. Christina Boike earned Sterner Loots Bonnstetter her CPA and is manager in Accounting and Class of 2021, for SMSU, competed as a Attestation Services with member of the United being a distinguished Christianson PLLP. alumna of that school. States Paralympic Tegan (Gullikson) basketball team, which Stacy currently is the Harris and her husband superintendent of the won the gold medal at Brian welcomed Jude the Paralympic Games Storm Lake (Iowa) Ryder, March 19, 2021. in Tokyo Aug. 24-Sept. Community School David Luepke married 5. It was his second gold District. Jenny Baldwin on May Chris Volzke accepted medal with the team. 2, 2020. a new position in Oct. Debra Mueske was 2003 2021 with the Casper appointed Court Jim Menton, MS is Wyoming Community now superintendent of Department Authority Administrator for the BOLD Public Schools in as its Deputy Executive Seventh and Eighth Judicial Districts by Olivia, Minn. Director & Chief the Minnesota Judicial Operating Officer. Council and started her 2004 new position on June Satyajit Dattaguta 2006 30, 2021. Prior, Mueske became Tulane Amy (Lackmann) served as Deputy University’s first senior Julius started a new vice president and position with Vanco as District Administrator dean of admission a Revenue Enablement for the Eighth Judicial District. for enrollment Manager in April. management, graduate Vanco provides financial Kyle Pagel completed his Master’s of Music: and pre-college strategy. services in the Twin Music Education Kyle Kooima is the Cities. in Fall 2020 from head football coach and the University of chemistry teacher at 2007 Minnesota-Twin Cities. Lead-Deadwood High Candie Baker, MS School in Lead, S.D. received the 2021 2011 Zeb Prairie was Friends of Public promoted to senior vice Schools award in Ripon, Jordan Kerr is a Reserve Deputy Sheriff for the president at North Star Wis. Sioux County Sheriff ’s Insurance Company, Chris Nick, MBA Cottonwood, Minn. retired at the end of the Office in Orange City, Iowa. Kerr also serves in July. He has been 2020-21 school year with North Star since after 45 years as a music as a full-time police officer for the Rock 2005, most recently teacher, 42 of those as vice president of years with Pequot Lakes Valley (Iowa) Police Department where he is investments. In his new Elementary. also a K-9 handler. role he oversees the Finance Department. Angie (Bernard) Trygestad is now the solutions adoption manager with Riskonnet Inc., a risk management software solution provider, Kennesaw, Ga.
2005
Stacy (Weaver) Cole (MS) was inducted into the Riverside Community School District Hall of Fame,
2008
Angela (Bonczek) Volzke began work as creative specialist for the Visit Casper (Wyo.) Tourism Bureau doing digital marketing and design in Nov. 2021. Aguirre Reese is the St. Cloud Technical and Community College bookstore manager. She recently met with state officials who
All cities are in Minnesota unless noted. Events are in the current year unless noted.
2012
Ralph Manyara has joined Leigh Consulting in Chesterfield, Mo. as the head of project management and cybersecurity. Yome Nguyen works at General Mills and developed a line of softbaked cookies: Pillsbury Soft Baked Cookies with five flavors launched in March.
