CLASS NOTES National Guard. He is still in the Army National Guard, and he and his wife are small business owners in Washington, VA. Chris Bluhm is an Army Captain (Infantry), and after serving in Iraq in the GWOT, he moved to Washington, DC, for a brief hiatus as a government contractor. Since then, Chris has gone back on active duty and is about to finish the Captain’s Career Course. Soon, Chris will be meeting with his new company, and then deploying again to Iraq. Dan Clark is living in Buffalo, NY, where he has been teaching freshman chemistry and advanced organic chemistry at the U. of Buffalo. While teaching, he is simultaneously working on his Ph.D. in Synthetic Organic Chemistry. He will receive his Ph.D. in August 2008, and will then have a post-doctoral position at the Max-Planck Institute in Mulheim, Germany. Joe Darin is living in Atlanta, GA, and is engaged to be married on July 11, 2009. He was the general manager of the Original Pancake House, but after two years realized he didn’t like pancakes anymore. He now enjoys free beer on a daily basis in his new job at Gordon Biersch Restaurant and Brewery, and is up for promotion soon to assistant general manager. Joe also said that Phil Harris has been down to visit him a few times in GA, and he was able to hang out with Mark Davis while Mark was in helicopter training for the Army. Mark Davis pursued his Army career post-graduation. After completing his training, he became a Chief Warrant Officer in the Army. The last I heard he was having fun flying helicopters in Korea. Josh Gonzales is now out of the Army and is living in northern VA working for the Dept. of Homeland Security. Prior to this, he was a Military Intelligence officer in the Army (Captain), serving in Iraq from 2005-’06 – where he received the Bronze Star, before completing his active duty service requirement. Kyle Haire married Julie Worrell (daughter of Norman Worrell ’72) in December 2003, and in Nov. 28, 2007 they had a baby boy named Taylor Mark. Kyle completed USMC flight training, earning honors as the Top Graduate for his flight class in July 2005, and is now a weapons systems officer in F-18 Hornets. They are stationed in Beaufort, SC, and Kyle, now a Captain, is currently deployed to Marine Air Station Japan. Phil Harris is living and working in Lewisburg, WV, for his family’s business. I’ve seen him at a number of the VMI football game tailgates since we’ve graduated. He seems to be doing well and is very successful in his business ventures! Jimmy Hitch is living in Savannah, GA, working as the Director of Sales and Marketing for Pan-Am Dental, Inc. James Kuhn and his wife, Holly, were married in December 2006 and are about to move to OK, where James plans to pursue his Seminary
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degree while his wife finishes her residency in medical school. Since graduation, James has been living and teaching at a small Christian school in Martinsburg, WV. Arthur “Bubba” Matthews moved to Charlotte, NC, shortly after graduating. The last I heard, Bubba was a Staff Sergeant in the U.S. Air Force Reserves, and had served on numerous overseas deployments. Kyle Padgett and I attended Dermot Gavin’s wedding in August 2007 in New York. Kyle has been living in Norfolk, VA, but works in NC as an EMT/Fire Paramedic and is taking pre-med classes. He is engaged to Katie Mackintosh and is getting married in August 2008. Paul Quinn is in the USMC (Captain) working as an OCS instructor at Quantico Marine Corps Base in VA. He and his wife, Lindsey, were married in June 2003, and they currently live in Fredericksburg, VA. They are the proud parents of their 6-month-old daughter, Haven Ann, and are expecting their second daughter in September of this year. Rob Sarver (Golf Co. ’03 and USNA ’04), is graduating from the U.S. Navy BUDs training in June 2008. At that time, he will pin on the coveted SEAL trident, becoming a member of the U.S. Navy’s elite Special Forces, and will then be deploying to parts unknown. Billy Schaller graduated from Seton Hall University in 2005, earning a master’s degree. In May 2006, he was married to Brinda, his high school sweetheart. He currently lives in northern NJ, working in pharmaceutical marketing and market research, while in his spare time he volunteers as a wrestling coach for a youth recreational program. Wes Swank attended Stanford Business School after graduation to pursue his MBA. After graduating from Stanford in May 2005, Wes and his girlfriend Allison moved to New York City where he worked for a mergers and acquisitions group of a major investment bank. Recently, Wes has taken a new job working for a hedge fund, and he and Allison have moved back to Dallas, TX. Dave Tavenner was teaching and coaching football at Fork Union a couple of years ago according to Kyle Padgett, but I’m not sure what he is up to these days. I was unable to get info on the following Brother Rats, so if anyone knows where they are or what they are up to, then please let me know! Will Diaz, Matt Dixon, Aric Gerke, Taylor Goodall, Alia Hamad, Peter Hugger, Jared Hull, Pat Lavoie, Andy Reel, Chris Walsh … better yet, if those of you listed could e-mail me at the above e-mail address, I will be sure to get your info in the next edition of class notes!!! HOTEL Company: Rob McLean (Company Rep.) – Since returning from Iraq with my National Guard unit in 2005, I have been working as an investment banker in New York City.
This fall, I am headed to the Darden School at UVA to get my MBA alongside none-otherthan Hotel Brother Rat Joe Pederson. Please send Hotel Company updates to me at rob. mclean03@gmail.com. Garth Best has been at law school in Nashville and will graduate Memorial Day weekend 2008. In August, he will be married to Ms. Sharon Hopkins, daughter of Hugh Hopkins ’69, in Chattanooga, TN. Jason “Bonch” Boncher will be his best man, and his groomsmen will include Rob McLean, Matt Keck, Evan Szymanski and Danny Goldberg. “Bonch” has been working and living in the Baltimore, MD, area as a shipping manager at a restaurant distribution company and getting into trouble with his Rat roommate Kyle Pfeiffer. Kyle has been working as a contractor for a pharmaceutical company in DE and is also getting married in July. After spending several years in Brooklyn, NY, as a writer, Evan Szymanski moved to Atlanta with his wife, Sophie Wackenhut, and is now working as a teacher. We are proud to report that Evan’s 1-year-old son, Hudson Baird, is already starting to display his dad’s proclivity for wise crack antics. Matt Keck recently began working for Abbot Labs as a pharmaceutical rep after a long tenure as a banker with Wachovia in Roanoke. Matt is marrying Ms. Komal Dhillon of Roanoke this June at Smith Mountain Lake. Rob McLean will be his best man and his groomsmen will include Garth, Bonch and Danny Goldberg. Joe Pederson recently got out of the Marine Corps and now resides in CA. Soon, he will be joining me at UVA’s Darden School to pursue an MBA. Danny Goldberg graduated from law school last December and has started up his own law practice in Houston, TX. Derek Overstreet is living in Richmond and has worked as a bridge engineer for the last three years. Last year, Derek was married to Ms. Kelly Trevillian, and Daren Williams was his best man. Daren is living in the DC area with his wife, Valerie, and working for Turner Construction. Allen Maxey is currently finishing up his medical internship at Fort Lewis, WA, and will be relocating to Fort Richardson, AK, this summer. This May he will be marrying Ms. Shelley Grigsby, sister of Mark Grigsby ’02. Will Johnson will be Allen’s best man. Will is out of the active Army and enjoying his National Guard Annual Training as this is being written. Cliff Cook, who will be attending the wedding, is finishing up his Ph.D. in materials chemistry at George Washington University. Scott Ferrebee has been living and working in the suburbs of DC and will be marrying his fiancée this June in Budapest, Hungary. Scott still keeps in touch with Dave Narcum, who is currently working in DC for the FBI and was married in 2006.
VMI ALUMNI REVIEW