2013 Eighth Annual
Distinguished Achievement Awards & Gala

Friday, October 25, 2013 ⋅ Newport Marriott, Newport, R.I.

The Distinguished Achievement Awards honor
those who personify URI’s tradition of excellence
in achievement, leadership, and service.

View photos.

2013 PRESIDENT’S AWARD RECIPIENTS

150203_Karina_EdmondsKarina Montilla Edmonds ’92, Ph.D.
Executive Director for Institute Corporate Relations,
California Institute of Technology
Executive Director for Institute Corporate Relations, California Institute of Technology
Karina Edmonds is a nationally recognized expert in the field of innovation, technology transfer and commercialization. As the Technology Transfer Coordinator for the U.S. Department of Energy since 2010, Edmonds drives the process of moving discoveries from national laboratories to the marketplace, ensuring that today’s leading scientific discoveries become tomorrow’s high-paying jobs. Edmonds joined the energy department following her work as director of Technology Transfer at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory at the California Institute of Technology. Earlier in her career, Edmonds served as principal investigator of internal research and development at what is now Northrop Grumman.

150203_Eric_RyanEric T. Ryan ’96
Co-Founder, Method Products
Eric Ryan is co-founder of Method Products, the leading innovator of premium eco-conscious home and personal care products. In 2012, Method became the world’s largest green cleaning company. One of the fastest growing privately held companies in the country, Method recently opened its first U.S. manufacturing plant in Chicago’s historic Pullman neighborhood. The company also recently manufactured its first bottle made with ocean plastic. Method products are sold in more than 40,000 retail locations in North America, Europe, Australia, and Asia. Target, Lowe’s, Whole Foods and Bed, Bath & Beyond carry Method Products. Eric is a 2013 recipient of the Clinton Global Citizen Award for Leadership in the Private Sector.

150203_Alan_SpachmanAlan R. Spachman,’69, M.B.A. ’71
Founder, Director, Former CEO and Chairman,
National Interstate Corporation
Founder, Director, Former CEO & Chairman, National Interstate Corporation
Alan Spachman, a leader in the national transportation insurance industry, founded the National Interstate Corporation and the National Interstate Insurance Company in 1989, serving as director, president and CEO of both organizations until 2004, when he became chairman of the board. Since 2008, he has served as president of Belmont Insurance Services. Spachman began his career in 1971 as a human resources manager with Collins and Aikman. In 1974, he joined Frito-Lay and from 1984 to 1988 he was a senior vice president at Progressive Corporation, where he initiated its passenger transportation business. Alan and his wife, Florence, created the Spachman Professorship in Human Resource Management and the Florence and Alan Spachman Endowed Scholarship.


150203_Beverly_SwanM. Beverly Swan ’63, M.A. ’66, Ph.D. 
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Emerita,
University of Rhode Island
M. Beverly Swan was the first woman to serve as provost at a New England land grant institution of higher education. Swan joined URI’s English department in 1974 where she developed the foundation for what is now the College Writing Program. She quickly earned the respect of her colleagues and was recruited to serve as assistant vice president for academic affairs (1981–87) and vice provost for academic affairs (1988–91). In her 17 years as provost, she worked to diversify the URI community, consistently recognizing the contributions of women and minorities.

150203_Richard_Schloesser

2013 CORPORATE AWARD RECIPIENT

Toray Plastics (America), Inc.
Richard R. Schloesser, President and CEO
Toray Plastics America (TPA) is a $450 million company with assets of $800 million, located in Quonset Point, R.I., with 500 employees. TPA manufactures highly specialized film products on sophisticated machinery for the food and industrial markets. TPA/Toray’s exemplary corporate social responsibility led to zero landfill, the largest solar farm in Rhode Island, and electrical cogeneration, earning the company Senator Chafee’s Conservation Award, the United National Humanitarian Award, and citations from the town of North Kingstown, state and federal officials. TPA’s history with URI supports the company’s need for outstanding employees for the future.

2013 DEAN’S AWARD RECIPIENTS

ALAN SHAWN FEINSTEIN COLLEGE OF CONTINUING EDUCATION
Munir Mohammed, Adjunct Professor, University of Rhode Island; and Artistic Director, International Gallery for Heritage and Culture
Victor F. Capellan ’92, M.S. ’96, M.Ed. ’02, Deputy Superintendent for Transformation, Central Falls School District

COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES
John S. Struck ’74, Managing Director, Wand Partners, Inc.
Bruce A. Wolpert ’75, President, Wolpert & Associates, Inc.

COLLEGE OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
S. Kent Fannon ’74, Client Partner, D’Antoni Partners
Wendy P. Field ’74, Managing Director, Corporate Lending, UBS Investment Bank (retired)

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
James P. Clappin ’80, President, Corning Glass Technologies
Major General Kevin R. McBride ’80, Adjutant General, State of Rhode Island; and Commanding General, Rhode Island National Guard

COLLEGE OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND LIFE SCIENCES
Gellwynn D. H. Jusuf, M.S. ’90, Ph.D. ’97, Director General of Capture Fisheries, the Ministry of Marine Affairs a nd Fisheries of the Republic of Indonesia
Bruce R. Zetter, Ph.D. ’75, Charles Nowiszewski Professor of Cancer Biology, Vascular Biology Program, Boston Children’s Hospital Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School

COLLEGE OF HUMAN SCIENCE AND SERVICES
Karen Gautney, M.S. ’91, Diversity Trainer and Human Rights Advocate, Karen Gautney Consulting, LLC
Maria L. Urso ’97, M.S. ’00, Director of Clinical Research, Arteriocyte Medical Systems

COLLEGE OF NURSING
Elaine Bridge ’78, Senior Vice President for Patient Care and Chief Nursing Officer, Newton-Wellesley Hospital
Tracy S. Weintraub ’77, RN, M.S.N. ’81, Chief Operating Officer, HealthyPrice.com; and Hospital Surveyor, The Joint Commission

COLLEGE OF PHARMACY
Dea Belazi, Pharm.D. ’01, Founder, President, and Chief Executive Officer, AscellaHealth, LLC
Diana I. Brixner ’82, Professor and Chair, Department of Pharmacotherapy, University of Utah College of Pharmacy; and Executive Director, Pharmacotherapy Outcomes Research Center, University of Utah, L.S. Skaggs Health Services Institute

GRADUATE SCHOOL OF OCEANOGRAPHY
Robert C. Thunell, M.S. ’75, Ph.D. ’78 , Carolina Distinguished Professor of Earth and Ocean Sciences, and Senior Associate Dean for Natural Sciences, University of South Carolina

2013 RISING STAR AWARD

Mohammed Al-Sultan, Ph.D. ’03, Associate Professor of Clinical Pharmacy and Director of Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia