2011 Sixth Annual
Distinguished Achievement Awards & Gala

Saturday, October 22, 2011 ⋅ The Westin Providence, R.I.

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

2011 PRESIDENT’S AWARD RECIPIENTS

Alfred J. Verrecchia ’67, ’72 of Narragansett, chairman of the board of Hasbro, a worldwide leader in family entertainment with a portfolio that includes toys and games, motion pictures, video games, and much more. He started his career with Hasbro in 1965, as a young and eager intern from URI. He has generously supported many URI fundraising campaigns and established an endowed chair in the College of Business. He has also guided University leaders as a member of the President’s Council Committee, the Business Advisory Council and the Campaign Leadership Committee.

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Sybil Seitzinger ’82, ’92 of Stockholm, executive director of the International Geosphere-Biosphere Program at the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, is an international leader in investigating the causes and consequences of environmental change. IGBP is a worldwide network of thousands of scientists who are addressing the problem of global change. Issues range from climate change, to coastal vulnerability, to air pollution, to land use. A pioneering scientist who recently served as president of the American Society of Limnology and Oceanography, she is a former director of the Rutgers/NOAA Cooperative Marine Education and Research Program and served on numerous national and international advisory committees.

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Vincent Sarni ’49  of Rector, Penn., who earned a reputation as a straight shooter with little patience for underperformers; a leader who is comfortable with plant workers and corporate titans alike. These traits were key in his ability to lead PPG industries, Inc., a global developer and manufacturer of coatings, glass, and chemicals, for 25 years. He started as marketing vice president for one PPG department and advanced to become chairman and CEO of the entire operation. When he retired in 1994, a Wall Street Journal headline declared, “PPG’s Chairman Sarni, Will Be A Tough Act to Follow…”

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Richard Beaupre ’62 of Cumberland, the chief executive officer of ChemArt Co., who provides guidance and support to the University in numerous ways. He served on the College of Arts and Sciences External Advisory Council for 15 years and sits on the executive board of the URI Foundation. He established an endowed scholarship to support needy students and another to support student opportunities abroad. He has also contributed to the Center for the Humanities, the Ryan Center, the presidential inauguration and more. And last year, he helped launch a campaign in support of a bond referendum to build a new chemistry building on campus.

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2011 DEANS’ AWARD RECIPIENTS

ALAN SHAWN FEINSTEIN COLLEGE OF CONTINUING EDUCATION
Thomas E. Deller ’77, M.C.P. ’79, Director of Planning and Development, City of Providence
Francisco Esparza (posthumous) Adjunct Associate Professor
Cleveland W. Kurtz, Former Director of Urban Initiatives, Academic Advisor, Interim Director of Student Services, and Lecturer, URI Alan Shawn Feinstein College of Continuing Education

COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES
IIbrahim S. Abdul-Matin ’99, Policy Advisor, New York City Mayor’s Office and Sports Contributor, WNYC Radio
Michele H. Edelman ’89, Vice President, Worldwide Marketing, Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc.
Anthony R. Estrella ’93, Artistic Director, Sandra Feinstein Gamm Theatre

COLLEGE OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
Russell J. Jeffrey ’81, Founder, Principal, and CEO, Providence Investment Management, LLC
Sandra G. Parrillo, M.B.A. ’93, President and CEO, The Providence Mutual Fire Insurance Company
Leonard A. Reinhart ’77, President, Reinhart Consulting Group LLC

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
James P. Cafone ’88, M.S. ’90, Vice President, Supply Network Services, Pfizer Inc.
Karina Montilla Edmonds ’92, Technology Transfer Coordinator, U.S. Department of Energy
Brian L. Slobodow ’90, CEO, U.S. Silica and Former President and COO, Neways Worldwide, Inc.

COLLEGE OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND LIFE SCIENCES
Jonathan W. Bailey ’79, Director, NOAA Office of Marine and Aviation Operations
Gregory S. Stone, M.M.A. ’89, Senior Vice President and Chief Scientist for Oceans,Conservation International

COLLEGE OF HUMAN SCIENCE AND SERVICES
Anna M. Cano-Morales ’91, Director of Strategic Partnerships, Rhode Island Campaign for Achievement Now
Reesa D. Levy ’70, Principal, Sheepshead Bay High School, Brooklyn, N.Y.

COLLEGE OF NURSING
Lynda S. Joseph ’64, President, LSJ Consulting Inc.
Elaine M. Riley  ’68, President and CEO, Homecare Advantage CHC Inc.

COLLEGE OF PHARMACY
Norman A. Campbell ’57, Associate Dean Emeritus and Professor Emeritus, URI College of Pharmacy
Anthony R. Masso ’63, President, StrongCastle LLC
François A. Menard, Ph.D. ’88, Senior Vice President for Generic Research and Development, Watson Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

GRADUATE SCHOOL
Autumn J. Oczkowski, Ph.D. ’09, Scientist, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Aaron Tillman, Ph.D. ’09, Author and Assistant Professor, Newbury College, Brookline, Mass.

GRADUATE SCHOOL OF OCEANOGRAPHY
Stephen M. Greenlee, M.S. ’82, President, ExxonMobil Exploration Company
Christopher M. Reddy, Ph.D. ’98, Director, Coastal Ocean Institute and Senior Scientist, Department of Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
James C. Zachos, Ph.D. ’89, Professor, University of California at Santa Cruz