October 25, 2013, was URI’s night to shine in Newport as the University honored its most distinguished alumni and rising stars at the Eighth Annual Distinguished Achievement Awards and Gala.

2013 PRESIDENT’S AWARDS

Karina Montilla Edmonds ’92, Ph.D., Executive Director for Institute Corporate Relations, California Institute of Technology

Eric T. Ryan ’96, Co-Founder, Method Products

Alan R. Spachman,’69, M.B.A. ’71, Founder, Director, Former CEO and Chairman, National Interstate Corporation

M. Beverly Swan ’63, M.A. ’66, Ph.D., Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Emerita, University of Rhode Island

Toray Plastics (America), Inc.Richard R. Schloesser, President and CEO

2013 DEANS’ AWARDS

College of Arts and Sciences

John S. Struck ’74, Managing Director, Wand Partners, Inc.

Bruce A. Wolpert, Esq. ’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)

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 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. ’89, Ph.D. ’97, Director General of Capture Fisheries, the Ministry of Marine Affairs and 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, Ph.D., Director of Clinical Research, Arteriocyte Medical Systems

College of Nursing

Elaine Bridge ’78, RN, D.N.P., 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, M.P.H., Founder, President, and Chief Executive Officer, AscellaHealth, LLC

Diana I. Brixner ’82, RPh, Ph.D., 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

The University of Rhode Island Distinguished Achievement Awards proudly introduces a new award: The Rising Star Award. This award recognizes an outstanding young alumnus/alumna with at least 10 years of experience in his/her career field who is already making significant contributions to his/her profession and community at-large by demonstrating innovative, responsible professional leadership, potential for future distinction, and a commitment to serving others.

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