Winter 2014–2015 Class Notes

’55
Frances D. Ugiss, A&S, of Brush Prairie, Wash., writes: “I am still “way out West” in Washington on my ranch about 40 miles south of Mt. St. Helen’s. I visit Rhode Island every summer and go over great memories from URI!”

’57
Ross Michael Feinberg, A&S, of Cranston, R.I., writes: “My son Ben and I visited Korea with other Korean adoptees, children and adults. Ben had the opportunity to meet his birth mother twice, and both times were filled with emotion. We visited several cities besides Seoul and many historic landmarks. Just missed the big typhoon, which was a relief, although we did feel its effects. The audience at our last get-together choked up when they heard Ben address them in Korean. He’d been taking lessons at Brown. He and I hope to return.”

’63
Julien P. Ayotte, CBA, of Cumberland, R.I., writes: “The sequel to my highly successful debut novel, Flower of Heaven, has just been released. Dangerous Bloodlines picks up right where the first novel ended and has all the action, thrills, romance and intrigue to keep you guessing throughout. For more information, visit www.julienayotte.com.”

’69
Evelyn Siefert Kennedy, HS&S, of Gales Ferry, Conn., writes: “I went on to get my MS and opened a small business in Groton, Conn., Sewtique, which celebrated its 45th anniversary June 1. Two URI grads are on staff, Annie S. Smith M.S. ’95 and Dee Paskausky M.S. ’99. I believe fellow alums would be interested in the entrepreneurship angle, especially in textiles.”

’73
Jan Piekos Owens, A&S, of Racine, Wis., continues as the chair of the Department of Management and Marketing at Carthage College, Kenosha, Wis. Her advanced degrees, an M.B.A. and Ph.D., were from the University of Wisconsin, Madison.

Timothy B. Straw, A&S, of Narragansett, R.I., an engineer at the Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) in Newport, R.I., has been named a winner of this year’s National Defense Industrial Association Bronze Medal. The NDIA Bronze Medal is an annual award that recognizes outstanding individual achievement in science or engineering in the field of undersea warfare. Straw is an electrical engineer with 41 years of experience at NUWC that has focused on the development of and in-service support for hull-mounted and deployed sonar transducers and arrays. He has built a reputation as a prolific inventor and is recognized as a dedicated and skilled manager, leader and mentor.

Madeline George Vincent, NUR, of Cranston, R.I., has retired from the Department of Health.

’74
Thomas J. Lamb, A&S, of East Greenwich, R.I., is executive vice president and chief operating officer at Centreville Bank. Tom has more than 15 years in the financial services industry.

John M. Owens, CELS, of Racine, Wis., recently retired after 31 years at S.C. Johnson. He entered the company as a group leader in R & D and retired as the Global Regulatory Compliance Manager. He earned his M.S. and Ph.D. at Purdue University.

’75
Joseph E. O’Neil, A&S, of Wayne, Pa., was recently elected as president-elect of the International Association of Defense Counsel. The IADC is the preeminent invitation-only global legal organization for attorneys who represent corporate and insurance interests. Founded in 1920, the IADC’s members hail from five continents, 40 countries and all 50 U.S. states. The core purposes of the IADC are to enhance the development of skills, promote professionalism and facilitate camaraderie among its members and their clients, as well as the broader civil justice community.

F. Randy Vogenberg, PHM, of Greenville, S.C., writes that he and his wife Jane moved to Greenville last year. He continues to be active in health care, managing three business enterprises since the passage of health care reform: benefit strategy consulting, benefits research, and education on health care and insurance for various companies across the United States. Randy is also an adjunct professor with the School of Pharmacy and a member of the 1892 Society at URI.

’79
Lisa M. Iamonaco, A&S, of Havertown, Pa., writes: “On August 16, 2014, I married my partner of nearly 30 years, Lois Duncan, shortly after Pennsylvania struck down their Defense of Marriage Act.”

’81
Mark D. Brackenbury, A&S, of Deep River, Conn., managing editor of the New Haven Register, has been named Editor of the Year by the Local Media Association. He was recognized for his distinguished career in Connecticut journalism, guiding the Register’s newsroom over the course of 27 years.

’82
Stephen P. Fontes, ENG, of Portsmouth, R.I., left Raytheon, where he was awarded the Shingo Operational Excellence Gold, and joined Cobham in March 2014. He is currently their director of operations in Exeter. Prior to both, he managed large product lines for Beech King Air. His specialty is Lean Manufacturing.

’83
Suzanne Worrell-Gemma, A&S, of East Greenwich, R.I., was recently appointed to co-chair the Department of Humanities & Social Sciences at the New England Institute of Technology, where she is an associate professor teaching law classes.

’84
Kelley K. Kittel, A&S, of Portsmouth, R.I., writes: “I have been transforming myself from a fish biologist who writes into an author who used to be a fish biologist. I’ve been published in many anthologies and magazines (including 41N) and my first book, Breathe, was published in May. I’ve been a Peace Corps volunteer in Jamaica, a Foreign Fisheries observer onboard a Japanese mothership, and just completed my 14th Save the Bay swim.”

’86
Christine D’Orsi Fitta, A&S, of Barrington, R.I., is a partner with the Providence law firm of Higgins Cavanagh & Cooney, LLP, and was recently named to the board of directors of the East Bay Center Inc., a nonprofit organization offering comprehensive psychiatric and counseling services to people who struggle with mental illness and substance-abuse disorders.

’97
Linda M. Pearson, CBA, of East Greenwich, R.I., was promoted to the position of principal at Sansiveri, Kimball & Co, LLP. With more than 14 years in public accounting, Linda’s experience includes providing audit, accounting and consulting services to Sansiveri’s for-profit and not-for-profit clients. She offers consulting services in areas such as the evaluation of internal control policies, accounting procedures and accounting software, and is also responsible for training the firm’s audit and accounting staff with respect to the implementation of professional auditing and accounting standards. She is team leader of Sansiveri’s Not-for-Profit specialty group.

’99
Dawn M. Pagliarini, A&S, of Hope Valley, R.I., received a juris doctor degree from New England Law | Boston during the 103rd Commencement ceremonies at the Citi Performing Arts Center Wang Theatre. While at New England Law | Boston, she was a Dean’s List student and completed an internship with the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Office.

’02
Denice J. Garcia, CBA, of Cranston, R.I., was recently appointed vice president of revenue management at Magna Hospitality of Warwick, R.I.

Melissa A. Ricci, A&S, of Cranston, R.I., and her husband, Nick, have turned their interest in antiques into a new business: Dovetail Auctions. Melissa currently teaches music/band in Lincoln, and Nick worked as a graphic designer at BORI (Balloons Over Rhode Island) Graphix from 2002-14 before recently leaving to focus on the auctioning full time. Their interest in collectibles began in 2004 when they began repairing 1930s through 1970s pinball machines and then antique phonographs. It took Melissa about a year to get her auctioneer’s license, including an apprenticeship with Briarbrook Auctions and a course at the Kentucky Auction Academy. Clients are often people who are moving or cleaning out a house and most items are listed on consignment. For more information, visit www.dovetailauctions.com.

’05
Edwin R. Pacheco, A&S, of Pascoag, R.I., is associate vice president for development and external relations at Rhode Island College. He will manage the college’s institution-wide giving programs and oversee government affairs.

’07
Kara L. Cabassa, A&S, of Barrington, R.I., is a specialist of digital strategy at Providence-based multidisciplinary brand culture and communications firm (add)ventures. Kara develops website templates and contributes content that will enhance the social media initiatives of the firm. Prior to joining (add)ventures, she worked on the L’Oreal account at Publicis Consultants Net Intelligenz in Paris, where she supported the digital and editorial teams. She previously held marketing and public relations positions with Sotheby’s International Realty, World Association of Newspapers and Publishers, and Comptoir de Famille.

’09
Elise Petrarca, A&S, of Johnston, R.I., was appointed youth services librarian at the William Hall Library by the Cranston Public Library. In her new role, Elise will be responsible for programming, community outreach and collection development for children and teens at the Hall Library. “Elise brings knowledge of the William Hall Library and Edgewood community with a passion and interest in customer service, programming and youth services. Her background in history and theatre will no doubt bring some interesting programming to William Hall,” said Library Director Edward Garcia.

’12
Elise Fontes, HS&S, of Cranston, R.I., is a full-time physical education and health teacher at three of the elementary schools in the Braintree, Mass., school district.

’13
Lily McKay, A&S, of Saunderstown, R.I., is obtaining her M.A. in Intercultural Service, Leadership, and Management at the School of International Training (SIT) Graduate Institute in Brattleboro, VT. In September, she traveled to Moshi, Tanzania, where she helped improve the quality of education at St. Timothy’s School. She also committed to raising $20,000 to build a Teachers’ Resource Center for St. Tim’s. Donate through: http://www.stayclassy.org/fundraise?fcid=323899

Weddings

Brian C. Whiting ’91 to Kristin Connelly, on October 25, 2008.

Brendan Hummel ’06 to Stephanie Almeida ’06, on September 27, 2014.

Lindsay T. Delmenico ’07 to Albert F. Proffitt ’10, on November 30, 2013.

Eric P. Hall ’07 to Meghan Grady, on June 21, 2014.

Paul A. Stoffer ’07 to Peristera Hionis ’10, on August 30, 2014.

Jessie Haytaian ’08 to Levi French, on September 14, 2013.

Michelle A. Schmoeger ’09 to Michel Henry, on April 26, 2014.

Lauren Stokes ’10 to Benjamin Gleason ’09, on September 27, 2014.

Births

Jenny and Edward Doughty ’93, a son, Edward O’Grady Doughty II, on June 14, 2014.

Danielle J. ’01 and Carter W. Quigley ’01, a son, Connor Weston, on April 2, 2014.

Carl and Clarissa (Rhyner) Reynolds ’02, twins, Mia Lauren and Matthew Louis, on May 24, 2014.

Heidi and Jared Turcotte ’03, a son, Sean Nicholas, on July 30, 2014.

Briana (Maguire) Windle ’03 and John Windle, a daughter, Elena Grace, on May 19, 2014.

Bryan W. ’05 and Meghan Mollohan Ferguson ’06, a son, Wyatt Bryan, on August 31, 2014.

Levi and Jessie (Haytaian) French ’08, a daughter, Maisey Marie French, on July 25, 2014.

In Memoriam

Raymond Smith ’40 of Englewood, Fla., on June 28, 2014.

Joseph Tessar ’46 of Riverside, R.I., on September 8, 2014.

John Diffley ’48 of Iowa City, Iowa, on June 17, 2014.

John Mcgill ’48 of West Dennis, Mass., on August 1, 2014.

Christine Bills Whitaker ’48 of Niantic, Conn., on August 27, 2014.

William Murray ’49 of Inverness, Fla., on August 5, 2014.

Therese Tetreault ’49 of Warwick, R.I., on August 17, 2014.

Albert Emery ’50 of Spring Hill, Fla., on September 5, 2014.

Robert Harvey ’50 of Indialantic, Fla., on July 13, 2014.

Milton Hinsch ’50 of Norwich, Conn., on August 9, 2014.

Priscilla Clark O’Connor ’50 of Riverside, R.I., on January 9, 2014.

Edward Pastore ’50 of El Cajon, Calif., on July 3, 2014.

Marie Pantalone Paulson ’50 of North Providence, R.I., on August 5, 2014.

Anthony Abate ’51 of Pittsfield, Mass., on July 21, 2014.

Lester Chafetz ’51 of Leawood, Kan., on July 23, 2014.

Stig Franzen ’51 of Hooksett, N.H., on July 24, 2014.

James Green ’51 of Spencerport, N.Y., on August 1, 2014.

Hugo Key ’51 of Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., on August 15, 2014.

John Wilson ’51 of Cleveland, Ohio, on September 4, 2014.

Frances Hanff Cotter ’52 of Las Cruces, N.M., on February 10, 2014.

Fred Congleton ’53 of Charlestown, R.I., on August 11, 2014.

Eugene Malgieri ’53 of Bristol, R.I., on August 17, 2014.

Raymond Tella ’53 of Ashaway, R.I., on August 7, 2014.

Walter Carnevale ’54 of Warwick, R.I., on September 10, 2014.

Alvah Gibeault ’54 of Davenport, Fla., on August 19, 2014.

Mark Sullivan ’54 of Westerly, R.I., on July 16, 2014.

Theodore Meyer ’56 of Port Charlotte, Fla., on August 14, 2014.

Herbert Heinstein ’57 of Auburndale, Mass., on September 17, 2014.

James Lovegreen ’58 of Exeter, R.I., on July 21, 2014.

Dennis Murphy ’58 of Wakefield, R.I., on August 3, 2014.

David Frazel ’62 of Brandon, Miss., on August 15, 2014.

Frances Adamski Galvin ’63 of La Mesa, Calif., on July 6, 2014.

Howard Hallberg ’64 of Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., on August 22, 2014.

Burton Weiser ’64 of Norton, Mass., on August 18, 2014.

Mary Jane Dowling ’65 of Osterville, Mass., on June 17, 2014.

Mary Lou McCreadie ’66 of Cape Vincent, N.Y., on July 19, 2014.

Avis Halberstadt ’67 of Annapolis, Md., on August 4, 2014.

Leslie Thompson Leduc ’67 of Dandridge, Tenn., on August 15, 2014.

David Rothfuss ’67 of Coventry, R.I., on July 24, 2014.

John Madsen ’68 of Bangor, Maine, on September 2, 2014.

Michael Zwolinski ’68 of Somerset, Mass., on August 17, 2014.

Joann Murphy Wetzel ’69 of Little Compton, R.I., on July 26, 2014.

Lionel Ferris ’70 of Brewster, Mass., on July 8, 2014.

Paul Gadoury ’71 of Cumberland, R.I., on August 15, 2014.

Yolande Bailey Moulton ’71 of Warwick, R.I., on August 18, 2014.

Carol Aylesworth Payne ’72 of Kingston, R.I., on August 2, 2014.

Richard Scott ’74 of Middletown, R.I., on September 7, 2014.

Isabel Rosen Gold ’75 of Boca Raton, Fla., on July 19, 2014.

Terence Gore ’78 of Pawtucket, R.I., on July 14, 2014.

Albert Lichaa ’78 of Portsmouth, R.I., on July 30, 2014.

Joseph Simeone ’78 of North Kingstown, R.I., on September 5, 2014.

Elizabeth Powers Eldredge ’79 of Saunderstown, R.I., on August 19, 2014.

Margaret Morin Goslin ’79 of Westport, Mass., on July 18, 2014.

James Wallace ’79 of Warwick, R.I., on August 21, 2014.

Sean Healey ’80 of Newport, R.I., on September 12, 2014.

Geoffrey Langelier ’92 of Harrisville, R.I., on September 4, 2014.

Laura Tatem Bupp ’98 of Haddon Heights, N.J., on September 2, 2014.

Vincent Palombi ’01 of Hamilton, N.J., on August 7, 2014.

Scott Deware ’04 of Sterling, Conn., on July 23, 2014.

Jeffrey Swanson ’09 of El Cerrito, Calif., on August 7, 2014.

In Memoriam Faculty

Diane T. Barone of Johnston, R.I., on July 19, 2014. Administrative assistant in the College of Pharmacy’s Office of Experiential Education.

Pei Wen (Huie) Chang M.S. ’59, of Silver Spring, MD., on Aug. 14, 2014. Professor emeritus of animal science and pathology.

William J. Hemmerle, of Newburyport, Mass., on July 2, 2014. Professor emeritus of computer science; founder and chair of URI’s Department of Computer Science and Experimental Statistics.

Clare M. Murphy of Tempe, Arizona, on June 22, 2013. Professor emerita of English.