Alumni in the News - October 2009
Headliners
Biz Alums' Guayaki Company is Topic of TIME Magazine Article
TIME Magazine's Sept. 14 edition (online and print) featured a story on Guayaki-Yerba Mate - the "Tree-Hugging Tea." Herbal-drink-maker Guayaki Yerba Mate imports directly from a small suppliers across Latin America with the goals of producing natural foods and preventing further rainforest deforestation. Popularity is soaring for its flavored, mate-based herbal drink, with sales over $10 million annually. The company is owned by two Cal Poly alumni: Alex Pryor (B.S., Food Science and Nutrition, 1998) and David Karr (B.S., Business, 1996). In Yerba Mate, "Guayaki found a beverage that restores the rain forest by commercializing it," TIME writes.
Read the Sept. 14 TIME magazine story | Read the Summer 2008 Cal Poly Magazine story on Pryor and Karr
Burt Rutan Getting Ready for Test Flights of Six-Passenger 'Virgin Galactic' Orbit Crafts
Cal Poly alum Burt Rutan (B.S., Aeronautical Engineering, 1965), designer of the record-breaking SpaceShipOne -- the first private aircraft to reach space in 2004 -- is getting ready to break some more records. His Mojave Air and Space Port is getting ready for combined test flights of WhiteKnightTwo and the sleek two-pilot, six-person SpaceShipTwo - the world's first passenger-carrying suborbital spaceliner. The two aircraft are part of a partnership between Rutan and Sir Richard Branson, the entrepreneur owner of Virgin Galactic company. Like SpaceShipOne, the new SpaceShipTwo is designed to be carried to a high altitude by a mothership aircraft where it can launch on suborbital trips.
Read the October FoxNews profile of Rutan
Alumna Will Lead Federal Office In Charge of Head Start Early Education Program
The Office of Head Start will soon have an appointed director: Cal Poly alumna Yvette Sanchez Fuentes (B.S., Liberal Studies, 1992). She is leaving her post as executive director of the National Migrant and Seasonal Head Start Association to take the job this month. Fuentes was appointed by Carmen Nazario, Assistant Secretary for Children and Families at Health and Human Services. Fuentes, 36, started her career as a kindergarten teacher in the Los Angeles Unified school district. She later worked in San Luis Obispo's Economic Opportunity Commission, creating a family child care initiative for migrant and seasonal workers using federal grant money from Head Start's program.
Read the Early Ed Watch interview with Fuentes | See the full press release on her appointment
Architecture Alum's Self-Designed Solar Home Featured in Dwell Magazine
Architecture Alum Ken Meffan (B.Ar., Architecture, 1979) was profiled in a four-page spread in the October edition of Dwell magazine. The story was all about the Meffan home -- a passive solar home he designed and built almost completely on his own. The story is titled "Diamond in the Rough (and Ready)." Cal Poly is turning into a tradition for the Meffans; Ken Meffan's daugter, Sierra Jahoda, is a current student.
Go to Dwell Magazine
Smoothie Biz Alums Open 30th On-Campus Jamba Juice Location
In September, Jamba Juice opened its Northwestern University Jamba Juice store, the ninth college location to open in 2009 and the 30th since Jamba first ventured on campus at Stanford in 1997. The initiative builds upon Jamba's success in launching franchise kiosks and small formats on colleges and universities nationwide. Most Mustang alumni know the first store -- known then as The Juice Club -- opened in April 1990 on Foothill Boulevard near Cal Poly, and two of its three initial founders are Kevin Peters (B.S., Business Administration, 1991), Joe Vergara (Business Administration, 1992) and friend Kirk Perron. Jamba Juice Vice President of Marketing Linda Ozawa Olds (MBA, Business, 1992) joined the company early on. Jamba now has 735 locations -- 490 company-owned and operated stores and 245 franchises.
Read the Reuters story about Jamba Juice expanding on college campuses | Read it on Businesswire
Read the Summer 2007 Cal Poly Magazine cover story and interviews with the Jamba Juice founders
Call Him Twinkle Toes: Iceman Chuck Liddell Ends Run on Dancing with the Stars
Cal Poly Athletics Hall of Fame member and former UFC Champ Chuck Liddell (B.S., Business Administration, 1995) had a wild ride as a contestant on ABC's “Dancing with the Stars.” He hung in until Oct. 13, bowing out with a country two-step. While judges admired his style, they admitted to being a little scared by it. He was paired with professional dancer Anna Trebunskaya. She told the judges she loved dancing with Liddell, and called him "her bear." Trebunskaya said Liddell had to spend a lot of his rehearsal time simply learning to put on a happy face -- not a fight face. The champ came back to San Luis Obispo in September, rented out a dance studio, and practiced with Trebunskaya in front of an audience of friends.
Read the full interview and see stories in the SLO Tribune | Watch the KSBY News Interview with Liddell about his Dancing Debut
Food & Wine
Alumna Takes the Reins on Beef Promotion at Family's Santa Ynez Cattle Ranch
Lauren Scheller, 25, is one of the younger members of the Cattlewomen’s Association. Scheller (B.S., Animal Science, Animal Science, 2008) is a ninth-generation Californian. She grew up cattle ranching and continues that passion at her parent’s Los Alamos ranch, which was established in the early 18th century through a Mexican land grant. Scheller now combines her education and her passion to promote beef at schools and county fairs.
Read the story in the Santa Ynez Journal
It's a Bird...It's a Plane...It's...Fiber Girl?
Cal Poly nutrition alumna Bronwyn (Botwin) Schweigerdt (B.S., Nutrition Science, 1994) has a new nickname: Fiber Girl. And the Sacramento Press reports she has a mission to save the world one nutrition lecture at a time. (The "Fiber Girl" nickname was coined by a friend). She's currently working for CalPERS in Sacramento teaching nutrition. She self-published her first book, "The UnDiet," in 2002, and sold more than 14,000 copies. Her second book, "Free to Eat," was just published in August. In addition to her Cal Poly degree, Schweigerdt earned her master’s degree in nutrition from Tufts University in 1996.
Read the Sacramento Press profile of Schweigerdt
Mechanical Engineer Helps Family Olive Oil Business Blossom
Dewey Lucero (B.S., Mechanical Engineering, 2004) is a Corning native and a fourth generation olive grower. Lucero is the third generation in olive production on the family ranch. He's carrying on the family trait of a passion for olive oil with Lucero Olive Oil, a company he helped found four years ago. The company makes gift boxes and different specialty blends of olive oils.
Read the story in the Red Bluff Daily News
Career Moves
Alumni's Drone Unmanned Aircraft Startup Bought by Alabama Company
Chandler/May Inc. of Huntsville, Ala. has bought AeroMech Engineering of San Luis Obispo, a producer of small unmanned aircraft known as drones. The San Luis Obispo-based AeroMech was started by two Cal Poly grads on a shoestring budget 10 years ago. Cal Poly graduates Thomas Akers (B.S., Aero Engineering, 2001) and Norm Timbs (B.S., Mechanical Engineering, 1988, B.S., Engineering Technology, 1992) founded their company in 1999 with less than $1,000 of startup cash.
More on the AeroMech acquisition
Architecture Alumna is AIA Young Architects Board Director in San Diego
Alison Morita (B.AR., Architecture, 2002) is now an AIA San Diego Young Architects Commissioner and Board Director. She works for Delawie Wilkes Rodrigues Barker in San Diego, and her advice for young architects: Always keep a pair of work boots at your desk.
Read the story on Morita in San Diego Source
Entrepreneurial Alum Has a 'Go For It' Strategy
Doug Goodman (B.S., Electrical Engineering, 1975) is CEO of Ridgetop Group in Tuscon. He was profiled in September on ArizonaBusiness.com. He launched Ridgetop Group in his Tuscon condo in 1999. A decade later, the company now has 35 employees, and Goodman urges potential entrepreneurs in any field to "Go For It." Goodman began his aerospace and commercial engineering career at Tektronix in Portland.
Read the story on Goodman
Alum Promoted to Senior Research Scientist
Mihir Sainani (M.S., Agriculture, 2002) has been promoted to senior research scientist at Sargento Foods. He will be responsible for product development and technical problem solving. In addition to his Cal Poly degree, Sainani earned his bachelor's degree in dairy technology from Gujarat Agriculture University.
Landscape Architecture Alum's Work on Display in North Carolina Gallery
Artspace, a gallery in Raleigh, North Carolina, is displaying alumnus Scott Hazard’s "Topographic Ruminations" pieces during the month of October. Hazard (B.S., Landscape Architecture, 1996) earned an MFA with a focus on sculpture from the University of Florida, Gainesville, after graduating from Cal Poly. He says his career as a designer complements his work creating sculpture, installations, and environments.
More on Hazard's current display
Awards
Journalism Alumna Part of Emmy-Winning News Team
Christina Jamison (B.S., Journalism, 2000) is now an Emmy-award winning producer as part of NBC's team coverage of election night 2008. The award from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences' 30th Annual News & Documentary Emmy Awards. Jamison's NBC team was nominated and named the winner for its "NBC News - Decision 2008 NBC Election Night" programming.
Go to the News & Documentary Emmy Awards web site
Alumna Is Finalist for National Sammy Medal for her EPA Work
Cara Peck (B.S., Animal Science, 2004) has been featured in the Washington Post as one of 30 finalists for the Service to America Medals (Sammies). The awards program pays tribute to dedicated employees in America's federal workforce, highlighting those who have made significant contributions to our country. Honorees are chosen based on their commitment and innovation, as well as the impact of their work on addressing the needs of the nation. Peck, 28, is a life scientist at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). She helped shepherd an EPA pilot project in the San Francisco Bay area to convert 73,000 tons of organic food waste from restaurants into electricity per year, keeping the material out of landfills and limiting greenhouse gas emissions. The project has since been replicated in Sacramento and Santa Monica, and has drawn interest around the country.
Read the Washington Post Story on Peck
Alumna's Ph.D. Dissertation Wins Top Award at New York University
Andrea Jochim (B.S., Biochemistry, Chemistry, 2003), has been awarded the New York University graduate school Dean’s Dissertation Award for 2009. Jochim, a chemistry graduate student originally from San Luis Obispo County, plans to become a physician. She was recognized by NYU for “excellence and promise in the work of advanced graduate students who are writing their Ph. D. dissertations.”
Read the story in the SLO Tribune (8th item)
Service
Making a Difference in the Northwest
Alum Edward Sweeny (B.S., Business Administration, 1969) just embarked on a year of full-time volunteer service with Jesuit Volunteer Corps (JVC) Northwest. He'll be among 123 total Northwest Jesuit Volunteers (JVs) who began their service in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon or Washington in September. Volunteers live in urban and rural locations in houses that each support four to eight volunteers. They volunteeer in many areas, including advocating for refugees, nursing in community clinics, teaching in schools on Native American Reservations, assisting in shelters, and organizing a local response to climate change.
Read more on the JVC Web site
Passings
Nationally Syndicated Astrology Columnist Linda Black
Syndicated columnist and astrologer Linda Black (B.S., English, 1970) died Aug. 3 after a long battle with ovarian cancer. She had published her "Intro to Astrology, Parts I and II," in Fate magazine after 20 years of study. Black, a Libra, began writing horoscopes for Tribune Media Services in 1992. Black's daughter will now take over writing her astrology column. Tribune News Services announced the change Sept. 17.
Read the obituary in the Chicago Tribune
Passings: Instructor Frank Calabrese, Alumnus
Instructor and alumnus Frank J. Calabrese (B.S., Industrial Technology, 1970, B.S., Journalism, 1970) has died after a battle with brain cancer. For the past 30 years, Calabrese had devoted his energies and talents to the community of Cal Poly. Calabrese worked at Cal Poly in various capacities, including instructor in the field of industrial arts and technical specialist in fire and security alarms systems. At the time of his death, he was writing a field guide on industrial fire alarm systems.
Details on Calabrese memorial service on campus Oct. 25
Kimberlynn Marie Ruffell-Euler
Kimberlynn Marie Ruffell-Euler (B.S., Animal Science, 1989) was born in October 1961, and passed away after a very long illness Sept. 17 at her home. She was born and raised in Chula Vista, Calif., and moved to San Luis Obispo to attend Cal Poly, where she received a degree in animal science.
Read the full obituary in the SLO Tribune
Engineer Robert Bigley
Federal authorities are investigating skydiving deaths of two people, one of them engineering alumnus Robert Bigley (B.S., Biology, 2000, M.S., Biomedical Engineering, 2002). Bigley, 32, and Barbara Cuddy, 48, fell to their deaths when their parachutes became entangled with a third skydiver about 6,000 feet above a drop zone in San Joaquin County Sept. 13.
Read the story in the Ventura Star
Thomas J. Caruso
Thomas J. Caruso, 53, of Nipomo died as the result of a motorcycle accident on Route 227 Sept. 2. Caruso (B.S., Liberal Studies, 2006) had previously worked for Apria Home Health Systems.
Read the obituary in The Tribune