Alumni in the News - April 2010

Spotlight

Burt RutanBurt Rutan's VSS Enterprise Takes First Flight

Engineering alum Burt Rutan (B.S. Aero Engineering, 1965) and his company made headlines again. His commercial manned spaceship, VSS Enterprise, successfully completed its first "captive carry" test flight March 23. The VSS Enterprise took off from Mojave Air and Spaceport, California. The new spacecraft is being developed for Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic company, which plans to offer the first commercial space flights. SpaceShipOne, which in 2004 claimed the $10 million Ansari X prize as the world's first privately developed manned spacecraft.
Read the KKFX story on the test flight

Bloom Named CEO at Software Firm

Gary Bloom (B.S., 1982, Computer Science) has been named CEO of "smart grid" software business eMeter Inc. Previous CEO Cree Edwards will remain chairman of the San Mateo company. Bloom is also chairman of the board of the Cal Poly Foundation and is a director at BMC Software Inc. and Taleo Corp. Bloom previously led Symantec Corp. as vice chairman and president, after Symantec bought Veritas Corp., where Bloom was chairman, president and CEO.
Read the story on PR Newswire

New Executive Director of Public Lands Council is Ag Alum

Dustin Van Liew (B.S., Ag Business, 2004) has been named as the new Executive Director of the Public Lands Council (PLC), and Director of Federal Lands for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA). Van Liew has been with PLC as a lobbyist since January, 2008, most recently serving in the role of interim director. While at Cal Poly he was a member of the livestock judging team, competing in contests across the nation.
More on Van Liew in Cattle Network

Alums Make Waves With Webcast Deconstructing an iPad - Part of their $2m iFixit Business

Two engineering alumni are growing the San Luis Obispo company they began as freshman in the Cal Poly residence halls. Kyle Wiens (B.S., Computer Science, 2005) and Luke Soules (B.S., Industrial Engineering, 2006), then freshmen, decided to sell computer parts online to buy a $900 projector for their dorm room. Now, the two run iFixit and webcast their adventures getting their hands on an iPad to suction off its glass screen and expose its secrets the day it arrived. Their iFixit company is now a thriving small business that employs around two dozen people and generates more than $2 million in annual sales.
Read about Wiens and Soules on Wired.com | More on Wiens and Soules in The Tribune

Fun

Grad is First Grade Teacher and Garlic Queen

Lauren Iwanaga (B.S., Business Administration, 2008), is a first-grade teacher in her hometown, Gilroy. And in March, she became the current Gilroy Garlic Queen.
Read about Iwanaga in the Gilroy Dispatch

Honors

Dean, Alumna Among 2010 Outstanding Women

Cal Poly's Dean of Research and Graduate Programs Susan Opava and alumna Beverly Gingg (B.S., Biological Science, 1989) were among nine women honored in March by Cuesta College for their professional and civic contributions on the Central Coast. In 1996, Gingg helped establish the Santa Margarita Community Forestry, now a Chapter of the Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo County, and continues to serve as its first coordinator and board member.
Read the Outstanding Women story in the SLO Tribune

Alumna Honored for Excellence in Accounting

Veronica Quintana (B.S., Business Management, 1995) has been recognized by Cambridge Who's Who for demonstrating dedication, leadership and excellence in accounting. She is a manager for CBIZ MHM, LLC. She is a Certified Public Accountant and maintains active membership with The American Society of Certified Public Accountants and the California Society of Certified Public Accountants.
More on Quintana in PR USA

Career Moves

WaferGen Appoints Industry Veteran Janet Lankard New SVP of Worldwide Sales and Support

WaferGen Biosystems, Inc. has named Janet Lankard (B.S., Biochemistry, 1982) as its new senior vice president of Worldwide Sales and Support in preparation for the commercialization of the WaferGen SmartChip Real-Time PCR System. Lankard brings more than 20 years of sales and executive management experience to WaferGen from several biotechnology companies.
More on Lankard

Embarcadero’s David Intersimone Presents on the Next Generation in Social Marketing

Embarcadero Technologies’ David Intersimone (B.S., Computer Science, 1973) was a presenter at the Evans Data Developer Relations Conference in San Jose in March. Intersimone's topic was “Developer Relations - The Next Generation,” and covered the challenges involved in growing a worldwide developer community and creating new marketing avenues using eDMs, RSS feeds and alternative channels such as Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, and YouTube.
Read about Intersimone on WebWire

Alumna Blending Life, Jamba Juice

Alumna Linda Ozawa Olds (B.S., Business Administration, 1992) a former vice president of Jamba Juice, is finding the company still blends well with life. Ozawa joined the company in its startup days as marketing director after it was founded by alumni Kevin Peters (B.S., Business Administration, 1991) and Joe Vergara (Business Administration 1992) and entrepreneur Kirk Perron. She helped transform the locally known Juice Club to the Jamba brand now known around the nation. Jamba Juice sold in 2006, but Ozawa is still connected to the business: she and husband Jeff now own nine Jamba Juice franchises, and will celebrate the company’s 20th anniversary on April 19.
Read about Ozawa Olds in the San Luis Obispo Tribune | Read about Cal Poly alumni ties to Jamba Juice in Cal Poly Magazine

'Architectural Alchemy’ Focus of Alum's Lecture

Eric Naslund (B. Ar., Architecture, 1983), spoke in April at the University of New Mexico on “Architectural Alchemy: Housing from the Humblest of Ingredients.” Naslund is principal and design partner in Studio E Architects in San Diego and a licensed architect in California and New Mexico. He is also a member of the College of Fellows of the American Institute of Architects.
Read more on UNM Today

Bio Alum is New Morro Bay Police Chief

Biology alum Tim Olivas (B.S., Biology, 1989) is taking the reins as Morro Bay police chief. Olivas started his law enforcement career working for the Morro Bay Police Department in 1987, and at the same time attending Allan Hancock Basic Police Academy.
Read about Olivas in The San Luis Obispo Tribune | Read about Olivas on KCOY.com

Alumna Profiled for Hospice Care Innovations

The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization is highlighting alumna Renee Berry's work with teens volunteering in hospice in the San Francisco Bay Area. "Learn by doing really helped shape my career," she says. Berry (B.S., Social Science, 2007) is the volunteer services manager with VITAS Innovative Hospice Care of San Francisco Bay. In her role with VITAS, Berry recruits and engages local hospice volunteers of all ages. She even coaches local high school students by planning Hospice Advocacy clubs at their schools.
More about Berry

English Alum is New Principal at Santa Ynez High School

Alum Mark Swanitz (B.S., English, 1991, M.A., Education Administration, 1998), will be the new principal at Santa Ynez Valley Union High School. Swanitz is currently the principal of Dos Pueblos High School in Goleta.
Read about Swanitz in the Santa Maria Times

Post Principalship, Alum Heads for the Peace Corps

Former Central Coast teacher and high school principal Mike Sears (B.S., Political Science, 1977) is now in Indonesia with the Peace Corps -- part of the first group of volunteers to work in that country since 1965. Sears, 57, will teach English and training Indonesian teachers on Java. He told the Santa Maria Times he considered joining the Peace Corps 35 years ago when he graduated from Cal Poly, and retiring as principal of Arroyo Grande High School gave him the chance to do it.
Read about Sears in the Santa Maria Times

Alum Greening San Diego With Water-Wise Landscaping

Meet Michael Brennan (B.S., Landscape Architecture, 2002), a registered landscape architect, LEED accredited professional and owner of Urban Green Landscape Architecture in San Diego. He was profiled recently in an article about landscaping with water conservation in mind.
More on Brennan

Alumni Couple Create Wine Tasting Party Game Kit

Carlene Gutowsky (B.S., Industrial Engineering, 2005) and Daniel Iverson (B.S., Aero Engineering, 2005) may be engineers, but they're also wine lovers. The duo recently launched a company called "All You Need Is Wine" to sell a blind wine tasting game kit they developed. It's sold in Southern California stores, and online. The game was featured in Central Coast Magazine's January-February edition. In addition to launching their game company together, the duo are engaged to be married.
Central Coast Magazine details

Politics

Alum Running to Retain Assembly Seat

Incumbent State Assemblyman Tom Beryhill (Agricultural Business, 1976), is facing six Republican challengers so far in the race. Beryhill represents the communities of Modesto, Riverbank, Oakdale, Chowchilla, Mammoth Lakes, Waterford, Sonora, Hughson, Angels Camp and Madera. He is a fourth-generation California farmer who has been active in many community groups, business organizations and a strong supporter of California's public schools and universities.
Read more in the Calaveras Enterprise

Alumna Adds Endorsements in Assembly Campaign

Hilda Zacarias (B.S., Business Administration, 1989) picked up some new endorsements in the Democratic primary race for the 33rd State Assembly seat. The California Nurses Association, Equality California, and the National Latino Peace Officers' Association all recently endorsed Zacarias. Zacarias, an accountant, is Mayor Pro Tem of Santa Maria, and the only Democrat running. She'll face the winner of the field of Republicans running -- including San Luis Obispo County Supervisor and alum Katcho Achadjian (B.S., Business Administration, 1976).
More on the race in the Central Coast Examiner

Passings

Lindsey Merendino

Lindsey Merendino (B.S., Liberal Studies, 2007), originally of Menlo Park, passed away April 4, in San Luis Obispo. She adored her dog, Nic, her horse, Quinn, and her friends and family. She graduated cum laude from Cal Poly.
Read the obituary in The SLO Tribune

Clark Howland

Clark Boyden Howland (B.S., Biological Science, 1968, M.A., Education, 1980) died April 4, surrounded by his family. An eagle Scout and a U.S. Navy veteran, he taught at Shell Beach Elementary for 34 years.
Read the obituary in the Tribune

Harley Elden 'Bing' Kovall

Harley Elden "Bing" Kovall (B.S., Animal Husbandry, 1948) passed away peacefully Wednesday, March 17. A Navy veteran, he later attended Cal Poly and graduated in 1948. He moved to Blythe, Calif., where he farmed and raised his family until 1984, when he retired to the Central Coast with his wife.
Read the obituary in the SLO Tribune

Peggy Francia Young, Former Math Secretary

Peggy Francia Young, 79, of San Luis Obispo passed away March 7, after a long illness. She moved to San Luis Obispo so her husband, Gordon Young, could attend Cal Poly. She went on to work at Cal Poly as the secretary in the Math Department.
Read the obituary in the SLO Tribune

Richard P. Tibbetts, Longtime Cal Poly Staff Member

Longtime Cal Poly staff member Richard P. "Dick" Tibbetts, 73, passed away at his home in Atascadero on March 5. He worked in the aerospace industry and the school district in Los Angeles from 1959 to 1972, and at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo from 1972 to 1996 in Audio Visual and Communications Services, where he was well known.
Read the obituary in the Tribune | Read the obituary in the Atascadero News