Alumni in the News: September, 2010
Headliners
Business Alum Dane Drewis Chases the American (Idol) Dream
All Dane Drewis had was 20 seconds. Twenty seconds to impress Sacramento "American Idol" judges who've been around and heard it all. Twenty seconds to nail a bluesy rendition of Michael Jackson's "The Way You Make Me Feel." Drewis (Business Administration, 2004) a 27-year-old musician, auditioned for the popular television show recently.
Photo courtesy DaneDrewis.com
Read more about Drewis in the Sacramento Bee
Business Alum Stephen Brown to Head Research Center at University of Nevada Las Vegas
The University of Nevada, Las Vegas has hired former Federal Reserve economist Stephen Brown (Economics, 1972) to be executive director of the Center for Business and Economic Research. Brown recently retired as director of energy economics for the Federal Reserve Bank in Dallas, where he was widely recognized for his knowledge of world energy markets and the effects of energy price shocks on economic activity.
Read the story in the Las Vegas Review Journal (left sidebar)
Journal Article by Liberal Arts Alum Bruce Ellis wins American Psychological Association Award
An article from Springer's journal Human Nature, "Fundamental dimensions of environmental risk," has been selected as the winner of the George A. Miller Award by the American Psychological Association (APA). The lead author of the paper, Bruce Ellis (Social Sciences, 1986) will present aspects of the paper at next year's APA meeting. Ellis is an expert in neurobiological susceptibility to environmental influence.
More on Ellis on PhysOrg.com
Business Alum Named Executive of the Year by California Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
Tulare-Kings Hispanic Chamber of Commerce's Raymond Macareno (Business, 2004) was named the 2010 Executive of the Year by the California Hispanic Chambers of Commerce at its annual convention in Los Angeles. Macareno is a former small-business owner and has been at the helm of the TKHCC since November 2008.
Read more about Macareno in the Visalia Times-Delta
Architecture Alum Enjoys Sustainable Living Among the Clouds
In the 1970s, when Michael Faulconer (Architecture, 1977) first saw the vacant property high atop the hill in scenic Ventura, it piqued the curiosity of the budding architect. The view was perfection, the locale, paradise, but the steep hillside — now that was a challenge.
Read the story in Ventura County Star
Architecture Alum is New Chair of University's Landscape Architecture Advisory Council
Paul Marcillac (Landscape Architecture, 1992) managing principle at Stantec in Sacramento’s planning landscape practice, has been named chair of the Landscape Architecture Advisory Council at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo.
Read more about Marcillac in the Sacramento Business Journal
Horse Camp for Kids Named for Late Ag Alum Teri Davis Patane
Lon Davis' photos of his daughter tell the story of a woman whose love for life shone through in everything she did. Teri Davis Patane (Soil Science, 1992) entered her first equestrian show at four years old, and for the next 28 years, horses were her constant companion. At 32, she died from complications related to systemic lupus. Searching for a suitable way to pay homage to his daughter, Lon Davis brainstormed with her friends, husband and brother and founded the Teri Davis Patane Memorial Horse Camp for Kids. The annual weeklong event celebrated its 10th anniversary this year.
Read more in the Gilroy Dispatch
Food and Wine
Alumni Couple Start Innovative Business: Printing Labels on Glass Wine Bottle
A Paso Robles start-up is breaking into the region’s wine industry by creating custom wine bottle labels printed directly on glass. Peltier Glassworks was founded recently by Adam (Landscape Architecture, 2007) and Marisa Peltier (Landscape Architecture, 2007), a husband-and-wife team, own the only glass silk screening company on the Central Coast.
Read more about the Peltiers in the Pacific Coast Business Times
Career Moves
Architecture Alum Craig Park Joins Smart Building Design & Consulting Firm
The Sextant Group, Inc., based in Pittsburgh, Pa., announced that Craig Park (Architecture, 1978) has joined the national independent technology consulting firm as Principal Consultant. Park and has opened a new Midwest office for the firm. He completed post-graduate certification programs in Microprocessor Technology at New York University and in Leadership at the Advanced Management Institute in San Francisco.
More about Park on InfoComm.org
Ron Wilson Named to New Position at Cupertino Electric
Cupertino Electric, Inc. announced that it has expanded its Critical Infrastructure Division with Design Manager Ron Wilson (Construction Management, 1984). The electrical construction industry veteran brings decades of experience to CEI.
Read more about Wilson on Environmentalexpert.com
Construction Firm Names Richard Magill as Associate
Heery International, a design and construction management firm, has promoted Richard Magill (Civil Engineering, 1995) to associate. The 30-year industry veteran is currently responsible for several Ventura County Community College District projects that are part of a bond construction program.
Read more in the Ventura County Star (last item)
Politics
College of Ag Alum Steve McShane Runs for City Council in Salinas
Steve McShane (Soil Science, 1998) is running for Salinas City Council. In addition to his Cal Poly degree, McShane also earned a MBA from Santa Clara University. He is the founder of the Leadership Salinas Valley Alumni Association and the Central Coast Young Farmers and Ranchers.
Read more about McShane on AlphaZeta.com
Lt. Governor Maldonado Speaks at Spirit of Small Business Event in Santa Barbara
California's Lt. Gov. Abel Maldonado (Crop Science, 1988) was the keynote speaker at the Pacific Coast Business Times 8th Annual Spirit of Small Business Awards luncheon in Santa Barbara in August. Maldonado began his political career when he ran for City Council in Santa Maria, then went on to be a state assemblyman and state senator.
Read more in Pacific Coast Business Times
Ag Alum Gloria Stultz sets Goals for Colorado State Senate Run
Gloria Stultz (Ornamental Horticulture, 1981) is running for state senate in Colorado. She has varied educational background in agriculture as well as sales.
Read more about Stultz in the Cañon City Daily Record
Passings
Cheryl Lee McGauley (Education, 1981) passed away in August after a two-year battle with cancer.
Read more on McGauley
Bryan Archibald (B.S. & M.S., Kinesiology, 2002 & 2004) passed away in August. Archibald attended Cuesta College and Cal Poly, playing rugby on the Mustang Men's Rugby club team. He traveled through Ireland and South Africa with the Cal Poly rugby team and was an All-American rugby player. He coached high school football in San Luis Obispo while earning his master’s degree at Cal Poly.
Read more about Archibald
John A. Bristow (Electronic Engineering, 1948), a prominent Sacramento home builder and community volunteer whose values were shaped on the Bataan Death March of World War II, passed away in August after a battle with kidney cancer. He was 87. "He said he knew someday the war would be over, and he was going to go home and marry his sweetheart," said his son Richard. Mr. Bristow married in 1946 and moved to San Luis Obispo.
Read more about Bristow
Holly Marie Ziegler Hagen (Home Economics, 1965) passed away peacefully in August at home surrounded by her loved ones after a battle with cancer. She was born in July 1944 in Ohio and grew up in Hermosa Beach, Calif.
Read more about Hagen
Irene Ofelia Lane (Baro) (Home Economics, 1960) passed away in July in Paso Robles. She graduated from Atascadero High School in 1952.
Read more about Lane
Ernie Cooper (Social Sciences) passed away in his sleep in July due to heart failure. Ernie was born on June 17, 1985 in Tyler, Texas where his father was assigned to the FRI office at the time. He spent the majority of his life in Whittier, CA where he attended La Serna High School. He was an outstanding student athlete, earning numerous awards including the Student Athlete of the year, class of 2004.
Read more about Cooper
William Brazil (Biological Sciences) passed away peacefully in July, surrounded by his family. He was born in Oakland, Calif., in 1923, graduated from San Luis Obispo High School with the Class of ’41.
Read more about Brazil
Steven M. Garland (Ornamental Horticulture, 1984) passed away due to complication of diabetes in August at his home in Paso Robles. He graduated from Paso Robles High School in 1968.
Read more about Garland