Class notes

By the Decade

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1960s

Mark Chertok, BA 1967, was recognized by Continental Who’s Who as a Pinnacle Professional of legal services for his role in environmental law. Chertok is vice president of Sive, Paget and Riesel. He resides in New York, N.Y.

John Wolcott, BA 1967, retired after 46 years as an editor, sports writer and reporter at the Niagara Falls Gazette and Lockport Union-Sun & Journal. He lives in Niagara Falls, N.Y.

1970s

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*Patrick Dailey, BA 1972, a United States Air Force veteran, retired as manager of claims at Empire Insurance Group. He resides in Buffalo, N.Y.

Peter Farina, PhD 1972, received an honorary doctorate from the University of Connecticut School of Pharmacy. Farina is an executive in residence at Canaan Partners and is managing partner of Salient Science and Technology. He lives in North Salem, N.Y.

Luz Valdes-Norris, BA 1972, was included in Strathmore’s Who’s Who Worldwide Edition for her achievements in education. Valdes-Norris is a Spanish instructor for University of New Mexico’s continuing education department. She resides in Albuquerque, N.M.

Winifred Brownell, PhD 1973, MA 1970, BA 1967 & BA 1967, received the Dream Maker Award from the Rhode Island Film and TV Office. Brownell is the dean of arts and sciences at the University of Rhode Island. She lives in North Kingstown, R.I.

Irene Jacobs, BA 1973 & BA 1973, was nominated as a Connecticut Superior Court judge by Gov. Daniel Malloy. Jacobs is a partner at Jacobs and Jacobs. She resides in West Haven, Conn.

Thomas Lombardo Jr., MD 1973, an orthopedic surgeon at Northtowns Orthopedics, received the National Federation for Just Communities of WNY’s Community Leader Award for Healthcare. He lives in East Aurora, N.Y.

Paul Pugliese, BA 1973, president of Greenwich Land Company, was inducted into the Greenwich REALTOR Hall of Fame by the Greenwich Association of REALTORS. He resides in Old Greenwich, Conn.

Barbara Malinowski, MS 1974, coordinator of the parish nurse program at Mount St. Mary’s Hospital, received the National Federation for Just Communities of WNY’s Community Leader Award for Healthcare. She lives in Lewiston, N.Y.

Gary Praetzel, BA 1974, retired as dean of Niagara University’s College of Hospitality and Tourism Management. Praetzel will continue to serve the university as a special assistant to the president and academic vice president. He resides in Buffalo, N.Y.

Ernest Gagnon, BA 1977, was elected president of the New York Mental Hygiene Institute’s board of directors. He lives in Caroga Lake, N.Y.

Daniel Getman, BS 1977, was named chairman of Sucampo Pharmaceuticals’ board of directors. He resides in Kirksville, Mo.

1980s

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Anthony DeJohn, MS 1981 & BS 1980, was promoted to deputy Northeast region business manager at Parsons Brinckerhoff. DeJohn previously served as the firm’s New Jersey area manager. He lives in Chesterfield, N.J.

*James Pace, MA 1984, joined Buffalo Musicians’ Association Local 92 AFM as president. Pace was previously employed at Lake Shore Central Schools as music department chair and senior high orchestra director. He resides in West Seneca, N.Y.

Shane Farolino, BA 1985, was named a 2014 Ohio Super Lawyer by Super Lawyers Magazine. Farolino is a partner at Roetzel & Andress. He lives in Canton, Ohio.

David Miranda, BA 1985, was appointed president-elect of the New York State Bar Association. Miranda is a partner at Heslin Rothenberg Farley & Mesiti. He resides in Voorheesville, N.Y.

*John Saylor, BS 1986, was promoted to fellow grade in the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. He lives in Seneca, S.C.

Keith Stolzenburg, MBA 1987 & BS 1981, was named managing partner of the PricewaterhouseCoopers Buffalo office. He resides in East Amherst, N.Y.

Chan Chong, BA 1989 & BS 1989, was appointed vice president of Kulicke and Soffa Industries’ Wedge Bonder Business Unit. Chong lives in Singapore.

Gary Schneider, MS 1989, a distinguished member of technical staff at Motorola Solutions, received his fifth U.S. patent. He resides in Stony Brook, N.Y.

1990s

*Joanne Bender, MBA 1990 & BS 1989, joined Chiampou Travis Besaw & Kershner as a senior tax manager. She lives in Williamsville, N.Y.

Jeffrey Parrish, BS 1990, was appointed to the board of directors of Robert-James Sales. He joined the company as an inside sales representative and is currently vice president of sales. He resides in Sanborn, N.Y.

Cheryl Ann Jankowski, BS 1991, was promoted to partner at Chiampou Travis Besaw & Kershner after 12 years with the firm. She lives in Hamburg, N.Y.

Quanxi Jia, PhD 1991, was named a 2014 Fellow of the Materials Research Society. Jia is leader of nanoscale electronics and mechanics at the Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies in Los Alamos National Laboratory. He resides in Los Alamos, N.M.

Timothy Lambrecht, BA 1991, joined Wladis Law Firm, where he will focus his practice on litigation and environmental law. He lives in Syracuse, N.Y.

*Carmen McCormick, BA 1991, was named corporate and compliance counsel of MicroVention. She resides in Irvine, Calif.

John Pieroni, BA 1991, was appointed a managing partner at WNY Asset Management. Pieroni also serves as the firm’s chief compliance officer. He lives in Snyder, N.Y.

Rosalind Sulaiman, MD 1991, joined the Grand Island Family Practice primary care team in the Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center. Prior to the position, Sulaiman was clinical assistant professor of internal medicine and pediatrics at the UB School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. She resides in Buffalo, N.Y.

Genda Chen, PhD 1992, a professor of civil, architectural and environmental engineering, was named the Robert W. Abbett Distinguished Chair in Civil Engineering at Missouri University of Science and Technology. He lives in Rolla, Mo.

Michael Conway, BS 1993, was elected treasurer of Surflight Theatre’s board of directors. Conway is the global head of sales operations, learning and effectiveness at Thomson Reuters. He resides in Caldwell, N.J.

Gonzalo Bearman, MD 1997, was named the division chair of the Division of Infectious Diseases at Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center. Bearman is a professor of medicine, epidemiology and community medicine, and serves as associate hospital epidemiologist for the VCU Health System. He lives in Richmond, Va.

Kevin Connor, EMBA 1997 & AAS 1991, was appointed managing director of Prism Healthcare Partners. Connor previously served as CEO of ALTUS Management. He resides in Lockport, N.Y.

2000s

Jacalyn Spoon, MLS ’03.

Jacalyn Spoon, MLS ’03

Spoon was named the director of the Cortland Free Library. Prior to the position, she served at the Adelson Library in the Cornell Lab of Ornithology at Cornell University. Spoon also manages a Boer goat and Toulouse goose farm. She resides in Groton, N.Y.

Bradley Nowak, BS 2000, joined Morris, Manning & Martin LLP as partner. Nowak will be a member of the energy and infrastructure team in the firm’s Washington, D.C., office. He lives in Arlington, Va.

Joshua Trexler, BS 2001, was inducted into the Chemung County Sports Hall of Fame. He resides in Atlanta, Ga.

Sharon Hayut, BS 2002, was included in New York Magazine’s 2014 Top Wealth Managers in New York City. She lives in New York, N.Y.

Jamie Karek, MA 2002, is a founding partner of Commonwealth Law Group. Her practice focuses on workers’ compensation. She resides in Richmond, Va.

Lisa Ghannoum, BA 2003, was promoted to partner of BakerHostetler’s Cleveland office. She lives in Shaker Heights, Ohio.

Briana Fundalinski, BS 2009, joined Hancock Estabrook as an associate. Her practice focuses on business and litigation. Fundalinski lives in Baldwinsville, N.Y.

Kristy Goodman, BS 2009, was appointed physician assistant resident at Valley Obstetrics & Gynecology Medical Group. She resides in Wolcott, N.Y.

2010s

Ryan Hartnett, PhD 2010 & BA 2002, was named assistant vice president for academic affairs at Villa Maria College. Prior to the position, Hartnett was a professor and academic administrator at Trocaire College. He lives in Buffalo, N.Y.

Nicholas Jones, MS 2010 & BS 2009, joined Paramax Corp. as an associate. Jones was previously employed at Citigroup as a senior associate in equity research. He resides in Grand Island, N.Y.

William Lechowicz, BS 2010, was appointed senior accountant at Tronconi Segarra & Associates. He lives in Cheektowaga, N.Y.

*Stephanie Stoll, PMBA 2010 & BS 2003, was named director of strategic partnerships at PLS 3rd Learning. She resides in East Amherst, N.Y.

Steve Szubinski, EMBA 2010, was appointed president of PCA Technology Group. Szubinski was a partner with the firm since its founding in 1989. He lives in East Amherst, N.Y.

Lauren Dixon, BS 2011, was named community manager at Crowley Webb. She previously was a social strategist for Social@Ogilvy. She resides in Getzville, N.Y.

Derik Kane, MUP 2011, joined the Genesee County Planning Department as a senior planner. He lives in Alden, N.Y.

Ryan Undercoffer, BA 2011, was appointed confidential secretary for the Niagara Falls City Council. He resides in Niagara Falls, N.Y.

Molly Harrington, MSW 2013, was promoted to intake specialist at Total Aging in Place’s Weinberg Campus. She lives in Hamburg, N.Y.

Daniel Kirst, MS 2013 & BS 2012, was appointed a staff accountant at Tronconi Segarra & Associates. He resides in Buffalo, N.Y.

Samantha Kowalski, MSW 2013, joined Health Force of WNY as a service coordinator. She lives in Cheektowaga, N.Y.

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