ALUMNI IN THE NEWS
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING GRAD DESIGNS A PRESIDENTIAL RIDE
When President Obama and his family traversed Martha's Vineyard on vacation in August, they did some of their touring on bikes designed by Cal Poly graduate Amber Lucas (B.S., Mechanical Engineering, 2007).
According to the Gilroy Dispatch, Lucas, who lives in Morgan Hill, Calif., is one of 20 designers working for the company Specialized bikes. She is the only one designing urban bikes and said her designs are immediately recognizable.
Lucas said she is a lifelong bicyclist who does all her commuting and errands on two wheels and doesn’t even own a car.
PERSISTENCE PAYS OFF FOR FORMER MUSTANG BASKETBALL FORWARD
It wasn't an auspicious start, being the manager of the team – not when he wanted to play. But Ryan Darling (B.S., Business Administration, 2010) earned a spot on the Mustangs basketball team as a walk-on and was cut twice before becoming the starting forward his senior season.
And his story didn't end there. As ESPN reported in September, the 6-foot-8 Darling has signed a one-year contract with a pro basketball league in Germany.
SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY TEACHER OF THE YEAR IS A CAL POLY GRAD
Krista Beltran (B.S., Liberal Studies, 2001; Elementary Credential, 2002) was named 2010-11 Teacher of the Year in San Joaquin County. A teacher at Hawkins School, Beltran stood out among hundreds of teachers in 14 districts in the county, according to the Patterson Irrigator.
Beltran is the student council adviser at Hawkins and also runs an after-school book club for middle school girls. She also serves on several committees in the Jefferson School District, whose superintendent, Dana Eaton, describes her as "the kind of teacher that makes her classroom better, makers her grade level better, makes her school better and makes our district better."
ALUMS’ START-UP HELPS AIR FORCE WITH UNMANNED FLIGHT CONTROLS
AeroMech, a San Luis Obispo engineering firm started by Cal Poly graduates Thomas Akers (B.S., Aerospace Engineering, 2001) and Norm Timbs (B.S., Mechanical Engineering, 1988; B.S., Engineering Technology, 1992), is partnering on a project contracted by the U.S. Air Force to develop an alert system that will prevent unmanned aircraft from flying into other droids or manned aircraft.
According to a report in the San Luis Obispo Tribune, the product could be used to help unmanned aircraft and commercial aircraft operate safely in congested areas at major airports around the world.
ENGLISH GRAD’S WAY WITH WORDSBRINGS STATEWIDE HONOR
Chris (Weygandt) Alba (B.S., English, 1978) won first place in the California State Poetry Society's annual contest with the poem “How an Egret Saved Me.” Alba finished atop a field of 169 entries.
A native of Paso Robles, Calif., Alba worked for 20 years as a magazine journalist and editor before returning to northern San Luis Obispo County 12 years ago, according to the San Luis Obispo Tribune.
ELECTRONIC ENGINEERING ALUM NAMED DISPLAYLINK’S SALES VICE PRESIDENT
John Cummins (B.S., Electronic Engineering, 1994) was named DisplayLink’s vice president of worldwide sales. The company produces virtual graphic chips to peripheral markets and anticipates growth for products aimed at a new class of wireless and mobile device display applications.
According to BusinessWire, Cummins joined DisplayLink after serving as chief executive officer of chip company ZeroG Wireless Inc. Prior to that, he worked with Agere Systems, Sun Microsystems and Cypress Semiconductor.
CHEF AND ENTREPRENEUR AIMS TO BRING PEOPLE TO THE TABLE
The founder and chef at restaurants Insalata's and Marinitas in Marin, Heidi Krahling (B.S., Business Administration, 1982) was named North Bay Woman Entrepreneur of the Year. Krahling started her entrepreneurial career with her own cafe in Bass Lake before partnering with Joyce Goldstein, chef at the Cafe at Chez Panisse, to open Square One, an award-winning Mediterranean restaurant in San Francisco.
JOURNALISM GRAD’S SITE LETS PEOPLE RATE LOCAL BUSINESSES
SLOpinions.com is a new web site that allows members to rate local businesses and leave personal reviews of SLO County businesses. Owner Aaron Emerson (B.S., Journalism, 2000) hopes it will become the primary source to find businesses online as search engines integrate reviews and recommendations into their algorithms.
AG BUSINESS GRAD NAMED VP AT EUROFRESH FARMS
With nearly 20 years in product and brand management, Sean Frisby (B.S., Ag Business, 1991) has been named vice president of marketing and category management for Eurofresh Farms, which specializes in greenhouse tomatoes in the United States and the branded tomato and cucumber industry. Frisby makes the move from Desert Glory, LTD, in San Antonio, Texas, where he was marketing director.
