Alumni In The News
A.J. Forsythe
All-Star Student Entrepreneur Creates iCracked
A.J. Forsythe (B.S., Psychology, 2011) decided after having his iPhone broken twice in a week he needed an alternative to Apple’s costly cell phone repair service. From that experience, a business idea was born: Forsythe decided to fix his iPhone himself and turned it into the repair service, iCracked, a company with a projected $200,000 annual revenue. Forsythe and his company recently received feature treatment in Forbes magazine.
Grad Acquires Real Estate Services Firm
Robert Talbott (B.S., Agricultural Business, 1985) partnered with Scott Mencaccy to aquire RW Zukin Corp., a Bay Area real estate services firm, according to dBusinessNews.com. Talbott will work as RW Zukin’s new CEO. Prior to the acquisition of RW Zukin, Talbott, in partnership with Thompson | Dorfman Partners, LLC, acquired and redeveloped two apartment communities.
Alum Appointed President of Social Targeting Company
Matt Arkin (B.S., Business Administration, 1992) was appointed president of 33Across, a nationwide social targeting platform, MarketWatch.com reported. Arkin will oversee all revenue and operations and help guide the strategic growth of the business. He brings more than 18 years of online media sales and operations experience to 33Across.
Learning Table Manners Becomes a Game
Staci Ericson (B.S., Nutritional Science, 1989) created the card game Golly Gee-pers Table Manners after looking for a friendly and respectful way to teach table manners to her daughter, the New Times in San Luis Obispo reported. The game is a set of 14 illustrated cards depicting good and bad table manners with either a thumbs-up or thumbs-down. Ericson’s invention was recently named one of the 10 Best Socially Responsible Products for Children by Stevanne Auerbach and placed among the Top 100 Best Children's Products.
Grad Named Napa County Teacher of the Year
Jennifer Castelazo (B.S., Microbiology, 1989, B.S., Agriculture, 1996, CRD, Credential-Physics, 1999) was recently named the Napa County Teacher of the Year, according to the Oakland Tribune. Castelazo teaches chemistry and AP chemistry at Vintage High School in Napa.
"AMP," the Ultimate Phone Accessory item.
Computer Science Grad Creates the 'Ultimate Phone Accessory'
Ted Larson (B.S., Computer Science, 1991, M.S., Computer Science, 1992) has created what he calls “the ultimate phone accessory" – AMP (Automated Music Personality), a two-wheeled, self-balancing, musical robot powered by a smartphone or MP3 player. AMP, which was recently featured in VentureBeat, will follow a person around and play their favorite music. Larson is the co-founder of OLogic, an embedded systems research and development company with a focus on robotics.
Grad Joins Construction Company as Manager
Charlie Poggemann (B.S., Construction Management, 1994) has joined Kirtley-Cole Associates LLC in Everett, Wash., as a senior project manager, according to the Shohomish County Business Journal. Poggemann has 20 years of construction industry experience.
