Alumni in the News - August 2008
Features
Mustang Alumni Heading to Olympics
in Track, Baseball Equestrian Events
Cal Poly alums made headlines over the past month by qualifying for the Olympics in Beijing. Former Cal Poly Mustang track stars Sharon Day (B.S., Kinesiology, 2008) and Stephanie Brown Trafton (B.S., Industrial Engineering, 2004) qualified in track and field events. Day will compete in the women's high jump event and Brown Trafton in women's discus. Alumna Gina Miles (B.S., Crop Science, 1997) and her horse McKinlaigh will compete in Equestrian events.
While not competing for the U.S., 23 year old Jimmy Van Ostrand was named to Canada's 24-man baseball team for the Beijing Olympics. A former baseball star at Cal Poly, Van Ostrand raised the number of Mustangs representing his or her country in Beijing to four.
Read about Day Reaching New Heights in The Tribune
Read the GoPoly story on Day
Read about Day's last hurdle in the Kansas City Star
See the KSBY video on Van Ostrand
Go to the SLO Tribune story on Van Ostrand
Roanoke Times reports Van Ostrand's pre-flight performance
Read the SLO Tribune story on Brown Trafton
Read about Brown Trafton's Olympic heroes
Read the SLO Tribune story on Gina Miles and McKinlaigh
The Tribune reports Gina Miles Goes the Distance
KSBY Features Gina Miles
Sacramento Bee story about Miles starting at age 7
Read more on Miles in Atascadero News
Miles doing well in early session says The Trib
Sturckow Named to 2009 International Space Station Shuttle Crew
Colonel Rick Sturckow (B.S., Mechanical Engineering, 1984) will command the 2009 space shuttle Atlantis crew on his fourth trip into space. The mission will include three space walks and carry a Multi-Purpose Logistics Module filled with science and storage racks to the station. The NASA launch is targeted for July 30, 2009.
Read more on Sturckow's Mission in Aero News Network
Read the Story in Spaceflight Now
See the PRNewswire release
J-Alumna Named President of NBC Universal Digital Entertainment
NBC Universal has promoted Vivi Zigler (B.S., Journalism, 1979) to President of its NBC Universal Digital Entertainment unit. In her new post, Zigler will lend her support and expertise to all of the NBC Universal entertainment websites. Zigler will continue to oversee the NBC Universal Digital Studio and NBC Digital Entertainment, including NBC.com.
Read details on Zigler's promotion
President Baker, Bill Swanson
Named to National Business-Higher Ed Forum
Cal Poly alumnus William "Bill" Swanson (B.S., Industrial Engineering, 1973) has been named vice chairman of the Business-Higher Education Forum. Swanson is Chairman and CEO of Raytheon Company. The Business-Higher Education Forum is a national organization of Fortune 500 CEOs and senior executives, prominent college and university presidents, and foundation leaders. The board is working to advance innovative solutions to U.S. education problems. Cal Poly President Warren J. Baker was also elected to the BHEF board. Both Swanson and Baker will serve through 2010.
More on Swanson and the BHEF
Read the story on Epicos
Sweeney Takes Top Spot at Cal Poly Alumni Association
Founder and CEO of Dairy Procurement Group LLC of California, John Sweeney (B.S., Civil Engineering, 1989) is the new president of the 14,000-member Cal Poly Alumni Association, with a universe of more than 130,000 university alumni. In addition to his degree from Cal Poly, Sweeney has a master of business administration from Wharton, is a former member of the Board of Trustees for the California State University system and currently serves on the College of Engineering’s Dean Advisory Council.
See the Breaking News Story in The Tribune
Read County Round Up in the Trib
'Weird Al' Wows them In Kentucky
No one on the Billboard charts is safe from the wit and wackiness of "Weird Al" Yankovic (B.S., Architecture, 1980) -- and they haven't been for decades, opines the Louisville Courier-Journal. Yankovic, 49, has three Grammys, four gold and six platinum records, has sold more than 12 million albums and has done more than 1,000 live shows. He is also arguably the most famous alumnus of Cal Poly's architecture program, and is touring on the East Coast.
Read the Courier-Journal story
See photos from Weird Al's visit to campus and KCPR in 2007
Ag Alum is Santa Barbara County Farmer of the Year
During the 2008 Santa Barbara County Fair, Roy Killgore (B.S., Agricultural Business, 1992) was recognized as County Farmer of the Year. Kilgore turned an after-hours family operation into a large farm. After graduating from Cal Poly, he was initially hired by Ortho to sell fertilizer and pesticides - so he chose Santa Maria and the Central Coast as his territory.
Read the Santa Maria Times Story
Cal Poly Grad Named CattleWoman of the Year
Carrying on a family tradition, Staci Truelson (B.S., Animal Science, 1990) followed in her mother's footsteps when she was named CattleWoman of the Year by the San Luis Obispo County CattleWomen’s Association at the Mid-State Fair.
Read about the Truelson in the Santa Maria Times
See More in The Adobe Press
Road is Named After a Man Who Paved a Path
A section of Highway 41 has been named after Robert Nimmo (B.S., Animal Husbandry, 1944) successful in ranching, real estate and politics.
Read more about Nimmo's accomplishments in The Tribune
Alum's 'Urban Dictionary' Still Hep, Hot, Whatever -- with Help of 800 Volunteers
Cal Poly alum Aaron Peckham's 'Urban Dictionary' Web site made headlines again in July -- this time with a mention in the Chicago Tribune. Peckham (B.S., Computer Science, 2005; M.S., Computer Science, 2005) started the Web site while still a student at Cal Poly in 2000, and turned it into a great book. Peckham went to work in Silicon Valley, but still runs the site with a little help from his friends. About 800 unpaid volunteers sift through the 2,000 definitions submitted daily to urbandictionary.com, Peckham told the Chicago Tribune.
Read the Chicago Tribune story
NRM Alum Builds GreenPoint Rated, Nature-Powered Home in Humboldt
Former Cal Poly students Paul Bias and his wife Jennifer Fuller have built a zero-net-energy home after being inspired by a straw bale house he helped build on Cal Poly's organic farm. The hot water, electricity and heating systems are all powered by nature --and now that it's been built, it all runs for free.
Read the full story in the Eureka-Times Standard
Alum Balances Redwoods, Growth as Fortuna City Manager
Fortuna City Manager Duane Rigge (B.S., Industrial Technology, 1975) tries to balance the needs of a growing city against 100-year-old second-growth redwood and fir trees that stand in the way of the projected site for new water tanks.
Read More about the Redwoods in the Journal
Winemaker Alum Shares Knowledge in Oregon
Chris Hubert (B.S., Fruit Science, 2000) is a partner in Quail Run Vineyard outside of Jacksonville in Oregon. He also shares his vineyard management experience with others in the demonstration vineyard at Southern Oregon Research and Experiment Center. Hubert managed the Cal Poly farm as an undergraduate, then worked in California's wine country as a crop consultant before moving to Oregon and Quail Run.
Read the story in the Capital Press
Simon on The Space Show
William "Bill" Simon (B.S., Industrial Technology, 1970) was a guest on The Space Show on July 22. Founder of Simco Laboratories and president of Micro Luminetics, Simon was an early proponent of settling and industrializing space colonies.
Read more about Simon on Space Fellowship
Alum Back in Action at Reno Rodeo
Pro rodeo cowboy Jim Usher (B.S., Agricultural Engineering, 1975) says competing at Cal Poly taught him everything he needed to know about rodeo. Usher hailed Cal Poly as one of the top rodeo schools on the West Coast.
Read more in the Nevada Record-Courier
Former Frog and Peach Pub Owner Hits it on the Head
The Los Angeles times calls the Monterey Beer Festival one of the top beer parties on the west coast. Cal Poly's Paul Tye will be right in the middle of the brew as beer master of ceremonies -- get this -- with an emphasis in mingling.
Read about Tye in the Monterey County Herald
Good Scouts
Husband-and-wife team Bonnie and Glen Watje (B.S., Graphic Communications, 1971) of Acro Printing are honored in the 24th annual Good Scout of the Year Awards.
Read about the couple in the Whittier Times
Cum Laude Grad Competes in Mid-State Fair Pageant
Before she begins student-teaching in the fall, 22-year-old Amanda Thorson (B.S., Child and Family Development, 2008) competed in the Miss Californa Mid-State Fair. Her platform, "Quilts for Cancer," was inspired by her mother's fight with breast cancer.
Read about Thorson in the Paso Robles Press
Butcher, Baker, Candlestick Maker
Fire Chief, Nursery Man, Kids' Swim Coach, Kevin Twohey (B.S., Ornamental Horticulture, 1975) wears a lot of hats these days.
See the story in the St. Helena Star
The Fruits of her Efforts
Katie Winkler (B.S., Applied Art and Design, 1991) is whipping up tomatoes by the dozens. Not from her garden, but on canvas; all on the same tomato-centric theme.
Read about the Katie in The Tribune
Careers
Ben Lee Named Sr. VP at Cypress Semiconductor
With 20 years of experience in sales and marketing in the semiconductor industry, Ben Lee (B.S., Electronic Engineering, 1989) was named senior vice president of worldwide sales at Cypress Semiconductor Corporation.
Read about Ben Lee in Forbes
More about Lee in Business Wire
Cal Poly Grad is New Senior Vice President at Bancorp
John McNinch (B.S., Agricultural Business, 1971) was recently named senior vice president of Santa Lucia Bancorp, the holding company for Santa Lucia Bank. Currently living in Paso Robles, McNinch made the move from a senior position with Rabobank N. A., overseeing commercial lending and business banking in Paso Robles, Templeton, Atascadero, Cambria and San Simeon.
Read More about Bancorp's Banker in The Tribune
Governor Appoints Luzuriaga to Engineering Board
A resident of Ladera Ranch, David Luzuriaga (B.S., Civil Engineering, 1993) has been appointed to the Board for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors
See more about Luzuriaga in Emperial Valley News
Kim Positioned to Succeed Globally
Joyce Kim (B.S., City and Regional Planning, 1993; B.S. Business Administration, 1993) appointed chief marketing officer for Global IP Solutions (GIPS).
Read about Kim's appointment in The Earth Times
Former Mustang Named to California Department of Food and Agriculture
Michael T. Jarvis (Business Administration, 2008) has been appointed deputy secretary of public affairs for the California Department of Food and Agriculture, moving up after three years as the deputy director of communications for the state Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
Read about Jarvis in the Visalia Times-Delta
New Director for World Ag Expo
As the new communications director for the International Agri-Center in Tulare, Steve Knudsen (B.S., Food Science, 2005; M.S., Agriculture, 2007) will oversee communications of the world's largest agriculture exposition, the World Ag Expo, California Antique Farm Show and the Heritage Complex.
Read about Steve in the Visalia Times-Delta
News about Knudsen in The Sentinel
Read about the appointment in the Visalia Times-Delta
Read more in the Capital Press
And even more about Knudsen in California Farmer
Modesto Taps Lagarbo for Water
Longtime employee of the city of Modesto, Cal Poly grad Allen Lagarbo (B.S., Ornamental Horticulture, 1977) has been selected to head the city's water division.
Read about Lagarbo in the Modesto Bee
Lunch Will Never Be the Same
Katy Bowers (B.S., Ag Business, 2000) works hand-in-hand with Disney Imagination Farm to market the Disney Garden line of lunch-box and snack items for Church Brothers.
Read about Katy in The Californian
Architects of their Own Future
Melanie Vieux (B.A.R., Architecture, 1992) and Doug Davis (B.A.R., Architecture, 1997) were both promoted at architectural firm Wenell Mattheis Bowe in Stockton.
Read about the duo in the Recordnet
Early CAED Grad Runs for Office
A member of the Cal Poly Architecture Department's second graduating class, Ed Steinbeck (B.S., Architectural and Environmental Design, 1971), hopes to use his city and regional planning degree on the Paso Robles City Council.
More about Steinbeck in the Paso Robles Press
Pair of Engineering Alum Join New York Firm
Bryan Fisher (B.S., Electrical Engineering, 2008) and Matthew Walker (B.S., Industrial Engineering, 2003) have joined Doug Fleenor Design in New York.
Read the mention in Live Design
Alum Earns Honor in the Air
Air National Guard Airman 1st Class Tyler J. Gibson (B.S., History, 2003) has graduated from basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. Gibson earned distinction as an honor graduate.
Read the story in the Loomis News
Not the Retiring Kind
Retiring after 30 years in education, the former principal of Aptos Middle School didn't stay that way for long. Newly selected as the principal of Pajaro's Monte Vista Christian School, Ray Blute (Education, 1981) discusses the move from public to private education.
Read about Blute in the Pajaronian
Woll Goes Mental
San Luis Obispo-based advertising firm Mental Marketing recently hired Cary Woll (B.S., Child and Family Development, 1975) to lead its client services in Northern California.
Link to Woll's mention in The Tribune
Designer Vines
San Clemente is home to a new boutique florist, The Vine's Leaf, a life-long goal of Aly Loge (Home Economics, 1975).
Read about Loge in the San Clemente Times
Still Digging It After All These Years
John Gilpin (B.S., Ornamental Horticulture, 1978) and Jim Clabaugh (B.S., Ornamental Horticulture, 1976) celebrate 30 years in business with Live Oak Landscape Construction Co.
Read about the it in the Vacaville Reporter
Passings
Pilot, Gulf War Veteran Rick Born
Alumnus Rick Born (B.S., Industrial Technology, 1982; M.S., Business Administration, 1984), 49, died recently in San Rafael. In 1984, he entered the Air Force and flew 49 combat missions in the first Gulf War. From the Air Force, he went on to American Airlines where he rose to the rank of captain.
Read about Born in the Georgia Insider Advantage
Voice of the Wildcats is Quiet
The voice of Ferndale High Football, former Cal Poly student, George Michael Spini, passed peacefully at home July 11, after a long battle with heart disease.
Read more about this Football Fan in The Eureka Reporter
Charlotte Green
An elementary school teacher in San Luis Obispo county for 30 years, Charlotte Green (B.A., Elementary Education, 1962) passed away on July 10, with her daughter and family friends in attendance. With a motto that "peanut butter is the glue that holds everything together," Charlotte was passionate about dance, the environment and local politics.
Read about Charlotte Green in The Tribune
Rancher Porter Willis
Animal Science alum Porter Alexander Willis, 85, (B.S., Animal Science, 1962) lifelong rancher and horseman, passed away on July 3 in Modesto. After completing high school in Boonville, he attended Cal Poly and majored in animal husbandry though his education was interrupted by World War II.
Read the Atascadero News Obituary
Jayne Lynn Kaney
Jayne Lynn Kaney (Physical Education, 1972), 59, passed away July 23, surrounded by her children. Married to high school sweetheart, Michael (B.S., Agricultural Business, 1972), they owned and operated Cattaneo Bros'. Michael and daughter Kelly preceded her in death.
Read About Kaney in The Tribune
Joseph Silva
At the age of 86, Joseph Silva of San Luis Obispo died at the Cabrillo Care Center, where he had been living for three years after suffering a stroke.
Read about Silva in The Tribune