Alumni in the News - July 2009

Headliners

Randell IwasakiAlum is Named Next Director of Caltrans

Cal Poly alum Randell H. Iwasaki (B.S., Civil Engineering, 1982) will take the reins of the California Department of Transportation July 31. Iwasaki, 49, of Elk Grove, was selected as one of Government Technology's "Doers, Dreamers and Drivers" for 2009. "Randy brings a tremendous amount of knowledge and practical experience at Caltrans to this position," said Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, "and I am confident he will be an effective director. He shares my commitment to updating and investing in our state's infrastructure to meet California's growing needs and to create jobs at a time when we need them most." In addition to his Cal Poly degree, Iwasaki earned a master's in Civil Engineering from Fresno State.
Read the story on GovTech.com

'52 Alum Receives Award
at National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association Roundup

Alum Cotton Rosser (B.S., Animal Science, 1952) was honored in June at the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association (NIRA) Finals Rodeo in Casper, Wyo. Rosser, of Marysville, Calif., was on the Cal Poly Rodeo Team during his time on campus. He won Reserve All Around Cowboy at the first NIRA Championship Rodeo. He had transferred to Cal Poly in 1950 and went on to win the 1950 Reserve National Finals NIRA Championship in Bull Riding that year, too.
Read the full story in the Gridley Herald

Ambassador LewanikaAlumna, Ambassador Inonge Mbikusita Lewanika
Receives an Honorary Doctorate

Zambia’s Ambassador to the United States of America, Inonge Mbikusita Lewanika (B.S., Home Economics, 1964; M.A., Education, 1965), received an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Laws from Cal Poly in recognition of her exemplary public service and extraordinary commitment to peace and women’s and children’s rights. Ambassador Lewanika was honored before her convocation address to the 2009 gradates June 14.
Read the story in the Lusaka Times | Read more about Lewanika

Rob RossiArchitect Rob Rossi Receives Honorary Doctorate

Architect and Central Coast developer Rob Rossi (B.Ar., Architecture, 1975), was awarded an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Cal Poly on June 13 for his professional achievements, public service and extraordinary commitment to higher education. He also gave the keynote address to graduates at the June 13 ceremony.
Read the SLO Tribune story | Read more about Rossi

Art Alum Capturing the Faces of World War II

Tom Sanders (B.F.A., Applied Art, 2006) is based in Los Angeles and likes to take portraits. He's currently working on a project to document the faces of elderly American men and women who are veterans of World War II. When Sanders was a senior at Cal Poly, he stopped by a retirement home in San Luis Obispo and asked if there were any interesting people he might photograph. He was introduced to a World War II Army Ranger, Lt. Randal Harris, who survived a direct hit in the abdomen from a mine in World War II and who lived to make his first jump out of a plane at age 91. Sanders quest to photograph veterans is taking him all over the country.
Read the Louisville Courier Journal story about Sanders and his photography project

Central Coast State Assembly Seat is a Cal Poly Alumni Race

Robert Cuthbert (B.S., Social Science, 2001), the Lompoc Democrat who lost the race for state Assembly to Republican Sam Blakeslee in 2008 and 2006, will try again in 2010 -- when the incumbent assemblyman will not be on the ballot because of term limits. A construction worker and activist who earned his degree at age 45, Cuthbert has worked with at-risk youth. He'll be facing at least three other Cal Poly alumni in the race. Santa Maria City Councilwoman Hilda Zacarias (B.S., Business, 1989) and Grover Beach Mayor John Shoals (B.S., City and Regional Planning, 1987) are Democrats seeking the seat. Republicans running include San Luis Obispo County Supervisor Katcho Achadjian (B.S., Business, 1976).
Read the SLO Tribune story on the race

Alumni Couple Profiled for Wedding Vows in San Luis Obispo - and Wedding Photos at Cal Poly

The 2008 Mission San Luis Obispo wedding of alumni Mark Fekete (B.Ar., Architecture, 2004) and Viviana De Loera (B.Ar, Architecture) was featured recently in the San Luis Obispo Tribune spread on designer weddings done on a budget. No surprise, since both grads are employed as designers in Irvine. The 2006 grads faced family coming from Montreal, Fekete's hometown, and Zacatecas, Mexico, and Los Angeles, her hometowns. They chose San Luis Obispo for their wedding because both sides of the family enjoy visiting - and they had some of their wedding photos taken on campus -- where they met.
Read the story on the Fekete-De Loera wedding and designer touches

Career Moves

Graphics Alumna Receives DG3 Prism Award

DG3 North America has announced that Nancy Schueneman (B.S., Graphic Communication, 2007), a sales executive with the company, as the recipient of the 2009 Prism award. She is the youngest recipient in the history of Prism. In addition to her Cal Poly degree, Schueneman earned a master's in Graphic Communications Management and Technology from New York University's School of Continuing and Professional Studies. She began her career as an intern in DG3's London office, where she led a project on corporate social responsibility. In 2007, she transferred to the company's North America office. She also heads the employee-run Green Committee that has made DG3 one of the most environmentally friendly printers in the nation.
Read the story in Graphic Arts Online

Alum Named Co-Chair of San Luis Obispo County Bar Association

Thomas Lebens, a partner at the law firm Sinsheimer Juhnke Lebens & McIvor, has been named co-chair of the San Luis Obispo County Bar Association’s Intellectual Property Section. Lebens (B.S., Electronic Engineering, 1989) practices intellectual property law with expertise in business strategy, licensing, infringement and validity analysis, patents, infringement and copyright for artistic works and computer software. He earned his law degree from University of San Diego School of Law, where he also taught as an adjunct professor of law.
Read the business item in the Santa Maria Times

Redwood Capital Bancorp Appoints Dairy Science Alum to Board

Redwood Capital Bancorp has appointed James R. Seiler (B.S., Dairy Science, 1963) to the Board of Directors of Redwood Capital Bancorp and Redwood Capital Bank. His career includes nine years with Foremost Foods.
Read the full story in the Humboldt Beacon

English Alum Carruthers Joins Central Coast Law Firm

Christopher Carruthers (B.A., English, 1998, M.A., English, 2004) has been named an associate at San Luis Obispo law firm Andre, Morris & Buttery. He earned his law degree from the University of Montana School of Law in 2008.
Read the business news item on Carruthers in the SLO Tribune

Teaching Alum Named Assistant Superintendent of Eureka Schools

Eureka City Schools District has named Richard Lentz as the new assistant superintendent of Educational Services. In addition to his Cal Poly teaching credential, Lentz earned his bachelor's degree from the UC Berkeley and his master's degree from Fresno State. He also earned his administrative credential and doctorate in education from University of Washington.
Read the Eureka Times-Standard article on Lentz

Alum Joins Stockton Optometry Practice

Optometrist Josephine Vo (B.S., General Engineering, 2004) has joined the practice of Craig Hisaka and John Fujii in Stockton as an associate doctor. She received her doctor of optometry degree at the UC Berkeley School of Optometry.
Read the story in the Stockton Record

Landscape Architecture Alum Battling Blackberries (The Plant Variety) in Oregon

Russ Dixon (B.S., Landscape Architecture, 1974) is based in Ashland. He's come up with a better Bobcat -- one with a special steel hand that can tear out invasive bushes like Oregon wild rose and blackberry by their roots -- which is especially useful for blackberry eradication.
Read the full story in the Oregon Mail Tribune

Alum Moving to SoCal For New Methodist Ministry

Following a nine-year run as the pastor for the Estero Bay United Methodist Church, the Rev. Steve Islander (B.S., Animal Science, 1973) is leaving to be the new minister for a Methodist church in Ramona, east of San Diego. Islander came to Cal Poly to study animal science in 1964. He took a break from school and entered the Navy and served in Vietnam. Afterwards, he came back to Cal Poly to get his degree.
Read the profile of Islander in the SLO Tribune

Alum's Book on Thoreau's Political Essays Published

"The Price of Freedom: Political Philosophy from the Journals of Henry David Thoreau," edited by David Gross, uses excerpts from Thoreau's journals to explore his views on civil disobedience, conscience, law, government, slavery, war and economics. Gross (B.S., Computer Science, 1993) has edited and published books on the history of American Quaker war tax resistance and several other other anti-war subjects.
More on Gross and his book

Alum and Mystery Author Climbing the Charts Under Several Pen Names

Author Victoria Trautman (M.S., Biological Science, 1997) is climbing the book sales charts. Trautman writes under two pseudonyms, Baxter Clare and Baxter Trautman. She's currently penning lesbian detective books that hover in the Top 40 in sales on Amazon’s lesbian mystery and thriller category.
Read the New Times feature on Trautman

Community Service

Alum Working to Find Cure for Multiple Sclerosis -- and His Daughter

Jason Len (B.S., Engineering Technology, 1975) has owned and operated XKs Jaguars in San Luis Obispo since 1973. The Jaguar parts and restoration company currently has 40 employees. Len has turned his expertise to a cause close to his heart: raising money to find a cure for Multiple Sclerosis. His daughter Hannah, now a college student, was diagnosed with the disease when she was 17.
Read the full story in the SLO Tribune

June Grad Biking from Alaska to Argentina for Charity

A recent Cal Poly graduate is embarking a 15,000-mile solo bicycle ride from the northern tip of Alaska to the southernmost point of South America. David Sacher (B.S., Business, 2009) is setting out on a 10-month bike trip that starts in the Alaskan wilderness and goes through tundra, deserts, jungles and across plenty of borders to reach his final destination in Tierra del Fuego. Follow Sacher's trip on his Web site: www.earningthehorizon.com.
Read the full story on Sacher in The San Luis Obispo Tribune | See the KCOY News story

Mt. San Antonio College Honors Alum Don Morris

Don Morris (B.S., Physical Education, 1952, M.A., Physical Education, 1958), a retired administrator at Cal Poly and former Mt. San Antonio College track star, was honored as Mt. SAC’s Alumnus of the Year at its 63rd commencement in June. During his time at Mt. SAC, Morris earned a track scholarship to Cal Poly, where he went on to receive his bachelor’s and master’s degrees. In addition to his Cal Poly degrees, Morris earned his doctorate from UCLA. Morris served 15 years at the university in several top positions, including personnel director, housing director, dean of extended education and professor. He was inducted into the Cal Poly Athletic Hall of Fame and named Alumnus of the Year in 2001.
Read the SLO Tribune story on Morris

Passings

Well Known San Diego Architect Homer Delawie

influential architect Homer Delawie died June 26 of complications from Parkinson's disease at San Diego Hospice -- a building he designed. He was 81. Delawie attended the (then) newly-created school of architecture at Cal Poly and graduated in 1951. He became Cal Poly's first licensed architect and went on to design many well-known spots in San Diego, including the fountain plaza at Balboa Park and portions of Seaworld and the San Diego Zoo. His family has suggested memorial donations go to Cal Poly's College of Architecture and Environmental Design.
Read the news obituary in the San Diego Tribune

LA Times Obituary: Navy Commander Duane Wolf

Engineering alum and Navy Reserve Cmdr. Duane Wolfe (B.S., Construction Management, 1980) was killed by a roadside blast on duty in Iraq in May. He had signed up for a tour of duty in Iraq after more than 30 years of service in various reserve units in the Navy and a career as a civilian deputy commander at Vandenberg Air Force Base. His memorial services, held at Vandenberg on June 2, were attended by hundreds and covered extensively by Central Coast media. The Los Angeles Times ran an extensive obituary on Wolf in June.
Read the full LA Times obituary

Edna O'Marr: 81 Year-Old Graduated from Cal Poly at Age 62 in 1990

Edna Mary O'Marr (B.S., English, 1990) was born in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, in August 1928. She died June 2 at her home. She graduated as the valedictorian from Canal Zone College in Panama in May 1979 in the same class with her son, David Line. In 1990, at age 62, she graduated from Cal Poly in the same class as another son, John Patrick O'Marr.
Read the obituary in the SLO Tribune

Viola Cockshott

Viola "Vi" R. Cockshott (M.A., Education, 1988), a retired Arroyo Grande High School teacher, died June 22 after a valiant battle against cancer. She was 68.
Read the SLO Tribune obituary

Robert Kretchmer

Robert Kretchmer (B.S., Animal Science, 1953) died June 15 at his home after a battle with cancer. He met his future wife Goldie Meryl Milner at the Hollywood Palladium. They were married in 1948 and moved to San Luis Obispo so Kretchmer could attend Cal Poly.
Read the obituary in the SLO Tribune

John H. Hodge

John H. Hodge (B.S., Agriculture, 1949), 85, of Paso Robles passed away from complications of a stroke June 14. Before retiring, he worked as an agricultural commissioner for Los Angeles County.
Read the SLO Tribune obituary

Jesse James Jolly

Jesse James Jolly (B.S., Electrical Engineering, 1957) died June 9, surrounded by his family.
Read the SLO Tribune obituary

Faculty Passings

Fuad Hanna Tellew

Fuad Hanna Tellew, 82, professor emeritus of economics at Cal Poly, died peacefully June 6. Professor Tellew came to San Luis Obispo in 1960 with his wife after the professor accepted a position in Cal Poly’s Social Sciences Department. Professor Tellew was instrumental in founding the Department of Economics at Cal Poly, where he specialized in money and banking and international development. Over his career, he served as first head of the Economics Department, associate dean and acting dean of the School of Business (now the Orfalea College of Business) as well as director of International Programs. He retired in 1991 after 31 years with the university.
Read the full obituary in the SLO Tribune