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Alumni in the News - May 2011

Career Moves

Alumna Receives National Honor for Senior Project 'Polytech Waterbag'

For her Cal Poly master’s thesis project in 2009, Tricia Compas (B.S., Civil Engineering, M.S., Civil and Environmental Engineering, 2009) developed the “Polytech Waterbag,” a portable, low-cost device to provide clean drinking water to disaster victims and displaced populations.Her continuing work on the product has earned the civil and environmental engineering alumna the Creativity Foundation’s 2011 Legacy Medal. She and five other recipients were presented the awards at a ceremony on April 9 at the Cosmos Club in Washington D.C. The Creativity Foundation recognized Compas for “her exceptional creative promise as an inventor and entrepreneur.” After graduating, Compas founded DayOne Response, Inc. to bring the Polytech Waterbag technology to market and to continue to develop other innovative disaster relief products. The company received a contract from the U.S. Navy to field test the Polytech Waterbag in Thailand.
More on Compas

Grad Named Executive Vice President of Global Services and Alliances

Keith Carlson (B.S., Industrial Engineering, 1984) has joined MarkLogic Corporation as the Executive Vice President of Global Services and Alliances. Marklogic Corporation helps customers develop and deploy information applications in a shorter period of time than conventional technologies. In his new role, Carlson will oversee the services, training and alliance teams.
Read more about Carlson in the Sun Herald

Computer Science Grad Appointed to Vice President of Fraud Prevention Company

Bruce Scott (B.S., Computer Science, 1975) has been named Vice President of Worldwide Rngineering of ThreatMetrix, a provider of fraud prevention solutions that do not require personally identifiable information (PII). With more than 30 years of engineering experience, he will oversee core engineering, application engineering and QA groups as well as new engineering processes.
Read more about Scott in iStockAnalyst
Read more about Scott on Marketwire

Grad Promoted to Vice President of Identity Management Business

James Snyder (B.S., Computer Science 1991; M.S., Computer Science, 1992 and M.S., Architecture, 1993) has been promoted to the position of Vice President of Engineering of UnboundID Corp. Snyder served as the Director of Engineering for UnboundID, a corporation that develops identity management software for cloud, mobile and social applications.
Read more about Snyder on BusinessWire.com
Read more about Snyder in the Bradenton Herald

Redding Calif. Hires Ag Business Grad as Planning Commissioner

John Michael Ryan (B.S., Agricultural Business, 2008) has been hired to take over as Redding, Calif.'s Planning Commissioner where he will be part of a planning commission that decides whether proposed subdivisions, shopping centers and office buildings meet planning, zoning and environmental standards.
Read more about Ryan in the Redding Record Spotlight

Public Policy Alum Hired as Conservation Specialist for Water District

Justin Finch (M.P.P., Public Policy, 2010) has been hired as Conservation Specialist by Mesa Consolidated Water District. Prior to his current position, Finch served as Water Conservation Auditor for the Los Osos Community Services District in Los Osos, Calif. and also held a similar position with the City of Paso Robles, Calif.
Read more about Finch in Environmental Protection

Ag Science Grad Named as Director of Communications for International Agri-Center

Liza Teixeira (B.S., Agricultural Science, 2008) has been named as Director of Communications by The International Agri-Center. In her role, Teixeira will manage communications for the International Agri-Center, World Ag Expo, California Antique Farm Equipment Show and the Heritage Complex. The International Agri-Center was formed in 1976, to promote California’s agriculture industry and produce what is now the World Ag Expo, formerly known as the California Farm Equipment Show.
Read more about Teixeira on AgWired.com

Alum Named to Milpitas Board of Education

Danny Lau (Computer Science, 1980) was recently sworn in as the newest member of the Milpitas Board of Education last month. Lau is no newcomer to volunteering as he has been doing community service for the last 30 years. Lau began his volunteer work after taking an active role in his children's education.
Read more about Lau in the Milpitas Post

Paso Robles Chamber of Commerce Names Office Manager

Sunni Mullinax (B.S., Food Science, 2004) has been named Office Manager of the Paso Robles Chamber of Commerce. Mullinax was selected from among 70 applicants for the position.
Read more about Mullinax in the Paso Robles Pres

Alum Completes Requirements for CPA License

Bryce Boggs (B.S., Business Administration, 2005) has completed the licensing requirements to obtain the designation of certified public accountant. Boggs is a senior associate at Hayashi & Wayland Accounting & Consulting.
Read more about Boggs in The Californian

Poli. Sci. Alum Joins Law Firm as Criminal Law Attorney

Criminal law attorney Sarah N. Elliot (B.A., Political Science, 2002) recently joined The Law Office of Benjamin R. Greene & Associates in it's Bakersfield, Calif., location.
Read more about Elliot on PR Newswire

Food & Wine

Ag Science Alum Named Winemaker at Arrow & Branch

Jennifer Williams (B.S., Agricultural Science, 1999) has been named Winemaker for Arrow & Branch, whose main production comes from the Napa estate vineyard formerly known as Tony Soter’s “Little Creek.” Arrow & Branch is a vineyard located in Napa Valley, Calif.
Read more about Williams in the Napa Valley Register

Fruit Science Grad Leaves Mark on Napa Valley Wine Industry

Bruce Cakebreat (B.S. Fruit Science, 1976) has led an expansion of the family business from 157 cases of chardonnay in 1973 to a veritable empire with 460 acres of vineyards in Napa Valley and 20 growers under contract.
Read more about Cakebread in the Palm Beach Daily News

Honors & Awards

Engineer Awarded Grant to Improve Emergency Evacuations

Douglas Bish (B.S., Industrial Engineering, 1992) is trying to help alleviate concerns that often occur when a disaster strikes and an emergency evacuation is required. Bish won a five-year, $400,000 National Science Foundation Faculty Early Career Development award to create mathematically-based computer models that will help emergency managers better plan, train and carry out these logistically complex tasks.
Read more about Bish on NewsWise.com

Grad to Receive Apple Citizen of the Year Award

Gene Kupferman (M.S., Agriculture, 1975) has been named this year's Apple Citizen of the Year by the Washington State Apple Blossom Festival. He will be honored for his work in the apple industry where he was a liaison between researchers and those working in the tree-fruit industry and creator of Tree Fruit Postharvest Journal.
Read more about Kupferman in The Wenatchee World

Teacher Has a Passion for History

Robert King's (B.A., History, 1989, C.R.D., Social Science, 1995) ability to re-create history with his dramatic storytelling has helped him earn a 2011 Lori Petrick Excellence in Education Award.
Read more about King in the Palisadian Post

Business Grad Named Salesperson of the Quarter

Heather Jablonsky (B.S., Business Administration, 2007) was named Salesperson of the Quarter for Medix Staffing Solutions, Inc. She won the award for her consistently high production and selflessness toward her career and the organization.
Read more about Jablonsky in The Open Press

Businesses on the Move

Grounds for Change

Pat Pezet (B.S., Business Administration, 2009) and Matt Canepa (B.S., Business Administration, 2009) have a new product designed to act as a substitute for chewing tobacco. The product, Grinds Coffee Pouches, is filled with coffee grounds and provides liquid supplements that come in mocha or mint chip flavors. Grinds is already being used by players in 12 Major League Baseball locker rooms.
Read more about Pezet and Canepa in The Tribune

Horticulture Grad Takes Different Approach to Landscaping

David Brenner's (B.S., Environmental Horticulture Science, 2009) business, Habitat Horticulture Living Walls + Design, helps to bring people closer to nature through living landscapes. Living landscapes, or living walls, are designed so that a variety of species are planted into a medium that is directly attached to the wall. The walls conserve water, space and include recyclable materials as part of the business' environmental conservation plan.
Read more about Brenner in the Triple Pundit

Alum Pair Up to Open Frozen Yogurt Shop, U-Top It

Karen Chin-Reasoner (B.S., Industrial Engineering, 1987) and Jennifer Ketels (Applied Art and Design, 1988) are collaborating to open U-Top It, a quality purveyor of all-natural frozen yogurt in Covington, Wash. The business is a build-it-yourself style shop, which offers many different combinations to go with their frozen yogurt.
Read about Chin-Reasoner in the Maple Valley Reporter

Business Booming for this Personal Injury Lawyer

Mattew J. Quinlan (B.S., Business Administration, 2000) has no trouble finding new clients for his personal injury law firm these days. The Law Offices of Matthew J. Quinlan focuses most of its resources on personal injury litigation, including wrongful death, auto/pedestrian accidents and catastrophic injury cases. By providing a more personal connection with each client, Quinlan has been able to keep business strong even while other firms struggle.
Read more about Quinlan in the San Francisco Chronicle

Others in the News

Council Hopeful Says Helping the City Starts by Helping the Homeless

Nancy Kapp (B.A., Political Science, 2002) is running for Santa Barbara City Council with the platform that by fixing the homeless issue, the city would clear up a major issue. Kapp has personal experience with the homeless issue as she was homeless for four years before devoting her life to volunteering.
Read more about Kapp in Noozhawk

Grad Takes Joy in Seeing Patient Health Improve

Timaree Hagenburger (B.S., Nutritional Science, 1997) is a registered dietitian and a nutrition professor at Cosumnes River College. Hagenburger finds the field fast-moving but rewarding when she sees her patient's health improve.
Read more about Hagenburger on Lodinews.com

Second Degree Black Belt Brings Fast-Growing Martial Arts Style to Town

Derek DiManno (M.C.P., City and Regional Planning, 1996), owner of Waza Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in Elk Grove, Calif., has a long-standing background in martial arts after being introduced to Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in 1993. The second degree black belt opened his business at the end of 2009 offering classes to all ages.
Read more about DiManno in the Sacramento Press

Musician Talks Glee

Jon Hall (B.A., Music, 2010) has been singing since grade school and his hard work is paying off as he plays a Dalton Academy Warbler on the TV series "Glee." When he’s not working on “Glee,” Hall is working on solo projects and strives to be a musician. While at Cal Poly, Hall was a fullback with the Mustangs, and participated in the Music Department's Opera Workshop.
Read more about Hall on MassLive.com
Read about Hall in the Cal Poly Magazine archives

Runner Looks to Improve on Last Year's Finish

Karen Steele (B.S., Animal Science, 1980) looks to improve upon her 36th place finish in the 2010 Dipsea Race that included 1,500 finishers. This year she hopes to win a numbered black shirts, awarded only to the top 35 finishers.
Read more about Steele in the Marin Independent Journal

Passings

Mark Daniel Kaney

Mark Daniel Kaney (Food Science, 1980) passed away Monday, April 11, 2011, surrounded by his family, under the care of Hospice Partners of the Central Coast.
Read more about Kaney in The Tribune

Peggy Peterson

Peggy Peterson (B.S., Social Sciences, 1959 and M.A., Education, 1965) passed away in her sleep at her San Luis Obispo home April 19, 2011.
Read more about Peterson in The Tribune