Class Notes: Summer 2017

40s

Aimee Richmond, MD medicine ’48, published the book, “Simply Nutrition.”

60s

Ronald Silver, BS electrical engineering ’60, MS ’65, celebrates a career that includes being the joint recipient of two U.S. patents for development of the “smart” card, designer of life support and monitoring systems on NASA’s biosatellite orbiting capsules, the head of three acoustic noise studies of highway-propagation characteristics in New York City, developer of a fiber-optic transducer to measure in-vivo arterial blood pressure and gasses. Post-retirement, with wife Joanne, he is honored as the founding technical director of Beach Lloyd Publishers, presenting memoirs of holocaust and WWII survivors.

70s

Richard V. Brown, MD medicine ’78, received the Chief of Staff Clinical Excellence Award from VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System for outstanding work which has advanced the healthcare system’s pursuit of excellence, while setting a new standard in veteran care.

Samuel Costa, BS psychology ’74, retired from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on April 30, 2016, after nearly 15 years with the organization and almost 30 years working in the area of HIV surveillance and prevention. Two of his sons, Jeremy ’98, and Paul ’15, are also Drexel alumni.

Donald Erb, BS civil engineering ’73, senior design engineer at FMC Technologies’ Conveying and Processing Equipment Division in Lansdale, Pennsylvania, retired after 40 years of designing bulk material handling structures for projects in the United States, Canada, Venezuela, Chile, the Philippines, Australia and China.

Sandral Hullett, MD medicine ’76, CEO and medical director of Cooper Green Mercy Hospital, was honored by Alabama A&M University’s salute to Women’s History Month.

Mindy Solkin, BS fashion design ’77, is the founder of The Running Center, which specializes in training runners in groups and privately. She is the creator of the TRC Training System, a 12-point system of training for runners; Runditioning, a method to improve running form and prevent injuries; and Treadmilling, a running and conditioning workout on the treadmill. Most recently, she expanded her services to include the Philly Fit Tour, a class that combines outdoor exercise with a guided tour of Philadelphia.

80s

Howard Benson, BS metallurgical engineering ’80, HD ’15, produced the album “Madness” by heavy metal band All That Remains.

Joseph G. Cacchione, MD medicine ’85, was named president of Ascension Medical Group, the largest nonprofit health system in the United States and the world’s largest Catholic health system.

Diane Fanelli, BS accounting ’87, senior vice president of Global Channels & Digital Enterprise Platform at SAP, was featured in the company’s “Spotlight on Women Leaders” series.

Rachel Hoffman, BS design ’83, and her husband, Wesley Wei, launched a new hybrid concept venture combining lifestyle showrooms with Airbnb properties called Lema Studio.
Eileen Moore Boyle, MD medicine ’83, received the Nathaniel Bedford Primary Care Award from the Allegheny County Medical Society Foundation.

Jim Preuninger, BS management information systems ’83, wrote the article “Nimble Supply Chain: Visibility and Agility” for Supply Chain Digest magazine.

90s

Ann Cullison Collins, MD medicine ’97, family medicine physician for Cornerstone Family Physicians, and affiliated with St. Vincent Indianapolis Hospital, was named a 2017 Top Doctor in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Kulsoom Halai, BS nutrition and food science ’94, was featured in an article “Try Try Again” on Pakistan Today’s website about her Pakistani children’s clothing store QnH.

Daniel Herscovici, MS mechanical engineering ’97, senior vice president at Comcast, was quoted in an article in Philadelphia Magazine regarding Comcast’s acquisition of Austin’s Icontrol Networks Inc., specifically Converge.

Anita Miedziak, MD medicine ’93, an ophthalmologist at Princeton Eye Group, was featured in a profile in Town Topics newspaper.

Maria Renz, BS interior design ’90, was named as Amazon’s vice president of delivery experience. She had previously served as Amazon’s vice president and technical advisor to the CEO.

00s

Michael Derr, BS civil engineering ’06, was named Young Engineer of the Year by the Lehigh Valley Chapter of the Pennsylvania Society of Professional Engineers.

James Hing, BS mechanical engineering ’03, MS ’07, PhD ’10, a Naval Air Systems Command engineer, was named the Department of Defense Laboratory Scientist of the Quarter for his research in using robotics to optimize workload and increase safety for sailors on the flight deck.

Klint Kanopka, BS physics ’05, MS science of instruction ’14, a high school physics teacher at Palumbo Academy in South Philadelphia, was featured in a profile for his seven years of perfect attendance at work.

David Kashmer, MD medicine ’01, reached the Amazon bestseller list with his new book, “Volume to Value: Proven Methods for Achieving High Quality in Healthcare.” The book describes proven methods that can ensure patient safety and positive outcomes.

Matt Malkie, BS mechanical engineering and mechanics ’01, was appointed as North American Quality Leader for Honda North America.

Lisa Melnik Pearson, BS physician assistant ’08, was recognized for earning a Certificate of Added Qualifications from the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants.

Jonathan Meson, BS computer engineering ’08, CEO and founder of Visual Blasters, announced that the company’s popular FlipaClip app, which has been downloaded four million times on the Android platform, is now available through the Apple App Store.

10s

Ilana Ariel McLean, BS graphic design ’13, launched her new business, 25M Design, a virtual design and marketing agency.

“After completing a rotational program at JPMorgan Chase in 2014, I left to backpack the world for two years, traveling through Europe, Oceania and Asia. Upon completion of my trip in 2016, I started a full time MBA program at University of Connecticut on a full academic scholarship as a graduate assistant, focusing on business analytics and compliance. I was awarded a General Electric Fellowship to research foreign currency fluctuations and will intern with Bank of America this summer in its Global Corporate Compliance program in order to further enhance my regulatory experience.” — Leonard Borriello, BS business administration ’12

Johanna DiNardo, BS fashion design ’16, had her Spring/Summer 2017 Ready-To-Wear Collection featured in British Vogue.

John Nawn, BS civil engineering ’87, MS ’12, was named 2017 Delaware Valley Engineer of the Year.

Tayan Patel, MS electrical engineering ’12, was promoted to partner at the law firm BakerHostetler.

Chris Paul, BS culinary arts ’12, and his chain of fast casual restaurants, Herban Quality Eats, were highlighted in an article “In the Business of Change” in QSR magazine.

Megan Sheffer Evans, MS library and information science ’14, an archivist, discovered historic photographs of the Wanamaker family with the last Russian royal family, the Romanovs. Her discovery was highlighted in the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Alexander J. Stadel, BS architectural engineering ’11, BS civil engineering ’11, MS ’11, was highlighted in The New York Times article, “Where George Washington Slept (Perhaps Not Well),” for his design of an innovative umbrella-like structure to support a tent used by Washington, without inducing stress on its delicate fabric.

Weddings

Stephen F. Facenda, BS marketing ’90, and Todd J. Babish were married on Oct. 1, 2016.

Lauren Hotz, BS design and merchandising ’11, and Steven Hollopeter were married on Sept. 24, 2016. 

Lauren Moatz, BA architecture ’07, and Davey Scher, BS nursing ’11, were married on Aug. 27, 2016.

Baby Dragons