class notes page

Class Notes: Winter/Spring 2017

50s

Stanley H. Cohen, BS chemical engineering ’57, senior counsel
at the law firm of Caesar Rivise, was named in the 2017 edition of The Best Lawyers in America for copyright law.

60s

John J. Degnan, BS physics and atmospheric science ’68, was elected a 2017 Fellow in the Optical Society of America for his leader-ship in the advancement of laser technology and its applications in satellite and precision interplanetary distance ranging, 3-D imaging and atmospheric lidar, free space optical communication and medical instrumentation.

Richard Shea, BS chemistry ’69, authored the 50th anniversary edition of “The World Trade Center Stories” in e-book format.

Norman Smith, BS business administration ’69, MS business administration ’71, president of Elmira College, authored the book “Mistakes to Avoid When Deciding on Your College,” an update of his previous book, “Selecting the Right College.”

Kenneth C. Springirth, BS mechanical engineering ’62, authored his 32nd book, “Street Cars of Washing-ton D.C.,” which covers the former DC transit system that operated street cars until the conversion to bus operation in 1962, and the new H Street-Benning Road street car line which opened in February 2016.

Barry A. Stein, BS electrical engineering ’65, partner at the law firm of Caesar Rivise, was named in the 2017 edition of The Best Lawyers in America for copyright law, litigation-intellectual property, patent law and trademark law.

Stewart M. Weintraub, BS business administration ’68, attorney at Chamberlain, Hrdlicka, White, Williams & Aughtry, gave the talk, “Philadelphia and Pennsylvania Local Tax Developments” as part of the Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants Great-er Philadelphia Chapter Annual Philadelphia, Local and Multistate Tax Update Conference.

70s

Donald P. Erb, BS civil engineering ’73, senior design engineer at FMC Technologies Inc., retired in January after 40 years of designing bulk material handling structures for projects in the United States, Canada, Venezuela, Chile, Philip-pines, Australia and China.

Roseann Termini, BS human behavior and development ’75, published a new print edition of “Federal Regulation of Drugs, Biologics, Medical Devices, Foods, Dietary Supplements, Personal Care Products, Veterinary and Tobacco Products,” and a 12-volume series of Food and Drug Law e-books. She also co-authored the law article, “Right to Try or Right to Ask?”

80s

Barry Luber, BS accounting ’85, was sworn in as township manager of Warrington Township, Pennsylvania.

Livia M. Nascimento, BS mechanical engineering ’87, MS engineering management/mechanical engineering ’97, was promoted to vice president, compliance at ARRIS International Plc.

John Segletes Jr., BS mechanical engineering ’80, joined the family-owned energy consulting group, Richards Energy Group, as a energy management consultant.

90s

Kimberley Atkins Adams, BS architectural engineering ’92, has joined award-winning multidisciplinary engineering consulting firm Pennoni as a division manager.

Ayisha Ezic Sereni, BS economics ’94, accepted a position as associate dean of academic affairs of Harrisburg Area Community College’s Lebanon and virtual campuses.

Gina Furia Rubel, BS corporate communication ’91, president and CEO of Furia Rubel Communications and chair of the Philadelphia Bar Association Law Practice Management Committee, will co-present at the Philadelphia Bar Association “Ethics and Incorporating New Technologies in Your Law Practice Digital Marketing Conference.”

Salvatore R. Guerriero, BS biological science ’90, partner at the law firm of Caesar Rivise, was named in the 2017 edition of The Best Lawyers in America for intellectual property litigation.

Barry J. Jacobs, PsyD clinical psychology ’90, co-authored with his wife, Julia L. Mayer, the book “AARP Meditations for Caregivers — Practical, Emotional and Spiritual Support for You and Your Family,” which features real-life stories of family caregivers who have found ways to reap caregiving’s potential positive rewards.

John D. Simmons, BS electrical engineering ’92, has been chosen to serve as president-elect of the Philadelphia Intellectual Property Law Association.

Janet Slingerland Hammond, MS electrical engineering ’94, authored “Neuroscience,” an introduction to the topic geared toward students in grades 6–12, and educational children’s books, “What Makes the Sky Blue?” and “What Causes a Rainbow?”

David J. Glass, PhD law-psychology ’97, was elected to Southern California’s Super Lawyers list for the 11th time since 2005. Glass
is a family law attorney and chair of the Family Law Department at Enenstein Ribakoff LaViña & Pham in Los Angeles.

William Nilsson, BS mechanical engineering ’91, launch service integration engineer with Lockheed Martin, successfully launched the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite, R-Series (GOES-R) into orbit aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V 541 rocket.

Stephen Woerner, BS electrical engineering ’90, was selected by the Children’s Guild as the 2017 Sadie Award winner, which recognizes people who embody the organization’s spirit and vision of making the seemingly impossible possible.

00s

Robin Blair, MS interior design ’00, has joined Herman Miller as the human factors and ergonomics specialist for the Philadelphia region.

James W. Schoppe, BS business administration ’05, was promoted to consulting manager at the accounting and advisory firm Baker Tilly Virchow Krause.

10s

Heidi S. West, global health ’13 (non-degree certificate), is the co-founder of Global Environmental Health LAB, an NGO that completed a public health research and capacity-building program in Myanmar. This effort aims to lay the foundation for ongoing epidemiological and environmental health research projects related to natural disasters, water, solid waste and air pollution.

Thank You for Your Service

2016 marked the centennial of the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC), signed into effect on June 3, 1916, by President Woodrow Wilson. Drexel has a long history of receiving and promoting veterans on campus. Currently, it has more than 800 student-veterans, 400 alumni-veterans and 200 military dependants.

On Veterans Day, Drexel ROTC inducted the first five honorees into its Hall of Fame. The individuals were recognized for their work related to past or present military service, for their contributions and commitments to their communities and vocations, and for their affinity to Drexel.

THE HONOREES, PICTURED

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT, ARE:

Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Jack K. Stoner Jr., BS chemical engineering ’51

Maj. Gen. Stoner is one of the high-est-ranking military officials to have graduated from Drexel. Following his graduation, where he served in the ROTC, he received an Army commission as a second lieutenant, artillery. He completed the Chemical Corps School Advance Course and subsequently served in both Korea and Vietnam. In 1978, he became the first commanding general of the Communications- Electronics Material Readiness Command until his retirement in June 1980.

Col. (Ret.) Thomas “Tom” Matthews, BS business administration ’72

Col. Matthews served in the United States Army, retiring in 2001. In 1993, in the Battle of Mogadishu, Somalia, he served as the Air Mission Com-mander of the Black Hawk Helicopters of Task Force Ranger. The event later inspired the major motion picture “Black Hawk Down,” for which Col. Matthews served as the technical advisor. During his 28-year career
he commanded the 101st Aviation Brigade, comprised of nine battalions, 3,400 soldiers and 300 helicopters.

Thomas “Tom” A. Masci Jr., BS business administration ’68

After graduation, Tom Masci joined the Army and spent a tour of duty in Korea during the Vietnam War. Now retired, Masci was the co-founder and the executive vice president and chief financial officer at Health Advocate Inc. Masci supports the Goodwin College’s Veterans Student Resource Center, which helps returning veterans with academic services so they can success-fully navigate college life. Specifically, his donation goes toward a University 101 course specifically designed to help veteran students acclimate to the rigors of Drexel.

Lt. Col. (Ret.) Charles “Chuck” Vincent, BS electrical engineering ’57

Lt. Col. Vincent, a Korean and Vietnam War veteran, served in the Marine Corps. After graduating from Drexel, he enlisted in the Army as a 2nd lieutenant. His military career included deployments in Europe and Asia and included numerous years of distinguished service marked by citations, medals and ribbons.

Bennett S. LeBow, BS electrical engineering ’60, HD ’98 (not pictured)

Bennett LeBow is chairman and CEO of BSL Capital and is founder and chairman of the board of the Vector Group Ltd. He also serves as chair-man of Signal Genetics Inc. Before devoting himself completely to private business, in 1968 LeBow served in the Pentagon, initially as a first lieutenant and subsequently as a civilian, serving as assistant to the assistant vice chief of staff of the Army. At Drexel, LeBow served as a trustee from 1986 to 1994 and the LeBow College of Business is named in his honor.


Weddings and Baby Dragons

Mark Ticktin,
BS biomedical engineering ’08,
married Tara Winters
on Sept. 25, 2016.

Christe Thompson,
BS communications ’14, and
Andrew Konopitski,
MMS medical science ’13,
were married on Sept. 24, 2016.

Dennis Cann, BS business administration ’06, and Michelle Cann, BS history and politics ’07, had a daughter, Stella Jane, on July 18, 2016.

Kevin Cunningham, BS/MS computer engineering ’11, and Josa Hanzlik, MS biomedical engineer-ing ’13, PhD biomedical engineering ’16, had a daughter, Mary Charlotte, on Aug. 29, 2016.

David J. Glass, PhD law-psychology ’97, and Carol McNamara Glass had a son, Andrew McNamara Glass, on Dec. 19, 2016.

Scott Goehringer, BS/MS mechanical engineer-ing ’11, MS engineering management ’16, and Sarah Goehringer, BS elementary education ’11, MS educational learning technologies ’11, had a daughter, Beth Charlotte, on June 2, 2016.

Michelle Summers, MS arts administration ’15, and Jonathan Summers had a daughter, Audrey Frances Summers, on Aug. 7, 2016.