Class Notes
The College/Arts, Sciences & Engineering
1950
Bob Brandow writes: 鈥淎fter nearly 50 years in hospital administration (half of it as CEO of the Eastern Maine Medical Center), I retired to work part time with my wife and daughter in their enterprise called Laurel Antiques. Now a widower, I still do about a dozen antiques shows each year.鈥� Bob adds that he鈥檚 written a memoir for extended family and friends, and has included in it a few of the 鈥淢eliora moments鈥� he experienced as he joined, at age 17, the Class of 1950, which included many recently returned veterans and had an average age of 26. 鈥淧robably the most significant memory for me was the discovery of my interest in hospital administration,鈥� he writes. He also includes recollections of English professor Hyam Plutzik. Bob can be reached at rhb2@roadrunner.com.
1955
Bob Segal sends an update. He writes: 鈥淚 am sending this on the 84th anniversary of my wife Pat鈥檚 birthday. She didn鈥檛 reach it, since she passed away in August last year after 53 years of marriage. She attended every reunion from the 25th to the 50th and made many friends. Howard Eskin always brags that he is the youngest in our class. We had many veterans. I will be 82 in September. Am I getting to be the oldest living in our class?鈥�
1957
Neal Jewell (see 鈥�06).
1965
Mike Bresner has written a novel, All I Want for Christmas (iUniverse). 鈥淪omeone is killing Santa鈥檚 elves,鈥� Mike writes, 鈥渁nd Santa must ask his nemesis, the elf leader, to solve the mystery. The book is the first in a series of revisionist novels based on myths, legends, and fairy tales.鈥�
1966
Larry Handelsman (see 鈥�70).
1970
Larry Handelsman 鈥�66 writes that Ben Handelsman died in January. 鈥淎fter 15 hours talking with family about 鈥榯he miracle that has been my life and the miracle that is all our lives,鈥� he proceeded to exercise his right to receive the sleep and relief from pain that he desired,鈥� Larry, who is Ben鈥檚 brother, writes. 鈥淔rom genetic studies of his myeloma cells in 2008, Ben knew that his survival chances were slim, but chose to return to full-time medical practice for two-and-a-half more years in the little town of Ogdensburg, N.Y., along the St. Lawrence River, where he had spent his career as a gastroenterologist. For Ben, a man of humility until the end, his special way of relating to people, of picking up the spirit of every single person who crossed his path was not that special at all. It was how every person should treat everyone else. Ben did not marry and had no children.鈥� Larry adds that any classmates who wish to communicate with Ben鈥檚 family members can email him at drhandelsman@gmail.com.
1972
Carol Adams is editor of Defiant Daughters: 21 Women on Art, Activism, Animals, and The Sexual Politics of Meat (Lantern Books), an anthology of young women writers reflecting on the impact that Carol鈥檚 1990 book, The Sexual Politics of Meat: A Feminist-Vegetarian Critical Theory, has had on their lives and on their activism. The Sexual Politics of Meat, which has remained in print since 1990, explored the relationship between meat eating and virility across cultures. Among the essayists included in the book is Lagusta Yearwood 鈥�00, a vegan chef, chocolatier, and owner of Lagusta鈥檚 Luscious in New Paltz, N.Y. Lagusta got to know Carol in 2000, when she invited Carol back to campus to speak. At the New York City reception celebrating the release of Defiant Daughters, in addition to posing for a picture with Carol, Lagusta gave a three-minute video interview about the impact Carol has had on her life and career choice. It鈥檚 online at http://youtu.be/s_yKNdICiAY.
1974
Daniel Sabbah 鈥�82 (PhD) has been named chief technology officer and general manager of Next Generation Platform at IBM. Daniel started at IBM right after graduation and most recently held the position of general manager of Tivoli Software, part of the IBM Software Group.
1975
Kay Sherman is of counsel in the corporate and intellectual property practice groups of the St. Louis law firm Greensfelder, Hemker & Gale. She鈥檚 participated in several community initiatives, including St. Louis Hillel, Mentor St. Louis, Bridges Across Racial Polarization, and Volunteer Lawyers and Accountants for the Arts.
1978
Jane Dubin 鈥�79 (MS), president of the New York City production management company Double Play Connections, coproduced Ann, the Broadway play starring Holland Taylor as the late former governor of Texas, Ann Richards. The play, onstage at the Vivian Beaumont Theater at Lincoln Center through September, has been nominated for awards by the Drama League, the Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle, and the Tony Awards. . . . Jeffrey Wasserman 鈥�79 (MS) has been named vice president and director of the health research division of the Rand Corp. In previous roles at Rand Health, Jeffrey helped create the National Health Security Strategy, a federal project to prepare the nation鈥檚 health system to respond to major public health threats, and was coprincipal investigator of Rand鈥檚 Comprehensive Assessment of Reform Efforts, or COMPARE, used to help guide government agencies in the adoption of the Affordable Care Act.
1979
Sharon Porcellio has been named to the New York State Commercial Division Advisory Council. Sharon, a partner at the law firm of Ward Greenberg, will help advise the chief judge of New York on business developments that affect the court system and help the division resolve business disputes.
1981
Wendy Hanig Chiado writes: 鈥淚 had a wonderful month in May 2012. I was awarded a PhD in educational leadership and innovation from the University of Colorado Denver. Two weeks later, my son, Seth, and daughter-in-law, Sarah, presented me with my first grandchild, Oliver Riley Martin Chiado. Seth is presently stationed aboard the USS New Hampshire in Groton, Conn.鈥� . . . Andrew Goldner has been promoted to senior manager of exports at Eriez, an international manufacturer of magnetic equipment based in Erie, Pa. Andrew will manage sales offices in Central America, South America, and the Middle East.
1982
Brian Cutler is editor of Reform of Eyewitness Identification Procedures (American Psychological Association), a book surveying research in memory, the composition of police line-ups, and other aspects of eyewitness identification, and offering recommendations for reform. Brian previously wrote Conviction of the Innocent: Lessons from Psychological Research (American Psychological Association) and is a professor on the faculty of social sciences and humanities at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology. . . . Steve Nearman, a sports writer who has covered running for the Washington Post, the New York Times, and other publications, sends an update. He writes: 鈥淚鈥檝e published my first book, Marine Corps Marathon: An Epic Journey in Photographs, a 150-page coffee table photo book capturing the 37-year history of one of the world鈥檚 most popular 26.2-mile endurance tests. I teamed with fellow print journalist Jeff Horowitz to produce the book.鈥� Steve adds that he began his journalism career as a sportswriter, editor, and columnist for the 人妻少妇专区 Times.
1983
Joseph Cangemi has been named CEO of ConvergEx Limited, ConvergEx鈥檚 UK鈥揵ased broker-dealer, located in London.
1985
David Finkel has been named chief operating officer at the Liazon Corp., an employee benefits exchange for businesses. Previously, David was chief operating officer at the health care data analytics firm Inovalon.
1987
Amy Lyn Silbert Blake, associate justice of the Essex County Probate and Family Court in Salem, Mass., has received the Distinguished Jurist Award from the Massachusetts Association of Women Lawyers. Amy was appointed to the court by Gov. Deval Patrick in September 2008. . . . Jeffrey Stone 鈥�91M (MD) has been inducted as a fellow in the American College of Radiology. He鈥檚 an associate professor of radiology and a consultant at the Mayo Clinic campus in Jacksonville, Fla.
1988
Jonathan Silver 鈥�94W (MS) has been named headmaster at Maui Preparatory Academy in Hawaii.
1989
Susi Rubinowitz Sur 鈥�91, sister of David Rubinowitz, writes that David died in February. She shares these words from his obituary, which appeared in the New York Times in early April: 鈥淒avid enjoyed a wonderful career at Morgan Stanley. While working there he was able to safely evacuate the World Trade Center towers on September 11, 2001, for which we are all eternally grateful. He later joined John Hancock at their home office in Boston and most recently began working with Alvarez & Marshal, an executive benefits consulting company in New York City. His friends and family will cherish their memories of his wit, kindness, laughter, and love. Schmave, you will forever be in our hearts.鈥� Susi adds that she and David are two of six Rubinowitz siblings and five who attended Rochester. The others are sisters Ami Rubinowitz Israel 鈥�90, Emili Rubinowitz Gross 鈥�94, and Wendi Rubinowitz Gilmour 鈥�95狈.
1990
Ami Rubinowitz Israel (see 鈥�89).
1991
Gary and Alissa Dix Karton 鈥�92, 鈥�93W (MS) send an update. Alissa is assistant to the vice president of university life and director of special projects at George Mason University in Fairfax, Va. Gary published a children鈥檚 fantasy novel, The Last Akaway (Brattle Publishing Group), in which he tells the story of 鈥渁 rare and magical creature that connects children to their spirit animal.鈥� Alissa writes: 鈥淕ary spoke to 500 fourth graders in Fort Worth, Texas, and is looking forward to visiting Rochester schools. . . . Susi Rubinowitz Sur (see 鈥�89).
1992
Jeff Andrews, a partner at the Houston intellectual property law firm Sutton McAughan Deaver, has been named a 2013 Texas Rising Star attorney. Jeff鈥檚 name appeared in the April issues of Texas Monthly and Texas Super Lawyers magazines. . . . Alissa Dix Karton 鈥�93W (MS) (see 鈥�91).
1993
Marcy Braverman Goldstein has launched Sanskrit Revolution in Charlotte, N.C. Sanskrit Revolution offers workshops that integrate the learning of the language of yoga, Sanskrit, with the practice of yoga. Marcy also teaches courses on Hinduism, Buddhism, and yoga traditions at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. . . . Jeffrey Scheer has joined the Syracuse law firm Bond, Schoeneck & King as a partner in business law.
1994
Emili Rubinowitz Gross (see 鈥�89).
1996
Rishi Piparaiya has been named director of marketing and bancassurance at Aviva Life Insurance. Rishi joined the company in 2009 as director of bancassurance and business partnerships.
2000
Lagusta Yearwood (see 鈥�72).
2003
Laura Cowan Osborne writes that she and her husband, Luke, welcomed their second son, Zachary Charles, last November. Zachary joins Sean, 4.
2004
Rebecca Altmann is the pastry chef at *ndulge Cupcake Boutique in Bryn Mawr, Pa. After attending culinary school, Rebecca worked for several years at country clubs in the Rochester area before joining the boutique, which opened in March.
2006
Julie Stoltman writes that she married George Dugdale last October in Ridgefield, Conn. Pictured with the U of R pennant are (left to right) Loa Jewell Eastman 鈥�60E (Julie鈥檚 great aunt), Neal Jewell 鈥�57 (Julie鈥檚 grandfather), Kelly Townsend Jennings, Jane Taylor 鈥�11 (Julie鈥檚 sister), Ari Freshman Hall, Soo Chon Kim 鈥�07, Julie, Princy Thottathil 鈥�10M (MD), Nidhi Geevarghese, Jessica Mayer, Carolyn Spencer, Nancy Gort, Tess Troha-Thompson, Jessica Stoll 鈥�09 (MA), Lucia Spinelli 鈥�07, Reeshi Ray 鈥�03, Lukas Pfaff 鈥�10 (MA).
2007
Amber Czajkowski, a thin-film engineer at Edmunds Optics, has been selected to be included in the Women in Optics Planner of the international society for optics and photonics, SPIE. The Planner, introduced in 2005, is published each year and introduces girls and young women to careers in sciences, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
2009
Kristen DeCarlo Janosko writes that she鈥檚 the regional marketing coordinator for Tim Hortons/Cold Stone Creamery, in charge of stores in New York and Maine. 鈥淚 will be in charge of marketing initiatives, grand openings, renovations, sports-related sponsorships, and more.鈥�
2011
Jane Taylor (see 鈥�06).