ATO 1965-75 Reunion Profiles
John Atkinson – 1969
Where are your children and/or what are they doing?
Chris – 33 Pittsburgh PA, Kenametal, Mgr. Global Systems Compliance. Married to Diane with
two sons Carter 6, Dominic 3.
Katie – 30 Boston MA, Boston Childrens Hospital, Patient Advocate Nurse Renal Transplants.
Married May 2005.
If you are working (or volunteering), how do you add value to your company or organization?
Working @ Cleveland Gear Company, VP Sales & Marketing. Trying to grow our little niche of
the US industrial gearing market.
What do you do for fun? What are your hobbies? Where do you invest your time?
Tris and I enjoy our quiet time together in our empty nest in Walden. We play as much golf as
time and the weather allows and make a serious effort to spoil our grandsons. Work
continues to occupy too much of our time. We travel to our other empty (retirement?) nest in
La Quinta CA too infrequently. There we enjoy the Coachella Valley environment and play golf
at PGA West.
What is one special memory you have of 1454 South Center Street?
The Sunday night scavenger hunt to acquire all of the necessary items for our “help week”
survweval kits.
Do you have a unique memory of ATO that has influenced your life?
The life long bonds that we established through the years at Rose.
Tom Bader - 1969
Contact information, if any different from what we now have. Do you spend significant parts of the
year living somewhere else than this address? No this is my contact info.
Where are your children and/or what are they doing? Dr. Jennifer Bader - Assistant Director of
Pastoral Studies Boston College, Boston, MA, Amy Bader- Masters student in Psychology at
Leslie University, Boston, MA, Crystal Bader Webster – Owns her own business in art
programming for disabled in Lexington, KY. Crystal is expecting our first grand child in
February. As you can see they all took after there mother as far as selection of careers.
If you are working (or volunteering), how do you add value to your company or organization? I’m
semi retired now. Just finished on September 2 as contactor for my former company. My
experience is in Material Management, Logistics and Quality Assurance.
What do you do for fun? What are your hobbies? Where do you invest your time? I’m really into fly
fishing. I built my own rod and tie flies in my spare time. I play a little golf and ride my
bicycle.
What is one special memory you have of 1454 South Center Street? The old house was just down
the street from my parent’s house but I spent much more time at the ATO house than at home.
I remember Blackburn and Pat Williams living in the back over mom’s apartment.
Do you have a unique memory of ATO that has influenced your life? I remember the brotherhood
and acceptance by all. Before becoming an ATO, I was somewhat a nerd (maybe I still am)
but I think I the fraternity really helped me mature socially.
What significant personal experiences over the past 30 to 40 years make you who you are today?
How have you changed and what caused that change? I don’t think I’ve changed all that much.
I’m still a “mom always liked you best” kind of guy. Of course like everyone,I’m a bit older
and wiser now. If only I knew then what I do now!!
Mike Blackburn
Where are your children and/or what are they doing?
Son Christopher lives in Aliso Viejo, CA and is a regional sales manager for a
pharmaceutical firm. Daughter Amy has just moved to Columbus, OH where she works as
a pilot for a small air freight company
If you are working (or volunteering), how do you add value to your company or organization? Not
working. Just completed a 15 month contract with the Army at Fort Campbell, KY
facilitating the reorganization of the 101st Airborne prior to their deployment this fall.
What do you do for fun? What are your hobbies? Where do you invest your time?
Enjoy flying and traveling. Alice and I spend a lot of time at home around the pool with the
dogs (Labs).
What is one special memory you have of 1454 South Center Street? I lived at 1454 S. Center
longer than I had lived in any one house up to that time. It has many special memories, but
none that I can single out.
Do you have a unique memory of ATO that has influenced your life? Just the brotherhood.
What significant personal experiences over the past 30 to 40 years make you who you are today?
How have you changed and what caused that change? I think that the lifestyle and outlook
that comes from excessive airplane use has been the biggest influence, with 6 years of
Army service being a close second.
Jack Borst
Contact information, if any different from what we now have. Do you spend significant parts of the
year living somewhere else than this address? Contact information is correct; this is our full
time address.
Where are your children and/or what are they doing?
Son Michael is a regional manager for a retail operation in St. Louis with his wife Debbie
and our three grandchildren - Jordan, Caitlyn and Jacob.
Daughter Cathy is Vice President of Information Services for a national health care
provider based in North Carolina.
If you are working (or volunteering), how do you add value to your company or organization? As
career completion approaches, my primary contributions are sharing my experience,
knowledge and occasional wisdom unfortunately too often delivered with liberal amounts
of sarcasm as well.
What do you do for fun? What are your hobbies? Where do you invest your time?
All of life is fun, but spoiling grandchildren is probably the present highlight! Hobbies
include jogging, travel, boating and fine wine. I try to invest as much time as possible with
family, friends and worthy causes.
What is one special memory you have of 1454 South Center Street?
Memory - who has any of that left? All that sticks is cold sheets and too often cold
showers.
Do you have a unique memory of ATO that has influenced your life?
The value of close, long-lasting friendships.
What significant personal experiences over the past 30 to 40 years make you who you are today?
How have you changed and what caused that change?
My life is so full of abundant blessings that have gently shaped me that it is difficult to
identify specific experiences. Certainly, valued relationships (family, friends, career
mentors, ministers, etc) have been the most influential. The result is a character still highly
flawed but still a work in progress. If I could pass on one reflection - LIFE DOES HAPPEN to us and all around us; the good news is that we are blessed with a free will to choose our
responses - choose wisely!
Steve Butcher - 1970
Contact information, if any different from what we now have. Do you spend significant parts of the
year living somewhere else than this address? No
Where are your children and/or what are they doing? No children
If you are working (or volunteering), how do you add value to your company or organization? Retired
What do you do for fun? What are your hobbies? Where do you invest your time? My hobbies
include hunting, fishing and raising Chesapeake Bay Retrievers.
What is one special memory you have of 1454 South Center Street? I didn’t have the opportunity
to live in the old house, but I remember it as the place where I acquired the great love for
onions that I still have to this date.
What significant personal experiences over the past 30 to 40 years make you who you are today?
How have you changed and what caused that change? I would say that getting married to
Channa Beth 24 years ago has been most significant in making me what I am today.
Bob Combs – 1970
Where are your children and/or what are they doing?
3 children, all married, all living in Indiana, all working, 3 granddaughters
If you are working (or volunteering), how do you add value to your company or organization?
Work temporary/part time, doing an efficient great job!
What do you do for fun? What are your hobbies? Where do you invest your time?
That which gives me the greatest pleasure is when I am ministering to people in the Lord
Jesus Christ. Meeting with people and working to help them.
What is one special memory you have of 1454 South Center Street?
The night John Grauel and I were road hiked to Kentucky, dropped off in along the Ohio by
Madison, and hitch-hiked back and beat the pledges back.
Do you have a unique memory of ATO that has influenced your life?
Friends like JQ
What significant personal experiences over the past 30 to 40 years make you who you are today?
How have you changed and what caused that change?
My commitment to Christ Jesus and mission trips to Russia. I am a better person.
If we were to play Rose Poly “remember when” or ATO trivia, what would be a great question?
(Please supply the answer if you will not be at the gathering on Saturday night).
At the 1969 homecoming display on the hillside at the new house, when the everything was
hooked up to “the box” what happened? How was the display made to work when the judges
came by?
J.Q. Delap – 1970
Contact information, if any different from what we now have. Do you spend significant parts of the
year living somewhere else than this address? No.
J.Q. and Ellen Delap (Class of 1970)
2115 Forest Falls Dr.
Kingwood, TX 77345
Where are your children and/or what are they doing?
Our son, Jake Delap, is an engineer, and our daughter, Tiffani, is a math teacher.
If you are working (or volunteering), how do you add value to your company or organization?
I work to get the name of our company “out there.” It keeps our companies Energy
International Corporation, EIG Oil and Gas (www.eigoilgas.com) and Energy International Group
(www. eigenergy.com) in front of people and gain business and respect. We focus on
integrity, which makes us different in our industry. We always look for a “win win” situation
and a way to give back to society as a whole.
What do you do for fun? What are your hobbies? Where do you invest your time?
We love to travel! Wish to fish more! Spend time with our family and as a Deacon in our
Presbyterian church.
What is one special memory you have of 1454 South Center Street?
Waking up and having snow on my electric blanket in the morning.
Do you have a unique memory of ATO that has influenced your life?
Bonding, camaraderie, and integrity comes from ATO. Being a pledge made these qualities an
important part of my life.
What significant personal experiences over the past 30 to 40 years make you who you are today?
How have you changed and what caused that change?
The culmination of living the experiences of Rose Hulman and ATO from 1966 – 1970.
Tom Dinkel – 1972
Where are your children and/or what are they doing?
Sara is married to Jeff Smith, lives in Terre Haute, is a mechanical engineer and is vice
president of engineering for my company Sycamore Engineering. She has a son Hudson
Smith 1-1/2 yrs old.
Lyndsey is married to Justin Bartlett, lives in Indianapolis and is in pharmaceutical sales with
Sanofi-Aventis
Tyler just graduated in mechanical engineering from UDayton and is living in Chicago and
works as a Project Engineer for Leopardo Companies. He is currently working on a hospital
project.
If you are working (or volunteering), how do you add value to your company or organization?
I have been working in our family business since I was 16 and have been president for the last
20 years.
I also operate three real estate development companies, a design engineering firm and our
latest venture a telecommunication company. I am on the board of directors of First Financial
Bank Corporation a publicly traded corporation.
I volunteer on several boards including the Rose Hulman Board of Trustees, I am currently
chairman of the Chamber of Commerce, vice chairman of the Terre Haute Economic
Development Corporation and for many years have served on the St Benedict Church Finance
committee.
What do you do for fun? What are your hobbies? Where do you invest your time?
I love golf, snowmobiling and houseboating. We follow the Indy Car racing circuit and often
attend the various races around the country. I am an Indy500 fan from way back having
attended 42 consecutive races.
What is one special memory you have of 1454 South Center Street?
The old house was sold before I joined ATO but I visited the house many times when I was
growing up, as the housemother Edith Schrofe was a best friend with my grandmother. I
visited the house as early as 1957 when I sold to Mrs. Schrofe the weekly paper in Terre Haute
called the Spectator.
Do you have a unique memory of ATO that has influenced your life?
There is no question that my most trusted friends in life today are those who I met at ATO.
What significant personal experiences over the past 30 to 40 years make you who you are today?
How have you changed and what caused that change?
The work ethic taught me by both Rose and ATO and the good values gained from both.
Terry Fenimore
Where are your children and/or what are they doing?
Angela Majeski => Eli Lilly Indy Quality Assurance.
Bob Fenimore – Winston-Salem, NC => City Policeman
If you are working (or volunteering), how do you add value to your company or organization? I am
retired from Eli Lilly, but I volunteer in the Indianapolis Children's Museum, bringing my
biotechnology experience into programs put on in the Biotechnology Lab in the ScienceWorks
area.
What do you do for fun? What are your hobbies? Where do you invest your time? Designed and
guided the construction of our lakefront retirement home, boating with the grandkids, fishing,
hunting, SCUBA diving, R/C flying.
What is one special memory you have of 1454 South Center Street? The successful 1962 pledge
airhike of the chapter WM and Pledge Trainer.
Do you have a unique memory of ATO that has influenced your life? The great fellowship that
being in ATO offered to me during my late formative years.
What significant personal experiences over the past 30 to 40 years make you who you are today?
How have you changed and what caused that change? After graduating from Rose, I then set
about to pick up the other 50% of my education through on-the-job-learning and tackling real
world problems. Through that, I became one of the few Biotechnology pioneers and an expert
in biotech product purification.
Walter Flood - 1975
Contact information, if any different from what we now have. Do you spend significant parts of the
year living somewhere else than this address? Please indicate your class year.
Walt Flood ‘75
W-Flood Testing Labs (FTL)
1945 E 87th Street
Chicago, IL 60617
773-721-2200
Cell – 773-858-3514
H- 1373 W Hubbard Street
Apt 1W
Chicago, IL 60622
312-363-3045
Where are your children and/or what are they doing?
Walter IV, obtaining MS in CE at UC, Boulder. Finishes 8/05, then works at FTL
Kelly, works at FTL
Brian, in fourth year at Lake Superior State – will become firefighter
Lauren, first year at Great Falls University
If you are working (or volunteering), how do you add value to your company or organization?
What do you do for fun? What are your hobbies? Where do you invest your time?
Travel, Boating, occasional ice hockey if the joints and muscles allow
Do you have a unique memory of ATO that has influenced your life?
Hell night on the steps at the Rose Campus House. It made me think of the guys as
brothers. I don’t have a lot of contact with most, but whenever I do, it’s just like we never
separated. That’s unique.
What significant personal experiences over the past 30 to 40 years make you who you are today?
How have you changed and what caused that change?
My Mom passed away when I was 26. It was quick and I wasn’t expecting it. It made me
realize how important is to live life on a daily basis and never NOT say something to
somebody with the idea of saving it for a later date – it might not happen.
Also, enjoy what you do. The money may or may not come but at least you enjoy the ride.
Pete Fowler
Contact Information
Pete Fowler
14126 Palisades Dr
Poway, CA 92064
858-504-9373
pfowler@cox.net
Children - None
Working/Organization
uNav Microelectronics
GPS Chipsets
VP Worldwide Sales
Fun / Free Time
Scuba Diving
Underwater Photography
Memory and House
Pledgeship - teambuilding and coordination
- Taking over the house and locking out the members
- Homecoming Display building
Changes
Traveling the world and working with people from various cultures
Remember When
Roadhike
Winston Fowler – 1972
Contact information, if any different from what we now have. Do you spend significant parts of the
year living somewhere else than this address?
ADDITIONAL INFO : My home Email address is winstonfowler@yahoo.com and my cell phone
is 586-419-6674.
Where are your children and/or what are they doing?
My oldest son, Bo, is 29 and graduated from Rose-Hulman in 1998 BSEE and has a MSME
from U of Michigan . He works for a Manufacturer’s Rep company, Beta-VAI , selling
Electronic Components primarily to the auto industry in Michigan. He is engaged to be
married June 2006.
My youngest son, Ty, is 27 and went to Bowling Green State U and just graduated from Wayne
State U Medical School in Detroit. He starts his residency June 28th in Orthopedic Surgery at
Mount Carmel Hospital in Columbus, Ohio.
If you are working (or volunteering), how do you add value to your company or organization?
I have been with an automotive supplier, SportRack Automotive for 9 years. I have run sales
and program management, but am currently Director of R & D.
What do you do for fun? What are your hobbies? Where do you invest your time?
I love to play golf. My wife and watch a lot of movies together and enjoy vacations in warm
climates. We enjoy hanging out and partying with our sons and other Rose-Hulman alumni in
the Detroit area.
What is one special memory you have of 1454 South Center Street?
My freshman year was the last year for the old fraternity house. I remember running through
the front door with Joe Rodriguez and having to do lots of push ups and the antics of Hell or
now Help Week especially the water bombs (garbage bag size) being dropped on us from the
attic or roof of the old house by the actives.
Do you have a unique memory of ATO that has influenced your life?
I was always glad and proud to meet other ATO’s from around the country. In fact I just found
out that a sales rep for us in CA was an ATO at IU and one of his frat brothers was Dave Pelz
or Peltz , the famous golf instructor.
Denny Fritz - 1968
Contact information, if any different from what we now have. Do you spend significant parts of the
year living somewhere else than this address? Please indicate your class year.
Dennis Fritz
11047James Rd
Brookville, IN 47012
PH 765 647 5766
Cell 812 584 2687
e-mail - ddfritz@aol.com
Class of 1968
Where are your children and/or what are they doing?
Amy – married to Andy Funk. One child. They are in Seattle the summer of 2005, where Andy
is singing opera with the Seattle Opera Company
Douglas – married to Sarah. Live in Huntersville, NC (just north of Charlotte). Works for
Wachovia Bank
Beth – divorced. Mother of twin boys, age 6. Working at Ikron, in Cincinnati, a not-for-profit in
social work.
If you are working (or volunteering), how do you add value to your company or organization?
Working part time for MacDermid, Inc. of Waterbury, CT. Technology forecasting in the
electronics industry, and a bit of product management. On board of Franklin County
Community Foundation in Brookville. Work with Whitewater Canal Trail Project in Brookville.
Church secretary – United Church of Christ.
What do you do for fun? What are your hobbies? Where do you invest your time?
Gardening, fishing, travel (with ATO brothers on Alaska cruise in 2004),
What is one special memory you have of 1454 South Center Street?
The cold weather dorm on the top floor. Brrrrrrr, I am almost warm by now.
Do you have a unique memory of ATO that has influenced your life?
Yes, my pledge class brothers coming to my room in BSB and just sitting in silence until I
signed my pledge card. Sometimes you have to trust other people’s judgment about what is
right for you.
What significant personal experiences over the past 30 to 40 years make you who you are today?
How have you changed and what caused that change?
I think that ATO effort to reach out to the Rose and Terre Haute community made me a more
rounded individual.
Tom Gland
Contact information, if any different from what we now have. Do you spend significant parts of the
year living somewhere else than this address? Info is OK.
Where are your children and/or what are they doing?
My daughter Emilie is 26 yrs old, is married, and is living in Dayton, Ohio, working as a
nurse.
My son Joseph is 22 yrs old, is now a senior EE/ME at Rose-Hulman, and is summer
interning at MIT in Boston.
If you are working (or volunteering), how do you add value to your company or organization?
I am working as an Engineering Consultant at Eli Lilly and Company, process engineering
in the pharmaceutical manufacturing business.
What do you do for fun? What are your hobbies? Where do you invest your time?
Tennis, golf, astronomy, travel.
What is one special memory you have of 1454 South Center Street? Before my time.
Do you have a unique memory of ATO that has influenced your life?
Our spring break road trip to New Orleans got me interested in travelling.
What significant personal experiences over the past 30 to 40 years make you who you are today?
How have you changed and what caused that change?
Parenting kids has been a real exciting experience, I've develop a keen sense of humor out
of raising kids. Travelling all over the world to places like Europe and Asia has made me
appreciate other cultures, make some great friends in other countries, and appreciate what
a great place the US is to live.
Dale Good – 1969
Do you spend significant parts of the year living somewhere else than this address?
We are planning to move to Indy & also spend time in Charleston, SC & S. Ca.
Where are your children and/or what are they doing?
Ashley is an RN in Indy; Bradley works for Fidelity Investments in Indy; Brian is a bartender in
Columbus, In.
If you are working (or volunteering), how do you add value to your company or organization?
Retired from Cummins Inc in 2001. Currently prospecting for new membership for the
TruthatWork.org group, and working for Primerica to ‘help families become debt free and have
a life of financial independence’.
What do you do for fun? What are your hobbies? Where do you invest your time?
My work is now my ministry. Having had a life of success, I’m now working toward a life of
significance so that determines who I work for and with. For fun I read, play golf, and travel
with Sandy.
What is one special memory you have of 1454 South Center Street?
One night when Steve McClain & I stayed out all night, we came back to the house and for
whatever reason, I threw a large pebble up toward the windows of the attic dorm just as Mike
Blackburn stuck his head out the window. Mike was less than understanding when the
projectile hit him in the lip, so Steve and I left the premises very quickly. I think it’s the earliest
I ever showed up for classes on campus!
Do you have a unique memory of ATO that has influenced your life?
After the harrowing experience of being ‘road-hiked’ with Charlie Rupp, my only pledge
brother’, I learned to never hitchhike on a lonely, dark, country road at 3 in the morning!
What significant personal experiences over the past 30 to 40 years make you who you are today?
How have you changed and what caused that change?
No doubt the most significant event was allowing Jesus Christ to become Lord of my life, not
just my Savior. Now all that I do is with an eternal perspective!
John Grauel
Where are your children and/or what are they doing?
Our son, Jason, age 22, just graduated from Carnegie Mellon as a Computer Scientist. He
has been traveling with friends this summer and plans to begin his career with employment
searches in October.
Emily, 19, is a sophomore at University of California San Diego. I am, in fact, writing this
from UCSD. She plans to study medicine. Julianne, just about to turn 16 is a sophomore in
high school, a bright student and a varsity volleyball player.
If you are working (or volunteering), how do you add value to your company or organization?
I have owned and managed a Manufacturers’ Representative company in the
semiconductor business, TAARCOM, INC. , for twenty-five years.
What do you do for fun? What are your hobbies? Where do you invest your time?
I have invested most of my spare time in the kids. I am a woodworker. I love electronic stuff
– computers, toys etc.
What is one special memory you have of 1454 South Center Street?
Leaving it.
What significant personal experiences over the past 30 to 40 years make you who you are today?
How have you changed and what caused that change?
Angela, my lovely bride of 32 years and our three kids. After the family, running a business
has given me experiences and growth that could not be chronicled.
Bill Heeter - 1970
Contact information, if any different from what we now have. Do you spend significant parts of the
year living somewhere else than this address?
Home address is 5640 Kilmer Lane, Indianapolis, IN 46250 since 1982. Home phone is 317-8425987 and cell is 317-590-5082.
Where are your children and/or what are they doing?
Son, Bobby 20 will be a sophomore at Purdue and Daughter, Becky 18 will be a freshman at IU
If you are working (or volunteering), how do you add value to your company or organization?
I have been selling residential real estate for over 27 years. Always strive to help the clients
make their decisions based on the best information possible, so that they can enjoy their
home/investment for years to come and receive the highest possible amount when they sell.
What do you do for fun? What are your hobbies? Where do you invest your time?
Play a fair amount of Tennis and Bridge and Swim for exercise with my wife, Sondra.
What is one special memory you have of 1454 South Center Street?
Pat William’s Chevy’s Engine running backwards after he’d rebuilt it.
Do you have a unique memory of ATO that has influenced your life?
R D Zink telling me about the opportunity to serve as a Deep Sea Diver when we were in Navy
OCS together March 1971. That was the most enjoyable way to spend my three years in the
service and even got extra pay!
What significant personal experiences over the past 30 to 40 years make you who you are today?
How have you changed and what caused that change?
The blessing to have met and married my wife, Sondra in 1982 and the thankfulness I have
had for her dedication and support this past summer as I have been battling Cancer. When we
are younger and exchange the vows for “Better or Worse, in Sickness and in Health”, one
doesn’t appreciate what that really means. This summer has helped me see the gentler side of
life and be thankful for many friends and business associates. I hope to be a better person to
others in the future.
Dave Jaksa
Contact information, if any different from what we now have. Do you spend significant parts of the
year living somewhere else than this address? Please indicate your class year.
Dave Jaksa
626 Torrey Pines Lane
Garland, TX 75044
dave.jaksa@verizon.net
Where are your children and/or what are they doing?
All 3 daughters are married. We have 6 grandchildren. Two of our daughters live in the Dallas
area and the other one lives in Cincinnati, OH.
If you are working (or volunteering), how do you add value to your company or organization?
I am retired but currently sit on the boards of several small high tech companies in the Dallas
area and do a bit of business consulting work.
What do you do for fun? What are your hobbies? Where do you invest your time?
Judi and I enjoy traveling around the country and spoiling our grandkids. Amateur radio and
woodworking are my main hobbies.
Pete Jank
Contact information, if any different from what we now have. Do you spend significant parts of the
year living somewhere else than this address?
Alternate e-mail address pete.jank@us.bosch.com
Where are your children and/or what are they doing?
Martin Jank Indianapolis, IN graduated from Ball State BS Geography - GIS. Working for
INDOT in Indy involved with state highway data in GIS database.
If you are working (or volunteering), how do you add value to your company or organization?
Director of Program Management for Robert Bosch Automotive Chassis Division responsible
for new program launches. The value add might be debatable!!
What do you do for fun? What are your hobbies? Where do you invest your time?
Skiing, sailing, woodworking, traveling to Europe, wine tasting.
What is one special memory you have of 1454 South Center Street?
Stealing the silverware from the house. Road trip to the Illinois cornfields. These are just two
of many.
Jim Jeffries
Where are your children and/or what are they doing?
Son in seminary at Fort Worth, Texas, Daughter works for Southwest Airlines, Nashville, TN
If you are working (or volunteering), how do you add value to your company or organization?
I show up every day.
What do you do for fun? What are your hobbies? Where do you invest your time?
Boating, motorcycles, hiking, photography
What is one special memory you have of 1454 South Center Street?
“Help” week.
What significant personal experiences over the past 30 to 40 years make you who you are today?
How have you changed and what caused that change?
My Faith, family, great relationships, and unique career opportunities. Ability to assess the
true value of something/somebody, overlooking the superficial.
Dave Jonas – 1969
Where are your children and/or what are they doing?
- Kelly (37) (formally Rev. Isabelle); Graduated from Creighton Univ.; Lives in Oakland,
CA.; Supervises a medical rehabilitation clinic within a senior care center; Ordained as
minister within a relatively small Christian community - Order of Christ Sophia.
-Molly (35) Graduated from Marquette Univ.; Working as Cosmotologist in Milwaukee;
Married to Ray Klein - Consumer products designer; Two grandsons: JONAS (2 1/2) and
Jackson (2) mos..
-Annie (28) Graduated from St. Catherine's College in St. Paul; Works as Environmental
Awareness educator for Peoria County schools; Married to Nick Lindekugel, GIS Data
Management specialist for city of Normal Il.; New grandson, Finnely, just (2 1/2) mos. old
-Katherine (25) Graduated from St. Thomas University; Working for Dale Carnegie, selling
Sales Training in St. Paul and Minneapolis..
-Matthew (18) Just entering Bradley University in Peoria to study Engineering this fall.
If you are working (or volunteering), how do you add value to your company or
organization?
- 37 years with Caterpillar Inc. , working as Manager of Worldwide Quality & Facility Asset
Services for the Global Distribution Center in Morton, IL.
What do you do for fun? What are your hobbies? Where do you invest your time?
- Casual involvement in various outdoor sports, including biking, tennis, golf, hiking, snow
skiing, etc.
- Considerable involvement in Youth Ministry work over the years, particularly with youth
peer evangelization program known as Teens Encounter Christ (TEC).
- Have done fair amount of older home remodeling over the years, including a recent
venture with Nick and Ann to "restore" seriously abused 1875 church-house to full
function as home for their new family & grandson, Finnley.
What is one special memory you have of 1454 South Center Street?
-Turning the gaudy and dirty original coal bin into a wonderfully compact and isolated
study and living accomodation in the center of the house basement, very near the more
modern and efficient augered coal bin, affectionately called the "Green Whore"!
Note - all the house plumbing (johns and showers) came crashing down around my
ears (just like Niagara Falls) as all the water, etc. made a serious right-hand turn and
headed out of the house. Disaster struck twice during my three years in these unique
accomodations when the flow of water out to the city stopped and began to reappear in
and out of the service sink at the entrance of my room. Ah, Memories!
Do you have a unique memory of ATO that has influenced your life?
- The sharing of Christian values and beliefs with close friends, a core component shared
by the founders of ATO, has been a practice that has reinforced and grounded my
relationships with most all I have considered particularly special life friends.
What significant personal experiences over the past 30 to 40 years make you who you are today?
How have you changed and what caused that change?
- My years since graduating as a Rose Poly ATO Mechanical Engineer have been filled with
many agents of change and growth in my life. Among those, I have been blessed by a good
God challenging me to reflect and live His goodness, a great woman (Dee) by my side,
encouraging me to be my best, a community of friends providing important give and take
exchanges regarding how we could and have explored the opportunities and obligations of
our time, wonderful children that have both reinforced my gifts and strengths and loved me
in my weaknesses, a high integrity employer who met my interests and ambitions with a
highly visible world class product and reasonable promotion and growth potential.
Bud Kincaid – 1970
Children:
We have one son, Brian, still single. He graduated from IU with a degree in criminal justice.
He is a Private Investigator, living and working in Indianapolis.
Working:
I am currently "in my second career" working as the Executive Director of a local
not-for-profit organization, Sans Souci, Inc.
Hobbies/fun:
I have taken up woodworking. Sue and I have taken ballroom dancing lessons for several
years.
Special memory of 1454 Center Street:
Evening meals were a wonderful balance of civility, brotherhood, and friendship
Mitch Olinger - 1974
Contact Information: Mitchell (Mitch) R. Olinger; ATO main pledge class of 70/71; B.S.M.E.
1974
I was a townie, but enjoyed my time at the ATO house on campus. Being an ATO and
member of the Rose community was a great benefit to me, though I must admit that
some of the lessons didn't reach fruition until a bit later in life.
Upon graduation in '74 I joined Newport News Shipbuilding in Newport News Virginia,
resolving design problems and performing testing of the reactor systems of nuclear
powered cruisers for the U.S. Navy. The experiences of the job and area were
enthralling, not the least of which was my marriage in 1975 to the former Mary
Rodriguez, who had been an ATO little sister from ISU. We just celebrated our 30th
anniversary!
In 1976 I began work for Gilbert/Commonwealth in Jackson, Michigan, mostly designing
environmental systems for coal fired power plants. In '78 and '79 we were blessed with
the births of a daughter (Mary Michelle) and son (Peter Ross). These responsibilities
were joined by church activities, and a chance to serve a couple years as a Rose
fundraising class co-representative, and an officer in the local ATO alumni organization
with former ATO Worthy High Chancellor Dave Rood, culminating in attending a
national convention.
With the nation-wide wind-down of the building of large central power plants, I began work
in 1983 with Carolina Power & Light, now known as Progress Energy, where I remain
today. I live in Hartsville, SC and among several jobs have mostly done project
management and system engineering. Mary has taught elementary school for a number
of years here.
Children:
My daughter is an accountant for a temporary staffing agency for engineers in Charlotte
NC, and my son and his wife are secondary school teachers near Columbia SC.
Hobbies/fun:
Activities continue to center on church, as well as keeping the several old cars I have
going, and riding my bicycle. There are no Rose alumni living nearby. I return to Terre
Haute regularly because my mother still lives there, and I have a couple nephews who
live close, including a 1999 Rose grad. I regret not being able to join you, but my power
plant has a refueling outage this fall during which I am not able to leave. I wish each of
you a great time!
Dave Patton – 1969
Contact information, if any different from what we now have. Do you spend significant parts of the
year living somewhere else than this address? Please indicate your class year.
David Patton
Class of 1969
219 Tollgate Road
Groton, CT 06340
Tel 860 445 2121, cell 625 5695
Where are your children and/or what are they doing?
Daughter, age 28, single, Nashville, TN school system guidance counselor
Son, age 26, single, San Francisco, CA US Marshall
If you are working (or volunteering), how do you add value to your company or organization?
Yea, still working. I have been a sales manager for the western region of the US and Canada
to sell extrusion equipment into the plastic industry, now seeking a new position. 25 years of
engineering experience enables me to discuss projects directly with the customers.
What do you do for fun? What are your hobbies? Where do you invest your time?
Still playing company league golf and tennis once a week. I spent 20 years designing and
manufacturing tires for racing and I still enjoy watching car races. Household stuff also keeps
me busy.
What is one special memory you have of 1454 South Center Street?
Our homecoming displays in the front yard were a great way to work together under all
conditions and see the talent the different brothers had.
Do you have a unique memory of ATO that has influenced your life?
Co-operate and graduate. You always need somebody, and you can always help somebody.
What significant personal experiences over the past 30 to 40 years make you who you are today?
How have you changed and what caused that change?
I used to be a mild mannered Midwesterner, but I have been a Yankee for ten years. I’m sure it
has rubbed off on me. I have been in Asia many times and really appreciate how good we
have it in US.
John Peters
Contact information, if any different from what we now have. Do you spend significant parts of the
year living somewhere else than this address?
Contact info current. My wife of 30 years, Joyce, and I live at home all year.
Where are your children and/or what are they doing?
Daughter – Jena, age 32, a nurse in Dallas, TX. She married with one daughter, our only
grandchild.
Son – Joshua, age 28, a Navy submarine officer. He is single and stationed in San Diego, CA
If you are working (or volunteering), how do you add value to your company or organization?
I worked as a process engineer in the Pulp and Paper industry for 30+ years and enjoyed it.
I retired 3 years ago and have enjoyed it even more than working.
What do you do for fun? What are your hobbies? Where do you invest your time?
I do wood working and have been remodeling our old house. I do mostly lathe turnings now.
I also am an avid blues music fan and have a music collection of sorts.
What is one special memory you have of 1454 South Center Street?
I always remember Jerry Wones coming into the house after a session at the Seaberry Tavern.
He would visit everybody in the house, sing, and spread brotherly and uplifting spirit.
Do you have a unique memory of ATO that has influenced your life?
Nothing unique. I frequently think of those days and know that they are part of me.
Lee Peters – 1967
Where are your children and/or what are they doing?
Rebecca is in West Lafayette expanding her experience and talent in art and helping heal
hurting people through mental health therapy
Andrew is a Flight Test Co-Pilot / Engineer testing Biz Jets with Cessna in Wichita
Nicolas is a third year medical student getting clinical experience in Pontiac.
If you are working (or volunteering), how do you add value to your company or organization?
We add value to other project management organizations by managing projects; supporting
by estimating, scheduling, or inspecting; or consulting and teaching to improve these skill
sets.
Invested time and talent in church work and mission trips.
What do you do for fun? What are your hobbies? Where do you invest your time?
Travel, trying to learn digital photography, read widely
What is one special memory you have of 1454 South Center Street?
Lots of memories not all are good because of the time in life.
The building of the homecoming display in 1964 was awesome. An Indian in a canoe would
travel down a underwater track in this pond in the front yard. Rosie would squirt the canoe
knocking it over. I considered this pure genius – I am not mechanically inclined.
Do you have a unique memory of ATO that has influenced your life?
I was able to work in the steel mills as a result of brothers from the region and finance my
education.
ATO taught me the work it takes to maintain a house. Our house was spic and span from
everyone pitching in. Some of the men were incredibly hard workers at this effort.
The power of cohorts – some pledge classes were extremely strong – some classes were
strong. What causes that? I see it in groups my kids were in.
What significant personal experiences over the past 30 to 40 years make you who you are today?
How have you changed and what caused that change?
Every decade seems to bring new learning. I believe I have experienced enough and pondered
enough to be 40.
Raising kids has been a long term investment. I am learning to be friends with my adult
children and add value to their lives without being intrusive. I am also learning to be a boy
friend to Sally again as we learn to be empty nesters.
When I went into heart surgery, the only comfort I had was the prayers of others. When you
can do little for other people you can pray for comfort, for peace, for courage, for calm.
Rich Reeves
Contact information, if any different from what we now have. Do you spend significant parts of the
year living somewhere else than this address?
Rich & Rose Reeves
1331 Lancelot Way
Casselberry FL 32707
Home e-mail richmr@mindspring.com
Office e-mail rreeves@crfsinc.com
Where are your children and/or what are they doing?
My son Morgan is enrolled as graduate student at University of South Florida in Tampa and
will graduate in December.
If you are working (or volunteering), how do you add value to your company or organization?
After 24 years with Lockheed Martin in Orlando I retired in November of 2003 and took a
position as Vice President of Business Development for a small defense electronics
company in Melbourne Florida. Since I joined the company we’ve grown from 15
employees to 50 and are still growing. It’s been a very positive experience. I’m the only
employee in the company over 55 and things are a lot faster paced than at good old
Lockheed Martin.
What do you do for fun? What are your hobbies? Where do you invest your time?
I currently am spending most of my time at work. I have an apartment in Melbourne and
spend weekends in Orlando. I’m also traveling a lot. I’m looking forward to retiring in a
year or so in order to spend more time with my wife Rose, do some traveling and
develop some non-work interests. I may also do a little part time consulting.
What is one special memory you have of 1454 South Center Street?
A great experience. Lots of fun times.
Do you have a unique memory of ATO that has influenced your life?
Just great friends.
What significant personal experiences over the past 30 to 40 years make you who you are today?
How have you changed and what caused that change?
The education I received at Rose Hulman opened up opportunities which I never
envisioned when I was younger. I’ve had a very interesting career and have meet a lot of
really interesting and talented people.
Keith Roberts - 1971
Where are your children and/or what are they doing?
Greg graduated from Rose in 1997 and is working in Terre Haute.
Karen graduated from Loyola University (New Orleans) and is working in Asheville, NC.
Barbara is working in Cleveland, TN
If you are working (or volunteering), how do you add value to your company or organization?
Project manager/site team leader for remediation of several of Olin’s closed plant sites.
What do you do for fun? What are your hobbies? Where do you invest your time?
I spend the spring and summer coaching girls fast pitch softball. I also do a little
photography, gardening, and cooking.
Do you have a unique memory of ATO that has influenced your life?
Mostly the overall experience of fraternity living.
Doug Roof – 1969
Contact information, if any different from what we now have. Do you spend significant parts of the
year living somewhere else than this address?
Contact information is correct. My home address in Hockessin, Delaware, is also my home
office and where I spend most of my time year round.
Where are your children and/or what are they doing?
Priority #1: Wife – Karen. We were married in 1968, just before beginning my senior year at
Rose. Karen has been an elementary school teacher, a stay-at-home mom, and a tutor for
reading-challenged kids.
Our Children:
Andy – born 1973. Married to Laurel and living in Hood River, Oregon. They have one son
(Jackson, born 2002 and our only grandchild so far); both Andy and Laurel are physical
therapists.
Dan – born 1976. Single and living in Jackson, Wyoming. Dan skis, hikes, and flies his
paragliding wing around the Tetons. He and a partner own an indoor advertising franchise
and work as bartenders at night.
Katie – born 1979. Single, living in Boulder, Colorado. Katie has worked several years in the
health care industry and is now back in school to become an occupational therapist.
If you are working (or volunteering), how do you add value to your company or organization?
After 16 years with GE, followed by 12 years as a partner in a small manufacturing company, I
started my own consulting and training business in 1998. I now spend most of my time
finding and recruiting owners of small businesses to join one of my peer advisory boards.
Each board meets monthly to work on the opportunities and issues of each member’s
business. I facilitate these meetings and also meet with each member individually during the
month. It’s challenging, interesting, great fun, pays the bills.
What do you do for fun? What are your hobbies? Where do you invest your time?
I enjoy reading, both business material and fiction. I play a little golf, walk or hike regularly,
teach a marketing course at a local college, and am active in our church. With our kids
scattered into Colorado, Wyoming and Oregon, Karen and I find ample opportunity to travel.
What is one special memory you have of 1454 South Center Street?
If only one, it would be the night our pledge class took over the fraternity house and kicked
out the Actives.
Do you have a unique memory of ATO that has influenced your life?
No single, unique memory, but a general recollection of a group of disparate young men from
different backgrounds, with different goals, but attending a common educational institution,
pulling together to enhance the college experience for themselves and for others. Only
recently have I come to the realization that I should have placed a higher priority on keeping in
touch with the friends I made at Rose.
What significant personal experiences over the past 30 to 40 years make you who you are today?
How have you changed and what caused that change?
Experience is a great teacher, and I think my experience in business has taught me a lot about
people and how we interact with each other as we strive to earn a living and find meaning in
what we do. I think I’ve become somewhat more tolerant of others, especially those who are
different from me. I think having children (and now a grandchild) has made me a little
mellower.
Dean Spear – 1971
Contact information, if any different from what we now have. Do you spend significant parts of the
year living somewhere else than this address? Please indicate your class year.
Dean M. Spear, 1971, dmspear@tredegar.com, 1813 South Brown Ave., Terre Haute, IN, 47803.
Where are your children and/or what are they doing?
Meredith Spear, my daughter, unmarried, 30 years old, is living and working in Terre Haute. My
son, Johsua Maston Spear, age 23, a graduate of the University of Illinois, is unmarried also,
and just finished his first year teaching as the Coral Music Director at Rochester High School.
He lives in Springfield, IL.
If you are working (or volunteering), how do you add value to your company or organization?
As Senior Process Engineer I consult with most of our plants, around the world, on major
process issues and work to help resolve their process problems.
What do you do for fun? What are your hobbies? Where do you invest your time?
I enjoy fishing, and hunting, and of course spending time with my special friend Susie and our
families. I took up Turkey hunting last spring- did not get one, but really enjoyed the
challenge.
What is one special memory you have of 1454 South Center Street?
There are many, but probably the bonding that took place during “help” week. The coal room
was really special!
Do you have a unique memory of ATO that has influenced your life?
Probably the great effort and time spent with my brothers working on Home Coming displays
and Floats. It was a lot of hard work but like in real life the effort was worthwhile. Hard work
pays off.
What significant personal experiences over the past 30 to 40 years make you who you are today?
How have you changed and what caused that change?
Probably the birth of my children, and the life experiences of raising them. No doubt the death
of my wife, Jill, of a heart attack in 1994, changed my life dramatically. Even so, I do not feel
much different. In recent years I have spent much of my time caring for my mom and dad, who
are also gone now. I’m no longer skinny, 180 lbs not 130 lbs., my hair is “blond” (Susie says
white) not red, and I drive a truck not a VW Beetle. My wonderful friend Susie is a wonderful
part of, and source of encouragement in my life.
Scott Stephen – 1970
Contact information, if any different from what we now have. Do you spend significant parts of the
year living somewhere else than this address?
We’d like to be spending significant parts of the year at Marilyn’s family condo on the beach at
Sanibel Island, Florida, but seem to be tied down by continuing to work.
Where are your children and/or what are they doing?
Megan is an early-intervention special education teacher in Portland, Oregon. Sara is a
hairdresser in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Allison is an associate with Trader Joe’s in Portland,
Oregon.
If you are working (or volunteering), how do you add value to your company or organization?
I have been working in the Information Technology division at Albion College for 17 years, and
am now the Director of Information Services, the administrative computing area. I also serve
on the board of directors of the local United Way.
What do you do for fun? What are your hobbies? Where do you invest your time?
I enjoy golf (about half the time), and enjoy traveling with Marilyn, especially to visit our kids.
What is one special memory you have of 1454 South Center Street?
The coal bin – the only area I spent significant time in, as the chapter moved out the following
summer.
Do you have a unique memory of ATO that has influenced your life?
I probably had one of the shortest “active” tenures in history – about a week or so - because I
transferred to Butler University after my freshman year. It makes me wonder in retrospect,
how I could have left Rose in those days having had the freshman experience, and not
sticking around to have the sophomore experience! On the other hand, I probably spent more
weekends at Rose in the next three years than most of the guys who lived at the house. (And
thanks for the use of the beds, guys!)
What significant personal experiences over the past 30 to 40 years make you who you are today?
How have you changed and what caused that change?
I met Marilyn Foley on a blind date set up by Johnny Y. at St. Mary of the Woods in the fall of
1968, and I knew on our second date that she was the one. We spent most of those weekends
together, were married in 1970, and still have a great time together.
I left Rose to attend Butler and major in religion, and after graduation there, attended
Louisville Presbyterian Seminary, graduating in 1973. I was ordained that fall, and served two
churches, in Illinois and in Michigan, over the next 15 years.
In 1988 I changed vocations, and sides of the brain, and went back to school to revive an old
interest (started among the punch cards at Rose) in computers. That fall I started as a
programmer/analyst at Albion College, and I have found that working in an educational
environment is a rewarding and fulfilling career as well.
Tom Trueb
[Note – Tom sent the following message when his plans changed.]
Good wishes to all of you at the Rose Reunion.
My wife and I have had to cancel our attendance as I am deployed in Mississippi performing
hurricane catastrophe restoration activities.
My company specializes in providing services to insurance companies that have industrial and
manufacturing insured sites.
We help those insured restore their plants and get their people back to work as soon as possible.
If any Rose alum is interested in participating in these activities, the pay is good and the emotional
reward is great! I already have my two older brothers (1958 and 1961 grads) helping.
Thomas O. Trueb, P.E.
President, efiSolutions, Inc.
4070 Runnymede Drive, Lilburn GA 30047
office: 770-982-7209 cell: 678-468-2656 email: totrueb@aol.com
Bob Vogenthaler – 1969
Contact Info
Robert L. Vogenthaler
445 Oak Vista Drive
Santa Rosa, CA 95409
707-537-3040
vogenthaler@sbcglobal.net
Children:
Nicholas (33) -- Physician in San Francisco
Meredith (32) – Stay at home mom of 3 in Santa Rosa, CA (ages 9, 2, & 2 months)
If you are working (or volunteering), how do you add value to your company or organization?
Retired – president of local Anglers fishing group
What do you do for fun? What are your hobbies? Where do you invest your time?
Table tennis, fishing, travel, hiking
What is one special memory you have of 1454 South Center Street?
Living in the house with fellow brothers and working on the homecoming display.
Do you have a unique memory of ATO that has influenced your life?
We remain close with several ATO families for over 37 years from the class of ’68 (Dave &
Dee Jonas, John & Nancy Shambach, Joel & Connie Roberts, Dave & Ret Yeager, Jack
& Margie Borst)
Ted Willer – 1970
Contact information, if any different from what we now have. Do you spend significant parts of the
year living somewhere else than this address? Please indicate your class year.
Ted & Kathy Willer
4342 S 300 E
Greencastle, IN 46135
765-653-2364 H
765-721-0420 Cell
317-237-6423 Work
Travel a couple of times a year to Montana…it’s definitely God’s country and the people are
great! I’ve managed to develop a number of clients in MT; it keeps my partners satisfied that I
am not a full time rancher!
Where are your children and/or what are they doing?
Josh…age 22 just graduated from Ball State with a degree in Business/ Marketing and just got
his first job (off the dole and on the payroll!) with Enterprise Leasing in Indy. Josh swam for
BSU and was the team co-captain this last year and Four Year Senior Award winner, he also
swam the breast stroke on the 400 Medley Relay record breaking team…not bad for a walk on!
He is engaged to Ericka Nance, she was also a swimmer for BSU and a nursing major…they
plan a Sept 06 wedding.
Anne…age 17 will be a senior at South Putnam High School and is on the varsity tennis team
and is also on the swim team. She is active in the high school youth group at church. She’s
now trying to pick colleges and plans to major in Elementary Education.
My wife, Kathy, is very involved with the music ministry at our church and she and the herd
manager are the full time people operating our 100+ head cattle operation.
If you are working (or volunteering), how do you add value to your company or organization?
I am still with Smith Barney as a Senior Vice President – Investments; Senior Investment
Management Consultant. I started a partnership within the firm about 10 years ago and now
have two other partners and three (3) associates. We help people realize their dreams through
their financial investments and extensive planning. We also work with business owners and
set up customized pension plans.
After having 10 jobs with Cummins Engine Co in 11 years, Kathy didn’t believe that I would
ever be able to stay with one company and one job for any period of time. It has been a
tremendous career opportunity…developing long term personal relationships with our clients
and their families and seeing them reach their personal goals.
What do you do for fun? What are your hobbies? Where do you invest your time?
My time is divided between family, church, my job, and Kathy and my Angus cattle operation
(we currently have some 130 head of registered Angus that we have marketed into 11 states
over the past 7 years). I am an elder at the Greencastle Christian Church where we have all
attended since coming here some 17 years ago. Kathy and I love traveling and do a good deal
of that. I especially love Montana and the cattle folks out there….usually make at least two
trips a year out there. In addition, we like snow and water skiing (in the West) and have spent
a fair amount of time at Lake Powell.
What is one special memory you have of 1454 South Center Street?
A cool evening in the coal room with my pledge brothers being soaked by the actives!
Do you have a unique memory of ATO that has influenced your life?
During my years at Rose (66-70), it seems that we lost more than our share of great brothers.
Bob Johnson, Denny Randall, Rich Reidy, Ken Rogers (Viet Nam). It really had a profound
impact in reminding me how fleeting and short life really is, so we better make it worthwhile
and leave a legacy of significance behind.
What significant personal experiences over the past 30 to 40 years make you who you are today?
How have you changed and what caused that change?
I’m not sure there have been that many changes. The greatest experiences in my life are still
my Christian faith (God has had to see me through about eight medical “challenges” since
Rose) and my family…watching the kids grow and develop and seeing and experiencing all
the things Kathy and I have done in these past 35 years. It’s been a great trip!
Craig Winn
Contact information, if any different from what we now have. Do you spend significant parts of the
year living somewhere else than this address?
We’re stuck in Detroit full time!
Where are your children and/or what are they doing?
My eldest, Ryan passed away in 2004. He would have been 26, and was slowly working his
way toward a degree in Bio Chem.
We have two daughters. Erica, 25, has a teaching degree and has been working in various
organizations as a teacher/counselor, seeing the world. She’s been in N.C., California,
Colorado and Montana, and is headed for the Marshall Islands to teach for the next year.
Missy, 22, is living in Ann Arbor, has two Associates degrees and is thinking about a
Bachelors.
If you are working (or volunteering), how do you add value to your company or organization?
I own a small automotive product engineering service firm. I do everything but the
engineering!
What do you do for fun? What are your hobbies? Where do you invest your time?
I golf, restore cars, and fish a little.
What is one special memory you have of 1454 South Center Street?
My only memories of South Center came when I was still in high school, and visited for a few
parties(my brother, Dana, was two years ahead of me in ATO). I wasn’t yet up to the Rose
ATO level of partying, so my memories are pretty cloudy!
Do you have a unique memory of ATO that has influenced your life?
The most influential ATO memory for me is being “introduced” to my wife of 32 years at
homecoming 1970 by Winston Fowler. We’re still very close with the Fowlers.
What significant personal experiences over the past 30 to 40 years make you who you are today?
How have you changed and what caused that change?
Having children, losing a child, staying close to a group of Rose guys in Detroit all these
years.
I slowly learned that people and relationships are much more important than performance,
and that it’s all about the journey, rather than the destination!
Ralph Wisco
Contact information, if any different from what we now have. Do you spend significant parts of the
year living somewhere else than this address? Please indicate your class year.
Ralph O. Wisco
1944 NE 7th Street
Ocala, FL.
352-369-1034 (H); 352-393-1251 (w); 352-207-2765 (cell)
Wisco@atlantic.net
Where are your children and/or what are they doing?
Three married children:
Kelly Wisco Gray – St. Cloud, FL, formerly elem ed teacher, now a stay-at-home mom
Elizabeth Wisco Parker – Ocala, FL, Medical Office Mgr for an Oncology Practice
Ralph Allen Wisco – Ocala, FL, President & Owner of Artisan Aluminum, a company doing
pool enclosures and screen rooms
If you are working (or volunteering), how do you add value to your company or organization?
Working in Purchasing for Gainesville Regional Utilities – current projects include a $100
million air quality control project for our coal fired unit, and when approved, a new 225MW
generating unit for about $500 million.
What do you do for fun? What are your hobbies? Where do you invest your time?
Still enjoy working on cars. Like to snorkel and scuba dive. Very active in our church where I
am an Elder and the Treasurer.
What is one special memory you have of 1454 South Center Street?
It’s certainly hard to pick just one but two come to mind: when the pledge class with Doug
Roof and Pete Fowler in it snuck into the dormitory and took all the electric blanket controls.
The second is a sad one – when Bob Johnson was killed in an automobile accident while
taking Kathe’Powers back to St. Mary’s and the chapter traveling to West Allis, WI for the
funeral.
Do you have a unique memory of ATO that has influenced your life?
Probably the camaraderie and friendships developed which have endured the test of time.
What significant personal experiences over the past 30 to 40 years make you who you are today?
How have you changed and what caused that change?
While I have been fortunate to have had some great jobs over the years and been able to travel
extensively internationally, I think the defining moment for me came nine years ago when a
job loss followed by a long period of unemployment and prostate cancer caused me to stop
and redefine what was really important to me. My family and my relationship with God are
more important to me today than big houses, fancy cars and having lots of money.
John Yarish – 1970
Contact information, if any different from what we now have. Do you spend significant parts of the
year living somewhere else than this address? Please indicate your class year.
John Allen Yarish, PE
BSME, 1970, Rose Polytechnic Institute
Home: 4958 N. Kostner Avenue
Chicago, Illinois 60630-2633
Ph: 773-202-0838
Work: Assistant Commissioner
Department of Fleet Management
City of Chicago
1685 N. Throop Street
Chicago, Illinois 60622
Ph: 312-744-3900
Where are your children and/or what are they doing?
(1) Son, John Andrew Yarish, Born 11/12/75, Single
Manager of Loss Prevention
Nordstrom, Inc.
Mall of America
Minneapolis, MN
And, man, he is the swingin’-dick of loss prevention…it’d take a while to explain, but when I’m
in Nordstrom’s? I pay attention! He’s got it down! No pictures – he’s in security!
If you are working (or volunteering), how do you add value to your company or organization?
As Assistant Commissioner for the Dept. of Fleet Management/City of Chicago, I am
responsible for Facilities Management, Security, Safety, & Training of 800+ employees; 14
Municipal Vehicle Maintenance Facilities serving over 10,000 units including all Police, Fire,
Refuse Collection, etc.; conceived, developed, constructed, and maintain 14 Municipal Vehicle
Fueling Facilities which dispense over 12,000,000 gallons of conventional & alternative fuels
to City & various “sister-agency” vehicles; coordination of Emergency Response activities
related to this Department; pro-active promotion of Environmental Compliance and LEEDcertified “Green” initiatives to assist the City in achieving the goal of “Greenest City in
America”; and a shit-load more if you’re really interested.
In my “private” life, I’ve been actively involved in my local neighborhood association and
during a 10-year period while I was running my own business, I was also involved in my local
Chamber of Commerce; various positions as Officer or Board Member in each organization.
Interpret the above as “adding value” as you wish.
What do you do for fun? What are your hobbies? Where do you invest your time?
Hmmm…”fun”…At age 56, I still make it a point to go out and listen to live music (Western
Swing, Rockabilly, Tex-Mex), work with my neighbors to have a great block party, hunt down
various antiques/collectibles that fit in with my 1927-vintage certified-Historic Chicago
Bungalow, cultivate my garden, be kind to my friends, share my knowledge, maintain a sense
of spirituality/morality/ethics/courtesy/civility while avoiding organized religion, and generally
try to make the world a better place in my own little way.
What is one special memory you have of 1454 South Center Street?
Hmmm (again)… this is the place that I was first introduced to ATO.
While going thru the whole rush experience in late ’66-early ‘67, I distinctly remember talking
to a number of future Brothers and walking away with the perception (naïve as it may have
been to my 18-yr-old life-view) that I would feel comfortable if one of my 3 younger sisters
were to date most any one of these guys; I walked away thinking that this is who I would want
to be.
And then there was the barracks-style bathroom with the toilets and the poor ventilation; and
then there was pledge class down in the basement – followed by a ride on the “electric beer
keg”; and I think that was also where I learned to like onions; and I learned what a stoker-type
furnace was all about.
Do you have a unique memory of ATO that has influenced your life?
I still lunge for the telephone to answer it within 3 rings.
Uh…please refer to closing comments under question #5 above.
Oh, by the way Scooter – if Billy Heeter offers to drive us home, remind me to take a pass; see
question #10 below
What significant personal experiences over the past 30 to 40 years make you who you are today?
How have you changed and what caused that change?
Whew…there’s just not enough paper. Everyday’s an adventure – I can’t wait ‘til my feet hit
the floor tomorrow morning.
Do you have any digitized pictures of your time at Rose that we could add to a scrapbook or to a slide
show?
Well, I’ve got a picture of me getting my diploma from John Logan at graduation; I’ve got a
knot on my forehead so big my mortarboard wouldn’t fit; seems that the night before Scott & I
and Marilyn/Patsy and I-don’t-remember-who was with Billy Heeter (if anybody) were out at
Hulman Lake doin’ our little celebration-thing and, when we finally decided it was time to go,
Billy let it be known his car could jump the creek. Well, it just didn’t work out the way we all
thought it would – the Bat-mobile planted itself in the opposite bank; pretty abruptly as I
recall. We managed to back out and hit the highway, with a stop at the hospital along the way
for me (I hit the dome light and saw stars for the first time in my life), then headed back to my
place at 14th & Chestnut; took Mom & Dad a long time to figure out why they worked so hard
for my education.
R.D. Zink – 1970
Where are your children and/or what are they doing?
Kristen (age 26) lives in Fishers, IN and works for The College Network.
Stacey (age 24) lives in Fishers, IN and works for a Logistics firm in Plainfield.
Step daughter Trena lives in Westfield, IN and works for Norwood Co.
Step son Sean lives in Fishers, IN and works at Paramount Mortgage as a loan
officer……..does anyone need to buy or refinance? He is also licensed in Florida and
Colorado.
If you are working (or volunteering), how do you add value to your company or organization?
I’ve been a lawyer for 28 years; I bring lots of experience and “war stories”.
What do you do for fun? I do triathlons. What are your hobbies?
Golf, training for triathlons, both snow and water skiing.
What is one special memory you have of 1454 South Center Street? The Green Whore