Class Notes

Steven Rendall (Phil) writes that “retirement” in France has been going well — he’s received three major translation prizes and is working on his 82nd book translation. After departing the University of Oregon in 1997, having taught French and comparative literature for 30 years, he moved to France with his wife and then 4-year-old daughter. Steven has since pursued a second career as a French-to-German translator.

Paula Dáil (Edu) published Mother Nature’s Daughters: 21st Century Women Farmers in November. It tells the stories of eight women farmers changing the face of American agriculture in remarkable and enduring ways. Paula taught at both Virginia Tech and Iowa State universities. She and her husband, Bill Ladewig, live in the lower Wisconsin River valley in southwest Wisconsin.

For 20 years Donna Spencer (A&S) served as an independent contractor with the School Board of Sarasota County as a parent liaison providing information and support to families of children with disabilities. She and a colleague wrote and published Moms Move Mountains: Special Education Survival Skills for Parents. She lives in Sarasota, Fla.

Robert Keller (Soc) retired from Colorado State University-Pueblo as professor emeritus of sociology after 30 years of service at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Robert co-authored the textbook Prison Crisis. He also has taught at the University of Wisconsin and Southern Missouri State University. He and wife Sally have one son, Patrick, who recently completed a doctorate at the University of New Mexico. Robert and Sally live in a cabin in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in Pueblo West, Colo.

Kurt Krueger (DistSt) retired from teaching last June after 47 years and is fired up for the next phase of his life as an author. His new book series, Winning Ways for Living, reached the bestseller list on Amazon in its first month. Kurt writes that he and wife Teresa are proud of their eldest son, Keith Krueger (PolSci’17), now in his last year at CU. Keith was on the club swim team that won two national championships. (Kurt himself held three school records when CU had a varsity swim team.) He lives in Los Angeles.

Last fall Ron Stewart (PolSci) retired from his position as director of Boulder County Parks and Open Space. He became director in 1999 and worked on projects including expanding open space, hiring volunteers and creating trails.

Virginia Tech math professor Martin Day (MMath; PhD’78) has been named professor emeritus by the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors. He has been at the university since 1980. Martin’s students appreciated his patience and thorough instruction, the university noted, while his colleagues praised his insightful contributions to curriculum development.

Jane Gianvito Mathews (EnvDes) was awarded the William H. Deitrick Service Medal by the North Carolina chapter of the American Institute of Architects. The medal honors a member who exhibits extraordinary service to the community, profession and AIA North Carolina. Jane is president and principal of Mathews Architecture in Asheville, N.C.

Dan Eberhart (Edu) has published A Pact with the Living. The opening scene takes place in CU Boulder’s University Memorial Center on Dec. 1, 1969, a night when many American men between the ages of 18 and 26 would have their destinies determined by the selective service lottery. Dan’s first book, Quadrangle, also opens in Boulder. He writes that he lives happily with his wife, Karen, in Denver, where he watches his grandchildren and rides tandem bicycles for Eyecycle, an organization that pairs blind and sighted cyclists.

In December Brian Campbell (IntlAf) was elected Mayor of Rancho Palos Verdes (RPV), a suburb of Los Angeles. He’s served as an elected councilmember since 2009 and as vice mayor twice. Brian was an Army ROTC graduate and served overseas as an infantry officer after graduating from CU. He serves in the California State Military Reserve and is the executive officer of the Special Operations Support Detachment. Brian is also CEO of BC Urban LLC, a commercial real estate firm. He and his wife have two teenage sons.

Gordon Trafton (TransMgmt) was appointed to the board of the Canadian Pacific Railway. He served as a special advisor to the Canadian National Railway leadership team until 2010 and has held several leadership positions with Illinois Central Railroad and Burlington Northern Railroad. At CU he is chairman of the Leeds School’s Board of Alumni and Friends.

In November William A. Baltz (Hist) published a book, Spiritual Nexus: Discovery in America’s Heartland. It’s about five spiritual centers with connected histories nestled in southwest Michigan on the outskirts of Three Rivers. The co-founder of one of the retreats, Nancy Hector (A&S’58), is also a Forever Buff, as is Nancy’s sister, Joan Hector (A&S’52), an artist and teacher known for her stained slab glass installations.

Kim Rothstein (Advert) writes that she is happily retired from a successful career in food advertising and marketing. She lives in Sebastopol, Calif.

In December Cardno, Inc., an infrastructure and environmental services company based in Australia, named Ted Tomasi (Econ; MA’79) vice president and director of national practices. He is based at the company’s Newark, Del., office. Ted, who has more than 30 years’ experience as a natural resource economist, also has worked as professor at the University of Michigan, University of Minnesota and Michigan State University.

Chief judge Gregory Lyman (Law) retired from Colorado’s Sixth Judicial District Court in January. He was appointed in 1996. According to an article in the Durango Herald, his years as a professional speed skater — including competition in the 1972 Winter Olympics — taught him to dream big

Joe Garcia (IntlBus), Colorado’s former lieutenant governor, in February addressed a conference at CU Boulder about attracting more science-minded community college students to CU and, ultimately, to four-year colleges across America. Currently president of the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education, Joe also has served as president of CSU-Pueblo and Pikes Peak Community College and as executive director of the Colorado Department of Higher Education. He was lieutenant governor from 2011 to 2016.

After serving 15 years as chancellor, Pamela Shockley-Zalabak (PhDComm) retired from the University of Colorado Colorado Springs campus in February. She worked for UCCS for four decades and taught classes in the communication department while serving as chancellor.

Alan Willenbrock (ChemEngr, Mktg) has been elected by his peers to the board of directors of the Portfolio Management Institute. Alan was also selected to co-chair PMI’s 2018 annual forum, which brings together about 200 of the most successful Morgan Stanley financial advisors for three days of continuing education sessions. Alan and wife Peggy live in Tucson, Ariz.

Adam Frank (Phys), who fell in love with astronomy at age 5, is now a professor of astrophysics at the University of Rochester. He also co-founded National Public Radio’s “13.7: Cosmos and Culture” blog and occasionally contributes to the New York Times. He has written two books and a textbook.

Jeffrey Kenney (Hist) retired from the Marine Corps after 41 years. During his service, he held 13 ranks, was deployed multiple times and received several awards.