Notes from the Class of 1972

Authors James “Jay” Fell (MHist’72, PhD’75) and Jan Neunoff Robertson (A&S’57) wrote 100 Years Up High: Colorado Mountains and Mountaineers (Colorado Mountain Club Press). It takes a look at the evolution of Colorado mountaineering in the 20th century and includes several people associated with CU, such as former art professor Muriel Sibell Wolle (MA&S’30). Jay calls Louisville home and Jan lives in Boulder.

Criminal defense attorney Paul McCormick (Law’72) was honored by the Colorado Criminal Defense Bar with the Alvin D. Lichtenstein award for lifetime achievement. Paul also was inducted into the International Society of Barristers and Litigation Counsel of America, has been rated a Colorado Super Lawyer and is listed in Best Lawyers in America. He lives in Boulder.

In January Charles Clark (MHist’72, PhD’79) became dean of Augusta State University’s Katherine Reese Pamplin College of Arts and Sciences. Prior to his position, he served as dean at the University of Georgia’s graduate school where he also served as chair of the history department. Charles lives in Carrolton, Ga.

Glenwood Springs, Colo., resident Timm Fautsko (MSoc’72) was elected to a six-year term on the board of directors of Walsh University in Canton, Ohio. As an expert in court security, he is a principal staff member at the National Center for State Courts Denver office where he received an award for excellence and achievement in 2010. He is an executive advisory board member for the United States Marshals Service National Center for Judicial Security and staffs the Conference of Chief Justices and the Conference of State Court Administrators committees on court security and emergency preparedness in state courts.

Native American rights are at the forefront of Thomas Fredericks’ (Law’72) career since founding his law firm focusing on the practice of federal Indian law in 1979. His work as a liaison between the California Indian Legal Defense Fund and CU’s law school facilitated the founding of the Native American Rights Fund in Boulder in the early 1970s. The Mandan, ND., resident has two daughters and four grandchildren and told a local newspaper, “As long as I’m healthy, of good mind and am valuable to the young people in the firm, I’ll keep practicing.” He received the Minot State University Alumni Association’s Golden Awards last fall in recognition of his impact on Indian law.

In May Samuel Aquila (Psych’72) was appointed Archbishop of Denver. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1976. He served in 11 different parishes in Denver in the 1980s, including in Christ the King Parish and Guardian Angels Parish. He lives in Denver.

On May 27 Philip Courtney (MElEngr’72) and his wife celebrated their 40th anniversary with a trip to Maui. Philip is a software engineer for SRA International and is an avid cyclist riding for various charities in the summer. They have two children, and the couple enjoys skiing, hiking, traveling, kayaking and rafting.

One of five authors of 100 Years Up High: Colorado Mountains and Mountaineers (Colorado Mountain Club Press) James Fell (MHist’72, PhD’75) is an experienced climber, hiker and skier. In April he and his co-authors, including Janet Neuhoff Robertson (A&S’57), gave a presentation and held a book signing at the Boulder Public Library. James lives in Louisville, Colo.

Trial lawyer and community leader Frances Koncilja (Law’72) announced the launch of Alphabet Lawyers, a free online legal directory that includes contact information for more than 19,000 Colorado lawyers, judges and court personnel. Frances, its president and CEO, invested close to two years developing the site, researching, collecting and validating data as well as creating the search functions. She lives in Littleton, Colo.

Journalist Steve Hallock (Jour’72) has spent nearly 25 years in newspaper journalism working as a reporter, jazz critic, editorial writer, columnist, features editor and editor. He earned his doctorate in journalism from Ohio University in 2005 and is director of the school of communication at Point Park University in Pittsburgh. Steve has published three scholarly books of media criticism and history and has written commentary on op-ed pages in The New York Times, Denver Post, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and Philadelphia Inquirer. His most recent book, In Cheesman Park, is available on Amazon. Steve lives in Mingo Junction, Ohio.

Windsor, Colo., resident Phyllis Nakagawa (Edu’72) writes she still attends all of the CU football games and is a member of the Buff Belles.

After 12 months of searching for a new president, the Missouri Historical Society and commissioners of the Missouri History Museum Subdistrict appointed Frances Levine (Anth’72) to the position on April 15. Frances moved to Missouri from the New Mexico History Museum and Palace of the Governors where she served as the director since 2002.

NFL veteran Herb Orvis (A&S’72) was inducted into the CU 2014 Athletic Hall of Fame. A leader of the 1971 CU football team, Herb played a significant role in bringing the team to No. 3 in the nation, behind Nebraska and Oklahoma. He was a first-round pick of Detroit in the 1972 NFL Draft and played 10 years in the league.

Former Denver Post journalist Kristine Robbins McGovern (Phil) was co-winner of the 2014 T.F. Evans Award presented by the Shaw Society of the United Kingdom. The prize recognizes “writing that reflects the wit and wisdom of George Bernard Shaw.” Kristine writes the award is “proof that there is life after a philosophy degree!” After leavingThe Post, she wrote short plays that were performed nationwide. In her spare time, she paints and is rehabbing her Florence, Colo., home, which was built in 1903.

This summer Albert Thompson (MEdu) will receive the American Association of Physics Teachers’ Homer L. Dodge Citation for Distinguished Service. He was a member of the group from 1961-68 and rejoined in 1984 when he returned to teaching physics. He lives with his wife in Parker, Colo., where he substitute teaches in local high schools several days a month. He has two sons, one on Bainbridge Island, Wash., the other in southern California, and tries to visit often.

Writer and teacher Jack Collom (Engl; MA’74) released Petals of Poetry, a book of poems he wrote with Isabella Martinez, a Boulder High School student he mentors. Some of the poems in the book are collaborations; others are individual compositions. Jack has published 25 volumes of his own poetry and has taught children and adults for nearly 40 years. He is the pioneer of the “Eco-Lit” ecology literature classes at Boulder’s Naropa University.

The American Collegiate Retailing Association awarded Michael Levy (Mktg; MS’75) its inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award in Academics for his dedication to retailing. Michael is a marketing professor at Babson College. He has researched retailing, business logistics, financial retailing strategy, pricing and sales management and published more than 50 articles in marketing and logistics journals. He co-authored Retailing Management, a best-selling text published by McGraw-Hill/Irwin.

Colorado Gov. Hickenlooper appointed Frances Koncilja (Law) to the Colorado Public Utilities Commission in January. Frances, a Colorado native, has been a trial lawyer in the Denver area since 1972. She has handled criminal, commercial, civil and bankruptcy disputes. “I intend to be a strong voice for Colorado’s smaller communities,” she said in a release.

Technology pioneer Steve Wozniak (ElEngr ex’72, HonDocSci’89), Apple co-founder and inventor of the Apple I computer, served as opening-day keynote speaker for CU-Boulder’s 68th Conference on World Affairs in April. Among other things, he discussed self-driving cars, primary education, robots and Apple’s early days. See “Campus News” in this issue for a short report.

Frances Koncilja (Law) was appointed to the Colorado Public Utilities Commission by Governor John Hickenlooper. A native of Pueblo, Colo., Frances’ law practice focuses on complex commercial litigation. She represents plaintiffs and defendants.