Who got married, had a baby, or got a new job? Catch up on what your classmates are doing!
Keep your Alumni Association informed about developments in your life and we'll post your Class Notes as well! Tell us whenever you get married, have a baby, start a new job, get a promotion, receive an award or recognition. We like to brag about our alumni!
Walter Hintz ’74, Dearborn, retired April 2017 from General Motors as a senior lead manufacturing engineer after 42.5 years of service. His career began at the Detroit Cadillac Motor Car Division, then moved to Livonia & Romulus Powertrain Engine Plants, and finished at the GM Powertrain HQ, Pontiac, Mich. He was a manufacturing engineer for three years within car assembly and then moved into the machining group for major engine components for 39.5 years, finishing as a senior lead manufacturing engineer. Walter fills his retirement days with cabinetry/wood working and seeing his grandchildren.
Michael Hitch ’86, Tallinn, Estonia is the first international professor at Tallinn University of Technology in Estonia. Michael’s role is to contribute to the development and commercialization of mining-related technologies – VR/AR and machine learning. Estonia is Europe’s most connected and technologically advanced country and is known for the development of Skype and Starship delivery robots. a.
Linda Moline ’81, Cheboygan is an agent with Encore Financial Group.
Chris Flewelling ’94, Rogers City was promoted to undersheriff of Presque Isle County Sheriff’s Department.
Bryan Fuss ’98, Middleton, Wis. is the director of youth hockey operations for the Madison Capitols at Madison Capitols AAA Hockey.
Dennis Niles ’90, Mio has accepted a position as secondary school principal at Mio AuSable schools in Mio. Prior to this, Dennis worked for three and a half years as a member of LSSU Admissions staff working in southern Michigan. Dennis said he is loving every minute of his new job.
Jon S. Olson P.E. ’91, Howell, was recently recognized as the lead author for a peer-reviewed technical paper published at the Society of Automotive Engineers World Congress in Detroit, Michigan. Fuel Filler System Check Valves – Dynamic Evaluation 2017-01-1350 focused on the performance of certain fuel system components in the event of a vehicle impact. Jon is the president and a principle engineer at Superior Forensic Engineering, LLC located in Howell, Michigan. Olson is a professional engineer, a certified fire and explosion investigator and a certified vehicle fire investigator. Superior Forensics provides technical and engineering analysis for vehicle accident and fire investigations for a wide range of vehicle and equipment manufacturers.
Elaine Suess ’94, Cincinnati, has been named to the Board of Directors for the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. Elaine is president of Beyondbeing Executive Coaching, which she founded in 2006.
Jody (Levar) Wetherill ’99, Richmond Hill, Va., is the brand marketing manager for Archadeck Outdoor Living and Outdoor Lighting Perspectives.
Ruengrit Changkwanyuen ’00, Rockford was instrumental in the rescue of the Thai boys soccer team from the cave in Thailand. Changkwanyuen, who goes by the name Khun Pae, was born in Thailand but raised in the U.S. It was while attending LSSU in 1997 that a college buddy invited him to learn to scuba dive. Khun Pae went to work for General Motors soon after graduating from LSSU in 2000, but he kept diving as a hobby, even getting into the specialized and very technical field of cave diving.
Stephen Eles ’03, Houghton is an assistant director of media technology services at Michigan Technological University.
Eric Hill ’06, Gwinn was named NICE Community School District Teacher of the Year for the 2017-18 school year. Eric, who has been teaching for 11 years, also coaches cross country and track and field at Westwood High School. Eric played hockey for LSSU from 2004 to 2006. His wife Shalyn Beauchamp ‘08 played basketball for LSSU from 2003-2008. They have two children, Bazil, age 4 and Zaya, age 2.
Michele Marotz ’04, Dallas, is working for PlayPower Inc as a business systems analyst.
Tracy McDonald ’02, Detroit is a national account representative for Exelaa Technologies.
Greg Nichols ’00, Brunswick, Md. is the head brewer for Smoketown Brewing Station. He recently won a gold medal from the Brewers Association of Maryland for the Maryland Rye IPA, made with all Maryland ingredients.
Sean Stahl ’04, Seattle, worked as senior designer for the recently released Playstation VR game Bow to Blood. Before working at Tribetoy, Sean worked on projects such as Lord of the Rings: War in the North, Middle-earth: Shadow of War, and the Microsoft HoloLens.
Matt Violin ’05, Grand Rapids is a senior director of sales and marketing at NARSTCO, Inc.
Bridget Akre ’10, Sault Ste. Marie is a community manager for Lake Superior Estates.
Bo Brown ’13, Sault Ste. Marie is a printer technician for National Office Products and Printing, Inc.
Kyle Chatham ’18, Belleville, Ill. was picked up by the Greenville Swamp Rabbits of the ECHL.
Joshua Goldschmidt ’18, Greater Minneapolis, Minn. is a logistics analyst with the Inbound Planning Team of Penske Logistics.
Lacy Groh ’15, Castle Rock, Washington is a school psychologist for Castle Rock Primary and Intermediate Elementary School. Lacy is an Education Specialist, having completed her Ed.S. at the University of Tennessee in Chattanooga in May.
Doug Jones ’15, Grand Rapids is a financial analyst for MarshBerry, an insurance-focused investment bank and management consultancy. Doug is responsible for assisting senior level consultants with financial analysis, merger and acquisition advisory, financial due diligence, valuation services, perpetuation planning and other consulting projects.
CaSondra (Stinson) Maass ’12, MS of Naugatuck, Conn. earned her PMP certificate in March ’18. She now works remotely as a project manager for X-Gen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. located in beautiful Horseheads, NY.
Eric Menk ’14, Charlotte was inducted into Charlotte High School’s inaugural Hall of Fame in September. Eric played professionally for the Philippine Basketball Association for a number of years and for LSSU from 1993-1996. He returned to LSSU to complete his bachelor of science degree in sport and recreation management in 2014, after the conclusion of his professional career.
David Pawley ’12, Sault Ste. Marie is the director of finance for the City of Grand Ledge.
Chris Reed ’17, Sault Ste. Marie is employed at Osprey Technologies, an engineering firm that specializes in the design, analysis and fabrication of composite structures. .
Katie (Johnsen) Sabo ’12, Traverse City has joined Dingeman & Dancer PLC as an attorney. Her primary area of practice will be business law, real estate, estate planning, trust and probate administration. Sabo attended Western Michigan University Cooley Law School and graduated first in her class. At law school, Sabo was editor-in-chief of the WMU Cooley Journal of Practical and Clinical Law and also an intern for Michigan Supreme Court Justice Bridget Mary McCormack. While at Cooley, Sabo received 23 Certificates of Merit and several awards and scholarships. Sabo graduated magna cum laude with a degree in legal studies from Lake Superior State University and was awarded the Outstanding Legal Studies Graduate Award. Before obtaining her law degree, Sabo worked full-time as a paralegal for eight years.
Rose Scheid ’14, Lansing is an attorney for James Brown Law Office, PLLC. She specializes in estate plannings, estate and trust administration, probate, and real property work.
Cord Sutter ’18, Auburn Hills, received the Outstanding Student Engineer of the Year award from the Engineering Society of Detroit. As part of the recognition, Cord will receive a $1,000 scholarship.
Daniel Tincknell ’12, Traverse City is a budget and housing coach for the Northwest Michigan Community Action Agency.
Shelby (Beach) Wagensomer, ’16, Suffolk, Va. is a field talent acquisition specialist for the Dollar Tree Stores Headquarters.
Maggie (Nelson) Wells ’14, Saginaw is an exercise physiologist at Munson Medical Center.
Lucas Wickert ’17, Detroit is an operations supervisor for Ford Motor Company.
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