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Here is an update on some Alumni of Beta Chapter. If you have not already, please provide us your information in the "Tell us About Yourself" tab. When you have more time there is a tab, "More Bio Details" for providing additional details and thoughts beyond that.
JOHN C. ADAMS, ’84 – A native of Kirksville, John played basketball at TrumanState and was the recipient of the Stan Musial Sportsmanship Award given by Sigma Tau Gamma Fraternity. He earned the M.B.A. degree from the Wharton School of Business at the U. of Pennsylvania. John is now the Managing Director and head of the Chicago office of Lazard Freres & Co., an investment banking firm with revenues of more than $1.3 billion. John and his wife, Julie, and their family live in Barrington, Ill.
TODD ALLEN, ’81 – Commercial Insurance Broker, Italiano Insurance, Tampa, Fla.
Todd, originally from Kansas City, began his business career as a stock broker with B. C. Christopher Securities in his hometown. He then was an institutional stock broker for Robert W. Baird & Co. for 18 years. He recently joined Italiano Insurance Services as a Commercial Insurance Broker, assessing risks and marketing commercial insurance lines to small and mid-sized businesses in the Tampa area. Todd has a son, Brooks, 20, and a daughter, Paige, 16.
TOM L. BALLARD, ’69 – President/Owner, ST Aviation – Granger, Iowa
A Vietnam veteran, Tom retired in 1997 after selling Cordant Technology, a computer business in the Washington, D. C., where his wife Susan was an analyst for the C.I.A. They returned to the Des Moines area where he was raised and formed ST Aviation, a private investment holding company. Tom is also Managing Partner of Flying JTD, LLC – a Des Moines-based Flight Services Company that does flight training and commercial flying in the Midwest. He holds a commercial pilot’s license and is a flight instructor. Tom is also general partner in an Iowa-based ethanol plant. A trustee of the Truman State Foundation, Tom was the recipient of Truman’s Distinguished Service Award in 2007.
JEFFREY BEQUETTE, ’86 – Crew Management, Union Pacific Railroad, Omaha, Neb. Jeff is originally from Fayette, Mo., and has enjoyed a successful career with the Union Pacific Railroad, based in Omaha. He is now in charge of crew management. Jeff’s wife, Sandy, is also a 1983 graduate of Truman and they have two daughters, Kaity, 19, and Jessica, 17.
BARRY BLOOM, ’64 – Minister, JeffersonUnitarianChurch, Golden, Colo.
Barry spent more than 30 years in the counseling field before entering the ministry at the JeffersonUnitarianChurch. A native of Fulton, he and his wife Amanda – a graduate of Bryn Mawr College – have two grown sons, David Bloom and Mark Bloom, and a daughter, Hannah, age 16.
THOMAS G. BRANDVOLD– Finance Senior Manager, Dell, Inc., Cedar Park, TX
An accounting major at TrumanState, Tom is a Certified Public Accountant who joined the fast-growing Dell computer company and has risen to become its Senior Finance Manager. A native of Chesterfield, Tom and his wife, Lee, have three children–Kayla, 15; Jake, 13; and Logan, 9.
GREGORY S. BROWN, ’84 – C.E.O., Learfield Communications, Jefferson City, Mo.
Greg served as chapter president and received the Ellsworth C. Dent “Man of the Year” Award in 1984 from Sigma Tau Gamma. Upon graduation, he joined Learfield in sales at Des Moines for the Cyclone Network. He has led the company’s sports division since 2001, when there were only six partner schools, to more than 50 schools today. Greg was recently named president and C.EO. for the parent company, Learfield Communications. Greg and his wife, Geri, also a TrumanState, plan to move this summer from Plano, Tex., to Jefferson City.
ROGER L. CALLAWAY, ’82 – Consultant, Heartland Risk Management, St. Louis, MO.
Roger was a general manager for a computer networking company for seven years before he managed operations for a company in the grain storage and processing industry. Since 2006, he was been a senior consultant for Heartland Risk Management Services, a firm that performs risk assessment, loss control and training services for insurance companies. Roger and his wife, Christine, live in St. Louis.
D. W. COLE, ’81 – Vice President of Client Development, True Media, Columbia, Mo.
A native of Kirksville, D. W. had a distinguished college career, serving as president of the student senate at TrumanState and receiving the Ellsworth C. Dent “Man of the Year” award in addition to serving as chapter president. He has been a successful business marketer for nearly 30 years while serving as president of the Goetze Educational Foundation and as national president of Sigma Tau Gamma from 2004 to 2006. He is the father of two sons, Jeff, 21, and Chris, 16.
JEFFREY J. COOK, ’85 – Asst. Principal/Activities Dir., Chariton H. S., Pleasantville, Ia.
A native of Pleasantville, Jeff returned to his hometown to teach and coach after graduating from TrumanState. After receiving his master’s degree from ViterboUniversity, he accepted his current position as Assistant Principal and Activities Director with the CharitonCommunitySchool District. Jeff and his wife, Debbie, have two grown daughters and a son in middle school. They continue to live in Pleasantville, Ia.
KEITH C. DINSMORE, ’65–President/Owner, Signet Communications, Des Moines, Ia.
After serving as Executive Director of Sigma Tau Gamma for seven years, Keith owned and published a group of 22 weekly newspapers, receiving the “Outstanding Alumnus in Communications” award from his alma mater. Since 1982, he has been a public relations and media consultant, working in five presidential campaigns in addition to serving clients in the private and public sectors. Recently he was Communications Director for the Biden for President campaign in Iowa prior to the 2008 precinct caucuses. His is a past national president of Sigma Tau Gamma. His son, Bill, a Sigma Tau Gamma alumnus at the University of Missouri, lives in Columbia.
DR. REX W. DINSMORE, ’60 – Osteopathic Physician, Tallmadge, O.
A native of Fremont, Ia., went to Akron, O., to serve his internship after graduating from Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine and remained in that community to begin his practice of family medicine. He is currently on the medical staff for the Unity Health Network. Rex and his wife, Patricia, a registered nurse, have two sons, David and Michael, who are alumni of the Sigma Tau Gamma chapter at the University of Akron. When they were undergraduates, Rex served as a chapter adviser.
TODD E. DITMARS, ’89 -- C. E. O., SofTek DDS, Inc., Tampa, Fla.
A native of Kirksville, Todd is an accomplished senior business development executive who has been a principal of SofTek DDS, Inc., in Tampa, Fla., since 2005. Prior to that time, he was a vice president for U. S. Investigative Services in Hollywood, Fla. Todd and his wife, Alissa, have five children – Chander, 18; Addie, 16; Ryan, 8; Rhyece, 6, and Olivia, 5. They make their home in Seminole, Fla.
GRANT DORRELL, ’91 – Sergeant, Springfield Police Department, Springfield, Mo.
A native of Marceline, Grant has several years of service in the Police Department for the City of Springfield. His wife, Rebecca, is a graduate of MissouriState and they have a son, Luke, 15.
J. J. ERLBACHER, ’73 – Retired District Team Leader, Target – Sharps Chapel, Tenn. A native of Harlan, Ia., J. J. enjoyed a highly successful career in the field of retail management prior to his retirement in 2006. He concluded his career as a District Team Leader for the Target Corp., one of the leading retailers in the nation. J. J. and his wife, Jackie, a Northwestern graduate, are now enjoying retirement at their lake home near Sharps Chapel, Tenn.
BILL FARLEY, ’80 – President, Farley’s International Adventures, Wentzville, MO
Bill established Farley’s International Adventures following his graduation from college and specializes in hunting expeditions worldwide. His clientele are big game hunting enthusiasts seeking an international hunting adventure. A native of North Kansas City, Bill and his wife have two children, Lauren and Blake.
CHARLES M. FOUDREE, ’66 – Retired C.F.O., Harmon Industries, Lee’s Summit, Mo.
Chuck began his career in accounting with Peat Marwick & Mitchell in Kansas City, Mo., before joining the management team of Harmon Industries, Inc., in Blue Springs, Mo. Chuck was the company’s Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer when he retired in 2009. He and his wife, Colleen, have received many honors for their community service to charitable organizations. Chuck serves on the boards of the Truman Library Institute, the Saint Paul School of Theology and the Truman Heartland Community Foundation.. He also presently serves as Chairman of the endowment campaign being conducted by the Truman State University Foundation. They have two grown children and four grandchildren who live in the Kansas City area.
ROBERT. L. FOWLER, ’74 – President, VR Mergers & Acquisitions, St. Louis, Mo.
A native of Unionville, Robert was instrumental in the growth of Learfield Communications of Jefferson City, Mo., before becoming a business broker in St. Louis, Mo. He is now President of VR Mergers & Acquisitions and lives in Chesterfield. His wife, Deena, also a 1974 TrumanState graduate, is the owner of two Play It Again Sports franchises in the St. Louis area. They have two grown daughters, Natalie and Katherine, who are both graduates of the University of Missouri.
TIM GRAWER, ’96 – Director of Finance, Zoltek Corp., St. Louis, Mo.
A native of St. Louis, Tim returned to his home city after graduation to begin his business career. After serving as Controller for Insituform Technologies for six years, he was Consolidations Manager for Charter Communications. Since 2006, he has been Director of Finance with Zoltek. Tim and his wife, Nichols, have three young children – Anthony, Willa and Mabel. Tim comes from a prominent athletic family with his father, Rich, having served as head basketball coach at St. Louis U. and his brother, Brian, starring for the U. of Missouri.
DR. JASON GREENFIELD, ‘97 – Asst. Prof. of Urology, Columbia U., New York, NY
A native of Long Grove, Ill., Jason graduated from medical school in Chicago, where he also did his urology residency. After a one year fellowship in sexual medicine and male infertility at DukeUniversity, Jason joined the urology faculty at ColumbiaUniversity in New York City. He is in the process of joining the second largest urology group in the U. S., located in Dallas, where he plans to establish a men’s health center and continue to do clinical research in men’s sexual medicine. His wife, Paulette, is a graduate of WashingtonUniversity.
JUDGE STANLEY A. GRIMM, ‘54 – Retired Judge, Court of Appeals, St. Louis, Mo.
Upon graduating from law school at the University of Missouri, Stan began practicing in Cape Girardeau. In 1972, he was elected Circuit Court Judge and served in that office until 1987 when Stan was appointed to the eastern district of the Court of Appeals in St. Louis. He retired from the judgeship in 1998 and has since been a mediator and arbitrator. Stan and his wife, Jane, continue to make their home in have three grown sons, who are all now practicing law.
EDWIN G. HARVEY, ’79 – Attorney/Partner, Thompson Coburn Firm, St. Louis, Mo.
Ed enrolled at the Washington University School of Law after his graduation from TrumanState. Upon receiving his law degree, he joined the prestigious Thompson Coburn law firm in St. Louis and is now a partner of the firm. A native of Oskaloosa, Ia., Ed and his wife, Terri, have three grown children, including Katie, a student at TrumanStateU.
GARY G. HENDREN, ’62 – Teacher/Athletic Coord., Parkway Central, St. Louis, Mo.
A bsketball standout in college, Gary enjoyed a distinguished career as a mathematics teacher then as an Athletics Coordinator in the ParkwaySchool District. A native of GilmanCity, Gary has been happily retired for 13 years and enjoys travelling as well as philatelic activities. He and his wife, Lynda, live in MarylandHeights. He has two grown daughters.
JOHN C. HEYER, ’64 – Retired Owner, Heyer Insurance Group – Las Vegas, Nev.
A native of Des Moines, Ia., John served in the U. S. Army after his college days then was with I. T. T. for several years. He subsequently entered the insurance business and enjoyed a successful career as owner of the Heyer Insurance Group. He has an M. A. in marketing from WebsterUniversity. Now retired, John makes his home in Las Vegas, Nev. He has one grown daughter, Kimberly.
ERIC R. HINRICHS – Accountant, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, Overland Park, Kan.
A St. Louis native, Eric is an I. T. Audit Manager with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP Systems and Process Assurance practice based in Kansas City, Mo. A C. P. A., prior to joining his current company in 2004, Eric was Senior Auditor for PRG-Schultz for six years and a Senior Accountant with State Street Bank for two years. Although he travels extensively for business, Eric has offered to mentor an aspiring accountant.
STEPHEN L. HITE, ’84 – System Administrator, Tribune Publishing Co., Columbia, Mo.
After spending several years in the restaurant business, Steve joined the Tribune Publishing Co. in Columbia, Mo., in 1995. He served as purchasing manager for four years then was named I. T. Operations Manager before assuming his current position in 2008. Steve has also devoted several years to serving the Goetze Educational Foundation as treasurer and has devoted much effort to maintaining the Sigma Tau Gamma membership list. In addition to graduating from TrumanState, he also holds a B. S. degree in Computer Information Systems from Columbia, College.
JERRY E. HITT, ’61 – Agent, Prudential Insurance Co., Marshall, Mo.
A native of Kirksville, Jerry entered the insurance business soon out of college and became a sales agent for the Prudential Insurance Co. in the Marshall community. Jerry and his wife, Mildred, are the parents of three grown children.
DENNIS A. HOHN, ’67 – Financial Adviser, Edward Jones Co., Ottumwa, Ia.
Dennis entered the financial industry after teaching for several years and serving with the U. S. Army Security Agency. He has since served as an area manager and financial adviser for Edward Jones. Dennis is a member of TrumanState’s Foundation Board and is also a director of the Ottumwa Regional Health Care Foundation. He and his wife, Susie, have three grown daughters.
RICHARD H. HOLMES, ‘74 – Retired Marketing Exec., Safeway Stores, Greeley, Colo.
A native of Urbandale, Ia., Rich enjoyed a successful career in marketing with the Safeway Store grocery chain in Fresno, Calif., prior to his retirement in 2008. Rich and his wife Colleen have three grown children and have relocated from Fresno to Greeley, Colo. His specialty is small business management and marketing.
PATRICK HORSEFIELD, ’95 –Atty./Partner, Steelman, Gaunt & Horsefield, Cuba, Mo.
A native of Cuba, Mo., Patrick returned to his hometown to practice law and is now a partner with the Steelman, Gaunt & Horsefield law firm. Patrick and his wife, Jenny, have three daughters – Abigail, 12; Grace, 9; and Sophie.
JAY HEMENWAY, ’82 – Jay Hemenway , P. C., Attorney at Law, Bethany, Mo.
A native of Princeton, Mo., Jay served the Fraternity as a Chapter Counselor after graduating from TrumanState then enrolled in law school at the University of Missouri – Kansas City. He served for more than 10 years as Prosecuting Attorney for MercerCounty before establishing a solo law practice at Bethany. Jay is currently serving as President of the Goetze Educational Foundation. He and his wife, Melody, have five children, including Garrett Spease (Alpha ’11), and two children still living at home with them in Bethany.
WILLIAM H KING, ’88 – Gen. Mgr., DistributionCenter, Dot Foods, Ardmore, Okla.
A native of Aurora, Ill., Bill has more than 20 years experience in the consumer goods and supply chain industry. After working for Eby Brown for seven years, Bill was a senior manager for supply chain services at Pepsico, Inc., for 12 years. He joined Dot Foods in 2008 and was named General Manager of the DotDistributionCenter in Ardmore, Okla., last year. Bill lives in Ardmore, Okla., with his wife, Kim, and three children – Allison, 11, Mallory, 8, and Cooper, 5.
FRANK S. LAUDWIG, ’85 – Manager, American Equity Mortgage, Flower Mound, Tex.
Frank begin his career in financial serves with a credit union the became a regional vice president for Centex Home Equity. He subsequently worked for two other lenders before joining American Equity Mortgage in January. Frank has three children – Jesse, Sydney and Ryan.
DR. MICHAEL W. LAWSON, ’77 – Doctor of Chiropractic, Santa Rosa, Calif.
A native of HawthorneCalif., Mike moved back to his home state after graduation and has a chiropractic practice in Santa Rosa, Calif. Mike and his wife, Deborah, also make their home in Santa Rosa.
MARK A. MARTENS, ’81 – Senior Vice President, Wachovia Bank, Daytona Beach, Fla.
Mark is a native of Kirksville and began his banking career in West Virginia. He subsequently moved to Daytona Beach, Fla., where he is now the Senior Vice President for business banking with Wachovia Bank. Mark and his wife, Terri, live in Daytona Beach and he has a grown daughter, Tiara.
BRANT A. McCOY, ’03 – Attorney/Owner, McCoy Law Firm, LLC – Platte City, Mo.
Brant, who is originally from Savannah, began his legal career in 2003 as a Default Prevention Analyst at the Missouri Higher Education Loan Authority then joined the Jones Law Firm as an Associate Attorney in 2007. Brant has recently opened the McCoy Law Firm in Olathe, Kan. He and his wife, Tara, also a Truman graduate, have a 1-year-old son, Liam.
ALLEN W. McKIE, ’67 – Retired President, The Chocolate House, Milwaukee, Wis.
Allen was president of his graduating class at Truman and taught briefly before earning a master’s degree in business. He began his career in the confectionary business with Russell Stover Candies, serving as general manager of a new plant in Grand Junction, Colo. He joined The Chocolate House in 1978 as plant manager, became executive vice president of the company, then president in 1990. He sold the business in 2005 to the Georgia Nut Co. Allen has since retired and moved to St. George, Utah, with his wife, Anne.
PAUL C. MOOTS, ’72 – Retired Engineering Manager, Caterpillar Inc., Peoria, Ill.
Paul attended Truman State U. in his hometown before transferring to the U. of Missouri at Rolla to receive his degree in mechanical engineering. He enjoyed a successful career with Caterpillar Inc. in Peoria, Ill., and retired in 2007 as engineering manager. Paul and his wife, the former Carol Sees, have two grown sons, Andy and Chris. They recently moved to Highlands Ranch, Colo.
JUDGE R. CARL MUELLER, ‘83 – Administrative Law Judge, Kansas City, Mo.
A native of Moberly, Judge Mueller was student body president at TrumanState and received the Ellsworth C. Dent “Man of the Year” Award from Sigma Tau Gamma. He earned both the M.B.A. and law degrees from Southern Methodist University before serving in the Governor’s office in legislative affairs. He has served as an Administrative Law Judge for the Missouri Division of Workers’ Compensation since 1991. Carl and his wife, Jill, live in Lee’s Summit and have two sons, Garrett, 19, and Grant, 17.
DR. L. KEITH PECK , ’62 – Retired Prof., Mathematics, Truman State U., Kirksville, Mo.
A native of Blakesburg, Ia., Keith served TrumanStateUniversity as a Professor of Mathematics for many years until his retirement in January 2000. Keith and his wife, Marilyn, a registered nurse, are the parents of three grown sons – Bradley, Jon, and Tyler.
MICHAEL J. PERSELL – Financial Advisor, Edward Jones Company, Richmond, Mo.
Mike joined Edward Jones & Co. after graduation and serves the investment needs of clients in the Richmond community as an agent for the Edward Jones Company. Mike and his wife, Andrea, have two teenage children, Justin, 15, and Kalynn, 12.
EDWIN L. PHELPS, ‘68 – Retired Human Resources Dir., Kraft Foods, Sun Prairie, Wis.
Ed was a teaching before entering the human resources field with the Oscar Mayer Co. He subsequently was employed by Kraft Foods and retired as its Director of Human Resources at Glenview, Ill. He and his wife, Donna, have two grown children, Annette and Andrew, and they reside in Sun Prairie, Wis. Ed is a native of Tipton, Ia.
JOSHUA A. ROESCH, ’04 – Attorney, Husch Blackwell Sanders LLP, St. Louis, Mo.
After graduating from TrumanState, Josh attended law school at the Universit of Missouri – Columbia. Josh joined Husch Blackwell Sanders LLPin 2007, where his practice focuses on commercial transactions, securities, mergers and acquisitions and sweepstates and promotion law.
RON ROGERS, '69 - Retired Mathematics Teacher, University City, MO
Ron started teaching Middle/High School mathematics in 1969. He taught in New Cambria, MO (1-year), Savanna, IL (2-years), Parkway North High School in St. Louis County (27-years) and Clayton, MO (1-year). Besides teaching for 31 years in the public schools, Ron also taught part-time at Forest Park Community College and Fontbonne University in the St. Louis area. He retired in 2000 and has been traveling, researching and blogging at R2blog.com. Ron and his wife, Kathy, a retired elementary school teacher, have two children and five grand-children.
TOBY ROSS, ’99 – Sales & Mktg. Dir., HWI Environmental Technologies, St. Louis, Mo.
A native of Kirksville and a fourth generation member of Sigma Tau Gamma from the Beard family, Toby lives in Glendale, Mo., with his wife, Lisa and two children, Mason and Ethan. He has risen to the position of Director of Sales and Marketing for HWI Environmental Technologies., Inc.
R. JOSEPH RUDDELL, ’83 – Sales Manager, Dawes Rigging & Crane, Watertown, Wis.
Joe began his business career with Jack’s Retail Stores then joined Ricoh Office Equipment as a salesman. He was with Lawn-Boy for four years before becoming midwest sales manager for Stihl, then Tradesmen International for two years. He has held his current position with Dawes Rigging and Crane Rental since 1999. Joe and his wife, Debbie, also a Truman graduate, have two sons, Quinn and Chase, and live in Watertown,
J. GREGORY RUMPF, ‘79 – Agent, Mass Mutual Insurance Co., Greensboro, N. C.
A native of St. Louis, Greg has had a diversified business career as a small business owner which has culminated in his serving the insurance needs of the small business community as an agent for the Mass Mutual Insurance Co. As a student at Kirksville, Greg was chapter president, president of the Student Senate, and received the 1979 Ellsworth C. Dent “Man of the Year” Award from Sigma Tau Gamma.
ERIC W. SCHIEFELBEIN, ’86 – Director of Sales,, Peel’s Salon Services, Johnston, Ia.
A native of Dundee, Ill., Eric is now Director of Sales and Training for Peel’s Salon Services, a leader in the professional hair care industry. Eric and his wife, Ann, also a1986 Truman alum, have two daughters, Olivia, 18, and Elizabeth, 17.
ROBERT E. SCHMIDT, ’91 – Sales & Marketing Manager, John Deere Co., Apex, N. C.
Robert grew up in Moline, Ill., and has steadily risen in the management of the John Deere Company, which is based in his hometown. He is now a product line manager in the sales and marketing area. Robert and his wife, the former Kari Amundson, have two children.
WILLIAM D. SEVERSON, ‘65 – Principal, Severson Consulting Group, St. Louis, Mo.
Bill was an educator after graduating from Truman and served as a teaching fellow in the history department at VanderbiltUniversity while he worked on a doctoral degree. He rapidly moved up the ranks within the May Department Stores Co. in St. Louis to become Director of Executive Recruiting. After May (now Macy’s) was purchased, Bill began his third career by founding his consulting group. He is also an adjunct professor at LindenwoodUniversity.
JAMES SCHAFER, ’90 – Communication Specialist, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Ia.
A native of Cedar Rapids, Ia., James began his career in sales, became a college recruiter and is now a Strategic Communication and Training Specialist for the University of Iowa in Iowa City. He has also been an adjunct college instructor for 16 years. James and his wife, Maureen, a TrumanState alum, have two daughters, Adriana, 10, and Lauren, 8.
JEFFREY A. SPENCE, ’92 – Director of Sales, Embassy Suites Hotel, Des Moines, Ia.
Jeff has had an enviable career in sales and marketing for upscale/luxury branded and independent hospitality destinations since his graduation from TrumanState. He has been a leader in several professional organizations, including president of the Heartland Chapter of Meeting Professionals International in 2006. Jeff and his wife, Nikki, live in Clive, Ia.
JON O. TAVARES, ’96 – Hawaii Regional Manager, Standard Parking, Honolulu, Hawaii
Upon graduating from TrumanState, Jon returned to his native Hawaii and joined ABM Industries as assistant branch manager. In 2000, he became vice president for the Star Protection Agency. He then was a manger for UHA for three years until joining Standard Parking as Regional Manager for the State of Hawaii in 2009. Jon and his wife, Michele, have three sons – Jon, Oren and Paul – and live in Kailua, a suburb of Honolulu.
PATRICK THORNTON, ’92--Supply Representative, Propane Resources, Mission, Kan.
Pat grew up in Independence and returned to Kansas City after graduation from TrumanState but remained involved with both the University and his Fraternity. Pat is a past president of the Kansas City Alumni Chapter for Truman and was recently elected treasurer of the Goetze Educational Foundation and is secretary of the Beta Alumni Association. Pat is a Supply Representative for Propane Resources and lives in Lenexa, Kan., with his wife, Tracie, and three children – McKenna, Olivia, and Sterling.
KEVIN A. TIBBS, ’95 – Chemist and Co-Founder, Better Life Products, St. Louis, Mo.
Kevin was working as a formulation chemist for Westport Labs when he joined a boyhood friend from St. Charles in founding Better Life, which produces and distributes green cleaning products. They started the company in 2008 and expect sales in 2010 to exceed $500,000. Kevin and his wife, Tiffany, have two daughters, Rachel, and Allison.
MICHAEL G., TRENT, ’68 – Retired Teacher/Admin., Pembroke Hill, Kansas City, Mo.
A Kirksville native, Mike began his teaching career after graduating from Truman and joined the staff at PembrokeHillHigh School in 1973. He retired as an administrator in 2006. He also served nearly 40 years in the U. S. Army Reserve until his retirement in 2008 following his last tour of duty in Kuwait. Mike and his wife, Faith, have four grown children.
R. SCOTT TROESTER, ’81 –Technical Mgr, Veyance Technologies,Overland Park, Kan.
Scott has continued to serve Sigma Tau Gamma in many capacities, including national president, while building his business career in the Kansas City area. He is now a Technical Manager for Veyance Technologies, formerly known as Goodyear Engineered Products, a global organization based in Fairlawn O. Scott, his wife, Judy, and their family make their home in Overland Park, Kan.
JUDGE KEVIN WALDEN, ’84 – Assoc. Circuit Judge, State of Missouri, Carrollton, Mo.
A native of Carrollton, Kevin returned to his hometown to practice law after graduating from Truman State and receiving his law degree. After practicing for several years, he was elected Associate Circuit Judge in Carroll County in 2006. Kevin and his wife, Linda, continue to live in Carrollton.
KIRK T. WALKER, ’82 – Manager, Boron Products, Searles Valley Minerals, Liberty, Mo.
Kirk began his career in sales and marketing as a manager for TRW Automotive for ten years. He continued in the automotive industry as sales manager for The Equipment Company and Carquest before joining Three Star Industries as National Director. For the past two years, he has held his current position with Searles valley minerals. Kirk earned the M.B.A. degree from the University of Missouri – Kansas City and lives in Liberty with his wife, Dee, also a Truman State graduate. They have a daughter, Lauren.
ALFRED E. WELCH, ’55 – Retired 1992, Sales Rep., Riverside Publishing, Omaha, Neb.
After two years in the military following graduation, Al taught and coached in his hometown of Macon, Mo., for several years then became high school principal at Windsor, Mo, in 1967. He began a new career at Rand McNally with its educational division, that was sold to Houghton-Mifflin four years later to create Riverside Publishing to market their testing materials. Al retired after 18 years of service with Riverside.
JERRY E. WEST, ’60 – Retired 2003, Accounts Payable, Dierbergs Markets, St. Louis, Mo.
Jerry was raised in St. Louis County and has had a varied business career. After several years in government, Jerry was controller for a Pepsi-cola distributor then was an auditor for Kraft General Foods for 10 years. When he retired, he was with Dierbergs Markets in St. Louis. Jerry and his wife, Ruth, have lived in St. Charles since 1963 and have three grown children.
JASON M. WILLETT, ’95 – Membership Manager, Trailnet, St. Louis, Mo.
Jason and his wife, Cathy, live in his hometown of Belleville, Ill., with their children, Jack, 12, Lily, 3, and their 1-year-old twins, August and Lucy. Jason is the membership manager for Trailnet, a St. Louis based non-profit organization that encourages people to integrate physical activity into their daily routines.
PAUL M. WISEMAN, ’82 – Intelligence Officer, Special Operations, Land O Lakes, Fla.
A native of Leon, Ia., Paul entered the Armed Forces after graduating from Truman State, serving tour of duty in many locations around the world. In his current assignment, Paul is an Intelligence Officer for U. S. Special Operations of the Department of Defense. His wife, Marline, has degrees from the University of Wisconsin and Johns Hopkins University.
BRYAN J. WITHERBEE, ’94 – Lead Biochemist, Monsanto, St. Louis, Mo.
Originally from Galesburg, Ill., Bryan has risen rapidly in the field of molecular technology development. He is currently the lead biochemist for Monsanto in the company’s molecular technology development. Prior to joining Monsanto, he was a senior principal scientist for 14 years with Pfizer. Bryan and his wife, Shelby, also a Truman State graduate, live in St. Peters with their three children – Riley, 8, Braden, 6, and Braeden, 3.
MARK T. WOFFORD, ’81 – Claims Prevention Analyst, FedEx Freight, St. Louis, Mo.
Mark grew up in St. Peters, Mo., in St. Louis County and makes his home there today with his wife, Jolene, a 1982 alumnae of Truman State. Mark is now the Senior Claims Prevention Analyst at FedEx Freight in St. Louis. Mark and Jolene’s children are Case, Kelli-Jo and Jordan.
DR. J. PHILIP WORMSLEY, ’69 – Retired 2008, Director, Buena Vista, Fort Dodge, Ia.
A Kirksville native, Dr. Wormsley spent much of his career in education as an administrator in the Fort Dodge Community School District where he served as high school principal. He subsequently became the director of the Buena Vista center when it was opened in Fort Dodge. Dr. Wormsley and his wife, Kristi, a 1971 Truman graduate, have two grown sons, Scott and Jon.
JOHN C. ADAMS, ’84 – A native of Kirksville, John played basketball at TrumanState and was the recipient of the Stan Musial Sportsmanship Award given by Sigma Tau Gamma Fraternity. He earned the M.B.A. degree from the Wharton School of Business at the U. of Pennsylvania. John is now the Managing Director and head of the Chicago office of Lazard Freres & Co., an investment banking firm with revenues of more than $1.3 billion. John and his wife, Julie, and their family live in Barrington, Ill.
TODD ALLEN, ’81 – Commercial Insurance Broker, Italiano Insurance, Tampa, Fla.
Todd, originally from Kansas City, began his business career as a stock broker with B. C. Christopher Securities in his hometown. He then was an institutional stock broker for Robert W. Baird & Co. for 18 years. He recently joined Italiano Insurance Services as a Commercial Insurance Broker, assessing risks and marketing commercial insurance lines to small and mid-sized businesses in the Tampa area. Todd has a son, Brooks, 20, and a daughter, Paige, 16.
TOM L. BALLARD, ’69 – President/Owner, ST Aviation – Granger, Iowa
A Vietnam veteran, Tom retired in 1997 after selling Cordant Technology, a computer business in the Washington, D. C., where his wife Susan was an analyst for the C.I.A. They returned to the Des Moines area where he was raised and formed ST Aviation, a private investment holding company. Tom is also Managing Partner of Flying JTD, LLC – a Des Moines-based Flight Services Company that does flight training and commercial flying in the Midwest. He holds a commercial pilot’s license and is a flight instructor. Tom is also general partner in an Iowa-based ethanol plant. A trustee of the Truman State Foundation, Tom was the recipient of Truman’s Distinguished Service Award in 2007.
JEFFREY BEQUETTE, ’86 – Crew Management, Union Pacific Railroad, Omaha, Neb.
Jeff is originally from Fayette, Mo., and has enjoyed a successful career with the Union Pacific Railroad, based in Omaha. He is now in charge of crew management. Jeff’s wife, Sandy, is also a 1983 graduate of Truman and they have two daughters, Kaity, 19, and Jessica, 17.
BARRY BLOOM, ’64 – Minister, JeffersonUnitarianChurch, Golden, Colo.
Barry spent more than 30 years in the counseling field before entering the ministry at the JeffersonUnitarianChurch. A native of Fulton, he and his wife Amanda – a graduate of Bryn Mawr College – have two grown sons, David Bloom and Mark Bloom, and a daughter, Hannah, age 16.
THOMAS G. BRANDVOLD– Finance Senior Manager, Dell, Inc., Cedar Park, TX
An accounting major at TrumanState, Tom is a Certified Public Accountant who joined the fast-growing Dell computer company and has risen to become its Senior Finance Manager. A native of Chesterfield, Tom and his wife, Lee, have three children–Kayla, 15; Jake, 13; and Logan, 9.
GREGORY S. BROWN, ’84 – C.E.O., Learfield Communications, Jefferson City, Mo.
Greg served as chapter president and received the Ellsworth C. Dent “Man of the Year” Award in 1984 from Sigma Tau Gamma. Upon graduation, he joined Learfield in sales at Des Moines for the Cyclone Network. He has led the company’s sports division since 2001, when there were only six partner schools, to more than 50 schools today. Greg was recently named president and C.EO. for the parent company, Learfield Communications. Greg and his wife, Geri, also a TrumanState, plan to move this summer from Plano, Tex., to Jefferson City.
ROGER L. CALLAWAY, ’82 – Consultant, Heartland Risk Management, St. Louis, MO.
Roger was a general manager for a computer networking company for seven years before he managed operations for a company in the grain storage and processing industry. Since 2006, he was been a senior consultant for Heartland Risk Management Services, a firm that performs risk assessment, loss control and training services for insurance companies. Roger and his wife, Christine, live in St. Louis.
D. W. COLE, ’81 – Vice President of Client Development, True Media, Columbia, Mo.
A native of Kirksville, D. W. had a distinguished college career, serving as president of the student senate at TrumanState and receiving the Ellsworth C. Dent “Man of the Year” award in addition to serving as chapter president. He has been a successful business marketer for nearly 30 years while serving as president of the Goetze Educational Foundation and as national president of Sigma Tau Gamma from 2004 to 2006. He is the father of two sons, Jeff, 21, and Chris, 16.
JEFFREY J. COOK, ’85 – Asst. Principal/Activities Dir., Chariton H. S., Pleasantville, Ia.
A native of Pleasantville, Jeff returned to his hometown to teach and coach after graduating from TrumanState. After receiving his master’s degree from ViterboUniversity, he accepted his current position as Assistant Principal and Activities Director with the CharitonCommunitySchool District. Jeff and his wife, Debbie, have two grown daughters and a son in middle school. They continue to live in Pleasantville, Ia.
KEITH C. DINSMORE, ’65–President/Owner, Signet Communications, Des Moines, Ia.
After serving as Executive Director of Sigma Tau Gamma for seven years, Keith owned and published a group of 22 weekly newspapers, receiving the “Outstanding Alumnus in Communications” award from his alma mater. Since 1982, he has been a public relations and media consultant, working in five presidential campaigns in addition to serving clients in the private and public sectors. Recently he was Communications Director for the Biden for President campaign in Iowa prior to the 2008 precinct caucuses. His is a past national president of Sigma Tau Gamma. His son, Bill, a Sigma Tau Gamma alumnus at the University of Missouri, lives in Columbia.
DR. REX W. DINSMORE, ’60 – Osteopathic Physician, Tallmadge, O.
A native of Fremont, Ia., went to Akron, O., to serve his internship after graduating from Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine and remained in that community to begin his practice of family medicine. He is currently on the medical staff for the Unity Health Network. Rex and his wife, Patricia, a registered nurse, have two sons, David and Michael, who are alumni of the Sigma Tau Gamma chapter at the University of Akron. When they were undergraduates, Rex served as a chapter adviser.
TODD E. DITMARS, ’89 -- C. E. O., SofTek DDS, Inc., Tampa, Fla.
A native of Kirksville, Todd is an accomplished senior business development executive who has been a principal of SofTek DDS, Inc., in Tampa, Fla., since 2005. Prior to that time, he was a vice president for U. S. Investigative Services in Hollywood, Fla. Todd and his wife, Alissa, have five children – Chander, 18; Addie, 16; Ryan, 8; Rhyece, 6, and Olivia, 5. They make their home in Seminole, Fla.
GRANT DORRELL, ’91 – Sergeant, Springfield Police Department, Springfield, Mo.
A native of Marceline, Grant has several years of service in the Police Department for the City of Springfield. His wife, Rebecca, is a graduate of MissouriState and they have a son, Luke, 15.
J. J. ERLBACHER, ’73 – Retired District Team Leader, Target – Sharps Chapel, Tenn. A native of Harlan, Ia., J. J. enjoyed a highly successful career in the field of retail management prior to his retirement in 2006. He concluded his career as a District Team Leader for the Target Corp., one of the leading retailers in the nation. J. J. and his wife, Jackie, a Northwestern graduate, are now enjoying retirement at their lake home near Sharps Chapel, Tenn.
BILL FARLEY, ’80 – President, Farley’s International Adventures, Wentzville, MO
Bill established Farley’s International Adventures following his graduation from college and specializes in hunting expeditions worldwide. His clientele are big game hunting enthusiasts seeking an international hunting adventure. A native of North Kansas City, Bill and his wife have two children, Lauren and Blake.
CHARLES M. FOUDREE, ’66 – Retired C.F.O., Harmon Industries, Lee’s Summit, Mo.
Chuck began his career in accounting with Peat Marwick & Mitchell in Kansas City, Mo., before joining the management team of Harmon Industries, Inc., in Blue Springs, Mo. Chuck was the company’s Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer when he retired in 2009. He and his wife, Colleen, have received many honors for their community service to charitable organizations. Chuck serves on the boards of the Truman Library Institute, the Saint Paul School of Theology and the Truman Heartland Community Foundation.. He also presently serves as Chairman of the endowment campaign being conducted by the Truman State University Foundation. They have two grown children and four grandchildren who live in the Kansas City area.
ROBERT. L. FOWLER, ’74 – President, VR Mergers & Acquisitions, St. Louis, Mo.
A native of Unionville, Robert was instrumental in the growth of Learfield Communications of Jefferson City, Mo., before becoming a business broker in St. Louis, Mo. He is now President of VR Mergers & Acquisitions and lives in Chesterfield. His wife, Deena, also a 1974 TrumanState graduate, is the owner of two Play It Again Sports franchises in the St. Louis area. They have two grown daughters, Natalie and Katherine, who are both graduates of the University of Missouri.
TIM GRAWER, ’96 – Director of Finance, Zoltek Corp., St. Louis, Mo.
A native of St. Louis, Tim returned to his home city after graduation to begin his business career. After serving as Controller for Insituform Technologies for six years, he was Consolidations Manager for Charter Communications. Since 2006, he has been Director of Finance with Zoltek. Tim and his wife, Nichols, have three young children – Anthony, Willa and Mabel. Tim comes from a prominent athletic family with his father, Rich, having served as head basketball coach at St. Louis U. and his brother, Brian, starring for the U. of Missouri.
DR. JASON GREENFIELD, ‘97 – Asst. Prof. of Urology, Columbia U., New York, NY
A native of Long Grove, Ill., Jason graduated from medical school in Chicago, where he also did his urology residency. After a one year fellowship in sexual medicine and male infertility at DukeUniversity, Jason joined the urology faculty at ColumbiaUniversity in New York City. He is in the process of joining the second largest urology group in the U. S., located in Dallas, where he plans to establish a men’s health center and continue to do clinical research in men’s sexual medicine. His wife, Paulette, is a graduate of WashingtonUniversity.
JUDGE STANLEY A. GRIMM, ‘54 – Retired Judge, Court of Appeals, St. Louis, Mo.
Upon graduating from law school at the University of Missouri, Stan began practicing in Cape Girardeau. In 1972, he was elected Circuit Court Judge and served in that office until 1987 when Stan was appointed to the eastern district of the Court of Appeals in St. Louis. He retired from the judgeship in 1998 and has since been a mediator and arbitrator. Stan and his wife, Jane, continue to make their home in have three grown sons, who are all now practicing law.
EDWIN G. HARVEY, ’79 – Attorney/Partner, Thompson Coburn Firm, St. Louis, Mo.
Ed enrolled at the Washington University School of Law after his graduation from TrumanState. Upon receiving his law degree, he joined the prestigious Thompson Coburn law firm in St. Louis and is now a partner of the firm. A native of Oskaloosa, Ia., Ed and his wife, Terri, have three grown children, including Katie, a student at TrumanStateU.
GARY G. HENDREN, ’62 – Teacher/Athletic Coord., Parkway Central, St. Louis, Mo.
A bsketball standout in college, Gary enjoyed a distinguished career as a mathematics teacher then as an Athletics Coordinator in the ParkwaySchool District. A native of GilmanCity, Gary has been happily retired for 13 years and enjoys travelling as well as philatelic activities. He and his wife, Lynda, live in MarylandHeights. He has two grown daughters.
JOHN C. HEYER, ’64 – Retired Owner, Heyer Insurance Group – Las Vegas, Nev.
A native of Des Moines, Ia., John served in the U. S. Army after his college days then was with I. T. T. for several years. He subsequently entered the insurance business and enjoyed a successful career as owner of the Heyer Insurance Group. He has an M. A. in marketing from WebsterUniversity. Now retired, John makes his home in Las Vegas, Nev. He has one grown daughter, Kimberly.
ERIC R. HINRICHS – Accountant, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, Overland Park, Kan.
A St. Louis native, Eric is an I. T. Audit Manager with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP Systems and Process Assurance practice based in Kansas City, Mo. A C. P. A., prior to joining his current company in 2004, Eric was Senior Auditor for PRG-Schultz for six years and a Senior Accountant with State Street Bank for two years. Although he travels extensively for business, Eric has offered to mentor an aspiring accountant.
STEPHEN L. HITE, ’84 – System Administrator, Tribune Publishing Co., Columbia, Mo.
After spending several years in the restaurant business, Steve joined the Tribune Publishing Co. in Columbia, Mo., in 1995. He served as purchasing manager for four years then was named I. T. Operations Manager before assuming his current position in 2008. Steve has also devoted several years to serving the Goetze Educational Foundation as treasurer and has devoted much effort to maintaining the Sigma Tau Gamma membership list. In addition to graduating from TrumanState, he also holds a B. S. degree in Computer Information Systems from Columbia, College.
JERRY E. HITT, ’61 – Agent, Prudential Insurance Co., Marshall, Mo.
A native of Kirksville, Jerry entered the insurance business soon out of college and became a sales agent for the Prudential Insurance Co. in the Marshall community. Jerry and his wife, Mildred, are the parents of three grown children.
DENNIS A. HOHN, ’67 – Financial Adviser, Edward Jones Co., Ottumwa, Ia.
Dennis entered the financial industry after teaching for several years and serving with the U. S. Army Security Agency. He has since served as an area manager and financial adviser for Edward Jones. Dennis is a member of TrumanState’s Foundation Board and is also a director of the Ottumwa Regional Health Care Foundation. He and his wife, Susie, have three grown daughters.
RICHARD H. HOLMES, ‘74 – Retired Marketing Exec., Safeway Stores, Greeley, Colo.
A native of Urbandale, Ia., Rich enjoyed a successful career in marketing with the Safeway Store grocery chain in Fresno, Calif., prior to his retirement in 2008. Rich and his wife Colleen have three grown children and have relocated from Fresno to Greeley, Colo. His specialty is small business management and marketing.
PATRICK HORSEFIELD, ’95 –Atty./Partner, Steelman, Gaunt & Horsefield, Cuba, Mo.
A native of Cuba, Mo., Patrick returned to his hometown to practice law and is now a partner with the Steelman, Gaunt & Horsefield law firm. Patrick and his wife, Jenny, have three daughters – Abigail, 12; Grace, 9; and Sophie.
JAY HEMENWAY, ’82 – Jay Hemenway , P. C., Attorney at Law, Bethany, Mo.
A native of Princeton, Mo., Jay served the Fraternity as a Chapter Counselor after graduating from TrumanState then enrolled in law school at the University of Missouri – Kansas City. He served for more than 10 years as Prosecuting Attorney for MercerCounty before establishing a solo law practice at Bethany. Jay is currently serving as President of the Goetze Educational Foundation. He and his wife, Melody, have five children, including Garrett Spease (Alpha ’11), and two children still living at home with them in Bethany.
WILLIAM H KING, ’88 – Gen. Mgr., DistributionCenter, Dot Foods, Ardmore, Okla.
A native of Aurora, Ill., Bill has more than 20 years experience in the consumer goods and supply chain industry. After working for Eby Brown for seven years, Bill was a senior manager for supply chain services at Pepsico, Inc., for 12 years. He joined Dot Foods in 2008 and was named General Manager of the DotDistributionCenter in Ardmore, Okla., last year. Bill lives in Ardmore, Okla., with his wife, Kim, and three children – Allison, 11, Mallory, 8, and Cooper, 5.
FRANK S. LAUDWIG, ’85 – Manager, American Equity Mortgage, Flower Mound, Tex.
Frank begin his career in financial serves with a credit union the became a regional vice president for Centex Home Equity. He subsequently worked for two other lenders before joining American Equity Mortgage in January. Frank has three children – Jesse, Sydney and Ryan.
DR. MICHAEL W. LAWSON, ’77 – Doctor of Chiropractic, Santa Rosa, Calif.
A native of HawthorneCalif., Mike moved back to his home state after graduation and has a chiropractic practice in Santa Rosa, Calif. Mike and his wife, Deborah, also make their home in Santa Rosa.
MARK A. MARTENS, ’81 – Senior Vice President, Wachovia Bank, Daytona Beach, Fla.
Mark is a native of Kirksville and began his banking career in West Virginia. He subsequently moved to Daytona Beach, Fla., where he is now the Senior Vice President for business banking with Wachovia Bank. Mark and his wife, Terri, live in Daytona Beach and he has a grown daughter, Tiara.
BRANT A. McCOY, ’03 – Attorney/Owner, McCoy Law Firm, LLC – Platte City, Mo.
Brant, who is originally from Savannah, began his legal career in 2003 as a Default Prevention Analyst at the Missouri Higher Education Loan Authority then joined the Jones Law Firm as an Associate Attorney in 2007. Brant has recently opened the McCoy Law Firm in Olathe, Kan. He and his wife, Tara, also a Truman graduate, have a 1-year-old son, Liam.
ALLEN W. McKIE, ’67 – Retired President, The Chocolate House, Milwaukee, Wis.
Allen was president of his graduating class at Truman and taught briefly before earning a master’s degree in business. He began his career in the confectionary business with Russell Stover Candies, serving as general manager of a new plant in Grand Junction, Colo. He joined The Chocolate House in 1978 as plant manager, became executive vice president of the company, then president in 1990. He sold the business in 2005 to the Georgia Nut Co. Allen has since retired and moved to St. George, Utah, with his wife, Anne.
PAUL C. MOOTS, ’72 – Retired Engineering Manager, Caterpillar Inc., Peoria, Ill.
Paul attended Truman State U. in his hometown before transferring to the U. of Missouri at Rolla to receive his degree in mechanical engineering. He enjoyed a successful career with Caterpillar Inc. in Peoria, Ill., and retired in 2007 as engineering manager. Paul and his wife, the former Carol Sees, have two grown sons, Andy and Chris. They recently moved to Highlands Ranch, Colo.
JUDGE R. CARL MUELLER, ‘83 – Administrative Law Judge, Kansas City, Mo.
A native of Moberly, Judge Mueller was student body president at TrumanState and received the Ellsworth C. Dent “Man of the Year” Award from Sigma Tau Gamma. He earned both the M.B.A. and law degrees from Southern Methodist University before serving in the Governor’s office in legislative affairs. He has served as an Administrative Law Judge for the Missouri Division of Workers’ Compensation since 1991. Carl and his wife, Jill, live in Lee’s Summit and have two sons, Garrett, 19, and Grant, 17.
DR. L. KEITH PECK , ’62 – Retired Prof., Mathematics, Truman State U., Kirksville, Mo.
A native of Blakesburg, Ia., Keith served TrumanStateUniversity as a Professor of Mathematics for many years until his retirement in January 2000. Keith and his wife, Marilyn, a registered nurse, are the parents of three grown sons – Bradley, Jon, and Tyler.
MICHAEL J. PERSELL – Financial Advisor, Edward Jones Company, Richmond, Mo.
Mike joined Edward Jones & Co. after graduation and serves the investment needs of clients in the Richmond community as an agent for the Edward Jones Company. Mike and his wife, Andrea, have two teenage children, Justin, 15, and Kalynn, 12.
EDWIN L. PHELPS, ‘68 – Retired Human Resources Dir., Kraft Foods, Sun Prairie, Wis.
Ed was a teaching before entering the human resources field with the Oscar Mayer Co. He subsequently was employed by Kraft Foods and retired as its Director of Human Resources at Glenview, Ill. He and his wife, Donna, have two grown children, Annette and Andrew, and they reside in Sun Prairie, Wis. Ed is a native of Tipton, Ia.
JOSHUA A. ROESCH, ’04 – Attorney, Husch Blackwell Sanders LLP, St. Louis, Mo.
After graduating from TrumanState, Josh attended law school at the Universit of Missouri – Columbia. Josh joined Husch Blackwell Sanders LLPin 2007, where his practice focuses on commercial transactions, securities, mergers and acquisitions and sweepstates and promotion law.
TOBY ROSS, ’99 – Sales & Mktg. Dir., HWI Environmental Technologies, St. Louis, Mo.
A native of Kirksville and a fourth generation member of Sigma Tau Gamma from the Beard family, Toby lives in Glendale, Mo., with his wife, Lisa and two children, Mason and Ethan. He has risen to the position of Director of Sales and Marketing for HWI Environmental Technologies., Inc.
R. JOSEPH RUDDELL, ’83 – Sales Manager, Dawes Rigging & Crane, Watertown, Wis.
Joe began his business career with Jack’s Retail Stores then joined Ricoh Office Equipment as a salesman. He was with Lawn-Boy for four years before becoming midwest sales manager for Stihl, then Tradesmen International for two years. He has held his current position with Dawes Rigging and Crane Rental since 1999. Joe and his wife, Debbie, also a Truman graduate, have two sons, Quinn and Chase, and live in Watertown,
J. GREGORY RUMPF, ‘79 – Agent, Mass Mutual Insurance Co., Greensboro, N. C.
A native of St. Louis, Greg has had a diversified business career as a small business owner which has culminated in his serving the insurance needs of the small business community as an agent for the Mass Mutual Insurance Co. As a student at Kirksville, Greg was chapter president, president of the Student Senate, and received the 1979 Ellsworth C. Dent “Man of the Year” Award from Sigma Tau Gamma.
ERIC W. SCHIEFELBEIN, ’86 – Director of Sales,, Peel’s Salon Services, Johnston, Ia.
A native of Dundee, Ill., Eric is now Director of Sales and Training for Peel’s Salon Services, a leader in the professional hair care industry. Eric and his wife, Ann, also a1986 Truman alum, have two daughters, Olivia, 18, and Elizabeth, 17.
ROBERT E. SCHMIDT, ’91 – Sales & Marketing Manager, John Deere Co., Apex, N. C.
Robert grew up in Moline, Ill., and has steadily risen in the management of the John Deere Company, which is based in his hometown. He is now a product line manager in the sales and marketing area. Robert and his wife, the former Kari Amundson, have two children.
WILLIAM D. SEVERSON, ‘65 – Principal, Severson Consulting Group, St. Louis, Mo.
Bill was an educator after graduating from Truman and served as a teaching fellow in the history department at VanderbiltUniversity while he worked on a doctoral degree. He rapidly moved up the ranks within the May Department Stores Co. in St. Louis to become Director of Executive Recruiting. After May (now Macy’s) was purchased, Bill began his third career by founding his consulting group. He is also an adjunct professor at LindenwoodUniversity.
JAMES SCHAFER, ’90 – Communication Specialist, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Ia.
A native of Cedar Rapids, Ia., James began his career in sales, became a college recruiter and is now a Strategic Communication and Training Specialist for the University of Iowa in Iowa City. He has also been an adjunct college instructor for 16 years. James and his wife, Maureen, a TrumanState alum, have two daughters, Adriana, 10, and Lauren, 8.
JEFFREY A. SPENCE, ’92 – Director of Sales, Embassy Suites Hotel, Des Moines, Ia.
Jeff has had an enviable career in sales and marketing for upscale/luxury branded and independent hospitality destinations since his graduation from TrumanState. He has been a leader in several professional organizations, including president of the Heartland Chapter of Meeting Professionals International in 2006. Jeff and his wife, Nikki, live in Clive, Ia.
JON O. TAVARES, ’96 – Hawaii Regional Manager, Standard Parking, Honolulu, Hawaii
Upon graduating from TrumanState, Jon returned to his native Hawaii and joined ABM Industries as assistant branch manager. In 2000, he became vice president for the Star Protection Agency. He then was a manger for UHA for three years until joining Standard Parking as Regional Manager for the State of Hawaii in 2009. Jon and his wife, Michele, have three sons – Jon, Oren and Paul – and live in Kailua, a suburb of Honolulu.
PATRICK THORNTON, ’92--Supply Representative, Propane Resources, Mission, Kan.
Pat grew up in Independence and returned to Kansas City after graduation from TrumanState but remained involved with both the University and his Fraternity. Pat is a past president of the Kansas City Alumni Chapter for Truman and was recently elected secretary-treasurer of the Goetze Educational Foundation. Pat is a Supply Representative for Propane Resources and lives in Lenexa, Kan., with his wife, Tracie, and three children – McKenna, 12, Olivia, 5, and Sterling, 2.
KEVIN A. TIBBS, ’95 – Chemist and Co-Founder, Better Life Products, St. Louis, Mo.
Kevin was working as a formulation chemist for Westport Labs when he joined a boyhood friend from St. Charles in founding Better Life, which produces and distributes green cleaning products. They started the company in 2008 and expect sales in 2010 to exceed $500,000. Kevin and his wife, Tiffany, have two daughters, Rachel, and Allison.
MICHAEL G., TRENT, ’68 – Retired Teacher/Admin., Pembroke Hill, Kansas City, Mo.
A Kirksville native, Mike began his teaching career after graduating from Truman and joined the staff at PembrokeHillHigh School in 1973. He retired as an administrator in 2006. He also served nearly 40 years in the U. S. Army Reserve until his retirement in 2008 following his last tour of duty in Kuwait. Mike and his wife, Faith, have four grown children.
R. SCOTT TROESTER, ’81 –Technical Mgr, Veyance Technologies,Overland Park, Kan.
Scott has continued to serve Sigma Tau Gamma in many capacities, including national president, while building his business career in the Kansas City area. He is now a Technical Manager for Veyance Technologies, formerly known as Goodyear Engineered Products, a global organization based in Fairlawn O. Scott, his wife, Judy, and their family make their home in Overland Park, Kan.
JUDGE KEVIN WALDEN, ’84 – Assoc. Circuit Judge, State of Missouri, Carrollton, Mo.
A native of Carrollton, Kevin returned to his hometown to practice law after graduating from Truman State and receiving his law degree. After practicing for several years, he was elected Associate Circuit Judge in Carroll County in 2006. Kevin and his wife, Linda, continue to live in Carrollton.
KIRK T. WALKER, ’82 – Manager, Boron Products, Searles Valley Minerals, Liberty, Mo.
Kirk began his career in sales and marketing as a manager for TRW Automotive for ten years. He continued in the automotive industry as sales manager for The Equipment Company and Carquest before joining Three Star Industries as National Director. For the past two years, he has held his current position with Searles valley minerals. Kirk earned the M.B.A. degree from the University of Missouri – Kansas City and lives in Liberty with his wife, Dee, also a Truman State graduate. They have a daughter, Lauren.
ALFRED E. WELCH, ’55 – Retired 1992, Sales Rep., Riverside Publishing, Omaha, Neb.
After two years in the military following graduation, Al taught and coached in his hometown of Macon, Mo., for several years then became high school principal at Windsor, Mo, in 1967. He began a new career at Rand McNally with its educational division, that was sold to Houghton-Mifflin four years later to create Riverside Publishing to market their testing materials. Al retired after 18 years of service with Riverside.
JERRY E. WEST, ’60 – Retired 2003, Accounts Payable, Dierbergs Markets, St. Louis, Mo.
Jerry was raised in St. Louis County and has had a varied business career. After several years in government, Jerry was controller for a Pepsi-cola distributor then was an auditor for Kraft General Foods for 10 years. When he retired, he was with Dierbergs Markets in St. Louis. Jerry and his wife, Ruth, have lived in St. Charles since 1963 and have three grown children.
JASON M. WILLETT, ’95 – Membership Manager, Trailnet, St. Louis, Mo.
Jason and his wife, Cathy, live in his hometown of Belleville, Ill., with their children, Jack, 12, Lily, 3, and their 1-year-old twins, August and Lucy. Jason is the membership manager for Trailnet, a St. Louis based non-profit organization that encourages people to integrate physical activity into their daily routines.
PAUL M. WISEMAN, ’82 – Intelligence Officer, Special Operations, Land O Lakes, Fla.
A native of Leon, Ia., Paul entered the Armed Forces after graduating from Truman State, serving tour of duty in many locations around the world. In his current assignment, Paul is an Intelligence Officer for U. S. Special Operations of the Department of Defense. His wife, Marline, has degrees from the University of Wisconsin and Johns Hopkins University.
BRYAN J. WITHERBEE, ’94 – Lead Biochemist, Monsanto, St. Louis, Mo.
Originally from Galesburg, Ill., Bryan has risen rapidly in the field of molecular technology development. He is currently the lead biochemist for Monsanto in the company’s molecular technology development. Prior to joining Monsanto, he was a senior principal scientist for 14 years with Pfizer. Bryan and his wife, Shelby, also a Truman State graduate, live in St. Peters with their three children – Riley, 8, Braden, 6, and Braeden, 3.
MARK T. WOFFORD, ’81 – Claims Prevention Analyst, FedEx Freight, St. Louis, Mo.
Mark grew up in St. Peters, Mo., in St. Louis County and makes his home there today with his wife, Jolene, a 1982 alumnae of Truman State. Mark is now the Senior Claims Prevention Analyst at FedEx Freight in St. Louis. Mark and Jolene’s children are Case, Kelli-Jo and Jordan.
DR. J. PHILIP WORMSLEY, ’69 – Retired 2008, Director, Buena Vista, Fort Dodge, Ia.
A Kirksville native, Dr. Wormsley spent much of his career in education as an administrator in the Fort Dodge Community School District where he served as high school principal. He subsequently became the director of the Buena Vista center when it was opened in Fort Dodge. Dr. Wormsley and his wife, Kristi, a 1971 Truman graduate, have two grown sons, Scott and Jon.
JOHN C. ADAMS, ’84 – A native of Kirksville, John played basketball at TrumanState and was the recipient of the Stan Musial Sportsmanship Award given by Sigma Tau Gamma Fraternity. He earned the M.B.A. degree from the Wharton School of Business at the U. of Pennsylvania. John is now the Managing Director and head of the Chicago office of Lazard Freres & Co., an investment banking firm with revenues of more than $1.3 billion. John and his wife, Julie, and their family live in Barrington, Ill.
TODD ALLEN, ’81 – Commercial Insurance Broker, Italiano Insurance, Tampa, Fla.
Todd, originally from Kansas City, began his business career as a stock broker with B. C. Christopher Securities in his hometown. He then was an institutional stock broker for Robert W. Baird & Co. for 18 years. He recently joined Italiano Insurance Services as a Commercial Insurance Broker, assessing risks and marketing commercial insurance lines to small and mid-sized businesses in the Tampa area. Todd has a son, Brooks, 20, and a daughter, Paige, 16.
TOM L. BALLARD, ’69 – President/Owner, ST Aviation – Granger, Iowa
A Vietnam veteran, Tom retired in 1997 after selling Cordant Technology, a computer business in the Washington, D. C., where his wife Susan was an analyst for the C.I.A. They returned to the Des Moines area where he was raised and formed ST Aviation, a private investment holding company. Tom is also Managing Partner of Flying JTD, LLC – a Des Moines-based Flight Services Company that does flight training and commercial flying in the Midwest. He holds a commercial pilot’s license and is a flight instructor. Tom is also general partner in an Iowa-based ethanol plant. A trustee of the Truman State Foundation, Tom was the recipient of Truman’s Distinguished Service Award in 2007.
JEFFREY BEQUETTE, ’86 – Crew Management, Union Pacific Railroad, Omaha, Neb.
Jeff is originally from Fayette, Mo., and has enjoyed a successful career with the Union Pacific Railroad, based in Omaha. He is now in charge of crew management. Jeff’s wife, Sandy, is also a 1983 graduate of Truman and they have two daughters, Kaity, 19, and Jessica, 17.
BARRY BLOOM, ’64 – Minister, JeffersonUnitarianChurch, Golden, Colo.
Barry spent more than 30 years in the counseling field before entering the ministry at the JeffersonUnitarianChurch. A native of Fulton, he and his wife Amanda – a graduate of Bryn Mawr College – have two grown sons, David Bloom and Mark Bloom, and a daughter, Hannah, age 16.
THOMAS G. BRANDVOLD– Finance Senior Manager, Dell, Inc., Cedar Park, TX
An accounting major at TrumanState, Tom is a Certified Public Accountant who joined the fast-growing Dell computer company and has risen to become its Senior Finance Manager. A native of Chesterfield, Tom and his wife, Lee, have three children–Kayla, 15; Jake, 13; and Logan, 9.
GREGORY S. BROWN, ’84 – C.E.O., Learfield Communications, Jefferson City, Mo.
Greg served as chapter president and received the Ellsworth C. Dent “Man of the Year” Award in 1984 from Sigma Tau Gamma. Upon graduation, he joined Learfield in sales at Des Moines for the Cyclone Network. He has led the company’s sports division since 2001, when there were only six partner schools, to more than 50 schools today. Greg was recently named president and C.EO. for the parent company, Learfield Communications. Greg and his wife, Geri, also a TrumanState, plan to move this summer from Plano, Tex., to Jefferson City.
ROGER L. CALLAWAY, ’82 – Consultant, Heartland Risk Management, St. Louis, MO.
Roger was a general manager for a computer networking company for seven years before he managed operations for a company in the grain storage and processing industry. Since 2006, he was been a senior consultant for Heartland Risk Management Services, a firm that performs risk assessment, loss control and training services for insurance companies. Roger and his wife, Christine, live in St. Louis.
D. W. COLE, ’81 – Vice President of Client Development, True Media, Columbia, Mo.
A native of Kirksville, D. W. had a distinguished college career, serving as president of the student senate at TrumanState and receiving the Ellsworth C. Dent “Man of the Year” award in addition to serving as chapter president. He has been a successful business marketer for nearly 30 years while serving as president of the Goetze Educational Foundation and as national president of Sigma Tau Gamma from 2004 to 2006. He is the father of two sons, Jeff, 21, and Chris, 16.
JEFFREY J. COOK, ’85 – Asst. Principal/Activities Dir., Chariton H. S., Pleasantville, Ia.
A native of Pleasantville, Jeff returned to his hometown to teach and coach after graduating from TrumanState. After receiving his master’s degree from ViterboUniversity, he accepted his current position as Assistant Principal and Activities Director with the CharitonCommunitySchool District. Jeff and his wife, Debbie, have two grown daughters and a son in middle school. They continue to live in Pleasantville, Ia.
KEITH C. DINSMORE, ’65–President/Owner, Signet Communications, Des Moines, Ia.
After serving as Executive Director of Sigma Tau Gamma for seven years, Keith owned and published a group of 22 weekly newspapers, receiving the “Outstanding Alumnus in Communications” award from his alma mater. Since 1982, he has been a public relations and media consultant, working in five presidential campaigns in addition to serving clients in the private and public sectors. Recently he was Communications Director for the Biden for President campaign in Iowa prior to the 2008 precinct caucuses. His is a past national president of Sigma Tau Gamma. His son, Bill, a Sigma Tau Gamma alumnus at the University of Missouri, lives in Columbia.
DR. REX W. DINSMORE, ’60 – Osteopathic Physician, Tallmadge, O.
A native of Fremont, Ia., went to Akron, O., to serve his internship after graduating from Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine and remained in that community to begin his practice of family medicine. He is currently on the medical staff for the Unity Health Network. Rex and his wife, Patricia, a registered nurse, have two sons, David and Michael, who are alumni of the Sigma Tau Gamma chapter at the University of Akron. When they were undergraduates, Rex served as a chapter adviser.
TODD E. DITMARS, ’89 -- C. E. O., SofTek DDS, Inc., Tampa, Fla.
A native of Kirksville, Todd is an accomplished senior business development executive who has been a principal of SofTek DDS, Inc., in Tampa, Fla., since 2005. Prior to that time, he was a vice president for U. S. Investigative Services in Hollywood, Fla. Todd and his wife, Alissa, have five children – Chander, 18; Addie, 16; Ryan, 8; Rhyece, 6, and Olivia, 5. They make their home in Seminole, Fla.
GRANT DORRELL, ’91 – Sergeant, Springfield Police Department, Springfield, Mo.
A native of Marceline, Grant has several years of service in the Police Department for the City of Springfield. His wife, Rebecca, is a graduate of MissouriState and they have a son, Luke, 15.
J. J. ERLBACHER, ’73 – Retired District Team Leader, Target – Sharps Chapel, Tenn. A native of Harlan, Ia., J. J. enjoyed a highly successful career in the field of retail management prior to his retirement in 2006. He concluded his career as a District Team Leader for the Target Corp., one of the leading retailers in the nation. J. J. and his wife, Jackie, a Northwestern graduate, are now enjoying retirement at their lake home near Sharps Chapel, Tenn.
BILL FARLEY, ’80 – President, Farley’s International Adventures, Wentzville, MO
Bill established Farley’s International Adventures following his graduation from college and specializes in hunting expeditions worldwide. His clientele are big game hunting enthusiasts seeking an international hunting adventure. A native of North Kansas City, Bill and his wife have two children, Lauren and Blake.
CHARLES M. FOUDREE, ’66 – Retired C.F.O., Harmon Industries, Lee’s Summit, Mo.
Chuck began his career in accounting with Peat Marwick & Mitchell in Kansas City, Mo., before joining the management team of Harmon Industries, Inc., in Blue Springs, Mo. Chuck was the company’s Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer when he retired in 2009. He and his wife, Colleen, have received many honors for their community service to charitable organizations. Chuck serves on the boards of the Truman Library Institute, the Saint Paul School of Theology and the Truman Heartland Community Foundation.. He also presently serves as Chairman of the endowment campaign being conducted by the Truman State University Foundation. They have two grown children and four grandchildren who live in the Kansas City area.
ROBERT. L. FOWLER, ’74 – President, VR Mergers & Acquisitions, St. Louis, Mo.
A native of Unionville, Robert was instrumental in the growth of Learfield Communications of Jefferson City, Mo., before becoming a business broker in St. Louis, Mo. He is now President of VR Mergers & Acquisitions and lives in Chesterfield. His wife, Deena, also a 1974 TrumanState graduate, is the owner of two Play It Again Sports franchises in the St. Louis area. They have two grown daughters, Natalie and Katherine, who are both graduates of the University of Missouri.
TIM GRAWER, ’96 – Director of Finance, Zoltek Corp., St. Louis, Mo.
A native of St. Louis, Tim returned to his home city after graduation to begin his business career. After serving as Controller for Insituform Technologies for six years, he was Consolidations Manager for Charter Communications. Since 2006, he has been Director of Finance with Zoltek. Tim and his wife, Nichols, have three young children – Anthony, Willa and Mabel. Tim comes from a prominent athletic family with his father, Rich, having served as head basketball coach at St. Louis U. and his brother, Brian, starring for the U. of Missouri.
DR. JASON GREENFIELD, ‘97 – Asst. Prof. of Urology, Columbia U., New York, NY
A native of Long Grove, Ill., Jason graduated from medical school in Chicago, where he also did his urology residency. After a one year fellowship in sexual medicine and male infertility at DukeUniversity, Jason joined the urology faculty at ColumbiaUniversity in New York City. He is in the process of joining the second largest urology group in the U. S., located in Dallas, where he plans to establish a men’s health center and continue to do clinical research in men’s sexual medicine. His wife, Paulette, is a graduate of WashingtonUniversity.
JUDGE STANLEY A. GRIMM, ‘54 – Retired Judge, Court of Appeals, St. Louis, Mo.
Upon graduating from law school at the University of Missouri, Stan began practicing in Cape Girardeau. In 1972, he was elected Circuit Court Judge and served in that office until 1987 when Stan was appointed to the eastern district of the Court of Appeals in St. Louis. He retired from the judgeship in 1998 and has since been a mediator and arbitrator. Stan and his wife, Jane, continue to make their home in have three grown sons, who are all now practicing law.
EDWIN G. HARVEY, ’79 – Attorney/Partner, Thompson Coburn Firm, St. Louis, Mo.
Ed enrolled at the Washington University School of Law after his graduation from TrumanState. Upon receiving his law degree, he joined the prestigious Thompson Coburn law firm in St. Louis and is now a partner of the firm. A native of Oskaloosa, Ia., Ed and his wife, Terri, have three grown children, including Katie, a student at TrumanStateU.
GARY G. HENDREN, ’62 – Teacher/Athletic Coord., Parkway Central, St. Louis, Mo.
A bsketball standout in college, Gary enjoyed a distinguished career as a mathematics teacher then as an Athletics Coordinator in the ParkwaySchool District. A native of GilmanCity, Gary has been happily retired for 13 years and enjoys travelling as well as philatelic activities. He and his wife, Lynda, live in MarylandHeights. He has two grown daughters.
JOHN C. HEYER, ’64 – Retired Owner, Heyer Insurance Group – Las Vegas, Nev.
A native of Des Moines, Ia., John served in the U. S. Army after his college days then was with I. T. T. for several years. He subsequently entered the insurance business and enjoyed a successful career as owner of the Heyer Insurance Group. He has an M. A. in marketing from WebsterUniversity. Now retired, John makes his home in Las Vegas, Nev. He has one grown daughter, Kimberly.
ERIC R. HINRICHS – Accountant, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, Overland Park, Kan.
A St. Louis native, Eric is an I. T. Audit Manager with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP Systems and Process Assurance practice based in Kansas City, Mo. A C. P. A., prior to joining his current company in 2004, Eric was Senior Auditor for PRG-Schultz for six years and a Senior Accountant with State Street Bank for two years. Although he travels extensively for business, Eric has offered to mentor an aspiring accountant.
STEPHEN L. HITE, ’84 – System Administrator, Tribune Publishing Co., Columbia, Mo.
After spending several years in the restaurant business, Steve joined the Tribune Publishing Co. in Columbia, Mo., in 1995. He served as purchasing manager for four years then was named I. T. Operations Manager before assuming his current position in 2008. Steve has also devoted several years to serving the Goetze Educational Foundation as treasurer and has devoted much effort to maintaining the Sigma Tau Gamma membership list. In addition to graduating from TrumanState, he also holds a B. S. degree in Computer Information Systems from Columbia, College.
JERRY E. HITT, ’61 – Agent, Prudential Insurance Co., Marshall, Mo.
A native of Kirksville, Jerry entered the insurance business soon out of college and became a sales agent for the Prudential Insurance Co. in the Marshall community. Jerry and his wife, Mildred, are the parents of three grown children.
DENNIS A. HOHN, ’67 – Financial Adviser, Edward Jones Co., Ottumwa, Ia.
Dennis entered the financial industry after teaching for several years and serving with the U. S. Army Security Agency. He has since served as an area manager and financial adviser for Edward Jones. Dennis is a member of TrumanState’s Foundation Board and is also a director of the Ottumwa Regional Health Care Foundation. He and his wife, Susie, have three grown daughters.
RICHARD H. HOLMES, ‘74 – Retired Marketing Exec., Safeway Stores, Greeley, Colo.
A native of Urbandale, Ia., Rich enjoyed a successful career in marketing with the Safeway Store grocery chain in Fresno, Calif., prior to his retirement in 2008. Rich and his wife Colleen have three grown children and have relocated from Fresno to Greeley, Colo. His specialty is small business management and marketing.
PATRICK HORSEFIELD, ’95 –Atty./Partner, Steelman, Gaunt & Horsefield, Cuba, Mo.
A native of Cuba, Mo., Patrick returned to his hometown to practice law and is now a partner with the Steelman, Gaunt & Horsefield law firm. Patrick and his wife, Jenny, have three daughters – Abigail, 12; Grace, 9; and Sophie.
JAY HEMENWAY, ’82 – Jay Hemenway , P. C., Attorney at Law, Bethany, Mo.
A native of Princeton, Mo., Jay served the Fraternity as a Chapter Counselor after graduating from TrumanState then enrolled in law school at the University of Missouri – Kansas City. He served for more than 10 years as Prosecuting Attorney for MercerCounty before establishing a solo law practice at Bethany. Jay is currently serving as President of the Goetze Educational Foundation. He and his wife, Melody, have five children, including Garrett Spease (Alpha ’11), and two children still living at home with them in Bethany.
WILLIAM H KING, ’88 – Gen. Mgr., DistributionCenter, Dot Foods, Ardmore, Okla.
A native of Aurora, Ill., Bill has more than 20 years experience in the consumer goods and supply chain industry. After working for Eby Brown for seven years, Bill was a senior manager for supply chain services at Pepsico, Inc., for 12 years. He joined Dot Foods in 2008 and was named General Manager of the DotDistributionCenter in Ardmore, Okla., last year. Bill lives in Ardmore, Okla., with his wife, Kim, and three children – Allison, 11, Mallory, 8, and Cooper, 5.
FRANK S. LAUDWIG, ’85 – Manager, American Equity Mortgage, Flower Mound, Tex.
Frank begin his career in financial serves with a credit union the became a regional vice president for Centex Home Equity. He subsequently worked for two other lenders before joining American Equity Mortgage in January. Frank has three children – Jesse, Sydney and Ryan.
DR. MICHAEL W. LAWSON, ’77 – Doctor of Chiropractic, Santa Rosa, Calif.
A native of HawthorneCalif., Mike moved back to his home state after graduation and has a chiropractic practice in Santa Rosa, Calif. Mike and his wife, Deborah, also make their home in Santa Rosa.
MARK A. MARTENS, ’81 – Senior Vice President, Wachovia Bank, Daytona Beach, Fla.
Mark is a native of Kirksville and began his banking career in West Virginia. He subsequently moved to Daytona Beach, Fla., where he is now the Senior Vice President for business banking with Wachovia Bank. Mark and his wife, Terri, live in Daytona Beach and he has a grown daughter, Tiara.
BRANT A. McCOY, ’03 – Attorney/Owner, McCoy Law Firm, LLC – Platte City, Mo.
Brant, who is originally from Savannah, began his legal career in 2003 as a Default Prevention Analyst at the Missouri Higher Education Loan Authority then joined the Jones Law Firm as an Associate Attorney in 2007. Brant has recently opened the McCoy Law Firm in Olathe, Kan. He and his wife, Tara, also a Truman graduate, have a 1-year-old son, Liam.
ALLEN W. McKIE, ’67 – Retired President, The Chocolate House, Milwaukee, Wis.
Allen was president of his graduating class at Truman and taught briefly before earning a master’s degree in business. He began his career in the confectionary business with Russell Stover Candies, serving as general manager of a new plant in Grand Junction, Colo. He joined The Chocolate House in 1978 as plant manager, became executive vice president of the company, then president in 1990. He sold the business in 2005 to the Georgia Nut Co. Allen has since retired and moved to St. George, Utah, with his wife, Anne.
PAUL C. MOOTS, ’72 – Retired Engineering Manager, Caterpillar Inc., Peoria, Ill.
Paul attended Truman State U. in his hometown before transferring to the U. of Missouri at Rolla to receive his degree in mechanical engineering. He enjoyed a successful career with Caterpillar Inc. in Peoria, Ill., and retired in 2007 as engineering manager. Paul and his wife, the former Carol Sees, have two grown sons, Andy and Chris. They recently moved to Highlands Ranch, Colo.
JUDGE R. CARL MUELLER, ‘83 – Administrative Law Judge, Kansas City, Mo.
A native of Moberly, Judge Mueller was student body president at TrumanState and received the Ellsworth C. Dent “Man of the Year” Award from Sigma Tau Gamma. He earned both the M.B.A. and law degrees from Southern Methodist University before serving in the Governor’s office in legislative affairs. He has served as an Administrative Law Judge for the Missouri Division of Workers’ Compensation since 1991. Carl and his wife, Jill, live in Lee’s Summit and have two sons, Garrett, 19, and Grant, 17.
DR. L. KEITH PECK , ’62 – Retired Prof., Mathematics, Truman State U., Kirksville, Mo.
A native of Blakesburg, Ia., Keith served TrumanStateUniversity as a Professor of Mathematics for many years until his retirement in January 2000. Keith and his wife, Marilyn, a registered nurse, are the parents of three grown sons – Bradley, Jon, and Tyler.
MICHAEL J. PERSELL – Financial Advisor, Edward Jones Company, Richmond, Mo.
Mike joined Edward Jones & Co. after graduation and serves the investment needs of clients in the Richmond community as an agent for the Edward Jones Company. Mike and his wife, Andrea, have two teenage children, Justin, 15, and Kalynn, 12.
EDWIN L. PHELPS, ‘68 – Retired Human Resources Dir., Kraft Foods, Sun Prairie, Wis.
Ed was a teaching before entering the human resources field with the Oscar Mayer Co. He subsequently was employed by Kraft Foods and retired as its Director of Human Resources at Glenview, Ill. He and his wife, Donna, have two grown children, Annette and Andrew, and they reside in Sun Prairie, Wis. Ed is a native of Tipton, Ia.
JOSHUA A. ROESCH, ’04 – Attorney, Husch Blackwell Sanders LLP, St. Louis, Mo.
After graduating from TrumanState, Josh attended law school at the Universit of Missouri – Columbia. Josh joined Husch Blackwell Sanders LLPin 2007, where his practice focuses on commercial transactions, securities, mergers and acquisitions and sweepstates and promotion law.
Ron Rogers, '69 - Retired Mathematics Teacher, University City, MO
Ron started teaching Middle/High School mathematics in 1969. He taught in New Cambria, MO (1-year), Savanna, IL (2-years), Parkway North High School in St. Louis County (27-years) and Clayton, MO (1-year). Besides teaching for 31 years in the public schools, Ron also taught part-time at Forest Park Community College and Fontbonne University in the St. Louis area. He retired in 2000 and has been traveling, researching and blogging at R2blog.com. Ron and his wife, Kathy, a retired elementary school teacher, have two children and five grand-children.
TOBY ROSS, ’99 – Sales & Mktg. Dir., HWI Environmental Technologies, St. Louis, Mo.
A native of Kirksville and a fourth generation member of Sigma Tau Gamma from the Beard family, Toby lives in Glendale, Mo., with his wife, Lisa and two children, Mason and Ethan. He has risen to the position of Director of Sales and Marketing for HWI Environmental Technologies., Inc.
R. JOSEPH RUDDELL, ’83 – Sales Manager, Dawes Rigging & Crane, Watertown, Wis.
Joe began his business career with Jack’s Retail Stores then joined Ricoh Office Equipment as a salesman. He was with Lawn-Boy for four years before becoming midwest sales manager for Stihl, then Tradesmen International for two years. He has held his current position with Dawes Rigging and Crane Rental since 1999. Joe and his wife, Debbie, also a Truman graduate, have two sons, Quinn and Chase, and live in Watertown,
J. GREGORY RUMPF, ‘79 – Agent, Mass Mutual Insurance Co., Greensboro, N. C.
A native of St. Louis, Greg has had a diversified business career as a small business owner which has culminated in his serving the insurance needs of the small business community as an agent for the Mass Mutual Insurance Co. As a student at Kirksville, Greg was chapter president, president of the Student Senate, and received the 1979 Ellsworth C. Dent “Man of the Year” Award from Sigma Tau Gamma.
ERIC W. SCHIEFELBEIN, ’86 – Director of Sales,, Peel’s Salon Services, Johnston, Ia.
A native of Dundee, Ill., Eric is now Director of Sales and Training for Peel’s Salon Services, a leader in the professional hair care industry. Eric and his wife, Ann, also a1986 Truman alum, have two daughters, Olivia, 18, and Elizabeth, 17.
ROBERT E. SCHMIDT, ’91 – Sales & Marketing Manager, John Deere Co., Apex, N. C.
Robert grew up in Moline, Ill., and has steadily risen in the management of the John Deere Company, which is based in his hometown. He is now a product line manager in the sales and marketing area. Robert and his wife, the former Kari Amundson, have two children.
WILLIAM D. SEVERSON, ‘65 – Principal, Severson Consulting Group, St. Louis, Mo.
Bill was an educator after graduating from Truman and served as a teaching fellow in the history department at VanderbiltUniversity while he worked on a doctoral degree. He rapidly moved up the ranks within the May Department Stores Co. in St. Louis to become Director of Executive Recruiting. After May (now Macy’s) was purchased, Bill began his third career by founding his consulting group. He is also an adjunct professor at LindenwoodUniversity.
JAMES SCHAFER, ’90 – Communication Specialist, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Ia.
A native of Cedar Rapids, Ia., James began his career in sales, became a college recruiter and is now a Strategic Communication and Training Specialist for the University of Iowa in Iowa City. He has also been an adjunct college instructor for 16 years. James and his wife, Maureen, a TrumanState alum, have two daughters, Adriana, 10, and Lauren, 8.
JEFFREY A. SPENCE, ’92 – Director of Sales, Embassy Suites Hotel, Des Moines, Ia.
Jeff has had an enviable career in sales and marketing for upscale/luxury branded and independent hospitality destinations since his graduation from TrumanState. He has been a leader in several professional organizations, including president of the Heartland Chapter of Meeting Professionals International in 2006. Jeff and his wife, Nikki, live in Clive, Ia.
JON O. TAVARES, ’96 – Hawaii Regional Manager, Standard Parking, Honolulu, Hawaii
Upon graduating from TrumanState, Jon returned to his native Hawaii and joined ABM Industries as assistant branch manager. In 2000, he became vice president for the Star Protection Agency. He then was a manger for UHA for three years until joining Standard Parking as Regional Manager for the State of Hawaii in 2009. Jon and his wife, Michele, have three sons – Jon, Oren and Paul – and live in Kailua, a suburb of Honolulu.
PATRICK THORNTON, ’92--Supply Representative, Propane Resources, Mission, Kan.
Pat grew up in Independence and returned to Kansas City after graduation from TrumanState but remained involved with both the University and his Fraternity. Pat is a past president of the Kansas City Alumni Chapter for Truman and was recently elected secretary-treasurer of the Goetze Educational Foundation. Pat is a Supply Representative for Propane Resources and lives in Lenexa, Kan., with his wife, Tracie, and three children – McKenna, 12, Olivia, 5, and Sterling, 2.
KEVIN A. TIBBS, ’95 – Chemist and Co-Founder, Better Life Products, St. Louis, Mo.
Kevin was working as a formulation chemist for Westport Labs when he joined a boyhood friend from St. Charles in founding Better Life, which produces and distributes green cleaning products. They started the company in 2008 and expect sales in 2010 to exceed $500,000. Kevin and his wife, Tiffany, have two daughters, Rachel, and Allison.
MICHAEL G., TRENT, ’68 – Retired Teacher/Admin., Pembroke Hill, Kansas City, Mo.
A Kirksville native, Mike began his teaching career after graduating from Truman and joined the staff at PembrokeHillHigh School in 1973. He retired as an administrator in 2006. He also served nearly 40 years in the U. S. Army Reserve until his retirement in 2008 following his last tour of duty in Kuwait. Mike and his wife, Faith, have four grown children.
R. SCOTT TROESTER, ’81 –Technical Mgr, Veyance Technologies,Overland Park, Kan.
Scott has continued to serve Sigma Tau Gamma in many capacities, including national president, while building his business career in the Kansas City area. He is now a Technical Manager for Veyance Technologies, formerly known as Goodyear Engineered Products, a global organization based in Fairlawn O. Scott, his wife, Judy, and their family make their home in Overland Park, Kan.
JUDGE KEVIN WALDEN, ’84 – Assoc. Circuit Judge, State of Missouri, Carrollton, Mo.
A native of Carrollton, Kevin returned to his hometown to practice law after graduating from Truman State and receiving his law degree. After practicing for several years, he was elected Associate Circuit Judge in Carroll County in 2006. Kevin and his wife, Linda, continue to live in Carrollton.
KIRK T. WALKER, ’82 – Manager, Boron Products, Searles Valley Minerals, Liberty, Mo.
Kirk began his career in sales and marketing as a manager for TRW Automotive for ten years. He continued in the automotive industry as sales manager for The Equipment Company and Carquest before joining Three Star Industries as National Director. For the past two years, he has held his current position with Searles valley minerals. Kirk earned the M.B.A. degree from the University of Missouri – Kansas City and lives in Liberty with his wife, Dee, also a Truman State graduate. They have a daughter, Lauren.
ALFRED E. WELCH, ’55 – Retired 1992, Sales Rep., Riverside Publishing, Omaha, Neb.
After two years in the military following graduation, Al taught and coached in his hometown of Macon, Mo., for several years then became high school principal at Windsor, Mo, in 1967. He began a new career at Rand McNally with its educational division, that was sold to Houghton-Mifflin four years later to create Riverside Publishing to market their testing materials. Al retired after 18 years of service with Riverside.
JERRY E. WEST, ’60 – Retired 2003, Accounts Payable, Dierbergs Markets, St. Louis, Mo.
Jerry was raised in St. Louis County and has had a varied business career. After several years in government, Jerry was controller for a Pepsi-cola distributor then was an auditor for Kraft General Foods for 10 years. When he retired, he was with Dierbergs Markets in St. Louis. Jerry and his wife, Ruth, have lived in St. Charles since 1963 and have three grown children.
JASON M. WILLETT, ’95 – Membership Manager, Trailnet, St. Louis, Mo.
Jason and his wife, Cathy, live in his hometown of Belleville, Ill., with their children, Jack, 12, Lily, 3, and their 1-year-old twins, August and Lucy. Jason is the membership manager for Trailnet, a St. Louis based non-profit organization that encourages people to integrate physical activity into their daily routines.
PAUL M. WISEMAN, ’82 – Intelligence Officer, Special Operations, Land O Lakes, Fla.
A native of Leon, Ia., Paul entered the Armed Forces after graduating from Truman State, serving tour of duty in many locations around the world. In his current assignment, Paul is an Intelligence Officer for U. S. Special Operations of the Department of Defense. His wife, Marline, has degrees from the University of Wisconsin and Johns Hopkins University.
BRYAN J. WITHERBEE, ’94 – Lead Biochemist, Monsanto, St. Louis, Mo.
Originally from Galesburg, Ill., Bryan has risen rapidly in the field of molecular technology development. He is currently the lead biochemist for Monsanto in the company’s molecular technology development. Prior to joining Monsanto, he was a senior principal scientist for 14 years with Pfizer. Bryan and his wife, Shelby, also a Truman State graduate, live in St. Peters with their three children – Riley, 8, Braden, 6, and Braeden, 3.
MARK T. WOFFORD, ’81 – Claims Prevention Analyst, FedEx Freight, St. Louis, Mo.
Mark grew up in St. Peters, Mo., in St. Louis County and makes his home there today with his wife, Jolene, a 1982 alumnae of Truman State. Mark is now the Senior Claims Prevention Analyst at FedEx Freight in St. Louis. Mark and Jolene’s children are Case, Kelli-Jo and Jordan.
DR. J. PHILIP WORMSLEY, ’69 – Retired 2008, Director, Buena Vista, Fort Dodge, Ia.
A Kirksville native, Dr. Wormsley spent much of his career in education as an administrator in the Fort Dodge Community School District where he served as high school principal. He subsequently became the director of the Buena Vista center when it was opened in Fort Dodge. Dr. Wormsley and his wife, Kristi, a 1971 Truman graduate, have two grown sons, Scott and Jon.
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