Peter Andrews (Grad ’80) co-authored his first book, Innovation Passport: The IBM First-of-a-Kind (FOAK) Journey From Research to Reality, published in October by IBM Press. Mr. Andrews is an independent executive consultant and writer, having coauthored this book when he was the innovation strategist for IBM’s Executive Business Institute. While at IBM, he participated in corporation-wide studies into ad hoc innovation, innovation partnering and the use of collaboration tools for virtual teaming. He has trained hundreds of IBM researchers in techniques for realizing the value of their inventions. He was honored by IBM as one of its “Pioneers of the Web.” He is a popular speaker at conferences and has authored dozens of Executive Tech Reports, which explore innovation and emerging technologies.
Posted 12/02/2009
Ron Friedman (Col ’80 A/M) served as a federal prosecutor in Seattle for 20 years, receiving numerous awards from the U.S. Department of Justice. He left government service and is now a partner at the Seattle law firm of Lane, Powell, where he will be concentrating on criminal defense, health care and regulatory compliance matters.
Posted 12/16/2009
Dorinda G. Grasty (Educ ’80, ’01 L/M) was appointed division superintendent of Appomattox County Public Schools in Appomattox, Va., on July 8, 2009. Ms. Grasty began her teaching career in 1980 in Smithfield, Va., and has been with Appomattox County Public Schools since 1982. She was a special education teacher and held the position of director of special education for the past seven years. Ms. Grasty is married to Guy M. Hargrave and they are the parents of six children.
Posted 09/11/2009
David S. Greber (Col ’80 L/M) wrote The Lost Commandment: Have We Missed What Jesus Really Wants?, published by Kregel Publications in June 2009, a book that was endorsed by theologian J.I. Packer, Pastor Tony Evans, and U.Va. professor Ken Elzinga, among others. The book concerns why and how Christians should obey the commandment that Jesus gave at the Last Supper: “A new command I give you: love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another” (John 13:34). Mr. Greber spoke on his book at the University on Nov., 2, at Chi Alpha Christian Fellowship’s Monday Night Alive meeting. A study guide on the book is available at www.davegreber.com.
Posted 12/01/2009
Edward R. Koch (Law ’80 L/M) published his novel, Relay, with Dog Ear Publishing. The book is for young adults about high school track and field. Mr. Koch is a partner at the CPA firm of Paul Scherer & Company in New York City and he lives in New Jersey with his wife, Cora, and two sons.
Posted 01/15/2010
Alexander H. Margulies (Col ’80, Law ’84 A/M) transferred to the U.S. Embassy in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, where he serves as the counselor for Political and Economic Affairs. He is accompanied by his spouse, Norma Maria Margulies, and their two children, Sophia and Philip.
Posted 09/28/2009
Wayne Moore (Col ’80, Law ’83) is associate professor of political science in the College of Arts and Human Sciences at Virginia Tech and received the 2009 Alumni Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Academic Advising from the Virginia Tech Alumni Association. Mr. Moore has served as a pre-law advisor for the Department of Political Science since joining the Virginia Tech faculty in 1992 and has been the university’s sole pre-law advisor since 2003. He also teaches constitutional law.
Posted 06/30/2009
John P. Mugler III (Engr ’80, ’88 L/M) received the 2009 “Inventor of the Year” award from the U.Va. Patent Foundation. The award recognizes inventors whose technology has proven to be of notable value to society. Mr. Mugler, along with James Brookeman, are both professors of radiology and biomedical engineering at U.Va., and were honored for their groundbreaking work in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques over the past two decades. The researches’ lead technology is a fast, 3-D pulse sequencing technique referred to as MP-RAGE. Considered a primary standard in 3-D MRI, the technique allows clinicians to acquire high-resolution 3-D images on the order of five minutes. These highly detailed images are capable of revealing more subtle abnormalities than could previously be detected through MRI, providing for earlier and more accurate diagnoses, and can be viewed from any orientation on modern computer workstations. The U.Va. Patent Foundation received an issued patent on this technology in 1993 and has licensed the patent rights to Siemens AG and Philips electronics. As a result, MP-RAGE is now implemented in MRI scanners in hospitals and research institutions worldwide. Professors Mugler and Brookeman are now working with hyperpolarized noble gases as MRI contrast agents for the lungs, work that is being explored with colleagues at U.Va. and is in clinical trials by a major manufacturer.
Posted 10/01/2009
Nancy G. Parr (Col ’80 L/M) is commonwealth’s attorney for the City of Chesapeake, Va. The women’s division of the Chesapeake Chamber of Commerce named her its 2008 Woman of the Year.
Posted 02/12/2009
Ted Staples (Col ’80 L/M) is a director of the law firm of Council, Baradel, Kosmerl & Noland in Annapolis, Md. He is on the board of trustees of the Calverton School for a three-year term that started in September. Calverton is an independent, co-ed college preparatory school for grades preschool through 12, located in Huntingtown, Md. Mr. Staples is also chairman of the the school’s development committee. Both of Mr. Staples’ sons attend Calverton and his wife is a graduate.
Posted 10/01/2009
Will Trinkle (Col ’80 L/M) was named a board member of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), the nation’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender media advocacy and anti-defamation organization, in March. Mr. Trinkle is chief executive officer of C.W. Francis and Son, a real estate development and management firm specializing in industrial, commercial and residential projects. He is a member of the Empire State Pride Agenda political board and has served as co-chair of their foundation board. He is also on the board of trustees at Hollins University and is a commissioner on the Virginia Commission for the Arts. Mr. Trinkle resides with his partner in New York City and Roanoke, Va.
Posted 12/17/2009
Sherrie Rollins Westin (Col ’80 L/M) as executive vice president and chief marketing officer of Sesame Workshop, where she oversees the Global Marketing, Consumer Products, Communications and Public Affairs divisions. In April, she was honored with a Matrix Award for Marketing in New York City, presented by New York Women in Communications. Westin’s career includes public policy and communications positions in the public and private sectors, including executive vice president of ABC’s network communications. She served as assistant to the President for Public Liaison and Intergovernmental Affairs during the first Bush White House and, in 1989, Ms. Westin was unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate as the first Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. She also served as senior vice president for U.S. News and World Report and The Atlantic Monthly and executive producer of the U.S. News Debate Series on CNBC. Ms. Westin serves on the board of directors of the U.S. Fund for UNICEF, the board of directors of Communities in Schools and is a member of the National Committee on United States-China Relations and the Council on Foreign Relations.
Posted 06/30/2009
F. Blair Wimbush (Law ’80 L/M) is chairman of the board of directors of the Virginia Symphony Orchestra, where he has served on the board executive committee since 2005 and chaired the development committee since 2006. Mr. Wimbush is vice president, real estate and corporate sustainability officer for Norfolk Southern and serves on the University of Virginia School of Law’s Alumni Council and Business Advisory Council.
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