1948
Howard Albrecht ’48 had his satirical novels The Oddfather, Jonathan Segal Chicken, The Exerciser and Oh Henry republished. To learn more, visit www.combustoica.com.
1949
Gene Whitney ’49 was honored at a small college in the Catskills where he was an associate accounting professor. Whitney, who played football at Rider, helped coach a soccer team there that went undefeated 50 years ago. When the team was recently inducted into the School Hall of Fame, the players gave Whitney the receiver’s plaque, which read, “In tribute to Professor Eugene Whitney, who saw a need and stepped up to coach our winning team.”
1953
John R. Wilhelm ’53, writing as Jack Wilhelm, published his fourth book for Amazon Kindle. The latest book, The Dealer, traces the life of a fictionalized drug dealer from the time he begins dealing until his violent death. For more on Wilhelm’s novels, visit www.amazon.com/author/jackwilhelm.
1957
Alan S. Kindig ’57 retired as an active insurance casualty claim technician after 47 years full time and six years consulting part time. Kindig is looking forward to downsizing with his wife, Sharon, ditching yard work, and liquidating his model train collection and layout. He can be reached at [email protected].
1960
Rider’s Eugene Haines ’60 (far left) recently got together with members of his family who are also Rider family members: sister-in law Constance Hooker ’65 (next to Eugene), daughter Robin Haines ’82 and grandson Craig Sinkler ’15 gathered to show their collective pride.
1962
Rosemarie Albanese ’62 and members of Zeta Mu Epsilon and Tau Kappa Epsilon got together on July 17 at the summer home of Cathy and Bob Zupko. Front row: Mary Ann Panek-Koutsis ’64; Carol Kunz D’Orio ’64; Fay Lyons (guest); Judy Holmes ’63. Back row: Janet McMaster Wenzel ’62; Cathy Alibrandi Zupko; Rosemarie Falcone Albanese ’62; Marie Polinsky Barrett ’63; Judy Wright Troia ’63; Judy James Kelly ’64.
1965
After 33 years as a financial adviser at the Morgan Stanley Wealth Management in Woodland Hills in California, Barry Monblatt ’65 retired on Feb. 1 to spend more time with his wife of 49 years, Ellen, and their two daughters and four grandchildren. He is enjoying his time playing golf, tennis and softball and traveling with his wife.
1966
Bob Meinzer ’66 has been working in medical education since he retired from the Upjohn pharmaceutical company in 1997 after 28 years. He is currently serving as the N.J. Academy of Family Physicians director of national continuing medical education and living in Minnesota. In his spare time, he fronts a rock band called the Gypsy Bastards.
1975
Bob Freideln ’75 was elected as the second vice district governor for District 16-L of the New Jersey Lions Clubs. The district has approximately 70 local Lions Clubs from Burlington County south. In turn, Lions International is the largest service organization in the world, with more than 1.35 million members worldwide.
1978
Scott E. Knox ’78 was named the Cincinnati Bar Association’s 2013 Volunteer Lawyer of the Year; selected as the recipient of the 2014 Potter Stewart Inn of Court Andrew Dennison Courageous Advocate Award as the lawyer “upholding the professional obligation to represent the poor, the unpopular, and the friendless”; and voted “Best Lawyer” in CityBeat Magazine’s Best of Cincinnati 2014 issue.
1982
Mark Deren ’82, who runs his own FM radio program, Mark from Holland, celebrated the start of his 20th year on-the-air. For the past 19 years, Deren has worked as a volunteer for Heemskerk FM (Radio Heemskerk) in the Netherlands. His show has gained national recognition as a result of his interviews with members and ex-members of bands such as Supertramp, Journey and Kansas.
Jim McCarthy ’82, Alan Reich ’81, Ward Bauman ’82 and Doug Fix ’81 reunited for a Rider golf reunion at the Ridge at Back Brook in Ringoes, N.J., on Sept. 18, 2013.
1986
Former Rider cross-country and track runner Charles Valan ’86 was one of five people inducted into the Hightstown High School Athletic Hall of Fame at its 20th annual ceremony last October. Valan became the third cross- country runner ever inducted. He ran for Hall of Fame Coach Mike Brady at Rider and was part of two East Coast Conference champion track teams.
1987
Michael Benson ’87, a member of Rider men’s soccer team from 1984 to 1988, was inducted into the Toms River Regional Schools Athletic Hall of Fame on May 2. While playing at Toms River High School East, Benson was named to the All-State Team in 1981 and 1982. South Jersey’s leading scorer in 1981, he was later named to the All 20th Century Boys Soccer Team. He is the only men’s soccer player ever to be inducted from Toms River High School East and was a four-year letter winner at Rider and team captain in 1986.
1990
Michael Morreale ’90 was inducted into the New Jersey High School Ice Hockey Hall of Fame as a contributor to the sport in a ceremony held at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., on April 12. Morreale worked on enhancing the coverage of high school hockey in the Garden State for over 17 years as a sports writer for The Star-Ledger, serving from 1990-91 through 2006-07. Morreale, married to Joanne and the father of two daughters, Erica and Katelin, currently serves as a staff writer for the NHL and its website, nhl.com.
1991
Sonja Veda Ross ’91 earned a doctorate in health science from Rutgers University’s School of Biomedical and Health Sciences on Jan. 20. She defended and passed her dissertation in front of a Rutgers-appointed board on Oct. 15, 2013. Her research was on the relationship between African-American women, acculturative stress, binge eating and coping skills.
1993
Ron Panarotti ’93 is a field publication manager and editor with hibu, which is based in King of Prussia, Pa. Panarotti is responsible for overseeing a group of monthly community magazines distributed in Monmouth and Ocean counties.
R. David Rousseau ’93 accepted the post of vice president at the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities in New Jersey. Before then, he served as budget and tax analyst for New Jersey Policy Perspective in Trenton. Prior to that position, he was in state government for 27 years in various capacities for both the executive and legislative branches.
1996
Christopher Roth ’96 accepted the position of international initiatives liaison officer within the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Government of Alberta. The position profiles market access issues and barriers to trade through advocacy and targeted international engagements to priority regions throughout North America, the European Union and China. Roth and his spouse, Kelly, along with their two sons, Ivan and Alister, also recently welcomed two daughters into their family through consecutive sibling adoptions.
1998
Melissa A. Graff ’98 was made partner at law firm Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP. Graff is a member of the firm’s Products Liability & Mass Tort Practice Group in the D.C. office.
2003
Todd Kemmerling ’03, who was captain of the men’s swim team during his season, wrote a play, Last Stop Chapin, that premiered last fall at the Harbison Theatre in Irmo, S.C. While not a musical, the play incorporates four original rock songs he wrote and recorded with his son, Tyler.
Julie Veloz Ott ’03 was the subject of articles in The Wall Street Journal and Adweek, which wrote about her work in learning and development for Annalect, an Omnicom Media Group company, where she is the global head and diversity chair.
2006
Upon earning her New Jersey professional counseling license, Amy Wirth-Nolan’06, M.A. ’09, Ed.S. ’13 opened Life Prep Counseling LLC in Toms River, N.J. She provides therapy services as well as college and career counseling to adolescents and adults. She hopes she can help individuals achieve personal wellness as her practice continues to grow. Michael Nolan ’06, M.B.A. ’11, controller of Operative Media in New York City, was promoted this year to interim CFO. Nolan looks forward to his continued advancement at Operative as the company continues to prosper in the advertising industry.
2009
Queen Latifah honored music teacher Jackie Remmilard Gorski ’09 on her show this spring. Gorski’s master’s thesis chronicled the life of Jean Sinor, one of the great American Kodály teachers.