’40s
J. Howard Albrecht ’48 recently completed a comedic play, Be Careful What You Wish For, with Bernard Kahn. Albrecht describes the play as taking place in a senior citizens living complex in St. Augustine, Fla. — similar to the one he and his wife, Bernice Freedland Albrecht ’47, live in. The 90-year-old couple at the center of the plot discover, with the help of their dog, the Fountain of Youth. Once they drink from it and become young again, they are faced with the circumstances of potentially making the same mistakes they did the first time around.
’60s
Alexander Kress ’63 announced the sale of his manufacturing company, Benchmark Games, Inc., a worldwide supplier of amusement machines to places such as Chuck E. Cheese, Dave & Busters, and hundreds of arcades and family entertainment centers throughout the world. The factory is located in Hypoluxo, Fla., and employed 126 employees. Kress still owns and operates National Kiddie Rides, LLC in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.
William V. White ’63 was honored as one of the Boston Marathon bombing survivors during a Boston-wide fifth-year ceremony for those individuals killed or injured during the bombing.
Ronald Matlack ’64 is serving as the vice president on the board of directors and volunteering as a tour guide at Pennsbury Manor, the summer home of William Penn. He also serves in an appointed position on the Bucks County Housing Authority Board of Directors located in Doylestown, Pa. In 2001, he sold his family heater exchange business and got involved with local politics, serving on his local school board for 10 years. Previously, he taught in the New Jersey prison system and was a high school coach and teacher.
’70s
Lawrence Morgenstein ’72 was appointed chief financial officer of MamaMancini’s Holdings, Inc., a marketer of specialty prepared, frozen and refrigerated all-natural food products, in April. Morgenstein earned a bachelor’s in economics from Rider and a master’s in business administration from Rutgers University.
John M. Paitakes ’73 continues to serve on the the New Jersey State Parole Board and teach as an associate adjunct professor in Rider’s Department of Sociology and Criminology. For many years previously, he was a professor at Seton Hall University. In addition to earning a master’s from Rider, Paitakes holds a doctorate in human resource development in public administration.
Miriam Steinitz-Kannan ’73 co-authored a new book with Mark A. Nienaber, A Guide to Cyanobacteria: Identification and Impact, which was published by the University of Kentucky Press. Written for nonspecialists, the guide is intended to help students, landowners and citizen-scientists identify different kinds of cyanobacteria and understand their impact on waterways. Steinitz-Kannan is Regents Professor Emeritus in the Department of Biological Sciences at Northern Kentucky University. Active in environmental and water quality education, she offers algae workshops for the community and various Ohio River foundations. She graduated from Rider with a bachelor’s in biological sciences.
Ed Jankowski ’75 was appointed chief executive officer of XpresSpa Group, a health and wellness holding company whose core asset, XpresSpa, is the world’s largest airport spa company, with 57 locations in 23 airports globally. Jankowski has been involved with the company since 2014, first as a board member and then as part of management. He received his bachelor’s in management and commerce marketing from Rider.
Thomas J. Lynch ’75 was appointed to the board of directors of ADP in April. He has served as chairman of TE Connectivity Ltd., a leading global technology and manufacturing company, since 2013 and previously served as CEO from January 2006 to March 2017. ADP is a comprehensive global provider of cloud-based human capital management solutions and a leader in business outsourcing services, analytics and compliance expertise.
Edwin R. Taylor ’75, ’79 was named music director of Hyde Park Presbyterian Church in Tampa, Fla. He will oversee all sacred music and choral operations. A composer/arranger and a lifelong church musician, Taylor most recently served as the music director of the First Congregational Church of Ridgefield, Conn.
Claudia Dukeshire ’77, who earned a bachelor’s in English from Rider, obtained a master’s in liberal studies from Ramapo College in 2017.
’80s
Judy Persichilli ’80 was appointed under an executive order signed by New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy to serve as a monitor and oversee University Hospital in Newark. The appointment came in response to concerns raised about the hospital’s quality of care and financial health. In addition to receiving a master’s from Rider, Persichilli received a nursing diploma from the St. Francis Hospital School of Nursing and a bachelor’s in nursing from Rutgers University.
Kathy Worth ’82 was named chief financial officer of New England Newspapers Inc., in March. Based in Pittsfield, Mass., New England Newspapers publishes The Berkshire Eagle, The Bennington Banner, The Brattleboro Reformer and The Manchester Journal. Worth earned a bachelor’s in commerce and accounting from Rider and is a certified public accountant in the state of New Jersey.
Audrey Ronning Topping ’83, who was awarded an honorary Doctor of Arts from Rider in 1983, was presented with the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award by Marquis Who’s Who, a publisher of biographical profiles.
Pete Nieto ’84 was appointed vice president of business development of ProSciento, a leading specialty clinical research organization exclusively focused on NASH, diabetes, obesity and related metabolic diseases. Nieto, who received his bachelor’s in business administration from Rider, came to ProSciento from PPD, where he served as executive director of early phase business development.
Mike Pulli ’86 was named chief executive officer of Verifone, a world leader in payments and commerce solutions. In previous roles, he served as the CEO of Pace plc, a UK-based publicly traded company on the London Stock Exchange; as CEO of Digital Latin America; and held several positions at General Instrument. Pulli earned a bachelor’s in accounting from Rider and a master’s in business administration from Fairleigh Dickinson University.
John (Jack) Alexander ’88 published his second book, Financial Planning & Analysis and Performance Management. He is the founder of Jack Alexander & Associates, LLC, which provides advice to businesses across a wide range of financial and operating areas. Previously he served as senior vice president and CFO of EG&G Inc. (now PerkinElmer), a global $2.5 billion technology and services company, as well as a senior lecturer at Babson College. A certified financial planner, Alexander received his Master of Business Administration from Rider and a Bachelor of Science from Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
Eric Jacobs ’89 was appointed executive vice president, chief financial officer of Wheels Up, a private aviation company that aims to reduce the upfront costs to fly privately. In his new position, Jacobs will oversee the finance and accounting, investor relations and strategic corporate development functions of Wheels Up. A former certified public accountant, Jacobs earned a bachelor’s in business administration with a major in accounting from Rider and a J.D. with honors from Rutgers School of Law.
’90s
Mary Liz Ivins ’90, the principal of Notre Dame High School in Lawrence, N.J., was appointed interim president for the 2018-19 school year. Ivins graduated from Notre Dame and has been with the school since 1979. She earned a master’s in educational administration from Rider, in addition to a master’s in Christian education from Princeton Theological Seminary and a bachelor’s in psychology from St. Joseph’s University.
Beverly Lapp ’93 was appointed Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary’s new vice president and academic dean. The appointment took place during the Board of Directors meeting in April. Lapp has a Doctor of Education from Columbia University Teachers College in New York City; a Master of Music in Piano Performance and Pedagogy from Westminster Choir College; and a Bachelor of Arts in Music from Goshen College. She is also a graduate of Christopher Dock Mennonite High School (now Dock Academy) in Lansdale, Pa.
Toby Miller ’93, who teaches second grade at Kellman Brown Academy in Voorhees, N.J., received two awards in June from the Jewish Community Foundation (JCF). During JCF’s annual Scholarship & Emerging Leader Awards Dessert Reception on June 25 at the Weinberg Jewish Community Campus, she was given the Helen and Harry Pinsky Award for Outstanding Professional Leadership and the Schreibstein Award for Emerging Community Leadership.
Andrea Ardite ’95 joined St. Luke’s University Health Network at St. Luke’s Hamilton OB-GYN in Allentown, Pa., and St. Luke’s Valley OB-GYN Associates in Quakertown, Pennsburg and Allentown, Pa. She received a bachelor’s from Rider and her medical degree from Ross University School of Medicine Dominica, West Indies. She then went on to complete her residency at Brookdale University Hospital and Medical Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., where she continued to work for 20 years.
Kevin Ruffe ’98 was named CEO of Community Veterinary Partners (CVP). Headquartered in Philadelphia, CVP manages 45 veterinary hospitals in 10 states. Prior to joining CVP, Ruffe was the chief growth officer at MedExpress, where he was instrumental in building MedExpress into a national leader of urgent care services with nearly 250 locations caring for almost four million patients per year. Ruffe earned a bachelor’s in economics from Rutgers University and a master’s in business management from Rider.
Jorge Escobar ’99 was named acting president of San Jose City College in June. In addition to a bachelor’s from Rider, Escobar holds a bachelor’s from Thomas Edison State College and a master’s from Walden University. He has also earned a Six Sigma Black Belt Certification from the Six Sigma Academy in Scottsdale, Ariz.
Kevin Finefrock ’99 is the new superintendent of Osnaburg Local Schools in Ohio. He previously served as associate dean for the Walsh University School for Professional Studies and was an administrator with Green Local Schools in Summit County, Ohio. Finefrock received a bachelor’s from Rider and a master’s from Rutgers University.
’00s
Ming Luke ’00 is slated to act as guest conductor for San Francisco Ballet at Kennedy Center in late October. The company will present two programs of new works selected from their groundbreaking Unbound Festival. Luke, along with SFB Music Director Martin West, will lead the Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra in live accompaniment for pieces choreographed by some of the world’s most renowned dance-makers. Luke received a Master of Fine Arts in Conducting from Carnegie Mellon University and a Bachelor of Music in Music Education and Piano Pedagogy from Westminster Choir College.
Ben Bowman ’01, who graduated from Rider with a bachelor’s in communications, was named the new head coach of Cheltenham High School’s varsity girls basketball team in Pennsylvania. He coached girls basketball for more than 10 years prior to his new appointment.
Jeanne Muzi ’02 was named the new principal of the Slackwood Elementary School in Lawrence, N.J. She has taught in the Lawrence Township school district for 16 years and was named the 2008 New Jersey Teacher of the Year by the state Department of Education. Muzi holds a bachelor’s in art from Eisenhower College of Rochester Institute of Technology and a teaching certificate from Rider.
John Fair ’03 was appointed to the newly created position of chief business officer of Daré Bioscience, Inc., a clinical-stage, women’s biopharmaceutical company. Fair, formerly the president and chief operating officer of Evofem Inc., has more than 20 years of experience in the biopharmaceutical industry in business and corporate development roles. He earned a bachelor’s from Rider and a master’s from the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine.
John Whitehead ’03 was promoted to vice president and small business relationship manager of Nevada State Bank. He has worked for the bank for five years and has more than 15 years of commercial and private lending experience. Whitehead received a bachelor’s from Rider, where he double majored in finance and management.
Sara M. Bonstein ’06 was appointed chief financial officer and chief operating officer of OncoSec Medical Inc., a California-based developer of immunotherapies. Previously, Bonstein worked for Advaxis as its chief financial officer, secretary, treasurer and executive vice president, in addition to holding leadership roles in Eli Lilly & Company, ImClone Systems and Johnson & Johnson. She received a bachelor’s in finance from The College of New Jersey and a master’s in business administration from Rider.
Candice Hoyes ’07, a jazz and classical vocalist who graduated from Westminster Choir College, curated and performed at a new jazz series hosted by Princeton Abbey and Cemetery. The series opened on April 28 with a concert, “Introducing Candice Hoyes,” during which Hoyes performed songs from her 2015 album, On a Turquoise Cloud.
Timothy Jones ’07, a certified financial planner representing Jones Financial Group and a Waddell & Reed financial adviser in the company’s Mechanicsburg, Pa., office, has been named to the President’s Council, one of the highest honors for financial advisers at the firm. The President’s Council comprises the top 12 Waddell & Reed financial advisers nationwide based on an analysis of investment, insurance and financial planning sales generated by each adviser. Jones has been a professional in the financial services industry for 11 years. He joined Waddell & Reed in 2007. He earned a bachelor’s in finance from Rider.
’10s
Shari B. Joslin ’10 was appointed senior vice president of application technology of SweeGen, Inc., a provider of nature-based, non-GMO stevia sweeteners. Prior to joining Sweegen in 2018, she held various executive roles in the flavor industry and has been a successful senior leader in product and process development, global innovation and business development for 29 years. Joslin received her Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry from Bellarmine University in Louisville, Ky., and an Executive Master of Business Administration from Rider.
Mike Ward ’10 was inducted into The News-Herald’s High School Sports Hall of Fame in June. A two-time state champion, he earned a bachelor’s from Rider and is now a project manager for Cornerstone Roofing in Texas.
Miguel Edwards ’11 joined Kemper Corporation, a leading insurer, as its chief information officer for the Life and Health Division. In the role, he is responsible for strategic technology investments and applications to improve the division’s ability to evolve digital platforms, improve the customer experience and support key growth initiatives. Edwards, who received a bachelor’s from Metropolitan College of New York and a master’s from Rider (both in business administration), was previously employed by Allstate Insurance.
Joshua Wanger ’13 performed in the cast of Ellis Island: Gateway to America at Premiere Stages at Kean University in July. The performance was presented by Pushcart Players. Wanger received a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from Westminster Choir College. He worked for two years at the Juilliard School library before he was seen in A Little Night Music, Zuccotti Park and a touring production of Skippyjon Jones: Snow What?!
Jacob Ezzo ’14 was honored in March by the Essex County Board of Chosen Freeholders for winning the New Jersey Arts Ed Now Ambassadors competition. Ezzo, the South Orange Middle School choral director, scored first place in the State of New Jersey for the elementary/middle school category in the competition. He earned a bachelor’s and master’s from Westminster Choir College and has grown the school’s choir program from 11 students to 370.
Stan Clark ’16 was accepted to be a Princeton-In-Asia Fellow at Northeastern University in Shenyang, China.
Rory Cabrera Connolly ’15 was cast as a newsie in the June production of Disney’s Tony Award-winning musical Newsies at the Axelrod Performing Arts Center in Ocean Township, N.J.
Embrey Brannon ’16 was hired as the new head varsity volleyball coach of Christ Presbyterian Academy, where she will also serve as an instructor in the school’s arts department. Brannon played volleyball as an undergraduate at Rider. Following graduation, she worked as a graduate assistant coach at Washington College and at Belmont University, where she went on to become assistant volleyball coach.
Sophia Introna ’17 played the role of Vanessa in the Playhouse on Park production of In The Heights, the Tony Award-winning Best Musical conceived by Lin-Manuel Miranda, in West Hartford, Conn.