Joe Quinn, the current Director of Leadership Development for Team Red, White & Blue (RWB), has been hand-selected as in the incoming Executive Director for Headstrong, a non-profit organization that provides post-9/11 military veterans with free mental health care. He will begin his new role on January 1, 2018.
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Quinn '02 Named Executive Director of Headstrong
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Class Notes Updates This Week
The following classes have added updates this week to their Class Notes pages. 1988 | 1989 | 2002. Class Notes
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Smestad '92 Named VP at Otter Tail Corp
Otter Tail Corporation announced that Jennifer O. Smestad will assume the roles of Vice President, General Counsel, and Corporate Secretary.
For the past 17 years, Smestad has served in roles of increasing responsibility for the corporation's manufacturing and electric utility platforms. "Jennifer came aboard initially as an attorney for our manufacturing companies, then transitioned to support renewable and transmission expansion projects at the utility, and for the past four years has excelled as the General Counsel of Otter Tail Power Company," said Otter Tail Corporation President and CEO Chuck MacFarlane. "Jennifer is a proven leader with deep knowledge of Otter Tail Corporation. I have every confidence in Jennifer and look forward to her becoming a key member of our executive team."
Smestad will be responsible for the legal affairs of the corporation and will retain her role as General Counsel at Otter Tail Power Company. The electric utility is the corporation's largest subsidiary. Smestad earned her juris doctor degree from the University of Texas School of Law in Austin. She served in the Medical Service Corps and Judge Advocate General. Prior to joining Otter Tail Corporation, Smestad worked as an associate and partner with the Pemberton Law firm. Read More
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Dillman '81 Appointed Emerald Health Therapeutics VP
Paul R. Dillman, Jr., was appointed the Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Emerald Health Therapeutics Inc. Mr. Dillman will be responsible for marketing, sales, and customer service, and will lead Emerald's brand strategy and execution as the Company prepares for anticipated legalization of adult use cannabis in Canada by July 2018.
"Paul has been instrumental in preparing for and executing sales growth as a senior leader at some of the world's most successful fast-moving consumer packaged goods companies. His strategic and tactical marketing expertise will be invaluable as we position Emerald for leadership in the Canadian and global cannabis industry," said Chris Wagner, Chief Executive Officer of Emerald.
Mr. Dillman brings three decades of experience in global marketing, sales, and general management to Emerald and has held senior leadership positions at The Coca-Cola Company, AB InBev, Philip Morris, and Kraft Foods.
"I'm thrilled to join the dynamic organization that Emerald is building," said Mr. Dillman. "With its current expansion projects and product innovation plans, Emerald is poised to be a premiere provider of cannabis for medical and adult-use consumers. I look forward to planning and executing a marketing and sales strategy that will contribute to this goal." Read More
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COL Davis '78 Named Principal Deputy Assistant
Addison D. Davis IV has been appointmented to the Senior Executive Service, and for assignment as the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Energy, Installations, and Environment. Davis was previously chief executive officer for the U.S. Army Reserve and served as deputy assistant secretary of the Army for environment, safety, and occupational health. Davis is a former Army Ranger, and Harvard University graduate. Read More
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Mantz '05 Authors "The Beauty of a Darker Soul"
Joshua Mantz published the book The Beauty of a Darker Soul: Overcoming Trauma Through the Power of Human Connection. This is a journey of finding beauty within darkness. Former Army Major Josh Mantz reaches into the deepest corners of the human soul to expose the most difficult emotions associated with traumatic experiences. Mantz was shot and killed by a sniper on the streets of Baghdad and flatlined for fifteen minutes. He leverages his profoundly vivid near-death experience to help others overcome life's most difficult moments. This deeply inspirational work empowers us to find meaning within suffering and demonstrates the vital role we all have in creating hope for others. Available on Amazon.
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LTG Ulmer '52 "A Military Leadership Notebook"
LTG Walter Ulmer releases the book, A Military Leadership Notebook: Principles into Practice.
Within formal organizations like the military, individuals in charge rely on two sources of authority to get the job done: granted statutory power and personal power, which is gained by earning trust. Good leaders use both.
In A Military Leadership Notebook, Walter F. Ulmer Jr., who retired from the U.S. Army as a lieutenant general, explores what makes a great commander. While he focuses on the military, the leadership lessons he shares work in war and peace, on land and at sea, and in small and large organizations.
Ulmer defines leadership, shares his personal philosophy of leadership, reveals tips on measuring a leader's success, and outlines behaviors that can lead to success--as well as those that can lead to disaster.
He also wades into the debate over whether leaders are born or made, explains why it's important to respect the authority and responsibility of subordinate leaders, and how to manage organizations and large staffs.
No matter what your military rank--and even if you're a civilian leader--this guide will be a leadership teaching tool that you'll refer to for years to come. Available on Amazon.
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Class Notes Updates This Week
The following classes have added updates this week/last week to their Class Notes pages. 1952 | 1953 | 1956 | 1959 | 1960 | 1965 | 1966 | 1978 | 1981 | 1993 | 2005. Class Notes
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Dodson '90 Named VP at Thinfilm
Kevin Dodson has been hired as VP Channel Solutions at Thinfilm. Dodson oversees the management of convertor/packaging firms, digital agencies, and other channel partners. He is a veteran strategy, business development, and product management executive with more than 20 years of experience working for early-stage Internet technology companies. Most recently, he was VP of Strategy and Partnerships for Beckon, a data management and analytics SaaS platform for enterprise marketers. Prior to Beckon, Dodson co-founded two startups – YapMap, a search engine for social content, and In.Vu, a search engine for machine-generated data. He was VP of Product for Quigo Technologies, a contextual ad network (acquired by AOL), and a Sr. Director of Strategy and Analytics for the advertising agency, Razorfish, where he started the digital analytics practice. Dodson holds an MBA from the Wharton School of Business. Read More
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Thul '14 & Glesener '16 Selected in the MLL Draft
Garret Thul '14 and John Glesener '16, former Army West Point Lacrosse players, were selected in the Major Lacrosse League Supplemental Draft on Wednesday night.
Thul returns to the league with the Ohio Machine. He was selected as the ninth pick in the second round as the 18th overall.
Glesener was picked up by the Chesapeake Bayhawks as the fourth pick in the seventh round. He was tabbed the 58th pick overall.
For more information on the draft, please follow this link to majorleaguelacrosse.com
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Class Notes Updates This Week
The following classes have added updates this week to their Class Notes pages. 1959 | 1962 | 1965 | 1990 | 2014 | 2016. Class Notes
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Shull '73 on 18 Leaders to Watch in 2018 List
Tom Shull, Director and CEO, Army and Air Force Exchange Service has been named to the Retail Leader 18 leaders to watch in 2018 list. Retail Leader offers a subjective look at 18 individuals influencing their organizations and the retail industry in unconventional, diverse, less than obvious and potentially profound ways in the coming year.
The Army & Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES) is often overlooked in conversations about retail competitors, but that is a mistake with Tom Shull serving as CEO. He led a major digital effort that opened a new competitive front for AAFES in late 2017 that is estimated to have an annual sales impact of $200 million.
Long restricted to only serving shoppers on military posts and overseas locations, AAFES increased its addressable market by about 18 million people in November when honorably discharged veterans became eligible to make online purchases from AAFES. Prior to a Department of Defense ruling in early 2017 only active duty, reserve and Guard members, 100% disabled veterans and their dependent family members could shop with AAFES. Read More
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Gibbs '92 Named Head Coach at LaGrange High, GA
Chuck Gibbs was named the new head football coach at LaGrange High, and he takes over a program that has struggled of late. Gibbs, who has been a head coach at Scottsdale Christian Academy in Phoenix for the past four years, is familiar with the proud tradition of the LaGrange football program since he grew up close by in Auburn. It's up to Gibbs to try to get LaGrange's program back on track, and he's ready and eager for the challenge.
"Straight up, we're going to take back the city," Gibbs said on the phone from Arizona. "That's my mission, and that's my mantle that's on me. I know there are two other great schools there. We've got to get it going back in the right direction. There's a ton of talent there, it's how to we coach'em up and love'em up and put them together so they can perform together on a Friday night and start to experience a little bit of success on the field."
In 2004, Gibbs gained some valuable coaching experience with the Atlanta Falcons as part of an internship program. Gibbs was not only able to work with an NFL team for six weeks, but he also coached alongside his father, who was the offensive-line coach with the Falcons at the time. In 2005, Gibbs was an assistant coach at Kapolei High School in Hawaii, and he moved to Arizona the following year and spent a season as a coach at Arcadia High School in Phoenix. In 2007, Gibbs founded the Arcadia Youth Football Program, and as the head coach he guided the team to four league championships and a 42-8-1 record.
Gibbs added that "we're going to restore that Granger pride. We're going to defend the star." Gibbs said he wants the players he'll coach to know that he cares about them not just as football players, but as people. Gibbs said he has been, and will remain open, to meeting with anyone he thinks can help him get LaGrange football moving back in the right direction. Read More
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Class Notes Updates This Week
The following classes have added updates this week to their Class Notes pages. 1956 | 1964 | 1968 | 1969 | 1973 | 1982 | 1992. Class Notes
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Capofari '72 Receives the Morgenthau Award
Chief Assistant District Attorney Paul Capofari has been given the prestigious Morgenthau Award for his devotion to justice and public safety. "His years of military service in the U.S. Army were instrumental in helping my administration to establish the borough's first dedicated Veterans Court part, which has flourished under his leadership and allowed his fellow veterans to connect with much-needed resources," McMahon added.
As an assistant district attorney, Capofari was a major consistent of multiple pivotal cases, including prosecuting various homicides, members of a prominent cocaine drug ring, and was lead counsel in a 2003 multi-defendant state prosecution of Ronell Wilson - who assassinated two undercover police officers, and who was ultimately convicted in federal court, according to a press release from the Office of the District Attorney.
Capofari's 19-year career included assignments in the Investigations Bureau, the Criminal Court Bureau as a deputy bureau chief, and as the chief of the Supreme Court Bureau, where he offered his experience and knowledge while supervising ADAs in the prosecution of felony offenders. Capofari's tenure ended in 2012, but he was asked by McMahon to join his new administration as chief assistant district attorney in 2016. Read More
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Fath '90 Named President of the Somers Point BOE
Todd Fath is the new president of the Somers Point Board of Education. He was chosen to lead the district by Atlantic County Executive Superintendent of Schools Richard Stepura. Fath is serving his third year on the board, and is field engineer for Linde LLC, an industrial gas and engineering company. Read More
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WPAOG Announces 2018 Distinguished Graduate Award Recipients
The West Point Association of Graduates (WPAOG) has named the 2018 recipients of the Distinguished Graduate Award. This annual award is bestowed upon those West Point graduates whose character, distinguished service and stature draw wholesome comparison to the qualities for which West Point strives, in keeping with its motto: "Duty, Honor, Country."
The awards will be presented in a ceremony at West Point on May 22, 2018.
The 2018 Distinguished Graduate Award Recipients are:
Dana G. Mead '57
Thomas C. Barron '65
Larry R. Jordan '68
William S. Wallace '69
Sloan D. Gibson '75
Douglas E. Lute '75
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Renfro '54 Honored at Lacrosse Officials Winter Meeting
The Dick Renfro Distinguished Official Award “Exemplify the highest standards of sportsmanship, ethical conduct and moral character”. Named in honor of Dick Renfro who in the early 1990’s was the only USILOA trained and approved Lacrosse Official and Trainer in Kentucky. Dick was the original instructor for Lacrosse Officials in Kentucky and was instrumental in providing the guidance for the Organization which became BLOA. Dick played at Army 1951 thru 1953, and became an Assistant Coach in 1954.
While his career serving his country took him to many areas of the US and around the world, Dick was able to continue with his passion for lacrosse as an Official in the North East: New York; South West: Texas; overseas in England; returning to the North East and finally settling in Kentucky in early 1989. Dick officiated many levels from High School to NCAA as well as the International World Lacrosse Games in England in 1978.
This award seeks to recognize and honor officials who have a distinguished record of excellence and integrity on the field, leadership in BLOA, and a commitment to work for the growth of Boy’s Lacrosse. All of the Characteristics exemplified by Dick Renfro. This Award is Recognizing Dick for his instrumental help in getting Lacrosse Officiating in Kentucky off the ground. It is with Honor we present to Dick Renfro the original Julip Cup that will be used as the trophy to honor the future recipients.
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Class Notes Updates This Week
The following classes have added updates this week to their Class Notes pages. 1946 | 1954 | 1968 | 1972 | 1990. Class Notes
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Ringo '03 New Garland ISD District CFO
Garland ISD Trustees named Brent Ringo, Ed.D., as the district's new chief financial officer. Ringo has had highly successful experiences leading business and financial operations in public education, having served in Highland Park ISD as assistant superintendent for business services, and in Allen ISD, where he was the executive director of finance. Under Ringo's leadership, his department in Allen ISD was awarded the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting by the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States.
Ringo's extensive resume also includes an education background with administrative, classroom and coaching experience. He was a math teacher and coach at Vista Ridge High school in Leander ISD, taught algebra and geometry at Rowlett High School in Garland ISD, was an assistant and an associate principal at Wylie High School, and was principal at Royse City High School, prior to entering into school finance. Ringo earned his Doctor of Education in Educational Administration from Texas A&M – Commerce and his Master of Education in Educational Administration from Texas State University.
"Dr. Ringo is an outstanding fit for Garland ISD and was chosen from a very strong applicant pool," said Dr. Ricardo López, Garland ISD Superintendent. "I am pleased that we have been able to attract someone of his caliber, with the combination of successful and effective financial and educational experiences, which is unique in this job role. Dr. Ringo's expertise and prudent financial stewardship will benefit us as we continue to focus on providing a world-class educational experience for all students across the district." Read More
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