1970s Class notes

Submitted within the past six months

1970
Connie Bakker (E), the dean of libraries and instructional services at the College of Lake County in Grayslake, Ill., has been elected vice chair/chair-elect of the Consortia of Academic and Research Libraries in Illinois. She lives in Libertyville, Ill.

1971
Bonnie Rung (N), an assistant professor of nursing at San Juan College in Farmington, N.M., was awarded a Tarpley Teaching Award on April 15, 2009. The Tarpley award recognizes faculty for excellence in teaching, commitment to students and commitment to San Juan College. She lives in Kirtland, N.M.

1972
Stephen Fisher (E), '79 (MA) reports that since retiring from teaching high school English in 2004, after more than 30 years in public education, he has worked with the Raptor Education Group near Antigo as an environmental education coordinator and bird rescuer/transporter. He presents public programs with live raptors to school groups and the general public and rescues injured or sick birds and transports them to the group's facility. The position has allowed Stephen to combine two of his passions: education and a love of the natural world. He also is the current director of TDI Chapter No. 184: Therapy Dogs of Central Wisconsin. The group visits nursing homes, hospitals, assisted living facilities, libraries and other locations with specially certified dogs that help provide emotional comfort and happiness. Stephen says, "My retirement is for the birds, and it has gone to the dogs." He lives in Wausau.

Royce Sorensen (E) was promoted to the position of materials engineer at Eau Claire’s National Presto Industries, where he has been employed for 30 years. He lives in rural Eau Claire with wife Mary Jo (Prunty) Sorensen ’78 (E) and their six children, including one adopted son from Haiti. Mary Jo received a master’s degree in marriage and family therapy in 2002. Royce continues to play in a gospel bluegrass band.

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1974
Warren Kraft (A&S) has been named director of Human Resources/assistant city attorney for West Bend. He remains affiliated, in an of-counsel capacity, with the Murphy-Desmond law firm of Madison, where he continues to practice municipal law on behalf of government clients. Kraft, the former Oshkosh city attorney, is a 1982 graduate of Marquette University Law School. A commissioned lay pastor for the Winnebago Presbytery and an active scout leader in the Bay-Lakes Council, he served as chaplain and on staff for ArrowCorps5 in summer 2008 at the Bridger-Teton National Forest near Jackson, Wyo. During that week approximately 1,100 scouts and volunteers created more than 15 miles of new hiking and biking trails for the U.S. Forest Service. For his efforts, in early January 2009, Kraft was named Awase Lodge adviser of the year of the National Order of the Arrow, an honor society of scouts and leaders recognized for their commitment to community service and to the Boy Scout camping programs. Kraft’s wife, Elizabeth (Detmer) Kraft '74 (E), is a fourth-grade special education teacher at Clay Lamberton Elementary School in Berlin. They have two children: Jessica, 23, and Nathan, 19, and live in Oshkosh.

Eileen (Weisensel) McDowell (N) and husband Jeff were married Aug. 25, 2007. After working for American Red Cross Biomedical Services for 32 years, Eileen retired in October 2007. She says she now is enjoying life with her husband. The couple live in Sun Prairie.

Maggie Menard-Mueller (A&S) was named a 2009 Kohl Foundation Fellow for Excellence in Teaching. She has been a seventh- and eighth-grade language arts and social studies teacher at Woodlands School in Milwaukee since 1999. Maggie lives in Oak Creek.

1976
Jeff Cairns (B) is listed in the 2009 edition of "The Best Lawyers in America," in the employee benefits law category. He is a shareholder at Leonard, Street and Deinard in Minneapolis, Minn. Jeff also serves as a trustee for the William Mitchell College of Law in St. Paul, Minn. He lives in St. Paul.

Mark Knowlton (A&S) reports that he is designing and building custom hollow-body electric guitars and basses from his studio in Tigard, Ore. More information about his business is available online at www.knowltonguitars.com. Mark lives in Tigard.

1977
Mary (Butters) Barbes (A&S) says she will always have great memories and lifelong friends from UW-Eau Claire. She lives in St. Charles, Ill.

Jan (Ackley) Malecha (A&S) says her family theme song has become "On the Road, Again." Just after the announcement of her family's last move from Madison to Wichita, Kan., was published in The View, Jan and her husband, Mike, decided to relocate back "up north" for Mike's position at the U.S. BioEnergy corporate offices in Inver Grove Heights, Minn. The Malechas will be living in Rosemount, Minn., as of July 2006. Jan would like to connect with other music therapists and friends living in that area. She can be reached by e-mail at muzikjam@aol.com.

Paul Zillgitt (A&S), a lecturer in biological sciences at UW-Waukesha, was named an Arthur M. Kaplan Fellow for 2008-09. The program recognizes outstanding contributions to education by UW Colleges faculty and academic staff. Zillgitt, a surgeon and podiatrist, has taught zoology at UW-Waukesha since 2002. In addition to his bachelor's degree from UW-Eau Claire, he holds a bachelor's degree from UW-Madison's physician assistant program and a doctorate in podiatric medicine from the William M. Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine in Chicago. Zillgitt lives in Colgate.

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1978
William Habicht (B) has been re-elected to the board of directors and as president of Messerli & Kramer P.A., a law firm with offices in Minneapolis, St. Paul and Plymouth, Minn. He lives in Eden Prairie, Minn.

1979
Gary Berg (A&S), chief executive officer of G.L. Berg Entertainment, was featured in the "someone you should know" section of the winter 2009 issue of Minnesota Meetings and Events magazine. G.L. Berg Entertainment also was recognized as the "best entertainment agency" for 2008 by readers of the magazine — an honor the agency also received in 2003 and 2005. The St. Cloud, Minn.-based agency, founded by Gary 20 years ago, has contracted shows throughout the United States as well as in Canada, China and Mexico. He lives in St. Cloud.

Leisa (Dorsey) Jean (A&S) had her "quick-to-do, funny and encouraging" exercise book, "bye, bye bidon!" published in 2008. The book, written in French, has met with great success. Targeting real women, the exercises, based on Pilates, yoga and a multitude of other methods, take less than a minute to do and really work, she says. Leisa is featured in a monthly television show in Rennes, France, as the sports expert journalist and has a one-minute-per-day radio spot featuring exercises from the book. She also has been featured on radio shows and in national magazines throughout France. Leisa lives in Normandy, France.

David LePlavy (B) was promoted to the position of vice president, treasurer and controller for Securian Financial Group in February 2009. He joined Securian in 1979. David lives in Afton, Minn.

Tom Mueller (A&S) reports that he had such a pleasurable time completing his master's degree in business administration "later in life" that he opted to continue his education. He linked that desire with the intent to migrate to a warmer climate, and recently was selected for a doctoral program in mass communications at the University of Florida. Tom will pursue research in quantifiable measurement models within the global branding community, and will teach selected advertising and marketing courses. He lives in Gainesville, Fla.

Tom Neises (E), a teacher and head coach for the boys basketball team at Xavier High School in Appleton, led the Hawks to the school's first-ever appearance in the WIAA boys basketball state tournament during the 2009 season. The trip to the state tournament coincided with the school's 50th anniversary basketball season. Tom lives in Appleton.

Denise Reuter (A&S) joined the law firm of Oskie, Reuter, Hamilton & Sofio, P.A., a Twin Cities firm engaged in the defense of personal injury and property damage claims made against individuals and businesses. Reuter lives in Eagan, Minn.

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