1980s
Donna Bromley ’84 published her first book, “I See the Zoo in You,” and a Kindle edition can be purchased at Amazon.com. She has written 10 other books, a Christmas song and a puzzle she hopes to publish, as well.
Corky Marquart ’84 was named market president and CEO for Commerce Bank in St. Joseph. Marquart, who graduated with a BSBA in Accounting, has been with the bank since 1986, when she began as the controller of the St. Joseph market. She has held several positions since, and has been serving as commercial team leader as well as executive vice president.
Marquart currently serves as the chair of the Missouri Western State University Foundation Board of Directors.
Susan Moore ’85 was named principal of the Northwest Special Programs Center in Justin, Texas. Moore holds an educational doctorate from Nova Southeastern University and has a master’s from Oklahoma State University.
1990s
Leanna (Lutz) Brunner ’90 recently published “Final Detour,” a suspense/thriller/romance book that is available on Amazon.com. The book is the first of a trilogy, and the second installment, “Dead End,” will come out this spring. Brunner also hosted a writer’s conference for aspiring authors, Write the Dream, at Bartle Hall in Kansas City, Mo. in March 2014.
Mike Neff ’90 was appointed as the director of strategy and operations for The Canadian Institute of Diversity and Inclusion, based in Toronto.
Terry Hall ’92 was promoted to vice president of Regulatory Affairs for Hillyard Industries in St. Joseph, Mo.
David Jones ’93 is the chief operating officer/chief experience officer with Foutch Brothers of St. Joseph, Mo.
Stephanie (Greve) Bitterman ’98 was elected to the Maslon, Edelman, Borman and Brand LLP’s partnership Jan. 1, 2014. Bitterman practices in Maslon’s Litigation Group where she represents clients ranging from small business owners to large corporations throughout all stages of litigation. The firm is based in Minneapolis.
2000s
Brian Keesee ’00 was hired as executive director of clinical services for the North American Clinical division of Packaging Coordinators Inc. The company operates 14 facilities across North America and Europe and packages medicines that go to more than 100 countries around the world.
Dustin Worrell ’01, became president of Dynamic Research Technologies in December 2013. His sister, Ashley Worrell ’98, became the chief financial officer. Dynamic Research Technologies is a family-owned business in northern Missouri.
Stacey (Calcote) Williamson ’02 was elected the state president-elect of the Missouri State Teachers Association, the largest education association in Missouri. She will serve three total years and become the state president in November 2014.
Nic Sikora ’03, who lives in Falls City, Neb., recently sent the following note to Missouri Western’s alumni office:
I have a couple bits of interesting information.
First, I come from a very small high school – Sacred Heart in Falls City, Neb. – with about 20 students per class. There are four graduates (that I know of) from Sacred Heart that are also Griffons: Ryan Sevcik ’04, Luke Brennan ’04, Dan Pfister ’05 and me. The part that I find interesting is that three of us already hold our doctorate degree and as of May 2014, all four of us will. Ryan and I hold Juris Doctorates, Dan has his Ph.D, and Luke earns his Doctor of Chiropractic this month. We have Missouri Western to thank for our undergraduate degrees.
Second, I remember reading a story about Ben ’04 and Dana ’08 Doornink and their son Griffon. I named one of my twin sons Griffin. Griffin Phillip and Alvin Patrick were born on March 19, 2010. My wife, Andrea, and I also have a 9-month-old, Franklin Tobiasz.
Jim McKinley ’04 and his wife, Regan, announce the birth of their first child, Dillin James, born Oct. 18, 2013.
Shannon Petsche ’06 is the recreation facility manager for the City of Alamogordo, N.M.
Andrew Murphy ’07 married Brianne Shaver June 15, 2013. The couple resides in Macon, Mo.
Jeremy Wilder ’07 and his wife, Laura, announce the birth of a daughter, Rilynn Ainsley, born Dec. 10, 2013. Wilder earned an MBA from William Woods University in August 2013.
Koren (Dailey) Wills ’08 and her husband, Cody, announce the birth of a son, Ian Boyd, born Dec. 2, 2013.
Autumn (Greear) ’08 and David ’09 Haeker: David graduated with his Master of Science in Industrial Engineering from New Mexico State University in December 2013. He is employed with Trac at White Sands Missile Range New Mexico. Autumn is employed as a K-8 music teacher for the Las Cruces Public School District.
Tiffany (Zimmerman) ’08 and Cody ’09 Austin announce the birth of a son, Elliott Jay, born May 20, 2013.
Garrett Holtz ’09 and his wife, Maureen, announce the birth of a son, Luke Robert, born Feb. 17, 2014. Luke has an older brother, Patrick.
Bret Peery ’09 and his wife, Jennifer, announce the birth of a daughter, Karli Lynn, born Feb. 4, 2014.
2010s
Kelsey (Kieber) ’10 and Kyle ’10 Wolfe announce the birth of a daughter, Reese Lynn, born Dec. 18, 2013.
Kayla Aucutt ’11 and Luke Bachman were married July 20, 2013. The couple resides in Kirksville, Mo.
Joshua Colley ’11 is an adjunct faculty member at the Art Institutes International Kansas City in Lenexa, Kan. He teaches Sound Design and Music History and facilitates the audio video studio, teaching techniques in post-production. Colley noted that he learned how to use post-production software at Missouri Western.
Brett Kiser, ’11 recently published “The Pin-up Girls of World War II” through Bearmanor Media. The book is a historical work recounting the rise of pin-up art during the war years. Included in the book are biographies of some of the famous pin-ups, such as Betty Grable, Jane Russell, Carol Landis and others.
In Memory
We honor those who have passed away. If you want to include someone in this listing, please call (816) 271-5651, mail the information to Diane Holtz, Missouri Western State University, 4525 Downs Drive, St. Joseph, MO 64507, or email holtz@missouriwestern.edu.
Betty Jo Cheney ’47, Prescott, Ariz., Nov. 23, 2013.
Wilma (Colville) Curran ’80, St. Joseph, Mo., May 27, 2013.
Laurie Kay (Campbell) Groover ’85, Keller, Texas, Oct. 14, 2013.
Chuck Haskins ’71, Woodbury, Minn., July 17, 2013.
Dennis Herbster ’73, Springfield, Mo., Dec. 6, 2013.
Rebecca Keltner ’82, Kansas City, Mo., May 23, 2013.
Robert G. Poage ’47, Rocklin, Calif., June 14, 2013.
Mildred Sites ’38, Webster Groves, Mo. April 12, 2011. Her daughter, Mary Edwards, wrote that after her mother graduated from the Junior College, she taught grades one through eight in a one-room schoolhouse near St. Joseph. She earned her bachelor’s degree during the summers at Northwest Missouri State University. She later taught in Agency and St. Joseph and after moving to St. Louis and taking several years off to raise three children, taught in the Maplewood-Richmond Heights District in St. Louis County until retiring in 1982. “She followed with interest the growth of Missouri Western as it grew into a four-year college and later a university. She was also proud to be a member of Phi Theta Kappa while at the St. Joseph Junior College,” Edwards wrote.