Class Notes Summer 2011

'42

Happy birthday to Bette Gough Slade, BA '42, who celebrated her 90th birthday on March 27. She lives at SR-11 Magnolia Circle, Lake Cherokee, TX 75652-7954, where she has been a private shareholder since 1947 and active in the social life there. Slade was city hostess for Longview, Texas, until her retirement in 1991. Her husband, Frank H. Slade, BBA '42, who owned Slade's Men and Boys Shop, passed away in 2002. Contact at BetSlade@aol.com.

'51

Patricia Rudd Jackson, BA '51, resides at 438 Gloucester Ct., Kerrville, TX 78028.

'53

Joe Milton Murphy, BA '53, has penned two books: Rev. Bucky (Vantage 2011: 164 pages), a satirical novel pointed toward society and theology, and 100 Best Prayers (2010: 120 pages), a book of confessional prayers. After pastoring for many years at churches in Texas, Alabama, Ohio and Kentucky, Murphy is now retired, living in Ardmore, Okla.

'58

Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus announced the appointment of Bill Crocker, BBA '58, LLB '60, as RNC general counsel on March 3. Crocker has served as the RNC National Committeeman for Texas since 2004. He was a delegate to the 2004 Republican National Convention and serves as a member of the RNC Resolutions Committee and RNC Rules Committee. He has long been active in Texas politics. Contact at dtcwrc@earthlink.net.

'60

Dr. Victor L. Morlan, BA '60, of Cushing, Okla., reeled in this 9 lb., 15 oz. large mouth bass in a small lake near his home. "I'm sure wearing my Baylor hat helped!" he writes. Morlan is retired after ministering Baptist congregations for 42 years.

'63

Hays Parks, BA '63, JD '66, concluded 42 years of military and federal civil service when he retired from his position as senior associate deputy general counsel, international affairs, office of general counsel, Department of Defense, on Oct. 29, 2010. During his career he represented the U.S. in multilateral negotiations in New York, Geneva, The Hague and Vienna, while also serving as a legal adviser to the military services, joint commands, and the Office of the Secretary of Defense. He served in the Republic of Vietnam 1968-69 as a Marine Corps infantry officer and as senior prosecuting attorney for the First Marine Division. Contact at haysparks70@gmail.com.

'64

David C. Marx, BA '64, had his second novel published in February. Heather Young (PublishAmerica) is a sequel to his first novel, James Oliver Young: Interim Pastor. Contact at 614 Windmore Ct., San Antonio, TX 78258 or d.marx@sbcglobal.net.

'66

Carolyn Nordyke Whitney, BA '66, writes, "My husband, John Whitney, BA '67, and I have lived in central Illinois since 1971. We are blessed with three children (Cristina Waits, BA '92; Freeman; and William) and 11 grandchildren. I'd love to hear from Baylor friends, especially other Chi's." Contact at 18 Pheasant Run Dr., Chatham, IL 62629 or cnw4@comcast.net.

'69

Elaine Edwards Nelson, BA '69, JD '78, was named "Baylor Woman of Distinction" at the annual luncheon of the Baylor University Women's Council of Dallas. She recently retired from practicing law, having served for 22 years as general counsel of Austin Industries, Inc. She is married to David A. Nelson, BA '69, JD '78. Contact at 18 Saint Laurent Place, Dallas, TX 75225.

'70

Larry Hamrick, BBA '70, and his wife, Carol, recently retired from J.C. Penney after 39 and 31 years, respectively. Larry was the operations/systems manager for the custom decorating division, while Carol developed training for the stores window/furniture departments. The Hamricks recently moved from Frisco, Texas, to Richmond, Texas, to be close to family. They also spend time in Seattle. Contact at washingtex@comcast.net.

Dr. Ronnie Littlejohn, BA '70, MA '72, PhD '78, chairman of the philosophy department and director of Asian studies at Belmont University in Nashville, coedited Riding the Wind with Liezi: New Perspectives on the Daoist Classic (SUNY Press, 264 pages).

Gordon Ann Smith Tilley, BA '70, MEd '72, of Waco, writes, "As an English major at Baylor, my BU years were some of the most enjoyable I ever experienced. Andre and Mary Sendon, Dr. Bill Lampkin, and Dr. Frank Leavell were just a few of the memorable people who enriched my life." In 2009, Tilley finished compiling and editing Thornton, One Small Town in Texas, the history of a town created by the railroad in Limestone County. The two-volume set, full of old photographs and interesting stories, is over 1,000 pages. She retired in 2005 after 35 years in education. Tilley spends her time reading, writing, painting and gardening, "which connects me to God's beautiful creation and makes me deeply thankful," she writes.

'71

Dr. Clarence B. Watridge, BS '71, of Memphis, Tenn., was named vice president of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) at the AANS Annual Meeting in Denver, April 9-13. Watridge has been chairman of the Semmes-Murphey Neurologic and Spine Institute in Memphis since 2002, and a practicing member of this institute since 1985. He has been an associate professor at the University of Tennessee Department of Neurosurgery since 1991. A native of Humboldt, Tenn., Watridge received his undergraduate degree from Baylor and his medical degree from the University of Tennessee Medical School in 1975, followed by an internship at Baptist Memorial Hospital. He pursued his neurosurgical residency at the University of Tennessee and Frenchay Hospital, Bristol, England.

Gene Wayman, BA '71, and Jo Hutchison Wayman, BS '72, are living in Concord, N.C. After a career in the Air Force, Gene attended an Episcopal seminary in Austin and was ordained as a Lutheran pastor. He currently serves as pastor of Family of Faith Lutheran Church in Concord. Jo is a registered physical therapist specializing in home health. Their daughter, Kara Wayman, BA '98, is a program manager for United States Agency for International Development in Afghanistan. Contact at 2726 Bella Coola Rd., Lake Waccamaw, NC 28450-9560.

'73

Dr. John Jenkins, BA '73, and his wife, Patty Holmes Jenkins, BA '74, have moved to Austin, where John continues his ministry, is writing a book and sells cars at Lexus of Austin. Contact at 8818 Travis Hills Dr. #514, Austin, TX 78735 or at drjohnandpattyjenkins@gmail.com.

'74

Joe Hinds, JD '74, retired after 40 years in the federal government, most recently working as a civilian fraud acquisition attorney for the Navy Office of General Counsel, Acquisition Integrity Office, primarily handling fraud cases in Iraq and Afghanistan. Hinds assisted investigators and the Department of Justice in working fraud cases, first in the Air Force as a fraud acquisition attorney at Wright-Patterson AFB in Dayton, Ohio, and then with the Navy's suspending and debarring official in Washington, D.C. He served as a civilian attorney in all four military services. He had already retired as a lieutenant colonel in the Air Force Reserves, having served for over 25 years as an acquisition and environmental attorney, completing his career as an adjunct professor of environmental law at the Air Force Staff Judge Advocate School in Montgomery, Ala. Hinds also worked for 11 years with Exxon managing the company's acquisitions, acting as supervisor of coal acquisitions for the western United States. Contact at 6876 Glen Arbor Dr., Florence, KY 41042 or josephjhinds@yahoo.com.

'78

Texas House of Representatives Appropriations Chairman Jim Pitts recognized Education Service Center Region 12 Executive Director Dr. Tom Norris, MSEd '78, EDD '81, for his long-time dedication to public education in Texas on April 4 on the House Floor. Norris will retire in June after 13 years at the center and 35 years serving in education. At the center, Norris helped lead efforts to serve Region 12's 77 school districts and 13 charter schools in 12 counties, reaching 155,000 students and 25,000 educators. Norris has also served in Midway, Temple, Milford, La Marque and Round Rock school districts. In his time as a school administrator and superintendent, Norris impacted the education of more than 30,000 students in the state. Once retired from the center, Norris will remain connected to the field of education, having accepted the position of executive director of the newly formed MoveLearningForward Foundation created by Compass Learning in Austin. He will continue to reside in McGregor with wife Ruth Ann Wilson Norris, BSEd '80, and serve as a deacon at First Baptist Church in Woodway. Norris has two sons, Brad and Blake, BBA '10.

'82

Terry G. Freeman, BBA '82, has joined the business section of McGlinchey Stafford PLLC firm's Dallas office. Freeman brings over 28 years of experience in structuring and documenting commercial and corporate finance transactions and providing support and guidance to clients. Freeman's 18 years of legal experience include handling asset-based financing, health care lending, credit enhancement, and other general commercial loans. He is a graduate of South Texas College of Law and SMU Dedman School of Law.

'83

John Kiest, BBA '83, MBA '84, writes, "Last October I left Computer Sciences Corporation after 13 years and joined T-Systems North America as the global program manager for new service development on the Shell account. I live in Houston with my wife, Rebecca, and three potential future Bears: Kara, Carson and Christian." Contact at johnkiest@yahoo.com.

'84

Ladd Biro, BBA '84, was named 2010 Football Writer of the Year by the Fantasy Sports Writers Association for his nationally syndicated columns that appear in The Sporting News magazine and several newspapers. He also co-founded Grapevine Wine Tours in July 2010, which runs daily lunch and dinner tours of the wineries in Grapevine, Texas. He continues to lead Champion Management, the marketing and PR agency he created in 2002, as his "day job."

Donald E. Wandling, BS '84, of Carlisle, Pa., has joined Rettew, a design firm providing engineering, transportation, environmental consulting, planning and surveying services. Wandling is a group manager in the environmental sciences department in RETTEW's Mechanicsburg, Pa., office. He has 25 years of water resource management experience.

Dr. Duane Brooks, BA '84, PhD '91, pastor of Tallowood Baptist Church in Houston, is the author of This Magnificent Salvation, a study from the Baptist Beliefs and Heritage Studies series from BaptistWay Press. Brooks has served on the executive board and the human welfare board of the Baptist General Convention of Texas and on the Board of Regents at Baylor. He has served as pastor in four Texas Baptist churches: Pleasant Grove in Rosebud, Williams Creek in Mart, New Hope in Cedar Park, and Tallowood in Houston. Brooks and his wife Melanie, BBA '86, have three children: Graham, a Baylor junior, Chase and Casey.

'85

Greg Wilson, BBA '85, has joined the staff of The Well Counseling Center in Coppell, Texas, as a pastoral counselor, offering gospel-centered biblical counseling to adolescents, men and families. Wilson is also the director of Dawson McAllister's HopeLine for teenagers and young adults in Dallas. He and his wife and daughter live in Flower Mound, Texas. He blogs at thirstyones.com. Contact at gwilson@thewellcounselingcenter.com.

'86

Michelle Honeycutt, BBA '86, serves on the Board of Trustees for Denver Montclair International School in Denver.

'87

Eric J. Dyas, MIM '87, joined Burr & Forman LLP's Mobile, Ala., office in September. He is counsel in the firm's Financial Institution Regulation and Financial Services Practice Groups. Dyas is listed in The Best Lawyers in America 2010 in the area of corporate governance and compliance law. He received his Juris Doctorate, magna cum laude, from the University of Alabama School of Law. Prior to his time at Baylor, he received his Bachelor of Arts from Auburn.

'89

Missi Bodine Armstrong, BA '89, invites you to visit her recently opened retail store, "... And Everything Nice," at 200 S. Main St. in Duncanville, Texas. She offers monogramming and upscale products for women, along with children's, bridal, floral and home décor items. Contact at missiarmstrong@aol.com or 972-296-NICE (6423).

'90

Brett Graham, BBA '90, of Denison, Texas, has been named chairman of the Board of Directors of the Texas Association of Business (TAB) for 2011. TAB represents the interests of its 3,000 business members and 200 chambers of commerce at both state and national levels and has been highly influential in shaping legislation that has made Texas one of the best places to do business in the country. Graham has served on the Board of Directors for TAB for 10 years and is the CEO of both Graham International and Graham Truck Centers (grahamtrucks.com).

'92

David Cargile, BBA '92, recently joined the Dallas office of KPMG as an advisory managing director in the IT Attestation practice. David and his family, Terri, Maddie (10), and Mason (6), live in Frisco, Texas. Contact at jdc.home@yahoo.com.

Brent McBurney, BA '92, was appointed as president and CEO of Advocates International (AI), a worldwide fellowship of advocates bearing witness of Jesus Christ through the legal profession, encouraging and enabling advocates to meet locally, organize nationally, cooperate regionally and link globally to promote justice, rule of law, religious freedom, reconciliation and integrity. The AI Board of Directors includes Baylor President Ken Starr and Baylor alumnus Col. Matt Bristol, BA '66, JD '67. Contact AI at info@advocatesinternational.org, or email McBurney directly at brent.mcburney@gmail.com.

At his May 2010 swearing in at the U.S. Supreme Court, McBurney is joined (l to r) by his wife, Elizabeth Dokupil McBurney, BA '91, MIJ '92, his mother, Melissa McBurney, BA '60, and his sister, Andrea McBurney Meador, who attended '83-86.

'93

For "exemplifying leadership and operational excellence," Saad Ehtisham, BS '93, was one of five leaders to receive the title "CEO of the Year" from Health Management Associates. Ehtisham is the CEO of University Medical Center in Lebanon, Tenn. He is married to Tracy Childress, and the couple has two children, Hinah and Aliyah.

Andrea Harrington, BA '93, of Burleson, Texas, has published her first book, Hope Deferred: Keeping your Joy and Sanity on the Journey to Family. Visit hope-deferred.com or contact at aharrington@hope-deferred.com.

John Reid, BA '93, has been named a partner and managing director for the Middle East at a Washington, D.C.-based public affairs company, Qorvis Communications. Reid will spend 2011 living and managing staff and accounts in Kuwait City and Dubai, UAE. He will continue to commute regularly to the U.S. for speaking engagements and political and corporate client meetings for the company. The former Waco television reporter and long-time Virginia TV news anchor has spent the last seven years in Washington, first as communications chief for then U.S. Senator George Allen, followed by a term as communications director for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Most recently Reid was vice president of Potomac Strategy Group. He has also become a featured commentator on American politics on BBC World Service. Reid would love to hear from friends and Baylor alums traveling in the region. Contact at JRReid2@aol.com.

'94

Dr. Jennifer Jolly, MSEd '94, PhD '04, and the Louisiana State Museum received the LSU College of Education Partnership Award on April 28. The award recognizes those who make a difference by hands-on involvement in community engagement. Jolly and the museum staff created programs for undergraduate and graduate students to utilize the museum's resources. Jolly, a faculty member of the LSU College of Education, was recently named the 2011 Higher Education Professional of the Year by the Louisiana Council for Exceptional Children. She also received the 2010 Award for Excellence in Research from the Mensa Education and Research Foundation.

'95

Cheree Comeaux Aspelin, BA '95, of Santa Fe, Texas, writes, "After hearing stories of the stress, guilt and toll that caregiving can cause, we were committed to help families work through the challenges. Our family (my husband, Scott Aspelin, BA '94, and six-year-old son Kjell, a future Bear) have launched CareAGram, where we specialize in care packages for those who need care the most: seniors, the elderly, shut-ins, the homebound or loved ones with long term care needs. The education Scott and I received at Hankamer School of Business, as well as the emphasis that Baylor places on having a servant heart, have helped us in this new venture. We'd love to hear from past classmates as well as assist alumni in letting their loved ones know they care. Visit us at 
careagram.com or contact us directly at careagram@careagram.com."

'96

Mike Cunningham, BM '96, recently had the opportunity to visit Brazil and participate in a medical mission trip along the Amazon River. He and his wife, Sharon, BA '95, live in Nashville, Tenn., where he is a youth pastor and she works in the healthcare industry. Contact at michael.cunningham@mail.com.

Brian Jarvis, BBA '96, has been appointed president and chief operating officer of Andrews Logistics Inc. (ALI), an asset-based transportation-logistics company headquartered in the Dallas area. Jarvis is responsible for managing ALI's day-to-day operations and strategic initiatives. He has been with the company for 10 years and previously served as vice president of finance and administration for ALI.

Kelley Montgomery, BA '96, of Anchorage, Alaska, was recently accepted into an MBA program through the University of Alaska Southeast. She won the Heart of Anchorage Chugach Mountain Award for outstanding customer service and professional excellence in March. Contact at alaska831@gmail.com.

Jeff Moore, BS '96, writes, "My wife, Catherine Smith Moore, BBA '97, our two children (Nicholas and Megan) and I have moved to Monahans, Texas, where I accepted God's call to the position of associate pastor at First Baptist Church Monahans." Contact at jmoore@fbcmonahans.com.

'97

Christopher Helman, BA '97, completed his Master of Science in Nursing (Family Nurse Practitioner) at Vanderbilt University School of Nursing in 2000 and married Tracy Kimmel in 2005. Helman graduated from Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences, College of Osteopathic Medicine with a Doctor of Osteopathy degree and graduated from Rockhurst University, Helzberg School of Business with an MBA in Healthcare Leadership, earning both degrees in 2010. He will finish his active duty internship in the Navy at Naval Medical Center, Portsmouth, Va., in June 2011. He has been accepted into Dive medical officer training. Contact at christopherd71@gmail.com.

Dr. Bryan D. Propes, BS '97, has been deployed to NATO Role 3 Hospital, Kandahar Air Field, as an ocular trauma surgeon.

Edward A. Sanchez, BA '97, recently accepted the position of news director for motortrend.com, the official website of Motor Trend magazine. He is also currently serving as an elder at Geneva Presbyterian Church in Laguna Hills, Calif., where he lives with his wife, Caren, a high school special education teacher and an alumna of Azusa Pacific University.

'98

Matt Davidson, BBA '98, and Matthew Taylor, BBA '96, joined USA FACT as chief executive officer and chief operating officer, respectively, in July 2010 on a turnaround assignment after the firm suffered its worst results in nearly 20 years. By focusing on restructuring the operations of the company, standardizing product offerings, reducing costs, and increasing technology capabilities, Davidson and Taylor returned the business to profitability within months. Prior to USA FACT, Davidson was the director of sales and professional services at recruiting firm Solution Partners in Denver. Taylor worked at Viawest, where he held the position of vice president of managed services and information technology.

Paul Generale, BBA '98, was named vice president and senior financial officer of CHRISTUS Health on May 2. He assumes a new leadership position at the health system, accepting responsibility for finance and capital, tax, corporate accounting, supply chain, decision support and reimbursement functions of the system. He will serve as interim chief financial officer for CHRISTUS Health, officing in the system's support center in Houston. Generale had previously served as vice president and chief financial officer for CHRISTUS St. Vincent Medical Center, Northern New Mexico's largest medical center, since 2008.

'99

Capt. Floy Rodriguez, BSEd '99, has been accepted to the Executive Master of Leadership Degree Program at the University of Southern California School of Policy, Planning, and Development. He will begin classes at USC this summer. Contact at floy_usmc@hotmail.com.

'01

Veronica Wayner, BA '01, has joined the law firm Nelson Levine de Luca & Horst in New York City. She is an associate in the firm's institutional litigation and consulting practice. She graduated from George Washington University Law School in 2006.

Meredith E. Williams, BSFCS '01, of Tyler, Texas, writes, "Our future Bears (left: Benjamin MacArthur, born March 22, 2010; right: Samuel Aaron, age 4) getting ready to cheer on the Baylor Bears!"

'02

Award-winning photographer and Baylor School of Social Work alumnus Mark Menjivar, BA '02, displayed his work at the School's new downtown location March 16 through April 29. "You Are What You Eat" is a series of portraits made by photographing the interiors of refrigerators -- "as is" -- across the United States. Twenty of the series' 36 images were on display for six weeks in the School's two-story, second-floor main lobby.

The exhibit represents Menjivar's ongoing concern about hunger and food issues and has won several awards, including Director's Choice in CENTER's Project competition and Photolucida's Critical Mass Top 50. It has been covered by NPR and Smithsonian Magazine, among other major publications.

Menjivar, a licensed social worker, runs an arts and advocacy project in partnership with Legal Aid, working with homeless youth in San Antonio.

'04

Pianist Joseph Fuller, MM '04, debuted his second CD, Abide with Me, on Easter Sunday at River Oaks Baptist Church in Houston. The album features his own arrangements of 12 traditional Christian favorites, including "Praise to the Lord, the Almighty," "This is My Father's World," and "Holy, Holy, Holy." Abide with Me can be previewed and purchased online at JosephFuller.com, and individual tracks are available on iTunes.

When Alan Harris, BA '04, BSN '06, of Dallas, was a student at Baylor, he started recycling bottle caps in mosaics and table tops. "I made a few pieces for friends, but it really took off when I displayed one of my pieces in a local restaurant, Jack's Backyard (in Dallas)," says Harris. So far, he's reused more than 20,000 caps in his artwork. Harris is planning on showing his work in a booth at the State Fair of Texas in October. With the bottle cap artistry as a side project, he has worked in an intensive care unit as a registered nurse since graduating from Baylor. To see more of Harris's handiwork or donate caps, visit bottlecapartwork.com.

Soon after graduating from Baylor, fashion design major Lindsay Floyd Nordyke, BSFCS '04, began an internship with Watters & Watters, a bridal design company. Five years later, she was the lead designer for three lines that included bridal, bridesmaid and flower girl dresses. This past July, Nordyke purchased Patsy's Bridal Boutique in Dallas. Today, her experience in the bridal industry is now full circle, ranging from the initial fashion concept through the designing and manufacturing process, and now into the dressing room and down the aisle. Because Nordyke herself fell in love with her husband, David Nordyke, BBA '02, while a student at Baylor, she especially enjoys working with Baylor brides. Contact her at patsysbridal.com.

'05

Natalie Stone Tate, BA '05, was recently promoted to public relations director at Randolph-Brooks Federal Credit Union. Tate is responsible for managing media and government relations, member communications and publications, internal communications and social media. She has been a staff member at the $4.2 billion credit union since 2009. Contact at nst426@yahoo.com.

'06

Hankamer School of Business graduate admissions counselor Joanna Iturbe, BA '06, and her husband, former Baylor employee Daniel Iturbe, MBA '10, celebrated the baptism of their daughter, Danicka, at St. Peter's Catholic Student Center.

Among the family in attendance, Baylor alumni, faculty and staff include: proud great-grandparents to Danicka: Philip Martin, BA '52 and Baylor faculty '57-89; Janya Martin, BA '63 and Baylor faculty '67-present; proud grandparents Dr. Don Gaitros, Baylor faculty '73-present; and Vicki Gaitros, BA '89 and Baylor staff '89-present; proud aunt Jennifer Bowers, BS '94 and Baylor staff '08-present. Philip and Janya Martin, their children and grandchildren have received a total of 20 undergraduate and graduate degrees from Baylor.

Adrian Sanvictores, BA '06, married Kathleen Fox, BA '05, on June 26, 2010, in Houston. The couple resides in San Antonio. Adrian is a clinical researcher for various pharmaceutical companies, and Kathleen attends law school at St. Mary's University School of Law.

'08

Michelle Fessenden Rexford, BS '08, and Andrew Rexford were married March 12 in Allen, Texas. The couple will reside in Niceville, Fla., while both are stationed at Eglin Air Force Base.

Cara Pollock, BS '08, and Josh Sims, BA '07, were married on April 2 in Cara's hometown of San Antonio. The Sims reside in Waco.

Claire St. Amant, BA '08, and Riley Simmons, BA '08, were married Sept. 26, 2010, at Pine Forest Country Club in Houston. The couple now resides in Irving, Texas.

'09

Bo Rollins, BBA '09, and Laura Hicks Rollins, BSEd '09, MSEd '10, were married Mar. 12 in Dallas. Bo works at Hodges Capital in Dallas, and Laura is a second grade teacher in Highland Park ISD.

Blake Watterson, BA '09, Chase Koska, BBA '09, and John Maguire, BA '09, have recently started a property tax consulting firm in the DFW area. Resolute Property Tax Solutions provides services to both residential and commercial property owners looking to reduce their property tax values. Contact at (972) 647-3889 or John@ResolutePTS.com.

'10

William J. Wendelken, BSEd '10, has helped start up the nation's fastest growing auto theft awareness program through online and social media. He has recently been appointed owner of Hide Lock Take in Plano, Texas. According to Wendelken, over 100,000 signs have been sold since 2004, helping reduce vehicle crimes in many large cities by as much as 80 percent just by building awareness. These signs can be seen all over Texas and are mandated by city code in Dallas. Contact at hidelocktake.com.