‘14

 
  Anna Goldtooth is the education and outreach program manager for Planned Parenthood in Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota. She meets with community leaders, speaks at conferences and delivers training sessions to youth. Goldtooth lives in Bemidji … Chris Richardson of Bemidji was hired to serve as an inspector monitoring for invasive species at boat accesses to Bemidji-area lakes … Briana Rueter is the new head girls’ gymnastics coach at Bemidji High School and is teaching second grade at Northern Elementary School in Bemidji, where she resides … Nate Hayes is a new police officer in Baudette, where he lives … Lauren Hayes is the new kindergarten teacher at Cuyuna Range Elementary School in Crosby.

‘13

   
  Maureen Shelton was named vice president of operations and information technology security officer at Lakeview Bank. A resident of Shakopee, she will be responsible for the operation, accounting and IT functions at the bank in Lakeview … Annie Ullrich has been hired as the education coordinator of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program serving Mahnomen and Becker counties as well as part of Clearwater County. She will be presenting educational programs and classes to qualifying youth and adults in such areas as cooking, healthy eating and nutrition. She will live in Bagley … Air Force Airman 1st Class Jessica Pearce graduated from basic training in San Antonio, Texas. An honors graduate, her studies included military discipline, Air Force core values, physical fitness and basic warfare principles. She is from Warroad … Beau Peterson is the Farm Bill wildlife biologist with the Big Stone Soil and Water Conservation District in Ortonville, where he works on conservation programs and assists farmers in improving their land while enhancing wildlife habitat. Courtney Bischof, his fiancé, is an accountant and office manager for Strong Insurance in Ortonville, where the engaged couple is looking for a farmstead to purchase … Brad Albano is co-manager of Farmington Health and Fitness. A resident of Cannon Falls, he had served as an assistant football and gymnastics coach at Farmington High School … Bethany Thompson is the junior varsity volleyball coach at Benilde-St. Margaret’s High School in St. Louis Park. Thompson, who plans on substitute teaching this year, lives in Minneapolis … Maleah Pedersen is a new fourth-grade teacher at an elementary school in Blue Earth … Samantha Geisler has been hired as a police officer in Maple Grove. Geisler, who lives in Champlin, previously worked as a corrections officer in the Sherburne County Sheriff’s Office … Sarah Nelson is an administrative assistant in the Deer River City Hall. She also works part-time at a local restaurant, bank and craft store. She and her partner, Lance Kossow, live in Deer River with a young child.

‘12

  Amy Guntzel is teaching preschool classes at Heartland Christian Academy in Bemidji, where she lives … Capt. Mike Wedin has been promoted to the rank of captain and is the new commander of the Minnesota State Patrol district that serves southwest Minnesota. Wedin, whose experience also includes stints as a sheriff’s deputy and police officer in North Dakota, started with the state patrol in 2004 as a road trooper. He and his wife, April, live in Marshall with their three children … Grant Gmeinder of Baxter will be the head girls’ soccer coach this fall at Brainerd High School. Gmeinder previously taught on the elementary level in the district, where he will serve as a substitute teacher this school year … Katie Mrazek has been hired to teach at the elementary school in Fosston. She previously taught first grade in Grand Rapids … Kimberly Grahek is employed as a special education teacher at Paul Bunyan Elementary School in Bemidji, where she lives with her husband, John … Drew Fisher has signed a contract to play another year with the Tulsa (Okla.) Oilers, a minor pro team in the Central Hockey League. A winger, Fisher has played in 144 consecutive games and scored 72 points for the Oilers over two seasons … Dustin Sluzewicz married Ashlee Ellefsen (’11) this summer. Both are employed by the Spring Lake Park school district, Ashlee as a second-grade teacher at Northpoint Elementary and Dustin as a physical education and health instructor at the high school, where he also serves on the track coaching staff. The couple lives in Blaine.

‘11

  Maddie Draper of Bemidji will move from the Red Lake school system to Bemidji Middle School this fall to teach special education.

‘10

  Elizabeth Grace (Becker) of Aventura, Fla., has authored three books: the “24 Hours Miami” travel guide as well as the children’s books “A Hollywood Trail” and “Patches.” Another travel book is due in 2015. She works as a marketing manager for the IT staffing firm PROTECH in Boca Raton, Fla., and as a freelance writer in Miami, Fla. … Josiah Hoagland is the lead pastor at New Journey Church in Fosston while continuing his career in the U.S. Army Reserve, which included drill sergeant training this summer in Columbia, S.C. He and his wife, Lisa, live in Fosston with one child … Joel Van Nurden married Anna Dapper in a ceremony last spring. Van Nurden is a lawyer at the Waldeck Law Firm in Minneapolis. The couple resides in Minneapolis … Sasha (Demoret) Almendinger has been hired as an English teacher at Bemidji High School and lives in Bemidji. She previously taught in the Red Lake school district … Shiloh and Trent Nelson (’09) welcomed a new baby into their Urbana, Ill., home this summer. Trent is an academic advisor in the College of Media at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign … Wendy Fink of Sauk Rapids is an account manager at Gaslight Creative, a full-service marketing firm in St. Cloud. Fink previously worked four years in banking.

‘09

Shawn Rakowski has been hired as a senior software engineer at Saturn Systems, a Duluth consulting firm providing software development and quality assurance services. He telecommutes for his new position from Thief River Falls, where he lives with his wife, Carrie (Vansickle), a financial accountant at Arctic Cat. The couple has one young child … Jamie Heurung was named program director for Helping Hands, a non-profit in Holdingford dedicated to helping people with disabilities or older than 60 remain in their homes. She lives in Holdingford with her husband, Justin. They have two toddler-aged children … Jessica Strom teaches math at Win-E-Mac High School in McIntosh. She and her husband, Toby, have two young children and live in McIntosh… Stephanie Shearen of Hackensack spent the past summer coordinating invasive species efforts at public boat landings throughout Cass County … Lia Henningsgaard is the mathematics and reading recovery teacher at Central Elementary School in Bemidji. She came to the district from the Bug-O-Nay-Ge-Shig school … Ann Olson was named an outstanding alumna at Itasca Community College. A licensed alcohol and drug counselor, Olson is the CEO, owner and operator of Rapids Counseling in Grand Rapids, where she resides. She and her husband, Gary, have a pre-teen daughter … Sean Moran will work a dual position this year, serving as the manager for the Northwest Minnesota Foundation’s entrepreneur development program as well as the program director for the Northwest Small Business Development Center. Both organizations are located in Bemidji, where he has moved … Charles Grolla of Bemidji received a Minnesota Ornithologists’ Union Grant to produce a book on the state’s birds with their Ojibwe names and cultural associations. Grolla teaches Ojibwe language in the Cass Lake-Bena school district.

‘08

  Erin Peitso will be moving this fall from the fourth grade to the kindergarten classroom at Tower-Soudan Elementary School, where she also serves as the facility’s technology person and advises a student newspaper for grades four to six. She and her husband, Terry, have two teenagers and live in Soudan … Travis Whittington is the new math specialist assigned to Horace May Elementary School in Bemidji, where he resides. He previously taught in the Cass Lake-Bena district … Neal Smith recently joined URS as a scientist providing technical studies, environmental site assessment, water quality studies, discharge monitoring and compliance support in Anchorage, Alaska, where he lives … Becky Johnson of Shevlin is the assurance of mastery teacher at Paul Bunyan Elementary School in Bemidji. She and her husband, Dwight, have three grown children.

‘07

  Nathan and Amanda (Rezac) Allen welcomed their first baby to their home in Huntersville, N.C., last February. Amanda is a senior graphic designer in the proposal development center of the Compass Group of North America, while Nathan is a model builder at Electrolux … Carly Melin won a 2014 Public Policy Award from Politics in Minnesota, a public affairs news service, and Capitol Report, an independent newspaper covering the Legislature and state politics. A state representative, Melin is an attorney in Hibbing, where she lives with a young child and her husband, Zeb Norenberg … Rachel (Korbel) Hickock is a development officer at Goodwill-Easter Seals Minnesota in St. Paul. Ryan Hickock, her husband, works as the public access lead at Suburban Community Channels in White Bear Lake. They have a young child and live in New Brighton.

‘06

  Jarrid Houston was hired by DSGW Architects as a specifications writer and estimator for offices in Virginia, Grand Rapids, Duluth and Lake Elmo. He will also assist with the construction administration process. He recently married Brandy Beeman, and the couple lives in South Range, Wis. … Heidi Myogeto has been promoted to a retail banking manager position at Roundbank’s New Prague facility. She will continue in a customer service role with the institution while also co-advising the bank’s newly formed Jr Board. She and her new husband, Marc Thomsen, live in New Prague … Tricia (Severson) Leanger has joined Ideas that Kick, a Minneapolis branding and marketing firm, as a strategic account manager. She lives in Minnetonka with her husband, Steve … Shane Dagoberg has been hired as a communication program associate to assist the Minnesota Wheat Research and Promotion Council in their interaction with wheat growers across the state and region. He and his wife, Megan, live on a farm near Alvarado with their two toddlers … Ryan Gall and his wife, Katie, have a newborn in their Eagan home. Ryan is a registered nurse at Golden Living Lake Ridge.

‘05

  Brandon Bjerkness is the new assistant principal at the Bemidji Middle School, where he had previously served as the dean of students. He and his wife, Angela, live in Bemidji with their young child … Dr. Josh Overgaard will be joining the Lake Region Healthcare staff in Battle Lake as part of the internal medicine staff. He most recently was chief resident at Abbott Northwestern in the Twin Cities. He and his wife, Shauna, have two children.

‘04

  Jeffrey Lorenson has been named the new athletic director at the high school in Davis, Calif. He previously taught physical education and served as athletic director at two other California high schools. His wife, Christi, is the marketing and referral managing director at a veteran’s hospital in Roseville, Calif. The couple has two young children and lives in Sacramento, Calif.

‘03

  Hilary Horn is a claims representative with the Social Security Administration office in Bemidji. She and her husband, Jeff, live in Guthrie with their three children … Krista Ringstrom Schmitz is an instructional coach for special education at Rocori Schools in Cold Spring. She and her husband, Michael, live in Sartell … Erik Monson has been named the new Nordhoff High School football coach located in Ojai, Calif. Monson formerly served as an assistant coach at California Lutheran University … Cyrus Swan recently completed his 100th glaze firing at his pottery studio in Pine River, where he lives. The firing includes his handmade dishes, bowls, coffee mugs, vases and other pieces. His work can be viewed at www.etsy.com/shop/cyrusthepotter.  He and his partner, Tanya Ryappy, have two young children … Holly and Aaron Peterson started their own insurance agency, Up North Insurance, in Cloquet. Aaron brings 11 years and Holly nine years of insurance experience to their new venture. They have two young children and reside in Cloquet …  Mary Proulx won a T-shirt design contest for the annual ArtSoup Festival held over the summer in Elk River. Proulx is a graphic designer for DecoPac, which supplies cake decorations to bakeries … Ekren Miller is in his fifth year as the head men’s golf coach at Bemidji State. He also teaches Spanish at Trek North schools in Bemidji, where he lives with his wife, Kari, the director of admissions at Northwest Technical College … Bryan Anderson will teach math at the First City School in the Bemidji school district. He and his wife, Heather (’04, Eidsmore), live in Bemidji.

‘02

  Candi Walz married Brian Seil last summer during a ceremony in Costa Rica. Walz, who is the congressional correspondence supervisor at UnitedHealthcare, had her project, Let’s Talk Kids: Brainbuilder Kits, selected as a finalist in the social entrepreneurship category of the Minnesota Cup competition, which seeks ideas that could turn into businesses in the state. Walz and Seil live in Shakopee … Dale Knaffla Jr. recently completed a wildlife painting project for the Silver Bay Library. A full-time artist, Knaffla has other works also displayed in the region. He lives in Finland … Lori Clafton is the reading recovery and Title I teacher at Central Elementary School in Bemidji. She previously taught in Grand Rapids … Josh Hirschey has been hired as a teacher and the head volleyball coach at Pine River-Backus High School. He lives in Backus with his wife, Nicole.

‘01

Nate Olson of Westby, Mont., is the new superintendent for Garfield County Schools in Jordan, Mont. In his previous position in Westby, he was named the Region 4 Assistant Principal of the Year. He has one son just starting college … Katie (White) Pieper operates SandPieper Design, which provides social media marketing, graphic design and website development for clients in the Lake of the Woods County area. Her husband, Chris, is the director of case management and social work at Lakewood Health Center. The couple lives in Baudette with their three young children … Paul Kirby recently received an American flag that flew in Afghanistan. The flag was presented to Kirby, a sixth-grade teacher at Jacobson Elementary by Sgt. Chelsea Peterson, a former student who watched the 9/11 terrorism attack unfold in his classroom 13 years ago. Kirby is married to Michele (’00, Dinius), who is the office manager at Jeff’s Outdoor Services. The couple has three children and lives in Pine City.

‘99

  The Rev. Eric Luedtke recently accepted the position of associate pastor at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Brookfield, Wis., where he will work with the congregation’s children, youth, outreach and care ministries. He lives in Wauwatosa, Wis., with his wife, Stephanie. They have three young children … Liz Boyer is the new executive director of the Macalester-Groveland Community Council, an organization created to facilitate communication between area residents and elected officials as well as foster citizen participation in community decisions. She lives in St. Paul with her husband, Craig. They have two elementary-aged children … Jerry Loud is the director of the Oshkiimaajitahdah Program, which aims to increase employment and family income for the citizens of the Red Lake Nation. He is also the athletic director and women’s basketball coach for Red Lake Nation College as well as board president of Red Lake Incorporated. He lives in Puposky … Deborah Hilde has been named an Administrator of Excellence by the Minnesota Association of School Administrators. Hilde retired after 38 years in public education, most recently as superintendent of Eveleth-Gilbert schools. She is now an adjunct instructor for St. Mary’s University, advising students in the administrative licensure program and for the Minnesota Department of Education facilitating professional development for teachers in northern Minnesota. She and her husband, Kendall, raised four children from their Virginia home … Brian Michaelson is the new principal at Mahnomen High School. He brings 15 years of classroom experience to the position, most recently at Cass Lake-Bena, where he also coached basketball. His wife, Jennifer (’98, Pehling), is in her 16th year of teaching at the elementary school in Park Rapids, where the couple lives with their four children.

‘98

  Becky Rud has been hired to teach seventh-grade math at Bemidji Middle School. Her most recent classroom experience was in the Bagley school system. She lives in Bemidji with her husband, Brent (’00), who works in the Environmental Services Department of Beltrami County. The couple has two children … Jeffery Ostrom will teach STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) at Bemidji Middle School. He and his wife, Darla, live in Clearbrook … Chris Hogan has joined U.S. Bank in Duluth as a regional vice president in commercial banking. He lives in Duluth with his wife, Michele … Brock Suska works for Landscape Structures in Delano. He recently helped install and film the Charles Lindbergh-themed park in Little Falls. He and his wife, Marin, have two young children and live in Delano.

‘97

  Corby Koehler serves the Minnesota National Guard as a full-time staff member and was recently reassigned as the executive officer to the 2-147 assault helicopter battalion currently deployed to Kuwait with Task Force Shield. The deployment is his third overseas. He also recently wrote an intelligence issues paper on support to Army aviation that appeared, in shorter versions, in three publications. The article was selected as the 2013 Aviation Digest Article of the Year by the Commanding General of the Army Aviation Center of Excellence. He lives in Golden Valley with his wife, Angie, and their two young children … Gregg Parks is the new superintendent of Nevis schools after serving for 17 years as an assistant principal and teacher at Bemidji Middle School. He and his wife, Roxanne, have three college-aged children and live in Walker.

‘96

  Mike Lundin directed a reunion choir for the Bagley All-School reunion this summer. A former professional opera singer, Lundin is a corrections officer in Clearwater County. Anna, his wife, is a receptionist for Sanford Clinic in Bagley, where they live … John Kotaska teaches chemistry, physics and biology at Pequot Lakes High School and was named its head baseball coach last spring. He has been with the district three years and lives in Pequot Lakes. His wife, Jennifer (’95, Crary), is an ECFE teacher at Backus-Pine River schools. The couple’s four children range in ages from 5 to 15.

‘95

  Michael Carr was seeking a third term as Wadena County sheriff this fall. A veteran of 20 years in law enforcement, he lives in Verndale with his teenaged child … Capt. Cary Parks has retired after serving the Coon Rapids Police Department for more than 31 years. He started in the department as a patrol officer and advanced in rank, becoming a captain in charge of the detective division in 2005. He most recently handled the department’s daily administrative operations. He lives in Coon Rapids with his wife, Sheryl. They raised two children, both BSU graduates: Brenda (‘09) is a legal assistant at a Golden Valley law firm and Kate (‘12) is a quality-assurance engineer for a software company in Edina … Dan Boushee is the assistant K-12 principal in Fosston public schools and based at Magelssen Elementary. He lives in Fosston with his wife, Angie, and their four pre-teen children … Raschell Collyer will teach special education this year at the middle school in Bemidji, where she lives with her husband, Leigh. Her past work experience came at the Regional Interdistrict Council.

‘94

  Andy Oman received the Chairman’s Circle Award from State Farm Insurance for his customer service and marketing ability. Oman has been a third-generation State Farm agent in Crookston since 2008. He and his wife, Lynnea, are raising their three children in Crookston … Jim Caldwell is the new principal at Linwood Elementary in the Forest Lake school district. A former elementary and middle school educator, Caldwell had also served as a dean of students and assistant principal on the high school level. He lives in Scandia with his wife, Kari, and their three children.

‘93

  Dan Skinner has joined the Karvakko Engineering firm as the survey department manager, where he oversees the daily operations of offices in both Bemidji and Minot, N.D. His wife, Tami (’94), is the director of the Boys and Girls Club in Detroit Lakes. They live in Rochert with two school-aged children.

‘91

  Christine Dworzynski recently joined the health care staff at St. Luke’s Hibbing Family Medical Clinic as a nurse practitioner. She and her husband, David, have one young child and live in Hibbing … Beth (Klosner) Hendricks performed at the 27th annual summer recital series of church musicians from the Bemidji area. Hendricks lives in Bemidji and just began her 19th year of teaching music in Red Lake schools.

‘89

  Kevin Gish is the administrator for Essentia Health in Fosston with responsibilities for the hospital, nursing home, ambulance and home health services, as well as clinics in Fosston, Bagley and Oklee. He and his wife, Mary, have two children and still make their home in Bemidji … Cindy Davis works in quality systems for Donor Networks of Arizona, the organ, tissue and eye transplant organization for the state. She lives in El Mirage, Ariz. … Des Toninato, the first female officer in the Coon Rapids Police Department, has retired after 22 years on the force, including the past 16 as community policing officer. She lives in Minneapolis but plans on relocating within a year to the state of Washington … Rick Kangas received a Distinguished Educational Professional Award from North Dakota State University for his advocacy for students’ access to higher education. Kangas is the dean of student and administrative services at Itasca Community College in Grand Rapids, and his experience in higher education spans 19 years at five colleges. He has one child with his wife, Jeanine (’12). They reside in Baxter … Lt. Col. Chad Sackett is an active guard and reserve officer assigned as the deputy post commander of the Camp Ripley Training Center. He is also a 2014-15 policy fellow at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs. He lives in the Little Falls area with his wife, Jackee, and their three children.

‘88

  Lisa Wigand was recently promoted by Bremer Bank to community business manager in Brainerd, Aitkin and surrounding communities. She and her husband, David Ten Eyck, live in Brainerd … Dick Larson has retired from teaching math and science at Pine River-Backus School. He plans on keeping in touch with the classroom as a substitute teacher, although working with his three sons’ business ventures is also a possibility. He lives in Pine River.

‘87

  Diane Lapp of Coon Rapids was named chief financial officer for the U.S. market of Nilfisk-Advance. Based in Denmark, the company is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of professional cleaning equipment with sales in 44 countries and distributors in 70 countries. Her office is located in Plymouth.

‘86

  Susan Hawkinson presented a reading from her book “Tina Christina Sistina” at an AAUW program in Grand Rapids. The book, nominated for a Minnesota Book Award in young people’s literature, tells a story through a series of 16 sistinas, a classical poetic form. A retired writing instructor at Itasca Community College, Hawkinson presents programs at schools, libraries, book clubs and other organizations when she is not writing new material. She lives in Grand Rapids … Terri Anderson-Schlader was named the Middle School Teacher of the Year in Huron, S.D., last spring. She teaches special education in the social learning classroom at Huron Middle School. She lives in Huron with her husband, Dan Schlader, and their two sons …  John Bolduc was named the acting chief executive officer of the Port of San Diego, an organization in California with more than 500 employees and an annual budget of $145 million. He had been serving the past four years as the chief of the Harbor Police Department and as police chief for Brainerd and Mora prior to his move to California. He and his wife, Dawn, live in San Diego and have adult children … Bill Wirtanen has been inducted into the Mesabi Range College Athletic Hall of Fame. Wirtanen retired 10 years ago as the athletic director and longtime coach of different sports at the college, and the school’s gymnasium was renamed in his honor. He is a member of the Bemidji State, NJCAA Wrestling Coaches and Minnesota Community College Athletic Association halls of fame. He and his wife, Joan, raised three adult children from their home in Hibbing … Erick Enger is the new superintendent of Lake City schools. He previously served as principal at Zumbrota-Mazeppa for 14 years. He lives in Zumbrota with his wife, Teresa, and their teenaged child. They plan on eventually relocating to the Lake City district.

‘85

  Kelly McCalla is serving as the academic dean of the arts, humanities and social sciences division at Riverland Community College, which has three campuses in southeastern Minnesota. McCalla arrived at Riverland after working in administration at several state community and technical colleges, and was presented the Administrator of the Year Award in 2012 by the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system. His wife, Celeste (’87, Novak), is a former corrections officer who is a stay-at-home mom in Deerwood with the couple’s two children. The family will join him later in Austin … Susan Freeman brings eight years of classroom experience in the Walker-Hackensack-Akeley system to her new teaching position in math at Bemidji Middle School.

‘84

  Charles P. Olson is a retired licensed police officer, criminal investigator and private investigator. Olson also worked for 10 years at Polaris Industries. He has two children and lives in Roseau.

‘82

  Mark Storhaug has retired from teaching and coaching after 30 years in Alexandria. A science teacher, Storhaug gained national recognition for coaching, swimming and diving. His combined boys and girls record was 434 wins against 195 losses. The boys’ squad had a 74 percent win ratio, once had a 50-meet winning streak and won two state titles. The girls’ unit won 65 percent of its matches, at one point putting together a 55-meet winning streak that spanned five years. He garnered multiple coach of the year awards on the section and state level. Mark’s wife, Cindy (Burggraff), is an elementary teacher in Alexandria and most recently has served as a K-8 math coach and math intervention specialist. They have two grown children and live in Alexandria … Janey Merschman is retiring from teaching math and English in the Bagley school system. At some time during her tenure in the district, she advised the yearbook, junior high drama club, student council and Knowledge Bowl. She and her husband, Jim, live in Bagley and have three adult children … Andra (Hinkle) Vaughn will serve this year as the dean of students and activities director at Bemidji Middle School. From Bemidji, she previously taught in Blackduck.

‘81

  Loren Jansen has retired after serving 32 years on the police force in St. Peter, where he lives. Jansen was a sergeant and supervised the department. He now works in campus security at Minnesota State University in Mankato … The Rev. Mike Herschberger, pastor of Our Savior Lutheran Church in Marshalltown, Iowa, celebrated the 25th anniversary of his ordination last summer. Prior to his current position, he served congregations at churches in Iowa and Minnesota. He and his wife, Rhonda (’82, Jakel), live in Ellsworth, Iowa, and have two adult children … Pamela Hanson-Peterson appeared as a guest soprano last spring at the Audiorio Nacional de Musica with the La Lira band in Madrid, Spain. She is an adjunct professor at Daytona (Florida) State College and performs in Florida with two early music ensembles, the Halifax Consortium and Ars Antiqua. She lives in Port Orange, Fla., with her husband, Doug. They have one college-aged child … Ken Jordan was inducted into the Elk River High School Sports Hall of Fame. Jordan was a state tourney wrestler in high school and a national place winner at BSU, where he was an All-America selection three times. An assistant principal at Elk River High, he also coached wrestling for 10 seasons, earning four conference and three section Coach of the Year awards. He and his wife, Melissa, live in Elk River and have three children ranging from pre-teen to college aged.

‘80

  Stephen J. Pitzen has published four books online at smashwords.com: “Losing Henry,” a story about a young man enlisting in the Navy during the closing years of the Vietnam War; “Acorn Island,” a realistic nature of survival as seen through the eyes of a squirrel; “Manifest Gluttony,” a fictionalized world where consumption equates with success; and “Flowers of Autumn,” the tale of a developmentally disabled adult’s struggle for acceptance. Pitzen completed the works following his retirement as a Cass County social worker. His wife, Mary (’79, Benedict), retired last May as a special education teacher in area schools … Bruce Jarvi retired last spring after 34 years of teaching in the Sauk Centre school district. During his tenure he taught various levels of English and also served a short stint as an administrator. Jarvi has coached the girls’ tennis and boys’ golf teams. His retirement plans include some substitute teaching in the area. His wife, Julie (Tonder), is a teacher aide in the district and served 12 years as a church secretary. Residents of Sauk Centre, they have three adult children … Ellen Adams was named a Western Bank Educator of the Month last year. The award is presented to a teacher in the Cass Lake area who has positively influenced students. Adams teaches kindergarten at Bug-O-Nay-Ge-Shig School, where she started in 1980 with a classroom of first-, second- and third-graders.  She lives in Cass Lake … Steve Cairns, superintendent of Bagley schools, was named Administrator of the Year for District 29, a Minnesota Association of School Administrators area that includes 14 school systems. He and his wife, Penni, raised three adult children from their home in Bagley.

‘79

  Rick Nelson teaches sports management and health education classes at Century College in White Bear Lake. A veteran of 30 years in the MnSCU system, he also does governmental relations work for Minnesota’s state college faculty. His wife, Kaari, is the administrative assistant to the vice president of continuing education and customized training at Century. They live in White Bear Lake … Steve Adkins of Roseau has retired after teaching math to sixth-graders for 35 years. During his career, he also taught business courses for Northland Community and Technical College. He lives in Roseau and has two grown children … Paul Freude received the Manager Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Telephone Cooperative Association-Rural Broadband Association. Now retired, Freude worked at Paul Bunyan Communications in Bemidji for 27 years, the last 20 as CEO and general manager. He continues to live in Bemidji with his wife, Pearl (’88). The couple raised two adult children and spends their winters in Cape Coral, Fla. … Pete Maus recently completed his 30th year as a head high school baseball coach, 29 of those in Northfield. Maus teaches math in the district’s middle school and also coaches seventh-grade football. Inducted into the BSU Athletic Hall of Fame in 2011, he continues to manage amateur and VFW teams in Northfield, where he lives with his wife, Lynda. The couple has five children, ranging in age from 20 to 30 … Tim Cochran of Alexandria has retired from teaching language arts in the West Central Area school district, where he also coached Mock Trial, Knowledge Bowl and a variety of sports over his career.  A guitarist, he has appeared locally both individually and in several ensembles. Cochran also recorded a CD, “Muses,” in his own small recording studio. He has two children with his wife, Sheree … Mary (Mack) Johnson has retired from teaching in the Lake of the Woods schools, where she taught first grade for 30 years. Johnson and her husband, John, live in Baudette but hope to eventually relocate to the Park Rapids area where she was raised … Connie (Berberich) Bishop retired after teaching nearly 35 years in Red Lake County Central elementary schools. Bishop and her husband, Charles, live in Plummer. The couple has an adult son, and Bishop has five stepchildren.

‘78

  Elwyn Ruud retired last spring after teaching third grade in Roseau for 35 years, 20 of which she also spent coordinating the Artist-in-Residence Program. She was inducted into the BSU Professional Education Hall of Fame in 2000. Ruud and her husband, Ron, live in Karlstad and have two grown children … Pamela Fladeland Rodriguez, president and CEO of the Chicago-based Treatment Alternatives for Safe Communities (TASC), has been honored by the White House drug policy office and spotlighted in a 2014 national drug control strategy.  She and TASC founder Melody Heaps were named as Advocates in Action for leadership in advancing justice interventions for people with substance-abuse disorders. Rodriguez lives in Elk Grove Village, Ill., and has two grown sons … Rick Van Roekel has retired from teaching after 36 years, including 32 in New Ulm schools. Van Roekel primarily taught woodworking and construction classes, which included building nine houses. He also spent 20 years as the head football coach, where he built the team into a state contender. Other coaching assignments included roles in the district’s basketball, track and baseball programs. He and his wife, Kathy, raised two adult children from their home in New Ulm … Gary Ross retired as a longtime fourth-grade teacher in the Roseau school district, where he also coached elementary football, varsity boys’ hockey and varsity girls’ golf. He lives in Roseau with his wife, Kathy. The couple has two adult children.

‘77

  Shari Meyer was named the Elementary Band Director of the Year for District VI in Louisiana, which enabled her to conduct the Elementary Honor Band last winter. She has taught music for the past 16 years in New Orleans, where she resides. Her current position encompasses fourth- to 12th-grade band at Ridgewood Preparatory School … Kathy (Bliss) Thompson has retired from teaching elementary school in Nevis for 37 years, during which she was the district’s first Teacher of the Year, a recipient of both a Minnesota Teacher of Excellence and Ashland Golden Apple Achiever awards, and one of four national winners of the annual Robert G. Porter Scholars Award. She lives on a farm near Park Rapids with her husband, John. They have two adult children, including son Randy (’07), who now teaches in Menahga … Kathy (McMartin) Morrow is head librarian at the Mille Lacs Area Community Library in Isle. A retired English teacher with two older children, she has worked since 2012 at the library. Her husband, Jim Johnson, also is a retired teacher. They live in Onamia.

‘76

  Terry Schoenborn has retired from serving elementary students in Mahnomen for 37 years, the first five as a librarian and the remaining as a teacher. She lives in Mahnomen with her husband, Darvin, who owns and runs the NAPA store in the city. The couple has three grown children.

‘75

  Kaye Munt is retiring from teaching first and second grades for more than 38 years at Red Lake County Central Elementary in Plummer. She and her husband, Tim, raised two children while living in Oklee.

‘73

  Leland Hayes donated a shallow water flats boat he built to benefit the Port Aransas (Texas) Museum in the community where he and his wife, Rachelle, spend the winter months. A cancer survivor, Hayes spent over 780 hours on the 16-foot boat, which is composed of more than 900 parts, two layers of fiberglass and covered with 19 coats of paint and epoxy. The boat will be raffled off to benefit a local museum, and by the first week of September more than $30,000 in tickets had already been sold for the boat, which is popular for tracking redfish on the saltwater flats of the Texas coast. Both he and his wife are retired educators who live in Bemidji. They have three adult children … Mike Silk has retired from teaching and coaching softball at Randolph High School. A geography, history and civics educator, he was the only softball coach the school has had, amassing 416 career wins since starting the program 35 years ago. He and his wife, Becki, raised two children from their home in Inver Grove Heights.

‘72

  Richard Carl Bright published the historical book “Pain and Purpose in the Pacific: True Reports of War.” Bright, who lived for seven years on the island of Saipan, uses the work to put a human face on World War II and chronicles both the destructive
as well as redemptive sides of war. A retired commercial pilot, he also wrote “The Ark:
A Reality?” and “Quest for Discover.”
He lives in Dunedin, Fla. … Dr. Robert Aalberts is a new faculty member at the Penn State Smeal College of Business. Aalberts, who is the school’s clinical professor of business law, formerly served as the Lied Professor of Legal Studies in the accounting department at the University of Nevada,
Las Vegas. He and his wife, Barbara, have relocated to University Park, Pa.

‘71

  Jim Bell is owner of B’s Liquor in Rockville. He is a former educator who retired after working in the human relations departments of several manufacturing firms. He lives in Cold Spring with his wife, Kathy. They have two adult children … Elaine (Aune) Ruud retired after 43 years teaching elementary education classes at Tri-County schools in Karlstad. A member of the BSU Professional Education Hall of Fame, she was a Christa McAuliffe Fellow and served as president of the Minnesota Kindergarten Association for many years. Her husband, Wayne, retired several years ago as the city administrator and clerk of Karlstad, where they raised three grown children.

‘70

  Terry Mejdrich of Swatara presented a program on the collapse of the bee population at Fifty Lakes Foundation in Fifty Lakes. During the program, he explained why the loss of honey bees could have negative outcomes and how the public can help reverse the trend. Mejdrich is a science columnist for the Grand Rapids Herald Review and has been a teacher, lumberjack, sawmill operator and writer, with five published books.

‘69

  Terry Fredin has retired as a member of the Windom Park and Recreation Commission, a position he served for 20 years. His background includes 25 years of teaching industrial technology and vocational construction, as well as founding a construction and cabinet building company. He and his wife, Karen (’68, Schneider), formerly owned and operated an appliance and hardware store in Windom and own seven rental units in the area. Karen also works in the human relations department of Habilitative Services. The couple lives in Windom and has two children, both BSU graduates. Kris (’92, Fredin) Vipond is the city clerk in Sibley, Iowa, and Bill (‘96) is a co-owner of Fredin Construction/Cabinetry … Carrol Peterson still works part time as a security officer after a full-time career that spanned 20 years. He is also a busy author, whose work includes the published novels “Summer Mirage,” “Sugarloaf Hill” and “The Pumpkin Center Outfit,” as well as five screenplays. When not traveling, he and his wife, Maria Isadora, reside in Coon Rapids.

‘68

  John Skalko is a beekeeper who specializes in making candles and other beeswax products. He is a retired teacher from the Proctor school district, where he became involved with bees as manager of the school forest. He lives in Esko.

‘64

  Willis Mattison, a retired regional director for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA), remains active assisting citizen groups interested in protecting Minnesota’s natural resources and environment. He recently began helping the Friends of the Headwaters as a technical advisor on a proposed pipeline across the region. Prior to retirement in 2001, he directed the MPCA offices in Rochester and Detroit Lakes. He lives in Osage and has three grown children.

‘63

  Bill Bateman was recently hired as an investment representative by Laraway Financial in St. Cloud. Bateman is a veteran financial advisor, starting in 1967 and building his career to form the firm Bateman, Dolan and Westlund a decade later. He and his wife, Elna, have a blended family including six grown children … Gene Anderson stays busy in retirement by entertaining audiences around the world. A chemist who retired from Dow Chemical after 32 years, he has used humor, magic and learning in performances at training seminars, speaking engagements, and special events in 21 countries on six continents. When not traveling, he lives in Midland, Mich.

‘62

  Tom Adamson has returned to a home in Big Fork after teaching more than 50 years. He started at Bovey Junior High and eventually moved to Itasca Community College, Central Arizona College and Phoenix College. His wife, Carol (Trevena), retired in 1991 from a teaching career that also spanned several schools in Minnesota and Arizona. The couple has three adult children.

‘61

  Mark Paulson was named as a Melvin Jones Fellow by the Lions International Foundation for his financial contribution to the charitable organization. Paulson is retired after serving Bemidji State University in a variety of capacities, including directing BSU’s alumni efforts. His wife, Lanee (’88, Stevens), retired as an account clerk at BSU. The couple lives near Solway and has one adult child, Bradley (’00). Mark also has an adult son, Brian, living in North Carolina.

Photographs for Class Notes were
provided by individual alumni and by the following media: Bemidji Pioneer, Cass Lake Times, East Grand Forks Exponent
and St. Cloud Times.