Alumni Highlights

Above and beyond

A floating paper sculpture by Nancy Cohen ’81

An 8-foot paper sculpture by Jersey City artist Nancy Cohen ’81 (SAC) now floats above the lobby of the tallest building in Paterson, N.J. Commissioned by the building’s owner, Mountain Development Corp., the translucent paper structure titled “Inside-Out (Adentro/Afuera)” took six months to complete. Three students from Paterson’s Rosa Parks High School worked as interns in Cohen’s studio during the final phases last summer.

“The shapes are organic, suggesting plant life,” notes Cohen. “But my piece references nature without imitating it.”

Other work by Cohen was featured last fall at the Hunterdon Museum of Art in Clinton, N.J. Her sculptures are included in the collections of the New Jersey State Museum, the Monclair Museum; and the Zimmerli Museum. The artist will have a one-person show at the Jersey City Museum this spring.

For the troops

Chris Conlon ’99 met super model Rebecca Romijn Stamos at a USO show in Kuwait.

During five very hot weeks in Iraq and Kuwait last summer, Chris Conlon ’99 (computational mathematics) got a taste of what life is like for American servicemen and women.

“To see how a USO celebrity tour improved the morale of our troops inspired me to raise funds for their cause,” Conlon says. He did so by running the Baltimore Marathon.

Among those he contacted for support were his former RIT baseball teammates, who contributed $400. It was the first marathon for the Baltimore resident, who works as a telecommunications engineer for the Department of Defense. He finished the race in 3 hours and 51 minutes and – even more satisfying – he reached his goal of raising $3,000 for the USO.

Cover guy

John Tucker ’71 made the cover of a tourism guide.

John C. Tucker ’71 (art and design) of Belmont, N.Y., was selected for a full-page story featured on the back cover of the I Love N.Y. Allegany County Travel & Outdoor Guide. In a story titled “John Tucker: Outdoorsman/Artist” Tucker is pictured in his studio working on a painting of a buck. A native of Allegany County, Tucker is director of the Allegany County Office of Emergency Services.

On his honor

Thomas M. McMahon ’61 (electrical engineering) was elected mayor of Reading, Pa., in November. He moved to Reading in 1965 after receiving a master’s degree in engineering from Penn State and serving two years in the Peace Corps in Bangladesh. He worked for a Reading engineering firm for 15 years before starting his own company, Entech Engineering, in 1980. McMahon served on numerous community organizations prior to running for public office.

Winning image

A winning image by Bill Barley ’64

Bill Barley ’64 (photographic illustration) received the Kodak Gallery Award presented by Kodak Professional division for excellence in photography. Barley, of Bill Barley & Associates in Columbia, S.C., was honored for “Mechanical Motion,” a photo entered in the commercial category. The image, which shows two tools working together to mill the bores in an automobile power steering unit, was created for Cogsdill Tool Products of Camden, S.C. The image also captured first place, best of show and judge’s choice awards.

The presentation took place at the annual convention of the Professional Photographers of South Carolina.

Family matters

R. Roger Remington ’57 (art and design), recently honored for 40 years of service as a faculty member in RIT’s School of Design, has a new book: American Modernism: Graphic Design 1920-1960 (Yale University Press). This is the first comprehensive survey of the Modernist movement as it emerged in various graphic media.

Left to right: R. Roger Remington ’57, Royce “Rob” Remington ’83, Paula Manchester ’82

Remington is also celebrating the accomplishments of his children – also RIT grads. Royce R. “Rob” Remington ’83 (instructional technology) was recently elected to the board of directors of Hahn Loeser and Parks, the Cleveland law firm where he has been a partner for seven years. He joined the firm after graduating from Cleveland Marshall College of Law in 1988. He specializes in construction law.

Professor Remington’s daughter, Paula Remington Manchester ’82 (retailing) is vice president, management development and training for Olive Garden restaurants, owned by Darden Restaurants Inc. Paula joined Darden in 1997 as director of human resources for the organization’s restaurant support center in Orlando, Fla. During her career in the human resources field she has worked for Jordan Marsh Co., Boston; the North American division of Laura Ashley Inc.; and Technology Service Solutions, an IBM subsidiary.

Showing her stuff

More than 100 people attended the opening of a retrospective of the work of Mary Loomis Rickman ’87.

“Retro: Who’s Coming through the Door?” by Mary Loomis Rickman.

The work of Mary Loomis Rickman ’87 (MFA) was presented in a one-woman retrospective in January in the Dean’s Alumni Gallery in the College of Imaging Arts and Sciences. More than 100 guests attended the opening.

“I’ve spent a lifetime of learning about painting/art/life,” said Rickman, of Penn Yan, N.Y. “This show is all my work but each painting shows the influence of the people who taught me. It is important to me that I remember and honor them.”

Her work also was featured at the Yates County Art Center in February and March.

Book marks

Karpovage

A number of alumni report recent publication of books.

• Michael Karpovage ’90 (fine arts) recently published his first book, Flashpoint Quebec – Operation Joint Suppression (PublishAmerica). The novel focuses on a U.S. Army 10th Mountain light infantry task force that is drawn into a violent urban battle with the revolutionary Quebec Defense Force. Born and raised in western New York, Karpovage worked in Atlanta for eight years following graduation, then returned to Rochester to work as art director for local advertising agencies. He recently moved to Ithaca, N.Y., where he is publications designer at Tompkins Cortland Community College.
  
• Michael Gendron ’70 and ’76 (B.S. accounting, MBA) is the author of Integrating Newly Merged Organizations (Praeger Publishers). Gendron most recently worked as chief financial officer of Hill-Rom Inc., and he has worked at Bausch & Lomb, Deloitte & Touche, KPMG and other companies.

Working for Labor

Thomas C. Wiesner ’75 (electrical engineering) recently became deputy chief information officer for the U.S. Department of Labor. His responsibilities include all areas of IT and e-government with a concentration on cybersecurity.

Prior to joining the Department of Labor in September, Wiesner worked for the Homeland Security Department where he coordinated IT services for all airports under the Transportation Security Administration.

Kid stuff

Clint Niedzwiecki ’00 and students

Clint Niedzwiecki ’00 (graphic design) gained recognition in a new book, trek, by internationally renowned designer David Carson. Niedzwiecki came to the attention of Carson through an innovative student teaching project. Niedzwiecki, who will receive his M.S. in art education from Syracuse University in May, contacted Carson via e-mail and persuaded the designer to participate in an online chat with Carson’s fourth-graders in Dewitt, N.Y.

Carson included the lesson in his book, using Niedzwiecki’s original e-mail, some of the students’ works, and screen shots of the online session.

“The book is amazing,” says Niedzwiecki. “It’s a pretty big deal.

Carson is one of the most famous designers alive.”

Undefeated team plans 50th reunion

Members of RIT’s 1955-56 varsity basketball team are planning a reunion for November 2005 to mark the 50th anniversary of their undefeated season. The committee, John Buchholz, Arnie Cardillo ’60, Ralph Van Peursem ’58, Ed Baucum ’56 and Fred Moss ’58, is trying to locate manager Robert E. Lorenzen ’56 and Kenneth Johnson ’61.

If you were a member of this team, or if you have questions, please contact Rob Grow ’88, Office of Alumni Relations, Crossroads, 41 Lomb Memorial Drive, Rochester, NY 14623;585-475-2601; or e-mail rcgrar@rit.edu.