Class Notes

Name: Bob Pittsley

Class Year(s): 2005

Note: Bob Pittsley BS ’05 was recently promoted from supplier development engineer to senior design engineer at an exciting startup called AirJoule LLC in Newark, Delaware. https://airjouletech.com/. Their technology captures potable water from air, even in arid climates. AirJoule® provides independent and reliable access to water, further reducing dependency on existing infrastructure and addressing water scarcity. Water is produced at scale using superior energetics compared to conventional technologies.

Submitted on: July 8, 2025

Name: Steve Stansbury

Class Year(s): 1980,1984

Note: Steve Stansbury BT ’84 worked for Google, Microsoft, Starbucks, T-Mobile, Boeing, Orbimage, Data IO, and McAfee. He published the world’s first Windows 3.0 Zortech 2.02 C++ app, versions 1 and 2. He has been the owner of Buryware for 38 years. Steve retired in March 2025.

Submitted on: July 8, 2025

Name: Jerome Fraillon

Class Year(s): 2001

Note: RIT was a great place for education and to meet like-minded engineers. After many years as a packaging developer in the beauty industry, Jerome Fraillon BS ’01 co-founded a packaging company called, Alder Packaging, specializing in sustainable packaging solutions in the personal care space. The company just celebrated its 4th year in business. They are growing very quickly and currently employ 15 people on the East, West Coast, and Taiwan.

Submitted on: July 8, 2025

Name: Todd Eichas

Class Year(s): 1987

Note: Todd Eichas AAS ’87 and his wife Dani own and operate the smallest Estate Farm Winery in the Finger Lakes region of New York State.

Submitted on: July 8, 2025

Name: Lance Johnson

Class Year(s): 1985

Note: Lance Johnson BT ’85, ITEM mechanical engineering technology, retired from General Dynamics, Electric Boat after a 40 year career contributing to the design, construction and quality assurance of US Navy Los Angeles, Ohio, Virginia and Columbia Class nuclear submarines. He started his career at EB during his 2nd RIT Co-op and never looked back!

Submitted on: July 8, 2025

Name: Francis Labate

Class Year(s): 1980

Note: Fran Labate BS ’80 recently retired after 45 years providing contract support to various agencies of the US Government. Most recently, his work involved data science related to security issues and a large portion of his work specifically focused on security as it relates to immigration. He ends his career as Vice President for Advanced Analytics at Fuel Consulting, LLC. Prior to this role he spent 21 years as a senior analyst at Scitor Corporation and 17 years as a senior systems engineer with Geodynamics Corporation. Originally from Granville, NY, he relocated to Northern Virginia upon graduation from RIT, where he met his wife, Espe, and together they raised 3 children, Katherine, Paul, and Phillip. They are traveling more now and enjoying retirement. Fran and his son, Paul, recently spent two weeks in Italy, and in September, Fran and Espe will be spending 3 weeks in eastern Canada.

Submitted on: July 8, 2025

Name: Jerlyn O’Donnell

Class Year(s): 2007

Note: Jerlyn (Thomas) O’Donnell BFA ’07 has released her second children’s book, The Incredible World of AI with Charlie. Jerlyn is an experience design director and Adobe Community Expert now based in The Bronx. She has channeled her passion for accessible design into creating educational content for young readers. This book follows Charlie, a curious fifth-grader who discovers an AI app and learns how artificial intelligence works through engaging stories and hands-on activities. The Incredible World of AI with Charlie is designed for ages 8+ and teaches kids not just how AI works, but how to use it responsibly and think critically about technology. It covers AI-generated art, fact-checking, and future career possibilities—all presented in an accessible, fun way for curious kids, parents, and educators. With AI becoming part of our daily lives, I believe it’s crucial to give children the tools to understand and interact with these technologies thoughtfully. Through my company Design Lady LLC (M/WBE certified) I continue to focus on making complex concepts accessible to everyone. I have RIT and exposure to NTID who influence what I do today. I’ve also recently became CPACC certified by the iAAP (demonstrates a broad understanding of accessibility principles, disability, and related laws and standards. It’s ideal for professionals who manage and support accessibility initiatives). I would love to partner with anyone focusing on future focus initiatives with inclusive design. The book is available at https://bit.ly/incredibleworldofai. Thanks for your continued support!

Submitted on: July 8, 2025

Name: Gwendolyn Karen

Class Year(s): 1978,1979,1980,1981,1982,1983

Note: Gwendolyn Karen BS ’82 has retired! Gwendolyn has no debt, no money, and no complaints.

Submitted on: July 8, 2025

Name: Joshua Fiegl

Class Year(s): 2021

Note: Joshua Fiegl MS ’21 completed his certification as an aerospace materials engineer at Advanced Atomization Technologies.

Submitted on: July 8, 2025

Name: William Rodriguez

Class Year(s): 2004

Note: Bill Rodriguez BFA ’04 recently completed work on the Dark Universe land at Universal’s Epic Universe, a new theme park at Universal Orlando Resort that opened on May 22, 2025. Epic Universe features five immersive worlds, and Bill was responsible for the audio-visual design and integration on Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment and Curse of the Werewolf attractions. From perfectly timed projections to heart‑pounding spatial audio, they dialed up the scares and set a new benchmark for immersive storytelling.

Submitted on: July 8, 2025