Class Notes

Name: Gretchen Romey-Tanzer

Class Year(s): 1979

Note: Gretchen Romey-Tanzer ’79 (CIAS) was awarded the Massachusetts Cultural Council Artists Fellowship in the area of Crafts in January 2019. Her focus was in Woven and Constructed Textile Design. Gretchen has recently retired from 29 years of teaching high school art and is working on building up her weaving studio and gallery in Brewster, MA (The Tanzer Weaving Studio and Gallery, #2623 Main St., Brewster, MA 02631). As well as continuing to design and weave her artwork, she is teaching new and returning weavers the craft of weaving at the Weaving studio. www.tanzersfiberworks.com

Submitted on: September 16, 2020

Name: Christopher Landry

Class Year(s): 2003

Note: Chris Landry ’03 (CAST) co-founded Scan Mailboxes, which began five years ago as a startup to its millionth scan of client mail. Chris and his business partner started Scan Mailboxes in 2014 with a desire to provide a more efficient way for people to read their mail no matter where they are. saving time and environmental waste in the process. The Scan Mailboxes App allows people to read and manage their postal mail and packages on their phones. After opening mail virtually on the Scan Mailboxes app, the client can then decide what to do with the mail, such as to hold for pickup, shred, forward, or take other action such as depositing checks. In five years, Scan Mailboxes has grown into a role as a comprehensive mailroom solution for businesses and individuals that have deposited over $15 million in client checks and securely shredded over 3.3 million pages of mail. Based in Texas, Scan Mailboxes owes its growth in part to its ability to provide customers with an Austin mailing address, a hot commodity due to the city’s growing population. Scan Mailboxes is able to serve as a registered agent or provide a corporate mailing address. San Mailboxes has also been able to nurture its social mission to expand employment opportunities for Deaf individuals. Since 2014, over 15 Deaf people have been hired to work in its Austin offices through more inclusive hiring, a point of pride for the company.

Submitted on: September 16, 2020

Name: Perry Conley

Class Year(s): 1981

Note: Perry Lee or "Willy" Conley ’81 (CIAS) is pleased to announce two new book releases. The first book, "Visual-Gestural Communication: : A Workbook in Nonverbal Expression and Reception", explores universal gestures, facial expressions, body language, and pantomime. The second book, "Listening Through the Bone", examines life cycles and experiences as a deaf individual which he expresses through a collection of poems.

Submitted on: September 16, 2020

Name: Anthony Macri

Class Year(s): 2008

Note: Anthony Macri ’08 (KGCOE) and his wife Alisha celebrated the birth of their first child, Margaret Clare, in May 2019.

Submitted on: September 16, 2020

Name: David Kutz

Class Year(s): 1979

Note: In April 2019 David Kutz ’79 (GAP) was elected President of the International Association of Panoramic Photographers (IAPP). His second term in that position (the first being 2015-2016). The Association was founded in 1984 and consisted of Cirkut and panoramic camera photographers, labs that printed panoramic photos and panoramic camera builders. The IAPP's purpose is to educate and promote panoramic photography and its uses in all forms (film, digital and VR). The Association will be planning a conference for the fall of 2020 in the Rochester area.

Submitted on: September 16, 2020

Name: Joseph Brennan

Class Year(s): 1993

Note: Joseph Brennan ’93 (FAA) created this piece to once again show his gratefulness for his talents.

Submitted on: September 16, 2020

Name: Frederick Hall

Class Year(s): 1993

Note: "Instructor Spotlight: Frederick J Hall ’93 (FAA) is a part-time Instructor of American Sign Language at the Fairfax County Public Schools/Adult and Community Education. He has taught American Sign Language classes for 25 yrs plus."

Submitted on: September 16, 2020

Name: Michael Janssen

Class Year(s): 1994

Note: In February 2018, Michael Janssen ’94 (CAST) was ratified by the Las Vegas City Council as the new Director of Public Works. In this role, he manages a staff of 300 with an FY20 annual operating and CIP budget of about $400 Million. The department designs, constructs, and maintains infrastructure for the City of Las Vegas. Now in his 23rd year with the City of Las Vegas, it was an RIT Co-op internship that I had with a Las Vegas area consulting engineering firm from November 1992-January 1993 that helped him secure a career with the City of Las Vegas. Thank you RIT and the College of Applied Science, School of Engineering Technology, Civil Engineering Technology Program for preparing him for such a rewarding career!

Submitted on: September 16, 2020

Name: Gary Mastrodonato

Class Year(s): 1970

Note: Gary Mastrodonato ’70 (SCB) reflects that RIT was a major turning point in his life and a fantastic experience filled with an excellent array of practical, valuable course work, some superb professors and a student body that provided lifelong friendships. After serving in the U.S. Army, Gary had no plans to return to his studies at RIT however, a good friend, Eugene Lylak (a professor in NTID) was very convincing and Gary enrolled to complete his studies which included a co-op opportunity with Marine Midland Bank. Gary wanted a career with Marine Midland Ban, but he decided to go to grad school. He picked up grad degrees associated with business and education and worked in banking, taught in the City of Rochester High Schools and eventually settled into a career with the Federal Government, working for the Department of Defense for 32 years. Gary traveled the world and had experiences that he never dreamed would be part of his journey. Gary worked with military installation commanders, headquarters personnel, and at one point, for six years, was the DoD pointman for the 1996 Olympics.

Submitted on: September 16, 2020

Name: Kevin Hall

Class Year(s): 1977

Note: Kevin Hall ‘77 received an award in the 2020 GDUSA Health + Wellness Design Awards competition sponsored by Graphic Design USA in the category of COVID-19 Communications. Hall’s winning entry titled “Practice Makes Perfect” promotes the importance and awareness of social distancing. This annual Health + Wellness Design Awards competition honors the best of Communications in this vital segment of the economy. Hall is principal of Kevin Hall Design, an award-winning branding firm near New Haven, CT.

Submitted on: September 15, 2020