1958 | Maida Rust Withers (BA ’58, MA University of Utah ’60; Lawrence; Arlington, Va.), a renowned choreographer, premiered Thresholds Crossed, which celebrates the bond between Russia and America with dancers from both countries. This project marks Withers’ 40th anniversary as a dance artist in the nation’s capital, and the 30th year of the Maida Withers Dance Construction Company.
1961 | Larry H. Brim (BES ’61, MS ’63, PhD Stanford University ’69; Sharron Benson [BS ’58]; Provo) has been named senior director of global quality assurance at Nu Skin.
Rocky LaRochelle
1969 | Michael “Rocky” LaRochelle (BA ’69; Kim; Placerville, Calif.) played the character Ralph, a motel manager, opposite Will Smith in the Columbia Pictures feature film The Pursuit of Happyness. Jack H. Peterson (BS ’67, MS ’69; Linda Joy Seeley [BS ’67]; Mesa, Ariz.) received the 2006 distinguished faculty award at Mesa Community College. He has been a sociology professor at the college for 38 years; he served as department chair for 15 years.
1972 | Don T. Stapley (BA ’72; Kathleen; Mesa, Ariz.) received a Silver Beaver Award in December 2006 from the Grand Canyon Council of the Boy Scouts of America for his distinguished service to youth.
1977 | Robert D. Chappell (BS ’77; Jan Burningham [BS ’75]; The Woodlands, Texas), as a member of the Chappell Group, was recognized in Research magazine’s “Winner’s Circle,” which ranks the nation’s top financial advisor teams.
1981 | Kurt G. Wiest (BS ’81, MS ’87; Karen Feddock [’84]; Port Orchard, Wash.) is the new executive director of the Bremerton Housing Authority and CEO of Contract Management Services.
1982 | Richard M. Hartvigsen (BA ’82, JD ’85; Danielle Ferron [BA ’84, MS ’96]; Provo) serves as vice president of regulatory affairs and international general counsel at Nu Skin. Martha Sue “Marti” Johnson (BA ’82; Los sAngeles) has been honored with a Golden Mike Award for her news series about a shooting in Southern California. She is a freelance journalist for both ABC News and KTLA in Los Angeles.
Dale Christiansen
1983 | Brenda Allison Beyal (BS ’83, MEd ’99; Anthony [’92]; Mapleton, Utah) was named Utah’s 2006 American Star of Teaching by the U.S. Department of Education. She teaches students in third, fourth, and fifth grades at Rees Elementary School in Spanish Fork. Dale E. Christiansen (BS ’83, MBA Arizona State University ’84; Jana Stephens [BS ’83]; Holladay, Utah) has been named president of Wasatch Finance and Credit, a Salt Lake City–based division of Wasatch Property Management Inc. Orlando R. Kelm (BA ’83, MA ’85; Tonia Hutchison [BS ’80]; Austin, Texas) has coauthored the book Brazilians Working with Americans, which illustrates many of the cultural factors important in international business between the countries. Kelm is the associate director of business language education at the University of Texas. Mark A. Wolfert (JD ’83; Carol; Orem, Utah) has been appointed vice president and chief compliance officer for Nu Skin.
1984 | Gary B. Garrett (BA ’84, MPA ’86; Jana Dewey [BM ’89, MM ’93]; Provo) has been appointed vice president of corporate relations for Nu Skin. He will also oversee auxiliary services and the Nu Skin Force for Good Foundation.
David Bennion
1987 | David M. Bennion (BA ’87, JD ’90; Rebecca Poelman [MA ’92]; Salt Lake City) has been elected to the board of directors at Parsons Behle & Latimer.Jessica Goodfellow Ueno (BA ’87; Naohiko; Kobe, Japan) published her first poetry chapbook, A Pilgrim’s Guide to Chaos in the Heartland, which won the Concrete Wolf Chapbook Competition. Three poems from the books are nominated for a Pushcart Prize. Jessica’s work is also featured in the anthologyBest New Poets 2006. She was the recipient of the 2004 Chad Walsh Poetry Prize from the Beloit Poetry Journal.
1988 | Kenneth M. Palombo (BA ’88, BA ’88, JD University of Tennessee ’91; Beth Clark [BS ’89]; Franklin, Tenn.) has been appointed as chief administrative officer and chief ethics officer at Armor Correctional Health Services in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
1989 | Bradley E. Haws (BA ’89, MBA ’91; Nancy Webber [BS ’89]; Charlottesville, Va.) has been named the senior associate dean for finance and administration at the University of Virginia School of Medicine. He will maintain his previous role as chief operating officer of the UVA Health Services Foundation.
1990 | Kristen D. Knight (BS ’90, MOB ’98; Pleasant Grove, Utah) has been named the director of Nu Skin marketing for the Americas and Europe.
1991 | James C. Frary (BS ’91; Linda; Provo) has been appointed vice president of IT business integration at Nu Skin.
1992 | Michael W. Edmunds (BA ’92, JD University of Michigan ’96; Alice Parke [’96]; Flint, Mich.) has been made a partner in the law firm of Garan Lucow Miller P.C. Joseph Vance (BS ’92, JD University of Washington ’06; Lori Keck [BS ’91]; Ridgefield, Wash.) has joined the litigation department of Miller Nash as a partner specializing in employment law.
1993 | Ted Nguyen (BA ’93, MPA ’98; Laguna Niguel, Calif.), manager of public communications and media relations for Orange County Transportation Authority, was honored with a PR Professional of the Year award in the nonprofit category at a PR News annual luncheon in Washington, D.C.
David Entwistle
Melanie Vaughan
1994 | Karl W. Beckstrand (BA ’94; Midvale, Utah) has written and illustrated the children’s book Crumbs on the Stairs, which has text in both Spanish and English as well as a pronunciation guide to help children and adults gain language skills. John S. Beeson (BA ’94, MA ’96; Angela; Orem, Utah) is the director of brand messaging for Pharmanex. He will be responsible for all product messages surrounding the Pharmanex brand as well as assisting the marketing group with product positioning. David E. Entwistle (BS ’94, MHSA Arizona State University ’96; Dawna; Salt Lake City) is the chief executive officer of the University of Utah Hospitals and Clinics. Ronnie L. Grauman (BM ’94, MA The City University of New York ’02) was appointed to the position of organist at Radio City Music Hall for the 2006 Christmas Spectacular starring the world-famous Rockettes. There, she plays the world’s largest theater pipe organ, “The Mighty Wurlitzer.” Nathan A. Jackson (BA ’94, MA ’96; Spring Winebrenner [BA ’93]; Provo) has been appointed director of Pharmanex marketing for the Americas and Europe. Kevin G. Rose (BS ’94, MD Meharry Medical College ’98; Kamryn Hanks [’93]; Springville, Utah), a plastic, reconstructive, and migraine surgeon, has been trained in a new surgical method to treat migraine headaches. Melanie Price Vaughan (BS ’94; Brad; McCammon, Idaho), a private reading tutor, wrote the e-book training manual How to Be a Successful Reading Tutor(becomeareadingtutor.com).
1995 | David L. Mortensen (BA ’95; JD ’98; Melanie Prince [BA ’98]; Bountiful, Utah) has been promoted to principal at Stoel Rives, a western U.S. business law firm. Josh M. Reid (BS ’95, M Yale University ’97, JD University of Arizona ’00; Tamsen Burk [BA ’93]; Salt Lake City), a member of the environmental, energy, and natural-resources department of Parsons Behle & Latimer has been named a new shareholder for the firm. Kara Schmedding Schneck (BA ’95; Mark [BA ’87]; Lindon, Utah) has been named the new senior director of corporate communications for Nu Skin.
1997 | Jenny Warnick Engemann (BS ’97; MBA University of Phoenix ’06; Dan; Provo) has been appointed senior director of product marketing for Pharmanex.
1999 | Mark A. Watkins (BS ’99, MAcc ’00; Carrie Glover [BS ’98]; Highland, Utah) is the new director of finance for Nu Skin.
2000 | Natalyn Orchard Lewis (BA ’00; Brandon; Orem, Utah) has been appointed director of Big Planet marketing for the Americas and Europe. Loren K. Messerly (BA ’00, BA ’00, JD ’03; Melanie Wall [BS ’03, MAcc ’03]; Boise, Idaho) has joined the law firm of Hawley Troxell Ennis & Hawley.
2002 | Taggart K. George (BS ’02; Kathryn Peterson [BS ’04]; Pollock Pines, Calif.) wrote and published Baja Bound: To Cabo and Back, about his 16-day adventure driving the length of the Baja Peninsula. Robert C. Morris (BS ’02; MAcc ’04, JD ’04, LLM Georgetown University ’06; Keri; Houston) joined Fulbright & Jaworski’s Houston office as an associate. His practice will focus on tax matters.
2004 | Hakon S. Johanson (BA ’04; Jennifer Farnworth [BS ’04]; Phoenix) has been hired by the business-development division of the town of Gilbert, Ariz., as an analyst.
2005 | Jonathan H. Bacon (BA ’05; Michelle; Lehi, Utah) was hired as an account executive at Politis Communications, a strategic communications agency. Kristofer E. Beldin (BA ’05; Carolyn Dunn [BS ’02]; Midvale, Utah) was hired as an assistant account executive at Politis Communications. David D. Kasteler (BA ’05; Michelle Wadsworth [BS ’04]; Orem, Utah) is on the board of Worldwide Book Drive, a company that collects books to promote global literacy and improve the environment through recycling. John S. Keller (BA ’05; Salt Lake City) is president of Worldwide Book Drive, a company that collects books to promote global literacy and improve the environment through recycling.Cammon C. Randle (BA ’05; Lorri Kane [BA ’05]; Provo), founder and co-owner of CopperRain Productions, was named one of America’s best entrepreneurs under age 25 by BusinessWeek.com.
2006 | Hilary Knighton Brewster (JD ’06; Benjamin; Bountiful, Utah) was named general counsel for Prestige Financial Services of Salt Lake City, where she will oversee all of the auto finance company’s legal affairs.
Hilary Brewster