Class Notes

Based on peer recognition and professional achievement, Bruce Robertson (PolSci’69), a securities and corporate finance attorney, was selected as one of 11 “Washington Super Lawyers.” Only five percent of attorneys in Washington are selected for this honor. The 2011 Washington Super Lawyers appeared in a special section of the summer issue of Super Lawyers and the July issue of Seattle Met magazine.

Retired director of finance for Hillsborough County, Fla., Kristen Dick Landkammer (Acct’69) also is retired from the U.S. Naval Reserve. She writes she spends most of her time on the golf course, while waiting for her turn to be a grandmother. She lives in Lutz, Fla.

After 36 years Richard Rundell (PhDGer’71) retired from New Mexico State University. Most recently, he was head of the languages and linguistics department. He lives in Las Cruces, N.M., and says it is hard to believe 40 years have passed since he finished his doctorate.

Authors James “Jay” Fell (MHist’72, PhD’75) and Jan Neunoff Robertson (A&S’57) wrote 100 Years Up High: Colorado Mountains and Mountaineers (Colorado Mountain Club Press). It takes a look at the evolution of Colorado mountaineering in the 20th century and includes several people associated with CU, such as former art professor Muriel Sibell Wolle (MA&S’30). Jay calls Louisville home and Jan lives in Boulder.

Criminal defense attorney Paul McCormick (Law’72) was honored by the Colorado Criminal Defense Bar with the Alvin D. Lichtenstein award for lifetime achievement. Paul also was inducted into the International Society of Barristers and Litigation Counsel of America, has been rated a Colorado Super Lawyer and is listed in Best Lawyers in America. He lives in Boulder.

A native of India, Frank Islam (Bus, MApMath’73) spoke last April at the Conference on World Affairs. He coauthored Renewing the American Dream: A Citizen’s Guide (IMC Publishing), which offers suggestions on how to reverse the notion that the American dream is in peril. He is CEO of FI Investment Group, which focuses on providing growth capital to emerging companies and has endowed two scholarships at CU-Boulder for mathematics students. Frank lives in Potomac, Md.

Consultant John Poimiroo (MJour’73) specializes in travel and tourism marketing communications with his virtual agency, Poimiroo & Partners. When updating his website, www.poimiroo.com, John chose CU silver, gold and black, of course! He lives in Eldorado Hills, Calif.

The most visible program in CU-Boulder’s Institute for Ethical and Civic Engagement is the Peace Corps, although it has 10 other programs under its wing. Director Peter Simons (Psych’73, MPubAd’76) says the institute works closely with faculty to weave civic engagement into the entire curriculum. Peter lives in Boulder with his wife Gayle Lalich (Psych’73, Law’77).

Phi Beta Kappa David Litschel (Art’74) has been a photographer for over 30 years. He retired in 2010 from Brooks Institute in Santa Barbara, Calif., where he lives, after teaching photography and serving as provost. David continues photographing his travels and his work can be found on pages 66-67 in this issue and at www.davidlitschel.com.

University of Utah pathology professor Edward Ashwood (ChemEngr’75) received The American Association for Clinical Chemistry’s award for Outstanding Contributions in Education. He has mentored more than 100 pathology residents and fellows who have twice honored him with the outstanding teaching award. Edward also served as president and chief executive officer of ARUP Laboratories and lives in Circle Park City, Utah.

Former deputy director of the White House national youth anti-drug media campaign, John S. Hale (MJour’76) is chief communications officer of the Veterans Health Administration. The McLean, Va., resident oversees communications and marketing for the nation’s largest health care system, with more than 150 hospitals and 800 clinics nationwide. John also is founder of MINDWEST Strategies, a communications consulting firm.

On-air host Douglas Dinsmoor (EPOBio’77) spends time at jazz station KUVO 89.3 in Denver, serving as a fill-in on the station. He’s been broadcasting there for eight years. He had his own show for 16 years on WMFO, Tufts University. Check him out on twitter@eMarketingBrain.

International Foundation for Electoral Systems’ chief of party Michael Getto (Jour’79) trains and supports election management in Yerevan, Armenia. Michael also conducts voter education for IFES, a nonprofit leader in election assistance and democracy promotion. For the past seven and a half years, Michael has worked in democracy and governance programming in the former Soviet Union. In the U.S. he’s based in Laguna Hills, Calif.

Attorney Amy Hirter (Hist’80, Law’86) was appointed vice chair of the American Bar Association’s International Law Section’s Mergers, Acquisitions and Joint-Ventures Committee for 2011-12. She joined the law firm Hutchinson Black and Cook in 2009 and lives in Boulder.

Well-known sports journalist Rick Reilly (Jour’81) gave the final graduation speech of CU’s journalism school in May. He worked as a reporter for the Boulder Camera, The Denver Post and the Los Angeles Times before joining Sports Illustrated where he wrote for 23 years. He is a front-page columnist for ESPN.com and hosts ESPN’s hour-long interview show, “Homecoming.” Rick lives in Denver.

Former CU-Boulder Alumni Association board member Jenny Herring (Jour’82) serves as public relations director at The Creative Alliance firm in Lafayette, Colo. She lives in Longmont.

For the fifth time since 2006, Ruth Kahn (Mktg’82) was named to the Los Angeles Daily Journal’s list of Top 75 women litigators. A partner in the Los Angeles office of Steptoe & Johnson, she specializes in science-heavy toxic tort cases. Ruth lives in Pacific Palisades, Calif.

In 2000 brothers and former CU track and cross country athletes Dan King (ChemEngr’82, MBA’88) and Scott King (ElEngr’85) co-founded ReadyTalk, a Denver company that develops audio and web conferencing technology. Earning the 2011 Colorado Business Magazine’s Best Company to Work for in Colorado, the company staffers attribute their success to Dan and Scott’s focus on motivating people to be innovative and creative. Dan lives in Boulder and Scott lives in Longmont. In July Dan won the World Masters Athletics Championships in California.

Computer analyst Cynthia Wooten (Mus’82) works for Kitsap Mental Health Services and lives in Bremerton, Wash.

Pianist, teacher and composer Deborah Yardley Beers (DMus’84) serves on the piano faculty at the Longy School of Music in Cambridge, Mass. She launched her own website, deborahyardleybeers.com to post video clips of her performances, as well as information for prospective students and about the music she has composed for pianists and students. She lives in Lexington, Mass.