Unilimited Alumni

Class Notes

Find out what you and your fellow grads are doing now. You can share your news and updates by going to netcommunity.ucalgary.ca and clicking on “Class Notes.”

1960s

Robert Bertram, BA’65, joined Nexen’s board of directors earlier this year. He recently retired as executive vice-president of the Ontario Teachers Pension Plan Board, a position he had held since 1990. Robert is also a director of Cadillac Fairview and Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, and is chair of the strategic committee of Glass Lewis LLC.

Max Foran, BEd’68, MA’70, PhD’81, wrote Expansive Discourses: Urban Sprawl in Calgary, 1945-1978, published this spring by Athabasca University Press.

Barry Lester, BSc’69, MSc’71, is the 2009 recipient of the Consulting Engineers of Alberta Lieutenant Governor’s Award for Distinguished Achievement. Barry retired as vice-president and COO of Canada West, Stantec Consulting Ltd. Two high-profile projects he was heavily involved with in his career were the construction of the Confederation Bridge to P.E.I., and the U of C’s Olympic Oval.

Maureen McLeod, BEd’66, is teaching language arts and social studies to Grade 7 students at the International School of Macao, the only international school using the Alberta curriculum. Maureen and her husband, Ray McLeod, BA’66, and daughters Margo Smith and Kelsey Murdoch, BGS’07, have a family-operated business, Kelsmar International. They are marketing “Asian Palette Puzzles” jigsaw puzzles featuring Ray’s original photos. For more information, visit www.kelsmar.com.

1970s

Carol Baird-Krul, BEd’75, is a partner in B.C.•based D.R. Associates, presenting workshops to groups on the transitional period immediately after retirement. Carol also contributes to Canadian Teacher Magazine on the subject of retirement. Two years ago, she co-wrote Transition to Retirement: The Uncharted Course, available through Pacific Edge Publishing.

James A. Bancroft, QC, BA’74, has joined Davis LLP’s Calgary office as counsel. Jim has extensive experience in all aspects of litigation and dispute resolution, and he brings more than 30 years of experience to the firm. He had acted as counsel before all levels of the courts in Alberta, the Federal Court of Canada and a variety of administrative tribunals, arbitration panels and mediations.

Chuck Blyth, BSc’78, an artist, ecologist and volunteer, was named a 2009 Trudeau Mentor. For the last decade, Chuck has served as the superintendent of the Nahanni National Park Reserve in the Northwest Territories. Ten mentors were chosen from thousands of Canadians; each will be linked with an exceptional doctoral student who has been awarded a Trudeau Scholarship.

Marjorie Body, BA’74, MA’77, has published a novel, Special Areas.

Ratna Ghosh, C.M., O.Q., F.R.S.C., MA’73, PhD’76, James McGill Professor and W.C. Macdonald Professor of Education at McGill University, has been elected to a three-year term by theU.S.-based Comparative and International Education Society (CIES) to be vice-president, president-elect (2010) and president (2011).

Barry Jackson, BSc’74, has joined WestJet’s board of directors. Barry is chair of TransCanada and a director of Nexen and Laricina Energy. He has worked in the oil and gas industry since 1974, most recently in a leadership role with Crestar Energy.

Peter Kazmaier, BSc’73, has written The Halcyon Dislocation, a science fiction/fantasy novel that describes the protagonist’s struggle for survival in an alien, hostile environment after a risky physics experiment. The book can be ordered from EssenceBookstore.com or WolfsburgImprints.com.

Gerry Talbot, BComm’73, was recently appointed vice-president, land of Reliable Energy. Gerry began his career with Amoco Canada Petroleum Company in 1977, and joined land department in 1981 where he progressed to the position of senior negotiating landman. In 2002, Gerry left Amoco and started consulting for junior oil and gas companies before taking a full-time position with Ledge Resources. Gerry is an active member of the Canadian Association of Petroleum Landmen.

1980s

Geoff Beatson, BSc’83, has joined Tango Energy as vice-president of engineering and operations. Geoff is a professional engineer and has held increasingly responsible positions with Ocelot Industries, Bow Valley Energy, Talisman Energy, Anderson Exploration, Encal Energy, Bunker Energy, Energy 51 and Watch Resources.

Douglas Haughey, MBA’82, joined the board of directors at Pembina Pipeline in December. Doug has over 30 years of experience in the energy industry, serves as a director of Enerflex Systems Income Fund and the United Way of Calgary and Area, and is a member of the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology Chairman’s Advisory Circle.

Cliff Howe, BComm’84, has gained hard-earned expertise in management consulting, energy trading and marketing, risk management, accounting, finance and executive compensation. He recently joined Spencer Stuart’s professional services and financial officer practices and leads the firm’s Canadian energy practice.

Dean Johnson, BSc’88, is president of Sodexo Canada. He joined Sodexo last year as senior vice-president and has been developing and leading the company’s strategy in integrated facilities management. Dean previously served as sector president of Compass Group Canada and president at Trammell Crow Company Canada.

William Mak, BSc’80, MEDes’88, is director of global innovation at IMI Studios, a private client collaborative that guides business leaders on creating their futures in a global digital economy.

Patti-Ann Marzocco, BMus’88, MBA’94, is continuing in her role as vice-president, OEM at Microsoft Canada Co. and her husband Mike Marzocco, MBA’94, is pursuing new opportunities in Calgary. Sons Anthony (6) just started Grade 1 and Ryan (2) is a joy to the whole family, who are ecstatic to be home in Calgary after five years in Toronto.

Wade McKenzie, BComm’87, MBA’93, PhD’04, is on faculty in the Department of Management Studies and chair of the management and marketing area at the University of the West Indies in Bridgetown, Barbados.

Jeremy Newton, BComm’89, is president and COO of Tango Energy. He has worked in the domestic and international oil and gas business with Husky Oil, Norcen Energy, Petromet Resources, Velvet Exploration, El Paso Oil and Gas and Rio Alto International. Jeremy has been with Tango since 2006 and was most recently vice-president, land and exploration.

Leslie O’Donoghue, BA’84, joined the board of directors at Pembina Pipeline in December. She is senior vice-president, general counsel and corporate secretary at Agrium, where she has worked since 1999. Her expertise includes corporate governance, legal affairs, internal audit, health, safety and environment, as well as mergers and acquisitions. Leslie was admitted to the Alberta Bar in 1989.

Lawrence Schweitz, BA’89, is living in Denver and pursuing a master’s degree in technology management at the University of Denver. He is also the owner of Polar Computer Systems and Consulting LLC, an IT consulting firm.

Lee Thiessen, BA’87, is a director for DirectCash Management. Lee is a senior director, realty tax consulting, at Altus Group, a subsidiary of Altus Group Income Fund. Lee is a director of the Calgary Business Owners and Managers Association, a member of the Appraisal Institute of Canada and an associate member of the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties.

Garth Wong, BComm’81, is CFO of Oilsands Quest. Most recently, he was a principal and vice-president of Sokol Developments, a private real estate company developing commercial and residential properties in Calgary. Prior to that, Garth was at TransAlta where he was responsible for financial reporting, planning, taxation and budgeting, financial systems and processes.

1990s

Cari Anderson, BA’96, is Budget Waste’s new director of corporate communications and investor relations. Cari has over 12 years of experience operating private businesses and most recently served in an investor relations capacity with a public mining company.

John Bishop Ballem, LLD’93, has received the Distinguished Service Award in Legal Scholarship from the Law Society of Alberta and the Canadian Bar Association (Alberta).

Larry James Campbell, BA’92, was named one of 12 new full-time appointments to the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada with a three-year term in the Vancouver office.

Elizabeth Cannon, PhD’91, was reappointed to the Canada Foundation for Innovation’s board of directors. Elizabeth, dean at the U of C’s Schulich School of Engineering since 2006, has also served as a director on various industry advisory boards and held membership on many government advisory boards, including the Alberta Ingenuity Fund, the Alberta Research Council, the Calgary Science Centre and the Minister of Natural Resources’ National Advisory Board on Earth Sciences.

Robert Chiew, BComm’95, MA’04, is an advisor to the executive director representing Canada, Ireland and the Caribbean at the World Bank. He works on matters related to climate change and the environment, clean energy, debt management, internal governance, innovative development finance, private sector development, IFC (the private sector arm of the World Bank), Europe, Central Asia and Africa.

Geoff Clark, BSc’87, is Accelware’s incoming CFO. Geoff has held several executive and managerial positions in service and technology companies, including Pan Terra Industries, Revolve Magnetic Bearings, Nova and most recently as CFO of Guest-Tek Interactive Entertainment.

Daren Collins, BSc’92, is president and CEO of St. John’s-based Prominex Resource. He has more than 25 years of technical and corporate management experience within various industries, including 15 years with TransAlta where he ultimately became a director, responsible for global technology.

Leigh Anthony Dehaney, BSc’97, has been included in the 2009 book Through the Eyes of New Photographers, an Artnow publication, which was launched at the Bridge New York Art Fair in March. His three most recent personal projects include Dystopia, Chronos and 1984+1/2, all of which explore the ideas of futuristic artifacts, communication and grey moments in time. For more information, visit www.tenement.cz.

Julian Din, BComm’92, has joined Regal Energy as vice-president, business. Julian has spent the last 15 years in Calgary as a securities industry professional focused on the energy industry. His roles have included managing director of investment banking where he was involved in raising debt and equity capital, as well as advising on numerous merger and acquisition transactions. Most recently, he was at a bank-owned securities firmwith responsibilities for overseeing client assets. Julian has spent his career investing in, raising capital for, and building relationships with companies and people actively involved in the energy sector.

Melody Spragg Eschete, BN’92, was recently appointed by Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal to the state’s Advisory Committee on Hospice Care. Melody is a certified corrections nurse manager with Louisiana’s Department of Public Safety and Corrections and a member of the Quality Guidelines for Hospice and Pallitative Care in Corrections Task Force.

Renae Espey, BComm’98, MBA’07, now working for Canadian Pacific Railway, received an honourable mention for her MBA thesis in the 2008 Railway Application Section Student Paper Competition organized by the U.S.-based Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences, an internationally renowned academic and practitioner society.

Karin Finley, BA’96, BSc’96, was recently elected to a two-year term on the Urban Development Institute’s board of directors, which represents major residential land developers and related businesses. In January, Karin started a new role at Qualico Group as general manager, communities.

George Gosbee, BComm’93, founder and CEO of Tristone Capital, was honoured in March by the World Economic Forum as one of the world’s young global leaders. The Forum acknowledges 200 to 300 young leaders every year for their professional accomplishments, commitment to society and potential to contribute to shaping the future of the world. George shared honours this year with golfer Tiger Woods, YouTube co-founder Chad Hurley and Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, among others.

Michal J. Holub, BComm’98, has been appointed CFO of Seaway Energy Services. Michal has held senior financial positions within the oil and gas exploration, production and accounting sectors.

Larry Kearl, BComm’92, is VP finance and corporate controller of EnQuest Energy Services. After graduating from U of C, Larry articled at KPMG in Surrey, B.C. and in Calgary, and obtained his CA designation in 1995. Since leaving KPMG in 1997, Larry has held senior positions in mining, health care, technology development and manufacturing.

Shaun Kelly, BSc’93, is the Canadian regional sales leader for PII Pipeline Solutions, the pipeline services group for GE Oil & Gas. He oversees the expansion of GE’s Calgary engineering services operation to help Canada’s pipeline operators meet their technology and regulatory requirements while enhancing the region’s energy security. Prior to joining GE Oil & Gas in 2005, Shaun held a number of leadership positions in the technology, field services, quality assurance and customer service organizations of GE Energy’s electrical transmission and distribution division.

Daniel Lamb, BA’92, recently joined Monster. ca as a pre-sales solutions consultant.

Jeff Lamb, BComm’92, is a senior vice-president at OptiLogistics, marketer of the OptiLedge unit load shipping system. Jeff joined OptiLedge in 2005 after 15 years experience in freight management and international transport. He previously held managerial positions at Exel and Emery Worldwide/Menlo Worldwide. In 2003, he was appointed to the U.S. Department of Commerce Houston District Export Council. He lives with his family in suburban Atlanta.

Dean Marcil, BA’90, BComm’92, has joined Petroglobe as vice-president of land. With more than 15 years of oil and gas experience, Dean has held roles at Wiser Oil Company Canada, CS Resources, PanCanadian Resources and Petrovera Resources. Prior to joining Petroglobe he was senior landman at Advantage Oil & Gas.

James Maskalyk, MD’99, has written Six Months in Sudan, a chronicle of the time he spent in the African country working for Medecins sans frontieres (Doctors Without Borders) in 2007. The book, some of which is based on blog entries he wrote at the time, is widely available through Doubleday Canada. James is an assistant professor in the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Medicine and is founding editor of Open Medicine, a medical journal.

Jenny McMordie, BA’93, LLB’99, is continuing with a practice in civil litigation and has joined her mother, Claire McMordie, in a law partnership at West End Legal Centre. Her husband, Gerry Hébert, BMus’90, is president of the Calgary local for the American Federation of Musicians in Canada and also serves as the artistic director at the Beat Niq Jazz and Social Club.

Alana Mikkelsen, BSc’92, is a professional life coach. After living in the U.S. for 13 years, she is back in Calgary, offering one-on-one coaching and workshops aimed at stress and time management, personal effectiveness, leadership and life transition. Alana will marry Kevin Casement in July.

Christopher Slubicki, MBA’91, is president and CEO of OPTI Canada. Christopher was previously at Scotia Waterous, a private global oil and gas investment banking firm where he was one of the founders and involved in all aspects of the firm’s development. He previously held operations management and engineering positions within the oil and gas industry.

Hongwen Zhang, PhD’96, is president and CEO of Wedge Networks, a technology leader in high performance network-based web security appliances he co-founded. Hongwen was integral to the development of the architecture of the Wedge BeSecure Web Gateway, Wedge Network’s award-winning security appliance. While at the U of C, Hongwen co-founded the 24C Group, which developed the world’s first digital receipt infrastructure for secure electronic commerce. Hongwen is a co-inventor on several patents in computing and networking.

2000s

Amanda Affonso, BA’00, has been selected to champion and strengthen Alberta’s cultural identity as a member of the new Premier’s Council on Arts and Culture. Council members will act as liaisons between the cultural community and government, facilitate partnerships that strengthen and preserve Alberta’s culture, and provide advice on various initiatives.

Emil Chow, BComm’05, and Emily Ho, BA’04, an alumni couple who met as students at the U of C, won a dream wedding in Jamaica to take place this June as part of a Calgary radio station’s contest in February. The package, valued at $98,000, included bridal party attire, airline tickets, spa days, jewellery shopping sprees, Caribbean accommodation, life coaching and a fitness bootcamp, among other things.

Geoff Davidson, BA’06, has joined the Kootenay Ice in the Western Hockey League as director of sales after an internship with the NHL’s Phoenix Coyotes.

Brian Gusko, MBA’03, is an independent director of Grenville Gold. He is CFO of UC Resources, an emerging producer of silver and gold in Mexico. Brian has also been a research associate with the U.S. Department of Commerce and a student journalist at the UN in New York. More recently he worked for international telecom and IT companies in Johannesburg, The Hague and Tokyo.

Arthur Halleran, PhD’03, has been appointed vice-president of development and exploration at Mogul Energy International, a Seattle-based oil and gas exploration company. Arthur’s 28 years of experience covers work in dozens of countries for Petro-Canada, Chevron, Rally Energy and Canacol Energy, to name a few.

Jason T. Kingston, BAccS’04, has been named director, professional services at Payroll Solutions Canada. Jason is a partner in a CGA firm and has been in the industry since 1998.

Jackie Larm, BSc’01, BA’05, has graduated with an MA with distinction from the University of Edinburgh. Her master’s thesis compared the Chinese and African churches in Edinburgh and she now plans to pursue her PhD at Edinburgh.

Thomas Lui, BComm’06, was recognized by PricewaterhouseCoopers as the 2008 PWC Calgary Volunteer of the Year for his outstanding community work. Thomas participates in various fundraising activities for Ronald McDonald House Southern Alberta and in 2008 co-chaired RMH’s eighth annual Charity Golf Classic, raising $125,000.

Kindah Mardam Bey, BA’01, publishes the online magazine A ‘n’ E Vibe (www.anevibe. com). With more than two million readers a month, A ‘n’ E Vibe covers the world of arts and culture from a Canadian perspective.

Janet Markley, MA’02, will release her debut novel for middle-graders, Dead Frog on the Porch, this fall. It will be the first in a series of mystery adventure books published by Gumboot Books of Vancouver.

Lara Quarterman, BA’03, is coordinator for the Alberta Action Coalition on Human Trafficking. The coalition’s more than 50 members combat human trafficking in Calgary through prevention and awareness-raising, protection of those identified as victims of trafficking, and supporting the prosecution of human traffickers.

William Neil Scott, BA’05, has won the London Reads competition with his debut novel, Wonderfull, available through NeWest Press. William has a number of new projects underway, including The Illustrator, an account of the Great March of the North West Mounted Police in the late-19th century, and a fantasy novel entitled How to Evict a Dragon: A Goblin’s Guide to Courage.

Sarah Webb, BA’05, is marketing director for Nuvo Hotel Suites, which recently introduced an innovative hotel concept to the Calgary market. Nuvo boasts unique suites catering to both short- and long-term stays, and emphasizes environmentally-friendly practices aimed at waste management, reducing water and energy consumption, and raising staff and client awareness.

Christopher Wigle, BA’05, works for ING Real Estate Canada in Calgary helping to manage new lease transactions for their office and industrial portfolio of more than four-million square feet. Prior to this, he worked at a major commercial real estate brokerage specializing in downtown office leasing and investment sales.