Class Notes

‘For thee, our hopes and memories’

1950s

George O. Sappenfield was mentioned in a Mount Vernon News article on his pioneering role in disc golf.

1970s

Scott W. Bell (1979) is now American Riviera Bank’s small business loan development officer for the Central Coast.

Dr. Robert Mikell (1972) presented a seminar at Satchmo SummerFest: “Peter Davis, the First Music Master of Louis Armstrong.”

Tim O’Doherty (1978) and Sandra “Sam” O’Doherty own O’Doherty’s Irish Grille in Spokane, Washington.

1980s

Michele Cantwell-Copher (1989, ’94) is now Fresno County superintendent of schools.

Miguel A. Castellanos (1988) relinquished duties as the commanding general of the 84th Training Command, located in Fort Knox, Kentucky, on Aug. 12.

Roger I. Lane (1984, ’87), an internal medicine physician, leads Cottage Primary Care in Santa Ynez Valley. He has been practicing in the area since 1998.

Kurt Peacock, a certified arborist and owner of Peacock Consulting, was the guest speaker at the Fallbrook Garden Club general meeting in September.

Ronald Ramirez (1987) is dean of the College of Business Administration at California State University, San Marcos.

Ruth E. Taylor-Piliae (1980), a professor in the College of Nursing at the University of Arizona and interim director of the doctoral program, is recognized internationally as a nurse scientist and mind-body exercise interventionist. She is trained in cardiovascular epidemiology and clinical trials.

1990s

Steve Albanese (1996) is now Pittsburg, CA police chief.

Mark Beringer (1991) is the director of winemaking at Phantom Creek Estates in Oliver, British Columbia.

Ketti Davis (1996) is now district superintendent for Central Unified School District.

Lori Gambero (1994) is now assistant principal at Ramon C. Cortines School of Visual and Performing Arts in Los Angeles.

Tanisha Huddleston, a former Bulldogs basketball standout, is co-owner of HER Body Bar in northeast Fresno, which offers non-invasive body sculpting services.

Keith Jones (1994) is now chief financial officer of Adeia, an intellectual property licensing business.

Sonia Lopez (1997) is co-director of DPR Construction’s Bay Area region. She has more than 25 years of experience, and was a speaker at Groundbreaking Women In Construction 2022.

Robert A. Nevárez (1990) is now Avenal interim police chief.

Nancy Patrick (1997) retired from teaching in Fresno Unified School District after 20 years of service.

Todd Pigott (1994) operates the only certified real estate investment trust in the Central Valley, and his business is pushing to expand services from 10 states to 15.

Jaime Reborn (1997) has released his inaugural film, “Write It Black.”

Stacy Rianda (1992) is now co-CEO for the Ventura County Fair.

Allison Trahan (1992) is senior producer and occasional host for Oregon Public Broadcasting’s daily talk show, “Think Out Loud.”

John Zanoni (1996) is now Fresno County sheriff-elect.

2000s

Rosa (Guevara) Areguin (2004) started Bash Supply, a party rental business supplying inflatables, decor, tables and chairs in Dinuba, Reedley and surrounding communities.

Anthony Cody (2004) received the 2022 Whiting Award, given annually to writers with promise of great work to come and a prize of $50,000.

Courtney Caron (2009), an attorney and former Miss Fresno, is a partner in The Artist Tree, Fresno’s first cannabis dispensary that features the work of local artists.

Robert Pimentel (2006, ’18) is now president of Fresno City College.

Darren Rose (2002, ’10) is now executive director for the Madera County Economic Development Corp.

Joshua Ruiz (2002) is now senior project manager for Fuscoe Engineering, Inc. in Irvine.

Carlos Santos (2003) appears alongside Mexican super comedian Eugenio Derbez in the Hulu movie “The Valet.”

Cody Smith (2005) is the varsity baseball coach at Pioneer Valley High School in Santa Maria.

Sevag Tateosian (2004) and his wife Susie are the new owners of Facelogic Spa in Clovis.

2010s

Jasmine Marshall Armstrong (2010) is a writing instructor, poet and nonfiction writer living in the Central Valley. She recently had a piece published in “America the Jesuit Review.”

Pablo Cabrera Arreola (2019, ’22) is now assistant superintendent for Harris Construction Co., Inc.

Jose Gonzalez (2015, ’21) is vice principal at Mendota Elementary School.

Susanna González (2015) is a multimedia reporter for Noticiero Telemundo California, which airs on Telemundo 33 in Sacramento.

Connor Matteson (2019) is a producer for CBS 47 in Fresno. He helped launch a new 4 p.m. newscast.

Moses R. Menchaca (2015) was promoted to the rank of captain with the U.S. Marine Corps and serves as base adjutant for Marine Corps Installation National Capital Region – Marine Corps Base Quantico.

Karen Paolinelli (2014), Madera Community Hospital CEO, was inducted into the Central San Joaquin Valley Nursing Hall of Fame.

Cresencio Rodriguez-Delgado (2019) is a correspondent for “PBS NewsHour,” reporting out of Fresno. He was previously the director of communications for the Leadership Counsel for Justice and Accountability.

Matt Soderstrom (2018) earned a professional engineer license from the California Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors and Geologists.

Patrick B. Tachella (2014) has been the owner and operator of the North Fork Napa Auto Parts since purchasing the longstanding business in May.

Jahz Tello (2014) is a video production assistant with GV Wire, a news website run by Granville Homes.

2020s

Brooke Chau (2022) landed an on-air position with KGUN ABC 9 News in Tucson, Arizona.

Jasmine Flores (2022) is the leadership development coordinator for California Future Farmers of America in Galt.

Andrew Kachel, a junior infielder and two-time All-Mountain West selection, was drafted by the San Francisco Giants in the 16th round (496th overall) of the Major League Baseball Draft. He hit .302 and tied for the team lead with 11 home runs.

Robyn McCarthy (2021) signed with Indy Eleven, a team in the new USL W League team, a women’s pre-professional soccer league.

Mia Moreno (2021) is now a business adviser at The Garabedian Group, a certified public accounting firm.

Zach Morgan, a junior catcher and first-team All-Mountain West selection, was drafted by the San Francisco Giants in the seventh round (226th overall) of the Major League Baseball Draft.

Rajan Nagra (2022) is a real estate agent for Schuil & Associates, Inc, a Valley agricultural real estate firm.

Karen Pelayo Palmer (2020) is being recognized by the National Honor Society for First-Generation College Students.

Orlando Robinson, a first-team All-Mountain West basketball player as a junior, signed with Miami Heat as an undrafted free agent. As a Bulldog, he became one of just two players in NCAA history to accumulate 700 points, 300 rebounds and 100 assists in a single season.

Alex Scott (2022) is a reporter for Clovis Roundup and researcher for The Business Journal.

Adam Ricardo Solis (2022) is a reporter for the Clovis Roundup.

Steve Suarez (2022) was featured in the Salinas Valley Tribune for his aspirations to apply to medical school and become a neurosurgeon.

BULLDOG BORN, BULLDOG WED

40 under 40

Each year, BusinessLeaders.TV recognizes 40 outstanding business professionals under age 40 in Central California who have demonstrated strong work ethic, and are leaders in their fields. Fresno State is proud to recognize alumni who were part of the 2021 class.

Class of 2021:

David Bacci (2010), Hospital Council of Northern and Central California.

Gilbert Felix (2012), Partnership for Public Service.

Melissa Fries (2008), Pitman Farms.

Ashley Jacobsen (2003), Moss Adams.

Hannah Johnson (2018), Central Valley Community Foundation.

Keryn Nicholson (2009), Nicholson Hat Co.

Julia Pena (2004), SPAN Construction & Engineering, Inc.

Sal Lucatero, Bitwise Industries.

Nicole Rivera (2012), Aspen Public Schools.

Ashley Webster Rudolph (2005), The Business Journal.

Megan Rupe (2014), CBS47 morning anchor.

Josh Sherfield (2006), Quiring General.

Victor Thao (2008, ’14), Bank of America.

Jacob Villagomez (2015), Office of State Senator Melissa Hurtado.

Blake Zante (2018), Office of State Senator Andreas Borgeas.

In Memoriam

Joel Jay Allender (1955), July 30, Bellevue, ID.

Victoria Jean Anderson (1999), June 29, Fresno.

Harold Walter Bergler (1991), March 9, Pinecrest.

Robert Franklin Blecker (1967), July 13, Scottsdale, AZ.

Oscar Ramon Casarreal, Aug. 26, Firebaugh.

Michael Crager (1975), April 14, Fernandina Beach, FL.

Lee Danker (1984), July 22, Lake Owen, WI.

John Lee Easby (1978), June 14, Carson City, NV.

Deborah Gauss (1975), Oct. 27, Los Alamitos.

Joseph “Joe” Gragg (1968), June 21, Hannibal, MO.

Joan Munk Gunn (1983),Sept. 13, Sandy, UT.

Jack Hannah (1957), July 31, Fresno.

Lance Hairabedian (1987), Oct. 20, Fresno.

Dennis M. Kalebjian (1976), July 23, Fresno.

Brian Carl Lindgren (1974), Sept. 7, Casper, WY.

Nick Masich (1962), July 13, Fresno.

Ashton McKiearnan (2005), June 19, Fresno.

Lucille Miley (1951), August, Camarillo.

Albert Sidney Newton, Jr., (1974) Aug. 26, Fresno.

Henry Nishimoto (1965), April 4, Fresno.

James Page (1990), March 29, Fresno.

Emmy Lou Papagni (1943), May 8, Palo Alto.

Monte Robert Prieto (2002), May 26, Fresno.

Beatrice “Bee” Emeline Raimondo Collier (1941), Oct. 23, 2021, Fresno.

Dr. Gerald “Jerry” Rosander (1952), Sept. 14, San Diego.

Carol J. Putler (1953), Aug. 2, Modesto.

Teresina Marie Smith (1950), June 12, Fresno.

Dan O. Stone (1968), July 18, 2021, Cameron Park.

Steve Adisasmito-Smith, July 10, Fresno.

Adela Santana-Mullooly, Oct. 2, Clovis.

John McDermott, June 15, Fresno.

Dr. Richard D. Nordstrom,Aug. 12, Fresno.

Faculty/Staff

Friends