Class Notes

2016

Jarrett Grace (MBA, BBA MGTC '15) received Notre Dame's Rockne Student-Athlete Award at the 2015 ECHOES Award Ceremony.

2015

Joe Schmidt (BBA MGTE) received the Irish Around the Bend Award at the 2015 ECHOES Award Ceremony.

2014

Tommy Rees (BBA MGTC) has been hired by the San Diego Chargers as an offensive assistant. Rees previously was an offensive graduate assistant at Northwestern University.

Tyler Stockton (MBA, BBA MARK '13) has been hired as the defensive line coach at Western Illinois in Macomb. Prior to joining the coaching staff at Western Illinois, Stockton was a graduate assistant at UCONN under Bob Diaco.

2012

Katie Zillmer (BBA FIN) recently launched her first entrepreneurial venture Campus Keepsake — www.CampusKeepsake.com. Zillmer initially launched the concept of customizable alphabet-photography pieces using images from Notre Dame's campus. With the help of more than 200 student-photographers, Campus Keepsake now includes every major American university.

2009

Adam Kronk (MNA, ND '02) has been selected as the head of school by La Lumiere School and its Board of Trustees. He will assume this role in July 2016. Kronk has led the Mendoza College's Notre Dame Deloitte Center for Ethical Leadership since 2011. He previously helped lead PEPY, an international organization working to improve access to quality education in rural Cambodia; served as chief operating officer for South Bend's Center for the Homeless; and served as director of Campus Ministry Outreach in Europe for the University of Notre Dame. Kronk began his career teaching English at the University of Detroit Jesuit High School and Academy.

Emerson Spartz (BBA MGTC) was named to Forbes 2016 "30 Under 30" for Media. The list highlights up-and-coming young entrepreneurs, creative leaders and brightest stars. Spartz is the cofounder of Dose, one of the world's fastest-growing digital media companies.

2008

Nathan Folkert (EMBA) was recently appointed vice president and general manager of the Orthopedics division of CONMED Corporation. Folkert previously served as president of Zimmer's Trauma Division, where he held full P&L responsibility and oversaw sales, marketing, global research and development, manufacturing, regulatory, quality and human resources.

Brendan Gibney (BBA FIN) has joined North Bridge, an equity and venture capital firm, as vice president. Gibney previously was a senior associate at Prospect Partners, a Chicago-based, lower-middle-market private equity firm.

Yuta Kambe (BBA FIN) was named to Forbes 2016 "30 Under 30" for Finance. The list highlights up- and-coming young entrepreneurs and creative leaders. Kambe is a vice president at Bank of America, New York.

Nathan Olds (EMBA) has been appointed vice president of domestic building services trade for the United States by Grundfos Pumps Corporation. In this role, Olds will manage wholesale distribution for the company's heating and plumbing products. He most recently served as the vice president and general manager for the Specialty Safety Business at Honeywell International.

2007

Paulette Davidson (EMBA) was named chief operating officer at Regional Health, an integrated health care system headquartered in Rapid City, S.D. She will focus on clinical operations and strengthening corporate culture to benefit patient care and services. Davidson is a certified medical practice executive (CMPE). She previously was employed by Nebraska Medicine in Omaha, where she was system chief human capital and patient experience officer.

2006

Diana Fredericks (EMBA) has been promoted to corporate vice president of business development at Air Methods, an air medical transport company, headquartered in Denver, Colo. Previously, she spent 21 years with RE/MAX LLC overseeing the national franchise sales division. Fredericks serves on the board for Volunteers of America and for Daniels College of Business at the University of Denver.

2005

Terry Horan (EMBA) has been named president and CEO of DAP Products Inc. where he previously served as executive VP of sales and marketing. Horan is a veteran of the home improvement industry in North America with nearly 30 years of experience and strong consumer product sales, marketing and general management expertise.

2004

Mike Smith (BBA MGT) has been named senior director of Berkadia, a commercial real estate company. He will work with Berkadia's existing brokers and mortgage bankers in Southern California. Previously, Smith served as a principal with Lee & Associates. Throughout his career, he has been responsible for the sale of approximately 8,000 units accounting for approximately $1 billion in Southern California. In 2015, he was named
one of Real Estate Forum's emerging leaders in multifamily commercial real estate.

2003

Thomas Perez, CPA (MSA, BBA ACCT '02) was recently elected a partner on the accounting and tax team at Sikich LLP. Perez provides income tax and consulting services to closely held businesses and their owners.

2000

Kurt Adams (MBA) was recently named president of Comdata Corporate Payments (CCP), which serves businesses with a line of virtual card, purchasing card and payroll card solutions. Prior to this position, Adams served as president of corporate payments solutions for U.S. Bancorp., led strategy and planning for NOVA Information Systems, and was an investment banker with Piper Jaffray.

1999

Frank E. Bugaris III (BBA ACCT) recently developed CareerLightning, a mobile app for creating immediate and impactful real-world career introductions.

Gita Pullapilly (BBA FIN) recently received Notre Dame's Rev. Anthony J. Lauck Award, which is given to a graduate for outstanding accomplishments or achievements as a practicing artist. Pullapilly, who holds a master's degree from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University, was honored in recognition of her distinguished work as a director, writer and producer.

In 2009, she co-wrote and produced the Emmy-nominated documentary, "The Way We Get By," a heartfelt story about three senior citizens who greet U.S. troops at an airport. In 2014, she made her directorial debut with "Beneath the Harvest Sky," which earned her a spot on Variety's list of "10 Directors to Watch." Pullapilly was awarded the prestigious Guggenheim fellowship for her work as a filmmaker in 2015.

In addition to her entertainment career, Pullapilly founded The Center for International Training, Education and Development Inc., a nonprofit focused on training aid organizations in developing countries on how to champion and prioritize social issues with the media. Currently, she is working on two projects in Kenya and India focusing on cancer and women's rights initiatives.

1998

Rich Murphy (MBA) has been appointed to the board of directors of ENSERVCO Corporation, a diversified national provider of well-site services to the domestic onshore conventional and unconventional oil and gas industries. Murphy is managing member of Cross River Capital Management, LLC, the general partner of Cross River Partners, L.P.

1997

Paul Mongelluzzo (MBA) is the owner of Long Island Comedy, which is producing the 11th annual Long Island Comedy Festival in summer 2016. The event features comedians from as far away as Ireland and Australia, many who have appeared on Comedy Central, The Tonight Show, America's Got Talent and more. Long Island Comedy is launching the new 50+ Comedy Tour with AARP, the comedy show for "mature" audiences. Mongelluzzo notes he got his start in stand-up by emceeing the annual ND MBA Talent Show while at Notre Dame. www.LIComedy.com

1996

Jackson Lynch (MBA) recently joined BlueLine rental, an upstart heavy equipment rental company, as chief human resources officer (and Talent Sherpa). The Lynch family relocated to The Woodlands, Texas.

Tony Pottinger (BBA MARK) has joined the Department of Justice as a trial attorney, focusing on appellate litigation in immigration issues. Additionally, Pottinger serves as an Army Judge Advocate officer in the U.S. Army Reserve, and recently marked ten years of military service. He is also the executive director of the Judge Advocates Association, a nonprofit dedicated to enhancing career opportunities for military lawyers.

1995

Bill Gaumond (BBA ACCT) has been promoted to chief financial officer by Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America. In his new role, Gaumond will be responsible for all financial functions of Allianz Life, including business finance, accounting and controlling, business intelligence, treasury, tax, and corporate risk management.

Stan Bowman (BBA FIN) has agreed to a three-year extension on his contract as the general manager for the Chicago Blackhawks. The contract runs through the 2020-21 season.

1989

Jennifer Gilhool (BBA FIN) was recently honored by the National Association of Professional Women (NAPW) as a 2015-16 inductee into its VIP Woman of the Year Circle. Gilhool received this distinction for leadership and consulting. She founded Gender Economic Lab to help businesses grow profits by equipping managers with the skills and tools essential in a multi-cultural 21st century economy. Her goal is to evolve the language of business through diversity. The company offers customized gender diversity capability assessments that empower businesses to implement programs and initiatives.

Byron Spruell (MBA '89, ND '87) was recently recognized as one of the 2016 Top 100 Most Influential Blacks in Corporate America by Savoy Magazine. Spruell is the vice chairman, central region marketplace leader and Chicago managing principal, Deloitte LLP. Spruell helps drive Deloitte's national strategy for client and business growth, as well as
the firm's strategic positioning in local markets across 17 states.

Previously, Spruell served as Global Managing Director of the Financial Advisory practice for Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited (DTTL), and also served as a managing principal of Deloitte LLP, acting as chief of Staff to the former U.S. CEO and current global CEO Barry Salzberg. In this capacity, Spruell was involved in operations, communications, strategy, regulatory policy, talent, and clients/markets matters for the U.S. member firm.

Spruell is a member of Notre Dame's Board of Trustees.

1979

John Levitske (MBA) joined Houlihan Lokey, Chicago as a managing director in the Dispute Resolution & Financial Opinions practice. In addition, he serves as the current national president of the Forensic Expert Witness Association and as a vice chair of the Dispute Resolution Committee of the American Bar Association.

1977

Mark Hogan (BBA FIN) was recently appointed CEO of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. (WEDC) by Governor Scott Walker.

1975

Stephen Kern (BBA MGT) has recently retired following a 34-year career as an attorney with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. This bi-state agency owns and/or operates the region's major airports, bridges and tunnels, port facilities and the World Trade Center. Kern was in his office on the 62nd floor of the North Tower of the World Trade Center on 9/11/01 and received the Civilian Commendation Award for his actions that day. The Most Rev. Paul Gregory Bootkoski, Bishop of the Diocese of Metuchen, N.J., recently appointed Kern director of the Office of the Diaconate for the diocese. He will oversee the 145 active and 20 retired deacons of the diocese as well as the men who are in formation for eventual ordination as deacons.