1978

Dr. Marvin Bates was awarded a DBA degree (Doctor of Business Administration) in Marketing from Anderson University, Falls School of Business. Dr. Bates’ dissertation was titled “Prahalad’s market approach impacting brand loyalty in base of the pyramid Philippines.” This research study, completed with cooperation from three Lasallian universities in the Philippines, collected data from 1,500 students using smartphone technology, and focused on marketing’s role in global poverty alleviation.<.

After starting his career in brand management at P&G, with senior executive stops at Coca-Cola and Brown-Forman, Mike French retired in the fall of 2015 as the chief marketing officer at Altria Group. He remains active on the national Board of Communities in Schools, the nation’s leading dropout prevention organization, and is doing some minor consulting for old friends and colleagues. Mostly he is enjoying regular visits with his sons and their wives, and hanging out with his yellow lab, Shelby.

In “semi-retirement” Mark Nishan has been fortunate to be a E&W contract faculty member in the SEC’s College of Leadership Development. He also serves on the board of directors for a local community thrift, Presidential Bank FSB, located in Bethesda, Maryland.

Martha Edwards and Nancy Ponstein ’78 had a reunion in NYC last May. Highlights of the trip include seeing Hamilton and walking across the Brooklyn Bridge. Both were bucket-list items, one for each. The trip was so fun a follow-up is planned for 2017. Martha lives in San Carlos, California, and volunteers with Vista Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired. Nancy lives in Mequon, Wisconsin, and volunteers at church when not traveling. Both agree that retirement is the best!

During a recent visit to Jakarta, Vijay “V.J.” Singal reached out to the local KSM alumni and had a delightful chat over coffee with Farina Situmorang ’10. A digital marketing expert, she played a key role in the 2014 election campaign of their new president, Joko Widodo. But what struck him most about Farina: Even though she was born in Indonesia and lived there until her early 20s, she speaks with a near-perfect American accent. “How come?” He asked. “Sesame Street!” she replied with a smile.

(Left) Paula Pretlow '78