Class Notes

1959

Frank Foster

Frank worked in finance-related positions for several firms, ending with 18 years at Nuveen Investments, before retiring at age 55 to pursue his dream of building a first-class training school for dogs. Foster’s Training Center became operational on May 1, 1991. “Now in our late 80s, my wife and I have reduced our active roles in the business and spend most of our time caring for 10 acres of property and each other,” he writes. “Our two sons, Mark and Doug, keep in touch. Life is good.”

1961

Tom Sowden

Tom is the author of “Entrepreneur Me - You Too: Your Dream Business Doesn’t Need to Fail,” a self-help book for aspiring entrepreneurs. Tom gives tips for running a sustainable business venture, using case studies based on his entrepreneurial experience and those of others he has met in his career.

1967

William Cox

After graduating from Kellogg, Billy joined the U.S. Marine Corps for six years of inactive duty and then spent 48 years building his family construction firm (specializing in bridges and tunnels) before selling it in 2021. During his working years, he competed in rowing regattas across the U.S. and the U.K. Since retiring, he has spent time rowing on Jenny Lake, Wyoming, where his family has a home.

1976

Nick Kaskovich

A CPA, Nick volunteers with AARP and the IRS every tax season to help prepare personal tax returns for elderly individuals. He encourages other alumni with accounting backgrounds to call the AARP for information. “It’s a great activity in retirement,” he says.

1977

Poul Hansen

Poul, who turned 75 last year, is living in Denmark. He spent the final 10 years of his career as an international consultant, working on projects such as the construction of a large wind farm in Egypt. “For sure I can see the potential of applying AI when analyzing the introduction of renewable energy in any form into the electrical grid,” he writes. “Maybe I should start a new career? I visited campus two years ago and was astonished to see the new skyline.”

1977

Ronald Parker

Ronald shares that he started a new company, Kawotes (pronounced “quotes”), which makes politically themed hoodies, T-shirts and novelties. The company prints famous quotes from the past and present as well as customers’ own quotes.

1979

Mario Fernandez

Mario currently heads a business process outsourcing company as well as a medical billing and coding learning center. Both companies are AI-driven, and the technology used is provided by an AI firm he also manages. Mario has been an entrepreneur for 28 years.

1982

Rick Linde

Rick is officially retired now, and he and his wife split their time between an apartment in New York City and a house not far away in the mountains. “The kids are grown, so we dote on the dog instead,” he writes. “I’m doing a lot of traveling and returned recently from a bike trip in Croatia.”

1984

Lynnette Barnes Hinch

Lynnette and her classmates Indira Desai Christie, Birgitta Hanan, Barb Vass and Wendy Weiss Kritt recently took a cruise up Alaska’s Inside Passage to celebrate their retirements and the 40th anniversary of their graduation from Kellogg. Lynnette retired in July after 14 years with Reynolds Consumer Products. She and her husband, Jeff, relocated from Lake Forest, Illinois, to Suttons Bay, Michigan.

1984

Kendall Goodrich

Kendall was promoted to chair of the School of Supply Chain, Marketing, and Management at the Raj Soin College of Business at Wright State University. Next summer, he’ll be teaching in Bengaluru, India, as a visiting professor.

1986

Bill Krueger

Bill, who was director of alumni relations at Kellogg at a time when the department consisted of himself and one secretary, is enjoying the vibrant Kellogg alumni community in Dallas after living and working in Europe and Asia for more than 22 years. For fun and fitness, Bill joined the Dallas Rugby Football Club. He says the challenges of training with guys half his age and the grueling 80-minute matches have kept his outlook fresh, his humility high and his physical therapist on speed dial.

1986

Beth Stohr

Beth ran the affordable-housing investment platform for U.S. Bank for 25 years, providing investment dollars to build safe and affordable rental housing across the country. In 2022 she successfully turned the reins over to the next generation of bankers and is enjoying active outdoor travel, including hiking and biking, with her husband, Charlie, and friends.

1987

Reuben Hendell

After many years of leading some of the largest digital marketing agencies, Reuben recently created MKTGVentures, an advisory that helps independent, founder-led agency leaders build successful, larger agencies and prepare for exit.

1987

Lee Wright

Through the nonprofit organization he leads, The Pursuit of History, Lee launched a series of in-depth master classes, including Forging the Continental Army at Valley Forge and Rebellion in New England, which focused on Boston in 1774. Classes were offered in Santa Fe in fall 2024 and will be offered in New York and Boston next year. Limited to 20 to 40 participants, these events draw attendees from across the country.

1989

James Alexander

James was recently appointed to the board of global holding firm The Marygold Companies Inc. He has more than 30 years of senior banking experience, including at KeyBanc Capital Markets, Wells Fargo Securities and Bank of America Securities. He also dedicates his time to improving the lives of young people through education by serving on the board of The Edward G. Irvin Foundation in Chicago.

1989

Brad Heming

“It’s hard to believe, but I am now in my seventh year living in Abu Dhabi while working for ADIA,” Brad writes.

1989

Shinichi Hirose

Shinichi is starting a new academic year by welcoming new MBA candidates to his school. He continues his research and teaching career because he loves this lifestyle.

1989

Kazuya Nakayama

Kazuya has been living in Amman, Jordan, working for the country’s Ministry of Investment. His main responsibility is to promote investment from Asian countries in Jordan. He invites alumni visiting Amman to drop him an email.

1989

Mark Perini

Mark shares that he and Mary (McDougall) moved to the Seattle area in 2020 after living in California for many years. He is working at Amazon.

1990

Allison Plyer

Allison teamed up with Helen Raymaker ’90 MBA to perform “That’s Amore” and other favorites at their friends’ anniversary party. She writes, “We know y’all are jealous!”

1991

Janice Williams Oliver

Janice is the founder of MisTee Wants To Know Inc., which is revolutionizing curly and coily hair care with her innovative product, the MisTeePRO handheld steaming tool. Her entrepreneurial journey was inspired by personal experiences and driven by a mission to offer healthier, more effective solutions for natural hair care. The company has raised $215,000 toward a $2 million funding goal, and the product won a Procter & Gamble Beauty/WWD Media award.

1992

Gerard Beenen

Gerard recently visited classmate Cedric Loiret-Bernal in Switzerland, where the two surfing buddies enjoyed a wave pool at the base of the Swiss Alps. Cedric has a thriving medical practice near the ski slopes, and Gerard is a tenured professor of organizational behavior at California State University, Fullerton, with adjunct faculty appointments at Carnegie Mellon and UC Irvine.

1992

Gieriet and Ted Bowen

Gieriet and Ted Bowen are new grandparents, and the last of their five children graduated from college in December. Ted is still busy working at Hightower Advisors. Gieriet is helping to scale the Come to Believe Network, an innovative two-year model in higher education that serves local, first-generation, low-income commuter students. She writes, “We are both enjoying this next ‘chapter’ of life!”

1992

Tom Finke

Seventeen members of the Class of 1992 gathered at the spectacular Kohler Resort in Wisconsin in July. In attendance were Bob Armour, Doug Nash, Matt McCall, Dave Kohler, Tom Morrison, Dave McConnell, John Welsch, Doug Struckman, Hugh Breslin, Dave Crosswhite, Gerry McGinley, Steve Elms, Jamie Crouthamel, Steve Slaughter, Tony Hoban, Marc Oster, and Lisa and Tom Finke. Also attending was John Funk ’93 JD, MBA. Highlights of the trip included 60-plus holes of golf in three days, plenty of great food and drink, and a hole in one by John Funk.

1992

Maria Thomas

Maria shares that after 25 years in e-commerce and digital media, she has turned her attention to healthcare. In 2022, she earned a master’s in healthcare innovation from the University of Pennsylvania. Maria is now the co-founder and CEO of Sunday Health, a care delivery company focused on modern, holistic cognitive care, with the goal of extending brain health span through prevention and early interventions. Check it out at sundayhealth.com.

1992

Axel Wieandt

“A few weeks ago I had the pleasure to celebrate the 40th anniversary of WHU - Otto Beisheim School of Management, in Duesseldorf, Germany,” Axel writes. “A heartfelt thank-you to Dean Francesca Cornelli for her inspiring keynote, which left us all reflecting on the future of management education. As a proud alumnus and former faculty member of both WHU and Kellogg School of Management, I remain very confident that these two esteemed institutions will continue to shape global business education and inspire future global leaders.”

1993

Geoffrey Hyatt

Geoffrey is still living in Boston, still semiretired, almost an empty nester and happy to work on many passion projects.

1993

Edward Pound

Ed recently started his fourth entrepreneurial venture with the Operations Science Institute. It builds on factory physics concepts pioneered in the MMM Program in the early ’90s. After a yearlong labor of love, the operations science online courses launched in September.

1994

Matt Beebe

Matt and his wife, Jodi, moved to Austin, Texas, to enjoy the region’s weather, food and drink while Matt continues his career as an adviser in the healthcare industry and out of the corporate life! They will spend more time with their four kids, who are spread around the country in Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana and North Carolina.

1995

Lisa Morrell

Lisa made a doggone exciting career move into private equity. To the delight of her spaniel pups, she’s now chief marketing officer of WagWay Group, a premium pet care investment of PE firm Access Holdings — an M&A opportunity to merge her passion for digital marketing with her lifelong love of pets.

1996

Rob Herman

Rob and classmates Daniel Bryant and Ken Brodkowitz continue to work together in growing 4100FS (4100fs.com). With the recently completed acquisition of Family Office Research Group (forgfo.com), which provides a comprehensive platform for multifamily-office services, 4100FS now has six portfolio companies across wealth management, asset management and ancillary financial services. Daniel serves as executive chairman of Family Office Research Group.

1996

Jaime Lomelín

Jaime was inducted into the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame in 2023 at a ceremony in New York City. Jaime also broke the Guinness World Record for completing the fastest double-circumnavigation swim around Manhattan (19 hours and 25 minutes).

1996

Sven Zehnder

Sven is traveling to the U.S. more frequently. Two of his children are college bound, his oldest son for ice hockey and his middle daughter for academics, and his youngest is in 10th grade, playing soccer at a New England prep school.

1997

Luis Giolo

“Mariana and I moved to Madrid last year, and we are really enjoying it,” writes Luis. “This summer we had our niece Julia Giolo visiting us before she started at Northwestern in September, so the Wildcats legacy remains in the family.”

1997

Jasjit Mangat

Jasjit reports meeting up with Rahul Khanna ’00 MBA and Agustín Vitórica ’99 MBA on the sidelines of Prabhav, India’s leading impact investing conclave. Agustín is a co-founder of Madrid-based GAWA Capital, and Rahul and Jasjit are colleagues at Trifecta Capital, India’s leading venture debt fund, which Rahul co-founded in 2015.

1997

Andy Scott

Andy recently launched a new Vistage CEO group in the San Francisco Bay area. In addition, he was excited to see a number of Kellogg friends at a fall family picnic in the area.

1998

Titi Falusi Cole

Titi retired last summer from a 32-year corporate career and spent the rest of 2024 enjoying travel and time with family. She is looking forward to a more flexible professional life as a board director and nonprofit adviser in 2025.

1998

Brian Menzies

Brian has been based in Sydney, Australia, for the past 16 years. He retired about a year ago from renewable energy but still occasionally helps friends with consulting projects. His wife, Janet ’99 MBA, is still working and currently heads up Amazon in Australia. Their daughters are both at university. Brian recently visited with Rory Altman ’98 MBA on a business trip. Sue Jung Grant ’98 MBA, ’03 PhD and Julien Grant ’98 MBA also visited while their son was on a semester exchange to the University of Sydney. “I’m looking forward to hosting other classmates soon (hint, hint!),” says Brian.

1998

Jason Spievak

Jason reports that he and Karen Roter Davis ’98 MBA have partnered to launch Entrada Ventures’ second fund. Entrada Ventures is an early-stage technology venture fund with over $125 million in assets under management across its first two funds and offices in Santa Barbara and Los Altos, California. Several Kellogg ’98 Big Dogs have joined the fund as investors. He invites Kellogg folks to reach out if they are seeking funding for exciting early-stage software or deep tech companies or would like to join Entrada.

1998

Andreas Zehnder

Andreas had the privilege to be hosted by Marcelo ’98 MBA and Maria Grimoldi in fall 2023 at their home in Buenos Aires during his year traveling the world. In 2024, Andreas and his wife, Clarissa, were honored to host Kenji ’98 MBA and Chiaki Imada for a raclette dinner at their home in Zurich.

1999

Ravee Kurian

After 30 years in consulting, Ravee joined the American College of Cardiology in 2021 as COO/CFO. The past three years have been an amazing opportunity to contribute his experience and expertise to ACC’s mission of transforming cardiovascular care for all. ACC is the professional society for cardiovascular physicians and care team members. His Kellogg classes in operations, strategy, financial decisions and marketing all figure in the work he does every day. He writes that he will always be so grateful for his Kellogg experience!

2000

Pablo Beramendi

“Marty Rubinstein ’00 MBA visited San Francisco, and we had a little class gathering,” writes Pablo. “It was amazing to see you all!” Also in attendance were classmates Marcie Vu, Sai Koppala, Chris Malin and Minesh Shah.

2000

Arthur Lo

The past few years were very eventful, Arthur reports. He achieved PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer rating. He also continued with numerous car racing achievements and exploration including fastest Natural Aspirated >3L for both the Cayman R and M6 as well as numerous cross-country expeditions across Malaysia and Thailand.

2001

Christo Leventis

Christo is attempting the Kellogg academic double by studying for a master’s in archaeology at Kellogg College, University of Oxford. He writes, “Many thanks to Professor Eberly for remembering me and agreeing to write a recommendation a quarter century later.”

2002

Liz Pfau

A group of fabulous 2002 Kellogg alums met for an amazing girls’ weekend in Vail in August 2024, Liz writes. “Surrounded by breathtaking mountain views, we rode horses in the mountains, caught up over fine Swiss meals and reflected on our journeys since graduation. The laughter, wisdom and deep connections filled us all with renewed energy and showed the strength of the Kellogg bond over decades.”

2003

Eric Lin

Eric is starting a new business program at Oberlin College and Conservatory in Ohio. The program is always seeking inspiring faculty, both academics and practitioners, to bring business capabilities to a rich tradition of excellence in the arts and social impact.

2005

Daniel Custódio

KidMed Urgent Care, a pediatric urgent care center with locations in Virginia, recently named Daniel as its first CEO. Daniel has spent more than 20 years in healthcare and finance and is the author of “Sacred Workday: How to Create an Awe-Inspiring Business.”

2005

Andreas Pecher

Andreas, an executive board member of the ZEISS Group with responsibility for its semiconductor manufacturing technology segment, will become president and CEO of Carl Zeiss AG in April 2025.

2006

Kalpana Waikar

Kalpana expanded her spice-kit business, Inspired Indian, into a takeout cafe in the former Al’s Deli space on Noyes Street in Evanston, Illinois, just a few blocks from Kellogg. She offers Indian vegetarian sandwiches and masala chai as well as packaged snacks and drinks from emerging brands. She’s thrilled to have her son Kayan, a recent University of Michigan graduate, work with her to grow the family business and hopes daughter Sarika (a senior at Michigan) joins someday! Husband Sachin continues to write professionally, and they enjoy empty nesting in Evanston.

2008

Ryan Miller

Ryan successfully completed the 2024 Western States Endurance Run in June. The WSER is the world’s oldest 100-mile trail race and includes more than 18,000 feet of ascent, more than 23,000 feet of descent, temperatures above 100 degrees and a major river crossing, making it one of the most challenging endurance tests in the world.

2008

Dan Nisser

Dan has been appointed chief financial officer of Milk Specialties Global, a leading nutritional ingredients manufacturer. Dan brings to the role more than 30 years of experience in finance and operations management within global multibillion-dollar organizations. Most recently, he served as group vice president and CFO of agriculture services and processing at ADM.

2010

Yasmin Grant

As head of communications and advertising for Starry lemon lime soda at PepsiCo, Yasmin helped drive the brand to $750 million in first-year sales and the No. 2 spot in Morning Consult’s 2023 Innovation rankings. She spearheaded Starry’s “Time to See Other Sodas” campaign, featuring a Super Bowl ad and an NBA-partnered commercial that amassed over 43 billion impressions. Yasmin also cocreated the feature film “Memes & Nightmares” and served as executive producer alongside LeBron James and Maverick Carter. The film, which was selected for the 2024 Tribeca Festival, is slated for wide release in early 2025.

2011

Alex Sun

Alex is chief sustainability officer for Envision Energy Group, a clean-energy company based in China.

2014

Cody Fischer

In August, NPR’s “Planet Money” podcast featured Cody’s work in real estate development and its connections to the Harris-Walz presidential ticket.

2014

Anand Nagarajan

Since graduating, Anand has been on an exhilarating journey in healthcare administration, mastering value-based care and outpatient-clinic management. His dynamic career has seen him thrive in various operations roles, and he’s now vice president of retail clinic and virtual care operations at CVS. Anand loves to unwind by tending to his vibrant garden and hitting the open road. He treasures every moment with his amazing wife, Viji, and their two delightful kids, Arvin and Varna.

2016

Ari Parritz

Ari and Rachel Parritz welcomed into the world their third child, Benjamin (Benny) Eyal, on Sept. 15, 2024.

2016

Najah Phillips

Najah and her husband, Lawrence, welcomed their second daughter, Nia, on May 3, 2024.

2017

Luke Murphy

Luke and his wife, Claudia, are thrilled to announce the arrival of their son, Grant Grillo Murphy, born on Sept. 6, 2024.

2017

Shishi Wu

Shishi shares that she recently relocated with TikTok from China to Dubai.

2018

Stephen Hingston

Stephen and his wife, Emily, recently welcomed their son Luke to the world. Older sister Logan loves having a baby brother!

2018

Luke Otto

While continuing to work full time in management consulting, Luke has made the foray into real estate investing. He says he would welcome connections with alumni who are interested in exploring the space and helping one another.

2019

Sahar Jamal

Sahar continues to lead Maziwa in Kenya, supporting mothers navigate the balance between working and breastfeeding. Maziwa’s innovative Wema breast pump and Community Breastfeeding Ambassadors program have meaningfully affected the lives of roughly 30,000 mothers and babies. The organization recently raised $300,000 in grants from Grand Challenges Canada and the Acumen Fund. To support Maziwa, visit maziwabreastfeeding.com/donate.

2023

Brendan McCreary

Brendan and Rheana McCreary welcomed their second child, Emma Reilly, in September. They continue to enjoy exploring Japan, their new home.

 

1985

Keith Molof

“I am a somewhat unique Kellogg alumni who switched from a successful business career to become a math teacher at age 45,” Keith writes. “I retired in 2022 and am substitute teaching. We have three grandchildren, which makes life very rewarding. My wife and I took care of two of them every Wednesday until the oldest started kindergarten this year. I still play senior hockey, am a ski instructor and take four to five ski trips each winter.”

1986

John McShea

John is celebrating the publication of his book, “Old Bones, Young Spirit: An Experienced Cyclist’s 15-Day Adventure Around Lake Michigan.” Each chapter recounts one day of the journey and the wild weather, interesting people, strange motels, and amazing geography and history he encountered along the way. John’s ride also raised money for the Danny Did Foundation, which provides seizure monitors to families in need.

1986

Mike Sedlak

In January 2023, Mike joined Sikich Financial as principal, wealth management, serving high- and ultrahigh-net-worth clients. At the annual principal retreat, Mike and other Sikich principals drove NASCAR race cars at Charlotte Motor Speedway (photo). With several exit-planning experts, Mike co-authored the book “Exit Smart, Volume 3,” describing guidelines for successfully exiting a business. The book is available on Amazon.

1989

Darren Gilbert

Darren was named commercial director of home and personal care in North America for Caldic, one of the top chemical distributors worldwide. He will be responsible for establishing relationships with new principals, setting up a lab in the U.S., and hiring a sales staff for the U.S. and Canada.

1991

John Puodziunas, OFM

John recently started a new role as president of the Franciscan Foundation for the Holy Land in Jerusalem. The mission of the foundation is to maintain a Christian presence in the Holy Land by supporting schools, higher education and housing for Christians in the region.

1994

Allison Boersma

Allison was appointed president and CEO of Riddell, the industry leader in football helmet technology and sports protection innovation, and of its parent company, BRG Sports. She previously served the organization as CFO and COO. Allison’s promotion acknowledges her success driving financial and operational improvements across the organization.

Scott Neslund

Scott is capping off his 35-year media career as vice president of global operations at The Trade Desk and as an adjunct professor teaching an advertising-platform class at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana.

1996

Thomas Ramsey

Thomas, a founder and chief commercial officer of Element Fuels Holdings LLC, shared that his company is building the world’s first hydrogen-powered refinery. Located in the Port of Brownsville, Texas, the facility will emit nearly zero carbon dioxide, ushering in the next generation of clean motor fuels and significantly advancing the energy transition. The refinery is permitted to produce in excess of 160,000 barrels per day and is expected to be operational in 2027.

1999

Russ Osterman

Russ moved to California the day of his last Kellogg final and has lived there ever since. Now a managing director at Accenture, Russ manages one of the firm’s Salesforce consulting practices and focuses on public-sector clients.

1999

Sophia Shaw

Sophia and Adam Wolford ’21 MBA have launched PlanPerfect, an all-in-one, end-to-end SaaS solution for small nonprofits to develop, review, track and report on their strategic plans. Sophia served as president and CEO of the Chicago Botanic Garden, led Kellogg Board Fellows, is a trustee of Wellesley College, and consults with nonprofit organizations and philanthropists. She is now devoted to helping small nonprofits around the U.S. and abroad thrive and fulfill their mission.

2002

Gregory Wessels

Greg was promoted to senior vice president, commercial strategy and operations at Secura Bio Inc., a late-stage hematology and oncology company specializing in diseases that are difficult to treat.

2003

Barry Dauber

After a 26-year career at ITW, Barry joined TJM Capital Partners as vice president of operations and operating partner. Barry and his wife, Dee, reside in Naperville, Illinois.

Daaron Dohler

After a 26-year career in the global pharmaceutical industry, Daaron has joined Alvarez & Marsal to build the company’s Life Sciences practice. A&M is a global firm with more than 10,000 employees around the world. The Life Sciences practice helps biopharma and medtech companies launch and grow their product portfolios to reach more patients and drive shareholder value.

2006

Spencer Malcolm

After more than 20 years as an operator, Spencer was named principal at Forsyth Advisors, a private equity consulting firm based in St. Louis. Spencer will manage the Milwaukee office while living in Wisconsin (and he’s still a Bears fan, by the way).

2007

Jennifer Chuang

Jenny took the leap and exited corporate life to pursue her encore career at the intersection of her passion for travel and strong skills in planning and management. She is a co-founder of CurioWanderer, a personality-based platform founded by travelers for travelers. “We are excited to bring guests on adventures we’ve personally undertaken and found incredibly meaningful to share,” Jenny writes.

2009

Anisha Madan

Anisha is chief financial officer at Medquest, a TPG private equity portfolio company and a leader in outpatient imaging.

2010

Anthony Algmin

Anthony’s career took an unexpected turn during the pandemic, when he jumped into the fight to cure diseases by helping AbbVie’s R&D organization transform its relationship with data. The author of “Data Leadership for Everyone: How You Can Harness the True Power of Data at Work,” Anthony is also CEO and co-founder of a data analytics software company that helps sports bettors get an advantage with data and financial trading strategies 8rainStation.com.

2010

Steve Martinez

Steve launched Aspirant Digital LLC, a consultancy and staff augmentation firm specializing in creating delightful digital customer experiences that accelerate customer acquisition and drive loyalty. From digital marketing to product information management and e-commerce, Aspirant Digital helps clients improve customer experiences using an innovative continuous-improvement approach that accelerates learning through pilots to enhance each touchpoint in the customer journey.

2010

Anthony Richter

Anthony started a new job as senior global strategic category manager at Lam Research on June 24, 2024. He is responsible for the RF generator category; RF generators create the plasma that enables etch and deposition in wafer handling tools for the semiconductor industry.

2013

Kevin Dombrowski

Kevin’s company, Grey Fox Wealth, was recognized as one of the “50 Fastest Growing Registered Investment Advisors” in 2024 by CityWire.

2014

Denis Beausejour

Denis and his wife, Robynne, welcomed their third son, Jacq Saxon William Beausejour, on May 25, 2024.

2015

Bruce Klink

Bruce and Joseph Root ’15 MBA closed on their 28th real estate acquisition in June 2024! They co-founded East Superior Real Estate Partners after meeting at Kellogg, and they are seeking programmatic equity partners as they continue scaling. Their business is focused on value-add multifamily investments in undervalued Midwest growth markets.

Chirag Sheth

Chirag started a new position in January 2024 as vice president of marketing and business development at Standex Electronics.

2020

Elliot Marcille

Elliot opened the first indoor pickleball club in Bozeman, Montana, in November. Prior to launch, the club signed up $7,000 in monthly recurring revenue from 70 members. Elliot will test demand with this first facility and plans to raise money for a larger facility in 2025.

2022

Dan Peacock

Dan ’08, ’22 MBA was promoted to engagement manager in McKinsey & Company’s Operations practice, with a focus on capital project development and execution. He is excited about the nuclear energy resurgence driven by AI data center demand. Dan lives in Seattle with his wife, Giovanna, and their dogs, Lila and Coconut, and cat, Lady.

2023

Raj Ghosh

“I was recently promoted and moved to Nashville, and I’m leading the largest team that I’ve had in my career so far,” says Raj. “There are just so many learnings from Kellogg that paid off immediately and that I continue to lean on. I felt like I learned 10 years of lessons in my time at Wieboldt Hall.”

Cohort 23

Thomas Roehlk

Tom is the author of “Red Deuce,” published in 2024. The novel is the story of a corporate compliance lawyer for a Chicago corporation who finds herself in the midst of an acquisition gone wrong. She stumbles into corruption and an intelligence breach involving national security. This is the first in a planned series centered on corporate intrigue and criminality.

Cohort 30

Sheryl Cox

“Classmates, are we ready for EMP 30’s 30-year class reunion? Let’s plan for it! May 2-3, 2025. If you are interested in attending or helping organize, please send a LinkedIn message to me or Mary Beth Berkes,” Sheryl writes. “We have such an incredibly interesting and talented class. Let’s have fun catching up and reunite!”

Cohort 33

Karl Saunders

Karl is managing director of Saunix Investment Management LLC, a concierge registered investment advisory firm with offices in Ohio and New York. An assistant high school football coach for Bishop Rosecrans High School, he continues to pursue his passion for martial arts and self-defense training as an instructor.

Cohort 35

Joseph Thomas

A physician, Joseph is a trained microvascular health specialist in Chicago. His office offers GlycoCheck, a technology that can measure small capillaries to give early warnings about a heart attack or blocked vessels. He is also the author of the book “Scarless Healing.”

Cohort 37

Lloyd Everard

Lloyd reports, “We are in the midst of filming our next movie, ‘Way of the Warrior Kid.’ It stars Chris Pratt, and we are partnering with Apple and Skydance Productions. This is our sixth film, this one under the name of Everard Entertainment. In addition, I am enjoying retirement from Emerson, where I served as vice president of human resources for a billion-dollar division that designs and manufactures specialty tools under the brands of Ridgid and Greenlee.”

Cohort 46

Melissa Siebert

Melissa ’92 JD, ’00 MBA, is co-founder and chair of the Emerging Data Privacy Trends practice at law firm Cozen O’Connor and has been named to the Crain’s Chicago Business 2024 list of Notable Leaders in Accounting, Consulting & Law. The practice is one of the first practices in the nation to focus on biometric privacy and pixel-related class action defense. It’s also one of the few such practices led by women.

Cohort 47

Gautam Roy

Gautam is celebrating his team at employee benefits company Unum for its partnership with Microsoft that drove a transformative employee experience through generative AI. This solution searches 1.3 terabytes of policy data with 95% accuracy, cutting response times to just seconds and significantly boosting operational efficiency. By addressing 75% of contract-related inquiries, this innovation delivers measurable value, enhances customer experiences and fosters widespread adoption across Unum’s workforce, benefiting both clients and employees.

Cohort 59

Tom Malkin

Tom was recently recognized by the Social Intelligence Lab as one of the 50 most influential global leaders in the social intelligence space. Tom is the practice lead for enterprise information management at strategy realization firm NorthStar Solutions Group.

Cohort 62

Kristin Noelle Smith

“As executive director of the American Friends of Versailles, I’m thrilled to share that we recently celebrated our 25th anniversary and are now leading the restoration of Louis XIV’s Salon de Diane ceiling at the château,” says Kristin. “This 17th-century masterpiece by Charles Le Brun, viewed by 8 million visitors annually, urgently needs restoration to preserve its grandeur. This project is one of the most significant art restorations today. We’re honored to uphold Versailles’ artistic legacy and invite others to join this mission of stewardship and beauty.”

Cohort 66

Chris Martinez

Chris continues his commitment to social impact as the chief administrator and strategy officer for The Resurrection Project after serving as chief operating officer at Housing Forward for the past three years. In this new role, Chris leads the nonprofit’s leadership team in strategic planning and execution, manages daily administrative operations, and fosters strategic partnerships to enhance the organization’s impact and reach. He also continues to serve as vice president on the board of Habitat for Humanity Chicago and guide blind and paratriathletes.

Cohort 71

Stephen Schwartz

Stephen was recently awarded the Robert Z. & Nancy J. Greene Chair in Ophthalmology at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. He is a professor of clinical ophthalmology and medical director of Bascom Palmer Eye Institute at Naples.

Cohort 74

Kader Sakkaria

Kader has been recognized with the distinguished CIO 100 Award, an accolade celebrating outstanding technology leadership and innovation. The award highlights Kader’s significant contributions to driving digital transformation and operational excellence within his organization. He is also the co-author of “Chaos by Design: Tales of Empowerment on the Path to Digital Transformation.”

Cohort 79

Akio Murakami

Akio, originally from Peru, moved to Vancouver, British Columbia, two years ago to embark on a new chapter in his personal and professional journey. He is now focused on people analytics and is eager to connect with the Kellogg family in Canada.

Cohort 83

Jonathan Teaford

Jonathan launched a new cleantech business in the wastewater and biogas treatment space. Check it out at greensteelenvironmental.com.

Cohort 86

Alina Akchurina

In 2024, Alina was recognized as a Forbes Best-In-State Wealth Advisor and as a Forbes Best In-State Women Advisor. These accolades highlight her dedication and significant contributions to the wealth management industry, as well as her unwavering commitment to delivering exceptional service to her clients.

Cohort 87

Richard Altieri Perez

Richard was recently named chairman of the board of Grupo Corporativo Perez, a family-owned conglomerate of businesses in the automotive, real estate, energy and insurance industries.

Cohort 100

Matthew Taylor

Matthew, president of MTT Enterprises, announced the acquisition of TransMachine in December 2023. TransMachine, powered by MTT Enterprises, is an uptime enabler via remanufactured and replacement part production focused on the oil and gas and heavy-duty truck market segments. Several Kellogg EMP 100 classmates advised on the acquisition and participated in the equity raise.

Cohort 109

Paul Schmidt

Paul was recently promoted to vice president, human resources at Orla Mining Ltd. Paul joined Orla Mining in 2021 and is accountable for the full design and implementation of the people strategy and systems across four countries.

Cohort 110

John Keating

John is thrilled to announce his recent transition to PMC Group N.A. as executive vice president, following three rewarding years at Honeywell. PMC is a diversified global chemicals company committed to driving growth through innovation while actively promoting social good. In his new role, John will have global responsibilities, overseeing the management of all four business units within PMC Group.

Cohort 113

Sarah Zilenovski

Sarah was promoted to CMO of global business intelligence and risk prevention provider ClearSale. Sarah, who joined ClearSale in 2012 as a sales manager, has played a key role in developing global marketing strategies and contributing to the company’s international expansion. As CMO, she will lead product and institutional marketing teams and drive the public company’s growth objectives.

Cohort 116

Ana Castillo Lanz

After a distinguished career at Coca-Cola with roles across the globe, Ana shifted to consulting, collaborating with colleagues on projects across new industries and specializing in C-suite marketing capabilities. She also launched a digital program in sustainable agile leadership. Accepted into the Board Leadership Institute — a program run by United Way of Metro Chicago and the Kellogg School Center for Nonprofit Management with support from Gallagher — Ana actively pursues nonprofit board service, always seeking to expand her capabilities and emphasizing her dedication to community impact and professional growth.

Cohort 124

Mira Albert

Mira, the founder of Brush Pediatric Dentistry in Hinsdale, Illinois, expanded her practice to a second pediatric location and fourth overall location in Downers Grove, Illinois. She hopes to continue expanding the practice’s services in a meaningful way throughout the western suburbs of Chicago.

Cohort 124

Jonathan Chaparro

Jonathan, executive director at national educational-technology nonprofit Braven, was honored as a 2024 Crain’s Chicago Business Notable Latino Leader. This prestigious recognition celebrates Jonathan’s leadership in driving social impact and his work in helping scale Braven. His efforts continue to create meaningful change across communities, making him a standout leader in Chicago’s business and nonprofit ecosystems.

Cohort 124

Kevin Pang

Kevin is the host and co-executive producer of a new food show on NBC Chicago, “Poochie & Pang Eat Chicago.” (Poochie is the lovable and acerbic server from iconic hot dog stand The Wiener’s Circle.) The first season focuses on finding great burgers in the Chicago area.

Cohort 129

John Wilson

John is currently pursuing a part-time master’s in public health at Harvard Chan School of Public Health. His focus is on metabolic health and nutrition.

Kellogg-HKUST Cohort 2

Cammy Yiu

Alumni from this cohort joined others at the Kellogg-HKUST EMBA Homecoming Weekend on the HKUST Clear Water Bay campus in September. The weekend provided an opportunity for alumni to participate in workshops on leading-edge topics such as Human-AI Collaboration for Decision-Making: Visual Analytics Approaches, Challenges and Opportunities in Drug Discovery and Development, and The Lazy Man Portfolio with top professors such as Milind Rao. “It was a golden opportunity to get reacquainted with old friends and to meet new ones,” Cammy writes.

Kellogg-HKUST Cohort 12

Jack Lau

“Since February 2024, I have been president of the Qatar Science and Technology Park in Doha, Qatar,” Jack writes. “It’s good to know that Northwestern Qatar is only a stone’s throw from my new office in the Education City.”

Kellogg-WHU Cohort 11

Denis Saklakov

About two years ago, Denis wrote the book “The Ronin’s Joy.” He writes, “It blends Japanese wisdom with my personal trials, shaped by speaking out against Crimea’s annexation in 2014, leaving Russia and starting anew in New York,” he writes. The book is available on Amazon.