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Uplifting: Some anti-aging treatments work

img: skin can be made 'younger'

Those of us fretting about wrinkles and lines on our faces can take heart from a study that finds some — though not all — anti-wrinkle tricks actually help.

Most emailed stories

Talking about words

Strangelets

Talking about words

Why should we love words like 'quark' or 'muon,' which most of us will never really understand?

Talking about movies

War movies during wartime

Robert Redford

Big stars, no stars. High-quality or dreadful. It doesn't matter. Virtually all the recent films about war have flopped. Why?

On Campus

U-M unveils updated master plan for North Campus

North Campus map

An updated master plan for North Campus is part of a long-term effort to make North Campus more lively, livable and sustainable.

Alumni notes

Read about U-M history, and tell your own stories about what U-M was like when you were here, at our Heritage page.

Christel Behnke Gehlert,

Christel Behnke Gehlert recently published RECOLLECTIONS OF A HAMBURGER-GROWING UP GERMAN, 1941-1962. This biography/autobiography takes the reader through World War II and the postwar years in Hamburg, Germany. Sad and humorous, it highlights the plight of ordinary Germans, and especially the resilience of children caught up in the horror not of their making.

Michael A Interbartolo III,

is the the Shuttle Technical Assistant for the Space Transportation Vehicle Division at the Johnson Space Center received the NASA Exceptional Achievement Medal for his work with the space shuttle program to safely and successfully execute flight operations for the Mission Operations Directorate. In his capacity as a liaison between the Orbiter Project Office and Mission Ops, Interbartolo coordinated and facilitated hardware upgrades, and flight operations issues. Interbartolo received the award at the annual JSC Honors Ceremony on June 19th.

Glenn Bering,

Recently completed research into the music of the Polish gypsy musicians "Tomcha and Vlasch" has just been published and is available on a new website dedicated to their lives and exploits during World War One.

We welcome your comments: www.tomchavlaschproject.com

Sukwon Chang,

As a captain in the US Army, I am currently serving in Iraq on a National Police Transition Team as the Intelligence Operations Advisor for an Iraqi Police Battalion.

Ruth Baum Bigus,

Ruth recently joined Jewish Family Services of Greater Kansas City as director of community relations. She handles all public relations and marketing for the social service agency, as well as donor relations. She is also a regular freelance writer for the Kansas City Star. In addition, she will appear in a production of the musical "Oliver" this summer.

Richard D. Albright,

Just published "Cleanup of Chemical and Explosive Munitions" William Andrew Publishers). This book guides stakeholders and regulators through the correct process of assessing a military site, finding munitions, and cleaning them up. It lists scores of chemical and explosive munition constituents as well as ranges unknown to the military.

J. D. Davis,

has been promoted to Vice President of Finance for Clear Channel Outdoor - Orlando Division. J.D. has been with this leader in the Outdoor Advertising business for nearly 18 years. He resides in Orlando with his wife Christine and their 3 children.

Ambyr Godboldo-Brooks,

After graduating at the end of 2003, Ambyr moved to St. Louis where she attended SIUE and worked at the Center for Outcomes Research at St. Louis University. Ambyr has returned to the University as an analyst in the Health Management Research Center.

Joshua Aaron,

Joshua Aaron, class of 1995, will be expanding his business, NYC-based Business Technology Partners, with the opening of a regional office in Michigan. Business Technology Partners, Inc. (BTP), is a premier New York City IT consulting firm. BTP is a partner with many leading companies including Microsoft, Cisco, HP, Dell, Symantec, Lenovo and APC. "Getting IT done" for over a decade, BTP helps its customers dramatically improve productivity and efficiency in their businesses through its technology expertise, proven designs and solutions.

Sandra Gaines Delson,

This alum has been appointed to serve on the Fund Board (Board of Directors) of Queensborough Community College, Bayside, New York.

Dan Matlow,

Dan Matlow has recently made partner at the law firm of Ruden McClosky. Ruden McClosky is a full service, business law firm with offices throughout the State of Florida. Dan handles civil litigation (mostly contract disputes) and practices in the Fort Lauderdale office.

John K Ludlow MD,

After nine years in Grand Rapids, I have moved my urology practice to Holland, Michigan and joined Western Michigan Urological Associates as a partner. I am still living in east Grand Rapids with my wife Barbara, son J. and daughter Claire, while our oldest son Will is finishing his sophomore year in Ann Arbor.

Mary K McClellan,

is currently training to complete the Washington DC 40 mile Avon Walk for Breast Cancer, May 3-4th. With a Columbia University MBA, Mary worked in financial services in NYC and internationally, including a couple years in Paris. Mary is now an executive search professional in finance and technology in the DC area, and enjoys volunteering for the U-M Alumni Club.

John R. Schroeder,

eo art lab is a renown contemporary art gallery in Chester, Connecticut owned by John R. Schroeder, B.S. Arch, '87. The gallery features amazing, mostly abstract work from emerging and established artists from around the country.

The gallery also features independent films during their cold weather film series on thursday nights in January, February, and March.

John would be happy to extend a discount to Michigan Alum. Come pay us a visit in person or on line! www.eoartlab.com.

Laura (Cruce) Keyes,

A principle planner in the Transportation Planning Division of the Atlanta Regional Commission, Laura Keyes (nee Cruce) was recently elected Vice President of Chapter Services of the Georgia Chapter of the American Planning Association. She is a graduate of the University of Michigan with a BS from the School of Natural Resources and Environment. Laura lives in Decatur, GA, with her husband Kevin and three children.

Alessia Costantini,

has transitioned from an engineering career to a comedy writing career. Her episode of "Everybody Hates Chris" with Chris Rock premieres on Sunday, April 6, 2008, at 8/7 Central on The CW, with a repeat presentation on April 13th. The episode, entitled "Everybody Hates the BFD" involves the adventures of a young Chris Rock, who gets embroiled in a funeral director's scholarship in order to buy Run-DMC tickets.

She has also written The 2007 World Music Awards, filmed in Monte Carlo, and Nickelodeon's animated comedy, "The X's." You can read more about Alessia's experiences in her "Letter Home" essay, published in the Mar/Apr issue of Ambassador magazine. She is a frequent blog contributor for the University of Michigan Entertainment Coalition at www.um-ec.org.

Jeffrey L. Williams,

Jeffrey L. Williams (B.A. 1982) became the Chief Financial Officer of Concordia University (Ann Arbor) in March 2008. In addition, he is the award-winning author of "The Cheek Family Chronicles". Jeff is also a Eastern Michigan University graduate (M.P.A., 1992) and of Huron High School in Ann Arbor (1978).

Leslie Anderson,

Leslie Anderson, PhD in political science, 1987, has been awarded a titled professorship at the University of Florida. She is now a University of Florida Research Foundation Professor of Political Science. Anderson is currently serving as a Fulbright Scholar (spring, 08) at the University of Buenos Aires in Argentina.

Myron Hepner,

March Madness Against Blindness is an annual fundraiser organized by Myron Hepner to increase awareness of current research designed to prevent and cure blindness, and to raise money to support specific research programs at the University of Michigan Kellogg Eye Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

March Madness Against Blindness 2008 will be held at Damon's Grill in Ann Arbor on March 20 & 21. Damon's also will donate 20 percent of all checks on those days to March Madness Against Blindness.

All donations over $75 will be automatically entered into a raffle for a basketball signed by men's hoops coach John Beilein.

Matthew Thorburn,

(BA-High Honors, 1996) has been awarded a 2008 Witter Bynner Fellowship from the Library of Congress. Two Bynner Fellowships, valued at $10,000 each, are awarded each year to support and encourage the work of promising younger poets. He was chosen for the fellowship by U.S. Poet Laureate Charles Simic.

Thorburn will be honored on March 6, 2008, at the Library of Congress, where he will read from his work. He is the author of a book of poems, Subject to Change, published in 2004 by New Issues Poetry & Prose.

Mike Grosh,

Fellow Wolverines, my company, Span Corporation, providing health care management services from our offices in Ann Arbor since 1988, has launched a new service for Courts, Judges, Lawyers and their Clients. Known as "Court-centric forensic drug and alcohol abuse screening" the programs provide sound clinical services with sensitivity to the special needs of the legal community. So, you U-M Law grads who are practicing in Family Law, Criminal Defense Law (especially DUI), or Civil Law – or those who have evolved to enjoy the appellation of "The Honorable," stop by our web site to learn how we can help. Go blue!

Michael van Lent,

Dr. Michael van Lent will join SoarTech in March 2008 as the company’s Chief Scientist. Dr. van Lent will be relocating to Ann Arbor and leaving his current post as Associate Director for Games Research at the Institute for Creative Technologies (ICT) at the University of Southern California.

After earning a BA in Computer Science at Williams College, Dr. van Lent received a Masters in Computer Science at the University of Tennessee and PhD at the University of Michigan in 2000. Prior to receiving his PhD, he worked at the Navy Center for Applied Research in Artificial Intelligence (NCARAI) at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory. He joined ICT in 2001, where he became a Project Leader and a Research Associate Professor in the Computer Science department at USC.

He specialized in research and development of game technology for Army applications in immersive training, social simulation, and education. Dr. van Lent will lead SoarTech’s research and development of artificial intelligence for training and serious games, transitioning research into engineered solutions.

Claudia C Cotca, DDS, MPH,

Claudia C Cotca, Class of '93,'00,'04, Founder of The Washington Institute For Dentistry & Toxicology, Clinical Practice & Think Tank in Washington DC, has been appointed to the Board of Trustees of the American Academy of Oral Medicine.

John J. Janc,
was elected vice president of the North Central Region of Pi Delta Phi, the national honor French society.
Suzanne Zabowski,

I am writing in response to your article titled Teen drivers would benefit from greater restrictions (Feb 2008). I couldn't agree more, and that is why my husband and I founded SAFETY 101, Inc. We are the makers of the Magnetic Permit Driver Signs and we believe they can truly help to save young lives.

Today in Michigan teenagers are starting drivers training at the young age of only 14 years, 8 months old. They have approximately 6 hours (and this is debatable) of actual on the road drive time with an instructor. Driving Instructors have the following safety features in their cars when training young drivers: an additional brake, extra rear view mirror and signage! But what does the parent that must log in an additional 50 hours of drive time with their child have? Nothing, until now. These Magnetic Permit Driver Signs come in a set of three and are placed on both sides and rear of whatever vehicle your teenager is driving. For more information, please visit our website at: www.permitdriversign.com

Claudio Police Spiguel,

Our first grandson Sebastian Spiguel was born on July 15th 2007 in New York City. There are not enough words to describe the WONDERFUL feeling that this event brings. Some say that if we had our druthers, we should go straight to grandchildren without passing through the children phase...

We spend part of our retirement time in Brazil, so we follow Sebastian's growth closely using Skype, a great technology... yesterday we saw him wearing a Wolverine outfit that we gave him, so I got thinking about the Wolverine legacy...

His father, Artur Spiguel, is a Wolverine as well (CSE, class of 99). Hopefully one day Sebastian will also be in lovely Ann Arbor, one more reason to go back to our old stomping grounds.

Mary McClellan,

After years in corporate finance, private banking, and finance for environmental conservation, I'm engaged in nationwide executive search for The Rankin Group. I consult with and place senior finance executives for high net worth clients and wealth management firms.

After graduating from the U of M I worked at The Chase Manhattan Bank, Bank of America, Banker's Trust and The Nature Conservancy. I'm helping with the Washington DC 2008 U of M fundraiser, and can be contacted at mary.mcclellan [at] cox.net.

Perri Knize,
My first book, "Grand Obsession: A Piano Odyssey" (Scribner, 2008) has just been published. It's a memoir, piano mystery/thriller, and immersion into an international subculture of piano aficionados. The book has received rave reviews from the New York Times Book Review, Washington Post Book World, The Los Angeles Times, Kirkus Reviews, Publisher's Weekly, and was made a New York Times Editor's Choice. To learn more about the book and read excerpts, visit www.grandobsession.com.
Robert Smith,

Robert Smith, AIA, of Lansing-based Hobbs + Black Architects, was presented with the President’s Award at the 2007 American Institute of Architects Mid-Michigan chapter (AIA Mid-Michigan) Design and Recognition Awards Celebration.

The event recognized the University of Michigan alum for his outstanding contributions to the profession and service to the community through education and corporate practice.

Smith has more than 35 years experience in the industry, serving as a project manager on a variety of projects, including office, banking, educational, retail, healthcare, residential, religious, recreational and government facilities. During that time, Smith has earned a reputation for his project management skills and for safeguarding clients’ interests.

Jill Berkeley,

Jill B. Berkeley, Class of 1972, was named one of Illinois' Top 100 Super Lawyers of 2008. She is a partner at Howrey LLP's Chicago office and co-chair of the national Insurance Recovery Group.

Dr. Rupa Patel,

Dr. Rupa Patel, an alumnus of the University of Michigan’s undergraduate economics program, will extend her medical practice to provide treatment to post-cyclone Bangladesh with International Medical Corps (IMC), a leading humanitarian aid organization that provides sustainable health care, support for women and children, mental health care, and disaster response. IMC selected Dr. Patel for the position from an extensive volunteer roster to not only satisfy the need for a female doctor in Bangladesh, but also to benefit from her cultural understanding of the region from her heritage and travel in India. She will put her skills as an internal medicine doctor to use caring for some of the hundreds of thousands of Bangladeshi people left homeless and without sufficient medical care, food, or supplies following the November 15 tropical cyclone Sidr.

Immediately following the cyclone, IMC deployed an emergency team in response to the projected three million people affected from the storm’s 155-mile-per-hour winds. On the ground in Bangladesh, Dr. Patel will join the IMC team and its local NGO partner, Friendship, to provide non-food supplies, medical treatment, nutrition support, and sanitation. Without sufficient help, aid officials fear that inadequate supplies and hygienic conditions will lead to outbreaks of infectious-disease. Dr. Patel will be a crucial element in IMC’s efforts to decrease that likelihood through a wide-reaching medical treatment program aboard Friendship’s mobile hospital boat, traveling south to north to aid Bangladesh’s isolated and dispersed populations.

After returning from Bangladesh, Dr. Patel will begin her fellowship with the Mount Sinai Medical Center’s division of infectious diseases in New York City to study HIV and its associated complications and treatments. Since her time at the University of Michigan, Dr. Patel received her medical doctorate from Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit, and completed her residency in internal medicine at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas. She hopes to continue her practice with medically-underserved communities throughout the world and pursue a master’s in public health in epidemiology.

Lorin Woolfe,

My book, The Bible on Leadership, was published by the American Management Association in 2002 and has since been translated into Spanish, Korean, Chinese, Vietnamese and now Portuguese. Its premise is that our modern leaders would lead more effectively if they followed biblical principles like honesty, humility and purpose.

I am a management trainer and executive coach at the New York Power Authority and also maintain a private practice in psychotherapy in Westchester County, New York.

Classmates can email me at woolfedad - at - aol.com.

Helen F. Bidol,

Helen F. Bidol recently accepted the position of director of human resources for Wallace, Roberts & Todd, LLC (WRT) in Philadelphia. Founded in 1963, WRT is a sustainability-focused collaborative interdisciplinary firm of planners, urban designers, landscape architects and architects, with offices in several states and a website at www.wrtdesign.com. Prior to WRT, Helen was manager, hr services at Groundwater & Environmental Services, Inc. in Brighton, Mich., and provided HR support at Knight Ridder Shared Services, Inc. in Miami, Fla. She is a member of the Society for Human Resource Management, and has had her Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) certification since 1999. She was a charter member of the Livingston Area Human Resources Association, and served on their board of directors from 2006-2007.

Thomas D.Wilkerson,

Thomas D. Wilkerson has been awarded the 2007 Utah Governor's Medal for Science and Technology, in recognition of his contributions to science, technology, and the State of Utah. Wilkerson began his research career as a Math & Physics undergraduate and graduate student at Ann Arbor, 1949-1962, and continues his research programs at Utah State University. He is Prof. Emeritus at University of Maryland where he was a faculty member for 34 years (1961-1995).

Cheryl Shanks,

Shank's research focuses on fluidity in population and territory, the two central components of sovereignty. She is the author of "Immigration and the Politics of American Sovereignty, 1890-1990," as well as articles on tourism, anti-immigration movements, and international organizations. Shanks teaches Law and Rights in International Politics, International Law, Genocide, Exile and Famine; and Ethics and Interests in International Politics. She received her B.A. from the University of California at Santa Cruz in 1983 and her Ph.D. from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor in 1988.

Karen R. Merrill,

Merrill's research focuses on 20th century American politics and political economy, the American West, and environmental history. She is the author of "Public Lands and Political Meaning: Ranchers, the Government, and the Property Between Them," and "The Oil Crisis." She also is the editor of "The Modern Worlds of Business and Industry: Cultures, Technology, Labor." Her work has appeared in the Journal of Urban History, and the Western Historical Quarterly. She has taught Westward Expansion in American History, United States from Appomattox to AOL, 1865-Present, and the History of Oil, among other courses. She received her B.A. from Oberlin College in 1986, her M.A. from the University of Denver in 1988, and her Ph.D. in history from the University of Michigan in 1994. She is presently dean at Williams College.

Tanya Kuza,

I am a local stay at home mom who has ventured into new territory. I have self published a book titled Everyday Signs for the Newborn Baby, it is one of those books that many people who read it do say, I wish I had this when I was teaching my child American Sign Language. Honestly, to my own surprise while I was creating this book, along with the other 11 in the series, I kept on thinking to myself – why isn’t there a book like this out there? Now I don’t have to think that anymore and parent now have a tremendously easy book to read to their child and learn a theme related American Signs.

I am sure many readers will be sure to enjoy this new book; because it is FRESH! This book has dual purpose to not only maximize the child’s overall development but strengthen the family bonding in what is so important during times of stress and challenge. The original conception of this book was to teach the sleep deprived parent a language that their child will use before they can speak. It has since developed into a cuddle and read with your young pre-schooler, it has also become a favorite to new readers, who love the idea of learning American Sign Language “on their own”, it has found its way towards families who need a non stressful starting point to learn a few key signs to get by during a very tough situation is their lives that has left someone impaired. Just check out what is currently out there – no one has a literacy based book, no one has a story with open the flap signs, no one has the interior flap designated for word recognition – it was really educationally driven, (can you tell a teacher wrote this) it amazes me that I came up with a book that incorporated so many learning opportunities! My craft or outlet, was inspired by own children and the lack of finding this kind of resource that can grow with educating a child.

As I stated earlier, I am a stay at home mom, who was laid off from the world of technology to enjoy the lifestyle of one income and raising of many children. Prior to that field, I taught elementary education with the degree I received from University of Michigan. My life now as a "mompreneur" has taught me that my children have changed me for the better, and just parenting does have its rewards!

Camilyah Johnson,

Greetings, I have moved from MI to San Antonio, TX. I have lived here for two years. I am the Founder and Director of Millio's Youth Outreach & Motivation Services a non-proit organization. www.millio.org.

We are excited about keeping connections with MI and TX.

Daniel Gamota,

Motorola's Dan Gamota is among the 295 members named to the 2008 class of IEEE Fellows. He is recognized for leadership in nanotechnology based printed electronic products both within IEEE and the technology industry.

Dan is recognized internationally as a technical leader having demonstrated the ability to develop and transfer advanced microelectronics materials and assembly technologies into commercial products--and, more recently, for his leadership in establishing the emerging printed electronics field chairing initiatives to support the printed electronics ecosystem (roadmaps, standards, industry associations).

The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Fellows are an elite group selected from a global pool following a rigorous evaluation procedure. The designation recognizes unusual distinction and extraordinary accomplishment. With the continued emergence of advanced electrical and electronic technologies, the IEEE looks to its Fellows for guidance and leadership.

Deborah L. Pierce,

At Northern Illinois University I've been promoted to Associate Provost for International Programs.

Darci E. McConnell,

Darci E. McConnell, president and CEO of Detroit-based PR and marketing firm McConnell Communications, Inc. recently completed an intense, 7-day business program at the prestigious Dartmouth University’s Tuck School of Business in Hanover, NH.

McConnell was selected for the exclusive executive education program along with 31 other bright and upcoming businesses from across the country to focus on “How to Build a High Performing Business.” From December 2 through December 7th, McConnell attended day-long classes in accounting, business development and marketing.

Heidi Deaver,

Heidi Deaver, AIA, is presently serving as project manager on three elementary school modernizations for Lake Stevens School District in western Washington. Her experience also includes work on West Valley High School in Spokane, Wash., and Spokane Falls Community College’s sn-w’ey’-mn Building. She earned Master of Architecture (1998) and Bachelor of Science in Architecture (1996) degrees from the University of Michigan.

John Edward Porter,

Former Congressman John Porter, has been elected Chairman of PBS. The 346-station member organization is known for providing quality television programs such as American Experience, Sesame Street, Frontline, NOVA, Antiques Road Show, Masterpiece Theater and specials such as Ken Burns “The War.” Prior to his election as chair, Porter served on the Board of Directors of PBS for six years and as vice chair for his last two.

Porter, of Wilmette, served in Congress for 21 years, from 1980-2001 serving eastern Lake County and the north and northwest suburbs of Chicago. In the House of Representatives he served on the Appropriations Committee and as Chairman of the Subcommittee funding the departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education. He also was vice-chair of the subcommittee on Foreign Operations.

In Congress Porter championed federal funding of medical research and is widely credited with doubling funding for the National Institutes of Health which provides support for peer reviewed medical research to universities and research institutions all across the country from $13.5B to $27B over five years.

Porter, a moderate Republican, resisted his party’s attempt in 1995, to eliminate funding for public broadcasting, and eventually presided over substantial increases for it. He was also known in Congress as a champion for human rights, founding and co chairing for 18 years the Congressional Human Rights Caucus, 250 members of Congress working to end human rights violations worldwide.

In addition to PBS, Porter chairs Research!America, and is Vice-Chair of the Foundation for National Institutes of Health. He serves on the boards of The Brookings Institution, and of the Chicago Botanic Gardens, the J.S. Kemper Foundation and the Population Resource Center. He is a former director of the American Heart Association and trustee emeritus of the RAND Corporation and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. He is also a member of the Institute of Medicine, the Council on Foreign Relations and the Bretton Woods Committee. The John Edward Porter National Neuroscience Research Center, on the campus of the National Institutes of Health is partially constructed and occupied, but awaiting additional funds for completion.

Porter’s wife of four months, Amy McGuire Porter, is Executive Director of the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health, whose offices are located on John Porter Way on the campus of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology next to the NIH campus in Bethesda, Maryland.

Porter is a partner in the Washington law firm of Hogan and Hartson and specializing in heath and education strategies.

David E. Hart,

David E. Hart, a shareholder and member of the Executive Management Committee at Southfield-based Maddin, Hauser, Wartell, Roth & Heller P.C., has been named in "Law & Politics" Michigan Super Lawyers 2007 issue. Super Lawyers was created as a resource to aid attorneys and consumers in the search for legal counsel.

Hart earned his Bachelor Degree in Philosophy and Political Science from the University Michigan in 1988 and his Juris Doctor Degree, cum laude, from the Detroit College of Law in 1991. A resident of Huntington Woods, he was listed as a top practitioner in Real Estate, Construction Litigation and General Litigation.

The attorneys featured in Michigan Super Lawyers are first selected though a multi-step process. Candidates are nominated through a survey of more than 30,000 attorneys, direct contact with law firms and by reviewing trade journals, periodicals, databases and online sources. A blue ribbon panel of the top attorneys in each respective practice area evaluates the candidates. The final selection is then made by dividing the candidates by their firm size and selecting the top 5%.

Fairy C. Hayes-Scott,

Hayes-Scott's marketing and publishing company, MarketingNewAuthors.com (MANA) will have the honor of publishing the third children's book by WE READ (Working to Educate Readers by Encouraging Active Development), a non-profit U-M student group. The new book's title is "Adventures of Gross Jerome and the Gooey Green Goblins." The students of WE READ facilitate workshops throughout the year that encourage youngsters' appreciation of drawing, writing, and reading. Toward the end of the year, the book authored and illustrated by WE READ students is given to the students involved in the workshops. These books are given at no charge to children of urban schools and area hospitals. MANA, owned by alumna Fairy C. Hayes-Scott, provides its premium marketing services to WE READ for free. And so WE READ books have been exhibited at several major tradeshows, e.g. the Bologna (Italy) Children's Book Fair, the London Book Fair, and BookExpo. This is a keen opportunity for this U-M alumna to give back to the University. WE READ's books can be purchased on the MANA site. 70% goes back to WE READ to help these U of M students continue their valuable work. Fairy C. Hayes-Scott is proud and honored to serve students of her alma mater who in turn are helping younger students appreciate the arts.

Rob Crawford,
I thought you would find it interesting to know that I came in second in the voting for President of Red Sox Nation this past summer, and the winner (Jerry Remy, the Sox TV announcer) selected me to be VP of Red Sox Nation. You can read more about this at www.imamemberofredsoxnation.mlblogs.com, and if you google this story, there are many articles about it. Just a fun news item for your alumni communications.
David L. Malhalab,
retired Detroit Police Sergeant, and UM-D CASL 1976 GRAD is featured in the new documentary about historic Detroit Tiger Stadium, "Stranded at the Corner," a look at the history of Tiger Stadium with archival footage of the Detroit Lions and Tigers, interviews with prominent Detroiters, and humor as it examines the "demolition by neglect" of this historic and memorable structure, where over 100 million people visited in its 100 years of being. More info: David L. Malhalab, Detroit, 313-580-2393
Richard Vinci,
was recently hired as senior managing director for First National Investment Banking, headquartered in Omaha, NE. Most recently, Mr. Vinci was managing director of Newbury Piret & Co., an award-winning Boston investment banking firm. He has also served as senior vice president and private equity group head at Daiwa Sumitomo Mitsui America, Inc. on Wall Street; vice president of Investment Banking for Alex Brown & Sons, Inc. and vice president of a Berkshire Hathaway, Inc. subsidiary. Mr. Vinci is the recipient of a bachelor of science degree from the University of Michigan Ann Arbor and a master’s of business administration from Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business. Mr. Vinci has been recognized as a finalist by M&A Advisor for its 2005 Financial Services Transaction of the Year and for its 2006 Consumer Services Transaction of the Year. He has also been recognized as a top investment banker by the Boston Business Journal for the past three consecutive years.
Jeffrey Von Glahn,
My new book: Jessica: The autobiography of an infant. Preface and ch. 1 at www.iuniverse.com. Click On-Line Bookstore, call up book by title,click on title for cover info., or scroll down to Browse and click for Preface and ch. 1. May be ordered from iUniverse or any bookstore.
Diane Haithman,

Wanted to let you know about a new book I co-authored, "The Elder Wisdom Circle Guide for a Meaningful Life," Penguin/Plume Oct. 30, 2007, available for pre-order on Amazon.com. More info available at www.ElderWisdomCircle.org. And for New York based alums, please join us Nov. 7 6-8 p.m. for a signing/reading at:

Bottlerocket Wine and Spirit
5 West 19th St.
New York, NY 10011!

Pasquale Rocco,
Dominic Rocco, son of Pat Rocco (Rackham '92)and his wife Sue, shows his "true blue" colors, even while he sleeps. Go Blue!
Kyra Hicks,
Kyra Hicks (MBA, 1991) recently had her first children's book published, "Martha Ann's Quilt for Queen Victoria" (Brown Books, 2007). This is the TRUE story of a young girl to pursues her dream of meeting the Queen of England for fifty years! Kyra also hosts an African American quilting news blog, www.BlackThreads.blogspot.com .
Martha Retallick,
On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina came ashore along the Gulf Coast. It proved to be one of the most destructive storms in U.S. history. Although cleanup and rebuilding efforts are underway, much work remains. Martha Retallick saw this firsthand during reconstruction trips to Mississippi in November 2006 and July 2007. During both trips, she was part of International Relief Teams’ (IRT) effort to help repair and rebuild homes for displaced poor and elderly families. Retallick, a designer and photographer, has documented the progress of this effort in a web-based presentation called “Gulf Coast Rising.” In order to be available to as wide an audience as possible, “Gulf Coast Rising” is in the Flash multimedia format. It can be viewed at: http://www.westernskycommunications.com/website-design-gcr.html
Eric Ball,
In September, Eric successfully defended his PhD dissertation at the Drucker-Ito School of Management in Claremont, California. He remains employed at Oracle Corporation in San Francisco as VP & Treasurer, and lives in Redwood Shores with his wife Sheryl and three-year-old son Spencer (with another boy expected in November).
Laura Keyes,
Laura Keyes was recently elected Vice President of Chapter Services of the Georgia Chapter of the American Planning Association. Laura now resides in Decatur, Georgia with her husband Kevin and three children.
Blanche M. G. Linden,
My book, Silent City on a Hill: Picturesque Landscapes of Memory and Boston's Mount Auburn Cemetery, was just released by University of Massachusetts Press in collaboration with the Library of American Landscape History. Information is available on both of their websites. As Blanche Gemrose, I received my B.A. in French at Michigan in 1968. Then I completed an M.A. in history from the University of Cincinnati in 1976 and my doctorate in History of American Civilization from Harvard in 1981. The building blocks for all of my research and publications came from my U-M coursework. I took early retirement in 1997 from a career in teaching History and American Studies for two decades at several colleges and universities, most in the Boston area. I am now writing and consulting full time.
Trevor Thrall,
Along with fellow LSA graduate Matt Roy (1988) I recently launched a new company in the Ann Arbor area: Wolverine Beer, LLC. We are the proud makers of - wait for it - Wolverine Beer. We like to call it Michigan's Premium Lager. We make the beer according to our own recipe and we are having a blast marketing it in and around Ann Arbor. Go blue!

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