Milestones

50

Bob Dingman has published an article about the important questions military personnel face as Christians in combat situations in the May/ June issue of Today's Christian magazine. Dingman lives in Thousand Oaks, CA.

57

Harold and Mary (Sell '56) Kingdon celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on February 22. He is a professor emeritus of Christian ministries who retired from Houghton in 2006. As newlyweds the Kingdons lived in housing near where Shenewana now stands while Harold was finishing his degree. The Kingdons' children include Sheryl (Kingdon '80) Johnson, Edwin Kingdon '86, James Kingdon '88 and Jill Kingdon '85.

58

Bruce Hess and his wife Donna have moved back to Houghton to be OMS missionaries in residence following 17 years' service as directors of the Northeast Region and 23 years in Colombia and Ecuador. This summer the Hess family had a reunion that included Matt Hess '87, Glenn and Jodi (Carlson '88) Hess '85 and Linda (Hess '87) Nunez, plus eight grandchildren (pictured, in Highlander T-shirts, with Bruce and Donna).

62

The University Press of Florida has just published From Parsifal to Peron, by Bob Claxton. The book is a history of radio in Argentina from 1920-1944.

66

Commissioners William and Marilyn ('65) Francis have been appointed as territorial leaders for the Salvation Army in Canada and Bermuda, effective July 1. Bill is the new territorial commander and Marilyn is the territorial president of women's ministries.

67

Wayne Dunn received his doctorate in counselor education and supervision from Regent University in May. Dunn already had two bachelor's degrees and two master's degrees and he is a licensed counselor and an ordained Southern Baptist minister. Following a 20-year career in college teaching and administration in Ohio, Dunn has spent the last seven years as a counselor at the Covenant Counseling Center in High Point, NC. He also is in his 16th year as organist/pianist at the English Road Baptist Church in High Point and is on the faculty of John Wesley College there. His e-mail address is dunnmusician@triad.rr.com.

69

Susan (Jennett) Horton has been appointed director of the Trumbull (CT) Library. Horton had worked for 17 years at the Danbury Library, most recently as head of the audio-media department.

74

After 33 years with Storage Technology, where he was the chief architect for a successful data storage system and had numerous patents awarded for his inventions, Steve Blendermann has retired. Blendermann says he is looking forward to being more involved in ministry.

75

Karen L. Oberst has published But I Tell You: Jesus Introduces a Better Way to Live, a book on The Sermon on the Mount. One reviewer said "It is quiet and approachable, sweetly preparing us to meet the day. But watch out: Oberst's book, like its subject the Sermon on the Mount, has a flavor of challenge we cannot easily put aside."

Houghton College alumni were well-represented at the Allegany County Athletic Association Hall of Fame Night. Pictured at left are Darlene Wells '75 (on right) and next to her is her niece, Krista Newell '00. Also on hand were Cassie Merrill '08 (far left picture, on right) and Becky Kallal '08 (far left picture, on left), current players on the Highlanders women's basketball team. Newell was Kallal's coach when both were at Delaware County Christian School in Newtown Square, PA.

79

Tim Hutton has been appointed associate clinical professor of family medicine at the Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine of McMaster University, in Hamilton, Ontario. Hutton will continue to maintain a solo private family practice in the town of St. George. He and his wife Sue (Cooper) are the parents of Heather '07, Alastair '10 and Andrew, 11.

Stanley M. Wicks conducted a 200-voice choir, soloists and members of the San Diego Symphony in two performances of Bach's "Mass in B Minor." Singing in the choir was David Finney '57, eldest son of the late Charles and Ann Finney (faculty). Wicks has been director of church music at the First United Methodist Church of San Diego since 1998.

86

Glenn Rutland is in his 10th year at Alcon Labs, where he is a senior sales representative and sales trainer. His peers on the national sales force voted him Alcon's annual Prove-It Award in 2006. He and his wife Deborah, a stay-at-home mom, have three sons: Nathaniel (see Future Alumni), Joshua, 3 and Gabriel, 4. The Rutlands are members of the Valley Community Baptist Church, where they lead a group for parents of young children and are active in the drama ministry. They reside in Simsbury, CT.

87

Greg Laing recently received his master's degree (in applied theology) from Regent College in Vancouver, was licensed as a minister, and was elected as the lead pastor at Point Grey Community Church. Laing was also elected to the district leadership team of the British Columbia and Yukon District of the Pentecostal Church. Laing and his wife Andrea have two children: Parker, 7 and Alicia, 4. Prior to these changes, Laing had been associate pastor at the Point Grey church for 10 years. "Thanks to Dr. Kay (Walberger '43) Lindley for planting the vision in my heart to go for the master's degree!" Laing writes. He invites friends to e-mail him at greg@pgcc.org.

88

Jim Toner has published his second novel, The Purity Ring Murders. Toner, who lives in Niagara Falls, says that he enjoys reading, writing and sports (softball, football, basketball and hockey). Friends can reach him at JimToner6@aol.com.

90

Mark Blasko has opened a family entertainment center featuring a miniature golf course, batting cages, ice cream, and takeout food near Concord, NH. Chuckster's will contain the world's longest miniature golf hole, a 201-foot downhill monster, and over 1,000 tons of boulders and 4,800 bricks (to line the fairways).

92

Peter Amos is the new head coach of the Rochester Rhinos women's soccer team. The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle wrote a lead article about Amos and his emphasis with his players in regard to giving back to the community. The article also talked about Amos' playing career at Houghton.

Heather (Coords) Kuruvilla recently received the Cedarville (OH) University Faculty Scholar of the Year Award. Kuruvilla has been a faculty member at Cedarville since she earned her doctorate from the State University of New York at Buffalo in 1997. She is now an associate professor of biology.

Shawn Gale received his master's degree in education with an emphasis in technology in November 2006. Gale continues to teach in the Stuttgart area of Germany. Tami (Marzolla '93) Gale is a stay-at-home mom for their son, Caleb (see Future Alumni). Previously, she worked as a magazine writer, editor and independent marketing consultant. Friends can contact them at familygale@earthlink.net.

Harold Fuller has been named general manager of the Odessa (TX) Jackalopes hockey club, which plays in the Western Professional Hockey League. "This really is a dream come true," Fuller said. "I know this will be a challenge, but it's one I look forward to." Fuller is in his 11th year with the Jackalopes franchise, which also owns a minor league baseball team, the RockHounds. Fuller also volunteers as the director of public relations for the Midland West Rotary Club, and was named the Paul Harris Fellow of the Year in 2002-03.

U.S. Representative John R. "Randy" Kuhl, Jr. (R-Hammondsport) has named Bob Van Wicklin as chief of staff in his Washington, DC, office. Van Wicklin has served as deputy chief of staff and spokesman in Washington since Rep. Kuhl was first sworn into Congress in January 2005. Prior to that, Van Wicklin served as former Rep. Amo Houghton's chief of staff. Van Wicklin first started as an intern in Houghton's Washington office in 1991, and went on to serve as staff assistant in the Olean and Corning district offices until 1994; as foreign affairs and defense adviser to Rep. Houghton in Washington until 1998; and then legislative director and press secretary until he was named chief of staff in 2003. Van Wicklin then served as transition manager to Representative- elect Kuhl from November 2004 until January 2005. "Working for Randy Kuhl has been, and will continue to be, a great opportunity," Van Wicklin said.

96

Harry and Amy (Wells) McDougall are living in upstate New York with their three children: Steven, 11, Noelle, 5 and Logan, 3. Harry is employed by FedEx Ground while Amy works as a school psychologist for a preschool agency. Amy was recently elected to the board of directors for the Prader-Willi Alliance of New York. She will also be running a marathon-length team relay with her mother and two sisters this fall in honor of daughter Noelle, who is diagnosed with Prader-Willi Syndrome. For more information, visit their website at www.firstgiving.com/TeamNoellePWS or friends can e-mail the family at amcdoug@twcny.rr.com.

Crista Force earned her doctorate in curriculum and instruction with an emphasis in science education from Texas A&M University in August. She has accepted a tenure-track position this fall as an assistant professor in science education at Baylor University.

Adam Owen has been named North Carolina Governor for the American Advertising Federation's Ad Clubs. He manages and maintains four Ad Clubs in North Carolina on a volunteer basis in addition to his work at Fairway Outdoor Advertising in Greensboro. Owen married in 2006 and he and his wife Sara can be reached at adamowen@triad.rr.com.

Kyle Stevenson completed his master of fine arts degree from the University of Delaware in 2002. Recently he was offered tenure and promoted to associate professor at Mercer County (NJ) Community College, where he teaches painting and drawing. Stevenson and his wife, Sarah (Gagnon '00), live in Point Pleasant Beach, NJ, with their children: Samuel, 2 and MollyGrace, 7 months (see Future Alumni). Sarah has resigned from her position as a first grade teacher to stay at home with the children. Friends can e-mail them at stevenson721@yahoo.com.

98

Jennifer (Heise) Córdova got married last fall in Harrisburg, PA (see Down the Aisle). She met her husband in Mexico where Jennifer was serving with Wycliffe Bible Translators. The couple plans to continue serving in Mexico with Wycliffe, in the area of Bible translation.

99

Misty (Arnold) Logan has married (see Down the Aisle) and lives in Millington, TN, with her husband Tony. He is a middle school science teacher and she is teaching mathematics and French at Tipton-Rosemark Academy.

00

After having taught music in a middle school in New York for six years Laurel (Blakely) Harris has married (see Down the Aisle) and teaches music at an elementary school in Texas. Her husband is a sergeant in the U.S. Army, deployed in Iraq as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

02

Jennifer Walters has completed her master's degree in government administration from the Fels Institute of Government at the University of Pennsylvania. She has accepted a new position as senior program officer for the M. Night Shyamalan Foundation in Malvern, PA.

03

Joshua and Heather (Bruce) Trant married (see Down the Aisle) with Toby Cushing and Ben Yanda as groomsmen and Tim Snyder (the bride's cousin) as an usher. Heather has completed her master's degree in physician assistant studies at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and practices in gastroenterology. Joshua is working on his master's degree in humanities at the University of Dallas. Friends can e-mail them at hltrant@gmail.com.

Karen Buell has been appointed as a mortgage consultant by PeoplesBank, where she has been employed since 2006. Buell completed the bank's management development program before becoming assistant branch manager of the East Longmeadow, MA, office. Buell is working towards a master's in business administration at the University of Massachusetts' Isenberg School of Management.

04

Megan (Springstead) Neurock has completed her New Hampshire State Initial Special Education Certification for grades K-12. She plans to complete the 12 credits needed for her master's degree in the next two years. In the fall, Neurock started a new position as a special education teacher for the Cutler Elementary School in Swanzey, NH.

H. Merle Wilson and Adam Tietje each received one of the 214 degrees—theirs were masters of divinity— awarded by Princeton Theological Seminary in May. The three-year graduate degree is the basic professional degree for ministry.

B4

After completing the P.A.C.E. program, Paula Fox found a new position with Paychex as a human resources representative and consultant. She is now the human resources manager for Fairbank Farms, where she is responsible for recruiting, hiring and training new employees and for planning and coordinating development plans for all salaried employees. Fox also oversees the company's benefit plans.

Y4

Christopher Malayny has accepted a position in alliance and new business development with Walt Disney World in Orlando.