Contents
- Alumni Updates
- Star well-represented among E&P honorees
- Books by Northern Star alumni
- 2002 Hall of Fame inductees
65
Jim Herringer is a self-employed communication consultant in Racine, Wis.66
Bill Hetland is communications coordinator for the Northern Illinois Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse (Nicasa), one of the largest prevention and treatment agencies in Illinois. He joined the Lake County?based agency in July 1990 after 20 years as an award?winning editor of several newspapers in several states. He lives in Kenosha, Wis. While Hetland said he is proud of the accomplishments of the newspaper and yearbook staffs, he takes special pride in being a founding member of Tri Swine Omega, a nonsensical co?ed fraternity developed to promote "yellow journalism and fellowship." Next year is Tri-Swine's 40th anniversary. Bill also offers thanks to his NIU friends who have written or called since a Feb. 19, 2001 auto accident that left Phil Anderson, his life partner of almost 14 years, paralyzed from the waist down.68
Janice (Podlewski) Drummond is senior director, External Communications for Sears, Roebuck and Co., at the company headquarters in Hoffman Estates. The biggest news she just handled was Sears' pending acquisition of Lands' End for $1.9 billion.Jo Fredell-Higgins ('68 and '75) is the author of "Images of America: Naperville, Illinois" (2001, Arcadia). She lives in Aurora, Ill., where she is a book reviewer and columnis for the Beacon News.
73
Janice Bennett is the author of "Sacred Blood, Sacred Image: The Sudarium of Oviedo," a book about the Shroud of Turin. She lives in Littleton, Colo.Kevin Gillogly is creative director of Howard Marquis, a Westlake Village, Calif., advertising agency specializing in human resources communications, employment marketing and recruitment. Two of his company's ads won merit awards in the 2002 Emoployment Management Association Creative Excellence competition. Kevin also is publicity and speakers bureau director for the Los Angeles chapter of Sisters in Crime, an international organization of mystery writers.
74
Vicki Quade, a Chicago writer, wrote the acclaimed 2001 book, "I Remember Bob Collins," about the late WGN radio host. She also contributed to the Chicago Sun-Times Millennium Series, later published as a book, "20th Century Chicago: 100 Years, 100 Voices." Vicki also is a successful playwright and producer. She and Chicago actress Maripat Donovan combined to write and produce 1993's "Late Night Catechism." The show continues to win international fame, and the two women now own their own theater production company, Quade/Donovan Entertainment, Inc. Vicki has three children: Michael, David and Catherine.Rachel Scanland-Bergman teaches journalism to middle- and high-school students in Quincy, Ill.
75
Carol Jouzaitis, a former reporter for the Chicago Tribune, works in public relations for Orbitz, Chicago.Chuck Stanley is a free-lance writer for several Chicago-area newspapers.
76
Mary Dieter is pres secretary for Indiana Governor Frank O'Bannon. She spent 22 years in newspapering, including 19 1/2 years at The Courier-Journal of Louisville, Ky., before embarking on a two-year stint in the corporate world. She joined the governor's office in May 2001.
81
Edward Beckmann works in Colorado Springs, Colo., as the Creative Manager for Checks Unlimited and Designer Checks. His responsibilities include deciding which designs to offer customers on bank checks sold
through the mail. Some of the company's licensed products include Peanuts,
Harley?Davidson, Thomas Kinkade, Precious Moments, Disney, Warner Bros. Looney Tunes, Coca?Cola, the NHL, the 3 Stooges, and many others. Edward's wife, Christi (Rapp) Beckmann is a 1982 NIU grad and works in pharmaceutical sales for Endo. They love living in Colorado with all of the outdoor recreational opportunities, which for them include hiking, horseback riding and bicycling.82
Mike Burke is director of communications for the Ounce of Prevention Fund, Chicago.Richard Sackley is Public Relations Manager for Fantasy Springs Casino on the Cabazon Band of Mission Indians reservation near Indio, Calif. During his tenure with the Northern Star (1979-82), he was a sports writer and assistant sports editor.
84
Barry Dredze is owner/producer/director of Audible Visuals, Inc. in Winfield, Ill. The company produces independent and industrial videos.Laura Gargano is director of marketing for FreeSamples.com in San Francisco.
86
Phil Luciano is a columnist for the Peoria Journal Star, and also teaches journalism and literature classes at Bradley University and Robert Morris College, both in Peoria.88
Mike Lacy works for American Excelsior Company, Lombard, Ill.Dave Tuley continues to work as the Las Vegas correspondent for the Daily
Racing Form. Dave's wife, Wendy, gave birth to a daughter on May 1. Jordyn Rose Nalani Tuley was foaled at 7:41 p.m. and weighed in at 7 pounds, 5 ounces, and measured 20.5 inches long. This is the first child for both Dave and Wendy, who were married March 17, 2001.
89
Thom Gippert is a physical education instructor in the Cary (Ill.) school district.Kari Brackett-Gippert is corporate communication coordinator for Wells Manufacturing Co. of Woodstock, Ill.
Sean Noble is senior policy associate for Voice for Illinois Children, Chicago.
Tim O'Malley launched Concierge Preferred Magazine in a party April 9 at Chicago's Navy Pier. He is president and publisher of the Schaumburg-based publication.
Patrick Ryan's photography was showcased in a one-man show this spring in Chicago at Taste of Heaven,1701 W. Foster. Ryan, a former Northern Star photo editor who now lives in Oak Park, is an award-winning photojournalist whose work has appeared in The New York Times, The Chicago Tribune, The Chicago Sun-Times, The Daily Herald, The Waukegan News-Sun, The Daily Southtown, The DeKalb Daily Chronicle and Pioneer Press and Press Publications community newspapers, among others. His work previously has been shown at the Illinois VietNam Veteran's Gallery in Chicago as part of the Illinois Press Photographers Association Pictures of the Year annual exhibit and in a juried show at the Oak Park Art League.
With a focus on black-and-white, Ryan's photography has taken him around the world, from Ensenada to San Francisco to Montreal to Washington DC to Dublin to Paris, where he has shot a variety of images, including portraits, scenics, and sports.
More of Patrick's work can be seen at http://homepage.mac.com/jprkec/Diana Turowski works for Chicago Associate Realtors.
90
Jack Goldberg is regional sales manager for Yesmail.com, a CMGI company located in Arlington Heights, Ill.Tim Ryan is manager internet advertising for UAL Loyalty Services, Inc., Chicago.
91
Greg Rivara is managing editor of the Kane County Chronicle, Geneva, Ill. He previously was news editor for the Chronicle's sister paper, the Northwest Herald in Crystal Lake.92
Ron Golminas works in advertising sales for Better Home & Gardens and Wood magazines, Chicago.Sean Leary won first place in the John Tigges Writing Contest for
Fiction, with a story called ``A Fine Day For Porkpie.'' The story is
about a man's last day with his soon-to-be-ex-girlfriend's child, who
he helped raise for the first three years of the boy's life. Sean also is working on a play and screenplay called ``Time Changes,'' a romantic comedy about a rock group, their significant others and the strange people that orbit
about their universe. He also is working on an album of power pop/punk pop songs with his rock group, Your Favorite Band. He's collaborating with another band, Mommy's Little Monster, on a song he wrote called ``Talk Talk.'' The song will be released as a single and hit area airwaves by the end of the summer. By day, he's still the arts and entertainment editor for the Rock Island Argus/Moline Dispatch, film critic for the local NBC-TV affiliate, entertainment correspondent for three local radio stations and a correspondent for Amplifier magazine.Mark McGowan and his wife, Christy, had a baby boy, Carter, born June 15, 2001. Mark works in the NIU office of public affairs.
David Statis owns JDL SignWorks of Chicago.
93
Cindy Grimaldi Spiegel had a baby girl, Emily Grace Spiegel, born Dec. 15, 2001.Rob Heselbarth married Kim Elledge from Mount Sterling, Ill., in November 2001. They live in Arlington Heights, Ill.
94
Mike Berg works in Los Angeles as features editor of Muscle & Fitness magazine.Tricia (Roegner) Despres and her husband, Paul (NIU '91) had their first child, a daughter, Taylor Lynn. On Oct. 11, 2001. Tricia recently left her job at The Discovery Channel to be an at-home mom. She also writes a column for the Doings Newspapers in Hinsdale and eagerly is looking for more free-lance writing opportunities. Tricia worked at the Northern Star as a reporter from 1990-1992, and graduated from NIU in 1994 with a journalism degree.
Erin Gockman-Drinkwine and her husband, Chris, had a baby daughter, Lillian Marie, born Dec. 28, 2001.
Matt Gronlund is publisher of Perfumer & Flavorist magazine, Chicago.
Kelly Knewel works in sales for Autoweb.com, Chicago.
Richard Roth is a senior R&D design engineer for Teradyne Corp., Nashua, N.H.
Brian Slupski is assistant news editor of the Northwest Herald, Crystal Lake, Ill.
95
Adam Bain works for Kush Games, Inc., Camarillo, Calif. He is working on the NCAA basketball video game for Xbox, Gamecube and Playstation 2.Geoff Evert is a national account executive for Classified Ventures, Chicago.
John Phillips married Jeannine in August 2001.
Zach Smith is an account executive for Fox Stations Sales.
96
Kay (Yadon) Luna won a First Place national feature writing award from the Inland Press Association for the first installment in her series, "Farming Kevin's Dream." Kay followed a farm widow through her first year trying to sustain her husband's farm after his death.Lesley Rogers married Kent Barrett on Sept. 2, 2001. Lesley is courts reporter for the Wisconsin State Journal, Madison.
97
Melissa Franic is a reporter for the Naperville Sun, covering Naperville School District 203, North Central College and parochial schools. She is a former Northern Star Weekender editor.Laura McHale is a senior account manager for Disney Online, Chicago.
98
Erin Hallstrom is a Senior Editor for the Publications Department at Joint Commission Resources, a subsidiary of the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations.
Mark Gregory is a sports writer for the Plainfield Enterprise. He previously worked for Liberty Suburban Chicago Newspapers.
Heather Mrowiec is a sales representative in the neuroscience division of Eli Lilly, Chicago.
Dawn Raftery has been promoted to features managing editor at The Doings of Hinsdale. Her primary responsibility is the Images and Diversions section of the paper. She also plans and edits stories for the Business and Homes sections and writes the "Social Grace" column. She joined the paper in 1999.
Rich Rostron is sports editor, reporter and photographer for the Woodstock Independent, and also is a graduate student in history at NIU.
99
Spiro Georgelos works for Hostway Corporation, Chicago.Veronica Gonzalez is a reporter for the Chicago Tribune, under a two-year residency program. This spring, she contributed to the Tribune's investigation of ties between Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan and a downstate horse show that received state funding. Prior to returning to Illinois, Veronica worked as a reporter for the Santa Fe New Mexican.
Jen Holub is a senior copywriter for Enesco, a gift, collectibles and home decor company in Itasca, Ill. She and another writer are responsible for writing the company's catalogs, ads, direct mail pieces, collateral, in-store point of purchase displays and Internet site. She is engaged to be married Nov. 9.
Sean Kearney is a sales executive for USAToday.com in Chicago.
Bob McGann is a treasurer for The Guggenheim Group, a financial services firm in Chicago. Since graduating from NIU, where he was a Star reporter, he got his CPA degree and moved to Melbourne, Australia for 2 ½ years, working for Deloitte & Touche as an auditor. Also while Down Under, Bob covered the 2000 Summer Olympics for the Northern Star, writing several stories and columns. He moved to Saudi Arabia in September 2001, again as an auditor. Obviously, that was a bad time to move to the Middle East, so Bob jumped at the voluntary evacuation in November 2001 and landed back in Chicago.
Heather McLindsay has moved to the moved to the marketing department of Eli Lilly in Indianapolis.
Vickie Pasinski is senior special events coordinator for the March of Dimes, Chicago.
Bill Tynan has joined the Kane County Chronicle as a reporter. Tynan was sports editor and managing editor at the Star. After graduating, he was a reporter for the St. Charles Republican.
00
Kristina Aiello teaches math in Sycamore.Joe Biesk is a reporter for The Associated Press in Frankfort, Kentucky.
Erica Gallagher is an associate editor at Schofield Media in Chicago, writing for U.S. Business Review and two new publications: Food and Drink and Manufacturing Today. She also pursues free-lance work as time allows. She moved recently to Chicago's Lakeview neighborhood.
Joe Menard has joined the Kane County Chronicle as a reporter. Joe was the Northern Star editor in chief in 1999-2000. After graduating, he wrote for the Springfield (Mo.) News-Leader and the Elgin Courier News.
Heather Muir is an import services representative for OOCL (USA) Inc., Chicago.
Kara Pipitone married Shawn Anderson in Galena, Ill. Sept. 22, 2001. Kara is features editor of the Freeport Journal Standard.
Brian Schaumburg has been named sports editor of the Kane County Chronicle. He joined the paper in January 2001.
Ellen Smith is a sales assistant/automotive for the Los Angeles Times.
Kevin Wendt coordinates design and production of the "A" section of the San Jose Mercury News. A company memo announcing the promotion had this to say: "Kevin, who joined us in 2000 straight from Northern Illinois, has quickly demonstrated great news judgment and earned the respect across
departmental lines to help elevate our design." Kevin won several awards this year from the Society for News Design: a gold award for the paper's EXTRA section on Sept. 11; two silver awards for post-Sept. 11 work; an award of excellence for a "Perspective section cover related to Sept.11-related cover; an award of excellence for his Oct. 8 front page and an award of excellence for portfolio design. The Mercury News was named one of five World's Best Designed Newspapers. You can see Kevin's work online at http://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews/. Click on the "today's front page" link.01
Ryan Baer is a staff accountant with Frost, Ruttenberg & Rothblatt, P.C., Deerfield, Ill.Tony Jordan teaches physical education at Somonauk Middle School.
Whitney Carnahan is a reporter for the Rock Island Argus/Moline Dispatch.
Julia Dragan is enrolled in the master's degree program in computer science at the University of Illinois.
Jennifer D'Souza is a copy desk editor/designer for the Rock Island Argus/Moline Dispatch.
Erica Fatland married Charlie Semanchuk on July 18, 2002, in Sandwich, Ill.
Nate Hardesty has moved from Platinum Communication to the sales and marketing dept. of Marriott Hotels, Indianapolis.
Josh Gaby is a copy editor/page designer for the Aurora Beacon News.
Brian Koenig is vice president/team sales for Soccer 2000, Downers Grove, Ill.
Tom Molony writes and sells advertising for the American Dental Hygienists' Association in Chicago. He also has done free-lance writing for several music publications.
Jill VanAcker is a sales representative for Eli Lilly, Chicago.
Tyler Vincent is a reporter for the Freeport Journal-Standard.
Steve Woodruff, former Star systems manager, is a system engineer for Sterling Network Integration, Inc. in Rolling Meadows.
Amber Zurcher is an advertising consultant for The Business Ledger, Oak Brook, Ill.
02
Josh Albrecht, the Star's editor in chief for 2001-2, is editor of the Midweek in DeKalb.Nate Legue is a reporter for the Freeport Journal Standard.
David Moore is a sales representative for Ceridian, Chicago.
Megan Norris is assistant manager at Target in Ottawa, Ill.
Janna Smallwood is a reporter for the Kane County Chronicle.
Melissa Westphal, the Star's editor in chief for 2000-1, is a reporter for the Rockford Register Star.
Obituaries
Barbara Moise Baker, Oct. 3, 2001, in Canyon Country, Calif.
Barbara was the Star's editor?in?chief in 1971, following Ken Trantowski and Ray Gibson and preceding Tom Conrad. She also was news editor during the riots that followed the shootings at Kent State and Jackson State.Samuel A. Guzzardo, 85, March 10, 2002, in Macomb, Ill. A Rockford native, he received a bachelor's degree in education in 1939 from Northern Illinois State Teachers College (now NIU). While here, he also was sports editor of the Northern Illinois, forerunner to the Northern Star. He later was a sports reporter for the DeKalb Daily Chronicle, and served with the U.S. Army in Europe during World War II.
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This is a partial list. Know of others? Let us know.
"Cheevey: A Novel"
By Gerald Di Pego
A novel about a typical American family and a young man's emotional journey.
1996, Little Brown and Company. ISBN 0316185493.
1997 (paperback) Warner Books. ISBN 0446673099."Mother Prayed a Bomb Would Drop"
By Thomas E. Woodstrup, 1998.
Letters between a mother and her Navy son, who was destined for the World War II landings on Japan.
TX4-641-642"Captain Benjamin Page"
By Thomas Woodstrup, 1998
A forgotten Rhode Island hero of the American revolution is rediscovered in Sycamore, Ill.
TX 4-777-730"Sean Leary's Greatest Hits"
By Sean Leary, 1999.
A collection of columns from throughout Sean's writing career.
ISBN 0967536405"Streetwise Chicago"
By Don Hayner and Tom McNamee
A history of Chicago street names.
1988, Loyola University Press
ISBN 0829405968"Chicago: Second to None"
By Tom McNamee
A pictorial tour of the Windy City.
1993, Towery Publications
ISBN 1881096009"Chicago Sun-Times Metro Chicago Almanac: Fascinating Facts and Offbeat Offerings about the Windy City"
By Don Hayner and Tom McNamee
1993, Chicago Sun-Times
ISBN 0929387953"Sacred Blood, Sacred Image - The Sudarium of Oviedo"
By Janice Bennett
New evidence for the authenticity of the Shroud of Turin
2001, Libri de Hispania
ISBN 0970568207"Images of America: Naperville, Illinois"
By Jo Fredell Higgins
A written and photographic history of Naperville.
2001, Arcadia / Tempus Publishing
ISBN 0738518956"Mob Star"
By Gene Mustain and Jerry Capeci
Profile of New York crime boss John Gotti.
1989, Dell Publishing Company.
ISBN 0440202701"Murder Machine: A True Story of Murder, Madness and the Mafia"
By Gene Mustain and Jerry Capeci
About Brooklyn's DeMeo gang of hit men.
1992, Dutton - Penguin Group
ISBN 0525934677"Gotti, Rise and Fall"
By Jerry Capeci and Gene Mustain
Even more detailed profile of the New York mafia boss.
1996, Onyx Books
ISBN 0451406818
"The Chicago Art Scene"
By Ivy Sundell
Sixty-eight contemporary artists - from David Abed, through Ed Paschke, to Louis Zygadlo
Pages 54-55 by Northern Star alumna Maria Gedroc
1998, Crow Woods Publishing
ISBN 0966587197"I Remember Bob Collins"
By Vicki Quade
Chicago memories of the late WGN radio host.
2001, Sports Publishing
ISBN 1582614636"Where's Harry? Steve Stone Remembers His Years with Harry Caray"
By Steve Stone with Barry Rozner
1999, Taylor Publishing
ISBN 0878332332"Second to Home: Ryne Sandberg Opens Up"
By Ryne Sandberg with Barry Rozner
1995, Bonus Books
ISBN 1566250404
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Star well-represented among E&P honorees
The Northern Star is well-represented among three newspapers listed among Editor & Publisher's "!0 That Do It Right."
Wisconsin State Journal, Madison: Lesley Rogers Barrett is courts reporter and Ron Seely is science writer. The paper earned E&P's praise for its honest mix of civic journalism and investigative reporting. "A lot of critics of civic journalism say it's soft and compromises your ability to do 'real' reporting, editor Frank Denton told the magazine. "Well, when we find corruption, we're all over it. We do a lot of tough reporting and a lot of hell-raising."
Northwest Herald, Crystal Lake, Ill.: It almost would be easier to list news staffers who did not get their starts at the Northern Star. Among the Star-types there are Jami (Peterson) xxx, Jason Schaumburg, Aracely Hernandez, Kevin Craver, Eric Clark, Jeff Kolkey, Kevin Lyons, Jana Thompson and Brian Slupski.
E&P's story said: "Pursuing a strategy of growing deep rather than wide, the Northwest Herald's household penetration is just shy of 40 percent, far higher than its metro competitors. … It's newsroom staff of 54 full-time equivalents far exceeds the one-per-1,000-circulation rule."Quad-City Times, Davenport, Ia.: Mark Ridolfi is city editor, Barb Ickes is a columnist, Don Doxsie and Kay Luna are reporters. E&P called the paper "one of those good, smaller regional newspapers whose emphasis can be described as local, local - and local. …Reporters were asked to draw up lists of people who were not their usual sources on key local beats such as health care, government, education, agriculture and the Mississippi River. These new sources were invited to the newsroom, and in discussions reporters asked them to relate 'stories that are significant in their field.'"