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Conception Catholic Church and as a hobby collects sculpted miniature figures of poodles.

Lynne Liberato (MS ’76, Distinguished Alumna ’02) was named in the top 50 female Super Lawyers of the 2003 as polled by the publishers of Texas Monthly and L&P Media and as voted on by thousands of lawyers from across the state. She also ranked as one of the top lawyers in the Houston area.

Dwight D. York (BS ’76, MBA ‘95) recently was promoted to finance manager at Bank of America. Dwight is vice-president of technology and operations, Alliance Management, and currently is working with IBM to improve process efficiencies between the companies.

Terry Skinner (BS ’77), A&M-Commerce Hall of Fame quarterback, recently spoke at the Breakfast of Champions at Sam Houston High School in Arlington, TX. Students from six local high schools came to the breakfast for inspiration and motivation before their district playoffs. The breakfast program encourages good sportsmanship and focuses on presenting positive role models. Terry is pastor at Calvary Baptist Church in Fairfield, TX.

Boyce N. Pearson (MM ’78) has been teaching as a music specialist in Little Rock public schools for 23 years. He recently finished his third summer as coordinator of the Boost program and also recently founded the Rev. Thurloo Pearson Foundation in Arts & Humanities.

Patricia Pickles (MED ’78) is the first chief academic officer for Portland public schools. She recently was profiled in The Oregonian regarding her efforts to close achievement gaps in the district.

Virgie M. Dronet (EDD ’79), professor and head of the educational leadership and instructional technology department at McNeese State University in Louisiana, received the first Faculty Meritorious Service award presented by the alumni association there. The award recognizes faculty who have rendered outstanding and continuing service to McNeese.

Susan Simpson-Laskiskie (BS ’80, MED ’89) received her doctorate in education administration from Texas A&M in August. She is beginning her fourth year as superintendent of White Settlement ISD, a district of 4,800 students on the west side of Fort Worth. She has been a superintendent for 13 years, and prior to that was a principal, teacher and coach. Susan is a fourthgeneration educator and the third generation to receive both bachelor’s and master’s degrees from A&M-Commerce. Her grandfather, Hal M. Simpson, got his in ’49 and ’50; her father, in ’50 and ’51.

David Darrow (BBA ’81) is serving as pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Chipley, FL.

Paul Talley (BS ’81) was part of the faculty at a recent conference in San Diego for publications specialists. Paul twice has been named Photographer of the Year by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education, which sponsored the conference. Paul has had his own studio since leaving Southern Methodist University in Dallas in 1987, and one of his specialties is photographing college campuses.

Sharon Gaston (MS ‘82) and her husband, David, recently opened the Cactus Veterinary Clinic in Saint Jo, TX. Their business started as a mobile equine practice. The need for a facility in which to house horses gave rise to Cactus Clinic.

Frankie John (BA ’84) has retired as editor of the Beaver City (NE) Times-Tribune and is moving to Kearney, NE. Her husband, Jerry, who also had gone to school here, passed away in January 1996.

Martin E. Landry (BS ’84), a portfolio manager within The Private Bank at Bank of America in Dallas, has earned the Chartered Financial Analyst designation as administered by the Association for Investment Management and Research. Martin has worked in the financial industry for five years.

Rena Penney (BS ’85) recently was named manager of the National Service Unit at the American Red Cross National Headquarters. Rena is directing two AmeriCorps programs, with members serving in Red Cross chapters across the nation. AmeriCorps is a federally funded education award program whose members educate communities about how to be better prepared for disasters.

Bill George (BA ‘87) retired from the U.S. Army Reserve in June after 38 years there and in the Texas Army National Guard. He obtained the rank of colonel in the Army Dental Corps, and his two active duty tours included training assignments in Honduras and Ecuador and in Germany when his reserve hospital was activated for Operation Desert Shield/Storm. He received the Meritorious Service Medal, two Army Commendation Medals, and various other medals and service ribbons. His last assignment was with the 49th Armored Divison as the brigade’s dental surgeon. Bill now continues his private practice in his hometown of Paris, TX.

Mike Trigg (BBA ‘88) is the head coach for the new arena football team, Philadelphia Soul. The team is owned in part by rocker Jon Bon Jovi.

Jeff Hudson (BS ’89, MED ‘94) lives in Midlothian, TX, where he serves as an assistant principal at Midlothian High School. He and his wife, Tamie, have two children, Hanna Grace, 3, and Hope Alexandria, 1.

Jay Champion (BS ’90, MBA ‘99) has been elected to the board of directors of the Leadership Division of the Independent Bankers Association of Texas. Jay is the executive vice president/chief lending officer of Heritage Bank, SSB, in Terrell, TX.

The fourth child of Allen Roulette (BS ’90), Aiden Marshall Roulette, was born in Plano, Texas, on Sept. 19.

Shawna Rackley (BBA ’92) and Jeffrey Mullins were married July 26. They live in Dallas, where Shawna is a regional sports marketing manager for Gatorade. Jeff is an attorney for HBK Investments.

Marilyn Delaine Fields Sebade (BBA ’92) gave birth to a baby boy, Matthew Scott Debade, on July 30. Matthew is the first child for Marilyn and her husband, Kevin. They recently moved into a new home in Lindsay, TX.

Marianne Lanman (BBA ’93) married James Cullar III Oct. 18 in Cleburne, TX, where the couple now lives.

Greg Priest (BS ’93, MS ‘95) has been named head men’s golf coach at Baylor University.

Lynn Hess (BA ‘95) and her husband, Pat, opened a Carvel ice cream store in Flower Mound, TX, where they live, in November. They have three children: Natalie, 6; Leah, 4; and Mitchell, 1-1/2.

Mary Katherine Paddock (BS ’96, MS ‘99) and Cole Cayce (BS ’98, MS ’99) were married July 26 in Fort Worth, TX. Many of the attendants in the wedding were Alumni: Ashley Hill Friend, Christa Ponder Abraham, Katheryn Hansen Chaney, Steve Klepfer, Adam Brooks, Brian Campbell, Trent Dagan and Joe Castillo. Mary Katherine has received her LPC and is intake director for Azleway Children’s Services. She also has an occasional private practice in child psychology. Cole is an account executive for Lees Carpets in the DFW area. Mary Katherine and Cole currently reside in their hometown of Fort Worth.

Alan Prachyl (BSIS ’98) has been promoted to assistant principal at Wills Point (TX) Intermediate School. He had been teaching science to fifth and sixth graders.

Stanley Jessee (MS ’99) has been named principal at Rivercrest Junior High in Bogata, TX. For the last two years he had been principal at Harts Bluff Junior High and Elementary.

A work by visual artist Katherine Hislop Kluger (BFA ’00, MS ’02) was included in an exhibition at the Holter Museum of Art in Helena, MT. Hers was among the 160 pieces chosen for the exhibit from more than 475 submissions.

Justin Kyle Wright (BS ’02) and his wife Stacey Foley Wright (student in 2001-‘02) are the proud parents of a daughter, Kylie Breann, born Oct. 30.

August ‘03 graduate Tammie Rolf is among 25 first-year teachers selected to receive a $1,800 incentive from Citigroup Corporation. The incentives are given to help teachers with student loan expenses or costs related to moving to a new city or starting a new career. Tammie, who teaches algebra at Mount Pleasant (TX) High School, said she used the money to pay off bills and purchase a more reliable car. A&M System seniors who selected a teaching field in a high-need area such as math, science, or special education were nominated to compete for the award.
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For those of you who found the change from ET to Texas A&M - Commerce a leap, what would you have thought of the name “Sam Rayburn University”? In 1979 Rep. Bill Caraway authored legislation that would have changed the name of East Texas State University to Sam Rayburn University. Reportedly his thinking was that the new name would help the University gain attention and possibly federal funding. Rayburn—a 1903 Alumnus of the University—held the office of Speaker of the House longer than anyone else. The bill never made it to the house floor, however, possibly in part because the legislation came with a $400,000 price tag. ET administrators had given that figure as the estimated cost to implement the name change—a figure which many suspected was inflated to discourage legislators from approving the switch. Perhaps not coincidentally, president of the University at the time was the only ET Alumnus to ever achieve the office: F.H. “Bub” McDowell. And as any Alumnus can tell you, we tend to be a little touchy on the subject of name changes.