The Alumni Magazine for Worcester Polytechnic Institute. (WPI)
Issue link: http://wpialumnimag.epubxp.com/i/456562
68 Winter 2015 class notes that will help them transform their businesses around the 'Internet of Things.' I continue to live in Rochester, N.Y., with my bride, Cristine, and our fve children (our oldest daughter is college-bound next year!). Aside from spending time with my family, I enjoy reading G. K. Chesterton and running many, many miles." Pete Travers has been busy on some high-profle projects, including visual effects for Guardians of the Galaxy, 22 Jump Street, Blended, and Captain America: The Winter Soldier. 1994 Jungyoon Terry Park writes, "I was lead engineer for an IT system development program in the U.S. Air Force for three years at Hanscom AFB, Mass., before I got reassigned to the 7th Air Force last September as a deputy director for a modeling and simulation center for the Korean theatre. My family and I now reside near Osan AB. If you are in Korea, give me a holler!" 1995 Jeff Mullen recently joined Boston Scientifc in Burlington, Mass., as a manufacturing engineer. He writes that he continues to enjoy working in the medical device industry and is working on completing his Six Sigma Black Belt certifca- tion. For the past two years, Jeff, his wife Kerry, and their daughters, Julia and Olivia, have resided in Reading, Mass. 1996 Mike Caprio is a founder and organizer of Space Apps NYC, a nearly 500-member local chapter of the NASA International Space Apps Challenge. Through Space Apps NYC he recently helped organize the frst overnight hackathon at the American Museum of Natural History in the Hayden Planetarium ("Hack The Universe"), which used the Digital Universe dataset to create new applications for research and education. 1997 Deb (Foley) McManus has been named VP, quality and program management, for Morpho Detection LLC. She is based in Wilmington, Mass. Morpho Detection is a leader in explosive and narcotics detection for aviation safety, checked baggage screening, military and critical infrastructure protection, and new growth platforms in Chem/Bio, X-ray, and Radiation/Nuclear detection. The company was formed in 2009 by the acquisition of GE Homeland Protection by Sagem Sécurité (Safran Group). In her new role, Deb is responsible for ensuring that quality is a company-wide requirement. She will also accelerate process improvement, manage and implement functionally independent programs/ projects, and drive best-practice sharing and harmonization of processes among sites and departments. 1998 Brian Beaton is a partner in the Real Estate Group of Bowditch & Dewey LLP in Worcester. He was recently highlighted as one of Worcester Business Journal' s list of 40 Under Forty. His practice includes assisting clients with the planning and permitting of complex commercial, educational, and nonproft development projects. Jeff Faulkner ('06 MS ECE) was recently honored by the Massachusetts Water Works Association. He was presented with the association's William H. McGinness Award during the annual meeting in November for his outstanding service to MWWA, and his overall contributions to the waterworks industry. Jeff is a project manager for Tighe & Bond, a consulting frm that provides engineering and environmental services, working out of the frm's Worcester offce. 2000 James Behmke, former partner with Edwards Wildman Palmer LLP, has joined PIB Law as managing partner of the frm's new Boston offce, and chair of the frm's intellectual property group. His practice focuses on patent preparation and prosecution in a wide variety of mechanical, electrical, and computer arts, among other technological areas. During his career, he was recognized as a New England "Rising Star" for his legal talent. He received his juris doctor from Franklin Pierce Law Center. Ben Nawrath writes, "It's been a busy year or so for me! Jessica and I got married in August 2013, followed by a terrifc honeymoon in Alaska. Last June we moved into our new house, and on July 22, we welcomed Jack William Nawrath to the world. He's fnally big enough for his WPI onesie, courtesy of his aunt Molly '05. In my spare time I still play my bari sax in a community concert band, and I was recently elected secretary of a branch of the Long Island Woodworkers club. Jack is hoping to get his frst Lego set for Christmas so he can follow in his dad's footsteps." Victoria Valentine was promoted to director of engineer- ing for the National Fire Sprinkler Association in August 2014. She now oversees all of the engineering activities for the NFSA. 2001 At the start of 2015, former Massachusetts state representa- tive Matt Beaton took offce as Gov. Charlie Baker's new secretary of energy and environmental affairs. Beaton has represented the 11th Worcester district in the House of Representatives since 2011. As the state's top energy and environmental offcial, Beaton says he will be committed to addressing what he believes to be the central energy-related issue facing Massachusetts: the need to balance the state's continued leadership in energy effciency through clean energy installations with affordability for the individual consumer. "Finding the right key to that balance early on will be the main focus of my tenure," he told WPI's Daily Herd . "That means continuing to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by bringing in natural gas sources and developing wind and solar energy within the state, while keeping prices reasonable." Beaton paid a visit to his alma mater in December, as the closing speaker for the Great Problems Seminar Poster Presentation Day. In his address, he told students that he never imagined his career would take the twists and turns that it did, and urged frst year students to take advantage of the project opportunities offered by WPI. Beaton holds a master's degree in energy and environmental analysis from Boston University and is co-owner of Beaton-Kane construction frm. The home he built in Shrewsbury was the frst certifed passive solar house in the Commonwealth. Mike Mahan was recently included on Worcester Business Journal's 2014 list of 40 Under Forty for business and community leaders. Currently in fnance and administration at Staples, Mike is also very active in his community, serving as a trustee at Fitchburg State University, a director at the Boys & Girls Club of Fitchburg and Leominster, and a member of the Leominster Planning Board. Amanda (Kight) Muller was recently named a Northrop Grumman Information systems technical fellow. This extremely selective program offers employees of exceptional ability and achievement the freedom and opportunity to pursue technical interests of mutual beneft to themselves and the company. Send your class note to classnotes@wpi.edu. Images welcome!