Eric Brown ’78 and Renee Cottrell-Brown ’78 laugh a lot. Remarkable, some might say, for a couple who live and work together as CEO and executive vice president of sales and marketing, respectively, at the Dallas-based Johnson Products Company Inc. But talking to the Browns, who have run two global ethnic hair-care companies for 25 of their 31 years of marriage while raising two daughters, it’s easy to see the friendship they share. It all began with a chance encounter at USC. Read more.

Boris Dramov ’66 has designed numerous buildings, parkways and plazas, including Santa Monica’s Third Street Promenade and the America’s Cup Village in Auckland, New Zealand. But now he has designed something few architects in the United States can match: a monument on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Read more.

James “Jimmy” Reese ’46 is a busy man. He’ll do some stock market trading, arbitrate a dog bite case and set up meetings for a new education intervention program at USC – all in a day. At 92, Reese doesn’t plan to slow down any time soon. Read more. 

Robert Thompson DDS ’45 was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award of the American College of Dentists at the American Dental Association’s 2011 meeting in Las Vegas. He has been an American College of Dentists fellow for 50 years.

Francis Cartier ’47, MA ’48, PhD ’51 of Pacific Grove, Calif., received an award in recognition of outstanding service to Mensa, an international high-IQ society where he served as trustee of its philanthropic arm, the Mensa Education and Research Foundation, and served two terms as the foundation’s president. He writes a column in its quarterly Mensa Research Journal.

Daniel Madick ’47, MS ’52, MBA ’58 is founder of Palm Desert’s Learning in Retirement program, which offers noncredit courses to students age 50 and older on economics, current events, history and the arts. He lives in Palm Desert, Calif.

Stuart O. “Stu” Parsons MA ’50, PhD ’58 of Saratoga, Calif., was awarded the 2011 Arnold M. Small President’s Distinguished Service Award by the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society. Previously, he worked as an engineering manager for Lockheed Martin Corp., and taught part time at the USC Institute for Safety and Systems Management for more than 20 years.

Gerald “Jerry” McMahon ’56 received the University of San Diego School of Law’s Lifetime Achievement Award. He heads Seltzer Caplan McMahon and Vitek’s litigation department and serves as chairman of its board.

Louis C. Vaccaro ’57, MS ’61 of Las Vegas and Old Forge, N.Y., completed his eighth book, a memoir titled Around the Corner: From Shoeshine Boy to College President. His academic career spans more than 40 years, including serving as president of six colleges and universities, and leading hundreds of international students to higher education in the United States. He recently completed his second Fulbright assignment in Indonesia.

Chuck Wackerman ’57, MS ’62 was honored at the 96th Founder’s Day Celebration in Seal Beach, Calif., for his decades-long commitment to teaching instrumental music to students in the Seal Beach and Los Alamitos school districts. He also was inducted into the California Jazz Alliance Hall of Fame. He serves as director of the McAuliffe Middle School Jazz Band in Los Alamitos.

Dann Angeloff ’58, MBA ’63, president of financial advisory firm Angeloff Company in Los Angeles, was appointed to the board of directors of Special Olympics Southern California. He is a founding member of the National Association of Corporate Directors and serves as chairman emeritus of its Southern California chapter. He is president-elect of the Half Century Trojans.

Kurt Hahn ’61 of Healdsburg, Calif., was elected to a three-year term on the board of directors of the California State Rural Healthcare Association. He is a board member of the North Sonoma County Healthcare District and a member of the USC 50th Class Reunion Committee.

Edward P. Roski, Jr. ’62, co-founder of the Land of the Free Foundation, an organization that supports programs for U.S. armed service personnel and their families, helped to organize the foundation’s 2011 Veterans Day Golf Classic at the Pacific Palms Hotel. He is chairman and CEO of Majestic Realty Co., and chairman of the USC Board of Trustees.

Nelson F. Tchakirides ’62 of Seymour, Conn., wrote two short stories, “Survivor,” about the experiences of an elderly seaplane pilot, and “Stalworth Syndrome,” a tale of the sea that intertwines myth, legend and reality.

David M. Todd ’67 received Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity’s 2010-11 Coulter Cup, a fraternity-wide national award that recognizes outstanding service to an undergraduate chapter. He lives in Newport Beach, Calif.

Sonnee Weedn ’68, MS ’73 is a practicing psychologist in Northern California who released Many Blessings: A Tapestry of Accomplished African-American Women, which highlights the lives of 31 contemporary African-American women, including former surgeon general Joycelyn Elders and Arkansas state assemblywoman Joyce Elliot.

Marko Perko ’70 of Beverly Hills, Calif., co-wrote Khamsin, a thriller about a black ops team led by a world-renowned doctor that sets out on a secret mission to rid the world of a terrorist organization. He also is the author of Did You Know That … ? and a member of The Authors Guild.

Lee Kanon Alpert ’71, his wife, Arlene, and their family received the Community Hope Award from Haven Hills, a domestic violence shelter in California’s San Fernando Valley that provides support for abused women and their children. The Alperts have been avid supporters of Haven Hills for more than 26 years.

William “Ed” Cameron MPA ’74 of Pasadena, Calif., received a Certificate of Recognition from the State of California’s Board of Professional Engineers for his 56 years of service to the profession. He retired as director of Water & Power for the city of Gardena, Calif., and is a life member and fellow of the American Society of Civil Engineers.

Kent Taylor ’75, PhD ’81 was promoted to professor in the Department of Pediatrics at UCLA. He is co-investigator on more than 100 research publications and is director of the Genotyping Laboratory for the Medical Genetics Institute at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.

R. Barrie Walkley MA ’75 is U.S. consul general in Juba, South Sudan. Previously, he served as ambassador to the Republic of Guinea in 2001-04 and to the Gabonese Republic from 2004 to 2007. He also served as deputy chief of mission in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo. He and his wife, Annabelle, were Peace Corps volunteers in Somalia.

Joseph Cheah ’77 wrote Race and Religion in American Buddhism: White Supremacy and Immigrant Adaptation, which addresses the under-theorization of race in the study of American Buddhism. He is an associate professor of religious studies at Saint Joseph College in West Hartford, Conn.

Geraldine Knatz MS ’77, PhD ’79, executive director of the Port of Los Angeles, was elected the 29th president of the International Association of Ports and Harbors.

Claudia Welch ’78 released Sorority Sisters, a story about the bond between four women who meet as pledges of a sorority. She lives in Raleigh, N.C.

Maria de la Parra ’79 joined Walton Isaacson’s Los Angeles office as an account manager, where she is responsible for the agency’s Hispanic accounts. She has more than 12 years of industry experience, having managed accounts in the automotive, beverage, real estate and travel sectors.

Debbi Dachinger ’80 of Los Angeles is the author of Dare to Dream: This Life Counts. She also is the host of Dare to Dream, a syndicated, multi-award-winning radio program.

Maureen Sullivan ’80, ’81 is founding partner and principal of Pica+Sullivan Architects Ltd., a Los Angeles-based firm that spearheaded the design of the Downtown Women’s Center Project Home. The center was recognized with the 2011 National Preservation Awardrom the National Trust for Historic Preservation and as a 2011 Historic Preservation Award recipient from the Los Angeles Conservancy.

Martin Greene MS ’81 of San Diego was elected vice president at Booz Allen Hamilton, where he has spent the past 13 years working in the defense sector, primarily with the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps in the fields of intelligence and cyber operations. Previously, he served as an officer in the U.S. Navy.

Paul W. Jones ’81, MPA ’84 received the Distinguished Service Award from the American Osteopathic College of Anesthesiologists for outstanding leadership and service to the college. He serves as chairman of the Department of Anesthesiology and director of anesthesia services at Robinson Memorial Hospital in Ravenna, Ohio.

Martha (Carnahan) O’Malley ’81 of Felton, Calif., retired from IBM after 25 years of service. She directed management of international customer complaints and provided systems engineering to the company’s Fortune 500 customers.

John Kennedy ’83 was appointed senior vice president of government and external affairs at Los Angeles Urban League, where he oversees the league’s fundraising efforts and serves as its liaison on government and public policy issues. Previously, he served as senior project manager for community involvement at Southern California Edison.

Daniel S. Levitan MBA ’85 has been a partner at the PNL Companies, a real estate and distressed debt investment firm in Dallas for the past 12 years.

Michael Conroy ’86 of Santa Barbara, Calif., was elected trustee of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1649. He also is a volunteer coach for his son’s U10 boys soccer team, which made it to the finals of a 32-team league.

Andy Kaplan MBA ’86 was recognized by The Zimmer Children’s Museum in Los Angeles with its Discovery Award, which honors individuals who are leaders in their fields and communities. He serves as president of networks for Sony Pictures Television and chairman of the USC Board of Governors for the Center for the Digital Future.

Lisa Lapin ’86 of Palo Alto, Calif., was elected trustee-at-large to the Council for Advancement and Support of Education’s board of trustees, as well as chair of its Commission on Communications and Marketing. She is assistant vice president for university communications at Stanford University.

Todd C. Ganos MS ’87 of Carmel, Calif., is a columnist for Forbes magazine online. His column, “In the Money,” can be found at blogs.forbes.com/toddganos

Lance V. McCollough ’87 of Temecula, Calif., is founder and CEO of ProSites Inc., a leader in medical and dental website design and Internet services that made the Inc. 500|5000 list of “America’s Fastest-Growing Companies” for the second consecutive year.

Robert M. “Bob” Schilling MLA ’87 released Pole Position: Rex Mays, a biography based on his master’s degree thesis about the two-time auto-racing national champion and 12-time Indianapolis 500 driver. He lives in North Hollywood, Calif.

Julie Gidlow ’89, MA ’91 joined The Capital Group in Los Angeles as a research publications associate. Previously, she spent 17 years as editor at the now-defunct trade publication Radio & Records. She lives in Beverly Hills, Calif.

Chris Kabel ’91 of Portland, Ore., was elected president of the Oregon Public Health Association. He serves as senior program officer at Northwest Health Foundation, which awards $6 million in grants per year in the Pacific Northwest.

Scott Arkenberg MM ’92 celebrated 10 years of performing the Holiday Pops Chicago annual Christmas concert. He oversees the Music Education program at Alphonsus Academy & Center for the Arts and serves as music director at Saint James Church in Arlington Heights, Ill.

Matt Kovacs ’93 of Los Angeles was appointed executive vice president and general manager of public relations firm BLAZE. Previously, he served as vice president at Formula Public Relations and as marketing director at Lids.

Michael Trust MPA ’93 is an employee services manager for the South Bay and Long Beach, Calif., regions of HealthCare Partners. Previously, he served as a human resources manager in the Department of Medicine at the University of California, Irvine.

Eldon Asp ’95 is co-author of the ’70s Mexican prison memoir Locked Up in La Mesa, which is in development as a cable television series. He lives in Manhattan Beach, Calif.

Mark V. Purpura ’95, director at Richards, Layton & Finger in Wilmington, Del., was named one of the country’s “Best LGBT Lawyers Under 40” by the LGBT Bar Association. In 2011, he was instrumental in securing the passage of a bill legalizing civil unions for same-sex couples in Delaware.

Kevin Scott ’95 of Hancock Park, Calif., was recognized on the “Top 100 Wirehouse Advisers of America 2011” list in the September issue of Registered Rep. He is a senior financial adviser at Merrill Lynch.

Brian David Goldberg MA ’96, PhD ’03 was re-elected to the Beverly Hills, Calif., board of education in November. He was elected president of the board in December.

J. Scott Goldstein PhD ’97 was promoted to colonel in the U.S. Air Force Reserve and completed two years of service on the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the Pentagon. He is senior vice president at QinetiQ North America and general manager of the National Systems Business Unit. He lives in Great Falls, Va.

Erin Richey ’99 of Long Beach, Calif., earned her National Board Certification for teaching in November. She teaches children with physical and orthopaedic impairments for the Long Beach Unified School District.

Greig Smith ’00, MPA ’02 was appointed president of the Solar Power Division at Optiflex Properties and Development LLC, in Montebello, Calif. Previously, he served as a councilman for the city of Los Angeles for 32 years.

Maryellen Kiefer ’01 of Long Beach, Calif., celebrated 10 years as a consultant with ComputerWorks NFP Solutions, a consulting firm specializing in financial software solutions for nonprofit organizations, governmental agencies and Native American tribal governments.

Audrey “Ags” Surmacz-Johnson MPW ’01 of Beverly Hills, Calif., released The Sausage Maker’s Daughters, a story about a 24-year-old woman who is in jail for the mysterious death of her ex-lover who happened to be her brother-in-law.

Eric Bean ’02 was designated a certified consultant by the Association for Applied Sport Psychology, the international professional organization of sport and exercise psychology. He is a performance enhancement specialist with the U.S. Army in University Place, Wash.

Eric Kahnert ’02 was promoted to weekend evening news anchor at KUSA-TV, the NBC affiliate in Denver.

Sean A. Mulvihill ’02 of Hollywood, Calif., launched Hollywood Happiness Films, a production company that creates film projects encouraging happiness, health and peace. He stars in and directs the adventure comedy Holiday Spectacular.

Alex Grager JD ’04 was named a “2011 Rising Star” in Los Angeles Magazine’s list of the top 2.5 percent of attorneys under 40 years old in each state. He is an attorney at Los Angeles-based Feinberg Mindel Brandt & Klein LLP.

Elise Graham ’04 of Dallas is a freelance unit production manager for independent films. She sits on the board of Women in Film Dallas and has worked on more than 13 films and several TV series for Fox.

Jeremy Blake Ross ’04 of Hermosa Beach, Calif., created the Obama Clock, an iPhone app that counts down to the next presidential inauguration while displaying statistics, such as the presidential approval rating, average gas price, unemployment rate and the national debt. Previously, he worked at Boeing Satellite Systems

Aaron Burgin ’05 was named senior investigative reporter at The San Diego Union-Tribune. He lives in Vista, Calif.

Karen Linhart ’05 was promoted from media relations manager to public relations and social media director of USA Swimming in Colorado Springs, Colo. She serves as the primary media and public relations contact for the organization and oversees publicity for USA Swimming events and its corporate partners.

Nathan Lewis Collett MFA ’06, a filmmaker based in Nairobi, Kenya, was honored as Alumni of the Month by the U.S. Department of State for his work as founder of the nonprofit Hot Sun Foundation in Kibera, East Africa’s largest slum.

Kendra Kozen MA ’06 of Los Angeles is the public relations chair for the USC Trojan Junior Auxiliary, one of the oldest alumnae organizations that awards merit-based scholarships to junior and senior women attending USC.

Gina Gribow ’08, a student at the University of California Hastings College of the Law, was elected president of Law Students for Reproductive Justice. Previously, she worked for congresswoman Jackie Speier in Washington, D.C., for two years.

Jonathan Lin MBA ’09 of Brea, Calif., with business partner Jason Tao ’04, operates Kohburg Inc., a green early childhood furniture company. He worked with the USC Child Care Program on the University Park campus to set up the center’s first transitional kindergarten classroom.

Paul D. Adams ’77 and Lori Clark Groby

Douglas Sutton ’79 and Marlowe Kepner

Yvette Sanchez ’83 and Dan Burney

Joshua Divelbiss ’04 and Elizabeth Burdick ’05, MA ’09

Jennifer (Passanisi) Rosko ’05 and Alex Rosko

Florencio M. Carlos ’06 and Ana Marisa Ybarra ’06

Daniel S. Levitan MBA ’85 and Bronwyn Levitan, twin daughters, Samantha Grace and Alexandra Rose

Kirsten (Kandler) Dunlap ’91 and Michael Dunlap ’91, a son, Maximus Michael. He joins sister, Devin, and brother, Zack. He is the nephew of Kevin Dunlap ’90

Todd Sharp ’91 and Stacey (Gilbert) Sharp ’92, a son, Spencer Aaron. He joins brothers Jarrett, Ethan, Adam and Ryan

Gwen (Huling) Lopez Ozieblo ’96 and Robert Lopez Ozieblo, a son, Dustin Marcus

Brooke (Beare) Stjerne ’00 and Kyle Stjerne, a son, Gavin

Anita M. Caspary MS ’43, founder of Immaculate Heart Community, who appeared on the cover of Time in its Feb. 23, 1970, issue, died Oct. 5 in Los Angeles. She was 95. After receiving her bachelor’s degree in English from Immaculate Heart College in 1936, she en¬tered the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary convent. She later earned her master’s and doctorate in English from USC and Stanford University, respectively. Caspary returned to Immaculate Heart College to chair the English department, and later served as president until 1963, when she was elected as Mother General of the Immaculate Heart Sisters, which she led for the next decade. In the late 1960s, Caspary and the order were cast as “rebel nuns” for supporting progressive reforms that included abandoning the nun’s habit and suspending a fixed time for prayer. In 1970, Caspary and more than 300 nuns asked to be released from their vows, marking the largest exodus of nuns from the Roman Catholic Church in American history. Caspary subsequently founded Immaculate Heart Community, an independent ecumenical organization that continues to provide services in the poorest neighborhoods of Los Angeles.

Steve Miletich MS ’49, of Los Angeles; Oct. 21, at the age of 92. He was a reserve forward-guard on the 1942 USC men’s basketball team that went 12-8 overall and finished second in the Pacific Coast Conference Southern Division. For 30 years, he worked for the Beverly Hills School District as a coach, teacher and administrator. He was inducted into the Southern California Interscholastic Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1979. He was preceded in death by his wife of 66 years, Peggy. He is survived by his daughters Christy Farmer and Suzy Stromsborg, son-in-law, George Farmer, seven grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

Gordon A. “Bud” Naslund ’49, of Sun City, Calif.; Aug. 28, at the age of 86. He was on the USC men’s basketball team from 1946 to 1949. He taught physical education and coached basketball and tennis at Bell and Wilson High Schools before moving to East Los Angeles College, where he coached the same sports for 22 years. After retiring, he moved to Lake Arrowhead, Calif., where he worked in real estate for 19 years and was active in community Bible study leadership. He was a member of the Trojan Coaches Club and served as president of the Los Angeles Coaches Association and the Los Angeles Community Colleges Coaches Association. He is survived by his wife, June ’49, three children, nine grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

John F. Nursall ’49, MD ’52, of Palos Verdes Estates, Calif.; Oct. 20, at the age of 90. A pioneer in the use of medical lasers, he served as chief of staff at Torrance Memorial Hospital and was a member of its board of directors. For several years, he was an associate clinical professor of ophthalmology at the Keck School of Medicine of USC, as well as a longtime supporting member of its Salerni Collegium Alumni Association. He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Norma (Halstead), children Mary, Ruth, Sarah and John ’75, MA ’78, PhD ’87, 15 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren.

Kenneth Amestoy Tipton ’49, of San Diego; Nov. 19, at the age of 86. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II as a naval air corpsman. At USC, he was a member of the Trojan Club and Kappa Alpha Order’s Beta Sigma Chapter. He was preceded in death by his son, Gregg. He is survived by his wife, Edna, daughter, Jill, son-in-law, Mike Jahraus, daughter-in-law, Michelle Isaeff, and grandson, Zeb.

Norman F. Salisbury DDS ’52, MS ’62, of Bakersfield, Calif.; Jan. 26, 2011, at the age of 93. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1945, serving in Okinawa, Japan, and the Philippines. He completed his predental studies at Long Beach Community College. While a student at the Ostrow School of Dentistry of USC, he volunteered his photographic skills to the operative department and helped with the photography and publication of the El Molaro, the yearbook for the Class of 1952. After 10 years in general practice, he earned a master’s degree in orthodontics from USC. He was active in the USC Dental Alumni Association and the Elks club, and served as president of the Kern County Dental Society. He was a commercial pilot and was active in the Experimental Aircraft Association. In 1962, he became founding first president of the Flying Dentists Association. He also served as treasurer of the Quiet Birdmen, and later was a member of the Flying Octogenarians. He is survived by his children Fred and Kelly.

Robert Vigen ’61, of Seal Beach, Calif.; June 18, at the age of 71. He served in the U.S. Navy as lieutenant commander in Vietnam. He received his bachelor’s degree in mathematics from USC, graduating Phi Beta Kappa, and later completed his internship and residency in anesthesiology at Los Angeles County+USC Medical Center. He patented an invention related to a blood pressure device and also owned and managed apartment buildings. He was an active member of the USC Alumni Association.

Julie O. Gardner MS ’69, PhD ’72, of San Diego; July 17, of complications from ovarian cancer, at the age of 75. After receiving her bachelor’s degree from California State University, Northridge, she went on to USC for her master’s and Ph.D. in speech pathology. For 17 years, she taught at Cal State Northridge, earning a Distinguished Professor award during her first year. After retiring from teaching, she partnered with a friend to start a business providing rehabilitation therapy to nursing homes and hospitals. Their business covered 12 states from New York to Hawaii, with more than 350 employees. In 1995, she received the Outstanding Alumnus Award from Cal State Northridge for her work in speech therapy. She is survived by her husband of 57 years, Loren, daughter, Lorri Crawford, sons Deane and Daren, son-in-law, Bruce Crawford, daughters-in-law Susan and Peggy, grandchildren Seth, Eric, Mariah, Maddy and Nick, brother, James O’Brien, sister-in-law, Barbara O’Brien, and many close friends.

Thomas Parke Myers MPA ’75, of Bella Vista, Ark.; July 19, at the age of 77. He served in the U.S. Navy from 1952 to 1956 as the electronic technician on the USS Yuma, a fleet tug that he helped decommission. He also served on the destroyer tender USS Hamel in Yokosuka, Japan. He was a flight test engineer on the B-52 aircraft at Boeing in Wichita, Kan., a field engineer for American Bosch-ARMA in Nebraska and New Mexico, and a systems engineer for the U.S. government, overseeing Terrier, Harpoon and the test and evaluation fleet introduction and life cycle support of the Tomahawk Weapon System. He worked as director of engineering and later as director of logistics for Surface Warfare Center.

Brent S. Baharie ’83, MD ’87, of Seattle; Sept. 5, at the age of 52. He graduated magna cum laude from USC. For 24 years, he practiced medicine specializing in anesthesia, first in San Luis Obispo, Calif., and later relocating to Seattle. He was preceded in death by his father, Ronnie Baharie. He is survived by his mother, Jo Anne Baharie, brother, Brian, sisters Brenda Parrish, Belinda Jensen and Briana Johnson, brothers-in-law Jeff Parrish and Matthew Johnson, niece, Nicolette, and nephews Mitchell, Russell, Tristan, Gavin, Cameron and Brandon.

Dave Yoder ’87, of Mission Viejo, Calif.; Nov. 11, from lymphocytic leukemia, at the age of 46. A four-year starting outside hitter at USC, he helped lead the men’s volleyball team to three NCAA final appearances in the mid-1980s. In 1986, the Trojans won the league championship with Yoder’s older brother, Bob, as head coach. He won All-American second team and All-Conference second team honors as a senior in 1987. His 37 matches in double-figure kills in 1987 set a still-standing USC season record, and he is one of only two Trojans to twice record more than 20 kills and 20 digs in a match. He played professional volleyball in Belgium in 1987 and pro beach volleyball in 1988, before beginning a career in real estate development. He was preceded in death by his father, Paul. He is survived by his wife, Karen, children Molly and Lucas, mother, June, brothers Bob, Jim and Paul, sister, Mary, and 14 nephews and nieces.

Carol Ragan ’89, ME ’92, of Boise, Idaho; Nov. 9, 1996, by a hit-and-run drunken driver, at the age of 29. From 1994 to 1996, she worked as an elementary school teacher at Monroe Elementary in Boise. She also served as a volunteer educator for the Wolf Release and Recovery Program and as a big sister in Big Brothers Big Sisters. In honor of her memory, Carol’s parents founded a soup kitchen in 1998 called Carol’s Kitchen Inc., which provides hot meals to 1,400 people every week in Banning, Beaumont and Cabazon, Calif. She is survived by her parents, Jim and Arlene, brother, Patrick, sister-in-law, Julia, and nieces Rachael Barrett, Rhiannon Barrett, J. P. and Jake. To make a donation to Carol’s Kitchen Inc., contact (951) 769-9334.

Ani Gasti MFA ’96, of Orlando, Fla.; July 9, of complications from bone cancer, at the age of 46. During his earlier years in Los Angeles, he worked as a freelance story analyst for 20th Century Fox, Walt Disney Studios and Universal Pictures. He also served as an international business consultant for the University of Shanghai and worked in broadcast production at Bartle Bogle Hegarty, a global advertising agency in New York City. In 2003, he joined Full Sail University in Central Florida, where he launched the English department as chair, served as program director of the Entertainment Business Bachelor of Science degree program, helped to create the Internet Marketing Master of Science degree program and eventually served as director of faculty development. He participated at numerous film festivals as judge, scout and educator, most recently at the Florida and Orlando Film Festivals. He is survived by his parents, Aniceto and Pat, sisters Eileen and Maureen, brothers Christopher, Rafael and Daniel, his beloved terrier, Chico, and many family members in the United States and the Basque region of Spain.

Sue Lee ’96, of Torrance, Calif.; Nov. 10, 2010, at the age of 38. At USC, she was a member of the Korean American Coalition and Delta Gamma. An active member of the Los Angeles Korean-American community, she helped in community building and advocacy. She is survived by her parents, younger sister, and her three loving dogs and cat.

Patrick McDonald Martin ’00, of San Gabriel, Calif.; Jan. 3, from cancer, at the age of 35. After graduating from USC, he joined Togawa and Smith in Pasadena, where he worked with friend Tim Smith and design partner Glenn Togawa on mixed-use projects. He joined his family’s firm, AC Martin, in the fall of 2001. In 2005, he was promoted to associate, and later became a licensed architect and a LEED Accredited Professional in 2007 and 2008, respectively. He sat on the board of the USC Architectural Guild in 2010, which serves as the primary support group for the USC School of Architecture. He also was an officer and board member of the Yosemite Mountain Ranch in the Sierras. He is survived by his wife, Danielle Halter, children Thomas and William, parents, Chris and Jeanette, brother, Jeff, and sister, Colleen.

Russell Benioff, father of USC trustee Marc R. Benioff ’86, died on Jan. 16. In memory of his father, Marc shares a short poem by Russell that Marc and his mother, Joelle Benioff, found after Russell passed away.

A Thing Called Life

Life is something we could create with
Passion, or destroy with the pull of a
Trigger;
It means so much to we, who are living,
But to those who are dead, nothing;
They have lived out of their existence,
A thing called life;
A thing that humans crave to be forever,
But with all their cravings and connivings,
Only God wills what is to be;
Life is our master and we live for it alone,
We know not why or reason, but we know
It is there;
The breath of air that we breathe,
The blood that flows in our veins,
Or the will to create new life,
All these we say are a thing called life.

Don Andersen of Tustin, Calif.; Nov. 18, of complications from diabetes and kidney failure, at the age of 71. From 1967 to 1973, he served as USC’s sports information director. Previously, he worked as a newspaper and radio reporter, and in the advertising department at Disneyland. In 1973, he left USC to become vice president of public relations for the World Football League. He later spent more than seven years in public relations and administration with the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks, including a stint as the team’s acting general manager in 1982. From there, he started Andersen Enterprises, a sports marketing and promotions company, before becoming associate athletic director and sports information director at Chapman University. In 1990, he was appointed executive director of the Orange County Sports Association, running the preseason Pigskin Classic and postseason Freedom Bowl college football games. He also helped organize the Orange County Sports Hall of Fame and helped bring the first Senior PGA Tour event to Orange County. He is survived by his daughter, Laurie, son-in-law, Stephan Velez, granddaughter, Aleah, and former wife, Carolyn.

John W. Beierle PhD ’68, of Upland, Calif.; Oct. 18, at the age of 74. He joined the Ostrow School of Dentistry of USC in 1968 as a postdoctoral fellow working under researcher Lucien Bavetta. He later became an associate professor, conducting research in microbiology, immunology and biochemistry. For several years, he also held a dual appointment in the Department of Biological Sciences at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences. He retired last January, after more than 40 years of service to the school and the university. While at USC, he also was an active member of the Faculty Senate, serving in many capacities, including as president during the 1988-89 academic year. He is survived by his wife, Deborah, children John, Tara Martin and Carl, daughter-in-law, Collie, and three grandchildren.

Sidney W. Benson of Brentwood, Calif.; Dec. 30, of complications from a stroke, at the age of 93. A Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Chemistry at USC, he served as scientific co-director of the Loker Hydrocarbon Research Institute when it opened in 1977 at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences. After receiving his Ph.D. in physical chemistry from Harvard University, he served as a group leader at Kellex Corp. for the Manhattan Project, the research program that produced the first atomic bomb during World War II. In 1943, he joined USC, becoming the sixth faculty member in the Department of Chemistry. In addition to his research contributions, in 1947 he co-founded the university’s first governance body, the University Senate, serving as its initial secretary. In 1981, he became the second scholar at USC elected to the National Academy of Sciences. Among the world’s most-cited chemists, Benson published more than 500 scientific papers and books on physical chemistry, including The Foundations of Chemical Kinetics. He earned several honors, including a Guggenheim Fellowship, the USC Associates Award for Creativity in Research and Scholarship, the USC Presidential Medallion and the USC Faculty Lifetime Achievement Award. He is survived by his wife of 26 years, Anna Bruni, son, Nicholas, adopted daughter, Jeannette Hamilton, stepchildren Mara Lee Maltauro, Sumishta Brahm and Mark Seldis, granddaughter, Sydney, brother, Albert, and sister, Rhoda.

Emma Dell Foley of Los Angeles; March 9, 2010, at the age of 86. She served as director of nursing II at Martin Luther King Jr. General Hospital, and later trained and worked at USC Medical Center. She then moved to John Wesley County Hospital, where she served as director of nursing I.

Harry Pachon of Claremont, Calif.; Nov. 4, at the age of 66. He was a professor at the USC Sol Price School of Public Policy and president of the Tomás Rivera Policy Institute, the nation’s oldest think tank on Latino issues. After earning his Ph.D. in government from the Claremont Graduate School, he was awarded postdoctoral fellowships from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration. He was founding board member and executive director of the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials Educational Fund from 1983 to 1993. He was appointed to serve as a member of the President’s Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans in 1997. That same year, he received the Ohtli Award from the Mexican government for his service on behalf of the Mexican immigrant community. He was the Kenan All Campus Chair at the Claremont Colleges before leaving to join the USC faculty in 2003. He authored four books and more than 30 journal articles and book chapters on Latino social capital, educational opportunities, civic and political engagement, electoral behavior and racial justice. He also served on the boards of several local organizations, including the John Randolph Haynes and Dora Haynes Foundation, Southern California Public Radio and KPCC.

André Pineda of Pasadena, Calif.; Sept. 27, at the age of 46. He was a lecturer at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, whose work as owner of Pineda Consulting spanned more than 20 years of professional expertise in private and public sectors. A mentor to young USC Dornsife politicos, Pineda was a public opinion researcher and pollster for New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson's presidential campaign in 2008, as well as chief Latino pollster for President Obama's campaign. In spring 2009, Pineda taught the political science course “Political Attitudes and Behavior” at USC Dornsife. A longtime supporter of the Jesse M. Unruh Institute of Politics, Pineda participated in the institute’s weekly lunchtime discussion series Road to the White House. He is survived by his wife, Araceli Ruano, his parents and a brother.

Charles Ray Ritcheson of Washington, D.C.; Dec. 8, at the age of 86. He was university librarian emeritus at USC and the Colin Rhys Lovell Distinguished Professor Emeritus of History. From 1942 to 1945, he served in the U.S. Navy Reserve as a lieutenant, junior grade. In 1951, he joined the faculty at Oklahoma College for Women as an assistant professor of history. He went on to serve as chairman of the history department at Kenyon College and director of graduate studies in history at Southern Methodist University. In 1974, he detoured from teaching to serve as cultural attaché for the U.S. Embassy in London, a position he held until 1977 when he returned to his former post at USC as the Colin Rhys Lovell Professor of History.  Between 1984 and 1990, he served as University Professor, university librarian, dean of the USC Libraries and special adviser to the university president. In 1988, he co-founded the USC Libraries Scripter Award. After his retirement from USC, he was appointed executive vice president of The Fund for Arts and Culture in Eastern Europe, serving as country director for Hungary and Poland. In 1997, he became executive vice president for planning for the Trust for Museum Exhibitions in Washington, D.C. He was a fellow of the Royal Historical Society, a member of Phi Beta Kappa and the Cosmos Club, and he served on the boards of numerous international organizations. In 2000, USC honored him with a Faculty Lifetime Achievement Award.

James Rosenau of Louisville, Colo.; Sept. 9, after suffering a stroke, at the age of 86. He was professor emeritus of international relations at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, a founder of foreign policy as an academic field and a pioneer in the study of globalization. During World War II, he served in the U.S. Army as a cryptographer with the Office of Strategic Services intelligence agency. He earned a master's degree at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies and a Ph.D. in politics at Princeton University. In 1973, he joined USC Dornsife, where he served as director of the USC School of International Relations from 1976 to 1979. He left USC in 1992 and was appointed University Professor of International Affairs at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. He authored or edited more than 40 books, including Turbulence in World Politics: A Theory of Change and Continuity, which investigates the new forces shaping world politics beyond the nation-states. Among his accolades, he received the USC Associates Award for Creativity in Research in 1986. He was preceded in death by his wife Norah McCarthy. He is survived by his wife of 17 years, Hongying Wang, and three children.

Xavier Suazo MPA ’78, of South Pasadena, Calif.; Dec. 20, of complications from diabetes, at the age of 72. Known to many as “X-Man,” he coordinated security and travel logistics for USC’s athletic teams for the past 35 years. He was a popular and beloved fixture around USC sporting events at home and on the road, and often was spotted on the football sidelines providing security for Trojan coaches. He also served as a special agent supervisor for the California Department of Justice for nearly 40 years before retiring in 1997. In that capacity, he supervised major criminal investigations and worked security details for numerous government officials and heads of state. He is survived by his wife, Marilyn, children Art, Ed, Rosemarie Lewis and Katherine Robi, seven grandchildren, a great grandchild and a stepson.

Richard “Dick” Thor MSW ’58, of Redondo Beach, Calif.; Dec. 18, from cancer, at the age of 80. While a reservist in the U.S. Air Force, he was called to active duty in 1951 and served for three years in France with an engineering squadron. After graduating from the University of Washington and becoming a stockbroker, he realized the profession was not for him and moved to Southern California to pursue his Master of Social Work degree at USC. He served as a parole officer at the California Youth Authority and as assistant dean at the USC School of Social Work. When his father became ill, the younger Thor took over the family’s Volkswagen dealership and became president of the Volkswagen Dealer Association. After 22 years, he sold the franchise and returned to social work, completing 12 years at the Los Angeles Free Clinic, consulting for Single Room Occupancy Housing and teaching part-time at UCLA and California State University, Long Beach. For the past decade, he contributed to the USC School of Social Work as a member of the Board of Councilors and the California Social Welfare Archives, the latter for which he served as president from 2004 to 2006. He also served on the USC Alumni Association’s Board of Governors and the California Social Work Hall of Distinction Committee. In 2004, he and his wife, Ann, endowed the Richard M. and Ann L. Thor Professor in Urban Social Development. He is survived by his wife, grandchildren Tracy and Tom, and great-grandchildren Mikey and Jeannine.