Class Notes
Your fellow alumni readers want to know want what you're up to these days. Share your news about job changes, promotions, awards/recognition, retirement, and family milestones with us. Class notes are featured in our Outlook email newsletter and annual magazine.
Here are some common reasons to send us a class note:
- A new job or promotion
- A baby or adopted a child
- You got married or entered into an official union
- Published a book
- A fellow alumni has passed away
- Michael Nissenbaum `77 retired in May 2025 after a 35-year career in the Restaurant Industry (Marriott, Sbarros, AVI Foodsystems and Firehouse Subs) holding Director and VP positions and an 18-year career in the Optical Industry (EssilorLuxottica) working as their Contract and Regulatory Compliance Manager.
- Scott Richter `82 accepted a new position in April working for Allied Resource Recovery as a Commercial Recyclable Materials Buyer supporting sustainability for businesses and organizations throughout southeastern Wisconsin.
- Stephanie Frazier Mecus `91 was recently promoted at DEKRA North America to Client Engagement Manager.
- Dan Lea `16 began a new job as a Public Relations and Media Specialist at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls.
Career News: new jobs, promotions, awards and retirements
- Dr. Ron Hull `66 has published his 16th book, LA 2032: Starting Over, an
apocalyptic novel about two teens rebuilding Los Angeles after a virus wipes out most of the world's population. He also has a story in Legacy of Whispers: Unsuspecting Orphan, an anthology from The Final Twist Writers Society. His work is available on Amazon, and more can be found at ronhullauthor.com and authorsden.com. - Sandra Anderson Herzog `79 retired in October 2022 after a 40+ year career providing services to Licensed Family Child Care Providers nation-wide.
- Alan Masnek `80 retired after 45 years in various roles within the transport and flexible packaging industries located in California, Oklahoma, Texas, Tennessee, Mexico, Singapore and Malaysia.
- Daniel Johnson `84 retired at end of 2024. In his 40-year career he held positions as an Industrial Engineer, Process Engineering Manager and Director of Manufacturing for a German American Manufacturing company.
- Jeff Johnson `85 retired in 2024 after 30 years as a systems programmer for Marshfield Clinic.
- Jeff Brown `89 retired after 36 years of teaching Architecture, Engineering, CAD and Animation at High School level. He will now be teaching part-time at the Junior College level.
- Steve Kleist `93, `95 will celebrate 30 years of marriage to Michelle Royer Kleist `93 in September 2025. They met on campus at UW-Stout.
- Sarah King `19 was promoted to Director, Grants at Mid-State Technical College in Wisconsin Rapids.
Life events: births, marriages, anniversaries and deaths
Arrivals:
- Nancy Werner Yow `70 and husband Ron welcomed a grandson, Rhodes Larson Yow on April 20, 2025.
Wedding:
Anniversary:
- Barbara Schmidt Nordberg `69 and Roger Nordberg celebrated their 55th wedding anniversary.
- Dennis Baran `72, `73 and Michael Baran will celebrate 30 years of marriage in October 2025. They will have 3 new grandchildren by September 2025.
- Rosanne Cuda Weber `72, `79 and James Weber celebrated their 50th anniversary in June 2025.
- Mike Lenth `74 and Margaret Goedjen Lenth `75 celebrated their 50th anniversary in June 2025.
- Mark Hatzenbeller `79 and Laura Slater-Hatzenbeller `79 celebrated their 46th Wedding Anniversary in June 2025.
- Kevin Wilde `80 and Mary Goplin Wilde `80 welcomed their second Grandson in April 2025.
Passing:
- Carol Burns `56, July 23, 2025, Oconto Falls
- Wendell Carlson `59, July 22, 2025, Lac La Belle
- Leland “Lee” Appleyard `60, June 13, 2025, Sparta
- James “Jim” Carlson `61, June 20, 2025, Minneapolis, Minn.
- Arthur Cothran Jr `65, July 13, 2025, Beaver Dam
- Richard Bell `73, July 11, 2025, Chippewa Falls
- James Friday `76, June 10, 2025, Eau Claire
- Herbert Rudd `76, June 5, 2025, Gleason
- Zita Yublitz Stanley `76, February 4, 2025, Greenwood, Ind.
- Gary Colby `82, June 5, 2025, Osseo
- Jerry Retallick `84, June 12, 2025, Fayetteville, Ark.
- William “Bill” Maves `88,June 12, 2025, Elk Mound
- Patricia McHugh `89, July 29, 2025, Sparta
- Darla Monica Tong `94, June 30, 2025, Green Bay
- Irene Nordquist Sahyun `94, July 21, 2025, Santa Barbara, Calif.
- Benjamin Wiebusch `03, June 14, 2025, Minneapolis, Minn.
- Melanie McCole Stickney `06, May 5, 2025, Lake Geneva
- Stephen Mountain `06, April 29, 2025, River Falls
Friend of the University:
- Ryan J. “Bump” Hebert, 53, husband of Angela Bowe Hebert `03, passed away on Sunday, June 15, 2025.
- William “Bill” Porter, 75, passed away on July 25, 2025. Bill worked at the Bookstore on campus for many years and his wife Wendy Dittman `98, `07 was a program director on campus before her retirement.
Faculty/Staff News: awards, retirements and deaths
Faculty/staff passing:
- James “Rich” Lawrence, 78, died on June 14, 2025. Rich served as a football coach at UW-Stout from 1986-1992.
Outlook Magazine
Our Outlook Magazine is an annual printed publication highlighting alumni success stories from across the country. If you would like to submit an Outlook magazine story, please email alumni@uwstout.edu.
