Alumni Association News

Homecoming 2006 Highlights

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It's Showtime !

California alumni get a chance to hobnob with the glitterati at Pixar and Paramount studios.

It’s not every day that U of U alumni get the opportunity to brush shoulders with showbiz movers and shakers, but that’s what happened—twice!—in August 2006.

On August 19, the California Bay Area Alumni Chapter welcomed a capacity crowd to Pixar Animation Studios in Emeryville, just north of Oakland, for a night of pixilated magic. Ed Catmull BS’69 PhD’74, current president of Pixar Animation Studios and Disney Feature Animation, was the event’s gracious host.

Alumni Association representatives John Fackler BS'89 MS'94 MprA'95 and Rachel Gallico pose with the star of Cars at Pixar Studios in Emeryville, Calif.

Since Pixar’s studios are not normally open to the public, the event offered a unique opportunity for alumni and guests to glimpse behind the scenes. Tickets were limited to 230, the capacity of the Pixar Theater. Not surprisingly, the event was almost immediately sold out.

Lucky guests were first treated to a self-guided tour of Pixar displays featuring such hit films as Monsters, Inc., The Incredibles, and the studio’s most recent hit, Cars. That was topped off by a buffet dinner served in the Pixar commissary.

Following, the crowd gathered in the Pixar Theater for the evening’s program. Bay Area Chapter President Bob Livsey BS’62 JD’65 welcomed alumni, and then introduced U of U President Michael K. Young. The president provided the audience with an update on University activities, pinpointing many of the ground-breaking research projects currently under way on the U of U campus.

Catmull then gave the audience a rare “inside look” at Pixar, including a viewing of the trailer for the studio’s upcoming feature film, Ratatouille, and the studio’s just-released short film One Man Band. As a special preview, Catmull also showed Pixar’s upcoming short film previously viewed only by Pixar staff. (At this writing, storyline and title are a company secret.)

A Q&A session followed and encompassed a wide range of questions—from which Pixar film was Catmull’s favorite (deftly deflected) to outlining how to build a successful corporate culture.

Remarked Livsey afterward: “Pixar studios was one of the very best Bay Area alumni events we have ever had.”

Special thanks to Ed Catmull for his totally engaging presentation of the Pixar story and for making the event possible.

On August 31, the action moved to Los Angeles, to Paramount Studios, which hosted more than 300 U of U alumni. Paramount executives Michael Mischler BS’77, vice president of marketing, and John Nogawski BS’82, recently named a president and chief operating officer for the new CBS Television Distribution Group (see “Through the Years” for more), were instrumental in arranging the event.

The crowd gathered under the famous Bronson Gate for an outdoor reception featuring light refreshments and—what else?—popcorn. Guests then moved into the Paramount Theater, where Los Angeles Alumni Chapter President Erica Ahlin BS’97 offered a warm welcome, then turned the time over to Nogawski for remarks and an overview of CBS’s Domestic Television operations. U of U President Michael Young again outlined some of the more important ongoing activities at the U, concluding his remarks with a call for “Lights! Camera! Action!” before a screening of Oliver Stone’s feature film World Trade Center, a story of courage and endurance based on the events of September 11, 2001.

Remarked Advancement Coordinator Rachel Gallico: “Both evenings were a tremendous success, in our book. We were thrilled by the turnout, and by the interest in staying connected with fellow alumni. Here’s to more great area events in the future.”

Fascinatin' Facts

• The football MUSS (U student athletics cheering section) began in 2002 with 800 students; in 2006, a record 4,700 students signed up—an increase of more than 580 percent.

• In August 2006, members of the Student and Young Alumni boards helped Salt Lake Neighborhood Housing—www.slnhs.org/v1.f.html—paint more than 18 homes for the needy and the elderly in Salt Lake City over a period of three days in the annual “Paint Your Heart Out” community service project.

• The U of U Alumni Association awarded $85,000 in scholarships in 2006-07 to about 60 students.

• More than 6,100 alumni and friends currently sport U of U license plates on their U-mobiles.

Meet the Newest Member of the Advancement Team

To an East Coaster like Rachel L. Gallico, the adaptation to a western state and lifestyle hasn’t been as difficult as one might think. The transition has been made significantly easier because of Gallico’s passion for skiing the Rockies. She also enjoys tennis and hiking, and is a member of Red Sox Nation. And she loves to travel, which is helpful in her new assignment at the U.

As advancement coordinator, Gallico oversees the development and formation of alumni chapter programs across the country, and assists in the myriad advancement and outreach efforts for the U.

A graduate of Johns Hopkins University with a B.A. in International Relations and a concentration in Latin America, Gallico previously served as a political appointee in the White House Liaison Office and Office of the Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security at the U.S. State Department in Washington, D.C. In that position, she traveled to South America to facilitate negotiations related to the International Criminal Court. Her broad and diverse experiences will be put to good use in her new position.

“I’m thrilled about the opportunity to advance the interests of the University through alumni outreach,” says Gallico, “and I welcome input from alumni on how alumni chapters can better serve you.”

Rachel can be reached at (801) 581-3966, or rachel.gallico@alumni.utah.edu. For information on upcoming alumni chapter events and activities, go to www.alumni.utah.edu/chapters.

Emeritus Alumni Honored

For their professional and civic achievements, the following Emeritus Alumni—U of U alumni who graduated 40 or more years ago—were recognized at a banquet on Nov. 8, 2006, with the Emeritus Alumni Board’s “Merit of Honor” Award:

Martha H. Ball BS’61 MEd’90, once an exchange student to Poland and a Fulbright Scholar to India, taught history for 26 years in Salt Lake City and California schools. Currently, she is director of Utah’s 3 R’s Program (Rights, Responsibilities, Respect), which trains teachers how to work with religious issues in the public schools. In 2000, Ball was named Outstanding Teacher of U.S. History by the Daughters of the American Revolution.

James L. Clayton BA’58 PhD’64, honored by the U of U Dept. of History in 2005 with a Distinguished Research Chair named after him upon his retirement, has published six books and nearly two-dozen articles on a variety of topics, particularly U.S. economic history. In 2003 he was elected Life Fellow at the University of Cambridge, England; he has also received numerous research grants over the years. Clayton’s most recent book, The Global Debt Bomb, analyzes the causes and consequences of rapidly rising public and private debt in G7 countries over the past three decades.

J. Lynn Dougan BS’58, an economist and Salt Lake City businessman, is a lifelong activist in business, education, and public service. He served on the Utah State Board of Regents; the Utah Loan Services Board, which he chaired; the Higher Education Assistance Foundation; and the National Advisory Board of the University of Utah David Eccles School of Business, among many others.

Nancy Lipman Giles BA’59, a self-described “full-time volunteer,” has a long history of public service as a member of various community boards, such as those of the U’s College of Nursing and Hospital Foundation, the Catholic Foundation of Utah, and the U of U Alumni Association. The United Way, the Junior League of Salt Lake City, and the Diocesan Council of Catholic Women are other beneficiaries of Giles’s volunteering spirit.

Raymond S. Uno BS’55 JD’58 MSW’63, a longtime advocate for human and civil rights, was interned at the War Relocation Center at Heart Mountain, Wyo., from 1942-45. Uno was the first ethnic minority to serve as District Juvenile Court Referee, Deputy County Attorney, City Court Judge, District Court Judge, and president/co-founder, Utah Minority Bar Association and Senior District Court Judge. He has been president of the National Japanese American Citizen League (JACL), and received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Office of Asian Affairs for the State of Utah.

Young Alumni Board Adds Twelve New Members

The Young Alumni Board (YAB) is composed of University of Utah alumni who have graduated within the past 15 years. The board sponsors and organizes programs that contribute to the goals of the Alumni Association, which includes implementing community service projects, raising scholarship funds, and acknowledging faculty, staff, and alumni for their professional achievements and contributions to the community. Following are the 12 members added to the YAB in 2006-07:

Angela Carter BA’96, who also holds a B.A. in elementary education from Westminster College, is a former elementary school teacher and current stay-at-home mom to 2 1/2-year-old daughter Grace.

Ashlee Christofferson BS’01, who graduated in Parks, Recreation, and Tourism, is site coordinator at the Meadowlark Site of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Salt Lake.

Joshua D. Creer BS’97, who also has an MBA from Pepperdine University, is a vice president of real estate lending at Key Bank in Salt Lake City. Previously, he was vice president/relationship manager at Wells Fargo Bank in Salt Lake City.

Chrissy G. Daniels BS’88 MS’92 is service director of Customer, Employee and Outreach Services at the University of Utah Hospitals and Clinics. She also served as project director for both the University of Utah Hospital Expansion and Eccles Critical Care Pavilion Construction.

Justin B. Farr BS’00 MFA’05 is an analyst with Energy Strategies LLC in Salt Lake City. Previously, he was an economic analyst at the Governor’s Office of Budget and Planning.

Michael J. Haney BS’00 is second vice president—wealth management at Smith Barney in Ogden, Utah. Before that he worked as a financial consultant with Wells Fargo Investments in Twin Falls, Idaho.

Jeff Herring BA’98 holds an MBA from the University of Phoenix and a J.D. from California Western School of Law. Currently, Herring is executive director of the State of Utah Department of Human Resource Management.

Loren R. Hulse BA’98 JD’01 holds two bachelor’s degrees from the U—in biology and in the Russian language. Hulse is currently an associate at the law firm of Madson & Metcalf in Salt Lake City, where she deals with patent procurement and contract analysis.

Sarah “Sammy” Linebaugh BA’95 received an M.Ed. in 1998 from Harvard University. She is currently a freelance reporter and has worked with both KSL-TV news and ABC-4 News in Salt Lake City. Previously, Linebaugh worked as an elections coordinator in Bosnia for the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.

Mikelle S. Mansfield BA’98 MBA’99, a certified public accountant, is an audit manager with PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP in Salt Lake City. Prior to that, she worked as an accounting manager with JetBlue.

Patrick Moffat BS’00, a member of the Salt Lake Board of Realtors, is a project manager with The Boyer Company, commercial and residential developers. Moffat received his M.S. degree in real estate development from Columbia University in 2002.

M. Brandon Riley BA’98, a member of the Financial Planning Association, is a self-employed financial advisor. Previously, he worked as a financial advisor with Holbrook, Riley & Associates, part of Ameriprise Financial, in South Jordan, Utah.

U-News & Views

Have you signed up yet for U-News & Views, the Alumni Association’s online newsletter? It’s designed to keep the University community and its many friends aware of the variety of activities and events taking place on the U of U campus. It includes feature stories, Alumni Association happenings, travel programs, career tips, a “Reading Room” noting publications by members of the U of U community, and a long list of cultural events taking place on campus, among other surprises.

One of the most popular sections in the newsletter is “Post-it Notes,” where alumni can post news about changes in employment, marital status or geographical location, as well as books published or Nobel Prizes won. It’s a great way to let other alumni and friends know what’s “news” in your life.

The newsletter is monthly, and it’s free! You can subscribe on the Alumni Association’s home page at www.alumni.utah.edu, where you’ll also find a link to the current issue.

Return to Winter 2006-07 table of contents