Class of 1985

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(Notes posted in the order they were received, with the newest posts on top.)

Randall Wallace, a partner with Lathrop & Gage in Springfield, Missouri, has been elected as the 2009 board president for the Springfield Business Development Corporation. In 2008, Randall was a finalist for the "Missouri Lawyer of the Year" award administered by Missouri Lawyers Weekly. He has served as a board member of the influential southwest Missouri business development organization since 2005, during which he helped develop the Angel Investor Network, a group designed to match angel investors with local companies seeking capital. In 2005, he served as delegation leader for the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce’s trade mission to China. Randall has also served as chairman of the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce and chairman of the Greene County Planning & Zoning Board. He currently serves as a board member and officer of the Missouri Partnership. At Lathrop & Gage, he practices in mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, securities, and economic development incentives. Posted 2-10-09

Douglas Brandon has been appointed General Counsel, Secretary and Senior Vice President for TerreStar Corporation, based on Reston, Virginia, and its subsidiaries. Doug has more than 20 years of experience in the wireless telecommunications industry. Prior to joining TerreStar, Brandon was Vice President of External Affairs & Law, Chief Counsel for Federal Affairs, and Associate General Counsel at AT&T Wireless Services, Inc. Prior to AT&T Wireless, Brandon was a Vice President of McCaw Cellular Communications, Inc. Doug is a member of the New York, District of Columbia and Virginia (Corporate Counsel) Bars. He is also admitted to appear before the Supreme Court of the United States and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second, Ninth and District of Columbia Circuits. After graduating from law school, he was a law clerk to the Honorable William H. Timbers of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. TerreStar Corporation is the controlling shareholder of TerreStar Networks Inc. and TerreStar Global Ltd., which offer satellite mobile broadband network and other communications services. Posted 1-12-09

Michael Kranitz, whose business, KAANGO Classifieds, is based in Denver, Colorado, was a finalist for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2008 Award in the Rocky Mountain Region. The nomination means that E&Y’s slate of independent judges “recognized Kaango’s role as an innovator in the newspaper classifieds industry,” Michael said. KAANGO provides web-to-web, web-to-print and print-to-web classified ad software for newspapers, television stations and other publishers of online classified listings.
Posted on web 8-26-08

Eric L. Zalud, a partner with Benesch Friedlander Coplan & Aronoff in Cleveland, OH, has been listed as one of the "Top 50 Ohio Super Lawyers in Cleveland" and one of the "Top 100 in Ohio" by Ohio Superlawyers Magazine. The Ohio Super Lawyers were determined through a process that included a balloting of more than 35,000 Ohio attorneys, a screening of credentials and a review by a blue ribbon panel of lawyers from each area of practice.

DoezemaJames  James B. Doezema, a shareholder in Foster Swift Collins & Smith's Grand Rapids office, has recently been named Chair of the City of Grand Rapids Planning Commission. Doezema has served on the Planning Commission since 2002. His law practice is focused in the areas of litigation, real estate and business organization and planning. He is also a licensed Real Estate Broker.

Jim Shulman was named Deputy Commisioner for the Tennessee Department of Health, reporting to Health Commissioner Susan R. Cooper, MSN, RN.. The move reflects Shulman's history in state government, where he has previously served as director of member services for TennCare, worked on the governor's health care safety net, and on CoverTennessee. He has also served on the legislative staff of Speaker Jimmy Naifeh. A former member of Nashville's Metro Council, Shulman served two terms and chaired the Budget, Public Works, and Transportation Committee's during his tenure.

DohertyKevin  Kevin Doherty has been inducted as chair of the Better Business Bureau of Middle Tennessee. Kevin is a partner at Burr & Forman in Nashville, practicing in the insurance group and representing clients of its entertainment law practice. Kevin, a member of the Middle Tennessee Better Business Bureau board since 2001, will serve as chair for 2007-08.

PeraLucian  Lucian T. Pera co-authored the cover story of the June 2006 issue of the Tennessee Bar Journal, entitled "Shock Waves: Will court's new rules help Tennessee judicial candidates deal with aftershocks of 'White' decision?". Lucian is a partner with the law firm of Adams and Reese in Memphis, Tennessee.

AllenKatherine  Katherine Simpson Allen, of the Nashville law firm Stites & Harbison, has been elected to the American College of Commercial Finance Lawyers, a professional association of commercial finance lawyers, jurists and academics who have achieved preeminence in the field of commercial finance law and have contributed to the education of others through teachings, lecturing or published writings. Kathi is a transactional attorney with extensive experience in commercial financial services, creditors' rights and commercial transactions. She specializes in structuring, negotiating and documenting complex financial arrangements both before and after bankruptcy.

Jennie Carlson, the executive vice president and director of human resources at U.S. Bancorp (NYSE: USB), has been named one of the 15 "Top Women in Finance," a special publication in the October 27th edition of Finance and Commerce. Jennie is responsible for U.S. Bancorp's employment and employee relations areas, which include recruiting, succession planning and leadership development. She is also responsible for U.S. Bancorp's payroll function, which exceeds $2 billion annually, and the design and administration of the company's employee health and welfare, and retirement plans. Before assuming her position in human resources, Jennie was a member of the U.S. Bancorp legal team. She led the legal group as general counsel and corporate secretary at Firstar and Star Bank, predecessor companies to U.S. Bancorp. Jennie also successfully managed the legal aspects of a number of bank mergers for the company.


Do you have news you would like to share or just want to let everyone know what you are up to these days? Submit your class note online, e-mail Grace Renshaw or call 615-322-2606.

Please check the "Alumni MIA" list to see if you can help us find any of your "lost" classmates!

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