Thank you very much to Patrick Verda ’89 for speaking to Fred Hoyt’s Marketing 339 class about experience as Director of Regional Development for Cengage Learning!
Patrick Verda ’89
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Author Archives: classnews
Eric Gardner ’89
Eric Gardner ’89 was awarded his second National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) fellowship, which will provide $60,000 worth of funding to support his year-long study of Frances Ellen Watkins Harper, a nineteenth-century African American writer, orator, and activist. Click here to read more about his work.
Congratulations, Eric! 
Ron Ekstrand ’86
Congratulations to Ron Ekstrand ’86 for being named the president and CEO of Easterseals, a nonprofit providing support to people with disabilities and their families. He spent 10 years as an executive at Easterseals and another 20 years working at other businesses before that. Read more about his accomplishment here.
Peter Berg ’83
In September of 2019, Peter Berg ’83 was named the Director of the School of Human Resources and Labor Relations at Michigan State University where he has been a professor for 21 years.
Best of luck on your new adventure, Peter!
Jennie Seeling ’89
In December of last year, Jennie Seeling ’89 began a new position as Sales Director for Legends in Concert, the longest running show on the Las Vegas Strip.
Congratulations and best of luck with your new position, Jennie!
Angie Dyer ’81
We are saddened to inform you that Angie Dyer ’81 passed away on November 29, 2019. She was born on March 10, 1959 and graduated from Beardstown High School in 1977. She earned her BSN in 1981, and worked at Memorial Medical Center for 25 years. Angie retired from Springfield Clinic as a TeleNurse. She was the queen of the 2000/2001 Christmas Parades in Springfield, Illinois, and a member of Our Savior’s Lutheran church in Springfield as well. She is survived by her husband, Steve Dyer, her two sons, seven sisters, and other family members.
Read her full obituary here.
Jim Barnett ’82
Congratulations to Jim Barnett ’82, director of the Senior Songsters of Kirksville, Missouri, who are set to begin their Christmas concert tour on December 8th. You can read more, and an interview with Jim, here.
Maureen Skerda ’82
Congratulations to Maureen Skerda ’82, who spoke at the November meeting of the Warren County (Pennsylvania) Well Armed Woman chapter.
Beth Messina ’81
Thank you to Beth Messina ’81 for representing Northwest Community Healthcare at the IWU Nursing career fair on November 13th!
Bruce Cather ’80
Thank you to Bruce Cather ’80 for participating in the Hart Career Center luncheon with students on November 13th, which included alumni of finance, accounting, business, and computer science backgrounds.