“Award/Recognition” Class Notes
Wilmah M. (“Bill”) Getchell (Col ’67)
Wilmah M. “Bill” Getchell, Jr. (Col ’67) was awarded the 2024 Morgan Wing Trophy by the National Beagle Club of America at a meeting held in November in Aldie, Virginia. This “Unsung Hero” award is given annually in recognition of contributions to the sport of beagling. Getchell is on the hunt staff of the Nantucket-Treweryn Beagles, kenneled near Berryville, Virginia.
Eugene Resnick (Col ’10 CM)
Eugene Resnick (Col ’10 CM) has been recognized in City & State‘s inaugural edition of “Who’s Who in Communications” as one of the top communications and public relations professionals in the state of New York.
Resnick has been the New York Metropolitan Transit Authority’s deputy communications director since 2021. In that role he has informed the public and the press about the arrival of new R211 subway cars, the advent of a zero-emissions bus fleet, the expansion of the One Metro New York payment system and the adoption of automated camera enforcement on buses—as well as ongoing accessibility and signal modernization upgrades.
He has worked in New York City and state government for nearly eight years and held communications roles with the New York City comptroller and the Brooklyn borough president earlier in his career.
Byron Dickson (Arch ’63 CM)
Byron Dickson (Arch ’63 CM) captured top honors in watercolor at the League of Roanoke Artists annual showcase, held at the Jefferson Center in downtown Roanoke, Virginia. His winning entry, “Wind Surfer,” was among the 94 works featured in this year’s event. Acclaimed professional artist Dana Phillips of Smith Mountain Lake, Virginia judged the contest.
Christopher Mitchell (Col ’04 CM)
Dr. Christopher Mitchell (Col ’04 CM), was recently promoted to Colonel in the U.S. Army Medical Corps. Mitchell is an active duty emergency physician and combat veteran with four tours in Iraq, Syria, and Afghanistan. He is the program director for the Emergency Medicine Residency Program at Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center, Fort Cavazos, Texas.
Laura B. Truesdale (Col ’08 CM)
Laura B. Truesdale (Col ’08 CM) of Moore & Van Allen PLLC was named to the 2024 Lawdragon 500 X – The Next Generation list. The 500 X list, now in its second year of publishing, recognizes future leaders in law and those who, according to Lawdragon, “have eyes turned toward the future and an undiminished belief in the opportunity to make an impact.” Truesdale’s practice focuses on advising clients – such as real estate developers, lenders and financial institutions, contractors, and buyers/sellers of contaminated properties – on the environmental aspects of a wide range of real-estate-related matters.
Thomas Grant (Col ’92)
Thomas C. Grant (Col ’92) has been named to the 2025 edition of Best Lawyers in America in the practice area of commercial litigation. Grant is a partner at Freed Grant LLC, where he focuses his practice on complex business litigation, commercial real estate, probate, appellate, and insurance defense matters.
Jules Manger (Col ’03 CM)
Jules P. Manger (Col ’03, Res ’14 CM) has been recognized by Newsweek in the first annual ranking of America’s Best Prostate Cancer Surgeons. The list recognizes the 150 best prostate cancer surgeons in America based on outcomes data and peer review. Dr. Manger lives in Tucson, Arizona with his wife Linda (Williams) Manger (Col ’03 CM) and three sons.
Marlene Hall (Col ’96 CM)
Marlene Hall (Col ’96 CM) was named one of the top 10 producing real estate agents for the state of Virginia for eXp Realty LLC for the month of June 2024.
Steve Odabashian (Col ’91)
Steve Odabashian (Col ’91) was recently honored by two Philadelphia-area publications for his work in the test prep industry. He was named “Best SAT Coach” by Philadelphia Magazine in its August 2024 “Best of Philly – 50th anniversary edition.” In addition, his test prep company Main Line Test Prep and Tutoring was named “Best College Prep Service” by Main Line Today Magazine in its July 2024 issue.
Stephen Rademaker (Col ’81, Law ’84, Grad ’85 CM)
Stephen Rademaker (Col ’81, Law ’84, Grad ’85 CM) is a finalist for The American Lawyer magazine’s “Attorney of the Year” for work he did on behalf of Radio Free Europe reporter Alsu Kurmasheva to win her freedom from arbitrary detainment in Russia.
Robert Lufkin (Med ’79)
Robert Lufkin (Med ’79) has published Lies I Taught in Medical School, a New York Times bestseller based on his experience as a full professor at UCLA and USC medical schools. The book has been described as a riveting, cautionary tale of how medicine has gotten things so wrong (and continues to) in the area of metabolic health.
A free sample chapter is available at https://www.robertlufkinmd.com/lies/
Lara Gastinger (Col ’98 CM)
Lara Gastinger (Col ’98 CM) will be featured in Charlottesville’s first Botanical Art Festival, to be held Sept. 7-12 at the Botanical Garden of the Piedmont. Gastinger will kick off the festival with “Introduction to Nature Journaling,” an introduction to a technique known as the perpetual journal. Attendees will learn strategies to observe and document the natural world around them. Gastinger will demonstrate her drawing and painting techniques and will provide opportunities for the attendees to draw along with her.
The festival will offer free art programming for all ages, botanically-themed workshops, and collaborations with regional artists and organizations, culminating in a ticketed botanical art show supporting local artists and the garden. It is the first of its kind for the region and is intended to bring the garden to the attention of many Virginians.
Patricia Leonard (Col ’88 CM)
Patricia A. Steenberg Leonard (Col ’88 CM) has been named one of the Top 50 woman lawyers in the State of Florida by Florida Super Lawyers. Leonard is a business trial attorney at Shutts & Bowen LLP in West Palm Beach, Florida, where she practices commercial litigation, labor and employment litigation, and intellectual property litigation.
Jay Jerome (Grad ’81 CM)
Jay Jerome, Ph.D. (Grad ’81 CM) has received the 2024 Distinguished Scientist— Biological Sciences Award from the Microscopy Society of America. This award is the highest award given by the society and recognizes preeminent senior scientists who have a long-standing record of achievement during their career in the field of microscopy or microanalysis.
Myron Santos (Col ’01 CM)
Myron Santos (Col ’01 CM) has been nominated for a Primetime Emmy for his work on The Amazing Race in the category of Outstanding Picture Editing for a Structured Reality or Competition Program. It is his second nomination; his first came for RuPaul’s Drag Race: All-Stars in 2019. Santos and his wife and their 9-year-old daughter live in Los Angeles. He is a member of the Motion Picture Editors Guild (IATSE Local 700) and The Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and is on the board of the U.Va Entertainment Club of Los Angeles.
John Allis (Col ’75)
John Allis (Col ’75) and Cathy Allis (Educ ’77) have received organic certification for Kennebec Oat Farm. The farm is located in eastern coastal Maine and grows milky oats, wild raspberry leaf and lady’s mantle leaf. John continues as a licensed engineer in Maine, Colorado and Virginia, although most of his time is spent on the oat farm.
Don Slesnick (Col ’65 CM)
Don Slesnick (Col ’65 CM) received the Henry M. Flagler Community Builder Award at the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce’s Annual Goals Conference banquet in June. The award, which acknowledges lifetime contributions to South Florida, was given to Slesnick and his late wife Jeannett, who was honored posthumously.
Sean McGee (Darden ’90)
Sean McGee (Darden ’90) has been named to the 2024 “Forbes Best-In-State Wealth Advisors” list.
McGee is a senior vice president, wealth management adviser with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management in Yardley, Pennsylvania. He is Chartered Financial Analyst, Certified Financial Planner and Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor. McGee has been named to the Forbes “Best-in-State Wealth Advisors” list every year since 2018. He lives in Flemington, New Jersey.
Ben Rosenthal (Com ’05 CM)
Ben Rosenthal (Com ’05 CM) has been named an Entrepreneur of The Year 2024 Southwest award winner by Ernest & Young LLP. Rosenthal is co-president and CEO of Standard Meat Company in Fort Worth, Texas. Entrepreneur of The Year is a competitive awards program for entrepreneurs and leaders of high-growth companies.
Russ Petrin (Col ’00 CM)
Russ Petrin (Col ’00 CM) has been promoted to Executive Director at Morgan Stanley Wealth Management and also recently attained the additional title of Alternative Investments Director, which recognizes his team’s proficiency in and commitment to investments that go beyond traditional stocks and bonds. Russ, his wife Carrie, and son Sam (12) live in Highlands Ranch, Colorado.
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