“Other” Class Notes

Brian T. Wesley (Col ’03) is engaged to Nicole L. Fischer (Col ’04). Mr. Wesley, the son of Ronald Wesley (Law ’75), is managing attorney at Thornton Wesley in Richmond, Virginia. Ms. Fischer is the assistant director of outreach and licensed psychologist at the UVA Counseling and Psychological Services in Charlottesville. A summer 2019 wedding is planned.

M. James Faison (Law ’09) launched Milton’s Local, a brand of all-natural bacon and sausages in Charlottesville-area Food Lion stores. Faison originally pitched the idea for the company at Charlottesville’s Tom Tom Founders Festival in 2013. Milton’s Local was named for Faison’s grandfather, who was a Virginia farmer. The brand has won several awards, including those from the Specialty Food Association, the Natural Products Association and Garden & Gun magazine.

Mike Widener (Col ’72 L/M) has published Joint Tenancies: Property Leasing in Cannabis Commerce (ABA Book Publishing), an analytical look at the landlord-tenant relationship engaging the marijuana industry. Widener has published two dozen articles in academic and trade journals while being an adjunct professor of law and of counsel at Bonnett, Fairbourn, Friedman & Balint. This is his second book. Widener is a member of the Arizona State Liquor Board and a zoning adjustment hearing officer for the City of Phoenix.

George House (Law ’72) was recognized by the 2018 edition of Super Lawyers of North Carolina as a top lawyer in the field of environmental litigation. Mr. House is a lawyer with Brooks Pierce in Greensboro, North Carolina.

Mark Davidson (Law ’83) was selected for the 2018 edition of Super Lawyers of North Carolina as a top lawyer in the field of business/corporate law. Mr. Davidson is a lawyer with Brooks Pierce in Greensboro, North Carolina.

Bill Cary (Col ’71, Darden ’76, Law ’76) was selected by the 2018 edition of Super Lawyers of North Carolina as one of the top lawyers in the field of employment/labor law. Mr. Cary is a lawyer with Brooks Pierce in Greensboro, North Carolina.

Gary Goodman (Col ’67 L/M), Jim Morgan (Col ’67, Med ’71 L/M), Ken Poates (Col ’67, Med ’73), Laurie Croft (Col ’67 L/M), Bruce Thomas (Col ’67, Res ’77), Fred Jones (Col ’67 L/M), Ned Jones (Col ’67 L/M) and Bill Marr (Col ’67 L/M), members of the 1963 first year football team known as The 21 Jewels, were together at their 50th reunion. Officially, the team was so-named because 1963 was the first year UVA awarded a record number of 21 football athletic scholarships. However, there was general consensus that the team’s nickname most accurately described the gem-like quality of the players; let history so record.   

Patricia Cooper (Col ’05, Law ’10 L/M) donated the right lobe of her liver to her father, Dr. Wayne D. Cooper in a complex liver transplant surgery at the University of Maryland Medical Center on Dec. 5, 2017. Dr. Cooper was suffering from end stage liver disease, and Ms. Cooper volunteered to donate her liver to him, as there was a low chance that he would ever receive a cadaver donor from the transplant list. They were each hospitalized for one week and are both recovering well. Ms. Cooper has returned to her home in Miami, Florida, and is back to work full-time as an immigration attorney at Gerstein & Gerstein Attorneys.  Dr. Cooper is home in McLean, Virginia. The Washington Post covered their story here. Dr. Cooper is the father of two other UVA graduates, Ryan Cooper (Col ’07), and Becky McDannel (Com ’11 L/M). 

Gabriela Gutowski (Arch ’05 L/M) and David Hammack (Engr ’05) are engaged to be married. The couple reside in Falls Church, Virginia, and an April 2018 wedding is planned in Charlottesville. Ms. Gutowski is the daughter of Andrew Gutowski (Arch ’75) and Francesca Lupica Gutowski (Arch ’74). 

David Theisz (Engr ’04) and Erika Chiang (Col ’04) welcomed their first child, Henry Ming-Yu, on Nov. 4, 2017. Henry is the grandson of Gordon Frederick Theisz Jr. (Engr ’59, ’66) and the nephew of Gordon W. Theisz (Med ’98). The family lives in Arlington, Virginia.

Doug Doughty (Col ’74), a sports reporter in Roanoke, Virginia, has been named to the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame. He will be inducted in April.

Martha “Marty” Elcan (Col ’78) worked as a first assistant director on an episode of “Grey’s Anatomy” and was surprised to find two fellow UVA theater majors were actors on the show: Jason George (Col ’94 L/M), who plays Ben and will be headlining the new Shonda Rhimes firefighter spin-off series, and Sarah Drew (Col ’02), who plays April. Saying hi from the set!

Justin Humphreys (Col ’01) cataloged the original Robby the Robot prop from the 1956 film Forbidden Planet, which recently set a world record for the most expensive movie prop to ever sell at auction. The robot’s record-breaking sale for $5.3 million was covered by the New York Times, CBS News and other news outlets.

Robert Chambliss “Cham” Light Jr. (Col ’76 L/M) was the lead panelist in a Virginia Law Foundation continuing legal education seminar on “Improving Your Results in Bodily Injury Claims” on Oct. 20, 2017. For his presentation, Mr. Light drew on more than 30 years as an assistant general counsel and claims director with Nationwide Insurance Company.   

Steven Le (Col ’15) has created MeeteR, a free app that provides a centralized platform through which college students can connect with friends and colleagues. First launching exclusively at UVA, MeeteR enhances opportunities for social connection, facilitates outreach, strengthens collegiate bonds, and fosters personal and professional relationships in campus communities across the country. More information is available here.