Audre has had a profound impact on the development of Geauga County. The Ohio Fairs Hall of Fame inducted him for his 65-year service as a director of The Great Geauga County Fair – longer than anyone else in Ohio and more than one-third of the 181 years that the fair has been in existence. The 2010 Fair marked the 95th year that he has attended the fair. Outside of the Fair, Audre has been a long time member and leader in the local grange, Geauga County Soil & Water Conservation Board, Geauga County Cooperative Association, Geauga County Maple Festival, Geauga County 4-H Advisory Committee, and Village of Newbury Trustee. In 1948, Audre received two awards: Geauga County Farm Family and Ohio Dairy Farmer of the Year.
THOMAS MATTERN
Tom enjoyed a 31 year career as an American History teacher at Beachwood High School, Strongsville High School and for 25 years at Chagrin Falls Middle School. He has been honored in his profession by being named the 1st Chagrin Falls Schools “Teacher of the Year” and the Ohio Outstanding American History Teacher of the Year by the Ohio Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution. Tom has served on the Board of Directors for the Chagrin Valley Recreation Center, Main Street of Chagrin Falls, United Methodist Church, and Meals-On-Wheels. Several awards have been named in his honor for outstanding 8th grade history student, CFHS Athletic Department Service Award and CFAA Alumni Scholarship. Tom was named the 1996 Citisun of the Year by the Chagrin Herald Sun/West Geauga Sun. The Chagrin Valley Jaycees has honored him with the Distinguished Service Award and selecting him to be Grand Marshall of the Blossom Time Parade. In his retirement he helped to oversee the formation of Chagrin Falls Alumni Association, served as its Director for 15 years and is currently serving as Alumni Director Emeritus.
RICK BOLANDER
Rick has been a successful venture capitalist in the areas of communications, applications and Internet/ mobile services. He is the Managing Director and co-founder of Gabriel Venture Partners. Over his career he has been involved in more than 50 venture investments and led over $100M in early-stage financings. While at AT&T, Rick received the President’s Award and the Quality Management of the Year Award. He also taught computer architecture at his alma mater, the University of Michigan. Currently Rick serves on several Board of Directors, coaches his children’s teams in various sports and has been a frequent contributor to at-risk children and educational charities.
THE HONORABLE DAVID L. FUHRY
Judge Fuhry is an accomplished attorney who has combined his law practice with a long history of service to the community. Dave graduated Summa Cum Laude from Kent State University in 1974 and the Ohio State University College of Law, Juris Doctorate in 1977. For 18 years he taught business law courses for KSU. In 1985 he was elected a Parkman Township Trustee and appointed Magistrate of the Chardon Municipal Court-à position he held for 20 years. He has served as President and Treasurer of the Geauga County Bar Association, as well as numerous other community organizations. He initiated the Geauga County Settlement Day in 1988 aimed at resolving legal disputes by mediation prior to protracted litigation. The program continues to this day with the cooperation of the County’s judges. He presently is serving a 6-year term as Judge of the Geauga County Common Pleas Court. David has been married to Mary Lou since 1980. Their four children: Louise Ann, David, Stephen and Martin range in age from 17 – 24. Dave enjoys bicycling, local and American history, raising fancy poultry, hunting and fishing.
BRIAN MCDERMOTT
With nine siblings, Brian learned early how to get along with others, which also garnered him the title of “Most Friendly” by his Class of 1972 classmates. Nowadays Brian and his wife, Charlene, have enjoyed running multiple restaurants in Indiana, but he has found greater joy as a missionary with over 30 trips to Haiti. His tireless efforts have saved lives through annual medical aid trips that have treated over 6,000, educated thousands of children, brought in over 400 water purification units, built a church and improved the daily lives of many villages in Haiti.
HELEN K. WU M.D.
Dr. Wu is the Director of Refractive Surgery at the New England Eye Center and an Associate Professor of Ophthalmology at Tufts University. Dr. Wu completed her undergraduate degree in biology at the University of Michigan and her medical degree at The Ohio State University, College of Medicine. Her ophthalmology residency was performed at the Kellogg Eye Center in Ann Arbor, MI. Helen completed her dual fellowship training in ocular immunology and uveitis and in cornea refractive surgery, both at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary. She plays a leadership role in major worldwide ophthalmology organizations, including important committee memberships in the American Academy of Ophthalmology and the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery. Helen has published numerous scientific papers related to refractive surgery and edited the textbook Refractive Surgery. Dr. Wu has served as a key investigator in numerous FDA clinical trials where new LASIK technologies are developed and perfected. Dr. Wu was named among the Best Doctors in America: February 2006 “Top Doctor” issue of Boston Magazine. She is married to Dr. Jussi Saukkonen, a pulmonologist. They have two children; Julia, age 9, and Daniel, age 6. Helen and her husband enjoy ballroom dancing, traveling, skiing, hiking, swimming and skating.
RICHARD A. D’ARDENNE
Following his graduation from Purdue in 1980, with a degree in Chemical Engineering, Richard took a job with Phillips 66 Company in Pasadena, Texas. His 26-year career with Phillips, now ConocoPhillips has taken him around the world and placed him in charge of several billion-dollar projects. As a vice president he is currently heading the future capital projects program in Australia and the Timor. The venture centers on liquefied natural gas, which is an alternative to using gas pipelines and has been a new focus for the energy giant ConocoPhillips. From 1999-2004 he was the project and construction manager for a $1.3 billion dollar contract executed in Venezuela that employed a labor workforce of over 7000 people. While in Venezuela, he served as president of the school board at an international school in Puerto La Cruz. Despite his travels, Richard has remained active, including holding the positions of deacon at his church and president of his community association in Houston. While in Chagrin, he lettered in cross-country and track, and was awarded the Bausch & Lomb Science Award. Richard fondly remembers Skip Riegel his scoutmaster and former Sands Elementary principal. Under Mr. Riegel’s leadership he went on to earn his Eagle Scout rank and then work as a scout camp counselor for five summers in high school and college. Richard also enjoyed the time he spent in four years of high school musicals working under Harold Loesch and Molly Macknin. He credits the Chagrin Falls School System and Purdue University for providing him with a solid educational foundation. Richard relies upon his faith to persevere through the difficult times. He is grateful to his wife Paula of 23 years and their three great kids; Ben, Sarah and Jordan for their support. In his free time Richard enjoys golf, although not a golfer, travel, hunting, fishing and reading.
RICHARD BODWELL
Dick Bodwell is the recipient of the first Chagrin Falls Alumni Association Community Service Award. Dick graduated in 1955 and married his high school sweetheart, Pudge Fischer ’56. They have been married 48 years. After entering the insurance business and living in Chicago, Detroit, Albuquerque and Houston, Dick and Pudge decided that they would like to raise their family in Chagrin Falls. Together they have three children: Brad *78, Beth ’81 and Greg’83. Since their return in 1970, Dick has given his time to many groups in the Chagrin Valley including: working with youth as a coach and umpire through the Chagrin Athletic Association, serving our schools and athletic programs as a Board member of the Chagrin Falls Booster Club and member of the CFHS Advisory Committee, service to his church as a Sunday School Teacher, Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Good News Jail and Prison Ministry at the Geauga County Jail, and as a councilperson, Village Council President, and then Mayor. For the last two years he has been the Parade Marshall of the annual Memorial Day Service that takes place at Evergreen Cemetery. Dick’s service to the community has been recognized in the past as he has been the recipient of the Kemper’s President’s Club Cup in 1979, John Alden’s Top Hat Award in 1990, and the Chagrin Valley Jaycee’s Distinguished Service Award in 1992. Dick also enjoys playing golf. He and Pudge spend their free time traveling, collecting antiques and spending time with their five grandchildren-all boys!
ALLISON ENGEL
Allison’s career in journalism started as co-editor of the 1969 Zenith and has taken her around the country and brought her many accolades. She graduated with honors with a degree in journalism from Iowa State University in 1973. She has served as a newspaper reporter, magazine editor and freelance writer. Her work has been published in the Washington Post, LA Times, NY Times, Wall Street Journal, Esquire and Saveur, among other publications. Her work at the San Jose (CA) Mercury resulted in a Knight Journalism Fellowship at Stanford University. She co-authored with her twin sister Peggy “Food Finds: America’s Best Local Foods and the People Who Make Them.” This led to interviews on the Larry King Show, CNN, The Today Show, etc. The book was sold seven years ago to the Food Network resulting in the TV show that currently airs. In 1996 she was awarded an endowed chair at Iowa State University, and in 2002, was given an unprecedented second endowed chair. Allison was the speechwriter and aide for the Governor and Lt. Governor of Iowa, before moving to California in 2000. Last year, she joined the Communications Department of the University of Southern California as the senior writer/editor, and was named USC’s Faculty/Staff Mentor of the Year. She joins her sister Peggy in the CFAA Achievement Hall of Fame. Allison and her husband Scott Kirkpatrick have been married for 33 years. They have two children, Miles, a college graduate and golf professional and Nora, who majored in acting at UCLA. They have always had many cats and dogs, but are currently down to one ungrateful cat, Checkers, who rules the house. Allison’s interests include: architecture with an emphasis on vintage commercial buildings, old neon and diner signs, as well as quilts and textiles.
MELISSA HURST
It would seem that Melissa has been active in the theater and the arts all her life. During her high school years at Chagrin her burgeoning talent was recognized and rewarded by a scholarship to the Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan where she studied drama and graduated with honors in 1973. She attended Southern Methodist University and then transferred to New York University where she graduated with a BFA in 1978. Melissa has played featured roles on television’s Law and Order, and Guiding Light, and recently played Dr. Cambrini in the film Love in 3. She has performed in numerous award-winning New York and regional productions. In the past year, Melissa has appeared in stage productions of William Inge’s Picnic, Herb Gardner’s I’m Not a Rappaport, and Henry Fielding’s Tom Jones. In New York City Melissa is a member of the Playwright’s Gallery Acting Company, and is a regular performer in the cult-hit show, Cause Celeb. She most recently has written and performed a one-woman show entitled Baby Love that has received excellent reviews. In service to her community Melissa has performed extensively with Performance Plus and Plays for Living, two New York based organizations that present socially relevant dramas to schools, hospitals, and businesses. Topics of these dramas have included: domestic violence, sexual harassment, and diversity in the workplace. Melissa is married to actor Richard Council and they live in New York City and Vermont with their son Will.
JAMES FENNIMORE MURLEY
Jim is presently the Director of the Cantonese Center for Urban & Environmental Solutions at Florida Atlantic University. His career has been a combination of public and private service focusing on managing growth and development with an eye on the environment. The Cantonese Center is dedicated to helping communities and decision makers manage urban and environmental issues through partnerships in education and research. From 1995 to 1999, Jim served as the Secretary of the Florida Department of Community Affairs overseeing implementation of growth management laws, as well as disaster relief. In this most recent role Jim coordinated relief efforts during major hurricanes. From 1987 to 1995, Jim served as the Executive Director of 1000 Friends of Florida, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting healthy urban and natural places through wise management of growth and change. Jim received his BA in History and Political Science from Denison University. Jim completed his master’s work at George Washington University and in 1974, his Juris Doctor at the National Law Center. Jim was awarded a Bronze Star for his service to our country in Vietnam.
STEFFANIE PEARCE VASQUEZ
Soprano Steffanie Pearce has enjoyed a distinguished career throughout Europe and the United States as a singing actress. She has won The Pavarotti Competition, Montreal International, D’Angelo and the American Traditions competition among others. On the opera stage she is most noted for distinctive portrayals of tragic heroines including: Violetta, Leonora, Marguerite, Donna Anna, Donna Elvira, The Countess in Figaro and Tosca. She has performed with many opera companies including: Opera de Marseille, The Bulgarian State Opera, Opera Lisboa, The Opera Co. of Philadelphia, San Diego Opera, The Buxton Festival in England and many European and U.S. tours with Teatro Lyrico d Europe. Equally at home on the concert stage, she has performed with The Montreal Symphony and The Lexington Philharmonic. Steffanie has appeared as a soloist at many famous theaters including; Carnegie Hall, The Hollywood Bowl, Kennedy Center and Lincoln Center. She enjoys performing solo recitals and teaching voice.
TINA SHAFER
Beginning with performances on the stage of the Chagrin Falls Schools’ auditorium on Philomethian Street, Tina Shafer has become a successful singer/songwriter. She has written songs for some of pop music’s biggest stars, including Celine Dion, Bette Midler, Donna Summer, Sheena Easton, Phoebe Snow and many others. Her song “Love Is On The Way” was the featured ballad in the film “The First Wives Club.” Her debut CD “Backyard Sky” was dedicated to Chagrin Falls and her own backyard where she said, “so many dreams took seed.” Tina has a publishing contract with Artemis Music, a division of Warner Chappell. A great believer in bringing the work of songwriters to the public, Tina has been coordinator of The New York Songwriters Circle for the past 12 years. It has served the songwriting community as a stepping-stone to record labels and publishing companies. She is also a teacher and worked with major record label artists such as Vanessa Carlton and Avril Lavigne.
DOUGLAS C. BAKER
Doug Baker’s career in the performing arts began in his senior year when he was director of the Orange and Black Review. Early in his chosen vocation he was manager of numerous Broadway productions in New York City. Presently, Doug is in his 14th season as general manager of Center Theatre Group in Los Angeles. It is one of the largest and most active theatre companies in the nation. CTG stages programming year round at the 750-seat Mark Taper Forum and the 2000-seat Ahmanson Theatre at the Performing Arts Center of Los Angeles County. Attendance exceeds 800,000 people a year. He is on the Board of Governors of the Association of Theatrical Press Agents and Managers and has been a guest lecturer at the Yale School of Drama and California State University. Doug was a founding trustee of Musical Theatre Works, a non-profit theatre based in New York City. He has worked closely with such stars as Carol Channing, Mary Martin, Yule Brynner, Mickey Rooney, Ed Asner, Carol Burnett and many others.
JACK H. SCHRON, JR.
Jack Schron is a success in the business world and also as a public servant. He is president of Jergens, Inc., a privately owned manufacturing company that distributes manufactured products throughout the world. He is also president of Tooling University, which provides an online manufacturing training resource for individuals and businesses. It has over 120 industrial classes with 40 in Spanish. Jack is a member of the Cleveland State University Business School Advisory Board. In 2004 he received from the Ohio Chapter of the National School Public Relations Association one of 10 statewide Friend of Education Awards for contributions to education in Ohio. He has served his community through hours of volunteer service. Most notably, he served on the Chagrin Falls Board of Education for 12 years, seven as vice president and president. He is a licensed attorney with three years active duty with The U.S. Army JAG Corps and served in the U.S. Army Reserves for 28 years. Jack is also a founding member and current president of the Chagrin Falls Alumni Association.