Lucas Dart
director of the UNK Alumni Association, 308.865.8474
The University of Nebraska at Kearney Alumni Association has elected three new officers and appointed nine alumni to leadership positions on the board, according to Lucas Dart, UNK Alumni Association director.
Chad Rutar of Omaha, a financial adviser with Renaissance Financial, is the newly elected president. Rutar was a member of the UNK Class of 1997. He succeeds Brenda Snodgrass Christensen (Class of 1983) of Minden. Brian Koontz (Class of 1995) of Kearney,
is president-elect, and Andrea Walton Miller (Class of 2002) of Scottsbluff, secretary. The officers serve a one-year term, 2009-2010.
The newly appointed board members will serve three-year terms. The new board members, listed alphabetically by community and state, include: Mark Felker (Class of 1986) of Alliance, president of JAM4 Creative; Katrina Jacobsen Rother (Class of 2000, master of science) of Grand Island, integration specialist with the Grand Island Public Schools; Dr. Pat Hoehner (Class of 1956, M.S. in education 1967 and educational specialist 1982) of Kearney, UNK assistant professor of educational administration; Nancy McCarthy Polk (Class of 1974) of Kearney, a substitute teacher with Kearney Public Schools; Kip Magner (Class of 1992) of Lincoln, data analyst for Physicians Mutual Insurance Co.; Dr. Brett Kuhn (Class of 1986) of Omaha, an associate professor of pediatrics at the University of Nebraska Medical Center; Brett Walker (Class of 1999) of Brighton, Colo., business development manager for Westwood College; Carol Green Ballain (Class of 1965) of Fort Colllins, Colo., a retired teacher; and Bethany Spilde (Class of 2006) of Council Bluffs, Iowa, president of Social Buzz Media, a company she owns.
Seven board members have completed their three-year terms this year and are now trustees of the association. The seven, also listed alphabetically by community, include: Fred Arnold (Class of 1983) of Fairbury, Stephanie Hueftle Vogel (Class of 1989) of Lincoln, Deb Schwenka (Class of 1976) of Minden, Andrew Romatzke (Class of 2001) ofOmaha, Sue Batie (Class of 1973) of Cypress, Calif., Bob Warren (Class of 1964) of McMinnville, Ore., and Candy Fernau (Class of 1996) of Dallas, Texas.