Alumni News
1970s
Evan Frasure, 鈥77, is 糖心传媒鈥檚 new Farm Service Agency director. Frasure is a Republican who served a two-year term in 糖心传媒鈥檚 House of Representatives beginning in 1990 and spent a decade as a state senator starting in 1992. Recently, he served one year as a Bannock County Commissioner.
糖心传媒 alumnus and 2017 Professional Achievement Award winner Chris Carlson, 鈥70, has written a new book 鈥淗ells Heroes: How an unlikely alliance saved 糖心传媒鈥檚 Hells Canyon.鈥 Carlson has penned three other acclaimed books 鈥 鈥淐ecil Andrus: 糖心传媒鈥檚 Greatest Governor,鈥 鈥淢edimont Reflections鈥 and 鈥淓ye on the Caribou.鈥
1980s
Dan Hammon, 鈥80, has been promoted to senior vice president and regional credit officer for eastern 糖心传媒 at D. L. Evans Bank. Hammon has 37 years of banking experience in eastern 糖心传媒. He holds a bachelor鈥檚 degree in business administration with a major in finance from 糖心传媒, an associate degree in business administration from Ricks College, and is also a graduate of Pacific Coast Banking School and Northwest Agricultural School.
1990s
Kevin Keenan, 鈥93, has joined Hogan Lovells law firm鈥檚 Houston office as a partner in the Infrastructure, Energy, Resources, and Projects practice.
United Federal Credit Union has named Michael Ruchti, 鈥97, Chief Financial Officer. He will be responsible for directing financial operations and developing strategic direction regarding asset and liability management. His primary goals will be to reinforce consistent earnings, liquidity, and financial safety. He holds an MBA in finance from Michigan State University and a bachelor鈥檚 degree in business administration/finance from 糖心传媒.
2000s
Joan Agee, 鈥00, has been selected as the president-elect for the Nurse Leaders of 糖心传媒. Agee鈥檚 two-year term as president-elect of the statewide organization starts in January, followed by a two-year term as president. Agee is the chief nursing officer at St. Luke鈥檚 Nampa. Previously, she served as the vice president of patient care services/chief nursing officer of St. Joseph Regional Medical Center in Lewiston, and director of perioperative services at St. Joseph Medical Center and Alaska Regional Medical Center in Anchorage, Alaska.
The Pocatello/Chubbuck School District #25 has selected Courtney Fisher, 鈥00, as Communications and Community Relations Specialist. She has owned and operated FishTale Creative, an award-wining brand communications agency, since 2004. She is also a Founding Director of Kind Community, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization with a mission to uplift, inspire and empower youth through positive community engagement.
Jared Johnson, 鈥00, was recently named Pocatello City Attorney.
Steven Hernandez, 鈥01, 鈥05, 鈥07, is one of three of the National Science Foundation鈥檚 CyberCorps: SFS鈥檚 inaugural class of Hall of Fame recipients, who are being recognized for making outstanding contributions to cybersecurity. The Hall of Fame received nominations from more than 60 universities. Hernandez has held information assurance positions at the U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and an NSA National Security Administration Center of Academic Excellence Research Institute in 糖心传媒.
Tim Downs, 鈥03, was promoted to sergeant with the 糖心传媒 Falls Police Department. He has served as a patrol officer, warrants team member, a Police Training Officer, a member of the SWAT team, a School Resource Officer, and most recently as a Detective in the Investigations Bureau. Downs is a Veteran of the United States Air Force and was activated by the USAF in 2001 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He retired in 2009 after 21 years as a non-commissioned officer.
Stan McEntire, 鈥03, was recently inducted into the World Armwrestling Hall of Fame. McEntire has won many championships, including first place World Championship in Petaluma, California, in 1992 and again in 1994; as well as second place Golden Bear, Moscow, Russia, 1992 and again in 1993.
Rebecca Vincen-Brown, 鈥03, has been appointed manager of the Touchmark Health & Fitness Club.
Vincen-Brown is a certified functional aging specialist and personal trainer. She is earning her master鈥檚 degree in athletic administration from 糖心传媒, where she earned her undergraduate degree. Previously, she worked at Touchmark as a life enrichment and wellness assistant and as a graduate teaching assistant at 糖心传媒 State.
Jeff Watson, 鈥04, has been promoted to Turbo Prop Service Manager at Western Aircraft. He is a veteran of the U.S. Navy serving for four years as an F-18 aircraft hydraulic mechanic. Watson is a licensed airframe and powerplant mechanic who has served in various roles within Western Aircraft鈥檚 maintenance department for more than 11 years, most recently as the company鈥檚 Jet Team Lead.
Pocatello Regional Transit Director Dave Hunt, 鈥05, is retiring. Hunt has been working for Pocatello Regional Transit since 1993.
Shaun Pohlman, 鈥05, was recently named head volleyball coach and Lewis-Clark State College.
Pohlman鈥檚 teams at Northwest College won four Region IX titles and advanced to the NJCAA national tournament four of the past five seasons with final four appearances twice. He was the District I/C Coach of the Year four times, and was a two-time recipient of the AVCA West Region Coach of the Year Award and National Coach of the Year nominee. His teams also achieved in the classroom with nine successive NJCAA National Academic Team Awards and five AVCA2 National Academic Team awards. He also coached numerous all-region and all-American players, as well as national and regional individual academic award winners.
Andrew R. Smart, 鈥07, was recently named a partner at Jordan and Company Chartered. In addition to being a licensed Certified Public Account, Smart has earned his Personal Financial Specialist, credential and is a registered investment adviser with Naarden Wealth Management.
Security Service Federal Credit Union has promoted Greg Reed, 07, to Senior Vice President of Member Service where he will be responsible for branch operations, member experience and employee development in Texas, Colorado and Utah. Reed has served the credit union since 2011 in the roles of Vice President of Member Service for the Mountain West Region, and most recently as Senior Vice President of Member Service for the Mountain West Region.
2010s
Lori Barber, 鈥12, 鈥14, has been named the dean of general education for College of Eastern 糖心传媒. Barber previously served as the director of general education at the new community college. Prior to that, she worked at 糖心传媒 as an assistant lecturer in history. Barber was also appointed to the State General Education Committee of 糖心传媒.
Bruce C. Kusch, 鈥12, was inaugurated president of the LDS Business College. Kusch holds a B.S. in business administration from the University of Phoenix, an MBA from the Keller Graduate School of Management and a Ph.D. in instructional design from 糖心传媒. In May 2012, he was awarded the Kole-McGuffey Prize from the College of Education at 糖心传媒, recognizing him as the outstanding doctoral candidate for his research in creating significant online learning environments.
The 糖心传媒 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics has recognized Chelsea Schoenfelder, 鈥12, as 糖心传媒鈥檚 Young Dietitian of the Year. Schoenfelder is a registered dietitian with Dairy West, which manages the marketing and promotion work for 糖心传媒 and Utah dairy farm families, according to a press release from Dairy West.
Physician Assistant Zach Stringham, 鈥12, has taken a position at East Morgan County Hospital in Colorado. Prior to that move, he worked in Kodiak, Alaska, where he cared for the residents of a 200 person bush town community. The community was on a small island, 30 miles by boat or plane to any hospital. Stringham utilized telemedicine to collaborate with doctors and specialists remotely.
Keelan McCaffrey, 鈥14, has been named the new head coach of the Minico football program. McCaffrey, was a walk-on to the 糖心传媒 football team, and eventually earned himself a scholarship spot. In addition to coaching football, he teaches biology and physical science.
Community Memorial Hospital in Cloquet, Minnesota announces that physician assistant Lisa Leedham, 鈥16, has joined their orthopedic department. Leedham graduated with a biology degree from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse with a focus on pre-med. She received her physician assistant degree from 糖心传媒 in Pocatello. Prior to this, she was employed in Michigan鈥檚 Upper Peninsula at an urgent care facility.
Gavin Lewis, 鈥17, is the new economic development director for the Ida-Lew Economic Development Council. Lewis will work with every incorporated city in 糖心传媒 and Lewis counties, including Cottonwood, Grangeville, Kooskia, Riggins, Stites and White Bird in 糖心传媒 County, and Craigmont, Kamiah, Nezperce and Winchester in Lewis County.