Paul Avery '82
Stephen R. Band ’73
Maria E. Bordas '74 '80
Gail Breslauer '70 '81
Daniel J. Charleston '83
Ellen Maher Davenport ’64
Donna De Salvo ’77
Edna Doll ’35
Edward A. Esposito '69 '72
George Falkowski ’83
Vito A. Gagliardi. Sr. '64 '67
Anthony Giordano III '87
Bernard J. Hogya '88
Rosanne Lichatin '75
Donald P. Lokuta '68
John Marshall '90
Kathleen Mulcahy '72
Mario A. Paparozzi '72
Alan Paul '71
Fred G. Raimondi '80
Linda Morris '69 & Victor Rauseo '69
Nancy Ann Schleicher '72
Yvonne Smith Segars '77
Albert L. Record '66
Robert F. Sommers '76
Joseph Suliga '79 '93
Li-Woan (Lee) Yang '83
Paul Avery '82
Born in Gloversville, N.Y., Paul Avery was raised in Woodbridge, N.J., and graduated from Kean in 1982 with a bachelor’s degree in management science. After graduation, he entered the food service industry as a management trainee with the Steak & Ale Restaurant Company and rose to the rank of regional supervisor. In 1989, Avery joined Outback Steakhouse as a managing partner in Melbourne, Fla. when the chain consisted of just three locations. One year later, he was named director of operations; he became president of the company 1997 and chief operating officer in 2005. Under his leadership, Outback Steakhouse has expanded to more than 660 locations.
During his time with the company, Outback Steakhouse donated $8.5 million to the victims of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks against America, and on October 11, 2001, donated 100 percent of its sales for the day to victim relief efforts. In June 2005, Outback Steakhouse sponsored the Eighth Annual Kean University Gala, providing more than 1,000 patrons with appetizers, dinner and dessert. The event raised more than $750,000 in support of academic and cultural programs as well as student scholarships.
In addition to the charitable contributions of his company, Avery serves as chair and is a staunch supporter of Take Stock in Children, an organization that brings together citizens, school systems and various agencies to ensure the academic and personal success of children from low-income families. The 2006 Distinguished Alumnus is also active with the Boys and Girls Clubs and the United Cerebral Palsy Association, and serves as an honorary trustee for the Junior Achievement Enterprise Village of Hillsborough County; a vice president on the MDA National Board of Directors; and a chair for the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce.
Dr. Stephen R. Band ’73
Dr. Band received a B.A. degree in Psychology from Newark State College in 1973. He also received an M.A. degree from Seton Hall University, Orange, N.J. and a Ph.D. degree from Fordham University, New York. He was also a post-doctoral fellow of forensic psychology with the Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis.
From 1973 to 1977, Dr. Band served as a police officer for Elizabeth, N.J. He was also a mental health professional with the State of New Jersey and a director of Mental Health Emergency Services, St. Mary’ Hospital, Passaic, N.J. In 1983, he became an FBI special agent.
Dr. Band was appointed chief of the FBI’s Behavioral Science Unit, Quantico, Va., in 1988, where he achieved national and international recognition for his contributions to the applied behavioral science field in criminal justice and national security.
After 22 years of service, Dr. Band retired from the FBI and founded Behavioral Intelligence Specialists, LLC, which provides training, operational research and consultative support to the law enforcement and intelligence community, including the United States Departments of Defense and Justice.
In 2004, the American Psychological Association named him a fellow. He received the Alumni Achievement Award from Fordham University in 2005. He and his family reside in Manassas, Va.
Maria E. Bordas '74 '80
Maria E. Bordas is the general manager for Strategic Planning and Policy for the Aviation Department of The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. In this position, she serves as the Port Authority’s senior executive accountable for creating a vision and developing strategic plans that incorporate the agendas of the various business areas of the Aviation Department into one strategic direction.
Her responsibilities also include advancing the Port Authority’s agenda in the area of Human Resources, while also standardizing the Aviation Department’s functional training initiatives. She oversees new FAA requirements in aeronautical, navigational, security and snow training as an airport system at Newark-Liberty and John F. Kennedy International Airports, La Guardia and Teterboro Airports, and the Downtown Manhattan Heliport.
Bordas’ association with Kean dates back to the 70’s, when she earned her bachelor’s degree in education and psychology and her master’s degree in behavioral sciences. As an undergraduate and graduate student, and now alumna, she has experienced firsthand Kean’s remarkable evolution from a teaching college to the vibrant university it has become. Cognizant of the fact that Kean University provided her with a unique opportunity to obtain two quality degrees, she welcomed the invitation to join the Foundation Board and participate in the University’s exciting future.
Gail Breslauer '70 '81
In 1985, NASA and former President Ronald Reagan announced their search for a teacher to become the first civilian to participate in a space mission. Along with 11,000 other teachers, Gail Breslauer completed 14 essays and a one-page questionnaire in hope of seizing the opportunity. She was selected as one of 114 finalists among teachers from around the country to fly on the ill-fated shuttle Challenger.
With an abundance of knowledge and a passion for space education, Breslauer established a company called Space Lady Enterprises. She maintains her status as an ambassador of NASA and also works as a consultant to the Vermont Space Education Program, which she founded. Her tutorials provide aerospace and space science information to students (grades K-12) and educators. She travels from school to school and has presented programs to 85,500 people throughout the U.S. and Canada. Breslauer covers the history of the space program; what life is like on the space shuttle; the future of our planet; lunar geology; the benefits of space exploration; and women in space.
A 2003 Distinguished Alumna, Breslauer also trains dogs for sled dog racing. Breslauer and her sled dog partner Red Goodman of the Atii Sled Dog team are organizers of the annual Waitsfield Sled Dog Race-New England Championship in Vermont. The Waitsfield Sled Dog Race is billed as The New England Championship and is ranked by the Vermont Chamber of Commerce as a Top Ten Winter Event in the state.
Daniel J. Charleston '83
Daniel J. Charleston co-founded Stonegate Capital Management in 2001. Stonegate Capital specializes in managing high yield assets for institutional clients. He has over 19 years of high yield investment management experience.
Prior to co-founding Stonegate, Charleston was the partner in charge of high yield investments at J&W Seligman & Co., Inc. where he grew the assets under management from $50 million to $4 billion. A member of the Foundation Board, Charleston is instrumental in advising the Kean University Foundation and is chair of its Investment and Finance Committee.
In his spare time, Charleston enjoys instructing martial arts and playing golf. As Charleston reflects back on his Kean University experiences, he recognizes the integral part it has played in both his professional and personal life.
Ellen Maher Davenport ’64
Ms. Davenport received a B.A. degree in Elementary Education from Newark State College in 1964. From 1964 to 1970, she taught fifth grade with the Bloomfield Public School district. She then transitioned to business as the owner of the Back of the Mill Plan Shop in Maplewood, N.J. from 1982 to 1999.
In 1988, Ms. Davenport was elected to the Essex County Board of Freeholders. She was a member of the Maplewood Township Committee from 1990 to 2002 and mayor of Maplewood from 1994 to 1997. Among her numerous accomplishments as mayor, she designated August 24 as Ukrainian Independence Day.
She served as the Supervisor of Bills in the New Jersey Senate from 2002 to 2003. Ms. Davenport is currently the Secretary of the Senate, where she has served since 2004.
Ellen devoted many hours in her 20 years of service to the Kean University Alumni Association. She served as president of the Association from 1987 to 1994. A member of the Democratic State Committee, her affiliations also include the American Society of Legislative Clerks and Secretaries; Family Connections Inc.; ARC of Essex County; and Friend of the State House. She currently resides in Maplewood.
Donna De Salvo '77
Ms. De Salvo received a B.A. degree in Fine Arts Studio from Kean College of New Jersey in 1977.
She has worked with several curatorial studies programs, including Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson, N.Y. and the Royal College of Art, London. She was a curator with the Dia Art Foundation, New York from 1981 to 1986; the Robert Lehman Curator at the Parrish Art Museum, Southampton, N.Y. from 1990 to 1995; and an Adjunct Curator at The Andy Warhol Museum, Pittsburgh. From 1996 to 2000, she served as Curator-at-Large with the Wexner Center for the Arts at the Ohio State University, Columbus and as Senior Curator for Tate Modern, London from 2000 to 2004.
Since 2004, Ms. De Salvo has been with the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York as the Associate Director of Programs and Curator, Permanent Collection.
Her work includes exhibitions of Barbara Bloom, John Chamberlain, Giorgio Morandi, Ray Johnson, Anish Kapoor, Gerhard Richter and Cy Twombly. Specializing in American art of the postwar era, she is a noted scholar on the work of Andy Warhol and Pop Art, and has authored or contributed to several books on the subject. Ms. De Salvo was a narrator in Ric Burns’ American Masters’ Andy Warhol: a Documentary Film (2006; Thirteen/WNET New York).
She is a past recipient of the Alfred H. Barr, Jr. Award from the College Art Association. Ms. De Salvo resides in New York.
Edna Doll '35
Ms. Doll received her diploma in Elementary Education and her B.A. degree in Elementary Education from the Newark Normal School in 1935 and 1938, respectively. She also received an M.A. degree in Supervision and Administration from New York University in 1942.
Born and raised in Hillside, N.J., Ms. Doll began her teaching career at the former Hillside Avenue School in Hillside, where she was the first woman coordinator of curriculum and also served as principal from 1963 until her retirement in 1971. She is a past president of the Hillside Teacher Association.
She firmly believes that it is important for her to set an example for fellow seniors, and has remained active into her nineties. She recently taught a poetry class promoting mental acuity in seniors at Kean University. At 80 years old, she traveled the world without a specific plan, visiting Europe, India, Nepal, Tibet, China, New Zealand, Hawaii and California over the course of a two-month trip. Ms. Doll also went whitewater rafting down the Colorado River in her 80s.
She currently resides in Cranford, N.J.
Edward A. Esposito '69 '72
Edward A. Esposito is president of the Kean University Alumni Association and brings a wealth of experience to this position. He first became active in the Alumni Association soon after he earned his bachelor’s degree in elementary education in 1969. He also went on to earn a master’s degree in personnel services from Kean in 1972. Soon after joining the Alumni Association, he was elected treasurer, a position he held for more than 30 years until he became president in June 2005.
Esposito has worked on many significant projects on behalf of the Alumni Association and the University. Most notably, in 1984, he initiated and chaired the Ruth Horowitz Alumni House Committee. He still retains that position, overseeing a committee that is responsible for the funding and restoration of the welcoming facility on the East Campus that today is enjoyed by so many.
His involvement with furthering the University has also enabled him to reach out to the alumni to encourage them to become involved as well and to support their alma mater. Esposito is the pastoral council president, lector and eucharistic minister for St. Elizabeth Church in Linden, N.J.
George Falkowski '83
Mr. Falkowski received a B.A. degree in English, Comparative Literature from Kean College of New Jersey in 1983. He also received an M.A. degree in Mass Communication from Emerson College, Boston in 1987.
He began his TV career in 1982 with an internship at WWHT Newark Channel 68, where he worked on the production staff of “The Uncle Floyd Show.” Later that year, he began interning with SportsChannel New York (now Fox Sports), working at New Jersey Devils and New York Islanders hockey games. For ten years he worked as a field producer for the New England Sports Network, cable home of the Boston Red Sox and Boston Bruins.
Since 1996 he has been a sports anchor with News 12 New Jersey, where he has covered all of the major professional sports games in the New York and New Jersey area in addition to high school and college sports.
The Scotch Plains native has earned three Emmy Awards and one Edward R. Murrow regional award for his sports coverage. He currently resides in Phillipsburg, N.J.
Dr. Vito A. Gagliadi, Sr. '64 '67
Dr. Vito Gagliardi has been involved in education in New Jersey for more than 40 years. The former NJ commissioner of education began his career as a teacher in Westfield and became superintendent of schools for the Washington Township school district in Mercer County in 1970.
Gagliardi’s many positions with the Department of Education began in 1981, when he served as director of the School Executive Academy, created to offer professional development to educators. He has also served as an acting assistant deputy commissioner, the Union County superintendent of schools and superintendent of Union County Vocational-Technical Schools. From 1997 to 2000, he was a special assistant to the commissioner of education, charged with leading a task force that examined the finances, governance and operation of New Jersey’s special needs districts. His appointment as commissioner took place the following year.
A Distinguished Alumnus, Gagliardi has been president of the New Jersey School Development Council and has been active in several commissions and organizations involved with public education. He received a bachelor’s degree in education and a master’s degree in administration and supervision from Kean. He also earned an Ed.D. degree in educational administration and supervision from Rutgers University.
Anthony Giordano III '87
Anthony Giordano III serves as executive vice president and chief financial officer of Central Jersey Bancorp. He is one of the bank’s founders and is directly responsible for the treasury, accounting and finance operations.
An avid community activist, Giordano has been a member of the Long Branch City Council since 1994, helping lead the city through a successful $1 billion revitalization effort. Also a past president of the Rotary Club of Long Branch, he was listed by NJBIZ Magazine as one of the state’s top 40 business professionals under the age of 40 in 2004, and was presented with the 2003 Community Service Award by the Monmouth-Ocean Development Council.
In addition to serving his community, Giordano also believes in giving back to his alma mater. Since graduating from Kean in 1987 with a bachelor’s degree in management science, he has returned to attend numerous University functions, serving as keynote speaker at the 2002 Undergraduate Open House. He attributes his personal and professional success to his years spent at Kean, and is grateful for the opportunity to serve on the Foundaton Board during this exciting period of growth and development at the University.
Bernard J. Hogya '88
Bernie Hogya began his advertising career at agency giant Bozell Worldwide prior to his graduation from Kean in 1988. Working first out of Union before hopping the Hudson River to the firm’s New York offices, Hogya developed a reputation for strong work in both concept and design. He has been with the agency (now Lowe Worldwide) for more 20 years, and is currently a creative director.
Among his successful campaigns, Hogya worked on the team that created the “milk mustache” ads for the nation’s fluid milk processors and America’s dairy farmers. More than 130 celebrities, including Christie Brinkley, Bob Dole and Martha Stewart, have sported a milk mustache in the ads, which debuted in the 90’s. He has also coauthored several books regarding the milk ad campaign, including The Milk Mustache Book: A Behind-The-Scenes Look at America’s Favorite Advertising Campaign (Ballantine Books, 1999).
Rosanne Lichatin '75
Rosanne Lichatin received her bachelor’s degree in history from Kean and earned a master of arts in history from East Stroudsburg University, Penn. Her 30-year career in education includes experience in both elementary and secondary levels of instruction. Currently she teaches Pre-Advanced Placement U.S. History I as well as U.S. History II at West Morris Central High School in Chester, N.J.
Lichatin is co-advisor of the National History Club, which was launched in 2003 at West Morris Central. This club encourages students with an enthusiasm for history to explore the study of our past beyond the classroom through field trips, guest speakers, bulletin board displays and newsletters. She also advises the Future Educators Club, which emphasizes the value of the teaching profession and allows students the opportunity to work with teachers and learn firsthand about the profession.
An active member of the National Council for History Education and the Organization of American Historians, Lichatin has pursued professional growth through the Teaching American History Grant, which was awarded to the West Morris High School district in 2002. Through this initiative, the 2006 Distinguished Alumna has had the opportunity to work with prominent historians in the study of personal narratives related to early American history, as well as the subjects of immigration and civil rights. As a result, Lichatin has developed a teaching philosophy that places great emphasis on the use of primary sources and historical documents in her classroom. Lichatin was presented with the 2005 Preserve America History Teacher of the Year Award sponsored by Preserve America and the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History.
Donald P. Lokuta '68
Donald P. Lokuta has a 35-year career that includes photography, painting, teaching and history. He earned his bachelor’s degree in industrial education at Kean when it was known as Newark State College, a master’s degree from Montclair State College and a Ph.D. degree from Ohio State University in Columbus. Currently a photography professor in the Department of Design at his alma mater, he also guest lectures at other institutions throughout the region.
Lokuta’s interest in historical photography is extensive; he is an avid collector of vintage photographs and has curated many exhibitions. He has authored and coauthored several books and has written many articles about photography. His widely published artwork has been included in over 300 exhibitions, including permanent collections at the Art Museum at Princeton University; the Bibliothèque Nationale in Paris; the Museum of the City of New York; the International Center of Photography in New York; Lehigh University in Pennsylvania; and the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. His solo exhibitions have been on display throughout New York and New Jersey, as well as across the globe in Croatia and Belgrade, with group exhibitions in the Museum of Modern Art and Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York; the Front Room Gallery in Singapore; and the Columbus Museum of Art in Ohio.
A 2006 Distinguished Alumnus, Lokuta is the recipient of ten grants for his photography, including four prestigious New Jersey State Council on the Arts Fellowship Awards. Much of his existing work is housed in the Nancy Thompson Library at Kean.
John Marshall '90
John Marshall received his bachelor’s degree in meteorology from Kean in 1990. He is currently a meteorologist with WNBC New York’s weekend editions of NewsChannel 4 at 6 p.m. and 11 p.m.
He began his career as an off-air meteorologist at WNBC from 1991 to 1994. Marshall then became an on-air meteorologist and morning show coanchor at WMAZ-TV in Macon, Ga. Prior to returning to WNBC in 1998, he spent two years as an on-air meteorologist for the morning and noon newscasts at WYOU-TV Scranton.
A 2003 Distinguished Alumnus, Marshall is a recipient of the prestigious American Meteorological Society Seal of Approval. He also serves as the Grand Marshal of the Lupus Walk for the mid-Hudson Valley affiliate.
Kathleen Mulcahy '72
Kathleen Mulcahy is Pittsburgh’s most notable glass artist. She is currently the permanent artist-in-residence at the Pittsburgh Glass Center, a 16,000-square-foot studio dedicated to teaching, creating and promoting glass art as well as partnering in the region’s cultural, educational and educational development that she helped to launch in 2001.
Mulcahy’s interest in glass art was sparked by a tiny blue flame that she saw burning outside of Vaughn-Eames Hall as she crossed campus one day as an undergraduate student at what was then Newark State College. After inquiring about the fire’s origin and purpose, she became intrigued by the glassmaking process. She received her bachelor’s degree in fine arts education in 1972 from Kean and a master of fine arts from Alfred University.
The Newark, N.J. born artist has won numerous awards and commissions for her work, which can be seen in various public and private collections in several states as well Canada, France and Switzerland. Two works from her Persuasion series are in the permanent collection at the Carnegie Museum of Art in Pittsburgh. She also created the glass sculpture Chrysalis, which is used for the Harry Schwalb Excellence in the Arts Award. In spring 2007, her alma mater hosted her exhibit Natural Forces at the University Art Gallery.
Mario A. Paparozzi '72
A nationally recognized expert in criminology and parole issues, Dr. Mario Paparozzi was appointed chairman of the State Parole Board of New Jersey in December of 2000. He began his career at the Department of Corrections as a parole officer in 1973 and has been employed by the New Jersey Department of Corrections for over 25 years. Paparozzi received his bachelor’s degree in sociology from Kean, a master’s degree in sociology from Montclair State University and a Ph.D. degree in sociology from Rutgers University.
A Kean Distinguished Alumnus, Paparozzi has been active with the crime victim’s rights movement for over 15 years at both the national and state levels. He is the founding member of the New Jersey Coalition for Crime Victims Rights and has worked on relevant state and county legislation. He has trained numerous community corrections professionals across the United States to enhance victim’s services. Paparozzi has taught courses in corrections, criminal justice, public administration and sociology at many colleges and universities throughout New Jersey. He has been a guest lecturer and keynote speaker nationwide, and has been invited to speak on several local, national, and international radio and television programs.
Alan Paul '71
Alan Paul, a 2006 Distinguished Alumnus, is an entertainer in every sense of the word. From his earliest days as a child growing up in Newark, N.J., he has always loved to perform. From his neighborhood candy store to concert stages all over the world, Paul has delighted audiences throughout his lifelong career.
During high school, he sang at the school talent show, and was amazed when he got a standing ovation. As a result of his growing love for performing, he put together an act and played around the New York-New Jersey metropolitan area. Much of his musical performance catalog was influenced by the likes of Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Frankie Valli, Frankie Lymon, the Young Rascals, Jackie Wilson, Ella Fitzgerald, the Temptations and the McGuire Sisters.
After earning his bachelor’s degree in music education from Newark State College in 1971, Paul auditioned for a part in the original Broadway production of Grease, and landed the role of Teen Angel/Johnny Casino. It was while he was appearing in Grease that he met Tim Hauser, Janis Siegel and Laurel Masse, who were looking to reform The Manhattan Transfer and needed a fourth voice to complete their quartet. The rest, as they say, is history.
Fred G. Raimondi '80
An accomplished editor, photographer and musician, Fred Raimondi is a “complete filmmaker” who brings a unique blend of art and technology to his projects. The 2003 Distinguished Alumnus received a bachelor’s degree in English/comparative literature from Kean in 1980.
A 2003 Distinguished Alumnus, Raimondi is recognized as one of the preeminent digital artists in the world. He has partnered on projects with Michael Bay, David Fincher, Mark Pellington, Lance Kelleher and Alex Proyas. Historically, he has always been ahead of the curve. At a time when visual effects were reserved for film optical houses, his early work on television shows such as The Twilight Zone, Max Headroom and Star Trek, The Next Generation set the standard for electronics visual effects compositing.
Raimondi’s work has garnered Gold and Silver Cannes Lions, Gold and Silver Clios, an MTV Video Music Award, numerous Association of Independent Commercial Producers (AICP) Awards and a Grammy. Some of his clients include Budweiser, Nike, Levi’s, Dodge, Sony, Chiat/Day, Goodby Silverstein, DDB Needham and McCann Ericson.
Linda Morris '69 & Victor Rauseo '69
Linda Morris and Vic Rauseo first met as students in the English Department at Kean University, then known as Newark State Teachers College. Now married, this successful creative team gave voice to one of TV’s most distinctive characters as writers and executive producers of NBC’s long-running television hit Frasier. Their writing and producing credits “Welcome Back, Kotter,” “Doogie Howser, MD,” “Alice” and “I Married Dora.”
Morris and Rauseo received three Emmy Awards as producers for Frasier and the 1996 Emmy for Best Writing for a Comedy Series for season three Frasier episode “Moon Dance.” They have also received a Peabody Award, a Golden Globe, three Television Critics Association Awards and a Producers Guild Award for Producers of the Year.
Nancy Ann Schleicher '72
Nancy Ann Schleicher is a decorative painter who creates primitive country scenes on shaker band boxes, tables, chairs, lamps, trays, walls and other surfaces on a private commission basis. While residing in Bedford, N.Y., Schleicher specialized in painting New England countryside scenes. Now residing in Napa, Calif., her scenes focus on the colorful Napa Valley vineyards. A lost sheep is often her identifying trademark.
A Foundation Board member, Schleicher received a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education from Newark State College in 1972. She is a member of the Society of Decorative Painters and the Stencil Artisans League, and is also active in Napa’s cultural activities, serving as an officer of the Napa Valley Symphony League.
Yvonne Smith Segars '77
Yvonne Smith Segars was sworn into office as the New Jersey Public Defender in 2002, where she oversees an agency of 1,300 employees, including over 500 staff attorneys. A defense attorney for more than 18 years, Segars received a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Kean in 1977 and a J.D. degree from Rutgers School of Law, Newark, in 1984.
Segars was nominated to her current post while serving as first assistant deputy in the Office of the Public Defender’s Essex Adult Regional Office. She first joined the Office of the Public Defender in 1985 as an assistant public defender, after having served as a law clerk for Superior Court Judges Rosemary K. Reavey and Martin Kravarik in Middlesex County. From 1987 to 1990, Segars was with the law firm McManimon and Scotland, LLC, serving as bond counsel to a number of municipalities, boards of education, counties and utilities authorities. She returned to the Office of the Public Defender in 1991 before being named first assistant deputy in the Essex Adult Region three years later.
In 2001, Segars was honored with the Professional Woman of the Year award from the Essex County Club of the National Association of Negro Business and Professional Women’s Clubs, Inc. She is a member of the Garden State Bar Association, the Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers of New Jersey and the Essex County Bar Association, where she served on the County Bar’s Judicial Appointments Committee from 1997 to 2002. She was appointed by the Supreme Court to serve on the Bergen County Ethics Committee from 1998 to 2001. Most recently, Segars was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws (LL.D.) by Kean University in May 2005, and was named a Distinguished Alumna in 2006
Dr. Albert L. Record '66
Dr. Albert L. Record received a bachelor’s degree in secondary social studies education from Newark State College in 1966. He also received both a master’s degree and an Ed.D. degree form Rutgers University. After his graduation from Newark State, he began working in Washington, D.C. with what was then the United States National Student Association.
Record conducted research regarding the influence of college and university environments on the student learning process and found it fascinating. It was at this point where his career paths crossed, and he developed a keen interest in psychology, a field in which he now operates his own practice in Highland Park, N.J.
A member of the Foundation Board, Record established the Patricia Ann MacNamara Endowed Scholarship Fund in memory of a classmate.
Robert F. Sommers '76
Robert F. Sommers is the president of U.S. Mortgage Fund Inc., a real estate mortgage banking firm that lends primarily to residential and small commercial concerns in the western United States. Established as a direct lender, the firm is dedicated to their clients’ pursuit of home ownership, expansion and enhancement.
He is also a principal of Quality Distribution Services, Inc., a primary distributor of beverages in Las Vegas and Phoenix. Along with distributing their flagship brand, Arrowhead Mountain Spring Water, they distribute over 30 national brands to casinos, chain grocers, convenience stores, schools, markets and health food stores.
While Sommers has always been proud of the education he received at Kean, since joining the Foundation Board he feels more connected to the University than ever before. During his tenure as a board member, he has seen firsthand the impressive growth occurring at Kean, and is happy to support these efforts in any way.
Joseph Suliga '79 '83
The late Joseph Suliga (D-Union County) served as senator to the 22nd Legislative District, representing the municipalities of Clark, Dunellen, Fanwood, Greenbrook, Linden, Middlesex, North Plainfield, Plainfield, Rahway, Scotch Plainsand Winfield Park. Suliga was first elected to the New Jersey State Senate in 2001 and had more than 20 years of public service upon his tragic death in 2005.
Suliga received a bachelor’s degree in political science from Kean in 1979 and a master’s degree in public administration from Kean in 1993. His dedication to serving the community has won him numerous honors and awards, including a Humanitarian Award from the ARC of New Jersey, a nonprofit organization promoting the rights of the developmentally disabled community and their families.
Li-Woan (Lee) Yang '83
Li-Woan (Lee) Yang is the President and CEO of Yang Enterprises, Inc. (YEI), a highly respected Florida corporation with a reputation for providing excellent engineering and information technology services to both the government and private industry. She received a bachelor’s degree in management science from Kean in 1983.
Building on a solid academic foundation and a reputation for excellent performance gained while working in the space industry, Ms. Yang assumed management and ownership of YEI in 1993. She raised the technological bar within the company and instituted a culture of excellence that is rooted in her personal commitment to a strong work ethic and the building of long-term relationships with YEI partners and customers alike.
Under Yang’s leadership, YEI has enjoyed significant growth in both the government and commercial business sectors. She has received many awards and recognition for her personal business acumen and achievements in leading the growth of YEI. Significant among these awards are: SBA Entrepreneur of the Year; Member, State of Florida IT Task Force; and Kennedy Space Center Woman Owned Business of the Year. Yang has a deep commitment to give back to the institutions in our society that have allowed her to fulfill her goals and aspirations. She takes great pride in her affiliation with Kean University, where she serves as a member of the Foundation Board.