Alumni Voices

W. Alan Ruge (‘69 industrial administration)
I spent the first decade after graduation overseas as a volunteer. I married another volunteer in Papua New Guinea, and we settled in Grand Island, Nebraska, then moved to Greeley, Colorado. I retired in 2006 and became a Peace Corps volunteer overseas again. We live in Greeley now, close to our two sons, and travel extensively.

Jeff Jungman (‘76 industrial administration)
I have dedicated most of my professional life to banking/bank regulation. In 2016, I entered semi-retirement and currently provide support to attorneys at Dickinson, Bradshaw, Fowler, and Hagen, P.C. Alongside my career, I volunteered with several civic and religious organizations. Most notably, I served as a reserve police officer with the West Des Moines Police Department. In 2023, I celebrated 50 years of marriage with my wife, Carol.

Steve Bergstrom (‘79 industrial administration)
Currently chairman of the board of the Williams Company, in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Patti Hendrix (‘79 industrial administration and accounting)
I retired from the city of Council Bluffs in 2019. We moved to The Villages, Florida, known as the largest golf-cart retirement community in the United States. We have over 3,000 clubs for any hobby, 14 beautiful championship golf courses, over 40 executive courses, plus pools, walking trails, and entertainment. This is the perfect place to show off our Iowa State-themed golf cart!

Gregg Horsman (‘80 industrial administration)
After 30-plus years, I sold my financial advisory practice in March 2025. It was a fulfilling and interesting career with many outstanding relationships and memories. I couldn’t have done it without my lovely and talented bride, Connie. We are very excited to see what the next chapter holds. Go Clones!

Terry Peters (‘80 industrial administration; minors in marketing and speech)
Currently, and for the last 10 years, president and chief revenue officer of Townsquare Media – Cedar Rapids, Iowa City, Waterloo, and Cedar Falls, Iowa, the nation’s most prolific digital and legacy media advertising platform. I currently live in Altoona, Iowa, with my wife, Judy, and Gracie the Corgi. We are very close to our three adult children and our grandkids. We’re building a house in our happy place, Minocqua, Wisconsin, to spend summers, but fall is still reserved for Cyclones games at Jack Trice and CyTown!

Cindy Dauterive (‘80 industrial administration, marketing)
I currently live in Sun City West, Arizona. I have a son living in Ankeny, Iowa, a daughter living in Connecticut, a daughter living in Austin, Texas, and a son living in Minnesota. I also have seven grandkids ranging in age from 6 – 27. I retired in December 2020. Big Cyclone fans!

Brenda Muir (‘81 industrial administration, finance)
I retired in June 2023 after working as the business manager/board secretary in Greene County (Iowa) schools for 31 years. My husband and I still enjoy following Iowa State athletics, especially men’s basketball. We enjoy time with family, including eight grandchildren.

Steve Guenther (‘84 accounting)
I took an entry-level accounting position at Knox Lumber Company in the Twin Cities after graduation. Just over a year later (July 1985), I joined the Audit Bureau of Circulations, where I started my career as an auditor. In June 1990, I was promoted to regional manager and later became manager and then director. As luck would have it, I was then able to help launch a new interactive auditing service, started the ImServices Group, was rehired by AAM and retired last year as vice president of auditing services.

Monte Jensen (‘84 marketing)
In January 2025, I retired from Johnson Propane after 14 years. I then moved from Battle Creek, Iowa, to Spirit Lake, Iowa, in July 2025.

Mark Potjeau (‘85 accounting)
After 27 years with AT&T, and 13 years before that with First National Bank of Chicago, I have retired. Thanks Iowa State for a great foundation. Go Cyclones!

Scott Martens (‘85 accounting; minor in naval sciences)
I wrote an e-book, Insights – Life’s Lessons, and provide workshops on the same for young adults. The e-book is modifiable, so you can add your own life lessons and share it with young adults in your family. It’s a great conversation starter and way to share your insights and life lessons.

Todd Thorson (‘86 general business)
Currently in my 42nd year owning/operating the historic Story Theater Grand Opera House in Story City Iowa. I retired from the Story City Herald newspaper in 2016, after serving as editor/publisher/writer/sports editor/typesetter for 40 years. The Herald was owned and operated by my family from 1972- 2013. I worked part-time for the United States Postal Service in 2017 and am currently the clerk in the Jewell, Iowa, Post Office. We have two children, Nick (34), and Olivia (31). I’ve been married to Patti since 2003.

Andrea McGinness (‘87 business administration, marketing)
My husband (Bryan McGinness, ‘87 finance) and I are celebrating 19 years of owning WineStyles Tasting Station (of which we became the franchisors in 2012) and celebrating eight years of owning BeerStyles Taproom & Gastropub; both headquartered in West Des Moines, Iowa. Prior to owning the businesses, we were in corporate America and had lived in Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York before moving home. We love being back in Iowa and look forward to celebrating our businesses this fall.

Shaun Wilkinson (‘88 marketing, transportation and logistics)
After 26 years being hired from campus recruiting, I am now retiring from Shell Oil. Being able to retire at 54 and travel the world is a true blessing. My wife and I, for the first four months, traveled all over Southeast Asia based out of Thailand. Now we are traveling the United States in a motor home.

Faron Kelley (‘88 marketing; minors in speech and communication)
In January 2025, I was promoted to senior vice president of sales at Disney, assuming responsibilities for all sales activities for Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and Adventures by Disney.

Scott DeKok (‘89 finance, minor in economics)
My wife, Angie, and I live on an acreage outside of Archer, Iowa. We have five children, two of whom graduated from Iowa State. All five are college graduates and are gainfully employed. In March, we welcomed our first grandchild. The most beautiful little girl ever. I am the president of DK Plastics in Archer. We extrude sheet plastic, machine parts with our CNC machines,  and thermoform plastic parts.

John Boyum (‘89 marketing)
I have just completed my 32nd year with JPMorganChase, currently as a vice president-business analysis manager. My first 25 years were spent in recovery, underwriting, and risk while working at Chase Tower in downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin. For the last seven years, I’ve been working from home while living in The Big Apple — Appleton, Wisconsin.

Shirley Abdo (‘89 marketing)
With my degree at Iowa State and the Lord’s blessings, I have had the privilege of working in and outside my major over the years, growing me with invaluable life skills and experiences. As of the last 1.5 years, I have enjoyed running “grandma’s daycare” for my three grandchildren, three days a week. It is so fun and life-giving for me as I pour into the next generation.

Lisa Severin Shaw (‘89 finance)
After graduation, I moved to Kansas City. I am now a senior vice president, wealth management advisor with Merrill Lynch, where I help my clients have peace of mind to realize the financial goals that matter to them. This year, I was named to the Forbes “Top Women Wealth Advisors Best-In-State” list. I am very proud of this accomplishment and the trust my clients place in me. I am also extremely proud to be the mother of four amazing kids, with my youngest beginning college this fall.

Cindy Obrecht (‘90 marketing)
After graduation, I married Ames, Iowa, resident and fellow Iowa Stater, PJ Obrecht (’88 speech communications). We moved to Naples, Florida, in 1993, and I began working for Arthrex, a global medical device company with a mission of Helping Surgeons Treat Their Patients Better®. My company’s innovative surgical technologies help athletes get back in the game (including Brock Purdy). Today, I am vice president of marketing and celebrated my 32nd work anniversary this year. Our two sons attend FlorFlorida Gulf Coast and the University of Florida.

Brian Mulcahy (‘92 accounting)
I was promoted to CEO of the Des Moines Airport Authority in April 2025. I have been there since 2011, serving as the chief financial officer for 12 years and assistant executive director for two years. The authority manages the Des Moines International Airport and is currently completing over $600 million in capital improvements, including the new terminal project.

Kevin J. Lage (‘96 finance, transportation logistics; minor in Russian)
After a great four years at Iowa State, I was able to start a career in supply chain logistics. Nearly 30 years later, I’ve had the privilege to work for Cargill, Americold Logistics, Hirschbach Motorlines, and Vertical Cold Storage. I co-founded three small companies with my amazing wife. I’m always proud to cheer for the Cyclones and do my best to represent this fantastic University. This fall, my oldest son, Kolby, became the third generation in our family to attend the Ivy College of Business.

Amol Naik (‘97 MBA and master of science in economics)
I recently joined Capitolis Inc., which is a New York City-based fintech backed by major venture funds and large banks, as the chief operating officer (COO). Previously, I spent over three years as COO of Pagaya Technologies, another fintech in New York City, and prior to that, 24 years at Goldman Sachs in various global offices, including several years as a partner of the firm. I spend my time between New York City and Connecticut with my wife and 15-year-old daughter.

Scott W. Smith (‘99 finance)
After 11 years as a portfolio manager, I was promoted to managing director, global head of Target Date at Principal Asset Management in March 2025. Principal Asset Management is the global investment management arm of the Principal Financial Group, a U.S.-based financial services company headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa.

Lindsay Reuter Eden (‘02 marketing)
I live in Minnesota and work at Target as a senior manager in human resources shared services. I married my college sweetheart, and we have three kids. Our oldest will be a freshman at Iowa State this fall, majoring in business analytics through the Ivy College of Business. We are excited to have another Cyclone in the family.

Andrew Michael Ihnativ (‘02 MBA, information systems; minor in finance)
From war zones to boardrooms, and now to the frontiers of AI – my career has followed the signal through noise. Since graduating, I’ve worked in investment banking, international development, and broadcast reporting for NBC and NPR. Today, I lead AI initiatives at Fraser Health, turning massive data into intelligent, high-stakes action. My work blends strategic clarity with technical depth across one of Canada’s largest healthcare systems. Iowa State shaped the mindset: precise, ambitious, adaptable.

Faisal Rasheed Bhatti (‘03 management information systems)
I lead global human resources for a tech firm, building people strategies rooted in data and purpose. I founded Water Warriors – NNK to offer clean drinking water by installing multiple RO water plants in my hometown and planting trees in memory of lives lost to COVID-19. I actively promote interfaith harmony in Nankana Sahib, the birthplace of Guru Nanak, and help youth land their first jobs through training and mentoring. My work blends global thinking with deep local commitment.

Kristopher Kroona (‘03 finance)
I am excited to have joined CCR Technologies as their chief financial officer. CCR Technologies is a leading provider of technology solutions. I am bringing decades of experience in strategic financial leadership and business transformation, which started as an Iowa State student, to continue the growth, performance, and ensure the long-term financial health of CCR Technologies through future market evolutions.

Arpan Dan (‘04 MBA, management information systems)
I have had a remarkable career in AI-driven data transformation and strategic architecture. With more than 19 years of impact across IBM and startups, I have delivered $35M-plus deals, pioneered data frameworks, written papers, and launched generative AI platforms. As CTO  of BQBuzz.com, low-code GenAI automations have driven 120 percent marketing gains and 40 percent cost savings. My journey from academia to industry embodies a fusion of technical acumen and visionary strategy that celebrates “never no for an answer.”

Josh Gerrietts (‘04 marketing)
I spent the first 17 years of my career leading the development of complex information systems for Medicare, working with a range of federal contractors to advance nationwide quality improvement initiatives. Over the past three years, I’ve brought that expertise to Wells Fargo, where I design and implement enterprise-scale data solutions that drive strategic decision-making across the organization.

Liang-Yun Goh (‘05 management information systems)
I have successfully completed the online program, No Code AI and Machine Learning: Building Data Science Solutions, conducted by MIT Professional Education, and I am grateful to have secured the AI certification, making Singapore proud.

Michael O. Budnick(‘06 MBA finance; minor in marketing)
I am president and CEO of SciAntics Group, and also the executive director of its Mad Science and Imagine Arts Academy divisions, which operate in the Hartford/Springfield/Worcester region of western New England. I’m also president and co-founder of Easthampton Theater Company. I’m a frequent director, producer, and performer throughout the region. I live in western Massachusetts with my wife, Alison, and have three stepdaughters, one of whom is an Iowa State alumna and employee.

Anthony Becker (‘07 finance, accounting; minor in mathematics)
I started at JPMorgan’s investment bank in New York City in 2007, then spent four years at a Swiss hedge fund. Currently, I am an investment specialist advising ultra-high net-worth families across the Midwest as part of J.P. Morgan’s Private Bank in Chicago, Illinois. In my current role, I directly advise families on the development and implementation of investment strategies across public and private markets, in combination with strategic wealth transfer strategies, structuring, and planning for liquidity events.

Phil Nash (‘08 finance)
I have been with Wells Fargo in a variety of roles in Des Moines and Waterloo, Iowa, since graduation up until 2023. I am now the vice president of commercial banking for Community Bank & Trust Waterloo.

Scott Sauber (‘10 management information systems)
I was awarded my third Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP) Award in both .NET and DevOps. The MVP Award is given out by Microsoft to individuals who are recognized leaders in technology and gives them preview access to Microsoft products so they can provide early feedback to Microsoft.

Jason Geiken (‘11 MBA)
I started a new position in December as vice president for advancement at Texas A&M University-Kingsville and chief executive of the TAMU-Kingsville Foundation. As a result, our family relocated to Corpus Christi, Texas, in January.

Scott Gessner (‘11 accounting; minor in finance)
Since graduating, I worked in accounting for nine years at various corporations. I started a bookkeeping and accounting business called Gessner Accounting Solutions in December 2017 on the side. I decided to quit my job to run the business full-time in September 2020. My business provides bookkeeping services online in the cloud to any business in the United States. I have never lost a client due to poor service and have an outstanding track record of client retention!

Allie Prusa (‘12 marketing; minor in journalism and event management)
In just six months, life served up two exciting new chapters. I joined the Iowa State Online team on campus, working to market our online programs to prospective students. At home, my husband and I dove into entrepreneurship as co-owners of a new popcorn and ice cream company in Huxley, Iowa. While he’s the operational mastermind, I’ve utilized my marketing degree to build our brand from the ground up and promote it throughout central Iowa and beyond.

Taylor Ross (‘12 management; minor in finance)
After I graduated, I started working for a Fortune 500 company, but around that time was when ISIS started to gain prominence in the news, and I felt a calling outside the business world. So I signed up for the Navy and went on to fly F/A-18E Super Hornets into Afghanistan. I would not have been as successful without the dedication to hard work and studying that I learned during my time at Iowa State. Go Cyclones!

Garrett Beach (‘13 finance) I will be welcoming my third daughter into the world later this month, as well as, being promoted to finance manager of Product Profitability at Velera.

Kelsie (Mills) Boyer (‘14 accounting; minor in management)
I live in rural northwest Iowa with my college sweetheart, Wes. I work part-time doing internal audit, with the rest of my time spent raising four little Cyclone fans: Bradie, Bryant, Bennett, and Betsie. Ames, Iowa, is definitely our second home, and the middle name of one of our kids, as we spend the majority of weekends cheering on our alma mater.

Brady Reinig (‘14 marketing)
I founded Stream HR to revolutionize how businesses navigate human resource challenges. Drawing from the innovative spirit and problem-solving skills honed at Iowa State, my platform connects companies with top professional employer organizations, optimizing costs, ensuring compliance, and enabling seamless growth. We are scaling quickly and looking to hire fellow alumni! Go Cyclones!

Manjiree Gadgil (‘15 information systems)
I graduated from Iowa State University in 2015 with a master’s degree in information systems and joined IBM as a software developer. The program equipped me with technical expertise and leadership skills that have been instrumental throughout my career over the past 10 years at IBM. I’ve grown into a leadership role, now leading a team of engineers focused on automation and AI initiatives. Our work centers on making IBM Cloud more secure, resilient, and compliant.

Allison (Witters) Traicoff (‘16 marketing; minor in management)
I’m still chilling in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Currently working at Novolex (formerly Pactiv Evergreen) as the marketing manager in charge of our milk carton filling machinery. I’ve stayed active in the community through the Junior League of Cedar Rapids and completed RAGBRAI with my husband this past July.

Mitchell Meyers (‘17 supply chain management)
I work as an origination lead at Williams, a leading midstream energy company. I develop large-scale projects for the Transcontinental Gas Pipeline to meet rising demand for reliable, affordable energy across the United States and abroad. My experience as an Iowa State football captain taught me leadership skills that help drive commercial strategy and growth. I look forward to leveraging that experience to shape the future of energy. My wife and I moved from Tulsa, Oklahoma, to Houston, Texas, in June 2025 with our two dogs.

Kyle Heaton (‘17 finance)
I work at Sterling, an IT solutions provider that works with the federal government. I specifically work with the Department of Homeland Security as well as the Department of State to provide IT solutions to meet their requirements and missions. We specialize in all things datacenter, from a laptop to a full hybrid cloud datacenter.

Peter Myers (‘17 finance)
I spoke on an educator panel at the Bloomberg 2025 Global Academic Symposium in Manhattan, New York, about how I launched a Finance Lab at Commack High School powered with Bloomberg Terminals. I shared how I promote financial literacy with real-world data, investing simulations, and cross-curricular connections. Furthermore, I was recently appointed to the New York State Education Department Financial Literacy Advisory Committee to propose curriculum requirements for personal finance.

David Dargel (‘18 business economics)
I’m excited to share that I’ve finished my juris doctorate and am beginning my career as a litigation associate at Kutak Rock LLP.

Nolan Hickey (‘18 supply chain management; minor in accounting)
I am starting a new role at Sylvamo as a regional sourcing leader.

Sabah Ali (‘18 management, apparel merchandising and design)
I’ve had quite the journey since graduating in 2018. I remember when I was a senior, I was dedicated in building my own business — and it happened. I’ve built a multi six-figure consulting business, grew my social media to impacting thousands, my work has been featured in Forbes, NBC, Fox, TEDx, and so much more. I just got married to the love of my life and continue to impact women in going after their dreams. My journey started at Iowa State and I am so thankful for it.

Michael Godfrey (‘19 marketing)
In May 2024, I began a new job with Fallen Giant Films, a new television and film production company in Omaha, Nebraska. Over the past year, I have been able to work as a production assistant, first and second assistant camera, writer, and editor. I have been fortunate enough to live out my childhood dream of working in film. The film industry is chaotic, stressful, fast-paced, and very difficult work, and I wouldn’t want to do anything else. I love being a part of bringing filmmaking back home.

Molly Kunde (‘19 finance)
My husband, Sam Kunde (‘19 finance), and I are welcoming our first baby and future Cyclone in July. Sam works at Tropicana as a finance manager in downtown Chicago, Illinois. I work at United Airlines as the lead analyst supporting airport operations.

Nate Maile (‘19 business economics)
I have been working in Atlanta, Georgia, as a principal software engineer since shortly after graduation. I also run a small online community of software engineers and technology enthusiasts.

Austin Pitts (‘19 management information systems)
As a senior manager of F&I Operations, I lead training and initiatives for 27 stores. I manage and optimize retail applications to improve in-store processes. I identify and implement operational improvements, provide reporting for senior leadership and lenders, and take pride in fraud prevention, often stopping issues before they cause harm. Whether working independently or with teams, I focus on efficiency, compliance, and innovation to drive results across Walser’s automotive operations.

Austin Kain (‘20 accounting)
I was promoted to controller of the company I work for in early 2025.

Nicole (Watters) Felix (‘20 marketing)
After graduation, I got married and started working for Amazon. I have since been promoted three times and am a senior operations manager for Amazon in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

Denys Ponomarenko (‘21 accounting)
Right after graduating, I  landed a job at KPMG member firm in Ukraine, going from junior to senior auditor in around two years, working with many clients in various industries. Plus, I got the experience of conducting external audit during the war. I switched to the transaction services team at KPMG, which provided for a smoother transition into investment banking and asset management.

Jasani Whitehead (‘21 management information system; minor in business and technology consulting)
Since graduation, I’ve continued growing my career in technology and leadership. I spent time at Amazon building my foundation in operations and service management before joining Principal Financial Group in 2022, where I now lead a team focused on IT service automation, AI-driven solutions, and escalated support. I completed my master’s in information systems and business analytics in 2025, balancing work, leadership, and fatherhood along the way. Proud to be a two-time Cyclone!

Rohan Brahmarouthu (‘22 marketing and management)
I recently joined Principal Financial Group as a senior associate, marketing operations. I’ll be focusing on leveraging data for our marketing campaigns using Salesforce Marketing Cloud.

MK Collins (’23 marketing)
I recently accepted a job with the Buffalo Bills to be their player personnel coordinator while also marrying my college sweetheart, Joseph Hubert, this year, who I met the first day of college at Iowa State. He just got a job as the maintenance engineer lead for General Mills in Buffalo as well!

Kadin Kees (‘23 accounting)
Since graduating Iowa State I have accepted a position at Jacobsen & Co and have been lucky to have good mentors above me in the company. Due to this, I have been promoted to senior accountant as well as passing my exams and becoming a CPA. If you ever need help with taxes or your business, now you know a guy. Outside of work, I have also been skydiving, travelling the globe, and competing in sanctioned kickboxing bouts. I have Iowa State to thank.

Tanner Johnson (‘23 marketing)
I married the girl of my dreams (Zoe Davis, ‘24 software engineering) in June 2025. We met at Iowa State in 2021 and quickly became friends. Friendship turned into love eventually and the rest is history. Iowa State played a large role in our relationship.

Kate Tindall (‘23 MBA)
I recently accepted the role of senior director of University of Minnesota Alumni Association Communications. This role focuses on the leadership of the alumni association’s communications channels and its alumni storytelling capacity.

Jahid Hasan (‘24 entrepreneurship)
Co-founder, Tometo, Inc.

Ali Tallaq (‘24 master of accounting)
After graduation, I passed the AUD section of the CPA exam and am currently preparing for FAR. I recently joined Iowa State University as the business administrator for the Center for Wireless, Communities and Innovation (WiCI),part of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. There, I manage more than $10 million in grant funding across multiple federal and industry-sponsored projects. I’m grateful for my Ivy education, which laid the foundation for my growing career.

Autumn Vander Waal (‘24 master of real estate development)
After graduating from Iowa State in 2020 with a degree in finance and international business, I began working for Principal Asset Management in private equity real estate. In my current role, I enjoy working on a portfolio valued over a billion dollars. I find so much value in my work meeting the industrial, retail, office, and housing needs of communities.

Benjamin Rima (‘24 marketing and management; minor in Spanish)
I graduated and started working full-time at Cottingham & Butler in Dubuque, Iowa. I got connected with this company through Iowa State’s marketing career fair and received a full-time offer after my junior year summer internship. I recently finished one year with this company and love it. They focus on employee development and I have made great friends and connections along with growing as a young professional in the insurance industry.

Kyle Goranson (‘24 business analytics)
This summer I got married to my beautiful wife, Margaret, and started a full-time position as an operations and supply chain manager for Proclamation Tools LLC.

John Mobley IV (‘24 MBA, master of education; ‘21 physics, mathematics; minors in GC in  entrepreneurship and innovation)
As an active leader in the American Nuclear Society (ANS), I traveled to Albuquerque, New Mexico, in April to present my work on the establishment and revitalization of ANS Student Sections, which have experienced the highest growth since the early 1960s. During that visit, I had the rare opportunity to visit the Trinity Site where the first nuclear weapons test was conducted on July 16, 1945. It was a powerful reminder of the past – and of the critical role nuclear energy can play in a peaceful future.

Dresden Eldridge (‘24 supply chain management; minor in business analytics)
I moved to Atlanta, Georgia, and started my professional career as a category analyst for GoTo Foods.

Dorothy Staton (‘25 management information systems)
I recently accepted a position as an IT analyst for the Hyatt Regency hotel in Chicago, Illinois. I’m excited to work and grow in this new environment!