Welcome to the year of our 35th anniversary! Save the date for the weekend of October 13-15! I can still remember the final few months as we approached our May graduation date! If you haven’t found our Class of 1988 on Facebook, go check it out; there’s a group just for us and some recent discussions and pics posted!
In my family news, my wife, Kim, and I have been planning our next trip to the Upper Peninsula to visit our son Bryant ‘20, who’s attending Michigan Tech, where he will be in his final year of grad school — mechanical engineering. Our other son, Turner ‘22, plans to join the family trip, which promises great fishing and hiking, mountain biking, and disc golf! Turner works for Enterprise in New Hampshire and was recently promoted within their management training program.
Kate Marshall Ford (business administration) has been part of the York, ME community for 42 years after graduating from York High School and then earning her BS at UMaine. She lived in Boston for 10 years after college, had a career in academia, and earned an MS in human resource management. Kate moved back to York with her family when her first child was 10 months old and she has never looked back. Since returning to York, she has enjoyed a career in healthcare and social services and is a licensed social worker. She also holds her real estate license. Kate says her most important work has been working with older adults and bringing people together, which has taught her compassion and is a reminder to be grateful for each day. Kate is an active member of Serving Our Seniors in York and is a member of Vestry and Service Guild at her church(es). She is also co-president of the Friends of York Hospital. Kate lives with her husband, Mark Ford, who attended UMaine and together they have two adult children, Emma and Marshall. Kate enjoys walking the beaches, playing pickleball and paddle tennis (with her good friend Rich Goodenough), and spending time with friends and family.
Robert Frank (civil engineering) was recently elected board chair of WBRC, a 120-year-old architecture and engineering design firm headquartered in Bangor, ME with offices in Florida, Maryland, Michigan, and Portland, ME. Serving also as chief business development officer for WBRC, he has been part of the firm’s growth for more than 35 years. Rob serves on the College of (civil) Engineering advisory board, Board of Visitors, and as immediate past chair of the UMaine Alumni Association, recently returning from Florida as a perennial sponsor of UMAA’s Red Sox training Black Bear Road Trip (Red Sox won!). When not enjoying down-time during the four seasons of Maine with his wife and two teenage children (aspiring to be UMaine Black Bears), Rob’s clients keep him busy designing spaces in more than 26 states. None bring out his Black Bear pride like on-campus projects such as the Advanced Composites Center, Ferland Engineering Education and Design Center; Alfond Arena and Athletics Master Plan; and Versant Astronomy Center. If you regularly attend UMaine Alumni events, chances are high that you have encountered Rob and his wife, Michelle, and he may have handed you a free craft beer during Homecoming, as Rich Goodenough can attest!
After 33 rewarding years as the automotive fleet coordinator at Unilever, Oleg Cytowicz (communications) is excited to start a new career as one of the fleet account managers at Volvo Cars USA. He will be based out of Volvo’s corporate headquarters located in Mahwah, NJ.
Oleg is looking forward to working with many of his corporate fleet colleagues from all across the country who all play vital roles in various industries. He feels very fortunate to have the opportunity to represent an automotive manufacturer that is focused on safety and sustainability. Oleg, his wife, Penny, and son, Nicholas, continue to reside in New Milford, NJ.