Class Notes

The latest class notes will be posted the in conjunction with the release of new editions of The Port, which is released the first Thursday (September-December, February-May).

Class note submissions are accepted by either:

1. Submitting a class note online.
2. Emailing your name, class year, photo(s), and relevant information to alumni@brockport.edu.

Class Notes: Summer 2023

2020s

Last year’s recipient of the President’s Citation Award, Karen Blank ’23, was featured in an article posted by the YMCA of Rochester. The article discusses her unique perspective as an adult student, and how she used an internship to fulfill her degree with the University of Rochester Medical Center to combine efforts with her work in health and wellness at the YMCA.

Caleb Lead ’23 graduated with a master’s in history and is working on his publication of a thesis to get into a military history Ph.D. program.

2010s

Kayleen Burns ’19/’21 was announced as the Southeast Missouri women’s gymnastics assist coach. Burns spent the last two seasons on Brockport’s coaching staff as both a volunteer in 2021 and an official staff member in 2022.

Benjamin Cherry ’14 announced that he’s moving to a new role as the next Director of the Fund for Oneonta.

Bryonne Herring ’15 was hired as the head strength & conditioning coach for Brockport Athletics. He will spearhead the strength and conditioning efforts of all 23 athletic programs. Herring comes back to Brockport with eight years of experience as a strength and conditioning coach in the collegiate ranks. Most recently, he spent six months as the head strength and conditioning coach at Stevenson University in Owens Mills, MD.

Jordan Hogan ’13 was named as one of the six 2023 Bill Walsh NFL Diversity Fellows. He will be an offensive assistant with the San Francisco 49ers. Hogan is a four-time recipient of the Bill Walsh coaching fellowship, having also completed fellowships with the Baltimore Ravens, Indianapolis Colts, and Buffalo Bills.

Joe Zaccardo ’10 was inducted into the Section V Football Hall of Fame. He was a four-year member of the SUNY Brockport baseball team and graduated with a degree in marketing. During Zaccardo’s senior campaign he earned a Gold Glove as a catcher with 191 putouts and 22 caught steals, in addition to SUNYAC All-Tournament team honors.

2000s

Sheryl Charlton ’02 accepted a role with the SUNY Brockport Athletic Training staff this summer. As a graduate, she’s happy to return to work with the Golden Eagles after spending more than a decade as an athletic trainer at UR Medicine in the Sports Medicine branch.

Mary Karen Wheat ’06 has been hired as the new full-time softball coach at SUNY Brockport. Wheat spent the majority of the last academic year as an assistant coach at Bryant University (Division I), where she primarily worked with pitchers. For the past two years, Wheat has worked with the Great Britain 18U softball program. She previously was an assistant coach at University of Rochester, and was a standout pitcher for Brockport High School and Binghamton University.

1990s

Eric Clark ’98 visited Brockport and 89.1 The Point (WBSU) this summer. He is the current senior managing producer for CNBC & NBC Universal.

Gabe Nugent ’95 was appointed the chair of the New York State Judicial Screening Committee for the Appellate Division, Fourth Department by New York State Governor Kathy Hochul. The term of his service is for three years. The governor’s Judicial Screening Committees are established by executive order to evaluate the qualifications of candidates and make recommendations to the governor for appointment to judgeships other than those on the Court of Appeals. Nugent was also selected for the role of senior vice president and general counsel for Syracuse University. As general counsel, Nugent will lead the Syracuse University Office of University Counsel (OUC).

1980s

Mario Gallucci ’87 was named for the 15 ^th straight year one of the Top 100 Criminal Defense Attorney’s nationwide and also selected consecutively as one of the New York’s Super Criminal Defense attorneys.

1970s

James Dennis ’75 completed and published his first novel, The Need for a Little Dog. The humorous book centers around the mythological creature of a werewolf, but with a twist. Instead of someone transforming into a vicious wolf ready to tear people to shreds, the transformation is into man’s best friend, a weredog.

Eric “Ric” Kranz ’73 met his wife, Mickey (Margaret) Davis ’74 in 1972 when they were both working on the Stylus. He graduated from Brockport in 1973 and we got married on August 5, 1973, so this year is both the 50th anniversary of his graduation from Brockport but also Mickey’s and his 50th wedding anniversary.

Stuart Krieger ’73 authored Raft, a book published by Pipevine Press that navigates the perspectives of a family amid a patriarchal midlife crisis that includes the father spontaneously turning into a penguin. Krieger is an award-winning screenwriter and author of The Land Before Time. He is a professor in the Department of Theatre, Film, and Digital Production at University of California Riverside. Krieger will be present on campus for a special edition of October’s First Friday – which will be rescheduled for a Monday, October 2 because of Homecoming & Family Weekend. As a reminder, First Fridays and in this case First Mondays are open to alumni to attend for some tasty apps, a cold beverage, and some great conversations with Brockport faculty, staff, emeriti, and retirees. In addition to his campus appearances, Krieger will be doing readings and signings at the Barnes & Noble in Pittsford Plaza (3349 Monroe Ave. Rochester 14618) on Friday September 29 at 5:00 p.m. and at Fitz Books in Buffalo (433 Ellicott St. Buffalo 14203) on Saturday September 30 from 4:00-6:00 p.m. If you’re in either area, please drop by!

1960s

Gene Spanneut ’69 had the privilege of writing the Diary of a Disposable Soldier which centered around the accounts of his good friend, Howard Rose Jr., and his experiences during a year-long tour of duty in Vietnam. Rose Jr. was exposed to Agent Orange while in Vietnam resulting in severe health complications which ultimately led to his demise. Spanneut relied on Rose Jr.’s diary and hours of recorded conversations to develop the narrative.

Golden Eagles Recently Lost

Phillip F. Ciarico ’60 – August 28, 1938 – May 31, 2023

Barbara (Baker) Quinn ’59 passed away this summer

Thomas Joseph Schaeffer ’77/’86 – Passed away on August 16, 2023

Donna (Reinhard) Turner ’63 – Passed away on July 11, 2023

Class Notes are submitted by external constituents of the University. The Office of Alumni Engagement is responsible for editing and posting submissions, not for content selection.