Spring 2010 Spring the magazine for montgomeryinsights college alumni and friends Counting Their Blessings Eight Siblings, Three Decades, and Five Awards Also: Alumni Award Winners 2010 10 Tips on Starting Your Own Business Our New Look… For Less $ Welcome From the Alumni Association President elcome to the newly K Also this year, the College commu- redesigned Insights maga- nity has shown outstanding responses W zine! As I mentioned in our to the earthquake devastation in Haiti. last issue, we’ve touched up our look Student groups assembled and distrib- and added some new features. I’m uted information to campuses about proud to say that our creative team ways to help. Mike Dupuy ’81 used managed to roll out this redesigned his personal connections to establish full-color edition while actually reduc- a direct relief fund. And Michelle ing costs. While its look has changed, Mays ’02, last seen volunteering in its mission remains the same: to India, traveled to Haiti to continue provide you—past students, graduates, her volunteer work with Medecins Sans and friends of Montgomery College— Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders). with the good news that happens here K The Commons building on the through your help and inspiration. Takoma Park/Silver Spring Campus Sanjay Suchak Sanjay In addition to retooling our maga- has reopened after a complete make- zine, we are also helping alumni stay over inside. The building is home to a connected online via social media. collection of historical memorabilia About Our New Look At this writing, more than half a dozen from the Bliss Electrical School, which alumni chapters and 19 College depart- Through some creative adjustments in our the College purchased to establish its ments and programs are found on production and printing processes, we are first campus. You’ll read more about Facebook. We also hope to provide a now able to produce a full-color magazine the collection in this issue. new e-mail service soon that will let AND reduce overall costs. And finally, because I wear another you customize the information you hat as a member of the Montgomery How We Reduced Costs receive from us. Stay tuned for more College Foundation board, I’m pleased developments. K We removed the under-used to say that the College has surpassed Several noteworthy things have reply envelope. its goal of raising $25 million in a multi- happened since our last issue: K We reduced the overall size to year campaign effort. Thanks to your K Our immediate past president, better fit standard printing presses. generosity, our current students have Tookie Gentilcore, convened the benefited from scholarships, better K We selected less expensive paper. first meeting of the Past Presidents classrooms, and a wider range of Council, a group of volunteers repre- learning programs. Please continue to senting two decades of Alumni support the College through your gifts Association leadership who will pro- to the Annual Fund—or to your Alumni vide advice and support to our College Association’s scholarship fund. and its president. This kind of initia- We’d like to hear from you. tive led to her being awarded the Best wishes for the summer, Your feedback and suggestions are Milton F. Clogg Outstanding Alumni always welcome. Let us know what Achievement Award this spring. you want in your alumni magazine. Tookie also had a hand in launching Send us story ideas, letters to the a new fundraiser for the Association— editor, and news to share with Mobile Masterpieces, an art sale fellow alumni. that returns this fall. (See details on Robert F. Costello III ’63 E-mail: [email protected] page 21.) Alumni Association President About the Cover Beverly Patton Zolfaghari ’87 holds a family portrait. Photo by Sanjay Suchak. Design by Clint Wu. Feature Spring 2010 insights 2 Counting Their Blessings Learn about the eight Patton siblings and follow a timeline through three decades at Montgomery College. Departments 6 Alumni Awards 7 Ask Jess 8 News and Views 10 Campus Scenes 11 Chapter Notes 12 Speaking from Experience 13 Where in the World? 14 Class Notes 16 In Memoriam 17 MC Couples 18 Alumni Perks 19 Bliss Beat 20 Events Calendar Buffy (Patton) Wiltz ’91 MONTGOMERY COLLEGE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION President: Robert Costello ’63 Vice President: Donald Krueger ’63 Secretary: Connie Tonat, professor emerita Treasurer: Gabe Derosier ’01 Board of Governors: Lon Anderson ’70, Rosemary Arkoian ’05, Masoud Edalatkhah ’06, Susan Fisher ’91, Sue Flatow ’72, Tookie Gentilcore ’94, Joyce Knight ’91, Carol Leahy ’74, Ida McAuliffe ’83, Anthony McCann ’63, Juan Mendoza ’03, Anita Neal Powell ’79, Julissa Reyes ’00, Etienne Takougang ’98, Lori Thomas ’99, Marvin Thomas ’75, Jorge Urrutia ’74, Judith Vaughan-Prather ’69, Dr. Lucy Vitaliti ’77, Stacy Wood ’74, Helen Youth, professor emerita Alumni Director: Jessica L. Warnick ’86 Alumni Coordinator: John Libby ’80 Alumni Assistant: Bernice Grossman, Hon.’07 Office Aides: Josefino B. Sabio, Carolina Peña ’07 INSIGHTS Editorial Staff: Diane Bosser, John Libby ’80, Jessica L. Warnick ’86 Contributing Writers: Diane Bosser, Elizabeth Homan, John Libby ’80, Carolina Peña ’07, Josefino B. Sabio, Kathy Stevens, Jessica L. Warnick ’86, Helen Youth Photo Credits: Photography by Sanjay Suchak where noted. Individual photos supplied by alumni. Design: Clint Wu Vice President, Advancement: David Sears Director, Communications: Brett Eaton Associate Director, Communications: Elizabeth Homan Insights is produced by the Office of Advancement. Send all correspondence, announcements, inquiries, address changes, wedding notices, and death notices to the Alumni Office at [email protected] or to Insights, MC Alumni Office, 900 Hungerford Drive, Suite 200, Rockville, MD 20850. Counting Their Blessings Raised in Montgomery County by supportive and practical parents, the eight Patton siblings learned the importance of hard work, education, and giving back through more than three decades at MC. by Diane Bosser ollege after high school was an irrevo- Bruce Patton cable truth for each of Barbara and Bob Vice President of Finance and Patton’s 10 children. Administration, Patton Electronics Co. “We knew from an early age… not Father of eight. going to college was not an option,” says Bobby Patton ’83, number six Cin the family lineup. Like many Montgomery County residents, eight Pattons chose Montgomery College for its proximity to home, work, and family, and its affordability. Each Patton sibling knew MC would be the means to their end goal: a four-year degree. Throughout the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, eight of them attended the College. “Financially, it made the most sense to take all my core classes at MC, then transfer to a four- year school,” says Beverly Patton Zolfaghari ’87. According to Buffy (Patton) Wiltz ’91, assuming financial responsibility for tuition had an upside: “It made us good students. Since I was paying for it, I did not want to miss class or lose cred- its.… I also knew if I did well, I would transfer successfully to a four-year school, with financial aid, of course.” Most of the Pattons attended the same campus, Rockville, but each had a unique experience. Bruce ’75, the first to enroll, remembers enjoying his math and sociology classes; younger brother Barry ’79 recalls meeting up with friends in the cafeteria for card games between classes. Beverly was on the dance squad. Photography by Sanjay Suchak Sanjay by Photography Buffy went to class, then right to work. 2 insights SPRING 2010 Bobby Patton President and CEO, Patton Electronics Co. Father of five. Barry Patton President, Data Connect Enterprises, Inc. Father of five. Ben Patton President, Patton & Braucht, P.C. Father of five. 1977 1979 1983 Although none were English majors, the door and he closed it. I had to retake (then age 18) a sum of $5,000 each to start four Pattons remember Dr. Gary Pittenger the class. Besides mastering linear algebra, a business. It was May 1984. Working in the as their favorite/most memorable profes- I learned that in life—and in business— basement, the brothers assembled kits of sor. Pittenger taught English at Rockville 20 percent is being there; 80 percent is networking equipment, imported from from 1971 to 2001. “He was hard but fair,” being there ON TIME.” Australia and Israel through their father’s says Burt ’85; “He taught me how to write,” After Bobby transferred to the University business contacts. They named the venture says Beverly, adding: “He was hard! He really of Maryland, their father Robert suffered a Patton Electronics. challenged you to be better.” heart attack. By that time, the older siblings Bobby and Burt set up work shifts Bobby learned one of his most valu- had already moved out and started careers around their class schedules, one working able life lessons from math Professor and families of their own. At age 20, Bobby mornings and one working afternoons. Gordon Gregg (who taught from 1971 to 2004). asked his dad about starting a business. “I Using relatively archaic machinery, they “At the start of class, Professor Gregg closed wanted to be able to take care of the family assembled tiny components (too small to and locked his door. If you were late, even if something happened to him.” handle) to boards, then tested them. They a minute, you missed class. On the day of Doubting mightily, according to Bobby, sold the finished parts—modems and line a major test, I was literally two feet from their father gave him and brother Burt drivers for connecting terminals to main- insights SPRING 2010 3 Burt Patton Executive Vice President, Patton Electronics Co. Father of nine. Buffy (Patton) Wiltz Credit Manager, Patton Electronics Co. Mother of three. Beverly Patton Zolfaghari Interior designer, self-employed. Mother of three.