David Clarkson, BJ ’72

David Clarkson, BJ ’72, will retire at the end of February 2015 after 28 years of federal service at the USDA offices in Brookfield and Chillicothe, Missouri.

Lori Berger

What do you do? I am the entertainment and special projects director for Hearst Magazines. As entertainment director, I put together celebrity covers for some of the Hearst magazines, which means projecting which celebrities will be hot – or not – since we work a good six months ahead of time. I also work on … Continued

Ellen Jaffe Jones, BJ ’76

Ellen Jaffe Jones, BJ ’76, was named the 2014 “PETA’s Sexiest Vegan Over 50” for her work in animal rights and trying to improve human and global health. She earned six Gold Medals in the 2014 Florida State Senior Games, ranking first in her age group in every event she qualified for at the local … Continued

Stephen Baer

Growing up in a military family, creative director Stephen Baer, BJ ’76, learned resilience and curiosity at a young age. These two traits, developed through the 22 moves his family made before he was 18, helped him adapt to new surroundings with ease. Tapping into the survival skills he learned early in life has come … Continued

Richard Holden

Rich Holden, BJ ’71, MA ’73, believes that a lot of life comes down to saying yes to opportunities. In 1976, Holden’s boss gave him an opportunity: He could become a part of the founding team of the Asian Wall Street Journal in Hong Kong. But there was a downside: He would leave behind his … Continued

Greg Wagner

What do you do? I teach advertising and direct marketing internships in the Daniels College of Business at the University of Denver. I also write screenplays and serve as an advertising consultant. You worked as a creative director for 30-plus years. What are some highlights? I retired as a group creative director at Leo Burnett … Continued

Steve Lentz

What do you do? I report, write, produce and deliver projects for video and the Web. LifeVideos.com develops compelling B2B (business to business) and B2C (business to consumer) video content for diverse clients. It’s our responsibility to develop concepts, create and allocate budgets, cover events and produce videos on time and on budget. Our clients … Continued

Catherine Soete, MA ’72

Catherine Soete, MA ’72, has published her first novel, “Grave Secrets,” with Mill City Press. The mystery is set in a fictional Iowa town, during the summer of 1973, when Senate Watergate hearings riveted the country. Reporter Carol Hagan, newly minted from the Missouri School of Journalism and eager to start her career on a … Continued

John Planchon, MA ’75

John Planchon, MA ’75, associate professor of commerce and business at Rhodes College, was honored with the 2014 Jameson M. Jones Award for Outstanding Faculty Service at the college’s opening convocation on Aug. 22. The award honors a current faculty member who has rendered exemplary service and provided leadership to the Rhodes community. Planchon joined … Continued