Acclaimed Alumni . If you know of any other MHS alums who have earned major
recognition after high school, please email
the
webmaster.
Here's the criteria
.
Art
Ann Gardner ('66) (maiden name Ann Lorence) Major works in Atlanta, Seattle, Tokyo, Bal Harbor, Fl, Indianapolis, St. Louis, Las
Vegas... Exhibits, Smithsonian, New York City, Chicago, Seattle, San Francisco, U.S. Embassy in Prague, Los Angeles, Hoddaido, Japan
Visit her great website.
Chris Keylock Williams ('62) "A
well known artist from Portland, Oregon. Her watercolor paintings
have won numerous
awards
and have been reproduced in art books, magazines, and as prints and
notecards." Her watercolors have been on display throughout
Oregon and in Arizona, Wisconsin,
Osaka, Japan and Berlin, Germany.
Visit her outstanding website.
Aviation and Author
Brent Hedgepath ('65)
From 1985 to 1987 Brent was a production
test pilot for the B-1B bomber at Palmdale, California. While there he set
eight world aviation records for speed/
payload in the B-1B. These records still
stand. From 1987-1991 he was the Special
Operation Test Force Director and Squadron
Commander at Edwards Air Force
Base.
Read more in our
December 2011 Newsletter
Elgen Long
(44) Awarded the Federation Aeronautique Internationale 'Gold Air
Medal' as the world's outstanding sports pilot.
First person
to fly solo around the world going over the north and south poles.
Wrote book that was turned into the movie 2009 'Amelia', which
starred Richard Gere. Elgen served as a mechanical consultant
for the movie
Charles E Carlbom
(52) U.S. Air Force retired Lt Col United Grocer's Inc Past
President, CEO Loaves & Fishes Centers Past
board President Portland State University Business Advisory
Council
Ted Cookson (69)
Ted Cookson is the first American to be a licensed travel
agent in Egypt and has successfully managed a travel agency in
Cairo, Egypt since 1988
Ted's website:
http://www.eptours.com/
Jay Farr (69)
Owner & Finance Executive of Farr's True Value Hardware in Coos Bay
Member of Prefontaine Memorial Committee
Kathy (Grabe)
Freeman (78) Vice President - County Manager Fidelity National Title If
you move back to Coos Bay, you'll know a VP in the finance industry.
Take advantage of it and give Kathy a call. Kathy works in the
Coos Bay office and has responsibility for three Fidelity branches
in Coos County.
Katherine Haliski Vice
President Retail Operations at Crate and Barrel
In 2011, Katherine was promoted from Regional Manager/Trainer
out of Los Angeles to VP of Retail Operations at corporate
headquarters in Chicago.
Haliski earned an Executive MBA from Pepperdine University in 2012
Doug Hensler (65)
Business & Education Doug
graduated from Princeton in 1969. He began his career as an
associate engineer at McDonnell-Douglas Astronautics Corporation.
He became an expert in quality control at Bingham Willamette in
Portland and Precision Castparts, also in Portland. At
Precision Castparts Doug eventually became Production Superintendent
and then Process & Control Engineering Manager, at times overseeing
250 people. He then moved to the world of Education with
stints at the University of Washington, Univeriste de Versailles,
and the Vienna University of Technology among others. In 2013,
Doug became the 14th provost of the
Naval Postgraduate School.
Susie (Grabe) McDaniel
(77) Human Resource & Education Manager Susie
plays a key role for Bay Area Hospital in Coos Bay. Not only
is she the human resource manager, but she plans educational
activities on behalf of the hospital. She recently coordinated
a half day career exploration seminar target towards medical careers
for high school students throughout Coos County.
Tom Newhouse (72) Chief Financial Officer of PayLess Drug, Inc Tom
is the CFO for PayLess Drug Stores, Inc. PayLess is different
than what we think of in the old days. PayLess is a "long term
care pharmacy offering customized services to skilled nursing,
assisted living and other long term care facilities."
Education
Stephen
Dow Beckham ('59) Historian & Expert in Indian Law Earned
his Ph. D from UCLA in History/Anthropology in 1969. He is
currently the Pamplin Professor of History at Lewis & Clark College.
A prolific author with many books about the culture and history on the
Northwest Indians.
Gary Clark ('66) Recipient
of National Outstanding Service Award from the Association for
Career and Technical Education. Lifetime Achievement Awards from the
Utah DECA Associaion and the Marketing Education Association.
More info
Shawn Kennelly '88 Pirate
Shawn has picked up 2 Emmy's for being part of the Outstanding Sound
Editing on the TV show '24'. He earned them in
2005 and 2007. He was also nominated for Emmy's four other
times. In 2004, 2006 and for two in 2009.
Awards & Nominations
Matt Partney '96 Pirate
Matt Partney has been on the writing staff of several popular RV
shows. He started his Hollywood work by writing for 'Gideon's
Crossing', then moved on to the Warner
Brothers series 'Angel' and
'Buffy'. He finally landed with CBS's CSI:Miami. An
episode he co-wrote was seen by over 20 million viewers in 2007.
KCBY article
George Whitty '80 Grammy/Emmy winner:
See 'Musicians'
Jeff Whitty '89 Tony winner; Avenue Q:
See 'Playwright'
Finances and Philanthropy
James Rippey '50
Co-founder of Columbia Management
Company.
U of O Business School Hall of Fame. "Rippey was working as an executive at Merrill Lynch in 1961 when he
and his colleague struck out to form their own investment management
firm, Columbia Management Co. The company established the Columbia
Growth Fund, Oregon's first mutual fund, in 1967, and the Columbia
Daily Co., one of the first money-market mutual funds in the
country, in 1974. During Rippey's tenure, the company grew its
management portfolio to $22 billion...." more at UO Homepage Archive
Continued in next column
Leadership
Michele Burnette (64)
Coos Bay City Councilor.
Elected 2006.
Prior to becoming councilor,
Michele served on the City's Budget Committee since January 2003. Michele
is a member of the Board of Directors for ShoreBank Enterprise Pacific
(non-profit), a Senior Fellow of the American Leadership Forum, the
Secretary of the Board of Directors of the Coquille Economic Development
Corp. (CEDCO), and the Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Coquille
Tribe Community Fund.
John Briggs
('63)
Mayor of North Bend. A Marshfield
alum, John became mayor of North Bend. He supported a
consolidation
vote
in 2002 in hopes of gaining some political clout for the local area at
the state level and to lower costs by merging the two cities, which were
both facing dire financial situations. North Bend voters voted no
on consolidation and no to John's reelection. We still love you ,
John.
Brian Clem ('90)
Oregon State Representative
Brian was elected State Representative in 2006. As of 2008, he was
Co-Owner of a Fruit Farm and Owner of OnSite PC Help. He is past
president of the Salem City Club.
Colonel Dean R. Clemons ('79) Commander of the 96th
Air Base Wing, Air Force
Materiel Command, Eglin Air Force Base,
Fla. Eglin is the largest Air Force base in the free world. Change of Command Ceremony
Everett
'Herring' Harrington ('28) Served from 1941 to 1945 as a lieutenant in the
U.S. Navy. Following the war he joined the BPA and became Assistant Chief
Engineer, the highest position in the BPA not held by political appointment. In
1975 the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers recognized his
“contributions in the application of high-voltage circuit breakers, high voltage
series and shunt capacitors, and high-voltage direct-current transmission
technology.” He subsequently received a Distinguished Service Award and a
Gratitude Award from the U.S. Department of the Interior. Full biography
Mark Helfrich '92 Mark
was promoted to head coach of football at the University of Oregon in 2013.
Helfrich became offensive coordinator of the Ducks in 2009.
More
Sgt Major John Richards ('84) Sergeant Major (highest
enlisted rank)
for
the Aviation Combat Element of the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit [as of
October 2011]
Richard’s personal decorations include the Joint
Navy
Commendation Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with two gold
stars, and the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal with three gold stars.
Kathy Fitzpatrick Rosencrantz
("61) President Coos Bay-North Bend Rotary 2005-6. Kathy put her strong leadership skills to work for Rotary International and led the expansion of local membership in her year at the helm.
Carolyn Fleming Thompson
('82) CPA
North Bend School Board Chairwoman Carolyn served the North Bend School
District for over 6 years on both the budget committee and
board, culminating in a year as chair. She also Chaired the
local chapter of Oregon Society of Certified Public
accountants for 2 years 1997-1999. She is currently
working with Herning & Briggs, LLC, am involved with South
Coast running club and the Ford Leadership Institute. (Update
2008)
He served
as Mayor for two terms from 1988 through 1992 and served on the
City’s Budget
Committee
since January 1997 through 2002. Active participant and board member of the Boys and Girls Club for
many years. Roger also volunteers his services to South Coast
Hospice and the Coos Art Museum. As of 2007, Gould is a city councilor and currently serves as
the Council’s representative on the Boys and Girls Club Board,
County Urban Renewal Board, Enterprise Zone Committee, and Library
Board. He also served for many years as the President of the Coos
Bay Sister City Association.
Long
time executive Director of the Northwest Hydroelectric
Association (1983 through at least 2010). Elected a state
representative in Oregon in 2001. As representative, Jan
was a member of the Land and Water Use Committee and Vice Chair
of the House Species Recovery and Streamflow Restoration
Committee. She was able to help develop major legislation
for fish screens and fish passage.
More info
Caddy McKeown ('70) (Maiden name Hanen) Oregon
International Port of Coos Bay Commission Vice President.
Southern Regional Director of ASPIRE.
Has served on the Coos Bay School District Board of
Directors; Bob Belloni Ranch, Inc., Board of Directors; and the
Mingus Park Pool Management Board of Directors. She also
volunteers for the Oregon Community Foundation as a Grant Evaluator.
Dave
Kronsteiner (67)
Port of Coos Bay Commission President Owner/President of West Coast Contractors, Inc. During
2006-7 he
serves on the Board of
Directors
of the Oregon, Columbia Chapter of the Associated General
Contractors. Dave has served in the past on the Board of
Trustees of the Episcopal Diocese of Oregon; Board of Directors for
the Oregon State University Alumni Association; Board of Directors
for the Triangle Lake Center (children’s camp); and President of the
Coos Country Club.
Ken McCarty '68 City Councilor, Hillsboro, Planning Commission City of Hillsboro, Assistant
Dean BYU, Bishop, LDS Church in Hillsboro, Stake Presidency, LDS Church in Orem
Utah.
In 1999 Ken was assigned as the "Project Leader" for the $50
Million Capital Campaign to build the new Athletic Complex at BYU.
Ken Messerle ('58) State Government Served
in the Oregon Senate and well known in Coos County for his
involvement in Dairy, Livestock and Cattleman's Associations.
Some of his government roles: Co-Chairman Joint Salmon and
Stream Restoration; Ways and Means, General Government and
Natural Resources subcommittees; Pacific Fisheries Legislative
Task Force; Human Services - Joint Interim Task Force on
Children and Families; Chairman, Water Policy; Agriculture and
Natural Resources;
Governor's Salmon Strategy team; Port of
Bandon; Coos Planning Commission; Oregon Soil and Water
Conservation Commission; Oregon Beef Council.
John Muenchrath, M.D. ('83) Coos Bay City Councilor 2004-current.
Attended Creighton University,
Oregon Health Sciences University, and the University of Oklahoma.
Councilor Muenchrath is employed as Urologist at Bay Area Hospital
and North Bend Medical Center. He serves as chief of surgery
at the hospital and volunteers at the Waterfall Clinic. As of
2007, Councilor Muenchrath serves as council representative on the
Enterprise Zone Committee, OCZMA, and Tree Board
Bill Whiteman ('56) Mayor Cottage Grove Served four years on the Cottage Grove City Council before becoming mayor from 1978 through 1984. Served on the City Council of Sherwood in 1999-2000. Business owner for 21 years.
Pirate Pride!
MHS
Scholarship
Fund
60 Endowed
Scholarships
Establish a new
scholarship
or help complete one
that has already
been started.
Founder
of Promethean
LifeSciences, Inc. Promethean creates medical devices
tailored to the wound care and reconstructive surgery
markets. Promethean
created
GammaGraft™.
Musicians
George Whitty
('80) - Multiple Grammy Winner and an Emmy to boot. Graduate
of Berklee College of Music in Boston, then the NY City jazz scene,
George produced 3 Grammy award jazz CD's. This Pirate does it
all, hip-hop, National Geographic, Discovery Channel and experimental
shorts.Visit his great website
Mel
Counts
Basketball
1964 Olympian &
NBA championship ring
Steve
Prefontaine
Track 1972 - 4th Place
Held every American record from 2 miles to 10k at the time of his
death
Philanthropy
Vera(
Blusson) Richter '23-Vera passed away in June, 2008 at the
age of 102. She was a
leader
in our community her entire adult life and silently contributed to
many local organizations. (The following are excerpts
from The World, 6-4-08)"In 2004, Vera was awarded Woman of the Year
by Women Making a Difference Day. In 2007, she was awarded the title
of most valiant woman by Church Women United.
She served as president of the Women's Civic Club and board member
for community concerts.
Her philanthropy to the community extends in a wide circle. Many
recipients of her generosity included The Boys & Girls Club of
Southwestern Oregon, Coos Art Museum, the skateboard park, and the
pool house at Mingus Park. She totally financed the replacement of
the community swimming pool and many young people in the area are
grateful to her for scholarship funds to complete college and obtain
graduate degrees."
Major works in Atlanta, Seattle, Tokyo, Bal Harbor, Fl, Indianapolis, St. Louis, Las
Vegas... Exhibits, Smithsonian, New York City
, Chicago, Seattle, San Francisco, U.S. Embassy in Prague, Los Angeles, Hoddaido, Japan
awards
and have been reproduced in art books, magazines, and as prints and
notecards." Her watercolors have been on display throughout
Oregon and in Arizona, Wisconsin,
Palmdale, California. While there he set
Awarded the Federation Aeronautique Internationale 'Gold Air
Medal' as the world's outstanding sports pilot. 
Ted Cookson is the first American to be a licensed travel
agent in Egypt and has successfully managed a travel agency in
Cairo, Egypt since 1988
If
you move back to Coos Bay, you'll know a VP in the finance industry.
Take advantage of it and give Kathy a call. Kathy works in the
Coos Bay office and has responsibility for three Fidelity branches
in Coos County.
Vice
President Retail Operations at Crate and Barrel
Operations at corporate
headquarters in Chicago.
Doug
graduated from Princeton in 1969. He began his career as an
associate engineer at McDonnell-Douglas Astronautics Corporation.
He became an expert in quality control at Bingham Willamette in
Portland and Precision Castparts, also in Portland. At
Precision Castparts Doug eventually became Production Superintendent
and then Process & Control Engineering Manager, at times overseeing
250 people. He then moved to the world of Education with
stints at the University of Washington, Univeriste de Versailles,
and the Vienna University of Technology among others. In 2013,
Doug became the 14th provost of the
Susie
plays a key role for Bay Area Hospital in Coos Bay. Not only
is she the human resource manager, but she plans educational
activities on behalf of the hospital. She recently coordinated
a half day career exploration seminar target towards medical careers
for high school students throughout Coos County. 
Tom
is the CFO for PayLess Drug Stores, Inc. PayLess is different
than what we think of in the old days. PayLess is a "long term
care pharmacy offering customized services to skilled nursing,
assisted living and other long term care facilities."
Earned
his Ph. D from UCLA in History/Anthropology in 1969. He is
currently the Pamplin Professor of History at Lewis & Clark College.
A prolific author with many books about the culture and history on the
Northwest Indians.
Recipient
of National Outstanding Service Award from the Association for
Career and Technical Education. Lifetime Achievement Awards from the
Utah DECA Associaion and the Marketing Education Association.
Arthur E. Andersen
Production
Manager 'American Idol', 2002-2005. Co- Author
Pirate
Shawn has picked up 2 Emmy's for being part of the Outstanding Sound
Editing on the TV show '24'. He earned them in
2005 and 2007.
He was also nominated for Emmy's four other
times. In 2004, 2006 and for two in 2009.
Pirate
Matt Partney has been on the writing staff of several popular RV
shows. He started his Hollywood work by writing for 'Gideon's
Crossing', then moved on to the Warner
Brothers series 'Angel' and
'Buffy'. He finally landed with CBS's CSI:Miami. An
episode he co-wrote was seen by over 20 million viewers in 2007.
Company.
U of O Business School Hall of Fame. "Rippey was working as an executive at Merrill Lynch in 1961 when he
and his colleague struck out to form their own investment management
firm, Columbia Management Co. The company established the Columbia
Growth Fund, Oregon's first mutual fund, in 1967, and the Columbia
Daily Co., one of the first money-market mutual funds in the
country, in 1974. During Rippey's tenure, the company grew its
management portfolio to $22 billion...." more at
Michele
is a member of the Board of Directors for ShoreBank Enterprise Pacific
(non-profit), a Senior Fellow of the American Leadership Forum, the
Secretary of the Board of Directors of the Coquille Economic Development
Corp. (CEDCO), and the Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Coquille
Tribe Community Fund.
vote
in 2002 in hopes of gaining some political clout for the local area at
the state level and to lower costs by merging the two cities, which were
both facing dire financial situations. North Bend voters voted no
on consolidation and no to John's reelection. We still love you ,
John.
Brian was elected State Representative in 2006. As of 2008, he was
Co-Owner of a Fruit Farm and Owner of OnSite PC Help. He is past
president of the Salem City Club.
Air Base Wing, Air Force
Mark
was promoted to head coach of football at the University of Oregon in 2013.
Helfrich became offensive coordinator of the Ducks in 2009.
for
the Aviation Combat Element of the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit [as of
October 2011]
Navy
Commendation Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with two gold
stars, and the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal with three gold stars.
President Coos Bay-North Bend Rotary 2005-6. Kathy put her strong leadership skills to work for Rotary International and led the expansion of local membership in her year at the helm.
Committee
since January 1997 through 2002.
Long
time executive Director of the Northwest Hydroelectric
Association (1983 through at least 2010). Elected a state
representative in Oregon in 2001. As representative, Jan
was a member of the Land and Water Use Committee and Vice Chair
of the House Species
Oregon
International Port of Coos Bay Commission Vice President.
Southern Regional Director of ASPIRE. 
Owner/President of West Coast Contractors, Inc. 
Served
in the Oregon Senate and well known in Coos County for his
involvement in Dairy, Livestock and Cattleman's Associations.
Some of his government roles: Co-Chairman Joint Salmon and
Stream Restoration; Ways and Means, General Government and
Natural Resources subcommittees; Pacific Fisheries Legislative
Task Force; Human Services - Joint Interim Task Force on
Children and Families; Chairman, Water Policy; Agriculture and
Natural Resources;
2004-current.
Attended Creighton University,
Oregon Health Sciences University, and the University of Oklahoma.
Councilor Muenchrath is employed as Urologist at Bay Area Hospital
and North Bend Medical Center. He serves as chief of surgery
at the hospital and volunteers at the Waterfall Clinic. As of
2007, Councilor Muenchrath serves as council representative on the
Enterprise Zone Committee, OCZMA, and Tree Board
Served four years on the Cottage Grove City Council before becoming mayor from 1978 through 1984. Served on the City Council of Sherwood in 1999-2000. Business owner for 21 years.
Corporate Vice President
(2002-2007) for 
company
that develops and manufactures cell sorters and analyzers.
Founder
of 
Graduate
of Berklee College of Music in Boston, then the NY City jazz scene,
George produced 3 Grammy award jazz CD's. This Pirate does it
all, hip-hop, National Geographic, Discovery Channel and experimental
shorts.
leader
in our community her entire adult life and silently contributed to
many local organizations. (The following are excerpts
from The World, 6-4-08)"In 2004, Vera was awarded Woman of the Year
by Women Making a Difference Day. In 2007, she was awarded the title
of most valiant woman by Church Women United.
