Terrier Volume 78, Number 1 - Spring 2014 | Page 18

Class Notes
Vincent DeGiaimo ’72 was
elected President of SCAN
(Supportive Children’s
Advocacy Network) New
York’s Board of Directors.
SCAN provides a number
of programs to high-risk
children and their families
in East Harlem and the
South Bronx including substance abuse treatment,
violence prevention, and literacy programs.
DeGiaimo also now heads his own firm, Ridegcroft
Capital Advisory.

Dennis Lacognata
’76, Senior Vice
President of Prompt
Direct Inc. was the
Fall 2013 Keynote
Speaker for the Center
for Entrepreneurship.
He spoke about
direct marketing for
entrepreneurs. Dennis
and his wife Patricia
’79 are also proud to announce the birth of their
second grandchild, Addison Elizabeth.

Joan Reder-Koechler ’72 is currently enjoying
retirement, and volunteers her time recording
periodical literature for the blind in Daytona Beach
and helping elementary students in a resource
setting in their parish school. Prior to retiring, Joan
taught in Catholic Schools in Brooklyn, Queens, and
Glen Cove School districts. Joan and her husband,
Joseph, currently reside in Ormond Beach, FL.

Frank A. Spinosa ’76, M.D. was inaugurated
this past March as the President of the American
Podiatric Medical Association in Washington, DC.
Frank lives and practices on Shelter Island, NY.

Bro. David Migliorino, OSF
’73 renewed his Franciscan
vows after 40 years, helping
to raise more than $300,000
for Notre Dame Regional
High School in Cape
Girardeau, Missouri. Bro.
David has been principal
at the High School for the past 15 years.

James F. McElroy Jr. ’77 was recently given the
ABCA Meritorious Service Award by the American
Baseball Coaches Association during their luncheon
this past January in Dallas, Texas. James is
Executive Director of the Brooklyn Queens Catholic
High School Athletic League; the Director of the
Brooklyn Cadets Baseball Club;
serves on the Board of Directors for
both the New York City Baseball
Federation and the All American
Amateur Baseball Association;
and is on the advisory Board of the
Atlantic Collegiate Baseball league.
Karl T. Bednarek ’78, M.D. is
practicing gastroenterology in
Manhattan and Brooklyn. He still
plays tennis, and is enjoying his 9
year old daughter’s growth.
Virginia K. Bolton ’78
recently completed her
doctorate degree in Health
Science from A.T. Still
University, School
of Health Science in
Mesa, AZ.

Dennis McDermott ’74 (above) and Jamaal
Womack ’09 worked out the St. Ephrem
Sub-Novice Gold Team at a basketball clinic
for a group of future stars.
Vincent A. Gardino ’75 is Publisher of Straus News’
five New York Community Papers, which comprise:
Our Town, West Side Spirit, Our Town Downtown,
Chelsea Clinton News, and The Westsider.
Phil ’76 and Jeannie ’78 DeVito are thrilled to
announce the birth of their twin grandchildren,
Nicholas William and Gia Rose Marano this past
October. This makes five grandchildren for the
DeVitos including 10 year old Brendan, 8 year old
Justin, and 7 year old Kayla.
Robert D. Hannafin ’76, Ph.D. is now dean of
Fairfield University’s Graduate School of Education
and Allied Professions.

Al DiGuido ’78 returned to St. Francis College
April 8 as a Keynote Speaker for the Center for
Entrepreneurship. DiGuido, the CEO of Optimus
Interactive and President of Al’s Angels, talked
about entrepreneurship and social responsibility.
Catherine O’Brien ’79 was recently named Woman
of the Year and presented with the Sportsmanship
Award by The Italian-American Soccer League and
the New York Stars Inc., during their 10th Annual
Dinner Dance. Catherine is also a member of the
St. Francis College Athletic Hall of Fame, and is
the Operations Administrator for the Eastern New
York Youth Soccer program.
Louis G. Pastina ’79 is proud to announce that his
son Timothy ’13 is now a graduate of the College
while his nephews, Thomas & Kevin Kelly, are
current SFC students. Their mom, Louis’ sister,
Ann Kelly ’86, and their brother Vincent Pastina
’93, are proud to know that the tradition continues.

16  |  ST. FR ANCIS COLLEGE TERRIER  |  SPRING 2014

1980s
Gaetano Messina ’80 was recently presented with
the Sportsmanship Award by The Italian-American
Soccer League and the New York Stars Inc., during
their 10th Annual Dinner Dance. Gaetano is also a
member of the S t. Francis College Athletic Hall of
Fame, and works as Station Manager and Station
Coordinator at John F. Kennedy Airport.
Jeanette Dowdell ’82
self-published her third book,
The Hereafter: Our Next
Assignment, Our Next Grand
Adventure.

Brian Cosgrove ’83 (below, fourth from right)
recently returned to his Alma Mater to speak about
Risk Management as part of a lecture series
sponsored by the College’s Finance Department
in conjunction with the Finance Club.

Denis P. McGowan ’83
was recently appointed as
Executive Director of
Investigations for the Office
of Internal Audits and
Discipline (IAD) of the
Department of Buildings of
the City of New York. He is a
member of the Federal Law
Enforcement Officers Association, the Fraternal
Order of Police, NYPD Honor Legion, NYPD Emerald
Society, the Knights of Columbus, and the Ancient
Order of Hibernians. Denis and his wife of fifteen
years, Theresa, reside on Staten Island with their
two daughters, Bridget Theresa and Megan Ann.
Joseph J. Moreira ’84, MD was elected to the
Board of Directors of the American Society of
Neurophysiological Monitoring. Dr. Moreira
specializes in intraoperative neurophysiology, the
science of evaluating the integrity of the nervous
system during surgery.
Wayne Keeney ’85 has been appointed Family
Support Magistrate by Connecticut Governor Daniel
P. Malloy. Keeney is an attorney with the Law Offices
of Wayne R. Keeney, LLC in Bridgeport, where he
has served as the sole practitioner since 1996
specializing in criminal law. He also currently serves
as chairman of the Connecticut Judicial Review
Council. He is a former New York City police officer
and prosecutor for the City of San Diego.