For the 13th season, the WSU Distinguished Alumni Speaker Breakfast “Rise & Shine” Series dishes up eye-opening lectures and savory breakfast buffets at the Marcus Welcome Center on Wichita State’s beautiful campus.
Breakfasts begin at 7:30 a.m. with presentations starting at 8. The informal lectures are followed by a question-and-answer period, before wrapping up at about 8:30. The 2009-10 series spotlights these Shocker personalities:
Mary Lee Esty, Mon., Sept. 21
Mary Lee Esty ’60, a social worker with a doctorate in health psychology, is president of the Neurotherapy Center of Washington Inc., Bethesda, Md. Her specialty is using biofeedback, neurofeedback and other practices to help people overcome problems associated with chronic and life-threatening injuries and illnesses. She began using biofeedback and neurofeedback in 1989 and has treated more than 1,400 patients since then.
Mark Parkinson, Jan. 20, 2010
Mark Parkinson ’80 became Kansas’ 45th governor in April 2009. A successful businessman and former legislator, he graduated summa cum laude from WSU and then first in his class from the University of Kansas School of Law. After entering private practice, he formed his own law firm in 1986. He was elected to the Kansas House of Representatives in 1990 and two years later to the Kansas Senate. In 2006, he joined Gov. Kathleen Sebelius as lieutenant governor. Under his political leadership, wind farms have tripled in Kansas, and the state (the future home to the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility) is leveraging resources from the American Recovery Act to create jobs, rebuild infrastructure and continue investment in public schools.
Herb Krumsick, Tue., Feb. 23, 2010
Herb Krumsick ’66, senior vice president of J.P. Weigand & Sons Inc., Wichita, has 40 years of experience in real estate, having brokered, bought and/or sold more than $1 billion in commercial projects during his career. He has given more than 285 speeches and seminars on a national basis, is a partner and real estate asset manager for three groups of investors and is a stockholder/partner in the ownership of more than 2 million square feet of warehouse properties, 600,000-plus square feet of retail properties, 1,200 acres of commercially zoned land and more than 50 acres of industrial land.
Kevin Hooper, Tue., March 23, 2010
Kevin Hooper fs ’99, who enjoyed a 10-year playing career in professional baseball, was named manager of the Wichita Wingnuts in 2008. During his pro career, he won three championships, spent parts of two seasons in the Major Leagues and totaled 1,116 base hits. Prior to turning pro, he was a four-year star at WSU, helping the Shockers reach the College World Series in 1996. He still ranks in the top 10 in Shocker history in runs (5th, 287), hits (7th, 315), doubles (7th, 58) and triples (9th, 17).
Julie-Ellen Acosta, Fri., April 30, 2010
Julie-Ellen Acosta ’80/84 is vice president of Leadership Talent Management, a human relations function within Boeing Co. In this role, she is responsible for the selection and development of employees who will become future company leaders. She also takes the lead on providing managers and employees with the tools they need to build leadership skills that align with key company areas. Prior to her current position, she served as vice president of aerostructures, manufacturing and support technologies for Boeing Phantom Works (now Boeing Research and Development).
