Class of 2009 Summer 2020 Class Note

The Class of 2009 needs someone to write this column for future magazines.

It’s not a tough job and just requires a twice-a-year commitment.

Don’t want to do it alone? Contact and friend and share the responsibility. If you are interested, or just want to share your news, contact abigail.zelz@maine.edu.

Here’s what some classmates are doing:
Lee Griffin is the facilities manager at Northern Maine Community College in Presque Isle. Lee worked at Old Town Canoe and at Huber Engineered Woods in Easton before putting his engineering degree to work as NMCC’s facilities manager.

Dallas Stars goaltender Ben Bishop played in the National Hockey League’s Winter Classic on New Years Day. With more than 85,000 fans attending the game at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, Ben said, “It was the coolest sporting event I have ever been a part of. Nothing beats that experience and to come out with a win makes everything that much better.”

Seth Poplaski ran the Boston Marathon to raise money for pediatric cancer research through Mass General Hospital’s team. Seth is a social media specialist at Northern Light Health.

Mark Gonyar is director of business development with Klöckner Pentaplast’s food packaging division, which manufactures rigid plastic for pharmaceutical and food packaging. The company’s Canadian manufacturing plant can use a high percentage of post consumer waste in their plastic film and trays, such as those that hold fresh protein. The company hopes to replicate the model at some of their other facilities.

Congratulations to Wes Ashe ’12G, who was honored as the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (MDIFW) section employee of the year last fall. Wes received praise for his work managing the department’s brown trout strain evaluation project and for being a great ambassador and public speaker for the MDIFW.

Kate Raymond has joined the Kennebec Valley Council of Governments as membership coordinator. Kate has more than a decade of experience in nonprofit development and public sector work. She previously worked at the Maine Historical Society, Old Sturbridge Village, and with the Maine State Parks System and the Maine Public Utilities Commission.

That’s it for now. Remember to contact the Alumni Association with your news or about writing the 2009 column.