Updates

1970s

Dennis Johnson -76- has been elected to the IDACORP and Idaho Power Company boards of directors.  Johnson has been President and CEO of United Heritage Mutual Holding Company since 2001; he has also held the positions of President and CEO of United Heritage Life Insurance Company and United Heritage Financial Group since 1999.

Dr. Dale Brueggemann -79- Eurasia missionary with Assemblies of God Missions along with his wife Janice has been appointed by Tyndale House in Cambridge, England, as Director of Distance Research for their STEP Project (Scripture Tools for Every Person). 

Mark Collins -71- has taken a position as principal and middle school teacher at Foothills Christian School in Mount Vernon, Washington.  Previously, he was a teacher and principal for 33 years in the public schools in Grandview, Sedro Woolley, and Burnington, Washington, and seven years as pastor of Christ The King Community Church in Sedro-Woolley, Washington.

Erwin L Sonnenberg -76- was elected President of the Idaho Association of Counties in September.  Erwin has the distinction of being the first coroner in Idaho  to be elected President in the Association, which involves representing Idaho with the National Association of Counties (NaCo) and will include trips to Washington D. C. for conferences and legislative meetings among various other places of travel within the United States.  It is a one year commitment with another year as Past President. Erwin is coroner of Ada County.

Dr. Reg Finger -76- has accepted appointment to the faculty of Indiana Wesleyan University, where he will teach epidemiology, biostatistics, and research methods for the new Master of Public Health program beginning in the fall of 2013, and for the IWU School of Nursing beginning in the summer.  Reg and Annette will be moving to IN after 16 years in Colorado.  Reg's son and daughter-in-law Dawson and Lydia Finger (both NNU '10) continue to live and work in the Nampa area.

1980s

Dean Carlson -83- has been selected as the next president of OC (One Challenge) International effective January 1, 2015.  As part of the transition, effectively immediately, Dean will become president-elect.  Dean most recently served as Vice President Global Ministries at OC International. 

Lisa (Hoyle) -86- and Brain Haley -83- recently transitioned to Hawaii. Brian is currently assigned as Chaplain, USCG District 14, Honolulu, Hi. He is one of 40 active duty Navy Chaplains serving with the U.S. Coast Guard. Lisa continues to homeschool their son Patrick who is now a High School Sophomore.

1990s

Brian Westcott -97- was awarded the Red Bastien Award from the Cauliflower Alley Club on April 17, 2012 in Las Vegas. The Cauliflower Alley Club is a professional wrestler group.

Randy Brothers -93- has been hired as Nampa Christian High School’s new Athletic Director.

Jeff Kinneeveauk -96-, president and CEO of ASRC Energy Services, was named 2012 Professional of the Year by the American Indian Science and Engineering Society. The award was presented during the 34th AISES Annual National Conference, held in November in Anchorage, Alaska.  

La Dawn (Ames) Anderst -90- is the new CEO of the Idaho Association of REALTORS, Boise. She has worked for IAR for 22 years in such roles as education director, membership services director, convention coordinator, director of operations, and the interim CEO.

Kristin (Bruening) Bjorkman -98- was selected as an honoree at the 2012 Women of Today and Tomorrow luncheon, an annual community event supporting the Girl Scouts. Women who earn the award are honored for being community-centered and demonstrating extraordinary vision, achievement and leadership. The focus of the 2012 event was preparing girls for leaderships in fields not previously accessible to them, such as science, technology, engineering and mathematics.  Kristin is a partner at Hawley Troxell in Boise, focusing on commercial and real estate financing. Following her BA from NNU, she completed a law degree from the University of Idaho College of Law. She was recognized in Idaho Business Review’s Accomplished Under 40 in 2012 and earned the Women’s and Children’s Alliance TWIN award in 2011. She is a member of Leadership Boise class of 2011-2013, serves on the Boise Young Professionals membership committee and the Commercial Real Estate Women Idaho membership committee, and served for four years on the Boise Valley Habitat for Humanity Board of Trustees.

Edward Miles -93- has been appointed chief executive officer of Medford Medical Clinic.  Most recently, Miles served as senior vice president/chief operating officer of Memorial Physicians at Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital. In addition to his duties as chief operating officer, he also was an assistant vice president of the Physician Practice Division of Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital and has been an active member in the Medical Group Management Association for several years.

Jeff Poe -99- has accepted the manager position of the Integrated Access Team, Children and Young People Services for Cambridgeshire County Council in the United Kingdom. 

2000s

Fernando Almeida –MBA-09- a Nazarene missionary from Portugal, was elected the new rector of Nazarene Seminary of South America in March. Fernando and his wife, Liliana, have served as global missionaries in the Church of the Nazarene since 2004. He graduated with an associate’s degree in Bible and theology from the Portuguese Bible Institute in 1991. Later, he completed a MA in theology from Nazarene Theological College, Manchester, England (2000) and an MBA in church administration from NNU.

Bobby Kizer -02- received his full licensure as a Counseling Psychologist in Louisiana after completing his PhD in Counseling Psychology in 2011.  He has opened a private practice doing individual, couples, and group therapy in Metairie, Louisiana and is teaching part-time at Xavier University New Orleans.

Bethany (Dwello) Mello -03- completed her Doctorate in Nursing Practice in December 2011 and became a certified Nurse Practitioner in February 2012.  She is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Nursing at Jamestown College and recently started working at Anne Carlsen Center (ACC) as a Nurse Practitioner. ACC is a residential facility for severely mentally and physically handicapped children, along with a unit for children with severe behavioral issues. The Mellos have recently adopted their second child. His name is Briarus Kurtis James Mello and his big sister Maddy just adores him. 

David Hille -03- and his family have relocated to Norman, Oklahoma, where David is studying in the Department of Biology’s graduate program.  The Hille's three year old Adele is doing great and they have a new addition, Henry, who is now eight months old.

Brendan Blowers -06- is in Nampa on furlough after four years of missionary work in Costa Rica with MAF (Mission Aviation Fellowship). He is raising support to return in January 2013. Visit maf.org/blowers for more information.

Andy Johnson –MS-08- is joining Price Associates as a team dynamics specialist. Johnson works with groups to prevent, reduce, manage, and eliminate conflict and its detrimental effect on the workplace and the bottom line. He will be based in the Treasure Valley and will serve Price Associates' clients throughout the US. Andy is a licensed professional counselor and an ordained minister in the Evangelical Methodist Church, and author of the soon-to-be-released "The End of Conflict: Wisdom on the Journey Until Then."