THE EARLY YEARS
I can honestly say that the education I received on Boylston Street did assist me in getting a decent job, and the ability to work in accounting jobs most of my adult life; raise a family; purchase a house; and help people with income tax returns. Not very exciting, but I thank Bentley for the education I received.
JJ Scully ’48
Every year since 1969 our old gang meets for dinner at the Chateau Restaurant in Waltham to catch up. These guys are my family and I’m grateful for them. Bentley is not just a university; it is a perfect state of grace. I always felt fortunate to call it my Bentley. It’s so much more than an institute of higher learning — it’s a lifetime of friendship.
— Paul Grassia ’69
I did well at Bentley, graduating with honors. After an interview with Mr. Harold Mackinnon, vice president at GE, I took a position in their Business Training Program. I have spent over 50 years in increasingly more responsible positions in accounting, business and tax management. My wife and I have also developed two country inns, which now have national prominence. I doubt that my wife and I would have accomplished what we did without the challenge and support given by my professors and Bentley. We will always be grateful.
Karl Taylor ’57
I worked in the computer field prior to starting my own cleaning business. I have been preparing income tax returns since 1972 and I still, at 79 years old, prepare over 100 returns a year. I was selected and inducted into the Bentley College Athletic Hall of Fame in 1988.
Caroll McMillan ’64
After graduation, I was hired by Price Waterhouse & Co. After about a year, I was chosen to head a team of auditors at a relatively new client: Bentley College, at their new Waltham campus. When I walked into the office of one of my former professors, who had taken on the responsibilities of treasurer of the college, I thought he was going to faint! When he recovered his senses, he was most gracious and provided everything that we needed to issue a “clean opinion.”
Joseph Mador ’66
I graduated not knowing if accounting was going to be right for me. It took me 10 years after I graduated to realize that my career in accounting was my true path. I am now a partner in the CPA firm and look forward to work with passion every day.
Stanley Feather ’74
1980s and 1990s
I have held many positions in the last 31 years, but none so rewarding as coaching the students on the Acton Boxborough Regional High School Speech and Debate team.
Sue (Ouellette) Hennessey ’85
I was in one of the last classes of CIS majors where COBOL was taught, and I’m still working with COBOL and the mainframe 31 years later, currently as principal software developer at Fidelity Investments. I have three amazing adult children (two currently still in college, my youngest at Bentley), and one pre-adoptive infant son (hopefully adoptive by the time the issue is published!). I’m also a novelist, writing primarily in the horror suspense genre (under my real name, Daniel G. Keohane, and a pseudonym G. Daniel Gunn), with dozens of short stories and five novels currently in print. For fun, I also write film reviews for the website Cinema Knife Fight.
Dan Keohane ’85, P ’19
I married my Bentley sweetheart and we both have had very successful careers built on our Bentley education. We have stayed very connected to Bentley even though we have lived in Maryland since 1991.
Mark Semanie ’85
I received my PhD in Aviation Operations from EmbryRiddle Aeronautical University in June 2016.
— Kevin O’Leary ’90, MBA ’95
Bentley provided me with an outstanding education and gave me the knowledge and confidence to succeed quickly in my career, and also allowed me to retire early. For that, I am forever grateful. My heart will always belong to Bentley.
Nancy Wine ’86
After receiving my MBA, I continued my sales and marketing career but found ways to do some adjunct teaching at other local colleges. In 2002, Perry Lowe and Ian Cross asked me to teach the GB 310 Project Module. I taught as an adjunct every semester after that for 10 years, and in 2012, I had the opportunity to join the faculty on a full-time basis. I helped create the new Professional Sales major. I’ve been honored to have given a Baccalaureate address and a Convocation address. And now, I work side-by-side with many of the faculty who helped me earn my MBA over 20 years ago!
Jim Pouliopoulos ’94, MBA ’95, Director of Professional Sales Program and Marketing Lecturer
There are four people that I met freshman year that I am very close friends with 20 years later. Three of them were in my wedding and one of them is the godmother to my eldest child. While Bentley prepared me to get an internship and full-time job with Ernst & Young in public accounting, after two years I realized I did not want to be a CPA and switched careers.
Monique (Young) Jefferson ’96
After getting my MST at Bentley, I worked in the federal tax department at Arthur Andersen, Boston and then later started a tax firm of my own. My Bentley tax instructors are a great resource for me even today.
Marietta Courtney, MST ’98
2000s
I am assistant professor of business administration at Tunxis Community College in Farmington, Conn. An avid mountaineer, I summited 29,029-foot Mt. Everest on May 20, 2016.
Mark Milewski, MBA ’00
After completing my degree, I stayed in the Boston area for five more years, working for companies like Mullen and Digitas. My roles were generally around advanced data analysis. The education I received at Bentley had prepped me very well for the challenges in my career. In 2007, I moved back to Istanbul and started the first analytics consulting shop in the country. We are working with top-tier banks/telecoms in TR and have grown the team to 15 consultants, including one other Bentley graduate.
Omer Nadirler, MBA ’02
After two years in the Boston area working in stores and on projects with the corporate Staples team in Framingham, I relocated to northwest Arizona. I assisted in opening six locations, doing everything from creating local marketing campaigns to product selection for merchandising to training and developing future leadership through the West region. After relocating to the Tampa, Florida, area, I continue to operate and oversee locations, and manage projects for the Southeast region. I am a proud father of three: sons Cayden and Demetri, and daughter Jordyn. I am supported 24/7/365 by my better half Robyn, my rock and source of motivation to do great things in life. My family drives me to succeed in life and work, to create a better future for them, and ensure our next generation has a better place to grow in. Hopefully I have future Falcons on the way!
James Litopoulos ’03
I still contact some of my Bentley friends from 15 years ago. Our paths still cross from time to time. I will cherish our memories and experiences forever.
Esel Shemmeri ’03, MSF ’06
I remember thinking senior year that post-Bentley life would never shine as bright as the years spent on campus. What I didn’t realize was that my journey at Bentley was preparing me for more than just a career, it was preparing me for life. Bentley has been more than a memory; it’s a reminder of my potential to push further, partner better and seek joy in all I do. I feel both a responsibility to and support from the faculty, staff and fellow alumni, which gives me confidence about all the good I — and we, together — can do in this world. Eleven years, five jobs, three kids, and two houses later, I feel confident that where I am now is exactly where I was meant to be. And there is still so much more to come!
Deborah (Kerr) Lee ’05
After the financial recession, I decided to continue my education in economics so that I could better understand the environment that created the recession. I completed an MSc in International Economics at the University of Essex, and then moved to London to work. I’ve been in England for seven years now, and I am counting the months until I’m legally able to apply for citizenship. I’ve also been teaching myself technical analysis for market trading. I have come to understand that with time, commitment, patience and persistence, you can learn anything and follow any path. Doing something you enjoy as your source of income is one of the key fundamental aspects to achieving consistent happiness in life.
Eric Dahms ’06
Since graduating I moved back home to Panama. I own part of an indoor soccer rental place, and I love interacting directly with the students in the soccer academy. I believe there’s a lot one can teach through sports. You can really notice how different personality traits show when they are doing sports and it’s easy to pinpoint strengths and flaws.
Tomás E. Galán Pérez ’06
I still remain close with my friends from college. Even my significant other is an alumnus, and I didn’t meet him till long after graduating. A real testament to the power of the network, I think. I am who I am today because of Bentley. My career, my relationships, my future ... it all started at Bentley. I’m proud of who I’ve become and I’m proud to call myself a Falcon.
Melissa Nazar ’06
After Bentley, I worked in corporate insurance for a few years until deciding to start my own specialty bakery in New Jersey, where I’m from. I recently moved to Arizona, where I am starting up a new specialty bakery, and I’m thrilled to be on a new adventure.
— Alexa Zozzaro ’11
Since graduating I took a job with AB [previously AllianceBernstein] in financial operations before moving to our Strategic Relationship Group to help manage relationships in our retail channel. My life outside of work has been pretty crazy. I got married in June 2013, was diagnosed with brain cancer in November 2013, and my wife gave birth to twin boys in August 2015. It's been quite the roller coaster.
Bryan Busch ’07
In 2011 I moved to Alice Springs, Australia, still working for Raytheon, where I’ve been since graduating. I plan on moving to Tucson, Ariz., in July 2017. I was married to an Aussie in 2014 and this year qualified for the 2016 Ironman World Championship in Hawaii, having completed eight Ironmans and 27 marathons. I will be joining my wife, who qualified at IM Western Australia. I’ve traveled to more than 50 countries now and life just keeps getting better! When at Bentley, I wrote for the newspaper; I’m still writing at alicespringsathlete.wordpress.com.
Kevin Coyle, MSF ’08
I was married on April 9, 2016, to Christopher Luongo in Harwichport, Mass., at the Wychmere Beach Club. Megan (Culver) Skinner ’08 and Arden Brust ’08 were in my bridal party.
Courtney (Lynch) Luongo ’08
Maggie (Brogan) ’08 and Joey ’08, MST ’09 Calvetti: Our pups have some fun news to share about our post-Bentley lives!
I met my husband, Matt ’07, at Bentley in 2005. Since then, we bought a home in Needham, Mass., in July 2014, and got married in Tuscany, Italy in September 2014. Matt has worked at TJX as a buyer for the last 8.5 years. I’ve worked at several local tech companies doing marketing and business development. I recently expanded my marketing consulting business, Promise Consulting Group LLC, to full time. We are moving to Florence, Italy, this fall as Matt relocates for work. Bentley brought us together 11 years ago, and it has been quite the exciting story ever since!
Lisa (Promise) Colella ’09
I’m a professional hockey player overseas in France. I’ve been playing for four years now, after playing for Bentley’s DI program from 2009 to 2013. The coaches at Bentley helped me progress as a hockey player, which allows me to travel the world doing what I love.
Dan Koudys ’13
Every day I have the pleasure of working with four fellow Bentley Falcons at The Grommet. We each took distinct paths at Bentley and are living proof that a Bentley education can take your career in many different directions: CFO; communications; managing teams and accounts; discovering the next great household products. The thread that connects these different paths is providing value to a business, which is the ultimate achievement of a Bentley degree.
Mike Lovett ’13
Recently took part in a client service competition at PwC ... Enjoyed performing with fellow Bentley grads and we brought home the cup!
Lindsey Theriault ’13, MBA ’15
Since Bentley, I decided to serve with Cru [an international campus Christian ministry]. For the last two years I have been a modern missionary of sorts, serving in the Boston area. I have been so fortunate to work right here at Bentley, partnering with the Spiritual Life department. I have the privilege of helping students merge spirituality into their business training and all of life. Although it is not a common route for Bentley students, I see myself using my formal training in business management all the time.
Andrew Nilson ’14
Even though we all live in different parts of the U.S., the six Bentley University volleyball team seniors of 2015 still talk almost every single day and fly across the country to see one another!
Alex Tator ’15