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From the DirectorCCM AlumniAdvocateVol. XLI, No. 1Well,afterspeaking with participants on thebus trip to RadioCity this past December, it was suggested that we tryto get the word out earlier about ourtrip. This will bethe test year.We will listthe trip dateonthealumni activities calendar onthe website as soon as we have finalized it. Tickets will go on sale earlier,and we will try to promote the trip viaemail, Facebook and LinkedIn. If westill find ticket sales slumping, we willconsider a different activity next year. Soif you are still interested in seeing theRockettes and the Christmas Spectacular, look for the advance announcements and get those ticket orders in!It never ceases to amaze me that graduates are unaware of the benefits provided by the Alumni Association. There aremany opportunities to take advantage of– both on- and off-campus. Please readthe entire newsletter, visit the alumnisection on the website, follow us onFacebook, network with fellow grads onLinkedIn, give us your email address, orcall the Alumni Office and ask.we will be adding Richard Koval ’11.We still have room for more. If youwould like to volunteer to join us toplan events and activities for our alumni, please contact the Alumni Office.You will find information on AlumniScholarships, Diploma Frames, AlumMark your calendars for Monday, Julyni Awards, Affinity Programs, as well13, 2015 to come and support the CCMas Hotel and Condo Rental DiscountsFoundation by enjoying a wonderfulwith Endless Vacations and Wynmeal at the Gourmet Café in Parsippadham Worldwide. There are alsony, NJ. Alumnus Matt Pierone will onceInsurance Discounts, Alumni Acagain designate this “Make A Differencetivities, Event Photos, Special DisMonday” to benefit the CCM Foundacounts at area merchants, Plumtion with a donation of 10% of salesBenefits Discount Programthat day from lunch, dinner, take-out or(world’s greatest entertaingift certificate sales.ment and travel discounts inSay hello to returningcluding Broadway shows,Yankee Alex Rodrisporting events,guez when we headrental cars, movie tickets,5to Yankee Stadium onDisney World and Univer, 201ay, July 17dirFFriday, July 17! This issal Studios discounts andalways a very popular busmore), and preferred rates atexcursion, so get your orders in early. Wearea hotels. Like to shop? Useare back in the field level this year in secthe links to iGive.com and AmazonSmile to shop online at your favorite tion 130 which is close to the field on thestores, and the CCM Foundation will third base side. It will be Yankees vs. Seattle Mariners, and I am sure it will provebenefit at no cost to you!to be a memorable night!Thanks to alumni responding to our request for new Alumni Board members,we welcomed the following graduatesto our group last year: Linda McMahon Barbara Capsouras ‘82’91, Terry Meloskie ’83, Michelle Polk Alumni Director’72, and Dolores Rincon ’85. This year bcapsouras@ccm.eduThe CCM Alumni Advocate is publishedby the County College of Morris,Randolph, N.J. 07869.The Alumni Office is located inHenderson Hall, Room 211 and is openMonday through Friday,8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.Co-Editors:Barbara Capsouras, ‘82Director of Alumni RelationsMary Ann Kiczek,MAK CommunicationsSports Writer:David Artuso, ‘86Design and Layout:Gina GarciaCirculation 39,0002003 and 2006 Bronze Awardwinner from the National Councilfor Marketing and Public Relations.CCM Foundation NewsBy Barbara CapsourasKeep the Amazon Smile and iGive.comprograms in mind when doing your onlineshopping for an easy way to benefit the CCMFoundation.Scrabble Campaign Attracts DonorsDrawing awareness to individual donors,the “You Are the Missing Piece” Scrabblecampaign succeeded in grabbing the attention of contributors. Our studentsdepend on the generous gifts of our donors to fund scholarships that make theirdreams of a college education come true.You may have received an email with avideo featuring scholarship recipient, Caitlyn Mannherz,whose compelling story highlights the need for continued support from our constituents.Foundation Board Elects Alumnus as New ChairAt the CCM Foundation annual meeting in September 2014, alumnus William McElroy ’83, wasvoted to become the new Chair of the Board of Directors. Bill has been an officer for a number ofyears and holds a strong connection and commitment to CCM. Many of his family members arealso CCM graduates. He continues to serve as CoChair of the Golf Committee and was instrumental in securing a new venue for this year’s outingin September. Bill received the Alumnus ofthe Year Award in 2007, and his infectiousenthusiasm should make his tenure asChair motivating.“Make A Difference Monday” July 13, 2015The Gourmet Café in Parsippany, NJ will once again host a day in support ofthe Alumni Scholarship Fund. Please come out on Monday, July 13 for lunch,dinner, take-out or purchase gift certificates, and alumnus, Matt Pierone, willdonate 10% of sales from that day to the CCM Foundation!2Golf OutingMark your calendars for the annual Scholarship Golf Outing! Take this opportunityto participate in the “Alumni Challenge” and join us at this exciting new venue, TheRockaway River Country Club in Denville, NJ.Scholarship GalaOn Friday, May 1, 2015, the CCM Foundation held the annual Scholarship Gala ata new venue, The Hanover Marriott in Whippany, NJ. With plenty of room to viewthe auction and dance to the music of a new band this year, Big City Swing, thisyear’s gala honored Joe Trunfio from Atlantic Health with our Leadership Award. Inkeeping with our health theme, the table centerpieces shifted from the traditionaland featured Edible Arrangements’ lovely fruit creations. Four outstanding alumniwere also honored, adding to the list of more than 75 graduates who have received alumni awards since 2003 andwhose names appear etched on corian plates onthe Alumni Wall of Fame prominently displayedin our Student Center. Scholarship recipient,Caitlyn Mannherz, delivered moving wordsof appreciation for the funds that helped hercomplete her education at CCM and move forward on her goal to become a doctor. Following the advent of cellular bidding last year, theconcept of mobile bidding once again provedto be successful in making the auction efficientand profitable.

Alumni Brothers Turn Passion Into Diner SuccessBy Mary Ann KiczekIt’s been said that nothing says Jersey more thana diner. And since March 1993, the family-owned Jefferson Diner has been delivering the Jersey diner experience at its best.As owners of theHopatcong-baseddiner, CCM graduates(and brothers) NickSeretis ‘85 and JimSeretis ‘90 are carrying on their families’long-standing tradition in the food service business. “Likemost Greek immigrants from an earAbove, the Jeffersonlier generation, our Diner on Route 15 infamily has been in Hopatcong, NJ.the restaurant busi- Right, Jimmy, Pete,ness since we were Donna and Nick with GuyFieri from Diners, Drive-Insborn. It takes a fam- and Divesily to run a non-stopbusiness like a diner,and that’s why Greekfamilies – known for being closely knit – are so successful at it,” Nick explained. “Working with family isgreat – it makes the day go by quickly. We always haveeach other’s backs, and we’re there to cover for oneanother for vacations or days off,” Jim added.Nick and Jim are joined by their mother and businesspartner, Donna Seretis, who as hostess, is the ‘face’ of theJefferson to the many customers who come to the dinerfor great food at reasonable prices served whenever youwant. While the family’s patriarch is long retired, he stillvisits the diner every day. And when he does, he likes itbest when his wife moves into the kitchen and adds herold school flavor to what she prepares specially for him.Jefferson Diner: For that classicNew Jersey diner experienceBefore owning the diner, Nick was a cook, and Jimworked for UPS. Growing up with their father and uncles in the restaurant business gave Nick and Jim thebackground and experience they needed to get started, but both agree that it’s their educational degrees inaccounting, finance and business administration (A.S.from CCM) that have enabled them to be successfuland grow their brand.And that brand is an iconic one. The Jefferson Dinerserves more than 7000 meals a week, and whetheryou’re in the mood for breakfast – served all day – aburger, or disco fries lavished with cheese and gravy, theJefferson has you covered. The Diner’s Greek offeringsare popular as well, including its homemade moussaka,made famous when Guy Fieri featured it on the FoodNetwork’s popular Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives show.Nick and Jim both thoroughly enjoyed the experience of having Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives film at theDiner in 2008. “It was an amazing experience. Working with Guy and hiscrew was a lot of fun.He acts the same wayin person as he doeson TV – very friendly and respectful ofthose around him,funny and cocky in agood way and neverinsulting. He loved working with Mom in the kitchenand even learned a few secrets about her Moussakathat she never really shared with anyone before. Filming was a lot of fun and he made it easy for us by notputting pressure on anyone and making everyone feelat ease, Nick said. “The guests who were lucky enoughto be in the diner for the filming will remember thatday all their lives. The episode was even played overagain in Greece many times and seen by family members who were shocked to see us on TV,” Jim added.And one of the best parts of that TV experience is thatNick and Jim have a daily reminder of the fun theyhad with Guy Fieri. That’s because when they learnedthat the Camaro driven by Guy Fieri was for sale, theybought it, and now the red convertible Camaro SS canbe found parked in front of the diner every day.The realities of life as a diner ownerNick described the typical day-in-the-life of a dinerowner as “a continuation of the previous day whichis a continuation of the previous weeks and months.”But that doesn’t mean you can allow yourself to get‘stale’ in the business because as Nick points out,there are always new trends out there, with the latestbeing the move toward gluten-free dinners and desserts which has opened a new way of preparing food.The diner owners also acknowledge that the market isbecoming increasingly challenging, as franchises andfast food restaurants cut into the New Jersey diner businesses. The rising cost of food prices and utilities is alsomaking it harder to turn a profit in the diner business.CCM Winner’s CircleAnd now some business adviceFor those thinking of starting a new business, Jim andNick say that you need to put in long hours and yearsof sacrifice. If you can stay focused on the bigger picture, which is to eventually turn a profit, you will succeed, no matter what type of business. “If you aren’tdriven and passionate about what you are doing, don’tmake any attempt or investment in it because you willfail miserably,” is how Jim summarized his advice.One of the things Nick likes most about the businessis that he and his brother are responsible for theirbusiness’s outcome. “We have no one to answer to,and our decisions – whether they are good or bad –is what determines whether we succeed or fail,” heexplained. Looks like things are moving in the rightdirection for the Jefferson. NJ News1 just selected theJefferson as the #2 Diner in the state this year – upfrom its #3 position last year.Looking back on CCMIn reflecting on his time at County College of Morris,Nick said, “CCM got me out of the high school mentality, and helped me to begin thinking like a youngadult who is trying and willing to do what it takes tosucceed. The College’s professors were just as good, ifnot better, than Fairleigh Dickinson University, whereI earned my bachelor’s degree.” And Jim had someadvice for students, “My advice to students is to takethe psychology classes very seriously because what youlearn there will help you deal with the different personalities you will encounter in the working world andprovide you with the knowledge you need to handlethe issues that may result from those personalities.”Nick’s other passion in life is history, and if he hadn’tfollowed the family into the business, he would likelybe teaching students about the past. He has great memories of his CCM history classes with Dr. Mel Weismann and Dr. Theocharides, who recently passed away.He commented, “After graduation, I kept in touch withboth of these individuals whom I could talk with forhours.” And we bet those conversations might well havetaken place over coffee and dessert at the Jefferson!Visit the Jefferson Diner at 5 Bowling Green Parkway,Lake Hopatcong, NJ 07849 or check out its website atjeffersondiner.com.From Secret Service to DEA to Air Marshal ServiceIn1987,after MartinR. Ebelhardt‘86 majored incriminal justice at CCM,he never imagined his careerwould take him to the White House andbeyond. But following his graduation in1986, he applied for and was selectedfor a position with the U.S. Secret Service Uniform Division in WashingtonDC. During seven years of working atthe White House, he met two presidents,heads of state, and several famous entertainers and musicians.As a member of the elite Secret ServiceEmergency Response Team, he was responsible for securing the safety of theWhite House and surrounding areas.But he is quick to point out that careerhighlights like responding to a fatalplane crash on the White House lawnand a fence jumper with a gun were notthe norm. “The job seems like it wouldbe exciting, but much of the time it involves a lot of standing and waiting,”said Martin. “It is really mostly aboutplanning for and being prepared to respond to something that will probablynever happen.”Martin left the Secret Service in 1996 toaccept a criminal investigator positionwith the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), a position he helduntil 2002. During his tenure with theDEA, he served in the Detroit Field Of-fice, conducting complex drug investigations while maintaining an adjunct dutyassignment as the lead tactics and training agent for the Detroit Field Division.Part of his job involved training others,and he discovered that he had a strongerinterest in teaching “than in chasing badguys.”When the Air Marshal Service formedafter the September 11, 2001 attacks, hejoined as a training and operations supervisor in Minneapolis. Today, he is the assistant supervisory air-marshal-in-charge.Martin earned a bachelor’s degree inmanagement from National Louis University in Virginia and a master’s degreein human development from St. Mary’sUniversity in Minneapolis. He plans toretire from federal service in the near fu-ture to pursue a second career inteaching, developing a wellnesscourse for law enforcement officers.“I want to give officers going intothe field tools to manage stressand the demands the job putson you as a human being,”Martin noted. “I would liketo see wellness for law enforcement as an electivecourse in undergraduate criminal justiceprograms, as wellas part of the basicacademy curriculum, and in continuingeducation,” he added.3

What’s New With CCM GraduatesBy Barbara CapsourasThe following class notes information was obtained from submitted Alumni Update forms. Graduateswho completed work for their CCM degrees in December are officially recorded and listed underJanuary of the following year.1974William E. Darnall received an A.A. in Biology. Heearned a B.S. in Business Administration and a B.S. inPharmacy from Oregon State University. He is currently pursuing a Master’s in Public Health at theUniversity of North Carolina. Bill joined NovartisVaccines in 2008 as Senior Director of Sales and hasheld a variety of leadership positions over the past sixyears, most recently as Director of the US-basedMedical Science Liaison Team. GSK (GlaxoSmithKline)recently purchased the Novartis Vaccines business, and Bill will be leading ateam of scientists who interact with vaccine experts in the US. For the past 35years, Bill has held roles in: Sales, Training, Marketing, Medical Affairs, andPolicy. He was employed by Merck for 29 years, first in the Human HealthDivision and later in the Vaccine Division. In his spare time, Bill enjoyswoodworking, music, ocean kayaking, and home improvement projects. Heand his wife, Beth Anne, have three adult sons and reside in New Hope, PA.1979Carol Harris graduated with an A.A. inHumanities/Art Option. She has a B.A fromGoddard College in Art Education, Fine Art,Ceramics, and Sculpture. Carol owned andmanaged The Village Collage, an art gallery andgift shop, in Chester, NJ. Carol is an artist, professional potter and teacher. She has a broadexperience in the arts with emphasis on ceramics and sculpture. Currently, Carol creates pottery sculpture from her home studio and is theowner of Carole’s Underground Clayworks.She states “it all started with a pottery class atCCM and I fell in love with clay.” Her work is on display at the SussexCounty Art and Heritage Council (SCAHC) Gallery in Newton, NJ. In thelast two years, her pieces received awards in juried shows and were sold.Carol also belongs to the Pottery Guild of NJ.1984Steven D. Ackerman received an A.S. in Criminal Justice. He graduated from Kean College in 1987 with a B.S. in Political Science/CriminalJustice, and from Centenary College in 2007 with an M.S. in Leadershipand Public Administration. Steven retired after serving 25 years with theMorris County Sheriff’s Office. He is now an adjunct professor at CCM andCentenary College, and works as a Bomb Squad Subject Matter Expert forPower Hawk Technologies.1992Matthew L. Wood earned an A.A.S. inMechanical Engineering Technology, followedby a B.S.M.E.T. from the New Jersey Institute ofTechnology. He is employed by Tektronix Inc.as District Manager – Product Test. He previously owned McCoill Associates for ten years,was a Test Engineer for Lucent Technologies,and was employed at NuLabs. Matt enjoysplaying the bagpipes and has marched in theMorristown, NJ St. Patrick’s Day parade formany years. He is married with one daughter.Sarah Marcus and Thomas ClintonGreulich met at CCM. They becamegood friends and started dating in2008. Five years later, Tom proposed in a hot-air balloon overLake Champlain in Vermont. OnJanuary 31, 2015 the couple wasmarried at the Stowe MountainLodge in Vermont. An article publicizing their courtship and marriagewas featured in the NY Times thenext day. Sarah is an insurance Sales Representative for Liberty MutualInsurance. She previously worked in the management division of EnterpriseRent-A-Car for six years, followed by Bank of America for five years, whereshe held the titles of Personal Banker and Mortgage Loan Officer. Sheearned an A.F.A. in Fine/Studio Arts with Drama Option in 2006. Sarah isa member of the Thespian Society of NJ and has volunteered for HomelessSolutions and Project 2 Heal.Thomas is a Logistics Analyst at Marine Transportation Intermodal, Inc.(MTI), a trucking company in Elizabeth, NJ that moves shipping containers. Earlier in his career, Thomas worked at Enterprise Holdings Inc. asa Management Assistant, then as a Regional Fleet Coordinator. Earlierin 2014, he was a Land Operations Analyst at COSCO Container LinesAmerica. Thomas received an A.S. in Business Administration in 2010.Sarah and Thomas have been residents of Morristown, NJ for eight years.Will Sandoval received an A.S. in BusinessAdministration. In 2008, he was awarded a B.S.in Business Administration/Marketing fromCentenary College. He is a three-time Perryaward nominated actor, singer, director, andplaywright with over fifteen years experienceon stage and film. Will is the creator, writer,actor and director of the original web series“Carriers” (www.carriesshow.com), which wasadapted and produced on stage at the 2014One Act Play Festival at Old Library Theatre inFair Lawn, NJ and subsequently nominated forOutstanding Production of an Original Play at the 2014 Perry Awards.Most recently, Will made his New York City debut in the Off-Off Broadwayproduction of the new original play “Lockdown” at Manhattan RepertoireTheatre. He also played the part of Perchik in the Brundage Park Playhouseproduction of “Fiddler on the Roof” this past winter. In addition, Will is aprofessional martial arts instructor holding the rank of third degree blackbelt in Tae Kwon Do. He is proud to use his skills as an instructor to sharehis passion for the arts with the community, and works as a Direct SupportProfessional for adults with developmental disabilities at The Center forEnhancing Abilities in Cedar Knolls, NJ, where he developed both thetheatrical and martial arts programs for the special needs students there.For more information on his film and stage work and upcoming projects,visit his website: www.kewlacious.com.2007Holly Lusardi graduated with honors with anA.A.S in Computer Science, and also holds a B.A.in International Relations from the University ofDelaware. In May 2014, she received an M.S. inSoftware Engineering from Stevens Institute ofTechnology. Holly was the keynote speaker at the20th annual CCM Women Who Dare conferenceheld in May 2014. She is currently employed byUniversal Technical Resource Services, Inc. (UTRS)as a Software Engineer for the Department ofDefense at Picatinny Arsenal.2000Drew TerWaarbeek earned an A.A. in Humanities/Social Science. He has been employed by LakelandBank since 2000 and was recently promoted to VicePresident, Area Manager of the Montville andBoonton branches. He began his banking career asa teller in the Montville office and advanced throughvarious positions, including customer service representative, assistant branch manager and branchoperations manager. Drew is a member of theMontville Township Chamber of Commerce and serves as secretary of theLeTip Par-Troy Chapter in Parsippany, NJ. He currently resides inRockaway Township with his wife and daughter.2006In Memoriam1981 / 19841983Helen (Burke) DevaneyDavid J. SchappellA.A. (Humanities/Media Studies)A.S. (Criminal Justice)(Humanities/Art Option)19841982Debra Lynn DavenportJennie M. OmbaldoA.A.S. (Nursing)A.A. (Humanities/Social Science)42008Jacqueline Mitchell earned an A.A. in Liberal Arts/Human Services. In2009, she received a B.A. in Family and Child Studies with a concentration in Gerontology from Montclair State University, where she was amember of the Kappa Omicron Nu Honor Society. In 2013, she graduatedfrom Seton Hall University with an MHA in Healthcare Administration.Since 2014, Jacqueline has been the Admissions Coordinator at KindredHospital of Morris County. Prior to her employment with Kindred, sheheld various positions at CareOne in Livingston, NJ.2009Kelvin J. Crespo received an A.S. in BusinessAdministration. In 2014, he earned a B.S. in BusinessAdministration and Management from the Universityof Phoenix. Kelvin is employed by Delta Air Lines,and since 2012 has held various positions in customer service and currently holds the title of CustomerService Supervisor. He has also been a SalesRepresentative for Nissan and was Owner/Operator ofThe Southern Bricks Recording Studios. Kelvin resides in Georgia.Ryan Harris ReachesMilestone 1,000 PointsGeoffrey Jeppson graduated with an A.S. in Criminal Justice. He went onto Montclair State University and graduated in January 2012 with a B.S. inCriminal Justice. Geoff is cu

Telecommunications Relay Service programs, LITE-UP Texas, Washington DC Lifeline, Nevada Lifeline, and the City of Austin Customer Assistance Program . Her team is responsible for reviewing over 700,000 self-en - rollment applications and Lifeline Certification Forms annually . Jean oversees the financial responsibilities