Strauss Zelnick ’79 and Jim Friedlich ’79, who partnered in 2001 to form ZelnickMedia Corp., announced the acquisition of Time Life Inc., the direct marketing powerhouse, from Time Warner Inc. The partnership’s other holdings include interests in Columbia Music Entertainment, Savoy Jazz, Lillian Vernon, and the National Lampoon. Prior to this partnership, Friedlich was a senior publishing executive with the Wall Street Journal. He received his M.B.A. from Stanford. Zelnick was the former CEO of BMG Entertainment and president/COO of 20th Century Fox. He received his M.B.A. and his J.D. from Harvard University. He sits on the Board of Trustees at Wesleyan.
Lynn T. Kozlowski ’69, professor and chair of the University of Buffalo’s Department of Health Behavior and interim dean of the School of Public Health and Health Professions since September 2007, was appointed dean of the school after a national search. David L. Dunn, vice president for health sciences, who announced the selection, said that Kozlowski readily rose to the top of a strong group of academicians in the candidate pool, noting his “exemplary background as a well–funded public health investigator with a forte in studying human behavior as it relates to personal and population health, as well as very strong teaching, mentoring and administrative skills.” An English major at Wesleyan, Kozlowski earned his doctorate at Columbia University.
William Lansing ’80, a 20–year veteran of the technology industry, has joined InfoSpace, a leading developer of metasearch products, as the company’s new president, chief executive officer, and member of the board. Previously he was president and CEO of Value Vision Media, Inc., where he launched Shop NBC.TV, an Internet video business. “InfoSpace’s strong balance sheet, metasearch applications, consumer Web sites, and its highly–talented employees will translate into attractive opportunities over the next few years,” said Lansing, in a press release. He earned a bachelor’s degree in English from Wesleyan and a JD degree from Georgetown University.
Stephen McCarthy ’75 is acting president of Shaking the Tree Foundation, a nonprofit that uses storytelling to improve personal and familial understanding of wealth management and philanthropic opportunities (shakingthetree.org). He is also senior vice president of KCG Capital Advisors, a family investment office he co-founded with his father, and a trustee of his family’s foundation. In 1997, he became involved in developing plays with the creative team at Shaking the Tree, using his expertise in the family dynamics of wealth management and philanthropy. An economics and government major at Wesleyan, he received his MBA from NYU/Stern.
Thanks to the generosity of an anonymous donor, Middlebury College has established the Edward C. Knox [’61] Chair in International Studies, in honor of his 35 years of teaching, research, and administration. At Wesleyan, he was a French major and fondly remembers mentors Carl Viggiani and George Creeger. Knox earned his PhD at Yale and joined the Middlebury faculty, where he taught courses in French language, literature, and civilization. His most recent research deals with how Americans and the French write about each other. He held several administrative positions, including vice president for languages, vice president for academic affairs, and acting president. He and his wife, Huguette, now divide their time between Middlebury and Paris.
Sharon Sabba Fierstein ’81 was named president of The New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants (NYSSCPA). She is a partner in the litigation and corporate financial advisory services group of the New York accounting firm of Marks Paneth & Schrom. As president, Fierstein will lead the nearly 30,000-member organization in its education, advocacy and recruitment initiatives. She previously served as chair of the organization’s quality enhancement policy committee. She earned her MBA from New York University.
Jane Eisner ’77 is the new editor-in-chief of The Forward, one of America’s most prominent Jewish newsweeklies. The first female to hold this position, she was also the first female editor of the Argus. Previously the vice president for National Programs and Initiatives at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, Eisner worked in editorial and news positions with the Philadelphia Inquirer for most of her career. She joined the University of Pennsylvania faculty in 2002 as a senior fellow at the Robert A. Fox Leadership Program and as an adjunct professor in the Political Science Department. She received a master’s degree from the Columbia University School of Journalism.
Kevin Lohela ’06, a member of the 2006 Teach for America (TFA) Corps in New York City, was named a national semi–finalist for the 2008 Sue Lehmann Excellence in Teaching Award, one of only seven TFA elementary teachers in the country out of about 1,500. A philosophy major with a focus in ethics while at Wesleyan, he recalls that it was his commitment to social justice programs that led him to apply to TFA. However, “Once I was there, I fell in love with teaching,” Lohela says. He taught at a South Bronx elementary school and was recognized for implementing Teaching for Leadership strategies and leading his students to dramatic academic improvement. Of the recognition, he says, “I’m very honored. I know from first–hand experience—living with four other TFA corps–members—that a lot of people are working very hard and having a positive impact at Teach for America.”
Seth Lerer ’76, holder of an endowed chair in the humanities and a professor of English and comparative literature at Stanford University since 1990, has been named dean of arts and humanities at the University of California, San Diego. He is a widely regarded researcher in the area of medieval and Renaissance studies, comparative studies, and the history of scholarship and children’s literature. An English major at Wesleyan, Lerer has published 10 books, including his most recent, Children’s Literature: A Reader’s History from Aesop to Harry Potter.
Attorney Sally C. Merrell ’76, a partner in the Milwaukee office of Quarles & Brady LLP, a national firm, was recognized among the Top 25 Women Lawyers in Wisconsin by Law & Politics magazine. This annual list comprises attorneys who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. In another peer-rated review, Merrell has been recognized among the best lawyers in America since 1995. Merrell focuses her practice in the areas of trusts and estate, tax-exempt organizations, family and domestic relations, and privately held businesses. She has devoted more than 20 years to assisting individuals and family-owned businesses in preserving, protecting and enhancing their wealth. A history major at Wesleyan, she earned her JD at the University of Virginia.
![Thanks to the generosity of an anonymous donor, Middlebury College has established the Edward C. Knox [’61] Chair in International Studies, in honor of his 35 years of teaching, research, and administration. At Wesleyan, he was a French major and fondly remembers mentors Carl Viggiani and George Creeger. Knox earned his PhD at Yale and joined the Middlebury faculty, where he taught courses in French language, literature, and civilization. His most recent research deals with how Americans and the French write about each other. He held several administrative positions, including vice president for languages, vice president for academic affairs, and acting president. He and his wife, Huguette, now divide their time between Middlebury and Paris.](https://classnotes.blogs.wesleyan.edu/files/2013/11/knox.jpg)
