West Point Class of 1989

LTC Joe D'costa (A2) '89 will transfer command of the 1st Battalion, 378th Infantry Regiment on March 12th.  A lieutenant colonel in the Army Reserve, he just completed a 10-month mobilization at Fort Benning as commander of 1st Battalion, 378th Infantry Regiment, a Lafayette, La.-based unit activated to augment basic combat training for the 192nd Infantry Brigade on Sand Hill.  "When we talk about the diversity of Soldiers across our Army, Lieutenant Colonel D'Costa's life story is one that tells a great story and serves as a motivational and inspiring example for our Soldiers, DoD civilians and the nation's civilian population," said Lt. Col. Roger O'Steen, the brigade's executive officer.  Read much more about Joe's background and story at http://www.army.mil/-news/2011/02/02/51203-battalion-commander-escaped-dictator-in-uganda-to-pursue-dreams-in-america/.

From Tom Maiwald (H2) ’89:  To keep you up to date on my fight against colon cancer, I’ve created a brand new CaringBridge website. You can follow my progress and determine how to provide loving support in an easy, private way.  The site is at http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/tommaiwald and you can show your support:

• Visit the blue Hope-themed website and keep up to date.
• Leave a message in my guestbook.
• Receive e-mail NOTIFICATIONS when my journal is updated! There is a Caringbridge iPhone app or mobile website as well for the real high tech.

Stay connected through the Facebook Connect or Twitter features.  (Yes- you can follow me on Twitter as TomMaiwald) We are in the process of overhauling the Facebook site.  Perhaps even better, we’ve developed a brand new tommaiwald.com website. Initially this site will help to notify people how they can support our family during my current immunotherapy treatment.  It includes links and videos and a slideshow. Over the coming months it will include more and more features. So please continue to check it out.  Practically, this does mean that the old Caringbridge site will become obsolete. I will continue to post updates to both sites through the end of 2010. However, I’ll stop doing updates to the old Caringbridge beginning January 2011.

Amy Blanchard Efaw's (H3) '89 novel for teens, AFTER, won Border's "Original Voices" Award for 2009 in the children's/young adult book category.  Through the award, Borders recognizes original and compelling works by new authors in such categories as Fiction, Non-Fiction and Children/Young Adult.

Children/Young Adult:  "After," by Amy Efaw and published by Penguin (Viking), is the Original Voices winner in the Children/Young Adult Category. Emotionally raw and gut wrenching, Efaw's "After" is the unforgettable story of straight-A-student Devon Davenport who becomes pregnant, gives birth in her apartment and then does the unthinkable—throws the baby in the dumpster. Through skillful writing, Efaw sets Davenport on a course of clarity, acceptance and redemption and brings readers along for the journey. The selection committee found that "By all of today's standards, Davenport should be a despicable character, though through airtight storytelling, Efaw pulls readers into the thought process of the character and allows them to actually sympathize with her."

Nate Lamar (A3) '89 made the cover of January's issue of "Custom Retailer"!  Nate is the International Regional Manager and Government Relations Manager for Draper, Inc. 

A former Army officer and automobile industry manager, fluent in four languages, Nate was hired to develop new business and manage sales and marketing in the Developing World (specifically Central & South Asia; Latin America; Middle East/Africa). Nate grew these often difficult emerging markets by 12 percent in 2001, 36 percent in 2004 and 25 percent in 2006, and has received numerous Draper Sales Excellence Awards. Nate uses his knowledge of government procedures to assist Draper in promoting the AV industry to federal, state and county governments. In 2006, he was elected to his part-time county legislature and serves as its president. 

Congratulations, Nate!

Kelly Perdew (D4) '89, CEO of RotoHog.com, is featured in the September issue of Entrepeneur Magazine in "The Reality of Fantasy Sports".  Chris Russo, formerly the NFL’s senior vice president of new media and publishing, and Kelly talk about how they've taken advantage of the fantasy sports explosion in an accompanying video, The Business of Fantasy Sports. 

Excellent work, Kelly!

{mosimage}Dr. Kevin F. Hub (A1) '89 joins best-selling authors Dr. Warren Bennis, Jack Canfield and James Kouzes in a new book on success!  Here is the press release:

RICHMOND, KENTUCKY – Madison County Schools Assistant Superintendent Dr. Kevin F. Hub has written a chapter in the recently released Leading the Way to Success.  In the book, Leading the Way to Success, Dr. Hub gives a logical and easy to understand explanation about the advantages of focusing on the talents and strengths of individuals.  He suggests that as leaders, we should pay more attention to what we do well.  By focusing on the areas in which we have natural talent, we can become better leaders and have a more positive influence on others.

For more information and to order your copy today, please visit www.kevinhub.com or www.leadingthewaytosuccess.com .

Excellent work, Kevin!

With sadness we report the death of another classmate, LTC Troy Anthony Faber (I2) '89.  We have very few details to pass along, other than he died suddenly in the DC area either on 28 June (according to the funeral home's web site) or 1 July (according to the Washington Post obituary). 

Troy's ashes will be interned at Arlington National Cemetery with full honors later this year.  In lieu of flowers donations be made to the Wounded Warriors.

Just as we do for any fallen classmate, WP-ORG has established a eulogy page for Troy at

http://www.west-point.org/users/usma1989/46158/

Please leave some thoughts and memories for his family on that site.  It will bring some measure of comfort in their time of grief.

George Will wrote a column in the Washington Post on July 6th called "The Knock on the Door" in homage to LTC Jim Walton (G4).  Jim will be laid to rest at Arlington later this week.

With great sadness we report the death of LTC James J. Walton (G4) '89.  Jim was one of four soldiers killed by an IED and small arms fire on June 21, 2008, in Kandahar City, Afghanistan, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.  Please keep his wife, Sarah, in your thoughts and prayers.

ABC affiliate WJLA TV has an article and related news coverage on Jim's passing.  It tells a story of Jim's passion for his soldiers and how he was featured last month on an Albany, NY, radio station's American Heroes segment. 

You may post memories or a eulogy to Jim on his eulogy page.

Well done.  Be thou at peace.