Department of Economics: Alum News

u Return to Alum News Index

Class of 1990

Benson Choy is working as a Hearing Administrator at NASD in downtown Los Angeles where he facilitates arbitrations involving disputes in the Securities Industry. (2004)

Joe Downey is quite busy these days. In addition to working a traditional 8 to 5 job, Joe has opened his own business with partner in crime Bill Olson. The name of the business is Chevelle Specialties, where Joe and Bill specialize in 64-72 Chevelles and El Caminos. Currently Joe works his own business at nights and on the weekends. The initial response has been very good; they have more work than they can handle. In his spare moments, he spends time with his wife Elizabeth Hollis '93 doing home improvement projects on their house in Scottsdale, Arizona. He has kept in touch with classmate Tim Tierney who recently purchased a 71 Chevelle Convertible and had it worked on by Chevelle Specialties. (2001)

After over 13 years, Susan Fitzgerald has left Moody's Investors Service, where she was the head of their Higher Education and Not-for-Profit Ratings Team. She and her husband, Paul, are relocating to 30 acres about half an hour outside of Santa Fe. They are in the process of building an off-the-grid straw bale home and opening up a folk art/recycled art shop (Weasel & Fitz, Purveyors of Curious Thangs) in the former ghost town of Madrid, NM. (2007)

Jim Kee is still living in Pasadena and working for Countrywide's Full Spectrum Lending Division, where he is the Senior Vice President of Underwriting and Funding. Jim works one block from Rich Leza, and they teamed up last year to win the Los Angeles Stanford GSB Alumni golf tournament. Jim plays ice hockey and enjoys cycling on weekends. (2005)

Sharon (Mayhew) Saxton teaches mathematics and economics at Cascadia Community College in Bothell, Washington. Be sure to visit the campus if you get the chance! The school is co-located with the University of Washington, Bothell and boasts the following unique attractions: (1) a wetlands; (2) a natural salmon run; and (3) a breeding bald eagle pair. In addition to teaching, Sharon continues to write the alumni column for the Class of 1990. (2003, email: sharon.mayhew.1990.alumni@oxy.edu; 
webpage: http://www.cascadia.ctc.edu/facultyweb/instructors/ssaxton/homepage.htm)

Kyra Steward (Chatfield) launched A MASQUERADE, a costume rental business, in 1999. The company now employs 10 people and serves the greater Seattle community from 2 locations. Besides costumes and hand-made Italian art masks, the company offers entertainment services, including fantasy photos, murder mystery parties, airbrush temporary tattoos, and live characters. Kyra is happily married to Composer Donald J Stewart for 6 years now, and they have a darling baby boy, Isaac Domhnall Stewart, born April 10, 2005. (2005)

Kevin Vegas just returned to California after a campaign of seven years in Las Vegas for Grainger Industrial Supply (GIS). Kevin now heads up GIS's operation in Long Beach and resides in Alhambra. The years in Las Vegas included the completion of his masters degree in Organizational Management (1997), a rugby tour of New Zealand and Australia, and more music concerts than any one person should be allowed to attend. Kevin will surely be found playing rugby with the Olde Boys this fall, and time permitting, mentoring the college side play as well. Kevin is also looking forward to being more informed and involved with the "new" Occidental College. (2000)