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New slate of U members and officers

Farm-to-table entrepreneur named to head U Alumni Association Board and serve as U trustee.

The University of Utah Alumni Association welcomes seven new members to its Board of Directors, as well as a new board president and vice president, and new presidents of three affiliate boards.

The new president of the Alumni Association’s Board of Directors is Joseph Sargetakis, B.A. ’80. The owner of Frog Bench Farms in Sugar House, Sargetakis is committed to providing organic fruits, vegetables, herbs and micro greens for farm-to-table restaurants in Salt Lake City. He previously held vice president positions at Paine Webber and Morgan Stanley. His involvement with the U also includes membership in the Copper Club at the Natural History Museum of Utah and being a longtime member of Red Butte Garden. His other volunteer work includes serving on the boards of the Swaner Preserve, Ronald McDonald House Charities and Ducks Unlimited, and being on the founding board of the Sugar House Farmer’s Market. As the association’s board president, Sargetakis will also serve on the U’s Board of Trustees.

The board’s new vice president is Susan Porter, B.S. ’85, MSW ’88. Porter has been a psychotherapist for 25 years, owning and directing her own clinical counseling practice in Salt Lake. She’s an adjunct professor in the U’s School of Medicine and a trustee for the Hospital Foundation. Her community service also extends beyond the U, as she has volunteered her time to many organizations, including the Utah Food Bank and The Road Home shelter.

Sargetakis and Porter are replacing outgoing president Julie Barrett, B.A. ’70, and Scott Verhaaren, B.A. ’90, MBA ’91, former vice president, who have just finished their three-year terms. Barrett also served as a member of the Board of Trustees for the University of Utah.

The new members of the Alumni Association’s board are Aden Batar, MPA ’15, director of Immigration and Refugee Resettlement for Catholic Community Services of Utah; Kimberly Brunisholz, B.S. ’05, M.S. ’11, Ph.D. ’15, a researcher with Intermountain Health Care; Christine Burns, M.S. ’75, a psychologist in private practice; Tom Carlson, B.A. ’90, senior director of marketing and business development for Shell Energy North America; Leslie Corbett, B.S. ’85, the owner of Bjorn’s Brew; Glenn Seninger, B.S. ’88, vice president of North America Edge Applications with Oracle; and Sue Skanchy, MBA ’86, chief operating officer at Jones Waldo.

Cheré Romney, B.S. ’65, M.S. ’83, is the new president of the Emeritus Board, Savannah Gelhard is the new Student Alumni Board president, The MUSS Board new president is Steven Havlik and Brian Davis, B.S. ’07, is the new Beehive Honor Society chair. Brian Rosander, B.S. ’01, J.D. ’05, continues as president of the association’s Young Alumni Board.