Alumni Almanac

'50s
1955 - Larry Torgerson was recently elected to both the Who’s Who in American and Who’s Who in the World.

1958 – Nancy Wallen retired from Garner-Hayfield school district after 42 years in education. She plans to spend her extra time with her three granddaughters.

'80s
1984 – Brad Nelson has been promoted to food service supervisor, an executive staff position for Hy-Vee Inc. He supervises stores in Hy-Vee’s northeast trade area including Ames, Cedar Rapids, Mason City, Waterloo, and Rochester, MN.

1986 – Hal Minear has been promoted to Associate Superintendent of Mason City High School.

1986 – Jody (Knutson) O’Brien has been named Mrs. Iowa International 2000. She will represent the state of Iowa at the Mrs. International Pageant, August 18-19 in Tennessee.

1989 – Todd Thorson was sworn in as the Lake Mills police sergeant. He has been with the department since 1991 and is a certified DARE instructor.

'90s
1991 – Cheri (Hjelle) Dixon was named "Teacher of the Year" at Cimarron Elementary in Houston, TX, where she teaches English as a Second Language (ESL) to third grade students.

1991 - Jayson Ryner is the choir director at Rockford Senior High School and directs the River City Barbershop Chorus. He recently completed his master’s degree in music education at UNI.

1992 - Matthew Ritter has been promoted to vice president at Clear Lake Bank and Trust Company. He also serves as president of the Clear Lake Public Library Board of Directors.

1993 - Kathy Bushbaum is teaching business classes at Garner-Hayfield High School. She is also the National Honor Society advisor.

1995 - Cory Lockwood is the assistant manager of guest and event services at the University of Iowa Memorial Union in Iowa City.

1997 - Mike Hakes graduated from basic military training and the School of Infantry. He is attending Marine Avionics School in Pensacola, FL.

1997 - Kelly O’Hara placed second in the state in a CPA exam last November.

1999 - John Daskalos trained in NIACC’s Climate Control Program and recently started his own business – Mason City Heating and Air.

1999 - Michael Wessling graduated from basic military training at Fort Jackson in Columbia, SC.