Reunion Committee
We have had lots of questions about who is planning this reunion. The answer is, “A lot of people!” The main planning group includes Candace Corcoran Jones, Tricia Doll Riggs, Deanne Dutton Hughes, Steve Hayman, Jennafer Leone Cuckler, Shae Roggendorff, and Natalie Sorgnard Large. (Click on each person’s name for a bio).The website now includes a little bio of each of us – we are an incredibly diverse group. Some of us knew each other in high school and some of us didn’t. Some of us did sports, but not all. Some are South, and some are not. One did band, and three have been kissed by the same guy (but we’re not telling who!)
Deanne organized the first meeting, and after that she has just had a lot of fun working with the entire group! She has been responsible for timelines, correspondence with the class, and general detail work.
Augmenting this steering committee have been lots of people. Lori Beck Dale arranged our block of rooms at the Crowne Plaza. Donnie Hill arranged our reservations at Fox and Hound. Neal Riggins is organizing a tennis team rematch, Mike Gotcher is opening Indian Springs for golf, Angie Holder is spear-heading a band reunion, Mike Chasteen is serving as our DJ for the night, Michelle Butler Seney is arranging for our photographers both Friday and Saturday night, Brent Ford will be our Class Comedian and keep us all laughing (note his request for stories on the message forum at the website), Joe Krout spear-headed the Rock Band Raffle, Travis Brown has developed the printed materials for the weekend, and John Trook is creating the Class DVD.More than 75 classmates have attended at least one of the larger planning meetings where general direction of the Reunion was established, input was sought, and many connections were reestablished. More than 30 people have made offers (or signed up!) to help with the various activities throughout the reunion. More classmates than we can name have worked to help find our missing classmates. This Reunion has truly been a group effort in the best sense of the word.
My wife, Angela, and I have been married 15 years this November (we eloped). We have 4 boys, and there is usually a story just around the corner – whether it's breaking windows or calling 911 to sing to the operator, it's just a new chapter on this crazy adventure we call life. We recently moved to Colorado (again) as I have the wonderful pleasure to work for a ministry called Compassion in which children are being freed from poverty all over the world. Two things I have learned about being involved with the reunion committee 1) When you take the initiative great things can happen (over 416 people have now registered for the site), and 2) This reunion is going to be a blast with old friends reuniting and new ones developing just from the meetings (parties) we've had over the summer. Twenty years may seem like a long time, but when you look back it's really been like a flash besides didn't we say, "If the music's too loud, you're too old!"? I still crank it up, so that settles it.
I've lived in the Tulsa area since graduation from college but hadn't kept up with many of my classmates. I've had a wonderful time reconnecting with everyone and have thoroughly enjoyed helping plan the event. Our committee has been wonderful and incredibly passionate about making our 20-year reunion an event that everyone will enjoy.
I work for Wallace Engineering as their Training & Education Manager. I have 2 boys (14 and 11) and have been dating a wonderful man with 3 children for almost 3 years now. Between the two of us, there are few evenings without some kind of baseball, soccer or football, but we love it.
I spent all 12 years at the finest learning institutions BA had to offer. Even so, if any of my classmates were involved with any planned school-related activities, you probably didn't run in to me much since I wasn't skilled enough to play school soccer and was too lazy to join any groups. (a 180 compared to today where I have a hard time saying “No.”) I went from Haskell to Lynn Lane to Park Lane to Haskell (Middle School) to North and finally to the high school. I rarely missed school because that would mean one less day to chase girls or get into trouble. After contemplating a career in the Navy, I was encouraged to join a fraternity at OSU. It wasn't long before I was getting paid back for many years of being a smartass and so I quickly became a hazing target. Oh, how fun. Four years later a friend encouraged me to go on a blind date, and I married her in 1993. Stacey & I lived in BA for 12 years and currently live in Tulsa. I have worked for the family business since 1994 and have spent my free time volunteering for various groups, attending OSU events, playing soccer, playing disc golf, or playing with Reilly. Oh, and enjoying 15 years of blissful marriage. I am enjoying the new experiences and renewed friendships involved with planning the reunion. And being on a female-dominated committee isn't half bad either.
After high school, I attended OSU where I received my Accounting Degree in '93. I married Chris Riggs (Jenks '87 graduate) in 1997 who I met at one of Debbie Pilkington's parties in high school. Beth Campbell & I went toilet papering with him that night...who would have guessed we would marry 10 years later:)!! His job took us to Cincinnati, OH and then to Sparta, NJ, and we've been back in Tulsa since 2001. I’ve been staying busy with the girls, being "PTA Mom", playing tennis, and working a part-time, temporary (easing back into the working worldJ) position while their Senior Accountant is out on maternity leave. Am enjoying reunion "planning" and am looking forward to seeing everybody at the big event!!
I studied a lot in High School (surprise!) and then went to college and earned an engineering degree. I currently work as an environmental engineer specializing in air quality for a company based in Oklahoma City. I work on a flexible schedule because my husband, Dow, and I have two boys in elementary school (and yes, their names start with a “D” too). I enjoy working with community organizations, and currently my focus is Cub Scouting with both boys. The ground does seem to be getting harder on the campouts, though. I am looking forward to reconnecting with friends from high school (and, frankly, probably meeting some people I never knew in the first place). I have so enjoyed the “planning” meetings at Los Cabos and Fox and Hound. This is truly one of those projects where the time has been well spent.
As I look back at high school all I can remember is I had lots and lots of fun. Unfortunately, my mom let me do pretty much whatever I wanted to so my studies suffered. Now, 20 years later: I own a wine shop, I did improv comedy for 4 years and I am a painter. I still march to the beat of my own drum, only I always consider my husband and two sons first! To sum me up now: I try to be as simple as humanly possible. I believe in love, individuality, art,peace, TRUTH, positivity, change,culture, acceptance, tolerance,FUN, living life, nature, music and comedy. I try not to take things too serious-life is too short. The reason I wanted to be on the reunion committee is to help do whatever it takes to be a very very FUN reunion. I thought the last one was el boring! Besides the dancing. There are some things I would do differently, but all in all it should be a good balance for most everyone, being that we need to consider possible 100's making it! All I have to say is COME TO YOUR 20th reunion! These are old old friends that you know or may not know anymore, but all serving the same purpose- to have fun and reconnect! So get your butts in gear, step outside your daily box and lets party like its 2008!!!! This party is going to ROCK! (oh ya, for those about to rock "rock band style" we salute you!!)
Coming Soon!