Alumni News

Alum Took the Deal on ‘Deal or No Deal Island’

Philip Solomon, BA’08, MA’09 (Flor), came in fifth place on this past season of NBC’s ‘Deal or No Deal Island.’

“On ‘Deal or No Deal Island,’ I applied strategic thinking and persuasive messaging and displayed emotional intelligence — all of which my graduate program instilled in me,” said Solomon. “Studying communication, sociological dynamics, and a little bit of musical theater at FDU gave me a unique edge and a greater understanding of how to control the narrative, manage alliances and influence outcomes.”

As a fitness instructor and choreographer, his athleticism also made him a good contender. But instead of taking the plunge into the finals — and risking walking away with merely a few hundred dollars — Solomon elected to take a $75,000 prize instead.

The deal also allowed Solomon to choose the player who would decide which contestant got eliminated next. Ultimately, it was Solomon’s head on the chopping block. While not the outcome he wanted, Solomon recognized that it was the right choice for his competitor to eliminate him.

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In Memoriam

Remembering President Emeritus Francis J. Mertz

President Emeritus Francis J. Mertz passed away on March 26.

An outstanding leader, he helped strengthen FDU after the University faced significant financial struggles in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Appointed interim president in 1990, he was installed as FDU’s fifth president at the University’s 50th Anniversary celebration in 1992.

Mertz led the development of a strategic-planning process; helped strengthen academic standards and increase enrollment; expanded academic programs; orchestrated a financial resurgence that helped eliminate debt issues, leading to five balanced budgets, a successful capital campaign and more than $40 million in new construction projects. Most notably, this process made possible the merging of the Rutherford Campus operations with those of the Metropolitan and Florham campuses, a difficult but important move to ensure the future sustainability of FDU.

Projects included the renovation of Dickinson Hall on the Metropolitan Campus and the construction of the Roberta Chiaviello Ferguson and Thomas G. Ferguson Recreation Center and the Martin F. Stadler, Patrick J. Zenner, Hoffmann-LaRoche Academic Building (the ZEN) on the Florham Campus.

Other achievements include the formation of the New College of General and Continuing Studies for nontraditional students, successful reaccreditation by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education and accreditation for the Silberman College of Business from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.

As president, Mertz hosted prominent campus visitors, including sitting President Bill Clinton and Vice President Al Gore in 1996.

He retired in 1999 and was then bestowed the title of president emeritus.

“Frank once said that a president is a ‘caretaker’ of an institution and ‘a steward for a specific time,’ but he maintained ties to FDU, continuing to attend special occasions such as commencements and inaugurations,” says FDU President Michael Avaltroni.

Mertz and his wife Gail established the Francis J. and Gail Williams Mertz Scholarship Fund to provide financial support to academically gifted New Jersey students who are pursuing undergraduate studies at FDU. The scholarship embodies their lifelong commitment to student success and has provided over $700,000 to more than 200 students.

“We will always be grateful for the many great things Frank did for our University,” says Avaltroni. “With tremendous affection and appreciation, we will cherish his memory and keep his spirit alive.”

Mertz is survived by Gail; their six children, Lynn (Levent), Chris (Nancy), Suzanne (Kurt), David (Jennifer), Amy (Jake), Jonathan (Carol) and his sister Sr. Judy Mertz SC. He was also grandfather (Pop) to 11 grandchildren.

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Mary Kay Mastronardy Stratis, BA’69 (Ruth), MAT’71 (Metro), passed away on May 19.

Stratis believed strongly in the transformational power of education and taught high-school mathematics for a time. She met her husband Elia Stratis, BS’67 (Ruth), MBA’76 (Metro), at FDU and the couple married in 1969.

In 1988, Elia Stratis, a strong supporter of FDU and the first alumnus appointed to the Board of Trustees, was killed in the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland. Mary Kay took up his mantle on the FDU Board of Trustees in 1991.

She funded scholarships and athletics facilities in Elia’s name, including the Elia G. Stratis elevated running track in the Roberta Chiaviello Ferguson and Thomas G. Ferguson Recreation Center on the Florham Campus and the Stratis basketball court and the Elia Stratis Lounge in the Metropolitan Campus’s Bogota Savings Bank Center. She also created the Elia G. Stratis Memorial Scholarship, awarded to undergraduate accounting majors and incoming students playing on the soccer or track and field teams.

Both Mary Kay and Elia were inducted into the Division I Hall of Fame. Stratis stepped down from the Board of Trustees in 2016, after which she was named a trustee emerita. She funded and endowed the Mary Kay Stratis Scholarship to provide financial assistance to students who wish to teach high-school mathematics. She also created a legacy gift to further the impact of her scholarship.

She is survived by three children: Lia Clark (John); Christopher Stratis (Jenn); and Sonia Tedeschi (Christopher); 11 grandchildren; a brother, Joseph Mastronardy; and her sister and brother-in-law, Julie and Jack Van Houten.

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Saul Fenster, former professor of mechanical engineering, associate dean of science and engineering and provost at the Rutherford Campus, died on March 15 at the age of 91. He taught mechanical engineering courses at the Metropolitan Campus and was head of the mechanical engineering department in the late 1960s. He was inducted into Heritage Hall, which recognizes and remembers exceptional individuals who had a major impact on FDU’s Teaneck and Rutherford campuses. He went on to become the sixth president of the New Jersey Institute of Technology. He is survived by his wife, Roberta; children, Deborah (Edward Seliga), Lisa (James Garrison) and Jonathan (Jacqueline Schwarting Fenster); and grandchildren, Samantha Rose and Mitchell Jay Garrison.

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Harvey Flaxman, professor emeritus of theater and performing arts, died February 7 at the age of 90. He joined FDU in 1968 as an assistant professor of drama. He retired in 2000, working more than 30 years as professor of theater and chair of the visual and performing arts department at the Florham Campus. While he was chair, the department implemented an electronic filmmaking and digital video design program. He also received a Distinguished Faculty Award for Service from FDU. An Academy Award nominee for documentary production, a screenwriter and a producer, he also acted and directed summer stock theater. In 1993, he received a bronze TELLY award for a promotional video he produced for Wroxton College. He also received an award for his work as director and executive producer of “Many Languages: One Small World,” a collaborative project with students and faculty. Flaxman also produced a video on the history of the Florham estate. He is survived by his partner of 31 years, Janet Kleinberg; his daughter, Rachel Clarke, BA’95 (Flor) (Thomas); his son, Joshua (Sandra); Janet’s children Liz Kleinberg (Mike Kanarich) and Ethan Kleinberg (Amy); and his grandchildren.

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Professor Emerita of Biological Sciences Anjali Saxena died January 9 at the age of 94. She joined FDU in 1967 as assistant professor of biological sciences. She mentored students and conducted research in animal behavior, endocrinology and magnetic resonance. In 1997, Saxena received an FDU grant-in-aid to continue her scientific research on anti-tumor cells. She retired in 2000 as professor of biological sciences. She is survived by her son, Ranjeet Saxena; her son’s daughter, Jaya, and her mother, Beth Johnson; her daughter-in-law, Rochelle, and her daughters, Kiara and Alika; her brother, Aparajit Chattopadhyay; and several cousins, nieces and nephews.

Alumni In Memoriam

1940s

Irene Bogle Boughton, AA’47 (Ruth)

Constance Lindner, AA’47 (Ruth)

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1950s

Jean Slater Foster, AA’50 (Ruth)

Dorothy Quigley Pinchak, BS’51 (Ruth)

Diane Snyder Bernhard, AA’52 (Ruth)

Donald Korwan, BS’52 (Ruth)

Arthur Schmitter, BS’52 (Ruth)

Joseph Leone, Jr., BA’53 (Ruth)

Joan Buruchian Berberian, AA’54 (Ruth)

Louise Gartley Thorpe, BA’54 (Ruth)

Dante Bonardi, BS’55 (Ruth)

Dominick Giordano, BS’55 (Ruth)

Helen Hanley Lambert, BS’56 (Ruth), MA’66 (Metro)

John “Jack” Love, Sr., BS’57 (Ruth)

Robert Santhouse, BS’57 (Ruth)

Louis West, Jr., BS’57 (Metro)

Michael Chunka, Jr., BSEE’58 (Ruth)

Francis Monaco, BS’58 (Ruth)

Jane Binney Wilson, AA’59 (Ruth)

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1960s

Joyce Bellis, BS’60 (Metro)

Stephen Ferber, BS’60 (Ruth

Edward Koziel, BS’60 (Ruth)

Kasmiera “Kas” Olender-Hryckiewicz, BS’60 (Ruth)

Nancy Rupp Perdue, AA’60 (Ruth)

Carl Walk, BS’60 (Ruth)

Carole “Pat” Fitzgerald, BS’61 (Metro)

Bernadette Mrockovski Starin, BS’61 (Ruth)

Sally Chambers Strehl, BS’61 (Metro)

Thomas Wagstaff, BA’61 (Metro)

John Colella, BS’62 (Ruth)

Dickson Despommier, BS’62 (Metro)

Garry Koop, DMD’62 (Metro)

Charles Wilson, BSEE’62 (Metro)

Sereno “Reno” Danese, BSMET’63 (Metro)

Michael Green, BA’63 (Flor)

Ronald Hobson, MBA’63 (Ruth)

Sabry Mackoul, BA’63, MBA’75 (Metro)

Keith “Gordy” Mallett, BS’63 (Metro), MBA’72 (Ruth)

Phyllis Leggiere Pfeil, BS’63 (Metro)

Eleanor Buthmann, BA/MA’64 (Metro)

Arthur Nering, AA’60, BS’64 (Metro)

Joseph Potaski, BA’64 (Flor)

Stephen Schwartz, BS’64 (Flor)

James Scriff, BA’64 (Flor)

John Vidulich, BSEE’64, MBA’68 (Metro)

Guido Granata, BS’65 (Ruth)

Richard Greene, BS’65 (Ruth)

John Lindland, BSME’65 (Metro)

John “Jack” McCue, Jr., DMD’65 (Metro)

Frank Nostrame, BSEE’65 (Metro)

Frank Petrucelli, BS’65, MBA’67 (Metro)

Linda Winterberg, BA’65 (Flor)

Maria Bazaz Workman, BS’65 (Metro)

Bernard Zuccaro, BS’65 (Ruth)

Patrick Burns, Jr., MA’66 (Flor)

Christina Baird Friedman, BS’66 (Metro)

Thomas Gorse, Jr., BA’66 (Ruth)

Florence Haggis, BS’66 (Metro)

Dean Anthony Marquis, MBA’66 (Ruth)

Robert O’Toole, BS’66 (Metro)

Fran Miskiewicz Warren, BA’66 (Ruth)

William Blanchfield II, BA’67 (Metro)

Henry Blank, BA’67 (Metro)

Nicholas Boglivi, MBA’67 (Ruth)

Charles DeJoie, Jr., BS’67 (Metro)

Judith Pasuit Pucciarelli, BA’67 (Metro)

Mark Axelrod, BA’68, MA’74 (Metro)

Alton Becker, Jr., BA’68 (Ruth)

Barbara Casale-Perez, BA’68 (Metro)

Warren Covert, Jr., BA’68 (Ruth)

James DiMauro, BS’68, MBA’80 (Metro)

Raymond “Don” O’Leary, MBA’68 (Ruth)

Eugene “Gene” Schildknecht, MA’68 (Metro)

Edward Smyk, BA’68, BA’69 (Ruth)

Frank Battaglia, BS’69 (Ruth)

Matthew Cammaroto, BA’69 (Ruth)

Shaun Cherewich, MA’69 (Metro)

Lindsay “Bob” Cheshire, MBA’69 (Ruth)

Robert Connolly, BS’69 (Metro), MBA’82 (Ruth)

Charles Lavine, BS’69 (Flor)

David Meltzer, BSME’69 (Metro)

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1970s

Francine Rosenbaum Axelrod, BA’70 (Metro), MA’72 (Flor)

George Martens, BS’70, MBA’75 (Metro)

Raphael Mattson, BS’70 (Ruth)

Dennis O’Shea, BA’70 (Ruth)

Albert Porcaro, BS’70 (Metro)

Anthony Stankewicz, MSD’70 (Metro)

Sotirios Vahaviolos, BSEE’70 (Metro)

Robert Topolski, BS’70 (Ruth)

Alfonse Antonelli, MS’71 (Metro)

Diana Foulkes Rooney, BA’71 (Metro)

Richard Ryan, MBA’71 (Ruth)

Cathryn Behnke Villano, BS’71 (Metro)

David Barker, BS’72, MBA’77 (Ruth)

Avis Bromberg, BS’72 (Metro)

Charles Herman, BS’72 (Ruth)

Kathleen Sanson Morgan, BSN’72 (Ruth)

Terence “Terry” Neuenhaus, BA’72 (Metro)

John “Jack” O’Rourke, BS’72 (Metro)

Richard Singerle, MBA’72 (Ruth)

Francis “Frank” Dabice, BS’73, MBA’77 (Ruth)

Phyllis Leonard, MA’73 (Metro)

John Massaua, MBA’73 (Metro)

John McAveney, BS’73 (Metro)

Diane Davis McVitty, BS’73

Francis Murray, BS’73, MS’75 (Metro)

James Quirk, BS’73 (Metro)

John Schroeder, MS’73 (Metro)

Timothy Schroeder, MA’73 (Metro)

Dennis Yackovetsky, BA’73 (Ruth)

Stevan Geiger, BS’74 (Flor)

Derek Long, BA’74 (Metro)

Frank Malter, BS’74 (Metro)

John Parken, BS’74 (Metro)

Dominick Amato, BS’75 (Ruth)

Bernard Feigenbaum, MSEE’75 (Metro)

Emily Johnson Ference, BA’75 (Metro)

Judith Hagen, BA’75 (Metro)

Jeffrey Heller, BA’75 (Flor)

Paul O’Connor, MA’75 (Flor)

Dietrich “Dieter” Querfeldt, BSME’75 (Metro)

James Stavis, BA’75 (Flor)

John Tracey, Jr., BS’75 (Metro), MBA’80 (Metro)

Edward Twomey, MA’75 (Metro)

John Wennogle, MBA’75 (Flor)

Norman Coyle, BSEE’76 (Metro)

Neal Galbo, BSEE’76 (Metro)

Mary Garner, MA’76 (Metro)

Rodney Hyduk, DMD’76 (Metro)

Debra Brown, BA’77 (Ruth)

Joseph Drabick, BSEE’77 (Metro)

Frank “Bud” Ramsey, BS’77 (Flor)

Paula Engel Riezenman, BS’77 (Ruth)

Theodore “Teddy” Bratz, Jr., BS’78 (Flor)

Margaret Ann Deitrich, MBA’78 (Metro)

Eileene Loos Hutchinson, MA’78 (Ruth)

Donald Kafafian, BS’78 (Metro)

Patricia Cugini Perreca, BA’78 (Metro), MA’80 (Ruth)

Kenneth Riccio, MBA’78 (Flor)

Andreas “Andy” Savvides, BS’78 (Metro)

Paul Donoghue, BS’79, MBA’86 (Ruth)

Michael Eagleson, MBA’79 (Ruth)

William Robinson, MBA’79 (Ruth)

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1980s

Charles “Bill” Fink III, BS’80 (Flor)

Beatrice Hess, MA’80 (Ruth)

Alexander “Alec” Kerr, BS’80 (Metro)

Dominick Palumbo, MA’80 (Ruth)

Alan Rauch, DMD’80 (Metro)

Joseph Brown, BS’81 (Ruth)

Doris Fielding, BA’81 (Metro)

Robert Jones, Jr., MA’81 (Flor)

Michael Lenney, BA’81 (Metro)

Linda Simon, MBA’81 (Ruth)

Clifford Swanson, MBA’81 (Metro)

Robert Gerdoney, MBA’82 (Metro)

Patricia Haynes, BA’82 (Flor)

Daniel Hunt, Sr., BSEE’82 (Metro)

Roosevelt Nesmith, BS’82 (Flor)

Elaine Pappas Romano, AS’81, BS’82 (Metro)

Benjamin Busby, BSConET’83 (Metro)

Michael Sonzogni, BS’83 (Metro), MST’13 (Flor)

Suzanne Miller DeSarbo, MBA’84 (Flor)

Linda Groschadl Hanwacker, MS’84 (Metro)

Robert Hutton, Jr., BA’84 (Flor)

Nicholas Green, BSEE’85 (Metro)

Erich Knehans, MBA’85 (Flor)

Howard Lerner, DMD’85 (Metro)

Roy McTernan, DMD’85 (Metro)

Eric Waltman, MA’85 (Metro)

David Ritt, MPA’86 (Ruth)

Raymond Buckshaw, BS’87 (Metro)

Carol Kershaw, MA’87 (Flor)

Robert Darby, Jr., MBA’88 (Ruth)

James Hicks, BA’88 (Flor)

Robert Russomano, Jr., MBA’88 (Ruth)

Robert Signorino, MBA’88 (Flor)

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1990s

Matthew Hilmi, DMD’90 (Metro)

Edward Novak, MBA’90 (Flor)

Kevin Foley, MBA’92 (Metro)

Jeffrey Bonistalli, MBA’93 (Metro)

Anahita Guarino, MBA’93 (Flor)

Thomas Jones, MS’93 (Metro)

Janet Thonus Bilhuber, BA’93 (Flor)

Lyndon Charles, MBA’94 (Flor)

Marty Diesenhof, MBA’94 (Metro)

Verla Mickle, MPA’95 (Metro)

James Roper, MBA’95 (Flor)

Anthony Scerbo, MS’95 (Flor)

Stephen Seymour, Jr., BS’96 (Flor)

Patrick Peruo, MBA’97 (Metro)

Carl Lindberg, BA’98 (Flor)

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2000s

Theodore Sochaski, MAS’00 (Metro)

Edward “Rich” Day, BS’01 (Flor)

Robert DeGast, AA’98, BS’03 (Metro)

Beverly Steward, BA’09 (Metro)

Steven Tiboni, MS’13 (Metro)

Nicole Devletian Gobel, MS’14 (Flor)