by: Dr. Roger H. Compton ’61, PG ’64
Dean Emeritus, Webb Institute

I was introduced to Webb Institute of Naval Architecture quite by accident when I visited our high school guidance counsellor, Mr. Chiles, who was consoling me for not being the primary appointment in my class to attend the U.S. Naval Academy. He handed me a folded piece of paper with an anchor logo on it and said, “you’re interested in boats – you might be interested in this.” Thus began my life-long involvement with Webb.

After an interview with Admiral Haeberle, I was surprised – but delighted – to be offered a position in the Class of 1961 with 20 other young men from all over the U.S. Over the next four years, we bonded as a class, drank beer and ate pizza at Stango’s, struggled through Benny’s math courses and Doc Joe’s chemistry, metallurgy, and thermodynamics courses, and had many tales to tell about our Winter Work experiences. I enjoy telling my friends, who know nothing about Webb’s class size, that I graduated fifth in my class in both high school and college (without explaining that we had almost 600 in my high school class, but only 10 in the Webb Class of 1961)!

My first full-time job after graduation was at Electric Boat (EB) in Groton, CT, during the early days of the U.S. Navy’s Fleet Ballistic Missile (FBM) program. Exciting stuff! After working for a year in the Naval Architecture Department, I applied for a position in the EB Research Department. I was told that I needed more formal education. As it turned out, that was coincident with Webb offering a civilian master’s degree while working part-time in the newly formed Webb Research Department. George Kerr, Webb ’59, classmate Charlie Pieroth, and I were chosen to be in the first class. I was fortunate to have been able to take a couple of courses at Stevens Institute with Dan Savitsky and to be sent to IBM Headquarters in Manhattan to learn FORTRAN. That training allowed me to become the “computer guy” at Webb and to teach a few sessions of programming to Prof. Otto Karst’s junior math students. That experience, along with the superb mentoring of Bob Zubaly (Webb ’55), Norm Hamlin (Webb ‘44B), and Dean Tom Curran (Webb 1925) were instrumental in getting me to apply for a faculty position at the U.S. Naval Academy (USNA). During my 32-year tenure, my colleagues and I were able to establish an ABET-accredited major in naval architecture and build a world-class towing tank. Among the great young midshipmen that I had the pleasure to mentor, was Tom Kiss (USNA ’88), the son of Ron (Webb ’63) and June Kiss (Hon.).

While in Annapolis, I became involved in a very active community theater culture and, in 1981, was cast as Curly in Oklahoma! Guess who was Laurie? Jill and I have been together – and making music – ever since. Jill has made my life complete.

In August of 1998 I retired from USNA to accept the best job on the planet – to be the Dean of Webb Institute, while enjoying the shortest commute on Long Island. Although it was difficult to leave USNA and Annapolis, a dinner with Ron and June Kiss at which we discussed our mutual “adventure in Glen Cove,” sealed the deal for Jill and me. We thoroughly enjoyed our 13-year tenure during which we were able to introduce a small craft design experience with a formal presentation to an invited panel of professionals to juniors (SD 1), and to encourage Webbies – students and staff – to enjoy and participate in musical and theatrical activities. We were most proud of the success of the Webb Family Singers (aka the WooFS) and the two fully staged productions at our 2010 and 2011 Homecomings. After officially retiring in 2011 – the 50th anniversary of my Webb graduation – we were delighted to enjoy an encore year to teach a couple of naval architecture courses to the Classes of 2017 and 2019. From about 2005 until 2019, we enjoyed getting to know incoming freshman classes with the freehand drawing “coursette” offered the week before classes actually started.

In December 2016, we sold our boats and home on Maryland’s Eastern Shore and moved to a retirement community in Vero Beach, Florida. What we found was a town with many opportunities to sing, play water volleyball, and ride our bikes. Our two real boats have been replaced by three remote-controlled model sailboats – fun, but not quite the same as the real thing!

We are happy to be charter members of the Heritage Society when we named Webb the beneficiary of a life insurance policy and named Webb, along with my kids, Dawn, and Brian, to divide up the balance of our estate.

Without a doubt, I owe everything that I accomplished in my professional career to Webb Institute.

Webb Institute is proud to present our Annual Report for the 2022-23 giving year. This year’s report showcases the invaluable contributions of our alumni, parents, friends, and trustees, whose unwavering support continues to impact both Webb and its students.

Your commitment is fundamental to our pursuit of academic excellence and the long-term viability of Webb. The dedication of our supporters is the cornerstone of Webb’s enduring success, and we thank you for continuing this journey with us in our commitment to excellence. Your partnership is not just valued; it is vital. As we look to the future, we are excited to continue this journey with you, building on our shared vision and commitment to excellence.

Click here to read the 2022-2023 Annual Report

Click here for the PDF. version

By Paulo Almeida ’95

Background

I’m a first-generation college graduate and first-generation American from Danbury, CT, which unsurprisingly was recently rated the most diverse (ethnic, religious and socio-economic) city in New England. My parents grew up 15 miles apart in Portugal but met in Danbury, to where many people emigrated from the mountainous parts of Portugal and the Azores. My father moved solo after military service in what was Portuguese Mozambique then a stint in Nashua, NH. My mother’s entire close family immigrated in the mid 60s after earlier generations (including my grandmother who turned 102 a few months ago) returned to Portugal from New Bedford, MA during the Great Depression. Friends who know my roundabout transatlantic family history say it is not a surprise that I wound up in London. Despite being an ocean away, I’m happy to be very close to Webb in several ways.

Paulo Almeida ’95 giving a guest lecture at Webb

Value of Hard Work and Education

With essentially all of my interactions until kindergarten being Portuguese-speaking extended family and babysitters – other than a bit of Sesame Street and cartoons – I entered kindergarten with very little English. With the US generally being a great assimilator and probably some long-forgotten hard work from me, I, along with my brother and cousins in the same boat, quickly graduated to English as our first language. My parents came to the US with little more than decent job prospects through family friends, so we all saw the value of both hard work generally and education specifically. My parents invested in Catholic schooling – and lots of Lego – for me and my brother. My parents happily paid for my brother to get his mechanical engineering degree at Rensselear, and would have done the same for me, but surely it was more comfortable all around that I had a full-tuition scholarship at Webb. With socio-economic mobility nowadays not being as strong as it was in the 70s to 90s, and although the US is still far ahead of most of the world, the full-tuition scholarship at Webb is so valuable – even if it is not quite enough to meet the needs of all.

Finding Webb

I only barely remember now but after my parents dissuaded 12-year old me from trying to become a chef or start my own construction company (Thank you again for that!), surely I wanted to be an engineer. I investigated top engineering programs in the Northeast then visited several. Webb was love at first sight. First literally, because of the amazing campus, but also the small tight-knit community. Secondly, the pitch to me from an underclassman that ships are the perfect type of machinery to design because they involve disparate, challenging, interesting topics while at the same time many ships are simple enough that one person could complete the most interesting 80% of the design, leaving the detailed but often less interesting work to others. While this description is probably not 80% true, it is very powerful and I do very regularly repeat it. Unlike many Webbies who were very interested in sailing or military ships, although I was always fond of submarines, it was global commercial shipping that appealed to me. It is the intersection of my loves of applied science, geography and economics. Through yet another circuitous route, this led to me running a portfolio of over 60 ships from London for institutional investors. The practical aspects of the Webb education were big selling points to me. This was primarily winter work, but also field trips. With hard work being so highly valued from a very early age due to my family background, and at one point having wanted to start my own business before I was 20, the practical experience was a big differentiator versus other programs. Winter work also helped build lifelong bonds. I was lucky enough to not only be with Dean Werner twice for winter work but also celebrate his wife’s birthdays then. My favorite field trip was to the Sealand Quality, arranged by fellow Trustee Manny Hontoria. The legendary late Prof. Rowen in his characteristic wit said it could have been called the Sealand High Quality if it only had an MAN B&W engine!

Paulo Almeida ’95 receiving the 2018 Marine Money Deal of the Year Award

Achieving My Goals After Graduation

My Webb education, both in the narrow and broader senses, gave me a strong intellectual foundation, commitment to hard work and confidence that I could then build upon in my career. It prepared me well for being one of the youngest Masters in Finance (“MiF”) students at London Business School in ‘99/’00 and later among the older Chicago Booth executive MBAs in London ‘16-‘18, as well as my time in investment banking and investment management. Towards the end of my MiF, due to reasons familiar at Webb, I pulled an all-nighter after only basic knowledge of a math modelling package to design and price a complex financial derivative that earned an A+. Since completing my MiF, I have worked in high-performing organizations, advising on large corporate deals or equity raisings, bidding on large infrastructure assets and most recently building and running a large portfolio of globally-trading commercial ships with capital raised from very sophisticated investors including large pension funds. My personal background and Webb education gave me the broad and deep technical foundations and confidence to succeed.

Giving Back

Coming back to an earlier point, I’m an ocean away from Webb but am privileged and extremely pleased to be very close in several ways. After all, the traits I brought to and that were reinforced by my Webb education gave me the skills and confidence to facilitate my transatlantic journey and professional evolution. I’ve been lucky enough to be in a position where I can increasingly give back meaningfully financially. Separately, for nearly at least 7 years I’ve been giving a guest lecture to freshmen on buying a ship, making analogies to buying a house while also touching on many of the interesting commercial aspects of the global shipping industry. Other than family celebrations / holidays, this is always one of my favorite days of the year. A few years ago I joined the Webb Board of Trustees, and soon became Finance Chair as a small part of a broader well-planned succession program. We have such a strong, dedicated and increasingly diverse Board. This shows just how important Webb is not only to alumni, but the maritime industry. As John Malone and of course others say about the Heritage Society, it is never too early or too late to give back. I’ve been lucky and very pleased to be able to give back in different ways, and especially hope this helps well-deserving students who also want to give back however they can in the future.

The Webb community mourns the passing of Dr. Bruce Stephan, who left us peacefully on December 28, 2023, at the age of 81. A native New Yorker, Dr. Stephan touched generations of Webb students through his 35-year career as a professor of mathematics at Webb Institute. He retired on June 30, 2007, and then became a Faculty Emeritus of Mathematics.

Even after retirement, Dr. Stephan’s love for teaching never dimmed. He taught his own children and grandchildren and tutored many others.

Dr. Stephan was an avid musician as well as a polyglot who was fluent in German and Russian. He loved to travel and explore distant lands with his wife, Jan, and their family. He wanted to ensure that each grandchild experienced his love of travel through carefully planned trips that broadened their horizons.

Rest in peace, Dr. Stephan.

Among the hallowed halls of Webb and the Long Island Sound landscape, where memories have been woven over decades, we gathered to bid farewell to one of our most esteemed figures, Josie Wilson, the Director of Academic Services.

Webb’s very own Queen Josie

Over the years, Josie Wilson has been a beacon of guidance, inspiring countless students with her unwavering dedication and tireless service. As she announces her retirement, marking the onset of a well-deserved new chapter, we come together as a community to celebrate her legacy.

In June of 2023, at her retirement dinner, Josie took the stage to deliver her heartfelt speech. This momentous occasion was preceded by acknowledgments from President Mark Martecchini, and the Dean, Matthew Werner, both of whom honored Josie’s significant contributions and profound impact at Webb. Below, we revisit her touching farewell speech from Homecoming in May of 2023. It was a moment that brought a blend of smiles and tears, a testament to her profound impact.

Farewell, Josie, and may this new journey be filled with the same inspiration and excellence you’ve instilled in all of us.

Josie cutting her celebratory cake

“As we all know, Webb Institute is a unique and special place, where students not only receive an excellent education, but also develop lifelong friendships, values, and passions. I have witnessed firsthand how students have grown from their shy first days on campus to confident seniors ready to contribute to the maritime industry.

As I look back on my 33 years here, I cherish the many moments I have shared with the students in the hallways, in my office for a tissue, a hug, or a piece of chocolate, or just to hang out and talk about a recent Winter Work experience or what they will be doing in the summer. You have inspired me and taught me so much too. You have given me joy, laughter, and friendship. You are more than just alumni; you have made me a part of the Webb family, which is truly an honor. The alumni are the reason why Webb Institute is such a wonderful place. And the reason why I am standing here today with a smile on my face and a tear in my eye.

When I was little, I always said when I grow up, I want to be a Mommy. And that dream came true. I was a Mom for many years of about 100 students a year. And I loved every minute of it. And one final thank you to William Webb. It was because of his insight to create such a wonderful, unique college that I have had the most fulfilling career anyone could ever hope for. ”

Webb’s administration, faculty, and friends

We continue our profiles of Webb alumni by observing March as Women’s History Month and celebrating the achievements of WoW – the Women of Webb – and recognizing the barriers they have faced. Women have made significant contributions to the field of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) throughout history despite facing many obstacles and discrimination.  Their hard work and determination serve as a model for us all, no matter our gender. 

The maritime industry today provides more opportunities to women than in the past, but that transition does not happen quickly.  Our first author shows us that women have been breaking barriers in male-dominated fields for decades.  

Meet Monique (Mo) Sinmao. Mo manages wealth for high-net-worth clients, and raises capital for STEM-heavy businesses. She transitioned from engineering to finance and found that these two sectors share many common themes. She recalled her time at Webb where she gained real-life, tough experiences that prepared her for navigating through crises in her future career and life. 

Mo’s story offers invaluable advice. She reminds us that STEM, and life, require a mindset of applied problem-solving and the willingness to take risks. She emphasizes the importance of a mentor and the benefits of a support system.

Starting Early: Mo’s passion for STEM begins at a young age as she eagerly holds her father’s hand while sitting on a car, ready explore the world of mechanics, engineering and technology.

Exploring the World of Maritime Engineering: Mo prepares for her studies at Webb Institute with a visit to the maritime museum in Sentosa, Singapore a year before she comes to college.

Conquering the Open Seas: Mo fearlessly navigates the waves as she commands her boat with skill and determination, conquering whatever challenges the open sea may bring.

What inspired you to pursue a career in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math)?

We could have been stranded. Our new car broke down in North Carolina enroute to Disney World. Another driver behind us on the highway pulled up, fixed it, and sent us on our way, taking nothing in return. He was a mechanic and engineer for Chrysler and knew the exact design and production flaw. I think of STEM as applied problem-solving across categories, as shown by my family’s highway hero. After that, I immersed myself in how things work and not just how they turn on. I had four very different cars while at Webb, gas and diesel. My dad wanted to foster the attitude and capacity to fix anything. Then one day, while in the pit at Webb changing out a starter, two sets of professors’ legs walked by as they left the Diesel Lab discussing who they felt were natural engineers. Not one female student was mentioned.  I sensed a lack of support. My heart could sink or inspire my STEM drive even more. This underdog chose the latter.

What did you plan to do with your degree from Webb? 

My first goal was shallow and predictably local (Washington DC): find the most difficult engineering program and work for the military. After the graphic media coverage of damages to Prince William Sound following the Exxon Valdez oil spill (my senior year in high school), I took a broader interest in ship design. What are the specifications of a double hull to be sufficiently protective? What are the design and operational consequences?

And, profoundly, what is a “rock” or “grounding scenario” so that we can even define failure sequence and damage thresholds to withstand? After all, crash test dummies conjure common accident scenarios defined for autos.

It took Webb and then MIT to join ship structural design with operating environment modeling, using kinematic theory – solidly back to STEM.

Bringing Tech to the High Seas: Mo shares her expertise and wit as a speaker at Marine Money Asia – inspiring the industry to embrace the latest technological advances.

Do you think Webb prepared you well for real-life experiences?

No college prepares you for the range of “black swans” (unexpected experiences) like Webb. I chose Webb over MIT undergrad for being the most difficult engineering program considering the intense curriculum, grueling work requirements, resource density per student, Honor Code, and demanding immersive campus culture.

My Sea Term on a NASSCO-built oil tanker was a major milestone experience. I bungeed into a cargo tank to inspect structural damage after a grounding event. We flipped from the idyllic East Coast/St. Croix route to a winter North Atlantic crossing when the Iraqi military suddenly set fire to oil wells at the onset of the Gulf War in January 1991. We hauled equipment lines in gumby suits (green neoprene exposure suits with two fingers per hand). I watched 40-50’ waves swallow the entire bow of our tanker on bridge watch in the Bay of Biscay (aka Graveyard of Seafarers).

Despite the stormy conditions, Jeanne (a classmate) and I managed to draft our ship schematics. Our superstitious Captain blamed the women on board for the storms and gave me a poor review; I got an A+ from Professor Rowen.

Fast forward to my future career on Wall Street: boiler rooms and financial crises – no matter how “great” – were just another Sea Term to navigate through.

You also transitioned from engineering to finance, but still in the STEM field. What made you change course?

I have transitioned titles and fields but what I do at the core has not changed. Many seemingly distinct careers share the ethos of core engineering such as systems analysis, risk management, and prediction. Setting aside degree labels, I began to understand the essence of what I was becoming good at is decision-oriented analysis with incomplete inputs, dynamic systems, and risk-adjusted outcomes.

Finance and engineering share common toolkits like coding, regression analysis, feasibility analysis, and quantitative modeling. Engineering practice, where we regularly break things to understand limits, has been a powerful tool in finance where practitioners often rely on equations to measure risks without first dissecting the equations’ limits.

Most people would say the 2007–2008 financial crisis, or Global Financial Crisis, was caused by toxic mortgage-backed securities blowing up and taking down the global financial system. In reality, only the thinnest slice of mortgages blew up. What happened was the risk models (used to price mortgages) first underpriced risk and then grossly overpriced all classes of risks, due to how the models factored in contagion. Those who understood the fragility of the equations, versus real risk, made 8-10x returns by buying back the seemingly deeply impaired securities.

What do you find most rewarding about your work?

Today I manage wealth for high-net-worth clients. Like Webb’s endowment, which is managed to provide long-term funding for the school and its students, I manage complex return and liquidity needs sustained over generations of family wealth. I previously managed money for institutions in a range of roles and investment styles. Managing private wealth is more challenging, and also more rewarding, due to the human element.

By steering clear of Wall Street institutional roles, I can now engage in building and raising capital for startups without conflict of interest. I am at heart an engineer, a builder if you will – previously building teams with behemoth companies and now creating the concept and teams from inception. In this role, I have gravitated to STEM-heavy businesses that touch financial engineering, risk management, blockchain, sustainability, cryptographic securities, and regulation. The work is never done at startup/emerging companies, and it is rewarding working with high caliber individuals with a kaleidoscope of skills, with innovation in their DNA. Occasionally, the work revisits maritime (and Webbies) which is a bonus for me.

Capturing the Moment: Mo meets Wall Street’s legendary trader, Peter Michael Tuchman, capturing a moment as she pursues her own success in the world of finance.

Have you had any mentors or role models who influenced your career?

Three people strongly influenced my career.

When I was 12, one teacher nonchalantly suggested I take a test when I returned from vacation. I scored well, got a certificate, and visited my first college. It turns out this was an SAT test.  I was nowhere ready for college, but her challenging advice allowed me to get into Thomas Jefferson High School for Science & Technology, which prepared me well for the pressures of college.

After Webb and MIT, I set my sights on business school at Georgetown where my dean, professors, and classmates all had discouraging advice regarding a naval architect’s prospects on Wall Street. My capstone project advisor, Christine Brennan at Oxford University’s summer program, said you’re really good at this so stick with it. Turn by turn, I steered my skills into a coveted corner of the job market where only 2% women land hedge fund portfolio manager seats. Years later, one Georgetown professor saw my progress on LinkedIn and wrote that my experience helped him revisit how he works with future students.

Finally, my first job on Wall Street was at Lehman Brothers. My first boss, Chip Dickson, remains a friend 23 years later. He took a risk on my engineering background, allowing me to analyze the most complex financial institutions in the world. Compared to most goods and services companies, the financial engineering in these companies starts at the deepest end of the Ocean, from zero. He warned me that once I could read financial statements and understand the global financial system, I would never see the world the same way again. He was right.

What do you think can be done to encourage more girls and young women to pursue careers in STEM? 

Foster interest in asking questions, try things out, dialog: all are important. One good thing leads to another. Those people who took risks on me motivated me to take risks for myself. Taking risks is essential to developing skills and focusing your time on building those skills. Risk-taking and feedback are an on-going iterative process.

Providing nonlinear perspectives can be illuminating. STEM does not crowd out or exist apart from other interests. Before STEM, I found my way first to creative writing, literature, art, and performing arts. STEM switched the light on for other dimensions of these other interests. In poetry and music, there is math. In classical and Hawaiian dance, the instruments, sets, and costumes involve design, engineering, and technology.

What advice do you have for Webb students on life after graduation? 

Make thoughtful and honest decisions for yourself. For success and happiness, aim for the intersection between what you love doing, what you are committed to becoming excellent at, and the kinds of people you want to be around. Even when way off course, one of those three will lift you.

Own your path. The things that stand between you and your goals won’t be unique to Webb. Don’t depend on others – family, faculty, and friends – to remove roadblocks for you; practice coming up with solutions and invite their feedback to find your path around obstacles, work your way to a stronger position, and fix the things you care about.

Your own validation is powerful. People won’t always understand your strengths and weaknesses along the way. Sometimes you have to cheer yourself on until your results are fully baked for others to see.

Adventuring the Great Outdoors: Mo braves the element on a glacier, posing for a photo with a snow automobile in the background.

Riding in Style: Mo shows off her playful side as she takes a ride on a motorcycle with a carrier looking effortlessly cool.

In the Heart of the Tech Industry: Mo joins the CFO and CRO of a startup as they work to raise capital
and bring their cutting edge ideas to life.

Martial Arts and a Swift Kick: Mo channels the energy of the martial arts students in the painting behind
her.

Webb Institute has a vast network of alumni that spans all industries and sectors worldwide. No matter the path, our alumni are a tight-knit community ready to help one another and pave the way for others. In this spotlight, Webbies recognize the importance of sharing different perspectives and tell us how they began their journeys called “life.” Their stories comfort us during difficult times as well as create opportunities for personal growth. We have learned that when we share our experiences and learn from each other, we create ties that last a lifetime. 

We are proud to launch this Webb’s Alumni Spotlight series: The Ties that Bind with Wombi Rose ’09,
co-founder of Lovepop. Lovepop creates unique 3D pop-up card designs for every occasion, and is on a mission to create one billion magical moments. Not only is Wombi a great proponent of Webb – always reminiscing how he began his journey as a naval architect in his many interviews, but he also embodies what “connection” means.  

Connecting with others brings a sense of belonging, and when you top that off with pursuing your passion and doing things you love, you get a fulfilling and enriched sense of life. Seeing Wombi and his co-founder, John Wise ‘09, find success with Lovepop motivates us all to be passionate in our endeavors and fully engage in the process. 

As Valentine’s Day approaches, Lovepop showcases that doing things with “love” brings you and those around you a sense of joy. More than a business, Lovepop is creating jobs and opportunities here in the US and around the globe. They have built a 200+ person design and production organization in central Vietnam with the vision to create a regional hub for design talent there, building capacity and skills, while creating magical moments along the way.

Let’s see how Wombi, John, and Lovepop are forming cultures and bringing communities together.

Wombi Rose ’09 and John Wise ’09

A look inside Lovepop’s work environment:

Pictured above, Jenna Ferrieri ’11 and William Markuske ’10 on their Wedding Day.

Love is in the air at Webb! Read our alumni stories about how they met their significant other at Webb!

Caitlin (Andre-Colton) ’05 and Vince Jarecki ’05

Caitlin met Vince during freshman orientation and started to date during Winter Work Term in their sophomore year. They were married in April 2008 in Alexandria, Virginia.

Currently they are still in Alexandria with their daughter Alexa and son Colton. Both U.S. Navy civilians, Caitlin works in shipbuilding program management and Vince is a salvage engineer.

Daniela (Hanson) ’04 and Brendan Abbott ’04

“Brendan and I were in the same class at Webb, and presumably met during orientation… But, I don’t actually remember us talking until a little further into freshman year in the pub! During winter work that year, we ended up in Pascagoula, MS with a large group of classmates and that is when we really got to know each other. We were married in Little Compton, Rhode Island in 2007 and had many of our Webb classmates and professors in attendance.

The rest is history – 20 years together, two beautiful children, two wonderful dogs, three apartments, one house and many vacations have been shared!

We currently live in Portsmouth, Rhode Island with our two children, Bianca (11) and Myles (9). Brendan is Chief Designer at Sparkman & Stephens and Daniela is a Project Manager at Foth Infrastructure & Environment – both with offices in Newport, Rhode Island. We enjoy boating, sailing, and all sorts of water activities as a family!”

Douglas ’79 and Kathleen (Callahan) ’80 Henn

“We obviously knew each another just being at Webb but didn’t get together until Doug’s senior year when he lived in the Model Tank apartment across the hall from the women’s apartment. We were married at Webb August 9, 1981 and currently living in Lawrenceville NJ with three grown children scattered across the country. I am a public school science and math supervisor while Doug works in atmospheric modelling.”

Ron ’63 and June (Hon.) Kiss

“Even though we began dating in high school, we were together since day one on Webb’s campus beginning in August 1959.

We were married in our hometown of Union, New Jersey, the day after Webb graduation June 29, 1963.”

Erin Hub ’16 and Jonathan Roussin ’17

“We met at Webb. I was a junior and he was a sophomore. We were in Jazz band together and would go running together. We are currently living in Groton, Connecticut. Jon works at Electric Boat and I work at APS. We both work in hydrodynamic departments. We have a cat named Digit.”

Kathleen (Cain) ’07 and Stephen ’08 Minnich

“Stephen and I met at Webb, but reconnected when Steve moved to DC to work for NAVSEA after graduate school. We were married on October 5, 2014 at Mount Snow in Vermont. Every member of the classes of 2007 and 2008 were invited; and four members of our bridal party were also Webbies.

We both work for NAVSEA in the DC area and live in Alexandria, Virginia, with our two boys David (5) and John (2).

Webb and the relationships we formed there shaped our lives for the better!”

Kierstin (Del Valle) ’13 and Andy ’11 Lachtman

“We met while students at Webb and were married in Glen Cove, New York at St. Patrick’s Church in August 2018. The reception was held at Glen Cove Mansion. We live in the Washington D.C. area. I work for the Liberian Shipowners’ Council and Andy works for the United States Coast Guard.”

Lidia (Mouravieff) ’11 and Schuyler ’12 Needham

They met at Webb Institute’s 2008 Orientation Week. Lidia was Schuyler’s orientation leader, and she actually wrote him a letter the summer before to introduce herself and to welcome him to Webb. It could be that they actually met when Schuyler visited Webb as a prospective freshman. Schuyler apparently sat at Lidia’s desk chatting with her classmates during his visit!

The were married 5 October 2014 at Novo Diveevo Russian Orthodox Convent in Nanuet, New York, followed by a reception is the New York Country Club.

Schuyler and Lidia are living on Shelter Island in New York, with their two boys Jonah (2 years old) and Kiprian (5 months old). Schuyler is helping run his family’s business, Coecles Harbor Marina & Boatyard.

Paul B. ’64 and Joan Mentz

“We attended most of the social events at Webb during my four years from 1960 to1964. Joan became my life partner …62 years and counting. We have special memories of Grace Ward and Ethel Bond…so kind to Joan. I shared all of this with June Kiss and Bridget Lisnyk Washlack (both 1963H).

As Webb AD in 1962…Joan kept the clock during Varsity basketball home game. The referees were very concerned…”a girl was keeping the clock,” but she did great.

We were married on September 1965 in Queens, New York. We are currently retired with three children and seven grandchildren.