BWFA Client Advisory Board Members (CAB):
Joy Adler
Joy was raised in Queens, NY and has been living in Montgomery County, MD since 1967 except for one sunny year spent at Stanford. She has a son in Takoma Park and twin daughters in Baltimore. Work has included 30+ years teaching HS English, editing Theatre Guide Magazine and volunteering as a Master Gardener. She is an avid reader, happy gardener, slow jogger and yoga stretcher.
Dr. Steve & Cindy Carr
Dr. Steve Carr is a physicist at Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab, where he has been employed since 2001. Prior to that, he spent 24 years in the Air Force (1977 – 2001). His education includes: Harvard Kennedy School (2018), Ph D (Michigan, 1992) & MS (Penn St, 1986)
Steve married Cindy in 2009, and they live in Fulton with their two children, and their wildly popular German Shepherd, Daisy.
Cindy has been working at the Applied Physics Lab for over 20 years as a program office administrator. She enjoys reading, hiking and spending time with her two wonderful children, and her husband. Steve is originally from New Hampshire, and Cindy is a native Marylander.
Mary Carter
A native of Cleveland, Mary is a retired RN with Bachelor degrees from Bluffton College and Ohio State and worked in home care nursing before transitioning to case management. At home, Mary is kept busy with two dachshunds and a life that includes theater, concerts and movies for entertainment, running (for exercise rather than glory), and skiing (at a timeshare in Vail). Travel (both air and road) is also an increasing part of her life as she enters retirement.
Robert Kelly Frazer
Kelly earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mechanical engineering from Carnegie Institute of Technology. He is now retired after 40+ years at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory where he was a Principal Professional Staff Engineer involved with research and development for the US Navy.
Kelly joined BWFA as a client at its founding. He has two sons and two grandchildren. Traveling features highly on his agenda, having made visits to Tahiti, New Zealand, Australia, South America, (Machu Picchu), Galapagos, Arches National Park, and most recently Alaska. Otherwise, he is occupied with gardening and is active in an old sports car club, attending rallies and car shows.
Gary Gafke
Gary Gafke (client since 2003), formerly a Group Supervisor and member of the Principle Professional Staff at the Johns Hopkins/Applied Physics Laboratory, is now happily retired. He joined APL right after graduating from the University of Wisconsin in 1967 with a BSEE. In between graduating college and starting work, he married his high school sweetheart, Laurel, who retired from teaching in 2004 and now devotes her time to quilting, genealogy, and their three grandchildren. While working at APL, Gary continued on with graduate school earning a Master’s degree in both Electrical Engineering and later in Computer Science from The Johns Hopkins University, where he then taught several computer science classes. Being retired since May 2011 has given Gary the time needed to actively pursue a number of his passions including photography, reading, volunteering at the local community center, and especially lowering his golf handicap, often lamenting, “I’ve never been busier.”
Greg Gilleland
Greg managed Real Estate for the Postal Service for 32 years and is currently working on a successful retirement. The biggest challenge is to find time for all the things he wants and needs to accomplish. The best part of this new way of life is that he sets his own priorities and schedule and answers only to his wife Cathy. An interesting aspect of retirement is that he no longer has two lives. His work life and personal time are one and, consequently, there is no need to modify his behavior and priorities based on the time of day and day of the week.
Dennis Kershner
Dennis is retired member of the Principal Professional staff at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL). His career included preliminary missile design, advanced transportation systems, biomedical research and concluded as Group Supervisor in the Research Center. While at APL, he played trumpet in the APL Brass Choir. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Engineering Mechanics from Penn State University and a master’s degree in Civil Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dennis and his wife, Suzanne, live in the Waverly Woods community and enjoy traveling, especially riverboat cruises, and spending time with their four grandchildren. He is an avid tennis player whose interests include golf, pickleball and cooking on his smoker. Dennis is a volunteer driver for Neighbor Ride.
James Loesch
Jim is recently retired from the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory after a 30+ year career in facility management. Prior to joining JHUAPL, he was a licensed practicing Civil Engineer working in both municipal and private practice. Jim holds a BS in Civil Engineering from The Pennsylvania State University and a MS in Technical Project Management from Johns Hopkins University. He is a Fellow with the International Facility Management Association, a graduate of the Premier program (2002) with Leadership Howard County and is engaged and volunteers in both community and professional association activities. Jim has been married to the love of his life, Linda, for over 45 years. In their leisure time, Jim and Linda enjoy attending several local theaters with friends, art shows, craft shows and are longtime members of The American Craft Council and The Smithsonian.
Linda Loesch
Linda holds a BA in Business/Secondary Education from Mercyhurst College in Erie, PA. After a year of teaching, she decided to accept a job in administration and to continue her education pursuing a MBA from Gannon College. It was during this time she met her husband, Jim. When Jim accepted a position with an Engineering firm in Baltimore, they had a house built and moved to Columbia, Maryland. During Linda’s working career, she had over 25 years of experience procuring high-tech commodities for both Government and Private Sectors. Her employers included Lockheed Martin, Raytheon and JHUAPL until she retired in 2013.
Linda has been an active community association volunteer having served on the Hickory Ridge Architectural Committee for over 30 years. She formerly sang and still supports Columbia’s Pro Cantare. Linda is a board member of the Cross Country Garden Club affiliated Federated Garden Club of Maryland and National Garden Club. Linda is pursuing a Master Consultant Certification and has completed a number of courses in the Landscape Design, Environmental, Gardening and Horticulture Schools.
Dr. Ronald R. Luman
Dr. Ron Luman has worked at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory for over 40 years and is now the APL Chief of Staff. Ron and his wife Karen have raised four children in Columbia since moving here in 1978, and with six of their ten grandchildren living nearby, they have no plans to move out of the area as retirement beckons. Ron enjoys golf, fitness training, and do-it-yourself projects in his spare time while Karen is an accomplished quilter and triathlete, and an active volunteer. They have recently discovered RV camping and are eager for more adventure as they explore America together.
Russell McCally
Russell was a member of the principal professional staff at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory where he worked for 45 years and was an Associate Professor of Ophthalmology (part time) at the Wilmer Eye Institute at Johns Hopkins Medical School. He was principal investigator on National Eye Institute grants studying the ultrastructural basis of the optical properties of the cornea and on contracts and grants from the Army Medical Research and Development Command dealing with laser eye safety. He holds a B.Sc in Engineering Physics from Ohio State and a Ph.D. in physics from Johns Hopkins. Russ pursues his interests in photography, cooking, gardening, reading and travel. He and his wife Mary Louise have two daughters and two grandchildren and have resided in Columbia since 1970.
Michael Pamukcoglu
Michael is a Senior Regional Account Manager for Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines division of Sanofi-Aventis. He has over 25 years’ experience in the pharmaceutical and biological fields. He earned a bachelor of science degree from the University of Buffalo and an MBA from Loyola College. He is raising two boys with his wife, Anne Marie, who is a Software Engineer Manager for Oracle Corp. Their spare time is generally consumed with coaching and shuttling their sons about during baseball, soccer, and basketball seasons. Both look forward to one day returning to their passion for travel.
Pat Quinn
Pat, who holds a Master of Science in Telecommunication Systems from Johns Hopkins University, spent over 24 years with Verizon holding various positions in the Finance, Retail Markets, and IT divisions. She opted to confidently take an early retirement package offered by the telecommunication company. After enjoying some time off, she is now experiencing the world of working for the government as a contractor.
Brad Rees
Brad is a 1981 graduate of Georgetown University School of Business with a degree in International Finance and a 1984 graduate of Loyola University with a Masters of Business Administration in finance. He is currently working for Somerset Capital Group focusing on the financing of Satellite and Telecommunications networks. He and his wife Cathy, were raised in the Midwest, but have lived in Maryland since 1975. They have three daughters and presently reside in Sykesville, MD.
Bill Salganik
Bill thinks of himself as retired, but keeps busy with freelance writing and research projects and volunteer activities (as opposed to thinking of himself as an underemployed freelancer). He was a reporter and editor at The Baltimore Sun for more than 30 years, including 12 years as a reporter for the business section. He’s a native of Baltimore. He and his wife, Laura, are empty-nesters in Columbia.
Sue Shawhan
Sue’s life took an unexpected turn in 1990 when her husband Stan died in his late 40s. A widow with sons ages 17 and 21, Sue resolved to be, in her words, “a triumphant survivor.” Using her graduate training in social work and related paid and volunteer experience, Sue joined the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, where she designed and implemented the “LifePlanning” retirement program for employees. She retired in 1997 in order to care for her parents, and she now enjoys community activities and has a little get-away house on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. Her sons have followed their father into academic fields: Peter is an astrophysicist at the University of Maryland, and Dan is an economist at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
Paul T. Shultz
Paul retired from traditional employment after spending almost 40 years in different engineering and business leadership roles. He spent his last 25 years working for L3Harris developing underwater sensors for the US Navy. Paul graduated with a BSEE from the University of Maryland, College Park and received a MES in Computer Engineering from Loyola College in Maryland. Paul also authored AC/DC Principles and Applications published by American Technical Publishers. Paul’s second act includes educating and mentoring students in STEM, developing apps for various platforms, and starting a small business to support today’s gig economy. Paul lives on the Eastern Shore with his wife Michele and their dogs. They are empty nesters after their only child started adulting and moved out on her own. Paul and Michele enjoy volunteering, traveling, exercising, going to the beach, hiking, biking, and exploring their family’s roots.
David Vasholz
David Vasholz continues to work part-time on various research projects in optics and hydrodynamics at Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory after having retired from there in August 2008. Prior to his part-time position, David spent 30 years with APL on the principal professional staff. He holds a Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Wisconsin. David currently lives in Columbia with his wife, Hope.
Dr. John A. Wheatland, Jr
John is the retired Director of Freshman Programs in the Clarence M. Mitchell, Jr. School of Engineering at Morgan State University. He held the position for 21 years starting in September 1993. Before working at Morgan, he had a successful 18 year career with IBM, primarily as a systems engineer, customer center manager, and systems engineering manager. John was born and grew up in the Bronx, NY where he attended public school. He received his Bachelor of Electrical Engineering degree from the City College of New York in 1972, his Master of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Bridgeport in 1974, and in May 2000 he received his Doctor of Education in Urban Educational Leadership, from Morgan State University. He is married to Dr. Roxanne Hughes-Wheatland, a neuropsychologist. They recently celebrated their 39th wedding anniversary. They have one daughter, Dr. Nkenge Wheatland, who is has a Ph.D. in computer science from the University of California Riverside, and one granddaughter. John enjoys listening to music, reading, and was an avid runner having completed 40 marathons and 13 JFK 50 Mile ultra-marathons.
If you have any questions for our knowledgeable advisory board, please contact us at 410-461-3900 or emailus@bwfa.com.