management and informatics for developing enterprises.

He also has been appointed vice chair of the Daniels College of Business alumni advisory board. Theodore Merriam (JD 78, LLM 82) practices tax defense law in Denver with the Merriam Law Firm. He and his wife of 27 years, Donna, live in Golden, Colo. The couple has two daughters, both of whom are in college. Dennis Wolf (MBA 78) of Monte Sereno, Calif., joined the board of directors for BigBand Networks. Dennis serves on the boards of directors for Codexis and Quantum Communication and has served in financial management roles at Apple and Sun Microsystems.

Rescuer Steve Shaffer

Steve Shaffer has found his heaven on Earth. His personal piece of paradise is WOLFa rescue organization and sanctuary near Fort Collins, Colo., that is home to 30 captive-bred wolves and wolf dogs. WOLFs 180 acres of pine and aspen forest are a sanctuary for Shaffer, too. For the past decade, Shaffer (BSBA accounting 72) has been volunteering at the facility feeding animals, cleaning and maintaining their enclosures, working to rehabilitate them, conducting educational outreach and chairing the nonprofits finance and accounting committee. Steve goes way beyond the average volunteer, says sanctuary founder Frank Wendland. Shaffer, a semi-retired CPA and entrepreneur, even relocated from Littleton, Colo., to be closer to the sanctuary, where he now volunteers at least three days each week. Working with wolves is emotionally satisfying, Shaffer says, and it lowers his blood pressure and blood sugar, too (he has Type II diabetes). I dont even miss DU hockey since Ive been up here, Shaffer says, walking slowly toward a forested enclosure. Hes greeted by excited yips from Merlin and Luna; a wolf dog named Arkte peers warily from a brush-shrouded perch high on the hill. It makes my day when they come up to the fence, Shaffer says, noting that when they arrive at WOLF, many animals are sick, malnourished and wary of humans. Arktes story is typical, he says: She spent six years confined to a travel kennel because her owner couldnt manage her dominant personality. They can challenge authority; thats a big reason people cant keep them as pets, Shaffer says. They trained me pretty quickly, though. The Humane Society of the United States considers wolf dogs to be wild animals and advocates for an international ban on their private possession, breeding and sale. Although they make notoriously difficult house pets and are illegal in some states, wolf dog puppies are still widely available. But many are abused and neglected, winding up chained in backyards or penned in garages, Shaffer says, noting that thousands of wolf dogs are killed in the U.S. every year. WOLF has helped rescue more than 7,500 animals since its founding in 1995. Its a place for these animals to go where they wont be euthanized due to the ignorance of people, Shaffer says. Shaffer shares WOLFs mission of education as a measure of prevention. You may think its cool to have a wolf dog as a pet, but youre not doing the animals any favors, he admonishes. You dont know what youre in for. He learned firsthand. Shaffer says he became hooked on wolves years ago after inheriting Cheyenne, a wolf dog, from his ex. Cheyennes ashes are scattered at WOLF, and Shaffer says that eventually, his will be, too. I have a great admiration, love and respect for [wolves], Shaffer says. If I could spend all of my time up here, I would. >>www.wolfsanctuary.net >>See a video of Steve Shaffer and WOLF at www.youtube.com/uofdenver
Chelsey Baker-Hauck

1980

David Simmons (BA 80, JD 85) of Denver manages a bilingual immigration law office. He is an adjunct professor at the Sturm College of Law, where he teaches immigration law in Spanish, and he was named a Colorado Super Lawyer in 2008 and 2009. David and his wife, Neri, have two children, Chester and Laura.

1981 1982

Joan Rosenthal (BSBA 81) owns Marigold Catering in Cleveland. She earned an MBA from Cleveland State University.

Annie (Rosset) Huston (BA 82) of Denver co-founded Columbine Design, Landscape Architects and Contractors, located in Englewood, Colo.

H. Gordon Roberts (MSJA 82) of Catasauqua, Pa., passed the 20-year milestone in his position as the limited jurisdiction court administrator for the Lehigh County Courthouse in Allentown, Pa. Recently, Gordon traveled to Russia with his wife, Valerie, and their three sons. The trip re-created a similar one 33 years earlier during which he and Valerie met.

1984

Barbara Meikle (BFA 84) of Tesuque, N.M., owns an art gallery with fellow artist Aleta Pippin and produces oil paintings in a style she describes as expressive impressionism.

Wayne Armstrong

University of Denver Magazine Connections

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