PSU honors Outstanding Alumni

  PSU
  Tuesday, October 30, 2012 2:00 AM
  News

Pittsburg, KS

Pittsburg State University honored three alumni with its 2012 Outstanding Alumni Awards during Homecoming activities.

The recipients were selected based on their professional achievements, as well as their community and organizational involvement. They were recognized at a reception on Friday, Oct. 19, in the Wilkinson Alumni Center, as well as at the Homecoming game on Saturday, Oct. 20.

This year’s recipients are: Andy Carson, weatherman on KPTV’s “Good Day Oregon,” the top rated morning show in Oregon; Bethene Fahnestock, vice president for academic affairs at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College; and Matt Kaminsky, a partner in and COO of ACI Concrete Placement in Spring Hill, Kan.

Andy Carson

Andy Carson is the weatherman on “Good Day Oregon,” the top rated morning show in Oregon. A four-and-one-half-hour live show, “Good Day Oregon” airs on KPTV, Fox 12, in Portland. Carson is also the co-host of “More,” a lifestyles show that airs on that same station.

Carson earned a bachelor of arts degree from PSU in 1992.

As a student, Carson did an internship for “Late Night with David Letterman” and then landed a job as weekend weathercaster at KOAM. After graduation, he joined best friend and fellow alumnus Toby Cook to start KOAM “1st News.”

In 1995, Carson went to Lynchburg, Va., to join a morning show called “Good Morning Virginia.” A year later he moved to Portland, Ore., to join “Good Day Oregon.”

An avid runner, Carson has run three marathons and numerous shorter races and celebrated his 40th birthday by running 40 miles. He and his wife, Denise, whom he met at KOAM, have three children.

Bethene Fahnestock

Bethene Fahnestock is vice president for academic affairs at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College in Miami, Okla. At NEO, Fahnestock is responsible for academic programming and institutional accreditation. She oversees assessment activities, develops new programs and works with area schools to develop partnerships for strengthening academic performance of students.

Fahnestock received her diploma in nursing from Research Medical Center School of Nursing in Kansas City, Mo.; a bachelor of science (1990) degree in nursing from PSU, a master of science degree in nursing from the University of Kansas Medical Center; and her doctor of philosophy in education from Oklahoma State University.

Fahnestock began her professional career as a registered nurse at St. Francis Hospital in Tulsa, Okla. She then practiced at Baptist Regional Health Center in Miami for 12 years, serving in various roles including staff nurse, charge nurse, head nurse, nursing supervisor and nurse educator.

For the past 22 years, Fahnestock has served on the NEO A&M College staff, beginning as a nursing faculty member. She has served as chairperson and director of the Health Science Division, director of institutional research, dean for human environmental sciences, and assistant vice president for academic affairs.

Fahnestock lives in Miami, Okla.

Matt Kaminsky

Matt Kaminsky is a partner in and COO of ACI Concrete Placement, which has its headquarters in Spring Hill, Kan. ACI Concrete Placement specializes in delivering concrete pumping solutions “that work.” ACI, founded in 2007, has additional locations in Wichita, Kan., and Columbia and Springfield, Mo.

Kaminsky’s primary role at ACI is to provide executive management and oversight at all of the company’s locations. He oversees bidding of large projects and guides the company’s future.

Prior to joining ACI, Kaminsky was a partner and a producer for the Thomas McGee Insurance Agency.

Kaminsky currently serves as the secretary for the American Concrete Pumping Association and sits on the board of the Concrete Promotion Group. He is also a board member on the PSU Construction Leadership Council.

Kaminsky earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration from PSU in 1990. He and his wife, Rochelle, live in Olathe, Kan. They have three children.