Bill Buckmaster
Bill Buckmaster, ’78 Master of Education, has interviewed more than 5,000 newsmakers and has earned the reputation as Tucson’s most trusted voice for news and information. His communications career spans nearly 50 years and includes television anchor positions at KICU-TV, Tucson, where he for 23 years hosted the iconic Arizona PBS news and public affairs program Arizona Illustrated. A one-time broadcast editor for the Associated Press, he has deep roots in radio serving as news director at stations in Las Vegas; Visalia, California; and Sierra Vista, Arizona. In 2010, he formed Bill Buckmaster Communications, which produces a daily newstalk program on Tucson’s KVOI “The Voice.” A five-time Emmy Award nominee, he has earned many honors, including the 2011 Golden Mic Award from American Advertising Federation; Silver Circle Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences; and the Citizen Medal, the highest civilian honor given by Pima County, Arizona. He even has the rare honor of his name on an asteroid. “20084 Buckmaster” orbits between Mars and Jupiter. Married for 43 years, he has travelled to 100 countries and all 50 states.
Randy Garcia
Randy Garcia, ’77 BS Business Administration, is the founder and chief executive officer of The Investment Counsel Co. He is Nevada’s first certified investment management analyst. He serves on numerous community boards, including the 2016 Presidential Debate Steering Committee, the UNLV Foundation Board of Trustees, and the Las Vegas Area Council of Boy Scouts. He formerly served as chairman of the Nevada Taxicab Authority. This year Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada honored him with its Heart of Hope Award for his many contributions to their work in the community. He and his wife, Staci, have two sons and a daughter.
Ann Occhi
Ann Occhi, ’76 AA Nursing, ’79 BS Nursing, ’92 MS Nursing, works as a supervisor for school nurses. She earned a master’s degree in education from the University of Phoenix. She was a foster parent for eight medically fragile children and adopted five children. Her hobbies are biking, camping, and being part of a women’s dragon boat team. She lives in Portland, Oregon.
Richard Wilson
Richard Wilson, ’75 BA Anthropology, ’79 MA Anthropology, worked 31 years as a quality assurance specialist in ammo surveillance for the U.S. Army as a civilian. He lived in several countries including Korea, Panama, Kuwait, and Afghanistan, and traveled on business to many more. He says his anthropology background served him well in dealing with personnel in foreign countries. He was baptized and joined the Pilgrim Home Baptist Church at the age of 61. Woodworking in a field called intarsia is his hobby. He and his wife of 18 years operate a small tree farm in Wicksburg, Alabama. They enjoy traveling around the country, sometimes with grandchildren. The couple lives in Newton.
David Johnson
David Johnson, ’75 BA Political Science, has joined the Las Vegas law office of Duane Morris as a partner in its trial and gaming law practice groups. He retired as executive vice president, general counsel, and secretary of Global Cash Access. He previously had served as general counsel for International Game Technology, Anchor Gaming, and Bally Technologies. He has more than 30 years of experience in corporate law, regulatory law, and civil litigation with a focus on the gaming and financial services industries. He earned his law degree from Creighton University.
William “Kevin” Haggerty
William “Kevin” Haggerty, ’75 BS Hotel Administration, retired last year after spending 30 years with ARAMARK Sports and Entertainment as general manager and resident district manager at stadiums, arenas, and racetracks that hosted a variety of events including professional football, baseball, and hockey as well as World Cup events. He also spent seven years with Hyatt Hotels as director of convention services in a number of cities. Cooking, golfing, and fishing are his hobbies. He lives in San Diego.
Gregg Nelson
Gregg Nelson, ’74 BS Hotel Administration, is general manager of the Napili Kai Beach Resort. He lives in Lahaina, Hawaii.
Jack Werner
Jack Werner, ’72 BA Political Science, left the federal government as the director of the energy office and became the executive director of the Institute for Sustainable Power, which develops and administers international energy training standards, and also became an assessor for the American National Standards Institute. He also is an expert advisor to the International Renewable Energy Agency in developing an international/regional renewable energy/energy efficiency standards/certification program for 15 West African countries. Additionally, he serves as a senior fellow of the Climate Institute, which is involved in climate change policy, and a senior associate of the Stella Group, a strategic marketing and policy firm. He lives in Washington, D.C.
Edward Bazar
Edward Bazar, ’65 BS Business Administration, ’75 MBA, and his wife, Karen, moved to Naples, Florida, in June 2014.
Jon Cobain
Jon Cobain, ’64 BS Business Administration, UNLV’s first graduate, is a specialist in middle market ($10 million- to $100 million-size) mergers and acquisitions. He has worked in more than 200 industries in 33 state and six countries. His hobbies include travel, tennis, swimming, theatrical events, charitable events, and “some poor golf.” He is married to businesswoman and author J.A. Flynn. They have a son, a daughter, and two grandchildren. They live in Henderson.