Gary J. Paquette, '71 BS Hotel Administration, has spent the past 38 years working in hotel-management and gaming-related positions. He currently owns three small businesses. He is the father of two grown daughters, one of whom earned a master's degree in English from UNLV, and the grandfather of two. His hobbies include golfing, flying, and vacationing abroad.
Richard Knight, '73 BS Hotel Administration, recently was appointed president, CEO, and general manager of Presque Isle Downs, a wholly owned subsidiary of MTR Gaming Group. His previous executive-level postions have been with Sands Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City, N.J.; Hollywood Casino Corp. in Aurora, Ill., Tunica, Miss., and Dallas; and Bally Manufacturing Corp. in Atlantic City and Chicago.
Quincy L. Moore, '75 MS Guidance and Counseling, recently was named vice president of student services at Palm Beach Community College in Lake Worth, Fla. The college serves more than 46,000 students. Most recently he had served as dean of undergraduate studies and student support services at West Chester University in Pennsylvania. In 2005, he received the David K. Brooks Distinguished Mentor Award from the American Counseling Association (ACA) and the Presidential Award for Distinguished Service to the Division from the Association for Multicultural Counseling and Development.
Gordon Hecht, '78 BS Marketing, is employed by Sofa Express, a 70- store home furnishings chain. He has served as corporate director of training and regional manager for central and northeastern Ohio. He is married to Michelle Eggers Hecht, '91 BA Psychology, who is a sensory panelist with Nestle Research and Development. He enjoys writing articles and short stories and has been published in Expressions magazine several times. The couple lives in Columbus.
Russell Leavitt, '78 BA History, is chairman of the board and CEO of Telian Inc., an international company consisting of Fire Materials Group and TVA Fire and Life Safety Inc. The company specializes in fire-protection and life-safety engineering and construction services. He enjoys spending time outdoors, playing the piano, and following UNLV basketball. He and his wife, Jean Stratton, have three daughters and six grandchildren. The couple lives in Mesa, Ariz.
Ted DeCorte, '79 MA History, is director of ancillary products for Sierra Health & Life Insurance Co., a subsidiary of Sierra Health Services. He is president of the Clark County Association of Health Underwriters and a board member of the Nevada Association of Health Underwriters. He owns and operates smartwomeninvest. com, eclecticbuzz.com, and christinedecorte.com. He also serves as a corporate officer in the financial services and insurance firm DeCorte & Associates, which is owned by his wife, Christine. They live in Henderson.
Rex Miller, '79 BS Business Administration, is chief operating officer for the law firm of Kummer Kaempfer Bonner Renshaw & Ferrario. He oversees strategic planning and business operations, including legal administration, information technology, finance, and marketing for its four locations in Nevada. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Nevada Society of Certified Public Accountants, the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce, and the Las Vegas Art Museum. He also owns a franchise of The Great Frame Up.
Cindy Goldberg Newman, '79 BA Psychology, received a master's degree in psychology from California's Humboldt State University in 1981. Today she is a licensed marriage and family therapist, hypnotherapist, and sex therapist. She and her husband, Thomas, have been married 25 years and have two sons, Robert and Elliot. Her hobbies include snorkeling, cooking, and gardening. She lives in Daytona Beach, Fla.
