Then & Now S-Z

Gary Sack

A born and raised mid-westerner from Chicago, Illinois, Gary moved to Florida after graduation from college in 1970. Has always been active in his community being involved in civic affairs, charitable works, youth sports, teaching, and as President of Temple Beth Sholom in Melbourne, Florida.

Gary and his wife, Beverly, a retired Pan American Airways flight attendant, have two grown children and one grandson. PRACTICE AREAS Civil Litigation,Local Government Law/Municipal Representation, White Collar Criminal Law. EDUCATION: University of Wisconsin, Bachelor of Arts, 1970. While attending the University of Wisconsin, Gary was a member of the varsity golf team and Zeta Beta Tau Fraternity. Gary received his Juris Doctor with Deans’ List Honors from the University of Miami in 1973. PRACTICE AND CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Gary was admitted to the Florida Bar in 1973. In addition to being admitted to practice before all state courts in Florida, Gary is admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court, the United States Court of Claims, the United States Courts of Appeal for the Fifth and Eleventh Circuits, and the United States District Courts for the Southern and Middle Districts of Florida. Gary is a member of both the Florida Bar and the Brevard County Bar and was previously a member of the Dade County Bar during his first twenty years of practice in south Florida before moving to the Brevard County area in October of 1992. CAREER AND PROFESSIONAL HIGHLIGHTS: Gary is proud to have taught undergraduate level law courses since moving to Brevard County at both Brevard Community College and the University of Central Florida. Gary served as Assistant City Attorney to the City of Cocoa Beach from 2000 to 2003 and as Assistant City Attorney to the City of Palm Bay, Florida, from 1993 to 2005. From 2005, Gary has acted as Special Litigation Counsel to the City of Palm Bay in various legal actions. As Special Counsel to the City of Palm Bay, he assisted the City in recovering approximately one million dollars as the result of a Code Enforcement foreclosure brought on behalf of the City. For over ten years, Gary served his community in Melbourne Beach, Florida, as a member and then as the long serving Chairman of the Melbourne Beach Planning and Zoning Board. From October, 2005 to June, 2007, Gary has served the City of Melbourne Beach, Florida, as its Town Attorney. Gary currently represents the Town as Litigation Counsel. Gary also serves the City of Melbourne as Litigation Counsel, Town of Malabar as its Special Master and has provided additional services to the City of Cocoa Beach, Florida, as Special Counsel to its Code Enforcement Board. For over thirty years as a civil and white collar criminal litigator, Gary has represented clients in significant non-personal injury litigation involving business and commercial disputes, construction disputes, and real estate disputes. Gary has defended clients charged criminally in medicare/medicaid fraud prosecution, defense fraud prosecution and officer/director banking related prosecution arising from the savings and loan scandals of the 1990s. From his first case involving an action against Dade County, Florida, by one of the prime contractors of the then state-of-the-art cantilevered hanger facility at Miami International Airport to his current civic involvement as President of Temple Beth Sholom and his activities as Chief Umpire for Florida District Two Little League, Gary has and continues to take great pride in his efforts and accomplishments on behalf of both his clients and his community. Email: GarySackT@aol.com

Suzi Schoenwald Reisman

After graduating from Bowen, life took a turn for the better, I attended SIU and received my bachelor's degree in Elementary Education. I taught in Chicago for a short time. In 1971, I married Cary Reisman, my high school boyfriend. I found myself in Champaign, Illinois as Cary was attending law school. So I decided to take advantage of the University and went to graduate school. I earned a master's degree in library science, with an emphasis in children's literature. In 1973, we moved to Los Angeles, and have been here for 38 years. I spent the first ten years substitute teaching and raising two children, Mark, 34 and David, 32. Mark is a CPA in Dallas and David has a master’s in English. He taught at a university in Korea for a couple of years and is back home, writing, tutoring, taking classes, and considering getting a master’s in social work. Cary is a partner in a Santa Monica law firm, specializing in Municipal and Real Property Law. When my sons were in school full time I went back to work at a small LAUSD school, teaching primary grades. I have been teaching there for 24 years. For eleven of those years, I also served as a mentor teacher working with new teachers at the school.

Teaching has never been boring and each year brings something new and/or unexpected. We enjoy all that California has to offer except the occasional "shake n' bake." I also enjoy the beach, plays, traveling (especially to Europe), wine tasting, walking, cooking and reading. Email: sreisman@social.rr.com

Iris Silverman Martin

It is rather difficult to capsulize my life for this bio, but I will try. My name is now Iris Martin, but most of you probably remember me as Iris Silverman. I lived on 90th & Luella and attended Hoyne and Warren elementary schools. After graduating from Bowen, I got my degree in Elementary Education at U of I, Chicago Circle Campus. In 1983, I started John Marshall Law School in Chicago, where I met my husband, Jim. While attending law school, I had a son, Joshua. I was six months pregnant with my second son, Paul, when I received my law license. I practiced law for a few years, but then returned to teaching. Yes, I went full circle back to my original plan to become a teacher! For 12 years, I was a substitute teacher in Oak Park. About two years ago, I stopped working. I’ve been living in Oak Park for over 20 years. My husband is a practicing attorney in Chicago. My sons are grown now – Josh, age 25, graduated from DePaul University and is living in Oak Park. Paul is 22 and a senior at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston. I’ve done a lot of travelling in Europe – Italy, France, England, Ireland, Wales, Amsterdam, and Spain. I’ve been to the Caribbean, Costa Rica, Martinique, Mexcio, etc. This coming year, my husband and I are planning a trip to Israel. Obviously, I love to travel. I am also a big Facebook fan! I am looking forward to seeing all of you at the Bowen Reunion in Sept. Email: yayabaker116@gmail.com

Marilyn Sorkin Schiamberg

The rest of my life began the day after I graduated from BOWEN.

I attended the U of Illinois, Champaign/Urbana, where, on my first day, I encountered Susie Schiamberg at the office of student housing when neither of our roommates presented themselves. Although she graduated from South Shore we knew each other and decided to be roommates. Eventually I met her brother, David, who was in his 3^rd year at Illinois. It was “bashert” as we have been married for 48 years and have 2 children (Jeffrey and Michael, and now, 2 amazing grandchildren).

We have lived in Los Angeles for 48 years, finishing school here. After Illinois David went to USC and became a clinical pharmacist. I became a pharmaceutical exemptee and became David’s partner in a surgical supply company that specialized in Cosmetic Surgery. Which is how I became associated with a famous Dermatologist to the stars (one star in particular). I later became his practice manager for 9 years. It was wild--these things only happen in Beverly Hills. David and I love to travel and have had many adventures. In addition to many cruises with our family we have parasailed in Hawaii, river rafted and zip lined in Costa Rica, held a lion cub at the Moscow Circus, walked on a glacier in Alaska, snorkeled with turtles in the Galapagos Islands, tangoed in Argentina, sailed in a boat under Iguassu Falls in Brazil, experienced Carnival in Rio, climbed The Great Wall in Beijing, hugged a Panda in Chengdu and played tennis in Shanghai. We go to Jazz Fest in New Orleans every year as well as the US Open (Tennis) in NY. I manage to go running EVERY morning, squeeze in pilates, play tennis every night and on the weekends, and still hold a full time job as a practice manager for 3 surgeons. I am glad that I am married to someone who shares my enthusiasm for adventure. Life is not a dress rehearsal …We are going to Africa! E-mail:Marilyn.schiamberg@gmail.com

Roberta Stern Dietzen

Hi all. I’m looking forward to to seeing everyone next summer. After Bowen I completed a B.S in speech and theater at SIU in Carbondale. I then worked as an advertising copywriter for a few years and got married in ’74. I’ve been married to the same wonderful man for 41 years, have one son and two daughters and a 7 month old granddaughter Maya who is loads of fun. Because my husband was a chemical engineer, he worked on projects in Alabama and Texas where we lived for a while . In 1984 we moved to Geneva, Switzerland for five years where Mark was director of chemical sales for Amoco in Europe. We traveled extensively at that time but it was not always easy with three small children. When we moved back in’89, after a few years I went back to school at Northeastern and received my M.S in Linguistics. I taught ESL to adults for 18 years in Highland Park, Il where my family and I have lived for many years. “Gypsy Music Street” is the book I published a few years ago. It’s a Holocaust memoir about my family, and includes the adventures my husband and I experienced when we made a roots trip and traveled back to Eastern Europe. This was an amazing experience that I consider to be the highlight of my life .I was recently selected to be an Illinois Road Scholar and will be speaking throughout Illinois about my book and also about the necessity of bringing awareness to the phenomenon of genocide. Email: rldietzen@comcast.net

Lauren Stone

I'm a retired Legal Nurse Consultant. I had my own private practice and consulted with attorneys preparing Medical Malpractice and Personal Injury cases, mostly for the plaintiff, and testified as an expert witness on standards of nursing care. I gave precedent setting testimony in some Florida cases, which established improved standards of care. My background was varied and included ICU, Trauma, NICU, Burn Unit, CCU, Oncology, Homehealth and then Longterm Care. After graduating High School, I had two years of college, and not finding my niche, I decided to become an RN at Northwestern's Passavant Hospital. I got my diploma in 1971. Best decision of my life! In 1990, I went on to a nurse practitioner with an MSN from Vanderbilt U. (a BSN along the way). I was in the Army Nurse Corps USAR for 10 years, in a MASH unit and thoroughly loved that experience of regimen and camaraderie. Although I married a few times, I never had babies, nor wished that I did, and life is very good as it is. I am single now and enjoy retired life. I do a lot of volunteering and some travel. I love hearing from old friends. As time goes by, I appreciate those times we shared together more and more. I live in western Kentucky and I do miss Chicago! Email NurseLaurenStone@aol.com

Donna Stone Pleason

After leaving four great years at Bowen, I trained to become a Medical Technologist and worked the next 32 years in this field, within a hospital setting. I worked in Bacteriology, Serology, and Infection Control. During my hospital career, I also setup and managed a Male Fertility Clinic. I then retired from the hospital at 50, and began my fun career working for a Plastic Surgeon. I retired again in 2008. I married my high school sweetheart in 1969 and we have been married for 43 years. We now spend half the year in Scottsdale traveling with our Havanese, Shirley and the other half in Northbrook, IL where we have lived for the past 30 years. Gary and I love to bike, walk, workout and travel. Email: dpleason@aol.com

Debbie Tracy Masterson