Atherton High School Alumni Association
Hall of Fame 3000 Dundee Road
Louisville, Kentucky 40205
502.485.8202
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2023 Atherton High School Alumni Association Hall of Fame Inductees
In 2001, a small alumni group gathering at Atherton High school had the vision of honoring Atherton alumni who have contributed to our community and our country. Through this vision senators, a brigadier general, authors, teachers, university presidents, doctors, financiers, congressmen, entrepreneurs, a ballerina and more have been welcomed home to Atherton High School and inducted into the Atherton High School Alumni Association Hall of Fame. Our
list is distinguished, impressive, and inspiring to each of us. It is especially important for the students of Atherton High School to witness this rich legacy.
  2023 Inductees
       
       
Inductee Year Graduated Biographical Data
Matt Atlas
1992
  • Graduated Cornell University, Columbia University, and University of Virginia School of Law.
  • U.S. Senate Subcommittee; Democratic National Committee; Brookings Institution (Washington, D.C.)
  • Vice President and Assistant General Counsel at JP Morgan Chase Bank.
  • Chief Litigation Counsel, Colgate-Palmolive
  • Company and Hudson Bay Company.
  • General Counsel, Senior Vice President, Saks Fifth Avenue.
  • Elected to the North Caldwell (NJ) Board of Education (2018-2020).
  • Tennis and Soccer Teams; Ralph Mills Athletic Award (Atherton).

     Biography

       
Joseph W. Baxter Teacher
  • Teacher of English and Journalism (1965-1968) and the sponsor of the newspaper, The Aerial.
  • Cited during his years at Atherton as one of the top 10 Journalism teachers in the US .
  • Received the Princeton University Fund Award
  • Guided The Aerial staff to multiple awards each year on the Greater Louisville High School Press Association
  • Many of his students used his teaching as a springboard for professional journalism careers
  • University of Kentucky, B.A., Western Kentucky University, M.A., Western Kentucky University, Rank 1 in Counseling.
  • Educator in parochial and Jefferson County Public Schools.

      Biography

       
Charles “Todd” Bensenhaver III 1978
  • AHS Varsity Basketball (3 years) and Cross Country (2 years).
  • Graduated with High Distinction from Centre College – 1982.
  • Inducted into Phi Beta Kappa and Omicron Delta Kappa while at Centre.
  • Completed Medical School at University of Louisville – 1986 .
  • Medical Director Baptist Health Louisville Dept. of Psychiatry since 2000.
  • Founding Partner Louisville Behavioral Health Systems – 2000.
  • Original member of “Nervous Melvin and the Mistakes”, 1981 – 2023+.
  • Voted “Best Local Band” seven times by Louisville Magazine’s readers.

      Biography

       
Ewing Arnn Fahey 1938
  • Elizabeth Ewing Arnn graduated from Atherton Girls HS in 1938 at 15.
  • First female editor of U of L Cardinal newspaper during her senior year (1942).
  • Two editorials changed university health policies.
  • First female news and advertising editor for WAVE Radio (1942-44).
  • First female Advertising Manager at Louisville Magazine (1950).
  • At 55, started four decades as a sculptor with more than 100 solo and group shows.
  • VWon the regional competition to create the landmark, the “Highland Island”, 1990
  • At 76, co-founded “ENID, Generations of Women Sculptors”

      Biography

       
Robert French 1986
  • Captain of the Atherton Computer Team, which placed 1st in the world.
  • KY representative to DoE’s Super computing Honors Program at LLNL.
  • Co-creator of the first large-scale computer instant messaging system.
  • Co-founded and sold Silicon Spice (telecom chips); holder of 18 patents.
  • NASA researcher, 40+ academic pubs.
  • Co-discovered a moon of Neptune.
  • Deeply involved with creating archives of NASA mission data from 1970’s.
  • Avid pilot and professional flight instructor.
  • Internationally-known challenge-level square dance caller.

      Biography

       
Fred Karem 1959
  • Salutatorian, AHS Class of 1959; Pres. Student Council; Yale Cup Award;"A" Club.
  • B.A., Cum Laude, ’64, Wesleyan University (CT); Pres., Freshman Class.
  • J.D., U of Ky College of Law; Editor-in-Chief, KY Law Journal; Class rank 2nd.
  • State Coord-2 KY Governor Campaigns; Natl. Field Coord-, Pres. Nixon '72 Campaign.
  • Legal & Admin. Asst. to KY Gov. Louie Nunn; Transition Team for Gov. Fletcher.
  • Nixon White House Staff; Deputy Under Secretary of the Interior; Member, Scotia Mine Disaster Investigating Panel; Transition Team Pres.Reagan.
  • Partner: Shuffett, Kenton, Curry & Karem law firm, Lexington, KY.
  • Partner/Dir/Gen. Counsel – Fore Property Co., nat’l developer, builder, & mgr of apts.

      Biography

       
Marshall Kaufman 1971
  • B. S. University of Tennessee, 1975.
  • J. D. University of Louisville School of Law, 1978.
  • Attorney, Sole Practitioner 1978-2001.
  • Co-Founder, Kaufman & Stigger, PLLC 2001-Present: Highest Peer Review Rating by Martindale-Hubbell, 1999-2023.
  • Selected to Kentucky Super Lawyers, 2011-2023.
  • Law firm sponsors the Alberta C. Kaufman and James G. Wells College Scholarships.
  • Proud husband of Denise (40 years), father of 3 sons, and grandfather of 7 grandchildren.

      Biography

       
Riggs Lewis 1987
  • Norton Healthcare, System Vice President (2015-present).
  • LOUMED, Inaugural Chairman (2023).
  • Strategic Advisor for Econ. Dev. to Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg (2023).
  • The Rotunda Group, LLC, Founding Partner (2001-2015 • Louisville Business First 40 Under Forty Distinguished Business Leader (2001).
  • Brandeis School of Law, University of Louisville (2001).
  • Licensed attorney, Commonwealth of Kentucky (2001-present).
  • University of Kentucky, BA (1991).

      Biography

 

Michael Nevin 1976
  • Atherton High School Football - Recipient of the Dennis Cushing Award.
  • U. S. Navy Crash and Rescue Firefighter.
  • Third generation Louisville Firefighter; rose to the rank of Major.
  • Fire Department Chief Officer in charge of five Special Rescue Companies.
  • Indian Summer Camp Kids with Cancer Board Member.
  • After retirement, worked with special needs and learning disability high school students.
  • Awards: Navy Honor Man, Lou. Fire Dept. Gold Badge, Lou. Bell Award, Special Olympics Award, and Federal Safety and Health Council Award.

      Biography

 

Allen Purnell 1954
  • Atherton Football – Beat 1st Big Four School, Manual.
  • Partner: Purnell Sausage Company.
  • RECC Rural Kentuckian of the Year 2022.
  • Voice of Purnell ‘Old Folks’ Sausage.
  • Husband to Ann Purnell for 63 years, father to children Allen, Ken, Todd, and Cindy.
  • LProud grandfather and great-grandfather.
  • lways take care of your name, your most valuable asset.
  • Treat a person like you like to be treated.

      Biography

 

Ross Reichard 1988
  • Graduated Centre College (1992) and U of L Medical School (1998).
  • Bd. Cert. in Anatomic Pathology, Neuropathology, and Forensic Pathology.
  • Mayo Clinic Consultant in Pathology, Med. Dir. of Mayo Clinic Qual. Acad.
  • TChief Medical Examiner of Southern MN Regional Med. Examiner’s Office.
  • Past-president, American Association of Neuropathologists (2020-2021).
  • Solo Swim Crossing English Channel (2006).

      Biography

 

Michele Slung 1965
  • Her lifetime passion for books and reading inspired, then formed her career.
  • First a bookseller, then a writer and editor, she also published 20 books of her own.
  • Reviewing for the New York Times and NPR, among others, she also wrote a books and authors column for the Washington Post.
  • Her 1985 collection Momilies : As My Mother Used To Say was a million-copy bestseller.
  • Her books have been translated into over a dozen languages.
  • The AHS teachers who were her most lasting influences: Elizabeth Sherry and Betty Miles.

      Biography

       
       
       
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