ALUMNI
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making an impact
COSAM Alumni Compete in 2015
Boston Marathon
Maj. Gen. Ken Farmer, ’72 (pictured with his wife,
Pat), and Dr. Charlene LePane, ’98, competed in
the 2015 Boston Marathon on April 20.
Farmer retired from the Army in 2006 after
more than 31 years of service, concluding as
the commanding general of Walter Reed Army
Medical Center in Washington, D.C. He then
served for seven years as the executive vice president
and chief operating officer for TriWest Healthcare
Alliance, based in Phoenix, before starting his own
consulting firm, Ken Farmer Advisors, LLC. In
addition to his consulting work, he and his wife of
43 years, Pat, history ’72, serve on several nonprofit
boards. The couple splits time between homes in
Steilacoom, Washington, and Scottsdale, Arizona.
The 2015 Boston Marathon marks the third for
Farmer and is his 31st full marathon.
LePane is a board-certified gastroenterologist
currently practicing at Gastroenterology Services,
LLC, a private practice in Oviedo, Florida.
After graduating from Auburn with a degree in
biomedical sciences, LePane received a master’s
in public health (MSPH) in epidemiology from
the School of Public Health at the University of
Alabama at Birmingham. She was then accepted
into Kansas City University of Medicine and
26
Journey/Fall: 2015
Pate Named Young Optometrist
of the South
Biosciences, where she received her doctor
of osteopathic medicine degree in 2004.
She has trained with world-renowned
gastroenterologists at the University of Chicago,
the University of North Carolina at Chapel
Hill, Henry Ford Hospital, and the Medical
University of South Carolina in Charleston.
LePane’s love for running began in 7th grade.
Although she has trained for several marathons
and short races, this year marked her first
Boston Marathon. She says the race was the
most amazing marathon in which she has
participated, and she looks forward to running
it again next year.
Rob Pate,’02, has been named Young Optometrist of
the South by the Southern Council of Optometrists.
The award recognizes an optometrist in practice for
less than 10 years who has already made a significant
impact in the field of optometry. Pate graduated from
the University of Alabama School of Optometry in
2007 and is an optometrist with Basden Eye Care
in Auburn. Pate is involved in state and national
optometric organizations including the Birmingham
Area Optometric Society, the Alabama Optometric
Association’s InfantSee committee, and the Alabama
Special Olympics Opening Eyes program.
While at Auburn, he was a four-year starter for the
football team. He has written two books, A Tiger’s
Walk: Memoirs of an Auburn Football Player and
The Way of the Athlete: The Role of Sports in Building
Character for Academic, Business, and Personal Success.
Pate is a radio broadcaster hosting a live, weekly
show providing commentary and analysis on Auburn
football.