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| JAN./FEB. 2004 VOLUME 106 NUMBER 4 | Class Notes |
80 | 81 | 82 | 83 | 84 | 85 | 86 | 87 | 88 | 89
80 | Happy New Year! I hope you enjoyed the holiday season. As I write the column in early autumn, many classmates happily (and somewhat enviously) have left their children in Ithaca to begin their undergraduate adventures. Anyone care to wax poetic on the wonders of Ithaca in January?!
Our column begins with news of classmates who are enjoying their Cornell visits and are all so impressed with the “new” North Campus facilities, which provide a residential college experience for new students. “Feeling weird” is how Jamie Pundyk and Bob Davis, JD ’78, felt dropping son Billy ’07 off to begin his Cornell studies. Dave and Cynthia Jamison feel the same way as their oldest daughter, Katy, pursues her academic studies in astrophysics. The Jamisons’ Pennsylvania nest is far from empty with high school junior Emily and seventh grader Molly still at home.
Jim and Margo Sue Randall Bittner shared lots of news recently, which starts with a move. “We bought a former convent.We’ll be turning it into the intergalactic headquarters for Singer Farms and having an on-farm winery downstairs. Our home will now be on the second floor. After years of growing fruit, we’re going to make fruit wine under the label Appleton Creek. This house has a fascinating history, having been built in the 1850s originally. There are ghost stories galore. The Sisters of St. Joseph owned it for 60 years or so. Every now and then, various Sisters have been coming out to the farm.Now, they show up here and are telling me the history of the place from their perspective. The address is 7171 E Lake Road, Appleton, NY 14008. Also, our oldest, Kevin, is a senior in the Ag college, and our daughter Janet is a sophomore there. Our youngest, David, was just accepted to Purdue. We’ve been spending our time on campus because the older two are members of the symphonic band, playing in two concerts each semester.”
Peter Newman (p.newman@utoronto.ca) accepted a position as assistant professor in the U. of Toronto Faculty of Social Work. He presented at the 2002 International AIDS Conference in Barcelona. Newman has been awarded several grants to study psychosocial and behavioral issues in future HIV vaccine dissemination. James Markham (james.markham@virgin.net) recently co-authored a book with Bryan Hopkins entitled e-HR: Using Intranets to Improve the Effectiveness of Your People (published by Gower, August 2003). Rudy Porter (rudyporter@hotmail.com) is currently working as Country Director for the American Center for International Labor Solidarity, AFL-CIO, Indonesia office in Jakarta. Donald Wyman of Kingwood, TX (dwyman@rohmhaas.com) writes, “Last summer we moved from the Philadelphia area back to the Houston area. I am still at Rohm and Haas, currently working on SAP implementation (that’s big business application software) at our big plant in Houston. Becky and I have been married almost 21 years. She is also a chemical engineer (Rice U.) and works as a consultant in the LNG industry. Our son James is a freshman at Sam Houston State U., where he is studying computer science. Our daughter Elizabeth is a high school junior.”
Looking for the exotic in Pennsylvania? Carol Butler writes that she has 200 llamas for neighbors! I wonder if vet Carol makes house calls. Carol still loves the vet work and also keeps busy with foster daughters Rae and Quoi. She also manages at least an annual visit with Patricia Kenney Clark, DVM ’85, who is living in Herkimer. Kristin Bieber Domm finds that living in Cow Bay, Nova Scotia, has inspired her to write children’s books about endangered species. Her latest book, The Hatchling’s Journey: A Blanding Turtle Story, features illustrations by her husband Jeff.
Just think, next year is our 25th Reunion! Now is the perfect time to get your classmates yearning to see you, so send us your news. Email or snail-mail, we love it all! v Jill Abrams Klein, jfa22@cornell.edu; Cynthia Addonizio-Bianco, caa28@cornell.edu.
81 | Happy 2004! We hope you and your family had a very enjoyable holiday season.May the year ahead bring you the blessings of health, peace, and prosperity.
Jeffrey Lehman ’77, the new president of Cornell, has been a busy man and will continue with a full schedule in 2004. He is traveling throughout the country bringing Cornell to the hometowns of so many of our alumni and friends. This past fall, he visited Portland, OR; Seattle,WA; Princeton, NJ; and Philadelphia, PA. In February, he is scheduled to tour Florida, including Palm Beach/Ft. Lauderdale, Miami, Naples, and Sarasota. Then he is on to Tulsa, OK, and finally to Dallas and Houston, TX.We wish him well in his new position. How exciting to have an alum, just four years older than we are, as president of our prestigious alma mater! For more information about President Lehman’s tours, please visit http://president events.aad.cornell.edu/.
Congratulations to Susan Ying, who recently received the 2003 Woman of Color Award. Susan is a mechanical and aerospace engineer at Boeing. In her role as executive program integrator to the president of Boeing Phantom Works, she leads special projects to support business objectives, monitors day-today operations of the organization, and coordinates executive level events. Her previous experience includes leadership positions in the C-17 Extended Range program, Systems Engineering and Integration, Aerodynamics, and Flight Performance in the Advanced Transport Technologies in Phantom Works. Before joining Boeing, Susan taught at Stanford, Iowa State, and Florida State universities, and directed research at the US Department of Energy Supercomputer Computations Research Lab and NASA Research Center. She was also a NASA astronaut candidate finalist in 1994.
Marty Koffman writes that he just started a new business, Pearl River Pastry & Chocolates, in Pearl River, NY, which sells high-end pastry to hotels, caterers, and restaurants. The Koffmans have daughter Billie, 2, and son Isaac, 4. Also in New York is Ed Baum, who recently joined a new law firm, Proskauer Rose LLP, where he is practicing complex commercial and employment litigation. One of his new partners at Proskauer is Paul Salvatore, JD ’84.
We have a little more background to share about Bill Schlappi, also known as country music performer and songwriter Billy Montana. His songs have been sung by country artists Leanne Womack, Kenny Rogers, and Tim McGraw, and we send congratulations to him on all his success. Bill got his musical education as a boy watching his dad play in square-dance bands on Friday and Saturday nights in Upstate New York. He gave up life on the farm to start a music career in Nashville, and has written over 600 songs. “Just got to get them hit singles,” he writes. “I try to be positive and wholesome in my writing, although I also try to be realistic. And I don’t think the world is always a bed of roses.” Bill’s musical influences were Jackson Browne, Dan Fogelberg, and the Eagles, and he loves “folk attitude.”He lives in Nashville with his wife and three teenagers.
That’s all the news for now. Drop us an e-mail and let us know what your New Year’s resolutions are. Take care. v Kathy Philbin LaShoto, kathleen_lashoto@equityoffice.com; Jennifer Read Campbell, RonJenCam@aol.com; and Betsy Silverfine, bsilverfine @rogers.com.
82 | Together with the Classes of ’81, ’83, and ’84, our class hosted a wine-tasting on October 24 at the Cornell Club in New York City. Class VP and event organizer Lauren Silfen reports that 45 people attended, including Aida Vernon, Cindy Cooper Gorlick,Mark and Virginia Verbeyst Leonard, George and Lisa Esposito Kok ’83, David and Robin Slavit, Jean Pierre David, Sharon Guss and Alan Pollack, Sharon Lieberman, and Sigrid Aarons. The sommelier, “Alexander the Grape,” explained each of the wines that were paired with the four course menu, and Lorraine Aronowitz Danzig reported that everyone enjoyed a wonderful evening.
The next day, Terry Kilmer Oosterom hosted the Class of ’82 Annual Homecoming Tailgate Party, which everyone enjoyed despite the weather. Tom Parsons attended with daughter Elizabeth and had such a great time that he has decided to make Homecoming an annual event! Also attending were Greg and Sandra Busby with son Robbie; honorary ’82er Juliet Kolm Gibbs ’80, Bob Ramin,MBA ’85, and lots of Glee Club and Hangover alums. Another classmate gathering occurred in May 2003. Beth Tremer Herrick, MD ’86, Anne Shuter Pride, and Meg Murray attended Terry Ries Krieger’s wedding to Mike Stepanovich ’76 in Pittsburgh, PA. According to Meg, “We all had a great time roasting Terry and dancing into the wee hours.” The happy couple honeymooned in Napa Valley.
From our classmates in the armed forces: Mike Panosian advises, “I continue in my Air Force career, now working as a medical squadron commander, Spangdahlem Air Base Germany, close to Luxembourg. I still practice ENT and occasionally get to fly in the F-16 as a flight surgeon. I got in touch with classmate Alan Tucker (also still in the Air Force) after many long years.We had a nice chat, but unfortunately did not get to visit, as Alan was moving back to a Pentagon job.” Lt. Colonel USAF Mark Strickland writes that he moved from Georgia to Alabama last summer and is the Deputy Staff Judge Advocate for the Warner Robins Air Logistics Center. His wife Kimberly homeschools their children Cooper, 9, and Paige, 6. Mark home-schools in the evening when he returns from work.
After being in the Pentagon for three years, Charles Stuppard says he has “finally detached.” He is slated to be the next captain of the ship USS Arleigh Burke (DDG 51), the lead ship in a new class of destroyers having the most sophisticated radar, computers, and weapons systems in the world. Charles’s school and training will take him from San Diego, CA, to Newport, RI. The change of command is scheduled for April 2004 in Norfolk, VA. If any Cornellians are in the area and would like to see a Navy change of command, please e-mail him at cls27@cornell.edu for an official invitation.
On the civilian job front several of our classmates have been in the news. In August 2003, The Blood Horse ran a people profile of Lisa Potkewitz, DVM ’88. I quote: “Small animal veterinarian Lisa Potkewitz is a benefactor to those on the backstretch at Saratoga. The perky, pint-sized 43-year-old shows up early each day, giving advice and offering reducedcost medical care for the dogs, cats, and other pets owned by the backstretch help. Following her busy morning, she hits the road, running her Saratoga Mobile Vet operation out of her office—a blue Ford Focus station wagon . . . Potkewitz puts about 40,000 miles a year on her clinic-on-wheels, providing services in and around Saratoga, NY. ‘I’m totally mobile,’ she says. Two days a week, she travels down the New York State Thruway to Albany, where she works for the Mohawk and Hudson River Humane Society.”
I received a newspaper clipping naming Alan White as one of Mt. Kisco’s “people on the move.” In June 2003, Alan was appointed Catskill Mountain program director for the Nature Conservancy’s Eastern New York Chapter. He is based in Arkville and will oversee the Conservancy’s efforts in the Catskill Mountain region. Tom Carbone was quoted in a March 2002 Baltimore Sun article on “Making the Switch to Onsite Electricity.” Tom is the president of Wartsilla North America Inc., an Annapolis, MD, company that designs, builds, and operates power plants. Wartsilla is a Helsinki-based corporation, best known for making giant natural gas powered and diesel fuel engines for cruise ships. “These ships have the power of small cities.” said Tom.“Our clients said, ‘If you can do this on a ship, how about you do it on land?’We quickly realized there was a business out there for smaller plants attached to industrial sites.We think that is where the future will be.”
Lori Penner Hurwitz writes, “After a threeyear hiatus as a stay-at-home mom, I am going back to work! I am joining Coldwell Banker Sunland Realty, in Brevard County, FL, as a licensed realtor. I had previously been with Coldwell Banker in Atlanta.” Good luck, Lori, on your renewed endeavor!
In closing I bring you a cute Cornell memory. Jill Schwartz Rowan writes that her 8-yearold reads a series called The Box Car Children, in which each book has a family of four children solving a mystery. She recently read “The Haunted Clock Tower Mystery,” in which the children accompanied their grandfather to his alma mater, “Goldwin University.” On the campus were a clock tower, a quad, and buildings named Morrill and McGraw Hall. Additional points of similarity included the Slope and a carillon player, and there were other veiled references to Cornell. Says Jill, “It was an unexpected and enjoyable experience to read about Cornell in my child’s book.”
Final note,my e-mail address has changed. Please contact me there with your news. v Donna DeSilva, rjodmd@comcast.net; or Nina Kondo, nmk22@cornell.edu.
83 | After nearly ten years of having little involvement with Cornell, I can attest that the nostalgia surrounding reunion was sufficient to convince me to commit to serving as one of your class correspondents for the next five years. I’m looking forward to getting back in touch with lost friends and acquaintances, and to keeping up with our active classmates along with fellow correspondent Dave Pattison. Please make it one of your New Year’s resolutions to send us your news!
Last summer was a time of reconnecting for many of us, whether through reunion or in other venues. Lisa Esposito Kok writes: “This past August,my family (George ’82, Nicholas, 9, and Pippa, 3) and I pulled into the parking area of the Tyler Place Family Resort in Vermont and I could not believe the sight in front of me. Meryl Friedman Price,my freshman roommate and senior year apartment-mate, was shepherding her brood—Josh, 20 months, and Hannah, born the day after Reunion Weekend—into the hotel with her husband David. After the whoops, hollers, and exclamations of incredulity were done, we discovered we were to spend the next week together in this idyllic family camp. Shamelessly promoting Cornell with my tees, sweats, and hats acquired at reunion, other Cornellians sighted me and “outed” others in our midst. Considering there were only 60-odd families checked in for the week, how likely was it, statistically, that ten Cornellians were in attendance with their families? To top off the school spirit, we found out the founder of this generations-old family-run camp was a Cornellian herself, Frances Johnson Tyler, MA ’26!”
Hans Bauer and wife Maria Duca delivered their second son, Christopher, on Dec. 20, ’02. Hans works as an interventional cardiologist and serves as medical director of the cardiac catheterization lab at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Camden, NJ. Deborah Doggett Swift gave birth to her third child last spring, and reports that as a home-schooling mom she uses all facets of her education on an almost daily basis. Deborah and family live in Flagstaff, AZ.
Many classmates were on the road last spring and summer, some traveling to exotic locations and others returning home from time abroad. Karl Debus-Lopez, MRP ’86, and his partner Tanner Wray enjoyed a holiday in Berlin, Prague, and Vienna. Karl has been working as chief acquisitions librarian at the U. of Wisconsin since 1998 and was named Librarian of the Year in 1993.
After working for seven years at the American School of Asunción in Paraguay, Daniel Reyes-Guerra is now principal-in-residence at Florida Atlantic U., teaching and studying to get his doctorate in educational leadership. Daniel says he enjoys being back in the US after 18 years. Martha Leslie raves about her experiences living in The Netherlands for the past five years. She, husband Ivo, and daughter Helen, 9, particularly enjoy the spring tulip season, and she likens the beauty of the Dutch gardens with the natural scenery in Ithaca. She regrets that the International Society of Nephrology annual meeting in Berlin conflicted with reunion, but states that she is planning to make it next time.Martha works as an internist at a large teaching hospital.
Our classmates report a wide range of recreational activities and diverse career interests. Sue Amberg Hurban and family enjoy spending several weeks each year sailing on their catamaran in the Grenadines. Rebecca Slivka,MArch ’86, spent last summer riding her bicycle crosscountry from her hometown of Seattle, where she engages in computer consulting and bicycle advocacy, and serves as director of Seattle’s Scrabble Club.Monica Daniel reports that she works as an independent nurse midwife in private practice. Though she, husband Jorge Cuevas (an Ithaca College grad), and children Taina, 5, and Antonio, 1, now live in Ithaca, Monica spent a year after her nurse midwifery studies volunteering in the West Indies, then enjoyed the beach life in Florida for several years, and had a “great US/European Harley Davidson adventure” prior to settling down in Ithaca. Another Ithaca resident, Diane Dillon, is working as assistant coach of the Cornell women’s ice hockey team and says it’s “great to be back in Ithaca!” Living in nearby Canandaigua is John Cleary, who writes that he is “closing down Seneca Army Depot” as a civilian Army employee.
Eric Messinger’s job as a freelance writer in NYC fits well with his “prying nature,” he confesses. Eric is married to Rebecca Tayne ’81 and has one daughter, Elena. Bill Wildman, JD ’86, lives in Decatur, GA, though his busy construction litigation practice takes him all over the country. Bill has daughters Kate, 8, and Lee, 2.Another attorney, Elizabeth DiRusso, BS ’85, is a commercial litigator in Stamford, CT. Karen Chan spends her days designing signs on the computer for Sign On Enterprises in Hicksville, NY, and she and her family enjoy watching the NY Mets on TV and in person whenever possible.
Laura Berkowitz Lokker, JD ’86, informs us that children Andrew, 10, Nicholas, 7, and Katherine, 4, as well as she and her husband Brian—both attorneys—live in Montclair, NJ. Laura is no longer actively practicing law and is planning to attend graduate school in clinical psychology when her youngest begins kindergarten. Although she said she wouldn’t make it to reunion, she was planning a short visit to the area that summer—only her second trip to Ithaca after graduating from Cornell Law School in 1986. Cindy Goldberg Fine practiced tax law for 15 years, but stopped working two years ago to care for her children, ages 7 and 10. She writes, “My 7-year-old is a lively and cheerful young girl who has multiple disabilities requiring lots of attention. Taking care of her and helping her to grow is my biggest challenge and adds tremendous meaning to everything I experience.” Cindy, husband Jay, and their children live in Bloomfield, NJ.
Children’s activities prevented Caryn Zimmerman Zoffer from attending reunion. Caryn, husband Bill, and Josh, 11, Emily, 8, and Mollie, 4, lead busy lives in Durham, NC, where they have lived for the past six years. Stephanie Malcolm O’Donnell wasn’t able to make it to reunion due to the timing of her family’s move to Austin, TX, last May, but hopes to make it to our 25th. A few other classmates report recent moves, includingMaureen Saunders, DVM ’87, who moved to a new home in Upper Nyack, NY, with her partner Will; and Ronald Dreifuss, who purchased a new coop on Sutton Place in NYC. Ronald works as director of radiology for St. Vincent’s Catholic Medical Center.
As for myself, I’m living in Bellaire, TX, with my husband Griff and daughters Anna, 12, and Sarah, 9, and am working as a social worker and coordinator for a pediatric clinic for children with chronic illnesses and disabilities. I’m fortunate to have a flexible schedule that allows me to pick up my girls from school most days and to devote time to community activities.
Our class received a touching thank-you letter from scholarship recipient Trevor Johnson, who wrote: “I would like to thank the class of 1983 for this scholarship and for the opportunity to further my education. Rest assured that this scholarship has been given to someone who will work hard to represent the Class of 1983 in a manner that would reflect a positive image on the class and this scholarship.” The full text of Trevor’s letter is included on our class website (http://classof83.alumni.cornell.edu/).
Please keep your news coming, and best wishes for a happy and healthy 2004! v Dinah Godwin, dinahgodwin@msn.com; and David Pattison, d.pattison2@verizon.net.
84 | Reunion is fast approaching! Let’s break the attendance record for a 20th reunion! Please call long-lost friends from the class, especially ones that might not subscribe to Cornell Alumni Magazine.We will be staying in the newly renovated Donlon Hall, on the incredibly different North Campus. The menus and locations are set—now we just need YOU! Our anticipated attendance as of mid-October is 141 adults and 124 children, testimony to the great children’s program at reunion.My two children participated during our 15th and they’re still talking about it. Janet Insardi and Kitty Cantwell are always looking for more people who would like to help call classmates, donate giveaway items, or assist during the weekend. You can reach Janet at insardij@hotmail.com, or Kitty at ccantwel@rochester.rr.com if you have any questions or want to offer help.
Armed Forces and Astronaut News: Lt. Col. Joseph Brendler, MSEE ’85, commands the 782 soldiers of the 123rd Signal Battalion, which provides communications support for the US Army’s Third Infantry Division (Mechanized), based at Fort Stewart, GA. He was deployed to Kuwait in November 2002 and subsequently participated in combat and in stability and support operations in Iraq, as the Third Infantry Division led the US Army’s initial efforts in Operation Iraqi Freedom. His wife Teresa and children Joey, 11, and Jenna, 8, greeted him upon his return to the US on Aug. 15, ’03. Joe had previously served in the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, NC, and in 2002, he spent two months in Afghanistan as part of an international Combined Joint Task Force led by the US Army’s XVIII Airborne Corps during Operation Enduring Freedom. Joe is planning on attending reunion if the Army allows—and is looking forward to seeing and renewing ties with many old friends, including his brothers in Delta Kappa Epsilon.
Ed Lu reached out to Cornell students and researchers from the International Space Station on September 4. The shortwave radio contact lasted 11 minutes and was part of NASA’s Amateur Radio Onboard the International Space Station (ARISS) program. Lu has been conducting scientific experiments in the low-gravity environment with Russian cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko. Ed reported that the experiments range from basic physics to applied medical tests. A graduate student in physics asked about the view of Mars, and “with noticeable excitement in his voice, Lu said, ‘Mars is quite beautiful from here.’ ” This quote came from an article released by Cornell News Service and can be found at www.news.cornell.edu/releases/Sept03/Lu-ISS.bpf.html.
Tim Becker is in Batavia, OH, with his wife and three boys (!) Max, Sam, and Theo. Just to add excitement, Max and Sam are only a year apart and in the double digits, but Theo is just a toddler. Julie Sylvester Moody is a Hotelier turned designer. She was featured on HGTV in July on “Designing for the Sexes.”We would love to hear if the appearance generated any new business for Julie! Marlon Brownlee writes that he has changed his e-mail address. Any other news? The law firm of Sidley Austin Brown & Wood LLP has made James Mizgala a partner in the Chicago branch. James specializes in litigation —product liability and mass torts. The law firm is one of the world’s largest, with more than 1,500 lawyers practicing in North America, Europe, and Asia.
Weddings: Christine Nitzsche, MBA ’91, married Michael Go on May 25, ’03. Cornellians in attendance included Cedric Leighton, Tomoko Morinaga, MPS ’89, Patricia Thomas, MBA ’91, Karen North, MBA ’90, Irene Argue Christy ’93, Delfina Gova Bisha ’86, MBA ’98, and Jacqueline Marr ’79. Christine is a human resources department administrator at the U. of Washington’s National Primate Research Center, and Michael is a software developer at WRQ. Christine attended Cedric Leighton’s wedding on June 14, ’03 at Fort Meade, MD. Cedric and his wife Amy just moved to San Angelo, TX. Ruth Heller married Mark Catan in June 2003 and Eileen Moroney Joyce was a bridesmaid. Also in attendance was Beth Butlien Ayres, and the Cornellians gathered agreed to meet again at reunion. Ruth celebrated her 40th birthday by hosting a party of about 100 friends in a decidedly downscale bar in Washington, DC. They had a blast that night—a perfect way to usher in a new decade!
Adult University (CAU) has once again attracted classmates to its excellence and variety. This summer Tim, MBA ’92, and Nancy Grambow Brown ’85, PhD ’94, and Emily Liu Filloramo enjoyed the Wine Class, and Emily also participated in the Tennis Clinic.Michael and Gail Mosinger Severance took Wall Street 2003 and Un-Natural History, respectively. The most unusual course “awards” go to William Ryan, MS EE ’85, in the Family Ranching in Wyoming course (Dudes and Dinosaurs at the 7D), and Robert Hole, in the Down Under the World Down Under course (Tropical Australia and the Great Barrier Reef). v Lindsay Liotta Forness, fornesszone@aol.com; and Karla Sievers McManus, Klorax@comcast.com. Class website: www.alumni.cornell.edu/orgs/classes/1984.
85 | As I submit this column, we have just finished inaugurating our new Cornell University President, Jeffrey S. Lehman ’77, the firstever Cornell graduate to fill this position. President Lehman certainly chose a most auspicious means of returning to campus, but you need not sit behind the Big Desk in Day Hall in order to find your way back to our dear alma mater— you need only consider participating in Adult University (CAU), the way that some of our classmates did this past summer.
Ann Herendeen, like President Lehman, has an interest in leadership. She participated in the CAU course “Tarzan Meets Gandhi: Outdoor Leadership” (I can’t quite picture either Ann or President Lehman swinging from a vine, but I’m sure that was a terrific class). Also reveling in the Great Outdoors was Jacqueline Tobin, who intrepidly chose “The Way Bugs Work” (we must conquer our fears by confronting them—right, Jackie?). Among those who preferred the visual and/or culinary arts as a course of study were Diane Madrigal, who chose “Antiques and Antiquing,” and Nancy Grambow Brown, PhD ’94, who chose the “Now You’re Cooking”workshop (now we’re talking!).
Can’t decide which course is most appealing? Well, you can always opt for the CAU class devoted to the most famously indecisive protagonist in literature: Hamlet.Actually,Hamlet contains many pearls of wisdom that are being taken to heart by the Class of ’85. For example, Jim Moore ’84, BA ’85, is following the famous “To thine own self be true” advice dispensed by Polonius in Act One. Jim wrote to say that he had left his perch as director of alumni relations at the U. of Rochester’s Simon School of Business, where he enjoyed many happy years, to pursue his passion to run his own business. The Corwin Group LLC is a firm that works with small companies “to identify new uses and markets for their existing goods and services.” Says Jim of his decision to strike out on his own, “Given that I recently turned 40, my wife acknowledges that this is a better choice than a little red sports car.”
Anne Westa Cummins and T.J.Costello are also following their true paths as bosses of their own design practices. Ann, who is married to Bill ’84, and is mom to sons Jamie, 10, and Brian, 9, operates her own design firm,Hildreth House Interior Design, while T.J, who is married to Andrea (Chmil) ’84, runs his own architectural practice, Hierarchy. T.J. and Andrea have adopted a baby girl from the Ukraine, and he says that their family, which includes son Toby, 7, is “very happy.”
Another truth seeker in our class is Ellen Baum Rabinowitz, who wrote that she had “discovered a new vocation”—teaching second and fifth graders at her synagogue. Ellen says that she is still very active with planning school and community events, and that her kids Sonia and Brent keep her “always on the move.” Sheila Marrinan Burkus likewise notes that she is an active volunteer, and is also mom to Nick, 12, Lexi, 9, Annie, 7, and Kylie, 4. Sheila met up with Leslie Simon Knibb at her “beautiful home in DC,” where classmates Lori Deckelbaum, Phil Borkowski, Marla Berman Dalton, and Melissa Russell Rubel were on hand for a mini-reunion, along with Gay Truscott ’84 and John Carnella ’86.
Other advice from Hamlet, such as “Neither a borrower nor a lender be” is not being followed by all of us. John Fessenden wrote to say that he has a new job as a loan officer in the Geneva, NY, office of Farm Credit ofWestern New York. John and wife Mariann (Roese) ’84 are the proud parents of Marissa, 15, Samuel, 13, Thomas, 11, and Sarah, 9. In other news from the world of finance, Robert Joyce sent word that he is a managing director at The Bank of New York, where he has worked since graduating from Duke U.’s Fuqua School of Business in 1987.
Although the whole parent/child thing doesn’t work out too well in Hamlet, I am confident that our ’85er parents and their offspring will fare significantly better. Tracey Nichol Austin celebrated the birth of her second child, Max Carlton, on April 3. He joins big sister Jill, who is 4 years old.Marjorie Riemer Setchko of Richmond, CA, had daughter Xanthe on Apr. 14, ’02. Xanthe is the eighth (yes, eighth) child in the Setchko household.With four boys and four girls, Marjorie can now stage her own Shakespearean epics and never have to resort to using any non-family cast members! Congratulations, Marjorie.
Well, Shakespeare also famously opined in Hamlet that “brevity is the soul of wit,” so I will quit now while I’m ahead and simply ask you to send me whatever news you can muster about yourself or your classmate buddies—we are running low on those precious News Forms. Thanks! v Risa Mish, rmm22@cornell.edu; or Ed Catto, edcatto@hotmail.com.
86 | Just a few news items to report this month, beginning with classmates in the Golden State. “After finishing four years of graduate school in architecture at Harvard, I relocated to Los Angeles at the end of 1990,” Alice Kimm writes. In 1995 Alice started her own architectural design firm with John Friedman, a classmate from graduate school. “We design affordable housing, single family houses, and commercial buildings, and we now have an elementary school project under construction,” Alice reports. The two are also partners at home, having married in 1999. They have a 2-year-old daughter Rae.
Laura Pitta Peter sends news from California as well. She is the director of intellectual property at Foundry Networks in San Jose. Adrienne Silvertstein Iglehart writes, “I am living in Manhattan with my husband Ken and children Steven, 12, and Caitlin, 10.” Adrienne works at Wilmington Trust Co.’s New York office, and prior to the move east she and her family lived in San Francisco for five years. (The California theme continues!)
Back in the northeast, Ed Decker reports a move to North Caldwell, NJ, a few blocks from classmate Evan Blum. Ed and wife Laura have daughters Carly, 4, and Ellie, 2. Ed practices ophthalmology in nearby Roseland and Millburn. Jeffrey Lowe reports a change in professional status, too. “Earlier this year I retired from private practice to open the Washington, DC, office of Major, Hagen & Africa, the country’s leading legal search firm.” Prior to that, Jeffrey worked at law firms in New York and Tokyo. And Sandra Bresnick writes that she recently joined the international law firm of Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP as a partner in its patent litigation practice. Sandra has lectured extensively on patent litigation and has published numerous articles in professional journals and trade publications.
Also in the professional news category, ILR grad Milly Rivera writes of a recent six-month detail as special assistant to Cari Dominguez, the chair of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.Milly’s assignment will allow her to take a hiatus from her work as a trial attorney in the EEOC’s Baltimore district office. And lest we think life is all about work, Jean Peterson Wanlass reminds us of the importance of getting away from it all. “I just returned from a vacation in the High Sierras with my husband, 7-month-old daughter, and several friends,” she writes. “It was a welcome break from juggling full-time work and motherhood.” Good for you, Jean, and thanks for sending your news.
Just one baby note this time. Marc Meyer and wife Sandra Thornton report the birth of their second child, Jennifer, in August. “Proud grandmother Betsy Lockrow Meyer ’60 was there, taking care of Jennifer’s big brother Matthew,”Marc writes. “Equally proud is grandfather Martin Meyer, PhD ’65.” Congratulations, all.
It’s difficult to write, but we regrettably report the death of classmate Thomas Dandurand of Orleans,VT. Thomas passed away on March 5.
What news do you have? We’d love to hear it, and you can drop any of us a line. If you’d like to get more involved in helping everyone stay connected, think about becoming our new class webmaster.We’re looking for someone to maintain our class website, which you can check out at http://classof86.alumni.cornell.edu. Contact our class president Lisa Hellinger Manaster at lisahman@aol.com if you’d like to help.We need you! In the meantime, best wishes . . . and stay in touch. v Allison Farbaniec MacLean, aaf9@cornell.edu; Hilory FedergreenWagner, haf5@cornell.edu; Jackie Byers Davidson, jackiekd@ sbcglobal.net.
87 | How often does one have a chance to witness history in the making? I was fortunate enough to experience the thrill of a lifetime on July 27, ’03, on the grandest avenue in the most beautiful city in the world. As a winner of the VIP tickets giveaway sponsored by This City Paris magazine, I and a dozen other American and European winners watched the final stage of the 2003 centennial Tour de France from the front-row seats in one of the grandstands. Fellow Cornellian and cycling enthusiast Jamey Dumas ’91, MS ’95, took the Eurostar train from the UK to join me.We enjoyed the pageantries of one of the most spectacular sporting events in the world, especially the unforgettable sight of Lance Armstrong and his US Postal Service team leading the rest of the peloton down the Champs-Elysees. When Lance ascended the award podium and “The Star-Spangled Banner” was played on the loudspeakers, I was suddenly seized by emotions, with tears welling up in my eyes. The day’s significance was not lost on me: Lance Armstrong became only the second person in the history of this sport to win five consecutive times, against the backdrop of a seemingly anti-American France. Yet what was even more meaningful to me was the fact that Lance is a cancer survivor, like my wife Rebecca, and his ongoing accomplishments, on and off the bicycle, should continue to inspire others who face their individual battles against cancer. You can see my photo journals from Paris at http://www.tomtseng.com.
Scott Pesner filed a lengthy report from Trustee/Council Weekend: “University Council members Daniel Fessenden, Gordon Whiting, and I, as well as former class president Gligor Tashkovich, MBA ’91, were among those attending the inauguration of Jeffrey Lehman ’77 in Ithaca.Watching the procession wind its way from the Arts Quad to Barton Hall brought back memories of commencement. Listening to Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg ’54, followed by President Lehman’s inaugural address (reminding us of both the ‘Revolutionary Cornell’ and the ‘Beloved Cornell’) was great. But what topped it off was the night’s entertainment. From a cappela groups and multicultural dance troupes to international students carrying the flags of their countries and the hockey team skating up the aisles, it was magical evening. As I walked out of Barton, I heard many alumni expressing what I was feeling: ‘Today, I was so proud to say that I am a Cornellian.’ ”
Just hours before I boarded a flight for Hong Kong, I got a note from Karl Townsend, who lives in Los Altos, CA: “Karen (Fann) and I and the kids are doing well. Busy as usual. Sierra started kindergarten this year and really loves it!” An engineering executive at Handspring, Karl never failed to trumpet the virtue of his products: “You need a Treo 600 (GSM)! I was in Taiwan a few weeks ago and had access to all my email and international phone calls (sounded great!) and stayed in touch over SMS. Let’s have lunch and I’ll give you a demo.” Fellow Stanford employee Rana Glasgal, ME ’92, had a major classmate sighting over the Labor Day weekend in Toronto for Elana Marcus’s wedding: “Shari Brasner and Sharon Pohoryles were bridesmaids. They looked amazing, surpassed only by the bride herself. The groom, James Wintraub, is a great guy and I’m really happy for them.” In May 2002, Rana and husband Bruce bought an Eichler house in Palo Alto, upgrading from their previous “cozy little home.”
Stacey Neuhoefer Silberzweig took husband Jeff and son Ian, 5, to the Shoals Marine Lab in Maine for a marine biology camp last August. She could not stop raving about the program: “I was really impressed with Shoals and think Cornell could do a lot more to promote it. (The lab) is operated collaboratively by Cornell and UNH. It was a great adventure with fabulous people, beautiful scenery, and wonderful faculty. We played in tidal pools with all kinds of marine life; learned about the stars; went hiking, seal watching, and bird watching; and toured tall sailing ships. I recommend it highly to everyone!” Another former class officer also had a big day in Maine last August: Gordon Whiting got hitched! From the New York Times: “Cornelia Conway Cabot was married to Gordon James Whiting at the Village Church in North Haven, ME. Mrs.Whiting, 32, is known as Nina. She is a major gifts officer at Audubon New York. Mr. Whiting, 37, is an executive director of acquisitions at W. P. Carey & Company, a real estate investment banking company in NY.”
Sondra WuDunn dropped me a note last June to say that she had switched to a new job: “I started a new job five weeks ago at American Express. I’m a senior marketing manager and am essentially trying to cross-market our financial ‘ONE’ product to existing Amex card members.” About the same time, two classmates were on campus for Adult University (CAU): Helen Kimmel took “The Wine Class” with Abby Nash, while Susanne Kraszewski Wesnofske attended the “Personal Fitness Clinic.” Zachary Shulman, JD ’90, is leading a new program at Cornell called Entrepreneurship Legal Services (ELS), which offers professional-quality legal services to emerging growth-oriented businesses. The program is sponsored by JGSM and the Law school. Debra Eisenberger-Matityahu is new to the Peninsula: “In August 2003 we make the big cross-country move to California. We will live in Los Altos for a year while we build a new home in Palo Alto. I’ll be doing part-time ob/gyn at Kaiser; my husband Amir will be at San Francisco General doing orthotrauma. Our beautiful children: Arielle is 4, and Jacob will be 2 in November.”
Cynthia Brown Daniels, DVM ’94, in Zephyr Hills, IL, wrote,“My husband and I have our own equine veterinary practice.We have a little girl, Addie, who will be 2 in November.” From Andrea Reddy Christenson of NYC: “Celebrated 20 years of friendship with fellow Cornellians and their families on a vacation at the Outerbanks in North Carolina in July. The party included Russell ’86 and Amy Clatanoff Brown (and their sons Jacob and Lucas), Kasia Grzelkowski, MRP ’94, my husband Todd, and our 19-month-old daughter Lauren. Deanna Cyr Campbell could not join us due to the birth of her third child in June.”
Finally, several more classmates were in print: Sean Cleary co-edited Combinatorial and Geometric Group Theory, which was published by the American Mathematical Society in 2002. He is an assistant professor of mathematics at the City College of New York. From Deirdre O’Regan, “Life has gotten crazy in the last six months. Came back from sea (I teach two humanities courses for Southampton College’s SEAmester program, once a year) to my husband and sons (Aidan, 4, and Grady, 18 months) ready to play mommy again. Alas, the peace only lasted a month when I suddenly got a temporary fellowship I couldn’t turn down to do a maritime history research project in Gloucester, MA.When you have an MA in Maritime and someone offers you a PAYING job, you take it! A week later I got another job I hadn’t asked for and one that I couldn’t turn down. So, lately I have been working seven days a week. New job is editor of Sea History Magazine (of the National Maritime Historical Society).”
Howard Rosenberg, a former Daily Sun reporter, published his first book, Cap Anson 1: When Captaining a Team Meant Something: Leadership in Baseball’s Early Years. Anson, the first player to reach 3,000 hits, is a favorite target of Jackie Robinson enthusiasts for allegedly drawing the sport’s “color line” that Robinson broke. Howard lives in Arlington, VA. Finally, Wendy Knight of Ferrisburgh,VT, gave birth to her third book, Making Connections: Mother Daughter Travel Adventures. “It was released by Seal Press in July 2003. The anthology, with essays from Terry Tempest Williams and Nancy Morris, explores the mother-daughter relationship in the context of the outdoors and adventure travel.”
Will Lance Armstrong go for an unprecedented sixth victory in the Tour de France this summer? Send your prediction, and news, to v Tom S. Tseng, ttseng@stanford.edu; or Debra Howard Stern, dstern@acksys.com.
88 | Hello, classmates, and Happy New Year! When you read this, we will be well into starting 2004, the 20th year since we all left high school and began our journey to Ithaca (not that I want to make anyone feel old!). I truly hope that the holiday season just past found each of you enjoying a personal peace and looking forward to the new year.
While I write this, it is a beautiful fall day in Northern California and I am celebrating a little good news myself. Two years after a layoff from a big tech company (let’s just say I was a little blue when that happened) and doing a variety of contract work, I am starting a new position as a senior IT engineer for Kaiser Permanente, one of the largest not-for-profit health care providers in the country. I am tremendously happy to be returning to full-time work, and my wife Ann and I are happy to be staying put in the San Francisco Bay Area.
I’d like to start with some news from classmates who are also on the West Coast. Karen Kao made a cross-country move from Manhattan to the Bay Area and was delighted to find a big Cornell presence in the west. She lives in Palo Alto, working as a physical therapist, and enjoys weekend hikes with the Sierra Club. Karen wrote about several classmates: Ilinca Popescu Creveling and husband Keith are proud parents of Delia and younger brother Spencer. Steve Kershnar is a professor of philosophy at SUNY Fredonia. And Naomi Tam Klenke ’87, BA ’88, and husband Tom are parents of daughter Zoe and reside near Lake Tahoe, NV. Thanks for all the news, Karen! Also here in Northern California is Pamela SteinMarshall. Pam moved to Sonoma County in February ’02 and bought a yoga studio called The Open Hand in Sebastopol. She is busy growing the yoga business, teaching cooking classes, and “personal chefing” in the Sonoma wine country. Janet Helms bought a new house in Fresno, CA, early last year and started a new job as a technical services specialist at a Monsanto dairy business. And in Oakland, CA, David Virtue, BArch ’89, started architecture and design firm The Virtue Design Group.
In 2002, Kathy Duffe Ambrosini was appointed director of education at the Mohonk Preserve Inc. in New Paltz, NY. Karen is an adjunct professor at SUNY New Paltz and serves in a volunteer capacity as VP of the New York State Outdoor Education Assn. Lynn Tomlinson spent last summer teaching a film animation workshop at Cornell. She, husband Craig Saper, and children Lucy and Sam live in Orlando, where Lynn works as an independent animator. Also in Florida is Susan Laufer, with husband Mitchell Appelbaum and children Taylor Matthew and Megan Dora. Susan is a pediatric emergency room doctor in Boca Raton. Last spring Susan Nyquist Houston wrote that the Houston family vacationed in Agadir,Morocco. Susan is a colonel in the US Air Force and continues to work for NATO overseas.
They say good things come in threes! Patrick Cahill of Stamford, CT, is the father of three (Liam, Ryan, and Aidan) and passed his oral board exams for ob/gyn at the end of 2002. Amy Doig Cullen lives in Ballston Lake, NY, and is also a parent of three; son Kevin joined siblings Ryan and Meghan in March ’03. Amy works as a community service coordinator for the Shenendehowa school district. Our retired reunion chair Pam Darer Anderson keeps very busy in Toronto with her daughters Rebecca, Allison, and Sarah with school, activities, and having fun as a family. Ellen Rothschild of Glen Ridge, NJ, had her third child, daughter Julia Rose Kolinski, in May ’02, joining brothers Ben and Lev. And finally, Dave Thomas e-mailed that he and wife Tara had daughter Riley in May ’03 and returned from Russia with adopted son Aleksey in August ’03. Their first daughter Regan is very excited to be a big sister!
Jill Miller Katz, JD ’91, became a partner for the firm Kostelanetz and Fink in NYC, where she heads up the trusts and estates department. Jill is mom to Sarah Nicole and little sister Dana, born in August ’03. Also practicing law are Evan Raskas Goldfarb and Kristin Hileman-Adams. Evan is a mother of two boys and a health care lawyer with Thompson Coburn in St. Louis. Kristin married Wesley Adams III in 2002 and gave birth to Wesley IV. Living in Severna Park, MD, she left the State’s Attorney’s Office in April ’03 and left criminal law to work in the Prince George’s County Office of Law as a civil litigator. Also living in Missouri is Deborah Smith, PhD ’96. Deborah has received tenure and is an associate professor at the U. of Missouri, Kansas City. Her son Emlen turned 3 in June ’03.
We also have some recent marriages among our classmates. John Lew married Alexandra Landoso in October ’02. John says that he loves marriage and highly recommends it. He is currently a fellow in minimal access surgery at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center in New York. Susan Farris married Ivan O’Connor in 2002 and had a son as well, Fionn John Duncan O’Connor. Susan lives in Switzerland and writes that, sadly, she has lost touch with many classmates. If you know Susan, why not drop her a line at sef12@cornell.edu.
Well, that about wraps things up! Our collection of news is getting a little low, so please write in with updates on all things, be they related to family, work, or play. v Steve Tomaselli, st89@cornell.edu; and Suzanne Bors Andrews, smb68@cornell.edu.
89 | Wow, another year has passed and this year marks our big 15th Reunion (June 10-13). Hopefully, we’ll see you in Ithaca. Let’s get right to the news. First, Paul Zakrzewski sent us an e-mail telling about two big events that happened in his life. He got married to Rebecca Metzger on Sept. 14, ’03, and published his first book in August. He edited an anthology called Lost Tribe: Jewish Fiction from the Edge. You can check out the website at www.lost-tribe-fiction.com. Besides writing, he works as director of literary events for the Jewish Community Center in Manhattan.
Tom Van Tiem was recalled to active duty with the Air Force.He writes that he’s very busy flying troops and cargo in and out of Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as other spots in the Middle East. For now, his job with JetBlue in NYC is on hold and he’s hoping to go back in spring 2004. Oren Rosenthal is founder and CEO of Newton-based Elderado Technologies, a software and Web service company that reaches out to wired seniors. Oren received a seed fund award from the Arthur M. Blank Center for Entreneurship at Babson College, where he is an MBA student.
A company press release announced that Marc Warrington was appointed a VP for sales for Fortis Benefits Insurance Co. in Kansas City. He and wife Laura have a daughter Abby and a son Charlie. Filmmaker Michael Tolajian had his first feature-length film debut at the Tribeca Film Festival in NYC in May 2003. According to Michael, the film, Bought & Sold, is basically a coming-of-age story.We read about this exciting news in the Watertown Tab and Press.
A couple of our classmates won national government awards. Dr. Tara Habig McHugh won the US Dept. of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service’s Herbert L. Rothbart Outstanding Early Career Research Scientist. Her research about how to capture the flavor and freshness of pears, apples, tomatoes, and other produce in healthful, fun-to-eat snacks won her the award. Tara holds three patents and is the author or co-author of more than 20 scientific publications. Currently she directs the Processed Foods Research Unit of the ARS in Albany, CA. Another government award went to Dr. Douglas Emlen, who is an associate professor in the Division of Biological Sciences at the U. of Montana. He was the recipient of a Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE). Doug was honored at a White House reception.He is an evolutionary biologist whose research at the interface of evolution and development has provided crucial new insights into biological diversity and evolutionary processes.
Pat Levy-Zuckerman sent an e-mail to share her big news, “. . . something I consider my biggest accomplishment ever.” She and husband Stuart Zuckerman, MRP ’94, announced the birth of their triplets at Georgetown U. Hospital. They now have two boys, Robert and Jacob, and a little girl, Rachel. Pat wrote, “We went from zero to three babies in 180 seconds (C-section)! Because of her complex pregnancy (and size), she spent three months on bedrest, and is grateful for the support and visits of her fellow ’89 friends Lisa Stuart and Claudia Flatau. Pat and Stuart still live in Washington, DC, in the house they built four years ago, and Pat is a principal at the health economics consulting firm Covance Inc.
Larry Rusoff wrote with lots of news. First he reported that his family, wife Leslie and daughters Samantha, 4, Jordan, 4, and Ariella, 3, moved from NYC to Scarsdale. Larry is still working in private equity and keeps in touch with Steve Alter, who practices orthopedics in Boston. Steve and wife Avra just had their second child,Hannah, who joins big brother Noah. Larry also sent news about Shawn Blick, who is practicing urology in Arizona and lives with his wife Ania and son Tristan. Lenny and Amy Epstein Feldman ’91 both practice law and live in Bala Cynwyd, PA, with daughter Maddy and son Benjamin. Steve Tsang is married to Winnie and has a daughter Hannah.
Molly Moran Ascrizzi wrote to say she is “still retired from the software industry, but keeping busy working with her daughters’ preschool.” Kitty is 5, and Michelle is 2. For the next two years, Molly will serve as president of the preschool’s Board of Trustees.Molly still keeps in touch with classmate Laura Rossin Van Zandt, who had baby girl Jennifer. Lastly,Molly reports that her husband Vince ’86, MD ’90, has a busy pediatric practice, but still finds time to enjoy their garden.Mark Lacy, lieutenant commander in the US Navy, married Julie Fischer in August 2003 in Washington, DC.
Now, to end on a personal note, I had the pleasure of having Darryl and Laura Magid Lapidus ’88 (and their two kids) over when classmate David Harap and wife Sharon were in visiting from Austin, TX. I also had a quick dessert in NYC with Lisa Waldman and husband Paul Schwartburg in the city. All are doing well.
Please keep sending us your news (make it one of your New Year’s resolutions), and I hope we’ll be able to catch up with most of you in person at reunion! Only five more months and counting! v Stephanie Bloom Avidon, savidon1@hotmail.com; Anne Czaplinski Treadwell, ac98@cornell.edu; Lauren Hoeflich, laurenhoeflich@yahoo.com; Mike McGarry, mmcgarry@dma-us.com.