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80 | By the time you read this, those of you who have been to reunion are already back home to your routines, but I thought that you would like to hear about a few remembrances of our class harking back to 1980 to tide you over before our Reunion Report in the next issue of the News. But first, let me tell you that Jeffrey Winton has been singled out for excellence, as he has received the 2004 Communicator of the Year Award from the New Jersey Chapter of the Int'l Association of Business Communicators. He is group VP, global communications at Schering-Plough Corp. Also, Bill Pagum has recently finished a book called No Life Story about an ex-Ivy leaguer and some quirky characters in New England. Congrats to Bill. In addition to being an environmentalist and game inventor, he now adds author to his list of accomplishments.

Now for "Where were you twenty-five years ago?" Personally, I was returning from Spring Break in Cancun with Nayla Rizk. I must admit, though, that rather than being the hot spot that it is now, Cancun was a rather young resort (no age jokes, please) and we enjoyed getting sunburned on the beach in anticipation of returning to Ithaca for what was left of our college careers.We did meet a few interesting characters, though, as it seemed that half of the Midwest vacationed there. Myra Boenke is living in Burlington, VT, now and is enjoying managing IBM's Foundry Application Engineers. She and her husband Bill Haller are raising sons Henry, 14, and Timothy, 11. Twenty-five years ago she was planning to work at Bell Labs, smelling the lilacs and the Engineering Quad while walking to finals, and taking a spring amble through the Arboretum and Herb Garden. She has fond memories of freshman year on West Campus, throwing Frisbees across the bowl during clambakes, sunning herself on the stone wall, and swimming in the gorge. Anne DiGiacomo Benedict is still in Ithaca. As a third-generation Ithacan, she has spent 24 years at Cornell, starting right after graduation in the Dept. of Alumni Affairs and Development. She spent ten years running undergraduate reunions and then moved into development work. She's been the Director of Development in the Ag college for four years, and is proud to be associated with Cornell and its top fundraising over the years.

Diane Berson has come full circle over the past 25 years. After practicing dermatology in NYC for 17 years, she recently joined a group associated with NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital and the faculty of Weill Cornell Medical College. She lives in NYC with her husband Mark Lebowitz and their two teenage children Alex and Emily. Alex is going to continue the Cornell tradition as he will be attending the College of Arts and Sciences in the fall as a government major. John Firestone writes, "I am a lawyer in NYC at the firm of Pavia & Harcourt LLP, practicing in the areas of corporate law, media, entertainment, and marketing. I live in Manhattan in an apartment I could never afford to move into today (which is disconcerting) and am married to the wonderful and remarkable Sandra Miller (not a Cornellian, but whom I met through Liz Bodner, DVM '88--thank you, Liz!). I have two children, Katie, 15, and Drew, 12, my pride and joy. I am active in alumni work for my high school (Fieldston) and law school (Yale), work which began 25 years ago when I helped organize the student phonathon at Cornell (thank you, Val Kovary '77!)."

John continues: "I am in touch with a few classmates and other alums, including Jeff Silber '79, MBA '83, Emily Paradise, John Gilbert, Joey Green, and Liz Bodner, though not nearly as often as I'd like. I still mourn the loss of another Cornell friend two years ago, the gifted and inspiring Elizabeth Neuffer '78, whom I met freshman year and who died while on assignment as a reporter for the Boston Globe in Iraq. I enjoy catching up with a loyal group of Cornellians of all ages who hold a mini-reunion each summer in Martha's Vineyard where my parents spend their summers. I love walking and exploring New York, making my wife and children laugh, and collecting odd and unusual books.When I grow up I would like to be a book scout . . . and slightly taller. I can be reached at jfirestone@pavialaw.com. Greetings to any and all others of the Class of '80 who read this and with whom I have lost touch (you know who you are)."

John Delaney is living in Shanghai and notes, "I am working with my company Air Products & Chemicals as Asia Regional On-Sites Director. The job is exciting and it is also great to be able to pick up and speak a new language (Mandarin Chinese) at the young (old) age of 46.My wife Deborah (Rosbaugh) is also here and working at AP as Asia Regional Training Manager.We have three kids: Jason (BA English, Penn State '02) in Atlanta in grad school (Georgia State for master's/PhD in economics); Luke '03, ME '04, in Milwaukee at GE Medical; and Serenity, BS Human Ecology '06. Twenty-five years ago I was married and we were both looking forward to graduating in May 1980. I was also looking forward to starting my new job and to the birth of our first child. Debbie was expecting then, and passed out from the heat during the graduation ceremony--she finished the graduation in the medical area near the entrance/First Aid area at the Schoellkopf entrance! We participate in the Shanghai Cornell Club and it is great to connect with Cornell grads from all years/fields/countries. Time flies, but we are still young and doing some crazy new stuff. If you are ever in the Shanghai area, please give us a call."

Alan Corcoran writes, "25 years ago I believe I had just returned to Cornell after a two-year leave of absence (somewhat dictated by the fact that I had been put on ‘double secret probation'--OK, it was actually called ‘severe academic warning') after posting a .8 GPA in my third semester in the Engineering school. I was in the Division of Unclassified Students and was mistakenly ‘sampling' courses from the Arts, Ag, and ILR schools. Although I improved my GPA to a 3.0 or thereabouts, it turns out I was supposed to have taken ALL my courses in the same school (and to apply for acceptance therein). I came very close to being permanently kicked out, but I managed to convince them to grant me an unprecedented second semester in the Division of Unclassified Students, and this time I made sure to have all classes in the Ag college. I made the Dean's List three times in the Ag college, from where I finally graduated in spring 1982."Alan ends with this: "The stuff I do now is too inane for words."

How was that for memories? Thank you all for taking the time to contact us. There will be more to come in the next issue, in addition to our fabulous Reunion Report! Until then, take care.-- Cynthia Addonizio-Bianco, caa28@cornell.edu; and Jill Abrams Klein, jfa22@cornell.edu.

81 | It is summer 2005! We hope you are enjoying these warm, breezy days. Life seems so much more relaxed this time of year. Believe it or not, our 25th Reunion is now less than a year away. If you haven't already done so, please block off the weekend of June 8-11, 2006, in your Blackberry, Palm Pilot, or calendar. You are going to Ithaca, where we promise it will be a great party!

Thanks to all of you who have already sent your annual Class of 1981 News Forms. It is a thrill for us to hear from you and report on all that is happening in your life. Desiree Ball lives on Martha's Vineyard with her daughter Audrey Ellen Lewis, an honor-roll student in the ninth grade at The Edgartown School. Chris Crehan's oldest daughter, Eileen, just completed her freshman year at Wellesley College. Chris, who lives with his family in Franklin, MA, writes, "Please send money!" Congratulations to James DeStefano of Wildwood,MO, who was recently inducted into the Cornell Athletics Hall of Fame. Jim, a VP of Operations with Pepsi Americas, has three children. Daughter Lindsey just finished her first year at Ohio U., daughter Erin is 17, and son James Jr. is 13.

John Hartman and his wife Maribeth live in Atlanta with their daughters Kealy, Ellie, and Laine. The girls range in age from 5 to 13. John heads up the international operations of Acuity Brands, and he is on the board of trustees of the Southern Center for Int'l Studies. John's family in New York started a not-for-profit home for the dying poor on Long Island, particularly for those who are dying of AIDS. It is named Christa House-The Jerry Hartman Residence, in honor of John's brother who died of AIDS. Cantor Sara Geffen Geller has been serving the B'nai Shalom congregation of Olney,MD, since 2002. Before moving to Olney, Sara worked in Stoughton and Swampscott, MA. Sara is raising two daughters, Ruth, 13, and Becky, 9.

In Easton, CT, Ilona Pollack Levine and husband Aaron, a Wharton graduate, are busy with children Jake, Emily, and Molly. Ilona, who graduated from NYU School of Social Work in 1985, is a clinical social worker at Yale New Haven Psychiatric Hospital. Aaron is the CIO of Carnegie Hall. In addition to her full-time job, Ilona is also an officer of the Pollack Family Art Foundation and a volunteer at the Fairfield Arts Council. Also in Connecticut is Michael Palazzo, who resides in Bristol.Michael and his brothers recently sold two-thirds of their family business, Imperial Spring Company, to Plymouth Spring Company.Michael has stayed on with the new owner and is doing quality control and sales. He is delighted that he no longer has to work the long hours of a company owner.Michael stays in touch with Gordon Silverstein, Alan Stam, and Jon Landsman. Mike and Jon caught up with each other at a recent reunion of the Cornell Daily Sun, which was held at the Cornell Club in NYC. Now that he has more free time,Mike hopes to visit New York more often.

Marshall Watson is the VP of an independent oil and gas company in Midland, TX. He and his wife Angela have children Marshall Jr., 16, and JaneAnn, 14; and Marshall has two stepsons, Andrew, who attends Texas Tech, and Ryan, who's at the U. of Texas.Marshall is also a deacon at First Christian Church and chairman of the Society of Petroleum Evaluation Engineers. In Vero Beach, FL, Donna Iannotti is doing biochemical research as a visiting assistant professor at the Florida Medical Entomology Lab, which is part of the U. of Florida. She is currently working on insect biochemistry and the natural control method of agricultural pests. Donna is also pleased to report that the Brian F. Frost Memorial Scholarship, named for her late first husband, has been supporting students in the Ag college for more than eight years. Brian passed away in 1991, and the scholarship was established the next year.

In 2002, Peter McDonough resigned from his position as VP of marketing at Gillette in Boston to join the commerce faculty at the U. of Canterbury in Christchurch, New Zealand. Peter is now teaching marketing strategy and management at the graduate level in the school's MBA program. His wife Andrea (Bull), MS '83, and their two children are enjoying life on the South Island and would love to welcome all Cornell alumni who may be visiting New Zealand. Louise Kellogg, PhD '88, chairs the geology dept. at UC Davis. She and her husband Douglas Neuhauser '77 live in Vacaville, CA. Cindy Warren Schlaepfer, a senior VP with grocery chain Food Lion, recently received a 2004 Women in Business Achievement Award from the Charlotte Business Journal.With more than 20 years in the grocery business, Cindy oversees the retail operations of more than 600 stores in Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, and parts of North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.

A few months ago, I (Kathy) had the sincere pleasure of attending a mini-reunion in Fairfield, CT, at the lovely home of my college roommate Leslie Watson Pearson and her husband Andrew. It was fabulous to see dear friends Wendie Smith Cohick, PhD '89, Chris Ritenis, and Nan Simon.We all go way back to freshman year (1977- 78), to Kappa Delta sorority, to Campus Hill Apartments, and to summer 1980 in Ithaca, just before senior year. Also joining us that evening were the ladies' respective husbands, Mark Cohick, Rich Bernstein, and Rich Catanese '79. We enjoyed great food and lively conversation covering such topics as the World Series champs Boston Red Sox, kids, work-life balance, the 2004 presidential election, and life after divorce. Not attending but in our thoughts were Melissa Chefec, JoAnn Minsker Adams, Tina Carlson Ross, Sally Furness, and Monique van Pearlstein-Stadulis.We are hoping to reconvene in Ithaca on a certain weekend in June 2006.We want to see you there as well. Won't you join us?

In the meantime, please keep sending us your e-mail updates. Make every moment count this summer. All the best to everyone. -- Kathy Philbin LaShoto, lashoto@rcn.com; Jennifer Read Campbell, ronjencam@aol.com; and Betsy Silverfine, bsilverfine@adelphia.net.

82 | As I write this column, spring is returning to New England with its attendant sensory delights, and I am preparing to hit the Interstate to attend a Cornell fraternity brother's wedding. Still savored is the bittersweet aftertaste of watching the men's hockey team and their national-class goaltender (from Texas?!) narrowly lose in overtime in the quarterfinals of the NCAA tournament. As always, the news in this issue's column reflects the diversity of talents and interests of our class and the commitment of Cornellians to follow their passions and to have an impact on society.

Nancy Flynn (Corvallis, OR) tells us, "In December, I won a 2004 Oregon Literary Fellowship--the Leslie Bradshaw Fellowship in literary nonfiction (www.literaryarts. org/olf.htm). This year, 14 writers and publishers were selected from more than 200 fellowship applications from across the state; literary excellence is the primary judging criterion. I received a grant I can use toward travel and research for a memoir project, ‘The Muse of Hanging.'" Oregon Literary Fellowships provide fiscal support to emerging writers and publishers throughout the state of Oregon. Mark Stenzler writes from Greifensee, Switzerland, about his journalistic efforts. He has been contributing reports from Europe to Air America Radio (AAR), the new "progressive" talk radio network (www.airamericaradio.com)."My reports have been featured on the program ‘So What Else Is News.' I have been regularly submitting an Overseas Dispatch to AAR that is hosted on their website. In addition, I founded www.overseasvoices.com to provide a forum for US citizens who reside abroad to comment on the current political climate in the US."

National Fuel Gas Distribution Corp. announced on January 6 that Jay Lesch has been promoted to vice president. Jay has been with National Fuel since he graduated with a BS in mechanical and agricultural engineering, working as management trainee, junior engineer, assistant superintendent, superintendent, and assistant vice president. He will continue to manage the company's field operations in western New York, overseeing all construction, meter reading, and customer service operations for the thousands of pipeline miles that compose the utility's gas distribution system that serves more than 500,000 residential, commercial, and industrial customers. Jay is a past member of the board of directors for Western New York United Against Drug and Alcohol Abuse and currently volunteers with the Cornell Alumni Admissions Ambassador Network (CAAAN). He lives in Hamburg, NY, with his wife Becky and their two daughters.

Architect Teresita Triay has become very interested in ways to create a more sustainable future. She became a LEED accredited professional on August 28, 2004 after passing an exam sponsored by the US Green Building Council (www.usgbc.org). She is also participating in events of the Northeastern Sustainable Energy Association (www.nesea.org/), the nation's leading regional education and advocacy association that aims to accelerate the deployment and use of renewable energy, green buildings, and energy efficiency. Teresita works as staff services architect for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey in Newark, NJ. She writes, "As usual, I have a variety of other interests, including writing my memoirs as a twice-survivor of the World Trade Center terrorist attacks, both during the 1993 bombing (when I was on the 19th floor) and on September 11, 2001, when I was on the 73rd floor of Tower One--about 20 floors below where Flight 11 hit the building. Poetry has been another one of my interests and I hope to publish a book of poems someday in the future."

She adds, "In 2002, I participated in an Art Mural Project (www.artforamerica.net/mural_project.htm) sponsored by the School of Visual Arts Dept. of Art Therapy and Art for America. The art mural was created by survivors,WTC family victims, and art therapy students and teachers. I have certainly learned a lot about survivors' resilience during my stay in New York City and working in the World Trade Center. I also volunteered at the Salvadori Center in NYC in 2003 as facilitator/mentor to inner-city preteen students during an architectural design development exercise with fictional programmatic requirements." Triay also reports on her Cornell siblings: "Enrique Triay '84, ME '85, lives in Miami, FL, with his two children Francisco, 7, and Beatriz, 4.My brother Carlos Triay '85, ME '89, lives in a suburb close to Paris, France, (Bry-sur-Marne) with son Gabriel, 8.My sister Rosarito Triay '88 lives in Puerto Rico. Rosy also obtained a degree in violin performance from the PR Music Conservatory in 1998, and her husband Raimundo plays the French horn for the PR Symphony Orchestra."

Two former class officers checked in with updates on the less dramatic but still integral parts of our lives as we move into our forties. Former vice president Lauren Silfen writes, "We recently moved into our ‘new' 1880s home on Manhattan's Upper East Side. Although the renovation took over a year, I enjoyed the process. Our home has many of the original architectural features, like fireplace mantels and parquet floors. However, one of the unique features is the original 1880s refrigerator in my daughter Meredith's bedroom (which was originally used as the kitchen). By the way, the refrigerator still works after almost 125 years!"

Former class correspondent Neil Best reports that Richard "Rick" Eno and new wife Courtney were taken to their honeymoon suite by horse-drawn carriage after their wedding in Louisville, KY, on October 2, 2004, "ending one of America's most impressively stubborn bachelorhoods." In attendance were assorted Cornellians, including Neil, Nathan Rudgers, Steven Crump, Neil and Rebecca Brown Robertson, Christopher Gardner, and Don Constantine '79. Neil says that Courtney and her proper Southern family were gracious hosts to their visitors from points East, West, and Far East--Don came from his home in Japan, as did his wife Kim.-- Mark Fernau, mef29@cornell.edu; and Nina Kondo, nmk22@cornell.edu.

83 | Hooray for the speed and convenience of e-mail! Usually at this point in our news cycle I'm begging for news. But this time around, I tried a new approach-- an e-mail blast that posed such soul-searching questions as:What were you doing at this time 22 years ago? What are you up to now? Would you change anything? Other mental prompts invited classmates to ponder on their proudest accomplishment; the last Cornellian they saw; what was the best thing that happened to them in the last year; or what in the world were they thinking when they . . . So without further preliminaries, here are some of the many responses.

We heard from Rachel Schultz in London, England, where she and her husband recently moved. Daughter Rebecca, 14, and youngest Daniel, 11, are attending the Southbank Int'l School there, while their elder son is a senior attending Andover in Massachusetts. Taking advantage of their new proximity to the continent, their recent vacations included visiting Portugal, southern Spain, Nice, and Provence. (Rachel was delighted to find that all the French she hadn't used in college came back pretty quickly.) She says she is in the process of going back to work as an anaesthesiologist--albeit fighting the British bureaucracy at every step, as the UK does not recognize the training of American doctors as being comparable. Says Rachel, "The irony is they have a huge doctor shortage here, but that doesn't seem to be a good enough reason to change the system." Rachel also tells us that she heard from Matthew Jenusaitis, who got married in August 2004. Rachel invites any classmate who is in the UK to contact her at rachel.schultz@blueyonder.co.uk. "We can do tea."

"Twenty-two years.Has it been that long?" exclaims Catherine Fallis. She recently "gave birth" to the first three installments in her book series, the Grape Goddess Guides to Good Living. She is proud to have survived the past few years as a small business owner. "It hasn't been easy," she quotes, "but the best things in life never are."Her writing researches have taken her on missions to Brazil, French New Guinea, Portugal, the Canary Islands,Morocco, the Caribbean, Tuscany, Umbria,Malta, and Northern Greece. Upcoming trips include Spain, Italy, and Australia. Says Catherine, "I hope to settle down soon and raise a family, but at this age who knows?"About the only constant in her life these past 22 years has been her support of foster daughters through Plan International and other children's charities.

"What was I doing 22 years ago?" responds Yvonne Brouard Altman, "Probably being up at 4:00 in the morning just like now, except I was hand-writing an essay, not typing e-mail notes on a computer!"Yvonne is now very busy being a pediatrician with husband ob/gyn Robert '84, and three sons Alexander, 11, David, 8, and Jonathan, 4, and lives in Modesto, CA. She is also kept busy with her personal menagerie, which includes a horse, two goats, several dozen chickens and ducks, three geese, two cats, four dogs, a chinchilla, a snake, and one Beta fish. Yvonne did think about being a veterinarian when she was at Cornell, but decided on an MD instead. Yvonne misses her fellow Nothing But Treble members and would love to hear from them at alapeds@pol.net.

"OK, I'm responding--which in and of itself is a small miracle." So chimes in Susan Lomega. She completes our litany of questions by stating, "Since graduating, I'm most proud of the fact that I consider myself an optimist, even at this ripe old age." In the last year, the best (professional) thing that has happened to her was being hired as the manager of a spectacular bed & breakfast (www.345guesthouse.com). "What in the world was I thinking when I kept putting off becoming a mother?" she exclaims. She is the "awestruck"mother of blossoming 5-year-old Ana. And if she could give one piece of advice, it would be to "listen, listen, listen, and then follow your instinct unafraid." Susan hopes that sometime in the next ten years she actually gets to Ithaca to visit the alma mater.

When he was a student, Jeff Polychronis says he never dreamed he'd be a salesman. He's changed careers once, and now he works in electronic design automation software sales and achieved the honor of top salesman at Mentor Graphics Corp. He must be doing well, for he plans on retiring in the next ten years. Jeff tells us he is most proud of his family: wife Renee, son Grant, 7, and one on the way. Jeff concludes: "If I could give one piece of advice, I would say to stay focused and realize your dreams. I have more than exceeded them." Alice Tamkin writes that, besides being the proud mom to Marcus, 10,Mimi, 8 and Eva, 5, she is very proud of the fact that she ran the Philadelphia Marathon this year in 3 hrs., 19 min.--a personal best. "Yes," says Alice, "being a mom and a wife is a challenge (and a rewarding one at that!), but I started marathon running a few years ago because it is all about ME! I found that, since I don't have a career anymore, I needed something to fill the gap. Running does it for me!" Also catching fitness fever is Ilene Carpenter, who writes: "When I was a student, I never dreamed I'd be an endurance athlete! Walking up Libe Slope seemed like a workout!" What changed her life was joining a local cross-country ski training group in 1994, with the goal of learning to ski efficiently. After claiming to be in terrible shape after years of a sedentary lifestyle, she started Nordic ski racing and eventually ran a marathon in 2003 and did the Chequamegon 40 mountain bike race in 2004. Being active, she says, is a defining feature of her life.

Mark Wolcott of Pittsford, NY, writes: "When I was an undergraduate I never dreamed I would become a . . . banker? No way!"Mark had planned on joining his family in the food business. "After all," says Mark, "my major was Ag Economics.However, during graduate school I attended classes with some other bankers and became interested in their careers." Today Mark has worked his way up to VP of commercial banking for Key Bank in Rochester.When he's not "banking,"Mark volunteers, has been a professional ski coach, and is a husband and the father of three children. He also is involved with the Cornell Club of Rochester and is working with Cornell on several initiatives to promote business growth in Upstate New York. Having grown up in the Finger Lakes Region and seeing most of his classmates move far from Cayuga's waters, he would love to see more Cornellians settle in the area. "It's a great place to live,"Mark says, "with lots of convenient recreational sports like golf, skiing, cycling, boating, fishing, and hiking. A wonderful place to raise a family."

Well, that's about all we have space for in this issue. But I want to take the time to remind you all to keep the news coming and be sure to include some "then & now" photographs for inclusion in our class DVD album. -- David Pattison, d.pattison2@verizon.net; and Dinah Lawrence Godwin, dinahgodwin@msn.com.

84 | Lenny Cooper lives in Eastchester, NY, with his loving wife Judy and two wonderful children, Benjamin, 4, and Joshua, 1. Lenny practices law at the Valhalla, NY, law firm of Kaufman, Borgeest & Ryan, specializing in insurance coverage litigation. He still collects comic books and plays rotisserie baseball. Leo Landers is on his way to Singapore for three years.He'll be the VP of Asia Sales for Lincoln Electronics.He left on April 1 and his stuff is following him in a container that will arrive in six to eight weeks. It should be a new adventure for Leo and a whole new continent of golf courses for him to tackle.

After spending about ten years working in the Albany, NY, area, Thomas Fric and his family of five are now living in Greenville, SC. His wife Karen-Marie and he are blessed with three great children,Monica, 10,Madeline, 9, and Stephen, 6. Thomas is now designing wind turbines for GE Energy. Because part of the engineering team is located in Germany, their family spent six weeks in Europe last summer. "We had a great experience touring Germany, Austria, Italy, and Switzerland." Anita Riddle, husband Steven Schmidt, and daughter Sierra Schmidt, 3, announce the birth of daughter Christine Silvia Schmidt on March 3, 2005 in Baton Rouge, LA. Anita is department head, distillation and specialties dept., at the Exxon Mobil Baton Rouge refinery.

After 17 years of private practice in Boston, Jennifer Lauro has entered the corporate world and is now VP Group Counsel,Human Resources and Litigation for Allmerica Financial Corp., located in Worcester, MA. The recent career move means Jennifer and her family--J.D. Phillips '83, Daniel, 12, and Rebecca, 10--will move from their home in Topsfield, MA, to Andover, MA, this summer. Until then, she will be putting tons of mileage on her PT Cruiser. "A new car is definitely in order with the move."

The only other news is that I (Karla), along with my husband Donald McManus, ME '85, and kids Collin, 9, and Hannah, 5, spent the week of winter vacation skiing and snowboarding at Smuggler's Notch, VT. It was a blast! The highlight of the trip was going on a sled-dog ride. Hannah and I were in one sled, with Don and Collin in the other.What a great experience! The biggest surprise of the trip was meeting up with our class president Terri Port McClellan, her husband Jim, and son Harry, 7-- Karla Sievers McManus, Klorax@comcast.net; Lindsay Liotta Forness, fornesszone@aol.com. Class website: http://classof84.alumni.cornell.edu.

85 | This is my very last column before I hang up my spurs and ride off into the sunset. (Okay, okay, the cowgirl metaphor probably doesn't work well for a middle- aged woman living in Ithaca, but you must permit me this last bit of poetic license!) It has been a great honor to deliver the news to you,my fellow classmates, for nearly 15 years, and I thank all of you for sharing your happy tidings with me. Okay, enough hearts and flowers. On with the show.

Two classmates sent word of their recent publications: Julie Mertus wrote Bait and Switch: Human Rights and U.S. Foreign Policy (Routledge 2004), and Edmund Kim co-authored Healthy Transitions: A Woman's Guide to Perimenopause, Menopause & Beyond. I don't know about the rest of you, but personally, I blame everything on perimenopause. You go, Edmund.

I also received happy job news from Elizabeth Bolgiano, MBA '89, Laurie Hogin, and Scott Bookner. Elizabeth was named senior vice president of human resources at Smith & Nephew's Orthopedics Division. Laurie was granted tenure and promoted to associate professor at the U. of Illinois School of Art and Design, where she serves as chair of the painting and sculpture departments and continues to enjoy a busy exhibition schedule. Scott was appointed administrative head of pediatrics at White Plains (NY) Hospital Center. In addition to his new hospital duties, Scott continues to run his own private pediatric practice in Scarsdale (12 years and counting), develop his cartoon website, www.CurvYourDog.com, and perform Tae Kwon Do as a newly minted Black Belt. Congratulations to all!

Congratulations, too, to Dave Votypka, who won the New York State Excellence in IPM (Integrated Pest Management) Award. This award, which I believe is the Oscar of bug killing, is given by the Cornell Agricultural IPM Program to the individual who best uses conventional farming methods along with organic and non-traditional farming practices. To celebrate, Dave was planning a Caribbean vacation with Byron de la Navarre '86, DVM '90, Scott Chapman, and Jeff Dunlap '86, who, he says, all share "similar vacation requirements--warm, beautiful, and stress-free."

Other feel-good moments:When you think "office romance," you don't normally think "Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory," but such was the setting for the sparks that flew between John Klepeis and co-worker Jae-Hyun Park, who wed in December 2003 in the Stanford U. chapel. Also enjoying Bay Area nuptials in 2003 were Alan Glass and his lovely bride Larissa Dobush, who said "I do" in an August Napa Valley ceremony. Daria Kirby Crawley, a professor of business administration at the U. of Pittsburgh, found her soulmate in academia; she married Rex, a professor at Robert Morris U., last June. (Note to classmates who sent me engagement and pregnancy notices: I'm not permitted to publish those, but please send your wedding and baby announcements to my successor(s).)

R. Scott Penza told me right up front that he didn't have any wedding or baby news, but he did want me to know that he had starred in a musical called Casino! about an Oakland, CA, mayor named J.B. (no resemblance to real mayor Jerry Brown, I'm sure) and his Special Assistant, J.A., who build a casino in the middle of Oakland's oldest landmark, the historic Fox Theater. Scott played the mayor, and the special assistant was played by fellow Cornellian, C. Conrad Cady '86. Scott assures me that they received "rave reviews" and that the siren song of the Big White Way cannot be far behind.When not emoting for his grateful public, Scott runs multiple business ventures, including PoleRoll.com, an autobody-garage pole protection product; PenzArt Inc.; and Too Nuts Productions LP, a children's multimedia entertainment company.

Last, but not least, are the classmates who tell me that they don't have "new news," but do want their fellow '85ers to know they are alive and well. Because of my stubborn insistence on loosely thematic columns, I've not been able to work their updates in before now, and I want to make sure they get their day in the sun before it sets on my columnist career. Debbie Grossman Shaked moved to New York City, where she works in business and development consulting and lives with her husband David and kids Sarere, 8, and Ari, 4. She invites folks to reconnect with her at dsshaked@aol.com. Jonathan Adams is working in health care marketing and "enjoying life in Chicago with wife Susanne and sons Elliot, 7, and Jeremy, 4." Michael Keeler has been living in the Princeton area since 2001 with his wife Sara and twin sons Samuel and Jackson. He says he "makes ends meet via advertising" while "checking insidelacrosse.com on a daily basis."

Heidi Sheff is a jewelry designer and mom to kids Jessie and Hanna. Stephanie Reich is an urban designer with the city of Santa Monica, CA. Susan Levy runs her own litigation law firm and lives in Decatur, GA, with her partner of nine years and her daughter. William Shillue works at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory in Tucson, and has kids Conor and Juliet. James Lin and his wife Mutsumi live in Sacramento with their daughter Sarina. Marc Roberts lives in West Linn, OR, with his wife Ranette, daughter Taylor, and son Garrett. G.Michael Ortiz lives in Saratoga Springs with his wife Julie and "two active, healthy boys, Andrew Jacob and Marcus Desi."

As they used to say on Looney Toons, "Th-th-th-that's all, folks!" A full Reunion Report will appear in the next issue. -- Risa Mish, rmm22@cornell.edu; Ed Catto, edcatto@hotmail.com.

86 | Another compact column for the Class of 1986--one of the reasons it's time to pass the typewriter to the next "editorial board," if you will.With our 20th Reunion around the corner (I am NOT making that up), it's almost time for new class officers to take the helm, including fresh voices to speak for our class in Cornell Alumni Magazine.We're excited that Donna Mandell Korren, a fellow Communications major, agreed to take on the next column, so watch for her report. Donna is currently in publishing on Long Island. Are you interested in writing for our class? Please e-mail me (haf5@ cornell.edu) with any questions about the role. If you prefer, you can contact our class president to volunteer: Lisa Manaster, lisahman@aol.com.

Our class VP Dina Lewisohn Shaw shared happy news about the birth of identical twin sons David Russell and Lleyton Gregory in December 2004. Born at 31 weeks, they spent six weeks in the NICU, but the boys are now just fine and growing strong at home with big sister Darby, 3. Dina, husband Michael, and babes live in Princeton, NJ. "We love it here. The community is great and includes fellow Cornellians at every turn, including Lynne McFarland McKinnon, Jill Barnett Kaufman '87, and Joanne Schwartz Berman '89." Dina says a recent gathering included Lisa Wallach Mandelblatt, Lisa Manaster, Norm '87 and Elyssa Katz Hurlbut, and Gabe '87 and Katie Roth Boyar." Dina is an executive recruiter, currently on leave to tend to all the kids.

Dylan Schaffer's latest arrival: his new book, I Right the Wrongs. This hits the stands just as his first book, Misdemeanor Man, goes paperback, a novel that won Mystery Ink magazine's Gumshoe Award for best debut in 2004.When not chasing her five kids or pursuing the next steps of her career in the pharmaceutical industry, Susan Hirsch Levy-Cantor reports that she carries on the spirit of the Cornell Tradition by continuing to volunteer in her community. As chair of the Jersey Cares Coat Drive, Susan recently collected and distributed over 38,000 gently used coats to her neighbors in need in Northern New Jersey. Susan was also recently named chair of the United Way of Greater Union County's Women's Leadership Initiative and is leading marketing/PR efforts for the fledgling CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) chapter in Union County, NJ.

I've told you all that you don't need a new spouse, infant, or job to write in with something to tell your classmates.Well, Bernie Han, ME '87, MBA '88, knows just what I'm talking about. "What started on a snowy Saturday morning in 1985 in a North Campus apartment is now an annual ritual," he reported, referring to an annual fantasy baseball draft. This past March in Orlando, Bernie met up with pals Joel Silverman, Derek Jean-Baptiste, MS '88, Mark North, PhD '93, Bob McCarthy,ME '87, MBA '88, Mike Shuck, Bill Marcus '85, ME '86, Greg Shuck '91, and Marc Gerstein (Ithaca College '88). In previous years, the group has met in Ithaca, Phoenix, and Las Vegas. "This year's draft weekend, hosted by Bob in his Orlando mansion, included golf, spring training baseball, and a gambling cruise."And look! Not ONE birth!

Have a healthy, fun summer--and don't forget to tell us all about it!-- Hilory Federgreen Wagner, haf5@cornell.edu; Donna Mandell Korren, dk26@optonline.net.

87 | This is a very short column because as I write in mid-April, we are in between news cycles.Many of you will probably have sent back your Dues and News by the time you read this, so you can expect to see more updates in the next column. This does gives me a moment to let all of you know that you can drop me or Tom an e-mail with news at any time, and we will print it. Haven't written to us yet? Stop reading right now and send me a note.

Leslie KalickWolfe (lesliealanwolfe@bellsouth.net) reports that this year she is celebrating the 10th anniversary of her physical therapy practice, Atlanta Orthotics. Leslie writes,"Having my own practice gives me the flexibility to work and also be around for my kids Alex, 9, Sydney, 7, and Josh, 4." Leslie and her husband have recently gotten involved in a local chapter of the Childhood Autism Foundation (CADEF), which raises money for autism education and research, as well as for their son's preschool. She invites anyone to e-mail her for information about autism or just to catch up!

An e-mail from Leora Rosen Greene came in announcing that she and husband Jeff welcomed their third son, Adam Jonathan, on February 4. Adam joins brothers Aaron and Michael.

Here's news of a Cornell marriage made in heaven . . . aka Ithaca. On January 26, 2005 Aliza Locker married Don Lifton '67, PhD '88. The couple was married along the Atlantic Ocean in Key West, FL. Don, a professor at Ithaca College, is on sabbatical for a whole year, so they decided to escape the wicked winter by snow-birding in Vero Beach, FL. Aliza reports that she and Don love spring training baseball, warmth, and family. They eagerly await their springtime return home to Ithaca. Aliza is looking forward to the upcoming joint reunion celebration for her and Don--her 20th and his 40th.

Send news to us: -- Debra Howard Stern, dstern39@yahoo.com; Tom S. Tseng, ttseng@stanford.edu.

88 | Greetings, Class of '88! I hope this column finds you healthy, happy, and enjoying spring! I am writing this column in early April, having survived another April Fool's Day with various jokes and pranks played upon me. At work, my tape dispenser, stapler, phone receiver, and assorted other tools were superglued to my desk, rendering them largely useless, while an unpleasant odor emanated from . . . somewhere . . . for most of the day, until the culprit could no longer contain himself and gleefully rescued a rotting piece of cantaloupe strategically placed behind my filing cabinet. Sigh.Will we never grow up? I certainly hope not!

James Hilsenteger has grown up--and has been promoted from patent agent to associate for Marger Johnson & McCollom PC of Portland, OR. MJM is a full-service intellectual property law firm specializing in patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, and technology licensing, with particular expertise in prosecution, litigation, and opinion work. Prior to joining MJM, James worked for 12 years as a mechanical engineer for a freight railcar manufacturer, Gunderson Inc., where he most recently served as senior design engineer. His engineering background includes railcar design, brake system design, and manufacturing management. After graduating from Cornell with a mechanical engineering degree, he earned his JD from Lewis and Clark Law School. Congratulations on the promotion!

Thomas Bottoni writes in: "Ten years ago, I was serving as a Navy medical officer with a US Marine Corps Artillery unit in Twentynine Palms, CA, and getting ready to enter residency in emergency medicine. This was also the year I purchased and restored my first collector's car, a 1962 Cadillac Coupe DeVille. Today, I'm married to a Virginia Tech alum, Dawn Tiedemann, and living comfortably in Tidewater,VA. I left the Navy after a nine-year service stint ending in 1992, and I have since been a practicing emergency physician with a group operating out of a busy community hospital in coastal Virginia. I have acquired another antique vehicle along the way, a 1959 Cadillac Fleetwood. Both collector cars are used for local shows and parades. My wife and I enjoy traveling.We have been on two cruises and have visited many states in the past two years.We are looking forward to a return to Ithaca for my 20th Reunion. Reflecting back on the past decade, there is nothing that I would have altered in any significant way. The advice I would offer today's grads is to follow your aspirations and enjoy life along the way."

We also hear of the happy news that Jill Davies and Tommy Svensson were married recently in Chatham, NJ. Jill is a perinatologist and an assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the U. of Colorado's medical school in Denver. She received her medical degree from George Washington U.Her husband is a computer software specialist in Fort Collins, CO, in the robotics division of ABB, the Swiss industrial engineering company. Congratulations!

Karen Crassi Galle shared an update on her life: "Ten years ago I was living in New Hampshire and working as a research assistant in the Dept. of Physiology at Dartmouth Medical School. I worked on an NIH program project, looking at T-cell activity in the human female reproductive tract. Today, I am a senior technical support scientist for Invitrogen Corp., supporting their GIBCO cell culture products. A little over one year ago (April 3, 2004) I married Ken Galle from Alfred, NY.We met via eHarmony. com--so yes, it really does work! Ken does programming and network management for Et Al Inc., a marketing agency in Olean, NY, and is blessed to be able to work from home.We live in Ransomville, NY, where we recently bought a house and small barn, and are raising our first flock of chickens! If I could give one piece of advice to graduating students, I would say (forgive me for sounding like my parents) to start putting 10 percent of your pay into some type of savings or investment account. You really can live off the other 90 percent, and you really don't need all those things you think you do (credit cards are only for emergencies!)."

Kelly Smith Brown, MBA '92, writes,"My daughter Sarah Grace was born on Feb 8, 2004. Over the past year, I have enjoyed being home with her while overseeing the construction of our new house. After a year of fun with Sarah Grace, I found I could not return to the paid workforce--I would miss her too much. I am now enjoying being a stay-at-home mom and learning about what life is like when you don't work from 7 a.m. 'til 7 p.m.--there is an entire world out there to enjoy! People can drop me a line at kjs35@cornell.edu."

Lisa Deutsch and Bill Pierce '87 got married and moved to Seattle in 1988, where they currently live with their chocolate Lab mix,Maggie. Lisa got her MS in civil engineering (1990) and Bill got his PhD in physics (1993) at the U. of Washington. Bill is a senior software engineer at TeraCloud and has also written some open source storage management software (fcping and io profile). Lisa was recently promoted to senior project manager and is also an associate at INCA Engineers. She has had the opportunity to work on a design study at the Panama Canal and to present papers at many conferences, including ones in Australia (where Bill joined her to do some awesome fly-fishing and snorkeling) and Washington, DC.

Christopher Anderson shares the following: "This has been a neat year. I joined the now-renamed law firm of Timmons,Warnes & Anderson LLP in May 2004, and am building a new aviation law practice, as well as growing a commercial litigation practice there.My wife Rebecca and I are continuing to work on our house and enjoying our still-new (Sept. 27, 2003) marriage. Ten years ago, I was nine months out of law school, consulting with a legal technology company. It's been a ‘long and winding' road to where I am now. I could have made any number of choices differently and/or better, but I wouldn't change a thing about where I am now."

Larry Bank writes in to say, "Ten years ago I was living in South Florida and working at home on my own document imaging software company. I was married but had no children at that time. Today I am still in South Florida and working at home, but mostly writing games for mobile devices. I am still married to the same woman (13 wonderful years) and we now have four children. If I could change anything it would be to start learning and thinking about investing at an earlier age. I don't have any great advice for graduating students, but for undergrads I would say to make the most of your time at Cornell because it is a unique time in your life that you will never forget."

Your correspondents are grateful to those of you who take the time to write and share your lives, and to those of you who read the column. Please send news to -- Suzanne Bors Andrews, smb68@cornell.edu; and Steve Tomaselli, st89@cornell.edu.

89 | Many of you may have received an e-mail request for updates back in April--thanks to all who responded. Thanks also to those who paid Class Dues and sent in News Forms. If you haven't written in yet, it's never too late. You can e-mail your correspondents at any time. Never assume someone else has forwarded the news, and always assume we love to hear what is happening in your lives!

Tom Atkinson left his job at an investment bank in New York two years ago and moved to Istanbul with his wife and two kids.Having had a wonderful experience there, they picked up and moved to Madrid last summer. Next year, who knows! During that time he completed a variety of short projects, learned two new languages, and survived four more bombings (after 9/11 in New York).He has given seminars, written articles, and been on TV.He is happy to say that the journey to get there has been a blast, and highly recommends this kind of travel for anyone between careers. Cathy Taylor Berner would never have imagined that she would find herself living in Houston, TX, with her husband John '86 and children Abby, 6, and Zach, 5. She is a stay-at-home mom and freelance writer. She is not too surprised about the stay-at-home mom part, but is surprised and delighted about the freelancing aspect! She truly enjoys Houston, but confesses to missing the change of seasons--especially the fall.

Michael Eames started Los Angeles-based music publishing company Pen Music Group Inc. in April 1994.He now has a staff of six and represents the Bob Marley song catalogue for the US and Canada, along with songs recorded by Christina Aguilera, Santana,Macy Gray, Bonnie Raitt, and Kenny Loggins, among numerous others, plus has songs featured in films and TV shows close to every week.Michael married Monica Rizzo on May 2, 1998, bought a house in Sherman Oaks, CA, in February 2002, and had son Matthew Giancarlo on May 28, 2002. He continues to be active in the Cornell Club of Los Angeles, where he was president for two years from 1999 to 2001. He is still in contact with fellow Cornellians Jacques Boubli '88 (who is married and now has two children), T.P. Enders '90, ME '96 (also married with two children), Eileen Rosen Miller (also married with two children), and Patrick Cott '90 (also two children--notice a pattern?). Todd Alexander got married in Italy last September and will be further expanding his wine business. For those interested in Italian wine, check out the ItalianWineReport.com this summer. He is looking forward to seeing some Hotelies in San Diego and can be reached at todd@liquidbrands.net.

Lynn Weidberg Morgan and husband Randy had their third child on March 30, 2005. Kate Alexandra joins Daniel Stewart, 4, and Natalie Hope, 6. Tom Nemeth and wife Laura are very proud parents of 2-year-old Lucy, who is very tall, and extremely excited about art class. Jennifer Martin Donahue, husband Robert, and daughters Caitriona, 4, and Samantha, 2, have lived in Bedford, NH, for five years. They took a trip to D.C. to see the cherry blossoms and stayed with Karen Conant Rindner, husband Steven, and daughters Emily, Elisabeth, and Erin. Karen and Jennifer reflected on what they would have thought of their lives now when they were back at Cornell, and decided they would have been impressed--trading in Ruloff 's and Slope Day for kids, husbands, houses, and jobs would have seemed impossible at that point! They also realized some things haven't changed: they still can't clean and it feels like yesterday that they were lying on the Arts Quad welcoming spring in Ithaca.

Susan Comninos works as a freelance arts journalist, contributing to the Atlantic Online, San Francisco Chronicle, and Nerve.com, among others. W. Lee Kraus is now an associate professor in the Dept. of Molecular Biology and Genetics at Cornell, with an adjunct appointment in the Dept. of Pharmacology at Weill Cornell Medical College in NYC. He is conducting research on cell signaling, gene regulation, and cancer biology and teaching a course entitled The Molecular Basis of Human Disease.When he was a student, he never dreamed he'd be back in Ithaca teaching at Cornell! Tim Sherwood will be joining the faculty at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, MD, as an attending surgeon in thoracic surgery and lung transplantation, and is also the proud parent of three boys, ages 5, 3, and 8 months. Scott McMahon became a teacher about five years ago.He still plays soccer and coaches his daughters Emma, 11, Julia, 8, and Olivia, 1.He is married to Erin (Simpson) '90 and lives in Guilford, CT.He writes that he still uses some Hotel skills, serving 300-plus people at church dinners.

Laura Ritucci Daisak recently went back to work after seven years off raising children and is a staffing director for the Bergen Briller Group. Better known as a headhunter for human resources professionals, she looks for ILRies! She has daughters Jennie, 8, and Kristina, 6, and earlier this year visited Charlie '90 and Susan Daly Vinal '90 and Gayle Fischer '90 in Washington, DC. She also sees Kelly Goldstein Shea and her husband Paul '90. Ruthellen Leventer Sheldon is living in Severna Park,MD, has been studying American Sign Language for the past four years, and enjoys working part-time with deaf children. She has two boys, Tom, 9, and Jake, 8. The last Cornell event she attended was the Cornell-Towson football game where she saw Dave Pollin '90, John and Lucy Miller, and Tori Margolis-McGuinness. Tori wrote that she missed reunion because of the newest addition to her family,MaryGrace, who was born on May 18, 2004. Since MaryGrace's birth she has been at home--the first time since we graduated that she hasn't had a paying job. She loves it and can't wait to do it again. On a trip to Florida, she stopped to visit with Lisa D'Alessandro McHale and her husband Tom, BS '96. Their three boys helped entertain MaryGrace.

I'm sorry I couldn't fit everything in this time, but be sure to check the next column for more news! And write us! So many of your classmates, even those you may not have seen or heard from in a while, would love to share in all the events in your life!--Lauren Hoeflich, laurenhoeflich@yahoo.com; Stephanie Bloom Avidon, savidon1@hotmail. com; Anne Czaplinski Treadwell, ac98@cornell.edu; Mike McGarry, mmcgarry@dma-us.com.

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