Ed Valovage challenges more people to contribute to this column. He particularly would like to stimulate Mauri Krause, Rowland Kenna, and Paul Bay. Ed is working as a radar and signal processing engineer for Sensis Corporation in Syracuse after taking a year off to build a house. He previously was a sonar systems engineer for General Electric. His family including three girls (13,10, and 8) live in Memphis, NY.
Robert Morrison has opened an internal medicine/nephrology office in Xenia, OH. He was most recently a Major, USAF, Chief, Nephrology Service at Travis AFB, California. He and his wife Peggy reside in Yellow Springs, OH with their son. Ralph Day was appointed Director, New Business Ventures for the Performance Additives business unit of AlliedSignal Inc. located in Morristown, NJ. In his newly created position, he is responsible for aggressively expanding their business globally. His business unit manufactures low-molecular-weight polyethylenes and copolymers which enhance the performance and general processing characteristics of products. Ralph lives in Basking Ridge, NJ with his wife Robin and their daughter. Don't miss Jim Flaherty and his impression of President Clinton. He was headlining at the Comedy Connection in Salem, NH and made a special guest appearance at New York's Comic Strip last November.
Bob Goldsmith is excited about the 20th reunion next year. He is looking forward to helping with the planning. I extracted the following information from the very late Christmas card he forwarded. His biggest news was that he and Lucy are expecting another baby, due in early May. He (based on the sonogram) will be joining Emily and Abigail who will be five in August, Matthew (three in February), and Megan (one last November). Bob is working for DDI and they all live in Pittsburg, PA. On a sadder note, Bob sold his red Mustang convertible which led the "Spirit of 76" during our class parade at our 15th reunion. Steve Derby is coordinating the reunion planning back on campus. Please contact him by phone: 518-276-6991, mail: 40 Lockrow Road, Troy, NY 12180, or email: derbys@rpi.edu with any ideas, suggestions, or offers of assistance.
Steve Ashmead dropped me a line from Grand Rapids, MI. He has a very busy private medical practice and finds time to work part time as faculty for the Grand Rapids Family Practice residency. He is trying to get computer literate and is getting help from his genius level children Brennan (12), Robert (7), and Zoe (4). Robert is following in his mother's (Julie's) footsteps and was accepted at the Civic Theater Children's Acting School. On a recent trip to New Orleans, Steve tracked down Mary Bloom who he reported "hasn't changed a bit". Last October he met Tom Masten at the American Academy of Family Physicians meeting in Boston. Tom is alive, well, and married with two children, Katie (6) and Sarah (4). Tom and his wife Michelle have settled down (from their previous missionary activity in Liberia) in Jamesville a suburb of Syracuse, NY. He is a Family Practitioner specializing in back pain.
Congratulations to Randall Fox on his promotion to director, human resources and community affairs at Alucobond Technologies, Inc. He remains at their Benton, KY location where he joined A-T-I six years ago after thirteen years of employee relations management experience in the mining industry. The word from Jackson, MS is that Howard Becker was named president and chief executive officer for Royal Maid Association for the Blind, Inc. Howard, a native of Middle Haddam, CT was previously president/CEO of Hartford Eichenaur of Newport, NH. Congratulations also to Alan Minkus on his promotion to Vice President, Director of Architecture for Maguire Group Inc of New Britain, CT. Alan directs the architecture, structural, mechanical and electrical systems, landscaping and interior space planning and design. The Maguire Group is a nationally recognized architectural, engineering and planning firm with 350 employees. Ira Tackel ...
Gordon Schnaper was a three-day undefeated champion (no tournament as with Jeopardy!, unfortunately) on the Wheel of Fortune which aired just after Thanksgiving of last year. His hobby is entering sweepstakes and other drawings, and it was one of the "other" types through a local department store that got him an interview with the Wheel people. He walked off with a nice haul of cash and prizes, and recently returned from a cruise on a modern-day Clipper ship, sailing along the western Italian coast with several ports of call, including an excursion to Pompeii, all courtesy of Pat and Vanna (and a large number of behind-the-scenes people). Gordon's day job is currently as QC supervisor, after six-plus years in R&D, with Anika Research in Woburn, MA, making medical devices and products from hyaluronic acid, a natural component in the eye and in synovial fluid. He lives in Tewksbury, MA with wife Gayle, son Jeremy (12), and daughter Mikaela (10). Nancy Kippenhan has made one of those infamous mid-life career moves so many of us seem to hit at about "this age" and enrolled in the evening law school program at Widener School of Law, Harrisburg, PA campus. Her day job will continue to be with Kroeger Associates, a public relations firm in Allentown, PA. The "Kroeger" is Judi, wife of Peter Kroeger '65; she met Judi while trying to get Peter to help with alumni admissions (who says helping out your alma mater doesn't have personal benefits?). Nancy started this fall in a class of about 45 with a broad mix of "interesting" people. She promises to keep us posted regarding her experiences in this four year program. She will give a full report at our 20th Reunion, Thursday June 6 through Sunday June 9.
If you live in the southeast US and use Huggies(R), chances are that they are made at the Kimberly-Clark Infant Care facility in South Carolina where Ken Schmalz is plant manager. He has survived 20 years of corporate life with previous assignments in Connecticut, Texas, and Wisconsin (twice). Ken and Susan had their first child, Danielle, last year and live in Aiken, SC where they still run, do triathlons and play golf.
James Dall has joined the firm of North County Engineering P.C., a multi-discipline engineering firm located in Glens Falls. He is responsible for developing non-industrial type projects as well as providing structural engineering services for a variety of projects. Jim previously was a vice president and manager of engineering at Smith & Mahoney P.C. in Albany. James Ibaugh, Jr was named vice president of Chemical Design, Inc, a manufacturer of custom designed, skid-mounted process systems for the chemical, petrochemical, industrial gas and electronics industries. Jim was formerly a chief process engineer at the Buffalo, NY firm. Vincent D'Agostino was named president of Benefit Consultants Inc. He has been with the parent company, CUC International Inc., for 14 years, most recently as senior vice president and general manager of Shoppers Advantage.
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