A.B. Davis High School 50th Reunion Mount Vernon, NY
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Because of the many Bios submitted by our
Classmates, this page is now in 3 sections.
Married Classmates are in Alpha order by Maiden names
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To Access either the whole List or an individual Name,
"Click" on the Alpha Grouping or the Name
Lucille PANDOLFO Arcuri
Delray Beach, FL
Married to Fred Arcuri, Davis Grad 1952
Children: 2
Grandchildren: 3
Married in 1957 to Fred Arcuri
Moved to Rockland County - 1965
Moved to Florida - 2001
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Angela PARISI
Muzzillo
Mount Vernon, NY
Formerly Young & Rubicam Inc. Advertising employee - scheduled
commercials on As The World Turns and Another World
Currently Senior Stenographer to Principal in Elementary School
Berkeley Business College
Widow
Children: One
Enjoy working with children Like to travel Member of a bowling league
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Barbara PAVONE
Spiridigliozzi
Carmel, NY
Paralegal
Widow
Children: 3
Grandchildren: 5
After living in Mount Vernon all of my life, in 1990 we moved to the "country" in Carmel in Putnam County. Ten years ago my husband died and we had been married for 35 years. I have always worked in a law office starting while still in high school. With the exception of taking time off when my children were young, I am still working for attorneys. I am currently at The Law Firm of William G. Sayegh and still enjoy it. Both of my sons and their families live in Carmel and my daughter and her family live in Charlotte, North Carolina. I enjoy watching my grandchildren play sports and I spend the different seasons watching them play baseball, basketball, soccer and football. Fellow graduates Yvonne Aubrey and Bud DeEsso live next door and their daughter is married to my son and we are great friends as well as neighbors and have two mutual grandchildren. Can't believe it has been 50 years since A. B. Davis.
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Paul
PELON
Meredith, NH
Emerson College, Boston
Married
Children: 2
I was only at Davis for part of my Junior year and Senior year. I had to leave the school I was in because of Polio and I could not travel to NYC. The people I met at Davis were very understanding and patient with the kid on crutches. I had to make up a lot of work to graduate in '55 so had little time for social events. I know I missed a lot of good times. If it wasn't for my math teacher and a student whose name I just can't remember I would not have made it through algebra and geometry ( both taken at the same time). My good friend still, Cynthia Miller, got me through a lot of hard times. We are still in contact. She in Kansas and me in NH.
After Davis and a college or two I would up in Boston at Emerson College. I met my wife Joan there and we were married in 1963. Moved to NH in the early 70's after working in a couple of banks in Mass. and opened a gas station only to close it when the property was sold to Cumberland Farms. Opened another station nearby and closed when the energy crisis hit. Was in retail sales for some time and one summer was asked as a favor to work at Castle In The Clouds in NH, ( Castle Springs.com ) I stayed there for 18 years doing almost every job on the property but mainly working with the horses, all 40 to 60 of them. I was the only person other than the family that ran the resort to work in the winter. I took care of 40+ horse 6 days a week When asked I tell people I was a horse wrangler. We have 2 grown children. My daughter Robyn is the manager of a Curves here in town and my son Bill is a cook at The Waterfall Cafe, also here in town. My daughter and her hubby live on the lake in a cottage my dad built in the 40's. (Lake Winnipesaukee if you ever get this way) In 1998 I decided to find my birth parents since I was adopted. It took 3 years but I have 2 sisters. We have been to each others houses a number of times. The adoption list I am on is for New York and we have found 1025 families since Jan of 1998. That's about it. I'm sorry I missed the 50th but I was not able to travel at that time. Perhaps the 2010 reunion.
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Carol PETTY O'Keefe
Richmond, VA
Social Worker
Roger Williams University, BSW
Married: No
Children: (2) Terence and J. Christopher
Grandchildren: None!!
Life's job's could take awhile! Started as an Interior Decorator. Left to start an independent school ages 5-12, called "Worcester New School." Worked as a Planner for John Kennedy's Model Cities Program. Had many other Social Worker jobs including medical social worker at University of Massachusetts Medical Center. Left New England for the Coast of North Carolina where I owned a flower shop. Left there for Bisbee, AZ where I had several antique shops and sold my art work at local gallery.. Moved to VA to be close to my son and became a Vegetable!
My hobbies are archeology B.C. History (especially Egyptian) Art, playing cards with friends, reading, renovating houses. Have done some traveling, Portugal, Spain, Ireland, Mexico and some of the Islands.
I have two sons, Terry, who is a Producer in Hollywood and Chris an Artist here in Richmond (who does the Richmond Calendar every year.) I also have the first draft finished for a children's adventure book.
Davis, for the most part, had good teachers and gave an excellent education. I left Mt. Vernon several years after graduation and that's when you appreciate what you had. It was a wonderful town to grow up in and close to NYC. What more can you ask. The Mt. Vernon Public School System introduced their students to Literature, Art and Music at an early age to form a well rounded individual. When I had children in a large New England city, I could not believe the school system --- hence the reason I and informed group of parents started our own school.
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John L. (PICCIRILI) ROBERTS
Huntington, NY
Self Employed (Roberts Technologies)
Massachusetts Institute of Technology; BS Che
Married
Children: 2
After A.B.Davis, I began my career as a Chemical Engineer
working in various capacities such as Burroughs-Wellcome, CIBA, ICI, Corning.
I became more sales oriented during my career. I began to enjoy my travels
as a Sales Engineer. This became more intensive after incorporating in 1986.
During my years after MIT, I eventually married and raised
2 children. My daughter is an Equine Veterinarian and my son an NYPD Officer.
Both are still unmarried. My wife Barbara and I enjoy traveling. She is
from Munich, Germany. Our other enjoyments include gardening and summer
beach activities. I intent to gradually move to retirement.
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Secretary
LA City College, 2 years
Widowed
Children: 2
Grandchildren: 7
Worked for the County of Los Angeles for 15 years. I travel a lot
with friends.
Sports: Grandson's sport games
Hobbies: Make my own cards for all occasions
Had a wonderful high school life. Made many friends.
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Barbara RAPPAPORT Wachman
Cherry Hill, NJ
Receptionist for Lawyer in NYC; Eastern Airline Agent
University of Miami
Married
Children: 5
Grandchildren: 8
After college I worked for Eastern Airlines and a New York law firm. I married twice, widowed once and raised 5 children. I have spent the last 34 years traveling the world and enjoying life in both Cherry Hill, NJ and N. Palm Beach, Florida.
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Elaine REHBERGER Bendlin
Southbury, CT
Berkeley Business School
Married: 47 years to Ed Bendlin (1955 Edison Graduate)
Children: 3 sons
Grandchildren: (8) -- 4 boys and 4 girls
After graduation from Davis H.S., I attended Berkeley Business School and
subsequently worked in New York City for General Electric Company. After
then staying home to raise three sons, I worked for the Mount Vernon School
System at the Education Center Administration Building, retiring after 20
years.
We lived in Mount Vernon until moving to Connecticut seven years ago. Two
of our sons and their families also live in Connecticut and one son resides
in Eastchester, NY (our daughter-in-law, Lisa, has been a teacher in the
Mount Vernon School System for many years).
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John I. RIDDLE
South Portland ME
Advertising, Sales Promotion, Marketing Manager, CEO, Consultant
University of Michigan; B.A. Major English, minor Psychology 1959
Married
Children: Cristin, Thomas, Catherine, Benjamin
GrandchildrenMark (11), Abigail (7)
Business: Started as advertising copywriter for Reed & Barton Silversmiths, Taunton MA. Moved into Sales Promotion. Then employed by Yield House, North Conway NH as Vice President for Marketing. Then with partner bought Krebs, Inc. of Westerly, RI. Sold interest, was brought on as CEO of Sturbridge Yankee Workshop, Sturbridge MA. With partners later acquired SYW. Sold interest in 1986, became self-employed consultant. Worked primarily in shopping center development for next 15 years, developing outlet malls throughout U.S. Now a marketing consultant working toward retirement. Currently writing radio infomercial scripts. Primary business focus has been on marketing of consumer products ranging from tableware to furniture and decorating accessories, to fashion apparel to alternative health products. My company is Riddle & Associates, Inc. in South Portland, sharing ownership with spouse Bonnie who is a media relations specialist. We've traveled extensively in Europe and the Caribbean, both business and holiday. We also have a place in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico where we spend more and more of our time. Both of us are very active in the arts (see below). I am also a painter of sorts and show locally-website: www.jackthepainter.com --and have my own studio. Children are all college educated and are doing well in very diverse fields.
The best thing I got out of Davis was a very extensive nurturing of my interest in music. Classmates may remember that I played the tuba there and greatly enjoyed my time with Doc Randall and his merry band and was very busy in all the musical activities at the school (would that there were such activities for kids these days!). At Michigan I was invited to play in the very prestigious Symphony Band, at the time one of the best wind ensembles in the country, and played in other band organizations there as well. While I didn't stick with performing after college, I got involved with arts organizations wherever I lived. We moved to Maine in 1981 and I was asked to serve on the board of trustees of the very fine regional symphony orchestra here and served as its president for two years. In 1994, I was one of the founders of PORTopera, a professional organization that produces grand opera for Maine audiences during the summer. I was president of that group for nine years before stepping down a couple of years ago. My wife of 26 years has served in these organizations with me and we have had great enrichment from our joint experiences. I doubt that any of this would have happened were it not for the support and backing of A.B. Davis.
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Jane ROLLESTON
Rueckert
Scarborough, Ontario, Canada
IBM World Trade Corp.,NYC, 1960-1965; IBM Canada Ltd., Toronto, 1974-1992
Principia College,Elsah, IL; BA
Married: 1962-2000, Widowed
Children: 2, Jay and Jim
Grandchildren: 4, Andrew & Kate, Miranda & Oriana as of April, 2005
I had met my future husband at Christmas my senior year at Principia College.After college,I went on the Experiment in International Living to Germany during the summer of 1959, spent a year at Katie Gibbs, then got a job at IBM World Trade Corp. in Manhattan. A year after marrying Joe, we decided to NOT commute to Manhattan,ride subways to work,et. our whole lives, and left NYC. We made a series of moves to CT, IL, NJ, and then to Toronto area (Scarborough, Ontario) with our two children,where we raised our family. After the youngest, our son, Jim, was in school, I was rehired by IBM Canada's headquarters and spent my working life driving only 10 minutes to work nearby. Great company...didn't always love my work. In 1992, I accepted a downsizing package after 20 years, though connected to my pension, I'm grateful to say. I began volunteering. Two educated, successful children were launched by 1995.
We traveled as a family wherever we could go by car during work vacations. Joe and I went to Germany in 1993, and England in 1999. By myself, I've gone to England in 2000, CA and AZ in 2001, New Zealand/Australia/Hawaii for 7 weeks in 2002, New Zealand again for 5-1/2 weeks in 2004. Enthusiastic traveler.
I serve on several non-profit boards and church board. I love caring for my grandchildren who are nearby. I attend exercise classes, films, the opera season, am a member of museums, collect/share DVDs, read novels, and do Bible and spiritual study.
I was grateful for several friendships at Davis, which brought me further out of the protective shell which shy people develop for protection. Grades and regents exams were fine...I thought I was from quite a good school, but since then I've labeled my English teaching at Davis as lifeless, dry uninspiring and its curriculum so far from my life experience that I made no connections with it until later in life. My work life completed, I now see TV or movie versions of that literature, then turn to the books with enthusiasm.
The most memorable parts of Davis were friendships, and music with Doc Randall, the band, marching band, operettas, which I participated in with relish.
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Judith (Judy)
ROSE Margulies
Purchase, NY
Real Estate Investments and Management Vassar, NYU - Degree: BA
Married: Husband, Michael (Mike) - graduated Horace Mann School, not lucky
enough to go to Davis.
Children: Two sons - Arthur, 41 and David, 39.
Life-jobs, hobbies and other interests: Wife and mother. Work full-time in real estate investments and management; administrator - fiduciary. Formerly, executive director, Westchester County Pilots Association; council for the Arts:special events planner and Arts in Education facilitator.
Past and/or present Board of Directors/Trustee: JCC of Mid-Westchester (past president); Blythedale Children's Hospital; F.E.G.S.
Pilot - single and multi-engine, instrument-rated.
Pianist. Passionate gardener; inveterate traveler.
Infinitely proud of my Mount Vernon roots. We came from a unique town and time that instilled a strong work ethic, a sense of community, caring, giving and joining.
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Lenore ROSNER Gottlieb
Bethany, CT
Art Teacher and Pre-school Teacher
Hunter College; B.A.
Widow
Children: 4
Grandchildren: 6
I married a wonderful man I met in college. We married when I graduated and I moved to Baltimore where he was studying to become a doctor. In the course of his training we lived in New York City and Rochester, NY. When training was done we move to Bethany, CT, where I have lived for the last 40 years. I have enjoyed living here so very much because the town is very quiet and rural. We had 4 children, 3 girls and 1 boy and I stayed home to take care of them all. I did work when they were all in school, in a private school where I was able to decide on my own program which was very creatively satisfying. I taught Pre-school and all grades in art. I'm now retired and one of my daughters and her family live with me.
Mr. Dodds, my art teacher, set me on a life long path of painting and drawing.
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Denise RUEFF O'Connor
Yorktown Heights, NY
Vice President Group Systems Development-Equitable; Director,
Systems Development at
Mutual of NY
Barnard, B.A.
Married Charles O'Connor, attended Davis, enlisted in NY Nat'l Guard, Jr
Year 1954
Children: 1 Son; BS from Alfred University,Law Degree from Hofstra University,
Practicing Lawyer in NY State
Grandchildren: 1 Grandson, 8 years old
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Dolores SAMALIN Oestreicher
Danbury, CT
Registered Nurse
Barnard; Southern CT University; Columbia Nursing - RN, BS, MS
Married 43 years to Lloyd Oestreicher, Davis Grad 1954
Children: 4
Grandchildren: 3
I've been employed at Danbury Hospital for the past 20 years as a Nurse Clinician (Psychiatry) in the emergency room. I've been working nights for 33 years and still think it's great.
I'm a big time knitter and I love to do NY Times crossword puzzles daily with breakfast>
I helped start the nurses union 30+ years ago and I'm still active.
I see my children and granddaughters often--love their company and happily vacation with them.. We try to go camping together every summer and like to visit the theme parks with the little girls.
Lloyd and I have been married for 43 years!
Mt.Vernon and Davis: A happy time! Good friends! Good Education!
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James "Jim"
SANFORD
Mount Vernon, NY
Hospitality/ Food service
Dartmouth 1959; Bachelor of Arts
Married: Never
Children: One son, Dylan, age 16, junior at Scarsdale HS
In 1970, I started a clambake catering business on Martha's Vineyard. In 1980, I moved the business to the tri-state area where I cater clambakes from April to October. I retire every year, from October to April.
The web site is: Clambakesbyjimsanford.com
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Ira SCHATTEN
New York, NY
Data Processing
University of Buffalo, BA
Married
Children: 4
Grandchildren: 6
When I graduated the University of Buffalo, I initially did social work for a few years.. Then I was drafted into the U.S. Army for two years. When I got out of the service, I moved to Manhattan and have lived on this island ever since. I got a job writing business reports for Dun & Bradstreet. They needed people in their data processing department and offered an aptitude test to whomever was interested. I finished up top man out of the hundred people taking the test. I spent the rest of my working career in data processing, initially as a programmer, then as a systems analyst and finally as a director of data processing for a variety of companies in manufacturing, wholesaling and retailing. Along the way I had my own company doing systems consulting for a few years. I am currently happily retired.
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Nancy SCHLOSS
Hirayama
Vancouver, WA
American Airlines 1959-1966; Travel Agent 1966-2000
St. Lawrence University; BA
Divorced
Children: Andrew, 34
I spent 7 fascinating years with American Airlines working in reservations in NYC. I started the same year as the Boeing 707. Was in the first training class for SABRE, American's computerized reservation system.
In September 1966, I moved to Honolulu. Was a beach bum for 3 months then worked for Thomas Cook Travel. Over the years I worked for 2 other agencies one of which had a branch in Vancouver, WA, so I moved in 1996 and am s till enjoying life in the Pacific North West.
I have been fortunate to travel to a number of countries most recently to Egypt in October '04. Also visited were China, Morocco, Kenya, Chile, Peru, Ecuador, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Hong Kong and others. I love to read, walk, practice yoga and garden.
A. B. Davis gave me good preparation for college and beyond. Agnes Padou, Emma Okerstrom and Genieve Cheney made big impressions on me. They were so very dedicated to their students.
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Robert SCHOLDER
New York, NY
Finance and Entrepreneur
Vanderbilt University, TN; NYU, School of Commerce
My business career began at CBS Television in New York City working in the broadcast department doing commercial and program productions. Then an opportunity presented itself to work at one of the country's largest advertising agencies ---Leo Burnett - providing extensive exposure to print and broadcast programming, advertising, marketing, and sales promotion.
A fortuitous event arose enabling me to create a new advertising sales representative corporation, representing individuals and organizations whose services were utilized by advertisers and advertising agencies. From this position, in addition to sales and managerial responsibility, we helped raise funds for a number of companies and began to offer financial advice.
This led to experience as a Stock Broker, Life Insurance Agent, Real Estate Executive, Money Manager and Financial Consultant working for Paine Webber, Drexel Burnham, Thomason McKinnon, Equitable Life Assurance, and other major organizations.
Brookdale Capital Management, Inc. for which I am chairman was incorporated in 1986 (first as Argus Capital Management, Inc.) and is now celebrating its 19th Anniversary.
In addition, during this period we, created, through another company we own, Argus Sports Management, inc., the largest professional golf tour in the United States --- short of the PGA and Nationwide Tour ---called Gold Coast Pro Golf Tour, Inc. We are in the process of raising funds to make Gold Coast Pro Golf Tour a national tour.
In summary, my business background incorporates experience in sales, advertising management, administration, finance, advertising, broadcasting, marketing and sales promotion.
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Mark SCHULMAN
Wilmington, NC
Retired Senior Vice President General
Manager, Atlantic Records
NYU, College of Engineering and College of Arts and Science
Married
Children: 3
After three years at NYU College of Engineering, I realized what a chemical engineer had to do and I wasn't ready to commit to doing that for the rest of my career. So I transferred to the NYU College of Arts and Sciences downtown in Greenwich Village. I fell in with a group of beatniks, hippies and folk musicians and after graduating I started out in the music industry working in coffee houses where all the important musicians (and some comedians) worked. Eventually after various jobs in a talent agency, in music publishing, and in Off-Broadway theatre, I ended up at Atlantic Records (the home, at the time, of Ray Charles & Aretha Franklin amongst others.) Over the years I had the pleasure of working and being associated with some of the best musicians and bands of the time such as Phil Collins, Bette Midler, BeeGees, the Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Crosby, Stills and Nash, Eric Clapton, Modern Jazz Quartet, Herbie Mann and the Blues Brothers just to name a few.
I retired from Atlantic in 1993 as Senior VP, General Manager and moved south. This was always the long term plan to move South moving from Mount Vernon to Manhattan to the Montclair, NJ area and finally to Wilmington, North Carolina a southerly trend that is now fulfilled. My wife of 29 years Debra and I have lived here for almost eleven years and are getting ready for me to retire once again. We opened a Huntington Learning Center franchise when we moved here and have successfully been helping students of all ages fill in some of the academic skills that they may have missed along the way. I only could wish that they had something like this when I was in Miss Ruddy's class at James Grimes School in Mount Vernon.
I have one son from a previous marriage Alex who works for MTV, a son Derek who recently became employed by J.P. Morgan/Chase in New York and a daughter Dana who graduated from FIT and has started her own clothing line. Look it up at Redtoenails.net some pretty outrageous stuff. She also lives up north in Brooklyn. Since I'm not a grandfather yet, I'll be looking for another career so I don't spend all my time playing golf and fishing. Any ideas or suggestions would be welcomed. Look forward to seeing everyone at the reunion.
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Barbara SEARLE
Smith
Chappaqua, NY
Retired from IBM, where I worked for 32 years
Oberlin College; BA
Divorced
After graduation from college, I accepted a job with IBM, where I held a variety of positions including education, systems engineering, and corporate telecommunications. After working 10 years in Cleveland, I returned to Westchester County for the balance of my career.
Since taking early retirement, I have been involved in a variety of volunteer activities. Currently I am Volunteer Coordinator at Open Arms, a homeless men's shelter, in White Plains; volunteer weekly at Just Strays, an all-volunteer shelter which rescues and places stray cats, and serve as Treasurer of my church.
Four years ago I began studying the organ, and now play at my church several times a year when our organist is on vacation and for special services when she is not available. I try to practice about 4 days a week, and get a lot of pleasure from this activity.
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Erna SHAPIRO
Brout
Hartsdale, NY
Educator, Bank Officer
SUNY/ Cortland, B.S. Early Childhood Education; The City College/CUNY, M.S.
Adult and Continuing Education
Children: 2 daughters (45 and 46)
Grandchildren:1 grandson - 5
My life since leaving Mt. Vernon in 1958 after completing college
hasbeen rich and fulfilling,
from raising a family to a successful career and now to a fabulous retirement.
I worked as an educator, first at the Mt.Vernon YM-YWHA Nursery School, then at Head Start in Greenburgh where we live and then for eleven years at adult learning centers in White Plains, Ossining, Yonkers and the Bronx where I taught all academic subjects needed by adults for earning their GED (high school equivalency), job placement and job advancement as well as English As A Second Language. For 3 of these years I held the title of Assessment Specialist in the New York State External High School Diploma Program - a pilot project of NY State Department of Education/Albany, that assessed adult life skills and awarded competency-based diplomas to qualified adults.On from there I became a Technical Writer for information systems in the banking industry in New York City first as a consultant and then a bank officer and manager of a group of customer support staffers. One of my offices was on the 103rd floor of One World Trade Center before 9/11.
In retirement, I have traveled to Europe often, once looking for my roots in the Czech Republic, once accompanying a close friend as part of a group of former Jewish residents of a small town near Vienna that had burned its Synagogue on Kristalnacht and was now making formal apology and erecting a memorial in town center to this event and hosting its returning Jews from all continents who had fled leaving behind land ownership and businesses. I have been to Russia, India and Nepal, Israel several times and Egypt, and Mexico often to study painting- not to mention many parts of the US. Through these travels I have developed an international group of friends who visit at my home and viceversa.I have been an avid tennis player and am now playing golf. One of my passions is my art work, now focusing on pastels, and exhibiting with the Scarsdale Art Assn.
By way of giving back, I was for at least 9 years a volunteer mediator with Family Service of Westchester,in the Mt. Vernon office on Prospect Ave. In this role I provided mediation (non-confrontational skills) to families in crisis - generally with teenagers involved with the court system or families in need of ways to deal with cultural/generational diversity issues. Presently I am volunteering in the Fresh Start program, mentoring recently released female prisoners.
Coming of age in Mt. Vernon shaped my sense of the importance of family and community and contributed to my quest for high standards and enjoyment of life.(see entry on page 127 in the Mt. Vernon Heritage CookBook for more on this)I am so fortunate to still have special friendships with Mt. Vernon folks that were launched in first grade and Junior High School.
Family closeness with my daughters continues to be one of the richest aspects of my life - these unions being further enhanced by a wonderful son-in-law and a very special grandson. My later-in-life partnering with another Mt. Vernonite (and Davis graduate'50) has brought more joy and more family to me, as well as a great helpmate and fellow traveler.
It's not been a bad journey these 67 years-to-date (despite a couple of serious brushes with health issues)and I plan on several more years doing as much as possible to enjoy the passage ----trying lots on for fit and experience so I don't die wondering!
LOOKING FORWARD TO REUNION #50 - KUDOS TO MICHAEL, MARGE AND PATTI and others who helped a lot.
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Human Resource Executive, Consultant
BS, MBA
Married 45 years
Children: (2) Daughter & Son
Grandchildren: 5 Grandsons
Last 50 years after high school
Student - BS MBA
Soldier-US Army Airborne Ranger
Husband - Married 45 years
Father - Daughter and Son
Little League Coach
Human Resource Executive
Consultant
Grandfather-5 Grandsons
Farmer
Couch Potato
and still doing most of the above.
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Roberta SILVER Kaplan
Coral Springs, FL
Married: Very...to Paul Kaplan, Davis Grad 1954
Children: 5
Grandchildren: 9 Granddaughters, #10 is expected on or before the reunion.
Maybe a Boy?
I married Paul Kaplan (Class of '54) in 1957. We lived in New York until 1977 when we moved to Carslbad CA (San Diego County). Lived there till just last year when we decided to relocate to Coral Springs. Paul retired in 1994 and we have done a lot of traveling both foreign and domestic. We've traveled both by motor home and motorcycle throughout the U.S. Now we spend our time going between FL and CA, visiting our children and grandchildren and friends. We are both healthy and life is good!
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Deborah
Helen SILVERMAN Lesser
Mt. Vernon, NY
President, EEO Compliance Services, Inc.
Hunter College, BA- English; Ohio State University - graduate work English;
Mercy College - Paralegal Certificate
Married - Saal D. Lesser - U. of Oregon (Psychology), NYU (Intergroup Relations),
and WWII (Battle of the Bulge)
Children: (3) Marc (SUNY Binghamton - Harpur College - BA, Philosophy, Cardozo
Law ,JD)- with his wife, Liz, attorneys specializing in professional malpractice
- 2 daughters, Danielle (2nd year Quinnipiac College), Madeleine (junior,
Livingston, NJ HS);
Robin (SUNY Cortland - BA Sociology)- married to chiropractor Christopher
Cordima in whose practice she works - son Matthew, middle school , Reading,
MA;
Nina (Hampshire College (BA), Museum of Fine Arts School, Boston ( Diplomate,
Sculpture), Simmons College (MA, Teaching)- artist and art teacher, currently
on mommy track with sons Gabriel, 3 and Ethan, 1, while running bereavement
groups with the Bronxville Junior League. Married to Todd Insler, First
Officer, United Airlines and real estate salesperson (when on the ground).
All three kids and Todd are MVHS graduates.
Grandchildren: (5) See above
My plan was to go to Russell Sage College in upstate New York, but one of life's inevitable intervening variables intervened and in August of 1955, I applied to and was accepted at Hunter College, thereby changing my life. I had known I was a city girl - spent virtually every Sunday afternoon in Washington Square Park strumming my guitar with the likes of Peter, Paul & Mary - who then were just Mary, Peter and Paul - but until I got to Hunter, I didn't realize how much of a city girl I was. In my junior year, I moved from Mt. Vernon to Manhattan. Although I was an English major (President of Shakespeare Society, student teaching at Stuyvesant HS), my social worker instincts, honed at camp, wouldn't let go. I ran Freshman Orientation Camp and student leadership programs at Hunter and thought student personnel administration might be up my alley. I got a job upon graduation at Ohio State University, working for the deans of men and women as their emissary to student government and organizations. Interesting, but totally unsatisfying and, in ways, appalling to this New Yorker (segregated fraternities and sororities, steering of blacks and Jews to residence houses of all blacks and Jews, etc.). I left the job, took graduate work for a year in English, became a part of the campus activist movements (free speech, anti- restrictive clauses, etc), and headed back to New York at the end of the second year.
I got a job at Encampment for Citizenship (a program with sessions in Berkeley, CA, Riverdale, NY and El Yunque, PR, designed to train youth leaders from around the US and Latin America run by the Ethical Culture Society) as program administrator. In addition to meeting Eleanor Roosevelt, Martin Luther King and Malcolm X, all of whom led workshops, I met and married Saal Lesser, who was the Executive Director (Marc, then 7 and Robin, 6 were Saal's dowry).
I later worked with National Committee on Employment of Youth, teaching the first groups of non-professionals trained to work in service agencies as a part of the poverty program. At the same time, Saal was the district director for the Office of Economic Opportunity under Sargeant Shriver's leadership. I was also singing professionally as part of a group of seven women (The Pennywhistlers) doing primarily Eastern European music - traveling all over the US and Canada and recording as well. In the 1960s, Saal traveled with me when I was singing and in the 1980s and 90s, I traveled with him while he racked up 13 national racquetball championships.
I left NCEY when Nina was born in 1967. We moved from Manhattan to Mt. Vernon in 1968. I was a docent at the American Craft Museum and co-chair of Mt. Vernon Women Strike for Peace. Saal went on to be the Executive Director of the NY State Division for Human Rights, and, ultimately, to found EEO Compliance Services, Inc. in 1974 - a consulting firm devoted to Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action in which we both worked - he running the day-to-day operation and I doing management training (sexual harassment, equal treatment, etc.) with clients all over the country. I have run the firm since his retirement in 1996 when he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease.
Mine has been a charmed life. I inherited my 95 year old mother's genes and am supremely healthy and fit -and love to work at keeping it that way. My work is satisfying and provides me with the ability to indulge myself in all the art, theatre, music and travel I crave - which is considerable! My friends (among my closest, some from Davis) and family are a delight and have been endlessly supportive, both as fans and as sustainers.
I think my Davis education prepared me well for the academic world, and my social experience, for the real world. I've learned to live contentedly as a maverick. My place at Davis was as a marginal insider (band, drama society. GO store) and as an outsider (unglamorous "Bohemian"). My "outsider" side was "in" with my camp friends (for the most part, more important to me than my school friends and, sometimes, overlapping), so I was able to tread suburban waters until I could swim free.
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Judith
SIMBERKOFF Martialay
Briar Cliff, NY
Teacher
Mt. Holyoke, Columbia Grad; BA, MA
Married
Children: 2
After graduating from College where I majored in languages, I spent two years in France, teaching English conversation in French schools. I taught French and Spanish in Bethpage High School. My husband, Javier, is from Spain. We have two daughters, Elizabeth, who is a lawyer, and Mary Lou is a journalist.
Since retiring, I am doing what I always wanted to do if I had the time. My "serious" work is lobbying for foreign language education, very frustrating, but very important. I have been painting mostly landscapes, many of Lake George where we have a second home. I go to art school
I have also been taking guitar lessons for several years now. Recently, I have been appreciating more the sound of classical music and piano. Maybe it's old age, maybe it's because guitar can be more difficult than piano.
We have traveled several time to Spain. We went to my husband's 50 "colegio" reunion in Vitoria, in the Basque country, a few years ago. Last year, we went to Israel and to Egypt. We're planning a trip next year to Ethiopia.
I have stayed in contact with some of our classmates who are my good friends. Looking back, the size of the school, not too small, yet not too big to be impersonal, was ideal. Our class was big enough so that there were always new people to meet. The ethnic and racial diversity of Mount Vernon helped to prepare us for the diverse world that we would live in in the future.
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Ragnar SJONVALL
Eastchester, NY
Chemist
Concordia College; Valperaiso University - BA in Chemistry
Married 45 years to Sharon, Davis Grad 1959
Children: (3) Janine, Douglas, Jonathan
Grandchildren: (2) Andrew and Alison
Jobs: Chemist with American Sugar Refining Co.
.......Chemist with Best Foods, Div. of Corn Products
.......Senior Research Specialist, with General Foods Corp.
Owned own Candy Business until retirement in 1999
Extensive travel to Europe during career with General Foods
Enjoy my retirement, taking care of grandchildren, playing golf and traveling.
I suppose you could say that Mount Vernon had an affect on my life since had I not been there I would not have met my wife to whom I have been married to for 45 years.
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Michael SORRENTINO
Ridgefield, CT
Manhattan College, BBA
Married
Children: 4
Grandchildren: 3
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Marjorie "Marge" SPEARS Soloff
Orlando, FL
Artist, Writer, Research, Sales and Website Designer,
etc.
NYU
Married 46+ years to Jerry
Children: 2 Daughters, Roberta and Linda
Grandchildren:(4) Orlando, Olivia 10, Amy 6; Los Gatos, CA, Jonathan 10,
Meredith 6
After graduating high school, I
was first a Home Economics major with an Anthropology minor at New York
University until I blew up the Chemistry Lab and burned a hole into my right
index finger, thus preventing me from my chosen career of opening refrigerator
doors on TV like Betty Furness. So I ended up writing my term paper, combining
both subjects on "THE EATING HABITS OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN" which
was widely acknowledged as a brilliant paper in its day. So great was this
paper, that my Anthropology professor, published my work in her name! I
then switched to Child and Abnormal Psychology until the professor one day,
told us the only thing we had to remember was the book we used in her class....
to take it and use it on the child's rear end. It was at this moment, that
I decided I did not need the education of this University and got married
instead.
After leaving Mount Vernon, I have lived in Stony Point, NY, Kankakee, IL,
Mahopac, NY, Dover, DE, Rye Brook, NY and Plantation, FL and for the past
15 years, Orlando, FL. Most of our moves were because of my husband's many
financial positions as a Controller with General Foods and United Brands
Corporations. We have traveled to many places in the U.S., Canada, Mexico,
Hawaii, Bermuda and Cruises to the many islands in the Caribbean.
With a terrific math and science background from high school (aced all the
regents in geometry, algebra, advanced algebra, trig, biology and chemistry),
I became self-taught in anything I chose to teach myself. I decided to become
an artist in later life and now paint anything that does not move for more
than 30 seconds and my favorite canvas to paint on, are rocks. But alas,
living in Florida, we are devoid of the mineral, except for coral rocks.
Frustration is a word now embedded in my mind at the thought of those beautiful
rocks I left behind up North. I have thus become an unknown artist, writer
of clean adult humor, writer and illustrator of children's stories, a poet,
and creator of large crossword puzzles and delve deeply into genealogy.
I have painted large children's murals on walls. I also do sculpting in
clay and have had a stint as a potter using the wheel. I design web sites,
having currently 6 sites on the Internet including an award winning research
site on historical and archival information about Jewish Orphanages in the
United States. I am now very well known in genealogy circles throughout
out the United States and the world.
I have become very adept on the Power Mac computer and can now hold my own
in the best of computing circles. I have collected stamps, coins, miniature
chairs, feline objects and now people. I am a fantastic cook, but no longer
do so unless I feel like it, and have also written a cookbook that has not
been published. I have worked in the Advertising Field in Market Research
at one of the top ten agencies in NYC and was also a Supervisor of Billing
at both a textile and a petroleum company. I have owned several businesses
including designing and selling art rubber stamps and selling gold and silver
jewelry.
While my children were in high school, I was the enrichment coordinator
for the high school for 3 years bringing in programs that included famous
people from all fields. I also ran the College Career Program and the Youth
Employment office. I have been President of many organizations, such as
Junior Women's Club, PTAs, Welcome Wagon, different charities, etc., served
as Girl Scout Cookie Chairman and have given my time to many other volunteer
programs too numerous to list. I have also written and narrated fashion
shows for charities, as well as run book fairs, bazaars and auctions. I
have worked in the Tourist trade here in Orlando assisting my husband and
do quite a lot of research on various subjects.
I have sent two daughters to college, Roberta to Boston University where
she graduated with a degree in Communications, and Linda to Cornell University
where she graduated with a degree in Computer Science. I have also bowled
a 227 in my bowling league and received a trophy for my performance. I have
been exposed to almost every known subject and can beat all the contestants
on Jeopardy while watching at home.
With 4 gorgeous, brilliant grandchildren, Jonathan, Olivia, Meredith and
Amy, one husband named Jerry, who has put up with me for 46 plus years,
my 2 daughters and sons in-law, Alan and Elias, I am also Mom to 5 cats
and a dog. I have rescued Muscovy ducks, now rescue feral cats, stare back
at Sand Hill cranes who peek through my windows, chase alligators, watch
armadillos and enjoy annoying people in my spare time.
I'm tired!!!!!
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Larry SPECTOR
Incline Village, NV
Commercial Real Estate Development
Duke University, BA; NYU Law School
Married to Cathy
Children: (3) Ronald, Nancy, Karyn
Grandchildren: 4
Hospital Administrator - Tucson, AZ
Past President - Arizona Association of health Care Facilities
Regional Governor - American College of Health Care Administrators
Commercial Real Estate Development
Started various companies in outdoor advertising and consumer electronics
Enjoy travel, skiing, hiking, tennis, kayaking and hiking
Volunteer counselor for SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives)
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Richard SPERANDIO
Irvington, NY
Previous, General Construction; Present, Real Estate Owner
Westchester Community College; Assoc. Construction Engineer
Married
Children: 3 Daughters; 43, 41, 12
After 25 years, as a successful General Contractor, retired at 55. Had home in Key West, FL and NY. Obtained Captain's License to charter my boat for fishing and traveling to Cuba where I met Fidel Castro. I made about 14 trips to Cuba, transporting T.V. personnel, humanitarian aid, swimmers from Havana, Cuba to Key West. Made headlines when caught smuggling cigars from Cuba to Key West. In Miami Herald: "Key West Captain Up in Smoke".
After that adventure, I returned to NY full time and concentrated on owning and operating apartment house real estate which I am presently involved in.
I re-married to my present wife in 1992 and have a 13 year old daughter along with a 43 and 41. I am living at present address for 10 years.
A.B. Davis afforded me some of the best years of my life. I made great friends and have many fond memories of those years. I also enjoyed the sports which helped me to prepare for life ahead. I wish we could turn back the years of time to recapture those times.
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Sylvia STEMPEL Robb
Glen Rock, NJ
Teaching and Administration
University of Michigan, B.A., History;
Several M.A.s in areas of professional and personal interest
CTFA certificate from the Institute of Certified Bankers
Married to Ernie
Children: 3 sons
Grandchildren: 4
Professional:
25 years in public education as a social studies teacher and school administrator.
Deciding that there was more to life than schoolteaching, I "retired"
to Wealth Management (trusts, etc.) at Wachovia Bank. I plan to genuinely
retire in December.
Personal:
I married Ernie after I graduated from the U. of M. I spent the first
five years of married life in Richmond, Va., where Ernie was a research
chemist at Philip Morris, and we were "carpetbaggers" in the very
dynamic civil rights era. A very cultural experience for a northern
city girl who grew up in a culturally diverse part of the country- a real
eye-opener! We moved back to NJ when Ernie started teaching at Stevens
Tech, and I started teaching. We have three sons and four grandchildren.
One son and his family live in England, which guarantees us at least
one trip abroad per year.
When I think of high school now, after 25 years in public education, I realize what a quality education was there for us. I only wish that, like probably most of our class, I had had fewer anxieties, hormones and all of the other elements of teenage angst and could have gotten more out of it. Mrs. Fleming's grammar rules came in very handy, and Mr. Rock really turned me on to history. Also, much as I loved going to school in Ann Arbor, I regret losing touch with so many high school friends. I am really excited about the reunion and hope lots of us are there to renew those friendships.
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Denise STURDIVANT Taylor
Mount Vernon, NY
Senior Court Clerk with New York State Family Court
Divorced
Children: (4) Wanda, Wheeler, Gregory and Thomas
Grandchildren: 8 and 1 Great Grandson
I worked at the New York State Family Court in New Rochelle, NY for 34 years. I was a Senior Court Clerk. I sat in the courtroom with the Judge and took notes. I put the dispositions on the calendar and order reports or anything else needed.
I bowl in 2 very competitive leagues, which I enjoy very much. Every year we travel to another state to compete in tournaments.
I've gone on 3 cruises in the last 6 years and I'm going again in June 2005.
I enjoy spending time with my children and all of my grandchildren. I enjoy working with a group in my church to raise money for books for the college students.
I received a good business background, which helped me to excel in my jobs. You were also taught respect for your teachers and your peers.
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Gloria TARRANT
Coleman
Mount Vernon, NY
Executive Director of Parking Authority (Retired), Real Estate and
Mortgage Broker, School Board Trustee (Seeking 3rd Term), Power Broker,
Politics
Iona College, A (Double Major), New School for Social Research (Advanced
Degree Pending); BA
Widowed
Children: 3
Grandchildren: 6
Lifelong Resident of Mount Vernon
LICENSES: Real Estate Broker; Mortgage Broker; Health Insurance; Notary Public; Wholesale
COMMUNITY SERVICES (Information): Kiwanis Bd.of Director; 1ST Vice President of NAACP; Fundraiser for the MVHS Football; Fundraiser for the Caribbean Hurricane Relief (two events): Salvation Army; Senior Citizens; Holiday Toys for Williams & Graham Elementary Schools; Fund raiser for Special Olympics at Traphagen School; Fundraiser for Blythedale Children's Hospital; Food for the Needy Program; Eastern Star; youth Shelter (Founding Member); Community Payback Prgm (1st Alternative to Incarceration Prgm in NY State); GED PREP Program (1st Non-District Pre-GED/GED Prgm. in Mt Vernon; G.A.L.s (GALS Alternative to Learning Services); Proposal Writer; Mt Vernon After School Enrichment Programs (Incorporator).
SCHOOL BOARD (Information): Trustee since 1999; Bldg. & Grds. Chair for two years; Food Service Chair for two years; Architect of the Code of Conduct and District Wide Safety Plans; Resolutions Chair; Fundraising Activities Chair; Construction Inspection Team; Policy Writer; Advocate for Taxpayers and the Community; Consistent and Accessible; Reliable and Trustworthy; Commendable Attendance at School Board Meetings, School and District Events; Negotiations and Contracts Board Representative; parliamentarian; Proposal Writer; Education Committee (Member); Fiscal Oversight; Research Resolutions, Education mandates and Policies; Always Prepared for all Meetings.
What I learned not only at Davis, but also at all of the schools I attended in Mt. Vernon, and the people I met along the way, helped shape the things that I have done. My family also play an important and tremendous role in supporting my dreams and aspirations and allowing me the room to spreand my wings and grow.
Perhaps that is one of the reasons I choose to serve on the Board of Education --to not only give back, but also to make certain that the students in the Mount Vernon City School District receive a relevant and challenging education that will help them to realize their own dreams.
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Shirley THANE
Milano
Beverly Hills, Fl
Medical Assistant
Married
Children: 1
Grandchildren: 2
Worked as Secretary to VP Irving Trust Co. NYC. for 6 years. Was stay at home mom for 9 years, then entered the medical field working part time @ St. John's Riverside Hospital, Yonkers in Radiology for 1 year then 13 years with a urologist + 11 years as a medical assistant with a gastroenterologist. Retired 1994, moved to Florida.
In 1995 did Caribbean cruise, 1996 went to Spain, Portugal, Morocco + Madeira, 1998 took a cruise around the Greek Islands + 2000 flew to London, England + did 3 weeks 9 country tour. Hopefully we're anticipating more. We belong to 3 bowling leagues which keeps me active. Do a lot of dining out + happy hours.
My son is a civil Engineer for city of N. Y. in DEP + have 2 granddaughters 8 + 13.
I enjoyed my 4 years at Davis -met many friends +formed lasting friendships. Most of the teachers were great giving us an education + also teaching responsibility, independence + values.
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Florence
WAGMAN Roisman
Indianapolis, IN
Michael D. McCormick Professor of Law, Indiana University School of
Law - Indianapolis
U. of Conn. (1959) - with High Honors and Distinction in English and in
History, Phi Beta Kappa; Harvard Law School (1963) (cum laude)
Divorced
Children: 3
Grandchildren: One hoped for circa June 1, 2005
I spent several decades as a legal services lawyer, specializing in litigation against the federal government, usually about low-income housing and homelessness issues. During those years, I also taught law - sometimes full-time, but more often as an adjunct. In 1993, I was teaching three courses as an adjunct - two at Georgetown and one at George Washington - while working full time as a litigator. I took that as a sign that I really wanted to return to full-time teaching, which I did - first at Georgetown (as a visiting professor), then at Widener, in Delaware, for two years, and since 1997 here at Indiana, where I've found living in the mid-West surprisingly pleasant.I very much focus on social justice issues, and on encouraging students and other teachers to advance human rights.
When I transferred to A.B. Davis for my junior year, I began a friendship with Gladys Kessler. That has enriched my life immeasurably. I recall with great appreciation two teachers from A.B. Davis - "Pop: Phillips and Roberta Flemming. Every time I correct the grammar and diction in a student's (or colleague's) writing, I think of Mrs. Flemming.
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Bette WARM Feingold
Savannah, Georgia
Reading Specialist - Special Needs - Teacher
Boston University; Simmons College - B.S., M.S.
Married
Children: 4
Grandchildren: 5
Jobs: Teaching until retirement in 2000 - Loved it!
Travel: U.S., Central America, Europe
Sports: golf, fitness, dance
Hobbies: Bridge, gardening, cooking, golf, reading
Mt. Vernon: It was wonderful then as it is now!
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Sextant Consultants, Inc., Urban Planner & Adjunct Faculty at
Maryhurst College
Dartmouth College, B.A., Philosophy; Columbia University, Masters In Urban
Planning; Lewis and Clark College, Masters in Counseling Psychology
Married
Children: Son, Erik
Grandchildren: (2) Josiah and Noah
1955-1959: Dartmouth College, B.A., Philosophy, active in student
government
1959-1960: Traveled for a year in Europe. Sort of the grand-tour starting
in Amsterdam and ending up in Rome for the winter; France in the spring,
and England late spring, visiting classmates at Oxford and Cambridge.
1960-61: Worked for the City of Mt. Vernon in the new Urban Renewal Office
1961-1963: Earned a Maters in Urban Planning from Columbia University while
working PT in Mt. Vernon.
1963-1965: Worked for Brown and Anthony City Planners in New York City,
lived on West 99th Street on the upper West side.
1963: Was one of 7 member expedition which attempted to climb a new ridge
of Mt. St. Elias in Alaska
1965-1969: Worked for Stanford Research Institute in Menlo Park, CA doing
urban economic research. Lived at first in Menlo Park, then moved to Pasadena
where SRI had an office
1968: Married Ann Shankland. Moved back to San Francisco
1969: Worked for Marshall Kaplan, Gans and Kahn, a San Francisco urban planning
firm doing a national evaluation of the Model Cities Program
1970: Son, Erik born in San Francisco
1970-1975: Planning consultant in San Francisco
1972: Co-leader of a 30 day climbing expedition to Mt. St. Elias. First
ascent of the southwest ridge
1975: Urban Planning Expert with the United Nations Development Program
in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (12 months)
1975: Trekking in Nepal for 2 months after completing UN work in Malaysia.
Contracted hepatitis. Returned to San Francisco and convalesced for 3 months
1975: Came to Portland, Oregon to run a project and office for Dornbusch
and Company, a San Francisco urban economics firm. Directed projects for
the Corps of Engineers regarding planning for water for the Portland Area.
1978-2004: Established Sextant Consultants, Inc., a consulting firm with
two partners. Conducted urban planning and economic studies for HUD, local
communities. Expanded work to include management consulting.
1978: Climbing expedition to Nepal to climb Tent Peak, an outlyer of Annapurna.
1960-Present: Adjunct Faculty in management to Maryhurst College. Taught
courses in organizational development, strategic planning, business management.
1981: Son, Erik, graduated from Cornell University in electrical engineering
1987: Divorc