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CLASS NOTES
Everett Weinberger The Class of '86 committee is gathering steam! We've had several meetings to plan social events to bring classmates together and also build stronger ties to the College (no solicitations). We will definitely unite for a tailgate at the 2002 Homecoming game, but be on the lookout for other events. At the last meeting, also attended by two helpful representatives of the Alumni Office (yes, they do care), were Rick Wolf, who's worked hard to make something happen, Renan Pierre, Nat Litwak, Dave Lebowitz, Erik Goluboff, Mike Gilligan, Chris Tahbaz, Ward Dennis, Jim Romano, Dave Lee, Mike Parent and yours truly. When you consider that we had fewer people at our 15th reunion, this turnout indicates that our class is looking to get more involved. Speaking of Dave Lee, he acquired Capstone Real Estate Group, a commercial real estate investment group in Manhattan. He lives on the Upper East Side with his wife, Amy. Bernie Yee left Sony and is putting together an Internet-based entertainment company. Interested angel investors can contact him at bernie.yee@mail.com. Bernie told me that Bill Fink and his wife, Lex, had a baby, Serena. Mike Solender, formerly general counsel of the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission, has rejoined Arnold and Porter as a partner in the Washington, D.C., office. Mike is married to Holly Fogler, who also works at Arnold and Porter as special counsel, and they have three children: Brian, Morgan and Andrew. And lastly, Solomon Gayle '85 established a $50,000 scholarship at the College in honor of his fiancee, Seilai Khoo, who passed away in the September 11 tragedy. Friends can contribute by contacting the College.
Sarah A. Kass We start off this issue with the wonderful news of three births. Ilene (Weinstein) Lederman and her husband, Marcos, welcomed a daughter, Hannah Grace. She was born on December 15, her father's birthday, and was a healthy 7 lbs., 20 inches. Her grandfather is Ed Weinstein '57 (who also dropped me a note about his new granddaughter) and her uncle is Jim Weinstein '84. Congratulations! Another hearty congratulations goes to our southwest region reunion chair, Barbara DiDomenico Geary, who, with her husband, Chris, announce the arrival of Joseph Robert Geary on October 3. He was 6 lbs., 13.5 oz. and 20 inches long. Joe already has a Web site (www.joegeary.net). Barbara writes: "Because we live in Arizona and our families are on the East Coast, the Web site is the easiest way for everyone to see pictures." The Gearys have been in Arizona since December 1998 because Barbara began to manage the Phoenix office of Neptune Marketing. "I am president of Neptune and general counsel to it and its affiliated companies, most of which are in the telecommunications field. It is a small family enterprise (14 employees), with offices in Perth Amboy, N.J., and Phoenix, that is owned by my brother. Neptune is an agent or part of a third party distribution channel for various carriers including MCI WorldCom, Qwest, Cable & Wireless, Broadwing, and so forth. We do telecommunications consulting and sales to businesses. I am also working on a prepaid wireless/debit project for which we are seeking outside investor funding." Barbara also reports that Tom Johnston is working with Cushman & Wakefield in Phoenix. He and his wife, Jane, have two daughters, Molly and Katie. The third congratulations goes to Tristan Davies who announced that he and his wife, Janet Encarnacion, welcomed their first child, Eli, on September 4, 2001. "Janet and I celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary in July 2001, but those who knew me at Columbia will likely recall that we were an item even then. My friends will remember me as a biochemistry major, too, but that part of my life has evolved dramatically. After four years as a Ph.D. student in neurobiology at Duke, I ditched science for TV news, becoming a producer at a station in Durham, N.C. Janet went to medical school, and matched to a residency in Springfield, Mo., so I became a reporter at that city's NBC station. News burned me out faster than expected, so I'm now in my third career, as public relations/publications/marketing (we call it university communications) director at Drury University, a small but regionally well-known university in Springfield." Mark Promersberger lives in Shepherdstown, W.V., with his wife of 12 years, Rhonda. "After completing fellowships in ophthalmology, I went into private practice in the hills of West Virginia where I specialize in glaucoma, anterior segment surgery and pediatric ophthalmology. When I am not trying to prevent blindness, I can usually be found alongside my wife kayaking or cutting blues licks on my sax, harp or guitar with a local house band." Mark is trying to get in touch with his old lab partner Jon Seckler. Judy Kim told me that Eric Mendelson is the new Florida reunion chair. He is there running Heico, an airplane parts company, with his wife and two children. In addition, Yale Fergang, Larry Alletto, Mike Liebowitz and George Stone have joined the class gift committee. And speaking of our reunion, don't forget the date: May 30. It's just a few weeks away, and the committees have been slaving away to make our 15th an amazing celebration. I hope to see you there!
George Gianfrancisco My recent sojourn to the booming suburban metropolis of Randolph, N.J., for the nuptials of one Drew David Krause brought to mind a number of issues. Confronted with the extant members of my football recruiting class (and the penultimate marriage of the same), I was forced into contemplation even as the beer flowed and the whiskey chased. Feeling a bit like Charlton Heston in The Omega Man, my mind wandered to the sense of ironic contradiction that Camp Columbia evokes in that warm, moist place I call my memory. For a second, I look around the group of compadres and feel as if we are huddled up at Baker, lined up at The Pub or sprawled over knock-down furniture in the lounge of 4 Carman, most barely better dressed now than they were back then for a night at Beefsteak Charlie's. I think about Carl Schaerf, a 4 Carmanite, roommate to the late Chet Levitt. Carl, happily married for almost a decade with two wonderful children, is a litigator. He has an office that faces Ground Zero. I realize that everything has changed. How can I not feel old? The gray hairs are visible on those all around me, especially my head. The belly on the fittest of the group is now alarmingly significant. My knees ache. The hamstring I tore 15 years ago suddenly hurts. Donald Ross from the Society of Columbia Graduates sent me a letter asking me to recommend candidates. I immediately think of many of you. Many, many of you. Then I stop and ponder this entreaty. The only thing I should be recommending is a good bar at which to get a cocktail or six. I feel old. But my memory feels young. Is the memory of Columbia so warm in retrospect, so incoherent from this point, that it nourishes a warped sense of maturity whenever it is looked back upon? Nick Leone and Durc Savini have children who are closer to their first years at Columbia than either of them. David Putelo has two daughters. Mike Bissinger is a father, for Pete's sake, as his newborn daughter reminded us at 3 a.m. every night during which I visited. Everything is different. Even Martin Lewison, barely cognizant that we had a varsity 11 on campus then, is a faithful follower of the current Light Blue, going so far as to fly from Pittsburgh (where he finally finished up his Ph.D. at Pitt's B school) to Philly to see the Penn game a few years back. Now he teaches at the University of Arkansas in what smacks of Green Acres-ish delights. Everything must have changed. And I am just way behind the eight ball. But wait... John Miller still dresses with the same flair for matching earth tones as he did in 1984. I am still able to work up a mean scowl. To a man, the recruiting class that time forgot can still drink far too much for far too long. Are things different? Or do we just look at things differently? Drew Krause had wed. And his betrothal to the beautiful Effie came complete with Effie's lustrous daughter, Krysta. Drew hadn't merely wed. Poof ... he had made an entire family in one afternoon. A letter from Emily Skopov, a writer doing time on a sci-fi TV series in L.A., made me realize that maybe I have changed but I just act the same. Emily recently gave birth to a daughter, Austen. She met the father, Todd Normane, through an online service that she described in terms that made me not want to get near my laptop, and after three months, he had moved west from Jersey (did the teeming Randolph lose a citizen?). And marry ... they didn't. She tells me that the way you view the world is altered after you bring life into it. I think she must be right. For I still see things a certain way. But only, I think, at certain times. For a moment I feel sorry for nailing her with that water bottle at football camp junior year as she ferreted libations to dehydrating, foolhardy oafs. Then I think better of it and feel no more remorse than I did that day in Blair, N.J. some 15 years ago. But when I am in Randolph, I feel alone. I know that I shouldn't, but I do nonetheless. I am amongst people with whom I have bled, suffered, reveled and worse. Still, the group planned to retire to one of its Connecticut manse for fireworks and finger-painting with the children for New Year's Eve. Having been summarily ejected from the booming Randolph early in the a.m. by an un-amused Bissinger spouse, I journeyed to Miami at daybreak. Rubbing sleep out of my eyes, wondering if I am still that reckless young man, just a bit grayer, a step slower, with every ounce of energy and guile. Or if I just felt that way when I was around those guys. Either way, I had a good time. I always do when I think about Columbia. I feel that way. Like nothing has, or ever will, change. I hope you all do, too.
Amy Perkel Our deepest sympathies go out to Chris Della Pietra and his family for the loss of his much-loved brother, Joseph Della Pietra '99. Joe was an employee of Cantor Fitzgerald and was one of 11 Poly Prep alumni lost in the downing of the World Trade Center. In remembrance of Joe, the Della Pietras have joined with other families in creating the collective Poly Prep September 11 Memorial Fund to benefit future students who qualify for financial aid and scholarships. Chris notes that there has been no lack of support and a lot of outreach to the families of the victims, with a number of well-delivered services and receptions. "It has been the best of the worst," he observes. To contribute to the Poly Prep fund, please send a donation, and indicate on whose behalf you are giving, to Poly Prep CDS, September 11 Memorial Fund, c/o Development Office, 9216 7th Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11228. Heidi (Himelfelt) Wolpow, her husband, Adam, and their 4-year-old son, Jason, welcomed baby Benjamin into their lives on February 24, 2001. Heidi recently became a fellow of the Society of Actuaries after 10 years of taking exams. She works full-time at Ernst & Young doing human resources consulting, working with large employers to help them restructure their health and welfare benefits, and at the end of the day starts her second shift at home, taking care of her boys, work that she admits she enjoys more than her day job. Adam is a stay-at-home dad. After graduating from the College, Heidi got her degree in industrial engineering from SEAS in 1990. After a year as an engineer, she realized that though she loved the academic side of engineering, she didn't enjoy the work as much. So with some advice from a good friend and classmate, Bill Nelson (who lives in England with his wife, Kathy, 4-year-old son, Collen, and 1-year-old daughter, Clare, and is a writer and a stay-at-home dad), Heidi decided to start taking the actuarial exams. She did not realize what she was getting into — these are a series of exams (close to 20) that take, on average, 7–10 years to complete. The early exams are intensive math exams, and the later ones deal with insurance, risk, finance and so forth. After 10 years, she is finished. Heidi had worked at Milliman & Robertson, an actuarial consulting firm, for six years, doing healthcare consulting. A few months ago, she joined E&Y. She has been married for more than 10 years to Adam; they had dated since sophomore year of high school. The Wolpows have been on Long Island since they were married and purchased their house in Plainview four years ago. Heidi would love to hear from classmates. You can reach her at hlw1007@aol.com. Much thanks to Michael Schrag, who provided me the following "Report from the Best Coast." "You should have seen Andrea Franchett walking across the stage to receive her M.D. from UCSD with son Oscar (4) at her side, son Eli (1) in one arm and daughter Ruby (1) in the other. Proud husband Michael Schrag (how many other '89-'89 marriages are out there?) was snapping photos. After six years in La Jolla, Calif., Andrea dragged the family to beautiful Sonoma County where she is now a first-year family practice resident at the Sutter Hospital in Santa Rosa. Michael spent a few years at a large San Diego law firm prosecuting securities fraud class actions and now practices law with his father, working on complex product liability and consumer fraud cases. The move back to northern California gives them more time to see Erik Price, his wife, Paula, and their children Sasha (6) and Ben (4). "After several years as an academic adviser at UC Berkeley, where he guided student-athletes through the maze of NCAA and Pac-10 requirements, and a cup of coffee as an Internet media consultant, Erik dove into the political arena. He is the chief of staff for a local attorney and school board member who is running for a State Assembly seat. The Prices and Schrags see David Streitfeld as often as possible. Dave married San Francisco actress Deb Fink, a close high school friend of Erik and Michael's. Dave accumulated enough food and wine knowledge working the elite SF restaurant scene to have his own show on the Food Channel. Instead, however, he earned an M.S. in computer science and is now reverse commuting to the Valley, where is a programmer for high-tech behemoth Intuit. "Michael, Erik and Dave were unable to convince Jeff Udell to move to California and fully reunite this Ruggles foursome. Last November, Jeff and his wife, Lucy, became the proud parents of Micaela Udell, whose Lion credentials were firmly established when she was born at Columbia Presbyterian. After serving time in a major NYC law firm, Jeff escaped to the U.S. Attorney's Office in Manhattan, where he now works in the public corruption unit." A late-December trip to Los Angeles proved to be fruitful for Class Notes. Looking for any excuse to get down to L.A., I was keen to see whom I might run into at the alumni event, a reception on the UCLA campus followed by the Columbia Lions basketball team competing against the Bruins. It was a great game, as summarized in a Columbia write-up: "After trailing the number 15-ranked team in the nation by 22 points with 10 minutes to go, the Lions staged a furious, heart-stopping rally to cut the lead to four with just over a minute to play before bowing in defeat, 64-55." I was pleased to run into Duane Bartsch, Frank Seminara, Benny Seybold, Russell Glober and Matt Sodl '88, who are all doing well and looking terrific. With his still-fabulous, close-cropped, curly blond hair, Duane has his own practice, where he serves as a defense attorney. Frank, who played professional baseball for three years with the Mets and Padres organizations following graduation, was in town visiting his in-laws. He and his wife have twins, a boy and a girl. Frank is a financial planner for Morgan Stanley Dean Witter, based out of New Jersey. Benny continues his career in real estate. He is a vice president with CB Richard Ellis in Anaheim. We got to meet Benny's new daughter, Madison, at the basketball game; Benny has two older sons, as well. Russell continues to write scripts while he does his day job as a personal trainer. Matt is an investment banker specializing in the gaming industry. I
also was able to visit Barbara Rosenthal Bagley, who gave
birth to Sara Rosenthal Bagley in December. Both looked well only a
few weeks after Sara's birth. Much thanks to Kathrin Wanner '90, my
host while in L.A., and my high school and college tennis partner.
Kathrin is a partner with the law firm of Mannat Phelps &
Phillips. Much thanks, also, to Elaine Matthews of the Alumni
Office, who helped organize the terrific alumni event at UCLA,
allowing us to reconnect. It was so terrific seeing Duane, Frank,
Benny and Russell — after not seeing them since graduation
— that I'd really like to begin encouraging everyone now to
start thinking about attending our 15th anniversary reunion, set
for the spring of 2004.
Rachel J. Cowan Let's all take a long walk down memory lane to freshman year. In a word association game, if I heard uranium or bike ride to Montreal, I'd instantly think Ken Hechtman. It seems that others think more or less the same way, including Michael Moore and Pete Neisuler, who each sent me links to news stories about Ken. From reports in the San Francisco Chronicle to news from BBC World, we've learned that Ken, a freelance journalist in Canada, was taken prisoner by the Taliban in late November. He was caught without travel documents in Afghanistan, 10 miles from the Pakistani border. After being held for four days, Canadian diplomats negotiated his release. A bit closer to home, I heard from Carol Shahmoon and Marc Seidenberg, who are thrilled to announce the birth of their third child, Jordan Matthew, on November 1. His siblings Rachel (412) and Jake (3) also are delighted. Carol is taking a break from Morgan Stanley, where she practices securities law, to hang around their Great Neck house with the kids. Marc is a financial adviser with Merrill Lynch. Laura Shaw Frank had her third child in October. Elinadav Asaf (Davi) is the baby brother of Ateret (4) and Yanniv (2). Richard Waldman '58 is proud to announce that his son, Mitchell T. Waldman '90E, became a first-time father. His daughter, Kaitlin Sarah Waldman, Class of 2022, was born on December 11. He and his wife, Jolene, are happy to have her around, as is her grandpa. I've also learned that Eleni Demtriou, her husband John Passalaris (Tina's brother), and their daughter Maria (3), bought a house near Princeton, N.J., where John joined a medical practice. I have some exciting news of my own: I am a season ticket holder for the Durham Bulls. Front row, too. If you find yourself in the Triangle wanting to see some baseball, let me know.
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