Greetings Fellow Alumni -

In these times when maintaining and re-establishing ties with each other seems more important than ever, I'm pleased to report that we will soon be providing a new way for you to do just that. Perhaps the most important initiative of the Alumni Board this year is to develop a Web site for our alumni. As our alumni organization has broadened and diversified - by industry (with the inclusion of the Biotechnology program), by job function or occupation (with alumni very frequently taking positions in areas such as venture capital, technology/Internet, and pharmaceuticals), and by geography - it becomes increasingly important that we look to the Internet to facilitate networking and information sharing among our alumni.

In January, we plan to make a Web site available to HIM and Biotechnology alumni that will help you:

• Identify and contact fellow HIM, Biotechnology, and other Kellogg alumni in the health care industry
  
• Find or post career opportunities
  
• Keep up to date on Kellogg HIM/Biotech program and alumni news and events
  
• Locate professional development resources

The key areas of the site will include:

• Alumni Directory - Easier ways to search the current Kellogg Alumni Directory and identify individuals in the health care industry.
  
• Job Match - Streamlined approaches to finding health care opportunities via the Kellogg Career Management Center, as well as a means to post resumes and job search interests.
  
• Resources/Useful Links - Links to useful Web sites and other resources relevant to specific industry areas and functions, recommended by alumni in the field.
  
• News and Events - Updated information on HIM and Biotech program and alumni news, activities and events
  
• About Us - Information and links to the HIM and Biotechnology programs at Kellogg, as well as the Alumni Boards for these programs.

	Web site planning: several HIM Alumni board members (l to r): Ted Pfeiffer, President Tracy Heilman, Past President Ellen Wodika, Keith Vendola, M.D., and student representative Ty Smith -- all met at the Allen Center recently for an update on the web site progress.

The Web site will be open to all HIM and Biotechnology program alumni, current students, and any Kellogg graduate with experience or interest in the health care industry. You will be able to use your current login and password to access any restricted areas of the site. If you do not have a Kellogg Web site login and password, request one today, so you are ready when the new HIM/Biotech Alumni Web Site is up and running in January!

The Kellogg Alumni Office is excited about working with us to spearhead development of our industry-based alumni Web site. We are working closely with them to tap into existing technologies and functionalities they've already created, and we're pushing the envelope a bit to provide additional features. We are excited to be "guinea pigs" in this process, as the Alumni Office expects to use our Web site as a prototype for future industry-based alumni Web sites.

I am also thrilled by the enthusiasm of the current Kellogg HIM and Biotech students to help develop and support our Web site. As future alumni, they recognize the potential value of the site and are excited about helping to build it.

Once the site is up and running, we hope you will help us continue to improve the site and serve your needs by providing feedback. You can expect the site to evolve as we learn more about how our alumni use it, and what additional purposes the site can serve.

I also wanted to take this opportunity to introduce the current HIM Alumni Board to you. We are fortunate to have a very strong and enthusiastic group of people dedicated to supporting our alumni organization!

• Tracy Heilman '95 (President) - Subimo, LLC
  
• Ted Pfeiffer '95 (Secretary) - Tiber Group
  
• Mark Dietz, MD '96 (VP and Treasurer) - MDLinx.com, Inc.
  
• David Church '99 - Tiber Group
  
• Chris Ehrlich '98 - InterWest Partners
  
• Jason Scarlett '00 - Eli Lilly
  
• Keith Vendola, MD '01 - Healthcare Investment Banking, Banc of America Securities, LLC
  
• Greg Ward '99 - Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago
  
• Scott Saywell '02 (Current Student) - Health Care and Biotechnology Club Liaison

We look forward to serving you well in the coming months and years. I invite you to contact me at theilman1995@kellogg.nwu.edu with any feedback you have about how we can strengthen and support our alumni organization.

Sincerely,

Tracy J. Heilman
Alumni Board President