1988

I get a couple hundred e-mail messages a day at times, but the ones I read immediately are those I get from you, my class of '88 friends (yes, sucking up for more. Was it that noticeable?).

For instance, I heard from Guido Sandler. He's living in Berlin, with wife Carolin and three children, Philippa (7), Valentin (4), and Carolotta (3). Get this cool stuff: after various positions in industry and banking he founded his own bank together with three partners three years ago. They initially concentrated on IPO-business and asset management, but last year they entered into a Joint Venture with E*Trade and founded E*Trade Germany AG. Well, they sold their bank to Consors Discount Brokers AG earlier this year, Guido took off, and now is spending time with family before he decides on his next adventure.

Traveling southeast of Guido, really far, Michael Zink and family checked in with us. Brother Michael and I share a bond: we've been with the same company since graduation, he with Citibank, and me with Motorola. While my jobs have taken me North to Libertyville Ill., and as far south as Schaumburg Ill., that's where the similarities end. After a brief stint in New York, Betsy and Mike have been in six countries -- Ivory Coast, Gabon, Tunisia, Russia, Australia and Indonesia. He's now Citibank's country head for Indonesia, living in Jakarta. They have four children, Emily (11), Katie (9), Alexandra (7) and Gabriel (4.) As Mike puts it, four little American citizens who have only visited America, but have seen a great deal of the world and have a wonderful perspective because of it.

A bit closer to my home, I heard from Pat Albright, and his wife Christine, who is busy with Pat's two stepsons Tony (13), and Drew(6 1/2), and his two daughters Samantha (2), and Grace (born in November). They've recently spent time in Colorado with Alice Munro, her husband John, as well as Dan Magill, wife Pam, and their three kids. Pat's the president and COO for a small (20 people, growing fast) data analytics firm, based in Des Plaines Ill. The firm does a lot of analytical and predictive work in the financial services, retail and telecommunication markets. No small potatoes; clients already include VISA, Discover, Principal Financial and McLeod USA (phone company based in Cedar Rapids). Looking to outsource database and customer analytic needs? Check out their Web site at www.datacosolutions.com.

Reported earlier that Heather Donnelly Annaloro married this year. They're hurrying down the aisle on their way to a honeymoon in Maui and Lanai, Hawaii. Charlie is with Solomon Smith-Barney, and Heather's consulting part-time for a dot-com version of NY Times, Abuzz.com. Having fun building their "nest."

	Heather Donnelly '88 married Charlie Annaloro this year.

Mark Proudfoot and Hanne Olsen Proudfoot are on the move again. They bought part of a company in Pennsylvania and are now managing it. The company, Renkert Oil, is a player in oil business providing help to process oil wells. They have three children, and their hands full.

Amy Wahlert Principi, Joe, Molly (4th grade) and Nick (1st grade) survived a kitchen/ bathroom/other remodeling project. Amy's editor/writer for her church bulletin, so she's a goddess of desktop publishing among other skills. She's also publicity director for a couple of churches, so she's doing the press release/writing routine, big time.

Brent Koehler has said so long to Lucent Technologies. He, along with wife Becky and their two children, Michael (7) and Matthew (3), are packing up from Texas to move home to Minnesota. They're building a house in the western suburb of Shorewood, minutes from Lake Minnetonka and close to lifelong friends and family.

Martha Larson writes: "I'm teaching graduate and undergraduate classes in advertising and marketing communications. Have a wonderful five-year-old son named Oscar. We are enjoying the Colorado lifestyle -- camping, skiing, hiking. Would love to connect with other alums in the area!"

Dennis Sheehan and family checked in. Dennis is with Intel, and will be taking an eight-week sabbatical this summer to golf, and golf. Dennis is a director in cellular components division. His girls, Erin (8), Katherine (9.5), and Claire (11) keep he and Mary very busy with music, swimming, and soccer.

While we're "chip"ping away at letters and e-mail messages received, happy to hear again from Tom MacDonald and Diane Collins MacDonald living near Portland. Tom's managing the fabric components division (server interconnection software). Four kids keep them occupied: Kevin (born last November), Carissa (2) Todd (6), and Sarah (8). They are missing the warm climate and fun of San Francisco, closer to Intel's home, and welcoming visitors to their abode in Portland.

Pat Ciriacks is working at APW as global program leader for Compaq, supplying telecommunications, computer and Internet markets with integrated electronics enclosures. Travels take him to Erie, San Jose, Dallas, Houston, Boston and Scotland. Otherwise, you'll find him at home serving as VP of St. Joe's Athletic Association, reading with the kids -- Kevin (6th grade), Jennifer (2nd grade) -- and working with them on piano. Pat's wife Kelly manages their home, leads Brownie troops, and volunteers at school.

Joe Duncan writes: "Co-founded natural language Q&A technology company this year called Sententia Partners. ŒSententia' is Latin for Œthought, judgment, insight.' Currently launching a family of specialized content engines. First one is ŒCorporate Think' for corporate treasury, tax and legal professionals."

As I close, looking back on these notes, I'm pleased for the happiness that many '88-ers are having. We received some beautiful pictures and brief notes from many other classmate's families. So pleased to hear from you. Personally, we're hanging in there. Motorola has its set of challenges, like many firms, and the work is more exciting, and "plentiful" than ever! Rosemary was called and selected for jury duty, not something we needed at this time, but we're doing our civic duty. She's not allowed to talk about it, but I can say it does not seem like a jaywalking incident (she will be in there for weeks, it seems). At least the time-consuming speech season is over. Now she can focus on doing lesson plans on Sunday's for her weekly substitutes, while she's on jury duty, and continuing on her Master's thesis. Jamie's putting up with our family's seven-day work weeks, recently performing beautifully at a piano recital, after which she said she wanted to retire (translations: too much all work/no play of late at home is taking its toll on her too). I suppose many of you have gone through this tribulation. She's incredibly talented, but kids need to wind down from time to time. We're working this back into a two-week sabbatical, and will see if that fits her needs.

We write a holiday letter each year, do you? Feel free to send it at this e-mail address: Langercolorado@aol.com (is it obvious Rosemary chose that?).