EMP-39

As usual, the class of EMP-39 has been moving and shaking around the globe.

Robert Farrar provided the following update. “I have been with a really great group in Cleveland for about a year, which provides on-site medical services. I’ve joined them to build a new division centered around an exciting new health information system that provides close collaboration between healthcare providers and their patients via a wireless health pad with an Electronic Medical Record combined with a secure and personal health Web site for the patients. Then there’s also a Web site for our employer/clients that provides ‘anonymized’ data mining and analysis plus health and productivity tools.

“I have residences in the Shaker Heights area of Cleveland and the Pentagon City area of Washington, D.C., and have been alternating between those two locations for the year, in addition to my main home in Wisconsin! We have JV partners in Cleveland, D.C., Cambridge, Philadelphia, Portland, Redmond and Dallas, so it keeps me busy. Hopefully, Bonnie and I will be consolidating into one home in suburban Cleveland some time mid-year 2002.

“It was great hearing about John Erickson’s exploits on “Millionaire.” Evidently John wasn’t listening to the coughing from the audience members....

“Feel free to call on my cell phone at 216.225.8050.”

Dave Webster reports that “Lindsay, born during our second-year live-in week (which I missed) turned four in August. She is quite the gymnast, social butterfly, storyteller and actress (you should see her turn on the tears or the kisses when she needs to!). She is also a bit too smart for her dad to keep up with at times.

“My wife, Cindy, is still in wireless communications, but decided this summer to go the consultant route. She works on marketing/finance issues for her former employer, Nextel. It provides her more flexibility and time with Lindsay.

“In 2000 I moved into an internal consulting group within GM corporate strategy. The team I work with is bright, and has a broad array of experience from both inside and outside GM. I have worked on a variety of interesting projects over the last two years that touched the huge GM enterprise beyond the core automotive business including OnStar and GMAC (bank, mortgage, and real estate, insurance). A few different international projects took me to Egypt, Israel and Mexico. In June I did a quick two-week project in Kenya followed by an eight-day safari with Cindy.

“Those of you who track the auto industry know that our fortunes have changed dramatically in the last year. GM has gone from the dog to the star. We have been recognized for plant efficiency, quality, new products, improved leadership team, marketing leadership, the beginnings of a market share turnaround, and profitability relative to Chrysler and Ford (sorry Julia Caltrider).”

Ever the marketing man, Dave offered his fellow EMP-39 alumni additional savings on a new GM car above the current $2,002 rebate program that he helped develop.

William Kessler chimed in that he hopes everyone is doing great. “I’ve been promoted to director of worldwide business planning and analysis, responsible for strategic planning. If anyone has seen scholarly writing or found a guru on developing meaningful, non-generic, actionable strategic planning please let me know. I need to challenge the status quo on this. Maybe I should talk to Prof. Messick?

“Hey, Kelloggians, is there any interest in getting a picnic (or golf outing) together this summer? I offer an August date at my cottage in Waukesha County, Wis. If interested, contact me at WMKessle@SCJ.com.”

Bob Driscoll reports “the steel industry has been in the tank for the past 18 months. Roughly 20 domestic mills have closed and the few that remain are pressing the government to impose tariffs on steel imports. Five months ago we converted to JD Edwards One World system and at the same time we completed a partial plant rebuild which included a new automatic storage and retrieval system.”

Mike Weiss writes: “I’m looking to buy a Harley. Any suggestions on a specific model? The family is doing great. Delaney is now six and started playing basketball. Drew just turned five and it appears that he will be the athlete of the family. Daryl is 18-months-old and into everything. Shelley is active in our church.”

Carol Blaine offered this update from Columbus, Ohio. “Managed to hang on for over two years following the acquisition of my company, but last September new owner moved all my divisions (IT, Claims, HR) back to Massachusetts. I’m on the hunt for something new to do, hopefully along the HR lines perhaps in healthcare or maybe insurance. (Barry Cooper, thanks again for the referral, having my info on the CFO’s desk is proving helpful!)

“All is great on the home front. Mr. Blaine teaches law and history at a local university. Oldest (son) is a fourth-year student in the University of Cincinnati’s architectural school. Second oldest (daughter) has one year left to be a licensed interpreter for the deaf. Of the two left at home, nine year old (son) is burning up the basketball courts right now but will soon return to the soccer field to perfect his goalie skills. Dad’s coaching his select team working with a trainer who just won Coach of the Year, Division III, Women’s Soccer, so that’s a lot of fun! Six-year-old (daughter) is keeping us busy competing in ballet, jazz and tap around the area.

“So, other than being unemployed, things are great! If you hear of anything interesting around the Columbus area let me know.”

Terri (Pinners) Herrington says hello from London, where “the sun seldom shines and I’m still trying to figure out where the nightingales are. But I love it. Paul and I have been here 18 months and hope to be here another year or two. We’re doing fine.

“I’m still working for BP in its group audit, risk management and assurance. It’s not like audit work anywhere else I’ve seen — more like management consulting. I get involved in strategic issues at the executive level, including coordinating the assessment of risks on all investment projects over $50 million. I keep remembering Prof. Messick’s heuristics class....

“Paul is trading equities on the NYSE and NASDAQ and having a blast. He has an elaborate system set up at home, and I keep hearing him and his guy friends saying things like “My monitor is bigger than your monitor.” If anyone is coming over here let me know. I would love to get together.”

Finally, good news and bad news from Tim Wulf. He writes: “I was promoted to vice president of manufacturing for Faustel, Inc, an OEM of converting/laminating equipment in January. The bad news is no one is adding capacity at this time! Time to get creative and find other revenue streams.”