EMP-33

Hey EMP-33. Happy New Year. Chris Karas writes that she’s been in her new role as vice president and general manager of Victrex (high-end performance polymers) almost a year now and is having a blast. She is still living in the Philadelphia area, and really enjoying it. She reports that her two little boys are very active (Patrick, 6, and Ian, 4). Chris thinks her boys need BlackBerries to manage their calendars between school stuff, soccer leagues, swimming, piano, play dates, birthday parties, etc.

Chris reported that she talks to Mark Guglielmi and Dave Donnatelli from time to time, and has actually run into Phil Barnett (EMP-32, who left GE Capital about the same time as Chris, and who was an undergrad with Mark Wiesman) at soccer games. Chris reported that Mark was married last year. Chris has been traveling extensively since Victrex is a British company. She managed to ski the Alps and is looking forward to spring break. Chris says she is interested in a summer reunion.

Mike Iannacone and his wife Karen have finished the complete restoration of their 1906 house in one of the historic districts of Oak Park. Mike reports that his kids (Camillo, 8, and Sophi, 6) are doing great. They all had a terrific vacation in Orlando during Disney’s off season. Mike says that work is going very well for him at Howe Barnes Investments. He reports that last year was the firm’s most profitable year in its 89-year history. Mike reports losing contact with some study group members, but provides an update on a few others.

The last he heard of Andrew Chong, he was head of Samsung in Korea. He also heard that Deb Dias was last known to be on a sabbatical from the London insurer where she worked. Mike got a Christmas greeting from Karen Morris with the information that she had left General Mills and moved to Orlando to work for a resort. Mike also says Bob Eidus is practicing family medicine in Scotch Plains, N.J., and enjoying it. His wife Lauren is back to acting. Apparently one of Bob’s boys has graduated college and the other two are in college. Mike also talks to Eric Sklar regularly and hears from Marcus Jundt occasionally.

In the small-world category, yours truly, Barry McCarthy, bumped into Mike at church in Oak Park on Christmas Eve. I have settled into life here on the frozen tundra of Wisconsin. I ended my cross-country commute between Milwaukee and San Jose when I left VeriSign in the summer. I am currently doing a full-time strategy and marketing consulting project for a young company in Milwaukee in the municipal parking ticket outsourcing business ─ an interesting combination of hardware, software and services. It turns out some of the company’s investors do business with Mike Iannaconne! I also am serving as chairman of a venture-backed start-up in Seattle. The company is in an interesting space, and is currently involved in some M&A activity, including a road show that has been keeping me busy.

I received word that Sam Liang has moved from tropical Miami to New Jersey and taken a new role within J&J. His wife Kelly and their kids are all doing well in their new frozen surroundings.

Steve Bricker reported that he is doing well and is in a new position with Cummins, as the engine business unit (EBU) accounting policy director. He is the interface between the corporate policy gurus and the real-world application for the EBU, which comprises about 65 percent of Cummins. He reports that he is very involved with accounting for new/major transactions, Sarbanes-Oxley implementation, quarterly CEO/CFO disclosure process, etc. Steve has also been appointed a board member to one of Cummins’ joint ventures.

Jill Matzke is still at Silicon Graphics, working marketing for high-end Linux servers. Jill says that business is finally growing again and the fun is definitely returning. She adds that it has been a good ski season for her family, and her biggest challenge is trying to keep enough food in the house for two teenage boys and their friends.

Yet another EMP-33 relocation from a warm climate to winter wonderland: Rod Foster moved from Tampa to Chicago in September. Rod is still with Baxter in the renal division, but is now senior director of manufacturing programs. That means he is responsible for the transition of all of renal’s new products to manufacturing.

Tim Tonnella reports that he was promoted four months ago at Merrill Corp. The company has four major businesses, and he previously ran one of them for the West. Now he runs all four of them in the West. Another milestone: Tim celebrated his 40th birthday in October.

Joan Viebranz-Lockwood had a baby girl named Carter on Jan. 24. Carter joins big brother George, 2 1/2, and big sister Grayson, 16 months. Joan reports mayhem at her house, but that life is now a “thrill a minute.” Joan is interested in a reunion too. Anyone else? I will organize a summer reunion if there is sufficient interest. Email me if you have interest in an event or are willing to help in the planning.

Barry McCarthy