Eric Treiber '98

1998

Happy (very belated) New Year to all! I hope you were in a fantastic location and/or with those you love for the ringing in of 2005. From what I can tell so far, 2004 was a fairly eventful year and it is lovely to receive all the news of your third, fourth and fifth children and that you are all still in the same jobs you were in last year (that IS news!). Many of you have inquired about my whereabouts. Yes, I am still in London (five years now) and yes, my accent is still unchanged. Also, I have not, as far as I know, been invited to Charles and Camilla's wedding, which is good, quite frankly — saves me having to buy a new hat. But more on my wardrobe issues later. On to the news!

Alex Lee writes: "Becky and I are extremely humbled and awed by the new reality of bringing a baby into this world. Hazel Sue Lee was born Feb. 11 at 2:03 p.m., weighing 7 pounds, 12 ounces. In my very subjective opinion, she is the most beautiful girl in the world! Needless to say we are very happy and proud. On the work side, after 3 1/2 years with TXU Energy, I returned to CPG with Brach's Confections. They recently moved from Chicago to Dallas and now I'm the senior marketing manager, focused on introducing several new chocolate products. In fact, in my first four months I've already launched 22 new products and am now working on my next 20 for March. Hmmm ... maybe Energy wasn't all that bad!"

Chris Caren is moving to Seattle. She says: "I will take a general manager position at Microsoft managing a new business intelligence product line — excited to live in a new city but dreading the gray weather. Would love to get together with whoever is living up there: chris_caren@yahoo.com. Thanks."

Lisa Crossett in January became vice president of operations of Utilities Inc., the largest privately owned water and wastewater company. Lisa will direct operations in the company's service areas in 17 states, serving approximately 300,000 customers.

Eric Treiber has been appointed president and COO of Chicago White Metal Casting Inc., based in Bensenville, Ill. The company is a custom producer of high-technology die cast components in aluminum, magnesium and zinc alloys. Eric becomes the third generation to head the Chicago-area company founded by his German immigrant grandfather, Walter G. Treiber Sr., in a Chicago loft in 1937.

Kellogg alumni who once all lived in Los Angeles came together in Breckenridge, Colo., for a mini-reunion this winter. From left, Anne Hardy Boris '98 and Luke, Sue Grant '98 and Harrison, Heather Lamm '98 and Jasper, Julian Grant '98, and Brian Menzies '98 and daughter Claire. Back row, from left, JB Boris '98 and Jack, and Martin Sansing '98, whose daughter Julia was taking a nap. Also in attendance were Alex Ooms '97 and Janet Menzies '99.

Ted Arnstein sent this note: "We're still plugging away here in Beantown, fresh off another Patriots Superbowl victory. Our brood has grown to three (Jacob, Sophie and Nathaniel), which is about all we can handle. Alison and I have cried uncle and gone to the minivan. I'm still with Deutsche Bank, running the semiconductor banking practice on the East Coast. Traveling a fair bit to Israel these days, which is hopping with interesting young tech companies. Just had dinner with David Gussmann in San Francisco. He's still shucking and jiving in the mortgage/tech sector and doing very well."

Debbie Morrison Woodbury returned to London last April. "Peter accepted a job in London, so we moved back to England from New York and in July we had a new addition. John Morrison Woodbury (Jack) was born July 10 weighing a little more than 5 1/2 pounds. He is a happy 7-month-old now and we are having so much fun with him!"

Another Londoner, Brian Coleman, writes: "I'm still in the same job since school. Must be part of a very small minority. I met up with Andy Moretti a few weeks back at his birthday drinks and that is about all I have recently met. Lorenzo Sanchez-Mangas is also still at GS. Hope all is well with you."

Jason Spievak is still in Santa Barbara with his growing family. "I've been pretty heads-down here at CallWave these past few quarters, but I did want to touch base with you and pass along some Class of '98 info to our hard-working compatriots: Despite the difficult conditions in the financial markets over the summer, we were successful in taking our company public in September. CallWave now trades under 'CALL' on the Nasdaq. Taking a company public as CFO has been a great experience, complete with some road-show stories not suitable for print. I also had the chance to work with two Kellogg grads at Deutsche Bank in the process — Todd Raker '95 and Ghazaleh Lyari '97. Most importantly, I'm looking forward to reintroducing myself to my family after this process. I think we've added one more to the Spievak clan since we last spoke, and Lynette, Ben, Sophie and Chloe are all doing great and loving life in Santa Barbara. For those of you keeping score at home, Ben (who was conceived at Kellogg, both literally and figuratively) just turned 6 in January."

Lisa Rosenberg Silverman writes: "My husband (Doug) and I welcomed Hannah Rachel Silverman to the world on Oct. 10 at 7 pounds, 1 ounce, and 19 inches. She is doing great. I returned to work and life is a little hectic."

Rick Keller sent in his very first update (shame on you for taking so long). He writes: "Everything is going well in Southern California. I'm especially happy on this 75-degree February afternoon, given that it is 33 degrees in Evanston right now, which I'm sure is a welcome 'heat wave.' Jennifer and I had a baby boy in August named Flynn (and yes, Flynn Flexer has already congratulated us on our name selection). Professionally, Vantis Capital Management, which is the firm we started in 2001, has continued growing and we have recently launched a new fund, which is keeping me in the office longer than I would like, but is both interesting and challenging. Lastly, I wanted to say congratulations to Stephanie and David Parsky on the birth of their daughter, Annabelle Haas Parsky, just in case they were too sleepy to let you know."

Van Barker attended Tim White's summer '04 wedding, along with Dave Hocher. He writes, "I'm relaxing in San Diego working for Hewlett-Packard."

Bobbi and Charlie Hurt had another baby (No. 2) on Sept. 2. Charlie says: "Davis Hurt is big and healthy, and Bobbi and Davis are doing great. Big sister Layton and dad are doing well too."

Pat and Jennifer Meyer Ryan welcomed a new addition to the family — Beau Halstead Ryan was born Jan. 26.

Marcelo (Grillo) Grimoldi's family has (once again) enlarged from five to seven with the arrival of Delfina and Milagros Grimoldi in November. Marcelo reports: "Delivery presented some surprises since they are not identical twins as doctors predicted. Fortunately, I must admit, the prediction of being 'just two' was correct. This triggered some changes (car, apartment, etc.) Hopefully we will be able to return to 'normal' in some months. Years?! Definitely a hectic 2004. Another interesting event was that I was driving in the middle of Patagonia, and a motorcyclist, in a yellow antiflame suit and on top of a terrific BMW, asked me to stop. Incredibly it was Erick Fullmer, who had left Bain and was taking some time off before entering the private equity world. Very, very funny to be greeting a Kellogg classmate and good friend in the middle of nowhere!"

Elizabeth Henna writes, "I wanted to let you know that my husband Tim Commons and I welcomed our second child, Charlotte Rose Commons, on Nov. 4."

Heather Lamm had this to say: "Alex, Oakley, Argos and I were joined by Jasper Lamm Ooms on June 16. He is a very sweet little guy and we're loving parenthood. The dogs see him as a live-in vending machine, as he manages to drop at least half of everything he eats on the floor. I am still at MediaNews Group as VP of strategic development and Alex is at Teletech doing something too complicated to describe in this short update. (Or maybe I just don't get it?) We're loving Colorado — getting up to ski quite often this winter. In fact, we just spent the weekend in Breckenridge with Anne and Jon Boris, Martin Sansing and Audrey, Janet and Brian Menzies and Sue and Julien Grant. Five couples and six kids. Yikes. Much fun was had by all."

Read Flake sent this update: "For years I've been lurking without contribution to these wonderful Class Notes. I suppose I was waiting for something to announce, so here goes. VaNae and I welcomed our newest addition, Ryan Ray, into the world Jan. 18. He is our second son and fifth child. I know you think we're crazy (and you're right), but we love our little co-ed basketball team. We have three beautiful daughters (10, 8 and 5) and two energetic little boys, 3, and our newborn. Recently, Darren decided to share his blueberry Pop Tart with his new brother. His effort to expand the consumer base for this product to the newborn segment was highly unsuccessful. Sorry Kellogg Co. I am still, yes still, at Continental Airlines managing our eCommerce strategy for the corporate and agency customer segments. It is interesting and challenging given the current state of our struggling industry. I'm contemplating a career change, but those flight benefits are sure addictive. Last year found us cruising the Nile in the spring and the Mediterranean in the fall (Venice, Greece, Turkey and Croatia). In December I flew to Hawaii to support '98 classmates John Hoesley and Walt Ling in the Honolulu Marathon. They both finished strong while I cheered them on from the buffet table. Later that day at the beach I enjoyed questioning their judgment as they winced in pain with every movement. If I've neglected to keep in touch, please drop me a note and let me know how you're doing. And if fate ever finds you in Houston, please come on by for some southern cookin' (and maybe some babysitting duty)."

Tina Pizzuti Brzezenski and husband John welcomed their third child in April 2004. Ashley joins Christina, 7, and Johnny, 4. The family still lives in Reading, Mass.

Matias Galarce had this to say: "Paz and I moved from Buenos Aires to Toronto a year ago, where our triplets, Sofia, Benjamin and Victoria, were born last April 13. We are having a great time with them; it's amazing to watch them interact and laugh at each other. It seems that multiple pregnancies are contagious. We went to Argentina in December, where we baptized the triplets. We were joined by Maria and Grillo Grimoldi (who had twins two months ago — fourth and fifth child!), Monse and Mario Santarelli '97, Paula and Pedro Qüerio '97, Mili and Diego Lezica '99 and Sofia and German Cufre '99. In Toronto, we sometimes see Philippe Meyershon, and saw Avi Tesciuba last summer on his way back to Chicago from Israel (Avi and Amanda had twins six months ago!). Workwise, after four and a half years of doing private equity and general management, I joined an investment counseling firm, where I am analyzing investments in public equities, managing portfolios, etc."

And finally, Melanie Brownrout (that's me) has some exciting news of her own. She writes: "On Jan. 29, I married Andrew Honnor, my dashing English beau, at a ceremony in Devon, England. We were married in a manor estate called Bovey Castle, surrounded by a hearty group of Americans who braved the January English weather and had flown in for the wedding, as well as a large number of our British friends and family who joined us from London for the weekend. It was the most amazing day. Kelloggians in attendance included Megan Marshall and her husband Stefan, Valerie Blin (who recently gave birth to a beautiful baby boy called Joseph), Peter and Debbie Morrison Woodbury and the recently married Leo Griffin, who flew in from LA for the event. After a lovely honeymoon in the Maldives, Andrew and I are both working in London and intend to make the UK our home permanently." Thank you for all of your wishes and for those of you who got in touch with me after seeing the NYT announcement. Apologies that you had to find out that way, but as you know, I had to wait until we tied the knot to publish it in Kellogg World.

Well, that is all for this edition. Keep the news coming and we'll speak in the summer. Lots of love, Melanie Brownrout Honnor.