EMP-38

Hello, EMP-38! It's been 10 years since we started Kellogg and as always, people and their lives are changing.

One of our EMP classmates, Mike Shelton, has multiple sclerosis. Mike is confident that with continued support, MS research, services and treatment can continue to enhance the lives of those impacted by MS. Mike and his family have approached his MS with the same spirit of conviction, deliberation and action with which Mike approached grad school. Mike and Julie Shelton have both played an active role in fundraising efforts for MS. Mike Shelton is currently the chairman of the Great Illinois Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

I want to invite you all to participate in helping the MS Society. I plan to participate again in the MS Walk. There are walks all around the country. The North Shore Walk in Illinois is May 7. This year, I also plan to participate in the MS 150 Ride being held on June 24 and 25. It would be fun to have additional EMP-38ers at either one of these events but sponsorships in the form of contributions would also be welcomed. Regardless of scheduled events, donations are appreciated at any time. You may donate or register for an event either by going to the MS Society Web site or by sending the MS society a check or mailing me a check made out to the MS Society. If you go to donate on the Web site, you can enter a name to indicate the donation is a tribute. Let's show our support for Mike.

Michael P. Smith has been named executive director of the Media Management Center at Northwestern University. Smith replaced John Lavine. Mike assumed his new position on Jan. 9.

"No one is better qualified to take the helm of the Media Management Center than Mike Smith," Lavine said. "Since we began working together 15 years ago, he has been a major contributing force to the center's research and executive education programs. He has profound knowledge about how to achieve media quality, and is recognized here and abroad as an expert on how to understand and engage younger media audiences. I am excited to work with him in our new roles."

Darryl Branch is on the move again. "I am the vice president of supply chain operations focusing on purchasing and logistics. I will be based in Seattle. Coffee for everyone." (Forgive Darryl. He knows not what he offers!)

Kevin Schneider reports he is living in Raleigh, N.C. and working as president of Genworth Mortgage Insurance's U.S. business. For the past two years he has been involved in GE's IPO of Genworth Financial, a combination of life insurance, mortgage insurance and retirement income and investments businesses that GE decided to divest in 2004. Things are going well with the spin-off: we have sold over $10 billion in equity in the new company since our IPO. Marcia Dall is here as the CFO of the whole mortgage insurance business.

Ed "Mick" Phillippi has had an article published in the January edition of the Quality of Progress Journal put out by the American Society for Quality. The article addresses the occasional backlash that organizations encounter when they announce a quality initiative with a well-known moniker like Six Sigma. The backlash is generally a reaction to the name rather than the actual process of quality improvement. Mick's stand is that you can call it anything you want. In fact, "You can call it Fred."

Clyde Rundle's company, Labor Finders, is continuing to grow. They are currently working on opening another location in south Elgin. Labor Finders provides a number of services to assist organizations with their staffing needs. Companies looking for temporary help, temp-for-hire, direct hire or on site management may benefit from contacting Labor Finders. Labor Finders works with manufacturers, industrial companies, the hospitality industry, moving, trucking and special events companies by using its considerable experience in identifying quality temporary employees for clients. Clyde and his family traveled to Hawaii for the holidays.

In December, I had an opportunity to travel to Biloxi, Miss. to work with some people whose homes were damaged by Hurricane Katrina. It was an eye-opening experience and there aren't words to describe the magnitude of the damage. One of the homeowners, Jimmy Webb, works for the city of Biloxi and had been working on his house for months while living in a FEMA trailer in his front yard. The homeowners were great and so was the ad hoc group of volunteers.

Finally, since we are celebrating an anniversary of sorts, I wondered if there would be interest in having an EMP reunion this year. Please contact me if you think you would like to attend or assist in the planning.