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Susan '79
and Richard Rosenstein at Reunion 2004 |
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1979
Jim
Litwin reporting. As I write this, I just received word
from the alumni office that our 25th reunion was the most
successful ever, with 83 of our classmates and guests in attendance
over the weekend. Our gala Saturday night dinner was a sell-out
(in fact, oversold) with Dean Jain and several Kellogg School
professors in attendance. And, as of mid-May, our class had
raised more than $77,000 for our Reunion Class Gift.
I must admit that, after 25 years, we have a very impressive
and distinguished-looking class! Here's some information about
our classmates:
Govind
K. Arora writes that he is SVP of manufacturing/logistics
for General Binding Corp. in Northbrook, Ill. Prior to GBC,
he worked at Hammond Organ, Federal Synal and Essex Corp.
Bob
Bailey who is EVP, director of research at BBDO Chicago,
writes, "I've spent my career at BBDO Chicago, mainly working
on the Wrigley gum account. Life's been good."
Mike
Cannon is CFO of Finn Corp. and writes, "My son is now
attending Northwestern as a freshman in the Weinberg School
of Arts and Sciences. Did my attending Kellogg influence him?
No, not really, but it was the first school we visited.
This is my oldest son, and he has a younger brother in high
school. I got married in 1980 to a wonderful girl I found
in Iowa, just a year after Kellogg. I spent 20 years with
big companies before I found my niche in bringing good financial
practices to small companies. I'm now the CFO of a $50 million,
profitable, growing manufacturer, located in the north suburbs
of Cincinnati. And as we 'boomers' head into retirement years,
how many of you are now managing parental estates and beginning
to think about what's next? I am."
Bill
Cobb is SVP and general manager for the international
business unit of eBay Inc., and was a keynote speaker at one
of the main sessions. He, his wife Carole, and their three
boys are enjoying living in California and playing every youth
sport available.
Bill
Colwell is senior director of portfolio analytics at CNH
Capital (Case New Holland) and writes: "After grad school,
went to Ford, where I spent 22 years in supply chain, manufacturing
engineering and credit analytics. Married, raised a son, divorced.
Joined Case New Holland in 2002. Enjoying rediscovering Chicago
after 20 years. (It's much nicer than I remember it on a student
budget!)"
Stoddard
Crane is VP, business growth at Darden Restaurants and
writes: "Celebrated 30th wedding anniversary in August 2003
and graduated oldest son from college in 2003 as well. On
July 9, will have reached 25th anniversary with General Mills
(16 years) and successor restaurant company --- Darden Restaurants
(nine years). Approaching fifth year of committing weekly
to strategy and growth responsibilities at Darden from home
to work/office in Orlando. (Yes, I've got plenty of flyer
miles.) Instead of all those finance and accounting classes,
wish I'd studied more in market research. Still feel blessed
to have had Gene Lavengood for policy --- one of those lifetime
highs ..."
Bob
Easter is VP at ChoicePoint in Macon, Ga. He and his wife
Linda have one son.
John
Erickson is first VP at LaSalle Bank and writes: "Following
our graduation from Kellogg, I went to work for First Chicago
Bank, trading bonds for the trust department. I met my wife
Jane while looking for a date to my 10-year high school reunion.
We got married in 1986, and had our son J.P. in 1988 and our
daughter Ellie in 1991. In 1996, my job moved out to Detroit
after a merger, but we stayed on in Chicago. I joined LaSalle
Bank in 1998 and work there now as the fixed-income specialist
and bond portfolio manager. My family lives in River Forest
with our newest addition, Stetson, our miniature schnauzer."
Dave
Gimbert works in finance at Orbital Sciences Corp. in
Chandler, Ariz., and writes: "My most exciting news is my
new daughter, our first child, Kamryn. After some years of
anticipation, she was born on March 3 and is the light of
our forever altered lives. I've continued to be employed in
the finance department of Orbital Sciences for over nine years
now. Kristin was able to resign her position with a real estate
management company to take full-time charge of Kamryn. My
father and I have continued to take annual trips in recent
years, and after Rio de Janeiro last summer, have seen every
continent except Antarctica. We enjoy the time together and
have many lasting memories."
Phil
Hayes lives in northern Indiana with his wife Claire and
their three daughters, and writes that he has spent "15 years
in sales and marketing for Poulan/Weed Eater, manufacturer
of outdoor lawn and garden equipment; five years as president
of Kent, a division of Electrolux, manufacturer of commercial
cleaning equipment; and most recently, five years as general
manager of Glaval Bus, division Forest River, manufacturer
of shuttle buses and recreational vehicles."
Robert
Herrman is managing director at Investment Management
Advisors LLC in Mt. Prospect, Ill. He and his wife Melissa
have three sons and one daughter.
Steve
Knudsen is director of business development at BPA and
writes: "Wow, how time flies. After graduation, I moved back
to Oregon where, (surprise, surprise) I have remained. I spent
many years in the federal government, most of them with BPA,
a federal power marketing agency, managing everything from
finance to power supply to marketing. About 10 years ago,
I moved to the private sector in the gas transmission business,
and from there on to underground storage development, and
finally, became a power plant developer. Unfortunately, I
became a victim of the post-Enron energy industry meltdown
and recently returned to BPA. I have a wonderful wife of 17
years and three great boys (and a 1-year-old pointer)."
Mary
Jo MacSwain is director of customer and segment marketing
at Sara Lee and writes: "Started in CPG with Johnson &
Johnson and James River. Switched to out-of-home business
with Coca-Cola Fountain. After a brief stint at a research
firm and some market consulting, went to Sara Lee Coffee and
Tea in 2000."
Paul
Misniak is vice president of advertising at Career Education
Corp. in Hoffman Estates, Ill.
Susan
Rosenstein is president of Susan Rosenstein Executive
Search Limited in Chicago and writes: "After graduating, I
spent seven years in consumer package goods marketing at Sara
Lee (Kitchens of Sara Lee at that time) and Beatrice U.S.
Food. I had a great time managing businesses and developing
new products. In 1986, Beatrice was bought by KKR, I got married
and left Beatrice to start an executive recruiting business.
Since then, Susan Rosenstein Executive Search Limited has
become known as a boutique firm specializing in the recruitment
of mid- to senior-level marketing, strategy, communications
and marketing research executives. All of the recruiters in
the firm are MBAs with backgrounds in CPG marketing. The firm
recruits nationally and has domestic and international clients.
I have stayed very involved with Kellogg; spending several
years as an active member of the Chicago alumni club, serving
as chairperson for the career development committee and on
the board as a secretary. I am currently a member of the Dean's
Alumni Advisory Board; I participate in the mentorship program;
I conduct workshops for students and alumni on interviewing,
rÈsumÈ writing and networking; and was the co-chair for our
25th reunion.
"My
husband Richard is a commercial real estate attorney. After
attending many Kellogg events with me, he decided to attend
the KMI program. He graduated in the Class of 2002 and loved
every minute of it. In addition to Kellogg, my volunteer activities
include the advisory board for the Second Chance Foundation
for cancer research at Rush Medical Center, fund raising for
the Chicago Academy for the Arts, and Mujeres, a bilingual/bicultural
agency that seeks to empower women, their families and youth
to become self-reliant. My interests include playing piano,
gourmet cooking, snow skiing, travel, and more recently, golf.
We play golf all summer at a club near our summer home in
Lakeside, Mich., and in the winter whenever we can get away
to warm weather."
Kirk
Spresser told me he recently joined the Zyman Group in
a leadership role and can be reached at kirk.spresser@zyman.com.
Carrie
Stahl writes: "'Paradise is where I am.' These words by
Voltaire sum up the current state of my life as I reflect
on the present, 25 years after my graduation from Kellogg.
I consider myself to be a very fortunate woman. Two years
ago this July, I married a wonderful man, a retired Army general.
We now live in the Washington metro area and love the excitement
of the region. My daughter Cate graduated from Northwestern's
Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences in 2003. Currently,
she is at the top of her law school class and is looking forward
to her summer associate position in international law. Her
assignment will take her to London. Not a bad place to launch
a legal career!
"About
10 years ago, I added a doctoral degree in psychology to my
Kellogg credentials. On my 50th birthday, I left the corporate
world to launch Strategic Solutions, a personal and business
success coaching practice. I specialize in working with people
in the process of redesigning their lives, their careers or
their businesses. About 50 percent of my clients are women
who reduced their career commitments while they devoted their
time and attention to family demands and now seek a strategy
to reconnect to the business world and identify a new professional
agenda. Additionally, my daughter and I have founded a charitable
foundation, named for my great aunt, Ada Wallenbach. Aunt
Ada pioneered the modern dynamic spirit of today's women and
succeeded in business at a time when very few women even considered
any type of employment outside the home. In her honor, our
foundation empowers women to achieve their full potential
by offering seminars and workshops, individual and group counseling
and merit scholarships for the study of business and law.
"As
a serious advocate of work-life balance, a top priority for
me is adequate time for fun. My husband and I enjoy travel,
winter sports and hiking. Over the years, I have become an
accomplished amateur photographer and an active participant
in our community art league. Additionally, last year I won
first place in our club's badminton championship. Presently
I am studying yoga and will earn instructor certification
later this year. Wouldn't it be wonderful if on the occasion
of our 50th reunion, I could manifest this same level of fitness
and flexibility? This challenge will become my goal! It is
impossible for me to recount all the benefits of my Kellogg
experience. I gained a great deal from my professors and an
unexpected amount from all of you. Thank you for everything."
Ann
Murtfeldt Sundberg writes: "I've been a free-lance marketing
(and some HR) consultant since leaving General Mills in 1987.
It's been a good way to balance the raising of three kids
with some brain stimulation and income. I married a great
guy in 1983 and we're looking forward to more travel as we
start to empty the nest. We are starting the college process
with our eldest, which is more challenging than I remember
it being in 1973. Life in the Minneapolis area has been great,
but I look forward to spending the winters somewhere else.
(We're thinking of South Australia instead of Naples and Scottsdale.)"
Jerry
Thode is president of the J. Paul Group LLC in Southern
California.
Michael
L. Tucker is senior counsel at Bank One Corp. and writes,
"After being an office manager for three years, I became a
pension consultant and went to law school at night. I spent
11 years in private practice as an ERISA, employee benefits
and executive compensation specialist and then joined Bank
One's law department. I now handle investment advisory and
institutional trust matters for Bank One's investment management
group."
Mike
Weisberger is VP of Ipsos North America and writes, "I
recently left the company where I spent 17 years to join a
different market research firm. I've been married for 21 years,
and lived in New Jersey for 19 years."
Tom Wong is SVP at Strottman International and writes,
"Hi all! Sorry I couldn't join you for Reunion, but it was
good hearing from old friends with invites, seductions, reasons
(and 'threats') to come to the reunion. Time flies in so many
ways, and surprisingly (to me, more than anyone else), I've
coming up on 20 years with my current company. Keeping ahead
of kids and teens (and their families) in the marketplace
has kept us hopping, and in a way, 'forever young' (or feeling
not-so-young, when I see some of the things they do). We cracked
the Top 10 last year, so at least it's working. My 'forever
young' is teaching BMW owners (everyone from 16-year-old wannabe
racers to boomers in their brand-new 745s and M5s) race-track
driving from the 'shotgun' seat. 'Running out of talent' at
more than 100 mph is not unusual, and you can use your imagination
from there. Anyway, if you're ever out in Southern California
with a couple of hours to kill, give me a ring."
Hiroshi
(Hiro) Matsuzaki wanted to let old friends know about
a new career in Sofia, Bulgaria. Hiroshi writes: "Since I
left The Institute for International Business Communication
at the end of 2002, I've been involved in several consulting
activities in the fields of global leader development, e-learning,
global business, English education, etc. Also, through my
expanded networking activities with various business circles
and groups, I have been pursuing my personal interest for
revitalizing Japan in the global arena. Through these activities,
out of the blue, I was asked if I would be interested in taking
part in a special national project for Bulgaria. My first
reaction was excitement, expecting that I would be exposed
to a unique environment with a culture and history I had never
known.
"As
you might know, Bulgaria, along with other former Socialist
countries, started modernizing in the late '80s. After more
than 10 years, however, the country's modernization has not
been accomplished as initially intended. A lack of business
leaders in the country is considered to be one of the reasons
for this, and as a result, the Bulgarian government has requested
Japan's assistance in establishing fundamental schemes for
cultivating future business leaders in the country.
"The
job satisfies my personal interest of 'contributing to goals
accomplishment in the global arena.' I'm thrilled about this
opportunity, but a bit nervous, for this is a project agreed
to on a government-to-government basis and the Bulgarian people
will see Japan through me." We wish Hiroshi good luck in the
new position.
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