Chris Craig '78 and her husband Brian Steely out for a climb

William Zakroff writes: "It's been 28 years since graduating from Kellogg, 27 years since transferring to Houston with GE and 22 years since starting my own management consulting and private equity firm. My consulting clients have included numerous public companies in the petroleum, oil field service and offshore/marine industries. Most private equity clients have been smaller companies in the subsea and renewable energy industries, including a recent engagement for OceanWorks International, the prime design/build contractor for the U.S. Navy's new submarine rescue system and the builder of Duncan, the subsea robotic vehicle that crawled inside the Titanic to shoot the pictures used in the James Cameron movie. I am a founding shareholder of OceanWorks and have been financial advisor on two rounds of private equity.

"I recently leased and fully furnished some very classy new downtown Houston office space in the Lyric Centre building that includes my office plus 10 private offices sub-leased to six other firms working in private equity, venture capital and management consulting. If any Kellogg grad is interested in establishing a satellite or rep office on Houston, please feel free to contact me at wzakroff@zakroff.com. On a personal note, I remarried in 1999 to Kathryn Risley, a fashion designer from New York City (bachelor's degree, Rhode Island School of Design). We spend several weeks every year at her family's summer home on Great Pond in Maine. It sure beats the Houston heat."

Marvin Bates writes:

"After 25 years in IT technology marketing and strategic alliances, I left Accenture in January 2002.

"Taking a year away from corporate America, I completed a 500-hour course, becoming a registered yoga teacher. I served as the director of yoga volunteers at Wellness House in Hinsdale, providing yoga to cancer patients and survivors. I teach at several yoga studios in the western suburbs of Chicago; one of my favorite classes is Sunday morning at Yoga Among Friends in Downers Grove.

"Beginning a new career at Benedictine University and Lewis University, I teach marketing, international marketing, international business, organization behavior and advertising. Reflecting my international experiences, in June 2005, I taught an MBA marketing class in Shenyang, China. This class was taught in English, with a Chinese translator. In class with these Chinese students, I had a long and hopefully enlightening discussion on intellectual property rights and software piracy. I was told by a Party member, one of my students, that "it is in the best interest of China to respect the intellectual property rights of all, Chinese and non-Chinese." Of course, I did see that current movie DVDs were being sold for less than 40 cents. While in China, I traveled to the eastern end of the Great Wall — it ends at the border with North Korea.

"In May, I was appointed associate dean of business programs at the new College of Adult and Professional Studies at Benedictine University. I am working with approximately 900 adult learners who are completing their bachelor's degrees and MBAs. If any Kellogg alum is interested in teaching business topics, please contact me at mbates@ben.edu — I continue to look for adjunct instructors."

Cathy (Raines) Wright writes: "We are back in Chicago. Mike and I have two children — one at Northwestern. I work for Target in investor relations. We very much enjoy being back in the city and involved in what it has to offer."

Martha Edwards writes: "I became president of the board of Vista Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired on July 1 — a volunteer job, not a paid one. I have been on the Vista Center board for eight years now, and I am excited about the job. Last year, during my tenure as vice president of marketing, we did a major branding effort, which resulted in a new name and a new logo for the agency. Thank goodness for my marketing degree from Kellogg!"

Dick Seesel writes: "My biggest update since the last reunion is my recent retirement from Kohl's Department Stores after 24 years. When I started in 1982 (after four years working for another retailer post-Kellogg), Kohl's had 18 stores in two states. When I left in March as a senior vice president, Kohl's was up to 750 stores coast to coast. It has been a great ride, but now it's time to turn to something more entrepreneurial, such as a consulting startup, while staying here in Milwaukee at least while we still have high schoolers."

Robert Knuepfer was honored in May with the Northwestern University Alumni Association's Alumni Service Award. He has served as chair and vice chair of the Kellogg Alumni Advisory Board during the past four years and is a member of the Kellogg Dean's Council, as well as an adjunct professor at both the Kellogg School and the Northwestern University School of Law.

Chris Craig writes: "Can it be 28 years since our Wednesday study groups and Howard Street gatherings? After many years in ambulatory care administration — the last 10 with Group Health Cooperative in Seattle — I've moved to the health-plan side of the house as director of our product systems and operations. It is a fun, new challenge leading a team of analysts and programmers — much different from herding MDs! My husband, Brian, and I live on the Kitsap Peninsula, and I commute across Puget Sound to Seattle by ferry each day. We keep busy with hiking, skiing, kayaking and climbing, and I have become a passionate gardener and knitter. Feel free to call me when you are in the Emerald City."

With great sadness, I share the news that Kathleen Roberts passed away on April 14 at her home in Stanford, Calif. She suffered from atypical Parkinson's disease. It was a terrible affliction, but her husband reports that Kathleen lived with grace, courage and humor to the end of her days. Our Kellogg family sends its sympathy to Kathleen's family and many friends.