Jim Corboy EMP-29 and Mike Leonard

A few years ago when I volunteered to relieve Tom Lowell as EMP-29's class rep, I thought I was doing you all a favor. For years, there wasn't a single word written about any of our classmates in the Class Notes section of this magazine. Nothing, nada, zip. Nice guy that he was, Tom was clearly to blame for this. Oh, stop pretending to be shocked by my boldness! You all were thinking the same thing. Admit it. Tom was too busy running some big company, or traveling the world, or learning how to fly fish, or whatever it was he was doing. He wasn't remotely interested in what any of us were doing, nor was he interested in gathering information about us together for inclusion in this magazine.

Good thing I came along. I never aspired to greatness in the corporate world, so I didn't have the pressures of running a big company like Tom had. I travel a bit, but only for pleasure, so I haven't had to contend with the headaches that accompany negotiating international trade agreements or with the inconveniences of jet lag. And I have no desire to learn to fly fish. So with me, there'd be loads of updates from all of you, and everyone would stay in touch and know what all everyone else was up to.

Well, if you've been following this section of the magazine these past several years, you'd know things haven't worked out quite that way with me in place. Oh, I've tried to step up to the job. I've sent reminders from time to time, asking for updates from you. I tried to sound professional and grown-up in my requests. When that approach failed to produce any results, I switched to a more casual tone. Then to something a bit more humorous. This time around, the tactic is guilting you. I've tried it all. Nothing works. I'm sorry, Tom. It wasn't you after all. It was the rest of the class.

OK, not all of the class. I did hear back from a few of you...

From Larry Birch: "I am now president and CEO of NeoPharm Inc., a research company focused on cancer medicines. Why don't you put a note in that we all should get together this summer for our OWN reunion? Chuck Weinles and Scott McGowan will organize it, I am sure."

Yeah, right, Larry. I'm sure they won't.

From Vijay Rangineni: "I am leaving my current position with Morgan Stanley to take over the chief operating officer role for GE Money India, effective May 28."

Best of luck, Vijay!

From Jeff Buchta: "In 1999 I left the Promo Edge Division of Menasha Corporation, the company where I had worked for 27 years. The following year I became a 50-percent owner and the CEO of Promotional Designs Inc. of Green Bay, Wis. In 2004 I was hired by WS Packaging Group, and we acquired my old company, Promo Edge. I became their vice president of strategic accounts. I have a nation-wide sales team reporting to me, responsible for large strategic customers of this $350 million company. I continue to be a major equity owner of Promotional Designs Inc.

"Last year, my wife Cindy and I became grandparents. It is wonderful being a grandparent. Our son Peter and his wife, Katy, became proud parents of Joseph William Buchta. They reside in Chicago. Our daughter Kristen is attending Northwestern Medical School and plans to be a physical therapist. I am, once again, wearing more purple and black. Our youngest son John is completing his third year of college at University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and will be graduating next year with a degree in marketing. I hope to hear from more members of the great graduating class of EMP-29!"

Don't hold your breath on this one, Jeff. And I'm sorry, once again, for calling you John in my e-mail. Did we even have a John in our class?

After five years at the Kellogg School, serving as director of alumni relations, Jim Corboy has taken on "the job opportunity of a lifetime." He is going to be president and CEO of Picture Show Films, a company headed by NBC "Today Show" correspondent Mike Leonard, in the Chicago area. "It's a 6-year-old outfit, and we make a variety of short films and TV shows, documentaries and new digital content for the Internet," notes Jim. "We will be expanding the business model to include marketing, PR, events and a broad new group of clients, partners and distribution channels and outlets, too. The Kellogg experience of the last five years has once again prepared me for life out in the real world, and this time, specific exposure to the entrepreneurship and family business programs has been more helpful than I can even begin to thank Professors Rogers, Ward and Shefsky for."

All the best to you, Jim!

In addition to trying to wring anything newsworthy out of all of you, I had the pleasure of having dinner with Brenda Seliga and her husband, Cliff '82, when they were in Chicago in April. We had a wonderful time until Brenda and Cliff walked me to the parking garage and I realized I had no idea where I had parked.

Like Jeff, I hope to hear from more of you! I'll be calling upon Chuck and Scott very soon to pull together that reunion, so be ready!