EMP-35

Hello to everyone! I hope everyone had a wonderful summer. If you have changed your e-mail address recently, please send me the updated information. I would sure appreciate hearing from you! This helps me keep in touch with all of EMP-35.

The winter 2000 Kellogg World has EMP-35 excited about some new additions to the Jakubowski, Fumagalli and Garrison families.

Eric Jakubowski writes that the last 12 months have been very busy! Eric and his lovely wife, Joni, have a new addition to their family, child number four. They are the proud parents of a little girl, Isabelle, born last November. She will have celebrated her first birthday by the time you read this column! Eric never fails to read the EMP-35 column in Kellogg World.

John Fumagalli and his lovely wife, Sara, are very happy to announce the birth of their second child, a little girl, Lucie Nicole Fumagalli, born July 15. Her birthday came just about the same time the Fumagalli Family was moving to Glenview, Ill. Their home is not too far from Rob and Ann Garrison¹s Restaurant. Apparently all roads now lead to "Noodles II.² John sends his best to everyone and is always eager to get together! John asks his fellow EMP-35 classmates to stay in touch and "keep him in the loop."

Rob and Ann Garrison are the happy and proud parents of a baby boy, "Teddy," from Korea! Some know, but maybe not all of EMP-35, that Rob and Ann have been trying to adopt a baby for a long time. Their adoption agency has matched them up with an infant South Korean boy, Theodore Yoon Garrison, born April 20. By the time you read this in Kellogg World, he will be almost eight-months old. For pictures and an update, go to Rob and Ann¹s Web site, www.funrestaurants.com. Everyone is elated that the rather lengthy adoption process was much shorter than previously anticipated.

Here¹s some news from those of EMP-35 that have moved to foreign lands or at least out of Chicago!

Terry Janeway writes to say that he recently visited Chicago for a quick visit. He returned from beautiful Santa Barbara in August for the "Mrs. T's Chicago Triathlon" for the first time. He completed the Men¹s Sprint Race (half-mile swim in Lake Michigan, 14-mile bike, and 5K run)! Terry actually achieved a top 10 in his age group (9th place in the men's 40-44 year old category) He came in 68 out of 909 overall. Apparently it is true what they say about California. The state brings "fitness back into your life!" Terry also competed in a Santa Barbara, Calif., race in September. Otherwise, Terry is trying to fulfill all his thrills in California. Terry writes, "God Bless to all in EMP-35!"

While in Chicago, Terry Janeway visited with Bob Kalchik and took him for a few dollars on a round of golf. Terry, of course, was keeping the scorecard. Bob Kalchik has some big news about his recent transfer to Washington, D.C., due to a significant promotion with Marriott Corporation. Bob promises more detailed information in the next issue of Kellogg World.

Greg Brown writes to say that he is "happy to report that I can see the light at the end of the tunnel!² Greg has been involved in an extensive, intense learning environment to become a "Jonah² from the Theory of Constraints world after 10 weeks of commuting to one of his Kroger manufacturing plants and learning, working and applying their principles. To date, they are seeing some amazing results. Kroger partnered with an external-consulting firm, the Theory of Constraints Center, to improve the performance of its 42 plants. Probably all of EMP-35 remembers the book The Goal. Well, this book summarizes the very things that Greg has been learning and directly applying. Greg says that is the summary of his professional life for the past three months and hopes all is well with everyone in EMP-35! Greg would love "to link up with the gang sometime when people assemble for an adult beverage or two and some intellectual conversation when he is in town." He is in Chicago periodically.

Ray Pool writes that he is sorry that he has missed several recent gatherings of EMP-35, BUT he has moved to New Jersey! Ray informs us that even though he lives in New Jersey, he is in Chicago almost every week. So things have not changed that much for Ray. Their little boy is now a year old.

Barbara McKinzie writes that she has a new position and has relocated. She is "learning how to live easy in the South." Barbara presently is a resident of Shreveport, La., and the chief financial officer of Hollywood Casino-Shreveport. Hollywood Casino is a publicly traded company with three operations throughout the United States. Shreveport is the third location and the largest in the state of Louisiana. The land based Casino is 60,000 square feet of gaming space with a 403 room/suite hotel and pavilion. The property is scheduled to open around Dec. 15. "So, y'all come and visit me anytime!"

Bob Strickland writes that after he read the last issue of Kellogg World, he thought it was a little thin on information. So he writes us to tell us that he recently left Wheaton Franciscans and accepted a position as vice president of provider relations and network development with a Tallahassee, Fla.-based HMO called, "Healthplan Southeast." His family had been planning to get back to Florida (their home state) for a number of years and this seemed like the opportunity they had been looking for. Bob¹s wife, Dena, went to high school in Tallahassee and Bob's undergraduate and first grad degrees are from Florida State University. They still have quite a number of friends and family in the locality. Bob started Aug. 7 and the temperature has been between 95 and 100 degrees each day until the first of November. Come February, Bob predicts he will appreciate the Florida climate much more! His first weekend in Florida, Bob went fishing on his friend's boat. He caught a14-pound Florida grouper! "The catch of the day² provided four meals! The following weekend he played golf with his boss and that is another topic for a different time. Bob's son, Luke, just celebrated his 13th birthday. This gives Bob and Dena two teenage boys. Taylor, the older brother, turned 16 in November. Taylor is becoming quite an accomplished drummer, and Luke is focusing his attention on aggressive rollerblading. Bob and Dena ask for your prayers and wish everyone in EMP-35 the very best.

Chris Grier is looking to move someplace warm. Chris writes that he was made a director in the energy and water practice of Navigant Consulting, Inc., last spring. Chris focuses on corporate and enterprise wide Issues (strategy, business modeling, resource allocation, etc.) for mostly large electric and gas utilities. He has spent a lot of time this past summer in New Orleans helping create his business models for the electric distribution system of the utility headquartered there. Chris wants us to know that NOLA offers good work, good food, but hot, hot, hot. This fall he will be doing more work in NOLA, along with other clients in Long Island, Kansas, Texas, and maybe out west in San Francisco. As Chris writes to us about going out west, he is still living in Barrington Hills, but thinking (after some life changes this year) that this may be his last winter in the Chicago area. He has been looking around (since his job allows him to be totally Virtual) and he really likes the Scottsdale/Carefree area of Arizona. So if the universe is with him, Chris will be out west within the next year. Chris writes "That¹s all for now!"