1989

Gwen Farley Green reported that Karen Mellman was married to Peter Smith in Chicago this past June. In 1986, Karen started Spotlight Marketing, a marketing agency offering clients product placement, entertainment promotion and licensing services in the film and television industries. Karen’s clients include Victoria’s Secret, Sprint PCS and Tupperware. Peter is an attorney.
John F. Bednarski, formerly a principal with Arthur Andersen’s complex claims practice group, has joined AlixPartners’ finanacial advisory services practice group.

Alex Baker sent in this update from Boston after reading about some of the “Special K” cast in the last issue: “For the past three years I’ve been the director of finance for a network of 1,100 primary care physicians affiliated with one of the major health care systems in Boston. Outside of work life is good. My partner, Butch, and I decided about two years ago that we’d had enough of living in downtown Boston so we bought a house in a town right on the edge of the city. I continue to sing with the Boston Gay Men’s Chorus, which I joined right after graduation. I also started taking piano lessons again this year after a 23-year hiatus. It’s been fun, and I find that much of what I learned playing piano as a kid is still lurking somewhere in my memory.

“I hear from Jeff Ward periodically. He is currently living in D.C., but since graduation he’s lived in Texas, Chicago, Canada and London, so I expect the next change of address card any day. I also trade the occasional email or Christmas card with Deb Maue, Heather Winch, Bob Mitton and Joe and Marianne Quoyeser. Everyone seems to be doing well.”

Chuck Napier wrote about his moves from Atlanta to Seattle and back: “I just stopped by Chicago and drove through Evanston as part of our cross-country trip from Seattle to Atlanta. We’ve been living in Seattle the past three years since we sold our start-up company to Amazon.com. After leaving Amazon, I did some independent consulting with start-ups and am on a couple advisory boards.

“We’re back in Atlanta now, which — except for our sojourn to sunny Seattle — is where Lisa and I have lived since Kellogg. I’ve been involved in the wireless data field for more than 10 years now, so am considered a sage in this field or maybe just an old fart. I travel regularly to work with wireless carriers on their ongoing futile attempts to provide value-added services. Lisa and I have two kids — Allison and Brian — and despite the heat and humidity they are glad to be back in ‘Hotlanta.’”

After 13 years with American Express, Tiscia Eicher recently joined Calphalon Corp. (owned by Newell/Rubbermaid) as the executive director of its new Calphalon Culinary Centers, reporting to the president of the company. The first of 10-15 planned culinary centers is located in the West Loop of Chicago (next to Harpo Studios) and provides top-quality, culinary education to consumers. Tiscia writes: “What’s incredibly exciting about this opportunity is that it represents the ‘best of both worlds,’ i.e. an entrepreneurial venture backed by a strong corporation and a 40-year-old brand.

“The center’s courses include culinary lectures, demonstrations, and hands-on classes facilitated by staff chef/instructors, guest chefs and other experts. If you’re interested, check out the curriculum and great pictures of the Chicago Culinary Center at http://Calphalon.com.”

Scott Snyder wrote from Philadelphia to report that he’s become a philanthropist and now wishes he took those nonprofit management courses. “After facing the challenges of autism through our son Aidan, now 6, my wife Heather and I founded a chapter of Cure Autism Now, the world’s leading funder of scientific research for autism. Fortunately, our son has had a remarkable outcome — far better than most. So now it’s about giving back. We’ve raised $400,000 in our first year, enough to fund a few clinical studies. I’ve been able to leverage my health care connections through J&J (yes, I’m still at the same company). If you know someone dealing with autism, and many of you probably do, we have some great resources available at www.cureautismnow. org.

Jennifer Sims writes to say that she joined Charles Schwab & Co. in early August as vice president of corporate communications, after an eight-month consulting gig with Capital One in Richmond, Va. “Ultimately, that Virginia/California commute got to be too much for me, particularly when my husband and dog remained in California,” she notes. “I left Aspect Communications in October last year, where I had been vice president of corporate relations. We’re still living in San Jose, but have also gotten a place in San Francisco, so visitors are welcome either place!”

Mark Wildman was quoted in a recent New York Times article about his company, the Parking Spot. According to the article, Mark left his position as senior brand manager for Miller Lite to become vice president of marketing for the Parking Spot, a Pritzker-backed consolidator of airport parking garages. Mark must have paid attention in class since the focus of the article was the impressive job the Parking Spot has done “positioning the lowly airport parking lot as a vibrant new brand.”

Mark Richards wrote that after graduation he took the consulting to corporate route and then started up a natural products over-the-counter drug business. After selling that firm to a larger natural products company, he moved to Augusta, Ga., to work with a group of people consolidating the cutting tool industry. “Six years and 33 acquisitions later, we went public and within two years sold out to a larger cutting tool company. As the vice president of business development and later a group vice president, I really got the opportunity to apply all the things we learned at Kellogg.

“Two years ago, my family and I moved to Omaha, where I am president of Valmont Industries Inc.’s global poles division, a $400+ million global manufacturing company.

“We really enjoy Omaha. My wife Jeanne, and three children, J. Tyler, 13, Coulson, 9, and Katharine, 6, are very active. The children are playing the standard cadre of sports — soccer, swimming, basketball etc. Tyler and Coulson recently placed in the top six summer swim club finals in Omaha. I haven’t met any Kellogg alums in Omaha, but would love to know if some are here.”

Scott Mordell wrote that he recently concluded an 11-year tenure at Arlington Park, the thoroughbred horse race track near Chicago. “As CEO, I led the company through some political and business challenges, culminating in a merger with Churchill Downs.

“I am now working at The Chamberlain Group, the world’s largest producer of garage door openers. As executive vice president, I am responsible for our strategies to diversify the company, as well as all financial activities. I also have continuing responsibilities with Duchossois Industries running a couple of our portfolio companies, and remaining involved in horse racing as well. I live in Wheaton, Ill., with my wife, Vicki, and our three kids.

“I have recently seen a number of ‘four quarters’ including Phil Hildebrandt (managing director of Seagal Bryant & Hamil, an investment management firm), Mitch Manassa (partner with KPMG, transactions practice) and Marie Devlin (with Gatorade — she heads up the Propel energy drink product line).”

Have a great fall everyone. Keep me posted on your activities for the next issue.