1990

Lately, I’ve been kind of concerned about my business acumen. Why am I enjoying the The Wall Street Journal’s “Weekend Journal” so much more than the other sections?

Last August, I’m sitting around indulging my flabby acumen in the Weekend Journal. I’m prepared to read about yet another homeowner who has outgrown a 15,000-square-foot home or five-car garage when, lo and behold, I find the featured house is tasteful, and that the quotes attributed to the owner reflect humility and humor. So, I read more closely and discover the house is owned by 1990 Kellogg alums! Here’s the scoop:

According to the Weekend Journal, “Software executive Rick Friedman and his wife Annette Achermann bought a 1907 home in Ashbury Heights as a fixer-upper. ‘It was kind of falling down,’ Mr. Friedman says. Termites had eaten away at the house’s lower back corner. After that repair, the couple launched a gut renovation, remodeling the kitchen … adding baths … replacing windows etc … But now the couple has three children — they had none when the renovation started — so they’re looking for a place with a bigger yard around Palo Alto.” For those of you who haven’t been hit by the market recently, a mere $2.15 million and the Friedman/Achermann house is yours.

In other news, all but two of you ignored my plea at the end of the last column to send in updates. I am indebted to Christine Courtney Payne who wrote, “I took a sabbatical a couple of years ago. After paring down my hours to part-time (post arrival of two babies), I decided it was time. So I had a great summer with our daughters, Claire, 9, and Cathleen, 6, before I hung out my shingle as a strategic planning consultant to nonprofits. Have had several local clients and a couple in other locales; it’s been a great arrangement. Can’t believe we’ve been in Louisville for 11 years. Rodger just finished a book so we might be outta here next year. In the meantime, it’s a great place to live/raise kids and we welcome visitors. Feel free to write me at cpayne01@ hotmail.com.”

I was equally happy to hear from my other reader, Dave Gavoor. He wrote “Left Morgan Stanley in January of this year (after probably my most miserable work experience to date, and, as you know, I’ve had numerous) to move over to Keefe, Bruyette & Woods Inc. with a group of guys I had worked with 10 years ago. (In the event the firm’s name means nothing to you, it’s a niche investment bank focused 100 percent on financial institutions and was one of the harder hit companies on 9-11, having lost 67 of 210 people). We pitched the firm on starting a new business line (by hiring us) and they ended up seeing the complementary fit between what we do and their client base. I and three others run our (now) 10-person group engaged in the brokerage of portfolios of loans.

“Socially, don’t seem to lack for activity. Still see a lot of Tim Furey and his (as of recently) fiancee. Although it’s hard to imagine, she has, in fact, managed to mellow the ultimate partier. Their wedding is scheduled for mid-September in Memphis. For anyone who passes through the Rotten Apple, please give a call (as Charlie Frankel did last week and we grabbed a few drinks). Always looking for a reason to go out.” (212.887.7764 or dgavoor@ kbw.com)

And finally, a source who refused to be identified sent rumors from Southeast Asia. I’m told that Tom SooHoo is the GM of Nike for southeast Asia, based in Singapore. He can be spotted with his wife and baby at the American Club pool on occasion. Jovi Zalamea is in Hong Kong, working for Goldman Sachs. Reports are that Jovi splits time between HK and Singapore. Johannes Wardhana is a headhunter in Jakarta but also splits time in the Singapore office.