1992

Tim Giardina was recently promoted to national sales director for Tall’n, an IT consulting firm specializing in custom application development and integration for the retail, financial services and health care industries.

After 11 years Rick Erwin writes: “I’ve been with Chicago-based printer RR Donnelley Corp. since 1992. I’ve moved around the U.S. in various management roles and now run a marketing services business unit in Chicago. My wife, Tracy, and I have three terrific kids, ages 7, 4 and 7 months, whose activities devour our free time (along with perpetual renovations of our 80-year old house in Hinsdale, Ill. I’d love to hear from my classmates — erwin630@comcast.net.

Robert Walner joined the corporate and securities department in the Chicago office of Pircher, Nichols & Meeks, a national law firm primarily serving real estate clients. Prior to joining the firm, he was the executive vice president, chief administrative and legal officer, and corporate secretary for Grubb & Ellis Co.

Dr. Bob Honigsberg has now been in Cincinnati for four years, a record for him. “I’m very challenged at J&J,” says the veteran Buckeye, “where I head several large FDA registration programs and other projects, as well as helping my boys with their homework.” Kathleen and Scott Schur & Co. have moved into a new house in Portland; Moose is still with Intel. Gerard Beenen resigned as CEO of Block Integrative Cancer Care to start his PhD at Carnegie Mellon in organizational behavior. “Yo ho, yo ho,” he writes, “a professor’s life for me! I also work with the Institute for Business, Technology & Ethics (www.ethix.org) and serve as a research fellow and editor of book and film reviews. Finally, I’m encouraging Professor Lavengood to document some of his contributions to Management Ethics. Anyone interested in helping with this project should email me: gbeenen1992@kellogg.northwestern.edu.”

Charlie Cosovich writes: “In a most random occurrence, I was in the small visitors’ lobby at a research hospital near L.A., waiting for a meeting I was to facilitate (I advise hospitals). Into the lobby walked the hospital’s head of fund-raising with Kal Bagamane Denzel. Kal was visiting from Hong Kong, avoiding the peak of SARS and checking out the hospital’s program. More planned encounters include going to an Oakland A’s game with Jeff Mora and occasional get-togethers with Pam del Rio.” Jay Fehnel writes from Chicago that he is now VP, business development for Tribune Media Services. He does strategic planning, partnerships and M&A for TMS, which syndicates news and entertainment listings worldwide. Ilene Weinstein Lederman sends “greetings from San Francisco, where the economy is still rough and housing is still overpriced, but the weather is fabulous (Fabulous? Well, compared to the economy, maybe). In July I had my second child, Max Benjamin, after a full day at the office (seems to be how I do things!). He joins sister Hannah, now 20 months old. The other day the local ABC-TV news had a story about going after your dream job, given the sorry state of the West Coast’s economy. The story featured none other than George Corrigan, standup comic wannabee, and now professional masseur! Also in the story was David Krigel, who was playing guitar and singing in a musical gig. Here’s to David and George!”

4-Quarter Reporter

Ironman Jim Winnet was too busy as managing director of IC Consulting Services to be on the California ballot. He says that “our newest service, which is going very well, is helping public companies comply with the new Sarbanes-Oxley corporate governance and internal control laws.” (A wonder JW wasn’t featured on the ABC News too.)

Todd and Jennifer Cornell welcomed daughter Ashley Grace last March. “She was 5 pounds and 18 inches,” Jennifer writes. “After six days in the NICU she came home and joined brothers Brad and Drew. I’m still in operations at Capital One in Richmond. We had a mini-reunion with Christine and David Czerniecki and family at the Bronx Zoo this summer. They have three kids: Ethan 5, Maria, 3, and Marshall, 9 months. His email is dec@georgetown.edu.” Kristen Lofquist Simmons left Mazda to become SVP-marketing at Gateway in San Diego, commuting from Aliso Viejo. Husband Michael Simmons is now president of TechSpace (formerly Enfrastructure). Steve Rappaport exercises in his spare time by rowing on Prague’s Vlatava River, water skiing and cycling in the Bohemian countryside. Maria Thomas is back in D.C. after nearly three years at Amazon.com in Seattle. She is now VP for NPR Online and all things digital at National Public Radio. Keep an eye on npr.org for a much-improved site and user experience.

From left: Groom Brian Kelleher and bride Teresa Zepeda ’92,with fellow Kellogg alums Monica Giaquinto ’92 and Donna Potter-Case ’92

In July, Teresa Zepeda married Brian Kelleher in a beautiful beach wedding in El Salvador. The lovebirds took a long honeymoon to Europe and Africa and are making their home in San Francisco. 4Q pals Donna Case Potter and Monica Benadum Giaquinto had a great time at the wedding!

Mariann Kurtz married Charles “Chuck” Weber in August in Louisville, Ky. Mariann was introduced to Chuck by one of her undergrad professors, who happens to be Chuck’s eldest brother. They were introduced via email while Mariann was still in Sarajevo. They met over dinner next time Mariann was in D.C. They emailed, phoned and made multiple trips across the Atlantic. Then Mariann moved back to D.C. last December, and the rest is history. Chuck is a dermatologist and Mariann is a manager at the IFC. They live in Falls Church, Va.

George Thornton ’92 and Debra Hill’s wedding attended by fellow Kellogg alums

George Thornton married Debra Hill in Chicago in June. The elegant affair was attended by classmates Bill Lakenan, Paul Mistor, Dave Ritland, Boyd Rice, Sean Rollings and Sean Conlin. C&D no more, George.

Mike Pytlinski ’92 and Sharon with their twin sons, Drew and Evan

Sharon and Mike Pytlinski proudly announce the birth of twin sons, Drew and Evan, in July. “Careerwise, I’m one of the rare few who’s still with the same company, Kraft, since 1992,” he writes. “Two locations, seven brands and 11 positions later, I’m now the director of marketing for strategic accounts, a fancy title for managing Kraft’s corporate marketing programs for heavyweights such as Wal-Mart and Kroger.” Nancy Dill writes: “I love my job as manager of continuous improvement consulting for Chiron, in Emeryville, Calif. On the personal front, I’m having a wonderful time with a great community. I dance twice weekly and assist at personal development workshops. My eldest son just started college at Cornell.”

Paul Mistor took some time off to design a board game and write a children’s book. In pursuits less tame, the intrepid Mr. Mistor was recently in Afghanistan and Pakistan hunting for business deals. In July, Katherine and Steve Elms had a boy, Pierce. He joins brothers Hayden, 5, and Harrison, 3. Steve is still a partner at the $450 Million Perseus-Soros BioPharmaceutical Private Equity Fund (invests in biotech/pharmaceuticals sector). He writes: “We spent August in Westport, Conn., and often see Gerry McGinley and family. I’ve been here more than three years and enjoy the challenges managing the growing pains of emerging companies. I look forward to the biotech IPO window reopening soon. I go to California often and recently had dinner with the old Landmark roomies: Tim Nelson, Matt Collier and Doug Marks. They’re all doing well and have growing families.”

Vinod “Yo Vinnie!” Dasari writes: “Last year I moved to Pune, India, to become president of Cummins India Ltd. It’s been an interesting and challenging year. I was recently promoted to joint managing director. I’m also still on Kellogg’s MMM advisory board and once traveled all the way to Evanston for a meeting. I hope that we can start video conferencing soon! Please? I also visited the Indian School of Business (ISB), a Kellogg-Wharton joint venture in Hyderabad. It has a 250-acre campus and fabulous facilities and services. The students get room service and fresh linens daily like a 5-star hotel.” (What, no pony rides?) We also re-launched Kellogg’s alumni club in India; check out www.Kelloggindia.com.”

Two Kellogg New Yorkers left Manhattan. Denise Luft Glassman and family moved to suburban Short Hills, N.J. She writes: “It seems as if I’ve spent my whole life in Manhattan and I’m anxious about adapting to the suburbs and depending on a car. But our house is lovely. Jeremy is now 5 and Spencer is 2. I left work when Jeremy was born, then returned to work for a year and was then laid off. So it’s been three hectic, wonderful years at home with the boys.” As for the Riffman, many of you know that Eva and I bid a sad farewell in August to our home and friends in Manhattan’s Greenwich Village. Seven years flew by. We now live in Baltimore’s Fells Point, where Eva started her PhD at Johns Hopkins. I’m still consulting, looking for deals and traveling abroad when I can. Come and visit; we have a roof deck and I have an “endowed” chair at the pub next door. Cheers!