Enjoying the sun and discussing the latest case study in Cabo San Lucas at the intersection of the Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Cortés are EMP-31ers Larry Silman, Tim Koch, Lee Esler, Mike Collins, Mark Rohde and Mike Keefe.

EMP-31

Fellow EMP-31ers, I’m happy to report I’ve experienced another first in life, this time in conjunction with this column. For the first time, a spouse of a classmate has provided an update, and based on the quality and content of Gloria Morison’s submission, I hope others follow her lead. Thanks, Glo!

Mike Morison’s bride, Glo, reports: “I thought I’d take this opportunity to share a few highlights of our last few months. Mike continues to work with Accenture. On a personal note, Mike and I each completed our first “century ride” (100 miles) on June 1, taking part in America’s Most Beautiful Bike Ride around Lake Tahoe. It was a wonderful experience and we’re both hoping to do it again. [Rep’s note: As part of the training and race, the charitable and humble Morisons raised money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Thanks, Glo and Mike!]

A fatherly photo of Mike Morison EMP-31 and his daughter, Maggie, vacationing in New Hampshire this summer

“I’ve enclosed a picture of Mike with Maggie, our 2 1/2-year-old daughter, taken on vacation this summer in New Hampshire. We were there for a week at Mike’s family’s house to visit family, take a much-needed break and celebrate Mike’s aunt’s 90th birthday. [Rep’s note: Maggie, thankfully, takes after Glo, and is beautiful and happy; and despite having three daughters, Mike hasn’t aged a bit since graduation in ’95. As a father of five teenagers, four of them daughters, I can say the aging generally coincides with the teenage years! :) ]

“ Mike sees Rob Mann at school functions and around the neighborhood. Rob’s wife, Lisa, and I are both on the PTO executive board at our school. We are still doing home improvement projects here and there, and Mike continues to be a hero to our three girls — Sydney, 10, Olivia, 7, and Maggie — whenever he walks through the door after work.

“ So, all in all, things are well at chez Morison, and we hope the same is true with all his classmates. Take care.”

Thanks again, Gloria. I hope your note triggers other significant others to participate. Meanwhile, we have the following update from Lynn Monica: “Greetings from San Francisco. I have rejoined the working world, after spending some quality time with family, traveling and having fun. I now work at Telephia, which provides market intelligence about and for the wireless market. My role as vice president of planning and program management is to add some basic governance to the company’s planning and management of strategic programs. Fun little company in a downtown SF loft, with a casual environment and very positive high-energy folks.

“ On the personal side, I have caught on to the SF thing and just completed my first HALF IRONMAN (1.25m swim, 56m bike, 13.1m run). It was beautiful in Sonoma and felt great even though it was a bit hot (100 degrees). My goal was just to complete it. I had started working two months prior, so did not do as much training as I had planned, but turns out I did really well (fourth in my age group)! Now thinking of doing it again or maybe a Full Ironman) next year.

“ Rob Mann and John Ayers are doing GREAT! I try to see them from time to time and keep in touch with them. Rob now lives in Highland Park and John in Oak Park. Both are happy with job, family and life. I hope all of you are doing really well wherever you are. Let me know if you ever make it to SF.”

Thanks Lynn, and best of luck with the next Ironman (full or otherwise — impressive)! In other news, our noted entrepreneur, Greg Oslan, similarly reports he “finally decided to help improve the unemployment stats and went back to work.” He writes: “I’ve recently taken over as president and CEO of a software company called Narus. We’re in the business of collecting network data and turning it into network intelligence. Interesting technology, big customers and cash — not a bad combination in today’s market. We have a good group of people and strong investor backing. Hopefully, we can turn this one into a winner. Besides, I was running out of frequent flier miles!

“As a side note, the local Northwestern alumni chapter has already contacted me here in Northern California about our 10-year reunion. Maybe we can all do something back in Chicago in the spring? [Rep’s note: Our next official reunion will be in 2005, although the Alumni Relations Office is thinking about opening up the MBA reunions each year to all alums. Hope to see you there. If anyone else would like to help organize a corresponding EMP-31 event this coming spring, please contact me directly.]

“ Hope all is well with our classmates and their families. As always, thanks for doing all the heavy lifting to keep us all in touch.”

Thanks, Greg. On behalf of EMP-31, best of luck with Narus.

As previously mentioned, Larry Silman has become active in the Kellogg Alumni Club of Chicago and led Kellogg’s Chicago Cares Serve-a-Thon team on June 14. Our heartfelt thanks go out to the alums who spent and enjoyed an awesome day.

More specifically, Larry writes: “It was a great day. Our team (including KACC friends/family) joined a few other smaller teams and traveled to the Newberry Math and Science Academy, a magnet school in Old Town. Our team joined the painting crew, sprucing up classrooms, hallways and stairwells while another crew spruced up the playground with some new landscaping. All in all, I think everyone had a great experience and would be ready to sign up again in 2004.”

Thanks, Larry, for leading by example and walking the talk.

After too long a time, we gratefully hear from an old friend, Todd Ryne, who tells us: “Sorry I have not taken the time to write, but I do enjoy the updates. I changed jobs at Akzo at the beginning of the year to global CRM manager for my BU. So a big change from the business management side. The family is great. Elizabeth is 9 and Benjamin is 6. We are doing our best to use every day of our vacation while the kids still have time for us before the teenage years. Kris is still part time (not really) at Zurich Insurance and enjoying juggling work with the kids’ schedules. I did see Merry and Al Gerber over the summer. They are enjoying life as usual, traveling, visiting friends and playing golf.”

Thanks, Todd, and thanks for the update on everybody’s favorite couple, Merry and Al.

In closing, please reach out to your study mates and update all of us. Also, many of you have changed jobs, locations or Internet providers, so please also provide current contact information to me and the alumni relations office at www4.kellogg.northwestern.edu/scripts/alumaddr/address1.asp.

lso, please check out your local Kellogg Alumni Club Web page. For those in the greater Chicago area it’s www.kellogg.northwestern.edu/alumni/clubs/usclubs/Chicago. Thanks, and take good care. GO, WILDCATS!