Greetings from Chicago! Before we get to any updates from our classmates, we must pause to give special thanks and a standing ovation to SuSu Trotter for her many years of service to our class as the scribe in this space. Hers are some very big shoes to fill — which is why I'm not attempting to fill them with my own feet alone. I've enlisted support from Kevin Sankey and Kathy Monahan to create a very Kellogg-like "group" of contributors to this column each quarter. Please feel free to contact any of us with any news you may have about your lives, families, careers, etc. that you'd like to share with our classmates.

Let me begin with an update directly from Kevin. Kevin writes: "Thought I'd write a little 'perspective' piece. Five years ago, I began an unexpected odyssey that has taken me from the boardroom to the baby's room. What began as a short break between 'careers' has turned into a new perspective on life's priorities. While I may claim the distinction of being the only male from our class to make this 'career' change (if there are others, let's hear from you), I know that there are many women from our class that have undertaken the same dramatic transformation. The transition from management leader on the rise to everyday, stay-at-home parent can be quite shocking. Self-identity and personal ego can take quite a beating as you read about the exciting accomplishments of your friends and classmates as you fold that fifth load of laundry or pick up the kids' toys (again). However, having eventually exorcised the demons of society's expectations, I am now proud to report my recent promotion from Mr. Mom to the highest honor that can be bestowed upon those in my field: CDO — Chief Domestic Officer. May my fellow domestic officers share in the same personal growth that this experience has provided for me."

Kathy Monahan has also been promoted to a similar position after giving birth to her son, Gianni, 19 months ago. Kathy and her husband, John Baglivo, moved back to Chicago a few years ago and make their home on the western edge of Lincoln Park. Kathy has been taking classes and developing a business plan for a new consulting business she's aiming to start in the not-to-distant future.

Other recent additions to the Kellogg family include Peter Kish, born to Steve (Kish) and Sarah on June 21. Peter joins older sister Emily (she just turned 4) in the Kish household. Steve visited Chicago on business this past summer and I had the pleasure of dinning with him. He is now working as director of product management in Motorola's infrastructure group. Steve also had dinner with Craig Stinebaugh and Stephanie Lofgren and their two kids in August. Craig was in the Boston area for a ZS Associates partners meeting. Steve says they wanted to sneak out for a few holes of golf with Craig but to no avail.

Also, Jim Faier and his wife, Debbie, welcomed their second son, Zev Raphael Faier, on July 17. Zev joins big brother Aaron. The entire Faier clan has recently moved while completely rebuilding their home. Jim is inviting everyone to visit their new home, which should be finished by Thanksgiving 2006. He asks folks to contact him with any suggestions on how to reign in wayward contractors. Jim has expanded his Chicago law practice from trademark and copyright law to include patent work. Jim will be speaking to a number of Kellogg student clubs this year instructing them on patent law and how it can affect their businesses.

I caught up with Sandy Haviland at the reunion and tracked him down via his trusty Blackberry recently as he traveled through Prague. Sandy writes: "I started my own middle market M&A shop four years ago with a great first year followed by two pretty slow years in the market and then this year is really roaring back. My wife, Kate, and our kids, Charlie and Grace, are doing great."

And talk about traveling. I just heard from Christophe Jeannin and his travels will likely win a prize — if there is one to win. Christophe, who is a director with the Keystone Consulting Group in Chicago, writes: "These past few months have been quite busy for us, with summer and work offering lots to deal with. Nathalie's sister and her family visited us in Hinsdale for the entire month of July, which was a blast for the kids (three of ours and their three cousins, complete with various camps in Michigan and Wisconsin) but obviously lots of work for the hostess. On top of that, I was out of commission for most of July (which in fact has been the case since mid-June). I am working out of Carlisle, Cumbria (U.K., old chap) for one of our Chicago-based clients as the interim MD for their European business unit ($85MM in sales, mostly U.K. and France). It's been professionally interesting but personally challenging as I am here for two weeks and back for a weekend, here for two weeks, back for a weekend, etc. August was a bit better as Nathalie and the kids headed over to France for the month. At least, I got to see them on the weekends. Which was great, although it involved again more hours on a plane. (Carlisle is just south of the Scottish border. You could hit a 9 iron over the border.) Kids are back in school (Audrey is in seventh grade, Alex in fourth and Olivia in second — soon to be asking us for the car keys!) The dog is doing well, and seems to be the one missing me most. No big surprise there!"

As my own travels take me to Los Angeles from time to time (more on that later) I've kept in touch with Alan "Freedy" Freedland. Freedy should be an inspiration to all of us, proving that if you do what you love, the money will follow. He claims that every comedy writer needs an MBA. At first I didn't understand what he meant, but now I get it. After graduating, Alan went to work in advertising with Ogilvy and Mather on the account side. But he really wanted to be on the creative side so he quit to develop a portfolio that would enable him to approach advertising from the creative side. In the process he realized that what he REALLY wanted to do was write comedy. Following his dream, he packed up his family and moved to L.A. in 1993. Fairly soon, Alan landed a job as a writer for the sitcom The Nanny. He then helped create and was a writer on the Fox network's King of the Hill series and eventually rose to position of co-executive producer. After King of the Hill ended, he co-created and ran the short-lived series on Comedy Central called Kid Notorious based on the life of famed Hollywood producer, Robert Evans. Alan is currently working as the executive producer and head writer for a mid-season NBC sitcom called Thick and Thin, starring Jessica Capshaw. The show will debut sometime early next year. Along the way to his current position, he has shot a few pilots and sold a few movie screenplays as well. Alan's family is doing well. His wife, Cindy, retired from being director of advertising of the Los Angeles Times and is now very active with the PTA. They have a daughter, Sara (10), and son, Jason (6). Maybe Dean Jain will be inspired by Alan's post-Kellogg career and start a new program targeting the entertainment business.

I thought I'd close with an update about what I've been doing. Four years ago I started my own software business called Easy-Ware Corporation. The company sells software to nonprofit agencies. To finance the company, I set up a consulting business and have consulted with a diverse range of companies while I took time to write the software. Some of my consulting clients include Vanity Fair magazine, the Chicago Community Trust and Basil Walter Architects, where I am also CFO. My work with Vanity Fair is quite fun and somewhat surreal as I help them with their annual post-Oscar party — and yes, I get to go the party each year. Easy-Ware is growing rapidly as we began to market nationally at the start of this year. By the time you read this, we'll have close to 200 clients of many different types and sizes all over the U.S. and Canada. If any of you either volunteer for or are on the board of a nonprofit agency (warning: shameless plug approaching), I'll be happy to give you a Kellogg discount on our software (which is already affordably priced). On the personal side, I'm still single, living in Lincoln Park, and performing in an improv comedy troupe. Kevin and Laura Sankey caught one of our shows while they were in town for the reunion this past summer. For those of you who may be in Chicago in December, we'll be performing at Second City every Friday night at 10:30 p.m.

To end our first Kellogg column, Kevin, Kathy and I beg you to send us your news, because if you don't Š we're going to start making stuff up about you. People are dying to know what you're doing. For example: whenever I speak to classmates about Kellogg friends and who's doing what, every single person — without fail — asks me about Jim Kingsley. And rightly so, as he is one of our most beloved classmates. I'm sorry to have to admit that I can't locate Jim anywhere. Jim Kingsley, where are you? We want news! Please call or write soon or else in the next column I'm going to start spreading rumors that you and your family have joined the witness protection program and are going by the name Goldstein. Oy!

Please write or call us:Charlie Frankel, CharlieF2@aol.com

Kevin Sankey, KevinSankey@hotmail.com

Kathy Monahan, KMonahan@ameritech.net