1991

If you are interested in volunteering for your 15th reunion, please call JC Kira at 847.491.4549 or email j-kira@kellogg.northwestern.edu.

Jon Vano reports: "In July, Scott Freidheim celebrated his 40th birthday. Scott's brother Stephen hosted the party with a Moulin Rouge theme at his house (er, estate) in Greenwich, Conn. Some of the '91 alums present were Jonathan Jackson, Doug Harmon, Kevin White and Cedric Jeanson. Scott's family, friends and co-workers rounded out what turned out to be a very memorable evening. Scott, we look forward to your next party!"

Scott Freidheim added, "On a separate note, I [Scott] was just given the additional title of global head of strategy at Lehman Brothers. I assumed that position in addition to managing director, office of the chairman and CEO, global head of corporate communications, advertising, marketing and brand strategy. For what it's worth."

	George Frey '91 and family

R.J. Fleischmann writes: "After 15 years in the financial services sector, I've made the move from banking to the client side, assuming responsibilities as VP and treasurer of Central Garden and Pet, a leading innovator, marketer and producer of quality branded products for use in the consumer and professional pet and lawn/garden supplies markets. Paul McDonough and Amanda Duisman were particularly helpful in my decision process, proving yet again that the Kellogg network is invaluable. The new job is roughly seven minutes from home — if I run really fast — and I'll finally be able to bring to bear all that brand marketing stuff I recall us learning so much about. Madeline and the kids: Justice (12), Holly (8), Gary (4) and Fox (2) are excited that perhaps this means we're one step closer to actually owning a pet."

Peter Anglada writes: "This summer I accepted the position of president of The WaterStone Group in Chicago. The WaterStone Group was founded in 2003 by another Kellogg graduate. Its mission is to start or support initiatives in the media and entertainment industries that promote family and societal values in our society. The first initiative of The WaterStone Group has been the Institute for Media and Entertainment (an MBA school in NYC for media and entertainment executives). In addition to my work for WaterStone, I was also recently appointed vice president of the InterMedia Consulting Group, a management consulting group based in Rome. I'll be heading the U.S. office, based in Chicago. I still enjoy my involvement with many youth organizations in Chicago, playing tennis, skiing, and now horseback riding. It's always fun to hear from friends. Please drop a line (panglada1991@kellogg.northwestern.edu) or stop by on your next trip to the Windy City."

Guus Waals writes: "All is well. Spent the last 14 years in Europe, but recently moved wife, two kids and most of our belongings to the D.C. area for a three-to-four-year stint in the U.S. The last few years I have been working for a British company, Urenco, that is trying to set up a uranium enrichment plant in the U.S. I am now the CFO for that subsidiary. If all works out we should be breaking ground this time next year. The family is quickly adapting to the U.S. way of life. We're looking forward to making the most out of our time in this country. Regards, Guus."

Paul Fingersh writes: "Had a baby girl, Annie, Jan. 26. Hope you are well. That's as racy as it gets."

C.K. Tsang adds: "Since leaving Kellogg, I have been working in Hong Kong and China, and I have had a front-row seat in witnessing the amazing growth in this region. My personal growth has been enriched by my wife, Catherine, and my daughter, Chloe, who is now 2 and a half years old. For any of you who may travel through this region, I encourage you to drop me a line at ck@javacatz.com for a free beer or meal to catch up! Hope to see you real soon!"

Steve Voight says: "Hi all. Because I've never provided an update I should probably mention that our second son, Will, was born a couple days following graduation, as we were packing our apartment. Both mom and baby are fine; he's now 14, is taller than Sam Zales, and has a keen interest in computers and mutual fund investing. Jan looks great, is loving, and maintains her hand in physical therapy. One-year-old Jay is now 17 and beginning to contemplate college. I'm VP of business development for computer maker Itronix, recently acquired by General Dynamics. We continue to enjoy Seattle and encourage all to give a ring when in town: stevevoit@comcast.net."

Lottie Chestnut and her husband, Doug, just returned from their trip of a lifetime in the South Pacific, vacationing in Tahiti, Bora Bora and Australia. A memorable trip. They were very tempted to add a kangaroo to their pet collection but somehow resisted. Lottie also has a new position at Hallmark Cards in Kansas City. She's now editorial director of Fresh Ink, Hallmark's alternative line of greeting cards targeting 18- to 39-year-olds."

Ty Roberts and his wife Ashley have moved (again) deeper into the suburbs. They now reside in Inverness, Ill., adjacent to Barrington. Lovin' it!

George Frey writes an update of the past 14 years in two paragraphs. "After Kellogg I joined P&G back home in Austria. Within a few weeks I met my future wife, Dalia, with whom I am celebrating my 10th wedding anniversary this year. I worked for P&G in marketing for more than 10 years, first in Vienna, then in the U.K. and finally in Geneva, Switzerland. I returned back home in 2002, and at first joined a large Austrian bank, but after realizing that my place is rather with multinational companies, I switched to American Express, where I am now the country manager of a small but growing Austrian subsidiary, with offices bang in the middle of beautiful Vienna. Dalia and I have two children — a girl, Adina, (7) and a boy, Raoul (5) — and we enjoy being back home with family and childhood friends."

John Mankus writes: "After four years in Guadalajara my wife and I and our three daughters have returned to Denver. We're pleased to be back on more familiar turf, and happy to have a new mountain home to ease our 're-entry' to Colorado. I'm looking forward to catching up with the local Kellogg crew. I will continue working in Mexico, where we have now raised and invested close to $500 million in industrial real estate."

I recently spent time with Jeff Watkins and his wife Carrie in Atlanta, where they run a thriving dental practice. I also had a chance to see Jeff Illes, his wife, Kathleen, and their two boys in Chicago, where Jeff has been hired to integrate and improve the Sears / K-Mart Automotive Centers. More later.

Bertrand Alexandre writes, "Thank you for keeping me informed by mail about the good and, unfortunately, the bad news of our Kellogg friends. As for me, I am the father of Romain, a 7-year-old boy, and of a 3-year-old girl named Amélie. I am living near Paris and heading a business unit for GlaxoSmithKline. In particular, I am in charge of developing and marketing the infant and adult vaccines for the French market. I have not been in the U.S. for several years now, and it is always fun to hear from you."

After a successful career in product management that includes consumer packaged goods and pharmaceuticals, Elaine Gamble has pursued her entrepreneurial goals as president and CEO of her own firm, Elaine Gamble and Associates Direct Marketing Group (EGA). EGA is a direct marketing services firm whose focus is on physicians and the pharmaceutical industry. Services are provided as a supplement to field force detailing or in lieu of field force support and they include program design consulting, physician relationship management, sampling and customer service for physicians. Elaine resides in New York City and enjoys family life with her husband, Raymond Hinson, and their two children, Miles (10) and Simone (8).

Andy Wolf reports the company he founded — iNest — was recently acquired by LendingTree, which is a subsidiary of Barry Diller's InterActiveCorp. "I founded iNest, which was venture-capital backed, in 1997," writes Andy. "Post-Kellogg I worked at Quaker Oats and then as COO of Morningstar prior to founding iNest, which is based in Chicago's western suburbs. I am continuing on as CEO at iNest. My wife, Linda, and I have three daughters: Kristen (12), Karie (10) and Allie (4). We live in the western suburbs of Chicago. 'Hi' to all the '91 four-quarters out there!"

Ramu Thiagarajan writes: "I was a professor of accounting in Kellogg for nine years from 1991 through 1999 and taught both in the day program and in the evening program. I left Kellogg in 1999 to join Mellon Capital Management, where I was managing director, responsible for all active stock selection strategies. I have been in touch with several of my former students during my tenure at Mellon. I am now a principal, responsible for structured strategies in one of the large hedge funds, Pequot Capital Management. I am based in San Francisco and I wanted my former students to have my contact information. I would love for my former students to get in touch with me, and if they are in San Francisco, stop for a cup of coffee or lunch. I can be reached at ramu@pequotcap.com."

Sam Zales writes: "Another little Zaler arrived in the world in May. Elizabeth Warren Zales, henceforth to be called, Betsy, was born on May 9. Leslie's already got big sisters Gracie (5) and Jessie (3) feeding and changing Betsy. I'm a lucky man to be surrounded by amazing women. This is a warning: fortunately, my girls won't grow up to look like me and they're CUTE, so those of you with boys stay away. No dating my gals until they're 22."

Tim Balfe writes: "Steve Borst and I teamed up to conquer the Triple Bypass in July. This road ride might be similar to one leg of the Tour de France: 126 miles, with over 10,000 feet of vertical climbing, going over three Rocky Mountain passes (Squaw, Loveland — continental divide — and Vail). Ate lots of bananas, drank too much Accelerade and took turns at the front of the peleton. All in all, pretty good for a couple of 40-something guys in spandex nearly 15 years out of grad school! John Funk '93 wouldn't ride with us, but did put us up at the beautiful Chateau Funk in Evergreen, Colo. Rumor has it that he gives discounts to Kellogg grads."

Valerie Kramer writes: "After living in Madrid, Spain, since 1991, I still feel very American and very much from Chicago. My husband, who works in industrial marketing at Alcatel, and my 8-year-old son, Sam, are very Spanish (although Sammy has dual nationality). I do love the lifestyle here in Spain. It's sunny, beautiful, people are nice, and food and culture abound. I have been working in Spanish equities since graduation. I am the head of equity research at SG Securities in Madrid. I am a bit burnt out from equities I must admit (those of you out there in equities can probably relate) and at some point would like to do something entirely different...? I'd love to hear from former classmates I've lost touch with. Contact me at valkramer@hotmail.com. It'd be fun to see more alums visit Spain!"

Tom Kalishman says: "I have been living in Jackson Hole, Wyo. for three years and still wake up every day thrilled to live in this beautiful valley. Last year I started an Asian fusion restaurant, Mizu Sushi, which was just rated one of the best new Asian restaurants in America by Food and Wine magazine. When I'm not hosting the bar, skiing or hiking, I find time to manage a fund of hedge funds. Visitors are always welcome! Come ski this winter!"

Ron Graham writes: "Since moving to Las Vegas nearly nine years ago, I have taken up hiking and mountain climbing in earnest. I am a member of several local hiking/mountaineering clubs and regularly guide outings throughout the Southwest. Two highlights of this year's activities include: climbing over 6,000 feet and 11 miles up to the top of Mt. Whitney, the highest peak in the lower 48 states (14,500 feet) in just a little more than six hours, and hiking over 30 miles through the Grand Canyon during a spring weekend. I might be middle-aged now but, no question, I'm in the best shape of my life!"

Joel Dubin writes: "I recently wrote a book about computer security that might be of interest to my fellow alumni and current students. The Little Black Book of Computer Security is a guide for business and IT managers overseeing information security programs for keeping hackers out of their corporate computer networks. Since this issue has been so high-profile lately and one that impacts business and the regulatory environment, it's an issue of concern to anyone in business today. The book is a concise guide written in an easy-to-read format with checklists and summary tables for quick reference. It covers all aspects of computer security for corporate managers concerned about protecting their companies from the types of data thefts that have been in the news lately. The book is available from Amazon or directly from the publisher at pentontech.com/education. There is also a link to Amazon from my personal Web site at joeldubin.com."

Jeff Veis writes that after one year at his new San Francisco-based startup, ActiveGrid, he is never going back to a big corporation again. Jeff says, "ActiveGrid is an open source startup which has created a next generation middleware platform to create Web 2.0 applications and run them on commodity hardware. If we succeed, Microsoft will be toast within two years! In August we shipped our first production release and customer traction has been solid. Outside of work things are busy but great with our three kids, Jonathan (3), Jennifer (7) and Jeremy (11). Still learning how to shift from "man-to-man coverage" to "zone defense" when I am managing the little ones."

Good news for John Prince, as reported by his father, Professor Tom Prince. John has just accepted a position as CEO of Exante, a division of United Healthcare in Minneapolis. Professor Prince reports that John will be making over $1 million.

Sarita Soldz writes: "I'd like to report that on my summer vacation I successfully climbed the Grand Teton via the complete route — which means I hiked from 6,000 feet to roughly 12,000 and then rock-climbed 1,800 feet via 20+ pitches to the summit of the Grand at 13,770 feet. We had 40-mile-an-hour winds during the climb — I was glad I stayed on the rock — and 90-mile-an-hour winds at the saddle. During my stay out there, I was lucky enough to meet many famous mountaineers (like Peter Lev, who I admit I didn't know of beforehand) while staying at the climbers ranch in the park. The bonus of the trip was to visit my best friend from high school who lives just north of Yellowstone; she had a baby in May. Oh yeah, and what about work? Have enjoyed working at CIBA Vision on NIGHT & DAY breathable contact lenses that can be worn for up to 30 nights continuously. The highlight was developing new ads, which have been showing in all Regal Cinemas. During the creative shoot for the ad, I heard many interesting stories about movie stars as the director for our spot was Joel Schumacher. Can you believe our 15-year reunion is coming up next year?"