1998 — Full-Time

Hello Class of 98ers! Glad some of you are still quite keen to send me updates, though I need to point out that this edition is quite heavily weighted with news from my gorgeous fellow Section 65ers (go Bucketheads!). Yet that is not on purpose, it's just the news I got this time. So PLEASE, do your sections proud and send me your updates for next time. Let the news commence….

Chris Tomseth writes: "I am still in Dubai. I think at last writing, I mentioned that my job had been eliminated. By sheer coincidence, my wife decided to re-enter the workforce (after a 2 1/2 year break) at the same time I lost my job. So, for the moment, we have switched roles, and I am now (promoted?) to be the CEO of the household while she is the breadwinner. I don't expect this situation to last for too long, though. Hopefully we'll become a dual income family in the near future. The kids Angelina (7) and Alex (3) are great. I've started to ramp up the Kellogg Club activities out here in my newfound spare time, so at least that is going well. Also, I'm in a fantasy football (American) league with a number of Kellogg '98ers from around the globe, so that is an entertaining use of my time."

Dan Clifford updates: "It's been an exciting year. AnswerLab, the company I co-founded in 2004, was named by Inc. Magazine as one of the fastest-growing privately held companies in America. In addition, the San Francisco Business Times ranked AnswerLab in its list of "Top 100 Fastest Growing Private Companies" in the Bay Area. As a user-experience research company, we help clients improve Web sites, mobile applications and software applications. When we started the company, we projected there would be an increased focus on user experience as e-commerce, social networking and mobile application usage increased. It's been exhilarating to watch the industry grow and have a role in improving the services delivered to consumers.

"We've had an opportunity to work on varied and interesting projects with clients like Yahoo, eBay, Microsoft, Wells Fargo, Intuit, ING Direct, Honda, LinkedIn and Cisco. Lately I've really seen the value in the Kellogg education as we've made decisions on how to build the business, in particular my classes in marketing, entrepreneurship and strategy. And of course being able to tap into the top-notch Kellogg network has been really helpful. Even more exciting — my wife Linda and I had a son on May 21 — Zack Clifford. Zack is our first child so we're new parents with a steep learning curve and really enjoying it!"

Jamie Hershon writes: "I successfully completed the move back to London from New Zealand with my family earlier this year. I've taken a role in the growing cleantech sector with a home energy management company called Onzo. We've already been visited by Evan Schumacher, who couldn't resist a pint at our local, and will shortly see Andy Brown and family who also couldn't resist the call of that local pint."

April and Leo Griffin welcomed their third child, Oliver, into their family on May 29. Leo says: "He's a very charming and well-behaved little fellow, and we are very happy to confirm that having one child is a lot easier than having twins. I am working in private equity at Clarity Partners in Los Angeles. Work has felt a bit like being hit repeatedly over the head with a rubber mallet this past year, but I am still standing and am very excited to bid good riddance to the recession."

Jane Hunter Wright sends in this: "Things in Charlotte are good and busy. I launched an online gift business last October (perfect timing) called OrganicaDeluxe.com. We have obviously adjusted our business (glad that business plan was a one-page document) but luckily individuals and companies have responded very well to our eco-luxe products. We have had a number of Kellogg '98ers as customers. Thanks guys! Now we just need someone to put us on Oprah. My kids (7, 5, 3) are older so the great news is that we are officially out of the diaper business."

Caroline Mendoza Horrigan writes: "We have lived in D.C. for the past four years and have three daughters: Madeline (8), Emma (7) and Lila (2). I work one day a week for our family business, assisting in accounting and marketing, and keep busy the other days of the week with all the girls' activities. I serve on the advisory board at their school and lead their Brownie troops. I also coach their lacrosse team, which has been lots of fun. My husband Keith is working at Lockheed Martin Asset Management. I must have the itch for school because I'm going back to take some classes this fall at the Corcoran in design. Being back in D.C. has been great since we are near family and friends!"

Jason Ayroso sent in this note: "It's been a while since I last contributed to Class Notes but I had the chance to catch up with classmates Steve Labella and Maite Limlingan Labella in L.A. in August. For those who don't know, Steve and Maite got married immediately after Kellogg and have three beautiful kids: Keoni, Maliya and Kira. They moved to Frankfurt, Germany, as Steve is head of marketing for Mattel's Northern European operations. So look them up if you happen to be in Frankfurt. As for me, I moved back to Tokyo this April after 2.5 years in Sydney and have taken on an additional role as HR head for our Japan office. I'm still working for Openwave Systems, running sales operations for Asia Pacific and Japan, and am in my seventh year with the company. So look me up if you happen to be in Tokyo!"

Jason Spievak writes: "We're doing well in Santa Barbara. After a couple of years of faux retirement following our IPO at CallWave, we launched RingRevenue, which lets advertisers track calls like clicks. We closed Series A funding with a leading Southern California venture capital firm. We're up to 12 people and growing, and we have four of the top five affiliate networks signed as customers. Unfortunately, I may have lied to Lynette and told her it would be different this time. We're back to start-up hours and travel, but we're having a great time and I can see the ocean through the swaying palm trees from my office. So it's not so bad.

"We live about three blocks from Charlie and Stasia Huiner and their 3,000 kids, but I think we're about the only Kellogg folks in Santa Barbara. There has been lots of travel lately and connecting with lots of Big Dogs in San Francisco, Chicago, London and New York. Most importantly, the kids are all doing well. Ben is a starting linebacker on his football team, a budding rock guitarist with a penchant for '80s big-hair metal bands, and reads about a 200-page book a day. Sophie and Chloe are both doing very well, with music, soccer, friends and school. RingRevenue has definitely curtailed our travel schedule, but we've had several great trips this year, to Yosemite, Mount Whitney, and deep-sea fishing with the kids. We're hiring for sales, account management and product management. So if you know anyone who wants to move to Santa Barbara, let us know."