1950s

Martin Benjamin ’52 writes: “I am living in an assisted living facility in Naperville, Ill. While here, my wife Lillian died this year. I still occupy our same room. I miss her and there are things all over to remind me how short life is. My trust is in God to help and sustain my health.”

Gerry Zang ’53 writes: “Here I am, still working and having the time of my life. I tried retiring three times and it just doesn’t work for me!” Gerry is the president of the Lakeside Group Inc. in Missouri.

John Porter ’57 has completed two years as chairman of PBS. He has served on the PBS board since 2001 and leaves the board according to its term limit policies. His strong support for public broadcasting is evidenced in his 21-year career in the U.S. House of Representatives, the last six of which he chaired the appropriations subcommittee that funded the departments of health and human services, education and labor, and 14 independent agencies, including the Corporation for Public Broadcasting which provides almost 15 percent of PBS and NPR funding. John continues as chair of Research!America and is vice chair of the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health. He is a trustee of The Brookings Institution, a member of the board of the PBS Foundation, and a member of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences. He is a partner in the Washington law firm of Hogan Lovells.

Stanley Polcyn ’58 writes: “I retired five years ago at 75. It was probably prompted by being made president emeritus of a couple of boards. I’ve been married to Carole for 56 years. We both golf, ski and travel often with our 15 grandchildren and six kids — not all at once. Carole and I enjoy reading about fellow alumni who have had much success, even without knowing them.”

Per Torkil Knudsen ’59 writes, “I am still alive and well and am turning 80 in February 2011.”

Don Weber ’59 gives an update on his life, saying he lived in Lake Bluff, Ill. and moved to Lake Geneva in 2000. In 2007, Don moved to Sarasota, Fla. Although “retired,” Don still consults with ad agencies and has worked with the Russell Reynolds Associates executive search firm for the last three years. He remarried in 1980 to Jean.