Lori Collins ’86 on the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro
	Dave Volk (left) and Todd Brachman, both ’86, at a Brewers game last June

1986

David Eifrig visited Chris Lynch in Calistoga, Calif. Austin Lehr and his wife were also in town. Dave said the group spent a relaxing afternoon poolside sipping beverages at Chris’s spa. They traded many memories and stories. As more beverages were consumed, I am guessing the stories got better. David is trying to connect with David Palmer, but they keep missing each other. David — the ball is in your court. Also, David had news that he went to medical school at Chapel Hill and then did a genetic research fellowship at Duke (boo) and then a residency in ophthalmology (eye surgeon). But that news is so old, that David has retired from that and is now writing several newsletters with a friend from Baltimore. He is having a blast and he was the best broomball player in the Carolinas for five straight years.

The second best broomball player in the Carolinas, Lori Collins, spent the summer training to hike up Mount Kilimanjaro. A photo sent in proves she made it up. I am pretty sure she made it back down too. In other news, Lori is helping launch the first energy-efficiency financing programs in the Southeast. By the time this goes to print, one of them should be live — alabamasaves.com. She is doing her part to create a clean energy economy. Some days, I really want her life.

Nikki Pope has retired; I mean she has gone into teaching. She is really enjoying it. She gets a real sense of accomplishment when she sees that light bulb go on in a student’s mind, that moment when all the math and practice connects with the theoretical and they get it. On the other hand, the business of writing and getting published is on her tail like the Hound of the Baskervilles! With any luck at all, the article is finished by now and she can relax for a weekend, until she needs to start the next article. Publish or perish, baby. Nikki does keep in touch with Craig Brennan, Tom Moore and Ginger Campbell. Nikki is an occasional user of Facebook and uses it to keep up with people as periodically Janet Sedlock posts something that makes her laugh. Nikki is waiting for Janet to buckle down and seriously tackle “Movin’ On Uptown.” Its time has come! If anyone has an itch to learn venture capital law or advanced corporations, give Nikki a call and she’ll see what she can do!

Tony Mann has asked the City of New York to build at least one new basketball facility. He has a number of children to put through college soon.

Staying in Connecticut, Cindi Bigelow is co-chairing our reunion with Lori Samuels and Calvin Walker. We hope you are all planning on attending. We did have a great time in 2006, but we may have to rethink the open bar. It should be fun and she is looking forward to it. Bigelow Tea just finished its best year ever, so she must know what she is talking about. Her family is doing super also. Meghan is in her second year at Georgetown and David is starting his college search. I think somebody is still at Boston College, but as a BU grad, we don’t talk about BC.

John Baumann and I (Todd Brachman) have gone to a few Wisconsin Badger football games this season. After one of the games, I went to Monroe for the bi-annual Cheese Days Festival. John was like the unofficial mayor. He was dancing on one stage, judging contests and was in the parade twice (beginning and end). Swiss Colony has changed its name to Colony Companies and John is leading the transition from a food company to a more diversified and less seasonal company.

Dave Volk visited Milwaukee in June and we went to a Brewer game together. Dave was celebrating a milestone birthday by visiting all of the major league ballparks he had not yet been to. I think Milwaukee was the last one on the list. He saved the best for last. Dave still looks great and I still hate him. He said that there was no truth to the rumor that the George Clooney movie “Up in the Air” was loosely based on his life. I still have my doubts.

As for me, I found new people to annoy with my bad golf. I played in the Greater Milwaukee Japanese Open (long story, don’t ask) and I won an award. Let’s just say it was not for first place or any place you want to be. I have already been invited back for the spring tournament. I am still teaching a variety of business and marketing classes at the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee and you are all invited to be guest speakers when you are in the area. I will be attending the reunion on April 29. Negotiations with the wife have not been going well. That is our anniversary weekend. Any suggestions on how to thaw Siberia will be appreciated