2003 — Part-Time

	Joe Conlon ’03 with kids Lexi (2.5), Jack (5) and wife Beth
	John Majerowski ’03 and his family preparing for the Bears season opener

Joe Conlon is a proud father of two, Lexi (2.5) and Jack (5), and is quickly approaching his ninth wedding anniversary with Beth. He is currently the IT M&A program manager at Walgreens. The Conlon family is doing well and enjoyed summer trips to Amelia Island and Pentwater.

John Majerowski and his family enjoyed the annual Majerowski Bears season opener. Jack (4), Landin (1) and Sparky (1) are proud fans and the family is doing its best to be very optimistic for the season. John has been with Snap-on for over six years now and his role of director of merchandise products is still very interesting and exciting.

Bo Sandine writes: On Sept. 11, 2001, my Kellogg GIM group was in London's Gatwick Airport when the World Trade Center's Twin Towers were attacked in New York City. We were on a layover, en route from Barcelona to Stockholm — the final destination for our three-city trip that began in Madrid more than one week earlier.

As our group gathered in the midst of shutdown computers and bomb-sniffing dogs, we discovered that two of our travelers had family members who were in one of the towers. They both got out in time, but Dr. Jonathan Annis '03 did not learn of his brother-in-law's safety until much later. He was one of the many survivors that were covered in dust and unable to contact loved ones until many hours of fear and uncertainty had passed.

Over the next 10 days, we banded together and were slowly able to send our stranded companions home to the U.S. in small numbers. We ventured to Stockholm, as we knew it was a safe haven for Americans, and continued on with our plans, which included meetings with top Swedish companies and the country's prime minister. We had very limited web access, and news updates came in often-repeated BBC clips on hotel TVs. Most of our team gathered in my tiny hotel room one day to hear President Bush speak live and restore our collective equilibrium.

Out of this experience grew great friendships, ones that are unusually strong for students from a part-time MBA program. Over the years, I have personally visited fellow GIM Europe students in Buenos Aires, San Diego, Boulder and Chicago.

"As the 10th anniversary of 9/11 approached, we were committed to gather together again. We organized a reunion in Chicago in August, and friends came from near and far: Dave Ramaswamy '02 left a farm in Uruguay to join us. Former Kellogg professor Marc Ventresca booked a flight from Oxford, England (although he had to cancel at the last minute due to family illness). The student from our trip that was affected most directly by 9/11 was U.S. Army Major Brent Kauffman '03. Post-attack, he was sent to Afghanistan to fight on our country's behalf. He joined us from his base in El Paso, Texas, and helped entice one of our favorite professors, Michelle Buck, to join us. Others came from northern and southern California, Colorado, Michigan, and of course, Illinois.

"Fourteen of the 20 students from our trip, many with spouses in tow, reconnected on an August weekend to laugh, share stories and photos, hug and reflect. We kicked things off on Friday night with a Steely Dan concert and picnic at Ravinia; on Saturday, we gathered at Rivers Restaurant for dinner on a private outdoor patio overlooking the Chicago River; and on Sunday, we had breakfast at Swedish mainstay Ann Sather. Cinnamon rolls provided comfort to our group of tight-knit Kelloggians who were once stuck overseas together in the most uncomfortable time imaginable.

Thanks for all of the updates. As you go through these or other life experiences, keep your classmates up to date by forwarding me your news — babies, weddings, jobs, hobbies, or anything else noteworthy. You can reach me at rpollock2003@kellogg.northwestern.edu for updates in the months to come.

A GIM Europe Reunion: From left, back row: Mitch McCloskey '02, Dan Cahill '03, Steve Black '01, Brent Kauffman '03, Chris Pangallo '03, Dave Ramaswamy '02, Bo Sandine '03 and Jonathan Annis '03. From left, front row: Barb Jones '03, Kim Jackson '03, Cathryn Olchowy '02, Barbara Arango '01 and Maria Ramirez '02. Not pictured: Charlie Siebert '02

Rodneyse Bichotte ’03 in Masada, Israel, traveling with the Jewish Community Relations Council.