class 
notes
Spring 2024

Malcolm Starr reports that, “On April 8, 2023, my 80th birthday, I was joined by Dick Cline at the Brown-UPenn lacrosse game. We hadn’t seen each other since spring of ’63 when I transferred. I had the pleasure of playing soccer and lacrosse with Dick at Claremont, where he was an outstanding athlete. It was good fun catching up and swapping histories. We both had estate planning and probate work in common, he was an attorney and judge (!) while I just practiced. Three years ago, Dick moved to Plymouth, Mass., about an hour away, so after some back and forth we finally got together. Hopefully we’ll do it again.” 

Ben Tunnell is “Still married to my college sweetheart, Sherry, from the first class at Pitzer College and celebrating our 58th anniversary in January. My daughter, a non-practicing attorney, and her husband both work at our company (BTI Appraisal) and all is well!”

 Richard Lewis writes, “I am rapidly approaching 80. I’m looking forward to the annual get together with Keith Nightingale, Tony Childs, Wally Dieckmann, Jim Pignatelli and Lee Livingston.”

Keith Nightingale reports, “Myself, Jim Pignatelli, Wally Dieckmann, Lee Livingston and Tony Childs held our semi-annual reunion at Richard Lewis’s vast baronial lodgings at Yellowstone Club. Libations and chow were consumed in inordinate quantities and absent personalities were mercilessly dissected. Our next incursion will be an invasion of Mexico. I just published my fourth book, The Human Face of Day, with Casemate Publishers. “I am assisting my daughter in Maui/Lahaina as she recovers and assists all who worked at Kimo’s Restaurant that were burnt out. Maui is still beautiful and unlike the publicity it has tons of tourists. Y’all come and bring $$$, spend lavishly remembering that most of the restaurant and hotel staff on the West side are living in community shelters.” 

Peter Armstrong Hall writes, “This past summer myself, my cousin, General James Armstrong, and my wife, Susan, visited our family in the Netherlands. We visited the Van Gogh Museum in Nuenen, Netherlands, saw close friends and helped Susan reconnect with her Dutch ancestry.

Philip Chrones added a note to say, “I am alive and well. Unfortunately, I have not retired yet. Not much free time between taking care of three small businesses and my wife who has Alzheimer’s.”

In Memoriam: Steven Freeburg, age 79, of Pasadena, Calif., passed away on July 13, 2023. Dennis Mann commented that Steve had married one of the sharpest Pitzies in the Class of 1969, Karen Sue Cummins. They had kids, and both of them were attorneys (IIRC, they even worked together at the same firm for several years).

Daniel Sadler. It was noted by BartKimball that Danny had only been at CMC for our Freshman year so many may not remember him. He was a graduate of San Marino High School.

Richard Julian. Richard entered CMC with the class of ’66 and took the five year ME program graduating with our class. This led to a Bachelor’s degree in business from CMC and a Master’s degree in electrical engineering from Stanford. While at Stanford he met his future wife, Jana, and when she moved to Los Angeles for graduate school they married. They welcomed their two children, Christopher and Anne, and eventually relocated to Santa Barbara. Early retirement gave Rich opportunities to travel and photograph, including trips to Scotland and Peru, although his favorite destinations remained Yosemite, Death Valley, and Four Corners. As Alzheimer’s illness began to manifest, his life narrowed, and in his last year of life he moved to Villa Alamar to stay engaged and comfortable. In Richard’s memory, please raise a glass, join hands, and dance, or share a joke. His generous spirit and wry sense of humor will be sorely missed.

Michael Donovan. We were all deeply saddened at the loss of our popular classmate.

His wife, Candi Donovan provided the following tribute, “This is surreal, and I will miss him beyond words as he was my rock. But I am grateful he passed away in his home as he wanted. Michael was a man with many interests, but reading would be at the very top of the list. He was never without a book. We are not having a memorial or a service as the family is spread far and wide. We will take his ashes to his favorite hiking beach next summer.”

Joe Johnson offered the following memory of Michael, “In our sophomore year at CMC, I was the tailback on the CMC offense. We ran the USC offense and used a lopsided line. Michael was the pulling tackle/guard on the short side. Our quarterback (Frank Kelsey ’68) would quickly pitch to me on Michael’s side and Michael would pull out and take out the linebacker. I would gain 10 yards before anyone was near me. Michael was undersized for a tackle but was very quick and very bright. I enjoyed him as a teammate and as a student. He came to one reunion, and we had a chance to relive stories of those years. He was a great example of the CMC student athlete.”

Robin Bartlett added, “I could always count on ‘Donobug’ for an amusing class anecdote. He would give me lists of the latest books he’d read, the number of books in his library and humorous quips for all to enjoy.”

Jim Carson writes that in early November he wrapped up his seventh year of volunteering at Dulles International Airport as a member of the team that greets and facilitates the arrivals and departures of Honor Flights from across the country. This national organization with numerous local chapters provides free trips for American military veterans to visit Washington, the war memorials, Arlington Cemetery, and other sites important to our veterans. With fewer and fewer World War II and Korean war veterans still alive and able to travel, the majority of Honor Flight veterans coming to Washington, D.C. now have served in Vietnam and a few from the Gulf Wars. For most of the Vietnam vets the greeting they receive at Dulles is the first time anyone has said “Welcome Home” to them. I urge my veteran classmates and others who served: if you haven’t made an Honor Flight, contact your local Honor Flight organization, and get on the list. Jim will be waiting to greet you when you arrive in Washington, D.C. www.honorflight.org

Dennis Mann commented on the state of the public art now found throughout campus, “I echo Robert Heinlein, who said that sculpture artistry mostly ended with Rodin and his portrayals of real/realistic people.”

John Mazza contributed, “I recently had lunch with Trish and Paul McConnell here in Malibu, Calif. They just moved to Queensland, Australia after about 45 years in London, England. They are in love with Australia (Trish is a native). On the way back they are visiting Sally and BruceDunn who moved about a year ago to Sunset Beach on Oahu, Hawaii right across the street from my place. They have had a vacation home there for years and are now permanent residents. Bruce just bought a farm right up the hill and plans to establish a family compound.

“John “Bunjar” Pettit, Howard Slayen ’68 and families met up with Tom Burton ’68 and me for a road trip that ended up in Sedona, Ariz. for a week or so. We all meet every year and usually take different routes. Burton and I always take the route with a lot of trucks. We connected with Steve Griffith in Scottsdale, Ariz. for a mini Berger reunion.

Fred Merkin offered the following commentary from a communication he wrote encouraging classmates to donate to CMC. “CMC takes its undergraduate educational role seriously. How else can we explain that last year the College embarked on a cutting-edge science program with the founding of the Kravis Department of Integrated Sciences to be housed in the Robert Day Sciences Center now under construction? Science disciplines have historically been taught in subject matter silos (e.g., physics, chemistry, biology). CMC’s integrated approach will instead organize the sciences around (i) Genomics, Systems Biology, and Health (GSH), (ii) Brain, Learning, and Decision Sciences (BLD), and (iii) Climate, Energy, and the Environment (CEE). The boldness of this science program at a college not focused on the sciences represents a recognition that graduates who aspire to leadership in business, government, and the professions increasingly need a sufficient background in the sciences. Similarly, I applaud the College for renaming an iconic building, formerly the ‘Living Room,’ to become known as ‘The Massoud.’ This recognizes the stellar teaching career of Professor Marc Massoud P’89. It’s great to see that CMC demands and recognizes excellence in instruction.”

Stephen Martin informs us that he is arranging for the installation of 200 water meters into Villa Nova, which is the Mexican neighborhood association that he runs. “A lot of different aspects show up when you switch from completely available, high pressure fresh water to individually metered water. I’m also treasurer of the Hospital de la Familia Foundation (www.hdlff.com), which supports a hospital near Guatemala’s border with Mexico. They’re doing fine this year but presently encountering road blockages in Guatemala. This is due to the disputed presidential election and results in the cancellation of traveling medical teams from the United States as well as difficulty for local doctors and patients moving around within Guatemala.”

I heard from Hal Bennett who offers the following news, “Effective Dec. 31, 2022, I resigned as President of Utility Trailer Manufacturing Co after a work career of 53+ years and have assumed an advisory role to our fourth-generation management team that has been doing the heavy lifting for the past five years or longer. For the foreseeable future I will remain a board member and a small shareholder. I am thankful for my CMC preparation that guided my successful career and look forward to our next reunion together.”

I also heard from Guy Baker who writes that he is glad to report that 2023 has been a relatively uneventful year for him. “We continue to bounce between Tennessee and California. One grandson-in-love had a near tragic motorcycle accident but lived to tell the tale – a true miracle. I am still actively handling client matters and playing golf as often as I can sneak out. Our family grew by twins, adding to the great grandchildren list as we continue to watch the development of our wonderful family. Colleen and I renewed our marriage contract for the 56th time, with no amendments. Hoping you all have had a great year, as most of us have reached 79 and are getting nearer to the 80 mark. Blessings to all.”

Sandy Mackie sent the following message, “I have recently enjoyed the opportunity to join an email chain with Dennis Mann, Jim Carson, John Pettit, Van Smith, Martin Kaplan and 10-15 others who share thoughts from time to time ranging from the serious to the comedic to the sublime (count Van Smith in here). Critical thinkers all from a wide variety of philosophies and points of view. Good to renew old acquaintances and make new friends. If you’d like to join us, write to dkmann4@yahoo.com as he is the ringleader.”

Aaron Fuller provided a fascinating story of his trip to Scotland in October to attend the International Churchill Society Conference. “Sharon and I have been involved with the Society since March 2001 when we were part of the commissioning of the U.S.S. Winston S. Churchill, Guided Missile Destroyer DDG 81, in Norfolk, Va.

“The conference includes Churchill family members such as great grandchildren Randolph, Marina, and Jennie, prominent historians, and authors such as Sonia Purnell, and military and business leaders and attendees from several countries (Yanks and Brits predominate) who enjoy the dialogues of history.

“For those interested, next year’s conference is in London and will be celebrating Churchill’s 150th birthday. The program has not been announced but with Churchill’s 150th as a center point it should be rich in historical reflection.”

This note was received from Frank Petterson who writes, “I don’t have much of a contribution in me right now, other than to say I’m still alive and fairly well considering all my medical travails. At 78, playing Mr. Potato Head becomes a main occupation. Keep smiling, all!”

Another fascinating note was received from John Percy. He wins the “all-time greatest class traveler award” with this contribution. “In January, I spent 35 busy days traveling in Southeast Asia. My private tour included Indonesia and five countries I’ve never visited before: Vietnam, Malaysia, Philippines, Palau, and Brunei. Some of the Vietnam highlights were the temples and pagodas in Hanoi, Hue, Hoi An, Da Nang, and Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon), an overnight cruise on Halong Bay, a cruise to Phonh Nha Cave, a Mekong Delta river cruise, the Champa temples of My Son, and the beautiful Da Nang Museum of Cham Sculpture. Malaysia included Kuala Lumpur, the historic cities of Malacca and Penang, and the island of Borneo where I visited sanctuaries for orangutans, sun bears, and proboscis monkeys. In Brunei, I visited the great mosque and took a river cruise through the capital city where I saw crocodiles sleeping on the riverbanks. On Komodo Island, Indonesia, I saw a female Komodo dragon digging a nest. My guide took me snorkeling on a nearby island. In Bali, I watched the Kecak Fire Dance at the Uluwatu Temple perched on a promontory overlooking the ocean.

No operas on this trip, but I saw the exterior of the opera houses in Hanoi and Saigon.

“In March, I added Grenada and St. Vincent and the Grenadines to my list of countries visited. 147 countries so far. I traveled to Europe seven times for opera and to New York four times for art exhibitions, theater, and opera. In August, I flew to Italy on Monday, saw four operas (three for the first time) by Rossini at the Festival in Pesaro and returned to St. Louis on Friday in time for Ragtime on Saturday and my weekly pool party on Sunday. I have now seen all but one of Rossini’s 39 operas. There were also opera trips to Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago, Dallas, and San Francisco. By the end of 2023 I will have seen 1,153 different staged operas and 1,730 different plays/musicals/operettas.”

“Art Formanek and his wife Jane stopped by St. Louis, Mo. for lunch. They looked well. Their children have graduated from college.”

Robin Bartlett comments, “In case you were wondering, John’s preferred airline was TWA, now American. Since retiring, his status is Platinum Pro that offers many perquisites for senior travelers. Earlier this year John reached two million miles with AA which gives him lifetime Platinum status.” He comments that he needs to start using more of his 500,000 accumulated miles on AA. John travels with only a carryon bag and recalls the change from the 1970s when he once carried two bags around the Middle East for three months.

Bob Novell P’94 offers the following philosophizing, “When I was growing up, I thought 40 was really old. You tend to think that way when you’re young, starting a family, and working your tail off. Now I’m 77 and, like most of you, have finally decided to retire…this year. I may have waited too long. Sharon has done a wonderful job at helping me with the transition. Both Sharon and I remain quite active. She is involved in a variety of local programs and clubs. I am slowing down a bit, but still involved with several organizations, playing bridge, and watching UCLA basketball. I still put on my sweats and exercise almost every day but have given up skiing. The joints just don’t work the same way they used to. For Sharon and I, our focus has turned to evenings with local friends and spending time as often as possible visiting and enjoying our family and grandchildren. My New Year’s resolution is to lighten the number of books on my bookshelf, and I have already disposed of more than 80 volumes.

“When I think back over my life, I recognize how fortunate I have been. Life in America and especially in California is changing so rapidly it’s sometimes hard to understand where our country is heading, but I remain positive and thankful for each new day and wish the same for all of you.”

John “Bunjar” Pettit P’91 called me to provide an update on Ronald Doutt P ’94’s status. “Many know that Ron has suffered from Parkinson’s for the past 10 years, but amazingly maintains a wonderfully positive attitude despite many discouraging pitfalls (literally) and setbacks.” Bunjar reports, ‘Hej, Hej, Hej.’ Ron told him he gets to see three different types of therapists each week: speech, balance, and occupational. Ron is presently living in an assisted living facility, the Atria in Newport Beach. Ron is visited frequently by his daughters, Kirsten Batley ’94 and Amy. They have been instrumental in taking care of Pop for the past couple of years as well as during the devastating loss of Barbara, his wife in 2022.

Ron spent the start of his freshman year as an inmate in Stoughton Court, the rehab motel used for the overflow students of the entering ’67 class. Bunjar was Ron’s roommate in Berger sophomore year and Les “Puma” Waite was his roommate for junior year. The three have remained fast friends ever since. Bunjar and I exchanged a number of stories, some of which I can’t repeat here, but the one that stood out was about Ron’s employment with the Wrigley family (yep, the chewing gum people). Ron was the first non-Wrigley family member to be the President/CEO of the Santa Catalina Island Co., the overarching company that was in charge of 12 different entities including a hotel, boat tour, bus line, amusements and more. (Sort of a mini Disneyland on Catalina Island.) Ron worked there for most of his career. He was so well liked by the Wrigley family and they thought so much of him they threw him a retirement party and invited 500 guests! John attended as Ron’s oldest friend and college roommate. He regaled the throng, including Ron’s wife and daughters, with several modest stories from CMC days — delivered only as Bunjar can do. Later in the evening while Bunjar basked in the limelight of his humorous speech, he was approached by the Wrigley CFO who told him that one of the most remarkable things Ron did every year during his 25-year tenure was to visit with every employee on holidays when other people have days off. He visited each of the 12 business units and thanked each employee personally for working during the holidays. This dedication capsulizes the type of man Ron Doutt was and still is to this day.

John, Les “Puma” Waite, and Steve Frates ’69 have all kept in close touch with Ron and are planning a celebratory lunch with their hero in the very near future. The Berger Hall Gang and all Ron’s classmates congratulate and wish Ron good health and the very best of times to come.

And finally, Robin Bartlett sums up the success of his book, Vietnam Combat: Firefights and Writing History. “My thanks to so many of you who have purchased copies of my book. It has sold very well, and I am pleased with the results. Vietnam Combat just won the 2023 NYC Big Book and Best Book Awards for nonfiction – military and the PenCraft Award for nonfiction – war. It received a wonderful review in On Point: The Journal of Army History. I am keeping my fingers crossed for additional accolades in 2024 when additional awards are announced. Please visit my website for an autographed copy, discount, and free shipping: www.RobinBartlettAuthor.com plus much more information, reviews, videos, blogs, photos, and podcast links.”

Robin Bartlett ’67

This is our first Notes since our 50th class reunion – and it was a superb reunion. The largest turnout ever for our class and a great time in our all being together. The events and the time for us just to sit and talk made for a great weekend. A number of classmates came for their first reunion, or their first one in a long time, which was terrific. Our class scholarship, the first by a 50th reunion class, was a major gift to the College, and, hopefully, something other classes will copy in the future. Not to mention that at the 50-year reunion mark, we got to eat in the main dining room at the Athenaeum! As a couple of classmates say below, we look forward to our 55th!

Keith Stump has some great observations about the reunion and the campus. “I’m sure I didn’t fly the farthest to attend our 50th Reunion, but regardless, I doubt anyone received more enjoyment per mile for their travels. The reunion provided great opportunities to both relive old memories and create new ones. Catching up with old friends and gaining new ones provided wonderful opportunities to hear about and learn from their experiences. The campus has become a dream come true – more than I could imagine. The planned expansion just boggles my mind. It was nothing short of humbling to be included in the remarkable group of achievers who have done so much in and for our world. The breadth of experiences and accomplishments of my classmates were stunning and wonderfully appreciated. There is such power in our group. I’ve never been prouder of my alma mater and cannot wait until our 55th Reunion!

“The remainder of my 2023 summer was, unfortunately, downhill from there. My efforts to take an extended cruise on my sailboat through Southeast Alaska were met with obstacle after obstacle of boat and other problems, including the death of my good friend in an auto accident, an awful experience made all the more traumatic by my coming upon the crash scene when I went to see about him.

“As the litany of obituaries of friends and relatives increases at a distressing rate, I am increasingly appreciative of my own health and for the blessings I’ve received throughout my life. More than anything, the friends with whom I’ve made so many memories are the capstone of my blessings. Our reunion put an exclamation point on those blessings. No, make that at least two exclamation points!!”

Lowell Sears adds his two cents (his words) about the reunion, “The 50th was a great blast from the past and a chance to renew and strengthen friendships. An amazing collection of life paths shared among us geezers. Impressed as well with the transformation of the College. See you all at the 55th!”

In a subsequent, late-November 2023 update, Lowell reports that he fell off his bike and broke his hip. “No more competing for a while.” (Get better!)

Peter Nicholson writes in with his observations as well. “2023 was most notable for two wonderful gatherings. First, our son Jackson was married at long last in March. Second, the 50th Reunion was an outstanding trip down memory lane. Even the commute from coastal Georgia to Claremont was a blast. How rewarding to be able to recognize a record setting cohort of old friends from ’73 while joining up for meals, drinks and activities. Plus, an opportunity to meet some new Development and Alumni Association folks. Two Friday golf groups at Glendora country club, mixing golf team members and other accomplished players, was a home run.Attending Mike Sutton ’76’s retirement gathering at Roberts Pavilion was the perfect reminder of the fabulous integration of an A+ education and collegiate athletic career offered then at CMC. And today the bar is set even higher thanks to the dedication of leading alums like Mike. I enjoyed my time at the 40th Reunion, but the big 5-0 was tremendous. With all this as backdrop, and subsequently seeing plans for the Roberts Campus, I was more proud than ever of how CMC has prospered and enhanced its leadership among private colleges. Way to go Stags and Athenas! Looking forward to many happy returns.”

Ben Fawkes ’09, son of Lee Fawkes P’09 and wife Ellen Stavitsky, married Rachel Marcus on June 25, 2023, in Beacon, New York. Lee and Ellen look forward to seeing more of the happy couple when they move back East after several years in Las Vegas, where Ben works in sports gambling and Rachel works for Amagi. (Congrats all around!)

Great to hear from David Casnocha P’11 who notes, “I am writing from our apartment in Vienna, Austria where we are enjoying an extended visit with one of our sons who is posted here by the State Department. He previously served in Cyprus and Turkey. His twin brother is a partner at Goodwin Procter in San Francisco. Our younger son, Ben Casnocha ’11, is the founding partner of Village Global, a venture fund which recently announced the launch of their third fund and the naming of Reid Hoffman (co-founder of LinkedIn) as their chairman. Ben’s book, Start-Up of You, is now in its second edition. I remain active as a practicing attorney, but am spending increasing amounts of time traveling. Sorry to have missed the reunion. Glad it was successful.”

Paul Beninger P’09 made remembrance remarks at the memorial service for Ambassador Steven McGann held in Washington, D.C., last summer. Paul summarized things well by his last sentence, “We are all the richer for having had Steve in our lives, and we are all the poorer for his passing.”

Paul also notes that he was promoted to Professor, Public Health & Community Medicine at Tufts University School of Medicine on September 1. (He said he’s a late bloomer. Congrats regardless.)

He also manages to visit and catch up with Roger Winsby occasionally at local coffee shops. And Paul says their daughter Anna Beninger ’09 moved from New York City to Boston in Spring 2023 for her job as a senior executive of DEI at Liberty Mutual. “It’s great to have her as a regular stay-over for frequent weekends. And it’s great to continue to watch her mature.”

Bruce Peterson and Ken Gilbert represented our class at Steve’s memorial service on campus in September 2023. The College did a nice job.

Bruce Peterson ’73

Mark Rosenthal updates us on his doings, “Amazing how well CMC is doing. Someone told me CMC is ranked even higher than when we were all there as students. I’m back to focusing on developing breakthrough pain treatments since chronic pain may be the biggest health problem in the world. All the current treatments have major shortcomings, which are addressed in the device I’ve developed. The device is atomically diagnostic, and then it directly repairs the deficits which are the primary causes of pain. Since chronic pain affects 100 million Americans, this should be a huge advance. This has taken me years to develop, and I am getting closer to being able to publish my results.”

Always good to hear from Richard Esterkin, “Not much to say about the reunion, other than the usual platitudes about how great it was re-connecting with everyone. Main reaction was to all of the changes to the campus – Kravis Center, the Cube, and Roberts Pavilion are amazing additions. Looking forward to additional changes with the proceeds of the recent capital campaign.

“As for me, I fully retired from Morgan Lewis and the practice of law as of October 1, 2023. With my resignation as counsel to USA Water Polo, I was appointed to the Board of Directors. Our 70+ team (I can’t believe that I am writing those words) went to Kumamoto, Japan in August 2023 to compete in the World Aquatics World Masters Championships. We went 5-0 and brought home the gold, beating a team from Perth, Australia in the finals!” (Congratulations big time!)

Closing on a personal note, Peggy and I joined many of you in the Grandparents Club as of September 2023 with the birth of granddaughter Anna to our daughter and son-in-law. How can a small, sleeping thing that doesn’t do anything except lie there be so fascinating?

Ken Gilbert ’73

Kent Scroggs wrote, “I saw the note from a ’75 classmate mentioning the 4-college choir and me. So I thought I would respond (perhaps for the first time in 48 years). Mario Mainero P’10 (mentioned in the update) was my one and only roommate at CMC. After enduring my rather eccentric roommate (and now, life-long friend) for that first freshman semester, I was rewarded with a single room for the remainder of my four years at CMC. Mario is the one who badgered me into auditioning for the choir, for which I am very grateful. That was my first experience in a choir and I enjoyed it tremendously in terms of the music and the fact that it was co-ed. I have been singing in choirs almost nonstop ever since and am currently singing with Canto Deo (cantodeo.org), singing exclusively sacred but very challenging pieces from Palestrina to the present. I retired upon reaching the young age of 70 last April after using my UCLA MBA in the oil & gas and mining industries for almost 20 years and then spending the rest of my career in the faith-based non-profit world, including 15 years as the Executive Director of Restoration Outreach Programs, ministering to the underprivileged in metro Denver. My wife, Lisa, and I have three adult children and three granddaughters, with number four granddaughter due in late May. In retirement, I am not only enjoying being a grandfather, but I also serve on the Board of Directors of several nonprofits and ride my bicycle a lot.”

Vik Bath writes, “1971, I was in Green Hall. I was in one of the infamous phone rooms. I did get to meet all of the tenants on my side of the dorm. If you remember, the North Quad was, to a large degree, the default location for incoming freshmen. Not sure the actual breakdown for the whole Quad, but it was close to 50% of the freshman class. Maybe they figured we could all learn together at the same time about college life. Music was always a big part of the North Quad. I doubt the poor guys in the towers could claim the level of decibels we had up North. From ‘Maggie Mae’ in ’71, to ‘Benny and the Jets’ in ’74, to the Grateful Dead and ‘Truckin’, you could dance and sing all the way from Lit class down to Econ and Poli Sci. Some of my classmates that first year from Green Hall were: C. Alvarez, Bill Andrews, J. Barab, J. Beyers, Dan Burg, Jack Lucas, J. Cooney, Richard Garcia, David Graham, J. Griffith, Abel Hernandez, Frank Higgins, Scott Hougland, Chris Kempster, Jeff Klein, Mike Moretti, Ed Murphy, Jim Rothman, and Mark Ruble.

“On a more recent, personal note, my wife Belinda and I were in L.A. as volunteers for the U.S. Open, and were able to have dinner with Dan Burg. Rehashing old times and trying to reconnect was enjoyable, sharing stories of grandkids and telling of plans for future travels that have filled our buckets, made for a fine evening together.

Drop a line, give me a call, stay in touch.”
Regards, Vik

Save the date for our 50th reunion – June 5-8, 2025

Vikram “Vik” Bath

John Weed writes, “I completed my PhD in International Relations last May. My dissertation was entitled, ‘The Evolving Relationship between Malaysia and the People’s Republic of China.’ In 2024, I will be the Potentate for Al Kaly Shriners for Southern Colorado.”

Dr. Robert Kiskaddon scribbled this note, “Living in North Carolina; still seeing patients and working in physician healthcare leadership. I’m staying on top of changes in healthcare as the Chief Medical Officer for an AI company specializing in improving medical documentation. Just finished doing a podcast on the future of AI in medicine (NerdMDs: Efficiency Unlocked). Hello to all the buds at CMC.”

Doug Mirrell sent this update, “Havi (the older daughter of me and my wife, Loyola Law School Professor Laurie Levenson), is an Assistant U.S. Attorney in Los Angeles who volunteered to be detailed to Washington, D.C. Her very first trials involved the successful prosecutions of two fairly infamous January 6 insurrectionists – Thomas Webster and Douglas Jensen. Our youngest daughter Daniela is a solutions specialist coordinator for the Los Angeles Chargers NFL football team where she works on sponsorships, partnerships, and other marketing efforts. Meanwhile, among other matters in my active litigation practice, I continue to consult with my client SAG-AFTRA on legislation and related post-strike matters involving ‘deepfakes’ and other artificial intelligence issues affecting the entertainment community.”

Al Harutunian reports, “I completed a 14-month assignment as a Pro Tem Justice on the California Court of Appeal. I’m now back at the San Diego Superior Court, handling criminal cases and serving as the Presiding Judge on our Appellate Division. I am also currently the Chair of the California Judges Association Ethics Committee. We field ethics questions from judges around the State.”

Al Harutunian ’77

Stuart Morris remembers Derek Werner (aka ‘Riko’). “My best friend passed away this past June. We met on September 18, 1976 just outside our Green Hall dorm rooms on the first day of Freshman Orientation. Looking back, I can only wonder how hugely different my life would have been had I been assigned to Appleby, Marks, Benson, or any other dorm. As luck would have it, the friendship I established that first day at CMC lasted a lifetime and strengthened each year as we prioritized sharing our lives through travel, adventure, and laughter. Derek was Best Man at my wedding and my son, Jay Derek Morris ’23, possesses his name and now his memory.

“For exactly 44 months (until graduation day May 18, 1980), Derek left his fingerprints (literally and figuratively) on the CMC community.

“Derek, Javier R. “JR” Wetzel (his roommate all four years), and I spent our first semester junior year studying abroad in Copenhagen, Denmark. I know we attended classes and even spent two weekends for our Sociology class living like Vikings in the middle of nowhere, but as memories of those events fade, the lasting impression was that the four months in Denmark was a non-stop party.

“Thankfully, Derek met the love of his life Jennifer ‘Jennie J’ Jackson Werner SCR ’81 his senior year. For the next 43 years they would be inseparable.

“Derek lived in faith, not fear. He was known as ‘Generic Derek’ because he gave pause to every expenditure. Derek hoarded his money so that he could allocate those funds pursuing travel and adventure. Fortunately, he found a partner in Jennie J who shared these same passions.Derek pursued life on a road less traveled.

“Derek’s accumulation of wealth was less about the size of his bank account, but more about the breadth of he and Jennie’s life experiences. He lived a wealthy life.

“Derek’s Celebration of Life was held in December just two days after what would have been his 65th birthday. It was an amazing collection of people who all loved Derek. CMC attendees included Scott Whipp, John Spinosa, Dale Yahnke ’79, Louis Caron, Steve Schiro, Brian Bullock ’81, Bob Farra, Eric Jenican, Dave Flatten, Scott Tate, Ethan Bindtglass ’82, Dave Yasukochi ’81, Dave Mgrublian ’82, Jack ’57 and Jill Stark ’58, Rita Krieger, AJ Shaka HMC ’80, and Cheryl Benson Hoban SCR ’81. Derek’s parents, Raymond and Carol, along with his sister Kari and her husband Gary, and, of course, Jennie J. were appreciative of all your support. We miss you, Riko!”

William Anderson writes, “I was surprised and saddened to hear about Derek. I didn’t know him as well as many of you, but I do recall that he kept us grounded in making sure we remembered to have fun! It sounds like he carried that spirit and sought out adventure throughout his life.

“I’m straddling between phases these days here in San Diego. I’m generally trying to keep a portion of my time teaching at UCSD’s Urban Studies & Planning program and consulting around the state and elsewhere. I’m a volunteer board member of the San Diego Parks Foundation and work on some initiatives with a couple of professional organizations, ULI and APA. I’m trying to keep a growing share of my time for family, friends, and myself. I have two young adult children, Ryan and Mila,making their own transitions. My wife, Shawna, heads up the San Dieguito River Park JPA – a 55-mile greenbelt agency in the region from Del Mar to Vulcan Mountain – so I’m spending more time exploring San Diego County’s open space with her.

“I do stay in touch with some classmates – Jeff Arce P’22, Lee Rodgers, Dave Schneider, Linda (Page) Schneider ’81, Bev (Hom) Chong, Perry Tribolet’81 (we had lunch last week), and Jan Buddingh. I’ve known Bev and Perry since junior high school, and Jan and I were best friends in elementary school. Sadly, our classmate from the class of ’79 and a friend - Brian Ames ’79 - passed a few years ago.

“I believe there are several from our class in the San Diego region. It would be great to get together sometime to catch up. Please look me up if you’re in the area or if someone wants to collaborate and organize an informal mini regional reunion later in 2024.”

Wayne Slavitt writes, “As we enter 2024, I have realized that our 45th Reunion is fast approaching to be held June 5-8, 2025. Some of our classmates’ recent passings remind us how fragile life is, especially with a Medicare card!”

Paul Nathan writes, “I got to know Derek a lot better after graduation as we both shared the passion for discovering the world. However, he was a lot more adventurous than I have ever been. The pictures taken just immersed all of us in so many different cultures. Amazing pictures of individuals and landscapes! However, the ability to eat whatever the ‘local’ ate showed Jennie and Derek’s ‘courage’ and adventure. And yes, there was always a beautiful sunset with a good glass of wine. I always shared them with my mother who also had traveled the world and who found them extremely interesting as well. Unfortunately, we never crossed paths even though we tried.”

Scott Tate writes, “It was a weird year for me transitioning (maybe?) to a new house in Old Historic Boise while still keeping a house in the Bay Area, but enjoying it here. I attended five weddings and a funeral this year; of note classmate Jay Rosenlieb found and married his best friend Melanie in Bakersfield.

“After a Friday wedding in Charleston, S.C., I flew back to Newport Beach, Calif. to attend a celebration of the life of our friend Derek ’Riko’ Werner. Stu Bod Morris emceed with Jennie J. and gave a run-down of Derek and ‘Generic’ Derek Werner’s life, a very full life. Classmates Steve Schiro, Scott Whipp, Louis Caron, Dave Flatten attended. (Dave Yasukochi ’81 and Dave Mgrublian ’82 P’11 also joined.) A life well lived and well loved. (And... there up front sat Jack Stark ’57 GP’11 and Jil Stark ’58 GP’11! I figured they were there to enforce a decades old restraining order but no! They were there to celebrate Riko with all of us.

“As for me, I remember having to explain to my girlfriend that despite Riko and JR cranking up the Stones ‘Paint it Black’ at 3:00 a.m., repeatedly, week after week, they were actually okay guys. And as one who probably worked too hard and failed to enjoy seeing the world when I was younger, I was given the gift of Riko and Jennie J’s wonderful travelogs – at least a hundred countries! My two most important takes from these little educational journeys:in every outing there were photos of a smiling Derek surrounded by children – for a guy with no kids he was a pied piper. And second, a photo on a Ugandan hillside populated by Highland guerillas. In the middle of lush bushes sat a calm blond Riko still as tap water with an 850-pound male Silverback munching away just 10 feet away. A priceless, classic Riko shot.”

Sean Collins, writes, “Although I’ve kept up with very few CMC contacts over the years, I do have fond memories of Riko and JR recounting stories to us in Green. The most vivid one is Riko telling stories about having traveled to Morocco (not sure if that was with JR or not). (Think Dave Schneider ’81, Carl Kowalski ’81 and probably Tmore, maybe Scott Whipp was there). Having little money and nowhere to sleep, he slept on …a park bench. I remember thinking, Riko, what sane person would do that in Morocco?

“Then, he goes on and tells us he wakes up in the morning and the wallet he had in his front pocket has been cut out in the middle of the night by somebody with a knife. All the money’s gone. I have no memory of what happened after that, all these years when I think about that story I think, ‘what a character.’

Steve Algermissen reflects, “I am still in shock about Riko...Very sad…”

Jonathan Grinder notes, “I did not know Riko well, maybe enough to say hello. But I always looked up to him. He epitomized what it meant to be a student at CMC in the late ’70s.Nobody did it better. I am sure he continued that spirit into his life after college and that his friends and family must miss him.

“After decades of lawyering and running a company producing events, I mercifully retired and am living in Tucson, Ariz. I still keep busy coaching the University of Arizona TriCats Triathlon Team and doing all the usual exercise things to stave off old age.”

Art Dodd writes, “My travels started as I celebrated birthday #65 in Denali National Park and Preserve. Check that off the bucket list. Arrived into Fairbanks, as far North as I have been on planet Earth.

“A driving trip into Southwest Colorado over Labor Day. I joined my siblings in order to spread half of my dad’s ashes at the base of his grandchildren’s blue spruce on our property in Ridgway, Colorado.

“Thanksgiving found me in Australia and New Zealand. My first time South of the equator. My time in Fiordland National Park is as far South as I have been on planet Earth. Stops included Sydney, Melbourne, and Burnie in Australia. New Zealand stops: Dunedin, Timaru, Christchurch, Wellington, Napier, Tauranga, and Auckland. Fabulous scenery, and all terrific places to have visited.

“I’ll just mention my Christmas Day 2022. A heart attack and spent Christmas night in an ICU room at UCLA Medical Center. I have made a complete recovery; bike riding is my choice of exercise, which has paid dividends. I rode before the heart attack and was able to ride to my second cardiologist appointment at UCLA. I biked to it.

“A huge contributing factor to the heart attack was the stress from being a caretaker for my parents. My dad passed October 2022. My mom also transitioned into a senior facility with memory care here in Santa Monica. That was quite a 90-day period.

“My advice: take care of yourself so you are able to take care of others.”

Scott Tate ’80

David Beaver writes, “Hi to everyone! How to compress 42 years into a paragraph? I retired a few years ago, after a good run in the computer industry, first doing custom programming for business applications, then turned that into a computer support company for businesses that grew nationwide. Renee and I had kids a lot later than some of you; they’re in college now so we’ve only been an empty nest for two years. We moved to my home town Santa Barbara, Calif. where I’ve dived into a second career managing commercial real estate. We have lots of guest rooms, visitors are welcome!”

Lewis “Skip” Rutledge reports, “I finally got married. I wed my beloved bride Toni Rutledge on November 14, 2020. Our rehearsal was Friday the 13th, 2020. What could possibly go wrong? Just celebrated our third anniversary last week. We reconnected after 25 years and have much lost time to make up for. So I am now a husband, father to three, and two kids-in-law, plus grandpa to the four cutest kids in creation. I have been teaching and coaching a speech and debate team at Point Loma Nazarene University for over 35 years now, trying to figure out if I like it. And I love it. I hope you will look me up if you are in San Diego, America’s Finest City. Somewhere along the way I earned a Masters at San Diego State University, and a doctorate at Regent University, both in Rhetoric.

“Our debate teams have somehow managed to win a dozen or so National Championships in debate through my tenure here, and yearlong sweepstakes championships, including our latest last year for the National Parliamentary Debate Association. Cumulatively we are the top team in NPDA debate nationwide over the past 25 plus years. And finally we have been blessed to travel, teach, and debate in some pretty exciting places including China (three times), London, Italy and most recently Tokyo last Spring (and maybe Dublin this year). I look forward to catching up with you all. I have enjoyed Zooming with Jeff Caplan, Shaw Wagener, Robert Ho, Bruce Haas and Richard Albrecht.

Timothy Safford writes, “I recently returned to the U.S. after serving as the Interim Dean of the American Cathedral in Paris. In March of 2022, I retired as Rector of Christ Church, Philadelphia where I had served as Rector for 23 years. Lynn Karoly’83 and I now live in Padanaram Village outside of New Bedford, Mass., where she continues her work as Senior Economist for RAND, and I am writing about the Episcopal Church and the Civil Rights movement as well as supporting local churches in New England and the mid-Atlantic.

“Our fellow classmate and my roommate for two years at CMC, Steven Wright, died this past Christmas. He visited us in Paris six months before his unexpected passing—a tender mercy for us now.”

Kathleen Dennison writes, “I recently retired from my position as Budget Director of Chautauqua County (in western New York, south of Buffalo). For me, retirement means going from three jobs to two. My husband, Robert Contiguglia, and I have owned and operated Central Station Restaurant for nearly eight years, and I am an adjunct professor of accounting at our local community college. I was an independent hotelier/restaurateur for many years before I became the budget director; it’s nice to be back to being my own boss! Robert and I have been married 32 years and we have two great kids.”

Heather (Hand) Rider reports, “Retirement has been a blessing! I retired ten years ago from a 30+ year career in global human resources. I have been living in San Diego for the past 20+ years.

“I enjoy traveling extensively and often combine my love for hiking, walking, and biking when I travel. As an example of my love for travel, this past summer I visited Japan, Armenia, Lebanon, Jordan, Greece, Sedona, and Mexico.

“My stepdaughter and her family live four miles away which allows for plenty of‘Nana time.’ 

“Another passion of mine is Make-A-Wish. I am a Wish Granter in San Diego for this organization. It is so gratifying to bring to life the dreams for these children…it helps me keep my perspective in line. 

“Lastly, since I retired, I have served on a few public boards. Currently, I serve on Inogen and ProSomnus boards. I would love to connect with other alumni in San Diego.”

Ken Wechsler reports, “Given it’s been awhile since my last update I’ll summarize the past few years. Back in 2016 I remarried to Olivia Wakefield and we live in Sudbury, Mass. (Boston suburb). We still have a house in Encinitas, Calif. and plan to return in a few years. All’s great, except we both work too much and I envy my retired classmates! Yet, we both love our work and with four kids now in college and beyond, we’re planning ahead to reduce/eliminate work and travel more. Currently I’m the vice president, Global Total Rewards for Akamai Technologies (you probably use us daily and have never heard of us!), managing all our compensation and benefit programs globally for 10K employees. It’s a demanding, yet rewarding role. 

“My two girls (Kyla and Kendra) are 27 and 24, the older one’s living in Denver (working for Red Bull) and the other is hoping to return to Tel Aviv (after the new year); she was part of a team that helped open their first subway. We got her out quickly after the unfortunate situation that’s evolved. My stepsons (Aidan and Connor) are in college – one’s a senior in Political Science and the other’s a freshman focusing on Neuroscience. 

“I’ve had a particularly interesting year of travel, including Tel Aviv in May (seeing Kendra and our Akamai offices), Bangalore, India in November (and have reconnected with Soccer teammate Prabhu Chulani) and have a Botswana safari with my girls on the calendar from Dec. 26th through Jan 6th. I’ve enjoyed seeing these cities and experiencing their different cultures!

“For fun, since the summer of 2021 I’ve picked up playing (older) Men’s Baseball (yes, full hardball). It’s been a lot of fun, great to have teammates again, and keeps me feeling young (cause in baseball you’re always a ‘kid’).

“Finally, one of my longest buddies is Jeff Pollack ’82! We’ve been talking constantly over 40+ years, sharing the joys of life, helping each other when needed and keeping each other grounded as well. I’d love to hear from others as well.

Ken Wechsler ’81

Stuart Williams and Doug Beighle share, “We’ve been watching the Seahawks play the Cowboys in Dallas. Great buddies for 45 years. Go Seahawks! All the best to the class of ’82.”

Nohemi (Gutierrez) Ferguson P’16 reports, “Frank Ferguson P’16 and I are tickled pink to share the wonderful news that, this year, we became grandparents! In April, our son Jacob and his wife Caitie welcomed their adorable daughter, Ripley Dolores. She has brought so much joy to our entire family. In November, we reunited with fellow classmates in Las Vegas thanks to the generosity of Chris Townsend, Ken Valach, and Janie Valach, and the meticulous organization of Meggan Knott. These awesome Stags treated two dozen of our classmates to a delicious dinner, a Donny Osmond concert, and a Raiders game. In addition to Ken, Chris, Meggan, Frank and I, the other classmates who shared in the fun were Chris’ wife, Michele, Jim Gervang, Carl Howell, Dave Mgrublian P’11, Joel Jones, Jon Stott, Darren Chaney and his wife, Kim, Charlie Klinge, Cindy Schwartz Goldberg, Michelle Davis Stratton, Amie Friedlander Yehros, Gigi Birchfield P’12, Lee Geiger, Dennis D.J. Janssen, and Steve Eggert P’15. Proving our class is not exclusive, Blake Isaacson ’81, Kyle Richards ’81, and his wife Cindy also partook. You can read all about the second annual reunion weekend on Lee Geiger’s blog at https://leegeiger.com/commitment-to-excellence/. Later that weekend, Frank and I also had the pleasure of dining with Hom Cheong Yong, who visited us in Pasadena, Calif. Thanks again to our classmates for a memorable weekend that reminded us of our amazing years at CMC.”

Jeff Pollack writes, “MaryAnne and I finally left our beloved Bay Area after almost 30 years. We are living and playing in Arizona and can now see Ken Wechsler ’81 once a year at spring training. Finally checked off a bucket list item and did the Alcatraz Sharkfest Swim: Cold, dark, and epic. For those of you considering visiting Alcatraz, I highly recommend getting a round-trip ferry ticket. Still working with Marsh & McLennan as the Director of Risk Management and enjoying the challenge and the opportunity to work with the next generation. Very proud of the continuing national and international recognition that CMC receives.”

Alicia (Hall) Gold reports, “Big news for me is that I have my first grandchild! Leo Adam Gold was born on July 17th and lives in Maryland with my son, Andrew, and his wife, Andie. He’s adorable. A very happy baby. With my three kids spread out in Los Angeles, Denver, and Maryland, I’m racking up some frequent flier miles while still working full-time at Overlake in high school athletics. We’ve sent a number of kids from Overlake to the 5Cs, including Katie Hill ’18. She’s one of our teachers and coaches, as well. Stay safe everyone!”

Nohemi Gutierrez Ferguson ’82

This is the first Class Notes following our 40th reunion in June 2023. We had a great turnout, about 30-40 of us. For fear of forgetting someone, I’m not going to list the attendees. Those of you there saw me taking notes, but I was writing things like “wearing a plaid shirt” so I could remember who was who, not taking notes on your current lives, so I asked you all to do that yourselves. I think I got to talk a bit to everyone, and it was very fun seeing classmates connect with friends they’ve seen recently, but especially with those they hadn’t seen for many years.

Let’s get started: Eric Helm reflects, “Forty years! I’ve spent it all (professionally) at SoCal Edison, which actually serves Claremont. Started less than three months after we graduated and have been there since (did the MBA on weeknights). Have been retirement-curious for awhile now, waiting for a “sign” I suppose, while working mainly from home. Celebrated my 25th wedding anniversary last year in Hawaii with the family, and am planning trips now. Just returned from Japan and looking to Canada next.”

Ed Eger P’16 writes, “I’m sorry I won’t be making the reunion, as I am writing this over the Atlantic Ocean somewhere. Jonathan Rosenberg P’14 and I were hoping to make a quick one-day trip down, but that didn’t end up happening. So, I’ll provide a quick update on the last few years at least instead.

“My wife, Holly, and I are still living in the Bay Area, where we have been for the last 13 years. Our three children, who have been living all over the country and the world, have all ended up in the San Francisco area, so we have all of them nearby. Our oldest is the CFO of a school district in East Palo Alto and his wife is a fertility doctor on staff at UCSF. He just got his PhD in Education last month from Penn, which he somehow managed to do while working full time. Their two daughters, ages 3 1/2 and eight months, get to spend a fair amount of time with their grandparents, often spending Friday nights with us. Our middle one works as a product manager at Apple, working on Apple TV+, which was her dream after getting her MBA from Kellogg three years ago. Our youngest, Katharine Eger’16, just finished her first year of grad school in international development at Berkeley’s Goldman School. Since graduating from CMC, she’s worked and lived in East Africa. Holly and I have been splitting our time between the Bay Area, Massachusetts (where we have a summer home), and Chicago. In Chicago, I’ve been running a Fintech company for the last five years, and really enjoy this fantastic city.

“As I look back on the last 40 years since leaving CMC, I suppose I just feel tremendously lucky to have had the opportunity to live and work all over the world. I think the most important parts of the CMC experience were a combination of friends I made there, as well as the relationships the school provides between students and faculty. Over the years since graduating, I’ve stayed close with Susan Bjork and Professor Gordon Bjork, who was my thesis advisor, for instance. That simply doesn’t happen at other schools. Our youngest ended up taking Introduction to Accounting from Professor Marc Massoud P’89, whom I also had as I struggled through T-accounts. And my study abroad experience is now coming full circle as I just joined the board of IES Abroad, the organization that runs CMC’s and many other colleges’ study abroad programs. In the category of small world, IES is run by Greg Hess (former Dean of Faculty at CMC), and the chair of the board is President Pamela Gann, so again some CMC connections. CMC is masterful in making these connections and supporting its students in ways that other colleges don’t.”

Brent “Winky” Lower’s 40-year update! “Hello fellow Stags (and Athenas, Sagehens)! After graduation, I returned to the great PNW, starting in Portland then Seattle, where I began my career in real estate investment/finance/development. Spent several years living with Doug Beighle ’82, Stuart Williams ’82, and several other characters in the notorious ‘House of Fun.’Eventually matured enough to settle down, buy a house, get married (in my early 30’s). After a couple more years of fun, Kathy and I started our family. Our daughter Emma, now 26, is loving life in San Francisco working as a legal investigator at RBGG (great litigation firm working for social justice causes) after graduating from Yale and Cal (Masters) where she ran middle distance on their track teams. Sounds like her next move is law school. Our son Reed, now 23, is living in Nashville, where he is working for a very entrepreneurial developer focusing on some really cool affordable housing projects.

“I am a founding partner of Washington Holdings (along with Craig Wrench POM’83 and others). We just celebrated our 20thanniversary, and it has been a fun, rewarding and wild ride. We’re now in my fifth down cycle! If you buy low and sell high, it’s all good! I’m in the Bay Area a fair amount, which combined with Seattle connections, real estate, and the occasional baseball alumni get togethers, have allowed me to connect with Chris Toohey, Skip Sanzeri, Dennis Janssen ’82, Steve Richardson, Jim Richardson ’82, Curt Burkhart, Jon Stott ’82, Tom Van Buskirk ’82, Chris Dobberpuhl ’82, Dean Jensen, Chris Reid ’80, Jim Rock ’82, Tom Owens POM’83, and others.

As a family, we love to ski, bike, hike, boat, travel, and cook. Ping me if you’re in the Seattle area and let’s catch up, IRL. Cheers!

Larry Chip André writes, “Dear Class of ’83: Here is my last 40 years summary: After graduation, I served for two years as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Senegal, West Africa. I then worked as Peace Corps staff in Washington, D.C. for a year and a half before getting my International MBA at Thunderbird School of Global Management in Glendale, Ariz. (subsequently absorbed by Arizona State University). I then got a job in Chad, Central Africa, immediately following their war with Libya. Our task was to assist refugees returning to Chad from camps in northern Cameroon. While at Thunderbird, I had taken the written and oral entry exams for the Foreign Service. I passed and then somehow got through all the background checks. I left Chad to return to D.C. and started my diplomatic career in January 1990. As of today, I am a former diplomat. So, that makes altogether 37 years of USG employment.” (TK must interject - Chip is too modest: Wikipedia reminds me that he was our U.S. ambassador to Mauritania, then Djibouti, then Somalia). “My career was spent almost entirely in Africa. The exceptions are Iraq and Bangladesh. After a short break, I will become a Texas government employee. I will be a professor at the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin. I’ll also likely have a couple side gigs, currently under discussion.

“On the personal side, I am married to Ouroukou Younoussi André. We have a three and a half year-old son, Isidore (Izzy). I have a 31-year-old daughter, Ruhiyyih (Ruhi), from my first marriage. My wife, son, and I live in rural Caldwell County (halfway between Austin & San Antonio) on our four and a half acres in a home we built in 2020.”

Tammie (Calef) Krisciunas: “We retired this past July, and love it! The beginning - West Coast kid - California, Oregon - grew up with horses, sunburns at Malibu, girls high school Argyll Academy (by choice - good academics - plaid kilt, bobby socks, saddle shoes). CMC - Studio Art and Literature double, junior year Paris, inseparable from my childhood dog, Toffee, lived in Claremont tower with Mari (Baumgarten) Adam ’80, in Green with Karen Jacobson, Gail Silberman McCarthy, and Elaine Rossi, and Beckett, but mostly off campus – Mt. Baldy cabin and a room at ‘Indian Rick’s’ in the Russian barrio with a real 12-foot alligator in the backyard (his pet store mistake - he fed it roadkill) - spring break jumped freight trains to SCL with Elaine. After CMC - various odd jobs, then decided to live in the smallest state. Built gorgeous custom stairs in Rhode Island - feared finger loss - switched to chef on a 120-foot Italian jet boat for three years - East coast from Maine to the Caribbean, and the Med. Decided to get serious - three top contenders - optometry won over architecture and professor (of anything) - So, back to school - did pre-med list of science pre-reqs in a year (4.0) then optometry school (graduated top of class) - with a summer as chef on 78 footer in Vancouver Island Inland Passage, found and married my true love, Vic, then had a long and happy career of 24 years as faculty at Casey Eye Institute, Oregon Health and Science University as associate professor (I trained ophthalmology residents in optics, refraction, and contact lens) and clinician (contact lens specialist). I fulfilled the architect need when we did the down-to-the-studs house remodel, and the design of our 45 exam-lane clinic building. For fun - tons of hobbies - dinner parties, snow skiing, boating, reading, travel, planning on sewing, playing piano, maybe tending the garden, relearning French, and of course, exercising. Happy life! PS - Spent the month of October in Europe and had two fun dinners with Patrick Brenny ’82 and his lovely wife, Mei Zegers. They live in Amsterdam now, and have had a fascinating life path to get there, living abroad all over the place, doing good.”

Nancy Aronson notes, “I have been practicing criminal law for 35 years. First as a prosecutor then, now as a defense attorney. I primarily do court conflicts in the Ventura County Courthouse. I enjoy it, though some days it feels like babysitting. Scott, my husband, and I have been together over 18 years. And our beautiful daughter has just finished her junior year in high school. I still, occasionally, do local theater and sing with my temple choir. I also serve as the Judge Pro-Tem for Ventura County’s Homeless Court. It’s a great program that allows people to work off fines and fees. This way, they can clean their record and get their license back. For those that remember, we had a house fire in 2021 and spent the next year in a hotel. Considering it was three people and two dogs, we did well. Ok, we survived. We returned home about a year ago and still haven’t unpacked.”

Bill Jones reports, “My post-CMC years are a complex jumble of learning, experience, joy, and some sorrow. I became a real estate appraiser and have been involved in commercial real estate in one way or another since the year after I left CMC. I am now the Chief Appraiser for Manufacturer’s Bank in Los Angeles. It’s a small bank, but our parent company, SMBC, is one of the biggest banking companies in the world. I will be forever thankful to Steve Nesbit for getting me into Van Morrison’s music while I was at CMC. Not long ago I opened my monthly issue of The Spectator World, the U.S. edition of the world’s oldest magazine, and saw an article by Henry Olsen. I enjoyed talking with him at our reunion. After the reunion, I opened another issue and saw his name on another article. He’s a good writer, due in no small measure to his days at CMC.” (TK note: Henry gave the Latin oration at our graduation.)

“I was saddened by the death of Professor Ward Elliott and more recently Professor P. Edward Haley. I had hoped to see at least one of them at the reunion. I live in Claremont now, about five minutes from the campus. So much more to say but I realize there is not much room for all who want to write. Best wishes to my fellow alums!”

David Deeds: Missed the reunion due to being on sabbatical in Madrid. “It’s a crazy year. Our first grandchild, a sabbatical, and a major house remodel all at the same time. We welcomed Naomi Quinn Deeds into our family three months ago, just prior to leaving for Spain. We are in the middle of six months in Madrid. After nearly 30 years as a professor, I’m finally taking a sabbatical. I’m visiting at IE University in Madrid. While here we are having the kitchen my wife deserves built (check out her books on Amazon - Meredith Deeds) as well as half the house remodeled. We’re just keeping life interesting.”

Peter Hutt and Elizabeth “Libby” Vance Hutt ’85 are “mostly retired and doing our best to make a success of it. We shifted into travel mode a couple years back when we lost our sweet dog, Maidy. We spend a lot of time in France, plus try to visit a couple new places each year. When I’m back in Seattle, I’m playing pickleball. Our three children are all finding their way in the world and pursuing their passions. For some reason, they are all quite independent. Really enjoyed our recent milestone reunion. It was fun to catch up with old friends and get to know other classmates. Wish I’d done that back in the day. We have an amazingly unique and accomplished class!”

Final tidbits: These classmates missed the reunion, but sent their regrets, with a little info:

Jim Brock: “Missed reunion due to helping out with brand new two week old granddaughter. Otherwise, I would have persuaded Wade Vesey to come.”

Steve Dalzell: “Looking forward to seeing any classmates who make it out to Washington D.C.”

Evelina (Vivy) Guekguezian: Was already committed to the California Library Association’s annual conference in Sacramento.

Jeffrey Weiss & Vona (Strauss) Weiss: It was just an impossible weekend.

Elizabeth (Lyzse) Kieschnick: Niece was graduating.

Peter Gale Nelson: Wrong weekend, but he has such a nice way with words: “I’m very sorry to say that I will not be able to join the class on campus. I regret the years having piled up since last being there (it has been about 30 years - my wife, Lori, and I spent the afternoon chatting with Mr. Fossum from the literature department, someone who had become a friend over the years).”

Tahir Khurshid: “Would love to share with all of these colleagues. Won’t be able to make it as will be in Riyadh for an important work session. I am looking forward to #45.”

Jeffrey P. Thompson: “Alas, we will be in Colorado.”

Jo Butler: “We’ve been attending the NCAA Softball Women’s College World Series for over 20 years, so I hate to miss that.”

Lisa (Shamel) Cundall had a nice visit with Laurie (Crom) Stoffel ’84.

Robert Kemp couldn’t come, is taking French, and got reconnected with Tom Stewart (who just retired from teaching, if I remember correctly).

If there is a classmate you’d like to connect with, email me, and if I have their email, I’ll send your request to them.

As always, your devoted class liaison,

Tammie Calef Krisciunas

From Todd and Robyn (Kawakami) Achilles: Todd Achilles P’25 and Robyn (Kawakami) Achilles P’25 are enjoying life in Boise, Idaho. Todd is in his sixth year teaching at UC Berkeley’s Goldman School of Public Policy. He’s also working with a group of military veterans to pass Idaho’s Open Primaries Initiative and is considering running for public office. Robyn leads Friends of Minidoka, the nonprofit philanthropic partner for Minidoka National Historic Site, where Japanese Americans were unjustly incarcerated during WWII. “Daphne Achilles ’25, our eldest, is a junior at CMC, and Georgia is a high school sophomore at Miss Porter’s in Connecticut. We hope people will give us a call if they’re in Idaho!”

Andrea (Klein) Sparks, Tracy Sullivan Prock, Teri (Fleckinger) Sprouse, and Faye (Karnavy) Sahai write, “We met in Tahoe, Calif. for the weekend and the bond of our college friendship withstood the test of many decades passing. We missed others and thinking of Sharon Beth-Halachmy and her family in Israel.

Faye (Karnavy) Sahai ’90

Congratulations to Colin Tudor on his election to the presidency of the Claremont Wildlands Conservancy. The Conservancy was created in 2000 to stop development in the Claremont hillsides, including Johnson’s Pasture. More than 2,500 out of 3,100 hillside acres are now part of the city-owned wilderness park, which has become a recreational destination for the entire Inland Valley. The Conservancy’s next step is to help Claremont acquire an additional 400 acres in an area known as “Clara Oaks.” For his day job, Colin is the vice president of administration and secretary to the board of The Claremont Colleges Services, the central coordinating and support organization for The Claremont Colleges.   

Mitch Browne ’05

Tiffany Williams ’05

A note from Class Liaison Kevin Blair, “’06ers, it’s that time when a lot of us are turning 40! I celebrated in September by taking my first kid-less trip with my wife to Mexico City. I was also able to celebrate with Austin Kiessig for his 40th in San Francisco, with Westy Rose, Colin Read, Pat Flemming POM ’07, Austin Henkel, Nick Shannahan ’07, and Greg Pelz.”

Joanna (Repsold) Hyatt writes, “After four girls, we welcomed our first little boy (and fifth kid, if you’re doing the math). Enjoying the full, always crazy life of a big family!”

Kyle Ellison and his family were displaced from their home by the Maui, Hawaii wildfires in August (the Kula Fire started at their house), and in the wake of the fire, the outpouring of community support spurred him to found the non-profit organization, Malama Kula, where he now serves as Executive Director. Prior to the fire, he founded Clean Courts Maui (which specializes in tennis and pickleball court cleaning), and he continues to run Wai Mauna SUP Tours and Paddleboard Rentals in Asheville, N.C. and Driggs, Idaho.

Maribeth Lehoux was at CMC over the spring to speak at a Rose Institute event on careers in law. Since then, she’s switched her career in law and is general counsel of the Utah State Bar. She adds, “It was great to be back on campus where I had hoped for a fleeting moment I could pass as a student. Alas, no dice.”

Anna Beier-Pedrazzi shares, “I’m still in the Air Force and currently deployed as a legal adviser to the Security Assistance Group for Ukraine. In my home station job at the Pentagon, I advise the Space Force on all their legal and policy issues, after wrapping up an LLM in Air and Space Law from McGill in Canada in June of this year. Before deploying, I had weekly dinners with Dr. Karanda Bowman POM ’05 in Philadelphia, Pa.”

Whitney Richardson ended eight years in state government and started a new job in government affairs for Electrify America in May 2023. She got married to her husband, Travis Lyons, in Oakland, Calif. in September 2023. Tiffany Limtanakool was a bridesmaid, Rev. Jenny Saperstein provided a blessing, and Candace Valenzuela was an esteemed guest.

Takako Mino reflects, “I’ve been living in Uganda for the last three years and working on starting the first liberal arts college (Musizi University) in the country. We’ve had lots of help from many CMC alumni along the way such as the late Ambassador McGann ’73, Elyssa (Getreu) Elbaz ’94, Laura (May) Grisolano ’86, and Neil Collins ’87. We’ve also been lucky to host CMC interns for the last two summers in Kampala! This year, my co-founder and I had the privilege of speaking about our work at the Ath - we feel incredibly encouraged by all of the support we’ve received from the CMC community!”

Katerina Yale reports, “I’m finishing up my dermatology residency at UC Irvine this year! Lucky to have two fellow CMCers as co-residents as well (three of 15 of us went to CMC!), Luke Horton ’17 and Briana Halle ’18!"

Henry Lyford “I went surfing in Marin, Calif. with Marshall Fisher, Greg Sanford, and Emily Meinhardt ’10. Fisher may have been awarded the SCIAC Player of the Day during his CMS soccer career, but out in the waves he was more of the kook of the day!”

Asher Landay writes, “I’m still living in Los Angeles and currently working at Jerry Bruckheimer Television. Hannah Kornfeld recently moved to Los Angeles so we’ve been catching up and binging the final season of The Crown!”

Gustavo Cubias notes, “For my first birthday on campus, December 10, 2007, Grace Cowan and our mutual friend, David, ponded me in the dead of winter. Forever grateful.”

Divya Vishwanath writes, “2023 has been a busy one! Tejas Gala ’09 and I welcomed our daughter Ria. Her big brother Roh has already taught her how to throw her arms in the air when yelling ‘Go CMS!’ I also launched the first drop for my business Sift, a personal care brand inspired by centuries-old, South Asian recipes and intentionally formulated for today’s routine. More to come in 2024.

“Tejas and I are loving living in the Sunset with so many CMCers. Hard to believe that we’re going on sixteen years of friendship!”

Divya Vishwanath ’11 Kathryn (Mgrublian) Aposhian ’11

Joana Chavez writes, “A quick update: My husband and I bought our forever home in the Los Angeles metro area and celebrated our one-year anniversary in Japan. Along with starting a business that supports people with disabilities, I have also had the honor to serve on my city’s planning commission where I get to review and vote on interesting local developments such as affordable housing. Hope to continue being involved in local politics and community through the next year.”

Miles Bird reports, “I recently moved to Culver City, Calif. after spending two years living nomadically all-over North America during Covid. I’m running a venture firm that backs Claremont founders, StoryHouse Ventures, and is working out of an office in Venice Beach, Calif. with many Claremont folks. Life is good!”

Michelle Brody married Mac Esters at the Conservatory of Flowers in San Francisco in September 2023. Jen Ringoen and Rebecca Salzman served as bridesmaids and many, many, many CMCers were there to celebrate.

This spring Elena Davert completed a Masters of Public Policy and Masters of Science at the University of Michigan. She spent the summer and fall traveling across the country to visit friends and family, connecting with many beloved CMCers along the way. She is incredibly excited to start her next chapter in Seattle, reuniting with her CMC roomie, Angel Quicksey.

In May, Mika Kasuga was married, with Tom Boerigter, Elena Davert, Angel Quicksey, and April Weathers as her stunning bridesmaids. She traveled to Bermuda, Germany, and the United Kingdom this year, with her honeymoon in 2025.

In September, Angel Quicksey married the guy she met at the bachelorette party of April Weathers. She traveled to Canada, Germany, Belgium, and Hong Kong this year—partly for work and partly for play—and to both coasts for CMC weddings. When not on the road, Angel continued settling into her Seattle, Wash. home (after moving back to her hometown) and is THRILLED to welcome Elena Davert to the PNW family this December.

April Weathers finished her MBA at Harvard in May, 2022, and moved to Chicago with her husband, Milan Reed ’11. The two traveled to six weddings this summer with a quick stopover in Japan along the way.

Tom Boerigter cannot send class notes because he is busy eating his way through Italy with his husband. When not traveling, he resides in Chicago with his husband and their two King Charles Cavaliers, Broccoli and Dragon.

In 2023 Greg Zahner did not get married but went to many fabulous weddings including Michelle Brody’s at the San Francisco Conservatory of Flowers, where he also got to see many of his favorite CMCers. In June, after nine years of graduate school and postgraduate training, he completed his Internal Medicine residency and started work as a hospitalist caring for oncology patients at MGH. He also (finally) met a guy. Stay tuned to future class notes for details.

April Weathers ’12

Alex Lombardo splits time between Washington, Alaska, California, and New Mexico, working as a climbing and skiing guide for International Mountain Guides in the spring and summer and a ski patroller at Taos Ski Valley in the winter. Every nine months or so he considers law school.

Oliver Mausner writes, “Still touring for music and playing poker full time! Played Lost Lands again this year and prepping for my first headline tour next year!”

For those of you following the life story of Parker Mallchok, welcome back! This update is happy and exciting indeed. She is recently engaged to be married to Jim Vesterman (an Amherst grad, but we’ll forgive him for that because he is a true Stag at heart). While they met at her sister’s wedding a few years ago, Jim patiently waited over a year for Parker to wisen up, break up with a not-so-promising boyfriend, and agree to a date. He proposed in the Luxembourg Gardens in Paris. They reside in Nashville, Tenn. and travel frequently. Her wedding is anticipated to be a smash hit of a celebration, drawing on inspiration from the likes of TNC, 6:01, Monte Carlo, and Ath talks. Coinciding with this happy life progression, Parker is also pursuing some exciting, more fulfilling career changes - more to come in the next issue.

Michael Boggess writes, “After a long stint at Green Gulch Farm and Zen Center, near Muir Beach, Calif., I decided to go back to Oregon for graduate school! I’m studying Environmental Sciences at Oregon State University, with a pretty broad focus so far. Being on campus has given me some CMC nostalgia, though grad school is also not so bad. If you’re coming through Oregon, please feel free to reach out!”

Dina Aluzri writes, “In July of this year, I finally launched a fashion brand. It was a lot of years in the making, but I spent the last year diving head first into building my dream company - GALBI. GALBI brings recognition and visibility to exclusive creations and their artisan creators, bringing them to you from across the globe. From Positano to Hvar, we find not-yet-discovered brands and curate an international shopping experience that is, at its heart, local.

“I have a small team- one of which is a current CMC student interning on the Marketing side. We’ve launched our first collection and are currently working on sourcing our next. Check us out on Instagram @shopgalbi and our website www.shopgalbi.com.”

Alejandra T. Vázquez Baur reflects, “This summer, I was selected as an inaugural Obama USA Leader, a program that brings together 100 emerging leaders from across the country that are accelerating positive and lasting change in their communities. Through this program, I have received individual professional coaching, group training and leadership development alongside my Leader peers, and the opportunity to engage with Obama Administration staff and the Obamas themselves in person at the Obama Foundation offices in Chicago, Ill. It has been a humbling and distinct honor to be selected among other inspiring leaders. Also during 2023, I started a new role as a Fellow at The Century Foundation, where I lead our school integration and immigrant education policy portfolios. I continue to direct the National Newcomer Network, a coalition I co-founded late in 2022 to push forward policies that advance educational equity for newcomer immigrant youth in school. I still live in New York City, and I’m loving where I am in every part of life.”

Micky Ferguson reports, “I just wrapped as a Post Production Coordinator on my most recent project, Monarch: Legacy of Monsters which is streaming now on AppleTV+! I also became a tía this past April with the arrival of my too-cute-for-words, perfect little angel of a niece, Ripley, and I am loving the auntie life.”

Micky Ferguson ’17

Naveen Shastri writes, “Enjoying the Bay Area!”

Judah Bates notes, “Doctoral Candidate at Caltech!”

Erin Alexander reflects, “Loving the fall weather in Arizona! Graduated with my MS in Pharmacogenomics & Personalized Healthcare this summer, still working at Mayo Clinic Arizona, and started my MS in Genetic Counseling this fall!”

Hannah Alderete reports, “On a current deployment to Poland!”

Maxwell Kirsch writes, “Still in San Francisco, filling up the calendar with travel to see family and friends. Hoping to learn how to ski this winter.”

Katie Callaci notes, “I received my Master’s in Clinical Psychology in the spring and am in the process of obtaining my Doctorate!”

Laleh Ahmed ’20

Ameilia “Meli” Ayala writes “After graduation in 2021 I moved across the country to work as the lab manager for the Speech Language Acquisition and Multilingualism lab at the University of Delaware! I love my lab and decided to continue my education at UD and am finishing up the first semester of my PhD program in Communication Sciences and Disorders. I was also awarded the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship to fund my graduate studies and research on second language acquisition and bilingualism. While I love East Coast life, I do miss my CMC friends in California and visited Josie Savaria-Watson, Clayton North, Emily Howard and others in San Francisco over the summer. I will be back to visit soon!”

Placide Gatabazi reports “The experience of being on the buy side has been incredibly enjoyable, especially as I explore the complexity of early-stage investing under the mentorship of Michael Sekits ’88.”

Uddhav Gupta writes, “I’ve been working in retained executive search for over two years now and love it! It’s been a lot of fun helping companies build out C- and VP-level technical leadership teams who will help them envision and build game-changing products. I’m currently living in Seattle and invite anyone who is in the area to reach out! In the meantime, I’m also on a mission to visit all 50 states.”

Kiubon Kokko reports, “Moved to Hong Kong to direct my first ever feature length documentary. I hope you enjoy watching it when it’s out. Shoutout to the Optimist crew for paving the way as pioneer CMC doc filmmakers.”

Vera Kratz writes, “Moved to Vermont recently with Chris McElroy HMC ’19 and my dog Waffle. Enjoying working in product management, could not be happier with my team - shout out to Vasu Rai for introducing me. Grateful for the mentorship and support of Meredith (Stechbart) Delich ’08 and other members of the CMC community.”

Patricio Madero writes, “The past two years have been a journey of self-discovery of who I am and what I actually want in life. I wouldn’t be surprised if other CMCers felt that sensation of pressure mixed with guilt from knowing that ’everyone else’ had prestigious internships and jobs, a grind mentality, and ’success’ ahead of them. It was easy to let others define what success should mean to me so the concept of prestigiousness led me astray.

“Two and a half years later, I was able to understand and accept that I was unsatisfied where I was supposed to feel fulfilled. I was on a path that others had made me believe was the path I SHOULD be wanting to be on. I’m proud to claim that I have been able to determine what I value and what success means to me without the influence of others. I am now setting my own goals and celebrating the achievements that I care about and that I value, even if others don’t see their relevance.

“CMC provided many great opportunities to grow and develop but there is always a little bit of bad in everything good. The sensation of motivation and inspiration derived from others’ accomplishments and the need to not fall behind has its benefits. However, it can be dangerous. That being said, it is never too late to ask yourself ‘Is this what I truly want, or have I just been told that it should be?’

“But, yeah, I’m currently working in a cement company. I’m excited to see where life takes me but I’m certain I’ll either be happy and satisfied, or conscious and working towards my own definition of success!”

Ben McAnally reports, “This year, I completed my Masters in Political and Legal Theory at the University of Warwick in Coventry, England and moved to Cambridge, Massachusetts, where I am starting a JD at Harvard Law School!”

Megan Perron writes, “This past summer, I moved to Boulder, Colo. with my two cats, Fig and Mozzarella. I have three weeks left of my Master’s in Geographic Information Systems from Penn State. In January, I’ll be starting a full time technical consulting role with Esri in Colorado!”

Vasu Rai writes, “Traveled a fair bit in the last year and got to see the World Cup in Qatar. I am living in Newport Beach, Calif. and working at EKN with a whole bunch of fellow CMCers: Arya Nakhjavani ’18, Evan Pauletich ’19, Dominique Arotzarena ’18, Shannon Steele ’20, Emma Kang ’20 and Gabby Lee ’23. We tend to compete with the Mudders at the firm (and win). Unfortunately, sports betting is going badly for me and great for Evan (same one as above) because we like the opposite sides of Manchester.”

Josh Tatum reports, “I helped start StoryHouse Ventures - the first VC fund dedicated to investing in Claremont-founded startups. We now have an office in LA and have invested in 24 different startups to-date, started by CMC, HMC, PO, SC, and KGI alumni.”

Bryan Williams writes, “I have been living in Washington D.C. since graduating from CMC and will be graduating from the George Washington University Law School in May. I am in the interview process and intend to work for an agency or nonprofit specializing in environmental law upon graduation.”

Qinfei Zou reports, “Living in Los Angeles and working for Boston Consulting Group.”

Vera Kratz ’21

Brandon Rho writes, “I am currently finishing up my Master’s over at Washington University in St. Louis as part of the 3/2 program in Computer Engineering! Fun Memory: I still remember the Smash games I held in my room every night as well as the tournament I held in McKenna Auditorium! In addition, I still have fond memories of my interactions with all of my residents during my time as an RA.”

Katherine Almendarez writes that she is living life in Miami, filled with a loving community of friends and family. As she co-exists between a corporate job and multiple organizing efforts in the local community, she is also actively playing soccer, tennis, learning to cook and enjoying all the new hobbies that young adults develop post-college. Reach out to her if you find yourself in the sunshine state.

Sobechukwo Uwajeh ’22