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CLASS NOTES
Kevin Fay
8300 Private Lane
Annandale, VA 22003
cct@columbia.edu
You
can graduate from Columbia and leave New York City, but the city
never leaves you. This was never more true than in the week when
our city suffered the worst attack in U.S. history. If you have a
story you'd like to share with us, please let me know.
I
have a late morning commute that takes me past the Pentagon. On
Tuesday, September 11, I was enough behind schedule to be in front
of the Pentagon when the airplane struck the building. No one
driving by the Pentagon was injured; we just happened to witness
the attack on the building and many instantaneous deaths inside. I
believe those inside the plane had time to make peace with God,
whereas the employees at the Pentagon did not know what hit
them.
As
for official class notes, Gordon Feller now resides (like
many Columbians) in northern California. He obtained a master's in
international affairs from Columbia, which he has parlayed into a
great business advising U.S. and foreign-based clients. He travels
to NYC and abroad frequently. Gordon has a wife and a daughter, who
has begun college life at Vassar. He can be reached at gordonf20@home.com, and is anxious
to renew ties with classmates.
Robert W. Passloff
154 High Street
Taunton, MA 02780
Rpassloff@aol.com
Having been born and raised in Manhattan, the attack on the WTC
was personal for me as it was for all New Yorkers. A good friend
from the Columbian, Jacques Augustin '84, was killed in the
crash of an Air China airplane several years ago. Although I am
unaware of knowing anyone who is missing, I am concerned that I may
lose another friend. Things that seemed important to me suddenly
are not and my priorities have shifted back more to family and
friends. It is difficult for anything to follow those thoughts
except that it would be great to see more friends at our 20th
reunion May 30 through June 2, 2003. If you would like to attend or
help in planning the reunion, please contact me.
Stan Kaplan is senior financial adviser with First Union
Securities in East Hampton, N.Y. He and his wife, Guerline, have a
son, Ethan (3). Max Dietshe joined Addison, a branding and
communications agency, as senior VP — integrated
communications. He lives in Brooklyn with his wife, Wendie Winslow,
and daughter, Grace (7).
Roy Pomerantz
Babyking/Petking
182-20 Liberty Ave.
Jamaica, NY 11412
bkroy@msn.com
I
would like to extend my support and prayers to everyone affected by
the terrorist attacks. I was traveling to North Carolina when the
pilot announced that the plane in front of us had just been
hijacked. I will keep you updated about classmates who may have
been affected by the tragedy.
I am
deeply saddened to report that Les Nelkin '87E, '87L passed
away on July 20. Les and I met while helping the incoming freshmen
move into their dorms. It was my first insight into Les's
charitable spirit and marked the beginning of a friendship I will
never forget.
Les
excelled at the Engineering School and, after his junior year, was
the first Engineer to be accepted into a six-year combined program
with the Law School. Les practiced law at Skadden Arps and aligned
himself with Ken Bialkin, a major Jewish philanthropist. It was the
start of Les's expanding involvement with Jewish charities. He
later served on executive committees for the young lawyer and Wall
Street divisions of UJA.
Les's passion was the stock market. After leaving Skadden, he
became an analyst at Furman Selz. His contrarian, value-oriented
investment strategy proved to be extremely successful, and Les was
soon named managing director. At 35, he had become a superstar in
two different careers.
One
of Les's most endearing qualities was his unpretentiousness. Les
never let anyone know about his myriad achievements. About 212
years ago Les and his family were at the Jewish National Outreach
Program annual dinner. Les's family started the Nelkin Foundation,
which contributes to numerous charities.
One
month later, Les called me to tell me he had cancer. Les was
courageous while battling his cancer. He loved life. He never
complained. He just wanted to live as long as possible. The Wall
Street Journals piled up in his apartment, but never got thrown
out. Les expected to read them. He continued to lift weights
throughout his illness.
Les's friends will never forget his endearing laugh, warmth and
positive spirit. Our heartfelt condolences also are extended to his
parents and his sister, Amy '89, '89L.
Kevin Chapman is now labor counsel at Dow Jones. As many
of you may remember, Kevin met his wife, Sharon, when she was a
freshman at Barnard. They are avid baseball fans and, every year,
take their family to a different major league ballpark. Sharon is
doing some freelance writing, including a weekly column for a Web
site. Kevin has completed his first novel.
Peter Ripin and his wife live in Ardsley, N.Y., with
their daughters, Abigail (2) and Isabelle (one month). Peter is a
partner at the Manhattan law firm Davidoff & Malito LLP. Peter
helped organize our 15th year reunion, and hopefully will assist us
with our 20th.
Eric Wertzer and I reminisced about our mentor and
friend, the late Professor Joseph Bauke. Eric still thinks about
the great texts Professor Bauke shared with his students. Eric is
living on the Upper West Side, close to his Columbia roots. When
his knees permit, he can be spotted playing hoops at Columbia's
gym.
We
haven't heard in years from Ed Barbini, Marcus Brauchli, Todd
Bressi, Maurice Budow, Jim Bulgatz, David Cantor, Sanford Cohen,
Scott Coleman, Kevin Cronin, Michael Epstein, David Fierstein,
Robert Fine, Peter Fumo and John Gambino.
Please send an e-mail!
Dennis Klainberg
Berklay Cargo Worldwide
JFK Int'l. Airport
Box 300665
Jamaica, NY 11430
Dennis@Berklay.com
An
immediate note of condolence to all those who are suffering as a
result of the tragic course of events in lower Manhattan,
Washington, D.C., and Pennsylvania on September 11. Particular
thanks to classmates Michael Ackerman and El Gray,
Eddy Friedfeld '83 and others who e-mailed their concerns for this
writer's family, friends and staff here at JFK airport and in New
York.
Belated congratulations to Peter Schmidt, whose wife,
Jody, gave birth last July to Alexander Jude, their first child. My
wife, Dana, and I had the privilege of attending the Schmidt
wedding in Allentown, Pa., four years ago. Shortly thereafter,
Peter and Jody moved to Pasadena, Calif. Peter is a writer,
specializing in plays and beginning work on screenplays, while Jody
teaches drama.
Tom Oritt, famed college impresario responsible
for the Comedy Cabaret and Cuts, an album of songs by
campus musicians, lives in Philadelphia with his wife, Jeanine
Albano, and daughter, Zoe (4). Tom runs Opposable Thumbs
Software Solutions, Inc., and J-Squad, L.L.C. Loved that Cabaret
(where Mad About You actor Paul Reiser held court) but
don't remember that album, Tom, so give us the names of the
musicians, and let's do a "Whatever happened to..." column next
time around.
Because no other classmates checked in, I'll take a little
liberty in writing a personal note to David Rakoff '86
(CCT, September 2001), who
lived on 14 Jay during my junior year (and his frosh year).
Mazel tov on your great success on and off Broadway! Your
book, Fraud, and your radio narrations on This American Life
are true gems of genius: You were crazy then, and you're crazier
now. Keep it up!
To
my classmates: please, contact me with news. E-mail couldn't be
easier! Now, perhaps more than ever, it's important that friends
and classmates keep in touch, reminisce and bond.
Kevin G. Kelly
27 Clearwater Drive
Plainview, NY 11803
kevingerardkelly@hotmail.com
Ben Carroccio is the new CEO and owner of TheSquare.com, an online community
for alumni and students from top schools. Ben was one of the
earliest investors in TheSquare.com, and Ben's new company,
OurSquare, Inc., will now own TheSquare.com. Congratulations go out
to Ben!
Jonathan (Jack) Schorsch writes: "After a few years of
doing many of the things for which Columbia prepared me (scallop
fishing, apartment renovation, operating an elevator, environmental
advocacy), I received a Ph.D. in Jewish history from Cal-Berkeley
(2000). I am currently teaching at Emory University (Atlanta). My
dissertation, Jews and Blacks in the Mediterranean Worlds,
1450-1800, will be published by Cambridge University Press
sometime soon. I have been living on and off in Jerusalem. I am
currently Jewish book editor for Tikkun magazine. For the
last 10 years, I have been studying/playing capoeira pretty
actively, including a trip to Brazil. My wife, Gail (née
Cohen), Barnard '86, my college sweetheart, and I have four
children: Emanuel (8), Michal (6), Gedalia Lev (4), and Nava Rose
Tiferet Sequioa (1 1/2).
"The
Columbia people I am in touch with are Margaret Doyle, Barnard '85,
who is living in London, working as an editor and very involved
with judicial mediation, married with beautiful daughter Anneliese;
and Andy Hsiao '99, who has been doing wonderful things as a
writer/editor at the Village Voice and now at the Free
Press. I have been trying to get in contact with Brooks
Tomb since he and I hung out in Berkeley in 1996. He can reach
me at: gjschorsch@hotmail.com."
I
spent August traveling around New England and spending time with
friends from Columbia: in Connecticut with Andrew Andriuk '89 and
his wife and boys, in New Hampshire with Kurt Gantrish '87
(formerly Bekebrede) and his wife and boys, and in Cape Cod with
Lauren Tarshis and her husband and boys. I also visited with
friends from Wharton and the Peace Corps, making for an enjoyable
and an intellectually stimulating month. I would like to
communicate with Paul Johnson '85E. If anyone reading this column
is in contact with Paul, could you please ask him to e-mail me?
Please keep writing; your input is what makes this column
readable!
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