Aboard the ARC
Remembering Those
  We Lost

 

  
  

 
 
   

Classes of:
| 15-40 | 41-45 | 46-50 | 51-55 | 56-60 |
|
61-65 | 66-70 | 71-75 | 76-80 | 81-85 |
| 86-90 | 91-95 | 96-01 |

CLASS NOTES

Class of 1981

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.

Class of 1982

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).

Class of 1983

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!

Class of 1984

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.

Class of 1985

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!

 

Classes of:
| 15-40 | 41-45 | 46-50 | 51-55 | 56-60 |
|
61-65 | 66-70 | 71-75 | 76-80 | 81-85 |
| 86-90 | 91-95 | 96-01 |

 

 
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