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Class Notes

 

Class Notes for 1976

Spring 2015

I’m writing this just after a big snowstorm. Spring seems so far away—yet here it is. With that same speed, next spring will be here, and our 40th reunion. So start planning your schedule: June 2–5, 2016. * Mark Janos and his wife are “officially childless”—the last went off to grad school at Seton Hall. Mark is still an attorney in Newburyport, Mass. Like many with recent milestone birthdays and the loss of beloved classmates, he’s realizing the “bucket list” has new meaning. So he’s contemplating more journeys and travels while still thinking about practicing law until 2024. * Caren Starr Schwartz published QuickBooks for Law Firms last year. It is available through Amazon. * Frank Callanan has had a rough go of it with COPD. In the midst, however, was the great joy of his oldest son’s marriage in November. He wrote that the silver lining of his journey has been the number of friends, many of them from Colby, who have reached out to him through visits, calls, cards, e-mails, Facebook messages, and so forth. His wife, Susan, “is like granite,” and he acknowledged his children and son-in-law Josh. As he said, “At the end of each day, I feel the luckiest man alive. At the end of the day, it’s about love.” Ain’t that the truth! Please keep Frank (Paco) in your prayers. * Terrific to hear from my freshman-year roommate, Rob Petersen, who lives in New Canaan, Conn., with his wife, Meg. In 2009, after 25 years working at large NYC ad agencies, Rob founded BarnRaisers, a digital marketing agency. He also teaches digital marketing at Rutgers Business School in the M.B.A. program. One son, Blake, is an RIT graduate working as an engineer and serving in the National Guard. His other son, Sean, graduates this spring from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia and hopes to be in sound design, in particular composing music for video games. * Another M.B.A. faculty member is Scott McDermott, who directs the experiential and applied learning programs at the Carroll School of Management at Boston College. He enjoys taking a class each winter in Omaha to meet with Warren Buffett. Scott continues his management consulting practice focused on growth and business performance for emerging businesses and professional services firms. Scott’s kids are happily living and working in Manhattan, San Francisco, and downtown Boston, respectively. His youngest son, Jack, was a senior midfielder on Tufts’ NCAA championship lacrosse team last spring. Scott is looking forward to connecting with all the ’76ers at next year’s 40th reunion. * Those of you who received my January e-blast already know that we lost our classmate Jane Souza Dingman just before Christmas. Jane was our class correspondent for a stretch before chronic illness set in. As Janeen Reedy Adil wrote to me, “Jane was a woman of generous spirit and joyful heart, genuine, and grounded in her faith. The world was better for her presence here.” Colby ’76 sympathies to Jane’s husband, Charlie, and their children. * By the way, if you did not receive that e-blast, it may be that Colby doesn’t have your current e-mail address. Please let the alumni office know—or e-mail me at the address at the top of the column and I’ll forward it along. Until next time, wishing you all safe, happy, and healthy times. Circle that calendar for reunion. Reach out to an old friend. And don’t forget your donation to the Colby Fund!

 
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