1963
Politics is politics, and Tim Kraft is Jimmy Carter's national field operations director.
I last saw Tim about 10 years ago in Washington when we were both beating the campuses for new Peace Corps recruits. When I saw his name pop up in a political column a few months ago, I was suspicious. Must be him. A dipping sent by Mike Wilson '67 confirmed it.
Tim has been actively involved in political organization and campaigns at least since 1970 when he managed a congressional contest in his home state of Indiana. He moved to New Mexico in 1971 and spent the next two and a half years as executive director of the New Mexico Democratic Party. That's when he met Jimmy Carter, at a fundraiser in 1974.
After setting up a two-day Carter swing through the state and raising $5,000, Tim joined the national Carter campaign as a field organizer. He is credited with a key role in winning lowa, Pennsylvania, and Ohio for Carter during the primary season. He also was brought in to help in Massachusetts.
"I'm 35 going on 49," Kraft told an interviewer a while back. "My last vacation was last Labor Day (1975) when I backpacked into the Gila Wilderness."
Will it be Washington or New Mexico for Tim if Carter wins? Tim says New Mexico.
Barry Elson is now combining his sports and business backgrounds as the new vice president of marketing and sales for the "New York Islanders hockey club and the New York Nets basketball team. The "Wire" has held a number of executive posts. In recent years he had served as vice president of the Commonwealth Group, a marketing and management consulting firm in Stamford, Conn., where he engaged in marketing "studies for such firms as Citibank, J. C. Penney, SCM, CBS and Uniroyal.
The summer brought no flood of mail from classmates. But two letters bear mentioning. One was a card depicting the Battle of Lexington. It was sent by John Rittershofer. He said the battle scene "conjured up visions of the third floor guerrilla squad in Cohen Hall coming down to make us miserable in Suite 101." John addressed his "warm Bicentennial cheer" from 400 West 119th St., Apartment 3-T, in New York. I give the address in the event any of our old friends from the third floor of Cohen wish to pay him an unexpected visit.
The other letter was from Tony Knapp, who has been teaching math at Cornell for the past nine years. Tony was elected to the Ithaca school board this summer, along with the former Ann Wadsworth (now Martin), who may be familiar as a Middlebury '63. Tony promises to write again in another 10 years. Thanks, Tony.
Another university prof is Bob Greenwood. He is assistant professor of drama at the University of Calgary and is listed in the newest editions of Who's Who in the West and Who'sWho in America. He was honored earlier this year at the Calgary World Plan Center for "his inspired activity and contribution to the city of Calgary" on behalf of World Government for the Age of Enlightenment.
Jim Cappio has been promoted to group-product director by the Vicks Chemical Company in Wilton, Conn. He is responsible for marketing management of several Vicks cough products and vapor rubs.
Howard Neff was promoted early this year to plant manager for Johnson and Johnson's midwest gauze mill operations. Previously he had been manager of J & J's midwestern sales and distribution services operation, based in Lemont, Ill. He has been with the company since 1966, including two years in England. He and his wife Cheryl and daughter Stacey live in Darien, Ill.
Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Co. has advanced Tom Richards to regional director of agencies. He is responsible for coordinating agency department liaison with the firm's 30 general agencies in the East. Tom joined NML in 1968 and went to the Milwaukee headquarters in 1974. While he was an NML agent in California he earned his Chartered Life Underwriter designation. He and his wife Christy have three sons.
All of you who are just dying to write me a short note to explain your program of the last several years, please note that I am now living in Ann Arbor, Mich. The National Endowment for the Humanities has seen fit to send me and 11 other journalists to the University of Michigan for the current academic year. Sort of a sabbatical to recharge our intellectual batteries.
Secretary, 757 Skynob Dr. Ann Arbor, Mich. 48105
Treasurer, 8 Heathcliff Road, Rumson, N.J. 07760
