1955

Although by the time this appears in print, the terrific showing made by the class in the Alumni Fund Green Derby will be old news, it is still worthy of mention. Mike Gorton has done a superb job in motivating increased giving from loyal regular givers and has also coaxed many recent non-givers back into the fold. Mike and his hard-working crew of agents have set the tone for what should be a banner 25th reunion year. Congratulations to all workers and givers.

Now for the vast backlog of news (all of which can be stored on a 3x5 card).

First priority goes to a clipping we received from the Connecticut Beverage Journal (only a few serious drinkers subscribe), announcing that Bill Wilbur has been named president of the House Of Seagram, the North American marketing arm of the Seagram Company Ltd., the world's largest producer and marketer of distilled spirits and wines. Bill joined Seagram in 1977 as assistant to the president for advertising and marketing after 20 years of experience in marketing and general management with leading consumer product companies. He served as president of Salada Tea Company and was vice president of advertising and promotion of Salada's parent company, Kellogg, when he left to join Seagram. Obviously Bill has improved his position with each move.

We were startled to hear the name of DanMusser mentioned on a Boston radio station in August at the tag end of the news. It seems that Dan, who has been president of the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island for many years, was "given the hotel by his uncle, but had to learn about the gift from a newspaper report." We wonder if Dan reads the Connecticut Beverage Journal.

Jim Lauber writes from Denver that for several years he was "the Denver office" for American Credit Indemnity Company but has recently changed jobs. He is back in the magazine business, starting a Denver edition for "Guest Informant," the original in-room hotel guest directory. Jim's 19-year-old son Eric is putting himself through the Colorado School of Mines by working summers in the Texas oil fields. His interest is in chemical/petroleum engineering and he earned a 3.5 average as a freshman. "Better than his ole man," says Jim.

Gus Aberle writes from London that his home address is now the Priest House, Church Street, Edenbridge, Kent. Their home, a Wealden Hall house, was built in 1450. He and his wife Nancy, a lecturer at Brighton Polytechnic, enjoy visitors and ask that any classmates passing through contact them.

Carter White, whose switch from Wall Street broker to North Adams, Mass., silk screen mogul was the subject of an earlier column, is in the news again. He has become the spokesman for the tenants of Hoosuck Mills, whose future is threatened by the financial difficulties of the landlord. Carter is working hard to save the structure in which his and other creative firms are located. He sees the mill as a tool to secure businesses and jobs for North Adams and regards the concept of rehabilitating existing structures instead of bulldozing them as the wave of the future. We'll be interested in how his concept succeeds.

We assume that a flood of juicy news morsels will soon be forthcoming from those of you who are making plans to return for the 25th and want to break it to us gently as to how successful, fat, bald, etc. we'll find you. We promise to print anything that doesn't appeal only to prurient interests.

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