1952

It is October 1, and by my reckoning this column will come out in the December issue. It seems out of synch to start thinking of Santa Claus now, but Merry Christmas, anyway.

John Slamin died suddenly of a heart attack on August 22. John's obituary, written by John Susen, will be found elsewhere in the magazine in this or a subsequent issue. In the 25th reunion yearbook John wrote of himself: "Fought a giant battle with booze. Won it, and for the last five years have been involved in alcohol treatment. . . . Am getting great satisfaction from life and work. Still learning, and hopefully, growing in perception and compassion. . . . my personal biggies." Our heartfelt condolences to John's family.

Hugh Lefkowitz has struck out on his own. After a distinguished career on the client side of human resources (nee personnel), Hugh has hung out his shingle as an executive search and organizational development consultant. His firm is aptly named Ivy Consultants and is located in Morristown, N.J. (phone 201/285-0446). Among other things, Hugh's letter to me was to solicit some business which I would be glad to give you, Hugh. The only complication is that I have just become a victim of merger mania. So, Hugh, let me put it to you this way: if you see something before I do, please phone.

News from the advertising field: PeteMcSpadden, former chairman of Dancer Fitzgerald Sample/New York, has relinquished this title while remaining president and COO of DFS Holdings, the parent company. He did so to make room for emerging young talent. I recall reading somewhere recently that Saatchi and Saatchi had been talking to DFS about a merger. The merger mania beat goes on!

David Swain recently completed a seven-day Outward Bound course in Minnesota. I put the completion date of his trip in my follow-up file since I felt somewhat responsible. Before embarking upon this episode, Dave phoned me to say that after all my entreaties for him to undertake a (free) five-day experience, he was going to do his own on a seven-day program. He reported that he had been the oldest of the seven people in his group. (But not by far; a 54-year-old grandmother was second oldest. Mary Alice, watch out for those 54-year-old grandmothers!) In short, Dave's evaluation was (notwithstanding the soreness of many not-recently-used parts of his anatomy) that it was one of the most significant weeks he. had spent in his life. I felt relieved. Having been on several Outward Bound excursions myself, I could empathize with the sensation he felt.

While on the subject of Outward Bound, I'd like to report Jack Foster's election as a member of the board of trustees of the Voyageur (Minn.) Outward Bound School. It puts an old canoeist right in his element.

During our college days the only thing that separated A1 Elkins from me ( as well as from a lot of others, including A1Stein, his roommate) was a cribbage board. The erstwhile uncrowned college cribbage champion is now the class's Sigmund Freud. A1 received his certificate in psychoanalysis from Columbia in his 38th year (some of us swear that it was in Columbia's 38th year). When not fishing, A1 can be found at the Maine Medical Center where he is the chairman of the psychiatry department or at the University of Vermont where he is professor of psychiatry. In his spare time A1 is a trustee of the University of Maine and a director of the Maine Savings Bank.

His wife of "about" 20 years is Paula, a practicing attorney in Cape Elizabeth, Maine. A1 denied any innuendos that he had married a lawyer for a live-in defense attorney for possible malpractice suits.

Among the class literati A1 sees in the Portland area are Dick Dalbeck (with Union Mutual Insurance), Bernie Lewis (of chicken and lobster fame), and Sumner Moulton (an internist).

E. John Rosenwald had been in the news recently with the impending conversion of the Bear Stearns partnership to a public company. Rosie will become one of the three members of the "office of the president." A recent Wall Street Journal article speculated on John as a successor to the top job. Here's to you, Rosie.

222 East' Chestnut Street Chicago, IL 60611