1965

As a lacrosse player, Lee Mercer moved rapidly and was difficult to catch. When I tried to locate him more than 20 years later, I discovered he still shows these same characteristics. When I finally cornered Lee, he declared my persistent efforts worthy of a letter. His thoughts, edited for space, are as follows:

"After all these years,I seem to have been flushed out. The time has gone quickly and it seems to be moving even faster now. I spent my first year after graduation in New York City in a management training program, two years in the Marine Corps, three years in law school (Boston University), ten years practicing business law in New Hampshire, four years as counsel and legislative director to U.S. Senator Warren Rudman (R-N.H.), one year in private industry, and one year (thus far), as deputy assistant secretary of commerce for trade administration. Along the way I was married, blessed with two great sons (Jim, 19, and Charlie, 17), divorced, and now (after six years as a mid-life single) am married to a wonderful woman (nee Deborah O'Brien of Hingham, Mass.) who, for some unknown but immensely appreciated reason, does not seem too concerned that I have yet to settle on a final career path.

"During this period I lived ten years in a 200-year-old farm house (while restoring the same), two years on a sailboat while working ashore, and in a variety of apartments and condominiums. I've toured the United States on a motorcycle, run a number of marathons (at the gentlemen's pace of eight minutes per mile), and even jumped out of an airplane with a friend who thought parachuting would cure his fear of heights.

"My years at Dartmouth are far enough removed that I can appreciate the good and forgive the school and myself for the bad associated with my time there. With the perspective of age, I value most the concept of team orientation which grew from my participation in athletics and the physical remoteness of the school, a remoteness which fostered our sense of community.

"For the present, I am second in command of an 800-person governmental unit charged with administering United States trade laws and regulations. I divide my time between the major issues with which we are involved and the administrative management of the unit. The former includes anti-dumping and duty regulation on the import side and the control of high technology exports for reasons of national security, foreign policy, and short supply on the export side. While this portion of my job involves interesting contact with representatives of foreign governments, other U.S. agencies, and exporters, it is the management of the people and systems that provides the greatest satisfaction. In Washington there are more 'great thinkers' or 'policy analysts' than there are tulips in the spring time. These great thinkers identify problems, draft and enact laws to address them, establish program units to implement the laws, and then pay little attention to competent, consistent management of the programs. The result can be a vicious circle of failed programs and still more new laws by still more great thinkers to address old problems. I believe that good administration might solve most of the problems within existing problems, and I enjoy that part of my job.

"Of course, mine is a political position which might end with the 1988 election. In fact, by that time I will probably want to return to the private sector anyway, preferably in a management capacity with an American company doing business internationally. If anyone knows of a good magazine where I could announce my availability, please put out the word."

Thanks for the update, Lee. Now that you have been located, we all promise to work on the magazine part.

3610 Oriole Drive Columbus, IN 47203