1970

Congratulations are due to Joe Avellone, M.D., who was recently named vice president for medical affairs at Private Healthcare Systems, Inc., in Lexington, Mass. Private Healthcare is a partnership of 18 commercial health insurance carriers representing 11-million insureds with combined premiums of over $60 billion. The company will establish a national network of medical preferred provider organizations (or P.P.O.'s), and as such is in the vanguard of the major changes impacting the delivery and utilization of healthcare across the country. Prior to this appointment Joe practiced private medicine in New Hampshire and served there on a governor's blue ribbon commission addressing public health concerns such as alcohol-related highway deaths and toxic chemical handling and waste disposal.

On this last issue, perhaps Joe and JohnJenness should have consulted one another. A recent issue of the Portland [Maine]Press Herald pictures John deeply engulfed in the business of the South Paris (again Maine) Budget Committee. Increased costs for sewage treatment and solid waste tipping fees are all the furor thereabouts, but we're certain that John's well-known conservative approach will result in a balanced budget. If not, a simple call to the Statehouse in Augusta might help.

Not long ago you read here of the successes achieved by T.J. Rogers with his new company, Cypress Semiconductor Corporation. A recent article in the San Jose Business journal minced no words in assigning full credit for these successes to T.J.'s management style. Described as a "Patton-like general," T.J. has an approach which demands 120 percent effort of each employee, and once that has been achieved 150 percent is expected. Each employee develops prioritized goals and updates T.J. every week. T.J. reviewed progress on 2,532 separate goals during one recent week. Employee turnover nevertheless remains at a low nine percent in this atmosphere because each worker even the receptionist receives stock in the company. Perhaps T.J. puts it best: "Cypress isn't one of those touchy-feely Silicon Valley companies where everybody hops into the company hot tub at the end of the week. We're a lean, mean company." Displayed in his office is a bumper sticker which reads "My Lawyer Can Beat Your Lawyer." T.J., we sincerely hope you like the way your class secretary has portrayed you here.

I hope all of you noticed that the January/February issue of the Alumni Magazine was a blockbuster for the class of '70. We heard from Dennis O'Neill with his feature article on Jim Nachtwey's career in combat journalism. Skip Sturman filled us in on "The Hanover Scene." And sports editor Jim Needham brought us up-to-date on the state of athletics at the College. Even those who turn immediately to the class notes and read no further were pleasantly surprised to find that your class secretary had gotten it together enough to produce a column.

Please send a little news about yourself. Take care.

P.O. Box 3934 Modesto, CA 05352-3934