1953

This month, the '53 wagon train moves on to Houston. There are still some '53s in the oil patch including one new recruit, the area is reviving, and slowly the pessimism is going. Our new ranch hands coming roundabout all the way from Africa and the Middle East are Peteand Mary Ann Bridges. After learning Russian at Columbia, Pete was with the Foreign Service for 30 years in posts such as Moscow, Rome, Africa, and D.C. He retired in 1986. In July '88, he joined Shell Oil, an independent subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell, as manager of international affairs replacing another former ambassador. He interprets the political (impending coups?) ana economic scene in countries of interest, traveling widely in the U.S. as well as back to Africa twice. Thoroughly enjoys what he's doing.

George Nevers has spent his entire career in exploration the first 12 years with Chevron and the next 12 with Coastal and is now a principal in a small public company, Garnet Resources. They look for oil and gas only outside the U.S., often in under developed countries including New Guinea, Colombia, and Pakistan. They also have projects in Spain, Turkey, and (would you believe) a drilling project right in Paris, Prance. The Neverses have five children, three married and all doing well a partner with Coopers & Lybrand, a lawyer in Richmond, Va„ a journalist in Waterbury, Conn., an insurance man, and a student at the University of Texas.

Chuck Noll, Chuck Luker's old roommate, looks for oil and gas closer to home in Texas. After working for Amoco for 15 years, Chuck opened the Houston office for a fellow named Marvin Davis, a big man on the LBO scene. When Davis got out of oil in '82, Chuck remained in the business with a drilling company and a second company which bought oil and gas resources. Recently Chuck became the lead consultant for Formosa Plastics of Taiwan, which is investing almost $2 billion in the U.S., and he reviews proposals for drilling, production, and chemical projects. Chuck is president of the 4,500-member Houston Geological Society, the largest chapter in the world. He remarried five years ago and wife Jo is in the real estate business. One son is a journalism teacher and soccer coach and another is a fledgling Hollywood actor who's already done some commercials.

Skip Adams still calls Houston home and is back on weekends, but home building became so tough there, he set up shop last fall in Herndon, Va., and is doing interior subcontracting work in Washington, D.C. He hopes to get back into complete home construction. Wife Bobbie is in flight service with Continental Airlines.

Kelley McBride has had his own personnel agency for 15 years, placing manufacturing and plant personnel in the container industry paper, glass, and metal. His experience in the field came from Weyerhaeuser and Inland. His wife, Nancy, is in real estate and their son just graduated from college with an ROTC commission. Kelley is past president of the Houston Dartmouth Club, and is an active long-time member and past president of The Optimists, a service organization which he says is the leader in youth activities. He tells me John Rice was also active in the Optimists.

Hank Fry took early retirement from Armstrong World Industries after ten years with them in Dallas and 15 more in Houston in sales of pipe insulation. He joined Armstrong right after Marine Corps service in Indochina. He's now working as much time as he wants for a former customer, calling on most of the mechanical and consulting engineers he used to work with. His wife, Mary, works with another ex-customer. His friends will be interested to know he's risen from an elder all the way to an ordained lay minister in the Presbyterian Church. He can do just about anything but marry you or bury you. Next month's area is Colorado and thereabouts. Would appreciate any information you have.

K-Ross, P.O. Box 436, Lebanon, NH 03766