1964

This is the last class column prior to our 30th Reunion. All of you have seen the excellent program which has been planned by the Re-union Committee for June 14—17. Please do your best to make it there it may be the last time that we recognize each other!

It is appropriate that this column focuses on one of the people who have been primarily responsible for leading our class and preparing for the Reunion this month: Dick Couch. In June Dick, our reunion chairman, will not only be celebrating his Dartmouth reunion, but also the 25th anniversary of the founding of Hypertherm, a world leader in plasma cutting technology, based in Hanover. Dick graduated from Thayer in 1965, and in 1968 he became general manager of the small engi- neering project team that would become Hypertherm. The company obtained an im- portant patent and from that time on has continued to expand its innovative plasma cutting product line—redefining, so to speak, the "cutting edge" of such technology. Dick has been president of the company since 1970, and since then its sales have expanded overseas and it has grown to employ over 300 employees. Dick lives in Hanover with his wife, Barbara, who works as director of human resources for the company, and three daughters ages 14 to 19. In addition to leading the company, Dick is recognized as a leading plasma expert, is active in engineering and industry associations and on boards of directors, and in October he was elected to the Thayer Board of Overseers. He is one of the founding board members of Ledyard National Bank. Who would have believed a member of our class would be able to join and expand a world-class company and stay in Hanover? How times change. I look forward to seeing you all at the reunion!

52 Upper Montclair Plaza, Upper Montclair, NJ 07043