1963

When I think of Ken Novack I remember Camus. Steve Case, head of America Online, thinks of Henry Kissinger. Ken knows how to make an impression. He was in my fall freshman French 2 class when at the get-go we were assigned to read The Fall. Speaking for myself, few of us knew what was going on, except for Ken, who seemed to thrive on the philosophical issues the novel generated and was often the only one ready to answer a question or do any discussing. Recently The Wall Street Journal revealed Ken's knowledge of another big issue, the secret merger negotiations between his employer America Online and Time Warner. As Steve Case's closest adviser, Ken was the lead negotiator who revived the talks when they bogged down and helped hammer out how much each side would end up owning in the company. Colleagues describe Ken as a no-nonsense negotiator who always lays his issues out on the table and has no hidden agendas. He started with AOL as its outside counsel when it was a tiny online service in Virginia. James Kimsey, AOL's former chairman, says, "Without Ken Novack AOL would not have gotten where it is today." Ken is credited with key roles in the acquisition of Mirabilis an Internet chat line company, CompuServe and Netscape. He also recruited AOL's CFO and general counsel. Ken's real distinction, however, seems to be his ability to disagree with Steve Case. He's not viewed as a yes-man, but as kind of an honest broker, says one AOL executive. I don't know about you guys but I'm going back to reading Camus.

Who knows where the next AOL will come from? Peter Hollingworth, Boston venture capitalist, has already invested $60 million from his firm's $150-million e-commerce fund in emerging companies, pulling in returns of 180 percent. Peter's firm, Mass Business Development Corp., specializes in diversified high-tech. He and Michele, an executive with Riso Corp., a digital copier company, have a condo on Salem harbor. They have five children and two granddaughters.

Steve Swirsky, a fraternity brother of Ken Novack at Pi Lam, has been chosen to represent 90 manufacturer-representative companies nationwide at the National Swimming Pool and Spa Institute, which promotes the health and family fun benefits of residential and commercial swimming pools. Steve is the founder and president of Waterlines Inc., a company that represents swimming pool, irrigation, and water-gardening manufacturers on the East Coast. Steve and Joan live in Great Neck, N.Y. Their oldest son Seth '82 has achieved prominence for a book he has written on Major League baseball players.

Superior Court Judge Jerry Herlihy received the fifth annual Delaware Chief Justice Award for Outstanding Judicial Service. Bill Wellstead, Enfield, Conn., has been named director of tour directors at Tauck Tours in Westport, Conn. TomWashing, partner in Sequel Venture Partners, was honored by the Boulder (Colo.) Chamber of Commerce with the Espirit Entrepreneur Lifetime Achievement Award. Paul Binder, founder of The Big Apple Circus, added a second honorary doctorate, this one from Rhode Island College. The first was from Dartmouth.

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