1963

Ernie Torres switched from chemistry to government in college. Chemistry "seemed more like a cooking class to me," he told The Providence Journal. "It was 'Follow the directions and measure this and measure that,' so I decided that wasn't for me." On Thursday, June 20, Ernie was the one giving directions, but it had nothing to do with chemical compounds. The instructions were about extortion and they were given in a tense, crowded Providence courtroom to jurors who have been deliberating for seven days in the federal corruption trial of Providence Mayor Vincent A. Cianci. Newspaper accounts describe Ernie as " brainy, even-tempered, a hard worker who clearly enjoys the intellectual giveand-take of the federal courtroom." As U.S. District Court chief judge, he had been presiding over the Cianci trial since April. Even as the jury deliberated that case, Ernie began another trial the following Monday of Cianci's chief of staff, Artin H. Coloian, charged with accepting a bribe.

There's a good chance Ernie will be in town for this year's fall mini-reunion, so why not drop by and get the scoop from him and other classmates. It's a wonderful break from the daily grind, a chance to see old friends and enjoy great fun. The weekend is November 1-3. The football opponent is Harvard. If you need a room, call Days Inn, Route 120, Lebanon, (603) 448-5070 and ask for rooms for class of' 63.

Ron Garren found chemistry to his liking. A Harvard Med graduate and oncologist in Carmel, California, Ron studied biochemistry in the '9os, including the HIV virus. He also started a biotech company, publishes an investment newsletter for physicians and was just named chief biotechnology strategist at Diversified Biotech Group, publisher of lnvest Bio,which can be found on the Web.

Recent recruits to science and medicine are Dick Kiphart, an investment banker, and Ken Novack, attorney. Dick, head of corporate finance for the investment firm of William Blair & Co., Chicago, joined the board of Advanced Biotherapy, Woodland Hills, California, which develops treatments for multiple sclerosis and arthritis. Ken, who is vice chairman of AOL Time Warner, was made a director of Paratek Pharmaceuticals, Boston, which focuses on infectious diseases.

Tom Holzel is the new CEO of Printable Field Emitters, a company in Oxford, United Kingdom, that is developing affordable, mass-market wall-hanging TVs. Tom was recruited for his experience in field emission displays beginning in 1988 at Raytheon. He was later vice president at PixTech in California and Micro Optical Corp in Boston.

Bill Courtney was elected a new shareholder of Lowe Enterprises, a Los Angeles real estate firm with $6 billion in assets nationwide. Bill heads up human resources at Lowe, a position he held earlier with Arthur Young. Bill Adelaar, trustee of the N aval War College Foundation, was saluted in the spring issue of the NWCF newsletter for his continuing endowment of the foundations library and recruitment of new members.

I regret to report that Rob Kendall died of cancer in February in York, Maine.

60 Madison Ave., Suite 910,New York, NY 10010; (212) 447-9292; harry@zlokower.com