1975

Greetings from the friendly skies of' Air Bildner," about two nautical miles off the Maine Coast, on this beautiful spring day. From about 500 feet above the ocean, all seems pretty peaceful in this section of New England. Below us are seals, whales and the occasional dolphins and everywhere we look around us we, can see green on the islands below us and trees filling out with leaves. What a relief to see this longest of all winters behind us. Despite this tranquility, the air traffic vectoring a C-130 from Naval Station Brunswick nearby reminds us just how fortunate we are to be safe and the price that so many others are paying on our behalf to keep our skies and country free.

The College has just finished one of its busiest admissions seasons in its history, with applications up more than 15 percent, the highest in the Ivy League. I returned last week to Hanover for a Junior Day with my daughter, Lizzie, and can you tell you first-hand that the College is flourishing in all respects. We had the opportunity to spend some time with a few members of the varsity women's field hockey team and these women are truly remarkable in their achievements both on and off the field. We should all be proud of what they have accomplished.

And from the mailbag, there is lots of news to report. From the world of biotechnology and religion, comes three separate business articles and a review on a book co-authored by our own Don Drakeman. Don continues to serve as the CEO of Medarex, a biotechnology company based in Princeton, New Jersey. Medarex is at the forefront of helping to find a cure for cancer through the development of human monoclonal antibodies. In addition to cancer research, Medarex is also focusing its activities on fighting debilitating conditions like arthritis. In his spare time, Don has co-authored the book Church and State in America, a chronology of key documents, decisions and commentary over the past three centuries. He also serves as a lecturer in the department of politics at Princeton.

From the California Bar Association comes word that Gary Lafayette has won a 2002 CLAY Award for his impact on public policy. The award, naming Gary as one of California's 2002 Attorneys of the Year, highlighted Gary's work in arguing before the Supreme Court on an important case involving the Department of Housing and Urban Development's authority to evict tenants connected with illegal drug activity from public housing. Gary was also featured in the April 2003 ABA Journal's article titled "Distinction with a Difference." Gary is a partner with the firm of Lafayette and Kumagai LLP in San Francisco.

And Captain Robert C. Jackson of the First Naval Construction Regiment was called to active duty service in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, marking the first time a NCR reserve regiment has been "stood up" since Operation Desert Storm. Rob was named commodore and wasted no time getting his regiment up and running along with their move from Port Hueneme, California, to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Congratulations, Rob, and thanks for doing what you do for all of us.

And finally, I received word that William Byrd died in late January from a heart attack while cross-countiy skiing in northern Ohio. Bill had been the manager of the Cleveland branch office of Volt Information Sciences. Bill was an avid traveler and loved competitive canoeing. In 1978 he won a position on the U.S. world championship canoe team. He made the world team several times and traveled to Europe often to compete in singles flat-water canoe races. Bill's loss will be felt by all he touched in his many travels and activities. We will miss him.

Well it's time to land this helicopter. Keep those letters and e-mails coming. Nancy and I wish you a great summer. Enjoy it while it's here!

5 Boardman Ave., Manchester, MA01944;(617)737-1100, X302;jbildner@tier.com