1969

The mailbag is pretty empty, as I'm sure my colleague Allen Denison, our newsletter editor, has also found. We had hoped to hear some stories about the Freshman Trip you took, as well as updated life and career information but the airwaves and mailman have been silent. Help us out here and share some of your world.

There is some good information coming our way as Robert Gandy III reports he has been happily working with the First National Bank of Edinburg, Texas, since 1983. "Bamboo" is the president and CEO of this $2.6 billion financial institution, which has 35 branches spread throughout the Rio Grande Valley and in several major Texas cities. His focus as the head of the bank has been to extend the FNB market beyond its valley origins to all major cities in Texas. As he expands the bank's scope, he recently enlisted the help of Jon Hanshus to assist in human resource issues and provide direction as well as motivation for the bank's new employees. As the bank enters its 70th year, Bamboo envisions a statewide operation of 300 branches and 3,500 employees, and is planning an extensive coiporate center in Edinburg to house the banks operations as it grows. Bamboo has two children: a daughter, Page, who graduated from Rice and is an interior designer in Austin, and Robert IV, a graduate of UT, now an investment banker in New York.

From Colorado we hear that Brooke Jackson was named chief judge for the Ist Judicial District of the state. Following graduation Brooke earned his J.D. from Harvard Law School then joined a Denver firm as a trial lawyer, staying in that field for 26 years. He opened a Washington, D.C., office for the firm, but by 1981 moved back to Colorado. In 1998 he was named to the district court bench, and his elevation to chief judge came in 2003. Brooke reports sitting on the bench is gratifying, but not nearly as financially rewarding as trial work. He is another of our class who has made the jump from career to public service, giving back to community and society. His position as chief judge makes him the administrative head of the judicial district, responsible for all non-ju- dicial aspects of the courts operations, including fiscal and personnel matters. Brookes wife of 34 years, Liz (Vassar '70), is an independent travel agent while the children are all moving in dad's direction. Oldest son Jeff is a district attorney in San Mateo County, California, son Brett is a graduate of Stanford Law and daughter Jennie is currently at Colgate, thinking hard about law school. Reading a quote from Brookes submission to TheBook in 1994, he wrote: "If I had to state one goal it would be one day to be a U.S. District Court judge. Who knows?" Indeed.

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