1978

Just when I feared I would have to resort to inventing items for this column, or worse, some timely e-mails came to my rescue. In January Burke Whitman moved to Naples, Florida, to become the president and chief operating officer of Health Management Associates Inc., a leading national owner and operator of non-urban hospitals in communities throughout the United States. The company's stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol HMA, and the company is included in Standard & Poor's list of S&P 500 Companies and in the Forbes Platinum 400: The Best Big Companies in America

Last fall Anne Barschall visited with Nat Goodspeed, Renee Laurion Goodspeed and Geoff Crew. Nat is still working out of his home on computer game software. Renee continues to practice dentistry, with her office only a block from their home in Rochester, New Hampshire. They have managed to set up their lives in a very convenient fashion. Nat and Renee have three children, one in Japan, one at Mt. Holyoke (phooey), and one still in high school. Geoff is still working as a research scientist for MIT. His work is in astrophysics, tracking gamma ray bursts. He sometimes has responsibility for controlling a satellite. He is still married to Harriet Schwarz, also of our class, though she wasn't there when I visited. Harriet and Geoff have two children.

Rob Friedman is involved with a new venture, West African Health Plan (WAHP), which aims to provide a uniquely structured health care plan in West Africa. In essence the overseas West Africans would pay for health insurance for their friends and family back home. Health care providers would be vetted by WAHP. The goal is to provide quality health care and maximize the benefits of the money (almost $10 billion/year) that is sent to West Africa by its residents living abroad. There is not space to go into great detail in this column, however, the '78 newsletter contains a thorough explanation of the project and their needs. I encourage you to read it.

Please send news. I am not good at creative writing!

Box 4115, Jackson, WY83001; maggiehunt@gmail.com