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CLASS NOTES
COLUMBIA COLLEGE TODAY
COLUMBIA COLLEGE TODAY
CLASS NOTES
at Winston & Strawn, a Chicagobased
firm with a significant New
York office. I continue to practice
commercial litigation, which I still
find enormously satisfying.
“My wife, Barbara, and I are up
to five grandchildren with a set
of twins on the way. We split our
time between our apartment in
NYC, our home in New Jersey and
our summer home on Nantucket,
where one of the annual highlights
is the weekend visit of Kathy and
Rich Forzani.”
Harvey was a member of the
track team and is an avid Lions
sports fan. He can be seen muttering
to himself on any given autumn
Saturday at Robert K. Kraft Field.
We hear from another longlost
classmate. Richard Postupak
writes, “I left the College after
my freshman year, having played
frosh football and met some terrific
people from all over the United
States. I really loved Morningside
and stayed in the area for several
years, but then traveled to Tucumcari,
N.M., where I lived on a commune
and gained great knowledge
in working with clay and also in
transcendental meditation. The two
disciplines seemed synergistic to me
and I found great peace of mind.
“Through total happenstance,
I became interested in philosophy
and, in the early ’70s, was for some
reason granted a fellowship to the
College of Philosophy in Sansepolcro,
Italy. This is in a beautiful area
of southern Tuscany, just north of
Umbria. After graduation, I was an
instructor at the college for several
decades, until it became defunct,
occasionally traveling back to the
U.S. as well as throughout the
world. One of my great life experiences
was having a conversation
for several precious moments
with the Dalai Lama, in the early
’90s. Since leaving the world of
education, I have earned my keep
as a baker of French pastry, having
taken an extensive training program
in Auxerre, France. I find this
new vocation has many parallels to
my early days as a potter.
“While I have never achieved
the great accomplishments or
wealth of so many of my classmates,
I am constantly reminded
of my incredible good fortune in
finding a gentle, satisfying and
intellectual path through life, and I
wish all of you the peace and love I
have gained on my way.”
Ron Brookshire writes, “After
retiring I went back to work for a
former boss to help out for a while.
Now, years later, I guess he thinks
he still needs help. Thank goodness
it is three miles from home and
only part-time. More important
news is that my oldest daughter is
married and living in Indio, Calif.
She works in the Cal State system
in marketing/event planning but is
thinking about Washington, D.C.,
after being involved in a successful
political campaign for a rep
(apple fell far from the tree). One
of my twins recently moved to
San Francisco with her long-term
boyfriend and got the first job she
interviewed for (clearly that apple
also fell far from the tree). My other
twin is finishing her degree at Cal
State Long Beach next semester
(she had an academic career more
in line with mine).”
Tom Harrold reports, “I practice
law in Atlanta with Miller & Martin,
which was founded 145 years
ago and is one of the oldest law
firms in the South. [RF: Tom is one
of the oldest lawyers in the South.]
I am the partner in charge of the
international practice group and in
1987 was one of the founders of the
world law group, which now has
52 member firms in 41 countries
joining more than 12,000 lawyers.
From 1995–96, I was president of
the World Law Group.
“My wife of 42 years, Connie, and
I are most proud of our daughter,
Beth (Dr. Elizabeth V. Ratchford),
who after Dartmouth and the Yale
School of Medicine finally became
affiliated with a decent university
and did her residency in internal
medicine at Columbia. She is the
director of vascular medicine at
Johns Hopkins. A couple of years
ago, Beth and I had a nice lunch
with my former Columbia roommate,
Dr. Ed McCarthy, who is a
preeminent orthopedic surgeon at
Johns Hopkins. Beth’s husband, Jack
Ratchford ’03 P&S, unfortunately
went to Princeton undergraduate
but he saw the light and graduated
from the Medical School. He is in the
neurology department at Johns Hopkins
and they have two sons, ages 4
and 7, who are very good and loyal
Georgia Bulldawg fans.”
Barry Nazarian shares, “I
moved from New Jersey to San
Diego, where three of the four
children I raised as a single parent
have migrated, one by one, during
the past 15 years. I trained 200
miles a week my first year in this
land of cyclists and runners. [RF:
Barry is an ardent cyclist.] I haven’t
found work yet and can only hope
this dearth of jobs persists.”
Finally, yet another voice from
the West weighs in. Neill Brownstein
writes, “Glad to report that all
is well with the Brownsteins, with
four granddaughters — all West
Coast — although two are in Seattle
and two are in the San Francisco
Bay Area. During 2012, I feel that
time and Neill were in sync; mostly
I was doing what I wanted to do
when I wanted to do it. In the previous
year, there had been too many
‘gotchas,’ where I spent precious
time in ways that did not seem that
good from my view. Our daughter
is Emily Hamilton ’13; we are
looking forward to her graduation
in May.”
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Albert Zonana
425 Arundel Rd.
Goleta, CA 93117
az164@columbia.edu
The Cleverest Crew is at it again.
Marty Goldstein writes, “It’s
impossible to top Jon Jarvik’s
poem [see below], but let me add
a little background. The Royal
and Ancient Brotherhood of Buffoons,
which centers around the
crew cohort of the Class of 1967,
give or take a few years, holds
a reunion row every five years,
customarily coordinated with the
class reunions. This year, because
of construction in the boathouse
area, we chose to push it up to the
October Homecoming day, which
proved to be a brilliant choice, as
it coordinated with the opening
of The Campbell Sports Center
as well as with the football game
against Dartmouth.
“We had our row in the morning,
putting out an eight, coxed by
the redoubtable Jimmy Menasian,
as well as a four, which I helmed. It
was a daunting experience for me
at first, since this was a four rigged
with the cox in the bow, facing
forward, with the crew behind
him facing backward, giving me a
feeling akin to driving a car from
the back seat. It was spooky at first,
especially after the apprehensive
head crew coach warned us of
difficult tide and current conditions,
as well as the fact that an
eight costs around $30,000 these
days, and even minor repairs to
the fiberglass and carbon fiber
constructions cost thousands. We
got the hint: Don’t screw up.
“We didn’t, and managed a good
row, with no damage other than to
our aged bodies, and after washing
the shells down and putting
them away unharmed, we went
to the tent for the most excellent
buffet luncheon, with a wonderful
setup outdoors for the many kids
who attended. We all felt part of a
wonderful tradition, and shared our
love of the College and the whole
Columbia community.
“The game against Dartmouth
was a good one, close, with Columbia
showing up and playing
hard, a good omen for the new
head coach, Pete Mangurian. We
then resumed our gathering at the
new [Havana Central at The] West
End, over dinner and libations — a
truly wonderful day we all wished
would never end. We’ll be back for
our 50th in 2017.”
The aforementioned poem by
Jon Jarvik:
Once upon a midday cheery
While I pondered long and leery
Over many a quaint and curious long
forgotten oar,
While I nodded nearly napping,
Suddenly there came a tapping
As of someone gently rapping,
Rapping at the boathouse door.
“Tis some coxswain bold,” I muttered,
Tapping on the boathouse door,
Only this and nothing more.
Ah, distinctly I remember
It was in the bright October
And each separate oar and rigger
Wrought its shadow on the water
And the silken splashing, rustling
Of each catch of water bubbling
Thrilled me with fantastic tremors
Felt again from years before.
And the coxswain, never flitting
Ever sitting, ever sitting
On the narrow seat of fiber
Near against the strokeman sure.
And his eyes had all the seeming
Of a duyvil dreaming dreaming
And the sunlight o’er him streaming
Threw reflections on the shore.
But the coxswain sitting lonely
On the placid seat spoke only
Three short words as if his soul
In those three words he did outpour.
Nothing further then he uttered,
Oars were feathered, boat it fluttered,
Till I scarcely more than muttered,
“Other friends have flown before.”
Quoth the coxswain
“Pull that oar.”
Paul Gewirtz’s son, Julian,
recently was named a Rhodes
Scholar. Julian, a senior at Harvard,
will pursue a degree in modern
Chinese studies at Oxford. Congratulations
to the Gewirtz family.
REUNION WEEKEND
MAY 30–JUNE 2, 2013
ALUMNI OFFICE CONTACTS
ALUMNI AFFAIRS Nick Mider
nm2613@columbia.edu
212-851-7846
DEVELOPMENT Heather Hunte
hh15@columbia.edu
212-851-7957
68
Arthur Spector
60 Riverside Blvd.,
Apt. 2703
New York, NY 10069
arthurbspector@
gmail.com
Greetings to the class. Winter approaches
as I gather notes for this
column; always a great time to
reflect upon the good days ahead for
us all. I do like snow and am looking
forward to some in Central Park and
at my place in Saratoga. To those of
you who are in Naples, Fla., Tel Aviv,
Paris, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Boston,
Washington, D.C. and New York —
and all the other great places around
the world — accept what will be my
belated wishes that 2013 be a great
year for you and your families.
In early December I went to an
Crew members of the Class of 1967 (give or take a few years) hold a reunion every five years. Last fall, it coincided with Homecoming
on October 20. Standing outside the Big Tent, left to right: Tom Huseby ’69, Carl Carlson ’65, Dave Green ’69, Eric Dannemann ’67, Dick
Hansen ’62, David Blanchard ’67, Gerry Botha ’67, Jon Jarvik ’67 and Dick Dumais ’67; kneeling, left to right: Bob Malsberger ’67E, Proctor
Schenk ’69, Jeff Brensilver ’67, Charlie Miller ’67, Jim Menasian ’67, Marty Goldstein ’67 and Robert Chapla ’68; front: John Gormley ’69.
PHOTO: MARTY GOLDSTEIN ’67
event sponsored by the Society of
Columbia Graduates (SOCG) and
hosted by Paul de Bary, with Bill
Campbell ’62, ’64 TC, chairman of
the University’s Board of Trustees
and the evening’s speaker. Bill’s
report on the state of Columbia was
upbeat. Among other things he
talked about how the University is
making progress on many fronts,
including rankings; how the College
is the center of the University
family; and how our Global Centers
are doing well, with interest in Columbia
growing around the world.
All in all, he was impressive
in his comments and thoughtful.
As you may know, Bill has had
enormous success in Silicon Valley
— he was great friends with Steve
Jobs and is on the board of Apple
— and so he brings to Columbia
a sense of the importance of being
open-minded and innovative while
also being careful. Bill also was refreshingly
appreciative of the Core
and the special nature of Columbia
in the City of New York.
I am interested in athletics, too,
as you know, and Bill showed great
confidence that we are moving in
the right direction. Football for sure
had a better year. I am hoping that
the basketball season ends well.
One highlight so far was the team’s
crushing Villanova on its court; we
hit 21 foul shots in a row at the end
of the game to ice the deal. Coach
Kyle Smith is the real thing!
I went away inspired by Bill’s
commitment and ready to call each
one of you, both for a donation
to the Columbia College Fund
(college.columbia.edu/giveonline)
and to encourage you to come to
Alumni Reunion Weekend (Thursday,
May 30–Sunday, June 2), as
many of you have in the past. Our
last one had a great turnout, and I
am sure this one will be even better
attended; there seems to be strong
interest. The Reunion Committee
is working with spirit, energy
and wit. I predict good cheer and
good fun. Look for information at
reunion.college.columbia.edu. And
while you’re at it, take the time to
update your contact information so
you don’t miss any news about the
weekend (reunion.college.colum
bia.edu/alumniupdate).
Returning to the subject of the
SOCG event, there was a group of
four from the Class of 1968: Paul
de Bary was very funny in his introduction
of Bill. Paul Gallagher
was in from New Haven, Conn.,
where he and his wife, Pam, have
moved to be closer to his consulting
firm. He looked great and was
in good humor. (I think that he
does work with Yale, too; he will
have to clarify at some point.) Then
there was the always charming
and magnificent real estate star
lawyer Andy Herz, now more
actively involved in good causes;
he says he is so glad he has more
time for outside good deeds.
I was happy to see Paul, Paul
and Andy, all of whom enjoyed
Bill’s comments. I also had a chance
to talk to Bill about football, and he
is as positive about the new coach
as you might expect. We agreed
that beating Yale and Cornell this
year was good, and that the close
losses to Dartmouth and Penn (Ivy
champs) also boded well.
Speaking of football, I read that
we have an incoming first-year next
fall — 7-foot-1, from Minnesota. I
hope that is right. He should fit in
well with our 6-foot-11 returning
forward, Cory Osetkowski ’16.
John Roy sent in some great
news. “Son Noah Roy ’95, ’99 PH
(also a Ph.D. from Penn) married
the lovely Ann Fuller in Forest Hills,
Queens, on November 18. They live
in Maryland. Noah is a researcher at
NIH and Ann is a nurse.
“My days have been brightened
here by teaching the Great Books at
a local college.
“I look forward to seeing you
in May.”
Congratulations and look forward
to seeing you, too!
I heard from Randy Bregman.
It had been a while but I do believe
he was a neighbor in Furnald. He
says, “I am writing because I have
started teaching at SIPA as an adjunct
and have been thinking a lot
about our days as college students.
The course is titled ‘Modern Russian
History from the Inside.’ We
start with perestroika and go to the
present. I enjoy being part of that
community again. Teaching makes
me feel 20 years younger. I try to
get to the campus early to walk
around and reminisce. I was quite
proud to get my first paycheck; it
was good for once to get a check
from Columbia.
“George Bernstein, a professor
at Tulane, provided good professional
advice to prepare me for this
assignment. In some way, teaching
this course is a kind of looking back
at my career for the last 25 years.
I have done work as a lawyer on
Russian matters — transactions,
arbitrations, regulatory and antibribery
issues — and continue to
do so. In the early ’90s, my wife,
Patrice, and I lived in Moscow,
where I managed the office of a
Washington, D.C., law firm and
Patrice started a local tour company.
We are now based in Washington,
raising Roman and Artyom, our
sons adopted from Siberia. Both
are growing into fine young men,
if I may say so myself. I split my
time between D.C. and New York
SPRING 2013
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SPRING 2013
69