Shipmate Column Feb 2009 (Click Back Arrow on Browser to Return...)

Classmates – it’s time to finalize your 40^th Reunion Plans. Get thee to the USNA Alumni Association Website (www.usna.com), log on as a “community member” and go to Class Reunions, where you can sign up for the events and pay with credit card. Please note that there are discounts for early signups. This helps us get better counts for planning the events and ensuring that everything is right for OUR reunion!!

From the mailbag, Ralph Stoll provided a nice update:

I haven't sent an update in awhile, but emails have been making their way west, most recently from Joe Chopek and George Wenchel's wife, Rosemary, so I thought I check in. Sharon and I are anchored in Seattle, thoroughly enjoying the Pacific Northwest since retirement in 1996 from command of USS GEORGIA. With some interesting business partners, I've spent all of that time starting a series of entrepreneurial companies or pursuing business ideas as a consultant, some more successful than others. Like many of us, I keep thinking I'm getting close to retirement but the goal line keeps getting moved. The current company, Predicus, creates state-of-the-art decision-support models that are attracting significant interest in this era of financial stress, as companies and investors seek better understanding of their risks. We are finding that our process is especially valid in the federal area where both technical and non-technical risks need to be better integrated and communicated, but commercial clients are also responding well. At home Sharon is quite happy with the active life that living near downtown Seattle offers, taking classes at UW which is 1 block away from our house at the Montlake Cut. Our oldest daughter, Lee, is a TV anchor/reporter for CBS in Spokane and our youngest daughter, Paige, is the Merchandising Manager for Harper's Bazaar in NYC and recently engaged. I remain in regular contact with my roommate, Glenn Lattig, and his wife Mary who are living in the San Jose area. On the weekends I have found a satisfying way to keep my sea stories circulating by teaching sailing and leadership to UW NROTC midshipmen aboard 2 Navy 44 sailboats given by the Naval Academy this past summer. I see Ron Barrow regularly as another of our sailing coaches. Here is a photo that also includes Rich Fitzpatrick '78, the PNS at UW. Sharon and I are hoping to be at the 40th next Fall.

Greg Overbeck and Joe Chopek wrote that Paul Swanson has slowed down a lot but was still kicking. Paul and Marina raised a boy and a girl, who have married within the last two years. They are taking care of their respective mothers that live near their home that they built in 1994 in San Diego. They are also busy helping to raise their first grandchild. Paul retired from the federal government.

Dick Lyles is looking for a few good USNA Grads. He writes After having written or co-authored seven books that are now published in more than forty languages around the world, and having a rewarding career as a management consultant and CEO of several companies, I’ve now accepted a position as CEO of Origin Entertainment, which is a Hollywood movie-making company.  Our vision is to create truly great movies that evoke the audiences’ desire for the heroic, foster a generosity of spirit, and inspire them to make choices for the greater good. We will do this by bringing to the screen stories of great heroes and by revisiting classic stories with all the possibilities that today’s technology makes available. One of our first challenges is to build a $100M Center for Movie Production Excellence in New Buffalo Michigan. It will be one of the most modern and comprehensive sound stage and movie production facilities in the world and will help us with our projects, but also will help meet the demand of other major studios who want to produce movies in Michigan to take advantage of the recently enacted cash rebates for projects filmed in Michigan. We’ll be looking for USNA grads of all ages to fill various mid-and upper-level management positions, so if everyone could put the word out to people who might be interested in an exciting career opportunity in the New Buffalo area, I would very much appreciate it.  dicklyles@attt.net

Geoff Pomroy has begun periodic USNA Alumni ‘Pizza Lunches’ for those working in and around the Washington Navy Shipyard. His January gathering included: Walt Giraldi, Todd Creekman, Bill Coleman, Tim Oliver as well as 16 other alumni ranging from ’55 to ’05. Please contact Geoff for specifics of future events g_w_pegasus@yahoo.com

Finally, Walt Giraldi provides yet another “Rich Red” story for our amusement: During the after graduation summer, I was in my green “Goat”, stopped at the traffic light on M St and Wisconsin Ave in Georgetown. I was first car, left lane. When the light turned green, the corner of my eye caught a Camaro (or Firebird, blue ?) in the far right lane, two lanes over, peel out and proceed to make a left hand turn in front of all proceeding and oncoming traffic. Rich Red flashed in front of me and was gone! Several years ago at a Navy game, the same one where Rich posed for a photo, which appeared in Shipmate, with Todd Creekman - class’ top and anchor men - I asked Rich if he remembered the episode. In typical fashion, he replied: “Did I hit you?”

Many thanks to those of you who take the few minutes to contribute to this column. It helps all of us keep in touch and reinforces the concept that “69 is MIGHTY FINR!”

Beat Army – often! – steve