This month, we have interesting news from non-retirees, as well as doings in Washington, D.C. But first, a call to action: The 55th reunion is Sunday, June 14, through Wednesday, June 17, 2020. Seems like a long time off, no doubt, but the important quinquennial business of electing and naming officers requires some foresight. Mike Gonnerman says, “In practice, the nominating committee identifies a nominee for president.” Jim Griffiths adds, “That nominee then joins the committee in fleshing out a full slate of officers to be presented at class meeting. Further nominations will be accepted from the floor prior to voting.”

Griffiths heads the nominating committee, which includes Gonnerman and former class presidents Hank Amon, Pete Frederick, Roger Hansen, Ken McGruther, Bill Webster, and Allen Zern. By tradition, Gonnerman becomes vice president to support the incoming president; Griffiths is looking for nominations and volunteers for the other offices: secretary, treasurer, newsletter editor, webmaster, Hanover mini-reunions, out-of-Hanover minis, class projects, head agent, planned giving, and class scholarships. Contact him at jimgriffiths@cs.com with your ideas.

Mike Lewis, Marc Efron, Ted Bracken, and Rick Davey attended the annual Daniel Webster award dinner hosted by the Dartmouth Club of D.C. Lewis gave a warm and humorous introduction to this year’s awardee, Sen. Angus King ’66. Sixty-four Dartmouth alums representing classes from 1953 through 2018 attended.

At this point in our lives many of us are retired. I like to think of writing as my second career, but the world seems to view anything that pays less than minimum wage as not worthy of the appellation. Apparently, Cohen Hall injected some with an ineffable drive to ignore the golf course, the cruise, the hammock and highball. My suitemates Tom Long and Weaver Gaines are still at it (and at better than minimum wage, I suspect).

Long went from Harvard Law to a career in tax and corporate law. Then, 35 years later, with freshly minted Ph.D., he became assistant professor of history at George Washington University. He continues to teach and advise undergraduates. Gaines also gave up the practice of law to help technology companies graduate from academia to the world of commerce. He cofounded OBMedical Co. (his fourth or fifth startup, I lose count) and, after its sale last fall to Philips Healthcare, he cofounded another medical device company, Evren Technologies, of which he is chairman and CEO. (He says, “Starting at the top has its virtues.”) Evren is developing a wearable transcutaneous vagal nerve stimulator to treat PTSD, a condition that affects far more sufferers than vets, including one in nine women during their lifetimes. 

I pass this along because it’s interesting and because I would like to hear about your years since you quit the day job—if you did. Are you devoted to a cause or charity? Have you used your time to perfect a sideline or a passion you couldn’t afford to pursue during the years you were buried in work and family? Tell me about it.

And, get those nominations to Griffiths!

—John Rogers, 6051 Laurel Ave., #310, Golden Valley, MN 55416; (763) 568-7501; johnbairdrogers@comcast.net