Happy almost-spring to all! 


Rob Amler sent news of his recent award and (drum roll) his own proclaimed “day”: “Robert Amler, M.D., M.B.A., received the Medical Entrepreneur Award at the inaugural Doctors of Distinction ceremony held by the Westchester County Medical Society and the Westchester Business Journal in New York.” Hosting this ceremony was Robert Bazell, the multi-award-winning former chief health and science correspondent for NBC News and now adjunct professor of molecular biology at Yale. Rob, who is vice president for government affairs at New York Medical College and dean of its school of health sciences and practice and institute of public health, was recognized for “his creative work in the public health sector and his ability to build out a biotech incubator to attract researchers and startup firms in early-stage development of new drugs, vaccine strains and medical safety devices and apps.” In addition, October 24 was proclaimed Dr. Robert W. Amler Day by the Democratic conference leader of the New York State Senate. A 25-year veteran of the U.S. Public Health Service and the Centers for Disease Control, Rob was previously regional health administrator for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Anyone else ever have a day named for them?


Accenture-ites, unite! Jim Stearns is now regional trade compliance counsel for the Americas at Accenture, where he runs into Chris Brewster, who represents Accenture federal systems. Jim continues as chairman of the executive committee of the Cerebral Palsy International Research Foundation, and served as its immediate past president. At Accenture since May 2013, Jim is “providing legal and regulatory advice on anti-boycott, U.S. Export Administration regulations (EAR), international traffic in arms regulations (ITAR) and office of foreign assets control (OFAC) issues for the Americas region, which encompasses Canada, the United States, Mexico, Central America and Latin America” (this from LinkedIn).


Reminds me of one of my favorite books that Don Fennessey, John de Regt, Neale Duffett, Bill White (as in William T. White), Robert Smith, Paul Malloy, Dick Donohue, Lynn Rowe, Thurm Lowans, other ’72s and John Hanley ’71 might also well remember from our NROTC or U.S. Navy years: The Dictionary of Naval Abbreviations, or DicNavAb. Still on Amazon is the 1984 edition for as little as 26 cents for the hardback edition, or there’s a newer version on U.S. Naval Institute site. Cure for insomnia: more than 45,000 naval abbreviations!


Foreign sightings: Our Canada-based classmate Phil Cohen recently took a whirlwind trip to Beijing. He and some American physicians are developing a nuclear medicine product with a Chinese pharmaceutical company.


Looking for info on Gary Moucha, Dominic Nardi and Paul Newman.


Please continue to send your updates and news.


—Bill Price, 12 Lummi Key, Bellevue, WA 98006; bill@drivasolutions.com