Class Note 1972
Issue
November-December 2020
Covid-19 has everything topsy-turvy! As I write this it’s almost fall and there is no college football being played (at least by teams that I care about), the Stanley Cup finals are underway in arenas with no fans, and “fine dining” is now defined by whether or not the restaurant has an outside patio. Craziness! However, I still managed to pick up a few tidbits of news.
Stef Mattlage reached out by email and we had a delightful phone call that lasted about an hour. Stef and I both lived in North Topliff during our freshman and sophomore years and had lots of friends in common, including my roommate, Jamie MacArthur, and his roommate, Dale Dunning. We had an absolute blast remembering things such as the end of parietal hours, hall hockey, and the occasional kegger at Kappa Sig, where he was the house manager, or at Beta, where I was a member. Stef lives in Concord, New Hampshire, with his wife, Linda, who is a pediatric nurse practitioner. He is happily retired after spending many years in the manufacturing sector. His job took him around the globe to places such as Taiwan, South Korea, and, closer to home, the San Francisco Bay Area, Wisconsin, and upstate New York. He and Linda have four children and six grandchildren, and he is actively engaged in causes that he cares about, including a grassroots approach to changing how we discuss political issues across the spectrum. Man, do we need that these days!
I see that Dwight Sargent made The Wall Street Journal recently. Dwight is the founder of Pompanoosuc Mills Corp., described as “a 47-year-old contemporary furniture manufacturer and retailer.” The article, titled “Will Small Businesses Survive the Pandemic? These Five Show How It Can Be Done,” describes how Dwight had to make the shift to digital marketing when social-distancing restrictions shut his eight showrooms and his East Thetford, Vermont, workshop. It is a fascinating review of the adjustments Dwight made after having to lay off almost his entire 115-person workforce. The good news is that the adjustments worked, he was able to offer to rehire all of his employees, and he still plans to add another store in Philadelphia! Well done, Dwight!
We end with a special message from our class president, Bill Price. “We are now within two years of our 50th reunion on June 12, 2022, and I hope that you will be able to join me as we celebrate this milestone, walk down the aisle ahead of the class of ’22, and share memories. The College kicks off our formal planning 15 months ahead of the reunion, next March and April, so please let me know if you’d like to participate in our committees (bill@drivasolutions.com). In the meantime, talk it up and reach out to some of your buddies and dorm mates, fraternity brothers, and friends to make sure that we have huge participation!”
Please plan to be there! In the meantime, stay safe and healthy.
—David Hetzel, 997 State Blvd., Franklin, TN 37064; dghetzel@gmail.com
Stef Mattlage reached out by email and we had a delightful phone call that lasted about an hour. Stef and I both lived in North Topliff during our freshman and sophomore years and had lots of friends in common, including my roommate, Jamie MacArthur, and his roommate, Dale Dunning. We had an absolute blast remembering things such as the end of parietal hours, hall hockey, and the occasional kegger at Kappa Sig, where he was the house manager, or at Beta, where I was a member. Stef lives in Concord, New Hampshire, with his wife, Linda, who is a pediatric nurse practitioner. He is happily retired after spending many years in the manufacturing sector. His job took him around the globe to places such as Taiwan, South Korea, and, closer to home, the San Francisco Bay Area, Wisconsin, and upstate New York. He and Linda have four children and six grandchildren, and he is actively engaged in causes that he cares about, including a grassroots approach to changing how we discuss political issues across the spectrum. Man, do we need that these days!
I see that Dwight Sargent made The Wall Street Journal recently. Dwight is the founder of Pompanoosuc Mills Corp., described as “a 47-year-old contemporary furniture manufacturer and retailer.” The article, titled “Will Small Businesses Survive the Pandemic? These Five Show How It Can Be Done,” describes how Dwight had to make the shift to digital marketing when social-distancing restrictions shut his eight showrooms and his East Thetford, Vermont, workshop. It is a fascinating review of the adjustments Dwight made after having to lay off almost his entire 115-person workforce. The good news is that the adjustments worked, he was able to offer to rehire all of his employees, and he still plans to add another store in Philadelphia! Well done, Dwight!
We end with a special message from our class president, Bill Price. “We are now within two years of our 50th reunion on June 12, 2022, and I hope that you will be able to join me as we celebrate this milestone, walk down the aisle ahead of the class of ’22, and share memories. The College kicks off our formal planning 15 months ahead of the reunion, next March and April, so please let me know if you’d like to participate in our committees (bill@drivasolutions.com). In the meantime, talk it up and reach out to some of your buddies and dorm mates, fraternity brothers, and friends to make sure that we have huge participation!”
Please plan to be there! In the meantime, stay safe and healthy.
—David Hetzel, 997 State Blvd., Franklin, TN 37064; dghetzel@gmail.com