Class Note 1978
Jim Friedlich and Rob Portman, who met as ’shmen in Butterfield Hall, got together for breakfast in New York City in December. Jim, a former Wall Street Journal executive and New York-based media and private equity investor, joined a group of fellow supporters to celebrate Rob’s recent election to the U.S. Senate. In his comments to the group including former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, Sen. John Thune (R-SD), McGraw-Hill chairman Terry McGraw and former American Express CEO James Robinson III, Rob spoke movingly about the need for greater fiscal responsibility and true bipartisanship in Washington, D.C. “It was a proud day to see my freshman hallmate elected to the U.S. Senate,” said Jim. “Neither of us looks any older, but Rob at least is wiser.”
Under class president Dave Graham’s aegis (note the clever use of the yearbook name…) the class is kicking off a series of mini-reunions to encourage us to get (re)acquainted after all these years. (As I commented after the last big reunion in Hanover: It’s amazing all the wonderful people in our class that I never met as an undergrad.) The first 1978 night class mini was hosted by class VP Barbara Dau Southwell on February 26 in Bethesda, Maryland (a Washington, D.C., suburb, for those who are geographically challenged, but also a town in its own right). Attendees included Charley Wise and wife Cheryl Newman ’76, Lou and Debbie Harmon Duff,Dan and Pam Daniels Drumheller, Hope Dobrow and Steve Goodman, Lisa Kaeser, Ann Hoover Maddox and Mark Hansen.Barbara’s midnight après-party analysis: “Well the last guests left about 20 minutes ago, so that means it was a good party. Hope made wonderful gourmet treats and brought excellent wine. Lisa had a fabulous beer lineup that was a great hit.” And everyone thinks life here in metro D.C. is all about politics. Hah.
Well, another Winter Carnival weekend has come and gone. I’m still looking for a decent DVD version of Winter Carnival to replace the dilapidated VHS recording I made from broadcast TV in the mid-1980s. I don’t know what it is—the cheesy football analogies, the background shots of the College, the snippets of Dartmouth songs or the on-again, off-again romance with the happily-ever-after ending in a house on Lyme Road. “How refreshing and youthful…” as my 20-something kids freely quote. Sigh.
Everyone, this is important. I finally am getting with the last decade, technologically speaking, by getting a gmail account. So all of you need to update your address books with my new eddress: davidthov@gmail.com. (Note the middle initial. As amazing as it seems, there is in fact another David Hov, out in Phoenix, Arizona, who apparently got the eddress I wanted. So be sure your important updates for the Class Notes don’t go astray. Send them to me, david with a “t,” today!) Now, write!
—Dave Hov, 7840 Virginia Oaks Drive, Gainesville, VA 2015; (571) 643-8040; davidthov@gmail.com
