I hope that by the time this column appears, all the snow that has fallen this winter has melted and spring is making an appearance in your neighborhood. I am sure that Michael Steel has not had to deal with snow in San Diego. In 1982 Michael founded San Diego Seaplanes, which operates seaplanes in Southern California and Hawaii. It also conducts international seaplane charter “air taxi” flights to the Caribbean and Mexico. Has it ever snowed in San Diego?


Jenny Jones Cavenaugh is the associate dean of arts and sciences at Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida. Jenny writes: “My job is quite varied and includes working with academic departments to meet student enrollment needs, working with students on academic probation, serving on the student crisis care team and handling all manner of faculty, student and parent concerns and complaints. I still manage to teach a class every semester which is truly the best part of my job!” Jenny previously worked at Louisiana State University and continues her involvement with the Depot Theater in upstate New York. She also volunteers with Habitat for Humanity in Florida.


President Obama has appointed Al Dotson Jr. to the President’s Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for African Americans. The commission is charged with strengthening the nation by improving educational outcomes for African Americans to ensure that all African Americans receive an education that prepares them for college, productive careers and satisfying lives. Al graduated from Vanderbilt University School of Law in 1987 and practices land use law at Bilzin Sumberg in Miami. From 2004 to 2012 Al served as Chairman of 100 Black Men of America Inc., a men’s civic organization founded to mentor, educate and empower African American youth.


There was a nice article in Bloomberg Markets Magazine about Tony Pritzker and his brother J.B. Several years ago they formed the Pritzker Group to invest long-term in family-run and entrepreneurial businesses. Tony oversees the investments in industrial companies, including a metal-castings firm, a maker of medical devices for maternity care and a distributor of construction materials. Tony majored in engineering at Dartmouth and worked at a computer company in Silicon Valley and in a Japanese computer factory before getting his master of business administration from the University of Chicago. Tony and his wife, Jeanne, have seven children and live in Los Angeles. A few years ago he hosted a 1982 mini-reunion at his house, where professor Donald Pease spoke about Dr. Seuss. Tony has also completed eight Ironman triathlons and 22 marathons. 


Austin Beutner is co-chairing an independent private commission established by the president of the Los Angeles City Council to study and report on fiscal stability and job growth in Los Angeles. The final report will contain recommendations for addressing the challenges facing the city. 


Finally, Heather Hazle Lambert, Gray Reisfield Horan, Dana Burroughs Klinges, Charlie Winslow, Rachel Froman Bettencourt and I were back in Hanover in February for Club and Group Officers Weekend. It is always fun to be back on campus during Winter Carnival.


Happy spring!


—David Eichman, 9004 Wonderland Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90046; dme4law@sbcglobal.net; Robin Shaffert, 5044 Macomb St., NW, Washington, DC 20016 robinshaffert@yahoo.com