Class Note 1965
Issue
May-June 2026
Class Note 1965. I asked our new class president, Stu Keiller, for his background. Stu came to Dartmouth on a Navy ROTC scholarship as the first in his family to attend college. Two brothers, Alan ’66 and Todd ’73, followed. He graduated from Tuck as a 3-2 student. He was a member of Gamma Delta, where he met lifelong friends Derek Knudson and Allen Zern. Stu then spent four years at sea on U.S. Navy destroyers and remained in the Navy Reserve for an additional 22 years before retiring as captain.
After leaving the Navy Stu returned to Tuck writing cases for professor Ken Davis’ Marketing Management course. One case involved a small ski apparel company in Lebanon, New Hampshire, called Profile Sports; Stu joined Profile and began a 38-year career in the industry. Stu next moved to Maryland, where he joined AMF Head Sportswear in 1975. As president he managed the company through its eventual sale in 1980. In 1984 Stu cofounded Kaelin Sportswear and ran the company for 24 years until its sale and his retirement in 2008.
Living in Maryland on the Chesapeake Bay, the Keillers began sailing out of Annapolis on a succession of sailboats, culminating with a 48-footer, exploring cruising grounds ranging from Nantucket, Massachusetts, to Vero Beach, Florida. Stu and Diane moved to Vero Beach in 2016, when he was recruited as the first executive director of a nonprofit teaching sailing to children from across the socioeconomic spectrum. From 35 kids sailing once a week, the organization has grown to 350 sailing twice a week in a fleet of 80 small sailboats. The organization has raised $6 million in private donations to build a state-of-the-art sailing center, currently under construction.
At Dartmouth the Keiller brothers endowed the Keiller Scholarship Fund in the 1990s. Stu headed our 50th reunion 1965 Bunkhouse project and provided the concept for the Lone Pine sculpture for our 60th. We’re delighted to have Stu’s knowledge and enthusiasm heading the class.
We have been notified of the loss of Robb Cox and Fritz Offensend. For further information, visit www.biggreen65.com.
—Bob Murphy,22 Willow Spring Circle, Hanover, NH 03755; (603) 316-1815; murph65nh@comcast.net
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After leaving the Navy Stu returned to Tuck writing cases for professor Ken Davis’ Marketing Management course. One case involved a small ski apparel company in Lebanon, New Hampshire, called Profile Sports; Stu joined Profile and began a 38-year career in the industry. Stu next moved to Maryland, where he joined AMF Head Sportswear in 1975. As president he managed the company through its eventual sale in 1980. In 1984 Stu cofounded Kaelin Sportswear and ran the company for 24 years until its sale and his retirement in 2008.
Living in Maryland on the Chesapeake Bay, the Keillers began sailing out of Annapolis on a succession of sailboats, culminating with a 48-footer, exploring cruising grounds ranging from Nantucket, Massachusetts, to Vero Beach, Florida. Stu and Diane moved to Vero Beach in 2016, when he was recruited as the first executive director of a nonprofit teaching sailing to children from across the socioeconomic spectrum. From 35 kids sailing once a week, the organization has grown to 350 sailing twice a week in a fleet of 80 small sailboats. The organization has raised $6 million in private donations to build a state-of-the-art sailing center, currently under construction.
At Dartmouth the Keiller brothers endowed the Keiller Scholarship Fund in the 1990s. Stu headed our 50th reunion 1965 Bunkhouse project and provided the concept for the Lone Pine sculpture for our 60th. We’re delighted to have Stu’s knowledge and enthusiasm heading the class.
We have been notified of the loss of Robb Cox and Fritz Offensend. For further information, visit www.biggreen65.com.
—Bob Murphy,22 Willow Spring Circle, Hanover, NH 03755; (603) 316-1815; murph65nh@comcast.net