Class Note 1975
Issue
July-August 2026
Class Note 1975. I had a great chat with Jim Bildner, CEO of DRK Foundation, who is releasing a new book this September. A Matter of Hope will be published by BenBella Books and distributed by Simon & Schuster. It is about the power of one human being to make a difference in the lives of others. It’s a playbook on what it takes to turn hope into action, sharing inspiring stories of hope transforming lives and the ripple effect that can have on whole communities. A Matter of Hope is grounded in real cases from hundreds of social enterprises that have impacted more than half a billion lives and are using the power of hope to change the world. Keep your eyes peeled on our Facebook page as there will be additional details regarding this fascinating and inspiring read.
In recent Class Notes I published some random information about our classmates on Strava, which prompted Lon Cross to tell me that Mikael Salovaara and Vince Lopez are also on the app. I have since added them as folks I follow. There’s nothing like peer pressure to inspire one back onto the bike for much needed exercise. If you run, row, cycle, or any other activity, you can get on the app and follow your progress and others. It is a great way to stay in touch with classmates and prod them into action.
Speaking of random, Tom Delancey is a regular correspondent who happens to live in Kentucky; so, I decided to see who else lives there. One of the more notable Dartmouth graduates in Kentucky happens to be Reggie Thomas. After Dartmouth Reggie graduated Harvard Law School. He is the current state senator for Lexington (District 13) and is the first Black politician to represent Lexington in the Kentucky Senate. He has been a state senator since 2014.
I also discovered Bruce Carlson lurking about in Kentucky.Bruce graduated Dartmouth with a degree in mathematics (probably why I did not know him that well!) and began his career working for the state of Kentucky. His entrepreneurial leanings soon took hold and Bruce, a professional land surveyor and licensed civil engineer at the time, founded Carlson Software, which now produces industry-leading field and office software for survey data collection, survey mapping, civil engineering, construction, and mining. The company is based in Maysville with branch offices in Boston, Atlanta, and Queensland, Australia. Bruce, who continues his activities in product design and onsite software demonstrations, now leads the company in its worldwide endeavors.
Amazing what you can find on the internet. I hear it is going to be big.
Vox clamantis in Florida.
—Stephen D. Gray, 4396 NW 53rd Court, Ocala, FL 34482; (650) 302-8739; fratergray@gmail.com
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In recent Class Notes I published some random information about our classmates on Strava, which prompted Lon Cross to tell me that Mikael Salovaara and Vince Lopez are also on the app. I have since added them as folks I follow. There’s nothing like peer pressure to inspire one back onto the bike for much needed exercise. If you run, row, cycle, or any other activity, you can get on the app and follow your progress and others. It is a great way to stay in touch with classmates and prod them into action.
Speaking of random, Tom Delancey is a regular correspondent who happens to live in Kentucky; so, I decided to see who else lives there. One of the more notable Dartmouth graduates in Kentucky happens to be Reggie Thomas. After Dartmouth Reggie graduated Harvard Law School. He is the current state senator for Lexington (District 13) and is the first Black politician to represent Lexington in the Kentucky Senate. He has been a state senator since 2014.
I also discovered Bruce Carlson lurking about in Kentucky.Bruce graduated Dartmouth with a degree in mathematics (probably why I did not know him that well!) and began his career working for the state of Kentucky. His entrepreneurial leanings soon took hold and Bruce, a professional land surveyor and licensed civil engineer at the time, founded Carlson Software, which now produces industry-leading field and office software for survey data collection, survey mapping, civil engineering, construction, and mining. The company is based in Maysville with branch offices in Boston, Atlanta, and Queensland, Australia. Bruce, who continues his activities in product design and onsite software demonstrations, now leads the company in its worldwide endeavors.
Amazing what you can find on the internet. I hear it is going to be big.
Vox clamantis in Florida.
—Stephen D. Gray, 4396 NW 53rd Court, Ocala, FL 34482; (650) 302-8739; fratergray@gmail.com