FAVORITE MEMORIES OF WILLIAMS

Coachie, Ralph Townsend—the best; Whit Stoddard—a terrific guy, classic professor, created a lasting interest in architecture; Fred Rudolph—and his final spring fling, not my finest moment (my apologies to all succeeding classes, and my sincere and lasting apology to my partner [or I should say passenger] in crime, Bob D . . .) Taconic golf, hikes in the mountains, supporting and playing hockey, Carter House

CURRENT INTERESTS, PASSIONS, AND ORGANIZATIONS

I regularly play two arcane but great games, rackets and court tennis. My golf has become (maybe always was?) worthless, but I maintain a strong interest in golf course architecture. My passion is supporting the owners of smaller American manufacturing companies and convincing/reminding other people of their importance.

LIFE SINCE GRADUATION

Williams was full of life-learning experiences for me, many to treasure and remember, some to (try and) forget, as well as several great friendships. Post Williams, after a year roaming around Massachusetts and Rhode Island (my “gap year”) and several visits to Williamstown, I returned to Chicago, where I have lived ever since.

During that time, I have been involved with a manufacturing company founded by my grandfather, and today remain connected as non-executive chairman. I married the sister of my sister’s husband in 1979, and although we are no longer together, we remain well connected through our three wonderful children—two daughters, Chase and Lee, now in Chicago, and a son, James, in Durango, Colo. I have remained connected to my high school alma mater, Berkshire School, and served as president of the board of trustees for several years.

Proper retirement is well in the future, as I cannot imagine anything worse than attempting to play my deteriorated (!) golf game every day. I am working on a few projects, one of which is the creation of a coaching and membership platform to support the owners of smaller American manufacturing companies, as I believe that manufacturing is essential to a healthy economy and society, and too often it is dismissed as unnecessary, non-existent, and unworthy.

Williams was an important part of my journey—and it is really, really hard to imagine that it all started 54 years ago!