FAVORITE MEMORIES OF WILLIAMS

Following a memorable high school trip to the USSR in 1967, I decided on a career in Soviet affairs and that an “area studies” program would be the best preparation. I was especially looking forward to a course by the world-renowned Frederick L. “Red Fred” Schuman, but he was never in Williamstown our entire four years! However, Professors Maurice Simon and Peter Gottschalk did an excellent job supporting my need for an independent study that Williams accepted. Finally, Whit Stoddard was perhaps the best prof I ever had, and I always cite him as my favorite professor.

WILLIAMS CLUBS / ACTIVITIES

College Council representative, Russian Club president, Purple Key Society, Phi Beta Kappa, Lehman Service Council—Big Brother, house steward, intramural ice hockey

CURRENT INTERESTS, PASSIONS, AND ORGANIZATIONS

Sailing, downhill skiing, traveling, investing; American Foreign Service Association, Foreign Affairs Retirees of Northern Virginia; Parkinson’s Foundation of the National Capital Area; treasurer of community HOA; Williams College class agent

LIFE SINCE GRADUATION

When Carol and I became empty nesters in 2005, we joined the US Department of Commerce’s Foreign Service. The service’s mission is assisting American companies increase their position in global markets. I served in London, Brussels, and Moscow, where a real highlight was to direct key meetings and events during the only visit of President Obama and Secretary Gary Locke to Russia. I also prepared Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker for her visit to Ukraine and Deputy Secretary Bruce Andrews’s mission to Moldova. And how did Williams prepare me for this part of my career? Well, four years of Russian studies, a summer language program at Leningrad State University and Mac Brown’s 1970 Winter Study course “The Diplomatic Profession.” This was an excellent start!

We’ve been back in Arlington, Va., for seven years now, since July 2014, and I’ve been retired (per government mandate) for six. So it took us 37 years to return to the DC area, where I had moved after ‘72 graduation. In all, Carol and I have had 12 homes, six of them in Europe, where we lived for 15 years.

Our return timing was perfect because in the spring of 2015 our son, Evan, and our daughter, Julia, were both married only six weeks apart! While we were fortunate to have them in the area for a few years, Evan and Amelia, both lawyers, have relocated to Durham, N.C. (where Amelia is from), and are parents to Ashton (5) and Natalie (4). Julia and Alex Jenson, both doctors, moved at the height of the pandemic from Baltimore to Gallup, N.M., where they work for Indian Health Service at the Gallup Indian Medical Center, and are parents to Chloe (3).

Being a grandparent is a pure delight! Chloe’s constant refrain is “Where’s GaBoo?” her chosen name for me. It’s fun to engage in “play” again, and I find I do a pretty good job of engineering games that make them laugh. Happy to be reunited after being vaccinated, the whole gang was able to get together at our home in August, when we had nine family members staying under one roof.

Here in the DC area, it’s great to be close to old friends and the range of cultural activities and travel opportunities we enjoy. We managed to get back to Europe three times before Covid. We’re members of the Kennedy Center and Smithsonian Institution, have discovered the Citi-Open Tennis Tournament and area vineyards, and find ourselves taking day trips to old haunts along the East Coast. With so many music venues to choose from, we’ve been to 26 concerts (and counting!). Carol is an Arlington County election official and has been able to continue our Foreign Service connection through a “fun retirement job” (very part-time and flexible) in the State Department main lobby. As for me, I keep busy as treasurer of our homeowners association, boating on the Potomac and the Chesapeake, investing, and supporting the Parkinson’s Foundation of the National Capital Area. Last but not least, we are pleased and honored to call Don Beyer our Representative in Congress! (In addition to all his good work on our behalf, I appreciated the rides to and from Boston freshman year.)