Notes from the Cornell Class of 1991 - 2009 May/June

Class Notes, 2009 May/June

May/June 2009

Many thanks for continuing to share your news and updates! Congratulations are in order for several classmates. Heather and Michael Koopman (Manhattan Beach, CA) welcomed their first child, Sam Henry, on Jan. 29, '09. Keith Lender and wife Jill adopted a baby boy from Korea. Jaden has settled into his new life in NYC quite well. He arrived in time for Halloween, election night, and the Thanksgiving Day parade. Keith teaches high school part-time in the Bronx and is in his third year of managing the family office.

You may have seen Kate Snow on the campaign trail last fall following Hillary Clinton in her presidential campaign. Kate has anchored the weekend edition of "Good Morning America" since 2004 and contributes to various ABC News broadcasts as a correspondent for both "Good Morning America" and "World News Tonight." Somehow she has found time in recent years to participate on a career panel and guest lecture for several Communication classes on campus along with hosting a Communication class trip to NYC at the ABC News studios. Kate is also on the National Board of Directors for the Big Brothers Big Sisters of America program. In November 2008, Kate received a much-deserved Young Alumni Achievement Award from the CALS Alumni Association. Way to go, Kate!

Andrew Puzzio, MPA '92, taught 6th grade math for four years in Brooklyn, NY, before joining his wife in running her speech therapy clinic in Brooklyn (Bay Ridge), where they also live. They have children Aidan, 8, Trevor, 5, and Fiona, 3, and adopted a fantastic dog, a 1-1/2-year-old boxer-Rottweiler mix. Stephen Schwartz (Naples, FL) is an assistant professor of clinical ophthalmology with the Bascom Palmer Eye Inst. (U. of Miami). He completed his MBA at Kellogg. Stephen and wife Melanie (Rebak) '90 have children Jessica and Reid. They are active with the local Cornell Club. Rachael Przybyla (Austin, TX) is the medical director of medical policy development for Texas Medicaid & Healthcare Partnership. Rachael shares this story about her kids Sloane, 8, and Lance, 1. "Sloane was lulled to sleep with our Alma Mater until age 5. She called the song 'Beluga Waters.' Occasionally she still asks me to sing it to her. Lance adores his big sister. One night when he was about 6 months old, I heard him fussing, but didn't get to him right away. After a few moments, there was quiet in the house. (Parents know that is usually a bad sign!) I walked through the house and found Sloane soothing Lance in a rocking chair singing our Alma Mater! Needless to say, it made this Cornellian proud."

Our classmates are also doing wonderful things around the country and around the world. Otto Pohl founded a company in Bozeman, MT, that helps spread a positive environmental message as well as raise funds for nonprofits dedicated to helping the environment. The company is called Swell Foop (as in, Saving the World in One Swell Foop) and sells organic cotton T-shirts with designs of rare and endangered animals. You can check it out at: www.swellfoop.com. Kevin Covert sends greetings from afar. "We moved to Astana, Kazakhstan, where I work at the US Embassy as the energy officer, monitoring the oil and gas sector (Kazakhstan is a significant oil export and gas transit country), as well as nuclear power, electricity, coal, and alternative forms of energy. It's completely unlike anything I've ever done and I love it--especially the helicopter rides to offshore rigs. My wife Lesya and our boys Timothy, 9 going on 19, and Daniel, 2, enjoy the lifestyle as well, particularly the six-foot snow drifts, ice skating on the river Ishim, screaming down an ice slide, and trudging across the steppe in snow shoes. Please let our '91 friends know we'd be happy to hear from them at: coverts_2000@yahoo.com." Congrats and good luck, Kevin!

"Still in Buffalo and lovin' every minute of it" is Tim Vanini. Tim is involved with the local Cornell Club and chaired a committee to celebrate 100 years of hockey history at the Nichols School. According to Tim, the event was a true success with many coming from all over the country to join the celebration. Phil Nobel '92 also served on the committee. Tim stays in touch with Bruce Frauley, who is busy with his job and raising two kids with wife Lisa. Lillian Hsu started a new job in February as controller for an environmental services firm in Chicago called EFS National and took the kids to Mexico for spring break with husband Paul Li '86, ME '88. According to Lillian, "Usually I have nothing interesting to report, but in this economy, I feel very fortunate to have a good job and to be able to take vacation!" Ben Morgan (North Royalton, OH) is a national liability quality assurance consultant with Farmers Insurance and active with CAAAN student recruitment efforts. Ben looks forward to seeing his fraternity brothers at reunion again this year and invites friends and '91 classmates to stop by Chi Phi. They have a large turnout at the house every reunion weekend (regardless of the graduation class or fraternity affiliation). Ben also enjoys cheering on Cornell wrestling at the NCAA championships as they look to win the national title. He and his wife of 17 years have two kids.

Living in Pennsylvania right near the Crayola Factory and Lafayette College is Kristy Bogardus Purcell. After Cornell, she went to law school at George Washington, clerked for a judge in New Jersey, and practiced family law for six years. She met her husband on a blind date (the first and only). Now she is busy raising two boys and two girls ages 9, 8, 6, and 3. "I have such great memories and I miss it so much! It's been forever since I was last there. I keep in touch with Nicole Scheps Kirsh, Julie Gluck Hirsch, Gloria Godsell, and Hallie Goldman Hohner, to name a few."

As you may know, there is a Facebook group for the Class of 1991. What a great way to stay in touch with our classmates and reconnect with friends! The group is open to anyone on the Cornell network (not just '91 grads); however, you do need a Cornell e-mail address to join. Learn about our classmates, see old and new photos, and stay informed about plans for our next reunion. There are many Cornell groups on Facebook (and networks on LinkedIn). You can relive some of your favorite experiences by becoming a "fan" of Johnny's Hot Truck, Dunbar's, and the Lynah Faithful. Find instructions on the homepage: www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=39459233734. We hope to see you on Facebook soon!

Keep the news coming and we will gladly share it! You can provide updates about work, travels, family, 40th birthday celebrations, visits to campus, classmates you've seen or contacted, favorite memories, or anything Cornell related (please save news of engagements or pregnancies until the wedding day or the birth of your child). Contact us via e-mail, through the link on our class website (http://classof91.alumni.cornell.edu), or on the news form in our most recent class mailing! Kathryn Kraus Bolks, klk22@cornell.edu; Sharlyn Carter Heslam, sheslam@berkshirepartners.com; Ariane Schreiber Horn, ams14@cornell.edu.