Notes from the Cornell Class of 1991 - 2001 September/October

Class Notes, 2001 September/October

September/October 2001

Thank you, thank you, thank you, to Dorine Colabella Scher, Jeff Weintraub, MD '95, and all the volunteers for organizing a spectacular Reunion weekend. Besides breaking all attendance and fund-raising records, Jeff and Dorine managed to guarantee three days of flawless weather, great food, and good fun. For all those in attendance, you know how spectacular it was. For those unable to attend, I will try to do it justice with a small snippet of the weekend and a bit of news on your classmates.

Friday night: Upon arriving at the Class of 1991 Registration in U-Hall 1, my husband Michael Peek '88 and I ran into Diego Davila and Seth Briskin by the beer bin (some things never change). Diego recently moved from South Beach, FL, to Washington State "on the Idaho border"and is learning to adjust to the weather. Seth and Shelly (Hood) (Cleveland, OH) have a daughter Emma, who has the biggest blue eyes we have ever seen. After dumping our items in South Baker (talk about deja vu), we quickly made our way up to the Arts Quad where we met up with Cathy Merrill and Paul Williams, and Brett and Jennifer Diamond Haber. Cathy is a partner at Mercer Management Consulting in Washington. DC., and still throws a great 4th of July party! Having a 5th-year Reunion flashback. we began our search for the cool sounds of Bernie Milton and the Soul Patrol (to no avail).so we ventured to the DJ tent, as it seemed the most crowded. and began our 10-year Reunion weekend.

Need a doctor? While we may not need it now, ladies, keep in mind that Jason Spector is a plastic surgeon in NYC, practicing "both cosmetic and reconstructive surgery." Kenny Mark is a dermatologist. Elizabeth Henry Kamhout is a practicing ophthalmologist in Michigan. Matt French is a cardiologist in Chicago and Sarah Seidman Shelby just finished up her PhD in clinical psychology at Northwestern and is working at Northwestern Hospital.

Accident? Injured? Need a lawyer? Well, we have plenty of them practicing all types of law all over the country. Maria Ortiz practices law in Puerto Rico. Seth Briskin in Cleveland, Michelle Michalik in Chicago, Josh Laterman, Debbie Fine, and Simon Lincoln (who has a solo practice in Soho), Dave Peck, MPA '92, and Kenny Freeman in NYC. Liz Kleinberg is finishing up her fellowship at the Southern Poverty Law Center in Moritgomery, AL, and will continue attending barbecues and swamp festivals in Alabama when she begins clerking for a Federal Circuit Court Judge.

What about the media? We are reading it, writing it, producing it, and delivering it. Jeremy Schaap is working for ESPN, Jennifer Diamond Haber is a producer for the "CBS Early Show," David Folkenflik writes for the Baltimore Sun. Steve Dudley is a reporter for NPR. Jenny Harris works for "CNN Moneyline" in NYC, and Jessica Lifland is an award-winning photographer and photojournalist living in Indiana. Investment bankers? Why, yes, we have a few. Joseph DeLuca works at Goldman Sachs with Rob Cignarella, and Andrew Minkow works at Ing Barings. Jerry Wasserman, who is living with Matt French in Chicago, could not make Reunion as he was graduating from business school. Jerry will soon be moving to NYC to work for Lehman Bros. Building, buying, or designing a house? Call Hagen Scutt, BArch '92, who is an architect working in New York!

Saturday Morning: Saturday morning began with a meeting of the class officers in the Quill & Dagger room. Know where it is? Neither did I. Paul Hayre, co-president of our class, organized a scrumptious breakfast. We ate while meeting with your new officers to plan the next five years of record-breaking fundraising and attendance at events. Among the attendees were: Meredith Clark Shachoy, co-president; Bob Baca, our webmaster, who has truly done a spectacular job; Andrew Stifel and Clare Tuma, Cornell Fund representatives; Eric Bluman, vice president; and the Class Council, Jana Pompadur Kierstead, David Einhorn, Jeannette "nepotism is good" Perez-Rosello and Ariane Schreiber Horn, JD '96. Dorine Scher and Jeff Weintraub were already talking about the 15th Reunion. Whoa, Nellie! Following a great Class of 1991 Continental Country Breakfast, we went to the Suspension Bridge for a group kiss and then down to the gorge for some sun and fun.

A trip to Ithaca would not be the same without a Pines Burger and Bloody Mary at the Glenwood Pines. Apparently the Psi Upsilon crew thought so, too. Kenny Freeman and Colleen (O'Neal) '90, Josh Laterman, Hagen and Elizabeth Scutt, Barnaby Shapiro, Andrew Minkow, Seth Kenvin, MEI '92. and Duffer were spotted drinking Bloodies on Saturday afternoon before heading to the Psi U happy hour.

Not as young as we used to be, we needed a quick afternoon nap in South Baker, after which we ran into Andy Bedsworth, who lives in Manhattan Beach with his wife Christie. The Bedsworths and Steve and Katie Beiser thought it would be "fun" to rent bikes and ride around Ithaca. Absence makes the heart forget about the hills! The Bedsworths reported that they see Stuart "Mr. Mom" '90 and Kathleen MacFarlane pretty often and are expecting a visit from Robert and Heather Mather and Dr. Christopher A. Martin at the end of June.

Next, we attended the Class of 1991 Happy Hour with Frank and Rosa Rhodes on the Arts Quad. Despite the strict "no baby" policy, we spotted Rob '90 and Kari Ginsberg Nesbitt and Sharlyn Carter with their little ones chatting it up. Other new moms included Stacey Siegel, who lives in L.A.,and Jenny Gottlieb Shevick, who lives in NYC.

The Class of 1991 photo took place on the Arts Quad. It could not have been a more beautiful day or a more spectacular bunch of classmates. We were thrilled to see so many smiling faces captured for posterity! We think the flash may have reflected off the dimples of Doug Gamble. For those of you who did not pay $20 for the 8x10 glossy, ahem,you can also download the photo from the Class of 1991 website for free.

"Twas the second night of Reunion and all through Bartels Hall, the Class of 1991 ate dinner by the huge climbing wall." Know where Bartels Hall is? Neither did we. In my day it was known as Alberding Field House. But you all know the story (read: scandal). Dinner was delish, especially the chocolate cake. Back to the tents, Palms, tents, Ruloff's, Palms. We ran into Tom "Red Bull" Baker '90, MA '91, and Patrick "the Reunion Cookie saved my life" Corcoran '90 at the Palms watching the Colorado Avalanche bring home the Stanley Cup. In the spirit of Joe Nieuwendyk '88 bringing the Cup to Dunbar's. Tom Baker is hoping that Ray Bourque will bring the cup to the Grand lake Lodge in Colorado. Several other Colorado residents were spotted up by the television, including Alissa Moore, MBA '98, and Ruth Ann Keene, JD '98, who are truly enjoying life in Denver.

While trying to figure out if our names were still etched in the walls at the Palms, we shared some stories and beers with Michelle Michalik, Jennifer Berger, and Sarah Seidman Shelby. We haven't laughed that much in ages. Michelle and Jen are both living in the Windy City!

Despite our best efforts, we couldn't make it to after hours at Theta Delta Chi or partake in the rooms party in Mennen, although we heard that fuzzy navels, flaming Dr. Peppers, and kamikazes were flowing. Jen Berger finished off the weekend with a keg stand. Thankfully, she can now cross this off her list! All in all, it was a fantastic weekend filled with good friends and great memories. and we all look forward to doing it again in five years. *Nina Rosen Peek, 171 E. 89th St., Apt. 6F, NYC 10128; tel., (212) 722-4569; e-mail, npeek@vollmer.com; Dave Smith, 1637 Tanglewood Dr., Akron, OH 44313; tel. (330) 865-7371; c-mail, docds30@yahoo.com; Corinne Kuchling, 1740 NE 86th St. #209. Seattle, WA 981 15; tel.. (206) 318-8743; e-mail. ckuchlin@starbucks.com.