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CLASS NOTES
COLUMBIA COLLEGE TODAY
COLUMBIA COLLEGE TODAY
CLASS NOTES
Security — the most successful antipoverty
program in U.S. history
— from this kind of politics.
“Researching and writing the
book took more than a decade, and
I supported it with freelance financial
writing and journalism, the
field I’ve worked in since Columbia.
I was fortunate, too, that I found a
wonderful independent publisher,
AK Press, that was willing to take
on a long, serious book about an
important topic. I have a couple
more intriguing book projects that
I’ve already started to flesh out. But
first I want to see if The People’s Pension
can make a difference!”
Very exciting! I’m looking forward
to reading this one.
In the news this period, it was
announced on June 23 that Greg
Burke was selected as a senior communications
adviser to the Vatican’s
secretariat of state, in the Vatican. In
an AP interview Greg said, “I’m a
bit nervous but very excited. Let’s
just say it’s a challenge.” Greg will
be leaving his role as the FOX News
Vatican correspondent to assume
this new and demanding role. [See
Alumni in the News.]
Congratulations!
Looking forward to hearing from
all of you. Cheers!
REUNION WEEKEND
MAY 30–JUNE 2, 2013
ALUMNI OFFICE CONTACTS
ALUMNI AFFAIRS Fatima Yudeh
fy2165@columbia.edu
212-851-7834
DEVELOPMENT Valentina Salkow
vs2441@columbia.edu
212-851-7833
83
Roy Pomerantz
Babyking/Petking
182-20 Liberty Ave.
Jamaica, NY 11412
bkroy@msn.com
Greetings, classmates. My wife and
I hosted a fundraiser at our home
for my friend and trusted confidante
of nearly 30 years: pragmatic,
progressive, Democrat Marc Landis.
Marc is running for New York
City Council on the Upper West
Side. He is a tireless and dedicated
public servant, and is a person of
outstanding character and compassion.
Marc’s wife is Judy Landis ’85
Barnard, ’92 SIPA. John Luisi ’81
was one of many Columbia graduates
in attendance. Other Columbia
supporters included Stephen Jacobs
’75, Jim Weinstein ’84, Ken Chin,
Mark Simon ’84, Eddy Friedfeld
and Dennis Klainberg ’84.
Eddy wrote an article about this
year’s Friars Club Roast for Betty
White for the website Cinema
Retro. It begins: “From an eclectic
dais that ranged from Matt Lauer,
Liza Minnelli, and Dick Cavett, to
Dominic ‘Uncle Junior’ Chianese,
to The Office’s Oscar Nuñez, to former
New York [Knicks] star John
Starks, to [former] boxing great
Ray ‘Boom Boom’ Mancini, to Best
Picture The Artist’s Uggie the dog,
the event was up to its usual biting
and merciless humor, poking fun
at the guest of honor’s age and
sexual proclivity.
“Barbara Walters served as
Roastmaster, marking the first time
in Friars history that women were
both host and subject. ‘Yesterday, I
was talking to the President of the
United States,’ Walters said, referring
to Barack Obama’s appearance
on The View, ‘and today I am with
second-rate comedians and a dog.’
“Walters kicked off the festivities
by skewering her longtime friend:
‘What has been said about Betty
White that hasn’t been said about
her contemporaries: Moses, John
the Baptist and General Custer …
Betty was the first woman banned
by the TSA for requesting too many
pat downs, the first person to try to
send a text from a land line, and the
first woman to do Shakespeare at
The Globe Theatre. Literally, she did
him in the balcony.’
“‘Regis Philbin, Abe Vigoda,
Larry King … what is this, a roast
or are we sitting shiva?’ Walter’s
co-host, Joy Behar, said about her
elderly dais companions. ‘Larry
King’s latest wife is not only compatible
romantically; she is also a
compatible donor … When Katie
Couric had her last colonoscopy
televised, they found Sarah Palin’s
high school diploma … Betty
White is so old her first sitcom was
‘Hot for Grover Cleveland.’”
You can read the rest at cinema
retro.com.
Jon Ross is the founder and
program manager for MicroAid International.
He writes, “I am happy
to report that the canoe project
in Matafa’a, Samoa, is complete.
Now, every family in the village
has a canoe to get across the bay to
get to school, to the shop and to the
bus stop so they can get to work in
the capital of Apia. Thanks to the
support of our donors, MicroAid
was able to replace the canoes that
were lost in the 2009 tsunami. Our
mission, to stay focused on victims
of disasters after the world’s attention
has moved on, works because
we deliver the assistance directly
and efficiently. I oversee the projects
from beginning to end and
make sure they are finished. (We
also replaced lost fishing kits in the
village of Salea’aumua.)
“Please go to the MicroAid
Jon Ross ’83 is the founder and program manager
for MicroAid International.
website (microaidinternational.org),
under ‘Completed Projects and
Updates,’ to see the details. Also on
the site, you can read my blog from
the field for day-by-day updates
on different stages of the project
and my time living in the village
(microaidinternational.org/WP).
Thank you so much for the support.
MicroAid is the only humanitarian
aid organization focusing on this
kind of specific long-term disaster
recovery.”
Brendan Mee writes, “Earlier
this year I opened my own law
firm, Brendan Mee Law. My specialty
is IP, patents and trademarks,
particularly chemical and mechanical
patents. I have paid internship
opportunities for recent grads or
rising seniors with a science background
and some interest in law.”
Brendan works in New York;
those who are interested may contact
him at bmee@fchs.com.
In other legal news, Business
Wire reports that Joseph A. Smith
has joined Schulte Roth & Zabel as
a partner in the investment management
group. Joseph previously
was the global chair for Dewey &
LeBoeuf’s private equity practice
group. He has been recognized as
a leading practitioner by Chambers
USA, The Legal 500 and The Legal
Media Group Guide to the World’s
Leading Private Equity Lawyers. He
earned his J.D. at NYU Law.
I had an enjoyable breakfast
recently with Andy Barth ’85
Business, a tireless supporter of
the College. Andy was in NYC
for a Business School event. I was
thrilled to learn that his son, Andy
Barth Jr. ’16, is starting CC this fall.
He is a wrestler (following in his
legendary dad’s footsteps) and
football player. Andy told me that
he did not start wrestling until he
attended Stuyvesant H.S. He also
told me that Columbia had a huge
impact on his life and contributed
greatly to his success. Andy is close
friends with Li Lu ’96, ’96L, ’96
Business, a 2012 John Jay Award recipient.
Andy attended the dinner
and award ceremony in March.
Thomas Vinciguerra ’85 has an
article in Columbia magazine’s summer
issue on President Obama’s
May 14 Barnard Commencement
speech. Obama has a half-sister,
Maya Soetoro-Ng ’93 Barnard. He
spoke at South Field so the maximum
number of students could
attend. He wore a Columbia doctoral
gown and Harvard hood. He
remarked that when he attended
Columbia some of the streets near
Columbia were not as “inviting”
as now.
Tom asked me about ’83’s hopes
for Obama’s being at the 30th reunion
or in the future. I responded:
“As class correspondent for CCT
and co-chair for the 30th reunion,
I understand that many of our
classmates experienced challenges
attending Columbia in the 1980s.
Having turned 50 this year, I am
eminently aware of the fact that
most life experiences are nuanced.
The Class of 1983 has produced
world leaders in finance (Dan
Loeb, founder of Third Point), law
(Miguel Estrada, argued 20 cases
before the Supreme Court), technology
(Kai-Fu Lee, former president
of Google China), journalism (Marcus
Brauchli, executive editor of The
Washington Post) and politics (President
Barack Obama). Undoubtedly,
the tremendous success of these
individuals and others highlights
the benefits derived from Columbia’s
outstanding education and
unique urban experience. President
Obama’s commencement speech
at the Barnard [Commencement]
this year was truly historic. The
Class of ’83 hopes that he continues
to reconnect with his Columbia
roots by attending our upcoming
30th reunion and embracing [alma
mater] for the impact it has had on
our lives.”
According to an article in The
New York Times in May, Dan Loeb
has gained a seat on the board at Yahoo!
in the wake of chief executive
Scott Thompson’s departure. As the
article explains, “Mr. Thompson’s
departure also signifies a victory for
Third Point, the activist hedge fund
that had discovered the executive’s
erroneous record and had waged a
bitter proxy fight to get its nominees
onto Yahoo’s board. Under the
terms of a settlement announced
on Sunday, Third Point’s founder,
Daniel S. Loeb, will gain a board
seat, as will two of his designees,
Michael J. Wolf and Harry Wilson.”
Dan also was in the Times in
connection with his apartment. A
June article, “Trophy Hunting in
Manhattan,” which surveyed highend
real estate in NYC, noted that
he “owns the largest penthouse
in the taller ‘tower’ [at 15 Central
Park West], which brokers in [the
reporter’s] sample unanimously
ranked among the Top 5 trophies.”
William Bivins has three shows
that opened this summer: Dude, a
one-act comedy about a straight
guy’s reluctance to be best man at
his gay college buddy’s wedding;
Celia Sh*ts, a short comedy about
what happens when all the mystery
goes out of a relationship; and
The Education of a Rake, a full-length
comedy about sex, politics and one
man’s crusade to gain equal rights
for women.
I’m looking forward to helping
organize our 30th reunion. Any
classmates interested in participating
in the planning or fundraising
should contact me or the appropriate
Alumni Office representative at
the top of the column. It’s still early
enough that you can help in the
planning by joining the Reunion
Committee. And of course put the
dates on your calendar, Thursday,
May 30–Sunday, June 2, 2013.
84
Dennis Klainberg
Berklay Cargo Worldwide
14 Bond St., Ste 233
Great Neck, NY 11021
dennis@berklay.com
Yours truly and Louis Vlahos had
the distinction of holding high our
class banner during the Alumni
Parade of Classes at Class Day on
May 15. As reported over the years,
this is an amazing experience
where, after a sumptuous catered
feast in John Jay Dining Hall (yes,
it is possible), we march down the
aisles to the applause and adulation
of the graduating class. Makes
one feel like a rock star, and truly
gives a great sense of pride in the
College. Louis was doubly blessed
as his daughter, MaryAnn ’12, was
one of those graduates.
Good luck at Columbia Dental
School, MaryAnn!
And speaking of legacies, Eleanor,
daughter of Peregrine Beckman,
will join the Class of 2016 this fall
and live in Carman. He writes, “We
attended the Days on Campus event
in April just to get her primed; she’s
very excited. I also got to see my old
roommate and great friend Gregory
Lynch, who’s still in textbook publishing.
I’m editing my fifth episode
of Deadliest Catch right now and will
soon move on to Bering Sea Gold, all
for Discovery channel. I still listen to
WKCR’s jazz programming every
day and love having it online.”
From the Republic of Texas, Dr.
Langham Gleason rides again!
“Practicing neurosurgery with an
emphasis on minimally invasive,
image-guided techniques in Wichita
Falls, Texas. I’m very excited that
my second-oldest daughter, Kylie,
is moving to NYC from Cambridge,
Mass., to work for Bain &
Co. I plan to visit her as often as
I can! Just hope one of my other
four, younger kids pick Columbia
for undergraduate studies.”
Saul Hansell watched too much
TV as a kid, and look what
happened: He started Sii.TV, a
company that will offer video news
over the Internet. Saul, a longtime
technology writer and editor at The
New York Times, left in 2009 for AOL,
where he ran several product areas.
At the end of last year, he became
an entrepreneur in residence at
Betaworks, a New York Internet
incubator, and founded Sii.TV. “I
had spent too much time watching
other people start companies, and it
was time for me to build something
myself,” he says. “I’ve been excited
about the possibilities of broadcast
news since I worked at WKCR. The
dawn of Internet television will let
us create video news programs that
are a lot more interesting, personal
and interactive than the typical
cable and network fare today.” Saul
has built a demo app and shot a
pilot episode with the help of two
buddies from WKCR, Charles Passy
’85 and Eric Scholl ’83. Now he is
raising the money so Sii.TV can take
on CNN, FOX News and the rest.
“Oh, we’re moving on up… ”
with Richard Manion: “Since
splitting with my business partner
in 2009, my residential architectural
firm has done well and now
employs 20. I recently completed
two apartments at Manhattan’s 15
Central Park West, have numerous
projects in California and Hawaii,
and also am designing residences
in Singapore, Shanghai and Abu
Dhabi. (I am in Singapore as I write
this.) I also recently published a
book on some of my works from
the past 17 years; called Richard
Manion Architecture, it’s part of the
New Classicists series on architects
whose work is traditionally
inspired.”
Thank you, Richard, for gifting
me your beautiful tome! I can attest
that your work is amazing.
Wink wink, nod nod, wot? Henry
Goodrow and Ron Adelman both
headed to London in July for a reunion
with their London School of
Economics junior-year-abroad classmates.
Henry is the development
director at Artists For Humanity, a
Boston nonprofit that provides urban
high school teens with training
and jobs in art and design. Ron is a
litigator and transactional lawyer
with Lynn & Cahill in New York,
specializing in art law intellectual
property and defamation.”
What’s new, Tom Dyja? (I
had to ask.) He responded, “All I
can give you is a shameless plug
for one of my projects: Thames
& Hudson recently published a
book I packaged, On the High Line:
Exploring America’s Most Original
Urban Park. It has more than 400
color photos and the first guide to
the High Line and the neighborhoods
it passes through.”
At the prodding of the enterprising
and eleemosynary Mark
Simon, Cary Pfeffer, our noble
and modest salutatorian, checks
in: “I remain busy building new
biotech companies as a partner at
Third Rock Ventures. In that role I
am interim CBO and CEO of new
biotech companies we form, and
also serve on the boards of many
of these companies, which are all
involved in developing breakthrough
therapeutics for patients.
I also recently completed writing
the biotech chapter in Wharton
Professor Lawton R. Burns’ second
edition of The Business of Healthcare
Innovation, so look for it on
bookshelves. In addition, I enjoy
spending time with my 7- and
10-year-old daughters, who are
growing up too fast.”
Eh? Speaking of band guys who
needed to seek asylum, Robert
Zecker writes, “My latest book is
recently published by Continuum.
It’s called Race and America’s Immigrant
Press: How the Slovaks Were
Taught to Think Like White People. I
still enjoy teaching at university in
Canada.”
Oy! We have another grandfather
in the class. Mark Kestenbaum
says, “I married Johanna Friedman
in 2004 and moved back to Israel
with our seven children (four of
mine, three of hers). Three years
ago we had a beautiful daughter,
Yocheved Kestenbaum. Also three
years ago, I became a grandfather
to a beautiful boy, Noam, born to
my son and daughter-in-law, Itamar
and Becky Kestenbaum. Six months
ago I became a grandfather to a
Saul Hansell ’84 started Sii.TV, a company that will
offer video news over the Internet.
beautiful girl, Eliana Serach, born
to my son and daughter-in-law,
Aharon and Hannah Kestenbaum. I
own a company, ShtibLuach, which
produces software for electronic
display systems for synagogues. I
also work for Datanet in Jerusalem
as a software engineer.”
Gevalt! You, too, David Rier?
“During the past 18 months or so,
the other two-thirds of our triplets
(both sons) each got married; one of
them had twin girls last fall, and my
daughter had another child, giving
us our first grandson to complement
our trio of granddaughters.”
Jim Knocke, Mike McCool,
Don Henline, Brian Clew and
Rick Robinson, all members of
the Ivy Championship swimming
and diving team, celebrated their
50th birthdays with a sailing trip
in the British Virgin Islands. Brian
writes, “Since graduation we have
all stayed in touch but hadn’t seen
each other in quite some time.
After we settled into the 40-foot
catamaran and started sailing to
the many beautiful islands, it was
like we had seen each other last
week. Aside from scuba diving and
sailing, we discussed our families,
goals and current events, like we
were in a humanities class. The
Core Curriculum experience was
alive and well! We are looking to
go on another trip in two years.”
David Stafford reports, “I was
named general counsel of McGraw-
Hill Education, which as publicly
reported will be separated via spinoff
or sale from The McGraw-Hill
Companies later in 2012. I’ve spent
the last 20 years as an attorney at
The McGraw-Hill Companies. I’m
in the process of transitioning to
the new role. My wife, Caryn ’85
Barnard, and I live in Scarsdale with
our three children. My son Daniel
graduated from high school this
spring and will be heading to the
University of Arizona in the fall. My
son Andrew finished ninth grade
and my daughter, Allison, fifth
grade.”
Who knew David Terhune was
such a swinger? Listen to this slew
of shows. “The musical revue in
which I’m involved (guitar, sing),
The Loser’s Lounge, performed at
Lincoln Center’s Midsummer
Night Swing series on July 12. This
was our third time doing the series,
and we featured songs from the
Prince and Michael Jackson catalogs.
We also played at Celebrate
Brooklyn in the Prospect Park
Bandshell on July 28. Did songs
from the original Muppet Movie
before a screening of that movie.
Our shows at Joe’s Pub continue
as well; we did a Sonny and Cher
tribute June 21–23.”
Adding a bit of historical gravitas
to the mix is Adam Van Doren: “I
was pleased to return to campus
last month to attend the annual
Mark Van Doren Award reception,
now in its 51st year, held in the
penthouse of Faculty House. It was
a great experience and the organizers
could not have been more
welcoming, especially Rose Razaghian
’02 GSAS, who works in the
Office of the Vice President for Arts
and Sciences. A large, lively crowd
attended, and it was wonderful
to see the recipient, philosophy
professor Christia Mercer, give
such an impassioned and eloquent
acceptance speech. I remember
when my widowed grandmother,
Dorothy, would be picked up by
limousine each year from her house
in northwest Connecticut to attend
the event in NYC. I am pleased
to report that the enthusiasm and
energy at this year’s ceremony
is indicative of how relevant the
award still is, and it bodes well for
future such occasions. I urge as
many alumni and current students
as possible to come next year (the
Lionel Trilling Award also is given
FALL 2012
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FALL 2012
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