HSA 65th Anniversary Book

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SEPTEMBER 1, 1962 –
AUGUST 31, 1963
The Information Gathering Service
expands HSA’s reach
WHERE THEY ARE NOW...
Oliver Koppell | ’62, JD ’65
JOBS AT HSA: Manager, Europe by Air, FY59 – FY60; Manager, Let’s Go, FY61; President, FY62. Founded Let’s Go in 1960.
JOBS SINCE HSA: New York State Assemblyman, 1970–1993; New York Attorney General, 1994; New York City Council
Member, 2002–2013; currently principal attorney at the Law Offices of G. Oliver Koppell and Associates.
WHAT ROLE DID HSA AND LET’S GO PLAY IN YOUR PROFESSIONAL AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT? “HSA was
very central to my Harvard experience. It taught me a great deal about running a business, about relating to other people, about
taking responsibility. … Let’s Go helped me in terms of running an organization and also in terms of introducing new ideas and
new things. In the course of my political career particularly, I think I innovated quite a bit, and I think the fact that I was able to
start something like Let’s Go certainly played a role.”
WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO STUDENTS CONSIDERING JOINING HSA TODAY? “HSA is a wonderful training for anyone
who wants to get involved in business. … They’re doing something that has both practical and educational value if they get
involved in HSA businesses, in addition to making friends and having fun.”
WHAT DOES LET’S GO MEAN TO YOU? “So many people have told me over the years they worked for Let’s Go and it’s been
important to them; several people have told me it’s what motivated them to become writers, other people have told me how much
it helped them in terms of their own maturity. … Let’s Go gave them opportunities to visit parts of the world that they might not
have been able to do if it hadn’t been for Let’s Go. So looking at that and thinking about all these literally thousands of people
who’ve benefited in one way or another — not to speak of the people who’ve benefited by reading the book — I’m very proud.”
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY ANYTHING TO ALL THE LET’S GO EMPLOYEES WHO CAME AFTER YOU? “Thanks! Thanks
for keeping that tradition alive, and for working on something that was one of my proudest achievements in life.”
PRESIDENT
Douglas
Harding
OFFICES
4 Holyoke St.
2 Garden St.
Overcrowded at its 4 Holyoke St. location, HSA doubled its available office space, expanding its territory to
include offices at 12 Garden St., next to the Sheraton Commander Hotel. Warren Berg advanced the idea
for the Information Gathering Service (IGS) an agency that was to use Harvard’s intellectual resources,
both personal and material, to do research for clients. With the successful completion of an historical
research project for Plimoth Plantation in Plymouth, MA, the agency was born. Concentrating exclusively
on research, the agency did not dabble in the dark arts of consulting.
Europe by Air inaugurated its Christmas charter-flight program, transporting holiday revelers to the West
Coast, Chicago, and London. The Entertainment agency appeared in its first incarnation, placing student
entertainers in jobs and retaining a 10% booking fee. A new agency produced an appointment calendar,
which listed the phone numbers of local women’s colleges. HSA exceeded $1 million in gross sales.
After the disaster that was the 1962 edition, HSA considered folding Let’s Go entirely, but James Posner
’65 convinced Dusty Burke to give him a crack at turning it around. The precocious Posner hired newlyweds
Brigitta Troy ’61 and Joseph Troy, LLB ’63, to research and edit the 1963 edition while honeymooning
through Europe. Their efforts, BOAC’s sponsorship of the guide, and Richard Copaken’s continued
outstanding artwork allowed Let’s Go to turn a profit for the first time. All in all, a manager, a sales manager,
two editors, and three part-time ad salesmen created the finished product, which was assembled on Oliver
Koppell’s living-room floor. Eleven thousand copies were produced of the first guide to include maps.
LET’S GO TITLES
• A Student Guide to Europe
AGENCIES
• Linen
• Let’s Go
• Catering
• Information Gathering
Service
• Europe by Air
• House Painting
• Fall Concessions
• Student Calendar
• Refrigerator Rental
• Europe by Car
• Rings
• Refreshment
• Union News Stand
• Moving
• Typing
• Summer Calendar
• Stationery
• Birthday Cake
• Fall Blotter
• Novelties
• Magazine
• Beer Mugs and Banners
• Newspaper
• Watson Rink
• Summer Blotter
• Fall Programs
• Sampler
• Summer Guide
• Entertainment
• Spring Street Stadium
• Import
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HSA 65th Anniversary History Book 15