No. 43
March - April, 2009

I'm sorry to tell you that two of our classmates have died. In response to our last eNewsletter, Beverly Poserow wrote, "It is my sad job to inform you of the death of my dear husband, Herbert Lee Poserow. He died on June 29, 2008 of complications of Colon Cancer. He leaves behind 4 children, 3 step children, 5 grandchildren and his wife Beverly of 10 years. He was predeceased by his first wife, Rosie."

I have just learned that John Dalton also died. I have no other details. If any of you have any more information or would like to share your memories of Herb or John, please let me know.

Don Margolis, Phil Satow and I have prepared a Class of 1963 survey in order to get some feedback from all of you about why you have, or have not, been supporting Columbia College. Although we had a great 45th Reunion and raised a good class gift for Columbia, our percentage involvement, like most Columbia classes, lags well below our peer institutions in the Ivy League. Why? That's what we hope to find if you will take the time to answer the survey (and answer it honestly). If you haven't already replied to the mailed version, you can take the survey online. Click Here to take survey.

Over the last few months 14 different classmates have attended our Second Thursday lunches. Joe Applebaum, Steve Barcan, Henry Black, Jerry Dwyer, Doron Gopstein, Bob Heller, Bruce Kaplan, Don Margolis, Paul Neshamkin, Larry Neuman, Tom O'Connor, Barry Reiss, Herb Soroca, and Jeff Thompson. This is a great chance to meet and greet old friends. Since we started these lunches at the Columbia Club, we have shared bread with over 40 different classmates. We would love to see more of you. See the latest photos and more information below.

If this is your first visit here, I've added a link to an archives page, which in turn, will link you to the past issues of the Class of 1963 eNewsletter. If you haven't seen any of the earlier newsletters, take a look -- there's a lot more news, pictures, and interesting articles than I have been able to include in Columbia College Today.

Table of Contents:

• Next Second Thursday Lunches - Join us on March 12 and April 9
• The Latest News From Your '63 Classmates

Next Lunches - Thursday, March 12 and April 9

Every Second Thursday of the Month, 12:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Columbia College Club - 15 West 43rd Street, NYC

Please join your classmates for an informal lunch at the Columbia Club every second Thursday of the month. It is our hope that these gatherings will renew old friendships and foster improved relationship with our class and the College. I hope you can all join us at the next lunches on Thursday, March 12 and April 9. Let me know if you will attend so that we can reserve a big enough table; RSVP to Paul Neshamkin (pauln@helpauthors.com).

February lunch attended by seven '63ers

The February 12, 2009 lunch brought together another fine group of '63ers with 7 classmates attended. Among the regulars attending were Joe Applebaum, Doron Gopstein, Paul Neshamkin, Larry Neuman, Barry Reiss, Herb Soroca, and Jeff Thompson.

(Seated from left to right) Paul Neshamkin, Larry Neuman, Joe Applebaum, Herb Soroca, Jeff Thompson, Barry Reiss, and Doron Gopstein.

March lunch also attended by seven '63ers

The March 12, 2009 lunch brought together another fine group of '63ers with 7 classmates attended. Among the regulars attending were Jerry Dwyer, Doron Gopstein, Bob Heller, Don Margolis, Paul Neshamkin, Larry Neuman, and Tom O'Connor. As usual, discussions were about recent events and past exploits. Bob had just returned from a trip to Vietnam and Cambodia, and this led to a discussion about the changes in these countries over the last 40 years. Tom recalled being struck by the changes when he visited in 1994, and Bob confirmed that the move to a market economy was even more obvious now. He mentioned the juxtaposition of a rice farmer pumping water up to his rice paddies using the age-old methods, while over his shoulder, a billboard advertised the latest high-tech products.

Doron brought copies of The Spectator from our senior year and shared an article about Tom's rugby exploits with him and one about the Eastern fencing championships with Don. Don related that the fencing team, in fact, successfully gained revenge on NYU and Navy, who had beat them earlier, by completely dominating and winning the championship.

(Seated from left to right) Bob Heller, Don Margolis, Doron Gopstein, Larry Neuman, Jerry Dwyer, Tom O'Connor, and Paul Neshamkin.

Click here to see more March lunch candids.

Lunch Archives

If you like to see our previous lunches, click on the dates below:

For information and inquiries call Paul Neshamkin at 201-714-4881 or email at pauln@helpauthors.com.

Latest News from the Class of 63

Lee Lowenfish writes, "Hectic though happy time for me Paul. Won't be able to make a lunch until April. Speaking on Rickey as the Conservative Revolutionary Who Started The Successful Civil Rights Movement out in Wittenberg College near Dayton OH on March 19. My paperback with new intro out this month too so doing readings at bookstores/libraries in this area."

Michael Lubell responded to my request for new with two items: "I was heavily involved in developing the rationale and budget documentation that the Obama Administration adopted for the science portion of the economic stimulus bill. It was an intense 3-month effort that almost unraveled at the end. But House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, with whom my office had been working, stepped up to the plate and insisted that the future of the United States depended on a strong science enterprise. She won the battle, after the Senate had abdicated on the issue. Most of the more than $10 billion for the physical sciences will be targeted at infrastructure projects and instrumentation at the national laboratories and universities. It was a gratifying victory." He also reports that "My daughter, Karina, Columbia Class of 2002, was just admitted to the New York Bar and is working as an associate at Shearman and Sterling." Congratulations on both accomplishments!

Howard Freese writes, "I have been involved in the field of 'implantable metallic biomaterials' for medical and surgical devices for about 18 years. Many medical and dental specialties include orthopaedic, cardiovascular, and neurological procedures and reconstructive and orthodontic work where implants and appliances may be involved. This week, I have been named a Fellow of ASTM and the recipient of the ASTM Award of Merit (see link below). Apparently, some of my associates with ASTM F-04 and F-04.12 have conspired with the result being this totally unexpected award, for which I feel very under-qualified and undeserving. There are many who selflessly serve the medical device community who are much more appropriate recipients for such recognition, and I hold these folks high in my esteem.

I am pleased that this recognition does reflect positively on my company, and on my contribution to the field. Peer recognition by your professional associates is always welcomed. The photo, however, is the most recent good portrait shot that I had, and is about five years old!"

http://astmnewsroom.org/default.aspx?pageid=1683

Harley Frankel reports that his non-profit organization, College Match, that helps low-income students from inner-city public schools get into great colleges continues to have a great deal of success. "This year, College Match will serve 200 youngsters. Over the past few years, the organization has gotten 33% of its students into ivy League schools or ivy-equivalents like Wellesley or Stanford and virtually all the rest into top-ranked colleges. Currently, 99% of our graduates are still in school and on track to receive their college degrees.

"This year, College Match is taking 60 low-income youngsters to visit 30 East Coast colleges in two groups--one will see schools between Washington, DC and New York including Columbia and the other group will visit New England colleges. This past year, College Match students received 100 hours of SAT prep courses and raised their average scores by 362 points."

Alexis Levitin writes, "I am writing you from the Galapagos Islands, where I have been hunkered down for a month trying to learn how to take a pure vacation after many years of being a happily intense workaholic. Yesterday I swam for over half an hour with two smooth, agile, extremely playful sea lions. That was utter bliss.

In a few days my experiment in self-enforced leisure will be over and I will fly to Guayaquil where I will spend the next month working on translating the poetry of a circle of very young poets. An earlier Ecuadorian translation project, Tapestry of the Sun, an anthology of 18 modern poets, will be coming out in July (Coimbra Press). In the fall, my anthology of short stories in translation, A Traveler's Literary Companion to Brazil, will be issued by Whereabouts Press.

I have been teaching just fall semesters for the last three years and have enjoyed that regime a great deal. If SUNY-Plattsburgh allows me to continue half time, I will be delighted to do so.

My son Michael is 32, living as a journalist in Berlin with his Catalan painter-wife, Irene. My daughter Christine, 22, is about to graduate in Communications from Marymount in Manhattan College and plans to work somewhere in T.V. She is on her third internship with Law & Order right now."

Phil Satow reports that his daughter Julie, Columbia College '96, is engaged. She is the business editor of Huffington Post. He also writes that he "recently acquired two letters of A Lincoln and is thrilled to own a piece of history. Happy to show to interested classmates."

Paul Lehrer is a clinical psychologist, professor of psychiatry at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, where he has been since 1972. The third edition of his widely used text, Principles and Practice of Stress Management, appeared last year. He has published over 100 chapters and articles, mostly in the fields of clinical psychophysiology, biofeedback, and stress management. This year he received the Distinguished Scientist Award of the Biofeedback Foundation of Europe. He has been married to the former Phyllis Alpert since 1965, a professor of piano at Westminster College of the Arts, Rider University. They have two children. Their son Jeffrey received a master’s degree from Columbia’s School of International Affairs, and serves as a foreign service officer with the U.S. Agency for International Development, currently in El Salvador. His wife Natalia works in the area of finance. They have two children, David 5 and Ariana 2 and a half. Their daughter Suzanne lives and teaches the piano in Princeton, NJ. Her husband Jonathan LeBouef is associate Registrar at Princeton University. They have two children, Sylvia, 2 and a half, and Alexander, 3 months.

Paul and Phyllis (click here to see their grandkids)

Bruce Miller wrote to warn me that he was sending me a picture, "We (Arnie Barkman, Mike Bumagin, Bob Whelan et moi) had a little reunion at Einstein’s bagel joint last week. I’ll send you our luncheon photo over the weekend." So far, no sign of the picture, but I'll add it here when it arrives. [3/4/2009 -- it has arrived! see the latest gathering of the Dallas/Fort Worth Class of '63 Alumni Club below]

(from left) Arnie Barkman, Bob Whelan, Michael Bumagin and Bruce Miller

Richard Tuerk reports, "I'm now completely retired and have been named Professor Emeritus of Literature and Languages at Texas A&M University-Commerce."

Art Eisenson writes, "Should have some interesting news for the issue after the coming one, but events won't move fast enough for your present deadline.

Meanwhile, attached is a picture of me picketing 20th Century Fox during the Writers Guild strike of 2007-2008. I'm the grim guy in the hat."

Len Lippman practices Gynecology in Hartford ,CT. He and his wife Arlene have three grown sons and six wonderful grandchildren. He spends lots of time in NYC and enjoys traveling, painting, photography, theater and being a Zayde.

Cal Cohn writes, "My name was recently added to the "Best Doctors in America" list.. quit while I'm ahead, right? I've had an interesting career including working with Julius Axelrod at the time of his Nobel (I had nothing to do with the work for which he won) and with Aaron Beck, Lasker Award winner, where I made a small contribution to the genesis of Cognitive Therapy. I've had 2 clinical Professorships and am proud of them.

My daughter is working screening candidates for SURVIVOR and is about to graduate Washington U (Wash U, bless their hearts, is letting her finish her last two undergraduate courses at UCLA in order to be able to start her job April as required); my son is finishing his second year in Los Angeles' Teach for America. He's moving to New York, joining a start-up health juice company Honey Drop (I think that's the name; it's interesting, Google it up). He'll have an equity position. They have just started and sell mostly through Whole Foods in the North East.

Beautiful and wonderful wife Helen works in an administrative position for her brother's development company.

I closed my office a few weeks ago and am writing and taking long walks. Helen and I are once again hosting the reception for Houston Undergrads who've been accepted to Columbia. Houston is a great place to live, but don't tell anybody. Please call and/or visit. Not working is tiresome after 42 busy years as a doctor."

Patrick Cary-Barnard has posted another of his series of Pimento reports to YouTube (first sign on to YouTube and search for "Pimento"). These are a series of interesting reports concerning the dangers of artificial turf (among other things), and you can find the latest at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlm4UiQEE8Y&feature=sdig&et=1235709118.62.

Michael Nolan has also been active using the Internet to do good. He is using Facebook to spread the word about a lobbying effort he has started, The National Campaign to Hire Artists to Work in Schools. You can read all about it at http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=36483884735&ref=ts. Or visit the Web site he has created for the group, http://www.nchaws.org.

Michael also tells me that he visited Nick Zill's daughter, Oriana in Berkeley recently. She's a documentary producer with FrontLineWorld on PBS, working out of their west coast office.

Mark Hinckley Willes was appointed by the LDS Church First Presidency to take over next month as the next president and chief executive of Deseret Management Corp., the for-profit holding company that oversees commercial businesses attached to the church, including the Deseret News and KSL television. Prior to the announcement, Willes divided his time between Black and Decker, where he is a director; an adjunct professorship at Brigham Young University, and managing his investments in software start-ups Imagine Learning, AxisPointe, and i3 Technologies.

For information and inquiries call Paul Neshamkin at 201-714-4881 or email at pauln@helpauthors.com.

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