Maureen McKeever starts us off with some blasts from the past photos:
Another hot summer, made hotter by having to wear those darned masks! I guess it’s no worse than having to be on a tanker in the Gulf of Mexico in July wearing a long-sleeved boiler suit, steel-toed boots, leather gloves and a hard hat! Of course, we were all a lot younger then……I have been going to work every day, with some of my team taking calls from home, wearing a mask whenever I step away from my desk, The fraudsters are hitting hard, so everyone please be careful how you use your debit and credit cards! I talked to a customer who was the proud mother of a new plebe at the US Naval Academy, and they had to spend their 1st two weeks in quarantine – she said it was “almost time to get yelled at!” I can’t imagine Indoc without those fun evenings at Plebe Beats – nothing cools you off more than having a pusher yelling and spitting in your face! I found some more old photos, me on the MormacAltair taking sunlines on July 1, 1981 and another of the 7th Company Class of 1983 as plebes in 1979. I hope everyone has been staying safe, busy and well.
Rick Wood retired on June 30 and promptly started his new business, CompassGrowthAdvisors.com, which does management consulting. “We help CEOs fix their sales problems. Retirement is great. I should have done this 10 years ago (but I couldn’t afford it then).”
Dan Hicks has also announced retirement.
I retired from General Electric about 8 years ago and have settled into Houston, TX as my primary residence, although spend time in Florida and Pennsylvania. I have 3 daughters – one of which is engaged and living here in Houston. I lead a pretty simple life and don’t miss the hysteria of the corporate career that’s for sure!. Since I retired I have become much more reminiscent of the KP days and have been in touch with quite a few guys.
Tom Heberle is a Pilot in Hawaii and lives in Honolulu with his wife. Tom plans to retire in 2 years and then become a Wall Street financial magnate in his spare time.
I [Al] just spoke to Jim Goulden today and he writes:
Been managing my whereabouts carefully with the Chinese virus around. I work from home anyway and my business is now part of Charlotte Pipe and Foundry Company. Fortunately for me the irrigation pipe market has not been impacted and in fact has grown throughout 2020 particularly in agriculture. So I’m quite blessed. I am in pretty much daily communication via group text with Jimmy Quern, John Carbone, Mike Keane, Mickey Cunningham and John Rhatigan if for anything to continuously rib each other and stay young! Five of the six of us married off at least one child over the past 18 months so it’s been one celebration after another with a couple of us adding grandkids in between.”
Scott Brueggeman lives in Austin, TX, after departing Chicago several years ago. He, his wife and two girls are enjoying small town life , lower taxes and the great weather in Austin . He heads up sales and marketing for a telecom firm and welcomes any classmate passing through to reach out and say hello.
I want to thank Scott Douglas, Dan and Carrie Rhode for helping out my future son-in-law with his endeavors in joining the Coast Guard Reserve. They were super helpful and it is a classic case of Kings Point Spirit being alive and well!!
Rich Surratt is retired from a successful career and living in the Washing D. C. Area. He sees Kent Morton on a regular basis and they a lot of golf together. Rich has three kids – 2 still in college and one graduated – I get the feeling they have Rich’s brains because they go (went) to great schools!
I spoke with Stu Mill who is now enjoying life as a Yoga Instructor. I saw a recent picture of him and he looks exactly like he did at KP only more muscular. Life has been good to Stu!!
Mike Booth also lives here in Houston but I didn’t get his update in time for your hard deadline. You are a real hard ass Ray!!
I just spoke with Chris Nixon who is living in Virginia Beach and is a Life Cycle manager for Maersk working on mordernizing the LMSR Bob Hope class of ships. His daughter is a high school teacher in Roanoke, VA and his son is sailing as a 3rd mate. He also has one son living at home.
Others I have spoke with are Kelly Konstantinos and Pete Brennan who of course both live in New Jersey. Scott McCauley is still living in Australia and is planning to come for our next FAC reunion.
If I missed anybody I apologize!!
[end of Al’s awesome contribution]
From Ray: I’m still not tired of Zoom and recently hosted a 40 minute virtual reunion that included Brian Foy and 4 other fellow officers from Navy ship we sailed aboard our first 3 years out of KP. Make it a point to reach out to a classmate to grab a beer together so you’ve got a reason to drop me a line. Stay healthy!