Winter 2008 THE ALUMNI COLLEGE MAGAZINE OF BARUCH · on the TV show So You Think You Can Dance....

Winter 2008 T H E M A G A Z I N E O F B A R U C HC O L L E G EALUMNI

Planet BaruchDefined as much by its INTERNATIONALISM as by almost any other quality,

today’s Baruch College extends its reach—through its students, alumni,faculty, and programs—into hundreds of countries around the globe.

2 Message from the PresidentBaruch President Kathleen Waldron writes about her international experiences as a student,scholar, and businessperson and celebrates the ways in which Baruch College encourages aninternational experience for its students.

3 Letters to the Editor

4 Baruch in BriefWarren Buffett invites Baruch students to shareholders’ meeting . . . guest history professorRwandan President Paul Kagame . . . environmental studies students get their feet wet catalogingbiodiversity . . . advertising students wow judges in national competition . . . volleyball playerGreg Waldvogel (’07), CUNYAC Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year . . . and more.

20 Faculty and Staff News90 birthday candles for beloved accountancy professor Abe Briloff (’37, MSEd ’41) . . .Management’s Will Millhiser takes his “queue” . . . School of Public Affairs Associate Professor and Associate Director of CUNY’s Institute for Demographic Research Deborah Balk investigatesglobal climate change . . . fill your reading list with books by these Baruch professors . . . and more.

24 Class NotesIrving “Greg” Greger recalls decades of Lamport House and House Plan . . . Baruch celebrates a Ticker reunion . . . Woodstock photographer Elliott Landy (’64) . . . Eli Mason (’40, LHD[Hon.] ’78) remembers his mentor Dean Emanuel “Manny” Saxe (’23) . . . business successes Bill Newman (’47, LLD [Hon.] ’97) and DavidKrell (MBA ’71) sell their companies . . . alumni-penned booksreviewed . . . plus other news from the Classes of ’39 through ’07.

37 Final FrameUndergraduate Faina Savich does Baruch proud as finaliston the TV show So You Think You Can Dance.

W I N T E R 2 0 0 8 1

Planet BaruchBe an armchair traveler and read the stories ofalumni who have circled the globe in pursuit ofbusiness, humanitarian causes, and enlightenment.And see how Baruch embodies globalization inthe 21st century with news of faculty and College programs.

COVER STORY 8

WINTER 2008 Contents

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Baruch College Alumni MagazineEDITOR IN CHIEF: Diane Harrigan

SENIOR EDITORS: Warren Schultz, Marina Zogbi

ASSOCIATE EDITOR: Olayinka Fadahunsi

PRODUCTION MANAGER: Joe Chartier

PRODUCTION ASSISTANT:

Mayreni Polanco

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS:

Carol Abrams, Zane Berzins, Olayinka Fadahunsi,Bruce Felton, Diane Harrigan, Lara Moon, JohnNeves, Warren Schultz, Marina Zogbi

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS:

Phil Gallo, Mario Morgado, Elena Olivo,Jerry Speier

GRAPHIC DESIGN: Tom Dolle Design

VICE PRESIDENT FOR COLLEGE ADVANCEMENT

Chris Cloud

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT

David Shanton

DIRECTOR OF ALUMNI RELATIONS

Lisa Poullard-Burton (’90)

CHIEF COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER

Carol Abrams

Baruch College Alumni Magazine © 2008 by Baruch CollegeThe City University of New York

Please address all editorial correspondence to:

Baruch College Alumni MagazineOffice of Communications and MarketingOne Bernard Baruch Way, Box A-1503New York, NY 10010-5585e-mail: [email protected]

Please send all inquiries about The Baruch College Fund,as well as address changes, to:

The Baruch College FundOffice of College AdvancementOne Bernard Baruch Way, Box A-1603New York, NY 10010-5585phone: 646-660-6060e-mail: [email protected]

For information about alumni programs and activities,please contact:

Baruch College Office of Alumni RelationsOne Bernard Baruch Way, Box A-1603New York, NY 10010-5585phone: 646-660-6097e-mail: [email protected]

Baruch College Alumni Magazine onlinewww.baruch.cuny.edu/magazine

Reconnect with our call.

You provide one thing:

Our students have the will to become leaders in business, government, and education.They work, study, write, listen–and work some more. What they need is the chance toprove themselves. That’s where you come in.

As a friend of The Baruch College Fund, you help provide scholarships, internships, newcourses, labs, coaching, mentors, technology, guest lecturers, and more.

Alumni like you have made The Baruch College Fund a powerful force in helping ourstudents achieve the American Dream. This year you can help the fund set a new markfor generosity. When we ask, please say, “Yes!”

The Baruch College FundGive now. The dream depends on it.

The Baruch College FundOne Bernard Baruch Way, A-1603, New York, NY 10010-5585 | 646-660-6118 | www.baruch.cuny.edu/donate

Respond to our mail. Reply online.

They bring determination and hard work.

ON THE BACK COVER: The College has created a new advertising tagline, “Baruch College Is MySpringboard.” The tone for the new image ad is energetic and exuberant; its message is about success and opportunity. A version of the new Baruch ad first appeared in the New York Times Magazine on Sunday, Sept. 30, in a specially themed college issue.

LettersToTheEditor

TICKER MEMORIESI very much enjoyed reading your articlecelebrating the 75th anniversary of The Ticker. The collection of memoriesfrom Ticker staff over the years wasa wonderful way to tell the newspa-per’s story and brought back manymemories of my own.MATTHEW GOLDSTEIN

Chancellor, City University of New York,

and former President, Baruch College

I read with much interest themagazine’s Ticker feature. Iwas reminded of the many wonderful momentsthat I spent in that tiny ninth-floor office. I wasco–sports editor in 1953–54.

During that time, I spent many Saturdayevenings at the CCNY basketball games seated among our group of always-noisyTickerites. It was a terrific feeling of cama-raderie that I had not experienced before nor have I felt since.

Sadly, I’ve lost touch with almost all of thefolks from my Ticker days with the exception ofJay Bienstock, the editor in chief in 1954.Therefore, as I read the names or saw the pho-tos of Steve Schatt, Artie Stern, Ralph Rehmet,Sam Perelson, Richard Kwartler, and a numberof others, I was wondering if there were a wayto get in touch with them again.STAN FINK ’54

Mr. Fink would be happy to receive e-mails from fellow

Tickerites at [email protected].

MFE PROGRAM PRAISED

I was delighted to read the stories of some ofmy former Baruch MFE classmates (BCAM,Summer ’07). I am also an MFE graduate andam currently working in Structured ProductsResearch at Credit Suisse. Baruch’s program hada tremendous impact on my professional career,of course, but also on my personal develop-ment. It seems to me that only at Baruch’sMFE program, with the combination of rigor-ous course work, dedicated professors, and anintensely social environment, can an aspiringquant not only acquire the skills necessary tosucceed but also meet lifelong friends.TOM SUEHR MFE ’05

The applicant pool to the MFE Program

grew even stronger this year. There were

336 applicants for Fall 2007, of whom

46 were admitted and 35 enrolled. In

banner year 2005–2006, of 184 appli-

cants, 42 were admitted and 34 enrolled. The

average GRE quantitative score for 2007 is an

amazing 795 out of 800!

SANTOS SCHOLARSHIP

I was very saddened to read of ProfessorSantos’s passing. I was a student of his

many years ago inEnvironmental Studies and

had a very positive educational experience inthat course. I was wondering whether theschool has any plans to establish a scholarshipor prize in his memory.MICHAEL MIGDAL ’87

The College is establishing

the Miguel Santos Award

Fund, which will be a mone-

tary award given to a SEEK

student. Former students

interested in honoring

Professor Santos with a donation can send checks

made out to The Baruch College Fund/Miguel Santos

Award at Office of College Advancement, Baruch College,

One Bernard Baruch Way, Box A-1603, New York, NY

10010-5585.

MessageFromThePresident

Ihave had the privilege of welcoming the

heads of state of Israel, the Dominican

Republic, and Rwanda to Baruch College,

which is an honor for anyone but was spe-

cial for me because of my deep love for foreign

cultures, travel, and history. I have been

extraordinarily fortunate to study abroad, speak

another language fluently, work overseas, and

vacation everywhere from Australia to Morocco.

I love Baruch because it is so international. For

me, the only place more international than

Baruch was Citibank, where I spent 13 years in

positions with global responsibilities, traveling

overseas one week out of six. Both are great

environments because their mix of people

makes them fun, interesting, and challenging.

The international themes that have charac-

terized my life are at the core of this issue of the

Baruch College Alumni Magazine as we explore

“Planet Baruch”—Baruch students who live

and work around the world; international facul-

ty and alumni who are part of the Baruch

community; and many of the linkages and

exchanges between Baruch and the internation-

al community.

MY INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE

My first trip outside of the U.S. was in the

summer after college graduation. I attended an

immersion program in Spanish in Guadalajara

and lived with a Mexican family. That summer,

I fell in love with Latin America.

My affinity for Venezuela started when I

spent a summer there and grew when I spent a

year conducting research for my dissertation on

18th-century Caracas. Later, I was a Fulbright

scholar at the Universidad Católica Andrés

Bello in Caracas. The university was establish-

ing a master’s program in history and needed

assistance developing its students’ researching

skills. I taught Venezuelan students to use

archives and understand 18th-century Spanish.

Cumulatively, I lived in Venezuela for three

years and made lasting relationships with local

academics and students. When I read academic

articles written by former students, I am heart-

ened that I was able to help them fulfill their

dreams.

Because of this back-

ground, I was hired in the

Latin American division of

Citibank. The company val-

ued my cultural, language,

and overseas experience.

As I was promoted, I

gained more global responsi-

bilities and had clients in

Africa, Asia, and Europe.

While I was less familiar

with those cultures and lan-

guages, I was well aware that there was more

than one way to do business. My knowledge of

the world grew as I conducted business in

Kenya, Egypt, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore,

the Philippines, and India.

During my Citibank tenure, I hired many

people from other countries, bringing them to

the U.S. for their first overseas assignment. It

was a great blending of people, and I have kept

in touch with many of them.

THE INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE THAT IS BARUCH

Our students should have as many experi-

ences studying abroad, doing internships and

other professional assignments abroad, and trav-

eling as I have had. I am grateful that we’ve

been able to allocate money for students to trav-

el overseas. I tell students that taking an over-

seas assignment can be a little intimidating but

to think of it as an adventure. Working and

living internationally makes you more tolerant,

especially if you do not judge the new culture

by your own.

I am proud of Baruch’s international link-

ages and will continue to develop them.

Currently, we offer academic programs affiliat-

ed with 11 foreign universities. Baruch also

offers international executive master’s degrees in

Hong Kong, Israel, Paris,

Singapore, and Taiwan.

Additionally, we offer our

students opportunities for

paid internships in Korea

and Spain.

Baruch has a wonderful

track record recruiting inter-

national faculty: over a third

of our tenured and tenure-

track faculty come from

abroad. But whether they

are born in this country or not, many choose

research topics with international angles and

bring that perspective into the classroom.

Faculty are attracted to Baruch because of the

international quality of our students and of

New York City.

One of my favorite e-mails as president

came from the Japanese alumni group, which

sent me an announcement of their formation.

Baruch also has alumni chapters in China,

Hong Kong, Israel, Singapore, and Taiwan.

I hope you enjoy reading about your fellow

alumni around the globe in this issue of the

Baruch College Alumni Magazine. Whether

you live close to 17 Lex or far, you are always

welcome at Baruch.

BARUCH COLLEGE ALUMNI MAGAZINE welcomes your comments and opinions. Please mail letters to Baruch CollegeAlumni Magazine, Office of Communications and Marketing, One Bernard Baruch Way, Box A-1503, New York, NY10010-5585, or send e-mail to [email protected]. Please include your mailing address, phone num-ber, and degree and year. Letters become the property of Baruch College and may be edited for length and clarity.

W I N T E R 2 0 0 8 3

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“I tell students that taking an overseas assignment can be a little intimidatingbut to think of it as an adventure. Working and living internationally makes

you more tolerant, especially if you do not judge the new culture by your own.”

Professor ChaykinR E M E M B E R E D

2 B A R U C H C O L L E G E A L U M N I M A G A Z I N E

More than one alumna and alumnus has waxed fondly, recalling Baruch’sfamous and effective House Plan system (these alumni will be happy toknow that it’s an idea that has been dusted off and given new life asBaruch’s Learning Communities).

If you were one of these lucky House Plan participants and have an anecdote, lifelesson, photograph, or other memorabilia that you’d like us to consider for inclusion inan upcoming BCAM feature, please contact the magazine editors at Baruch College AlumniMagazine, Office of Communications and Marketing, One Bernard Baruch Way, Box A-1503, NewYork, NY 10010-5585 or e-mail [email protected]. Deadline: February 15, 2008.

Evoke House Plan memories by reading the Irving Greger article on page 25.

H O U S E P L A N S : S H A R E YO U R S TO R Y

Iwould liketo share afew of my

memories ofthe late IrvingChaykin, avery popular

faculty member back in my day.Unmentioned in his obituary wasthe fact that he was also a musician,playing trumpet in dance orchestrasand at Catskill resorts during thesummer. While I was a student, Ialso played in an orchestra duringsummers in the Catskills. I frequent-ly knew where Professor Chaykinwas playing and would sometimeshear him on my nights off. This wasa period when music—and particu-larly playing in the Catskills—provided experiences shared by faculty members and students alike.

HENRY FONER ’39

W I N T E R 2 0 0 8 5

BaruchInBrief


BaruchInBrief

MEMBERS OF BARUCH’S PortfolioManagement Club were feeling

bullish about their futures as theyposed in the financial district of down-town Omaha, after being invited by legendary value investor and CEOWarren Buffett (below) to the annualshareholders’ meeting of his BerkshireHathaway company. Club membersimpressed Buffett with their businessacumen and initiative when they senthim research reports they had workedon during club hours. The Omaha tripwas financed by the Office of thePresident, Baruch College Fund TrusteeWilliam Abrams, the Zicklin School of Business Dean’s Office, and theCollege’s Starr Career DevelopmentCenter. —LARA MOON

THE BARUCH ATHLETICS PROGRAM hasmany things to cheer about. Greg Waldvogel

(’07) is among them. The men’s volleyballplayer was named the 2007 Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year by the City University ofNew York Athletic Conference.

The native of West Hempstead, New York,has won every available athletic award inCUNY: in 2007, he was named Scholar-Athlete;in 2006, Most Valuable Player; and in 2004,Rookie of the Year. He is also a two-time men’svolleyball champion for the Baruch Bearcats.

Greg, who is currentlyemployed in Manhattan’sDistrict Attorney’s Office asan investigative analyst inthe financial crimes bureau,graduated with a BBAin finance andinvestments and a 3.61 GPA.

SCHOLAR-ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

“THE PRESENCE OF THESE THREEfaculty members makes the College a betterplace to study, learn, and teach,” saidBaruch President Kathleen Waldron of theCollege’s first Presidential Professors, chosenlast spring. President Waldron has inaugu-rated this new faculty distinction in order tohonor outstanding full-time faculty mem-bers who have produced exceptional,internationally significant scholarship andbeen recognized for their classroom teachingand service to the College and Universityover a long period of time.

Professor of Finance Linda Allen,Professor of History at Baruch and the

C O N G R A T U L A T I O N S

Baruch’s FirstPresidential Professors

CUNY Graduate Center Carol Berkin,and Professor of Public Affairs Steve Savaswere chosen for the five-year appoint-ments, which carry with them researchsupport and release time for scholarlyactivity. Linda Allen is well known in theworld of banking and finance. CarolBerkin is a scholar of early U.S. historyand women’s history and is well known tothe public as a frequent commentator fortelevised historical documentaries. SteveSavas is an internationally renownedexpert on privatization.

“Presidential Professorships recognizethe extraordinary achievements of ourfaculty. Our first three honorees—whohave distinguished themselves on cam-pus, in the CUNY system, and in theworld at large—exemplify our faculty’s

commitment to excellence andservice. Their contributionshave added distinction and lus-ter to Baruch College,”remarked President Waldron.“I look forward to honoringmore deserving faculty in thecoming years.”

INVITATION ONLY

T HE MISHKIN GALLERY presentsa variety of small, museum-qualityexhibitions that emphasize original

scholarship, multicultural issues, andinterdisciplinary topics. Miniature Worlds:Art from India from the 15th to 19thCenturies, last fall’s exhibition, admirablycontinued this tradition. MiniatureWorlds featured watercolors, drawings,and sculpture spanning 400 years ofIndian history and illuminating variousaspects of religion and history.

Three additional shows are scheduledfor 2008: Silk Aquatint: Painterly Graphics;Feminist Mavericks: Their Role in theWomen’s Movement; and Suitcase Paintings:Small-Scale Work by Abstract Expressionists.

For more information about the galleryand current exhibitions, call 646-660-6652.

At the Mishkin Gallery

Battle at the City Gate, from The Babur-nama, c. 1590 Opaque watercolor on paper, 21" x 17" x 11/8" Collection of The Art Complex Museum, Duxbury, Mass.ExhibitsUSA, a national program of Mid-America Arts Alliance

A BE GOLDSCHMIDT (’07) is just22 years old, but by the time hebecame a White House intern, he

was already a seasoned veteran of the elec-toral process. Goldschmidt had worked inthe second Bloomberg mayoralcampaign and in the ill-fated gubernatorial cam-paign of former StateAssemblyman JohnFaso (defeated byEliot Spitzer in 2006)by the time the WhiteHouse phoned.Currently, he’s pitching in tohelp the presidential campaign ofRudy Giuliani. “Obviously, I’m aRepublican and proud of it,” he says.

A personable young man who likes golfand talk radio, Goldschmidt grew up inBrooklyn’s Midwood section in a close-knitconservative family. Two of his three broth-ers also attended Baruch College, whichAbe praises for the “flexible schedule andevening hours” that enabled him to takeadvantage of a variety of internships, most-ly unpaid, mostly in politics. At Baruch, hefounded what he says was the College’s firstundergraduate Republican Club (“I wassurprised to learn there had never beenone”) but is hesitant to declare himself acandidate for future political office.

According to Abe, applying for the pres-tigious and highly competitive WhiteHouse internship was “straightforward” ifnot exactly easy. Last August he down-loaded the application from the WhiteHouse website, filled it out, and faxed it in.Later, there was an interview, letters of refer-ence, and a background check. Et voila! Amonth or so later he got a call. Shortly afterthat, he was on his way, dispatched to theEisenhower Executive Office Building towork in the Office of Political Affairs. To

his surprise, White House interns weren’tused to fetch coffee. “I would go through23 to 27 newspapers every day,” he recalls.Abe describes the briefs he drafted on avariety of domestic issues as “substantive.”

Abe considers himself verylucky to have had the

White House intern-ship experience. A“New York kid, allthe way,” he foundhimself making

friends with studentsfrom Tennessee, North

Carolina, and Alabama. “Itgave me a whole new perspective,”

he says. Though not wholly sure whatgraduation will bring, Abe is studyingfor the LSAT. “Law school is definite,”he says. —ZANE BERZINS

DURING TWIN COMMENCEMENT CEREMONIES, held in the Theater at MadisonSquare Garden in May, 3,728 degrees were conferred on happy graduates.Rossana Rosado, publisher of El Diario/La Prensa, New York’s largest Spanish-

language newspaper, and William Macaulay (’66), the philanthropist and investmentmanager who donated $30 million in support of City University’s Honors College (sincerenamed the Macaulay Honors College at CUNY), delivered the keynote addresses. Of thedegrees awarded, 2,625 went to undergraduates and 1,103 to graduate students. Givingthe graduates some perspectiveon the event were 25 members ofthe 50th anniversary class of1957, who marched in the morn-ing’s opening procession and were recognized during the ceremony.Among them was Larry Zicklin(’57, LHD [Hon.] ’99), currentpresident of The Baruch CollegeFund, for whom Baruch’s ZicklinSchool of Business is named.

ABOVE: Students fromBaruch’s PortfolioManagement Club inBuffett territory.

LEFT: Warren Buffett,who invited the club to the shareholders’meeting.

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FROM LEFT: Linda Allen, President KathleenWaldron, Carol Berkin, Steve Savas

Student Interns at White House


BaruchInBrief

“I WAS RIDING ON AN ESCALATORin the Newman Vertical Campus,” saysAnastasiya Gorak, “and I saw this flyer foran internshipwith the SecretService.”Anastasiya,who’s harboreda lifelongdream of oneday becoming an FBI investigator, jumpedat the chance. The only child of Ukrainianimmigrants, Anastasiya, a 23-year-old pub-lic affairs major, is a transfer student fromKingsborough Community College whohas worked full time since coming toBaruch in 2005.

To apply for a Secret Service intern-ship, Anastasiya filled out nine forms,“each about 10 to 15 pages long,” andthen waited. And waited. It took sixmonths, but she was accepted into theSecret Service’s very small, very selectiveNew York internship program. She wasone of six college students chosen andthe only female.

During her Spring 2007 internship,Anastasiya worked primarily on “thecounterfeit squad,” tracking phony

money and the people who print it, a jobfor which she was well qualified by dint ofher prior work experience. For three years,

while attending nightclasses at Baruch,Anastasiya worked dur-ing the day as a dia-mond grader in theBowery, an unusual joband one that demands

close attention to detail. As to the manu-facture of phony money, Anastasiyareports that there is “a whole melting potof people who counterfeit money.”

Though she did other work with the

ON SEPT. 7–8, more than 50 Baruch environmental studies stu-dents spent time in the “field” working side by side with expertscientists, naturalists, and members of the interested public.

Their mission: sampling fish, marine invertebrates, birds, plants, moths,butterflies, and other life-forms for the first-ever Jamaica Bay Bioblitz.

Secret Service, including “advance sweeps”for visiting VIPs and what she refers to as“some cloak-and-dagger stuff,” Anastasiyanow has a lasting interest in forgeries—andhow to spot them. Upon graduation, sheplans to apply to every government agencythat does investigatory work: the FBI; theSecret Service; the Bureau of Alcohol,Tobacco and Firearms; and the U.S.Customs Service and Border Protection.Anastasiya intends to make a career of pur-suing the bad guys, even though sheknows “it’s nothing like Law & Order.It’s a tough life.”

—ZANE BERZINS

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A Bioblitz is a 24-hour event aimed at cataloging the diversityof organisms in a particular area and is part contest (racingagainst the clock), part educational event, and part scientificendeavor. The goal is to increase the public’s awareness of thediversity in their own “backyard,” while highlighting the need toprotect sensitive ecosystems, like Jamaica Bay.

The more than 250 participants scoured Gateway NationalRecreation Area to identify as many organisms as possible andin some cases worked through the night. In the end, over 665species were identified, representing many different taxa.

“The most exciting aspect of this event was the participationof Baruch College students enrolled in courses in environmen-tal studies,” said Natural Sciences Assistant Professor ChesterZarnoch. “The students worked through harsh conditions at allhours, day and night, to learn about the diverse organisms.Many of the students, who live just a short distance fromJamaica Bay, were shocked that they have lived so close tosuch a beautiful habitat with diverse organisms and never evenknew it existed. Many students commented on how importantit is to have a natural resource like Jamaica Bay within theurban environment.”

B I O B L I T Z : A N O T H E R T Y P E O F D I V E R S I T Y

W I N T E R 2 0 0 8 7

RWANDAN PRESIDENT PAUL KAGAMEsurprised students in Professor MurrayRubinstein’s In Search of History

class on May 3 by serving as guest professor for the day. His visit was part ofan episode of mtvU’s Emmy-nominatedseries Stand In.

H E A D O F C L A S S ,H E A D O F S TAT E

Anastasiya worked primarily tracking counterfeit money—a job for which she was well qualified due to her daytime work as a

diamond grader.

U.S. Secret Service InternAnastasiya Gorak (third from right) poses with otherSecret Service interns at a benefit reception. She’s inimpressive company (also in the photo): George Bush,Sr., Bill Clinton, and Colin Powell with his wife.

I N APRIL the Baruch College team thatcompeted in the American AdvertisingFederation’s annual National Student

Advertising Competition (NSAC) placedahead of 11 other colleges to win itsregional district, a first for the College.Baruch advanced to compete at the federa-tion’s national conference in June, held thisyear in Louisville, Kentucky.

Baruch is no stranger to AmericanAdvertising Federation (AAF) accolades:Baruch won the AAF’s 2007 District TwoDiversity Achievement Award for anEducator. The annual award program hon-ors individuals, companies, and institutionsfor their multicultural marketing efforts inthe advertising industry.

Although the team of Baruch students

did not win at the national competi-tion, it received positive reviews fromjudges, AAF administrators, and competi-tors. Dubbed CHAOS! Advertising andmade up of 15 Baruch marketing students,the team faced direct competition from 15colleges and universities during the nation-al round in Kentucky. The judges wereespecially impressed with the level of mar-keting integration the CHAOS! campaign

offered in its bid to make Coca-Cola®

Classic more relevant to the 13- to 24-year-old multicultural generation by posi-tioning Coke as young and refreshing.

—LARA MOON

C H A O S ! A D V E R T I S I N G : Anything ButTHE CHAOS! ADVERTISING TEAM IN THEIR CAMPAIGN AD FOR COCA-COLA® CLASSIC.

Top row, left to right: Donald Wong (hat), SusieP. Lee, Andrew Luyando, Richard Trautmann,Donald Drakhlis, Nicole Villani. Bottom row,left to right: Tony Chao (seated), Amy Lee,Swati Lashkery, Susan Yi Lin, MarinaZavelevich, Juan Cano (seated), Celia Au, MinYang, Natalia Diaz.

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Baruch environmental studies students participatingin the first-ever Jamaica Bay Bioblitz.

ANASTASIYA GORAK (’07) AND THE PHONY MONEY TRAIL :

BaruchInBrief

SPENDING JANUARY IN SUNNY SPAINor the summer in Copenhagenmeans vacation to most young peo-

ple. Not so for Baruch College students.Though study abroad is viewed as a holidayat many colleges, Baruch students embraceforeign study as an educational opportunityand a career aid, and more are availingthemselves of the opportunity.

The Study Abroad Program, sponsored bythe Weissman Center for InternationalBusiness, has seen tremendous growth in par-ticipation—up about 30 percent since 2004.

A GLOBAL ADVANTAGE

Now, about 300 Baruch students a year studyaround the globe. “Three hundred may notseem like a lot,” program director RichardMitten says, “but, by CUNY standards, it’s verygood.” According to Mitten, there are a numberof reasons Baruch students think twice aboutstudying abroad. “First, they are in New York,the most cosmopolitan city in the world.Second, many are sons and daughters ofimmigrants; their parents came to America andthey believe their sons and daughters shouldstay here. Others have the misconception thatstudying abroad will delay their graduation.And, in almost every case, money is a factor.Though quite reasonable, studying abroad ismore expensive than living at home.”

Helping out, recently, has been the StarrFoundation, which has provided endowmentfunds for study abroad fellowships for Baruchstudents across the campus. Alumnus HowardSmith (’65), a member of the WeissmanCenter’s advisory board, is a director of theStarr Foundation. “Howard Smith has beena champion of international educationat Baruch College. His vision andcommitment have made it possiblefor Baruch students to pursue theirdream of study abroad,” comment-ed Terry Martell, WeissmanCenter director.

Students who opt tostudy abroad selectfrom among 30 coun-tries, includingArgentina, China,England, France,India, Italy, NewZealand, Spain,and Vietnam.

Most programs are offered through otherCUNY or SUNY schools, Mitten says, but theprogram in Salamanca, Spain—“by far ourmost popular destination”—is run byBaruch. Students attend classes for amonth during winter or summer intersessionand earn 4 credits in Spanish.

As a matter of fact, 75 percent of studyabroad participants choose to take advantageof briefer stays packed with learning experi-ences. “In the China program, which is shortterm, students visit six cities, get 6 credits,and pay well under $3,000,” Mitten says.

Also, students don’t need to speak asecond language in order to participate.“Scuola Lorenzo de’ Medici in Florenceoffers an enormously wide range of coursesin business, studio arts, and language, forexample,” Mitten says, “and offers regularuniversity classes in English.” Or studentscan study in English in Lyon, France, orSeoul, Korea.

Each program offers a self-con-tained academic unit—one thatmeets rigorous Baruch standards.“We are quite keen to maintainacademic quality.We really focuson the study part of study

abroad,” Mitten says. Thatsets the program—and itsparticipants—apart and

helps students tremen-dously in the jobmarket. “In thepast, many firms

offered trainingin languagesand culture,”the directornotes, “but

now theyexpect that new

employees shouldhave had this trainingalready.” That expec-tation puts Baruchstudy abroad grad-

uates ahead of theemployment curve.

—WARREN SCHULTZ

T HE FACT THAT THE DRIVE FOR GREATERdiversity is shared by many of themost prestigious institutions in the

country makes BaruchCollege’s exceptionallydiverse student body allthe more notable. Ifother colleges’ struggleto diversify is any indi-cation of the value ofdiversity in undergradu-ate education, Baruchhas an enviable andpowerful resource in itsstudents.

I teach both anthro-pology and religion andculture classes at Baruch,and while I am a relativenewcomer to CUNY, it isalready clear to me thatmy students benefit fromthe diversity of Baruch’s student body. Inmy course on Hinduism, Buddhism, and

What’s it like to teach kids at one of America’s most diverse universities?Islam in South Asia and my course on theIslamic tradition, I have been pleased to seestudents with backgrounds in one of these

religioustraditionslearnthroughconversa-tion withtheir peers thatwhat they had takenas a universal of theirparticular tradition isactually understoodvery differently byother members oftheir tradition whocome from differentcultural backgrounds.Through these con-versations, studentshave the benefit of

seeing that tremendous diversity of opinionexists in any religious tradition.

The diversity of the classroom also keepsclass discussions grounded and extremelyhonest; there is no danger of falling into an

implicit or explicit discussion of “us” and“them.” More generally, I have foundthat the range of perspective andapproaches expressed in a diverse class-room makes students more aware of the

limits and assumptions of their habitualperspectives—and thus more able to objec-tively evaluate their own attitudes andapproaches.

In this way, I believe that Baruch stu-dents’ experiences of diversity in theclassroom will ultimately serve them wellin their future careers and perhaps givethem a significant advantage over theirpeers from less diverse institutions.

—CARLA BELLAMY is an assistant professor in theDepartment of Sociology and Anthropology. Her majorareas of interest include the construction of religiousidentity in India, religion and healing, and religion andthe body. She holds degrees from St. Olaf College,Harvard University, and Columbia University.

FOR THE PAST NINE YEARS, BARUCH COLLEGE HAS TOPPED THE LISTof the most ethnically diverse colleges in the United States accordingto U.S. News & World Report. One hundred sixty countries are represented in our student body of 15,700. But “Planet Baruch” ismore than this. Our community also includes Baruchians establishinginternational and cross-cultural bonds through business, service,and shared academic research.

Whether they come to this campus from Nigeria by way of New Orleans or from Myanmar then to Uzbekistan and back, Baruchians have some serious international credentials. Like the institution’s namesake, Bernard Baruch, they are truly global citizens.

What follows are exceptional stories that—at our unique institution—are not the exception.Baruch College’s mission has always been to serve the needs and dreams of ambitious immigrants, children of immigrants, foreign students, and native New Yorkers with the sense and daring to explore beyond the boundaries of their highly cosmopolitan hometown.

Baruchians are truly the face of the globalized 21st century.

Professor Bellamy at the abandoned Indian cityof Mandu, the location of palaces, mosques,and other fine architecture.

W I N T E R 2 0 0 8 98 B A R U C H C O L L E G E A L U M N I M A G A Z I N E

PlanetBaruch

Students who opt to studyabroad select from among 30countries, including Argentina,China, England, France, India,Italy, New Zealand, Spain, and Vietnam.

“THESE PROGRAMS GIVE BARUCH COLLEGEinternational visibility and enhance its rep-utation abroad,” says Professor of FinanceAvner Wolf, who initiated the overseasprograms and has served as execu-tive director since theirinception. Anyone who doesbusiness globally knows thatthere exists a great demand forU.S. business expertise, particularlyin Asia, and Wolf has helped the ZicklinSchool tap into that demand.

Executive MS degrees are offered infour subject areas: finance, marketing,computer information systems, andhuman resource leadership and manage-ment. The last one is offered inconjunction with the psychology depart-ment in the Weissman School of Arts andSciences. Not every program is offered ateach location, but so far some 750 overseasstudents have received a Baruch degree.The market is heady with possibilities, butWolf is cautious about plans for expansion.“Right now we want to consolidate wherewe are,” he says. “Later we may considerplans for expansion.”

Alumni, according to Wolf, are key tokeeping these overseas programs flourish-ing. Taiwan, Baruch’s largest and mostsuccessful site, boasts over 1,700 Baruchalumni, some who obtained their degreesin New York, others who earned themwithout ever leaving home. ManyTaiwanese alumni of the Zicklin Schoolnow hold high-level positions, such asCEO, CFO, and president of banks andcorporations. Wolf says he makes it a pointto visit these “very committed” alumnigroups during the overseas trips his jobnecessitates each year.

Since the programs began, approxi-mately 30 faculty members, some adjuncts,

some tenured, have taught at these Baruchsatellites. Among those who have goneabroad for the “very intensive” two-week

class schedules are Professors Turan Bali,Christopher Hessel, Armen

Hovakimian, and Kenneth Mischelfrom the Department of Economicsand Finance; Andreas Grein,

Thomas Kramer, Myung-Soo Lee,David Luna, Lilach Nachum, and

Sankar Sen from Marketing andInternational Business; and Albert Crokerand Bill Ferns from Statistics andComputer Information Systems.

Adjuncts who’ve taught courses includeBaruch College Fund President LarryZicklin (’57, LHD [Hon.] ’99), whotaught BusinessEthics andProfessionalResponsibility inTaiwan duringtwo separateteaching stints.“Exciting, exhil-arating” was his description. “I learnedas much from my students as they didfrom me,” Zicklin said of his teachingexperience. “They were also the nicestpeople on earth,” he added. “I went outto lunch with them every day.”

That kind of closeness builds lastingrelationships. In addition to overseas grad-uation ceremonies, to further strengthenbonds between Baruch’s far-flungExecutive MS students and the Baruchfamily, the International ExecutivePrograms leadership invites graduates ofthese one-year, overseas programs to joineach annual Commencement ceremonyheld in New York. “We have a dinner forthem and their families,” Wolf notes. “Wetake them on field trips and show themimportant New York businesses—such asBloomberg, Inc.; Citigroup Inc.; and theNew York Stock Exchange. We treat themlike VIPs or, better yet, like a part of ourfamily.” —ZANE BERZINS

PAMELA BOLTON RECEIVED AN MBAfrom Baruch last spring and nowhas an excellent job in the corpo-

rate world. She is an associate consultantfor Strategyx, a company that providesstrategic guidance to pharmaceutical andbiotechnology companies. She is pleasedby the turn of events but just a littlebemused. The corporate world is not hernatural environment.

For the last 15 years, Africa has beenher spiritual home, and her professionalcommitment has been increasing health-care access for Africa’s millions of poorpeople, especially its women. Even whenshe was not actually in Mali, Niger,Burkina Faso, Ghana, Senegal, or Kenya,Bolton waswrestling withthe enormousdifficulties ofproviding repro-ductive care andHIV preventionand treatmentto people inremote Africanvillages.

For sevenyears, she servedas director ofFamily CareInternational (FCI) for francophoneAfrica, striving to provide medical assis-tance to women in childbirth—still ararity in places like Niger, where womenhave a one-in-nine chance of dying dur-ing labor and delivery. Bolton wrotepapers for professional journals and lob-bied foundations for support.

Eventually, she decided to get anMBA, in order, she says, to gain greatercredibility in the wider world. She also

came to real-ize that bigbusiness andits philan-thropicoffshoots hadthe potentialto impactglobal healthissues on alarge scale andin a lastingway. The Billand MelindaGatesFoundationsupported

FCI, and it had theresources and willingnessto do much more.

Last year, while work-ing toward her degree as aBaruch MBA Honors can-didate, Bolton traveled toSouth Africa with a groupof MBA students. Out ofthat eye-opening tripemerged the paper

“Corporate Responses toHIV/AIDS: Experience andLeadership from South Africa.”Here was more evidence that bigbusiness could be a force for ame-liorating human misery on a largescale. Bolton presented her research lastspring at a Baruch College conferenceorganized by the International Center forCorporate Accountability (ICCA).

What Bolton discovered was that South

Africa’s biggest corporations were fastbecoming exemplars of good corporate cit-izenship. In South Africa, HIV infection isa serious threat to economic growth; help-ing to combat it makes good bottom-linesense. By taking aggressive measuresagainst this public health menace and pro-viding antiretroviral medications toHIV-positive employees, South Africancorporations were able to cut down on

absenteeism, improve productivity, anddevelop a best-practices model for

dealing with a disease that was sap-ping its workforce.

Whatever job she holds, now orin the future, Pam Bolton is commit-

ted to “advancing the global healthagenda.” She doesn’t much care whetherleadership comes from NGOs, big busi-ness, government, or philanthropy. She is a pragmatic idealist: whatever works.—ZANE BERZINS

Anyone who does business globallyknows that there exists a greatdemand for U.S. business expertise,particularly in Asia.


Pam Bolton (MBA ’07) (left) consults with village officials in Burkina Faso.

Bolton with her colleague Djeneba Diallo, a mid-wife, in Burkina Faso. The two are standing in apartially built maternity waiting home, wherewomen from distant villages will come to awaitchildbirth at the local health center.

PAMELA BOLTON (MBA ’07):

Her Mission Is the GlobalHealth Care Agenda

INTERNATIONAL EXECUTIVE PROGRAMS Bring Baruch to Distant Off-Campus SitesBaruch College’s overseas executive programs are only eight years old—the first one was launched inIsrael in 1999—but in just a short time they have grown and multiplied. Today, Baruch offers ExecutiveMaster of Science degrees to students in Taiwan, Singapore, China, Israel, and Paris, France.

ABOVE: International Programs ExecutiveDirector Avner Wolf (right) presides at 2007graduation in Taipei. LEFT: Also attending theTaipei graduation were Zicklin School ofBusiness Dean John Elliott (left) andWeissman School of Arts and Sciences DeanMyrna Chase (second from left).

BRANKO RISTIC FOSTERED A LOVE OFpainting and sketching as a child inSerbia but found little encouragement

from teachers under the oldCommunist regime in whichhe grew up. However, hisrecent fourth-place win in

Creative Quarterly’s ninthnational Quarterly Graphic

Design student competition is proof that hisaesthetic flair can take him far.

“In my country, design was not consid-ered a great career option,” says the marriedfather, who moved to New York after receiv-ing a U.S. permanent resident permit sixyears ago. Arriving in the city with what hedescribes as “only a bagel-and-coffee levelof English,” Branko went to work full timeand attended classes at Baruch Collegeafter work. “This is my last semester, so I’mreally happy to have been able to partici-pate in the contest.”

The Creative Quarterly competition gar-ners submissions from graphic designstudents at some of the nation’s most pres-tigious art and design schools. Brankobased his winning concept on an advertisingcampaign for the city of Rome as the host ofthe 2016 Olympics. His entry included aposter, two postage stamps, and a logo forthe event. The designs combined the brightcolors of Olympic medallion ribbons with theiconic image of the Colosseum, whereancient gladiatorial battlesand athletic contests drewthousands of cheeringRoman spectators.

Branko—who studiedmedicine and forestry andeven flirted with a stint infilm school while living inSerbia—says that heregained his passion forgraphic design at Baruchafter taking a class withProfessor Terry Berkowitz of

the Department of Fine and Performing Arts,who served as his mentor on the project. “She

sent an e-mail to the whole class but per-sonally encouraged me to enter.”

He also credits Berkowitz with teach-ing him about the different careeropportunities available in the businesscommunications industry. While he wouldprefer to work in logo development andpackaging design after graduation, Brankosays he is open to all possibilities. “I really like the educational concept atBaruch—the classes combine marketingand design, so, theoretically, you will be amachine for selling products. I like thatbranding and corporate identity aspect.”—OLAYINKA FADAHUNSI

BARUCH’S INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS ALUMNI ASSOCIATION picked a winnerwhen they selected Norman Vale (’52) as a senior advisor for their group twoyears ago. Vale stresses the importance of giving back to the next generation of

international entrepreneurs. He lectures at dozens of universities throughout the worldand is an active participant in Baruch’s Executives on Campus program. “Mentoring is the core of the College. I’m happy to help current students with the benefit of myperspective,” Vale says.

His 53-year career has played out on a global stagesince he graduated from Baruch at the height of theKorean War with a degree in retailing and advertising.“When I went to Baruch, it was mostly working-classwhite students, and now the student body is representa-tive of the tremendous diversity of the city itself.” Afterserving in Stuttgart as a counterintelligence agent duringthe war, he invested the next 43 years of his professionallife in international management and never looked back.“Opportunities were vast in Europe, and successfulmultinationals in other countries provided a unique per-spective on the global marketplace,” Vale says.

Currently, he is the president of Vale International Ltd,his namesake international marketing firm that serves clients in over 75 countries. Hepreviously served as managing director of Grey International, playing an instrumental rolein catapulting the advertising giant into the earnings stratosphere. During his 22-yeartenure, the company’s annual international revenue rose from $150 million to $2 billion.

Vale joined the International Advertising Association (IAA) in 1990 as director-general, a newly created position within the organization, which has since providedincreased global leadership to a growing number of world-class advertisers, agencies,and media and other marketing communications professionals. “Listen to the thou-sands of alums who have contributed: They all say if it hadn’t been for Baruch theywould never have been able to get where they are now.” —LARA MOON

Business Leader/Mentor Norman Vale (’52)Diplomat and Ambassador Ellsworth I. John (’87)

IN THE FALL OF 1982, Ellsworth Johnstood on the steps of 17 LexingtonAvenue about to begin his undergradu-

ate education at Baruch College. He hadrecently arrived from Saint Vincent andthe Grenadines. In fact, he had been inNew York only about a week before thestart of the fall semester and was unsurewhat his future would hold. He only knewthat he wanted a solid business education.“What appealed to me about Baruch wasits reputation as one of the best businessschools in New York City,” he says.

Ten years later, John became consulto the United States in the embassyof Saint Vincent and theGrenadines. Just a few years afterthat he walked into the WhiteHouse to present his credentials toPresident George W. Bush as ambas-sador to the United States. His journeyfrom anxious freshman to assured diplo-mat was remarkably direct.

In truth, John was already interestedin politics and public service when he

arrived at Baruch. Though young, he hadserved as a general secretary of a laborunion back home. At Baruch he took anactive role in classes and extracurricularactivities. He served in the student govern-ment, was the student representative onThe Baruch College Fund board, and was a member of the Caribbean Club.

As for many Baruch students, aninternship paved the way to full-timeemployment. “After an internship withunion District Council 37, I was madechief negotiator for its clerical union,”

John says. After graduation he becameresearch analyst and then assistant

director for the union. John worked there for several

years and then applied for a jobat the Saint Vincent and the

Grenadines embassy. “That I hadtechnical accounting knowledge helpedwhen I applied. I just sent in my resume,and the embassy hired me.” John left theembassy in 1996 to become a regionalcoordinator for the Organization of

American States butreturned six years agoas ambassador.

“As ambassador I amthe voice of Saint Vincentand the Grenadines inAmerica,” he says. “I

interface with the state department and workwith Capitol Hill. I lobby congress for legisla-tion of importance to my country.”

“There is a lot of glamour involved,”explains John. “A lot of prestige. I haveaccess to things I would normally not haveaccess to. I have been to the White House.I’ve met many times with Colin Powell andCondoleezza Rice. Secretary of Housingand Urban Development Alphonso Jacksonis a good friend of mine.”

John has enjoyed his time in Washington:he even hosted a Baruch D.C. area alumnievent at the embassy in 2006. But right nowhe’s making plans to leave the embassy. “I willsoon return home to work in the prime min-ister’s office on regional integration andDiaspora issues,” he says. Though he maymiss the glamour, the state dinners, and theballs, in the end, he says, “It will be good tobe back home.” —WARREN SCHULTZ

Global marketing guru NormanVale (’52), senior advisor toBaruch’s International BusinessAlumni Association.

Creativity Key for Serbian American Branko Ristic (’07)

Senior Branko Ristic’saward-winning logo and poster were part of aspeculative advertisingcampaign for the 2016Olympics in Rome.


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I F VANJA SAVVA EVER WONDERS HOWshe got to her present professional posi-tion in Cyprus, she only has to look back

at her years at Baruch. The dedication to hardwork that Baruch inspired has served thisnative-born Croatian well. Savva’s years atBaruch weren’t always easy. She had to workthroughout her academic career topay for tuition and living expenses.“It was tough, but I managed todo it,” she says. “I would neverchange that experience; it wasamazing and character building.”One of her many jobs actually helped prepareher for life abroad. From 1999 to 2002, sheworked four days a week at Baruch in theWeissman Center for International Business.During that time, she also worked one day a

week as an unpaidintern at UBS to gainexperience in her cho-sen field, finance.Later, she took a summer internship atGoldman Sachs; during her final semester atBaruch, she was offered a full-time position

with the company.Of course, graduating cum laude and

as a member of the Golden KeyInternational Honour Society didn’t hurt

her chances either. She says there’s no bigsecret to her success: “Always going to class,

actively listening, participating, taking notes.”Savva worked for Goldman for about three

years. “After that, I got an offer I couldn’trefuse—from my husband-to-be. I moved toCyprus and married him.”

There she found a job in finance with TFIPublic Company Limited. “I work with banksin emerging markets, such as Kazakhstan,Belarus, Georgia, Ukraine, Russia, in order tostructure deals to finance the internationaltrade transactions of their clients,” she says.“It involves travel to those markets to origi-nate new business. On the sales side, I dealwith banks and counterparties internationallyand sell the deals we structure.”

When she looks back on the winding roadthat led her from Croatia to Cyprus via theUnited States, she realizes that Baruch played akey role in her success. “The Baruch experiencewas amazing,” Savva says. “I had to work to payfor the tuition, and Baruch allowed me to workduring the day and go to school from 6 to 9 inthe evening. And my internships were invaluable.

“Life in Cyprus is very different,” she says.“But I am working in finance in a very interest-ing field, we bought a house, and now we areexpecting our first baby.” —WARREN SCHULTZ

GSC UNDERGRADS participate in aseries of international business,international affairs, and

artistic/cultural events as well as globaliza-tion seminars. They also acquire practicalintercultural business, leadership, andcommunication skills through training inmultinational teamwork, cross-cultural

negotiations, networking, and effectivepresentation skills. The GSC Program alsooffers a host of networking opportunitiesfor students to connect with internationalbusiness professionals. GSC graduateChristopher Garner (’08) says, “The pro-gram empowered me to become a globalcitizen. The workshops, lectures, and otherevents were eye-opening and gave me aunique perspective on my place in theinternational landscape.”

“The program is ideal for studentsinterested in studying abroad or who haverecently returned from studying abroad as

well as for those who might be unable tospend a semester away but wish to exploreother cultures,” says Coordinator Yan. Theimpetus for the Global Student Certificatecame from Emanuel Saxe DistinguishedProfessor of Finance Terrence Martell, thedirector of the Weissman Center, and hasbeen actively supported by Baruch alumni,including the late VictorBesso (’47), HowardSmith (’65), andNorman Vale (’52).

Upon completion ofthe program, studentsare awarded a GlobalStudent Certificate fromthe Weissman Center—a nice addition to theirresumes. To earn a cer-tificate, students arerequired to attend aminimum of 10 desig-nated GSC events during the academic year and complete aCapstone Project.

“The GSC Programhad me participate innumerous intellectualactivities that helped moldmy opinions on interna-tional policies,” says stellarprogram graduate DeniseNolasco (’08). “When I

joined the program, I was the presidentof Baruch’s Model United Nations(MUN). MUN’s mission is to help stu-dents get a better understanding of thesocial, political, and geographical situa-tion in the world by engaging them inissues of today’s foreign politics. TheGSC Program provided me with thesuperior global exposure that guided meand my MUN team to success.” Sincegraduating the GSC Program, Nolascocoordinated the visit of the DominicanRepublic’s president to Baruch College inSeptember 2006, interned at the NewYork State Senate in Albany, and in theDominican Republic in summer 2007,coordinated a program to prepare highschool students for college-level work andhelped develop that country’s first bache-lor’s program in environmental studies.

Professor Martell spoke the truth at theGSC’s 2007 graduation when he said, “Thegraduates of this program are the face of the21st century.” —DIANE HARRIGAN

TUNISIAN BUSINESSWOMAN RYMBedoui (MBA ’97) has potent advicefor burgeoning international entrepre-

neurs: “I encourage anyone who has an ideato just try to make it become reality, nomatter what other people might thinkor say.” The 33-year-old managingdirector of Bedoui International and itsU.S. subsidiary, Sultan’s Finest Foods,recently launched Sultan’s FinestHalva, a traditional ethnic confectionmade from ground sesame seeds.Currently, it exports products to theUnited States, Kuwait, Asian countries,and, soon, Latin America.

The recipe for the sugar-free, cholesterol-free koshertreat encompasses knowl-edge that has been passedon from generation to gen-eration. Bedoui’s productiondirector is a third-generation

halva cook, with a son following closely in his footsteps. “I have always wanted to be inbusiness, specifically international business,”Bedoui says. “I developed the food businessbecause I saw an opportunity to export

premiumMediterraneanproducts tomarkets withexisting demand.Adapting tradi-tional productsto new trendsfor internationalconsumers isdefinitely themost interesting

part of the business.” Bedoui credits sup-portive parents with teaching her thatnothing is beyond her reach. She is the

daughter of a career diplomat father and amother who earned an accounting degree inthe 1960s—when most Arab women weren’teven permitted to attend school—and wenton to work as an accountant with BritishPetroleum in Tunisia.

Bedoui also volunteers her time to mentoryouthful entrepreneurs, servesas an executive boardmember with the TunisianAmerican Chamber ofCommerce, and is activewith the Institute of ArabLeaders. “I always advise youngentrepreneurs to look at their local market andthen think of expanding internationally. First,they need to ensure the quality of their product;then they need to understand their market anddetermine if they possess the financial meansto work with international clients. Sometimes it is better to enter international markets as asecond step.” —LARA MOON

The GLOBAL STUDENT CERTIFICATE Program“IN TODAY’S GLOBAL ECONOMY, THE SKILLS NEEDED TO WORK INdifferent cultures are becoming indispensable,” explains Baruch’sGlobal Student Certificate (GSC) Program Coordinator Lancia Yan.To encourage the development of those skills and to leverageBaruch’s diversity, the Weissman Center for International Businessbegan offering the GSC Program in 2005. This interdisciplinary,co-curricular program for undergraduates builds appreciation forvarious cultures and for their idiosyncratic business practices.

“The GSC Programhad me participate innumerous intellectualactivities that helpedmold my opinions oninternational policies.”– D E N I S E N O L A S C O ( ’ 0 8 )

S E S A M E S E E D S F I T F O R A S U LTA N : R Y M B E D O U I ( M B A ’ 9 7 )


VANJA R. SAVVA (’02) Manager,TFI Public Company Limited, Nicosia, Cyprus

Rym Bedoui (MBA ’97), managing director of BedouiInternational, exporter of Mediterranean foods.

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AN OFFHAND SUGGESTION from afriendly editor at a photo agencywas enough to send freelance pho-

tojournalist JoMarie Fecci (’86) into theformer Yugoslavia in the winter of 1990,on the eve of the country’s descent intocivil war. “After finishing my graduateprogram [at Georgetown University’sSchool of Foreign Service], I was hopingto go to either Peru or Algeria,” saidFecci, who studied conflicts in both

countries as a graduate student andhoped to land a long-term assignmentworking in either.

“One editor who liked my work toldme, ‘No one is interested in Peru orAlgeria. There’s going to be a civil war inYugoslavia though, and you should gothere if you’re interested in this topic.’”His prompt made her one of the firstAmerican journalists on the scene as thecountry fragmented under the weight ofprotests and demonstrations. It also gaveher the chance to launch a career dedicat-ed to giving “a voice to people who areunheard,” as she explains it.

Fecci’s passion for documenting thelives of civilians in the midst of armedconflict has taken her to some of theworld’s most notorious war zones, includ-

ing southern Lebanon, where generationshad been born into a long-running war.One of her most memorable encounters asa photojournalist occurred in that region,where she met a father and son who wereboth part of an Irish army unit posted inthe region for more than 30 years. “Theyhad a very good relationship with theLebanese community, and they were ableto bridge so many gaps because of theirown Irish history of conflict,” she recalls.

That experience and others like itinspired her to try her hand at focusingon the issue of families separated by war, asubject she explored in-depth in a docu-mentary film entitled Western Sahara:Africa’s Last Colony. Working with friendand co-producer Shantha Bloemen, Feccicreated a film that follows the trail ofAmma Didi, a Sahrawi woman separatedfrom her daughter for more than 30 yearsby Morocco’s occupation of her tiny birthcountry. With 160,000 Sahrawi living inrefugee camps and a struggle for inde-

pendence that was all-but-unknown tothe outside world, Fecci says she wasinspired to tell the story in a way thatwould prompt action.

“As a young idealistic person, I wantedto tell untold stories so that no one wouldsay, ‘We didn’t know,’” says Fecci of herreasons for getting involved in photojour-nalism. But she became frustrated with thefield, feeling that her work “didn’t makemuch of a difference.” So she switched todocumentary filmmaking. “You’ve gotenough time, and you’re not constrainedby someone telling you who can speak andwho can’t speak.”

With Justice for Darfur, a new docu-

mentary about the conflict in southernSudan in postproduction, and a new proj-ect about young French musicians in themulti-ethnic Parisian suburbs under devel-opment, Fecci says she still feels inspired totell the stories of the neglected from allcorners of the globe. “When you’reinvolved and covering these issues, youhave a certain amount of passion for thesubject. You’re going to have strong humansympathy for your subjects. You’d have tobe awfully jaded to think this is boring.”—OLAYINKA FADAHUNSI

Taking a Shot at an Indifferent World:Photographer and Filmmaker JoMarie Fecci (’86)

Fecci’s passion for documenting the lives of civiliansin the midst of armed conflict has taken her to some ofthe world’s most notorious war zones.

This montage of JoMarie Fecci’s photojournalism includes poignant images of civilians fleeing armed conflicts in Armenia, soldiers and children interacting in Bosnia,and an artillery training station at an army camp in the United States.

WHEN JOSEPH ONOCHIE WAS Ayoung man in Nigeria, hedreamed of

becoming wealthy inhis country’s boom-ing oil industry. As afirst step, he earned abachelor’s degree inpetroleum engineering fromthe University of Ibadan, one ofAfrica’s premier institutions of higherlearning. “The last thing I wanted wasto teach,” he says, gazing around hisbook-strewn office.

The road he took to becoming anassociate professor of finance and aca-demic director of the Zicklin School’sExecutive MBA Program was a cir-cuitous one, to say the least. It passedthrough New Orleans, where he livedfor 11 years and attended Tulane, earn-ing an MBA, and the University ofNew Orleans, where he earned a PhDin financial economics.

These days, Onochie teaches invest-ments, risk management, and businessstrategy to students pursuing Wall Streetcareers. “These are students who are toughand pragmatic,” he says of Zicklin’sExecutive MBA candidates. “They don’thave patience. It’s not for the fainthearted.We have to teach them things on Saturdaythat they can use on Monday.”

Onochie is also interested in economicdevelopment. He would like to see Africannations emerge from poverty and depend-ence on international loans and subsidies.Economic development, he suggests, meansmore than “paved roads and irrigation proj-ects.” It also requires mature financialinstitutions, including stock markets thatmake it possible to raise capital and expandbusiness activity. “How do I raise capital inthe Ivory Coast or Senegal?” he asks. “It’s apressing issue.” Some African countries,like Botswana, have made a good start, hesays, while others are getting nowhere.

“Mozambique started a bond market, butit’s not working.”

As a first step, Onochie is planning totake a look at the factors that promote the

success of fledgling capital mar-kets versus those that retard theirgrowth. He thinks there is plentyof data available at the WorldBank and the UN. “I’d like tojumpstart something,” he says.“My job is to synthesize informa-tion and get it to policymakers.”

It is a formidable undertaking.Onochie knows as well as anyonethat well-functioning capital mar-kets, political stability, education,and dependable legal systems areall interrelated. Nor is he deni-grating the importance of those“irrigation projects.” But,Onochie argues, African nationshave much to gain from replicat-ing what Wall Street does. Allover the world, he says, there is

“a lot of money out there looking for ahome.” With better functioning capitalmarkets, more of it would flow to Africannations. —ZANE BERZINS

WILLIAM MACAULAY (’66, LDH [Hon.] ’07) Chairmanand CEO of First Reserve Corporation and Philanthropist,with a $30-million gift in support of the Macaulay HonorsCollege at CUNY

“Essential to success in the investment world is the abilityto understand multi-cultures, because the whole world isbecoming more and more international. In the case of my ownfirm, probably 10 years ago, perhaps 20 percent of what wedid was outside the U.S and today it’s half. In terms of ouractual companies, more than half their revenues are derived outside the U.S. Havinga broader understanding of the world, which Baruch students get from their fellowstudents, is a plus.”

FROM A TICKER INTERVIEW, OCTOBER 15, 2007

Tackling International Economic Development FINANCE PROFESSOR JOSEPH ONOCHIE

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Onochie would like to see African nationsemerge from poverty and dependence oninternational loans and subsidies.

INTERNATIONAL ALUMNI GROUPS


Dean Birdsell explains that the trip cameabout from a series of inquiries from for-eign academics. It became apparent thatBaruch faculty shared a great many inter-ests with their counterparts at ShanghaiJiao Tong University (SJTU). “So webegan talking with them about a jointconference on municipal services,”Birdsell says. “We met with our counter-parts and presented papers that describeda portion of public regulation, publicmanagement, human service delivery, andnonprofit organizations and tried to makecomparisons to what was happening inother nations and what might be of mostinterest to China.”

Needless to say, it was a busy week.“We arrived on Wednesday and had the

conference at SJTU on Thursday andFriday,” Birdsell says. Some of the contin-gent had the weekend off, but Birdsell,along with Professors Doug Muzzio andBin Chen, went to Tongji University andthen Shanghai University of Finance andEconomics. Birdsell lectured at both insti-tutions. “We also spoke with administra-tors and faculty of the School of PublicAffairs at Fudan University and East ChinaNormal University,” he says.

Amidst the lecturing, there was time toexperience some Chinese pomp and cir-cumstance as well. Baruch Professor BinChen, born and educated in China and aformer Shanghai government employee,worked hard to set up a meeting with gov-ernment personnel and succeeded in

arranging a luncheon at the Ritz Carltonwith the former deputy mayor ofShanghai. “As the car rolled up, we saw afull military color guard in formation infront of the hotel,” recalls Birdsell. “Inside,the corridor was lined with pinstripeddiplomats gesturing graciously toward aballroom where a row of chairs was set upin head-of-state-style formation.” TheBaruchians met with former DeputyMayor Jiang, now chairman of the People’sConsultative Committee, one of the tophalf-dozen positions in the Chinese gov-ernment. “This was a big deal meeting,”Birdsell says. “We were even on theShanghai evening news.”

This trip was just the first step in Baruch’semerging relationship with Chinese institu-tions. In Spring 2008, the College will hostSJTU faculty for a conference addressing

urban services for the elderly in Shanghaiand New York. “We are exploring studentand faculty exchanges in an active way aswell,” Birdsell says.

With all the official business, there was-n’t much time for sightseeing during thetrip. But Birdsell visited and marveled atthe centuries-old Yu Yuan Gardens with itsbridges, ponds, rosewood tearooms, anddragon walls. It was a tiring, satisfying, andexhilarating trip. “The level of energy thereis incredible,” says Birdsell. “The sense ofurban striving is very much like that inNew York City.” —WARREN SCHULTZ

CARMENZA CESPEDES ( ’96) is today a senior manager in BarclaysBank, based in London. She completed an MBA in 2005 and has ascendedthe corporate ladder quickly. Currently, she is launching a new product—afootball-affinity credit card—for the bank. And yet, Cespedes’ Peace Corpsdays in Panama are anything but remote. “It was a major influence in my life,”she said via transatlantic phone. She is very interested in economic development. “Both poorand middle-class people need access to credit formation,” Cespedes says. “That means mort-gages, business loans, credit cards. Economic growth depends on the movement of capital.”

ANA MARTINEZ ( ’98) , herself the child of immigrants, reports that herfamily “thought I was crazy” when she joined the Peace Corps in 2002 towork in El Salvador as a municipal development officer. “They thought I

should be going out and making money,” she says. But she is proud of herservice, proud to have been a role model to young women who had fewer

options and less independence in life than she did. Martinez, now working as a managementanalyst at the Mt. Sinai School of Medicine, says the Peace Corps changed her. “I’m less con-cerned with my shoes, my hair, my makeup,” she says.

The Peace Corps also changed the life of ELIZABETH CHOW (’97), whoserved in Uzbekistan as a community health educator. Chow became deeplyattached to her host family and still keeps in touch with them. Chow herselffirst came to the U.S. at the age of 15 from Myanmar. She “felt very fortu-nate to be in America,” she says, and joined the Peace Corps in part because shewanted to give something back to her new homeland. For Chow, service to others has becomea habit and a way of life. After the Peace Corps, she became a crisis coordinator in the post-Katrina relief effort and,after that, joined theAmeriCorps VISTAprogram, working forthe New York CityCoalition AgainstHunger. “I have a hip-pie mentality,” she sayswith a smile. “I careabout the human con-dition.” —ZANE BERZINS

T he Peace Corps is a transformative experience for everyonewho serves in it, and Baruch alumni are no exception.Regardless of how their paths diverged in later years, Baruch

graduates who spent two years as Peace Corps volunteers will tellyou that the experience affected them profoundly.

AS CHINA EMERGES from centuries of internationalisolation, Baruch College is poised to play a prominentrole in the country’s academic future. Last spring, a

contingent of eight Baruch faculty members, led by School of Public Affairs Dean David Birdsell, traveled to China topresent papers at several of Shanghai’s leading universities.

BARUCH HAS ALUMNI CHAPTERSthroughout the world. These organ-

izations bring together alumni who livein the same geographic area or whoshare interests. Getting involved is agreat way to network and make friendswith people who share your connectionto Baruch. Check out this list. Theremay be a group in your vicinity.

BARUCH-IN-CHINA Contact ProfessorAvner Wolf at [email protected]–IN–HONG KONG Contact CindyFung (EMS ’03) at [email protected] Contact NachumOren (’03) at [email protected] Contact KevinHo (’05) at [email protected] Contact Felix Hsu (’04)at [email protected] or CooperLiao (’04) at [email protected] BUSINESS ALUMNI (IBA)*Contact Lene Skou at Baruch College’sWeissman Center for InternationalBusiness at [email protected] Mark Santus (MBA ’00) [email protected].

Nothing in your neck of the woods?To start a new organization, alumniare encouraged to contact the Officeof Alumni Relations by [email protected].

*IBA was created to benefit Baruch graduates who majored in internationalbusiness/marketing or who are currentlyworking in international business or oversees.

PEACE CORPS ALUMNAE: Out to Change the WorldTheEmergingCHINESECONNECTION

“We are exploring student and facultyexchanges in an active way.” — D E A N DAV I D B I R D S E L L

TOP LEFT: In a formal ceremony, School of Public AffairsDean David Birdsell (left) meets former DeputyMayor of Shanghai, Chairman Jiang.

BELOW: School of Public Affairs Professor Steve Savas isphotographed during his side trip to Tibet.

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Elizabeth Chow (’97) (far right),who served in Uzbekistan as acommunity health educator,working side by side with thelocals on farm chores.

ROBERT R. GARLANDAn active member of Baruch College’sExecutives On Campus (EOC) program,Robert R. Garland, a retired national man-aging partner of Deloitte & Touche,Assurance, Accounting, and AdvisoryServices, died last July. “Bob was a mentorfrom the time the EOC program starteduntil this year,” remembers Executives OnCampus Director Yvell Walker Stanford. “Healways volunteered to help in any way hecould: mentoring, lecturing, as a panelistin Career Hour, speaker at FreshmanSeminar classes and to LearningCommunities. We lost a truly wonderfulman; he will be greatly missed.” Garland,who gave so generously of his time toBaruch, was an alumnus of the Universityof Colorado. He was an expert in account-ing, auditing, business ethics, internationalbusiness, and real estate.

In Memoriam

B URT BEAGLE was induct-ed posthumously into theNew York City Basketball

Hall of Fame in a ceremony hostedby the New York Athletic Club onSept. 20, 2007.

Beagle, who worked everyBaruch men’s basketball game as astatistician between 1969 and2006, was inducted with the 2007class that featured such prominentbasketball celebrities as WalterBerry, Ed Pinckney, MarioElie, and college coachBobby Cremins.

Beagle attended Baruchwhen it was the businessschool of City College. Anaccounting major, he graduated in 1956 with a Bachelor of BusinessAdministration degree. He passed away in February 2007 from cancer.

Ray Rankis, the men’s basketballcoach at Baruch and a longtimefriend, accepted the induction onbehalf of Beagle. “Burt was a proud

New Yorker and loved to documentthe sports history of New York basket-

ball,” said Rankis. “If he were with ustoday, the induction would have beenone of the finest moments of his life.”

—JOHN NEVES

Hall of Fame Recognition for BURT BEAGLE (’56)


Faculty&StaffNewsWhat’s His Line? Queueing Theorist WILL MILLHISER

Abe Turns 90, But Who’s Counting?

“There’s an energy in the Baruch class-room I’ve never experienced before. It’swhat I’d always hoped teaching could bebut never had quite attained,” saysMillhiser. An expert in queueing theoryas well as an avid outdoorsman, Millhiserhas taken an unusual path to the collegeclassroom.

As an engineering undergrad at LehighUniversity, Millhiser discovered both hisfascination for queueing theory and hislove of teaching. “Industrial engineeringstudents were required to take StochasticModels. And it was the queueing theoryunit in this class that changed my life.Suddenly, I started seeing queues every-where: the registrar’s office, the bookstore,the ATMmachine. Ibecame obsessedwith queuedesigns. Mybuddies—most-ly engineers—listened to longorations aboutqueueing theory as we stoodin lines at dining halls andski resorts.” A stint as drummajor of the university’smarching band firmly plant-ed in his mind the idea of acareer in teaching.

But Millhiser decided todo “the right thing”—justify his expensiveeducation—by putting it to use in corpo-rate America when he graduated. Hebecame a systems analyst for AT&T. “Forevery month of those four years, I had twothoughts: I want to teach and I want a lot

ESPN would have viewers believe that among life’s greatest thrills are extremeskiing at New Hampshire’s Tuckerman Ravine and hiking the Continental DivideTrail. Assistant Professor of Management Will Millhiser wouldn’t disagree (he’sdone both), although he’d add one other: teaching at Baruch.

more time to ski.” He finally addressedboth those needs by taking a job as a skischool instructor at Brighton Ski Resort in

Utah. But once his desire toski was partially satiated (hegot 128 days on the slopeshis first year), he knew heneeded more. His nextturn: teaching high schoolmathematics. When aca-demic ambition returned,he signed on to a PhD pro-gram at Case WesternReserve University to study

operations research.Today, Millhiser is a recognized expert

in the field of queueing networks. Sowhat’s queueing all about? It’s the mathe-matical study of waiting lines. Queueingtheorists design mathematical models that

take into account several related randomprocesses in order to help businesses andother agencies allocate the resources need-ed to efficiently and profitably provideservice to customers. Applications areeverywhere, from airlines, to supermarkets,to call centers, and beyond.

“Basic queueing models used in indus-try have been known for 50 years,”

explains Millhiser,“but the area of theeconomics of queuesis still beingexplored. . . . Whatprices should becharged to optimizethe revenue to acompany? There’snot only a mathe-matical side to thisresearch but psycho-logical and market-ing sides.” Millhiserand his Baruch col-leagues are rightnow exploring theintersection ofqueueing theory,scheduling theory,

and dynamic pricing (what airlines havebeen doing for years) to improve theresponsiveness and efficiency of healthcare delivery. Their research may one dayoffer answers to fast-approaching healthcare dilemmas, as Baby Boomers demandthese limited services at greater rates.

But are cutting-edge research andteaching enough for Millhiser? “It’s hard tosit still sometimes. But there are no twodays in the classroom that are the same,and the research is always evolving. . . .There are the Donald Trumps of thisworld, and they are all about the dollars.And then there are the Will Millhisers, andthey want to explore life and keep learningand keep growing.” —DIANE HARRIGAN

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Faculty&StaffNews

Baruch College has been both Briloff ’shome and launching pad into the publicarena since the 1930s, whenhe was the prize pupil of therevered Emanuel Saxe (’23).Briloff was appointed to thefaculty full time in 1944; hewas named Emanuel SaxeDistinguished Professor ofAccountancy in 1976; and, in 1987, heofficially retired. But his has been anextremely active retirement. Though he is

A braham J. Briloff (’37, MSEd ’41), Emanuel Saxe DistinguishedProfessor of Accountancy emeritus, celebrated his 90th birthday onJuly 19. Baruch College joined in the congratulations with a luncheon

held at Rolf’s. Briloff, who has been called “the most famous accountant inthe world” and “the philosopher-king” of his profession, has been an inspira-tion and a moral beacon to generations of students and practitioners.

90 years old and clinically blind, Briloffpublishes his observations regularly in

Accounting Today andother periodicals. He isbest known for his booksEffectiveness of AccountingCommunication (1967),Unaccountable Accounting(1972), More Debits Than

Credits: The Burnt Investor’s Guide toFinancial Statements (1976), and The TruthAbout Corporate Accounting (1981).

Among those attending his birthdaybash, Baruch College President KathleenWaldron said of the revered Briloff, “Hecontinues to meet and speak with students,inspiring them to be critical thinkersgrounded in factual analysis. He is anextraordinary man, teacher, accountant,and friend. He’s an institution.”

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Friends Arthur Ainsberg (’68, MBA ’72) (left) andCharles Dreifus (’66, MBA ’73) (right) celebrated withProfessor Briloff.

CHOOSING HIS LINE: Management Professor Will Millhiser on the slopes inUtah (left) and in Grand Central Terminal (above).

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Faculty&StaffNews


Faculty&StaffNews

According to your research, a tenth of theworld’s population lives in coastal areas 10 meters or less above sea level. Why isthat a concern?Those areas are highly vulnerable to therising sea levels and cyclones linked to climate change. They are also urban anddensely populated. We live in the urbancentury, so we can expect more coastal city dwellers.

People are migrating coastward?Yes. Coastal environments are extremelyattractive to human settlement and havebeen historically, which is why they aredisproportionately urban. China is agood recent example: its explosive eco-nomic growth has been accompanied byhuge migrations of people from the inte-rior to low-lying coastal cities. But theproblem goes far beyond China. Three-quarters of the world’s countries withmore than 100,000 people have somepart of their largest city in low-elevationcoastal zones. Almost two-thirds of urbansettlements with populations greater than5 million lie at least partly in low-elevationcoastal zones.

What are the specific dangers?Flooding, storm surges, erosion of the coast-line, and other environmental damage. Andas more people settle in these urban coastalareas, the population will likely place anincreasing burden on local ecosystems,which are potentially protective against cli-mate-related hazards, such as flooding.

But isn’t climate change a greater concernfor rural areas than for cities?It depends. Many people associate climatechange with islands sinking into the oceanor farmlands becoming less arable—allexpected, in many localities. But there arealso serious implications for urban areasbecause they are densely populated andcoastal and some deltaic. Look whatoccurred recentlywith Katrina.Climate change is along-term concernrequiring a long-termsolution. But the plan-ning horizon of cities tendsto be very short.

Are certain regions more vulnerablethan others? Most future urban growth will occur inAfrica and Asia, but we can’t say for surewhich cities will grow fastest or exactlywhere the migration patterns will originate.We can’t even say which cities are growingprimarily from migration and which fromthe fertility of the existing population. Butsome things are certain: climate change hasbeen brought about largely by the behav-iors of the industrialized nations, and it’sthe poorer nations that may have a greaterburden from its consequences.

What can be done to mitigate the risks?One obvious approach would be to encour-age movement away from the coast in themost risk-prone areas. Yet more important

may be modifications to the urban settlements themselves: making newinvestments in appropriate infrastructureand services, enforceable regulations, andeconomic incentives to attract populationand businesses to safer ground. Cities arevibrant and dynamic. It’s time to viewthem—and their built environments—asoffering new types of solutions and thenimplementing those solutions.

A Dialogue with DEBORAH BALKBy BRUCE FELTON

C limate change is a global problem. But, in the coming decades, it is likely

to wreak havoc on the regions where the world’s fastest population growth

is taking place. Deborah Balk, associate professor in Baruch’s School of

Public Affairs and associate director of CUNY’s Institute for Demographic Research,

is the co-author of a new study that examines the situation through the lens of

demographics, earth science, and the environment.

Inside the Music of BrianWilson: The Songs, Sounds,and Influences of the BeachBoys’ Founding GeniusBy PHIL IP LAMBERT(Department of Fine and Performing Arts)

“I’ve writtenthis bookbecause I had to know moreabout theremarkable creative spirit

behind Pet Sounds and the BeachBoys,” says Lambert in his pro-logue. “I wanted to know everydetail about Brian Wilson’s music before and after his mag-num opus.” For those who shareLambert’s fascination, this

in-depth survey is invaluable. Rather than concentrate on the

well-publicized personal life of thereclusive composer, Lambert focuseson Wilson’s creative life andgroundbreaking musical output. Heliterally charts the influences thatshaped the artist as a young man,using graphs of chord progressionsand lists of the era’s hit songs. LaterLambert thoroughly analyzes eachalbum and almost every songrecorded by Wilson and the BeachBoys with special attention paid toPet Sounds and Smile. Appendicesinclude a comprehensive “BrianWilson Song Chronology” and“Favorite Songs and InfluencesThrough 1961.” This is a must-have for collectors of Wilsonia. —MARINA ZOGBI

The Broken StringBy GRACE SCHULMAN(Department of English)

Reading a poem is like going to anexpensive restaurant. Very few doit daily, some occasionally, andothers not at all. In today’s world,fiction and nonfiction vie for mostreaders. For those who indulge in

poetry, though,much is expectedof the experience.And for them,CUNYDistinguishedProfessor GraceSchulman’s sixth

collection, The Broken String(Houghton Mifflin), is like diningat the Four Seasons.

Schulman’s poetic speakers findbeauty in nature and works of art,not unexpectedly in music, as theopening title poem suggests. “TheBroken String” begins by recount-ing violinist Itzhak Perlman’swillingness to play a concertodespite a missing string: “Rageforced low notes / as this surfcrashes on rock, turns, and lifts. /Later, he smiled and said it’s whatyou do: / not just play the score,but make new music / with whatyou have, then with what you haveleft.” What’s left is for us to deter-mine—with Schulman as our guide. —DIANE HARRIGAN

Securities Arbitration Desk ReferenceBy SETH L IPNER(Department of Law)

Drawing upon decades of experiencein effectively representing persons

in securities arbi-trations, BaruchProfessor of LawSeth Lipner andUniversity ofOklahomaCollege of Law Professor

Emeritus Joseph Long haveauthored the 2007 edition ofSecurities Arbitration Desk Reference(Thomson-West). This publicationcombines securities arbitration lawand rules for self-regulating organi-zations (the Financial IndustryRegulatory Authority, or FINRA),pertinent securities statutes and reg-ulations, Uniform Securities LawActs, and relevant broker-conductrules. The text of each statute andrule is followed by expert commen-tary and practical suggestions, aswell as extensive citations and refer-ences to interpretive material andcase law. This book has been called“an essential reference book whichall attorneys should bring to thehearing.” —DIANE HARRIGAN

FOR OVER A DECADE, the blind, Viking-clad man known as “Moondog” could be found on thecorner of Manhattan’s 6th Avenue and 54th Street. To passersby, he may have seemed like astreet person (in his case, a street personage, so recognizable and often photographed), but he

was in fact also a notable composer, musician, poet, and inventor.Until the publication of Moondog: The Viking of Sixth Avenue

(Process Media), by Assistant Professor of English Robert Scotto, thedetails of Louis Thomas Hardin’s life were not fully known. Scotto’sbiography, 20 years in the making, tells the story of a musically pre-cocious boy, born in Kansas in 1916 and blinded in an explosivesaccident at age 17, who studied music in Iowa and Tennessee andcame with one month’s rent to New York City to be closer to theclassical music scene. By the late 1940s, his music was played bythe New York Philharmonic and released on the Prestige jazz label. Inthe fifties, the Beat Generation embraced him; in the sixties, hebecame a pop music sensation and simultaneously an influence onsuch prominent musicians and composers as Steve Reich andPhillip Glass. Unbelievably, during these years, this pioneer of mini-malist music was most often homeless. In the last decades of hislife (Moondog died in 1999), he became a master composer for

European orchestras, mainly living and working in Germany.If one reads biographies for entertainment, enlightenment, name-dropping (Moondog’s friends

include Arapaho Indian Chief Yellow Calf and Julie Andrews), or sheer admiration of human fortitude,then Moondog: The Viking of Sixth Avenue won’t disappoint. —DIANE HARRIGAN

Moondog: The Viking of Sixth AvenueBy ROBERT SCOTTO (Department of English)

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ClassNotes

N.Y.C. Hospitals Corp. Personnel ReviewBoard. RICHARD SAVA and his wife,Harriet, recently retired to Tampa, Fla.

SANDFORD BLITZ owns EmesbeeAssociates, which helps public and

private institutions get government grantsand loans and devises economic developmentstrategies. In October he was appointedregional administrator of the U.S. SmallBusiness Administration in New England.

RICHARD P. RANDALL wasappointed as an independent

member of the board of directors of theHome System Group, an internationalmanufacturer and distributor of homeappliance products, as well as the chair-man of its new audit committee. He is

currently chairman of the audit committeefor Steve Madden Ltd.

JEFF DANOWITZ recently acceptedthe position of director of market-

ing for Baruch College. Danowitz has hadover 25 years of experience at major advertis-ing firms overseeing client direct marketingefforts. He has also held leadership positionsat the Direct Marketing Association andDirect Marketing Club of New York.

GEORGE W. FINA, president ofMichael C. Fina Co., is a recipient

of the 2007 Ernst & Young Entrepreneurof the Year Award.

In February NEIL J. MIOTTO,CPA, was elected to the board of

directors of Micrel Inc., a provider of com-munications IC solutions. He is a retiredassurance partner in KPMG LLP andserved as an SEC reviewing partner.

Global management consultantBARRY HOWARD MINKIN (MBA)

has just published Ten Great Lies ThatThreaten Western Civilization. His otherbooks include Future In Sight: 100 Trends,Implications and Predictions That WillMost Impact Business into the 21st Centuryand Econoquake: How to Survive andProsper in the Coming Global Depression.He has been featured on Larry King Live,Smart Money, and Money Talk and quotedin the Wall Street Journal, the New YorkTimes, and Fortune. He was formerly withthe Stanford Research Institute and has


ClassNotes We welcome your submissions! Contact: Office of Alumni Relations,Baruch College/CUNY, One Bernard Baruch Way, Box A-1603,New York, NY 10010-5585. Or e-mail: [email protected].

HENRY FONER is co-historian atlaborarts.org, president of the Paul

Robeson Foundation, and editorial boardmember of Jewish Currents magazine.

Founding partner of Marcum &Kliegman EDWIN J. KLIEGMAN

has been elected treasurer of Splashes ofHope, a nonprofit organization of artistswho paint murals on the walls of health-care facilities.

HELEN L. LIEBERMAN-SUPNICK

taught for 30 years until retiringin 1991. She has three children and livesin Flushing, N.Y.

THEODORE SCHNOLL was induct-ed into the Varsity Alumni

Association of CCNY’s Athletic Hall ofFame for lacrosse.

HAROLD I. GERINGER is seniorpartner in Geringer & Dolan LLP,

a New York City law firm specializing inestate planning and administration and inNASD security arbitration. He would liketo hear from members of Saxe ’53 and canbe contacted at 212-682-7050. AARON

RUBIN recently relocated to Trilogy atVistancia in Peoria, Ariz., a new seniorcommunity in the Phoenix area.

HAL THAU (profiled in the sum-mer 2007 issue of BCAM) was

onstage at the 2007 Tony Awards in Junewhen Spring Awakening won for BestMusical. The hit show, which Thau co-produced, won eight awards in total.

ELLIOT L. HENDLER, CPA, hasbeen promoted from principal to

partner emeritus at Friedman LLP. He is amember of the firm’s quality controldepartment and its professional-educationplanning group. In April the North

Shore–LIJ Health System opened theFlorence and ROBERT A. ROSEN (MBA’60) Family Wellness Center. Rear AdmiralRosen, a trustee of the system, spoke at theGreat Neck, N.Y., launch, which wasattended by representatives of all majorbranches of the U.S. military. Through thecenter, physicians, psychologists, and socialworkers provide health treatment at no costto local, state, and federal law enforcementofficers; veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan;and members of the reserves, Naval Militia,National Guard, service academies, andother military personnel as well as to familymembers of these personnel. The center isfunded through the Rosen FamilyFoundation and the Federal LawEnforcement Foundation.

CPA STEPHEN D. SEGER is in pri-vate practice in Delray Beach, Fla.

IRWIN WOLF is a partner in WolfWeissman CPAs, P.C., which is celebratingits 21st year in business.

ANN (SIGMUND) CAHN cites herexperience as editor in chief of The

Ticker as the start of her career in publish-ing. After holding editorial positions atCrown Publishers, William Morrow, andHarperCollins, she is retired and worksfreelance for several book publishers.RICHARD PERGOLIS, a partner in the realestate brokerage and finance firm PergolisSwartz Associates, Inc., has been named co-chair of the advisory board of the Steven L.Newman Real Estate Institute at Baruch.He has been a board member since 2000and also serves on the board of directors forPathways to Housing, which provideshousing and other services to the homeless.

Retired as city manager of NewRochelle, N.Y., PETER A. KORN is

a hearing officer for Westchester County,Westchester Medical Center, and the

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“I met with the student Lamport Leadersevery Friday night for 25 years as part ofleadership training. Sometimes I wouldn’tget home until after 2 am.”

A member of the staff and faculty from1947 through 1986, Greger had a 39-yearcareer at the College that straddled theinstitutional incarnations “City Downtown”and Baruch College. Each position, includ-ing his initial job as central treasurer, hada student relations component if not pri-mary focus.

If Greg—as his friends know him—wasdevoted to the students, the students them-selves were no less devoted to the institu-tion, the city, and him. “Baruch has always

Speaker of the “House”: House Plan and Lamport Legend Irving “Greg” Greger

“MY WIFE WAS JEALOUS of theLamport Leaders,” says Dr. IrvingGreger, executive director ofLamport House and House Planfrom 1951 to 1960 and head ofthe Lamport Leaders Societyfrom 1960 to 1974.

been characterized by student service,” hesays. For decades the student LamportLeaders were crucial to student life, first tothe management of CityDowntown’s House Plan sys-tem (known colloquially as“the poor man’s fraternity”—and sorority) and later, whenthe institution became inde-pendent of City College, asthe Lamport Leaders Society.The student group wasnamed after the first officialDowntown City student cen-ter, Arthur M. Lamport House, a five-storybrownstone mansion located off campus. Nolonger a College building, Lamport Housewas dedicated for student use in 1944.

Famous for bowties, an ever-present pipe,and a wild egalitarian streak, Greg led theLamport Leaders. By training and inclination,he’s an applied psychologist and an expert ingroup dynamics. But the students taught himas well: His Teacher’s College doctoral thesisanalyzed their training. Throughout the years,

Greg devised innovative ways and venuesto train and re-train student leaders—fortheir benefit and the benefit of the stu-

dents at large. Anyone recallFreshman Camp?

“Were there any stand-outLamport Leaders?” Greg isasked. The 88-year-old strug-gles to identify particularlynoteworthy leaders thenshakes his head, dismissingthe notion. “All the leaderswere outstanding.” For him theLamport Leaders demonstrate

what is best about the Baruch student.Not unexpectedly, Greg remains in

close contact with many former studentsand welcomes their correspondence. Youcan e-mail him at [email protected].

—DIANE HARRIGAN

*As Greg says, “Stories beget stories.” To learnmore about this wonderful man, House Plan,and Lamport Leaders, look for the House Planfeature in an upcoming issue of BCAM.

MORE THAN 400 ALUMNI and gradu-ate students attended Baruch’sExperienced Hire and Alumni Career

Fair last June. By all accounts, the event, spon-sored by Baruch’s Office of Alumni Relations,was an unqualified success. Representativesfrom about 40 companies collected resumes,met with candidates, and discussed their

employment needs. According to Darryl Lanyrafrom the public accounting firm Grant Thornton,his company was there to hire. “It’s good tosee people taking advantage of the opportu-nity,” he said.

Most participants met with five to 20 com-panies, spending an average of five to 10minutes with each. There were no reports ofanyone landing a job on the spot, but partici-pants were enthusiastic. Maida Alajbegovic(’05) majored in human resources managementbut has been working as a paralegal since grad-uation. “HR is tough to break into withoutexperience,” she said. She saw the career fair asa great opportunity to meet face-to-face withsome employers who might be hiring in thefield. John Alfonso (EMBA ’05) agreed. “This isvery impressive,” he said. “Very professional.Please stage it again.” Chances are good he willget his wish. —WARREN SCHULTZ

Career Fair Connects Employers and Alumni

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taught at St. Mary’s College, theUniversity of California at Berkeley, andCañada College. In April ChinaBiopharma, Inc. appointed JOHN F.MURRAY CFO. His experience includesimplementing accounting systems forwholesale distribution and manufacturingenterprises. In 2003 he became founderand CEO of a company specializing inthe manufacture of molded ceramic prod-ucts for the electronics and aerospaceindustries. EUGENE SILVESTER (MBA)retired as a VP at Pfizer Inc.

NOEL REITMEISTER (MBA), senior VP, Investments, at A.G.

Edwards & Sons, Inc., was elected to thecompany’s President Council for the 28thstraight year. JAIME M. WEISS is presi-dent of Jaime M. Weiss Realty Co. Inc.,located in Moonachie, N.J. He startedthe business in 1979 and is married withthree children.

NICK BRACCINO was appointedinterim CFO of Wyoming’s

Ivinson Memorial Hospital by QuorumHealth Resources.

In September JOHN NILES

CRARY (MPA) became townadministrator for Greenwich, Conn.Crary, who left a similar post in Darien,lives in Somers, N.Y. This spring JEFFREY

MENKES (MBA) took over New YorkDowntown Hospital as chief executive.He was previously a consultant forPricewaterhouseCoopers. At 32, Menkeswas the city’s youngest chief hospitalexecutive (at Elmhurst Hospital Centerin Queens) and has worked at severalmajor hospital systems since.

This past spring MILDRED

GARCIA was named president ofCalifornia State University at DominguezHills. Previously she served as president ofBerkeley College in New York and NewJersey. MANGAL GUPTA (MBA) owns andcontinued on page 28

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T HIS SUMMER MARKED the 40thanniversary of the legendary “Summerof Love,” and there were celebrations

and remem-brances all overthe country and inthe media. Onemajor exhibitiondocumenting thattime was theWhitney Museum’sSummer of Love: Art of the Psychedelic Era.Prominently featured in the show were iconicphotographs taken by alumnus Elliott Landy.

Probably best known for the cover photoof Bob Dylan’s Nashville Skyline album

(which graced theposter/program for theWhitney exhibit), Landy wasin the midst of the politicaland social upheavals of the1960s. In 1967 he beganphotographing theanti–Vietnam War move-ment and what was thenthe underground musicscene in New York City. Asdocumented on his website(www.landyvision.com), heshot everyone who wasanyone in those days,including Dylan, The Band,Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix,Jim Morrison, Van Morrison,

and Joan Baez. In 1969 he was the officialphotographer at the Woodstock MusicFestival. The extraordinary vibe of that era

is captured in his1994 bookWoodstock Vision:The Spirit of aGeneration. His otherbooks include Dylanin Woodstock,Woodstock Dream,

and Woodstock 69: The First Festival.In addition to photographing his chil-

dren and travels, Landy went on to create aseries of impressionist flower photographsand worked with motion and kaleidoscopic

photography. His pictures have been fea-tured on the covers of such publicationsas Life, Rolling Stone, and the SaturdayEvening Post and have also appeared onalbum covers and calendars and in pho-tographic book collections. There havebeen exhibitions of his work in galleries,art centers, and museums worldwide,including the New York State Museum inAlbany and the Provincial Museum ofCanada in Alberta. —MARINA ZOGBI

ABOVE: The Band back in the day.RIGHT: The cover photo for Dylan’sNashville Skyline album.

PHOTOGRAPHER

ELLIOTT LANDY (’64) DURING SIX DECADES AS AN OBSERVER, I

have met and known a myriad of account-ants—in public practice, as corporate

executives, in government positions, as teachers, andin our national and state accounting organizations. Tome, some are unforgettable and admirable. . . .

DR. EMANUEL SAXEIn September 1937, I registered for Accountancy

210 Cost Accounting at Baruch College. One had tobe impressed when Professor Emanuel Saxe enteredthe room. He was big vertically and horizontally, witha large bald head. In a crease in his vest rested asizable Phi Beta Kappa key. The class was sched-uled for two o’clock on the 14th floor facing west.The rays of the sun reflected off the facets of his PhiBeta Kappa key into my eyes, and I was hypnotized,mesmerized, and Saxenized.

It was not until October, when the sun wassetting earlier in the day, that I could see theblackboard for the first time. I was seated in thelast row, I was short, and suddenly Professor Saxefixed his stare on me. I knew I was in trouble, andI crouched behind the chair in front of me.

“Where did that little guy go?” Saxe wondered.Baruch College was tough and had strict stan-

dards. Seniors majoring in accountancy wererequired to write a baccalaureate thesis on a topicapproved by a thesis advisor. I had an evening jobwith RCA Communications, a subsidiary of RadioCorp. of America, and I requested permission towrite my thesis on Accounting and CommercialAspects of a Radiotelegraph Company.

I had been dating Claire [Rosen ’40], a coed(later, she became Claire Mason), who typed mythesis on her Underwood typewriter. On the morningof Commencement, Claire phoned me. “The NewYork Times just published the graduation awards,and we won the thesis prize.” I was curious as towho had selected my thesis. It was Professor Saxe.

During 1946 The CPA Journal, published bythe New York State Society of CPAs, announced anessay contest, and I submitted “Random Thoughts

Eli Mason (’40) Remembers Manny Saxe (’23)One of Baruch College’s most celebrated sons, Eli Mason (’40, LHD [Hon.] ’78)recently took the opportunity to write about his mentor and one of the most famousof all Baruch personages, Dean Emanuel “Manny” Saxe (’23) in Accounting Today(May 21, 2007). His essay, “CPAs I Have Known,” was so delightful that the editorsof BCAM wanted to share it with our readers.

of a Young Accountant.” I received aphone call from the editor of TheCPA Journal, Emanuel Saxe.

“Your article will be published inthe May 1946 edition of The CPAJournal; please meet me at myoffice,” he said.

When Claire had typed the arti-cle, it was black and white; the copyon Dr. Saxe’s desk was now blackand blue. “I made some changes,” he said.

“Thank you, sir,” I respectfully replied.When I was appointed to the State Board for

Public Accountancy by the New York State Board ofRegents, Emanuel Saxe was already on the stateboard.When I was nominated for the presidency ofthe New York State Society of CPAs, Emanuel Saxewas on the nominating committee.

In November 1977, I was designated co-chairman of the Third Jerusalem AccountingConference. I phoned Emanuel Saxe and toldhim, “You must come to the meeting and sit at my right hand.”

In his quixotic manner, he asked, “Why must Igo with you?” I replied, “Because I’m losing myeyesight, and because I would like you to deliver apaper on malpractice suits against accountants.”

The meeting was attended by several thousandaccountants from all parts of the world. The co-chairman was Lord Hirshfield, the queen’s personalaccountant. On the opening morning, Lord Hirshfieldwas seated in the front row. I turned to my right andsaid, “Manny, how do I address Lord Hirshfield?”Saxe replied, “You refer to him as ‘M’Lord.’

“Look Manny,” I said, “I’m not calling anyone‘M’Lord’!” Saxe replied, “Don’t ask my advice, ifyou don’t like my answers.”

So I rapped the gavel and said, “M’LordHirshfield, ladies and gentlemen.”

I have described my close relationship withEmanuel Saxe, but there were dozens of otherswho were also recipients of his largesse.Ph

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Philip Piaker [’44], who came from a working-class family in New York, attended Baruch College,received a degree in accounting, and took a jobteaching English in the New York public schools tohelp support his family. Dr. Saxe learned of an open-ing to teach accountancy at the State University ofNew York at Binghamton. He phoned Piaker, who

took the post. In time he becamechairman of the accounting depart-ment and established a CPA firm,Piaker & Lyons.

One of Professor Saxe’s brightstudents was Michael Del Guidice[’64], who graduated from Baruchwith a 4.0 average. Saxe learned ofan opening for a technical assistantwith the New York State Assembly

Ways & Means Committee and recommendedMichael, who got the job. Del Guidice worked hisway up the legislative ladder and at the pinnacleof his ascent, he became secretary to GovernorMario Cuomo. After leaving government posts, DelGuidice became senior partner of MillenniumCredit Markets LLC, an important brokerage firm.

Piaker, Del Guidice, myself, and, of course, thebrilliant Abraham J. Briloff [’37, MSEd ’41], as wellas scores of other Saxe students, were indebtedto him for his sincerity, integrity, and warmth.

He was our teacher, advisor, and friend.

As a senior partner of Mason and Company, LLP, anaccounting and tax firm formed in 1946, now mergedwith J.H. Cohn, Eli Mason has held numerous influen-tial positions in professional organizations, includingthe New York State Board for Public Accountancy, theAmerican Institute of CPAs, the National Conference ofCPA Practitioners, the Foundation for AccountingEducation, and the New York State Society of CPAs. Heand his wife are extremely active in the life of their almamater. He was the first president of The Baruch CollegeFund and subsequently named president emeritus ofthe BCF Board of Trustees. The main auditorium in theField Building (also known as 17 Lexington Avenue) isnamed Mason Hall in honor of Eli and Claire, bothClass of 1940. The couple supports the Claire and EliMason Professorship in Accountancy, and the confer-ence room on the third floor of the AdministrativeBuilding is named the Eli Mason Conference Room.

Originally published in Accounting Today, May 21,2007. Reprinted with permission.

Dean Saxe (’23)

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president—and his brother HENRY

ROBBINS (’79) is executive VP—of YaleRobbins Inc., a publisher of real estateinformation covering New York, NewJersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut,Massachusetts, Delaware, and Ohio. Inaddition to the guide ResidentialConstruction, the first ongoing subscrip-tion-based service of its kind, the companyputs out Office Buildings, Manhattan CondoBook, Co-op/Condo Directory, Condo SalesReport, and The Guide to ConstructionActivity. In 2000 Yale Robbins Inc. launchedthe Web search service MrOfficeSpace.com;the next year, the company acquiredmonthly trade publication The Cooperatorand later set up Cooperator.com andCondo-Sales.com.

PAUL SALLARULO is executive VP of Alinian Capital Group, LLP, and

chairman of the board of commissioners ofthe North Broward Hospital District. InAugust he joined the Rudy GiulianiPresidential Committee as Broward Countyco-chair. DHYANA ZIEGLER is assistant VPof instructional technology and academicaffairs at Florida A&M University inTallahassee. She spent 14 years on the facul-ty of the University of Tennessee–Knoxville,where she was professor of broadcasting andassociate director for diversity resources andeducational services. To date she is the firstand only African American elected as presi-dent of the University of Tennessee–Knoxville Faculty Senate.

CHARLES L. FRIEDMAN has beennamed principal to Schonbraun

McCann Group’s private client tax andadvisory services practice. Previously hedeveloped estate and financial planningstrategies for a regional CPA firm.

ERIC M. KIRSCH has joinedGoldman Sachs Asset Management

as head of global insurance asset manage-ment. He was previously global head ofDeutsch Asset Management’s insurancebusiness. KATHLEEN ROMAGNANO was


ClassNotes

MICHAEL FISHOFF (MBA) hasbeen CFO of Coty Inc., the fra-

grance company, since 2002. In FebruaryBARRY P. SCHAPS joined VeraSun EnergyCorporation as senior VP, logistics. Prior tothis, he was general manager, planning andportfolio strategy, of Motiva Enterprises,LLC. STEVE YAMADA (MBA), CEO andfounder of the Maypro Group, a globalsupplier of nutraceutical and specialtyingredients, was honored with the LifetimeAchievement Award at the 2007 NBJ/Newport Summit, an annual event forleaders in the health and nutrition industry.

In June ANTHONY F. MOTTA

(MBA) published the humor-ous Memoirs of a New York City Guy:Bumping My Way Through 40 Years ofPublishing. The former director of marketing services at People magazine,Motta retired as senior VP ofMendelsohn Media Research in 2004.His autobiography details growing upin the neighborhood he calls “the nick-name capital of the world,” his days asa Brooklyn Dodgers fan, army life, surviving cancer, and dealing withretirement, among other subjects.

RUTH E. ACKER (MBA) waselected president of the Women’s

City Club of New York, a nonprofit edu-cational and advocacy organization thathelps shape public policy in the city.After 20 years as a classroom businessand technology teacher for the ClarkCounty School District in Las Vegas,Nev., ROBERT BENCIVENGA accepted aposition as human resources recruitmentcoordinator for that school district.

VICTOR O. BRAXTON (MBA)was appointed assistant VP of

Selective Insurance Group. Previously hewas VP and property service team leaderfor Willis of New York, Inc.

The Public Company AccountingOversight Board (PCAOB) has

selected MARTIN F. BAUMANN as directorof its Office of Research and Analysis.He had been deputy director of theoffice since joining the PCAOB in 2006.Prior to that he was executive VP andCFO of Freddie Mac. After years work-ing for the Sony Corp. and ArthurYoung, STEVE DIAMOND opened a land-scape and tree business, which hasexpanded into a full-service cleaning anddemolition and removal company withoffices throughout Pennsylvania. FRANK

MUSTO has been elected VP/chief finan-cial officer of Franklin ElectronicPublishers, Inc. Previously he was CFOof Polarome International, Inc., a manu-facturer and distributor of flavor andfragrance ingredients. He resides in RiverEdge, N.J., with his wife and two chil-dren. In May the Kaaterskill Gallery atColumbia-Greene Community College(SUNY) featured a retrospective of mul-timedia works by MARLENE VIDIBOR

(MPA). She recently won an award fromthe New Jersey Center for Visual Artsand first prize in mixed-media from theColumbia County Council on the Arts2006 Juried Show. Vidibor, who hastaught courses in public administrationat various colleges (including CUNY col-leges), is based in Ghent, N.Y., andoffers workshops in libraries, schools,and homes.

RODNEY LOFTON, superintendentof the Trenton (N.J.) School

District, was appointed to the LeadershipTrenton board of advisors. The civic leader-ship development program is affiliated withthe John S. Watson Institute for PublicPolicy of Thomas Edison State College.JOYCE PARR recently earned a certificate in Christian ministry from the New YorkTheological Seminary. A storytelling per-former who has appeared at numerouslecture halls, museums, and libraries, Parr isthe mother of three and grandmother offour. She is currently a part-time art-teachingconsultant for the N.Y.C. Department ofEducation. YALE ROBBINS (MBA) is the

WHEN LESLIE MARTINEZ (’04) tooka part-time job as an associateat the American Museum of

Natural History’s mem-bership servicesdepartment six yearsago, she was just hop-ing to make money tocover her schoolexpenses and have alittle left over for theoccasional treat.Instead, shediscovered anenthusiasmfor history andthe naturalsciences thatled her into a career in cultural institutionadministration, one that she currently nur-tures as the coordinator for the popularNight at the Museum sleepover program.

“What made my experience at Baruchso great is that the professors are so pas-sionate about what they teach. Whetherit’s the history of industries or a politicalopinion class—the professors are so intoit. I realized that when I graduated, I want-ed to love what I do and be passionateabout my career,” said Martinez, who hadplanned on attending law school beforediscovering her interest in museums.

Born in the Bronx, Martinez spent partof her childhood in the town of Limon innorthern Honduras and grew up speak-ing both Spanish and Garifuna, anArawak-derived language spoken by theregion’s Afro-Honduran population. Shegrew up “with my mother tellingme lots of storiesand folktalesabout Garifuna peo-ple.” Because of thischildhood rich in oralhistory, Martinezcame to view historyas an integral part of

everyday life and not something restrictedto an academic environment.

Her zeal for the museum’s missionand programming was appar-ent to her supervisors, whooffered her a position in theinstitution’s marketing depart-ment after she graduated.She continued to work herway up the ladder, and whenthe museum decided torevive its dormant sleepover

program—anindoor-campingexperience thatgives families theopportunity toexplore the

museum after dark and sleep among itsexhibits—Martinez was their choice torun the program.

Martinez relishes the opportunity tospark children’s interests in history, sci-ence, and culture through the interactiveprogramming she devises. Learning tocoordinate a program that brings morethan 300 overnight visitors to the museumhas helped her hone her career interests,and she says that she looks forward todeveloping similar programs in culturalinstitutions in the future. “The kids are justso excited about the experience at night,and being able to produce a great programfor them is the most moving thing for me.”

—OLAYINKA FADAHUNSI

Learning to coordinate a programthat brings more than 300 overnightvisitors to the museum has helpedMartinez hone her career interests.

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operates Himalayan Herbs for Help, anherbal-distribution company based in OldBridge, N.J. He has previously taughtphysics at the University of Ohio inCleveland, worked as an engineering asso-ciate and a marketing manager, and owneda beauty salon. He is the founder of theJoint Committee of Indian Organizations(today known as the Federation of IndianOrganizations). CRAIG R. MORRIS, a prin-cipal in the Syosset, N.Y., firm CraigMorris & Co., was elected secretary of theNassau chapter of the New York StateSociety of Certified Public Accountants.

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If you have fond recollections of Baruch—good friends, influential classes—you maythink that these memories are lost forever,but they don’t have to be. They are all cap-tured in your yearbook. Whether you’ve lostyour copy, or simply never purchased one,we have copies waiting for you. Just let usknow which one you’re looking for.

Available years:1948 • 1953 • 1955 • 1956 • 1957 • 19581963 • 1964 • 1966 • 1969 • 1970 • 19711972 • 1973 • 1974 • 1975 • 1978 • 19791980 • 1981 • 1982 • 1983 • 1984 • 19851986 • 1987 • 1988 • 1989 • 1991 • 19921993 • 1994 • 1995 • 1996 • 1997 • 1998 1999 • 2002 • 2005 • 2006 • 2007

$45 each, money order onlyFor more information contact:Carl AylmanStudent Life, Baruch College One Bernard Baruch Way, Box B 2-210New York, NY 10010-5585Telephone: 646-312-4550

Who says you can’t reliveyour collegeyears?

Night at the Museum Coordinator LESLIE MARTINEZ (’04)

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CHERYL GAGNE (MBA) was pro-moted to associate VP of patient

care services at Southern New HampshireMedical Center. She had been divisiondirector of the medical-surgical and intensivecare units since 2000. HILARY JM TOPPER

(EMPA) is CEO and president of HJMTCommunications, LLC, a full-service publicrelations, marketing, and advertising agencyshe founded in 1992. She is the recipient ofnumerous awards and has given manyspeeches and seminars about her field.YVELL WALKER STANFORD (MPA ’99) hasjoined Baruch’s Office of CollegeAdvancement as director of the Executiveson Campus program. She most recentlyserved as a business manager with the PortAuthority of New York and New Jersey.

EWAN K. CAMPBELL was promotedto regional VP of the Landover,

Maryland/Washington, D.C., area EnterpriseRent-A-Car. Financial services corporationBB&T has promoted TIM COCHRANE

(MBA) to senior VP. He is the securitiesaudit manager in the firm’s audit/market riskdivision, based in Winston-Salem, N.C.LAWRENCE A. ROTHMAN, CFA, is the senioranalyst at DebtVisions, an independentinvestment research provider.

In March KAREN BOYKIN-TOWNS

(EMBA) was one of eight womenhonored by Lt. Gov. David A. Paterson atthe fourth annual New York State Womenof Excellence Award Celebration. The direc-tor/team leader of the Worldwide PublicAffairs and Policy Division at Pfizer Inc.,she is also on the national board of directorsfor the NAACP and is the president of theBrooklyn branch of the NAACP.

JOHN DU is a partner at Jun HeLaw Offices, a PRC-based firm

with a New York office. He focuses on representing U.S. businesses investing inChina. KERRIE P. HOLIAN is married withthree children: Grace, Colin, and Eamon.TIMOTHY W. JOHNSON was re-elected to a second term as chairman of the

Chancellor’s Parent Advisory Council(CPAC), which represents parents in allN.Y.C. public schools. In June DONNA

JONES (MPA) was appointed school super-intendent for Brentwood, N.Y., the largestschool district on Long Island. Previouslyshe was assistant superintendent for busi-ness and district operations.

STEPHEN M. SIBILIA has joinedJefferies & Company, Inc., as senior

VP and sales trader in the equity department.Previously he was an account executive atSanford C. Bernstein & Co., LLC.

PERIZAAD K. ZORABIAN (MBA)is a Bollywood actress who also

does strategic marketing for her family’spoultry business.

GARY BELL was married in 1999and has two daughters, Juliet and

Jenna. In July MICHAEL A. FOX joinedTouchstone Investments as an externalwholesaler. Previously he was senior spe-cialist in the Global Transaction ServicesGroup at Citigroup. MICHAEL STANZIONE

(MSEd) was recently appointed principalof Manhattan’s High School of Economicsand Finance. In September PATRICIA

YUNGCHEN WANG and Gordon Wah Leewere married in Great Neck, N.Y. She isthe senior financial accountant in thefinance department at WABC-TV. He isan assistant engineer for the New YorkState Transportation Department.STEPHEN M. WYSS was promoted fromsenior manager to partner at BDOSeidman, LLP. In April CPA XIAOLONG

ZHOU (MBA) was appointed CFO ofChina Agri Business. Previously he was a senior accountant with Liss OkouGoldstein Okun and Tancer CPAs P.C. in Great Neck, N.Y.


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promoted to first VP/branch coordinator ofCity and Suburban Federal Savings Bank.She joined the bank in 2000 as VP/branchcoordinator.

FRANK S. FRANKLIN (MS) washonored by the United Negro

College Fund, along with former U.S.Presidents George H.W. Bush and BillClinton, at the organization’s 63rdanniversary dinner in March. Franklin,who received UNCF’s Greater New YorkInter-Alumni Council’s DistinguishedAlumni Award, has served since 2001 asassistant to the provost/director of theSEEK program at Queens College. In histhree decades at the college, he has servedin a variety of positions, in addition toplaying an active role in his community.Waterman Interests, LLC, a commercialreal estate investment and operating com-pany, has appointed ERIC HERLANDS

director of investments. Previously heworked at Reckson Associates Realty Corp.Winn-Dixie Stores, Inc., has named DAN

PORTNOY (MBA) senior VP and chief mer-chandising and marketing officer. He mostrecently served as president and CEO ofKings Super Markets in Parsipanny, N.J.GERARD H. SCHMITT (MBA) has beennamed VP of marketing, Bethpage FederalCredit Union. He was previously VP forstrategic marketing at Austin & WilliamsAdvertising. He serves on the board ofTomorrow’s Hope Foundation.

JOAN CHIN was named seniormanager of talk channel opera-

tions at Sirius Satellite Radio. She hasbeen at Sirius for seven years and in theradio business for nearly 24 years.HONOR KREMER (MS) is licensed andactive in New York real estate. A memberof the Real Estate Board of New York andthe National Association of Realtors, shespecializes in commercial retail foodproperties.

BARBARA BREUER is owner of theGreat Frame Up, a custom framing

store and art gallery in Livingston, N.J.FABIAN VILLEGAS was named media super-visor at ID Media, the digital and directmedia services company. With 20 years ofexperience in advertising, direct mail, tele-marketing, operations, and DRTV, Villegasis the founder of LatinoDirect, Inc., a com-pany specializing in marketing productsand services to the U.S. Hispanic market.

TheStreet.com, the financial web-site, appointed STEVEN ELKES

(MBA) its first chief revenue officer andexecutive VP of mergers and acquisitions.He most recently served as the CFO ofAzoogle. This fall FRED PALM (MBA) wasappointed lecturer in public managementat John Jay College of Criminal Justice. Hewas a member of the research team fromJohn Jay that conducted the UnitedNations Crime Rate Data Study in 2005.In addition to teaching at the college since1994, he has held positions within theOffice of the New York City Comptroller.

In May EDWARD RUBIN wasnamed president of holding at

Enthrust Financial Services, Inc. Rubin,who has also been appointed to the com-pany’s board of directors, was previously adirector of holding. JEAN M. SAVITSKY,senior VP of Jones Lang LaSalle, was pro-moted to regional director. Jones LangLaSalle, a real estate money managementand services firm, has approximately 160offices worldwide and operates in morethan 450 cities in over 50 countries.

Judge JUAN MERCHAN wasappointed to New York City’s

Family Court in August 2006. He previ-ously served in the New York State Officeof the Attorney General, most recently asdeputy assistant attorney general in chargeof the Nassau County office. SUZZANNE

THOMSON QUINTERO was promoted toassistant VP and special counsel of tax,insurance, and privacy for Baptist HealthSouth Florida. She has been special counseland director at the company since 2003.

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STEADFASTNESS characterizes theBaruch College Alumni Association’snewest president, Doumer Isaac.

Isaac has been an active member of theBaruch College AlumniAssociation (BCAA) for over20 years, an employee of theNew York State Departmentof Taxation and Finance forthe past 33 years, and mar-ried for 37 years. When hesays that during his presi-dency he will “continuestrengthening the association’s bonds withthe College,” everyone believes it.

Born and educated in Haiti, Isaac cameto the United States in 1969. He graduat-ed from a city community college with anassociate degree in accounting. He thentransferred to Baruch College and in 1978received a BBA in accountancy.

When Isaac joined the New York StateDepartment of Taxation and Finance in

1975, he was a trainee tax examiner.Today, he’s audit program tax manager in the Metropolitan District Office. Isaacobtained his CPA license in 1985 and is

a member of the New York StateSociety of Certified PublicAccountants.

The new president has manygoals for himself and the BCAA.“I will work hard to make thecommittees more active—toreflect our vibrant organizationand accomplish our goals. I

encourage our registered members tobecome more involved, and, of course, wewelcome new members.” The BCAA offersmembers a vast array of networking,social, and volunteer opportunities. Eachyear over 5,000 members support theBCAA’s mission to serve the Baruch com-munity. To learn more about the BCAA,log on to www.baruch.cuny.edu/bcaa.

—DIANE HARRIGAN

New BCAA President DOUMER ISAAC (’78)The EXECUTIVES ON CAMPUS (EOC)program is dedicated toenhancing the quality ofBaruch students’ educa-

tional experience and career develop-ment. EOC members provide practical,real-world experience to help studentsdevelop a better understanding of theirgoals, the professional environment inwhich they will work, and the world inwhich they live.

EOC provides numerous opportunitiesfor experienced, successful alumni toshare their professional expertise withBaruch students. Activities include:

One-to-one mentoring through the Executive-Student Partnership

Classroom lectures

JobSmart Career Hour panel discussions

2007 EOC Marketing Competition

Baruch Entrepreneurial Network

Baruch College and Merrill Lynch IPO®

Entrepreneurship Challenge

Financial Women’s Association MentoringProgram

Club presentations

Keynote speeches

Small-group industry briefings

For more information on participating inthe EOC program, please contact the EOC office at 646-660-6098, [email protected],or visit www.baruch.cuny.edu/eoc.

Arranging matches is not just the purview ofeHarmony.com. Last September EOC broughttogether 200 students and executives for the pur-poses of establishing partnerships for its year-long mentoring program. On hand to welcomethe group were President Kathleen Waldron andEOC Chairman Richard Merians (’55).

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I N HIS SEVENTIES, famed cartoonist Mort Gerberg (’52) is not

planning on retiring any time soon—“retire” is not in his vocabulary,

he says. In fact, last year he concentrated on thinking about and

imagining—in the form of single-panel cartoons—scenes of aging, retire-

ment, and death. Gerberg also persuaded 25 of his cartooning buddies

from The New Yorker to do the same (and he informs us that “retire-

ment” isn’t in their vocabularies either, no matter their age). The result is

Gerberg’s latest, Last Laughs: Cartoons AboutAging, Retirement . . . and The Great Beyond,edited for Scribner (October 2007). This origi-

nal hardcover of 131 cartoons (nine contributed

by Gerberg) depicts the pearly gates, hell fires,

doctors, retirees, and funerals, among other

images, plus a compendium of hilarious Q&A’s

from each of the collection’s contributors. In the book’s Introduction, Gerberg writes:

“If this book has an overall message, it might beto suggest that we steer clear of the old Road ofAvoidance when we’re confronted with retiring,

aging, and dying. One alternative approach isto embrace the concept that the end of life is apart of life and deal with it as we would with any other familiarirritation such as traffic or technology—by laughing at it.”

Gerberg is best known for his magazine cartoons, which have appearedregularly in Harvard Business Review, Publishers Weekly, and Playboy as wellas The New Yorker. He has drawn several nationally syndicated newspaper

comic strips and has written, illustrated, and/oredited 40 books for adults and children. Gerbergalso creates cartoons for advertising and public relations clients. Find him online at mortgerbergbooks.com. —DIANE HARRIGAN

BPAC (Baruch Performing Arts Center) will host anevening in Gerberg’s honor on Feb. 19, 2008, at 6pm. The cartoonist-alumnus will be interviewed liveon stage. The event will include a cartoon slideshowfrom Last Laughs. For more information, visitwww.baruch.cuny.edu/bpac.

W I N T E R 2 0 0 8 33

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In August New York City Police Commissioner Raymond

Kelly announced the appointment ofANTHONY J. GARVEY (MS) as executivedirector of the New York City PolicePension Fund. Lieutenant Garvey, whowas previously president of theLieutenants Benevolent Association,began his career with the N.Y.C. PoliceDepartment in 1973.

Married in 1998, KARA LEWIS

has two children, Burnham andMacy. She teaches fifth grade at theFriends Academy in Locust Valley, N.Y.DALE MEADE has graduated from theOrlando, Fla., Sheriff Academy; he ismarried and has two children. RICK

NARDIS (MBA) was named deputy chiefinvestment officer of AlternativeInvestment Solutions, a multi-managerprovider within UBS Global AssetManagement’s Alternative andQuantitative Investments platform.RIVKA WIN was one of 25 students hon-ored in May by the East StroudsburgUniversity of Pennsylvania chapter ofSigma Xi, the international scientificresearch honor society. She completed aBS in applied mathematics at ESU andhopes to pursue a career as an actuary.JEFFREY WOO, a per diem teacher withthe N.Y.C. Department of Education foreight years, has also enjoyed a six-yearcareer in security.

JAY FREDERIK LANDAUER andElina Furman were married in

Puerto Morelos, Mexico, in May. He is aVP at Union Capital Corporation, and sheis a freelance writer and author of severalbooks. ERNEST RODRIGUEZ-NAAZ has beennamed chief development officer at theAnderson School of Management at theUniversity of New Mexico. He was previ-ously director of communications for theNew Mexico Mortgage Finance Authority,before which he was staff director for theCenter for Innovation and Leadership inGovernment at Baruch.

In July ROBERT ARBITRIO andMelissa D’Antonio were married in

Willowbrook, Staten Island. He is a seniorfinancial analyst at New York University,and she is a grade-school teacher. The cou-ple lives in Westerleigh.

This fall entrepreneur TANEKI

DACRES is launching mYYard-usa.com, a city guide and search enginefeaturing businesses owned by CaribbeanAmerican, African American, and LatinoAmerican entrepreneurs. ROMENA ROUF

has been a teacher with the N.Y.C.Department of Education since 2003.PETER SHIKAR has joined real estate firmGVA Williams New Jersey as senior salesassociate. He was previously employed byGrubb & Ellis.

CPA OREN FRANKS has been withYorkville Advisors since January

2006. Previously he was senior auditor atErnst & Young LLP. Army Reserve Spc.SUZETTE M. GRANT-BANSIE graduatedfrom basic combat training at Fort Jacksonin Columbia, S.C. MELANIE SACKHEIM

has a new position as account executivewith Alice + Olivia Fashion Company.

AARON RUSSELL (MS) andPattiann McAdams were married

in April during the Boston Marathon. Heis the executive director for the Donaldand Paul Smith Family Foundation, anonprofit that sponsors public policydebates, and is studying for a law degreeat Fordham. She is the president of theonline division of Avon Products in New York.

In May MARY-ALICE ELIZABETH

GRECO (MS) and Daniel PaulGuralchuk were married in Rosebank,Staten Island. She is an operations man-ager with Integrate Finance Limited; heis pursuing an MBA at Baruch and is aproject manager and electrical engineerwith Con Ed. LEE HAYES (MPA) has continued on page 35

enforcement and intelligence organizations.Well paced and suspenseful, An Opaque War

moves easily across multiple interwoven plotsand encourages us to ponder these questions,among others: How does the intelligence com-munity convert raw intelligence into operationsin a politicized atmosphere of uncertainty, pro-fessional risk, and competing demands? Whatcan America justifiably expect of Intelligence?And, in an “opaque war,” who are the enemiesand what do they stand for? The novel also offerssome unexpected bonuses: a concise recapping of20th-century intelligence and intelligence tech-nology and much-needed historical perspective.

Marketing from the Trenches: YourGuide to Retail Success By RUDY WALDNER ( ’88)In Marketing from the Trenches, Rudy Waldner(’88) offers important marketing tips backed bycommonsense principles, hands-on experience,and a contagious positive outlook and sense of

fun. Waldner has grown profits in single-unitbusinesses as well as multi-unit, nationwide com-

panies and has held positionsat every level, from car-washattendant to vice president ofoperations and marketing.“Success in every business isanchored by only one thing—a happy customer,” Waldner

writes. “Customer service and location drive90+% of your business. That’s the fact. So thepoint is, it really is all about you.” So what can abusiness owner do? Waldner’s three-stepapproach is self-contained and self-sufficient (nobig marketing budgets required): (1) keep yourbusiness pristine and welcoming; (2) hire theright people and treat them well; and (3) createlasting business partnerships using commonsense, manners, and follow-through. (The fourthtip might be, “Buy this book.”) Packed with car-toons and graphs, Marketing from the Trenches isfun, informative, and very readable. —DH

“It was a beautiful day at Fred HowardPark in Tarpon Springs,” says Baruch-in-Florida West Chapter Chair Larry Bendik

(’63) of the successfulJun. 10 alumni gathering.“The catered BBQ foodwas delicious; the weatherwas enhanced by a con-stant, cool breeze; and wewelcomed many first-timeattendees.” Bendik also

reports that many headed for the beachfollowing the meeting. With over 6,000Baruch alumni living all or part of theyear in Florida, BIF is a strong and robustcontingent of Baruchians.

The picnic was the first chapter event forwhich alumni were encouraged to bring thewhole family.

ABOVE: Rhoda Soskin, Harold Soskin (’66), JoeBendik, Lilly Bendik, Ramona Bendik. The lastthree are members of the Tampa Bay chair’s family:Larry Bendik’s brother, sister-in-law, and wife.

ABOVE: For alumna Joan Zacharias (MBA ’96)and her husband, Tom (shown), bringing familymeant bringing their dogs, Theo and Monk.

Gulf of Mexico Provides Setting for

Alumni Picnic01

02

04

03

Alumni Authors

An Opaque WarBy FREDERICK HARRISON ( ’55)

“The belief that ‘Intelligence’knows or should know every-thing, as it does in the moviesand Cold War thrillers, ignoresreality,” explains HannahCrossman, the main characterin An Opaque War, the firstnovel by Frederick Harrison

(’55). Hannah, an undercover agent for the CIAspecializing in international terrorism, is just oneof the smart, well-delineated characters whoselives converge at a fictionalized Fleet Week inNew York City. Is another 9/11 about to occur?

Harrison’s 30-plus years in the intelligencecommunity (in the CIA, the Office of NavalIntelligence, and the National Security Agency)allow him to create believable behind-the-sceneslives for his characters as well as portray the com-plex and sometimes dysfunctional relationshipsamong federal, state, local, and international law

00

99

98

05

Last Laughs: Cartoons About Aging, Retirement . . . and The Great BeyondBy MORT GERBERG ( ’52)

“Wait, those weren’t lies. That was spin!”

W I N T E R 2 0 0 8 35

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ClassNotes

published his third novel, The Messiah(Simon and Schuster). The author of PassionMarks (2003) and A Deeper Blue, Hayeslives in Washington, D.C. An IT consultantfor CapGemini\Sogeti, ALI KHAN owns anonprofit film production company,Foundation for Young Intellectuals (foundationyi.org). The first film he directed, 7.6,won the award for Best Short Film at theSouth Asian International Film Festival.Advanced Battery Technologies, Inc., haselected SHARON XIARONG TANG (MBA) tothe position of CFO. Previously she wasmanaging director of First Federal Group ofCompanies, Inc.

SENNGTAE CHOI is a taxaccountant for Rothstein Kass in

New York. STEPHANIE L. DAYE recentlyjoined the Alzheimer’s Association,Greater New Jersey Chapter, as its com-munications and marketing assistant.She was formerly the assistant to thedirector of alumni relations at Baruch.Families First New York announced theaddition of MEGHANN HARDESTY (MPA)as director of development and market-ing. She was previously associate directorof administration at Open Door FamilyMedical Centers. KANIKA JEFFERIES

(MPA) has been appointed New YorkState public management intern in theOffice of Mental Health, a major accom-plishment given the program’s highlycompetitive application process.

Assemblyman CARL HEASTIE

(MBA), who represents theWakefield-Williamsbridge district of theBronx, is chairman of the AssemblyRedistricting Committee. FRANKLYN

ROA is working at Baruch College in its Office of Communications andMarketing as a graphic production assis-tant. He comes to the job withexperience gained at MetaForm DesignInternational and as former staff illustra-tor for Dollars & $ense magazine. AtBaruch, he majored in design andminored in photography.

same year. The roots of New Plan Realtystretch back to Morris B. Newman’s businessas a certified public accountant and realestate broker. In 1961, when Bill Newmanwas 35 years old, he assumed control of NewPlan Realty, which became a public companythe following year. Newman dramaticallyaltered the company’s line of business andreorganized the company as a Real EstateInvestment Trust.

The Newman name has become a famil-iar one to a generation of recent Baruch grad-

uates: The College’slibrary, main campusbuilding, and real estateprograms are named forthe generous philan-thropist and membersof his family.

Baruch College’s traditional roots infinancial educationsupplied David Krell

with the tools to launch InternationalSecurities Exchange Holdings, one of thenation’s largest and the first all-electronicU.S. options exchange, which began trading in 2000.

Krell, who has taught graduate studentsat Baruch and Rutgers as an adjunct profes-sor, brokered a deal to sell the company for$2.8 billion to Eurex, which is jointlyowned by the German stock exchangeDeutsche Borse and SWX Swiss Exchange,in May and announced his plan to retire inJanuary 2008. Krell will become chairmanof the ISE Board of Directors at that time.Krell has funded the David Krell Chair inFinance at Baruch College, which is held by Associate Professor Turan Bali.

“Bill Newman and David Krell are self-made men in the best Baruch tradition,” saidPresident Kathleen Waldron.

Newman and Krell are Trustees of TheBaruch College Fund. —OLAYINKA FADAHUNSI

ALBERT ELLIS (’34), an influential andprovocative figure in psychotherapy, died inJuly at the age of 93. The founder of theInstitute for Rational Living, now the AlbertEllis Institute, he developed an approachcalled rational emotive behavior therapy inthe 1950s. This short-term treatment, whichfocused on the patient’s current situationand encouraged making immediatechanges, challenged psychoanalysis, thepopular treatment of the day. His methodshelped provide the basis for cognitivebehavior therapy and paved the way for thetype of straightforward counseling providedby television personalities such as Dr. Phil.

After graduating from what was thencalled CCNY Downtown with a degree inaccounting, Ellis pursued a career as anentrepreneur and fiction writer. In 1940 heobtained a doctorate in clinical psychologyfrom Columbia University.

According to the New York Times, Elliswas irreverent and charismatic, “the LennyBruce of psychotherapy.” In addition to col-laborating with Dr. Alfred C. Kinsey in his

groundbreaking research on sexual behavior,Ellis was the author or co-author of morethan 75 books, several of them best sellers.In 1985 the American PsychologicalAssociation presented Ellis with an award for“distinguished professional contributions.”

He is survived by his wife, Debbie Joffe-Ellis, a psychologist and former assistant.

ERWIN H. EZZES (’38) died in June. DuringWorld War II, he served as lieutenant colonel,secretary to the general staff, under GeneralEisenhower. Later he was president and CEOof United Artists Television Corp. and a con-sultant to 20th Century Fox. He is survived byhis wife, Marilyn, and two sons, Steven andJames. Gifts in his memory can be made tothe Erwin H. Ezzes Scholarship Fund, c/o TheBaruch College Fund.

SIDNEY L. GROSSFELD (’63) passed away inApril in California. A retired CPA, he volun-teered with the Carlsbad Police Departmentand with the Jewish Family Services First FiveProgram, mentoring preschool children.

In Memoriam

Philip R. Gerard ’35Silvia Willner Morrison ’35Abraham Pass ’35Morris Zirin ’35Miriam B. Feuerstein ’37Philip Defliese ’38Irwin A. Schapiro ’38H. Richard Davis ’40Arthur Fox ’40Arthur L. Kenn ’40Benjamin M. Lubitz ’40Irving Luckom ’40Jerome Silverberg ’41Sinclair Korman ’42Alexander Samuels ’42Harvey Rosenberg ’42Samuel H. Kaplan ’43Jacqueline Pavese ’46Jerome Rosen ’47Charles D. Bodzin ’48

Sidney H. Firestone ’48 Paul H. Miller ’48 Victor Pachter ’48Joseph C. Gilbert ’49Harvey Hoffman ’49Milton K. Rosenberg ’49Justin S. Tannenbaum ’49Lester Fredel ’50Norman Getlan ’50Dalton Levy ’52Joshua Grouer ’54Daniel Klinghoffer ’54Harvey A. Isaacs ’57Hans H. Sandholm ’57 Emanuel P. Somer ’57Henry W. Smerling ’59Henry M. Weintraub ’59Arthur Lorenz ’60Jee Yoon Kim MBA ’62Michael J. Seroy ’62

Terry Schenkman ’67Raymond E. Moran ’70Harold J. Pohl MBA ’74Stanley Pomerance ’74George A. Mears ’76Daniel M. Pastore ’76William W. Lord MBA ’77Richard E. McLoughlin ’78Glenn J. Gherzo ’80Carey Kalish ’80Eric Minta MBA ’80Hugh Payne ’80Edwin Garcia ’85Edith F. Manners ’86Lila Hugnou ’87Kyle J. Beard ’90Danielle Bernier ’91Leonardo Deluca ’92Simon A. Rogers ’96Elena Kasmynina ’06

E nterprising alumni in all disciplineshave followed in Bernard Baruch’s foot-steps over the years, and, as the recent

sales of two companies founded byBaruchians attest, alumni have achieved suc-cess in industriesfrom real estateto finance. BillNewman (’47,LLD [Hon.]’97), founder ofNew Plan ExcelRealty Trust Inc.(bottom right),and David Krell(MBA ’71), co-founder, president andCEO of the International Securities

Exchange Holdings Inc. (top left), eachrecently sold companies that they built fromthe ground up.

Newman’s New Plan Excel Realty Trust,one of the nation’s largest real estate invest-ment firms with a national portfolio of 467shopping centers, was acquired in April byMelbourne, Australia–based Centro WattProperties Group in a deal valued at $6.2 bil-lion. The resulting firm, now named Centro,is the fifth-largest owner of shopping com-plexes in the United States. “The transactionrecognizes the underlying value of [NewPlan’s] portfolio, in particular our operatingplatform, and accomplishes our ultimateobjective of maximizing shareholder value,”commented Glenn J. Rufrano, CEO of NewPlan Excel Realty Trust, Inc. Return on invest-ment to New Plan Excel’s shareholders was apoint of pride for Bill Newman.

Newman enrolled at Baruch at the age of15 and began working in his father’s firm the

B A R U C H A L U M S B U I L D V A L U E

Name

Name as Student (if different from above)

Phone

Address

City State Zip

E-mail

Baruch Degree and Year of Graduation

Other Degrees and Schools

Business

Professional Activity

Your News for Possible Publication in Class Notes:

R ecently married or partnered, pro-moted or relocated, added a newmember to the family, started your

own business or foundation? Share the mile-stones in your life with your old classmates,friends, and faculty members—we’re alleager to hear your good news!

SO WHAT HAVE YOU

Been Up To?

SEND YOUR NEWS TO:

Office of Alumni Relations, Baruch College/CUNY,

One Bernard Baruch Way, Box A-1603, New York, NY

10010-5585. Or e-mail [email protected].

Please complete and mail this form to the address above.

07

06

Bill Newman and David Krellare self-made men in the

best Baruch tradition.—PRESIDENT KATHLEEN WALDRON

ANYONE FAMILIAR WITH the FOX hit show So You Think You CanDance knows how much hard work and sheer talent it takes for acontestant to become a finalist. Once they’re chosen from

thousands of hopefuls, these young performers must then learnnew choreography every week and compete in a variety ofdance styles on live television, with very little rehearsal.

For Baruch junior Faina Savich, who was part of this elite group inthe show’s third season, the experience was unparalleled. “I’ve

never been in an environ-ment with so many peoplewith a dance background,”she marvels. “I learned somuch working with dif-ferent choreographers.It was amazing!”

Faina, who wasborn and raised inMoscow, is nonewcomer to theart. She beganstudying Russian

folk dancing at the age of nine, later switching toLatin ballroom. She and her brother, Stanislav (afinalist on last season’s SYTYCD), have been part-ners for over 10 years, dancing in competitionsinternationally.

After moving to New York with her family sevenyears ago, Faina attended Edward R. Murrow HighSchool in Brooklyn. For college, “I decided to studybusiness because it’s something I can use in whatever Ido,” she says. Baruch was her first choice.

After her televised crash course in various forms ofdance, Faina signed with an agency to line up performingengagements. The business management major (her GPA is3.6) also gives Latin ballroom lessons to children, teens, andadults. “I never realized how much all people like to dance,” shesays of her students. “And how much it means to people whonever danced before.” They, like many television viewers,are no doubt inspired by this gifted performer.

—MARINA ZOGBI

FAINA SAVICH: Dancing Is Her Business

W I N T E R 2 0 0 8 37

F I N A L F R A M E

Faina and her partner, Cedric, perform thefoxtrot on So You Think You Can Dance.


ClassNotes

Editors, writers, and photographers—shytypes? Hardly. The over 100 former andcurrent Tickerites who gathered on Jun. 6,

2007, in the Newman Vertical Campus to sharememories of their beloved student newspaperknew how to have a good time. (The photo evi-dence speaks for itself.) The student newspaper,published since 1932, celebrated its 75thanniversary this year.

The weekly Ticker is perhaps the best window onBaruch’s world. To test-run the online archives, go tohistory.baruch.cuny.edu.

Read All About It: TICKER ANNIVERSARY REUNION

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SEE HUNDREDS MORE PHOTOSof the event on the alumni website atwww.baruch.cuny.edu/alumni.

LEFT: Head Librarianand Chief InformationOfficer ProfessorArthur Downing (atthe podium) shows for-mer newspaper staffershow to access theTicker archive online.

ABOVE: President Waldron asked the attendees, “All who were editor in chief, raise your hand.” Laterthey all posed for a group photo.

LEFT: President Kathleen Waldron with friends Mort Gerberg (’52) (left) and Larry Field (’52, DCSc[Hon.] ’04). Gerberg created the cartoon panel City Snickers; Field was a features editor.

TOP RIGHT: Former editor in chief Ruth (Cohen)Perelson (’58) leads the group in a champagne toastin honor of the award-winning student newspaper.

RIGHT: A highlight of the evening was the Meet thePress–style panel (from left): Roslyn Bernstein, jour-nalism professor and longtime Ticker adviser andconsultant; Stewart Kampel (’59), who worked for theNew York Times for 45 years before retiring; CaitlinMollison (’90), managing editor of Crain’s InvestmentNews; Hasani Gittens (’02), night metropolitan edi-tor, The New York Post; and (not shown) AdrienneRayski, current Ticker editor in chief.

ABOVE An attention-getting easel exhibition of Ticker covers fromthe 1930s through the present lined the entrance to the reception.Shown here: Former editor in chief Morton Weinstein (’52).

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Nonprofit Org.U.S. Postage

PA I DNew York, NY

Permit No. 2414

BARUCH COLLEGE ALUMNI MAGAZINEOffice of College AdvancementOne Bernard Baruch Way, Box A-1603New York, NY 10010-5585

CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED

President, Baruch CollegeKATHLEEN WALDRON

Vice President for College AdvancementCHRIS CLOUD

T H E B A R U C H C O L L E G E F U N D

OFFICERS

LAWRENCE ZICKLIN ’57, LHD (Hon.) ’99President

ARTHUR S. AINSBERG ’68, MBA ’72MAX W. BERGER ’68CHARLES R. DREIFUS ’66, MBA ’73IRWIN ENGELMAN ’55, LLD (Hon.) ’00MARTIN E. KAPLAN ’59DOV C. SCHLEIN ’70, MBA ’75Vice Presidents

LUZ D. LIEBESKIND ’85Treasurer

BARBARA N. KENT ’59Secretary

TRUSTEESWILLIAM H. ABRAMSNATHAN ADLER ’60WILLIAM F. ALDINGER III ’69, LHD (Hon.) ’05MARTIN V. ALONZO ’52, MBA ’71MARVIN ANTONOWSKY ’49, MBA ’52WALTER H. BARANDIARAN ’79JEFFREY E. BAUML ’75JEROME S. BERG ’49KEVIN J. BOYLE MBA ’90DANIEL CLIVNER ’85IRWIN R. ETTINGER ’58NADJA FIDELIA ’02LAWRENCE N. FIELD ’52, DCSc (Hon.) ’04JOHN G. GRIFONETTI ’90WILLIAM F. HARNISCH ’68JOANNE M. HVALA MBA ’88DOUMER ISAAC ’78 (ex officio)PETER S. JONAS ’60DAVID KRELL MBA ’71BERNARD L. LATERMAN ’52JOSEPH M. LEONE ’75HERBERT I. LEVITT ’67RICHARD S. MERIANS ’55RYAN E. MELTZER ’07WILLIAM NEWMAN ’47, LLD (Hon.) ’97ANA PAZO ’05JOSEPH S. PIGNATELLI, JR. MS ’99M. FREDDIE REISS ’67, MBA ’00STAN ROSS ’56, LLD (Hon.) ’99MICHAEL I. ROTH ’67JOANN F. RYAN ’79, MS ’83ROBERT H. SCHNELL ’61BERNARD L. SCHWARTZ ’48MARTIN D. SHAFIROFF ’63STUART A. SHIKIAR ’68LEON V. SHIVAMBER ’84LAWRENCE J. SIMON ’65STUART SUBOTNICK ’62, LLD (Hon.) ’97SANDRA K. WASSERMAN ’55

TRUSTEES EMERIT IVICTOR BESSO ’47*ABRAHAM J. BRILOFF ’37, MSEd ’41ROBERT A. FRIEDMAN MBA ’67MORTON E. KANER ’50BURTON KOSSOFF ’46*ELI MASON ’40, LHD (Hon.) ’78BERT N. MITCHELL ’63, MBA ’68, LLD (Hon.) ’88BERNARD K. RICHARDS ’49AARON SHAPIRO ’49, LHD (Hon.) ’89CARL SPIELVOGEL ’52, LLD (Hon.) ’84BERT W. WASSERMAN ’54*GEORGE WEISSMAN ’39, LLD (Hon.) ’82

*Deceased

Winter 2008 THE ALUMNI COLLEGE MAGAZINE OF BARUCH · on the TV show So You Think You Can Dance....

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