The Hoot 2013-2014
Alumni In the News
Lambda/DU Alumni Denis Jones ‘64 Meets Prime Minister Harper
September 2013. Denis Jones ‘64 was greeted by Prime Minister Harper when a group of genealogists were invited to visit Canada’s Parliament Buildings in Ottowa. In Denis’ words:
“As I approached the Prime Minister I wondered just what greeting a person might say to a Head of State. Suddenly I had a Eureka moment! Having been told earlier that Mrs. Harper had recently adopted a stray cat into their household, I set my plan. Approaching the Prime Minister I firmly took his hand, and with my most regal tone stated “ I am so proud that you have named your stray cat Stanley, that is so Canadian” - and he instantly responded “ But the cat is rather dumb.” Both of us broke into controlled laughter.”
Book Written by Keith Klafehn Published
“It Was a Privilege to Care for Her” By Keith Klafehn
“Some persons who get breast cancer do not survive. Muriel Klafehn is one of those persons. This book chronicles her life from the time of diagnosis of cancer in her right breast until her death. Every day was lived to be as normal as it could be. And so it began, removing a breast on Friday, eating dinner out and attending a concert on Saturday, and directing the Chorale in church on Sunday. In this forthright manner she became an inspiration to me and to all those who were touched by her life. Her prayer for peace at the outset of her "adventure" was granted by the Lord, fully sustaining her on a daily basis. She traveled during radiation therapy and she traveled in the midst of chemotherapy…
…Keith Klafehn is Professor Emeritus in Management and Health Care Services at the University of Akron. He is coauthor of two textbooks and numerous articles. He lived each day of Muriel's adventure accompanying her on all of her health care interactions with the professionals involved. The author holds undergraduate and masters degrees from Clarkson University and a PhD from Kent State University. He was a university professor for thirty years.”
Clarkson University
Annual LambdaDU “Business Day”
Our Alumni brothers have accomplished so much throughout their business careers. As they approached their retirement many were vice-president of this, president of that, technical leader of this, volunteer director of that, etc, the list seems to go on and on! We have so much business 'horsepower' accumulated and residing in so many of the retired brothers.
It is now suggested that some of our business experience be passed from the Alumni brothers to the Lambda/DU undergrads residing on the Clarkson campus.
How?
The Lambda/DU Alumni Association would gather an ‘inventory’ of our Alumni brothers who would agree to take a turn at appearing at Clarkson for an annual Lambda/DU “business day”. Initially, in order to get through the first few years, we would need a group of 8-10 alumni committing to the program.
Each year, on a single weekend (perhaps October), 3-4 persons from the inventory group would travel to Potsdam and participate in a business seminar. The seminar would take place on a Saturday afternoon. The focus would be on real business practices. It would be restricted to current student Lambda/DU brothers (perhaps they might invite a guest) and structured informally in order to encourage a two-way exchange of ideas.
The Alumni presenter might be a marketing man, maybe a financial man, maybe an engineering man, a manufacturing man, etc. The presenters would vary depending on volunteers and their experience, each would sit down with those interested student Lambda/DUs for an hour or so, start by maybe giving 30 min of prepared material, then just discuss whatever the under grads would like to know about in that particular field. The seminar panel could not only be made up of alumni presenters but also include Lambda/DU students – the moderator could be a student – all of which would enhance the experience for our student brothers. Eventually the students would be the primary organizers of the Day, and they would select, from the inventory, the topics to be featured.
Some Benefits:
Students would get some exposure to examples of real business situations that they may encounter.
Help expand the students understanding of the varied employment possibilities that they face.
Enhance the reputation on the Lambda/DU legacy throughout the full Clarkson community (students and faculty).
Presents an opportunity for many Alumni to ‘give back’ to both the younger generation, and to Clarkson.
Seminar could be used as a 'rush tool' ie part of the promotion of what the Lambda/DU experience can give to the prospective new student member.
Questionnaire for LambdaDU Alumni Who Wish to Participate
Commitment: Will you commit to attending and presenting at a Lambda/DU “Business Day” at Clarkson University? (yes/no)
Contact Information: name, address, phone, email address, current date
Education Background: Undergrad degrees, graduate degrees, year of degree.
Business Experience: Outline the sector of the economy that you participated in (say in Manufacturing, steel industry; or in Education, college professor; or in Government, public sector wage control; or …..etc; that sort of thing); give short description of various positions and responsibilities that you have held.
Primary Expertise: Give short description of the business subject that that you are most comfortable in discussing, and would be a topic that a Lambda/DU student would likely to be interested in.
Secondary Expertise: List any subjects that would be a 2nd choice for topics that you would be prepared to discuss.
Other Comments: please Add any comments that you feel would be helpful for this program.
Please fill out this questionnaire and return to: (fill in address of whoever becomes coordinator of program)
‘Sample’ - Inventory of Skills – For Proposed Lambda/DU ‘Business Day’
Skills/Experience Represented by 10 Participating Lambda/DU Alumni
Manufacturing
pulp and paper manufacturing - Stuart Lang
human resources planning in manufacturing - Al Graham
international petrochemical manufacturing - Al Graham
nuclear reactor manufacturing - Jim Wood
energy management in integrated steel making - Denis Jones
quality assurance in medical manufacturing - Ben McAvey
food-processing/canning manufacturing - Ben McAvey
natural gas fired turbine manufacturing - Bob Hanna
Energy Use, Carbon Emissions & Climate Change
•sequestration of carbon in forests - GHG reductions - Stuart Lang
•transportation fuels from biomass - Stuart Lang
•national industrial programs to reduce carbon emissions - Denis Jones
•Kyoto Protocol for GHG reductions - Denis Jones
Government
•federal government programs for energy - Jim Wood
Sales & Marketing
•sales and marketing of process equipment - Paul Zolin
•Sales and Marketing - Chuck Trowbridge
•Business Strategy and Corporate General Management - Chuck Trowbridge
Financial
business accounting - Dale Kenyon
Municipal Activities
municipal politics & emergency response - Dale Kenyon
Legal
patent applications, and commercialization - Paul Zolin
Further Education
biological engineering for undergrads - Dom Grimberg
medical schools, and the application process - Dom Grimberg