Class Secretary: Paul Porzio
Hello! As I write this it’s March 15, 2022 (I’ll hold back Ides of March puns) and we’re seeing spring arrive in the mid-Atlantic states. I don’t have to remind you that our 45th Anniversary reunion is on June 3rd and 4th. Jeff, Dawn, and the reunion committee are working on the reunion details. Please check out our Class of 1977 Facebook page or the Stevens Alumni website for updates. Also, we’re working on a standalone class website. And now the news!
This winter, Eric Olsen was skiing whenever conditions allowed. He mentioned he was back playing electric guitar with local rockers. “Not the same as in the Rathskeller with `Captain Spud and the Probers’ and Steve Legensky – but a good excuse to plug in a couple of days a week.” He’s looking forward to seeing everybody at the reunion.
Scott Orshan says he and Susan remained healthy during the pandemic. Susan’s Psychology practice went fully remote until recently. At the high school where Scott teaches, they went remote in March 2020, then on/off remote/hybrid in 2020-2021. In this past year, his school resumed in-person classes. Also, Scott was elected President of the Long Hill First Aid Squad, a small volunteer agency, handling approximately 700 around-the-clock 911 medical emergency calls annually. “They’ve remained in full operation throughout the pandemic.”
I got a quick report from John Bieger, who mentioned that he is still building his new house, and hopes to be done this summer.
Dennis Steelman simply said he had nothing exciting to report, but was “just chillin’ (warming?) in FL”, and planning on an eastern Caribbean cruise.
John Ciardi fully retired in March 2020 and is enjoying retirement! He obtained an MSEE at Georgia Tech in 1978, worked for Bell Labs (Holmdel NJ) until 1981, then moved to Portland Oregon, working as a design engineer for Tektronix for 19 years. He worked 18 years for Grass Valley designing TV industry broadcast video/audio gear. He finished up as a design engineer for 3 years at Electro-Scientific Industries. He feels fortunate to have had a career as a hardware/firmware engineer for 44 years. He is spending retirement skiing, cycling, playing guitar, and traveling the West in his new camper van.
Charles Geraldi reports “Taught two grad level courses in the Stevens ME Dept that I developed: ME522 and the follow-up course ME523 from 2000 – 2020. Both courses were in Mechatronics I & II. I really enjoyed giving back to Stevens, teaching industrial skills in machine automation…” He is still driving his DeLorean and enjoying automation and motion control consulting in retirement. Charles closed by saying “It’s been one hell of a great ride and still going on!”
Stephen Bauer noted, “We’re still in the pandemic, though it seems to be lifting.” He’s been working from home since the pandemic started but recently returned to the office two days a week. “So far, we’ve both managed to avoid getting COVID.” With spring starting in North Texas, he said his wife has planted many vegetable seeds indoors, which have just started to sprout. He closed by saying, “I can’t believe I will be 67 in a few months. And gosh that sounds so old!”
Peter Attas simply reported that he and his wife sold their Maryland house and would be moving to Palm Coast, FL soon.
Ken Legal told us “We semi-retired and moved to the Myrtle Beach, SC, area a year ago…we couldn’t be happier, particularly with the weather (a lot warmer here in the winter compared to NJ)!” They plan to travel and have trips planned to South America and Europe. Their second grandchild was born in February. He added, “Our other granddaughter is in her first year at NJIT (can I say that?).”
Steven Harmelin’s news is that his two youngest daughters had their babies. They were born three weeks apart. Both girls. He added that he has bought a convertible to enjoy the nice Georgia weather.
Sigmund Grudzinski said he and his wife, Ela, are planning a cross-country road trip to visit their daughter at NAS Fallon, Nevada. “We plan on taking a southern route to Nevada and a northern route back… no set timetable. If we like a place, we may stay an additional day or two… unfortunately, that may mean missing the reunion this year.”
Diane Kopes reported that
Paul Porzio, Class Secretary. March 2022. Hello! As I write this it’s March 15, 2022 (I’ll hold back Ides of March puns) and we’re seeing spring arrive in the mid-Atlantic states. I don’t have to remind you that our 45th Anniversary reunion is on June 3rd and 4th. Jeff, Dawn, and the reunion committee are working on the reunion details. Please check out our Class of 1977 Facebook page or the Stevens Alumni website for updates. Also, we’re working on a standalone class website. And now the news!
This winter, Eric Olsen was skiing whenever conditions allowed. He mentioned he was back playing electric guitar with local rockers. “Not the same as in the Rathskeller with `Captain Spud and the Probers’ and Steve Legensky – but a good excuse to plug in a couple of days a week.” He’s looking forward to seeing everybody at the reunion.
Scott Orshan says he and Susan remained healthy during the pandemic. Susan’s Psychology practice went fully remote until recently. At the high school where Scott teaches, they went remote in March 2020, then on/off remote/hybrid in 2020-2021. In this past year, his school resumed in-person classes. Also, Scott was elected President of the Long Hill First Aid Squad, a small volunteer agency, handling approximately 700 around-the-clock 911 medical emergency calls annually. “They’ve remained in full operation throughout the pandemic.”
I got a quick report from John Bieger, who mentioned that he is still building his new house, and hopes to be done this summer.
Dennis Steelman simply said he had nothing exciting to report, but was “just chillin’ (warming?) in FL”, and planning on an eastern Caribbean cruise.
John Ciardi fully retired in March 2020 and is enjoying retirement! He obtained an MSEE at Georgia Tech in 1978, worked for Bell Labs (Holmdel NJ) until 1981, then moved to Portland Oregon, working as a design engineer for Tektronix for 19 years. He worked 18 years for Grass Valley designing TV industry broadcast video/audio gear. He finished up as a design engineer for 3 years at Electro-Scientific Industries. He feels fortunate to have had a career as a hardware/firmware engineer for 44 years. He is spending retirement skiing, cycling, playing guitar, and traveling the West in his new camper van.
Charles Geraldi reports “Taught two grad level courses in the Stevens ME Dept that I developed: ME522 and the follow-up course ME523 from 2000 – 2020. Both courses were in Mechatronics I & II. I really enjoyed giving back to Stevens, teaching industrial skills in machine automation…” He is still driving his DeLorean and enjoying automation and motion control consulting in retirement. Charles closed by saying “It’s been one hell of a great ride and still going on!”
Stephen Bauer noted, “We’re still in the pandemic, though it seems to be lifting.” He’s been working from home since the pandemic started but recently returned to the office two days a week. “So far, we’ve both managed to avoid getting COVID.” With spring starting in North Texas, he said his wife has planted many vegetable seeds indoors, which have just started to sprout. He closed by saying, “I can’t believe I will be 67 in a few months. And gosh that sounds so old!”
Peter Attas simply reported that he and his wife sold their Maryland house and would be moving to Palm Coast, FL soon.
Ken Legal told us “We semi-retired and moved to the Myrtle Beach, SC, area a year ago…we couldn’t be happier, particularly with the weather (a lot warmer here in the winter compared to NJ)!” They plan to travel and have trips planned to South America and Europe. Their second grandchild was born in February. He added, “Our other granddaughter is in her first year at NJIT (can I say that?).”
Steven Harmelin’s news is that his two youngest daughters had their babies. They were born three weeks apart. Both girls. He added that he has bought a convertible to enjoy the nice Georgia weather.
Sigmund Grudzinski said he and his wife, Ela, are planning a cross-country road trip to visit their daughter at NAS Fallon, Nevada. “We plan on taking a southern route to Nevada and a northern route back… no set timetable. If we like a place, we may stay an additional day or two… unfortunately, that may mean missing the reunion this year.”
Diane Kopes reported that she is working for Sonoma County in the Covid Vaccination Mission as an Advance Planning Lead. She handles planning and staffing for pop-up vaccination clinics in the county. “It’s a short-term position, assuming that there is no new variant…” “I know many of you are entering your retirement years. Me? I’m parenting in the Geriatric League! My baby is a senior in high school, so retirement is not on the horizon.” Her kids are 23, 21, and 17. She said, “they love life in California but it’s far from family and East Coast friends…” She said she has been a single mom for 12 years now. “Time flies!”
For our 40th Reunion, we set a $100,000 goal for the Class of 1977 Endowed Scholarship, which would allow the Fund to reach “endowed” status. We met that goal and are seeking to strengthen the endowment further. As part of our 45th Reunion, whether you choose to give to the Class of 1977 Endowed Scholarship, or an alternative designation, please be as generous as possible as we do our part to help the next generation of Stevens students. If you can’t find your way to the endowment location on the Stevens website, please contact the Alumni Office or any of the 1977 class officers. (Jeff Iapicco, Dawn Ortell, or myself.)
Remember, if you want to be on the mailing list for the Class of 77 newsletters, email your request to Classof1977@alumni.stevens.edu. Check-in on our Facebook page: “Stevens Institute of Technology: Class of ’77” and our website. Stay well and hopefully, we’ll see each other at Stevens in June.
Take care and thanks,
Paul Porzio ’77
Leave a Reply