Elliman thriving

 Wills Elliman continues to make the most of it by building his real estate business and mastering LinkedIn!

Slope side vibes

Thanks to Adam Feiges for sharing his find at Snowmass!

Eclipsing Beaubien and Shelton

 Seen hanging out in St. Johnsbury, VT yesterday for the eclipse, Dave Shelton and Mark Beaubien!

Pattee announces new firm

 https://advocuspartners.com/

We are thrilled to announce the official launch of Advocus Partners, a public affairs firm made up of 8 firms: BGR Group, Capitol Advocacy, Capital City Consulting, The Herald Group, Hicks Partners, LLC, Hilltop Public Solutions Stateside Associates, and The Tarrance Group. Advocus Partners is a comprehensive advocacy company with a national footprint. We are fully

hashtag#bipartisan, geographically diverse, and cover every aspect of public hashtag#advocacy.

Working together, we are excited to help clients drive impactful change and achieve success. Learn more about we can help you at advocuspartners.com

From his company bio:

CRAIG PATTEE Craig Pattee is the Managing Director of Advocus Partners, a national government relations, public affairs, and strategic communications firm based in Washington, DC. Craig’s background is in developing and managing integrated advocacy campaigns at all levels of government. Having served in the George HW Bush White House and the US Department of Education, Craig honed his expertise in helping companies manage political and policy risk across 50 states.

 He has served as an advisor to numerous governors, including Tommy Thompson (R-WI), Steve Merrill (R-NH) and Terry Branstad (R-IA) and served as the Washington representative for Governors Ed Schafer, John Hoeven (R-ND), and Governor Jim Douglas (R-VT). Craig remains active today with the national governors’ associations and other state and local groups. 

In the 2000s, Craig was an integral part of the team that built one of the largest and most successful international government and public affairs agencies in the country. As President of Dutko Worldwide, Craig helped pioneer innovative practices in education policy and advisory services and played a key role in launching Washington’s leading government markets and procurement practices. 

In his current position at Advocus Partners, Craig leads the integrated advocacy business, assembling a team of top professionals in the key disciplines of government and public affairs. Recognizing advocacy as a collaborative effort, his mission is to support and leverage the capabilities, expertise, influence, and talent of the member companies to benefit shared clients. 

With the tools of advocacy ever-evolving, Craig is committed to identifying and recruiting new talent to the team. He also spearheads the government markets and procurement business (Advocus Government Markets) while advising on public affairs, public relations, and advisory services. 

Craig is also personally engaged with various conservation and education initiatives. He serves on the Advisory Board of the Borana Conservancy in Kenya, dedicated to preserving critically endangered species in Africa, as well as the Grand Teton National Park Foundation in Wyoming. He also serves as a senior advisor to His Majesty King Abdullah II’s Kings’ Academy in Jordan and as a Board member of The Kearns Prize, a national education non-profit. 

Craig splits his time between Washington, DC and Jackson, WY

Badenhausen Changes It Up

 From LinkedIn:

After nearly 13 years leading corporate communications at BlackRock, I’m transitioning this month to be a part-time Senior Advisor at the firm. Working with Larry Fink, his senior leadership team, and my amazing colleagues in BlackRock Corporate Communications has been the highlight of my career. Stepping back is bittersweet, but I’m looking forward to the next stage of life - consulting for BlackRock, while pursuing other interests outside the firm. Thank you to all my BlackRock colleagues who made this such an incredible journey.

Some of NY's Finest

(LtoR) Doug Cruikshank, Jim Wilmott '82 and Doug Schmidt recently met in NYC to dispense sage college advice to Emma Wilmott '24, months before her halcyon days begin at Yale... 

Happy Anniversary Nelse!

Knight sends his best from Italy!

Travels

 Congrats to Rob McGill for his current travels in Thailand! (From FB)

Recent Lunches announce new photo policy

Two great classmate lunches happened recently and all participants "forgot" to include a photo with their information sharing.  This, sadly, includes your editor.  Hence the new policy of yearbook photos as stand ins.  Enjoy!

Will Piersol and Andy Stewart dined in the West...

While Knight and Wareck dined in the East!

Leap for Deerfield's Day of Giving!

One week away is Deerfield's biggest call for PARTICIPATION in supporting the school - the Day of Giving.  (Psst - you can give earlier than then, like now...)

By February 29th is the time to send a few bucks to Deerfield in support of a great education and to wave the BIG GREEN flag for the Class of '83.  Your choice!

deerfield.edu/dog2024

Reunion Patriot

 From Ben Patton:

Bob Keirstead and I reconnected at last year’s reunion and - as a career Air Force pilot - I got him to take part in a filmmaking workshop for vets in my NGO Patton Veterans Project held in WY in January.

A patriot and now budding filmmaker!

Episcopal Finance...

Congratulations to Geoff Bennett!!!

Deerfield Associates is very pleased to share the following announcement made this week by Charley Stillwell, Head of School, Episcopal High School, located in Alexandria, Virginia. “It is a pleasure to let everyone know that our search process to find our next Chief Financial Officer has been successfully completed. It is a tall order to find a wonderful individual ready to step into Boota deButt’s big shoes, but I am excited to announce that Geoffrey Bennett, the current CFO at Ransom Everglades School in Miami, has agreed to join our community during this coming summer. Geoff is especially excited to join our 100% residential boarding community having been a student at Deerfield Academy himself and a parent of four boarding school attendees.” Doug Cooney, principal of the Deerfield Associates, added, “It was a sincere pleasure working with Charley and the Episcopal High School community for the first time and on such an important search. EHS is our 158th client in the education sector. Everyone in ABOPS knows and has great respect for Boota. I have personally known Geoff for a decade and waited for the right opportunity to encourage Geoff to explore and ultimately match up with this high-profile position, which matches up nicely with his many talents and excellent work experiences. We wish Geoff, and his family, all the best in joining the Episcopal High School community”.

Robert Perkins Obituary (1939 - 2024)

Former Teacher Robert Perkins Obituary (1939 - 2024)

https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/legacyremembers/robert-perkins-obituary?id=54076862

Robert Perkins Obituary

Published by Legacy Remembers on Jan. 11, 2024.

Robert Edward Perkins, 84, died January 11, 2024 after a brief illness. He was born in Hartford, Connecticut, son of the late Montez (Rideout) and Alfred Perkins of Brooksville, Maine. He graduated from Deering High School and attended Harvard University on a ROTC scholarship. After graduating with a degree in romance languages, he served his stint in the Navy on the USS Forrestal as a communications officer. He began his teaching career at Deerfield Academy in Massachusetts, where he taught French, chaired the language department and coached water polo for 25 years, and he continued at Flint Hill Day School in Virginia for another 10 years. Music was a constant in his life. He was organist and church choir director for some 40 years, pianist for decades of family singalongs, and most recently a tutor for Pinellas County music students. He was a proud member of the Harvard Glee Club Alumni Chorus and the Washington Gay Men's Chorus, as well as the Central Florida Theatre Organ Society and the American Guild of Organists. In retirement, he was delighted to be the organist at the historic Tampa Theater, playing oldies and showtunes before movies. In addition to his parents, Robert was predeceased by his wife Jane Dickey Perkins. He is survived by his husband, Rick Blouin, sister Ann Ellis, daughters Ann (Jackie) Kaplan-Perkins and Margaret (Scott) Tufts, grandchildren Alexandra (Matt) St. Peter, Aaron (Micaela) Osborn, Hope (Jakob Grindle) Osborn and David Kaplan-Perkins, great grandsons Benjamin and Spencer St. Peter and Jakob Grindle, Jr, as well as many nieces and nephews. A memorial service will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Equality Florida (www.eqfl.org).

Whit Sheppard has passed

 

Whitney Sheppard Obituary

Whitney Clark Sheppard

Whit Sheppard, 59, died peacefully on December 27, 2023, at Greenwich Hospital, after a bravely-fought battle with melanoma.

Born in New York City on December 8, 1964, Whit was the beloved son of Linda C. Waterman, the late Christopher R. Sheppard, and the late Mike Waterman.

Whit moved to Greenwich as a very young boy, and attended the Greenwich Country Day School and Brunswick. He graduated from Deerfield Academy, Southern Methodist University, and also earned an MBA from the University of Texas and a master's in journalism from the University of Oregon. With his brilliant mind and insatiable passion for travel and adventure, Whit wore many hats and enjoyed stints in New York, Dallas, Austin, Eugene, Taos, Paris, Melbourne, Richmond, Boston, and Greenwich.

French teacher, ESPN journalist, Morgan Stanley analyst, Boston College tennis coach, and independent school advisor were among Whit's many professional roles. Whit was also very involved in the recovery community and served as a sponsor and mentor in Alcoholics Anonymous for nearly forty years, lifting up those struggling with addiction and touching many lives.

All who knew Whit would agree that far and away his greatest and proudest role in life was being an incredibly devoted father to his amazing daughter, Emily Vaughan Sheppard. Whit and Molly Taylor Sheppard shared their daughter, Emily, with love and grace, even after divorcing many years ago. Nothing brought Whit more joy than spending time with Emily, whom he adored beyond measure. He especially loved sharing his passion for travel with her as they created incredible memories together, exploring Australia, South Africa, Mauritius, Anguilla, Mexico, the UK, and France, on their epic father-daughter adventures.

Whit was a bibliophile, rackets enthusiast, golfer, dog lover, foodie, linguist, and globetrotter. He had a great sense of humor and loved words, cultures, languages, animals, and babies and children of all ages. Whit was a gentleman, charming and kind, old-school. He loved a good meal, a great book, tide rides in Martha's Vineyard, a fresh croissant, chai tea lattes, and playing tennis, paddle, and squash. Ever handsome with a twinkle in his eye, Whit will be sorely missed.

In addition to his daughter, Emily Sheppard, mother, Linda Waterman, and ex-wife, Molly Sheppard, Whit is survived by his brother, Neil Waterman and sister-in-law, Jen Waterman, his sister, Brooke Stahl and brother-in-law, Ryder Stahl, and many adoring nieces, nephews, cousins, aunts, uncles, friends, and his beloved rescue dog, Auggie.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Whit's memory to the Melanoma Research Foundation ( melanoma.org ) or to the ASPCA ( aspca.org ).

Ed. Note: So gratefeul that Whit (l) attended our 40th reunion...

Hank for the win...

Well, IT DIDN'T TAKE LONG!  Leave it to Hank to stroll to a neighborhood watering hole in Miami and sit down at the bar next to a gentleman in a green hat. Turns out it was his classmate Eric!

THANKS for taking and sending the photo!  Going to be a Happy '83 New Year...

Stick together in ‘24

Celebrate '24 by connecting with DA classmates just like Doug and JK did!  And remember to send the evidence to the blog, please.

New Year

Grateful for all the classmates who keep in touch.  Here's the latest from Chris Lotspeich with an intro by his wife Amy, all via Facebook. 

"Hi everyone! As this year comes to a close, I wanted to be sure to thank you all so much for your generous contributions of meals and financial support toward them. Chris wrote the note below to give everyone an update on how he's doing. As he says, these meals have provided an invaluable source of ease in an otherwise complicated balancing act. Thank you, and Happy New Year!! p.s. - Picture below is of Chris and his brother Matt who was here from Australia for the holidays. From Chris: I'd like to thank everyone who has joined Team Chris via Food Train. Life is getting more challenging. ALS has affected my hands and arms, gait, balance, speech and swallowing. I have lost ~75 lbs of muscle mass. I have regular fatigue and nap frequently. I drool, which is annoying. I have a feeding tube but I can eat and drink most things that others feed me. The whole thing remains a bit surreal. Yet I am very happy, my positive attitude is almost effortless and that can only help me in my predicament. I am highly fortunate to be progressing very slowly and I remain mostly independent eight years in from my earliest ALS symptoms. Half of the poor souls who get this terrible and capricious affliction don't live two years. My relatively slow progression puts me in the ~10% most favorable cohort of people with ALS (pALS). I have an embarrassment of riches in support from family and friends, foremost from my wonderful wife Amy Dunn. She is very busy with her successful independent consulting practice and holding the household together. I don't know how she does it. She is amazing yet her powers are not unlimited. This burden grows as my ability to pitch in and pull my weight diminishes. I am mindful that 80% of caregivers end up in the hospital before the person they are caring for, and I don't want that to happen to Amy. That is why Food Train is a perfect way to support our family. Amy runs hard all day and is tired come evening. Having a tasty nourishing meal delivered is a great help to the whole family, and especially to Amy who doesn't have to pull dinner together at the end of a long day. Your generosity has a direct beneficial impact on our family. Thank you!!"

This is the Meal Train for The Lotspeich/Dunn Family:

https://mealtrain.com/41qq6m