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The 2014 B&B Reunion “B&B was the home of the smartest, hardest working and nicest people I have ever known. Nice to know that nothing has changed.” B&B HOLDS NINTH ANNUAL REUNION PARTY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2014. OVER 100 PEOPLE ATTEND, REGRETTING THAT JACK BOWEN COULDN’T MAKE IT, GLAD THAT AL HAMPEL COULD, AND HAPPY THAT NO ONE FELL DOWN ANY STAIRS. ANOTHER 250 WISHED THEY COULD HAVE … BEEN THERE THAT IS. It’ll be 2016 before the next affair, so if you missed it, you missed a lotta hugs, a lavish spread of food, and a good time. The weather and the Society of Illustrators were both warm and cool, just like those who gathered. The staff said we reminded them of “Mad Men” (and women) – guess we’re all still looking pretty good! Since so much was happening, here’s what you might have missed even if you were there: Some folks brought family members, no doubt to prove that they did go to work every day all those years ago: Steve & Marta Davis, Ted & Gracine Dunn, Jackie & Alan Harris, Ric & Suzanne DiDonato, Tom Conlon & son Brian, Netta Linder & cousin Lou Linder, Arty & Betsey Selkowitz and Vicky Amon & daughter Laura (and Laura’s friend Dan too). Gotta love ‘em. Some of us are still working, albeit in a variety of ways: Want to buy a bridge? For reasons unknown, a lot of B & Bers are brokering real estate around the tri-state area. Warren Burger is a Director at The Lansco Corp. (corporate and retail spaces), Jon Fisher is a broker, artist and designer at Douglas Elliman and Ken Fried is with William Raveis in CT. Talk about real estate, Arty Selkowitz is leading the non-profit Mill River Collaborative in Stamford CT, rehabilitating the waterfront there. Forbes magazine called him “The Mad Man with a Plan” … and connections, we’d say. Searching for Betsy Bernstein? Well, she’s heading her own firm, The Bernstein Research Group, and searching or researching for others. Geoff Schmidt is still causing folks to smile for the “birdie,” but now it’s the kids who have fun at his indoor children’s playground – nice way to spend the day, huh? Those ads you can’t forget and the planning of reunions (his high school and our B&B ones) are being done by Don Blauweiss and Diane Dudzinski of Don Blauweiss Advertising and Design. They’ve gotta be tired all the time. Need help selling to critical, multicultural audiences? Call Ron Campbell’s Campbell Communications, and he will strategize the best way. Gail Zeltman spent the last year and a half raising funds & planning the celebration of her town’s (Sandwich, MA) 375th anniversary. She’s almost done – whew! Alan Barcus does what he always does, creates ads that are successful because they sell, and comes up with catchy copy too, at BarcusBrainSell. Hervé De Clerck is a Founder and Dream Leader- aren’t we all one of those? His Ad Forum is an interactive database for the ad biz; he knows things about the business you should know. Steve Farella founded his own independent media company in 2002 (TargetCast tcm) and is now Chairman of Assembly, a melded mega-media agency that’s part of MDC Partners – lots of business cards in his wallet. Al Bensusen is President, CEO and Chief Janitor at Sculpture Ink, and an active working sculptor/artist – you might find him at the Art Students League in NYC. Bill McCarron is President and Principal of the Real Media Value Company, providing “Truth in Advertising” as he audits media spending for efficiency and results. Roy Eaton still plays piano, raises his almost-teenage twins sons, and does commentary for Fox News in their Fair and Balanced segments. His CDs are fair and balanced as well. Brian Hughes is Managing Partner of Maxus Global – is that sorta like gluteus maximus, or not at all? Jon Guliner continues to enjoy not working but helps his son’s studio production and equipment rental business when needed. Can’t get him out of the business J Noreen Rafferty is growing Fordham University – not by buying buildings, but as Asst. Director of Marketing & Communications. It’s keeping her young! Susan Danaher is now EVP, Chief Revenue Officer at Adspace Networks, Inc. Keep your hands on the prize, Sue. Tom McCaffrey and Jean Fitzgerald are both keeping the country afloat, one client at a time – Tom at RBC Capital Markets & Jean at Bank of America. Thanks, guys. Alvaro Saralegui’s company, DangerTV, is a digital platform that aggregates danger-centric programming, promotes it to online & mobile audiences, and monetizes the content with sponsorships & online video ads. What? Leslie Webber Pascaud is Global Director Sustainability at the Added Value Group, back in NYC after 20 years in Paris – such a shame, huh? Still working at son-of-B&B (Publicis) are Robin Sabith, Victor Basile, Katie Bury, Patty Enright, and of course, Manny Morales. Who else have we missed there?? At other agencies are Marty Susz (Havas) and Joyce Benson LaRosa (Avrett Free) and … At research companies: Jim Meyer and Elissa Moses, super execs at Ipsos North America. At industry groups: Greg Walker, agency relations for the Southern Region AAAA in Atlanta. At PR firms: Nicole Green at Dan Klores Communications. At job recruiting firms: Norm Sherman is Partner at Troyanos Group (contact him to sign up for his Game Changers email and blog) and Steve Schwartz is President of Management Recruiters of Gramercy. At consulting: Joe Plummer, with more projects than you can imagine. And, then there are those who can actually relax. There are many winners who are retired, happy, & smiling at 8:00 AM, including: Abbie Snyder, enjoying family and traveling; Peter Greene, living it up in NYC and Rocky Point, LI; Cheryl Greene, thrilled with her new granddaughter; Phil Wallace, painting and historic novel writing; Charlotte Rosenblatt, looking to do something with women (which Norm Sherman is also hoping to do). WOW!! Any questions? Contact one of our intrepid Reunion Committee volunteers: by email, Vicky Amon Vickyma9@aol.com, Don Blauweiss don@blauweissadvertising.com, Diane Dudzinski diane@blauweissadvertising.com, Bill Sandberg william.l.sandberg@gmail.com, Abbie Snyder as.hs@verizon.net, Gail Zeltman gzeltman@yahoo.com and via Facebook Netta Linder www.facebook.com/pages/Benton-Bowles-Alumni, plus Norm Sherman on our LinkedIn page www.linkedin.com/groups/DMB&B-Alumni). AND THIS IMPORTANT NOTE: this Committee is REALLY looking for additional help with keeping us all connected and future reunion planning, so our thanks to JoAnne McShane and Joan Keating who have already stepped up to work with us for 2016. Now, here are the PHOTOS, and below is the list of attendees + regrets from those who let us know they couldn’t make it.
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