Although a member of the class of 66, I graduated with the class of 67 and spent three years doing grad work and teaching at American University in Washington DC where Pete Bedard and I were often found with Les Blatt.  Returned to Providence and worked for WHIM AM/FM, then WHIM/WHJY, from 1970 to July 1979 doing all sorts of things, mostly sales.  In 1978 I married and have one daughter, Rachel, who has just graduated from George Washington University and actually has a job with "Reading is Fundamental" in Washington.

The marriage dissolved in 2001.  I am Vice President of Sanford White Co. Inc., a manufacturer of jewelry, high-end advertising specialties, and giftware.  We are located in beautiful Central Falls, RI.  I also operate a small advertising agency with Town Wine & Spirits, one of the largest wine and single malt retailers in the Northeast, as my prime client.  In my spare time I am the National President of the North American Federation of Temple Brotherhoods, Reform Judaism's national men's organization and serve on the Executive Committee of Reform Judaism and on its Commission on Interreligious Affairs.  I am still very interested in WBRU and often buy time on the station for Town Wine.

We can all be proud of WBRU.  I travel a great deal for business and for Brotherhood.  If any BRU people come to Providence, I would appreciate a call <deleted>.  12/04

In collaboration with HCN's News Director (and later founder of Lotus Software) Mitch Kapor, I started Progressive Radio Network with studios in the basement of my house.  BRU's Paul Payton was an important contributing producer for many years, and the Network grew to 400+ stations for our produced news and comedy programs until I sold it 10 years later.  This should come as a shock to Ralph Begleiter who was News Director when I was PD at WBRU and probably always thought I was conspiring to eliminate all news programming.

After enjoying a bit more education at Harvard Business School, I now live in the New York suburbs with my wife Eileen.  We run several non-radio businesses involved in international manufacturing, electronics and real estate.  Mostly we pretend we are somewhat retired and travel a lot -- skiing and sailing.

My son was a DJ at his college station at the University of Michigan and made me proud to realize that love of radio is somewhat inherited!  My daughter just graduated from a certain college in Cambridge Massachusetts and wisely avoided getting involved with their radio station.

Photo of Rich and Family  rb@rbarna.com - 7/05

Peter C. Bedard ’67, of Providence; Dec. 10, after a short illness. He was a founding partner of the former Chaffee-Bedard advertising and public relations firm in Providence. He was previously vice president and group manager at Creamer Dickson Basford/New England. He was an accredited member of the Public Relations Society of America, past president of its Southeastern New England chapter, chairman of its Northeast District, and a member of its Counselors Academy. He won several awards for public relations, journalism, and copywriting. Early in his career he was a U.S. Army journalist in Vietnam, a news editor at ABC Radio News in Washington, D.C., and a public-information officer at the Rhode Island Department of Community Affairs and the Rhode Island Army National Guard. He had also been a radio sports broadcaster in Rhode Island. He was a member of the First Baptist Church in America and a former board member at the Slater Mill Historic Site in Pawtucket, R.I. He coached Little League in Providence for many years. An avid bridge player, he followed all New England professional sports teams. He is survived by his wife, Lynda; his parents, Camille and Juanita; two sons; and two brothers.

After spending over 30 years in the radio trenches (including WKBW-Buffalo, KLIF-Dallas, WHB-Kansas City, WTAE-Pittsburgh and CFNY-Toronto), I finally moved full time into voice over work in 2001.  Although I have done a ton of commercials that have run in the U.S. and Canada as well narrated the Discovery Channel documentary "James-Brother of Jesus", I have concentrated on voice work for TV Networks here in Canada, where I have done promos and imaging for YTV (Youth Television), TSN (The Sports Network), CBC, and currently The Global Television Network, which is akin to being the voice over talent for ABC or CBS.

As I move into the next phase of my career, I find myself in front of the camera and back on stage (I acted in a lot of community and semi-pro theatre in the 70s and 80s). While I have done nothing "major" I have done some interesting projects [link no longer valid] and on camera commercials.

Semi-interesting sidelight:  For 12 years I was known as "Dr. Trance", a DJ who played a very melodic form of techno music known as trance to young adults who would dance the night away in warehouses and clubs.  I was hired to bridge the generation gap from one end of Canada to the other, as well as in parts of the U.S., where I retain my citizenship, just so I can pay taxes in two countries!

Contact me at <deleted>. - 12/04 updated 07/09

I met my wife Leslie in 1973.  We got engaged after two days and married in four months.  So far, it has lasted 31 years, which may be a good sign.  Leslie is the Library Media Specialist at Orange High School, in Orange, New Jersey.  She's extremely active in both the county and state library media associations.

Our older daughter, Cheryl, was born in 1978.  She's a Boston University graduate.  She lives in San Jose, California, where she is teaching special ed and autistic kids.  She's in a program at San Jose State to become certified in teaching severely autistic children.

Our younger daughter, Elana, was born in 1980.  She got her bachelor's and master's degrees in engineering from Cornell.  Then she decided she wasn't cut out for a desk job and joined the army as a military counterintelligence agent.  She also got married; her husband, Ivan Duffy, is also in the army (they knew each other for three years before joining up!) - he's a paratrooper with the 82nd Airborne.  That's right, folks, he jumps out of planes.  No, I don't know what's wrong with him.  Anyway, she is now in Iraq, and he is leaving at the end of February for Afghanistan.  They see each other occasionally, but the army makes sure it doesn't happen too often.

That's the short version.  Details, as they say, on demand.  (The 2005 family photo was taken at 4am before running the half marathon at Walt Disney World.)  Photo of Les and Family  LesBlatt@aol.com - Updated July 2018.

Email: blistein@comcast.net. - Updated July 2018.

I have two grown children, three grandchildren, and am happily married to the same person (Kathy) I wed in 1974 (with 'BRU folks Mark Jordan and Bob Mulholland as ushers).  As my wife is blind, I have interests related to this disability.  I have been a board member, past president, and audio describer for Arts Access, an organization dedicated to "making the arts accessible to people with disabilities" in NC; I am the webmaster for the Audio Description Project (which has grown into a half-time job!) since 2003; and I was also on the board and still record a weekly show for the NC Reading Service, which serves people with visual disabilities.  This is a pleasant tie to my former "radio" days!

In mid-2014, I decided to utilize my experience with WBRU, Arts Access, and the Triangle Radio Reading Service and enter the field of voice-overs.  I trained with a voice-over coach, invested in some equipment, and began the arduous process (lots of competition!) of seeking jobs (commercials, promos, corporate narration, etc.) part time, while phasing out of my wine accessories business.  Not very successful, but fun!  My Voice-Over and Audio Description Business page.

My wife and I take a "big trip" once each year, generally to Europe, though we have visited South America, South Africa, Australia, Scandanavia, Turkey, and Russia, too.  You can reach me using the link at the bottom of this page, or visit my home page, where I have travelogues and technical stuff.  (Our trips were on Coronavirus-hold for three years, but we finally made it down the Danube, with a bonus trip to Iceland in August 2023.)

In 2019, I had the pleasure of meeting up with three old 'BRU friends:  Mark Jordan, Bob Mulholland, and Andy Fisher; and we (plus Les Blatt) and our spouses/partners now meet regularly on Zoom, with occasional visits by Jerry Hubeny and Ralph Begleiter.  The late Paul Payton was a regular in our group, and we miss him.  Contact me if you would like to say hello to the group!

- Updated November 2023.

Commercial photographer, retired. (Hair is gray now).  Still married to Noel ('70 - Brown).  Daughter, Anne (Lawrence U. '91, B.A.; URI '04) M.A. (English), unfortunately died in 2017.  Residing in 185 (+/-) year old farm house on nearly 2 acres about 2 miles S. of Kingston (home of URI); have been since 7/78.

Avocation: Aviation - bought 1946 Ercoupe 415-C to fly as Sport Pilot (earned Private Certificate 2/95) and flew it from Wis. to RI 5/05 (see photo); founded Quonset Aero Club '93 (to fly Cessna 172 we bought) and have been president since then; formerly member of Board of Directors, Quonset Air Museum; recently elected to Board of Directors, Antonov Foundation (which was formed to restore and fly an Antonov An-2 [worth a Google]) - summer of '05 was characterized by ironing out errors and omissions by mechanic in Wisconsin (an Ill. resident, so that explains it - you may recall that I hail from Wis.) who turned Ercoupe project into an airplane 6/04-12/04.

Updated December 2021.

In between, I married Peggy Stone of New York, who graduated from another law school the same year I did.  As I write this (5/14/05), we were married 33 years ago today.  Our first child, Jane, was born in D.C.  She is a lawyer in Washington and works for a Congresswoman as a Legislative Counsel and is getting married in November 2005 to a classmate from law school.  Jane followed her father's footsteps by working her brains out as a member of the Kerry for President staff.  (Losing political campaigns is a family hallmark.)  Our son, Ben, has just finished his second year at NYU Law School.  Both kids went to the University of Michigan.  Jane turned Brown down to go there, causing my father (Brown ’35) to be wondrous about why anyone would do such a thing.  What can I say?  Jane loved Michigan and wanted the Rah! Rah! Big Time College Football Experience.  Ben followed her to Michigan.  Go Blue!

Peggy, Jane and I moved to Miami in January 1981.  We raised our kids here and love Miami-Dade County.  It’s a small town with a big town flavor.  A few years ago we bought a log house deep in the woods in far Western Orange County, NY (10 miles from where NY, NJ and PA meet on the Delaware River).  We go there 6-8 times a year and take day hikes among the many trails in the area.  One of the criteria was a lack of Starbucks nearby… not that we have anything against Starbucks, but we wanted to be away from it all when we are there.  We are.  Anyone is welcome to visit unless they’ll be bored being 50 miles from a Starbucks.

After ten years of practicing law by myself, I recently joined a large well-established law firm, Steel Hector & Davis LLP.  I specialize in securities and other kinds of finance-related litigation, and for many years represented big CPA firms in things like S&L fiasco cases.  I do not want to retire, at least until I can’t remember anything.  I can report, however, that at the rate I'm going that may be earlier than anticipated.  What was I saying?

My main exercise is jumping to conclusions, but I’ve managed to keep my weight down.  I read biography and history, but mostly box scores.  Peggy and I do crossword puzzles while we watch the Florida Marlins and the Miami Heat, depending on what season it is.  Years ago I helped lead a community group that helped bring the Marlins to Miami.  Guess what?  We’ve won two World Series since 1993, and the Red Sox (my former love) have won two since 1916.

My thoughts about WBRU have undergone a complete 180 degree turn since Back in the Day.  Those of you who had to suffer through my being the GM of the station in 1966 and 1967 may remember the constant drumbeat of “We have to run this place like a business.”  I felt fully committed to the concept of making WBRU(FM) a commercial success.  I remember thinking that with FM starting to grow, we would have “gold turntables” in 20 years, as if that were something to look forward to.

Now I look at WBRU(FM) and think that the best thing for Brown University would be to sell the station and put the money to work on scholarships for needy students.  As best I can see, there is absolutely no “Brown University” in WBRU(FM), to which I say, “Who needs it?”  If all WBRU(FM) does is make money, and does nothing to bring Brown to the SE New England community, it serves no useful purpose.  It certainly is not enough to say that it provides a training ground for future broadcasters.  For that, there is WBSR and the Connecticut School of Broadcasting.

That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

rbrodsky@thebrodskylawfirm.com - Updated 5/05 - Validated July 2018.

bobcope@bellsouth.net - 6/05 - Validated July 2018.

tom@corddry.com - Updated Oct 2020.

Email:  jon@peakachievement.com - Updated July 2018.

My domestic partner, Al Rabinowitz, is retired from the union field services.  He has two daughters and we now have 4 young grandchildren, two on the west coast, two about to relocate near Providence!

daner10025@hotmail.com - 4/05

The defense business and the economy started to wind down in 1974.  I was able to transfer from Western Electric to the Chesapeake and Potomac Telephone Company headquarters in Washington, D.C. in late 1975.  Our son, Christopher, was born in North Carolina in early 1976 just before we moved from Winston-Salem to Bowie, Maryland.

I spent the rest of my career in the D.C. area with C&P, which became part of Bell Atlantic and ultimately Verizon Communications.  I retired from Verizon in December, 2002.

I still live in Bowie.  Linda died in 1995 after a long illness.  Christopher turned a history degree into a job as a budget analyst with the federal government in Washington.  I went back to doing technical live theater (I was with Sock & Buskin at Brown as well as with BRU) in 1995 and have been on the staff of the Bowie Playhouse since early 1996.  I work with both of the theatrical groups that use our space, which is how my picture got onto the Bowie Community Theater website.  I also still have boats and have other hobbies that keep me as busy as I want to be.

[Jully 2018 Update] I'm still alive, still in Bowie, MD, and still working part time as the stage master electrician and automatic equipment programmer at the Bowie Playhouse. Besides the theater, I still have sail and power boats that I use on the Chesapeake bay. I've been in the same house since 1976 so the contact address is also still good. My health is good, so I'll probably keep doing what I'm doing for awhile yet.

henry.p.dursin@verizon.net - 2/05 - Updated July 2018.

Email is jackedmonston@gmail.com - Updated July 2018.

[John's recollections of his battles over what belongs on a top-ten list can be found in his reminiscences.]

I met my wife, Jean, during my last year in graduate school and proposed a week after passing my oral exams.  We were married at the end of 1972 and are still going strong.  Jean is an advertising writer and producer.  I have had fun using my knowledge of songs and recognition of voices to help her with casting and ideas for ads, although she doesn’t need any help and has won an Andy and a Clio for her fine work.

We have no kids, so our hobbies keep the child alive in both of us.  I collect TV science fiction memorabilia and comic books, which I still read voraciously (a habit I amped up my senior year at Brown and never abandoned).  My wife’s hobby is collecting water pistols; we think she has the world’s largest collection – and possibly the world’s only collection.

After Brown, I went to U. of Pennsylvania and got my Ph.D. in a variant of mathematics called operations research – basically the mathematics of organizational decision making.  A couple years out of grad school, I began working on applications of my skills in the realm of fire safety and the fire service.  Last April [2004], I completed 20 years at the National Fire Protection Association, where I’m the head of statistics and related research.  I get to use the skills I was trained in and save people’s lives and livelihoods, however indirectly.

And my BRU training has held me in good stead.  One year, I was sent down to NYC to film Fire Prevention Week interviews and spots on the set of the Today show.  I’ve done a large number of radio and on-camera interviews for my work.  I’ve also been on television talking about my major hobby – which is collecting memorabilia from TV science fiction shows.  And every time I’m in front of a mike, I do better because I had 3 years of BRU training and experience.

My peak experience at BRU was being co-anchor for our continuous election night coverage in 1966, the first time we had attempted that since getting the FM station. It was intoxicating.

[For more of John's personal observations, see his reminiscences, which include a list of what he considers "the real top one-hit wonder list" from 1954-1999!]

 2/05 [invalid email removed July 2018]

Keeping a low profile, I was sometimes known on-air at WBRU AM as Paul Davis or Duke Davis.  I have wonderful memories of hosting Eye Opener, Rhythm Section, and best of all the Saturday Night Dance Party.  In 1962 it was SNDP that first broadcast Rock and Roll on Brown radio.

After getting a masters degree from Rensselaer Polytech, I worked for 35 years in Worldwide Sourcing for Ingersoll-Rand.  My wife Bev, a teacher, and I have been married for 41 years.  Now retired, we live half the year in Connecticut and half on Nantucket Island, where a 250 year old house keeps us very busy and very happy.  Our two sons, both graduates of Boston University, live near us in CT, so we see lots of our four grandchildren.

I've done no radio work since Brown, but the love of radio stays in your system.  Not too long ago I made a professionally produced voice-over demo tape, but have yet to pursue a second career – retirement is just too much fun.

[Text above was from Don in 1/05.]

Our office is in the same building as WCBS-FM, MTV, and a couple of the younger Viacom units; it's one of the places they put the cameras to survey the crowds below in Times Square.  (But no, I can't get anyone a tour of MTV studios, nor tickets to TRL.)

Eventually I met and married an actor (out of Amherst), Elisha Ignatoff, who's since become a stagehand/stage carpenter/props kind of person. He also now does CAD work.  We have two kids, Miriam (Oberlin '04) who is in graduate school in Israel, and Daniel, a sophomore at Brown.

ginge18@aol.com - 1/05

Lin and I are now happily retired, still living in Hingham, MA, boating in the summer and spending many winter days at Sugarloaf.  We remain avid music listeners, mainly blues and classic jazz, and read a lot!  Unfortunately, the pandemic has curtailed the traveling and live music venues that we so enjoyed, but we have many, many memories to sustain us.

Our grown children have blessed us with three wonderful grandsons.  Brad, Chair of the Geology Department at Salem State University, and our daughter-in-law KC, an elementary gym teacher in Gloucester, MA, have sons ten (Logan) and thirteen (Clark) years old.  They live in Swampscott, MA, and enjoy skiing, boating, mountain biking, and camping.

Our daughter, Leigh, also lives in Swampscott with her husband, Joe, and their two and a half year old son, Mason.  Leigh manages career counseling at the Cambridge campus of Hult International Business School, while Joe is the Supply Chain Manager at DHB, my old cheese company.  They, too, enjoy Sugarloaf in the winter.  (Each family has a condo there, so wine and slope war stories abound regularly.)

We're fortunate to be living so close to one another in metro Boston and to share a love of Maine and Sugarloaf, so Lin and I can enjoy being active participants in our children's and grandchildren's lives.  Most importantly, everyone's health remains good. We're quite lucky that way. As a friend said, "Take notes. It won't always be that way."  Photo of Jerry and Lin 

jhubeny@mac.com - Updated 10/20

After a couple of years there, I returned to Maine to a family owned consulting engineering business.  That business passed out of the family; and corporate goals changed.  I left to work for a Canadian owned firm, where most of the work was for the forest products industry.  I specialized in process control and later project management.  With 25 years in consulting, I started doing independent consulting through a colleague's "retirement" company.  After a few years, the pulp and paper industry went flat in the Northeast, and I am now pretty much retired.

My two kids (now 32 and 29) are out in the world on their own.  I now enjoy the company of a delightful woman, Margie, whose son is in college and daughter is about to graduate HS (June 2005).  We look forward to relocating then to my family's Sebago Lake house for year round enjoyment.

I never did any radio work after Brown; but I can never be just another listener after my stint at WBRU!  mhjordan@alumni.brown.edu - 12/04 - Email Validated July 2018.

I live in Pawtucket, RI, having never really left the state, and often pass by the campus where we all spent some great years a long time ago. leistritz@cox.net. - 12/04 - updated 5/07

Off and on, I've done a bit of media, dredging up memories of WBRU.  In the early 1980s, I was the consultant on a 10-part radio series of short pieces on the archaeology of the Carolinas, produced by our local public radio stations, WFAE-FM.  But my 15 minutes of fame came in 1993 when I was the on-air commentator for the public TV special on the "Iceman," the frozen prehistoric body found in the Alps (even though I've never actually seen the body).  I still get phone calls when that program is repeated, and I've consulted on a couple other television programs and a children's book on the same topic.

I haven't had children of my own, but I fulfill my kid urges by teaching "Archaeology Camp" to 9-, 10-, and 11- year olds for a week each summer on campus.  I can be reached at [invalid email removed July 2018]. - 1/05

When I left the Coast Guard, I went to work for Simmonds Precision, an aerospace company located in Vergennes, VT, as an electrical engineer.  I have continued to work there (now Goodrich Aerospace) for over 30 years.  In the late 70s, I designed several systems for the Space Shuttle (and was on-board the vehicle once).  After the Space Shuttle, I began working on Boeing aircraft.  Over the years, I have designed systems for most Boeing aircraft.  If you have flown on a Boeing aircraft, I probably designed some parts on it.  I am presently working on designing several systems for Boeing’s new airplane, the 787 Dreamliner as a senior systems engineer (i.e. old guy that knows the answer).

When I first came to Vermont, I did engineering for local radio stations in my spare time, and put one new FM (WCVM 100.9) station on the air.  I gave that up when I figured out that the engineer is the last person they pay, and they never get to the end of the list.  I then got back into playing music by playing in the pit orchestra for several productions put on by the local theater group (Gypsy, Oklahoma, Carnival, Chicago, Follies, etc.) and joined the LC Jazz band (Little City for Vergennes, the smallest incorporated city in the US).  In the summer, I also play with the Bristol Band.  We do evening concerts on the green in Bristol every Wednesday night through the summer; very New England.  For fun, I design control systems for model trains as a consultant engineer for Tony’s Train Exchange.

In 1981, I married Pamela Marsh.  We are still happily together going on 30 years (yes, the math works, we lived together first).  Rhys, our son, graduates from Duke this year (Brown was his backup school).  Kelly, our daughter, is at Castelton State learning how to be a primary education teacher.  Pam and I are registered foster parents, and have had over 5 foster daughters and sons as part of our family.

[August 2018 Update]  Since the last entry, both of our kids have grown up and are now contributing members of society. Rhys lives in California with his wife Liz. He arranges financing for renewable energy projects and she is a TV producer. She has already won an Emmy! Kelly is a special education teacher at the Witchcraft Heights Elementary School. She is in charge of the gardens and is working on supplying the cafeteria with all home grown produce. Her husband Mike just received his LPN degree and is working nursing full time. They have our first biological grandson Wesley.

I am now retired from aerospace, but still performing with LC Jazz (lead tenor), the Bristol Band, The Ridge Runners, and Mid Winds Concert Band. In addition to music, I am also working with model trains. In addition to working with Tony's Train Exchange, I volunteer at the Shelburne Museum and Sheldon Museum, both of which have model train collections that I help keep running. We have converted to solar power and have an array large enough to completely power both our home and my wife's office via net metering. One of our previously mentioned foster children had her own child but was unable to care for her. We now have Serenity as part of our family and are raising her. It is kind of strange taking her to school and being a second generation school parent.

Finally, we are part of the English Setter rescue. We currently have 6 family members that we failed to pass on for adoption.

grnmtnflyr@gmavt.net - Updated August 2018.

Frederick R. Mattfield, Jr. ’67, of Long Beach WA; Nov. 7, 2006 following a heart attack.  He was a librarian in Ocean Park, WA and Ilwaco, WA.  He earlier had worked as an interpretive assistant for Washington State Parks.  He was an active volunteer at the Ilwaco Heritage Museum and enjoyed photography and reading.  He is survived by his wife, Lisa, a sister, and two nieces.  (Lisa's address:  3230 240th Pl, Ocean Park, WA  98640.)

Regarding Fred's voice, his wife Lisa subsequently wrote me (webmaster) that Fred kept getting the "you should be in radio" comment throughout his life.  In fact, he was chosen to create an audio tour of the Lewis and Clark exhibit at the Ilwaco Museum.  The picture she sent me (above) was classic Fred, tinkering with a piece of equipment.  Fred loved to answer questions for people, which he did a lot in his day job at the public library.  Lisa said a friend once commented that you have to be careful what you ask Fred:  "If you ask him what time it is, he'll tell you how to build a watch!" - 5/07

After shooting corporate location work for a year and a half, I discovered Brown's excellent resumed undergraduate program, moved back to Rhody, completed my Semiotics degree in '78 and had a great second run with WBRU.  More photography followed graduation, and in '82 I moved to NYC where I continue to work in the commercial photo trade as a management consultant specializing in digital imaging. 

Susan and I married in '88 (in Jamestown RI), and in '99 we went to China to meet and adopt our wonderfully amazing daughter Li.

jaxon@panix.com - 7/05

After four years of Providence weather, I readily chose Stanford for law school, where I was interested in constitutional and civil rights law, and spent a semester at a feminist law firm in San Francisco. I also became an avid cyclist, wrote a book on bicycle transportation in America, and later did long tours on the west coast and in Europe. I lived in Seattle during the summers of 1974 & 1975 and the year 1977, where I reunited with WBRU friends who had gone to KOL & KZOK there, while I took up mountaineering and worked at a civil rights law firm and at the Seattle Public Defender. I spent 1978 bumming around Latin America, largely in the Andes. This journey also began my longstanding interest in international human rights.

I returned to my native New York in 1979, practiced with a Wall Street law firm for two years, and then maintained a solo litigation practice for 24 years. This provided an independent base for deep involvement in politics and international affairs. I moved to Tribeca when it was still an artist community, and after 14 years in a loft there bought and renovated a loft in NoHo in 1994 where I still reside. I represented all of Greenwich Village and lower Manhattan in the Democratic State Committee for the past 16 years, and chaired the progressive caucus of the state Democratic Party for eight years, leading the party to oppose the war in Iraq in 2002 and to support marriage equality for gays and lesbians in 2003. I have also represented the NYC bar association at the UN for many years and worked with various foreign affairs and human rights organizations, as well as with gay rights organizations, artists and arts organizations, and community and cyclist organizations. I have visited at least 85 countries on all continents, frequently meeting with judges, lawyers and public officials on human rights issues.

I closed my law practice in December 2005 to begin representing Human Rights Watch at the United Nations. I was deeply involved in the creation of the new UN Human Rights Council, and advocate for Security Council action in Sudan, Burma, and the many other trouble spots we monitor. I frequently do radio interviews and write op-eds, so my years at WBRU have not gone entirely wasted. I do my best to disregard my absurd chronological age, and hope to have a long career in international affairs still ahead.

lawrence.moss@gmail.com - 1/07

Known since 1979 as Rob (a girlfriend thought it sounded cooler), I changed careers (and girlfriends) in the early 80's after pretending to take a Doctorate in Theatre at NYU.  From teaching high school English in Tenafly, New Jersey, I started directing theatre in Manhattan and formed a company called American Festival Theatre.  We concentrated our efforts overseas and became, by 1990, the largest American company producing in Great Britain, particularly at the Edinburgh Festival in Scotland.  We started producing in London where we did several successful West End and Off-West End shows before realizing that we were not cut out to be expatriates.

By then I had met my last girlfriend and now wife of 25 years, Monica Hayes, an actress who appeared in a number of our productions.  In 1993, I followed Monica to her faculty position in the Theatre and Dance Department at The University of Southern Mississippi (Southern Miss).  I continue to freelance around the U.S., directing and doing set designs for Opera and Musical Theatre productions.  Photo of Rob and Monica (2005) - robm100@comcast.net - Updated July 2018.

I'm still alive and kicking, and I think of you all and the good times we had.  I'd love to hear from fellow 'BRU people:  bigtrain@dreamscape.com. - 1/05

My first career was, of all things, broadcasting, including seven years as reporter, producer, and political analyst for WJAR-TV. I had a brief tenure as the first press secretary to a local Providence pol you may have heard of named Buddy Cianci, then moved into PR and advertising with a number of agencies. I remain married to BRUer Mary McCandless and we have a daughter (Lisa) and 19 year-old granddaughter (Mary). We live in Providence about two miles from campus. In 1990 Mary and I formed Norwalk Communications where we helped a varied group of clients with marketing and fundraising communications.

Shortly after retiring I got reconnected with BRU as volunteer PR counsel to the board and students during the brief public furor surrounding plans to sell the FM license. Must have done something right because I've now been appointed to the BOD and having a great time working with today's students as they create something new (which was always what BRU was about).

art@norwalkcom.com. - Updated July 2018.

29 years of getting paid to do radio overlapped with starting my voice-over business, which I've been doing fulltime since 1990.  In 1993 I moved to Chatham, NJ, and married a Pembroker (!) and 'BRU alumna, Bette Schultz '73, who was Business Manager of WBRU as an undergrad.  I've done a lot of national and local commercials, plus all kinds of corporate work, including training, medical education, computer-based programs, and even messages-on-hold for, among others, Radio City Music Hall and Madison Square Garden!  Every day is a new adventure, Bette and I are truly happy, and life is good.  Check out my website at www.paulpayton.com, and feel free to call or e-mail me at paul@paulpayton.com.  12/04

8/06 Update:

In July, 2006, I was privileged to be invited (thanks to the good auspices of Jerry Hubeny) to spend a day at WBRU as a "voice resource" - answering questions the students had, doing a bit of voice coaching, making some suggestions, generally hanging out (always one of the best parts of 'BRU!), and even voicing a spot and a couple of promos. Talk about coming full circle 44 years after my choked-throat younger voice first "graced" WBRU at 560 and 670!

To say the least, I found the experience gratifying and completely enjoyable. The current staff is really "into it," and is putting out high-quality rock & roll radio with the appropriate attitude. True, not all the music appeals to me - it shouldn't, as I'm not the target audience - but I certainly understand what they're doing and where they're coming from, and their senses of fun, seriousness, responsibility, and enthusiasm are all in sharp focus.

We also discussed BSR; apparently, if something negative was once between them, it is no longer there, as each acknowledges and respects each other's niche (at least, according to the 'BRU folks - I didn't visit BSR this trip). There was a general feeling of bewilderment about the WBRU article in the BAM earlier this year, playing the stations' relationship as a rivalry; it certainly wasn't felt to be such by this group. In my opinion, both stations seem to do a good job of serving distinctly different audiences very well, and I am optimistic about the future of both.

If anyone has any interest in offering themselves and their knowledge to WBRU, I think it would be welcomed. Contact Jerry Hubeny [jhubeny@mac.com], who is now on the station's board, if you're interested. I've already let them know that I'd be glad to return in the fall when the full staff is there.

One other rather unusual thing just happened today (August 9, '06):  I managed to get on the CBS Evening News in a piece about automated answering centers and the people who voice them. It wasn't the most complimentary video ever taken of me, but it was a positive story and I think I sounded pretty good - which is why I was there. Briefly, I got there through the generosity of a friend and client (a Yalie, by the way) who owns a production company specializing providing content for phone, web and other e-communication sources, who invited me to the shoot; they used my stuff, but didn't even mention the name of his company! (For the record: www.holdcom.com.)  Anyway, for as long as it's posted, here's a link to the video of the story.

10/08 Update:

Seems like a while since anyone has added anything, so I thought I might.  I'm still doing voice-overs - had my second-best year in '07, and despite the economy tanking, '08 is holding on pretty well.  Our big news is that my wife, Bette Schultz '73, former 'BRU Business Manager, took an early retirement package from Novartis Pharmaceuticals, where she had been a VP.  For her first post-job project she completely remodeled our beach house on Cape Hatteras, NC; now she's doing some consulting in her old area of expertise.  Otherwise, our lives remain happy and we remain healthy.  I wonder if it might be time to stage another reunion soon, especially since we of the class of 1969 will be having our Big 4-0 this May. (How DID we get here, anyway?)

Contrary to popular opinion, I'm not applying for the open PD job at 'BRU, but I hope whoever gets it continues the station's winning and successful ways.

We wish everyone a good life in good health. It's probably time for some more updates from other folks here, too….

10/12 Update:

Life has been pretty good lately - I just had my 50th high school reunion back in New Rochelle, NY, seeing folks I hadn't seen in 25 or 50 years (when I left, New Rochelle, I really left it). The reunion was a great experience; some very interesting and fine folks were there, including the composer of one of the songs on my new album!

Yes, my latest project is a record company, Presence; talk about being anomalous to the time! This week (18/18/12) finally marks the release of The Fabulous Dudes doo-wop album! If you remember the crazy vocal overdubbing I'd do late at night bouncing between the two Ampex 600s in the production studio, I somehow advanced it to a bit of an art form, and "The Kids Would Go Wild!" by The Fabulous Dudes is the result. It's all original songs (mine, except for the one by my high school friend) in various 1959-1963 styles, and I'm actually really proud of it. The website is sparse right now - www.presenceproductions.com - but it will be further developed very soon.

I also put out Benefit Street's tapes (after 40 years) - temporarily their story is at www.benefitstreetband.com, but that will transfer over to the Presence site as soon as I can figure out how to move the files. The album, "Benefit Street - The American Dream," which you can find at www.cdbaby.com/cd/BenefitStreet among other places, contains all the tracks under both band names that we used to play on 'BRU. There's also a recent song with all the original members reassembled electronically. When that album came out in 2009, it led me to play in a new band with Rob Carlson (now called Rob Carlson & Benefit Street) and to put out a self-titled album (www.robcarlsonmusic.com). So suddenly, Presence Records went from 3 singles over a span of 9 years (1985-1994) to 3 CDs in the last 3 years, and I'm in two groups!. I'm still not sure why, except that we musicians are a driven bunch and I'm not gambling more than I can afford to lose.

On another topic, it's not news that 'BRU was a defining experience for me, but I've noticed a post or two (as well as had a discussion or two) over the years suggesting that Brown sell off 'BRU. I know that Rich Brodsky and Jack Edmonson are in that camp, and while I respect their opinions, I vigorously disagree. In the last couple of years, I've been to some recent NYC gatherings of alums of the past decade, and all rave about how much more WBRU did for them than they could ever do for it. Heck, they sounded like us in their enthusiasm! WBRU and BSR have to different functions; from what I can tell, each does theirs admirably. Her extensive experience as Business Manager of WBRU helped my wife, Bette Schultz '73, get accepted at Harvard Business School. The station is a very special entity and a remarkable learning experience. Both Bette and I are proud of "our baby" and hope it retains its unique place at Brown and in Providence. We think both stations deserve strong alumni support and encouragement.

Nothing's perfect - I've got some elective surgery scheduled for November, but the prognosis is excellent. It should be a bump in the road, not a fall off a cliff, and as bad news goes, it's some of the less bad. Meanwhile, we remain in Chatham, NJ; feel free to stay in touch!

July, 2018 - much remains the same, some doesn't.  Bette Schultz '73 and I are still happily married - coming up on 25 years next April - and I'm writing this from the little beach box on Cape Hatteras that was her redecoration project as noted in our 2008 update. We're on a canal, five minutes to the beach, and we love the uniqueness of Cape Hatteras for vacations and "dropping out," although "real life" is still conducted in New Jersey. On this trip to the Cape, we were joined for a few days by Rob ('73) and Sue Sloan; it was supposed to be beach time but instead was a few hours on the sand and a lot of time dodging raindrops! Still, we had a great time together. I'm grateful for my long-time friendships, including with many of you.

Bette is still retired, but has been doing so much work with non-profits that for a time I thought she was back at work (except there was no paycheck!). She has, though, joined me on a few voice-overs for interstitial shows that run on PBS stations called "Spotlight On:" - an interesting "full circle" as she was the voice on the original Benefit Street's demo tape! Life works in mysterious ways....

While the new version of Rob Carlson ('70) & Benefit Street hasn't been touring, we did release our second album, "Angels on the Radio," on my label, Presence. Go to www.presenceproductions.com and you can click on links to full-length tracks from all our output. I'm also working on a solo abum of instrumentals as well as other projects. Stay tuned!

Healthwise, we're good -I beat a couple of light rounds of cancer (caught early a couple of years ago) and thus far the annual check-ups have resulted in "go have a good life and come back next year, when we'll probably tell you the same." I sure hope they continue to do so!

Once in a while, I get a shot at doing freeform radio on WOVV, the Ocracoke (NC) community FM station on the next island over from us (they also stream on-line). It's great fun, but I couldn't be that wide-ranging on a commercial station and make a living from it. Nevertheless, they do have listeners and provide the kind of vital service that only open-air radio can. You may be able to tell that this is leading up to a different opinion than some of my friends in this group have about the sale of 95.5 in Providence. I remain saddened and frustrated by it, especially considering that the buyer is, in my opinion, everything antithetical to what WBRU originally stood for. I was told that the students had lost interest in the station, but I don't think they could have faked the passion of the last day on the air, which Bette and I heard driving around Rhode Island. Even many of the commercials were goodbye love letters to the station! WBRU gave me my career and a spirit of fraternity and camaradie which can never be replaced. As I recall Jack Edmonson telling me, a long time ago, "No matter how much you do, WBRU will do more for you than you can ever do for it." That remains true for me today; I'm sorry the current generation of students won't be able to have a similar experience.

I also note with great sadness the passing of Don Berns and Don Harris.

I am in occasional contact with other alumni, but will let them tell their own stories. In the meanwhile, paul@paulpayton.com remains one e-mail address, and I have a new" other one"" bsandpp@gmail.com.  Although I'm still doing voice-overs, I consider myself semi-involuntarily semi-retired (I got tired of marketing, but I love getting into the booth) and have been travelling a lot with Bette - southeast Asia, various European destinations, the Canadian maritimes and soon the Canadian Rockies, and much more. We're also frequently in Arizona to visit Bette's now-96-year-old parents. They've been married for 74 years and still hold hands - something to aspire to.

I'm aiming for "the happy healthy 100," and still have a few decades to go, so expect the story to be continued! Feel free to make contact and be part of it.

7/22 Update:

As I started my last update, much remains the same, some doesn't. Bette Schultz '73 and I are now happily married for 28 years. We still have and love Studio 54, our little beach house on Cape Hatteras; search for it at www.vacasa.com to see new photos after the water heater blew up in the winter of 2020 and we completely redid the house. It's a beach box, as they call them locally, but we still love it. (We're there when the renters aren't!)

Bette is still doing extensive work with Impact 100, a non-profit consolidator that gathers small donations and makes them into large donations that make an impact. I'm still doing occasional voice-overs and still playing music. The new version of Rob Carlson ('70) & Benefit Street is dormant at least for now thanks to Covid, but if you go to www.presenceproductions.com, you can click on links to full-length tracks from all the band's and my output. I'm also on about half the tracks of Rob's latest solo project (summer 2022), listenable and buyable at www.robcarlsonmusic.com.

Healthwise, my cancer hit a major road bump, and then Bette had a version of her own. We're both currently winning our battles and expect victory, so we keep living and doing everything we can for our health and our heads. So far, that plan is working. We're not getting on airplanes in any hurry, though!

My big news is that the occasional show on WOVV 90.1, the Ocracoke (NC) community FM station, has turned into a regular slot! I produce it from my home studio and it runs a couple of weeks later. "The Record Room" is one hour per week doing what I used to do at WBRU even back into the AM days: freeform radio for love, not for money! Go to www.wovv.org or www.wovv.rocks and click on the "listen live" button Mondays at 4pm and repeated Thursdays at 10pm (Eastern time). Despite several "imported" shows, including mine, they really serve their community, "live and local," and I still sit in for a live shift or two when we're at Studio 54 on the next island over. Even after 60 years this fall, it all comes around again to WBRU.

Since my last post, I need to note and mourn the passing of James Beach Brennan, who was not only a WBRU buddy but one of my close circle of Brown friends, all of whom resolved to stay in each other's lives no matter what, and have kept that promise. The chain is one link shorter; Beach was one of a kind and a very good friend. RIP.

So that's the news till now; bulletins when they become available. And now back to our regularly scheduled lives!

Health and happiness to all,
Paul - Updated July 2022.

In 1974 I left radio and became a TV reporter for Channel 12 in Providence.  I became the station's news director in '76 and remained in that position for the next five years until 1981.

In 1981 I left Rhode Island to become the Executive News Producer for the CBS television station in Washington, DC (the former WTOP-TV and now WUSA-TV).  I was promoted to the position of news director in '82 and vice-president-News in 1990.  I remained in that position until 1995.  In '96 I left DC and returned to my home state of Rhode Island.

Shortly after coming home I accepted an offer to return to my old station, Channel 12, as news director.  I agreed to stay for two years at which point I had reached a goal of mine ... to retire at 55.

My wife, Marcia, and I live in North Kingstown.  Both our children, Geoff and Debbie, and our three grandchildren live nearby.

davepearce@cox.net - 5/05 - Validated July 2018

Rick@intermedia-advertising.com - 4/05

http://math.berkeley.edu/~ribet/ - 1/05

At Polaroid I worked in systems, occasionally seeing Fred Brack in his role as an IBM Systems Engineer.  After a few years I relocated to Europe for Polaroid starting with a year in Frankfurt.  There I was joined for about 6 months by Jack Rose (also BRU 70) who was already living in Germany and who then also moved back to the US with Polaroid.  I spent 5+ years in Europe, including some time in the London area and 3� years in Amsterdam, before returning to Boston.  The job then continued to take me frequently Europe and some to Latin America and the Asia/Pacific region.

As Polaroid's fortunes sank in the late 1980s I switched to the investment field working for a succession of smaller equity investment houses.  I'm now with the investment subsidiary of a Dutch/Belgian financial firm, as VP of Quantitative Research and again trekking to Europe on occasion.

A passion since childhood has been the history of street railways and urban transit, and I've volunteered for years at the Seashore Trolley Museum in Kennebunkport, ME, where I've been Chairman of the Board for about 18 years (and occasionally host our town neighbors George and Barbara Bush).  Streetcars are making a comeback now -- helping to rejuvenate downtowns across the country -- and I'm frequently traveling around the US as part of a national group setting standards and advocating for their return.

My partner, Herb Fremin -- architect and professor -- and I are coming up on two important anniversaries:  25 years together and one year (being residents of Massachusetts) of marriage.  We live in Boston's South End.

jschantz@verizon.net - 5/05 - Validated July 2018.

MoeShore@gmail.com - Updated July 2018.

Andy has submitted a lengthy reminiscence of the era, which you may enjoy reading!

jazzyandy@gmail.com - Updated July 2018.

I got a grad degree in education in 1970, and when that didn't work out, got a degree in librarianship in 1972.  An education at Brown, coupled with my high school education as a "regents diploma" student in New York, meant I knew and know a little bit about an awful lot – perfect for librarianship in an undergraduate institution.  After nine years as the librarian at a regional school district in western Mass., I moved to a liberal arts college as a reference librarian, St. Mary's College of Maryland, where I remain to this day.

Brown and BRU were instrumental in giving me a core group of friends (and associated interests) with whom I remain in contact to this day, and a world view and general education that continues to stand me in good stead.  My wife and I have two children, Joshua and Jessica (born 1970, 1974 – are those names reflective of an era, or what?) and four grandsons, around two years to eleven years old.  We've enjoyed travel to Europe (especially Paris), many summers reuniting with our gang in RI, and "homesteading" in southern Maryland – about six acres of marsh, woods, and farm field.  On rare instances, I've thought of doing a show at the college radio station at St. Mary's, but fortunately for all, the urge hasn't been followed up!

August 2018 :  On January 1, 2013, I retired from my library position at St. Mary's and have enjoyed the gift of the free time that brought me. As markers of advancing years I have had some heart issues which resulted in stents and later by-pass surgery, which have done the job needed as I continue to play occasional half-court basketball and Sue and I stay active maintaining our yard, garden, and some wooded and field areas at our home in St. Inigoes, MD. We still do some traveling and enjoy having flexible time to do so. We now have five grandsons and one great grandson. (!)

My time spent at 'BRU remains among my best of memories of Brown. For those of us who were there in the sixties, it was a special time and the reunion in 2005 was super. Fred's website is a gift for all who shared in the history of Brown radio. Thanks to Fred for "this and that!"

2017 Photo of Rob and Sue  rcsloan1947@gmail.com - Updated October 2018.

You know what they say, "You can't get radio out of your blood." By 2008 rolled around, I had fallen out of favor with my new management at KNX 1070 Newsradio, the 50,000 watt blowtorch and West Coast CBS Flagship station. Truly a great station by any measure and I loved working there. I had been considering fulfilling a life-long dream to have a business, working for myself.

About 2 or 3 weeks prior to the Global economic crash, I opened GTG Marketing providing senior level radio marketing expertise to local and regional clients in Southern California. While clients come and clients go, I'm thankful to have two key anchor accounts that have been consistent with me for 9 of my ten years in business. One, Dewey Pest Control, is a family owned heritage California company with 32 offices and 89 years of service! For both accounts I serve as radio "guy" and marketing consultant.

I celebrated 22 years of marriage this past May. We have two, count 'em two, teenage girls, 17 and 14! Lots of estrogen flowing sometimes a bit too often. And I must confess I run out of steam earlier and earlier in the day. Best you have kids when you're in your 20's or 30's. I must of sleep through that Family 101 class early Saturday morning at Sayles Hall.

I continue to embrace the forgiveness of sin and promise of eternal life Christ offers as a free gift as a participating member of Journey of Faith in Manhattan Beach, CA. It's now been 35 years since I made that decision and I've never regretted it for a moment. We're all reaching that time in life when the end is becoming a reality and the burning question: "What happens after this life?"

While the "U" has grown way too liberal for me, I surely miss all our times together:

• "Saturday Night Dance" Party & the remotes
• George Hyde practicing his "Harvey Limited" spots
• Paul Payton putting labels on records and leaving notes for us
• Hubeny running for the "Board"
• Going to Boston with Pike after "Flight 560"
• And last, but never least…..those "meeings"
• And was it Alice who was always "courting" Hubeny

Anyway, all the seeds for my love of radio and a lifetime of working the industry were sown and nurtured at ole "BRU.

Thanks to all !!

 Photo of Fred's Family - fred@gtgmarketing.com - Updated July 2018.

I then stumbled into the job world directing archaeology and historic preservation surveys for several variants of the MX missile (Ronnie R. renamed it the Peacekeeper missile). That led to more EIS and survey work with multidisciplinary firms…which lead to something totally different (if not all the same). Most of my career has been assisting large or complex environmental cleanups…working with engineers and attorneys. I've researched historical technologies (a late-1800s milk plant will have lead as the primary contaminant); learned about groundwater dynamics and conceptual site models; and helped prove up (or balance) corporate responsibilities for making the mess. I worked on the Montrose Superfund site…the LA sewer system's outfall field off of Palos Verdes as well as a number of the Superfund sites in the Seattle region. In reality, the investigations are nothing but historical archaeology…my specialty.

On the side, I've also occasionally been able to continue with the "pure" archaeology. Excavated two gold rush saloons and the waterfront in Fairbanks, AK and am just finishing up a major mitigation dig covering the original town of Sandpoint, ID (the transpo department has run a highway over half the place).

As can be seen from other's bios, Seattle became a WBRU mecca in the '70s. It was a blast (and surprise) hearing Corddry, Kertzer, Gregutt, Corry, and others on the air-waves or visiting them at KOL and KZAM. Still read Paul's wine reviews in the Sunday paper.

For the last 10 years, I've run my own company, the Environmental History Company; best thing I ever did. I just finished up another large (mining) environmental case; Sandpoint will be my swan song in archaeology. Time to "retire" and focus on other pleasures like visiting my kids in Japan and Beijing, re-restoring the 1966 Sunbeam Tiger that I had back at Brown, and enjoying life with my wife of 38 years.

robert.weaver@envirohistory.com Read More - 10/12