The pictures on the posting below were taken recently of Mike Van de Kerckhove and Ray Gondek during a lunch at Arlington Park Race Track, and the pictures immediately above are of the same two people back in 1964 when they graduated from St. Ambrose. They have not changed much in 45 years, right?
What has happened to you in the last 45 years? We would love to hear from everyone about what you have done since leaving St. Ambrose. There are several ways to do this:
1. Just click the "Comments" link after a posting on this Blog. The "Comments" section will open up and it will say, "Post a Comment" with a box for typing in comments or perhaps telling us what you have been up to in the last 45 years. You do not have to register in order to leave comments. If you have a Google account or another affiliated organization account, the Comments section will automatically recognize you. However, you can select "Anonymous" in the "Comment As" part and not have to register. (You may, nevertheless, have to type in a distorted word that you see before you can proceed. This is used to prevent Spam from getting into the Comments.) After typing in your comments, you then just click "Post Comment" and you are done. If you do post the comment as "Anonymous," we would appreciate you putting your name somewhere in the comment, so we know which classmate left the message.
2. You can just e-mail your comments and/or pictures to Mike Van de Kerckhove (m.vandekerckhove@comcast.net) or Ray Gondek (marco1761101@aol.com), and we shall post them on this Blog.
3. If you intend to do a lot of posting or wish to help with this Blog, let us know and we shall give you rights to post directly to it.
Since we have asked what you have been doing, in fairness Mike and Ray should start this off:
Mike Van de Kerckhove:
Immediately after St. Ambrose, I went to graduate school at the University of Illinois and received a M.A. in Labor & Industrial Relations. I stayed on at the U of I to get a law degree. After law school, I went to work in the Law Department of Swift & Company in Chicago, then went to a law firm in Milwaukee (Mulcahy & Wherry). Finally I ended up in the Law Department of what was then called Universal Oil Products Company (now is UOP LLC, a subsidiary of Honeywell International Inc). I retired from UOP in April 2007 and that is why I have all of this time to write Blogs. In 1970 I married Carole Hartman, who was from Cleveland, OH, and was a University of Michigan graduate. We have two daughters—Amy and Wendy. Amy graduated from University of Notre Dame and Georgetown University Law School, and is an attorney with the Federal Communications Commission. Wendy graduated from Rice University and the University of Michigan and is a statistician with a consulting firm. Amy is married to Greg Wach, who like Amy graduated from Notre Dame and Georgetown. (However, they did not meet until they were at Georgetown.) Greg is an attorney with Fannie Mae. Amy & Greg have two beautiful children—Leo (3 years old) and Clara (8 months old). And I have to comment that Carole and I love spending time with our two grandchildren.
What has happened to you in the last 45 years? We would love to hear from everyone about what you have done since leaving St. Ambrose. There are several ways to do this:
1. Just click the "Comments" link after a posting on this Blog. The "Comments" section will open up and it will say, "Post a Comment" with a box for typing in comments or perhaps telling us what you have been up to in the last 45 years. You do not have to register in order to leave comments. If you have a Google account or another affiliated organization account, the Comments section will automatically recognize you. However, you can select "Anonymous" in the "Comment As" part and not have to register. (You may, nevertheless, have to type in a distorted word that you see before you can proceed. This is used to prevent Spam from getting into the Comments.) After typing in your comments, you then just click "Post Comment" and you are done. If you do post the comment as "Anonymous," we would appreciate you putting your name somewhere in the comment, so we know which classmate left the message.
2. You can just e-mail your comments and/or pictures to Mike Van de Kerckhove (m.vandekerckhove@comcast.net) or Ray Gondek (marco1761101@aol.com), and we shall post them on this Blog.
3. If you intend to do a lot of posting or wish to help with this Blog, let us know and we shall give you rights to post directly to it.
Since we have asked what you have been doing, in fairness Mike and Ray should start this off:
Mike Van de Kerckhove:
Immediately after St. Ambrose, I went to graduate school at the University of Illinois and received a M.A. in Labor & Industrial Relations. I stayed on at the U of I to get a law degree. After law school, I went to work in the Law Department of Swift & Company in Chicago, then went to a law firm in Milwaukee (Mulcahy & Wherry). Finally I ended up in the Law Department of what was then called Universal Oil Products Company (now is UOP LLC, a subsidiary of Honeywell International Inc). I retired from UOP in April 2007 and that is why I have all of this time to write Blogs. In 1970 I married Carole Hartman, who was from Cleveland, OH, and was a University of Michigan graduate. We have two daughters—Amy and Wendy. Amy graduated from University of Notre Dame and Georgetown University Law School, and is an attorney with the Federal Communications Commission. Wendy graduated from Rice University and the University of Michigan and is a statistician with a consulting firm. Amy is married to Greg Wach, who like Amy graduated from Notre Dame and Georgetown. (However, they did not meet until they were at Georgetown.) Greg is an attorney with Fannie Mae. Amy & Greg have two beautiful children—Leo (3 years old) and Clara (8 months old). And I have to comment that Carole and I love spending time with our two grandchildren.
Ray Gondek
After SAC I worked for the Chicago Public Schools for 10 years.
Since then, I have managed real estate that we own. This still occupies my and Marianne's time, which is why I also appreciate Mike Van de Kerckhove taking the time and initiative to establish and promote this "Blog."
In 1971 I married Marianne Nawoj from Mt. Prospect, Illinois, and who is a Brescia College graduate.
We have a son Pat and daughters Ann Marie and Michelle. Pat graduated from Purdue University with a degree in chemical engineering. Ann Marie graduated from DePaul University with a BS in Marketing and has a Master Degree in International Relations specializing in International Business and Economics from Boston University. Both Pat abd Ann Marie live in the Chicago area.
Michelle graduated from Purdue University with a degree in Communications and also received a Masters Degree in Public Relations from Ball State University. Michelle lives in Muncie, IN.
In my spare time I like to surprise a SAC classmate with a phone call, like Hank Eynatten in London, England; John Fatini in California; Rodger Moon & Fred Hadank in Peoria; Ken Choquette in Des Moines or Bill Gluba, the current Mayor of Davenport.
I also like to listen to Dick Biondi (yes, he is still here) on 94.7 WLS-FM "odies but goodies" music of the 50's & 60's and relive the old days.
Hi Mike - You mentioned calling Hank Eynatten which has been on my mind as well. Do you have a contact # for him? My search has yielded no results. Thanks in advance and Merry Christmas!
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