During the past 25 years, many classmates, as you
might expect, have become quite prolific. We have become architects,
artists, CEOs, clergy, coaches, designers, doctors, editors, educators,
engineers, entrepreneurs, entertainers, farmers, financiers, hoteliers,
judges, lawyers, nutritionists, public servants, restaurateurs, scientists,
and vets amongst other occupations and avocations. We have made lasting
contributions and received important honors.
Recognizing this, class
officers borrowed a page from the recent book,
The 100 Most Notable
Cornellians, by Cornell professors Glenn Altschuler, Isaac Kramnick,
and Laurence Moore. In last fall's class newsletter, through emails
to our class listserv, and on our website, we solicited nominations
from classmates on who you felt were "Distinguished Classmates". Distinguished
means that the person has made a meaningful, recognizable, and lasting
contribution to their profession, community, business, or constituency.
We received many nominations. We carefully reviewed these nominations
and performed additional research into the backgrounds and accomplishments
of many other classmates. At this time, we are not able to recognize
all those classmates who were identified. In the end, we feel that
we compiled a representative list honoring an initial group of 25
distinguished classmates. Based on the nominations and research, it
is clear we have only scratched the surface of distinguished members
of the Class of 1979. I expect we will recognize additional distinguished
classmates at future class reunions.
The initial 25 classmates span
seven broad fields: arts & entertainment, education, medicine
/ healthcare, government / military / public service, entrepreneurs,
product businesses, and service businesses. This booklet contains
a short biographical sketch and picture of each of the classmates.
Many of the honorees were part of a Distinguished Classmates Forum
held on Friday June 11 during our 25th reunion. Many classmates and
their families attended the forum. Four of the honorees -
Martin Fisher,
Jim Hofher, Angeles Echols, and Todd Krasnow - shared short reflections
on their accomplishments and the role which Cornell played in their
careers. Each classmate was introduced by a distinguished Cornell
faculty or staff member.
Jeffrey Berg, President
Cornell Class of
1979
Download the Distinguished Classmates Booklet 
