From the kickoff cocktail party of Friday afternoon to the farewell brunch Sunday morning, Reunions 1995 offered alumni a host of opportunities to socialize, network, march in a parade and participate in alumni-faculty exchanges on current business topics. Close to 900 graduates and guests came back to campus, as attendance records were set by a number of groups, including WG’90, which drew the biggest crowd ever recorded by any reunion class.
DISTINGUISHED COMPANY: This year’s Distinguished Service Awards, established in 1988 to recognize exemplary voluntary contributions by alumni to the School, were presented to Craig Harding, WG’75, and Seng Tee Lee, W’50.
Harding, shown with Dean Thomas P. Gerrity, is chairman and CEO of the Harding Group in Greenwich, Conn. He is currently chairman of the Wharton Graduate Executive Board as well as chair of the Wharton Annual Fund. He was co-chair of the gift committee for his class reunion this year and also in 1990.
Lee, who was unable to attend the awards ceremony, is head of Lee Pineapple Co. in Singapore and director of The Lee Foundation. He has contributed to the renovation of Steinberg Hall-Dietrich Hall and the Steinberg Conference Center, among other projects. Last year, he donated money for a loan fund to help West Philadelphia entrepreneurs start and run their own businesses.
WELCOME BACK: A cocktail reception at the Tarnopol Room in the Steinberg Conference Center featured a Dixieland band and hors d’oeuvres for returning alumni and friends. The kickoff event was sponsored by the Wharton Alumni Association and Reunion class leaders.
DECADE DINNERS: Alumni from the ‘60s and ‘70s gathered in the atrium of Steinberg Hall-Dietrich Hall for a barbecue and bluegrass music. The ‘80s class staged their own barbecue in Hoover Lounge and Patio, while the Class of WG’90 relived their days of pizza and beer at the MBA Pub.
DAY IN THE SUN: Alumni and friends blanketed Mack Plaza and Lehman Brothers Quadrangle during a cool, sunny picnic followed by the Penn Parade down Locust Walk. Wharton t-shirts came with the lunch.
A GIFTED GROUP: At a Saturday evening cocktail reception, the Wharton Annual fund offered its special thanks to reunion class gift volunteers and Benjamin Franklin Society donors. Below are Committee volunteers.
ALUMNI/FACULTY EXCHANGES: The weekend began on Friday afternoon with an executive education seminar on leadership and change management. On Saturday, four alumni/faculty exchanges looked at “Personal Finance: How to Manage Your Money;” “The New Wave of Mergers and Acquisitions;” “Forming Strategic Alliances: The Key to Competing (and Surviving) in the Global Marketplace,” and “The Common Habits of Highly Successful Entrepreneurs.”
The mergers and acquisitions exchange was led by Harbir Singh, far left, associate professor of management. Panelists included Michael L. Tarnopol, W’58, center, senior managing director and chairman of the investment banking division of Bear Stearns & Co., and Thomas G. Amato, WG’70, near left, senior vice president and CFO of Symbol Technologies, Inc.
SCHOOL UPDATE: Dean Thomas P. Gerrity outlined the School’s strategic goals during a Wharton town meeting that included welcoming remarks from Penn president Judith Rodin.
REENGINEERING THE ‘90S: For their second dinner of the weekend, the class of WG’90 chose another familiar locale – the 30th Street Train Station.
NIGHT LIFE: Dinner and dancing Saturday night at the Marriott Hotel topped off the day for members of WG’65, ‘70, ‘75, ‘80 and ‘85. During dinner, class leaders presented Dean Gerrity with checks announcing their class gift contributions.
