Andy Paul
Hope you’re all enjoying the nice summer weather, fellow members of the Class of ’82. Just a few reports this time around — please reach out to me and let your classmates know what you’re up to! Here’s my brief update: My wife, Karen, and I celebrated the arrival of our fifth grandchild this past winter, a baby boy. That makes three boys and two girls for our two daughters and their families. Can’t have too many grandbabies!
Jeff Hart was recently named athletic administrator at Camden Hills Regional High School in Rockport. Jeff is a familiar face to students and families in the community, having served as a physical education teacher at the school since graduating in 1982. As basketball coach, he racked up an impressive record, becoming just the ninth Maine high school basketball coach to surpass 500 career victories. Best wishes to Jeff and in his new role.
Dr. James Coleman was named a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the world’s largest general scientific society and publisher of the journal Science. Jim is the provost and executive vice chancellor for academic affairs and professor of biological sciences at the University of Arkansas. A highly regarded plant physiology ecologist, he has served as chief institutional research officer at several universities. Jim earned his bachelor’s in forestry at the University of Maine before earning his master’s and doctorate at the Yale School of Forestry, and did postdoctoral work at Stanford and Harvard universities. Congratulations to Jim on this well-deserved honor.
We heard from Robert Fowler with the following update:
“Hello, Class of 1982! Let’s see. Since graduating from UMaine in 1982, I worked for 20 years in the insurance industry starting as an underwriter with UNUM Life Insurance Company in Portland and ending with The Guardian Life Insurance Company in Bethlehem, PA. I got married and had three wonderful children. My daughter Abby and her husband Ryan live in Colorado Springs and just had my second grandchild Layla. Their son Colin, who is three years old, was my first grandchild. My son Joel works as a welder in Allentown, PA, and my son Matthew is a chef in Philadelphia. I left the insurance business after 20 years to pursue a childhood dream to become a pilot. I earned my commercial pilot’s license and flight instructor certificate while working full-time as an underwriter and began a career in aviation in 2003. During the past 16 years, I have worked in the aviation training industry in many different capacities. In 2016, I was hired by Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, FL, as a flight training manager. While at Embry-Riddle, I earned my Master of Science in aeronautics and was recruited this year to work as an assistant professor of aerospace at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, TN. My wife, Cathy, and I just sold our home in Florida and have bought a new home here in Tennessee.”
It’s so fascinating to learn about the different paths our classmates have taken since UMaine. Have any news of your own or just want to share what’s new in your life? If you have anything to share, or just want to give a shout out to your classmates, please drop me a line.