Reminiscing
with a truly memorable teacher
Even
after more than 30 years, Mr. Hunter (Syd) — yearbook advisor, geography
teacher, and rugby coach — is fondly remembered by students who came in
contact with him. And it seems he has good memories of guiding the yearbook team
too! Amazingly, Bruce Goodman's mother kept in touch with Syd, who moved back to
New Zealand many years ago. It was one of my highlights from the reunion to get
back in touch with Syd, who calls us "whizzkids" and
"exceptionally talented." (Another highlight for me was meeting my
elementary school pal, Reba Greenberg, again.)
Marlene
Busko
Syd's
story follows, along with some tales of "my life since high school"
from me, David, Gary, and Bill.
Marlene Busko
Syd
Hunter
David Eagle
Gary Fabian
Bill Jacobson
Yearbook
Editor Becomes Medical Editor
Syd,
It's too bad that you weren't with us at our 30th reunion almost 3 years
ago, to see everyone flipping through those yearbooks!
Following up on my previous email, I'll fill you in a
bit on my life after MCHS. I studied science — first at Dawson College, then
at McGill, where I obtained a BSc in Biochemistry in '74. In those days it
seemed jobs were plentiful, and I quickly found one in a lab at Royal Victoria
Hospital — where I worked for 21 years! Meanwhile, I attended night classes
and received an MBA in Marketing from McGill in '86. (Tony Chrissafis, who I
only met at a reunion later, graduated from the same program). As one of my
hobbies, I was a newsletter editor for a hiking/skiing group.
My interests all came together when I landed a job as
a medical/marketing writer at a contract research organization, then called
Phoenix. Unfortunately, 2 years later, a new boss reorganized the department and
my job was eliminated. At first I was shocked, but then I discovered a
journalism/technical writing program at Concordia (where I recently obtained a
certificate). I also joined 2 writing and editing organizations, which led to 2
brief stints as an in-house medical editor.
These days I work part-time as a scientific journal
editor, manage a small journal for transplant professionals, and do freelance
medical writing and editing. I love the constant learning and variety.
On the personal side, I never married or had
children. And although I've visited England and Ukraine, and skied in
Switzerland and Austria, I would like to travel more some day — perhaps to
some exotic location like NZ. We could have a yearbook board/MCHS reunion! But
as Gary says, this would require a lot of air miles.
Wishing you all the best,
Marlene
Busko
Greetings
from 'Clean and Green' New Zealand
Marlene,
Bruce Goodman mailed me a pile of information on your
highly successful reunion, so I've had the memories revived of my very pleasant
time at M.C.H.S. way back in the 60s. Bruce said the yearbook was an invaluable
resource for such an event, and of course you personally put a huge effort into
it helped by an extremely talented editorial board. It was one of the most
enjoyable and fulfilling projects in my teaching career.
When we returned to NZ, I taught for another 20-odd
years as head of the geography department at a large Auckland college. Before I
retired, I was elected to the city council where I continued serving for 10
years, up until just recently. I'm still involved in some community activities.
I've been back to Canada a number of times, because two of my daughters, who
were born in Montreal, worked in Western Canada. Since retiring
I have also toured Europe
and spent six weeks in India, Thailand and Nepal. I divorced some years ago and
now live alone, but I have close relationships with my three daughters who are
all currently in Auckland.
I now live on a clifftop on Waiheke Island
overlooking Auckland Harbour. Waiheke is 35 minutes by fast ferry from Auckland
City and has a population of about
9000 scattered over five villages. Superb, white-sand beaches ring the island,
and everyone seems to have a boat. It is a really beautiful environment for a
geographer to spend his retirement years.
Syd
Hunter
To see some pictures of New Zealand: www.purenz.com
Keeping
the Spirit Alive in Phoenix
Mr.
Hunter... sorry, Syd (old habits are hard to break),
I don't think I ever had the opportunity to tell you
the strong impression you made on me. Even without the yearbook at my side I can
still remember your face and voice. You'll find me in your rugby team photo,
front row on the far right. That was some team, and those days were some of the
best. I found out at the reunion that more people liked me than I thought, and
someone even had a crush on me. Oh to have known that then!
What have I been up to since '69? It's a long story,
but here are some highlights…. I was married three times (I never did things
right the first time, if you remember), but the last one is a charm. After ten
years, we recently renewed our vows. From my second marriage I have a
24-year-old son who is way smarter than his dad.
I ended up traveling quite a bit, as I had wanted to.
In fact, I have been in the travel industry for 30 years — working with
computers for the last 15 years. My math skills were always lacking, but at
least now the machines do the work. I live in Phoenix, Arizona, and work for
America West Airlines as Sr. Manager IT Development and Distribution. This long
title allows me to get coffee daily and have someone else check my grammar. I
never did go to college, but have been working since the day I left Malcolm. I
didn't do too badly for someone who never liked to study.
"Down under" is a place I have not been to,
although my wife and I have spoken about it. If we get there, I would love to
take you out for dinner and do some catching up. You are one of a very few
teachers that I remember with such warmth in my heart.
I hope this finds you well and that fate will bring
us together again very soon. God bless you for your life's work that has helped
to shape so many good men and women over the years. Speaking for the class of
'69, we raise a glass to you. To the rest of our incredible yearbook staff, I
wish health and prosperity in all your endeavors, and pledge to keep the spirit
we had back then moving forward. Montreal
born and raised and Highlander proud till the end!
Hope to hear from you soon. An old friend with warm
feelings,
David
W Eagle and Angelika
From
Flower Child to Pharma Exec
Syd,
There's 30 years ++ of catching up to do, so let's
begin. Pour yourself a glass of your favorite libation, put your feet up, and
enjoy.
After graduating from Malcolm Campbell, I attended
CEGEP at Sir George Williams University. We were CEGEP guinea pigs so to speak.
As part of the rebellious flower child generation, I was at loose ends and often
thought of dropping out. But, I persevered and had a great time to boot.
In '72 I entered University at Sir George and majored
in, get this, urban geography. (See the influence you had on me.) I had wild
aspirations of becoming an urban planner, but ended up studying more economics
and sociology. That summer I took a trip across Canada with my best buddy Gord
in a 1967 Volkswagen...light blue, just like the one you drove (see that
influence once again). The next summer was spent working and then traveling in
Europe with my girlfriend Shelly, who has since become my wife of 25 years. We
bought a Volkswagen camper and traveled through Italy, Austria, France, etc. Ahh,
those were the days!
When I graduated with my Bachelors degree in the
summer of '74, I began plotting my future. How green we were back then! Since I
entertained visions of becoming a lawyer, I went to work as a para legal in
matrimonial law for a prominent Montreal law firm. I even wrote my law entrance
exams, and got accepted. Then something happened. I got married, and decided I
wanted to get on a fast track to making money. So, in '77 I answered an ad for
the AC Neilsen company to join their marketing team, and I haven't looked back.
I spent 9 years with ACN, and learned a lot. The
company, which does market research studies and TV ratings, subsidized all sorts
of management training for me. I very quickly rose through the ranks. In 1985 I
became general sales manager for Eastern Canada. But, as often happens in such
cases, I had a major falling out with senior management the next year, and left.
However, I was 34 and had the energy and drive to move ahead and not brood. And
I had a wonderfully supportive wife.
Let's backtrack a sec, to my personal life. In 1980,
we had our first child, our son Alexander. There was such excitement in the
Fabian clan, as he was the first to carry on the name. I still have a picture of
me with my son, dad and grandfather (who was 90 at the time) — 4 generations
of Fabians! In 1983, our daughter Sabrina was born. And now, Alex recently
graduated from Bishops U, and Sabrina has just started there. Needless to say we
are proud of their accomplishments.
To recap my career over the past 15years, I found a
job (actually they found me) within a month of leaving ACN. I joined IMS Health,
a multinational health information company, as their 60th employee. Today we are
over 350 and still growing. We provide critical data and information services
principally to the pharmaceutical industry, but to other health stakeholders as
well — including researchers, academics, doctors, etc. I've had a great,
well-rounded career, and I'm currently VP of External Relations and Development,
within the Corporate Affairs department. Basically, I'm in charge of a variety
of issues, including professional relations (doctors and pharmacists), privacy,
and government relations for Eastern Canada. This involves a lot of diverse
challenges, a good deal of travel, and a pretty high energy/stress level. But,
I'm happy to say, I do love my work.
On the personal side, I still play organized hockey
with the old timers (gee I hate that name), and enjoy golf and tennis. We own a
cottage that is our year round nirvana where we enjoy the outdoors. And, in less
than 2 weeks we're taking a family trip to visit our roots (mine are Hungarian
and Shelly's are Austrian). Although we've been to Europe on a number of
occasions, we have yet to get to the land down under. Got to build up my air
miles....
Syd, I've run out of time, but it was fun to
reminisce. Keep well, and please stay in touch. Very warm regards,
Gary
Fabian
Dear
Syd:
I only just received a note from Marlene Busko with
your contact information, and I can't tell you how delighted I was. I trust you
have some small recollection of me from your time in Canada. I certainly have
fond memories of (much of) my time at MCHS, including my interactions with you.
I do hope that you are well and happy and enjoying
whatever life has dealt you. I have had an interesting, certainly checkered
career. After finding far too many opportunities to divert myself from my
studies, initially at Sir George Williams University, I became quite involved in
community health and managed a community-based clinic in a working class area of
Montreal. I subsequently did a stint in the music business, where I traveled and
did tour production for a couple of years. When I realized that a future of loud
music and low wages was probably not the best career move, I re-entered
University and began the pursuit of a more academic career. I completed my B.Sc.
at Concordia University, and then found myself studying menstrual function in
elite female athletes at Dalhousie University in Halifax, NS. I had absolutely
no idea what to do after I received my M.Sc. in Physical Education (Exercise
Physiology), so I decided to stick around and get a Ph.D. I studied the control
of puberty, and then, once again, not knowing what else to do, I decided to do a
fellowship. I used the well-recognized sun-belt approach to this endeavor, and
applied at universities from California, Arizona, Texas, etc.
Ultimately, I ended up in Gainesville, Florida, at
the University of Florida. I, along with my future wife (who came from Nova
Scotia) spent three years there. I still didn't know what I wanted to do as a
career, but fortunately I was recruited into a position in the Department of
Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Toronto. I spent about five years
there as an assistant professor, and became a rather successful grantsman. As
time passed, however, I realized that I did not fancy the purely academic life.
There was too little teaching, and too much hunting for money, so I decided to
leave academia.
I secured a position in a small pharmaceutical
company, where I spent about four years learning every thing that I could. I
left to go to Pfizer. Very luckily for me, one of the first projects I was given
responsibility for was to develop and run the clinical development program in
Canada for a then little-known drug called Viagra. This was a very exciting time
and I had a very good run at Pfizer. Ultimately, however, I decided that I
wanted a different challenge.
I opted to move into the biotechnology area, and am
now the director of clinical research at a start-up company in Richmond,
Virginia.
I am thoroughly enjoying the work, and find this career quite exhilarating. I do
not travel nearly as much as I used to, but I do get to Europe occasionally, as
well as to the Orient. I do hope that my travels will take my back to New
Zealand, as I would dearly love to have the opportunity to sit and talk with
you.
On the personal side, I have a lovely, supportive
wife of almost 15 years. We have been blessed with two beautiful girls, Rebekah,
age 7, and Miriam, age 10. All of us have adjusted nicely to living in the
capital of the Confederacy.
Please tell me what you have been up to since 1969.
Have you ever gotten back to North America, and more importantly, do you have
any plans to do so?
Best
Regards,
Bill
Jacobson
So
let's hear from the rest of the Highlander board!
It
wasn't only the board who made the yearbook a success. Let's hear from yearbook
staff, those who contributed stories or artwork (click
here to find news of Andrew Bogya), etc.. Send your Highlander-related
memories to admin@mchs1969.net