December 2016 Program Chair: John Cilli
- Dec. 6 “Fertile Gene Discovery from Worms to Humans” – Dr. Andrew Singson, Waksman Institute of Genetics, Rutgers University, will speak on his recent ground-breaking research in the field of fertility.
- Dec. 13 “Issues in Forensic Economics” – Dr. Frank Tinari, Professor Emeritus, Seton Hall University, will speak on key issues covered in the calculation of expert witness work in civil litigation. His recent book, Forensic Economics, will be for sale and autographed at the end of the meeting.
- Dec. 20 “Radiance Chamber Ensemble” – Michael Schneider, Organizer. This string quartet performs in diverse venues through central and northern New Jersey, presenting well-rounded and varied programs to universally high acclaim.
November 2016 Program Chair: John Baxter
- Nov. 1 “The Dog Merchants” – Kim Kavin, noted author, will discuss her recent book which covers the complex business of dog marketing. The book reveals how these merchants create markets for dogs, sometimes defying the usual rates of supply and demand.
- Nov. 7 “Managing Transition” – Mia Kebea, Director of Marketing for “Seniors in Place,” will lead a panel of experts in a discussion of the many questions seniors face when they finally decide to make a life-changing move. Her group, “Silver Linings,” includes a realtor, a lawyer, and others involved in helping to answer these questions. The group will also discuss institutions that offer support in making difficult decisions and handling actual moves.
- Nov. 15 “Managing Low Vision” – Dr. Barbara Perina, an ophthalmologist with Retina Specialists in Morristown, will discuss low vision, which describes a visual impairment that cannot be helped with regular glasses, medicine, or surgery. It can be caused by many conditions, but the most common cause is macular degeneration. Dr. Perina will discuss methods and strategies to help improve visual function.
- Nov. 22 “Cuba from Jefferson to Obama” – William ‘Pat’ Schuber, an attorney and Professor of Law and Leadership at Fairleigh Dickinson University, will outline the relationship between the U.S. and Cuba. He will take us from the Spanish-American War to the Cuban Missile Crisis and discuss the future of Cuba and the U.S. as we move forward. Professor Schuber has led many trade groups to Cuba and will show many interesting pictures of these visits.
- Nov. 29 “The Election of 2016” – Tom Moran, an op-ed editor from the Star Ledger, will discuss the 2016 election. He has covered it from the very beginning and will offer valuable insight on this most important event. He is very interested in answering questions from our members.
October 2016 Program Chair: Mort O’Shea
- Oct. 4 “Jerome D. Davis and the Japanese Awakening” – Rob Davis will discuss the 105-year history of the Davis family with Japan and will focus on his great-grandfather, Jerome Davis, who went to Japan as a missionary in 1871 and died in 1910. Included will be a brief history of Japan during this period, including the transitioning of Japan from a feudal state to a modern country. Also included are some hints on why Japan entered World War ll.
- Oct. 10 Ladies Day Luncheon – “Civics in the Twenty-First Century” – Guest speaker: Susan Haig explored what it means to be civic-minded, and the role of news in our society. She believes that news about culture, creativity, and citizens making a difference can serve as an antidote to the dispiriting news we typically view.
- Oct. 18 “Beautiful Decay: Greystone” – Jan Williams of the Morris County Division of Planning and Preservation will cover a wide variety of topics: how to survey historic structures, the “Building as Cure” theory of architectural design, and a closer look at the stunning craftsmanship within Greystone’s many structures. Rarely seen by the public, fieldwork photographs of the Gas Illumination plant will be presented. Theories will be discussed regarding the eventual decline of the institution, the changing definition and treatment of mental illness, and glimpses into lives of patients and staff. Maps depicting Greystone over the course of three centuries will be displayed.
- Oct. 25 “Verbal Judo: Calming Conflict with Communication” – Chief Robert Weck of the Summit Police Department is the speaker. The Chief trains law enforcement officials in Tactical Communication using the work of Dr. George Thompson, whose philosophy shows how individuals can look creatively at conflict, and how to use specific tactics and strategies to find a peaceful solution to confrontation.
September 2016 Program Chair: Tom Dolce & Mitchell Erickson
- Sept. 6 “My Experiences in the Viet Nam War” – Matthew Swajkowski, Lt. Artillery, American Division of the U.S. Army.
- Sept. 13 “Spies in the American Revolution” – Damien Cregeau, Education Liaison, Fishkill Supply Depot.
- Sept. 20 “Food Photonics: Monitoring Food Quality Using Luminescence Spectroscopy” – Richard Ludescher, PhD., Department of Food Science, Rutgers University - New Brunswick.
- Sept. 27 “The Coming Mobility Revolution: Where Are We and Where Is It Taking Us?” – Alain L. Kornhauser, PhD., Operations Research & Financial Engineering, Princeton University.
August 2016 Program Chair: Mike Martin
- Aug. 2 “Lifelong Learning at FDU” – Bruce Peabody, PhD., and head of the Senior Learning Program at Fairleigh Dickinson University, will address this topic. The Lifelong Learning Institute offers retired professionals exposure to new academic disciplines and group discussions of interesting topics from science to contemporary affairs.
- Aug. 9 “The Golden Age of Dutch Art” – Barbara Tomlinson PhD. is the speaker. Always informative and provocative, Barbara inspires audience interest in a variety of artistic topics. After retiring as a professor from Kean University, Barbara embarked on a career lecturing on art, artists, and painting. She leads worldwide travel/learning tours to various museums and galleries from St. Petersburg to Los Angeles. During the fall and spring, Barbara lectures weekly at the Leisure Learning Institute in Basking Ridge.
- Aug. 16 “Hospice Decisions for Loved Ones” – Are you prepared to make this decision? Jennifer Dral, from Ascend Hospice, a provider of holistic hospice care to patients and their families, will be the speaker.
- Aug. 23 “On Being Blind” – An inspiring talk from a person who has overcome a devastating disability, Sally Myers, formerly of Chatham Borough, has recently become a Summit resident. Legally blind since birth, Sally became totally blind in 1998, at which time she acquired her first guide dog from the Seeing Eye in Morristown.
- Aug. 30 “Summit Master Plan” – Nora Radest, the mayor of Summit and former president of the Summit Board of Education. What will Summit look like in 10-15 years? A refreshing perspective from the incumbent mayor.
July 2016 Program Chair: Tom Dolce
- July 5 “Alexander Hamilton: Revisited” – Nolan Asch, Old Guard member and member of the Alexander Hamilton Awareness Society (AHA), is the speaker. He will try to cover the most important aspects of Hamilton’s life and attempt to convince you that our government, economy, and society today conform to Hamilton's original vision. Google “celebratehamilton” for further information on local events hosted by the AHA from July 6 to July 12.
- July 12 “Damn the Torpedoes – An Uncivil War Afloat! – Blockading, Bombardment, and Foreign Treachery during the U.S. Civil War” – John Orzel, Esq., returns to the Old Guard to recount tales of blockade runners, the battle of the ironclads, and more.
- July 19 “The Doctornaut Act: A Way to Reduce Health Care Costs” – Stephen L. DeFelice, MD will present his ideas on lowering health care costs. He has an impressive list of contributions to medical research and has published widely in this area. He was the first to propose the idea of “doctornauts” who would be free to volunteer for important clinical studies.
- July 26 “Impact of the Bruising Presidential Nomination Primaries on the Future of the Republican and Democratic Parties and on the Candidate Selection Process in the U.S.” – A plenary meeting Timely Topics discussion will be led by John Luckstone, Ken Lindhorst, and Pete Lederman at the regular meeting on this vital topic with participation encouraged from all in attendance.
June 2016 Program Chair: Richard Naths
- June 6 “Washington’s 1777 Encampment – A History of the First Winter Encampment of Washington’s Army” – William B. Styple, a resident of Chatham and a famous historian and author of several history books on the Civil War, will enlighten us about this very important part of our nation’s early struggle for independence..
- June 14 “Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge – A Treasure of Nature in Our Backyard” – Kathy Woodward of Chatham, board member of Friends of Great Swamp NWR, will talk about the National Wildlife System, the current management of the refuge by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that encourages a great variety of plants and animals, as well as the opportunities for visitors to learn about and enjoy wildlife on the refuge.
- June 21 “New Discoveries in Astronomy” – Dr. Philip Eisner, Physicist and Ecologist, retired from Exxon Research, and an Old Guard member, will describe new astronomical observations and their implications for cosmology.
- June 28 “My Hobby Could Be Your Hobby – The Joy of Wood Carving” – Elliott Koppel, Old Guard member, will present samples of each type of carving, explain how to do each, show and demonstrate how to use the various knives and blades, and explain the various types of wood used. He will also show how easy and inexpensive it is to get started on this hobby.
May 2016 Program Chair: Bob Miller
- May 3 “Imagine, A Center for Coping with Loss, Located in Westfield, NJ” – Mandi Zucker, Program Director, will discuss the mission and vision of this free year-round peer grief support group for New Jersey children and their families. Imagine NJ currently supports over 223 children.
- May 10 “Role of the U.S. in the Development of Afghan National Security Forces” – Dennis W. Devery, Ed.D, VP for Planning and Research at Thomas Edison State University and retired colonel, U.S. Army, will discuss his experiences in Afghanistan and at the Thomas Edison State University. Dr. Devery was deputy director/chief of staff of the Afghan National Security Forces Development Assistance Bureau.
- May 17 “Charles Darwin’s Theory of Evolution, the Best Idea Anyone Ever Had” – Old Guard member, Dr. Phil Eisner, will discuss Darwin’s two great books, On the Origin of Species and The Descent of Man. Dr. Eisner will show how 20th century discoveries combined with Darwin’s and Mendel’s theories unifies into a single grand story.
- May 24 “Myths to Traditions – A Story of Two American Holidays” – Old Guard member, Bob Miller, will discuss how historical myths have become adapted over time to create two of America’s most celebrated holidays, Christmas and Halloween. The American style of celebration is being adopted world-wide.
- May 31 “Asset Protection – Establishing and Maintaining an Estate Plan” – Peter Scotta, Fidelity Investments Private Client Group and Pamela Pirone-Benson, Fidelity Vice President Estate Planning, will discuss the need for wealth protection. Wealth protection planning is complex and unique to every family.
April 2016 Program Chair: Alf Walton
- April 5 “Explaining and Resolving Conflict in the Arab Region: A Gender Perspective” – Jennifer Olmsted, Professor of Economics and Director of Middle Eastern Studies, Drew University, will discuss conflict situations in the Arab region, with a focus on how foreign and domestic governments, the UN and non-state agencies such as ISIS have shaped these conflicts, and suggestions for improving conditions in the area.
- April 12 “Russia – between Asia and Europe” – Nadezhda Lvov, Professor, Essex County College, Newark, will analyze the influence of both western and eastern traditions on Russian culture. She will discuss the Byzantine influence in Russian history, the reforms of Peter the Great and Gorbachev, and why the man in the street supports Putin’s actions in Crimea and Syria.
- April 19 “Doing Business on the Morris Canal” – Joseph Macasek, Chair of the Canal Society of New Jersey. Completed in 1831, this 102-mile long canal was built to transport anthracite coal from the Pennsylvania mines to the growing NY market. Using original documents, Mr. Macasek will explain how the canal worked, and who built the canal’s famed inclined planes.
- April 26 “George Catlin, Indian Painter” – Alf Walton, Old Guard member and descendant of George Catlin, will describe the travels of Catlin during the 1830s visiting the Plains Indians and recording with paintbrush and text the history of many tribes (Blackfeet, Sioux, Mandan, and others) before they were wiped out by smallpox.
March 2016 Program Chair: David Badertscher
- Mar 1 “Duties and Responsibilities of Municipal Clerks” – David Hughes, retired clerk - City of Summit, Rosemary Licatese, Clerk - City of Summit, and Wendi Barry, Clerk - Borough of New Providence, will be presenting a joint discussion led by David Hughes. Among the topics covered will be: duties of municipal clerks, how the duties of municipal clerks have changed over the years, and municipal services administered through their offices.
- Mar. 8 “Trends and Options in the Senior Living Industry” – Brian Lawrence, President and CEO of Fellowship Senior Living, will be presenting a broad-based discussion on the trends in the senior living industry and what options are available for seniors.
- Mar. 15 “Local and Regional Media: Present Situation and Future Possibilities” – Horace Corbin, owner of Watchung Communications and publisher of various local newspapers, including the 121-year-old Westfield Leader, will present his views regarding the present state and possible future directions of local and regional media publishing and distribution.
- Mar. 22 “Investment Trends in Private Equity” – For over 25 years, Nick Dovidio has been an advisor to financial institutions regarding private equity and board Chair and director of a dozen corporations. Mr. Dovidio will describe the various types of private equity (PE) investments, including buyouts, venture capital, and real estate.
- Mar. 29 “A Personal View of Jazz History from the Perspective of a Musician” – Radam Schwartz, organist, pianist, composer, and music instructor, has said that musicians are constantly questioning the accuracy of the way the history of jazz is presented because it does not go hand-in-hand with their personal experiences. He plans to talk about jazz history from a different perspective. He will especially emphasize the role of the jazz organ in jazz history and the local jazz scene in Newark.
February 2016 Program Chair: Peter Fasold
- Feb. 2 “A Second Chance for Fearful Dogs” – Kristen Collins, Director, Anti-Cruelty Behavior Rehabilitation, will introduce the ASPCA’s groundbreaking work at their Behavioral Rehabilitation Center, located on the grounds of St. Hubert’s Animal Welfare Center in Madison, NJ. Topics will include the Rehab Center’s treatment program and research, problematic behavior commonly seen in fearful, severely undersocialized dogs, and some of the Center’s early discoveries.
- Feb. 9 “A Treasure in Our Backyard” – Melanie Cohn, newly elected Executive Director of the Visual Arts Center of NJ, will discuss the organization’s history and mission and bring us up to date on the institution’s programs and plans for the future. The Center is the state’s largest institution dedicated to viewing, making, and learning about contemporary art.
- Feb. 16 “July 1914: Armageddon, Against the Odds” – Stephen Yellin, who spoke last year on the Spanish Civil War, will present a fascinating talk on the outbreak of the First World War. His presentation will clear up some of the myths surrounding the crisis of July 1914 and answer some of its most important questions: What went wrong? Who was really to blame? And could it have all been avoided?.
- Feb. 23 “Income Diversification and Strategies for Retirement” – David Pillori of Fidelity Investments will discuss the topics of income diversification and income strategies for retirement. An overview of potential retirement risks will be presented, along with a discussion of the importance of having a plan with multiple sources of income and the significance of asset allocation in retirement.
January 2016 Program Chair: Mitchell Erickson
- Jan. 5 “How Does GPS Know Where I Am?” – Joe Rolli of Harris Corp. (formerly ITT), will explain how satellites, ground stations, engineering, and math all combine to form the Global Positioning System that not only provides the location for your phone, car, and other mobile devices, but also keeps the world on time…within a billionth of a second. He will also discuss why all of this is increasingly important.
- Jan. 12 “Life after NFL Retirement: Concussions and Other Issues” – Bart Oates is an attorney, entrepreneur, and former NFL Football League player with three Super Bowl rings. Bart chairs the NY-NJ-CT chapter of the NFL Alumni Association and will address their issues.
- Jan. 19 “Bayonne Bridge & Other PANYNJ Projects” – Mike Valletta, an engineer with the PANYNJ Tunnels, Bridges, and Terminals Department, will speak on the engineering challenges of raising, replacing, renovating, and renewing the infrastructure we use to travel between New Jersey and New York.
- Jan. 26 “The Future of Newspapers” – Michael Shapiro is the CEO and Publisher of TAPinto.net, a network of more than 40 online local newspapers with over 3.8M readers. He will discuss where the news is headed, in particular, newspapers (or “news-not-papers”).
