2018 Landon Fall Magazine

SUMMER 201 8

TED TALKS

Former NFL Super Bowl winner Ted Rogers ’87 seeks to reinvent the financial playing field with Bitcoin.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

What’s Inside Features

8 | Forever Young Five longtime educators bid farewell to Landon.

30 | Ted Talks Former NFL Super Bowl winner Ted Rogers ’87 seeks to reinvent the financial playing field with Bitcoin.

38 | Q&As We talk with sports marketing maestro Ralph Greene ’79, globetrotting leadership educator Sam Potoliccho ’00, and a pair of alums, Forbes Mann ’04 and Brian Reilly ’09, returning to Landon as faculty members.

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Our Mission Landon School prepares talented boys for productive lives as accomplished, responsible and caring men whose actions are guided by the principles of perseverance, teamwork, honor and fair play.

On Our Cover Ted Rogers ’87 won a Super Bowl ring with the Washington Redskins in 1992 before turning his attention to technology and venture capital — and today is on the forefront of a potential financial revolution driven by Bitcoin. Read the story on page 30.

Landon School Board of Trustees 2018–19 Chairman: Scott S. Harris ’84 Vice Chairman: Kathy Wellington, P ’11 ’13 ’15 ’18 President: Jim Neill Secretary: Martin Weinstein P ’20 Treasurer: Steve Mayer P ’16

Trustees Emeriti:

Peter FitzGerald ’50, P ’83 Knight Kiplinger ’65, P ’99 Lawrence Lamade ’65, P ’00 ’03 Samuel Lehrman, H ’09, P ’11 Russell “Rusty” C. Lindner ’72

Trustees:

Departments 2 18 22 26 46

Landon Lowdown Commencement Arts Athletics Alumni News

Andy Arnold ’78 Alex Baldwin, P ’18 Michael Connolly ’75 Donald Dell ’56 Matthew A. Coursen ’99 Bill Eacho ’72, P ’09 Jean-Marie Fernandez, P ’24 Jeffrey Freed, P ’11 ’13 ’18 Beverly Hudnut, P ’11 Kenneth Jenkins ’78 Aranthan “Steve” Jones, P ’19 ’24 Olivier Kamanda ’99 Kenwyn Kindfuller, P ’12 ’14 ’15 Doug Lagarde Bill Magruder ’92 Ted Prince ’84 Tom Scott ’85 Harmar Thompson ’90

Landon Magazine Headmaster Jim Neill

Director of Communications Meredith Josef Writer-Editor Tom DiChiara Designer Modern Media Photography Edgar Artiga Lowell Davis Getty Images GoLandon.com Ralph Greene | Columbia Consulting Group James Kegley Landon Communications Staff Landon School Archives Landon Yearbook Staff Wendy Steck Merriman

SUMMER 2018 | LANDON SCHOOL

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Bears Create Art for Kenyan Orphans

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his June, more than one dozen orphans in Nairobi, Kenya, received a special high-school graduation gift: a portrait

painted or drawn by 16 Landon upper schoolers who live half a world away.

Ashton Duplessie ’15 founded the “Kenya Portrait Project” in 2014 after a trip to Nairobi to volunteer at Nyumbani Children’s

LOWDOWN Kopp ’19 Becomes an Eagle Scout

Home, which provides food, shelter, schooling and holistic care for HIV-positive orphans. This spring, the project celebrated its fifth year, with Ashton’s brother Chris ’18 and Upper School art teacher Ricky Sears ’99 at the helm. The portraits were part of the curriculum in Sears’s art classes.

“When they started working on the portraits, all they had was a photo of someone they knew very little about, so they were

I

n late February, Matthew Kopp ’19 realized a goal he had been

grappling with, ‘How do I get the best likeness I can down on

working toward for more than a decade when he was promoted

canvas or paper?’” Sears said. “Later, they learned the backstories

to the highest rank attainable in the Boy Scouts of America, that

of these Kenyan boys and girls, and it evolved into something

of Eagle Scout.

more — which is seeing how, through art, they can create

To become an Eagle Scout, Matthew had to progress from Cub Scouts to Webelos to Boy Scouts, and then show his wellroundedness by earning 21 of the 137 available Boy Scouts

something that is meaningful to others.”

Chris added: “Learning their stories, you just feel this connection to the student you painted.”

merit badges. These badges demonstrate mastery of a skill or quality and range from cooking, camping and hiking to global citizenship, family life and nuclear science.

In addition, all Eagle Scout candidates must complete an extensive service project. For his, Matthew led a drive that collected more than 2,500 food items, supplies and gift cards for the charity Damascus Help, which provides assistance to in-need families in upper Montgomery County.

“Boy Scouts is about helping other people, being courteous, kind, trustworthy, obedient, loyal — and all of the other values from our Scouts law and motto,” Matthew said. “Landon has taught me the same things. I’ve been getting those morals reinforced from both sides every day. I hope to carry them with me on my life’s journey.”

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LANDON SCHOOL | SUMMER 2018

26 Seniors Will Play College Sports

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wenty-six members of the Class of 2018 from seven different sports have committed to play NCAA college athletics this year. These boys (listed below)

from seven different sports join more than 160 Bear alumni who have competed at the college level over the past decade, including 54 in the last three years.

CROSS COUNTRY

Ari Chadda | Dartmouth College FOOTBALL

Bryce Baylor | Dickinson College Mac Hollensteiner | Georgetown University Davis Walker | Tulane University LACROSSE

Joey Epstein | Johns Hopkins University Brendon Gallagher | Dartmouth College Brett Gallagher | Dartmouth College John Geppert | University of Maryland Alexander Hagerup | Fairfield College

SUMMER 2018 | LANDON SCHOOL

Zach Johnson | University of Michigan Jace Menendez | Salisbury University Gilbert Sentimore | University of Utah Mo Sillah | Towson University Drew Wellington | Bucknell University

Allan Kupka | Denison University Burke McLaughlin | Denison University Drew Parker | Kenyon College Alex Riel | Allegheny College SWIMMING

Aiden Howe | St. Mary’s College Parker Swensrud | University of Denver

Sky Cui | Vassar College Max Peraza | Sewanee: The University of the South

SOCCER

TRACK & FIELD

Michael Branche | University of Dayton Noah Hannam | Middlebury College Nico Kenary | Amherst College

Michael Carr | Denison University

RUGBY

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LANDON LOWDOWN

Fine ’19 Qualifies for National Chemistry Olympiad

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than Fine ’19 was one of 18 students from the D.C. metro area selected to participate in the 2018 U.S. National Chemistry

Olympiad (USNCO) examination.

Ethan earned his spot with a strong performance on the Chemical Society of Washington’s Local Chemistry Olympiad examination, which he took with his Advanced Placement chemistry class.

“It’s a real honor for Ethan to be invited to sit for this exam,” Chemistry teacher Beverly Sivaslian said. “Ethan is incredibly inquisitive, extremely dedicated, and just a good guy. The funny thing is that Ethan is Landon’s resident history expert — he’s always won all the history awards — but he’s obviously talented in other aspects of academics. He’s just a power house in terms of knowledge and his ability to delve deeply into the material.”

Ethan had to do just that when he sat for the national examination April 20. The day-long assessment included a multiple choice section, essays, and an hour-and-a-half-long laboratory practical on a topic the students did not receive until that day.

The 20 top-performing students in the nation were invited to

the 50th International Chemistry Olympiad in July in Slovakia

Ethan is incredibly inquisitive, extremely dedicated, and just a good guy.

and the Czech Republic.

— Chemistry teacher Beverly Sivaslian

Landon to Move Beyond AP Courses

of APs in our Upper Schools. In addition, Landon and its partners

attend the American Chemical Society’s Study Camp at the U.S. Air Force Academy, and four competed as part of Team USA at

O

surveyed almost 150 colleges and universities to determine

n June 18, Landon and seven other area independent schools

whether students would be penalized for not taking APs, and found

— Holton-Arms, Georgetown Day, Maret, National Cathedral,

from admissions officers at these institutions of higher learning

Potomac, St. Albans and Sidwell Friends — jointly announced that they will no longer offer Advanced Placement (AP) course offerings by the 2022–23 school year. “[This move beyond APs will allow] our talented faculty

that there will be no adverse impact on acceptance for our students.

“We know from the many other excellent independent schools around the country that have moved beyond the Advanced Placement offerings over the past two decades that this move

and administration [to] take ownership of designing engaging,

has resulted in more meaningful and highly challenging course

rigorous and mission-oriented courses for our most capable

offerings without impact on their college placement,” Neill

students instead of an outside agency (The College Board),

added. “Independent schools who have already taken such a step

which currently prescribes and evaluates a set curriculum for all

have been able to deliver a more authentically student-centered

Advanced Placement courses,” Headmaster Jim Neill wrote in a

and engaging educational experience by moving beyond an

letter to the community.

AP-oriented curriculum, and I am pleased we will be doing so

For several years before the announcement, Landon and these seven other schools engaged in regular discussions about the role

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here at Landon in the coming years in tandem with seven of our peer schools.”

LANDON SCHOOL | SUMMER 2018

2 Bears Are D.C.-Area Players of the Year

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hen The Washington Post released its spring 2018 All-Met accolades for the best high-school athletes

in the D.C. area, two Bears earned the top honor in their respective sports: Lacrosse attack Joey Epstein ’18 and tennis player Sachin Das ’19 were named All-Met Players of the Year.

This marked the second year in a row a Landon lacrosse player scored All-Met’s top distinction — face-off man Justin Shockey ’17 was Player of the Year in 2017.

Epstein’s selection caps a season in which he led the Bears to a 21–6 record and a regular-season Interstate Athletic Conference (IAC) title, the program’s 32nd, in Coach Rob Bordley ’66’s final year as head coach.

In addition, Epstein was named USA TODAY’s

All-USA Boys Lacrosse Player of the Year; earned All-American honors from both the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association and Under Armour; was IAC Player of the Year; and became the first Bear in history to earn the prestigious Kelly Award for the best player in Maryland. He broke the Landon all-time scoring record as a junior, and he is also the recordholder for career assists and career total points, as well

Joey is one of the hardest working young men I have seen in my 40-plus years of coaching lacrosse and football.

— Coach Rob Bordley ’66

as the single-season record-holder for goals and points.

“Joey is one of the hardest working young men I have seen in my 40-plus years of coaching lacrosse and football,” Bordley said.

Das was named tennis All-Met and IAC Player of the Year after a spring campaign in which he went undefeated and helped propel his team to an 8–1 overall record, a perfect record in IAC play, and a second straight outright IAC championship to bring the program’s total to 50 IAC crowns.

Over that two-year span, Das’s record is 19–1, with his only defeat coming to Ricky Bell of Bullis in 2017. This year, Das handed Bell the first loss of his high school career and was victorious against Joseph Brailovsky of Wooton, last year’s All-Met Player of the Year.

“Sachin is always striving and looking for ways to improve — it is truly inspiring to watch him get down to business and to see it pay off,” Coach W.T. Miller ’86 said.

SUMMER 2018 | LANDON SCHOOL

Sachin is always striving and looking for ways to improve...it is truly inspiring to watch him get down to business and to see it pay off.

— Coach W.T. Miller, ’86

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LANDON LOWDOWN

Bears Win 27 Scholastic Art Awards

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In addition to Matt and Jackson, 13 other Landon Middle and Upper School students combined for a total of 25 regional awards

ainter Andy Warhol, author Stephen King, filmmaker Robert

in the competition: six Gold Keys, seven Silver Keys, and 12

Redford, and now Landon Bears Matt Lowrie ’18 and Jackson

honorable mentions.

Neeb ’22 — each of these individuals has won a National Medal in the prestigious Scholastic Art & Writing Awards.

Matt and Jackson added their names to the selective list this

In the Upper School, Andrew Engel ’18 scored eight regional awards for painting and drawing: one gold, two silvers and five honorable mentions. Lowrie and Alec Mearns ’20 earned regional

March when they earned National Silver Keys (the second highest

Gold Keys. Eli Harrison ’20 received silver. And five earned

award) for their submissions in the 2018 competition, which

honorable mention awards: Will Jarrett ’19 (two), Kevin Tsai ’18,

received some 300,000 entries in 29 categories from grades 7–12

Harrison Muth ’18, Michael Yan ’19 and Bruce Han ’19.

students nationwide.

In the Middle School, Spencer Durbin ’22 received a Gold Key

Matt scored his National Medal for Jenga, a striking photograph

and two Silver Keys, and Palmer McTague ’22 and Neeb also

of zebras he snapped while traveling in South Africa last summer.

won Gold Keys. Colin Flood ’22 and Charlie Alberino ’22

Jackson won his for Stolen Identity, a boomerang painted with an

earned Silver Key kudos. And Henry Nichols ’23 nabbed

intricate design made almost completely of dots.

honorable mention.

Jenga | Matt Lowrie ’19 | National Silver Key

Sparky and Skye | Andrew Engel ’18 | Regional Gold Key

Stolen Identity Jackson Neeb ’22 | National Silver Key

Eclectic Still | Alec Mearns ’20 Regional Gold Key

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Odyssey | Eli Harrison ’20 Regional Silver Key

LANDON SCHOOL | SUMMER 2018

McNair ’73 and Bou Family Establish New Endowed Funds

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his spring, Leslie and Bruce McNair

Will ’19; Lawrence ’83, Teddy ’19 and

’73 and The Bou Family Foundation

Stephen ’21; and the late Christopher ’76

made lead gifts of $100,000 each to

Bou — honors the dedication of the men

establish, respectively, The Maclear Jacoby

and women of our buildings and grounds

Endowed Fund and The Bou Family

departments who ensure our campus

Foundation Endowed Fund.

meets the needs of our boys, our teacher-

The Maclear Jacoby Endowed Fund

coach-mentors and our community

honors the legacy of Maclear “Mac”

each day. The foundation was equally

Jacoby — who celebrated his 63rd year at

inspired by a desire to support the historic

Landon in 2018 and has helped lead the

preservation of the Farmhouse, which

tennis team to 42 of its 50 IAC titles — and

was originally a tenants’ home on the

will support Landon School’s historic

Andrews Family Estate. The Farmhouse

tennis program, the Athletics Department,

later became the residence of the school’s

and the programs Mac worked tirelessly

founders, Paul Landon and Mary Lee

toward as a coach, administrator, official,

Banfield, and is now used for school

statistician, manager, and announcer as

meetings and special events.

the “voice” of Bears football. Bruce served

Bou brothers Stephen ‘78 and Lawrence ‘83

Income from the Bou Family Foundation

on our Board of Trustees, and the McNairs

Fund will support the preservation of the

are also parents of Marshall McNair ’06

Farmhouse, other school facilities, and

and Bruce McNair Jr. ’09.

Landon’s beautiful grounds. The fund also

Mac now works in the Athletics

Bruce McNair ‘73 and his wife Leslie with Mac Jacoby

protects the school’s current investment

excellence.” To ensure the long-term

Department, and Landon’s annual alumni

levels and enables us to care for the

viability of the school, the school must

tennis tournament held every May is

campus in the future.

maintain a thoughtful, mission-oriented

named in his honor. The tennis courts are

If you would like to contribute to either of

approach to the use and management

also named in his honor, a fundraising

these funds, please contact Director of Major

of current resources and embark on

effort Bruce McNair co-chaired in the

and Planned Giving Lucas Metropulos at

new development efforts to support

early 1990s. Income from this fund will

lucas_metropulos@landon.net or

the initiatives outlined in the Strategic

support and perpetuate Landon’s historic

301-320-1005.

Plan. A strong endowment will help

tennis legacy, as well as the Athletics Department and programs.

With the launch of Landon School’s

reduce Landon’s dependence on tuition

2018 Strategic Plan, the school has

and increase financial aid, making the

pledged to “endow and secure Landon’s

school more accessible to a wider array of

Fund — established by The Bou Family

future while prudently managing

talented boys for generations to come.

Foundation, including Stephen ’78 and

current resources to sustain institutional

The Bou Family Foundation Endowed

Board of Trustees Welcomes 5 New Members The Board of Trustees welcomed five new members this July. These include current parent Jean-Marie Fernandez, P ’24, alumni parent Beverly Hudnut, P ’11, and three alumni — Bill Magruder ’92, Ted Prince ’84 and Tom Scott ’85.

These five step in for departing trustees Douglas Kiker ’93, Rev. Steve Klingelhofer ’60, David Povich ’54, Michael Banks ’92, Rob Edwards, P ’17, and John Oswald, P ’12 ’15, who have given a combined 30 years of service on the Board.

SUMMER 2018 | LANDON SCHOOL

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LANDON LOWDOWN

Forever Young

“Teaching keeps you young.”

(46 years), Upper School science teacher, database manager, and

Upper School Spanish teacher Alan Rosenthal said that this four-

English teacher, hiring manager and Assistant Head of the Upper

word sentence sums up his 46-year career as teacher-coach-mentor

School Hans Farnstrom (31 years), Middle School administrative

at Landon. Enjoying the simple pleasures of working at a school

assistant Susan Hooks (31 years), and Upper School English and

and impacting the lives of boys was the overwhelming sentiment at

humanities teacher Lora Farnstrom (30 years).

year-end events to celebrate several faculty members who started the next chapter of their lives at the end of the 2017–18 year.

Director of Academic Technology Larry Fullerton (31 years),

The lasting impact these five individuals and the other departing faculty and staff (see p. 13) had on their colleagues

Those faculty and staff members were honored at an all-

speaks volumes about what they have meant and will continue to

school assembly and a faculty-and-staff luncheon. A reception

mean to the Landon community. In the following excerpts taken

in June feted five of Landon’s longest standing faculty and staff

from year-end tributes, faculty and staff members honor their

members who retired at the end of the school year: Rosenthal

departing friends and colleagues.

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LANDON SCHOOL | SUMMER 2018

Alan Rosenthal | BY W.T. MILLER ’86

Alfredo Benavides and ask him something about the subjunctive or some complicated matter, and Alfredo would say, “It comes

ALAN HAS BEEN A COLLEAGUE OF MINE FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS

from the heart — you have to feel it!” You’d see this quizzical

AND A TEACHER OF MINE FOR A LOT LONGER. LEGEND HAS IT THAT

look on the student’s face, and then he’d go and see Alan, and

WHEN [THEN HEADMASTER]

Alan would start talking about clauses and conjunctions, and

PAUL BANFIELD, “BANNY,”

eventually it would all make sense.

INTERVIEWED ALAN IN 1972, HE

Alan will be remembered for his efforts in Spanish, but the

WAS TELLING ALAN ABOUT HIS

longest lasting legacy he will have is as a student advocate. I have

IMMINENT RETIREMENT AFTER

rarely met a faculty member in all my years who so truly cares

41 YEARS OF SERVICE TO THE

about each individual student. Everything he does is in the boys’

SCHOOL, AND ALAN TOLD HIM

best interests.

HE WAS SOFT. Forty-six years later, there is a lot less hair, but literally

Alan, your legacy will live on for a very long time at Landon. I’d like to thank you for everything you have done for me, everything you have done for Landon. Congratulations. You can now spend

thousands of boys who have been inspired by what Alan has

more time with [your wife] Linda, [sons] Jeffrey and Kevin, and

done on the soccer field as a coach, in the Spanish classroom, and

your grandchildren... and maybe enjoy a few Nats games as well.

especially in advisory — which I got to learn firsthand my first year teaching at Landon when we shared an advisory together.

There are two types of language learners: the intuitive, feel

Alan was an Upper School Spanish teacher for 46 years at Landon and spent 30 of those years as World Languages Department chair.

In that role, he led the expansion of the program from two to four

learners and the grinders. Back in the day, if a student needed

languages and also co-founded with Alfredo Benavides the Landon-in-

help with Spanish, he’d go to [former Landon Spanish teacher]

Spain culture and language immersion program.

Hans Farnstrom | BY DR. ARDIS DANON

As hiring coordinator, Hans was responsible for bringing new and vibrant talent to Landon. His mentorship of these individuals

EACH DAY FOR 31 YEARS, HANS HAS COME TO SCHOOL AND HAS

through their first years here and his kind yet firm guidance

DONE WHATEVER WAS ASKED OF HIM. LIKE SO MANY OF HIS

allowed many a young teacher to thrive and achieve success. He

GENERATION, HIS CAREER

served as a valuable sounding board for many veteran faculty

WAS LESS OF JOB THAN A

members as well in his most recent incarnation as assistant head

LIFESTYLE AND IN THIS WAY HE

of the Upper School.

HAS EMBODIED, IN THE MOST

To quote Lowell Davis: “Where Hans was, was where the energy

ESSENTIAL WAY, THE TEACHER-

was.” Hans, one person cannot change the world, but he can

COACH-MENTOR MODEL THAT

change the world of one person — and you have done this over

LANDON ESPOUSES AND PRIDES

and over and over again for your players, your students and your

ITSELF ON.

colleagues. You have given so much of yourself to make Landon

As a teacher of English, Hans has led scores of boys to do things that they did not believe they were capable of doing:

a better place. Thank you. Your quiet presence and your steadfast belief in the goodness of people will be missed.

In 31 years at Landon, Hans taught Upper School English and

digesting massive works of literature like Tale of Two Cities or

served as assistant head of the Upper School, hiring manager, head of

helping them understand the predicate nominative.

Landon Summer for 23 years, dean of students, and varsity hockey,

In his spare time, and between trips to Alaska, Hans served

football and soccer coach. Hans launched the ice hockey program in

as a coach to so many... His real pride and joy (his baby) was the

1993 and has helped guide the team to 13 IAC championships and

ice hockey program. From a fledgling program in 1994 it is

four Mid-Atlantic Prep Hockey League state titles.

now the toast of the town, bringing students to Landon to play for the program.

SUMMER 2018 | LANDON SCHOOL

9

LANDON LOWDOWN

Larry Fullerton | BY RUSS GAGARIN ’77

Larry moved to the Upper School when he became the director of academic technology... We collaborated on bringing

LARRY HAS DONE SO MANY THINGS IN HIS LIFE. WHEN HE

the admissions and enrollment processes online. Larry was a

WAS IN THE NAVY, HE WAS AN AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER ON

big influence on bringing more technology into our classrooms

AN AIRCRAFT CARRIER OFF VIETNAM DURING THAT

and into our work space.

Larry has a wonderful family with his wife, Maria, daughter,

CONFLICT. Later, as a civilian

Elise, her husband, Andy, and their children, Colin and Riley.

air traffic controller, he was

I know he is looking forward to moving permanently to Lusby,

fired by President Reagan in

Maryland, where his home sits quietly on a hill with a view

1981. That led to graduate

of the bay. When our family visited, he was always grilling

school, [his wife] Maria, and

something. Kayaking around the neighborhood cove or up to

then to Landon.

the lighthouse and playing with his grandchildren are two of his

Larry arrived at Landon as a Middle School earth science

favorite pastimes, and often combined together.

Thank you, Larry, for being an excellent teacher and attentive

teacher. Little did he know then the roles he would fill, tasks

advisor to hundreds of students and a colleague, lunch partner,

he’d face, and innovations he’d bring over the next 31 years.

and a great friend to so many of us.

Larry had such a positive influence on so many Landon boys,

In his 31-year career at Landon, Larry has been a Middle and

among them Mark Mhley ’92, who was on the cover of Landon

Upper School earth and environmental science teacher; Middle

Magazine two years ago. Larry talked to him about going into

School dean; Middle School tennis, football, wrestling and baseball

the Navy. Mark retired recently after a remarkable career in

coach; and initial organizer of the “Extra Step” program to prepare

the Navy. [Middle School teacher] Jeremy Norman ’92 told me

students for admissions to selective independent schools. Since

recently about the positive influence Larry had on him as an

1996, he has served as database manager and director of academic

advisor for two years in the Middle School.

technology.

Susan Hooks | BY DANA KREIN

in her domain, we often think of her as the queen. In fact, during my first year, I gave her a sign that reads “the queen is not

MRS. HOOKS IS THE GLUE THAT HOLDS THE MIDDLE SCHOOL

accepting an audience today” as a joke because she never fails

TOGETHER. SHE HAS THAT EXTREMELY RARE COMBINATION OF

to address the needs of her subjects — even those among us who

SERIOUSNESS OF PURPOSE,

are particularly unruly. We are also convinced that she is at least

SPIRIT OF GENEROSITY, AND

part superhero, as her “Spidey sense” seems to intuitively know

OTHER-DIRECTEDNESS THAT

exactly what each individual needs at any given moment.

ENDEARS HER TO ALL WHO

Mrs. Hooks is the quintessence of Landon’s mission.

ARE FORTUNATE TO KNOW

Compassionate, candid, authentic and thoughtful, she challenges

HER. Her infinite patience,

us to become the best versions of ourselves... She genuinely

flexibility, and well-developed

moves through the world bestowing on others what Wordsworth

sense of humor are the stuff of

deems, “little, nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and

legend. In the dictionary under

of love.” On behalf of the Middle School — past and present — I

“consummate professional”

would like to extend immense gratitude to our superhero and

there is a picture of Mrs. Hooks writing in shorthand on a

queen for the decades that she has dedicated to enhancing the

steno pad. Constantly charged with multitasking, she addresses

lives of everyone with whom she comes into contact. Thank you,

her endless responsibilities with aplomb. Her dedication,

Mrs. Hooks!

extraordinary organizational prowess, attention to detail, and keen editing skills ensure that our division runs smoothly.

Given her amazing ability to handle everything and everyone

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Susan worked with five different Middle School heads in her 31 years at Landon, during which time she and her husband, Bill ’57, saw their twin sons, Mac ’92 and Jon ’92, graduate.

LANDON SCHOOL | SUMMER 2018

Lora Farnstrom | BY FRED MORA

That began a 30-year career of being one of the most exacting, demanding (in the best way) academicians this school has ever

THERE’S A LITTLE TISSUE THAT’S IN THE ENGLISH OFFICE, AND ON

hired. Once Lora established her professional reputation with

THAT TISSUE IS WRITTEN: “I LOVE YOU, MRS. FARNSTROM. YOU’RE

her colleagues and the boys, many other women have followed

THE BEST TEACHER.” It’s not

since. I’m happy to report that while women might be a little

signed, but I happen to know

underrepresented today, you’re catching up, and one day it will be

from talking to Lora that it’s

50-50, and it will be great.

from [a student] she taught as a fourth grader.

With that image in mind,

Lora and I have shared an office now for 30 years, and in that time developed an abiding, lasting friendship. Lora has been great for me in every way. She keeps me honest. She laughs at

let me take you back to 1987,

my jokes, even though she’s heard some of them 600 times.

when Lora arrived on campus.

During a common free period, she’ll show me a paper a freshman

The facility looked the same,

has written, and I’ll show her one that one of my freshmen has

but one half of the population

written, and we laugh at the funny lines. We’ll talk about what

was grossly underrepresented: There weren’t many women here.

books we’re reading and what foods we’re eating. All of this is part

Even though Lora does not look like one of those ladies on a

of the fabric of a friendship that endures.

covered wagon, she was a pioneer. And it’s tough to be a pioneer.

In her 30 years at Landon, Lora was the first female chair of any

It was tough to come here in 1987 as a woman and fit in. Women

academic department (she became English Department Chair in

in 1987 had to do everything just a little bit better than men.

2000), one of the founding members of the school’s signature course

They had to be better teachers, better mentors and probably

in the humanities, and the longtime faculty advisor to the student

even better coaches.

newspaper, Landon News.

Back to Teaching

A

Erin Duffy, who served as assistant head of the Middle School in 2017–18, will take the reins as interim head of the Middle

fter five years as Landon’s Middle School head, Dana Krein

School for 2018–19 as Landon conducts a national search for

will return to the classroom full time for the 2018–19 school

Krein’s successor.

year as a humanities and history teacher at Maret School in Washington, D.C. “While I have a passion for both [serving as a division head and teaching], being in the classroom pulls at my heart more strongly,” she said.

Dana started her career in education as a teacher-coach-mentor before transitioning to administrative roles at Thurgood Marshall Academy in D.C. and Friends Seminary in New York City. She joined Landon as the school’s first female division head in 2013.

“Dana has been a dedicated and thoughtful leader as well as a role model and mentor for many teachers, coaches and students,” Headmaster Jim Neill said. “She is a person of unmistakable energy, integrity, intelligence and passion, and we have been fortunate to have such a highly respected and capable Middle School head.”

SUMMER 2018 | LANDON SCHOOL

11

LANDON LOWDOWN

A FOND FAREWELL These individuals moved on from Landon this year. We wish them well in all their future endeavors!

MIDDLE SCHOOL

UPPER SCHOOL

STAFF

Susan Hooks, administrative assistant

Dr. Anna Armentrout, history and

J.J. Brock, director of Middle School

Dana Krein, head of the Middle School

humanities teacher

admissions

John Nolan, art teacher

Hans Farnstrom, assistant head of the

Ginger Miller, associate director of

Sarah Plunkett, Latin teacher

Upper School, English teacher, hiring

college counseling

John Rayburn ’02, French and Spanish

manager

Patti Pfeiff, executive assistant to the

teacher

Lora Farnstrom, English and

headmaster

Christian Sears ’01, science teacher,

humanities teacher

Chris Predmore, admissions assistant

strength and conditioning coach

Larry Fullerton, database manager,

Mike Virzi, director of buildings

Elizabeth Sears, Mandarin teacher

director of academic technology,

and grounds

science teacher

Len Armstrong, director of admissions

LEFT TO RIGHT: Dana Krein, Susan Hooks, Larry Fullerton, Ginger Miller, Hans Farnstrom, Patti Pfeiff, J.J. Brock and Alan Rosenthal

12

LANDON SCHOOL | SUMMER 2018

New to Landon

Familiar Faces, New Roles

MIDDLE SCHOOL

Megan Conway, auxiliary programs manager

Miguel Cooper, French and Spanish teacher

Dr. Ardis Danon, Assistant Head of the Upper School

Adrienne Parker-Miller, administrative assistant

Tom DiChiara, Upper School English and humanities teacher,

Sonija Parson, Spanish and ethics teacher

varsity cross country head coach

Will Phifer, English teacher

Tom Drescher, Middle School Latin teacher

Chris Powers, science teacher, strength and conditioning coach

Erin Duffy, interim head of the Middle School

Brian Reilly ’09, history teacher

Dave Erickson, varsity ice hockey head coach

Dori Rogers, art teacher

Larry Franklin, database manager

Shirley Yang, Mandarin teacher

Eric Harrison, Form II dean Ian Healy ’00, varsity lacrosse head coach

UPPER SCHOOL

Addison Hunt, Form I dean

Chuck Fontana, Latin teacher

Katie Lamade, Grade 6 dean

Margaret Sopher, history and humanities teacher

Jill McGarrity, facilities coordinator Will McGettigan, Upper School history teacher

STAFF

Jeremy Norman ’92, Middle School dean of students

Jamie Bancroft, accounts payable clerk

Dr. Tara Northcott, Upper School educational technologist

Bill Brady, director of athletics

Dr. Troy Prinkey, Upper School Spanish teacher, World

Joe Canty, director of diversity

Languages Department chair

Forbes Mann ’04, associate director of college counseling

Laurie Sears, director of academic technology

Sarah Powers, director of admissions

Herbie Spellman, security manager

Carlos Rubi, buildings and grounds Margie Topf, executive assistant to the headmaster Max Webber, director of buildings and grounds Monica Harrison, admissions office coordinator Matt Carberry ’87, admissions associate LEFT TO RIGHT: Clare Chambers, Jack Duquette, Marty Klingelhofer ’77 and Steve Jones

7 Celebrate Big Milestones

A

t an assembly in May, Headmaster Jim Neill, faculty and staff, and students honored seven very special members

of the Landon team who reached significant milestones of service to the school this year: Xiaohong Yang and Steve Jones (20 years each); Clare Chambers and Marty Klingelhofer ’77 (25 years each); Lora Farnstrom (30 years); Russ Gagarin ’77 (35 years); and Jack Duquette (40 years).

“We were honored to recognize and thank these members of the Landon community, who have given so profoundly of themselves to advance the Landon mission and who together represent almost two centuries of service to Landon (and counting!),” Neill said.

SUMMER 2018 | LANDON SCHOOL

13

LANDON LOWDOWN

Bringing People Together Why do you believe this emphasis on diversity and crosscultural understanding is so important?

Having two young boys, the issues we face in society, and there being a need for well-rounded leaders, what we’re doing at Landon is more important now than ever. We as educators have a responsibility to get our students on a path where there is a new generation of young men who are thoughtful, sensitive, caring, stern, fair, want to have an impact, and feel the need to always be

What we’re doing at Landon is more important now than ever. I feel like it’s a personal commitment.

better than what they think their best is. Having this opportunity

—Director of Diversity, Joe Canty

highest expectations because we want to see you do your best.”

to work with students and this tremendous staff is quite an opportunity and a responsibility to say, “We hear you. We care.

And we’re going to set our expectations even higher than our

ne of the six key goals in Landon’s Strategic Plan is to

What are the necessary components in creating an open and diverse community?

“strengthen and enrich the tapestry of relationships that

Faculty and students need to feel like their voice has an

O

defines the Landon community,” an objective new Director of

opportunity to be heard. You want people to feel like it’s not

Diversity Joe Canty is dedicated to achieving. Joe joined Landon

just about my brown skin or your skin. It’s about a difference in

this summer from Cheshire Academy in Connecticut, where he

thought. It’s about how we communicate and are thoughtful and

served as dean of students and led the citizenship committee and

patient — I think patience is the most important thing in diversity.

character education training, and previously worked at Providence

It’s not always the big, controversial things that create gaps in a

Day School in North Carolina.

community; it’s those little things that add up and they become

Joe holds a B.S. in communications systems from North

controversial. People want to be heard, and they need advocates.

Carolina A&T State University and this fall anticipates

My role here at Landon is to be that advocate, to bridge that gap.

completing his MBA as a Thurgood Marshall Scholar through

And in bridging that gap, there has to be a lot of patience, a lot of

Texas Southern University. Here, the father of two boys

conversation, and a lot of listening.

(Pearson and Nolan) shares why he sees his role at Landon as an opportunity and a challenge, why he believes diversity is so

What are your plans for your first year?

important, and why patience is key to bringing people together.

I think we always have to learn, we always have to be students — as educators, that should be our first goal. So my first step is

Why are you excited to be at Landon?

to build relationships and find out what people’s passions are,

This is the first time I’ve had the opportunity to combine my

starting with the kids, the families, the faculty, even our partners

passions to work with kids holistically — with the Landon model

in the community — and those partnerships that may need to

around leadership and ethics combined with classroom learning,

be improved upon or further developed. I think on this campus

community service, and cultural integration, really bringing

there are some great opportunities to find out what people’s

people together and finding common ground... We are developing

passions are and invest in those relationships a little bit more

true community leaders that are well-rounded. That is exciting

to find out where they want to go in terms of really sharing

and unique.

their perspectives.

14

LANDON SCHOOL | SUMMER 2018

Character in Athletics — was also big. The opportunity to keep him in that environment at a school like Landon was really important to me.

What are you looking forward to about your new role?

Being AD (athletic director) here gives me the opportunity to do the two things I’m most passionate about, and that’s building character in young men and teaching lessons through sports.

Having the opportunity to put them together is very exciting.

Being AD here gives me the opportunity to do the two things I’m most passionate about, and that’s building character in young men and teaching lessons through sports.

And I’m excited to work with kids across sports. Most of my

—Director of Athletics, Bill Brady

What kinds of things will promote that teamwork?

L

background is in soccer, and you get into this sort of one-sport culture because I think each sport has an inherent culture that’s built around it. So I’m excited to do things that promote teamwork between the different sports.

One thing I did at Haverford that I loved was captains’ leadership courses — they’re a good example of something that encourages

andon’s new Director of Athletics Bill Brady brings to our

that interaction between sports and brings kids together. Instead

school extensive experience in athletics administration,

of it being, “Lacrosse gets this, wrestling gets that...” it’s “We’re all

coaching at the collegiate, secondary and club levels, and leadership education. He spent the past seven years at The

in this together.” That lightbulb goes off.

The 2.0 version of that is we started a “captains’ council,” and

Haverford School in Philadelphia, where he served as director of

that was league-wide. I’d love to bring that idea down here with the

leadership programming and head varsity soccer coach.

IAC and work with captains from each school because ultimately

Before that, he was head coach at Haverford College, Greensboro College and St. Bonaventure University and assistant coach at the University of Cincinnati. Bill holds a B.A. in political

when you’re really trying to create sportsmanship and real friendly competition, it always starts with the student-athletes themselves.

The idea behind it is that you have programming, bring in some

science from Wheaton College, where he captained the soccer

experts, and schools pool resources. Perhaps you’re kicking off

team and earned All-New England honors, and holds an M.A. in

the one in the fall, and it’s about hazing or team culture. Now you

coaching and athletics administration from Concordia University.

have representatives from each school going back and reporting

Bill and his wife, Sofia, have one son, Conrad, who will be an

out, and they’re setting the tone for their respective teams. It can

eighth grader at Landon this fall. Here, Bill shares why he’s excited

also lead to things like the third Friday in the fall season across the

to be at Landon, what he learned at Haverford, and how he plans

entire conference is Breast Cancer Awareness Day. So even though

to emphasize character and leadership in athletics.

you’re competing against your rivals, you’re also all competing for something that’s bigger than your sport. It’s bringing humanity

What about Landon appealed to you?

There’s an intentionality at Landon about the teacher-coach-

back to it.

I’m looking forward to mentoring coaches and improving upon

mentor philosophy. I felt strongly that whereas some schools just

the school-wide culture between athletics, academics and arts. I’ve

say they have that, Landon is living that: the value of athletics in

always had that belief: Why not be excellent in everything? I’d like to

character building and the education of boys. After seven years at

promote that campus-wide, everyone supporting one another, getting

Haverford, I really bought into single-sex education. Seeing what

excited to see the quarterback in the play. Maybe he’s not the star, but

single-sex education has done for my own son — he’s thrived in it

he’s in the play. Those things are just some of the best moments.

SUMMER 2018 | LANDON SCHOOL

15

LANDON LOWDOWN

The 65th Azalea Festival: A Weekend to Celebrate Spring

S

pring is a time to celebrate the new — and there was plenty of newness

to enjoy at the 65th Landon Azalea Festival, held May 4–6. The Funland carnival moved to the gym field,

Families enjoyed Funland rides on the gym field.

while plant sales relocated to Freed Field to give the whole event a more centralized feel. In addition, families had a blast at the firstever Friday Night Street Party, which featured acrobats, breakdancers and extended Funland hours. And adults stayed late for Friday night’s inaugural Beer Garden, boasting craft beer, live music and an online auction. Along with the Greens Sale (held in December), the Azalea Festival raises funds for student financial assistance and faculty enrichment. Thank you to the hundreds of hard-working volunteers and sponsors who made the events such a success!

Thank you to Azalea Festival Chairs Mimi Burke, P ’19, Debra Graham, P ’18 ’20, and Tracy Sells, P ’15 ’17 ’21!

16

Omar Ahmad ‘19 and Will Carlson ‘19 unload flowers for the festival.

LANDON SCHOOL | SUMMER 2018

An impromptu dance-off at the Street Party

Musicians from all three divisions provided entertainment.

Andre and Robyn Wells, P ’23, at the Beer Garden

SUMMER 2018 | LANDON SCHOOL

Kate Anastassopoulos, P’21 and Hea Jin Yoon, P’21

An annual tradition: seniors and alums grilled burgers at Riddle’s Griddle.

Landon moms at the inaugural Beer Garden!

17

LANDON LOWDOWN

The Class of 2018

“While you have the chance, you need to grab everything valuable that you can. Every moment is like this, every day, every year...”

— Valedictorian Harrison Smith ’18

Syed Aal-E-Ali University of Maryland

Michael Jay Berkowitz Berklee College of Music

Kyle Michael Amitay Tufts University

Michael Freeman Branche University of Dayton

Michael Claude Amsellem Miami University, Oxford

Alexander Edward L’Huillier Brown Case Western Reserve University

Leonard Armstrong III Loyola Marymount University Henry Ernest Turner Atkins Wofford College

“Honesty and civility, perseverance and teamwork, fair play and honor: Take these values seriously. Take them with you... As you leave this place, choose to make these values a part of who you become.”

Henry Collins Baker University of Miami

Michael David Carr Denison University Arihant Chadda Dartmouth College

Thomas Denniston Baldwin Bucknell University

Henry Miguel Chiperfield Sewanee: The University of the South

Bryce Arrington Baylor Dickinson College

Douglas Matthew Chirite Pennsylvania State University

— Headmaster Jim Neill

18

LANDON SCHOOL | SUMMER 2018

Owen Thomas Concannon Pennsylvania State University

John Robert Graham Gettysburg College

Parker Samuel Lotstein University of Chicago

Lee Romney Rose Sophia College (Japan)

Tianfang Cui Vassar College

Harrison Henry Gray West Virginia University

Luc Eduard Schermer Kenyon College

Alidaad Daneshvar University of Virginia

Alexander Maguire Hagerup Fairfield University

Matthew Harris Lowrie University of California, San Diego

Miles Wendell Davis Proctor Academy, NH

Nicholas Brett Cole Haller Drexel University

Spencer Wales Davis University of Miami

Noah MacGibbon Hannam Middlebury College

John Alexander DeNovio Wake Forest University

Samuel Alexander Hanson Wake Forest University

Deven Anand Desai Williams College

Justin Edward Herbert University of Miami

Joel Andre Desroches Ithaca College

Malcolm Baldrige Hollensteiner Jr. Georgetown University

Rohan Doki Babson College Nikola Zoran Dragacevac King’s College London Christopher Riley Duplessie University of Maryland Andrew Yen Engel University of Virginia Joseph Healy Epstein Johns Hopkins University Alex Daniel Freed University of Pennsylvania Ryan Christopher Fruehwirth University of Virginia Brendon Ryan Gallagher Dartmouth College Brett Aaron Gallagher Dartmouth College John Thomas Geppert University of Maryland Peter Russell Gilbert Wake Forest University

SUMMER 2018 | LANDON SCHOOL

Zhiyuan Lu University of Virginia Leonardo August Maldonado Northwestern University William West McClure III Princeton University Hugh Leo McLaughlin IV Denison University Brendan David McLenaghan Tulane University John Richard McMahon New York University

Aiden Raymond Howe St. Mary’s College of California

Michael Gerson Mehlman Davidson College

David Chaim Huberman Syracuse University

Jace Manuel Menendez Salisbury University

Carter Thomas Johnson Pennsylvania State University

Charles Daniel Nagel Catholic University of America

Zachary Michael Johnson University of Michigan

Beckett James Norris Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis

Maxim Davor Kapelina University of Maryland Nicolas Bonanni Kenary Amherst College Peter Montgomery King Southern Methodist University William Henry L’Hommedieu King Loyola Marymount University Roger Allan Kupka II Denison University Douglas Patrick Landers Duke University Julian Bernard Larosiliere American University

Nicholas Alexander Pappas Tulane University Andrew Scott Parker Kenyon College Justin James Patterson Towson University Maximo Coffey Peraza Sewanee: The University of the South

Gilbert Louis Sentimore II University of Utah James West Shaw University of Utah Mohamed A. Sillah Jr. Towson University Harshvardhan Singh University of Chicago Harrison Lloyd Smith Brown University Jacob Andrew Solomon Villanova University Gregory Matthew Strabo Lehigh University Tyler Francis Sweeney University of Virginia Stephen Parker Swensrud University of Denver Samuel Landis Taishoff Trinity College Reginald H. Taylor-Smith Catholic University of America Kevin Joseph Tsai University of Maryland Christopher John Waldron University of Denver William Henry Davis Walker Tulane University Andrew Phillips Wellington Bucknell University

John Lucas Popera Boston College

Zachariah Ellis Werhan Georgia Institute of Technology

Alexander Joseph Riel Allegheny University

Theodore Saunders Witt Miami University, Oxford

19

LANDON LOWDOWN

AWARDS

Commencement CLASS OF 2018 AWARDS Valedictorian Harrison Smith

Upper School Headmaster’s Award Harrison Smith Fathers Club Citizenship Award (INTEGRITY)

Justin Herbert Malcolm Coates Student Activities Award Sam Hanson Eleanor Ann Johnson Award (ARTS)

Matt Lowrie William Harrison Triplett Award (ATHLETICS)

Joey Epstein Carroll Mercer Marbury Award (TENACITY)

John Geppert Stephen J. Smith ’01 Spirit Award (GIVEN AT SENIOR DINNER)

Drew Wellington

FACULTY & STAFF AWARDS Mary Lee and Paul Landon Banfield Award (FACULTY) Jim Kreger Alice F. Cosimano Award (STAFF) Cindy Peters

UNDERCLASSMAN AWARDS

“Next year at college, I challenge myself and I challenge all of you to let your living spirit go... [Landon] has been a great place that has done wonders for us all. But now it is time for us to see a new sun, see a new horizon.

Be more than you were here.”

Hugh C. Riddleberger Alumni Scholarship Award (HIGHEST FORM V GPA)

Harrison Muth ’19 Middle School Headmaster’s Award Kadari Machen ’22 Lower School Headmaster’s Award Tiller Smith ’25

— Class President Trey Armstrong ’18

20

LANDON SCHOOL | SUMMER 2018

BACCALAUREATE AWARDS Patrick Tanner ’96 Community Service Award Sam Hanson & Nick Pappas Alexander Aikens ’67 Award for Diversity Support Mo Sillah

CUM LAUDE SOCIETY

Class of 2018 (elected in 2017) Arihant Chadda Deven Desai Andrew Engel Brendon Gallagher Brett Gallagher Parker Lotstein Leonardo Maldonado William McClure Harrison Smith Zachariah Werhan Class of 2018 (elected in 2018) Kyle Amitay Alidaad Daneshvar Nikola Dragacevac Ryan Fruehwirth Noah Hannam Douglas Landers Zhiyuan Lu Harshvardhan Singh

“Look for the best in people... If you believe in an individual, it’s amazing what they can accomplish.”

— Upper School history teacher Rob Bordley ’66

Class of 2019 (elected in 2018) Omar Ahmad Edward Bou William Bou Ethan Fine Kihyun Lee John Montgomery Harrison Muth Connor Pugh Patrick Townsend

JUNIOR AWARDS

Dartmouth Club Book Award Harrison Muth Harvard Book Award Omar Ahmad Johns Hopkins Book Award Ethan Fine

SUMMER 2018 | LANDON SCHOOL

21

LANDON LOWDOWN

Performing Arts Musicians, Artists, Actors Bring Their A-Game

HONK!

T

his winter and spring, studio artists from all three divisions displayed their finest work in Landon’s halls and art galleries; 16

Upper School Bears learned the power of art to connect people when they created portraits for Kenyan orphans (see p. 2); and 15 Middle and Upper School students earned a total of 27 honors in the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards (including national Silver Keys for photographer Matt Lowrie ’18 and painter Jackson Neeb ’22) (see p. 6).

Musicians wowed audiences with winter and spring concerts and excelled in competitions beyond campus. The Upper School Bearitones, Chamber Singers and String Orchestra earned firstplace honors, and the Concert Band and Jazz Band drummed up second-place finishes at the 2018 OrlandoFest music competition in Florida. And, at the Music in the Parks festival in Hersheypark, Pennsylvania, the Middle School Jazz Band, Lower and Middle School Concert Bands, Lower and Middle School String Orchestras,

ORLANDOFEST

and Lower School Chorus scored first-place finishes.

On the stage, Lower School thespians flaunted their acting chops in the ugly-duckling tale Honk! Middle schoolers teamed with their Holton-Arms peers to stage Summer Shorts, four summer-themed one-act plays. And Upper School theatrical arts dynamos from Landon and Holton joined forces for three hilarious performances of the commedia dell’arte play One Man, Two Guvnors.

ONE MAN, TWO GUVNORS 22

LANDON SCHOOL | SUMMER 2018

M

att Lowrie ’18 can trace his fascination with photography to two

Scholastic Art & Writing Awards for Jenga, a

freshman year in John’s class. He joined

striking photo of zebras Matt captured on a

the Brown & White yearbook staff

summer trip to Africa (for more, see p. 6).

sophomore year (he served as editor-in-

“Matt is, without a doubt, the best

chief junior and senior years) and soon

things: his father’s collection of early-’90s

student photographer I have ever worked

became the go-to photographer for on-

camera equipment and a subscription

with,” said Laura John, Matt’s media

campus events.

to National Geographic Magazine, a gift

arts teacher and yearbook advisor.

from his grandfather. The photography

“He can go from taking sports photos

game today. Can you come and take

in the latter, by such legends as Ira Block

at a championship soccer game for the

photos? We really like your stuff,’” Matt

and David Burnett, opened his eyes to the

yearbook, to capturing a stunning portrait

recalled. “Eventually, I just became

power of the medium.

of a herd of zebras, to finding the perfect

known as ‘that guy.’”

“If I show someone a photo I took, it’s

moment to depict the D.C. metro at rush

“People would say, ‘We have a soccer

Matt hopes to take his craft to the next

how I saw the situation, not necessarily

hour. Matt sees the world in a fantastic,

level as a student at the University of

how it was — that’s in the editing or the

creative and profoundly mature way, and it

California – San Diego. “I’ve declared a

photo-taking process,” he said. “I like

shines through in his photographs.”

psychology major, and I’d like to use that

making people see the world how I see it... because I think it’s interesting.”

“Interesting” is an understatement

Matt said his Landon teachers,

in photography somehow,” Matt said.

classmates and coaches fueled his passion

“You can make someone feel a certain

for the medium. He took his first photos

way when you show them an image...

when it comes to describing Matt’s work,

on an eighth-grade trip to New England

and you can see what people feel or

which has earned him countless accolades,

with Middle School art teacher Brad Rose

think when they’re creating a piece of

including a National Silver Key in the 2018

and truly learned how to work a camera

work. I find that fascinating.”

CANAL INFRARED | Matt Lowrie ’18

SUMMER 2018 | LANDON SCHOOL

ARTS SPOTLIGHT

Eye on the Prize

IWO JIMA | Matt Lowrie ’18

23

LANDON LOWDOWN

Visual Arts Gallery

Matt Amitay ’20

Palmer McTague ’22

Gus Andrews ’19

Carson Yoo ’26

24

LANDON SCHOOL | SUMMER 2018

Connor Pugh ’19

Chase Hunter ’26

Michael Yan ’19 Sean Curran ’24

SUMMER 2018 | LANDON SCHOOL

25

LANDON LOWDOWN

Winter Sports WRESTLING, HOCKEY WIN IAC TITLES

I

ce hockey and wrestling won their respective Interstate Athletic Conference

(IAC) titles outright, as both teams went undefeated in regular-season and IAC Tournament play. In addition, 20 Landon student athletes earned 2017–18 winter sports honors, including 15 All-IAC (Interstate Athletic Conference) honorees, five Washington Post All-Met recipients, and two swimming All-Americans.

BASKETBALL HIGHLIGHTS All-IAC honoree Canin Reynolds ’20 helped to lead the 7–17 basketball squad to victory in the consolation bracket of the Elmira Holiday Inn Christmas Classic. The team also earned big regular season wins against St. Albans (70–57) at home and vs.

Georgetown Day (72–51) on the road, before falling to St. Stephen’s & St. Agnes 68–41 in the opening round of the IAC Tournament.

INDIVIDUAL HONORS Mac Hollensteiner ’18: Co-Captain; Chazz Harley ’19: Co-Captain; Justin Patterson ’18: Co-Captain; Canin Reynolds ’20: All-IAC ICE HOCKEY HIGHLIGHTS Led by five AllIAC skaters, including IAC Player of the Year and All-Met (honorable mention) selection Drew Wellington ’18, ice hockey won the conference title outright, as the team went undefeated in regular season and IAC Tournament play and finished with a 20–3–1 overall record. The Bears capped off their IAC Tournament championship run with a 5–2 victory over Georgetown Prep, and also took home the crown in the IceWorks Christmas Tournament earlier in the season. The team defeated Prep 11–1 in the Mid-Atlantic Prep Hockey League (MAPHL) quarterfinals before a 3–2 loss to DeMatha in the semifinals. They ended the season ranked fourth on Washington Post’s list of best area teams. INDIVIDUAL HONORS Henry Chiperfield ’18: All-IAC, Assistant Captain; Owen Concannon ’18:

26

Captain; Peter Gilbert ’18: All-IAC, Assistant Captain; Ryan Giles ’20: All-Met – honorable mention, All-IAC, All-MAPHL – honorable mention; Nico Kenary ’18: All-IAC, All-MAPHL – honorable mention; Drew Wellington ’18: All-Met – honorable mention, IAC Player of the Year, All-IAC, All-MAPHL – first team

INDOOR TRACK HIGHLIGHTS Members of the indoor track and field team ran and jumped their way to a third place finish in the Montgomery County Private School Championships for the second year in a row.

Four student-athletes earned All-Montgomery Private honors: Kevin Tsai ’18 was the individual

LANDON SCHOOL | SUMMER 2018

champion in the 800 meters and also anchored the 4x800-meter relay team to gold. INDIVIDUAL HONORS Ari Chadda ’18: All-Montgomery County Private (4x800m), Co-Captain; Sam Hanson ’18: All-Montgomery County Private (4x800m), Co-Captain; Dara Dilmaghani ’19: AllMontgomery County Private (4x800m); Kevin Tsai ’18: All-Montgomery County Private (800m, 4x800m) RIFLERY HIGHLIGHTS Riflery was 6–6 in match play and finished ninth in the season-capping Potomac High School Rifle League Regional Championships. Harrison Smith ’18 averaged a career-high, team-high 275 score (out of 300) in competition, and helped the team edge out St. John’s College High School by three points in the closest match of the season. INDIVIDUAL HONORS Harrison Smith ’18: Co-Captain; Will McClure ’18: Co-Captain SQUASH HIGHLIGHTS Squash posted a 4–4 overall record in a campaign highlighted by a 4–3 win over rival The Heights. Tommy Mearns ’21 secured the victory with a 3–2 win in the No. 7 slot. And the team, which returns all 13 players for next year, finished the season by capturing the division II crown in the Chase Interclub Varsity League Championships.

INDIVIDUAL HONORS Bobby Feng ’19: Captain SWIMMING & DIVING HIGHLIGHTS Swimming finished third in the IAC and sixth in the Washington Metropolitan Prep School Swim Dive League (WMPSSDL), and won the Meinelschmidt Pentathalon for the third year in a row. All-IAC and All-Metro League honoree Jacob Rosner ’20 set new school records in the 200-meter and 500-meter freestyle and posted All-American times for both events in the process. He also won the 200-meter free at IACs and the WMPSSDL Championships and finished second in the 200 and 500 at the Metro Championships.

And Academic All-American Jerry Lu ’18 set a new school record in the 100-meter breaststroke at Metros. INDIVIDUAL HONORS Jacob Rosner ’20: All-American (200m, 500m), All-Met – honorable mention, All-IAC, WMPSSDL All-Metro League; Jerry Lu ’18: National Interscholastic Swim Coaches Association Academic All-American

SUMMER 2018 | LANDON SCHOOL

WRESTLING HIGHLIGHTS Seven wrestlers won individual IAC championships, including IAC Outstanding Wrestler Lorenzo Lopez ’20, to propel the team to its first outright IAC title since 1994, as the Bears went a perfect 5–0 in regular season IAC dual meets and claimed the tournament crown. The eight All-IAC honorees was a school record, as were the team’s 16 dual meet wins (overall dual record 16–5) and sixth place finish in the Maryland Independent State Championships. Brendon Gallagher ’18 set a new school record for career wins with 155, while Lopez became the first state champion in Landon history. The squad finished 30th out of 109 teams at Prep Nationals and was ranked 10th on Washington Post’s season-end list of best area teams. INDIVIDUAL HONORS Brendon Gallagher ’18: All-Met – honorable mention, All-IAC, Melee on the Metro Outstanding Wrestler, Maryland State Wrestling Association (MSWA) AllAcademic – first team, Co-Captain; Brett Gallagher ’18: Co-Captain; Johnny Gherman ’19: All-IAC; Axel Giron ’19: All-IAC, MSWA AllAcademic – honorable mention; Carter Johnson ’18: All-IAC; Patrick Kielb ’20: All-IAC, MSWA All-Academic – honorable mention; Lorenzo Lopez ’20: Maryland Private State Champion, All-Met – honorable mention, IAC Outstanding Wrestler, All-IAC; Jelani Machen ’19: All-IAC, MSWA All-Academic – second team; Luc Schermer ’18: All-IAC

27

LANDON LOWDOWN

Spring Sports TENNIS, LACROSSE REPEAT AS IAC CHAMPS

S

achin Das ’19 and Joey Epstein ’18 were named Washington Post All-Met and Interstate Athletic Conference (IAC) Players

of the Year in tennis and lacrosse, respectively, as they led Landon to IAC crowns in both sports — including a regular-season title for Coach Rob Bordley ’66 in his final campaign at the helm of varsity lacrosse. In all, 12 Landon student-

GOLF HIGHLIGHTS In varsity golf’s first season with Coach Andy Luther at the reins, the team finished second in the IAC regular-season standings and second in the IAC Championships match to outright champions Georgetown Prep. All-Met honoree West Shaw ’18 led the way for the Bears at the IAC Championships with a runner-up individual finish that secured him All-IAC honors. The 8–2 (4–1 IAC) Bears also finished second in the Freeman Memorial Tourney and third at the Metro Championships, which pits the two best teams from the IAC vs. the two best teams from the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference (WCAC).

INDIVIDUAL HONORS Peter King ’18: Co-Captain; West Shaw ’18: All-Met (honorable mention), All-IAC, Co-Captain LACROSSE HIGHLIGHTS Joey Epstein ’18 nabbed USA TODAY All-USA Player of the Year for the best player in the nation, scored All-American honors, was All-Met and IAC Player of the Year accolades, and was one of five Landon All-IAC lacrosse honorees. Along with fellow seniors John Geppert, Zach Johnson, Mo Sillah and Drew Wellington, Epstein propelled Landon to a 12–6 record (4–1 IAC), a share of the IAC crown, and a No. 24 national ranking on Under Armour/ Inside Lacrosse’s Power 25 list. Highlights included road victories over Paul VI and Georgetown Prep, two wins vs. St. Stephen’s & St. Agnes, and a regular-season triumph over Bullis, who edged Landon by one goal in the IAC Tournament Championship. INDIVIDUAL HONORS Joey Epstein ’18: USA TODAY All-USA Player of the Year, Under Armour All-American, USILA All-American, All-Met Player of the Year, Kelly Award (best player in Maryland), IAC Player of the Year, Pigskin Player of the Year, Co-Captain; John Geppert ’18: All-IAC, Co-Captain; Zach Johnson ’18: All-IAC, CoCaptain; Mo Sillah ’18: All-Met (honorable mention), All-IAC, Co-Captain; Drew Wellington ’18: All-IAC

athletes from five sports earned All-IAC honors, and four scored All-Met accolades, which recognize the best athletes in the D.C. metro area.

BASEBALL HIGHLIGHTS Pitcher-center fielder Xander DeNovio ’18 and shortstop Ryan Fruehwirth ’18 scored All-IAC, as varsity baseball went 7–9 overall and 5–5 in IAC regular-season play. The team completed regular-season sweeps of Episcopal and St. Stephen’s & St. Agnes and split regular-season series with both St. Albans and Georgetown Prep.

Highlights included DeNovio’s complete game 5–3 victory over St. Stephen’s and a scrappy 3–1 triumph over Prep in the second-to-last game of the regular season. INDIVIDUAL HONORS Xander DeNovio ’18: All-IAC, Co-Captain; Ryan Fruehwirth ’18: All-IAC, Co-Captain; Will O’Shea ’19: Co-Captain

28

LANDON SCHOOL | SUMMER 2018

OUTDOOR TRACK HIGHLIGHTS Varsity track kicked off the season with a win at the Holton-Arms Relay Meet, where Bears relay squads won all but one of the events in which they competed. The team also had strong showings at the Cronly Invitational and the Draper Invitational, where Kevin Tsai ’18 finished third in the 800 meters against strong competition.

At the IAC Championships, Tsai ran away from the pack in the 800 meters to deliver the Bears’ only individual title of the meet and earn All-IAC honors in the process. Michael Carr ’18 and Nikola Dragacevac ’18 also scored individual points when they finished third and fifth, respectively, in the pole vault. INDIVIDUAL HONORS Dara Dilmghani ’19: Co-Captain; Archie Russ ’19: Co-Captain; Kevin Tsai ’18: All-IAC, Co-Captain RUGBY HIGHLIGHTS After winning two straight Mid-Atlantic Varsity Rugby Conference (MAVRC) division II championships, Landon moved up to division I this year and went 3–4 overall. The team earned victories over DeMatha Catholic, St. John’s College High School and Gonzaga College High School “B”; lost close matches to Georgetown Prep and Good Counsel; and fell twice to Gonzaga’s “A” team, the reigning national champions.

TENNIS HIGHLIGHTS All-Met and IAC Player of the Year Sachin Das ’19 and All-IAC honorees Rodrigo Pedraza Garcia ’19 and Cyrus Rahbaran ’20 were key architects in building tennis’s 8–1 season, which included second place at the Woodberry Invitational, an undefeated IAC regular season, and an IAC Tournament championship with a 5–2 win over Georgetown Prep in the title match. This was the second consecutive year that tennis won both the IAC regular season and tournament to claim the crown outright, the program’s 50th IAC banner overall. INDIVIDUAL HONORS Sachin Das ’19: All-Met Player of the Year, IAC Player of the Year; Mike Mehlman ’18: Co-Captain; Rodrigo Pedraza Garcia ’19: AllIAC, Co-Captain; Cyrus Rahbaran ’20: All-IAC

SUMMER 2018 | LANDON SCHOOL

29

FORMER NFL SUPER BOWL WINNER TED ROGERS ’87 OPENS UP ABOUT HIS FOOTBALL CAREER AND REINVENTING THE FINANCIAL PLAYING FIELD WITH HIS NEW PASSION: BITCOIN.

BY TO M D I C HI ARA 30

G

eorge “Ted” Rogers III ’87 likes to talk about the internet circa 1993, back when America Online (AOL) basically was the worldwide web, only early adopters had email addresses, and iPhones seemed like a wild fantasy dreamed up by George Orwell or H.G. Wells. That is because the internet in its infancy provides a great analogy for Ted’s passion for and career in Bitcoin, a form of digital currency — money that exists mainly as computer code — that enables direct peer-to-peer transactions without the need for third-party verification.

“A lot of people are looking at Bitcoin the same way they looked at email or the internet,” Ted said in 2014 as a speaker at The Nantucket Project, an ideas festival co-founded by Ted’s friend and fellow Landon alumnus Tom Scott ’85. “At that time, [the internet] was a bit of a curiosity. You heard about it. Maybe you saw some people in the library working with it. You said, ‘What are those people doing sending message to each other?’ Then we hit a point through AOL or Hotmail or Yahoo where everyone had an email address and suddenly, instantly it became ubiquitous — not just important, but essential. It just sort of took over the world.

Bitcoin will do that as well.”

A NEW SET OF RAILS Developed and released in 2009 by an unknown person or group using the name Satoshi Nakamoto, Bitcoin employs “blockchain” technology, which uses open source code to keep a publicly visible ledger of all Bitcoin transactions so that they cannot be duplicated or fabricated, thereby eliminating the need for third-party verification.

While the value of Bitcoin is notoriously volatile, since 2017 it has experienced unparalleled growth. The market value of Bitcoin skyrocketed to an all-time high of $20,000 per unit in 2017 and has since settled in right around $6,700 per unit. Data compiled by Bitinfocharts.com suggests that there are between 13 million and 28.5 million Bitcoin users worldwide, with numbers growing every day.

The ever-multiplying collection of users needs both a secure place to store their Bitcoin and someone to help facilitate transactions.

That is where Ted comes in. He is the president of Xapo, one of the leading online “banks” for businesses and individual consumers to store their Bitcoin. Like other Bitcoin platforms, Xapo offers its customers a “wallet,” which is tantamount to a checking account

31

FEATURE | TED ROGERS

THE BEST WAY TO UNDERSTAND XAPO IS THAT WE ARE BUILDING A NEXT-GENERATION BANK, A NEXT-GENERATION FINANCIAL SERVICES COMPANY CONSTRUCTED ON A DIFFERENT SET OF FINANCIAL RAILS. YOU DON’T HAVE TO LAY PIPE IN THE GROUND, YOU DON’T HAVE TO BUILD BRANCHES…YOU CAN BUILD WHAT WE CALL A ‘SKY BUSINESS’ AND NOT AN ‘EARTH BUSINESS.’ —Ted Rogers

that can be used for transactions, and a “vault,” which can be likened to a supersecure savings account to store larger sums.

“The best way to understand Xapo is that we are building a next-generation bank, a next-generation financial services company constructed on a different set of financial rails,” Ted said. “So where existing banks are using SWIFT, ACH and other types of routing, we are building our next-generation bank on a global network that doesn’t require us to deal with intermediaries... When you build on that set of rails, you don’t have to lay pipe in the ground, you don’t have to build branches, and you don’t have to do a lot of things that traditional banks have to do and are stuck with, frankly. You can build what we call a ‘sky business’ and not an ‘earth business.’ We can be global.”

BUILDING BLOCKS FOR THE FUTURE The global reach of Bitcoin is just one aspect that captivates Ted; he’s also drawn to

PROJECT BITCOIN: Ted and Guggenheim Partners Chief Investment Officer Scott Minerd chat about the future of Bitcoin at 2014’s The Nantucket Project conference.

blockchain technology’s other potential applications.

“What we’re witnessing is the growth of the financial internet,” Ted said. “What TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) did for information — allowing you to send information to anybody, anywhere, anytime — that’s what Bitcoin does for value. Essentially it enables you to transfer ownership of value without an intermediary. That’s the key: the importance of blockchain technology is not that money can be transferred but that ownership, of anything, can be transferred directly, securely and instantly, between anyone in the world, without notarization, authentication, record-keeping, etc.”

According to Ted, titles to houses and cars will likely be the next application of blockchain technology, but what could prove truly revolutionary is its use in identity. “Right now, identity is something you need third parties to certify and notarize, then we need to carry those certificates with us to prove who we are,” Ted said. “Once we have identities put on the blockchain, it’s always accessible and it’s inviolate — it can’t be lost, corrupted or manipulated.”

Ted believes that this could lead to a whole new world on the web, one in which we can do everything from get a passport to vote in a presidential election online.

And it might even help to alleviate social problems in some parts of the planet.

32

PATH TO THE SUPER BOWL: Ted was a standout football player at Landon and Williams College before playing for the 1992 LANDONWashington SCHOOL | SUMMER Super Bowl champion Redskins.2018

“When you focus on identity and its connection to the blockchain and to this technology, you start learning, ‘My god, there’s a whole portion of the globe that doesn’t have any way to prove their identity,’” Ted said. “This leads directly to tragedies like human trafficking and the loss of personal assets to corruption.”

PUSHING BOUNDARIES It’s fitting that Ted’s career path has led him to the cutting edge of technology: He has been testing and pushing boundaries his whole life, first as a student-athlete at Landon, then as a football player at Williams College and with the National Football League’s (NFL) Washington Redskins, and now as a tech entrepreneur.

Ted grew up in Chevy Chase, Maryland, with his father, George “Ted” ’51, an attorney who was the No. 1 player on Landon’s 1951 nationally ranked tennis team and later won the 1951 National Junior Championship at Kalamazoo, Michigan.

Ted walked to school at Rollingwood Elementary, played in Rock Creek Park with his friends, and worshipped the Redskins. But when Ted reached fifth grade, his father decided it was time to send him to Landon, mainly to give him discipline and boundaries.

“It’s my belief that boys seek boundaries... and they push against them,” Ted said. “That often appears as if they don’t want boundaries, but in actuality they’re really testing them and making sure they’re there. And if there aren’t boundaries at home, they’re going to look for boundaries at school. And if there aren’t boundaries at school, they’re going to look for them outside of school, often in very unhealthy places... I think a place like Landon provides boys something fundamental that they need, starting with boundaries.”

Although at first Ted was reluctant to attend Landon, he quickly warmed to his classmates and his fifth grade teacher, Temple Grassi. He soon began to reap the benefits of his new surroundings — something he said he appreciates now more than ever, as he and his wife, Anna, watch their four sons, George (15), John (13), Luke (11) and Thomas (8), grow up.

“I am able to compare my experience at Landon to what my four boys are going through now. More than anything, Landon imbued in me a very strong work ethic,” Ted said. “I don’t believe, at 48 years of age looking back, that I would have had that work ethic naturally. My parents were divorced. I grew up in a single-parent home with my father. He worked really, really long hours as an attorney. I certainly skirted with trouble. If I hadn’t had a strong structure at Landon that enforced work ethic, I easily could have gone a different way.”

SUMMER 2018 | LANDON SCHOOL

33

FEATURE | TED ROGERS

That work ethic was necessary in the classroom and on that

CALLING AN AUDIBLE

athletics field, where Ted was All-Met (first team) in lacrosse,

Going into college at Williams, Ted was ostensibly a lacrosse

All-IAC in football, captained both teams, and had to answer to

player who would also compete for the school’s football team. But

lacrosse coach Rob Bordley ’66 and football coach Lowell Davis

with the arrival of new head football coach Dick Farley and Ted’s

— both of whom were constantly impressed with Ted’s workhorse

continued improvement on the football field, the gridiron game

attitude... and his good-natured demeanor.

quickly eclipsed lacrosse.

“Teddy wasn’t the biggest guy or the fastest guy, but he was a

“The trajectory of the football program sort of fit with me

smart athlete and worked hard,” Bordley said. “He was not only an

as a player,” Ted said. “We were getting better and better. The

excellent athlete, but also an excellent student. And he got along

first year, we went 4–4, and the last three years we went 21–1–1.

with everyone — he mingled with the thespians and the singers and

My sophomore year when I began to start for the team we were

the jocks and the scholars. He was just comfortable in his own skin.”

1–1–1 after three games, and then I never lost another game

“Teddy didn’t even come out for football until he was a sophomore because he was too small,” Davis recalled. “For me, he played offensive and defensive tackle — he should have been an

until I graduated. There’s just a lot of joy in that, a lot of fun that happened, and that kind of swept me away.”

During that span, Ted was part of the longest winning streak

outside linebacker or defensive end, but I just needed those spots

in college football (21 games over three seasons) and was also a

filled. But Teddy worked his butt off. Then he goes to college at

three-time All-American and two-time New England Defensive

Williams and they move him to defensive end — and that was the

Player of the Year — the first Division III athlete to earn the latter

spot for him. His football career just took off.”

honor, given to one player from all three NCAA divisions.

TEDDY WASN’T THE BIGGEST GUY OR THE FASTEST GUY, BUT HE WAS A SMART ATHLETE AND WORKED HARD. AND HE GOT ALONG WITH EVERYONE — HE MINGLED WITH THE THESPIANS AND THE SINGERS AND THE JOCKS AND THE SCHOLARS. HE WAS JUST COMFORTABLE IN HIS OWN SKIN.

BEAR BROTHER: Ted (right) with Coach Jim Hanker (center) and David Wolfe ‘86 (left)

—Coach Rob Bordley

Ted (bottom row, center) with his fellow seniors on the 1986 football team.

34

LANDON SCHOOL | SUMMER 2018

“Teddy is one of my oldest and dearest friends,” Upper School teacher-coach-mentor W.T. Miller ’86 said. “I happened to attend Tufts, so I was able to see the vicious defense that Teddy brought to play when he was at Williams, and it was nothing short of devastating.”

Indeed, Ted’s stellar play drew interest from a number of NFL teams, including the Redskins, the New England Patriots and the Philadelphia Eagles. When the draft came around in April of 1991, Ted was hopeful that his name would be called in one of the 12 rounds. It wasn’t — but the morning after the draft, the Redskins, Patriots and Minnesota Vikings all called to offer Ted free agent contracts to come to camp. Although the Patriots’ offer was best, Ted picked his hometown Redskins.

“As much of a Redskins fan as I had been growing up... that wasn’t the reason that I decided to go with the Redskins,” he said. “It was that [head coach] Joe Gibbs had a reputation for giving free agents a real chance.”

SUMMER 2018 | LANDON SCHOOL

LANDON FOREVER: Ted poses with the late Nancy Davis, a longtime friend, after delivering the keynote address at the 2016 Nelson Leadership Program.

Laura Davis (left), along with her parents Lowell and Nancy, visited Ted at Redskins training camp in 1991.

Left to right: Football coach Lowell Davis, Ted, geometry teacher Steve Sorkin, and W.T. Miller ’86.

35

FEATURE | TED ROGERS

A WHOLE NEW WORLD

Ted watched the remainder of the season from the sidelines

Ted reported to mini-camp the next weekend and immediately

on injured reserve. By the time the Redskins cut him the

found himself in uncharted territory. “Suddenly you’re in drills

following summer, he had already been accepted to Georgetown

with guys that you’ve been watching on TV for a decade or

Law. He began there in the fall, but football was never far from

more,” Ted recalled. “It was a surreal experience.”

On top of that, Ted was thrust into a new position, middle linebacker, and had to adapt

his mind. “At that time, I was still obsessed with football and convinced that I needed to get back in,” Ted remembered. “I would study and do my work,

quickly. “Everything that happened was

but also spend an awful lot of time working out

intensely new,” he said. “The first scrimmage

during the day.”

against the Steelers, I was getting thrown

When the opportunity arose midway through

around by offensive linemen who were much bigger than any human I’d seen or been in conflict with... A lot has to do with how much time a team gives you to get used to the speed of the game. If

his second year at Georgetown to play for the Scottish Claymores in the World League of American Football (aka NFL Europe), Ted jumped at it. “Depending on how you look at it — fortunately or

you’re a first-, second- or third-round pick, they’re going to give

unfortunately — I blew out my other knee fairly quickly,” Ted

you a lot of chances to get comfortable, to learn the system.”

said. “I figured, ‘You know what? I guess it’s not meant to be.’”

In August 1991, Ted was cut from the team — but a day

He returned to Georgetown Law and graduated cum laude

later received another call to bring him back as a member of

in 1996. He passed the bar exam in Virginia and is still an

the developmental team. “That rookie season, I was on the

associate member, even though he’s never practiced a day of

developmental squad, which meant that I was basically fodder

law. Instead, Ted took a job in corporate finance with Friedman,

during the week,” Ted said. “But it was a wonderful experience.

Billings, Ramsey and then spent a year-and-a-half in business

I wouldn’t trade it for anything. When your job is to play for the

affairs at AOL.

team you grew up loving, you’re a blessed person.”

Another blessing came in the form of the Redskins 17–2

“Even when I was in law school, I was interested in technology and investing,” Ted said. “I guess I’ve always loved the research

season, which culminated in a Super Bowl championship and a

and the clear won-loss results that you get with investing.

coveted Super Bowl ring for Ted.

There’s a lot of learning that you have to do that keeps things interesting... At the time, the internet was coming on, but it

END AS A BEGINNING

wasn’t well understood. I jumped over to AOL simply because I

Ted returned to Landon in the spring of 2017 to talk to students

thought it might be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity — frankly,

as part of the Nelson Leadership Program. In his remarks,

we forget now, but at that time AOL really was the internet for a

which focused on resilience, Ted recounted the events leading

lot of people.”

into the 1992–93 football season, a season that was supposed to be Ted’s time to shine.

Matt Millen, the Redskins’ starting middle linebacker had

Ted left AOL after what he calls a “very, very intense experience” and briefly considered becoming a screenwriter.

He even got an agent in Los Angeles for a script he wrote. “It

retired, and Ted was widely expected to take Millen’s place

had to do with football, of course,” he laughed. “Ultimately, I

at the table. Ted, and that dream, crumbled to the turf in a

realized that I would probably starve if I went down that path.

preseason game against the Miami Dolphins. Ted had blown

I had some money left from my previous work, so I got into

out his knee and, although he would work tirelessly to make a

angel investing (providing money for startups in exchange for

comeback, his NFL career was effectively over. He didn’t know

ownership equity or convertible debt).”

it at the time, but that watershed moment would lead him on

Eventually, Ted co-founded Arpex Capital, an investment firm

a collision course, some 20 years down the road, with his new

with a focus in Brazil (his wife is half-Brazilian). Ted was living in

career in Bitcoin.

36

LANDON SCHOOL | SUMMER 2018

some years after football, I’d been looking for something that could interest me

THESE DAYS MY GOALS TEND TO BE MORE ABOUT BEING A GOOD FATHER AND A GOOD HUSBAND; FIGURING OUT HOW TO BE A LITTLE MORE PRESENT IN MY LIFE AND A LITTLE MORE CONNECTED TO PEOPLE THAT HAVE HELPED ME …AND TO BE SOMEONE WHO’S AVAILABLE WHEN OTHERS NEED HELP.

as deeply and completely as football had. Bitcoin was it. It’s fascinating from a

—Ted Rogers

Northern Virginia with his family at the time and, weary of the constant travel to Brazil, decided to relocate the company and his family to Palo Alto, California, to facilitate ventures between Silicon Valley and Brazil.

There, he shared office space with business acquaintances from Latin America, one of whom was Wences Casares. Casares happened to be starting a Bitcoin company called Xapo, and he set to work to bring his friend aboard the new venture.

“I had heard of Bitcoin before, but I hadn’t gone deep on it,” Ted said. “Wences really poured the Kool-Aid on Bitcoin. After a couple months, I realized that this was the largest opportunity of my lifetime and that in a lot of ways, for 20-

technology perspective, from a political perspective, from a social perspective, from a monetary history perspective... It’s been wonderful.

The fact that the price of Bitcoin has gone up is also a boon but is secondary to enjoying what I do.”

LET IT GO While a strong work ethic and desire to push boundaries have driven Ted most of his life, at 48 he has a somewhat different perspective as he looks toward the future.

“When I left Landon, I was an extraordinarily goal-oriented person — that’s been very useful for me, and I credit Landon with that,” he said. “But over time I’ve also had to temper that with a large dose of humility and an understanding that for human beings goals are important and ‘success’ is important, but so are compassion and spirituality and connectedness.

While I have professional goals, these days my goals tend to be more about being a good father and a good husband; figuring out how to be a little more present in my life and a little more connected to people that have helped me and want to help me even now; and to be someone who’s available when others need help.”

Professionally, Ted said he can’t see himself ever leaving the world of Bitcoin for another field. And, while he won’t rule out someday striking out from Xapo to found his own company, he admitted it is unlikely.

“If the priority is really the internal goals that I mentioned, then the amount of dedication one has to put in to a startup really isn’t consistent with that,” he said. “I guess that’s another lesson of growing up: Sometimes you have to let one thing go in order to have another.”

Top: THE FAMILY GUY: Ted with his wife Anna.

Bottom: Ted and Anna’s four boys: Thomas, Luke, George and John.

SUMMER 2018 | LANDON SCHOOL

37

Q&A | RALPH GREENE

The Sporting Life

SPORTS MARKETING MAESTRO RALPH GREENE ’79 HAS LEFT AN INDELIBLE MARK ON PROFESSIONAL ATHLETICS.

Every day, Landon alumni accomplish amazing things.

Our Q&A section shares those captivating stories from the first-person points of view of the alums living them. In this edition, we talk to a sports marketing master who worked with the likes of Tiger Woods and Tony Parker, a globetrotting

generation of world leaders,

T

a college admissions expert

in sports marketing. The phone call helped Ralph land a job with the National

educator shaping the next

hirty-one years ago, Ralph Greene ’79 was at the start of a promising Madison Avenue career in advertising when a fortuitous phone call set him on a

different path: to become one of the most accomplished and respected individuals

using his knowledge to help

Football League’s merchandising arm, NFL Properties, which led him to become a

Landon boys, and a Class of

with Nike.

2009 graduate returning to the White Rocks to teach

sports agent and then to a 21-year career in marketing and management During his varied career, Ralph has worked as National Basketball Association (NBA) star Hakeem “The Dream” Olajuwon’s agent; signed Tiger Woods and LeBron James to Nike sponsorship deals; and acted as Nike’s U.S. general

after working in Central and

manager. Today, Ralph lives in Tigard, Oregon, with his wife; is a father of four

South America.

sports photographer who shares his work via Instagram and Twitter

(two sons and two daughters); coaches youth football and track and field; is a (@coachrgreene40); and is the CEO and founder of Columbia Consulting Group, which specializes in marketing sports technology.

Here, Ralph shares highlights from his Nike career, details the exciting work he’s doing in sports technology, and reveals what former Landon English teacher Ed Sundt once told him that he still thinks about today.

38

LANDON SCHOOL | SUMMER 2018

You started off your career in advertising — what sparked your interest in that field?

I left the East Coast when I graduated

How did you make the leap to sports marketing?

When I speak, I often tell kids that timing

That particular Thursday, there had been an event, and something got screwed up, and he was mad as hell. I was like, “I

is everything, and that was the case here.

don’t work on that, but I’ll find out.” So I

Landon and went to Stanford. That

When I got out of business school — you

called my boss, who was out at the beach,

opened my eyes to a lot of stuff. Like a

have to remember, back then everything

and he said, “Well, we have these training

lot of Landon kids, I was looking at Ivy

was all analog, no web apps or stuff like

camp visits. I can’t get ahold of anybody —

League schools, probably more oriented

that — I wrote letters and mailed them to

you played football, why don’t you go to

toward financial services, real estate,

all the sports teams and agents I knew at

the next one?”

that kind of thing — not because I was

the time, but I didn’t get a response from

interested in it, but just because that’s

anybody. Ogilvy had paid my business

on Monday. So I showed up, it ended

what people did.

school, so I went to work in advertising.

up being a great event, I hit it off with

I was pretty much locked and loaded that

the Modell family, who owned the team

an older brother who went to Pomona

that was going to be the career all the

at the time. Simultaneously, [then-Los

College (in Claremont, California), and

way through. I was working on some big

Angeles Dodgers general manager] Al

that’s what first got me interested in the

accounts. Ogilvy was great. I loved living in

Campanis stuck his foot up his mouth

West Coast... So that’s what got me to

New York. Everything fit — I wasn’t really

when he talked about blacks in baseball

Stanford, and that led me to all kinds of

looking to do anything different.

management, so all the pro teams were

My classmate Chris Kingsley ’79 had

stuff. I got interested in television and

One summer Friday, I’m in the office

Well, the next one was in Cleveland

really sensitive to hiring black executives.

communications, and I double-majored

all by myself, and the phone just keeps

in economics and journalism. That sort of

ringing like crazy. It wasn’t my number,

I was over there within 24 hours for an

formed my interest in advertising. Then

but I could hear it on the floor, and it kept

interview, and then I got a job, so that’s

I got a scholarship for grad school from

ringing and ringing. So, just to stop the

what got me into sports. I worked as a

a big ad firm on Madison Avenue called

irritation, I answered it. And it happened

sponsorship director with NFL Properties

Ogilvy & Mather. So I went to Columbia.

to be a vice president from the client I

for four years and had a great time, then

That’s what brought me to New York, and

was working on, AT&T, and they had a

got interested in being an agent. I did that

that’s how I got started.

sponsorship with the NFL.

for a bit, and that’s what led me to Nike.

The NFL couldn’t call me fast enough.

What are some of the highlights from your Nike career?

I signed [golfer] Tiger Woods and [basketball players] LeBron James and Vince Carter to sponsorship deals. I worked with [basketball player] Kevin Garnett. I also focused a lot on the international basketball players — bringing Yao Ming, Tony Parker and Dirk Nowitzki to the NBA. Then I went over to the general management side. We pioneered the first “all-school” sponsorship deals with schools like Ohio State and Stanford, which is now the norm. When we launched the LeBron and Kobe Bryant businesses, I was U.S. Ralph (left) with NFL Hall of Famer Warren Sapp

SUMMER 2018 | LANDON SCHOOL

general manager. I also ran the Nike East

39

Q&A | RALPH GREENE

Coast office, which was really dominated by sportswear and casual shoes — that’s Nike’s biggest market. Then I came into football in 2010. I ran the youth division and then all the sports technology stuff, which is what I do now as a consultant.

What kind of work have you done in the sports technology space?

At Nike, we pioneered this thing called SPARQ: speed, power, agility, reaction and quickness. What it was in the analog days was we were attempting to quantify

At Nike, we pioneered this thing called SPARQ: speed, power, agility, reaction and quickness … to quantify athleticism measurements so you could predict who could be an A-1 type athlete.

—Ralph Greene ’79

athleticism measurements so you could predict who could be an A-1 type athlete.

And, if they were falling short, you could also model what kinds of things the athlete needed to do to get better. That was in 2002–03. As the decade expanded,

One is Orreco, a blood science company out of Ireland. They work with the New

that data just got bigger and bigger.

York Knicks, the Dallas Mavericks and a Irish rugby and Chelsea soccer, and their

the cloud, so you could segment any kind

forte is blood analysis. They’ve developed

of play any way you want. I also worked

some pretty cool algorithms to help

on 3-D imaging and on performance

predict performance. It works, but it’s

and biometrics stuff, where you have

super, super complicated, so they’re just

movement measurements, speed, and

getting into the U.S. market. firm whose protective, impact-resistant

sleep — all of that can data-dump into one

innovation is used in many items,

big pile, and if you have smart enough

including football helmets. The outer

people to pull out all the algorithms, you

shell of the VICIS helmet is actually soft!

can really impact performance.

It is the highest rated helmet in the NFL being marketed to high school and

teams and athletes are all over it. A lot of

youth players.

the NFL Network, and it’s a bunch of NFL guys playing flag football. I wasn’t sold on it in the beginning, but it turned out to be a really good TV product. There’s GPS and tracking mechanisms in the ball to help gamify the experience. It’s also just fundamentally sports marketing, which and the NFL has bought into it.

Ralph is one of the driving forces behind the American Flag Football League.

Then there is Handful, which is a

gone to Stanford, a lot of the venture

Portland-based women’s sportswear brand

people that backed that are classmates, so

that has a fabric innovation particularly

they turned me on to a lot of smart folks

well-suited to breast cancer survivors.

who are looking to meet people in sports.

And there is also Hero Clip, which is an

So that’s how I’m making my living now.

innovation on the carabiner [used in

40

is really sports. We recently launched it on

the last two seasons and has just started

the business has just exploded. All the pro that comes out of the Bay Area. Having

And then I have the American Flag Football League (AFFL), which is tech but

Another is VICIS, a Seattle-based tech

bio data, blood, weight, diet, nutrition,

We were starting to do it at Nike, and

group. REI just picked it up.

bunch of individual basketball players,

social network] Hudl that put all film in

angle of acceleration. Then you can add

catching on like crazy with the outdoor

I’ve done all my life. It’s been pretty cool,

In 2016 you founded Columbia Consulting Group to specialize in sports technology consulting. Who are your big clients?

sports performance data and analysis of I worked on a partnership with [football

rock climbing]. It’s a small gadget, but it’s

LANDON SCHOOL | SUMMER 2018

Those are a few of the things I’m doing.

They keep me going — but I’m supposed to be retired [laughs]. That’s not working out

What from your Landon experience sticks with you to this day?

My experience there and certain

Department. He always said to me, and I think about it all the time: “I know how you are Ralph. I know how politically

so well. My son Ralph III is working with

individuals molded me for life. I had ups

aware you are. If you really, really want

me, though, so that helps quite a bit.

and downs at Landon, but I really would

to make a change, you need to come

put my kids through the exact same

back here and teach.” I’ve thought about

experiences if I had to. Being that black

that all the time. I still think about that.

kid coming in to Landon in 1974, there

He was astronomical. He had us reading

was some stuff I had to go through. But I

things like Invisible Man and all kinds

always will remember four guys who were

of literature by black and white authors

hall of fame who really stood for what

so that when I went to Stanford I was

Landon was about, should be about, and

blowing people away with the kind of

should continue to be about. One was

stuff that I’d read. Then there was Charles

Irving Ricker, who was my sixth grade

Campbell, who was an English teacher.

teacher — just an outstanding individual

I write pretty well, and it’s because of

who really helped me. Another was Bill

him. I’ll never forget that stuff. That was

Reames, who was the athletic director for

majorly life altering. I am grateful for the

a while and my J.V. football coach. Again,

positives because it clearly got me where I

super stellar. I came back for an alumni

was going.

function in the early 2000s and told a story about him, and it got me emotional.

And there were two guys who really pushed me academically. One was Ed Sundt, who was the chair of the English

What do you do for fun in your free time?

Everybody is an outdoor person here in Oregon. Even if you just hike by the water or go up in the mountains.

Everything is right here. I’m an hour from the mountains, hour from the beach. It’s

Ralph with former NFL running back Marshall Faulk Ralph with NBA star Tony Parker Fishing with Warren Sapp

a cool lifestyle and a great place to raise kids. I have a friend who has a fleet in Marathon, Florida, in the Keys. I try to get down there to fish. That’s my style. I love ocean, saltwater, big lures, live bait. Here in the Northwest, the fishing is a little esoteric for me, but it is a lot of fun.

And one of your fishing buddies is NFL Hall of Famer Warren Sapp?

Yeah, he’s a guy I continue to work with.

We have started a podcast with him called Route 99. He can say whatever he wants to say, and he often does that. He partners with [actor] Michael Rapaport, and they just go crazy with each other. Warren does sports, fishing and food, and you can’t beat that combination.

SUMMER 2018 | LANDON SCHOOL

41

Q&A | FORBES MANN

He’s the Mann FORBES MANN ’04 RETURNS TO LANDON AS ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF COLLEGE COUNSELING.

What do you bring to the high school side of the college admissions table?

In terms of college

Counseling Office] who have three different networks at a wide range of colleges around the U.S. and abroad that

counseling, I think that one of

we can bring to bear for the

the greatest gifts that Landon

students’ benefit.

gives to its students is the ability to write effectively. I learned the fundamentals

What are a couple of fun facts about yourself?

of being a strong writer as a

When I was a senior here,

student here in a number of

my college counselor, Jamie

different classes. The ability

Kirkpatrick, dressed up as

to showcase our boys in their

me for Halloween. I had

recommendations is one of

somewhat extreme taste in

those “full circle” things — I

preppy clothing: suspenders,

hen Forbes Mann ’04 heard that longtime Associate

learned those skills here and

tweeds, bow tie. It was very

Director of College Counseling Ginger Miller was retiring,

now I’m back to apply them.

similar to Jamie’s style, so he

W

he jumped at the chance to succeed her in that role. Since

Additionally, through my

tossed on a pair of glasses — it

graduating from Sewanee: The University of the South, Forbes

admissions career, I developed

was a very easy costume for

has worked in college admissions at Tulane University and then at

a congenial network of friends

him. I also played on the first

Sewanee, where he also spent a year as assistant dean of students

and colleagues at different

Landon hockey team to win

working with fraternities and sororities. Here, Forbes shares why

colleges. It’s such a competitive

a state championship, the J.V.

he was drawn back to Landon, how he hopes to help students, and

process, so we have to do

team my sophomore year.

which staff member dressed as him for Halloween.

a good job of individually

That was the culmination

advocating for each boy. I’m

of my athletics prowess

me. It’s fun to be back here

really excited to have three

at Landon.

and hopefully be a positive

different people [in the College

What brought you back to Landon?

Everything I’ve done I have

influence in guys’ lives. And to

liked to think about as working

be a colleague of [Co-Director

with students at decision

of College Counseling] Andy

points... so I was excited about

Luther’s is something I never

the opportunity to come back

could have imagined. He’s

here and continue to work

been a pretty formative person

Everything I’ve done I have liked to think about as working with students at decision points.

with students in those decision

in my life as my J.V. golf coach

—Forbes Mann ’04

times in their lives at a place

and Latin teacher.

that was pretty formative for

42

LANDON SCHOOL | SUMMER 2018

Q&A | BRIAN REILLY

Enter the Dragon BRIAN REILLY ’09 IS BACK AS A MIDDLE SCHOOL HISTORY TEACHER.

T

his fall, Brian Reilly ’09 finds himself back on the campus where he was Student Council President and the recipient of

the Headmaster’s Award for general excellence. Now, the student has become the Middle School history teacher, hoping to help boys have the same experience he and his brothers, Brendan ’05

of learning opportunities on campus. As a student, I enjoyed

(a former Landon history and Spanish teacher) and Connor ’07,

learning in the classroom with my mind, training my body and

had here.

building character on the athletics fields and in the weight room,

Brian received his B.A. in international affairs from Princeton

developing creativity and aesthetic appreciation as a below-average

University, where he played varsity lacrosse; is fluent in Spanish

musician in concert band and jazz band, and most of all engaging

and French and a certified Wilderness First Responder; and

my heart as I supported my fellow Bears at performances or

has worked as a Latin American instructor for Where There Be

athletics events or just at any moments on this beautiful campus. I

Dragons, leading cultural immersion programs in Central and

am excited to be in that environment again. I plan to be as present

South America. Here, he shares the lessons he’s learned in his

as possible in the many activities going on at Landon each day.

travels and why he’s excited to teach at Landon.

Your Landon advisor Alan Rosenthal called you “a guy who would turn down a high-paying office job to make a difference in the world.” What brought you back to Landon, and what kind of difference do you hope to make here?

You’ve spent a lot of time working in Central and South America — what compels you to do that, and how have those experiences shaped who you are today?

If we were to simply examine the tags on the different items of clothing, electronics and so forth that we have with us right now,

Señor Rosenthal! I am happy to be reminded of him. He was

we may find that these products are made all over the world. To

a great teacher and advisor to me and many others. I am excited

me, that fact means that we are connected to people and lands all

to return to a school that has stayed the same in good ways and

over the world, perhaps in communities that we know nothing

changed in good ways since my days as a student, from what I can

about! Of course, our connections can be beyond just trade.

tell. I believe very strongly in the good of education in general and

Maybe they are political, cultural or environmental. My goal as a

the kind of education in particular that Landon seeks to deliver

traveler and educator is to better understand how I am connected

to our students. What we choose to focus on in our educational

to different peoples and places and then more intentionally decide

institutions is a reflection of the values of our culture. Landon’s

how I want to be connected to them. I think that these experiences

mission statement says that we prepare boys for lives — not college

— all these unique stories I hear from different people and places

or jobs — as caring men. I look forward to working with the boys to

— have made me aware of many paradoxes in myself and the

discover, develop, question, and above all constantly feel in touch

world, helped me to make sense of some of them, and helped me

with their passions so that they may live as caring men.

to make some peace with the ones that I still can’t understand.

After living far from home for these past few years, I am excited to live close to my family. Actually, I think that my whole family misses Landon! (Maybe even my brother-in-law who went to Prep!)

Something else special to me about Landon is the rare convergence

SUMMER 2018 | LANDON SCHOOL

What are a couple of fun facts about yourself?

I love to fly fish for trout. And I am currently learning Quechua, a pre-Hispanic language widely spoken in the central Andes.

43

Q&A | SAM POTOLICCHIO

The Global Educator PROFESSOR SAM POTOLICCHIO ’00 PREPARES YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN — FROM AMERICA, RUSSIA AND ALMOST EVERYWHERE IN BETWEEN — TO BE THE NEXT GENERATION OF WORLD LEADERS.

W

hile many D.C.-area commutes involve some form of gnarled Beltway traffic jam, Dr. Sam Potolicchio

’00’s weekly commute consists of at least two transcontinental flights. His work is equally

professor at New York University, a distinguished global scholar at The Canterbury School in Fort Myers, Florida, and the official lecturer on U.S. politics at the Library of Congress for the Open World Leadership Conference (OWLC).

unique: Sam is both the director of global and

For his work, Sam has been named one of

custom education at the McCourt School of

“America’s Best Professors” by the Princeton

Public Policy at Georgetown University and,

Review and a “Future Leader of American

since 2013, the distinguished university

Higher Education” by the Association of

professor, department chair, and vice dean

Colleges and Universities, and received a 2017

of the faculty of political science at the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA) in Moscow — thus Sam’s crossing of at least two oceans on a weekly basis.

OZY Educator Award, given to the six most outstanding American educators.

In the following Q&A, Sam reveals what makes a strong leader, why he chose a career in education, and why he hopes his works helps to bridge divides.

The position at RANEPA may seem like an interesting choice given the demands of the back-and-forth travel between Russian and D.C., but for Sam — whose work centers on fostering cross-cultural understanding between disparate groups — it makes complete sense.

“This is the big challenge of our age,” he told online magazine

A lot of the work you do is focused on helping young men and women develop into the next generation of leaders.

What makes a strong leader, and how do you try to instill those values with the work you do?

I remember someone asking me if leaders were born or made

OZY in May 2017. “How do we overcome our natural predilection

and getting offended and not knowing exactly why I reacted so

for being tribal, for being inside our comfort zone? How do we

strongly to this benign question. I’ve realized how disrespectful

push people — whether it’s elites or industrial workers or children

that question is to the responsibility of leaders. If you want to

starting out in the education system — to realize how fun it is and

perform at your best as a brain surgeon or an athlete or a fighter

how challenging it is to stretch yourself?”

pilot, you constantly perfect and improve. Effective leaders do the

To this end, Sam created a liberal arts-style, English-language bachelor’s degree program in global leadership at RANEPA and

same. They always learn and make themselves better.

But the central reason why that question offends me is that

in 2012 founded the Preparing Global Leaders Forum (PGLF),

so much of leadership is overcoming our own natural cognitive

a nonprofit organization whose stated aim is to “cultivate and

blind spots. In a complex world, our instincts can lead us

prepare a network of innovative leaders who excel at bridging

dramatically astray. Solving big problems requires leaders

across diverse disciplines, demographics and divides.” Through

to transcend their own neural architecture. The best way to

his work at PGLF schools in Jordan, Macedonia and Russia, Sam

overcome your own brain is to widen the solution horizon. So

has brought together 1,000 diverse students from 150 different

my argument is that adversaries, competitors, even enemies make

countries to bridge these gaps face to face.

you better. I have designed my curriculum around convening

Sam — who holds bachelor’s degrees in government and

adversaries and those from different disciplines and age groups.

psychology from Georgetown University, a master’s in theology

This intentional tension I hope leads to creative breakthroughs.

and culture from Harvard University, and a master’s and Ph.D.

It’s why I took a professorship in Russia. To have a deliberate and

in government from Georgetown — has also been a visiting

persistent challenge in the classroom.

44

LANDON SCHOOL | SUMMER 2018

What set you on the path to become an educator?

I coached a youth basketball team as an undergraduate (Christian Webster ’09 went from our team to Landon) where

about your Landon experience that compelled you to return to the school in that capacity?

There’s always a natural desire to return home to figure out where

I tried to get middle schoolers together from different parts of

you want to go. [Former Headmaster] David Armstrong created

D.C. who normally wouldn’t cross paths. As a Ph.D. student, I

a unique setup where I taught 5th grade Latin, coached Middle

started teaching students from countries that had just emerged

School basketball with my friend Ray Briscoe, and did high school

from civil wars against each other or who were stalled in frozen

admissions work. I was teaching undergraduates at Georgetown

conflicts. Both experiences influenced my current fascination

during my time working at Landon, so I had a full view of the

with bridging divides.

educational system, which was an enviable learning situation.

What is the most rewarding part of your career?

What is the best piece of advice you’ve received, and what the best advice you’ve given?

I love watching people grow and develop and transform. An effective education signifies a substantial change. It’s a thrilling event when your witness that process happen.

Received: Choose a job based on who you can learn the most from in your 20s.

Given: I don’t know what’s helped people, but I tell people to

What is the toughest part?

travel twice a year to a place that makes them nervous.

I flew 800,000 miles last year. And I will usually be in three dramatically different time zones a week.

What are your goals for the future?

I want PGLF to train a cadre of farsighted leaders who enjoy

Who were your most influential teachers and coaches at Landon, and what did you learn from them that sticks with you to this day?

working with people they disagree with and who advance the interests of others rather than themselves.

[Geometry teacher] Steve Sorkin. I never had him in class, but this is why Landon is such an impressive community. His relentless curiosity was intoxicating. He persuaded me to attend the Mountain School on his word alone. I’d never have thought as a Landon third grader I’d give up two sports in a year to attend school on a farm. But this is why Landon is an incomparable school. I doubt there has been a student who has spent time at Landon that hasn’t been changed in large ways.

George Boiardi, a fellow 2000 graduate [who died suddenly while playing lacrosse at Cornell University] is another. I reflected more after he passed while I was in college and now during my leadership training. I remember on our 105-pound football team in Middle School watching him carry our team on his back and never once using the word “I” except to take responsibility when a play broke down (almost never his fault). He took off his award bear cubs stickers from his helmet and placed them on others’ helmets when they weren’t looking. Leaders today wouldn’t suffer from the type of understated humility George showed.

You’ve had strong ties to Landon as an alumnus, including acting as a Latin teacher and admissions officer and cofounding the Brinkley Lecture Series here. What was it

SUMMER 2018 | LANDON SCHOOL

45

January 1 – June 30, 2018

CLASS NOTES

ALUMNI

1945 Ralph Meima Jr. is happily retired at Heron Point Retirement Community in Chestertown, Maryland. (For more on Ralph, see profile on p. 50).

1955 Skip Rideout is still running his bed and breakfast in Cambridge, Maryland.

He is cutting back slowly and is ready to retire finally.

1956

Donald Dell (pictured above far left) was honored with the Washington Tennis and Education Foundation’s Champion of Tennis Award in March.

1961 Brooks Brown III’s son Brooks IV ’93 is in commercial real estate; his son Grant ’02 is a teacher at St. Albans and is married to Laura Tickmen; his daughter Claire teaches at Holton-Arms; his daughter Anne-Laman Mecker has two children at Primary Day; and his daughter Elise Hinton has a son, George, who played in a local lacrosse tournament on the Charlotte, North Carolina, team.

1969 Jack Leachman and Robert Fogarty were featured in the February 2018 edition of Avenel Living Magazine. The article details their long-lasting friendship, which began when they both started at Landon in Grade 4.

46

LANDON SCHOOL | SUMMER 2018

1980

1998 The Bluestone brothers, Zack and Gabe ’01 (pictured left to right), took a break from work to play golf near Urbana, Maryland.

Doug Hotvedt rode in the Cycle for Survival event in New York City February 10. The event raised funds for the fight against rare cancers. Doug is pictured above center with his cycling partners at

2000

the event and fellow Landon alumni (left to right) Quinn Simpson

Nii Amaah Ofosu-Amaah welcomed a second baby girl, Julia

’11, Jack Falvey ’11, Jerry Palmer ’81 and Walker Simpson ’81.

Lucia Korantema Ofosu-Amaah, born December 30, 2017.

1983

Proz Rao got engaged to Sara Glass.

John Shiffman and his team at Reuters won the 2017 Scripps

Eric Bailey got engaged to Chloe Riordan.

Howard Foundation journalist award for business and financial reporting for their story “Body Trade,” an investigation into the commerce of human remains.

Veteran Bill Scott ’80

Matthew Wren got engaged to Melissa Bastanpour.

2002

(pictured above left) introduced Flo Groberg (above right) to a class of Landon history students taught by Bill Scott Sr. Mr. Groberg was awarded the Medal of Honor for heroism while serving in Afghanistan.

1990

Ben Shand married Shelly Christiansen September 23, 2017,

Jay Luchs is a vice chairman at Newmark Knight Frank in Los

attended and are pictured above with the bride and groom:

Angeles. His focus is representing landlords and tenants in

Kevin Sanford, Brendan Martin, Wyatt Stewart, Erik Kudla,

leasing and investment sale of commercial properties.

Matt Avery, Hunter Campbell, Crispin Vary, Andy Fenwick,

in Savannah, Georgia. Several of Ben’s Landon classmates

Matt Ward and Grant Brown.

SUMMER 2018 | LANDON SCHOOL

47

ALUMNI

GRIZZLY BEAR Ralph Meima ’45 Clear Space X

A Different Landon

W

hen Ralph Meima ’45 was a student at Landon, residential development on Wilson Lane ended at the school’s front X

X

entrance, the shadows of war loomed over each day, and

Although he left Landon a month early, Ralph brought with him the lessons he learned, including a sense of discipline instilled by Banfield himself. “Banfield was stern, but he had

some students’ transportation had four legs instead

to be,” Ralph said.

of an engine.

It was also at Landon that Ralph came to

“Landon was truly in the country,” Ralph

appreciate diversity and different points of view.

said. “Everything after Landon on Wilson

“We had a lot of exposure to students from

Lane as far as the eye could see was forest

other parts of the U.S. whose families moved to

and farms... Several students rode their

the area for war-related work, and to kids from

horses to school, kept them in the Barn, and

other countries,” Ralph explained. “Among

then rode them home after school.”

them was Nameer Jawdat ’45, whose father was

Indeed, the Landon Ralph attended for his

the Iraqi ambassador to the U.S., and he and I

final three years of high school, 1942–45, was

became really close friends.”

very different than the one his son Trip ’78 and students today know. His mother Grace did experience

Although the war ended before Ralph’s ship, the AKA-Warrick, left for battle, discipline and an appreciation

that same Landon, however: She was Landon’s first regular art

for different cultures were key as he forged his path forward. After

teacher from 1942–47.

two years at Yale University, he finished his bachelor’s degree at the

WWII colored Ralph’s entire Landon experience — from the

University of the Americas outside Mexico City. He spent the next

quality of the food (“They did the best they could with what was

decade working in international marketing, earned his MBA, and

available”) to the transportation (“We had a couple of wheezy

in 1961 joined the U.S. government for a career in international

old buses because it was tough to get anything that ran”) to the

affairs. His work included India desk officer at the Commerce

composition of the teaching staff (“Most able-bodied people,

Department’s International Affairs Bureau, inspector evaluating

including [school co-founder and then-Headmaster] Paul Landon

State Department operations in seven foreign countries, and three

Banfield, were serving in the war effort”).

years as U.S. consul general in Marseilles, France.

There were only 12 students in Ralph’s senior class because

Since retiring from the government in 1980, Ralph has

several of his peers, including Jack Leachman Sr. ’45, went to

operated several entrepreneurial ventures, including a boating

summer school so they could graduate early and join the war

products import firm. He turns 91 in March and enjoys spending

effort. Ralph himself missed Commencement. With his 18th

time with his wife, Barrie, at their Heron Point retirement cottage

birthday approaching in March 1945, he convinced his parents to

in Chestertown, Maryland. But his business days are not behind

allow him to enlist in the U.S. Navy, which he preferred to being

him — he is working to launch an online store related to his

drafted into the Army. He arranged with Landon to accelerate his

hobby of sailing. And he continues to look back fondly on his

coursework, took exams in early May, and by Commencement

Landon days.

was in boot camp at Great Lakes Naval Training Station outside Chicago.

48

“I’ve tried my best to live by the values I learned at Landon,” he said.

LANDON SCHOOL | SUMMER 2018

2004 Brendan Merrill served as producer of the film The Next Big Thing, a dark comedy recently released. You can watch it on Amazon Prime.

Austin Bisnow and his band Magic Giant performed at Coachella.

2007

2005 Christine and Chris Tkac welcomed a daughter, Chloe James Tkac, January 31. Chloe weighed in at 7 pounds, 9 ounces.

Patrick Kain got engaged to Amanda Shaw.

2006

Omeed Assefi, Natalie and

assistant special

Jeff Clauser

council at the White

welcomed a son,

House, hosted Nick

Cameron Steven

Barquin ’97 and

Clauser.

Patrick Guarnieri ’00 at the White House in mid-April. (Omeed, Nick and Patrick are pictured left to right).

SUMMER 2018 | LANDON SCHOOL

49

ALUMNI

2007 CONTINUED

Harley and Ari Opsahl welcomed a son, Clark Vedder Opsahl.

Jake Ryan married Emily Anderson in June.

Nick Pohanka completed the Ultra Fiord 50K in Patagonia, Chile, in April.

Brendan Young got engaged to Zoe Arndt.

Michael Picasso

2008

50

completed the Iron Man triathlon in Santa Alex and Whitson

Rosa, California, May

Huffman welcomed a

12. The competition

daughter, Charlotte

includes a 2.4-mile

Hailey Huffman,

swim, 112-mile bike

February 12.

ride, and 26.2-mile run.

LANDON SCHOOL | SUMMER 2018

2008 CONTINUED

Emily and Ray Lynn welcomed a son, Ersin Levent and

Carter Michael Lynn,

Leah Gleiberman

June 23.

welcomed a son, Jordan Paul Levent, May 31, weighing 7 pounds, 5 ounces.

2009 Mark Blitzer and Tory Sanders welcomed a daughter, Ivy Rose Blitzer, June 19.

John Mufarrij got engaged to Angelica Kania.

Evan Dodson got engaged to Marybeth McCarthy.

2010

William Korengold got engaged to Kathryn Smith.

SUMMER 2018 | LANDON SCHOOL

51

ALUMNI

LANDON CELEBRATES Rob Bordley

F

aculty, staff, students, parents, and alumni from across the decades and across the country celebrated Coach Rob Bordley

’66 at an April 27 reception following varsity lacrosse’s 13–5 win over Episcopal. The game marked the final regular-season home game of the 2018 season and the final regular season home game of Bordley’s career at the helm of Landon lacrosse — he will stay at Landon next year, but step down from full-time teaching and coaching duties after 48 years). He has led Landon lacrosse to 32 Interstate Athletic Conference titles and four national championships. Thank you to Coach Bordley and to all who came out to honor him!

MS Teacher Mike Cooke and Bordley

George and Anne Bolen, P ’05, Sarah O’Neill and Austin Bordley ’03

52

Skip Henderson Jr. ’78 and Jeff Shockey, P’18, P’25

MS teacher Jack Duquette and Brian J. Haney ’99

LANDON SCHOOL | SUMMER 2018

29th Annual Alumni

GOLF TOURNAMENT F

orty-two Landon alumni, faculty members and friends played in the 29th Annual Alumni Golf Tournament, held June 1 at Worthington Manor Golf Club in

Urbana, Maryland. Thank you to the sponsors and to all who participated, and congratulations to the tournament’s winning players!

Winning Players Closest to the Pin: Bob Vieth ’77 and Steve West ’83 Longest Drive: Brian Haney ’99 Low Net Score: Brian Haney ’99, P.J. Horan, Robert Lembo, Jerry Ransing 2nd Place Net Score: Pat Gorman ’87, Steve Amitay ’83, Alan Plumley ’83, Steve West ’83 Low Gross Score: Carter Hertzberg ’89, Scott Huguely ’89, Dickie Mahaffey ’89, W.T. Miller ’86 2nd Place Gross Score: David Chakola ’09, Nick Freeman ’09, Bruce McNair ’91, Andrew Nagel ’09 Most Experience Golfer: Tom O’Bryon ’64

Special thanks to all the sponsors who made the tournament a success!

BANFIELD SPONSORS Admiral Security and Red Coats — George Vincent ’99 and Mack Wells ’95 RIDDLEBERGER SPONSORS MOST (Metro Orthopedic Sports Therapy) — Jimmy Gilbert ’81 The Haney Company — Brian Haney ’99 COATES SPONSORS Durham Capital – Syl Miniter ’80 Galliher & Huguely — Scott Huguely ’89 Glebe Handyman — George Purcell ’01 Lincoln Property Company — Paul “Rocky” Kern ’82 Sterling Capital Management — Don Harris ’78

SUMMER 2018 | LANDON SCHOOL

(top left) Brian J. Haney ’99; (groups, top to bottom) Patrick Gorman ’83, Allan Plumley III ’78, Steve Amitay ’83, Steve West ’83; Carter Hertzberg ’89, “W.T.” Miller ’86, Scott Huguely ’89, Dickie Mahaffey ’89; Kenny Jenkins ’78, Ralph Blasey III ’78, Bob Vieth ’77, Assistant Headmaster Charles Franklin; Bruce McNair Jr. ’09, Andrew Nagel ’09, Dave Chakola ’09, Nick Freeman ’09

53

ALUMNI

2011

2015

Terrence Fullum Jr. played in his first Champions Indoor Football

Mike Blasey (pictured above, third from right) led the Davidson

game with the Sioux City Bandits.

College men’s golf team to the 2018 A-10 Conference golf championship, capturing the individual title to qualify for the

Darion Atkins won the Coupe de France as a member of the

NCAA Division I golf tournament.

French professional basketball team SIG Strasbourg.

2014 Ozair Ahmad won the University of Virginia’s prestigious LenoxConyngham Scholarship award and will spend the next year in the development studies master’s program at the University of Cambridge’s Trinity College in England.

Robbie Hefferon received a Watson Fellowship upon graduating from Williams College. Robbie will use his fellowship to pursue a project titled “Brewed Awakening: Ethical Dilemmas in Coffee Culture.” This project aims to explore the inner workings of the coffee business, from farm to shop. Robbie intends to use coffee

Rollins College golfer Morgan Egloff captured the 2018 Maryland

as a looking glass into societal issues, such as socioeconomic

Amateur Championship.

inequality, racism, elitism, and climate change.

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LANDON SCHOOL | SUMMER 2018

2016

IN MEMORIAM Ted Bledsoe ’51. December 17, 2017.

Craig Stout, father of Cullen ’17. December 28, 2017.

Charles Griffin ’52. January 12, 2018.

Laurie Wolynec, mother of Ted ’04 and Peter ’07.

January 15, 2018.

Donald West, father of David ’76, Tyler ’81 and Steven ’83 and uncle of Marty ’67. January 21, 2018.

Alexander “Bill” McDowell ’50. February 21, 2018.

Bronson La Follette ’54. March 15, 2018.

James Hawfield, former Landon faculty member, brother of Mason ’51, father of James ’73 and Robert ’75, and grandfather of James Zampella ’16.

March 18, 2018.

Thomas Potter ’46. March 23, 2018.

Gregory Gagarin, father of Landon alumnus and faculty member Russ ’77 and grandfather of Andrew ’06.

April 13, 2018.

Noah Thomas was the opening musical act for group Nalani & Sarina at the Arts Club of Washington on May 22.

Larry Mulligan, father of Landon faculty member George. April 16, 2018.

Ted Prince Sr. ’55, father of Ted Jr. ’84 and the late

Logan Giles began a cross country storm chasing adventure on May 19 and documented the experience on his blog: megalopolisweather.wordpress.com/.

Christian ’89. April 20, 2018.

Dr. Maro Sarafian, mother of former Landon students Alec ’22 and Andrew ’26 Meyer. April 24, 2018.

Dr. Leslie Pierce Jr., father of Leslie ’02 and

2018

Stephen ’08. May 3, 2018.

Robert Gaston ’58. May 9, 2018.

Patrick Giles earned a silver medal as part of USA ice hockey’s under-18 team at the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) U18 World Championships.

John Wiegmann, father of John “Woody” ’06 and Kiel ’10. June 4, 2018.

Walter Johnson ’42. June 14, 2018.

Todd Breier ’82, brother of Eric ’74 and Mark ’77.

June 22, 2018.

Christopher Oosterhuis ’01. June 29, 2018.

PLEASE SEND US YOUR NEWS!

Patricia Schiller, mother of Jonathan ’65 and grandmother of Zack ’97 and Josh ’99. June 29, 2018.

Submit your update to: landon.net/classnotes Photos are appreciated!

SUMMER 2018 | LANDON SCHOOL

55

ALUMNI

FROM THE ARCHIVES

Sweet Victory!

Can you identify any of the Landon runners (and their coach) celebrating this triumph on the track?

Send your best guess to communications@landon.net!

“Bears in the (Green)house!”

Archive Photo Identified Congratulations to Bill Adkins ’81, Andy Kerr ’81 and geometry teacher Steve Sorkin, who correctly ID’d all those in this photo from 1979–80 (pictured, left to right): Rick Buckingham ’82, Mike Ament ’81, Tom Friedman ’81, Bill Leinenger ’82, Jamie Grant-Suttie ’82, and former Landon music and biology teacher Dr. Hugh Hayward. Thank you to the 12 alums and community members who also wrote in to correctly identify Doc Hayward and/or some of the students: Clay Allard ’82, Upper School registrar Lisa Goenner, David Levy ’80, W.T. Miller ’86, Todd Minners ’83, Jack Oakes ’78, brothers David Peikin ’90, Jeff Peikin ’81, Miles Ryan ’81, Patrick Ryan ’86, Sarah Stetson, P ’15 ’18, and Ted Willard ’81.

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LANDON SCHOOL | SUMMER 2018

Help to enhance, enrich and improve the Landon experience for our boys today with a gift to the 2018–19 Landon Fund.

W W W. L A N D O N . N E T/ M A K E A G I F T

S U MMER 2 01 8 PRESORTED STANDARD U.S. POSTAGE P A I D BALTIMORE, MD PERMIT 721

LANDON SCHOOL 6101 WILSON LANE BETHESDA, MD 20817

NON-PROFIT U.S. POSTAGE P A I D BALTIMORE, MD PERMIT 721

Printed on FSC Certified Paper with Soy Inks Made with Paper from Well-Managed Forests Made with Renewable Energy

Parents: If this issue is addressed to a son who no longer maintains

TED TALKS

an address at your home, please send current address information to the Alumni Office at alumni@landon.net.

Photograph by Matt Lowrie ’18

communications@landon.net

SAVE THE DATES Landon On The Road CA

October 13

Homecoming & Reunions

November 8 – 10

www.landon.net/homecoming

Alumni Holiday Luncheon

December 14

Former NFL Super Bowl winner Ted Rogers ’87 seeks to reinvent the financial playing field with Bitcoin.