CLASS NOTES
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Toiling in the Congo: John Yeager (MBA ’95) FOR JOHN YEAGER (MBA ’95), the Democratic Republic of Congo — a country beset by violence and poverty — is the best place to apply the skills he acquired as a Darden MBA, which is why he’s spending two years working there. “Africa-wide, there is a need for strong business and financial management,” said Yeager. “Africans are very hard workers, but often lack proper management and human resource development skills. Hopefully this is what I bring to the table.” Yeager, 46, was a Peace Corps volunteer in Cameroon, Africa, before attending Darden. After earning his MBA, he went to work for Citibank in the Ivory Coast and Gabon. He later left Citibank to co-manage an investment fund in Bulgaria before joining ELF Capital Management, a Charlottesville-based investment fund. Yeager now works for HEAL Africa, a Congo-based enterprise whose mission is to aid the Congolese, many of whom have been brutalized by war. Yeager is helping to manage the hospital in the city of Goma under difficult conditions. “The hospital provides a range of care to children and adults,” Yeager explained. “We are one of the primary centers for fistula repair. [Enterovaginal fistula] is the severe tearing of the wall between the women’s vagina and anus during violent rape. We also are dedicated to all types of orthopedic care, especially children hobbled with club feet.” But the continent also has a beautiful side. “I love Africa,” said Yeager. “I find the Africans’ penchant for life, family, community and celebration deeply inspirational. Africans rarely bemoan their condition, though most live in abject poverty. Music and dance permeate the shanty towns while shirtless and often shoeless children kick around some substitute for a soccer ball. Africans are materially poor, but spiritually robust.” Yeager feels that his African mission is nothing unusual for a Darden MBA. “I found Dardenites to be uniquely caring and ethical persons, regardless of the profession they chose to pursue post-MBA. Darden helps cultivate a very insightful and compassionate student.” Yeager, who currently lives in a guesthouse in Goma belonging to HEAL Africa’s founders, said he is reminded daily of those in need. “Yesterday, my car was engulfed by dirt-covered street children extending their hands yelling, ‘Please, Mister, give me something to eat,’” he said. “I generally try to save half of my lunch to offer to a cluster of children or one of the crippled elders sitting on the roadside.” Beach trip was cut short by Irene, and we did our first ever Disney World visit last weekend during a tropical storm that dropped over 5 inches of rain … . Best way to reach me is by PepsiCo email, kristina.mangelsdorf@pepsico. com, always happy to hear from people! Dave Demartin: I am still working for Booz Allen Hamilton but am currently supporting the firm’s efforts to expand to the International Market. Our non-compete agreement with Booz & Co. ended in August and I am currently working as part of our Abu Dhabi office in the United Arab Emirates. Cristian G. Balbontin: Don’t have life changing events, other than we continue to 58 THE DARDEN REPORT • Fall/Winter 2011
plow forward with our adventure travel company … love to share the link (www.highlandad ventures.com) with the class for those looking to travel to Machu Picchu, Galapagos or Patagonia (friends & family rate of course). Rita Schreyer: Checking in again from Mexico. After leaving my investment banking job 18 months ago, I have been focusing on building a construction company and a tequila brand. The construction company got closed this summer because I simply didn’t have the stomach for the mordidas (bribes). I continue to have global marketing representation for the permeable concrete additive but I am handling that as a sales rep only. Tequila Ekeco, a 100%
organic, 100% agave, kosher tequila (“a premium tequila at an everyday price”) will be sold in blanco (silver) and reposado in the US starting in the 4th quarter of 2011, priced at $27/bottle for blanco and $30/bottle for reposado. Since I only got my approval to sell it there a month ago, we are scrambling to line up entrance into competitions and meeting with distribution companies. We have been selling well in Mexico for 3 months now — available in 11 Liverpool department stores around Mexico City. I will be a contestant on “Last Tequila Standing” a program that can be viewed on VMas TV out of Southern CA (will send the link to my segment once it’s on their website). My personal life has been rockier — both parents have been in chemo all year and my mother died 5 weeks ago after a 7 month battle with lung cancer. My Dad is on a short chemo break for his advanced prostate cancer, so we have a small window of breathing space before we all start taking turns caring for him again. It’s amazing to me that two such educated healthy people got so sick so quickly and so young, but it’s shown me you can’t put stuff off, because you just don’t know how much time you will be given. Graham Anthony: Graham & Angela Anthony had a baby, Thomas Beckman Anthony, in March. Thomas is happy, healthy and enjoys parties—just like his Dad. Michael Luchs: All is well with the Luchs family in Williamsburg. I am still teaching at W&M and Ivonne is back in school to become a nurse. Our three boys keep us busy with afterschool soccer and piano, but mom and dad are getting to have some fun too (I am playing soccer regularly, Ivonne is playing in a field hockey league and we’re both doing the misc. local races available in Williamsburg). We do, however, get a little restless being in a small town, but have been better about getting away including Amsterdam last summer and a Disney Cruise as well (the latter doesn’t quite fit in with my research focus on “sustainable consumption,” but you have to see the other side to criticize it, I guess!). Martha White: I was married to Alf Skogh on 3 September in Enköping, Sweden. We had our reception a week later in Cioccaro di Penango, Italy. Carol Bennett Anderson and her husband, Robert, were there to help us celebrate. Tamara and Jorge de Dios: We stopped by Lynna Martinez’s restaurant, qba, back in April when the family took a trip to NY. The food was fantastic and our son wants to go back for more black beans and rice! We also were in C’ville in September and met up with Rob Cross and family. Their new house in the country is beautiful and we had a great time in the media room that shook the house during a viewing of “How to Tame Your Dragon.” We stopped by C’ville Coffee on our way out of town so the kids could get a ride on the big tortoise. We were sorry to have missed seeing Toan, but we plan to be back soon. Andrew Logan: Life and career have come
