Virginia Tech Alumni Association News - Spring 2000
Whatever Happened to the Class of '69?
Virginia Tech
Alumni Association News
Spring, 2000 Issue
President of the Virginia Tech Class of '69 Mark Musick emceed the class' 30th reunion last November. (Professionally, Mark is president of the Southern Regional Education Board in Atlanta, an organization helping government and education leaders work cooperatively to advance education.) He singled out Virginia Tech as the only university in the country to have as many as five classmates serving their university in major leadership roles. Even Coach Beamer managed an appearance on the program only hours before the Hokies were to meet and defeat the Miami Hurricanes in Lane Stadium. Mark introduced his five classmates...
Charles Steger (Arch '69) serves as Virginia Tech's newly appointed 15th president. His previous service includes Dean of the College of Architecture and Urban Studies, and later as Vice President for Development and University Relations. As vice president, he directed a successful fund raising campaign that raised $337 million, exceeding the original goal by 35 percent.
Ray Smoot (ENGL '69) serves as Vice President for Finance and Treasurer, and as Executive Vice President of the Virginia Tech Foundation. His earlier years were as Assistant Vice President for Administration to Stuart Cassell, also an alumnus with career-long service to Tech. Under Ray's watchful eye and leadership, the assets of the Foundation have grown to $550 million, including $340 million in endowment.
Frank Beamer (DE '69) was named Tech's Head Football Coach in 1987. In thirteen seasons, he has engineered Tech's football program to achieve national prominence - seven consecutive post-season bowl appearances, including the most recent National Championship Nokia Sugar Bowl. Frank returned to Tech after coaching stints at the Citadel and Murray State University. His 1999 team finished a perfect 11-0 season and ranked 2nd in the final AP poll. His numerous honors naturally made him the "consensus" coach of the year for 1999.
Joe Meredith (ASE '69) was appointed to head a growing Corporate Research Center in 1993, serving as its president following Paul Torgersen, the CRC's first president. Joe spent earlier years of his career with Newport News Shipbuilding. Under his leadership, the research park has expanded to 93 high-tech companies in 13 buildings, employing 1,250 people.
And, yours truly (BIOL '69) now in my 29th year working with Tech. Some 25 of those years have been working directly with alumni and development programs. About 40,000 alumni when I started, and nearly 160,000 today! What a nice vantage point from which to view the world as Vice President for Alumni Relations, and witnessing everyday the extraordinary examples of service by our alumni to Virginia Tech.
All five of us feel very fortunate to be able to serve in the Tech family in our various roles. We are products of the 60s, a different era for Virginia Tech - when buildings seemed to be sprouting all over the campus as the first significant wave of growth began during the early Hahn presidency. It was the VPI that became a modern "Virginia Tech" with the recruitment of more PhD's to the faculty, more diversity to the student body, and more private support for academic and athletic programs.
We each experienced a value system here that is unique to Tech. These same values attract thousands of new students each year and launch new graduates into productive careers.
So, what really happened to the Class of '69? We five proudly join many more dedicated faculty and staff at Tech, helping preserve the intangibles that make this university the special place that it always has been.
Here's to your good health and happiness in the New Year and beyond.
Tom Tillar
Vice President for Alumni Relations