MINUTES OF CLASS STEERING COMMITTEE
MEETING -- May 23, 2026
PRINCETON CLASS OF 1969
Call to Order
A class meeting was held in the Frist Health Center Pavillion on Saturday, May 23, 2026 following the class dinner for our 57th reunion. President Chris Meyer called the meeting to order at 7:30 PM. Classmates present were Bob Axelrod, Steve Boughn, Bill Charrier, Bob Durkee, Chuck Freyer, Mike Gehret, Jim Gregoire, Paul Hanle, Chip Jerry, Rick Kitto, Jeff Marston, Jack McCarthy, Clay McEldowney, Chris Milton, Sandy Rea, Sheldon Reaven, Rich Rein and Brooke Stoddard.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
In accordance with the class’s protocol, the minutes of the October 25, 2025 meeting were posted on the class website and no comments have been received. Accordingly, the minutes were unanimously approved.
NECROLOGY
Co-secretary Mike Gehret read the names of the eleven classmates whose deaths we have learned of since our October 2025 class meeting: Jim Hulbert, Robert Hasko, Bob Hernandez, Larry Olden, Clifford “Joe” Baker, III, Ted Webber, Stan Scordilis, Rick Belding, Jim Waterbury, Terry Young, and Gair Betts. We paused for a moment of silence in their memory.
REUNIONS
Clay McEldowney reported on reunion planning and thanked his Vice Chairmen Andy Brown and Jeff Marston, along with Jeff Kaplan, our webmaster.
TREASURER’S REPORT
Chuck Freyer reported that for the 2025 – 2026 fiscal year, we collected $14,500 in dues from 157 classmates. This was down 25% from the prior year, which is not unusual for an off-year reunion. The balance in our operating account is currently $112,000. In addition, we have approximately $52,500 in our reunions account, of which $50,000 was a profit from our 50th.
Chuck estimates we will have $55,000 available for our 60th reunion.
PICS
Chuck Freyer and Bill Charrier jointly updated the class on PICS. Chuck advised that PICS had 700 applicants for 2026 internships, offered 417 internship positions and ended up placing 253 interns with 190 community partner organizations. This was slightly above the goal of 250 interns. ’69 classmates contributed $10,250 to PICS via our dues checkoff and this gift was matched by gifts from two other classmates, resulting in a $20,500 contribution to PICS. Chuck concluded by stating that the integration of PICS with the PaceCenter/LENS Program has been successful; the University contributed $800,000 in 2026 to the cost of intern stipends and ‘69’s living legacy is strong. Bill followed by stating that over the past 32 years, the class has created three endowments for PICS with a total value of $2,250,000. These endowments generated $104,000 in funding for PICS during the past year. The class is now considering another round of donations for PICS and has already raised $300,000 in cornerstone pledges. Our goal would be to leverage our donations by matching the gifts of other classes looking to participate in PICS and create new internships. We hope to have more specific information available in the fall.
CLASS SCHOLARSHIPS
Bill Charrier advised that the Class of 1969 - Paul G. Sittenfeld Scholarship Fund now has a value of $558,000 and funded two scholarships in the past year. Additionally, individual classmates have endowed 28 scholarship funds.
GOHEEN TRIBUTE
Chris Meyer reported that the campaign to name a significant campus building for Robert F. Goheen has not made any progress in its dealings with the appropriate University committee.
ANNUAL GIVING
Rick Kitto, reporting on behalf of Class Agent Bob Raymar, said that the class was closing in on its goal of $300,000 for the Annual Giving campaign ending on June 30, 2026 but that the goal of 57% participation would be harder to reach.
MINI-REUNIONS
Chris Meyer advised that the proposed Boston mini-reunion was cancelled because few classmates signed up. The high cost, one-week long duration and familiarity of many classmates with Boston’s attractions were cited as contributing factors. A recognized intellectual leader has also been an important attractor in most of our previous mini-reunions. The class would be open to another destination that would not have these drawbacks but would need a volunteer willing and able to tackle the significant work involved. One alternative is to work with Princeton Journeys to sponsor a trip that we would likely share with other classes. We will preview the Princeton Journey’s roster of 2028 trips to see if there is a suitable destination.
HISTORY LESSON
Sheldon Reaven shared with us a brief history of the Battle of Princeton – perhaps George Washington’s most significant military victory and a major turning point in the Revolutionary War.
ADJOURNMENT
Following a ’69 Locomotive led by Sandy Rea and the singing of “Old Nassau” led by Chris Milton, Chris Meyer adjourned the meeting at 8:15 PM.
Respectfully submitted,
Robert Axelrod Date of Approval:
Co-Secretary
Princeton Class of 1969
