Welcome to the Kurt Salmon Associates Alumni Site

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Here is the latest KSA Alumni News.  News items are listed with the most recent item first, followed by progressively older items.

If you are looking for news items containing specific content, use "Recent Posts", "Categories", the search box or "Tags" in the side-bar to the right. If you are viewing this on a mobile device they appear at the bottom of news pages.

Contact Bill, Libby or Butch if you have news about KSA alumni, need information about a news item, need contact info for an alumnus or wish to add yourself or another alumnus to our mailing list. Our email addresses are available on the “Contact Us“ page.

Photo Galleries are Back!!!

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Our photo galleries are now available for viewing and downloading your favorite photos.  They have been unavailable for the past few months due to issues at our web hosting company.

Panic set in when I discovered the galleries were not operating properly.  The issue that caused the outage is relatively obscure and our hosting company was unable to identify and resolve it from their end.  It is still an issue today.

Fortunately our team was able to define and implement a temporary workaround to get your galleries back on the air.  Thanks for your patience while we sorted through alternatives!

I am disappointed with our web hosting company's inability to repair their issue.  We are searching for a replacement host and will move our web site as soon as feasible.

Best regards to all!!

Bill Cobb
kurtsalumni.com Webmaster

2023 Alumni Dinner Details

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From Josh Benton (joshua_benton@hotmail.com) & Frank Layo (frank@teammacondo.com)

The time has come to commit!  We are officially one month away from the Annual KSA Alumni Dinner in Atlanta and are excited to see everyone and see what the world has brought to you post Covid.  We have strategically planned this year’s event around NRF, RILA, Spring Break, etc. so there are no excuses to not attend this fantastic reunion!  Apologies for a bit of a lengthy email, but there is a decent amount to cover regarding the event and we need some information / help from you.  So, here we go:

Event Details

Location – Dunwoody Country Club, Atlanta GA

Date – March 11, 2023

Time – 6:00 Bar Opens; 7:00 Dinner

Cost - $75 per person for dinner … there will be a cash bar (see additional information below)

RSVP – We need to know a Yes, No, Maybe by February 17th (2 weeks from now) and how many will be attending.  If you can’t attend, please still respond so we have confirmation the email was received.

Attendees

We are working now to get as many confirmed attendees as possible.  Click here to download an excel file listing everyone we have sent an invitation.  We know that there are many other Alumni that are not on this list that would be interested in attending, so please forward your KSA Alumni Colleagues a link to this posting.  I ask that you copy Frank and me (both in CC line) so we can know who has been contacted and add names to the KSA Alumni database.

Agenda

As part of the evening, we are going to have the opportunity for the Alumni Group to participate (and hopefully we have people volunteer in advance rather than coercing the night of the event).  The goal is an opportunity for us to recollect “the good ole days” as well as inform the group of what is going on in people’s lives today.  So, here are the asks in advance of the event:

  • BAR Sponsors – if you have a business (or just a good heart), volunteer to sponsor a portion of the bar prior to the dinner.  We have sponsorships starting at $500 (recall KSA’ers enjoy a beverage), but if that is a little steep for those of you with Start-Up organizations we can talk a lower rate.  As part of the sponsorship, you will have the opportunity to introduce the Alumni Group to your business (briefly) for awareness and education
  • “I Remember When” – this is an opportunity for the Alumni to recall KSA through the years.  We would like a participate from each decade to talk about the life of a consultant during your first project.  Think of this as the “we walked uphill both ways, barefoot, in the snow type stories.  If you are willing to participate, please let us know so we can get 4 or 5 decades covered.
  • “Picture Pages” – if there are any pictures that you have from your KSA days, please also share them.  We will create a simple slide show to run during the evening of these photos to remind us of the days gone by.  They can be project photos, reunion photos, Christmas Party photos, whatever you’ve got!

Our goal this year is to have over 60 Attendees to the event, so we really need everyone to join in and reach out to those that we don’t have email addresses.  If you are connected with people on LinkedIn or other Social Media channels, send them a quick note and get their contact information.  I attended the event last year and it was a true pleasure to reconnect with colleagues as well as meet some people that joined KSA after I departed.  This is truly a unique network of people and you will not regret spending a few hours with this crowd in Mid-March.

If you have any thoughts, suggestions, etc. please don’t hesitate to reach out to Frank and myself.  As we embarque on this journey, we are following an amazing lead from Bill Cobb, Butch Price and Libby Morgan … which everyone knows is an impossible act to follow.  Help us continue to keep the KSA Alumni group active and relevant.

2023 Alumni Dinner Scheduled for March 11th

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Josh Benton and Frank Layo have announced that our 2023 alumni dinner is scheduled for March 11th at Dunwoody Country Club in Dunwoody GA.  For travel planning purposes, we expect the open bar / dinner gathering to begin at around 6:00PM.

Details will be forwarded as they become available.

March is a beautiful time of year in Atlanta -- we hope you and yours can join us this year!!

Best regards from the Dinner Team!!

Gloria Johnson

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Andy Johnson notified us today that Gloria passed away yesterday, Sunday, November 6th at 90 years old.

Gloria made the world a better place with her big smile, warm greetings and true caring for members of her and Jack's KSA family.

Gloria et al at Jack's 1984 retirement party.  Pictured attendees include Dave and Bonnie Perdue, Mickey Yount, Greg Murphy, John and Jo Ann Caldwell, Hugh and Ruth Tannehill, Abbie Jean Quick, Gloria, Jack, Gloria and Jack's three sons and Don Johnson.

Here is a great photo of Gloria with Jack and their three sons (center of front row) ... and a host of good KSA friends ... at Jack's retirement party in 1984.  Its caption identifies some of the attendees.  Click on the image to see a larger version of the photo.

Although she did not want a funeral service, she did want visitation for friends and family to pay final respects.

Visitation will be Thursday November 10, 2022
From 5PM – 7PM CT
Jeffcoat Trant Funeral home
1500 Frederick Rd.
Opelika, Alabama 36801

You can send notes for the family to Andy at ajcj@bellsouth.net.

Jim Giddings

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We regret to announce the death of Jim Giddings on September 26, 2022.  Jim was the leader of KSA's Physical Distribution (PD) Group for many years and fostered the careers of many PD consultants who joined KSA in the mid- and late 1960s.  One of those consultants, Tony DeMaria, took the reigns of the PD Group when Jim elected to move aside.

On a personal note, Jim was delightful to work around and a fountainhead of knowledge on the PD and KSA organization, client acquisition and retention, and engagement management.  He was always happy -- his big smile shown in the picture to the right is the way I remember him.

Jim will be missed by those of us fortunate to have worked with him.  Our thoughts are with Kay, Page, Jimmy, Dan and the family.

Following are a few highlights from Jim's obituary published by Legacy Remembers on Oct. 6, 2022.  Click here to read the entire obituary.

by Jim Giddings

Jim was an inventor, harmonica and chess player, fly fisherman, entrepreneur, paratrooper, sailor, golfer, yacht club commodore and cartoonist. He was unassuming and endlessly curious. Above all, he was a thoughtful and considerate husband, father, brother, uncle, friend and stranger. Jim appreciated beauty in all its forms, loved his family and was respectful to everyone.

He attended Georgia Military College where he was named Cadet Colonel, Battalion Commander and graduated with distinction. He then attended Georgia Institute of Technology where he was in the Reserve Officers' Training Corp, a member of the Alpha Tau Omega-Beta fraternity [with KSA Alumni Freddie Wood and Cecil Phillips], a staff cartoonist at the Yellow Jacket humor magazine and earned a BSE degree in engineering.

After graduation, he served as a 1st lieutenant in the 507th Parachute Airborne Infantry Regiment out of Fort Benning Georgia. A career as a management consultant led him to Chicago where he met and married the love of his life, Kathryn Boyle Giddings. In 1962, they moved to Atlanta, Georgia where they raised their three children, Page, Jimmy and Dan. Jim published cartoons regularly in The Saturday Review. After stints at the Tennessee Valley Authority and Yale & Towne, Jim settled in for the rest of his consulting career at Kurt Salmon Associates. There, he played an integral role in advising Hart Schaffner & Marx, L.L. Bean, Orvis, Harrods, Barneys, Paul Stuart, Saks Fifth Avenue, Home Depot, and other organizations during their periods of growth and reorganization.

2022 Alumni Dinner on June 18th is a GO!

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Our 2022 Alumni Dinner will be held on Saturday, June 18th, 2022.  It will be held at Dunwoody Country Club, 1600 Dunwoody Club Dr, Atlanta, GA 30350.  Festivities will begin at 6:00PM on the 18th.  The dinner price will remain the same - $65 per plate.

Based on the positive responses we have received, 41 KSAers and guests will be at the dinner.

If you have not already RSVP'd for the June 18th dinner and would like to attend, you may respond at the dinner RSVP form (click here to view the form) by the end of the day Tuesday, June 14th.  We will shut off the form when seats are filled.

If you do plan to attend and wish to pay by check, mail it to Libby by May 27th.  Her mailing address is P O Box 934, Glen Alpine NC 28628.  If that is not possible, bring it to the dinner with you.  You may also send funds for the dinner to Bill via Venmo; his Venmo credentials are @bcobb10b, 678-634-7274.

Best regards to all!

Bill, Libby & Butch

The Alumni Dinner Team   (dinnerteam@kurtsalumni.com)

Bill Reed

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I regret to inform you that Bill Reed passed away peacefully at home early this morning.

The Cobbs, Reeds and Beckemeyers celebrate Bill Reed's 2019 birthday in Hilton Head.

He had been bedridden for most of the past year and under 24x7 care including Hospice support. 

Bill was a Florida native, graduated from Georgia Tech (BS & MS), served the US Army for two years at Aberdeen Proving Grounds in Aberdeen, Maryland and then joined Kurt Salmon Associates’ Textile Division working with Freddie Wood and Gerald Turbyfill.  He was the Division’s Senior Partner and leader when he retired.  His extensive knowledge of how to improve the productivity of textile manufacturing operations, his warm demeanor and his quick wit led to his services being in constant demand by the many clients he served.

After Bill retired in 1997, he and Kline traveled extensively domestically and internationally.  Bill enjoyed the camaraderie associated with bridge and organized KSA Alumni Bridge gatherings for many years.  He initiated the annual KSA Alumni dinner gatherings that continue today.  Bill was an avid ham radio operator and until recently was very active in North Fulton Amateur Radio League activities.

I will miss Bill.  He was a good friend, radio operating buddy and traveling companion.  Rest in peace Bill.

Memorial service arrangements are incomplete at this time.  Kline and I will get back to you with information about Bill’s service as soon as they are finalized.

You may contact Kline at klinereed@gmail.com

Tony DeMaria

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Tony's 2013 FBBC portfolio won the "Best Fruit Picker" award.

It is with a heavy heart that I must let you know Tony passed away early on December 23rd at home.  Diane and Michele were with him at the time.

Tony had been ill for some time, including several hospitalizations for cardiac and pulmonary issues.  He had just returned from a 5 day hospital stay when he passed away.

Tony leaves a broad legacy of positively influencing others. His strength was founded in his love of his family: Diane, young Tony, Michele and several grandchildren.  His goal was to make sure they had the love and resources to forge fulfilling lives.  His approach to his family was the springboard and model for developing those of us  in his second family: the KSA community.  All of us, consultants, clients and staff that  worked with Tony are in a better place in our lives because of his love, interest, wisdom and guidance.

Tony, thank you for all you did to provide the resources we needed to forge successful careers and businesses.

Tony with Mohan Komanduri's Son Sesha in 2009

The memorial service  for Tony will be Friday January 7th, 2022 at 1pm at Saint Brendan’s Catholic Church in Cumming.

The family is inviting everyone to the farm, Il Buon Vento, after the service.

You can reach out to Diane at dademaria@bellsouth.net.

Tom Barts

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Chuck Gilreath was contacted by Judy Barts several days ago and learned that Tom passed away in September. Chuck included a link to an obituary with a nice recent photo of Tom.  Click here to see the obituary.

If you would like to send Judy a note, her email address is Judy.barts@gmail.com.

According to Judy, Tom was ill and under her care for over five years prior to passing away last September.

Tom and Chuck shared many adventures.  Here are a few highlighted by Chuck.

Tom joined KSA in the summer of 1976, in the same class as Lynn Spuhler, Mike Baird, Mike Love, Ed Merigan, John Lamb and me. He and I both started in MMD. I think he worked with KRO somewhere in or near Chicago, as he was able to join me in Philadelphia for a long weekend in the summer of 1977. He also worked in western Pennsylvania with Dick Bath. I was also working for Dick in Philadelphia.

Dick asked both of us  to go to Manila. Tom got there before me, early in 1978 sometime after John Caldwell. I reached Manila in April 78. During 78 and 79, the KSA team led a large group of client engineers and improved manufacturing operations for Aris Gloves covering over 10,000 employees.  [The engagement included the largest single rate sale in the history of KSA.]

I remember very well how Tom worked with Fred Hernandez, the manager of about two thousand workers on two shifts in a large leather glove sewing section in the main plant. Tom persuaded Freddie to walk the entire floor on each shift, grabbing the daily individual efficiency record hanging on a clipboard at the end of every 20 operator stitching table, then going down the line to speak briefly to every girl and encourage her.  Productivity tripled and Freddie lost about 40 pounds, but he loved it.  And it worked.

Our time in Manila outside the factory was the stuff of legend. Too many experiences and escapades to recount - or even clearly remember! The Elks Lodge, Mabini, the Boat Club, the Hash House Harriers... trips to Hong Kong, China, Australia...

As the project wrapped up, Tom and I left Manila in November, 1978, and traveled with carry-on bags for six weeks across Asia, Africa and Europe, reaching Atlanta just in time for the Christmas party. Highlights of the trip included the canals of Bangkok, Edmund Hillary's old room in Kathmandu, the Taj Mahal, Tut's tomb, the Pyramids, the Acropolis, the Coliseum, the Sistine Chapel, the casino at Monte Carlo, the Alps, Versailles, Notre Dame, the Tower of London and an unforgettable dinner in our honor at the London Rowing Club.

Tom moved to the Hamilton practice fairly early in the 80's and left KSA prior to 1988 to start a business with his wife Judy training word processing operators. He returned to KSA in the 1990s for a brief stint working in the Logistics group.

The common thread in all the comments I received from those who worked with him was their memories of his joyful personality and cheerful ways.  That is certainly how I remember him.  I will miss Tom.

Judy, our thoughts and prayers are with you.

Keeping KSA Relationships Alive

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Clay Parnell sent us a note about a KSA Alumni get together a couple of weeks ago in the mountains.  We love hearing about groups that keep the KSA spirit and relationships alive.  Clay, thanks for the information and the great photo!!

In the photo left to right are Mark Chandler, Jeffrey Sauls, Christian Borthayre, Josh Benton, Chuck Easley, Bruce Kroeschell, Clay Parnell, Steve Szilagyi, Dave Rush and Britt Dayton.

John Champion reminded me that this group gathers every few years to get reacquainted.  A few others are often in the mix but not in the photo.