Lee Geiger

I used to be a swinger

Until you wrapped me ’round your finger…

Just like a yo-yo

Just like a yo-yo

The Osmond’s, “Yo-Yo” (1972)

It’s amazing what you can learn at a Raider’s game.

I’m standing in a spacious 40-yard line suite talking to David Mgrublian, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Claremont McKenna College. We’re both members of the CMC class of 1982, and Dave, CEO of IDS Real Estate Group, a successful commercial real estate services provider, has been CMC’s board chairman for nearly ten years. We’re surrounded by twenty other members of our class who have made the trek to Las Vegas for this mini-class reunion. It’s been years since we’ve spoken, and I’m captivated by what Dave has to say about his stewardship of the CMC board. The fact an NFL football game attended by 65,000 screaming fans is taking place right in front of us is completely lost on me.

Of all the board’s accomplishments over the prior decade that has seen CMC climb the charts of the best colleges in the U.S., Dave is particularly proud of the CMC Policy on Institutional Nonpartisanship. Approved by the CMC Board of Trustees on December 6, 2018, the policy states;

“Claremont McKenna College is a nonpartisan institution of higher education. To ensure the full freedom of faculty, students, and staff to express their views, the College shall refrain from establishing partisan institutional positions that are not directly related to its educational mission.”

Why is this important? Well, have you seen the recent headlines about a handful of Ivy League colleges and how they’ve responded to student protests associated with Israel’s conflict with Hamas? It’s a collegiate PR nightmare, and in 2018 the CMC board wisely decided that part of the school’s mission is this:  STAY IN YOUR LANE.

Dave highlights the CMC Board’s February 25, 2023 endorsement of The Kalven Report, published in November 1967 by the University of Chicago, as consistent with the College’s Policy on Institutional Nonpartisanship. Do you remember 1967? I do, and the world was on fire then just as it is now. That University of Chicago committee, chaired by Harry Kalven, Jr.—a leading First Amendment scholar and the attorney who successfully defended comedian Lenny Bruce against Illinois obscenity charges—produced a report whose central conclusion was that neutrality is necessary to maintain a university’s fidelity to its core mission: “the discovery, improvement, and dissemination of knowledge.” That doesn’t mean CMC’s students, faculty, staff, parents, alumni, or invited guests are prohibited from speaking their mind. Quite the contrary. The Kalven Report is a reminder that while colleges themselves are not critics, they are the home and sponsor of critics. Per CMC’s policy statement:

“The protection of free expression is dependent on the refusal to establish institutional positions on issues not related to the College’s educational role. Just as the First Amendment forbids Congress from the establishment of religion in part to protect its free and plural exercise, the college shall not establish partisan positions in order to protect the ability of each member of the community to learn through the freedom of expression and an engaged diversity of viewpoints.”

This is a big deal. And I’m grateful for the opportunity to learn of this policy, its impact, and how it came to be, directly from Dave. The fact the Raiders scored a touchdown during our chat is also completely lost on me.

Also, in attendance today watching the Raiders dismantle the hapless New York Giants are two other members of the CMC Board of Trustees who also happen to members of the Class of 1982; Ken Valach, CEO of Trammel Crow Residential, and Steve Eggert, Founder of Anton DevCo. Ken walks me through the challenging negotiating process of CMC’s purchase of “The Pit,” a 75-acre open sore next to campus that will become the future home of CMC’s athletic fields and tennis courts, making CMC arguably the gold standard for Division III athletics. Steve explains to me how a $140 million gift from CMC Alumnus and Trustee George Roberts, co-founder and co-executive chairman of the global investment firm KKR, will be spent to expand and fully develop the eastern half of the CMC campus, resulting in everything east of Mills Avenue being known as “The Roberts Campus.” This particular piece of news makes me smile–I’m old enough to remember when a $10 million donation from Donald McKenna got a college named after him. Today a nine-figure check only buys you a subdivision.

I’ve had my issues with the school, but I’m not going to ignore the fact that Claremont McKenna College is today considered among the top educational institutions in the country. It’s right up there with the Ivies and a handful of small, elite liberal arts schools peppered along the East Coast. Much of that credit goes to the three CMC trustees trolling the suite, wearing Raider hats and munching on sushi and short-rib tacos, reminiscing with their former classmates about midnight runs to Foster’s Donuts and the horrors of steak night at Collins Hall. Thanks to the tremendous efforts of Dave, Ken, and Steve, members of the CMC class of 1982 who cared deeply about their alma mater and are committed to making it the best it can be, I can proudly say I am an alum of Claremont McKenna College.

Meanwhile, as Paul Harvey used to say, here’s the rest of the story.

The nifty Allegiant Stadium suite came courtesy of Chris Townsend, Founder and President of Townsend Public Affairs. Chris’s generosity knows no bounds, especially when it comes to affairs of the Silver and Black. A Raider fan who doesn’t quibble with where they call home, Chris drew upon his inner-John Matuszak and wrapped a Raiders bandana around his head. It matches quite well with his black Hawaiian shirt adorned with a Raiders logo. If Chris were to sport a different haircut, you’d swear he owned the team.

Twenty classmates, nearly 10% of the class of 1982, are here today. That’s impressive, especially for an off-year reunion. Most arrived the night before the game and were generously treated by Ken Valach to dinner and a Donny Osmond show. That’s not a misprint. Billed as “an unforgettable night of Live Music and Memories,” Donny brings down the house. Or so I’m told by Jon Stott, who came to the event hoping to see ladies carrying AARP cards toss their undergarments at Mr. Puppy Love. Or him.

The job of pulling together the weekend’s festivities fell to Meggan Knott, whose organizational skills, which included arranging local transportation and delivering a CMC swag bag featuring a Raiders hat, pin, lip balm, and a pair of purple Donny Osmond socks, rival those of Julie the Cruise Director on the “The Love Boat.” Thank you, Meggan!

(I just wrote a paragraph referencing both Donny Osmond and The Love Boat. Shoot me, please.)

An iconic photo from our yearbook is one of five women holding hands, each dressed in black and white. Four of them are here today—Gigi Birchfield/Cindy Schwartz Goldberg/Michelle Davis Straton/Amie Freidlander Yehros. Still as tight as white on rice after all these years, this trailblazing foursome is a reminder that while they entered as freshmen an institution bearing the name of Claremont Men’s College, they helped transform the place into a much, much better version of CMC. And a whole lot more fun, too.

Carl Howell and Jim Gervang, a couple of retired hoopsters who now count themselves as happily retired working stiffs, regale me with stories of how they spend their days. Carl has not one, not two, but SIX grandkids who all live nearby in the San Diego area, and he gets coveted grandparent time every single day. Jim, meanwhile, wakes up every day in Northern California to tough decisions like whether he’ll ride his bike, read a book, or gaze at a map of Europe and ponder what sidewalk cafe he’ll visit next. Listening to Carl and Jim reinforces the maxim that life is indeed short, and It’s fair to say I want to be them when I grow up.

Classmates traveled far and wide to be here. Joel Jones flew in from New York and wore all black to the game, and I couldn’t tell if he was trying to emulate a lunatic-fringe Raiders fan or Mickey Rourke. Charlie Klinge traveled from Seattle and showed me pictures of a boat he recently acquired that should pair nicely with his retirement plans. I can’t recall where Darren Chaney traveled from, but he hasn’t gained a pound since we graduated and I am quite certain he could suit up tomorrow and player soccer for the Stags. Nohemi Gutierrez Ferguson and Frank Ferguson motored over from LA and turned me pink with envy as they showed pictures of their new grandchild who also happens to live in the house directly behind theirs. Talk about blessed! Lastly, adding a touch of early 1980’s class diversity were Blake Isaacson and Kyle Richards. Needless to say, a tremendous and memorable time was had by all.

I caught a return flight home to the Bay Area with Dennis Janssen, who regaled me with outrageous stories filled with scintillating details about the North Quad dating scene that would make a for a deliciously scandalous Netflix mini-series.

Then again, what’s said in Vegas, stays in Vegas.