Greetings all. Hoping that your holidays were good ones.

Thanks Michael, for all that you have done for the class and for inviting me to write my Spotlight.

After LHS, I attended Glassboro State College (now Rowan). Shy Honey became outgoing (ok, late bloomer). I was active in many clubs and do not know how I managed it all. I graduated with a B.A. in Communications/Public Relations. As it was a time of recession, jobs in my field were hard to find. I was working full time in Hahne’s department store as Assistant Manager in the Men’s department where I reconnected with Rich Pecht. My first job in the field of public relations was a position at the Ladies Home Journal. After that, it was Home magazine, two separate times under different ownerships, and then American Homestyle magazine. I ultimately attained the title of marketing director with Colonial Homes and the Hearst special publications. I was also part of Hearst corporate marketing. I was the only Hearst marketing director to acquire Macy’s NY as a client. This led to my acquiring Macy’s San Francisco and Macy’s Minneapolis as well. The Macy’s NY presentation, which was given during the annual flower show was memorable. My favorite part of the presentation was a sampling of Godiva chocolate. Anyone who has done events knows that anything can happen. Well, the Godiva representative had her chocolate thermometer with her. Who knew there was such a device? Unfortunately, she was constantly checking the chocolate temperature while our audience (readers from the NY metro area) were selecting chocolate from the trays. She continued to advise me that the chocolate was not at the right temperature due to the lights on the sales floor. To this day I have never had any desire to purchase Godiva Chocolate.

Another memorable moment from my publishing days was an event held at Gracie Mansion in NYC. New York City newscaster Chuck Scarborough of NBC was there to meet and greet at this exclusive event. His publicist arrived with him who demanded to know where I was. She found me and asked who would be responsible for Chuck at the event. We had not agreed on my attending to him as well as running the event. That is when I learned the importance of having back up documents. I showed her the e-mail message that was agreed to regarding her client.

I met my husband, David Barry, on a singles weekend at the Pines hotel in the Catskills in 1985. My friend Joy and I went together. Well, we were serenaded in the dining room by two guys. I vowed to stay away from them. One of the guys and I were always at the same events. We started talking and were ultimately married in 1990.

Going thru life with the name Honey has provided challenges. Being mercilessly teased as a child, I still bear the scars. However, my name was easily remembered as an adult and I now embrace its uniqueness. One memorable incident occurred when the advertising director of American Homestyle magazine and I presented to Working Woman magazine for a collaborative special section. As we prepared to begin the advertising director announces “Honey, how is the presentation? Are we ready to go?” A noticeable hush fell over the room. Quite a bit of murmuring and whispering was audible. A woman then comes over to me and asks if he always calls me that. I replied in the affirmative. The women became enraged. The advertising director had to assure them that he was not being inappropriate with me or them. I allayed their fears by showing my identification.

My last job was with the State of N.J.’s Public Defender Law Guardian Division. After 9/11, the world had turned upside down and I lost my job. Marketing was no longer a profit-making department. So, I decided to temp. My first call was from the State of N.J. to temp in the Law Guardian department of state government. How difficult could this be, I figured? Well, I quickly learned exactly how difficult. The work was fast-paced and everything was due yesterday. Attorneys were no different from salespeople. My journalism days came back to me, remembering the who, what, when, where, why and how in order to report the facts. Also, the art of listening was key. I worked in this field for 20 years until retirement last year.

While working, we occasionally traveled, something that I truly enjoy. After I retired, my husband and I decided to travel as much as possible. Last year we took a fabulous trip to Japan and South Korea. I can highly recommend this vacation. We visited Canada, Greenland and Iceland was this past August. At the time that we booked this cruise, these locations were not considered political hot spots. The natural beauty of these locations were just spectacular. We will be cruising the Baltic capitals this coming summer.

Besides working and traveling, I attended to my elderly parents living in Livingston. I learned all about the hospital system, rehab, and hospice. I felt fortunate to have both parents until age 60. Never having advertised the house for sale, the word somehow spread. A deluge of builders emerged. I was against the house being torn down and becoming a cookie cutter version as I’d seen on Martin Road. With property taxes being due the following month and a good offer in hand, I relented and the house was sold to a builder. What was built was a home with seven bedrooms and five bathrooms with a showcase kitchen. It sold quickly for a price that would have astonished my parents.

I am the family guardian for my sister. She has special needs and part of a program in New Jersey called Project live. It’s a program for people who are able to function independently yet need structure and supervision. I highly recommend this program for anyone with a family member in need.

Nancy Feid Sanders and I met at Heritage Junior High School and we have remained friends over the years. I reconnected with Lori Baker Dwyer after bumping into each other at the doctor’s office last summer. Also, after high school getting together with Ann Marie Giambattista. Karin Borresen Talty, Lois Lightner Nichols, Cindy Snyder Burbridge and Lisa D’Alessio Bucsko.

Looking forward to seeing the Class of 1977 at the 50th reunion in two years.

For more information about Project Live, visit Project Live.