Alum Notes
We take pride in celebrating the good news of our fellow alumni. Where has life taken you since graduation? Tell the Tech alumni community about career changes, achievements, family news, awards, and more by submitting an alum note using the form below.
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Class of 1968
Carlton P. Tolsdorf Jr.
October 5, 2022
Brooklyn Technical High School provided the foundation of my career and life. I discovered Pratt Institute, right down the block from Tech, but had not known of it. May of 1968, I headed to the Ridgewood Library to research schools that offered Co-Op Programs. I wanted a practical college education that would allow me to pay for some of my tuition costs through work. I applied in early May and received a letter /phone call offering scholarship. My first pick, the United States Coast Guard Academy informed me I was 1 point short of making the list. So, once I recovered from getting an offer, I worked with my family and Ridgewood Savings Bank to cover the balance of tuition costs. Forward to mid September 1968. Parked my car near the gates of Pratt, I look over to my right , there is Bruce Linick, fellow Technite and best friend, and then to my left, Vincent Millin, another close friend from Tech.
Pratt Co-Op for five years was followed by: Naval Ship Systems Command, Undersea Warfare Systems, Central Intelligence Agency; Condor Systems, Inc. Mid 1990s: Expert Witness Consulting Firm; return to government service following 9/11 at the Office of Naval Intelligence; and finally retiring from the office of National Intelligence, McLean, VA.
Married to Dr. Deborah Lynne Gofreed, 27 years. Daughter Majorie Rose Tolsdorf is living in Willamsburg, not far from Tech, working on Madison Ave, in a top 10 consulting / accounting firm. Am now living in Brambleton, VA. (571) 355-0531.
Class of 1956
Marvin Gersten
October 5, 2022
Retired in 2013 after a 52-year career in consulting engineering; a Life Member of the American Society of Civil Engineers and Institute of Transportation Engineers. Tech gave me the tools that served me throughout.
Class of 1966
Jerome Phillips
October 5, 2022
I have always considered the opportunity to attend Brooklyn Tech and graduate as one of my most significant life events. When I compare my high school years with the experiences of others I meet in life, I am aware that attending Tech is a truly unique experience. I think the intensity of the four years at Tech helped to prepare me for many activities I participated in after graduation. In particular I think of traveling to Uganda on two occasions to do mission work, helping to build homes and schools there. While working with local laborers on the structures I thought of some of the technical skills I learned at Tech and the value of teamwork to get something accomplished.
Tech holds many memories for me and I will always value what I learned in my four years.
Class of 1963
William Fehling
October 5, 2022
After graduating in 1963 (Mechanical), I went on to NYIT where I got a BSME, then on to Pratt & Whitney, where I worked in aircraft engine manufacturing. Started at Pratt in the Engineering department but went on to get an MBA and transferred to the Financial department. In 1997, I was named Vice President & CFO of International Aero Engines, an international corporation made up of P&W, Rolls Royce, Fiat, MTU & JAEC (Japan), where I served for over 10 years.
Class of 1959
Charles Horsken
October 5, 2022
I was in the mechanical technology program and after graduation went into the trades as an apprentice tool & die maker with the Ideal Corp. in Brooklyn. Upon completion, I joined the USMC to avoid the draft and served two years active and four years reserve. Was a Ground Radio Engineer and made Staff Sargent. Went to CCNY at night while an apprentice and graduated with an Associate’s in Mechanical Engineering. Went back to Ideal after active duty; worked as toolmaker; ended up being a lead man and eventually a foreman. Left in 1967 to go to Oswego State University to study to become an Industrial Arts teacher. Upon graduation, went back into industry and became a plant manager for the Acme Air Appliance company. Did that for four years and went into teaching for six years at Kittatinny Regional High School in Branchville, NJ. Went to Seton Hall University at night to get my Master’s in School Administration. Moved to Wolfeboro, NH, where I taught Technology Education at Kingswood Regional High School for 33 years. Twice received New Hampshirt State Technology Program of the Year; named by ITEA and NHTEA as NH State Technology Teacher of the Year, twice by each organization; and first runner-up for overall State Teacher of the Year for all NH. I taught Principles of Technology, (PT), an applied physics course; Project Lead The Way, a pre engineering course; Machine Tool Technology; and Agricultural Sciences as I own and operate an 80-acre Certified Organic Farm, raising beef, pork, broilers, turkeys and vegetables . I trained teachers how to teach PT during summers for 12 years at Keene State College and Vermont Technical College. I have been married for 47 years and have two wonderful daughters. I retired from teaching at 72 and am now farming full time.
Class of 1953
Thomas J. Russo
October 5, 2022
For years after finishing the Chemistry Course at Tech, I carried in my head the start of a poem I remembered from the student literary magazine: “I long for a darker shore/ Where passion flowers do not bloom…”
At my 50th reunion in 2003, I wandered into the Alumni Foundation office and recited the fragment to a staff assistant. After some research, she sent me a copy of the entire poem from the 1950 issue of Horizons. The author is one Gerald Sacks. I wonder what kind of a career Gerald had.
Thomas J. Russo ’53
Alumni Foundation note: Gerald Sacks ’50 had an impressive career as a logician after Tech, and a rare joint appointment as a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Harvard University.
Class of 1956
Robert Crawford
October 5, 2022
Upon leaving BTHS I went on to become an engineer, physicist, entrepreneur, and investment banker. I sincerely believe that our BTHS technological foundation provided a spatial focus to solve technical, business, and life challenges.
• I received a BS in Metallurgical Engineering from Lehigh University and an MS in Metallurgical Engineering and Solid-State Physics and an MBA in Corporate Finance and International Business from New York University, I received several patents for composite materials and published a number of technical and financial papers.
• In the 1960s and ’70s I was initially a USAF Officer and then held executive positions with International Nickel, NL Industries and Union Carbide. I was also a Corporate Finance officer with a major Wall Street investment banking firm. I went on to manage and direct over $4 billion in corporate business financing in my career.
• In the ’80s and ’90s, I was the founder and co-founder of more than 10 leading-edge technology companies including several publicly listed firms, which I served as Chief Executive Officer.
• Since 2003 I have been the CEO of the PRIME Group of Companies. PRIME is located in Hattiesburg, Mississippi and has representative offices in Suzhou, China.
Class of 1959
Leonard Turkenkopf
October 5, 2022
-BS in Math and an MBA from Marist College
-Married to Iris Geller Turkenkopf on 6/27/1965
-Worked for IBM for 30 Years. Consultant for 14 years. Retired in 2008.
-Volunteering for a Lifelong Learning Institute (Marist Center for Lifetime Study) as the Curriculum VP for the last three years.
Class of 1957 College Prep
Stephen Jerome Kohn
October 5, 2022
After graduation, I spent a year in Israel and moved here in 1991. I went to Queens College and CUNY and have been an economist ever since. My first professional jobs were in Ohio, which led to my being the state banking commissioner there. After that, I took a position at EY, heading its consulting practice in financial institutions, then the general practice, and eventually co-chairing the worldwide banking practice.
After moving to Israel, I worked at several high-tech firms doing their strategic planning and serving as a corporate director. (Tech Highlight: I started a relationship with a firm working with aluminum. The CEO said in the interview, “I assume you know nothing about aluminum.” Everything I learned about aluminum in Mr. Strarfield’s Industrial Process course streamed out of my mouth.)
When I was 65, I ran (and walked) the NYC Marathon. I never looked at the map, knowing the 38,000 runners in front of me would guide me. Suddenly I realized I had just passed the subway station I used to go to and from Tech, the highlight since I finished in 6 hours.
I have done much traveling, writing, and photography for the last few years. Two books of my short stories are on Amazon, and I will add a novel in about three months. I will be posting some of the photos on Instagram.
Class of 1961 But was a Super Senior and graduated in Jan of 1962
Steven Rohrmayr
October 5, 2022
I was born in the Bronx, but grew up on Eastern Parkway in Brooklyn. I was in the Electronics course but flunked the first semester. Therefore I spent one extra semester to pass Electronics and graduated in January of 1962.
After Tech, I joined the Navy in August of 1962 and after boot camp at Great Lakes I was admitted to the Navy’s Electronic Technician A school. A school was a breeze after my education at BTHS. Upon graduation, I was stationed at the Communications Station Pearl Harbor.
Turns out I was not physically at Pearl Harbor but at the Navy’s receiver site near a small town called Wahiawa. Four other sailors and I soon rented an OLD house on the north shore of O`ahu where I learned to surf. I was pretty much only on base when I HAD to be there. My next-door neighbors, local Hawaiians, took me hunting one day and I was hooked. I hunted wild boar for over 20 years using dogs to track the hogs and a long-bladed knife to kill them.
After a year and a half, I was transferred to the Navy’s transmitter site on the west coast of O`ahu. There I continued to surf and hunt when not taking care of the Navy’s equipment.
I remained there for another 1 1/2 years and decided to stay in PARADISE upon my discharge in September of 1963. Lucky me, I was not sent to Vietnam. After the Navy, I worked on electronics at the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard while still living on the West Side.
There I met a school teacher from upstate New York and within six months of my discharge we were married and still are after 55 years. We still live on the West Side. We had two daughters who wound up moving back to the mainland. I’ve now been retired for 18 years after working for 30 years as a Social Studies teacher at Wai`anae High School.
Wai`anae High School is the ONLY high school in the United States built right on the beach. It’s no Tech, but it’s full of good kids. Here is their website.
I attended the University of Hawai`i for my teaching degree. I found my math was not good enough to try for electrical engineering. LOL. I no longer hunt but do hike at least once a week usually for at least five or six hours each time.
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