50th Reunion
Where did the fifty years go? They've really gone by in a hurry. They've been happy, productive and exciting years, though perhaps a little uncertain at times. Fifty years has taught me a lot: Plan for the future, but never fear it; Manage adversity and don't let it manage you; Enjoy the present and keep believing the glass is half full rather than half empty. Most of all, believe that the best years are to come.
Because of Pearl Harbor I left Amherst in December, 1941 to enter Harvard Business School. Here, I completed a year's work in five months. In June, 1942, I received a Navy Officer Commission and for the next four years saw duty in the Pacific Theater on various ships-the highlight was being the captain of an LST. We made all the major landings and were preparing to invade Japan when the war ended!
Back it was to Chicago as a war surplus disposal officer. It was here I met Cherry, a 1945 Smith graduate, and yet had not known her at Amherst. We were married in September of 1946 and I went to work in Chicago. We moved to Winnetka in 1959 and subsequently had three sons who, incidentally, all went on to Amherst. We have been blessed too with wonderful daughters-in-law and six extra-fun grand children.
Although Winnetka has been our home for most of these years, we did live in Rancho Santa Fe, California for ten years and three years in Tacoma, Washington. Both of these adventures were business moves and we really found moving to a new spot to be an exhilarating experience-a little like entering Amherst as a pea-green freshman. We had new experiences, new friends and many wonderful memories. Presently, we divide our time between Wilmette (adjacent to Winnetka) and Vero Beach, Florida.
As to a business career, I was a happy combination of an entrepreneur and business doctor: doing "turn arounds," managing businesses, specializing in marketing and finance. I had the fortunate experience of heading up four public companies and was president/ CEO of five large and small private companies. I was involved with many food and non-food businesses. I am now retired but continue to do some consulting and investing. One could say that business is no longer a vocation, but is now a hobby. My other interests have included Boy Scouts (we had three Eagle Scout sons) and the usual church and community activities. I continue to enjoy reasonable health, which permits golf, travel, and mental stimulation.
As I look back, we the class of '42 were fortunate to have shared a college experience that was very special but at the same time the end of an era. We came in with the '38 hurricane and departed with World War II on. Perhaps these special experiences have made us all better persons. Thank my classmates for their friendships over the years and look forward to more good years ahead.
![42 Willard C. McNitt.jpg Willard C. McNitt](/system/files/styles/large/private/media/42%20Willard%20C.%20McNitt.jpg?itok=-cLbOQlD&__=1460995938)