Occupation: I am the president of Gorham Financial Services, Inc. We are a company that helps retired people with their financial planning needs. I am a certified financial planner and a chartered life underwriter. Until recently, I was a faculty mem
Occupation: I am the president of Gorham Financial Services, Inc. We are a company that helps retired people with their financial planning needs. I am a certified financial planner and a chartered life underwriter. Until recently, I was a faculty member at Nyack College in Nyack, N.Y., where I taught courses in economics, finance, and industrial management. For 25 years, I worked for Warnaco in Bridgeport in various capacities. When I retired in 1990, I was a corporate vice president and a partner in a Warnaco leveraged buyout group.
Education: My education includes a doctorate in management engineering; masterâs degrees in economics, finance, and industrial engineering, and a bachelorâs degree in industrial management. I also earned a certificate in Biblical studies from The Moody Bible Institute. Two associations have awarded me professional certifications in systems engineering and production-inventory control.
How Long In Newtown: My wife and I moved to Newtown in 1965. At that time, we could not afford to live in Norwalk, my hometown.
Biggest Change: In 1965, Newtown had a decidedly rural feel. Now it has a more suburban character. Yet it is still a beautiful place to call home.
Family: My wife Barbara and I will be married 46 years this August. Barbara taught for 19 years in the Newtown school system and retired in 1999. We have four grown children and 12 grandchildren. Jennifer, a nurse practitioner, and her husband, Garry Ober, live in Newtown with their three children, Bethany, Mary Grace, and Claire. Jim is a CPA for an insurance company. He and his wife Peggy live in Avon and have three children, Patrick, Bridget, and Erin. Matthew and his wife Tracy live in Simsbury with their three children, Kelly, Katie, and Daniel. Matt is an engineer for United Technologies. John and his wife Sue live in Concord, N.H. They have three children, Emily, John Cole, and their brand new baby Elizabeth, born January 12. John is a civil engineer with a consulting company. He recently returned from a 14-month tour of duty with the US Army in Kuwait. Our family is a tremendous blessing to us.
Hobbies: My hobbies are reading, walking, birding, swimming, and yard work.
Favorite Books: Each morning I study my Bible. Presently I am reading They Made America: From the Steam Engine to the Search Engine by Harold Evans. Last week I read Fly Boys by James Bradley. Donât read that one before going to bed. Last month I read Triangle: The Fire That Changed America by David Von Drehle. My preference is nonfiction books.
Favorite TV Shows: I enjoy watching the âold moviesâ on A&E.
Organizations: Walnut Hill Community Church in Bethel is my church. I belong to the Newtown Lions Club, and I am a member of the Non-Fiction Book Club at the Booth Library. Years ago I was involved with the Boy Scouts and the Girls Scouts in Newtown.
Most Vivid Memory About Newtown: I have many vivid memories of Newtown. Every season is beautiful. But a fond memory is when I took my children to the old Newtown Congregational Church [now the Newtown Meeting House] on July 4, 1976, to ring the bells to celebrate the countryâs Bicentennial. I remember the big rope we had to pull, and all the people lined up for the event. It was a great history lesson for all of us!
Favorite Vacation Spots: We like Sanibel Island, Fla., in the winter, our backyard swimming pool in the spring and summer, and then river cruises in the fall. Thatâs really fun. We have done the Columbia River, and we did the Mississippi the year before last. This year, we may do the Ohio River.
Personal Philosophy: First, I try to love God with all my heart, soul, and mind. Then I try to love others as myself.