FISHER'S FOREST

Mike Roddy takes issue with the selection of Don Fisher as Alumnus of the Year (May/June Letters). His allegation that the "Fisher family's new hobby is clearcutting ancient redwoods" is well off the mark. Only 105 acres of Mendocino Redwood's 228,800 acres was never-harvested old-growth forest. Scattered over the remaining land are approximately 12,000 individual old-growth trees protected by the terms of what Roddy calls "phony certification." In truth, certification by the Forest Stewardship Council requires an annual audit by the certification team.

Mendocino Redwood has been the subject of considerable curiosity from both the forest industry and the forestry profession. The company took on heavily cut-over lands with the intention of restoring them to economic productivity while simultaneously increasing their environmental benefits. As a professional forester and member (and past officer) of the Northern California Society of American Foresters, I have met with the company president Sandy Dean, have long been acquainted with its head forester, and have toured much of the property. While it is too early to tell whether the company's approach will be successful in the long run, it clearly has been honestly pursued. I know of no qualified individual who would find an iota of truth in Roddy's claims.

John T. Nichols

RIBALD ROWING

Gregory Peck, who graduated from Cal in 1942, rowed on the Cal crew. I too rowed as a student at Cal, but was not good enough to row in the shell that went on to win the 1948 Summer Olympics in England. One afternoon in 1948, as we in the clubhouse were preparing to row, coach Ky Ebright introduced us to a visitor—Gregory Peck, who would be accompanying the coach in the motor launch, following the shells on the estuary that day. The shy actor announced that he had just stopped by because he'd forgotten the second verse to a bawdy song ("One-ball Reilly").

Alan Meyer '49

MORE NOTABLE ALUMNI

Readers suggested we add the following to our centennial list: Gold medal Olympian Archie Williams … notable defense attorney Tony Serra … Louise F. Stoll, Ph.D. '78, Assistant Secretary of Transportation and CFO of the DOT 1993–1998 … FSM leader Mario Savio … Don Blessing, coxswain of the 1928 Olympic crew … Barry Nelson, the original screen James Bond … Mary Meagher, Olympic swimmer … Mike White '58, assistant coach for NFL teams … Pete Schabarum, one of Pappy's Boys and a long time Councilman for Los Angeles … Jim Langley '59, just retired pro at Cypress Point Golf Club … Christian Markey Jr. '51, another one of Pappy's Boys and a retired Superior Court Judge … C. Dan Mote '59, president of the University of Maryland … Roger Baccigaluppi '56, president of Blue Diamond Almonds and the Almond Growers Exchange … Tim Miller, M.D., the number one doctor in reconstructive surgery at UCLA Medical Center …

Submitted by Ann Dempsey '60, Leah Greenblat '89, Michael Groom, Marc H. Monheimer, Richard W. Hart '52, and Clay Foster

Corrections: On pages 98 and 100 of the March/April 2007 Centennial edition, Bob Lutz's title should have read "vice chairman of global product development, General Motors Corporation." On page 30 of the May/June issue, the photograph on the right was incorrectly labeled and should have read "Cosumnes River Preserve."

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