Ray Betts

After my freshman year, I transferred from Princeton to Duke University where I graduated with the Class of 1961. I began my career as an electrical engineer with Westinghouse Electric in Pittsburgh and, within a couple of weeks was selected for a special overseas tour. After six months of training at Berlitz in Japanese, I arrived in Japan in early 1962 for a six-month assignment in a sort of ambassador-student mixed position. Upon my return to the States I worked in a couple of factories until landing in the Westinghouse International Company (WEICO).

Japan in those days was a dirt-poor country - I grew to believe, as I experienced the everyday life of a Japanese engineer, that my life in the U.S. had been very soft and protected. As a result, I felt that I owed the country an obligation of service. Since many WEICO employees then were former OSS agents, they strongly encouraged me to go into military intelligence. I passed the pre-enlistment test and joined the Army. I spent three years in a high-level unit which reported outside of normal channels directly to the Assistant Chief of Staff for Intelligence for whom we ran his special projects.

When I returned to WEICO, I fell into the lifestyle of a late-20s bachelor living in New York City - which involved summer on the beach at Fire Island and winters on the snow of Killington, VT. And I reached a corporate officer level position as Treasurer of WEICO. Ah, but the Fates intervened - Pittsburgh HQ decided to do away with WEICO - one the dumbest of the many dumb decisions made by the Corporation which led to a final collapse. But, I was out of a job.

I sailed on the S.S. France to Europe, participated in the mandatory shipboard romance and elected with my "partner,” upon arrival in Paris, to rent an apartment there, buy a car, and tour leisurely through central Europe. One of the true high points of my life. When my money ran low, my German partner had to return to classes at the Sorbonne, and the weather in Paris became very cold, I returned to the States to take a job as an Assistant Attorney General in Vermont doing mostly criminal prosecution.

I married Kathie, my NYC sweetheart, in Stowe and lived a delightful five years skiing, learning the law and partying. When Kathie threatened to leave Vermont, with or without me, we moved to Fort Worth, TX where I joined the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. For ten years, first as an enforcement attorney and later as a Branch Chief, I chased, brought injunctive actions against, and prosecuted (as a Special Assistant US Attorney) securities fraud artists, moving during that time to the city I still love, Boston. I switched to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission and became the Assistant Regional Director of their Boston office. And, later, transferred to Washington, DC as a staff assistant to the Directory of Consumer Protection.

In DC I met the first great love of my life, Nancy - a Chicago gal. We chose to move to Denver and it was there that I retired at 55 when Bill Clinton announced that the Federal Government had too many employees. What a concept! I thought I was set for life since I had my Nancy and a home on a golf course, but the Fates again intervened - my beloved Nancy died of cancer at the very young age of 55. I was devastated.

The rest of my story is one of mourning a lost love, meeting Sharon, a second great love, and living a healthy life in retirement. I became Co-President of the Duke Club of Tucson (where we make our winter home). The Duke Club was invited to join the All-Ivy Network in Tucson. Ironically, then, I have come full circle - I started in the Ivy League and now find myself back in the Ivy League again. Life is good.