Herman Schultz:
CLASS OF 1974
O'Gorman High SchoolClass of 1974
Sioux falls, SD
University of WyomingClass of 1979
Laramie, WY
Herman's Story
Quoting the Grateful Dead...."what a long strange journey it has been" since I graduated O'Gorman in 1974. But, the journey has been interesting, rewarding and full of adventures and lifelong memories. More importantly, I have come out the other side happy, healthy and with most all of my hair.. I am now enjoying retirement and where I am now in life and location.
In the fall of 1975 (worked a year after graduation), I left Sioux Falls to attend the University of Wyoming (Go Cowboys!!!) and graduated with an Honors Degree in Engineering. I spent my summers working in Casper and Gillette and traveling to various hiking trails on the weekends...although one weekend was spent, very briefly, on a bareback bronc in the local rodeo.
I worked 26 years for Shell Oil Company in Houston (1 year) and California (25 years) until Occidental (Oxy) made me an offer I couldn't refuse and I rotated (4 weeks on/off) to the MIddle East from 2006 - 2014. I held various positions and enjoyed both the Engineering and Business Finance aspects to my career. I also held various civic positions in the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE)/, Chamber of Commerce Oil Committee, Black Gold Oil Museum (Founder/Docent) along with various high school educational programs (CHOICES, STEM, etc.). I really, really, really enjoyed the intellectual and technical challenges with lots of field related, hands on work. It would be hard to imagine things could have been more fun or rewarding.
The time in the Middle East (mostly deserts of Oman...but also the UAE, Abu Dhabi and Bahrain) were eye opening in many ways...and I have lots of friends from those years...some of whom I still mentor today as they move up the corporate and engineering ladder. I also participated in some technical/financial planning in Egypt, Columbia while also doing some recruiting in India and Egypt.
I never did get married or have kids although I came close a few times having some great relationships./memories.. But, never got divorced which helped the retirement planning tremendously.
I retired in 2014 as my mother had some health issues which needed attention (now resolved). I am now getting my golf swing back as I was a 5 handicap before taking the position in the Middle East. I also traveled a bit during my rotation flights to the Middle East and back including extended visits to Africa (Egypt, Zanzibar and safari in Tanzania), Asia (Hong Kong, Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, etc.), India, Europe, South America, Mexico and even a few snorkeling trips to Hawaii.
While llving in California, a buddy and I went from novice.to earning 'A' Class status over a decade of racing Hobie Cats (16' catamaran sailboats) along the California and Baja Mexico coasts. Besides 2 holes-in-one and a low of 69 at golf, my volleyball team won two city league championships (& two 2nd pl...Expand for more
aces). I also bike ride, lift weights and play racquetball and took numerous motorcycle trips all to various state/national parks and motorcycle races across Western USA, Baja Mexico and Canada. Now, I just ride my motorcycles locally as I have a comfy convertible with airbags for the longer trips (true bikers would appreciate the retirement from long motorcycle rides without giving up the open air adventures).
When I moved to California in 1981, I restored a 1968 Firebird convertible (later stolen) and then a 1972 Mustang Mach I convertible (sold in 2006) before settling down with my current 425 hp, V-12 Mercedes convertible. I am definitely an open air guy and even 4-Wheel here in Arizona with my Polaris RZR.. Being a mechanical engineer certainly helped with this work.....as well as the various home improvement projects.
So, I am now retired and in Arizona where I am golfing, biking, motorcycling, 4 wheeling, swimming, exercising, gardening and just generally enjoying life in retirement. I am trying to learn to enjoy scotch & cigars while enjoying the mountains and sunsets from my Arizona backyard.....but am having trouble learning to enjoy them again after a few years of not playing garage poker with the guys.
Finally, as per the opening Grateful Dead quote, I attended perhaps a dozen Grateful Dead concerts while living in California (while Jerry Garcia was still alive....including when Bruce Hornsby was touring with them and also saw them share a stage with Bob Dylan in Anaheim). I attended probably 5 New Years Eve Grateful Dead Concerts in the Bay area and these were quite the 'trip' (drug culture pun intended.........along with the the Eagles reference to "a Dead Head sticker on a Cadillac").
I do hope that all who read this are happy, healthy and enjoying life; both now and your journey which got you to today. I would enjoy catching up with anyone and my email is on file here. Certainly do contact me if you are tired of the cold and snow as Arizona is usually 60+oF during the winters. And, my small town is a great place to ride out the Covid-19 quarantines as there are a lot of outdoor space and activities.
Finally, over a dozen MLB. Teams train in the Phoenix area and I spend a week with old work buddies playing morning golf and attending spring training baseball games in the afternoons. ‘Mancation’ trip. X (decade of decadence) was March, 2020 following our 2019 dual Mancation to Phoenix and later Scotland (Good Intentions, Poor Alignment....Landed St. Andrews).
Once again, I hope all have enjoyed their personal life journeys...and have carved out their own bit of paradise and sanctuary in this life. We should all work to make the world a better place...but I prefer to do this on my terms while having my own sanctuary where the outsider world doesn’t crash and impose itself on my happiness.
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