Mitch Harmes:
CLASS OF 1977
York Mills High SchoolClass of 1977
Toronto, ON
Seneca CollegeClass of 1980
Willowdale, ON
Milneford Junior High SchoolClass of 1973
Don mills, ON
Cassandra Public SchoolClass of 1970
Toronto, ON
Mitch's Story
After leaving YMCI, I studied Tourism Industry Administration at Seneca College. I worked in Toronto for a meetings management company for 5 years. In 1985 I moved to the USA to live in northern New Jersey and set up my own company in New York City, managing corporate business travel, meetings and incentive travel programs for several Fortune 500 companies. After much success and burn-out, I sold my company in 1995 and switched career paths....went into marketing with the largest employee benefits company in America. In 1999, after four years at Aetna US Healthcare, I ventured into the general agency end of the business to wholesale group insurance/employee benefits to retail insurance brokers (the US group insurance market is very different than in Canada!).
I am very happily married to Patt since 1993. She is a life long New Yorker. She's in Human Resources; I fell in love with her when she was a director at the National Hockey League head office (a Canadian boys dream), and I continued to love her even after she left the NHL!!! In 1999 we left Ramsey New Jersey, and built a new home in Warwick New York (60 miles from NYC, and in the foothills of the Catskill mounta...Expand for more
ins).
In June 2000, we travelled to China to adopt a beautiful daughter - Bergen Ann. We returned to China in November 2003 for our second daughter, Eleanor Michelle (Elle). I also have two sons from a previous marriage - unfortunately Patrick passed away in 2005 at age 20, however, Christopher is doing extremely well)...he graduated from UCF with a major in hospitality and golf course management, and is currently working at a country club in the Orlando Florida area. He is married, with his first child on the way!
Life is great, albeit quite scary since 9-11-01 (we could see the WTC's burn and collapse from where we work). We decided the New York City area was not the best place to raise children, so we went West - moved to Scottsdale Arizona in December 2005, but we are now living in the adjacent town of Fountain Hills (home of the world's tallest fountain!). Hundreds of golf courses and other activities, all year around!!!
I often think of Toronto and the family and friends I left behind....and miss it all, but wouldn't change things for the world. We visit regularly, and hope to meet up with some of you in the future. Keep in touch.
Regards...Mitch Harmes.
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