Scott Cotterell:  

Life After graduation from John Marshall, I had one disastrous year at UWM. I went to work at Briggs and Stratton (with the lovely Ginger Christiansen) doing something menial. That was bad enough to send me right back to college. Graduated with a degree (Economics/20th century American history) in 1983. Neither have been useful in the least, aside from helping understand the ways of the world. Downer Avenue was a great place to live, in those days. Coffee Trader, Henry's, JJD's, the original Sendik's, etc. Everything that you could want, within a block. After graduation, I my career working for a mortgage bank (very dreary), and then went into sales. Found a field where my gifts have served me well. I have progressed through a series of more responsible and economically rewarding positions (OK, I exaggerate a bit). I was hammered by the Bush recession when in Feb. '09 I was downsized from a position that I'd held for seven years. Here's a bit of wisdom that I can share: think very hard before you go to work in a business owned by relatives. Enough on that. After many interviews, I went to work for Conrad Schmitt Studios, as a National Account Representative. CCS is a 120-year-old company that offers fine art restoration, and conservation, decorative painting (ever been to the Pabst Theater in Milwaukee?), and stained glass conservation and repair. Put it this way, if you have a 160 year old church with 100 year old stained glass windows, CCS would be one on the very few companies, nationwide, qualified to make things right. The college of Notre Dame's dome is golden because they have us make it so. It's is interesting work that takes me all over the nation. I played rugby with the Westside Harlequins RFC for 14 years (thank you Jeff Friedrich!), but am happy to say that I still have my wits about me. I also was involved with ...Expand for more