Kim Merrill

Post BHS days it was to the MJC, where I concentrated on studies and getting out of Modesto. As you know, Dave Lyghtle and I were the first to commit to San Diego State and head down in Fall 1980, which at the time was not in the mix of schools that Modesto kids went to .. usually Fresno, Chico, Cal Poly Obispo and for the well heeled, Berkeley and Stanford. We were soon followed by the whole gang ... from Ratto, Polack, Tigner, Marci Stewart, Jennifer Moorad, Kim Erickson, Karen Giddings, Ben Miller, etc, etc. I studied Journalism News Editorial with visions of writing for the newspaper. If you recall both Dave and I worked on the Sports Desk at the Bee while attending the MJC. Dave and I joined the Sigma Nu Fraternity and moved into Leadership roles in the House and the Greek System. Dave was intent on getting out of college and did so within two years (1982), took a job with the Redding Record Searchlight (now he's a famous Editor at the Modesto Bee!) I took an extra year and minored in Telecommunications and Film and took a Public Relations elective course, which led me into an area where writing could be used as well. I interned at several of the big PR firms in 1982-1983 and was the first intern hired by The Gable Agency that year. I stayed there for several years, jumped to another firm, then hooked up in a small consultancy with one my Gable mentors in 1989, who handled the PR for Joan Kroc, we lasted two years ... split, and I started my own firm, Merrill Marketing Communications in 1991. I've led a charmed life working with all kinds of companies developing high level programs for CEOs, Presidents, Chairmans that focus on media relations, communications relations, branding, advertising, etc. Worked on huge events such as the NFL Super Bowls and the Republican National Convention ('96). The freedom of having my own business has enabled me to be around the kids and enjoy life, however, being self-employed mean I work way more than the typical 9-5.

Met my wife Traci on a trip to San Felipe Mexico with the fraternity in 1984. I was out of school, but went along in a car that featured a good buddy, his girlfriend and Traci, her roommate. She's from Woodland Hills in the San Fernando Valley. We hit it off for many reasons, including the fact that both of us had 1967 Mustangs (go figure!). She is 4 years younger than me. Literally began living together immediately and finally married in 1989. Traci has worked at the University of San Diego, the private Catholic school, since 1991 ... started as the wedding coordinator for the famous Founder's Chapel and handled weddings for many of the areas luminaries, athletes, Padres, Chargers, and even a baptism for Bill Gates baby (his wife attended USD). She moved over the the Grants Department (office of Sponsored Programs) and currently heads that up ... getting new grants and monitoring their compliance for the University.

We had Shannon in 1993 (now 15), currently a sophomore at Scripps Ranch High School. She is the social butterfly and will one day be planning the 30-year reunion of her HS graduating class — she walks seamlessly between all groups of students (rare). She plays travel club volleyball and HS volleyball, including freshman player of the year last year. We had Ryan in 1995, now 13 and in 8th grade middle school. More quite kid, deep thinker, brilliant, writes published poetry on deep topics, Ryan is into martial arts (just earned his first degree brown belt), and one of the top 13-year-old All-Star pitchers in the area and is currently playing on the Scripps Ranch 13U travel baseball team.

I played a ton of basketball after BHS and through College ... for the fraternity, then rec league and pick up games for 18 years in Pacific Beach and the locally famous, Rec Center, down there. In 2000 my father in law and Traci's mom moved to SD and he was a big mountain biker. I got into that sport and then I stopped having back problems from all the jump shots taken on hard courts, and jammed and broken figures from swiping the ball away from younger guys. I currently mountain bike two to three times a week and travel around the western US to partake in some of the best trails around ... we are headed to So. Utah, near Zion National Park, October 18-21 to ride some spectacular trails ... the area is just 6.5 hours from San Diego, up through Las Vegas to Springdale, Utah (red rock heaven!)

As you know we live in Scripps Ranch area of North San Diego, which was burned to hell in the 2003 Cedar Fire, but our home survived (but 320 of our neighbors' homes didn't); and then last year came close again with the Witch Fire, that again burned a ton of San Diego, and superseded the Cedar Fire as the biggest in CA history. Dave Lyghtle has assigned a Mod Bee writer to speak with me after each fire — I've become the San Diego "fire correspondent" ... not something I hope to do again, I might add!

I'll tell you Greg, it's really hard for me to believe it's been 30 years since we graduated from Beyer. I'm cursed with a killer memory, so it doesn't take much for me to conjure up a story, memory and get sentimental. Actually took me a couple of days to get over the reunion. I've dug up some old photos, Day on the Green advertisements from all the concerts we attended (I kept them), and emailed them around to people since returning. I think we all realize that we had it good at Beyer in its "Golden Years." We were very lucky to make lifetime friends at Beyer.

I wish we could all get together sooner!