Eric Brown (BASc '75) served as the 40-year anniversary Class Rep in 2015 and reflects on his friendships
From the time Eric Brown (BASc 1975, Civil; MASc 1978, Civil) was in grade 8, he knew he was going to pursue civil engineering.
After following his older sister to the University of Waterloo, where he was drawn to the University’s leadership in computing and co-operative education, he completed both an undergraduate degree and masters in civil engineering.
In between late night study sessions, friendships and a growing sense of competence and independence, Eric graduated and dove into his career. Starting out by applying computing to engineering challenges, he then turned to a focus on larger business and management issues, using computing tools for solutions.
But Waterloo offered more than simply an incredible education, it was the birthplace of some life-long friendships.
Photo credit: (right to left) Vince Dibacco, Al Sant, Ken Ogilvie, Ken Thompson, Eric Brown (standing) and Joanne Thompson.
Eric serves as Reunion Class Rep for his class of Civil 1975, which is celebrating their 40-year anniversary this year. As a lead up to the fall reunion, Eric and his wife organized a get together with a few members of his class – and their spouses – this spring. It had become an annual event over the May long weekend since the 1990’s.
“The evening is always filled with laughter, stories, and the occasional heated debate,” shares Eric. “Debates this time around ranged across the Canadian political scene, climate change, the challenges/impact of the fossil fuel industry… But what is interesting is that these conversations reflect well-researched facts and a solid scientific basis rather than just a recap of headlines.”
Of course, there is also a lot of reminiscing and updating at these events. “We also remember classmates who have passed away, our marathon RISK games, and even recalled incidents from frosh week.” Joining him at this year’s May event were former classmates Ken Ogilvie, Al Sant, Vince Dibacco, and Ken Thompson, along with their spouses. For this October’s big 40th reunion, the goal is to meet up with old friends on campus and have a great time.
Of course, Eric notes that the most significant aspect of attending Waterloo was meeting his wife, Johanne. “She agreed to marry me in my fourth year so we recently celebrated the 40th anniversary of our incredible life together, too.”
As a semi-retired consultant in strategic IT planning, business analysis and IT project planning, Eric still makes time for his other interests, including staying active in Toastmasters, pursuing his life-long interest in astronomy, and spending a lot of time with friends and family. But maintaining connections with his classmates has been important over these many years. “I've always enjoyed and valued the friendships that were formed while I was at Waterloo. Johanne and I are privileged to have these friendships spanning more than 40 years. Friends help shape our lives as we shape theirs and we value the opportunities for staying connected."
