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John Hughes Norton III – 50th Reunion Essay

John Hughes Norton III

130 North Main Street

Chagrin Falls, OH 44022

hughesnorton@sbcglobal.net

216 496-5189

Spouse(s): Candy Bidwell August (1973–1985)

Child(ren): Stephanie (1978), Samantha (1981)

Grandchild(ren): Abby (2013), Georgia (2016), Jack (2017)

Education: Phillips Exeter Academy 1965, Harvard Business School (MBA) 1972

National Service: Maine Army National Guard 1969–1972; US Army Reserve 1973–1975

Career: Entire career at International Management Group 1972-1999. Senior VP at world’s largest sports management firm. Twice named Most Powerful 36 People in Golf. Advertising Age “Top 100 Marketers” award 1997. Won Pebble Beach Pro-Am 1995.

Avocations: Exercise, reading, music, all sports

College: Branford

My first reunion since graduation. Few lasting friendships from Yale. Why?

Fifty years later: glass half full or half empty?

Successful career, failed marriage.

Unscheduled retirement at 50.

Business and personal relationships ended badly.

So focused on the Destination, I forgot to savor the Journey.

Financially secure! Fit, single, mind intact, deteriorating golf game.

Greatest joy: three beautiful grandchildren.

Greatest heartache: my schizophrenic daughter.

Personality change: type-A achiever to semi-recluse, happy doing nothing.

Things I’ve Learned:

  • Everything I do, I rush through so I can do something else.
  • Under-promise, over-deliver.
  • Exercise: the best Rx a doctor can write.
  • Be humble, appreciative, grateful.
  • Deeds, not words.
  • Many loves, one soulmate.
  • We are all peddlers, selling something.
  • If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will take you there.
  • To stop and reflect on stuff that matters is really hard.
  • What goes around does not necessarily come around.
  • Hardest things to say: I don’t know; I was wrong; I need help.
  • Keys to retirement: health, finance, and purpose.
  • The days are long, but the years are short.
  • Nobody goes through life undefeated.
  • Time is the enemy of us all.
  • Fly first class—because your children will.

If the above is blank, no 50th reunion essay was submitted.

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