Following graduation I went to work for Aetna Life and Casualty spending 4 months in Hartford before being assigned to NYC office. Bob Dellinger and I were roommates on 52nd for several months in the same building as the stews who wrote “Coffee Tea or Me?”. Watching “Mad Men” always reminds me of those wild times. Celebrated along with everyone else when the Jets and Mets won the Super Bowl and World Series in ’70. Avoided the draft fortunately.

From NYC moved back to Hartford and traveled the country for Aetna as one of their young guns for a new mutual fund product. Tired of that then moved to Long Island and got into medical sales. From there to Atlanta in ’74 living at the Riverbend Apartments with 24/7 partying. (Remember the scene from “Catch me if you can” with Leonardo DeCaprio?) Jim Uhl (who dated my cousin in NYC) convinced me to return to graduate school so I returned to UNC and completed my MBA in ’77.

After graduating returned to my family’s home in Memphis where I had 7 successful years selling cardiac pacemakers for a company owned by Eli Lilly. Moved into medical management in ’89 as the Administrator of a large cardiac surgery practice and remained in Memphis until my Dad died in ’96. Then on to Fort Myers, Florida where I was the Administrator for a 14 MD cardiology group. That job ended in 2000 and I moved to Bend, Oregon where I’ve been since as a sometimes business consultant but mostly retired.

Oh, I almost forgot the MOST important achievement in my life. Long story but in short I became a father at the age of 55. Jack lives with his mother in Memphis but we spend at least two months of the year together. (There is no Mrs. Watermeier) Check out my Instagram account (bendbill) for some pictures.

Have no health issues and remain very active playing golf, biking, skiing and enjoying all the outdoor activities Bend has to offer. It’s really a wonderful place to live. Come visit anytime – I have plenty of room.

Sorry I can’t be in NC to see everyone but all the best and tilt a glass for me!