Gil Ramirez-President
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Gil Ramirez was born in
Houston
Texas but grew up in
the
San Francisco
Bay
area. He began his pursuit of master points over
thirty-five years ago in 1973. He received his
undergraduate degree from
San Francisco
State
University
and spent most of his career managing computer
departments.
He retired in 1997 and he
and his wife, Jan, moved
to
Reno in 2003
to enjoy the lower cost of living in Nevada.
They
have been married over 20 years and they have two children, Gil Jr. and
Susan, both of whom live in the San Francisco Bay Area. Although Jan doesn't play bridge,
Gil says he loves the game of duplicate because of the
interaction with people and most important, it is great
exercise for the mind.
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Kathy Lane-Director
Kathy Heckman, Class of '65 |
Kathy
Lane was born and raised in WaKeeney Kansas, a town of about 2900 people
half way between Kansas City
 and Denver. After High School, she and her
family moved to Reno and she began her college studies in elementary
education at the University of Nevada at Reno. After a year or so,
she and her first husband, Steve Lane, were married and the couple
moved to Lawrence Kansas where Steve entered law school. Kathy also
continued her education program at Kansas
University. After a son was born and her husband received his law
degree, they moved back to Reno where they had a second son and Kathy
spent the next few years raising her children and learning how to play
bridge. When their two boys entered school, Kathy
went on to finish her undergraduate and Master's degrees in education at
UNR. She became an
elementary teacher mainly in 5th and 6th grades rising to an
administrative position of Dean of Students during her last three years
of service. In recognition of her dedication to teaching students, often
outside the classroom, she received the "Always Teaching" award from
Heath South and the Coca Cola Company. The award was presented
at a special ceremony by sportsmen Randal Cunningham, Bo Jackson and
Hershel Walker. After 25 years in the field, Kathy officially retired in
2007. Her two boys live in Las Vegas, one works at the Gaming
Control Board and the other is with IGT. They are married and each have
two children, a boy and a girl. Kathy is now married to Tim Minard
who also has two children, a son who is an engineer here in Reno and a
daughter who is a professor at BYU. Kathy learned contract bridge from
her first husband and took up duplicate about 1970. She and Steve
were very active in the bridge world and played in the Grand Nationals
as teammates of Ruth and Neal Moore. She admits she
loves the game and admires the people that she knows who have been
playing for years and years. She says she has seen many players in
their '90s be sharp and on top of their game and she wants to be like
them.
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Irene Harlow-Director |
Irene Harlow: Born in the Philippines, Irene grew up in
Denver, Colorado. She attended East High School and Barnes
Business Collage becoming engaged and subsequently becoming married to
Steve Harlow. On her next anniversary, she and Steve will
celebrate 46 years of marriage. Irene and Steve have two
children. She taught at Aurora Beauty College, and then worked 17 years
as a Realtor. In 1991 She and Steve moved to what she describes as
her place in Heaven, Reno. She started playing duplicate in 1996
but had grown up in a card playing family where bridge was one of the
games they played regularly. When asked, "What is it about bridge that
makes it so much a special part of your life", she responded: " Part of
the enjoyment of the game is not just the competition and problem
solving , but the social experience as well, and frankly, IT'S
ADDICTIVE." A Silver Life Master and frequent winner in the Reno
Unit's most challenging contests, Irene always makes her opponents
comfortable both in play and conversation when she comes to your table,
some say too comfortable as she delivers marks down one or more top
scores. Irene will serve a two year term on the Board having been
elected in December of 2008
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Mark Lundblad- Director |
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Grace Martin- Director |
Grace Martin was born and raised in
Charlotte Amalie, St Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. She and her four
sisters and two brothers were home schooled by her mother until the
family moved to Oakland California, where she attended high school.
Grace started her undergraduate education at Pensacola Junior College,
moved to University of Hawaii, then on to University of California at
Berkeley and finally, Contra Costa Jr. College. Grace has had too
many professions to list but her two latest and most enjoyable were
working for their local newspaper in Washington State and since 1994
publishing books with a friend who was a cookbook author from St.
Thomas. She was married for 20 years and raised 5 daughters.
After a divorce, she married George Martin in 1981 who had 2
daughter from his previous marriage. Grace says "to this day I
don't understand why George and I left Orinda in the beautiful Bay area
and moved to Washington State for 7 years and then on to Reno.
But, I guess George just wanted to play more golf." Grace started
playing bridge when she graduated from High School. She took up
duplicate in Moraga, CA where a game of 3-4 tables was regularly held
with friends. She didn't play for about ten years, and then while
in South Africa, took it up again and has been playing ever since.
Grace thinks duplicate bridge is the best game in town and wonders how
anyone would not like to play duplicate.
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Tom Howell-Treasurer |
Thomas Howell
was born in Honolulu, Hawaii. He moved to Seattle,
Washington at age 7. Four years later he and his family relocated
to the San Francisco Bay area and lived in Fremont, CA where he and his
brother attended high school. He entered San Jose State College
and received his Bachelor of Science in Chemistry in 1964. Upon
graduation he moved to Reno so as to attend the University of Reno and
work on his doctorate in Physical Organic Chemistry which he was awarded
in 1968. After that he joined Rohm and Haas Company in
Philadelphia where he worked for 34 years in their research division,
the first 21 years as a Research Scientist and Process Group Manager and
then for the next 13 years a Patent Liaison between various Research
Business Groups and the Corporate Legal Division helping the Research
Groups get their technology patented. Tom retired in 2002 and
moved back to the Reno area where he still does patent work for a local
attorney two days a week. Tom and his wife Ann have been married
for forty years, they have no children but do have one loving cat.
Tom met Ann in Reno while at UNR and exiled her to Philadelphia for 34
years but upon his retirement in 2002, they came back to live here in
her home town. Tom first learned to play duplicate around 1980 and
played sporadically for a few years and then in 2004 he went to an ACBL
National Tournament held here in Reno, learned about the Reno Bridge
Center and has been playing there regularly ever since. Tom Says
that the best thing he likes about playing duplicate bridge is there is
always something new to learn, bidding techniques, reading the
opponents, getting in sync with your partner, etc. Tom has always
loved baseball, its strategy, history, ways to evaluate a player and so
on. Continuing to play bridge is constantly stimulating to the
brain and when you get into a bad streak, you have to take a baseball
relief pitcher approach to things- when you get smacked around in one
game, you have to forget it and go out there and do your best in the
next one. It is such a philosophy that makes Tom Howell an oft
sought partner at this challenging game.
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Kathy Evans-Director |
Kathy Evans was born in Grosse Pointe,
Michigan, the oldest of 4 children. Kathy has a BS in Chemistry from
California State University, Chico. Kathy worked for a number of years
in the pharmaceutical industry including a stint at Genentech before
they went public. After Genentech, she attended the University of
Oregon where she obtained an MBA. Kathy retired from Goodrich in 2005
as an engineering manager and in 2008 started playing bridge after a 25
year hiatus. Her favorite partners are Lin Goldstein and Kathy Lane.
Kathy met her husband Conrad playing bridge.
They were married in 1988. They like to travel and have two adorable
cats. Kathy and Conrad play bridge together occasionally. Kathy's other
hobbies are quilting, gardening and reading. |
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Jim Peterson
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