Arnold Welles – 50th Reunion Essay

Arnold Welles

12 Dingletown Road

Greenwich, CT 06830

arnwelles@aol.com

203-273-5653

Spouse(s): Dana Elena Ogden (1980)

Child(ren): Alexander Ogden (1983); William Slater (1986); Arnold Sumner (1993)

Education: Yale College, BA 1969; Harvard Business School, MBA 1974

National Service: US Army, ’69–’72

Career: Banker, JPMorgan Chase & Co, 40 years

Avocations: Art, Military History, Music and Sports

College: Jonathan Edwards

What is a life well lived? For me, it comprises family and friends, work, and service. Family is the foundation. The joy of a loving, lifelong companion (Dana!), a happy family life, and being blessed with children outweigh any other priorities. The greatest challenges and rewards are to be found within the family, and that’s where the majority of us will be remembered long after we’re gone. As we leave our careers behind, friends can replace some of the comradeship we enjoyed at work.

Work, among other things, is necessary to sustain the family and for some can be all encompassing. It creates opportunities for us to show our capabilities and leadership and be part of a larger organization. Despite a demanding career in finance, I always tried not to let work take over every aspect of my life. There was always time and room for family and interests. An important part of work, for me anyway, was to have a positive impact on the younger generation who would hopefully make the organization a better place and remember you after you’re gone. My philosophy was to manage down rather than up.

But, for most, work will end at some point. Then what? Service to others can replace much of what we obtained from work. Choose an area you’ve always been interested in and get involved. I have become a Docent at the Bruce Museum in Greenwich, Connecticut, which has both an art and a science focus. This allows me to keep up on art, be part of an art-loving community, and put my freshman “Rocks and Stars” courses to work. Additionally, this museum offers programs oriented toward children, many of whom come from disadvantaged backgrounds from nearby communities. Having a positive effect on these children is one of my goals.

Impact of Yale? Hard to say. Most of us were pretty well formed by the time we entered college. Made lifelong friends (Bus, Dowall, Steiner, Hohandle, to name a few). My roommates and JE classmates provided a lot of support to me. Loved playing lacrosse and the academic side of Yale. Developed a lifelong interest in China and in art while majoring in Chinese Studies and taking many art history courses. However, the ’60s were a difficult time to be at Yale given the turbulence in the country. Without the demands of Chinese Studies and lacrosse, the outcome for me could have been very different. As I look back at my Yale years, I do regret I wasn’t more involved in things outside of sports and my studies.