Paul Stephen McAulife – 50th Reunion Essay

Paul Stephen McAullife

770 East Saddle River Road

Ho Ho Kus, NJ 07423

paulsmca@gmail.com

Spouse(s): Jean McAuliffe (1980-present); Lindsay Noonan McAuliffe (1969-77)

Child(ren): Lucy Rose McAuliffe (1990) ; Betsy Jarvi (1970) (step-daughter)

Grandchild(ren): Jack Jarvi (2009)

Education: Yale College, BA 1969; Yale Law School, JD 1972; Case Western Reserve, MBA. 1983

Career: CEO, Federal Reserve Employee Benefits System 2002–2017; Chief Ethics Officer, BD 1985–2001; Human Resources executive, various roles and organizations, 1982–1995; law practice and federal government service 1975–1982

Avocations: Horseback riding; scuba diving; kayaking; opera

College: Branford

As with many of us, I have lived a life with much to relate about professional achievements, family happiness, and many fun adventures. Hopefully it will be viewed as a life well lived and I will enjoy sharing these tales with all of you.

But I find myself instead focusing with much disappointment on how we have failed as a generation to carry forward with the ideals and change we spoke about so passionately while at Yale in the late 1960s. Today’s headlines include the #MeToo movement and the news that Bill Cosby has been convicted of horrible crimes, but one example of a misogynistic culture that persists; the Congressional testimony of an EPA chief who denies climate change and is actively working to reverse years of environmental progress; and yet another order from the administration deporting worthy immigrants who have lived and contributed in our country for years. Not to mention almost daily carnage from gun violence. US troops remain actively engaged in conflicts across the globe. As a generation we have put forth three US presidents, fellow Yalies Clinton and Bush and today’s Mr. Trump, none of whom will be viewed by history as wise, ethical, and sound leaders.

In our campus days we spoke of our great ideals to work against injustice, discrimination, war, environmental degradation, and the like. Remember the anti-Vietnam rallies, the first Earth Day, the Black Panther rallies? So rather than focus our time together upon the many wonderful experiences and accomplishments we have had as individuals, perhaps we should focus on the failure of our generation of leaders to deliver on those early promises, and what lessons we might learn to transmit to future generations to help them do better at staying on track.