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Philipe Beekman '53: Dartmouth Alumni Award Recipient, 2007-08


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Philipe Bleekman '53 (left) was presented the 2007-08 Dartmouth Alumni Award.


A winter carnival visit to Hanover was all it took to convince you, a St. Benedict's Prep School student, that Dartmouth was the place to be! Having spent an entire life in Verona, New Jersey, you decided to brave the New England winters. A history major, you quickly immersed yourself in a wide variety of campus activities including Beta Theta Pi; Palaeopitus,,and leading the Interdormitory Council as president.

Reflecting a versatile nature, upon graduation you somehow convinced the Colgate Palmolive Company to hire a history major as an industrial engineer. Thus commenced an extraordinary twenty-three year career with this major company, six of which were spent in Argentina, Canada, and Puerto Rico. Rising to the position of president of international relations, you were a hot commodity and were ultimately lured across the street to become the president and chief operating officer of Joseph E. Seagrams and Sons, LTD. You took one more very successful step becoming the chairman and chief executive officer of HookSuperX, Inc before forming your current consulting business, Owl Hollow Enterprises,Inc.

Involvement in your community has been a constant throughout your life and in 1981 you were the recipient of the prestigious "Flame of Truth Award," presented annually to a captain of industry who ha salso been active in charitable and community causes. You continue to lend your talents to many organizations serving on the board of directors of the Metropolitan Opera Club, Brave Kids Organization, MacAndrews and Forbes Company, and the National Organization for Disability. In addition, you are chairman of the National Association of Drug Stores and director emeritus of the Ladies Professional Golf Association.

With a schedule like this, how could you find time forDartmouth? You must have discovered a means of avoiding sleep, for how else could you find the time to serve as chair of the Tuck Board of Overseers, Presidents Leadership Council member, leadership chair, class agent, reunion giving committee member, class executive committee member and class president? How appropriate that you are also the 55th reunion chair leading your class in this weekend's activities.

In your SPARE time we can find you, if we can catchup with you, skiing, golfing, or playing tennis and squash unless you are traveling to your homes in Vermont, St. Marten, the Upper Valley or Harbour Ridge, Florida (better known as "South Dartmouth" with its sixty-two Dartmouth alumni in residence).

Ernest Martin Hopkins '01, the first recipient of the Dartmouth Alumni Award, once said, "to understand life and to seek genuine satisfaction from it is to accept responsibility and to meet the demands of responsibility." We could not have described your life any better than this. In recognition of the contributions you have made to society, your community, and your alma mater,we are immensely proud to present you with the Dartmouth Alumni Award.