Though I have little present recollection
of it, I am told that I was born at a fairly early age in Syracuse,
NY. At the time of my birth, I was young and innocent and totally
unable to spell. I am proud to say that I have maintained my innocence
of spelling to this day.
I passed through the Syracuse City Schools, though my teachers
would strongly agree that I was not educated therein. Somehow I managed
to graduate, with honors, from Syracuse University, majoring in contract
bridge with a minor in physics, and thereafter from Syracuse Law School.
By some miracle of obfuscation, I passed the New York Bar, and vowed
never to pass another bar without stopping in for at least one drink.
After Law School I accepted a position with the U.S. Government
in Washington, DC, where my efforts left it in such a state of disarray
and confusion that much of it still remains. Thereafter I returned
to Syracuse to join the legal staff of Carrier Corporation as a patent
attorney. Most of my career with Carrier was spent drafting and negotiating
international technology and trademark license agreements with companies
outside of the United States. I was uniquely qualified to fulfill
that international mission because, as one Carrier Vice President
remarked, “Frank will eat food that even a goat would pass up.”
I think it was the bowl of baby eels that he watched me eagerly consume
for lunch one day in Spain, which prompted that remark. In fact, I
did eat a goat on another occasion, but it was cooked, unlike the
live shrimp I was served in China -- oh, yes, you eat the heads too.
I’ve been a Rotarian for about twenty five years and
have a number of other interests, ranging from photography, the arts,
sports cars, computers, and shortwave, illegal and amateur radio.
I am a Past Director of the Syracuse International Photographic Exhibition,
Past President of Allied Arts of Syracuse, Past Director of the Corvette
Club of Syracuse, Past Assistant Regional Executive of the CNY Region
of the Sports Car Club of America, Past President of the Syracuse
Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution and a Past Governor
of the Century Club of Syracuse. Currently I am an Honorary Member
of the Dewitt Rotary Club, the Chancellor of the Empire State Society
Sons of the American Revolution, Vice president our Homeowners Association
and serving a second three year term on the Vestry of our church,
where I am driving it into bankruptcy as chair its Finance Committee.
I also spend a lot of time helping others with small computer problems,
because of my natural ability to turn a minor problem into a major
catastrophe in minutes!
