Hey guys it is a report from Les! Les DeLaBriandes checks in!

Hey there SMCHS Grads:  Looking forward to our reunion. Should be a great time! Your power of persuasion prompts me to write a very brief bio and update, even though I'm not a fan of today's Social networking sites.  I'm not on Facebook, haven't tweeted or blogged, and detest texting. You have permission to disseminate this in any way you would like!

After St. Mary's, I graduated from U.S.F. with a degree in Industrial Relations (special emphasis in labor negotiations) and immediately went to work as a Business Representative for S.E.I.U. Hospital Workers Union in San Francisco.  Spent nearly twenty years in that field, including a nine year stint in Denver Colorado, building a Local Union with a very broad base of members. Including hospital workers, janitors, window cleaners, food service workers (on military bases), public employees, and even parimutual clerks at the dog and horse racing tracks. Quite an adventure. Organizing Kaiser Permanente was one of the highlights, with true collaborative bargaining, resulting in a mutually beneficial contract that carries on today.

I returned to California which resulted in another twenty year career; this time in the construction industry.  I linked up with my good friend Robert Dicely and started pounding nails.  We worked together building two projects for me, then I worked for him running projects, then again on joint projects etc.  We both became contractors and shared crews to get jobs done - of course on time and within budget! Good times as well. We both live in Sonoma County and see each other often.  We will come to the reunion together, and pick up our friend Kris Dern on the way.

Moving back to California was the best move ever.  I met and married my wife Donna  (together 33 years now).  Donna is a full time artist. She attended the Academy of Art in San Francisco, and graduated from U.S.F as well. She teaches art at Santa Rosa Junior College as well as holding private workshops and travel trips for artists. Our life now revolves around Art and Jazz and travel. Although I never stopped playing, I rekindled my love of the Saxophone and have been playing in numerous Jazz and Salsa bands in Sonoma County for the past twenty years. "Jazz for All Occasions".  When I retired, I spent three years taking performance jazz classes at SRJC and workshops at Sonoma State.  A lot of work, but very rewarding.  Of course I play at all of Donna's art receptions and gallery openings. 

Travel Highlights:

Rob Dicely and I both had Honda 750 motorcycles. Mine was stock and of course Rob's was chopped with a special tank, forks and paint job!  Both beautiful in their own way.  In the summer of 1971 we took our wives on a six state tour of the Pacific Northwest up through Vancouver Island, British Columbia over to Calgary and Banff, home through Montana, Idaho and Nevada. One we will always remember, camping all the way.

In 2001 my wife Donna and I traveled Europe for our second trip, but this time we arranged to meet my family in St. Malo, France. A wonderful and gracious experience.  The family has kept track of all of the US descendants with a family tree; and opened their hearts and homes to us.  They are still grateful for the Americans literally saving them in World War II.

That's it in a nutshell; St. Mary's gave us all a great start in life!