Isaac Newton

Bill Baum
Retired Aerospace Engineer & Computer Scientist
Post-graduate studies in Law & MBA
Physical fitness trainer (weightlifting & bodybuilding & martial arts & nutrition)
Substitute high school teacher (Math; Science; English; Government; Physical Ed.; Psychology)
Editorial writer & political activist
Wildlife advocate & research ecology assistant (Grizzly Bear studies; global climate change)
Realtor in the wildlands-urban-interface
Advisor in land-use growth policy planning & subdivision regulations


[More detailed info under "comments" below.]

Grizzly Bear and mountain lion studies, global climate change studies, weightlifting & bodybuilding, politcal science studies incorporating psychology, reading & writing, research in metaphysics. A leg injury forced me to give up skiing, and another finger injury prevents tennis, golf, and bowling, but I can still hike, mountain climb, and horseback ride in the mountains. I use a tractor to mow 5 acres of land on my forested ranch, and giant snowblowers to keep my 120 yard driveway clear in winters of from 6 to 11 feet of snow.

None.

I retired early (56) from a career in Aerospace Engineering & Computer Sciences to move to Montana near Glacier National Park and The Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex in order to study grizzly bears and the effects of global warming on glaciations. I had visited this area over a 25 year period and decided I had to live out my retirement years in this “Last Best Place.” My modest historical BearKat Ranch homestead in Badrock Canyon was built in 1905 by Mr. Martin, who later founded the nearby town of Martin City in 1915 at the same time Jim Coram founded the town of Coram, both to provide a community for the workers who built the nearby Hungry Horse Dam completed and dedicated in 1953.

Unfortunately for me, my 13 year college academic history was insufficient to obtain government grant money, since I lacked wildlife biology and/or research ecology degrees, so my work was self-supported. I also became involved with memberships in numerous organizations: Audubon Society, Back Country Horsemen, Institute of Noetic Sciences, Montana Wilderness Association, Flathead Coalition, Headwaters Montana, Flathead Lakers, Center for the Rocky Mountain West Think Tank, Northwest Montana Association of Realtors (NMAR) Government Affairs Committee, NMAR Computer Technology Committee Chair, U.S. Border Patrol Citizens Advisory Committee, Governor Brian Schweitzer’s Roadless Rule Task Force & Flathead National Forest Management Planning Committee & Forest Land Taxation Advisory Council, Flathead Business & Education Council, Citizens For a Better Flathead, Glacier TechTable, Glacier Park Associates, Flathead County School District #6, et al. I also participated in numerous growth policy planning & zoning efforts: Whitefish, West Glacier, Hungry Horse, Badrock Canyon, and Flathead County. Currently, I am fixing the Desert Mountain TV District translator analog signal transmission problems, with subsequent conversion to digital signals, for the county commissioners, pro bono.

It was during these past 10 years (since the 40th reunion) that I discovered the satisfaction of writing newspaper editorials (200) for several local newspapers and Canadian newspapers. My previous technical writing career had involved DOD Top Secret projects that precluded my being a public figure: Gemini Space Capsule, Phantom F-4 Fighter Jet, MX-Peacekeeper ICBM, Star Wars Lead Engineer, and many classified programs involving information gathering via spy satellites. I was employed by Boeing, Lockheed-Martin, and numerous computer systems subcontractors. In those earlier years I also consulted to DOE Research Labs, NCAR, NOAA, and the Intelligence Community in computer sciences.

Mixed in with classified projects were occasional civilian, non-military projects involving consulting with the airline industry developing heuristic simulations; and producing the first two electronic newsroom computer systems at the Nashville Banner-Tennessean and the Jackson (Mississippi) Clarion-Ledger; and introducing computer graphics analysis capabilities into the telephone industry and state government (Colorado).

Along the way I vacationed throughout the world: England (3), France (3), Switzerland, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Holland, Alaska, Hawaii (3), Caribbean (3), Mexico (3), Canada (several); and traveled all of the lower 48 states (except North Dakota). My favorite places to vacation were the national parks throughout America and Canada that I spent all of 1996 visiting with a lady friend, putting 60,000 miles on my Ford F350 pick-up truck with topper. We skied, hiked, and horseback rode in the mountains, canoed and white-water river rafted, for 12 months on voluntary, self-imposed, work sabbaticals. Many close encounters with wildlife to tell about.

I feel I have a lot of experiences to bring to bear in writing editorials about a wide variety of complex political issues. I have met and spoken to many famous people along my journey to get here: President (US Army General) Dwight David Eisenhower (USA-R), President (General) Charles DeGaulle (France), President Bill Clinton (USA-D), Prime Minister (General) Moshe Dayan (Israel), Governor George Romney (MI-R), U.S. Senator Everett Dirkson (IL-R), U.S. Senator James Allen (AL-D), U.S. Senator Gary Hart (CO-D), U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch (UT-R), U.S. Senator Hillary Clinton (NY-D), USAF General George Casey, Sr. (BMO-Norton AFB), USAF General McCartney (BMO-Vandenberg AFB), USAF General Robert Herres (NORAD), U.S. Astronauts (USAF Colonels) James “Mickey” McDivitt, Sally Ride, and Ed White, and our triumvirate of Governor Brian Schweitzer (D) - U.S. Senator Max Baucus (D) - U.S. Senator Jon Tester (D) here in Montana. (My full list is over 100 people….Joe Dimaggio, Robert Redford, Dr. Edward Teller, Seymour Cray, Michael Martin Murphy, et al.)

My reputation is one of being a greenie, tree-hugging, liberal, but that is only deserved on the subjects of wildlife survival, wilderness ecology conservation, protection of the environment, and government regulation of corporate greed and misconduct representing capitalism gone wild. I can be quite conservative on subjects of gun ownership, bundle of property rights, law & order, free market enterprise systems, unobtrusive government, and fiscal responsibility. Most social issues find me spinelessly moderate. In any event, the average of my viewpoints are set in a politically independent, but forceful tone to try to be influential and foster change amongst this ultra-conservative majority Flathead County, Montana community I am dedicated to serve from a minority position. It is my way to “give back” to society.

I don't get any local human visitors to the BearKat Ranch with a creek running through it, near the designated scenic Flathead River, since I share the acreage with grizzly bears, black bears, mountain lions, lobo wolves, coyote, swift fox, raccoons, skunks, moose, elk, white tail deer, badgers, wolverines, and two stray cats [one has been eaten by a mountain lion] that adopted me. I am not a hunter and my calm body language and non-threatening emitted energy field provide me safe passage amongst the wildlife I share my ranch and fruit orchard with. On rare occasions I get lady visitors from out of state who have no fear of wildlife or the wilderness. (I am currently single....and have no family.) On more frequent occasions I have close encounters with wildlife critters, but have never been harmed. Many stories to tell.

The time period from 1961 to the 40th reunion was better covered in my previous submittal of a bio at that time. This submittal primarily covers these past 10 years up to this 50th reunion.

I am interested in hearing from old friends and reading their bios.

E-mail contacts only, please. GrizzlyBill@centurytel.net

Mumford High School (College Prep) [Baseball; basketball; cross-country]
Wayne State U. (Engineering) [Rowing; chess; class President]
U. of Michigan (Math; Engineering; English; Psychology) [Intramural baseball; basketball; football]
St. Louis U. (Law)
U. of Miami (MBA)
U. of Alabama (MBA)
Real Estate License (CO, NY, MT)
Real Estate Appraisal (CO, MT)

My only memories of Mumford were the conflicts of focusing on studies so I could be accepted to a college vs. the distraction of all of the pretty girls. I only scored 96 percentile on the National Merit Scholarship Exam when a 97-99 percentile score was required for a college scholarship. Thanks, Georgene and Margi!!! :>)