Colonel White High School Class of 1965 © 2004 :: Featured Alumni

Featured Alumni

Barb Grewe

Hello, Classmates. I'm Carol Flinspach Yinger and we are pleased to have with us today Barbara (Grewe) Gorman. Barb, thanks for agreeing to tell us about yourself and what you’ve been doing since graduation from Colonel White. Where are you living and working now?

I’m living at 7068 Vailsgate Court, Liberty Township, Ohio 45011. For the past 30 years, I’ve been working at Ford Development Corp. in Sharonville (Ohio) and am currently the CFO/Controller.

You’ve done very well, Barb. Would you tell us a little bit about your family?

My father is deceased and my mother (Elizabeth) lives in Blairsville, Georgia. I have 9 siblings scattered around the world.

Please tell us about some other jobs you’ve had since graduation.

When I worked at Dayton Walther, I was Secretary and Production Superintendent. Later, I was a secretary at Chrysler Airtemp, Price Brothers, and Dues Building Systems (all in Dayton) before moving to Cincinnati in 1973.

Barb, did you go on to college after Colonel White?

Yes, I went to UD and UC, taking night classes and trying to be a Civil Engineer; but I ended up an Accountant . . . go figure!

What are your hobbies and other interests?

I enjoy flying, horseback riding, gardening and raising Boxer puppies.

That must be fun….raising puppies. Have you had any memorable trips or job assignments?

Once I took a two-week vacation to California that lasted two years! That was great fun.

Barb, what do you feel are some of your accomplishments or achievements?

I’ve earned my pilot’s license (single engine) and am currently working on my IFR. IFR is Instrument Flight Rating. This rating allows you to fly in inclement weather, through clouds. Not sure how brave I will be the first time I fly into a rain storm. Frankly, it is the hardest I have worked for anything in my life.

That would be really exciting! Do you have any regrets, Barb?

No, none.

Do you think that your job and life are where you thought they would be when you in high school? Why or why not?

Pretty much! Although I thought I would be a Civil Engineer but ended up as an Accountant.

If you could start over, Barb, would you or would you not make the same choices you did the first time around?

Yes, still the same.

Please share with us some of your favorite memories of Colonel White, Barb. Who were your favorite teachers and classes?

Coach Eby was my favorite teacher, and Business and Business Math were my favorite classes.

Who were some of your special friends at Colonel White?

JoAnn Gaffney, Doug and Jim Markwood, and Patti Gore.

Barb, what are your plans for the future.

I hope to retire in five years, then I want to own/run a horse farm and raise Boxer puppies!

That sounds like a lot of fun. Do you have any words of wisdom, comments or messages for our classmates, Barb?

Greet each day with a smile – you never know who you will meet and the challenges that you will face.

Well, that's about it for this edition. I hope that you have enjoyed your stay. Don't forget that in a couple of weeks, we will have another exciting interview to share with you. Until then this is....

Carol Flinspach Yinger