La Salle University La Salle University Digital Commons La Salle Magazine University Publications Summer 1985 La Salle Magazine Summer 1985 La Salle University Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.lasalle.edu/lasalle_magazine Recommended Citation La Salle University, "La Salle Magazine Summer 1985" (1985). La Salle Magazine. 91. https://digitalcommons.lasalle.edu/lasalle_magazine/91 This Book is brought to you for free and open access by the University Publications at La Salle University Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in La Salle Magazine by an authorized administrator of La Salle University Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Summer 1985 SL a l a l e A Quarterly La Salle University Magazine RONALD J. ZELLER President, Norwegian Caribbean Lines Volume 29 Number 3 LA SALLE Summer 1985 A QUARTERLY LA SALLE UNIVERSITY MAGAZINE (USPS 299-940) CONTENTS 1 THE SCHOLARLY ENTRE­ 39 AROUND CAMPUS PRENEUR Recent activity at La Salle included the an­ Or how an accounting major worked his nual commencement, surprising finishes by way through academic and legal circles to the forensics and baseball teams, and a become president of one of the world’s top golden jubilee for the man who served the organizations. longest term as president in the university’s history. 5 REMINISCENCE: CHARLES V. KELLY 44 ALUMNI NEWS A chronicle of some significant events in John Keenan profiles a retiring professor of the lives of the university’s alumni plus pic­ English who has earned a unique place in torial highlights of the annual Home­ La Salle’s history. coming. 8 HONOR ROLL OF DONORS Gifts and grants to the university exceeded $4 million in 1984-85. A complete report. CREDITS: Front cover and pages 2, 4, Ronald Roth-Watts; back cover and pages 43, 45, 48, 49, Mike Maicher; inside back cover and pages 5, 7, 8-37, 39, 41, 42, 51, Martha Ledger; 44 (left), Back Cover: Cy Coleman shows “President’s Medal” to members of the La Salle Music Theatre cast of “SWEET Charles F. Sibre; 47, Jules Schick. CHARITY,” Kathleen Andrews (left) and Andrea Woods. Robert S. Lyons, Jr., ’61, Editor James J. McDonald, ’58, Alumni Director ALUMNI ASSOCIATION OFFICERS Paul J. Kelly, III, ’78, President Nicholas M. Rongione, ’76, Executive Vice President Elizabeth G. Harper, '80, Vice President Louise Jackson Billups, '83, Secretary The Four Million, Page 8 James R. Yoa, ’66, Treasurer Golden Jubilee, Page 42 Alumni Homecoming, Page 48 La Salle Magazine is published quarterly by La Salle University, Philadelphia, Penna. 19141, for the alumni, students, faculty and friends of the University. Editorial and business offices located at the News Bureau, La Salle University, Philadelphia, Penna, 19141. Second class postage paid at Philadelphia, Penna. Changes of address should be sent at least 30 days prior to publication of the issue with which it is to take effect, to the Alumni Office, La Salle University, Philadelphia, Penna. 19141. Postmaster: send change of address to office listed above. Member of the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), The SCHOLAR Who Would Be PRESIDENT Ronald J. Zeller heads the world’s largest cruise line but he would feel just as comfortable in the classroom By Robert S. Lyons, Jr., ’61 e majored in accounting at La a Wharton School, at a Penn State, or at a Temple. Salle, then went to law school before I found the La Salle experience very broadening.” becoming a college professor. He A transfer student from the University of Penn­ loves spending time in libraries and sylvania, which he considered “a bit too large,” considers nothing more stimulating Zeller says that he was very influenced by such La than shaping the minds of young Salle professors as Joe Flubacher (“who I consider to people. So what is Ron Zeller doing be one of the world’s finest teachers”) in economics, as president of the world’s largest cruise line? Is this Joe Markmann and the late Mike DeAngelis in ac­ a temporary career stop before he moves on to some­ counting, and Gene Fitzgerald in philosophy. He also thing else like a college presidency or the U.S. Sen­ appreciated the heavy writing assignments required ate? in virtually every La Salle course. “I considered that “I’m a very competitive person,” says Ronald J. a very significant advantage,” he says. “A lot of prac­ Zeller, ’64, the president and chief executive officer tice in expressing oneself has been helpful both in the of Norwegian Caribbean Lines. “I’m also a bit of an practice of law and also in the business world. It’s all academic, an enthralled person even today.” Before how you express yourself, either orally or in writing. taking over the company that controls upwards of It’s a reflection of your personality. If you’re sloppy 40% of the world-wide passenger cruise business, about it, then you are going to be perceived as being Zeller helped to win one of the largest court settle­ sloppy. The same is true with oral expression.” ments in Florida’s history. He has also played a major Like many of his classmates, Zeller had completed role in developing a billion dollar tourist industry in his military obligation in the (U.S. Navy Reserves) Miami. before attending college. During his senior year, he Actually, had it not been for his wife’s married his wife, Ceil, a nursing graduate of Vil- “claustrophobic” feeling about living in the midwest, lanova who was in the process of earning her master’s Zeller might still be teaching at Eastern Michigan degree in pediatric nursing at the University of Penn­ University. Then again, had it not been for his wife’s sylvania. Noticing that he seemed somewhat less than influence and encouragement, Zeller could still be enthusiastic about accounting. Ceil showed him a working in Philadelphia as an accountant. But that’s catalogue describing a combined MBA/Law Degree getting ahead of our story about an attorney whose program at Cornell University and suggested that career as a specialist in international business and maybe he should do something else with his career. taxation has carried him from Ypsilanti to South “It stimulated me so I started to think about a com­ Korea, from Philadelphia to Scandinavia, from the bined program,” Zeller recalls. Middle East to Miami where he lives today. Zeller’s company, Norwegian Caribbean Lines, has "I" he Zellers wound up at Ohio State University, Ron been doing business in the United States since 1966. in the combined MBA/Law program; Ceil on the fac­ It owns eight large vessels including the Norway, the ulty in the School of Nursing teaching pediatric nurs­ world’s largest passenger ship. Originally christened ing. By the end of the year, he had decided to pursue the France, this 2,000 passenger liner completed 377 law school studies exclusively. After graduation, he Atlantic crossings before laying idle in Le Havre for taught and practiced law at Eastern Michigan Univer­ five years. It is now the Norwegian Caribbean Lines’ sity, in effect holding down two full-time jobs and flagship, sailing to Caribbean ports out of Miami. rising to the rank of associate professor. “I was per­ Another NCL division, Royal Viking Lines, handles fectly content there,” Zeller says. “I was on a fast world-wide cruises from'San Francisco. Norwegian track and I was getting quality experience. But my Caribbean Lines carries more than 300,000 passengers wife was not happy in Michigan. She’s originally from annually; its employees represent 38 nationalities. Atlantic City and she was claustrophobic, if you will, Zeller has fond memories of his undergraduate even in Michigan with its 10,000 lakes. But at that days. “I thought La Salle provided an absolutely fan­ point, down the road a few years I knew that I had tastic education,” he recalled recently while sitting in to move on and just practice law. Even though I en­ his spacious offices high atop One Biscayne Tower joyed teaching tremendously, there were more and overlooking the port of Miami. “The beauty to me was more conflicts between the two.” that they permitted me to be an accounting major, but Having been intrigued by Florida’s weather while allowed me to take a host of liberal arts courses that visiting relatives, the Zellers decided to head south. the typical business major would not be allowed in “From what I had read and heard, I could see that La Salle, Summer 1985 1 Z E L L E R -continued Miami and South Florida was potential in its greatest Miami represents 60 to 70 per cent of all cruising magnitude,” says Zeller. ‘‘I likened it to Los Angeles worldwide. It’s a very large percentage.” in the 1950’s.” Although he wasn’t a member of the Meanwhile, while this case was in its various stages Florida Bar, Zeller knew what he wanted to do—be of appeal, Zeller started helping Kloster with some a business lawyer. By his second interview, he had corporate details. Soon he became NCL’s outside gen­ landed a job with Patton and Kenner, a small eral counsel. He also began doing a considerable ‘‘boutique-type law firm in Miami, with such clients amount of work for other clients overseas. Florida as Storer Broadcasting, Prentice-Hall, and Firestone. was hit hard by a recession in 1974-75. The real estate Soon he was working on a number of important pro­ market was a disaster, especially in south Florida. jects like the Northeast Airlines merger. He quickly Then the gas crisis hit.