2025 Crandall Challenge
Citation Winners
Carl Shaifer, WG’57
Philadelphia, PA
One of the original founders and chairs of WGES, Carl passed away in March 2025. He was what our generation would call a “Renaissance man.” His devotion to Wharton and WGES was exceeded only by his pride in residing in Philadelphia, the city where the greatest democracy in the world was founded. A man of many talents, he was a poet and author, as well as a champion wrestler at Princeton, where he received his undergraduate degree. He remained an athlete throughout his life. Above all, Carl was a warm, energetic friend to everyone he associated with — or simply met.
James Wilbur, WG’67
South Londonderry, VT
Following a financial career in New York, James retired to Vermont, where he has volunteered for a large number of public and nonprofit organizations. He has served as chair of the Stratton Foundation; Londonderry, VT trustee of public funds; chair of the Vermont Humanities Council; co-chair of the Glebe Mountain Group; treasurer of the South Londonderry Library Association; and treasurer of the Town of Londonderry, VT. He has also served on the board of the Mountain Valley Medical Clinic and as a fundraiser for the Nature Conservancy in Vermont, and is a member of the Dorset (VT) Corn Exchange.
Howard Kroplick, WG’73
Roslyn, NY
Following his professional career, Howard engaged in a number of historical preservation projects and community service projects centered on preserving Long Island history. He currently serves as co-president of the Roslyn Landmark Society and co-founder and president of the Long Island Motor Parkway Preservation Society. Howard has also served on the boards of Preservation Long Island and Long Island Historical Societies and is the author of books on the Vanderbilt Cup Races of Long Island and the Long Island Motor Parkway.
Honor Roll
Paul Bloom, WG’70
Durham, NC
One of the leaders of USA Triathlon, the nonprofit governing body of the sport. Over the years, Paul has served on three nonprofit boards — Girls on the Run Triangle, WomanCare Global, and Triangle Family Services — as well as on the marketing committees of the North Carolina Symphony and PlayMakers Repertory Theatre. Paul’s research contributions have been honored by Lifetime Achievement Awards from two bodies: the Marketing and Society Special Interest Group of the American Marketing Association and the New York University Center for Social Entrepreneurship.
Willem Adrianus de Bruijn, WG’67
Hoeilaart, Belgium
Willen is devoted to launching The Ethical Market Economy and has supported this effort as an international author and lobbyist of this effort.
James Fox, WG’77
Stamford, CT
James is a coach at Future 5 (“F5”) in Stamford, CT. During each of the past three years, James has coached a high school senior through the college admission process, including applying for Pell Grants and scholarships. Each of these students has received multiple offers at four-year colleges and is well on their way to an independent life. His objective is to help young people to achieve their full potential.
Phyllis Zimbler Miller, WG’80
Phyllis is the co-host of the Never Again is Now Podcast, which she initiated. She and her co-host interview people all over the globe (in English) about antisemitism and efforts to combat antisemitism. In recent years, her projects have been focused on Holocaust and antisemitism education, including her nonfiction Holocaust play, Thin Edge of the Wedge, and several film projects/screenplays.
Paul Neidhart, WG’70
Chagrin Falls, OH
Paul is a trustee of the Fieldstone Farm Therapeutic Riding Center Endowment Fund, serving special needs people, and of the Chagrin History Center, preserving the history of Chagrin Falls village since its founding in 1833. Fieldstone Farm serves nearly 1,000 horse riding participants annually, and the Chagrin History Center acquired two contiguous residences circa 1875 in recent years to house their substantial collection. The Community Life Collaborative is operating a forty-acre church parcel hosting a wide variety of community events. The Community Life Collaborative is only five years old.
Nicolas Vargas, WG’68
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Nicolas wrote a book about a neglected episode of life in the Dominican Republic during the successful U.S. military intervention in 1965. Nicolas’s book, At the Edge of the Storm, is available on Amazon Kindle.
Lawrence Wollin, WG’72
San Rafael, CA
Lawrence is an afterschool STEM teacher in Marin County, north of San Francisco. He also works as a special education teacher throughout the county as a rover. His objective in being an afterschool STEM teacher for grade school children is to expose them to subject areas that are taught on a limited basis in their classroom, including coding, science experiments, and building materials.