* denotes Alumni Trustee elected for four-year term
Jonathan D. Albert ’79
J. Hord Armstrong III ’59
Drummond C. Bell III ’63
Henry G. Brauer ’74
Jennifer L. Burns ’93*
Irene Chu
John W. Dayton ’64
J. Kingman Gordon ’88*
Holcombe T. Green III ’87
Jonathan M. Harris ’90
Sarkis D. Izmirlian ’90
James A. Jacobson ’62
Jay F. Krehbiel ’97
Karin B. Kukral
Leslie H. Lanahan ’73
William R. MacMullen ’78, Headmaster
Paul T. McGowan
Amish H. Mehta ’91
George B. Moore ’87
Rodman W. Moorhead III ’62, Board Chair
Nancy N. O’Neill
Donald Pascal, Parents’ Fund Chair
Maris Pascal, Parents’ Fund Chair
E. Marc Pinto ’79
Grant A. Porter ’69
Lexi Brownell Reese ’92*
G. Carter Sednaoui
Dylan T. Simonds ’89, Annual Fund Chair
John G. Taft ’72
Hank L. Torbert ’90
Steven B. Turner ’86*
Archbold D. van Beuren ’75
Abra Prentice Wilkin
Yi-ming Yang ’87
Joanne K. Ziesing ’78
Taft Alumni Trustee
J. Kingman Gordon '88
As a lowermid, Kingman was excited to escape New York City for the wilds of Watertown. Over his fours years, he was elected to Class Committee for three straight years and served as chairman for two, before being elected head monitor his senior year. Kingman contributed to two winning varsity football seasons, and captained the JV lacrosse and thirds hockey teams. Kingman received the 1908 Medal and though he was labeled “Senior Chick” in the Annual, he was proud to hear Coach Stone announce that “Gawdon came to Taft as 6'5" marshmallow, but he leaves as a man of steel.”
Kingman graduated from Middlebury College with a B.A. in American studies. There, he participated in intramural sports and continued to hold leadership positions in student government and in his fraternity. He also co-founded the Sherwood Society, which donates time and raises money for local Vermont charities.
After college, Kingman backpacked around the world for 10 months. He then settled back in New York, where he began his career in advertising at Ammirati & Puris, working on such accounts as Compaq and RCA. He moved to San Francisco to pursue opportunities in the start-up world, but was quickly scared off by the thought of working for companies that seemed to thrive despite not making any money. Kingman returned to advertising to work on the Microsoft account at McCann Erickson. In 2000, he moved into advertising sales with ESPN and soon became director for the Northwest, overseeing a team responsible for sales of ESPN’s multimedia TV, print and digital portfolio. In 2008, he joined the Wall Street Journal, where he helped launch WSJ Magazine internationally. He now oversees a team responsible for global multimedia advertising sales.
Despite the physical distance, Taft has always been near and dear to Kingman’s heart. He taught ESL at the Taft Summer School in 1989. He has served as head class agent for 10 years; has been the class secretary ever since leaving Main Circle; and has been an alumni interviewer. Kingman also contributes his time to Middlebury’s career advisory network and serves as an ongoing alumni interviewer for prospective students. Closer to home, he volunteers his time locally to the Golden Gate National Recreation Area.
Kingman lives his California dream in San Francisco with his wonderful family: wife Shelley; sons Stark, 3, and Cannon, 2; and their Newfoundland, Clyde, 9.
Each year, Taft alumni elect a member of their own to serve a four-year term on the school’s board of trustees.
Ballots are mailed in March and votes are due two weeks before Alumni Weekend, when the results are announced at the Alumni Luncheon.
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