Class News

Dick Ainsworth ’64 on his career, his friend Dick Cheney, and his relocation

March 30, 2020

Here is a communication from Dick Ainsworth, sent to Class Secretary Tony Lavely.

After a successful 48-year career as a US Navy officer (and combat-tested Vietnam veteran), financial and corporate business executive, and active philanthropist (all low-profile, by design), I finally retired in 1998 from HPM Partners (a New York and Cleveland-based financial and investment planning firm).

Since retirement, I have been actively involved in the following:

Private investor and consultant in common stocks, alternative investments, and opportunistic small business start-ups;
Investor and collector of fine art;
Residential real-estate investor (we own 4 homes);
Commercial real-estate investor;
Active philanthropist;
Civic and non-profit board member;
Non-profit and Republican Party activist fund raiser.
Political junkie and long-term friend and private confidante of Vice President Dick Cheney (who matriculated at Yale with the Class of ‘63)
Author and private creative writer (currently engaged in writing “Ainsworth Family Memoirs”);
Neighbor, friend, and fellow “chardonnay wine therapist” for and with Patience Humphrey, George’s bright and witty Irish widow.
In my “spare time,” I am also a five-year stage 5 kidney dialysis patient, immobilized and strapped into my Fresenius Corp. treatment chair three times a week, five hours per session (3 x 5 = 15 hours a week times 52 = 780 hours per year over the last 5 years … and for the rest of my life). My dialysis condition resulted in a cancerous left kidney which was surgically removed in 2000 and my impaired right kidney finally crapped out in 2016. This was all due to my unavoidable exposure to Dow Chemical’s deadly defoliant Agent Orange during my two years of Navy duty in Vietnam (1966-67). Although I have tried to maintain a positive “glass half full” attitude throughout these ordeals, my subsequent battle with our own Veterans Administration has been even more trying. I’ve requested they increase my disability status from 0% to 100%, but the. Civil Service lackeys won’t budge! My plans to get a favorable resolution will be an interesting story for another day. Stay tuned!

Below you can read how Dick Cheney surprised me on my 78th birthday and also about my upcoming relocation.

A Special Guest at the Club

by Lawrence McFadden (with Dick Ainsworth)

Published by The Union Club of Cleveland

The unexpected and secretive appearance of a VIP guest In our Club's lobby without prior reservations could throw anyone off their game. Add in the fact that a Secret Service agent accompanied the VIP guest in question, and we have the makings for an extraordinary day at the Club.

This scenario is precisely what played out at the Club early on a Tuesday morning In January. It began with long-time member Dick Ainsworth entering my office and informing me that he had a friend In the lobby who, due to a mix-up
at a local B&B, required overnight lodging and an even more urgently needed nap in one of the fourth-floor bedrooms.

As I walked into the lobby, I immediately recognized Mr. Alnsworth's cowboy-hat-wearing friend as former Vice President Dick Cheney. I later learned the former VP had risen at 4 a.m, at his home in McLean, VA, to catch an early flight to Cleveland to help his long-ago Yale college buddy Dick Ainsworth celebrate his 78th birthday. Although Mr. Ainsworth and the Secret Service had done well to keep the details of the day's events a secret, I knew that Mr, Ainsworth had reserved a Parlor Room to co-host a private fundralser luncheon with Mr. Cheney for his daughter, Representative Liz Cheney (R-WY). Ironically, Representative Cheney couldn't get out of Washington that day due to the political Impeachment mess.

As long-term, esteemed member Charles Bolton later said, the luncheon was a great success that refiected very well on the Union Club. Mr. Cheney's remarks showed a combination of witty humor, deep political Insights, and overall
friendliness to his audience in general, but especially to Mr. Ainsworth and his wife, Joan.

Later that day, the former VP met with members of the Ainsworth family and some 300 other guests at University Hospitals for a ceremony recognizing the Alnsworth's endowed Chair in Hematological Medical Research in honor of Dr. Lalltha Nayak.

Somewhat exhausted, they closed the evening wlth a memorable private dinner in Little Italy, and then retired early back at the Union Club. You never know what Is going to happen at any given day at our fine Club, but It was my great pleasure
to meet and serve Dick Cheney as my "uninvited guest" on this very special, rewarding day.

My Upcoming Relocation

A letter from Dick and Joan Ainsworth to family, friends, and neighbors

March 29, 2020

Only two years have passed since our last relocation letter to you which, at that time, had us moving to Fort Lauderdale for health reasons. Our original intent was to move South to avoid the rigors of Cleveland's harsh winters and their injurious impact on my critical kidney-dialysis routine (now three days every week, five hours per session).

As you will note from our new, dual-residential letterhead on the opposite side of this letter, we have decided to:

Sell our Ft. Lauderdale condo — too large and expensive — and
Sell our principal residence in Bratenahl — too large and very high real-estate taxes.

As part of our down-sizing strategy, we have purchased two mid-sized, luxurious condos, each having two bedrooms and two bathrooms, with waterfront views. One condo is located on San Diego Bay and the other in Bratenahl is on Lake Erie.

Meanwhile, we are busily involved in planning the renovations, gutting the interiors, and redecorating both condos. We are eagerly looking forward to completing the work this spring and moving into the San Diego condo for our winter months {starting in November) and back to Bratenahl in April or May for the beautiful summer months along Lake Erie.

Finally, here's hoping you and yours enjoyed a wonderful and joyous Holiday Season. We regret not having had more social contact with many of you during these past few hectic months, but we've been RATHER BUSY!

By way of a temporary farewell, please keep us in your prayers, good thoughts, and happy memories. Also, don't hesitate to give us a call whenever you might be at either the downtown San Diego harbor front, or in good old Bratenahl to check out our totally renovated, art-oriented condos.

Sincerely, and all our best,
Dick and Joan