Barry Woods

NO PICTURE

11/17/00

After graduation I joined the Navy, went to radar school and spent most of my tour on ships in the western Pacific. I made two tours in Vietnam and was on board a ship which was attacked at the Gulf of Tokin incident. Any of you folks remember this event will recall this was the point which President Johnson used to increase our country's involvement. While I enjoyed my tour in the Navy, I miss those we lost or who were wounded. Moving on, I left the Navy and I have had the pleasure of working for several companies (such as ITT, Raytheon & Bendix) in the field of international governmental relations specializing in telecommunications. This has given me the opportunity to travel, work and live in many countries in the world. I have been based in Brussels, London, Rio, Montevideo, Beijing and more than I can remember. I love history and geography and I have enjoyed seeing it first hand while making a good living.

During this period, I have been married two times. I have two children, boy & girl, who gave me three grandsons.My current wife, Gale, and I have four children. My oldest son, is 24 in Computer art/design in Chicago, oldest daughter is 22, going to college at LSU, the next is a very soon to be 18 year old daughter who is still deciding which college, but is leaning towards to FSU or LSU, our youngest is almost 17 who is hoping to get his driving license tomorrow.

About 10 years ago I decided I had enough of travel and the toll it takes on a family and personal health and I started my own governmental relations/counsel business. While I continue to have business relations with foreign companies, my primary focus is with governmental business in Louisiana. While I am a one-man operation, I have been fortunate to develop a small/selective client base; my business has grown well. My stroke has impacted me I still have the ability to satisfy my clients. While as all of you will remember, I was not the best student, and bless Ms. Bowers, Regan and (always pulling her bra straps) Hudson did their best efforts to get me to study. I was too busy wise cracking, water skiing and chasing the girls in our class. Ms. Hudson told me that what you lack in grades you will make up in ability to dream big and BS your way through the rest (I think she was referring to Mr.Rou). While I can't remember all the past, I do recall some crazy times (Elmer if you out there, I hope you still remember the crazy stuff we did) and all those sweet girls who knew better than to hang out with a hog dog like me too long. I can't recall of this because of the affects of the stroke and those than I can, would only serve to upset the husbands and wives (including my own) so it best to let it rest. Lloyd has done a great job in helping us to relive our memories and sharing the information of those who have past from us.

You may be interested to know that during the '80's I was very involved in offshore powerboat racing. While we raced all around the U.S. and some other countries, based out of Ft Lauderdale, we won two world championships in 1981 & 1982 and the National championship in 1987. Perhaps you saw them, my first boat was called ACR SPIRIT and the last was ACR SYSTEMS. ACR Electronics sponsored the boats and received a lot of TV and magazine coverage, including the front cover of SI. Those boats were 38' twin hull designs that could go 150 mph in 8 to 10 feet seas. I got out the sport at the top, and I could not take another loss from the deaths of some of very good racing friends. Those were great days when I clearly was still young and more guts and money than brains. Sometimes I can't even believe it when my wife brings it up.

Hopefully I will have a chance to see you in the future, if not then I wish you good luck and every success for you and your families.