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The 16th Annual Stevens Athletics Golf Outing on June 20th is on course to be a great day for giving back and for golf enthusiasts, says Joe Weber ’64. And how could it not? The event pairs two things that any Stevens alumni can appreciate: showing support for one’s school and the chance to network with fellow classmates. Weber has been helping with the outing for the last three years and this year is no exception. He’s expecting to host four foursomes this year, including his cousins, who have been attending golf outings with Joe for almost a decade. It’s become an annual Weber family tradition, with relatives traveling from Florida and Ohio to attend the big event. Working with Stevens has been a “win-win” for Joe, who added, “It was better than doing it on my own.”
The exuberant Weber has volunteered at Stevens for many years. To say he likes helping out might be a bit of an understatement. Typically, he attends about 20 to 25 events and meetings each year, he said. In 2013, he was chair of the Joint Awards Committee that selected award winners for the first annual Stevens Awards Gala. Over the years, his involvement has reached many levels. He was the former president of the Alumni Association and a member of the Board of Trustees for years. Additionally, he was his class captain for fundraising for over 25 years. Before he retired in 2016 as its Division Engineer, his employer, ASCO Power Div. of Emerson Electric Co., previously matched his donation at the annual Stevens Athletics Golf Outing. Some companies will even double or triple match a donation, which is great, he said. “I thought this was a good gig – for a company to match your donation. You help the school out and play golf,” said Weber.
The golf outing will be held on Wednesday, June 20th, rain or shine. It will be held at the Arcola Country Club, a private, members only golf club in Paramus that was designed by Herbert Barker. The day of the event starts with breakfast at 7 a.m. and then begins at 8 a.m. with a shotgun start. Following the 18 hole course, there will be a lunch reception at noon that includes a two-hour open bar, plus a raffle, a silent auction and an awards ceremony featuring some great prizes. Joe says that the tony greens of Arcola aren’t to be missed and can’t be compared to ordinary public courses. It’s also an opportunity to play a spectacular fairway for no extra burden of costs because it is a charity event, says Joe, who adds that he can only afford a public course when picking up the tab for his cousins. “This is a country club course, so it’s great,” he said. “It’s a professional course.”
While there are things that Joe takes seriously, his ability to actually play golf well is not one of them. “I don’t golf as well as I engineer. The last birdie I got died,” he said. What is more important is the chance to catch up with friends, network, and enjoy the day. And even more importantly – a chance to do some good. Joe says it is important to give back to your school. “As an engineer, I was hired by a Stevens graduate. We know we’ve been educated well. We hire folks who have been well educated. That’s why I love the school,” he said.
Perhaps the single most important thing he got from his Stevens education was the ability to “understand the theoretical.” “You understand how everything works,” he said. After graduating Stevens, Joe completed a masters in electrical engineering from NJIT in ’71. While he is retired from the daily obligation of work, he still does consulting work for his last employer. He has only ever worked for two companies, he said, always working in electronics and manufactured products. During the course of his long and successful career, he and his team had several U.S. patents. Currently, he is rewriting one of the electrical code books.
Joe has spent most of his life giving back and his philanthropy extends beyond Stevens. In addition to the work he has done for the Alumni Association, Joe was a member of the Glen Ridge Kiwanis Club for 20 years and also a member of the Catholic Alumni Club of North Jersey for 10 years. Given his gregarious nature and motivation to help out, it’s not surprising to learn that he served as president to both of those organizations. “I’ve always been a volunteer,” he said. “I’ve been the president of my Kiwanis Club. I’ve been very active in volunteering.” Ultimately, Joe hopes that the annual golf outing will continue to grow and attract other alumni. “It would be great to get other classes involved,” he said.
For more information about the outing or sponsorships, contact Emily Kaczmarek, Assistant Athletic Director, at 201.216.5078 or ekaczmar@stevens.edu
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