James Goggin

RICHARD GOGGIN made many contributions to the life of the Senior class by his jibes and quips. Hardly a situation arose in class that Ric failed to appraise. It was strictly "Grogan's" idea that the '52 Senior Prom dancers be enclosed by a white picket fence. Although he underestimated the paint necessary for the job, he managed to squeeze enough (four gallons) to finish the fence shortly before the prom began. Ric has done very well in his academic work, especially math, and should have a good foundation for the engineering course he is planning to take at U. of M.

Where to begin, well here goes!

Attended Husson College after graduating from John Bapst, earned a degree in Accounting in 1958.

Went with Mary Malone (the younger sister of fellow classmate, Geneva Malone Conners) through high school and college and we married in June 1958.

Left Bangor that fall to attend graduate school at Michigan State University. Mary earned her registered nurse degree from the Eastern Maine General and we struggled through graduate school.

Upon completion, I went with the Cadillac Motor Car Division of General Motors in Detroit. Lived in Dearborn, Michigan where our two children, Jeffrey and Janet, were born. Promoted to Assistant Controller, which required a transfer to General Motor's corporate offices in New York City. Lived in northern New Jersey in a beautiful little town, called Waldwick. Left GM for the position of Controller of Bristol Myers Corporation, still in New York City with offices overlooking the skating rink at Rockefeller Center.

Offered the Controller position for the Chemical and Plastic Group of Borg Warner Corporation in Chicago, Illinois. Lived in a great suburban community called Barrington. Advanced to Vice President of Finance with financial responsibilities worldwide. "Lived out of a suitcase" for four or five years, often traveling to Europe several times each month and less frequently to Japan, Hong Kong and Australia. Jokingly referred to having "lived in Europe for a year, a week at a time." Was able to take my wife along on many trips.

Continually expressed a desire to move into general management. Corporation submitted my name to Harvard Business School for acceptance into their International Senior Management Program for 1974, which is held on Mount-Pelerin, overlooking Lake Lucerne in Vevey, Switzerland. Program limited to fifty senior executives with international responsibilities, only three are allowed from the United States. It was a humbling and mind-blowing experience and after the sixteen-weeks, returned as a General Manager.

Not sure if it was a "mid-life crisis" or the Harvard experience, but got bitten by the entrepreneurial bug and left the corporate world in 1977. Wife thought I was crazy for purchasing the franchising rights to Arizona for a national hair salon franchise called, Command Performance. "Baby-sitting" ninety hairdressers, while building out and operating five locations was a "rude awakening" from that of the corporate world. Turned out to be successful and sold out in 1985.

After obtaining SBA loans to build out the franchise operations, I got to know the president of our bank, who then asked me to provide financial consulting services to their clients who were having problems with their businesses and repaying their SBA loans.

It sounded like fun and a real challenge. I soon realized that in addition to their loan problems, they had serious income tax and payroll tax payment problems. Viewing this as a business opportunity, I started a tax preparation and representation firm in July 1990, called Justax. The business took off and over the next two years, opened satellite offices in Tucson, San Diego, Orange County, Las Vegas and Albuquerque.

Late in the 1990's, the IRS eased up on their aggressive collection tactics and gaining new clients became more difficult, so we phased back to just the Phoenix office. Limited the business to the preparation of tax returns in contemplation of closing the business and retiring. At the request of long-term clients, agreed to continue preparing tax returns and relocated my office to north Scottsdale, close to my home.

Now have the best of both worlds, preparing tax returns for four to six months and goof off the rest of the year. Just celebrated our forty-fifth wedding anniversary, we try to spend as much time as possible out of Phoenix during the summer months.

Reflections over Fifty Years -

As a result of this reunion, I just learned that one of our classmates, Mary Jane Girouard, lives just two blocks away in the same subdivision. I have been unable to make contact with her as yet, but will continue to try.