VILLAGE VOICES
Joyce Venezia Suss
Occupation: Chief technology officer at a medical device company. Age: Old enough to have sat in the peanut gallery on the Howdy Doody show! Number of years I have lived in Ridgewood: 19. Interests and hobbies: Dance, science, puzzles, geopolitics. My favorite place to relax in Ridgewood: The hammock in my backyard with Shumi, our Shetland sheepdog, keeping me company. A "perfect day" in Ridgewood: A slice of pizza from Renato's and a black-and-white milkshake from Maggie Moo's. The best-kept secret in the village: Where to find a parking space. The best thing about Ridgewood: The 4th of July parade! It's a great slice of Americana. Having grown up in New York City, it absolutely amazes me that people set out chairs to reserve spots and when the parade starts several days later the chairs are still there! Incredible! The best part of my job: Developing technical innovations that have never been done before. The most difficult part of my job: Dealing with financial uncertainty. I am most proud of: My son and daughter (college freshman and sophomore at RHS). Something no one knows about me: I love old black and white movies. The quality I like best about myself: Intellectual curiosity about the world. The quality I like least about myself: I can barely carry a tune. My motto: Think before you speak. I laugh at: Marx Brothers movies. I am really good at: Tutoring math and physics. |
Something you'd never guess about me: I have a PhD in physics from MIT and hold 10 patents. A favorite memory: When my newborn daughter, Sophie, arrived home from the hospital, my 3-year-old son, Daniel, cradled her in his arms, and then looked up and said, "Mommy, where's my hammer?" Before I die I'd like to: Try parachuting. Books I am currently reading: Manic, Startup Nation, The Looming Tower - Al Qaeda and the Road to 9/11. Something that's been on my mind lately: The high cost of healthcare. Something that scares me: The political fringe. I will never understand: The attraction of Twitter. I wish I could invent: A way to restore vision for the visually impaired. My guilty pleasure: Smoking a cigar at an all-night poker game. My idea of happiness: Tap dancing to some great 40's music. My hero: My wife, Melinda. A talent I would like to have: To tap dance like Gregory Hines (too bad I waited until my 50s to try tap.) My greatest regret: Not playing a musical instrument as a child. I began piano lessons at age 26 and secretly envy the students in the RHS music programs, especially the jazz and marching bands! My favorite journey: Working in Israel for two years, and traveling there 30-40 times since then. A person I admire: Fareed Zakaria, for his brilliant articulation of world history and current events. My most treasured possession: Memories of my father for his integrity, work ethic, and wry sense of humor. Something I wish you asked me: Would you like to go out for a beer? And my answer: You betcha! |
CHRIS PETERS; STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Bob Sohval, a 19-year village resident,
enjoys a slice of pizza at Renato's, one of his favorite
places to relax in Ridgewood.
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