If I Knew Then Advice on careers, finance, and life from Harvard Business School's Class of 1963

Judy Ley Allen on Turning Points

The death of President John F. Kennedy changed my career direction. After the Harvard Business School, I was hired to be the assistant to the partner of land planning and economic analysis for the architectural firm of John Carl Warnecke & Associates in San Francisco. As a future land developer with my family, I felt this would be a good experience and add to my knowledge.

But within three weeks of joining the firm, President Kennedy was assassinated. Five days later, I was in Washington, D.C. as the assistant to John Carl Warnecke, the chosen architect for the “final resting place” for the president. It was a fascinating assignment, a real participation in the history of the country, and a chance to witness some of the great operatives in our government at that time.

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