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Heluva Great Gift
John Yancey '67 found professional success and satisfaction moving up the ranks of his family’s business, “Heluva Good Cheese,” after four years of Babson College. Still, he wanted a greater challenge. Now semi-retired splitting time between Florida and New York, John established his own food brokerage after the sale of the family business. The brokerage evolved into “Yancey’s Fancy,” another successful cheese business. Proud of his achievements in the business world, John continues to show his faith in New Hampton School by investing in its future, most recently in the form of a pledge toward the Meservey restoration.
John Yancey '67 found professional success and satisfaction moving up the ranks of his family’s business, “Heluva Good Cheese,” after four years of Babson College. Still, he wanted a greater challenge. Now semi-retired splitting time between Florida and New York, John established his own food brokerage after the sale of the family business. The brokerage evolved into “Yancey’s Fancy,” another successful cheese business. Proud of his achievements in the business world, John continues to show his faith in New Hampton School by investing in its future, most recently in the form of a pledge toward the Meservey Restoration.
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Q&A WITH JOHN YANCEY ’67
Tell us a bit about your NHS experience. What brought you to the school?
I spent only one year at New Hampton as a postgraduate year, and it became a positive force that set me on the right course for both future education and my career. I had graduated from my local high school with the expectation of going directly to college. Due to the fact that I was the youngest in my graduating class, my father suggested I follow in his footsteps and do a PG year. His experience at a small private school in nearby Hanover led us to the small and quaint village setting of New Hampton, and Headmaster Moore’s great warm welcome sealed the deal.
Who was your favorite teacher and why?
My favorite teacher at NHS was Mr. Rice, who was not only my English teacher, but my soccer and track coach. His laid-back demeanor when dealing with the misadventures of young students stands out. His coaching skills led us to the Lakes Region championships in 1966 and again in 1967. I was fortunate enough to be the center forward on that talented team in 1966, and was very sorry to hear of his passing.
What was one of your fondest memories at NHS?
One of my fondest memories was driving to Boston from New Hampton via Brunswick, Maine (Bowdoin College) with my great friend Jimmy Kaufman ’67 in my brother’s yellow 1966 Corvette 427 convertible.
What prompted you to make a gift in support of the Meservey restoration and GO BEYOND?
I firmly believe in giving back and gifting to worthy efforts surrounding education. This supports my belief. I long ago established a habit of gifting modest amounts to New Hampton’s Annual Fund, which in turn has helped me maintain the New Hampton connection. The timing of the GO BEYOND campaign was perfect to enable me to fulfill the thought of a meaningful gift.
What are some of your impressions of NHS today?
My reconnection with New Hampton has been great. What I love about New Hampton is the small community feel. My semiretirement combined with the renewed contact from Andy Cohen ’67 and Andrew Menke has kept my enthusiasm for New Hampton alive. My wife and I attended the most recent Reunion and were delighted to see how the campus has evolved. The effort to exceed the expectations of all existing and potential students was transparent.
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