Olaf Haroldson

Olaf Haroldson, MD, a Princeton resident since 1974, passed away on Sunday, August 17, 2014. “Ole” was born in New York City and raised in Pompton Lakes, New Jersey. After graduating from the University of Michigan, he went on to serve his country as a Lieutenant in the United States Army during the Korean War. After the war, Ole attended medical school at the University of Michigan, becoming the president of his class. He completed his residency in otolaryngology at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital in New York City, where he remained as an attending physician until he relocated to Princeton in 1974.

He has been practicing in Princeton, Cranbury, and Monroe Township since then. He will be remembered not only as a renowned physician and gregarious man, but also as an inventor, an artist, and a composer. Ole is survived by his wife of 33 years, Carol; his five sons, Jeffrey, John, Tom, Brian, and Brett; his grandchildren, James, Libby, Katie, Coco, Sarah, and Catherine; his sister, Jean; and his beloved golden retriever, Callie. Consistent with his wishes and his lifelong devotion to medicine, his body has been donated to medical education. A memorial service will be held at Trinity Church in Princeton on Saturday, August 23 at 1 p.m.

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James J. Schiro

James J. “Jim” Schiro, former Chief Executive Officer of Zurich Financial Services and PricewaterhouseCoopers, passed away on August 13, 2014 after a courageous battle with multiple myeloma.

Jim was born on January 2, 1946 in Brooklyn, New York, son of Joseph and Mary Schiro and brother of Christina Schiro Scalise. He was proud of his Brooklyn roots and of being raised in a large, extended Italian-American family. Throughout his life, Jim carried with him the values he learned from his family and his Catholic faith: a strong work ethic, a passion for social responsibility, and an unfailing commitment to the highest ethical standards. Jim never forgot who he was or where he came from. Hard working from a young age, his first job was as a delivery boy for the local butcher. Jim worked his way through New Utrecht High School and was awarded a scholarship from the Knights of Columbus and Citibank to attend college.

Jim received a BS from St. John’s University in 1967, an MBA from Dartmouth College and an honorary Doctorate of Commercial Science from St. John’s University in 1995.

Jim joined the legacy Price Waterhouse in 1967 after graduating from St. John’s University and was admitted into the partnership in 1979. He held various roles of increasing responsibility, including Managing Partner of the New York office (1991-1995) and Chairman and Senior Partner of legacy Price Waterhouse from 1995 until the merger with Coopers & Lybrand in 1998. At that time, Jim was appointed Global CEO of the newly formed PricewaterhouseCoopers, one of the largest tax, accounting, and consulting firms in the world. Jim retired from the firm in 2002.

From 2002 to 2009, Jim served as the CEO of Zurich Financial Services. He joined the company shortly after the September 11th, 2001 terrorist attacks, when financial and market pressures on insurers were particularly pronounced. Jim was credited with turning around Zurich Financial, instilling financial discipline, centralizing processes, and returning the company to profitability. Barron’s magazine described him as “the Transformer” when the publication recognized Jim as a member of their Top CEO list in 2008 and 2009. Following hurricane Katrina in 2005, Jim was a key force in the rebirth of New Orleans. With Zurich Financial, he made the decision to keep the Zurich Classic golf tournament in that city.

Following Jim’s retirement from Zurich Financial Services, he served on several boards of directors, including lead director of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. and PepsiCo, Inc., as well as a board member of Royal Philips Electronics NV and REVA Medical, Inc. Jim also served on the US and Global Financial Services Advisory Board for CVC Capital Partners.

Throughout Jim’s life he was active in a number of non-profit activities, including serving on the Board of Trustees of St. John’s University and the Institute for Advanced Study. Jim served on the boards of the Geneva Association, Tsinghua School of Economics and Management, St. Michael Special School, Stuart Country Day School of The Sacred Heart, The Hun School of Princeton, McCarter Theater, The American Repertory Ballet, Bedens Brook Club, Jasna Polana, Initiative for a Competitive Inner City and Tri-State United Way Board of Governors. Jim was also a Knight of the Order of Malta.

Jim worked tirelessly to improve professional standards and the public sector through countless organizations and committees, including as Treasurer and Executive Committee member of the US Council for International Business, Vice-Chairman of the American Friends of Lucerne Festival, and the former Chairman of the Swiss-American Chamber of Commerce. He was a member of the Independence Standards Board of the US Securities and Exchange Commission, European Financial Services Roundtable, Business Council of the World Economic Forum, Foundation Board of IMD, U.S. China Business Council, former Chairperson of the Business Improvement District (BID) Task Force of the New York City Partnership/Chamber of Commerce’s Economic Development Committee, and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

He is the recipient of the Avenue of the Americas Association’s Gold Key Award, Ellis Island Medal of Honor, NIAF Achievement in Business award, American Jewish Committee’s National Human Relations Award, St. John’s University “Spirit of Service” honoree, and the Insurance Leader of the Year recipient from the School for Risk Management, Insurance, and Actuarial Science at St. John’s University.

Mr. Schiro was devoted, first and foremost, to his beloved family. He met his soulmate Tomasina at the age of eighteen. Through 46 years of marriage, they forged a true partnership and shared a deep love of and commitment to family, a love of global travel, reading, gardening, performing arts, opera, golf, culinary arts, as well as a commitment to public service with a special interest in education. They supported each other in all of their endeavors and passed on their values to their children, Justine and James.

Jim was an avid angler, a passionate golfer, and a wine enthusiast with a strong commitment to mentoring younger generations. He is also survived by his daughter, Justine, wife of Apostolos John Tsiouris; and James, Jr. husband of Aileen Brody Schiro and his beloved granddaughter Elisabeth.

Wake Services will take place at The Mather-Hodge Funeral Home in Princeton on Wednesday, August 20 from 6 to 9 p.m. and Thursday, August 21 from 1 to 3 p.m. and 6 to 9 p.m. Funeral services will be held at St. Paul’s Roman Catholic Church, located at 214
Nassau Street in Princeton on Friday, August 22 at 9:30 a.m.

In lieu of flowers or gifts, the Schiro family would be grateful for donations made in Jim Schiro’s name to: St. Michael Special School, 1522 Chippewa Street, New Orleans, LA 70130. www.stmichaelspecialschool.com.
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Charles Dewey Fetter

On August 16, 2014, Charles Dewey Fetter of Princeton, New Jersey and Ketchum, Idaho died at his vacation home in Ketchum after a courageous and inspiring 12-year battle against cancer. He was 70 years of age, but very young at heart. He was born on April 3, 1944 in Princeton, Indiana and spent most of his childhood in Louisville, Kentucky. He attended Butler University. He was the 1964 United States National Champion in Ice Dancing and a member of the U.S. World Figure Skating Team. He coached figure skating for 50 years at the Skating Club of New York, the Philadelphia Skating Club and Humane Society, Sun Valley, the Princeton Day School, and the Princeton Skating Club. In 1998, he started and became the president of the Skaters Fund, a 501(3c) for coaches and performing skaters who have fallen upon hard times due to accident, illness, or problems due to aging. A long-time member of the Professional Skaters Association (PSA), in 2011 he was given the Betty Beren’s Award presented to a coach who has overcome adversity — physical or emotional — who has continued in dedication and perseverance to serve their profession with dignity and fortitude. In 2012 he was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award for “Dedication and service to the PSA”. A loving, artistic, and joyful person, Charles was known for his booming laugh, his love of skating and teaching, and his ability to see only beauty and goodness in life. He will be greatly missed by everyone whose life he touched. Charles is survived by his wife of 23 years Alice “Sandy” McGlinn Fetter, his son Charles “Chase” Fetter, and daughters Hilary Howerton and Amy Fetter-Johnson, and his 7 grandchildren. In addition, he leaves behind his former wife, Sandra Fetter, his two stepsons Jim and Alex Connell, and two sisters Janet Sledge and Debbie Klempner. He was predeceased by his brother Mark Fetter and his parents Charles and Dorothy Fetter. All are invited to attend a reception in honor of his memory this Saturday, August 23 from 4 to 7 p.m. (location to be announced). In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in Charles’ name to the Skaters’ Fund (202 Park Knoll, Princeton, NJ), the Princeton Day School (P.O. Box 75 Princeton, NJ 08542), or Hospice and Palliative Care of the Wood River Valley (PO Box 4320, Ketchum, ID 83340).

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