Richard "Dick" Ollen, BA'55
On Coach Joseph Zabilski and the many hats he wore in the athletics department: “The football coach was Joe Zabilski. Joe was also the track/field event coach. Joe was Joe. He went out the way to say ‘hi’ to everybody ... He was the field event coach as well as the football coach, as well as the basketball coach.”
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Dick Ollen, top row, second from left, was the captain of the Northeastern track team.
On the university’s physical grounds in the 1950s: “Way back then, well, you know where all the trees are and how beautiful it is now—it was all hard top. Richards Hall was there, that was the biggie and they were just finishing up what became the library [Dodge Hall]. It was just getting started in terms of building and schools.”
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Dick in his New Hampshire home.
On being featured in Sports Illustrated in the 1950s: “A kid from Cranston, Rhode Island! Yeah it was marvelous.”
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Dick finishing a cross country race.
On his co-op experiences: “Back in those days there had been a lot of guys in the [military] service who had come out…they had active duty and had actually fought battles, but I had just come out of high school so I was the young kid on the block. I worked in the actuarial department and I just had a job.”
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Dick surrounded by Northeastern memorabilia in his home in New Hampshire.
On meeting former university president Carl Ell:
“Carl was nice. He was a presidential-looking guy.”
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This interview is available in its entirety in the Northeastern University Archives. Photos: University Advancement Office, and Cauldron yearbook.
Biography
Dick Ollen has a stellar track record—literally. While working toward his undergraduate degree in business, which he received from Northeastern in 1955, the now retired business executive was also a “miler” for the men’s track team, regularly competing against the best times set for the 4-minute mile. The same hard work and dedication that Dick brought to his athletic pursuits helped lead to his success as a Northeastern student and ROTC member, and later to his entrepreneurial career in insurance, banking, and advising.