Winner for September 2003

John Wold
St. Charles, Illinois

He won in March, 2000, so his prize for the second time: Godiva Caramel Nouveau Collection plus Nut and Caramel Assortment and Pumpkin Patch Truffles

Over 50% of the judge panel voted it as the best joke, several saying, it was the only one that made them laugh out loud.

Helga

It was a hot day in Minnesota. Helga hung out the wash to dry, put a roast in the oven, then went downtown to pick up some dry cleaning.

"Gootness, it's hotter dan hell today" she mused to herself as she walked down Main Street. She passed a tavern and thought, "Vy nodt?"

So she walked in and took a seat at the bar. The bartender walked up and asked her what she would like to drink. "Ya know," Helga said, "it is zo hot, I tink I'll have myself a cold beer."

"Anheuser Busch?" the bartender asked.

Helga blushed and replied, "Vell fine, tanks, und how's yer pecker?"

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John Wold and I have known each other from the very early days of the formation of the Association of Credit Grantors of Santa Clara County in the 1970's, where I was one of the former directors and president.

He was in charge of Trans World Credit for Northern California. John today is Division Vice President of the Trans Union Insurance. Actually, he calls himself a "retread".

After many years in the "retail department store credit business" he was hired by Trans Union ("This was many years ago," he adds) The name was "3C's", for Computer Credit Corp. The company purchased the local retail merchants credit bureaus in Los Angeles in the early 70's, and converted it to the new federal Consumer Credit mandates.

When he completed this, he says, "TRW came to town and took over. I had a good run and recaptured market share and expanded to other western territories." He left to become an entrepreneur in "...what turned out to be 15 years of interpenetrate highs and lows. One high, was starting www.Decisionet.com as a software publisher, with son Erik and wife Marilyn."

The product, CrediTRAX, is serving well over 100 Equipment leasing companies as the credit bureau access link used by System1 and Brokerware.

"The opportunity to return to Trans Union was too great to pass and we relocated to Beautiful St Charles, Illinois on the Fox River," he says. "Erik and Marilyn are doing well with the business, without me, though I think Erik would prefer the California climate!"

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Current year Joke of the Month winners

August
Dan Sorkin
Rossmoor, California
"Porsche"
(His award, $100 to his organization Stumps R Us)

July
Dan Sorkin,
Walnut Creek, California
"Sherlock Holmes"

June
Bob Teichman
Sausalito, California
(His prize: two .375ml 1995 Duckhorn
Merlot, Mt. Howell)

May
Connie Krehbiel
Vallejo, California
"Lady Goes to the Druggist"
Her prize, "Godiva Signature Ballotin 2 pound"
(67 pieces of chocolate)

April
Jerry Estruth,
San Jose, California

March
Walter J. Lunny, III
San Francisco, California
"Lars and Eric"
His prize," some "Johnson" t-shirts from www.coolrags.com

February
Jeffrey H. Reynolds, Ph.D.
Bethesda, Maryland
"Dachshund in Africa"
Prize a bottle of 1996 Rombauer Napa Valley Merlot.

January
Connie Kreibel
Vallejo, California
She wins a two pound box of
Schurra's European Chocolate
from Schurra's Candy Factory,
San Jose, California

Past Jokes of the Month

Year 2000

Year 1999

Year 1998