Comments:
Sorry I won't be able to be at the reunion. I do thank Bill Welter and all of the others that are organizing this. So what's happened since 1960?
Went to Loyola Academy, Loyola U, and then Nortwestern for law school. I think I became an attorney since I was good at debating in HS and got a free ride in college for debating. I did practice law for 19 years - most of it as an inside counsel for an investment subsidiary of Prudential in Chicago. What I remember the best was the eight years our offices were located on the 97th floor of the Sears Tower - it was always surreal.
In the early 90's our entire unit was offered a package, and I jumped at the chance. I knew it was change careers or have some type of middle age crisis.
Suppose I got a little ahead of myself. My senior year in law school met Sue at a party. We clicked rather quickly. She was a nurse at St Joseph's.
When I took a job for the Attorney General in Springfield, we were up and down Interstate 55 a LOT. We got married in 1972 and after another year in Springfield, moved to Wheaton, had two kids, and then build our current house in Geneva.
We have lived here so long our mortgage is paid off. Along the way, Sue has done public health nursing, hospice nursing, and school nursing. She describes herself as a nurturer. It really fits; can't imagine describing myself in one word as effectively as she does.
When I left the practice of law, I really didn't know what I wanted to do, but I had a feeling it involved speaking or teaching. At the time of my transition, one of the assessments I took was the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. I loved it so much I got certified to give it to others about 6 months after I took it. Recently I became the first Illinois resident to reach Master Practitioner status for the MBTI. I use it both in leadership development and team building. I am still in awe what a powerful instrument it is for team buidling. I have gotten so involved I am now on the national board of APT, which is the professional organization for MBTI. So if you know anyone in business who could use their work teams improved, please give them my name, number, and web site.
Along the way I also did contract training work for Fred Pryor, Development Dimensions International, and ComEd - most of it involving leadership training. Also joined National Speakers Association and became very involved in local chapter. Was president about 10 years ago and still am on the board.
What lies ahead? Hard to say...clearly our daughter will not let us leave the area even if we wanted to. We so look forward to watching those two little guys grow up. I always say we will be in our current house until we can't do the stairs anymore...so count on quite a few years more.
One of the advantages of being self-employed is that you don't have to officially retire; you just work less, and that is what I intend to do.
Don't hesistate to call or email, and if you know you will be out Geneva way for something, please let me know and perhaps we can meet. I'll try to make the 60th if we have one!!!
