They say that once you reach a certain age, there is a natural tendency to want to put your life in perspective, and write some things down before you forget them completely. My wife says if that’s true I reached a certain age 10 years ago, so this is long overdue. I still don’t know what she means by that (nor do I ever know what she means, so that’s natural too.) Anyway, here goes.

I graduated from NC State with commendable grades (I mean those of you who graduated in the top 10% can commend me for allowing you be there. Without the bottom 90%, where would you be then?) I immediately went out and gained meaningful employment since my Dad said I could not live that his house any more.

I spent 6 years with Factory Mutual Engineering, doing safety and health work for a major insurance conglomerate. After noticing that all of the upper managers came from the sales ranks, I immediately transferred into sales and spent 3 years getting a MBA from U of Texas at Dallas. I spent 11 years in the Dallas area and travelled mostly East Texas and Louisiana. In total, 16 years was all the fun I could stand, and took a job with a major insurance broker, who was taken over by an even more major broker (preview of things to come).

In all, I spent 30 years in the commercial insurance business, and became somewhat of a bellwether for corporate takeovers. I was with at least 3 brokers taken over by others and just wish I would have had more stock options. I was able to live in many exotic places such as Dallas, Orlando, and Birmingham (well maybe that one’s not so exotic).

I also spent almost 8 years in the middle of my career with FMI management consultants, which has been home to many of our illustrious brothers, too numerous to mention. However, I will mention a few that I are not too numerous and were helpful and inspirational to me as a student, coworker, and as a friend. I owe much gratitude to Floyd McCall, Chip Andrews, Jerry Jackson, Hoyt Lowder and John Hughes, among others who I value in all of the aforementioned roles. My time at FMI was fun and rewarding, but frequent travel was giving my wife the idea that she could get along just fine without me.

While engaging in all of this corporate upheaval (several times, I was one of the ones upheaved) and consulting magic, I managed to have time to marry a wonderful woman. I am now retired and living happily ever after near Lake Wylie in Charlotte. Come see us, but give us a days notice so we can wash the sheets.