The View from the Business Manager's Chair, Part 2

Where has the time gone?  On May 18 thirteen years ago, I walked into the NACCU Phoenix office to begin a new job, with no idea what I was getting into or where I was headed.  Some days I’m still like that. LOL.

I once read the quote: “Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it”.  So, I am expressing my gratitude, for the opportunities, friendships, mentors, trust, and everything else that has come my way in the past 13 years.

As I near the end of my tenure as the NACCU Business Manager, I reflect on many things.  First of all, I must pay homage to the man who hired me, Lowell Adkins, who has since retired.  He took a chance on someone he didn’t know, had no idea if I had any skills that would be of benefit to this association, and that I was someone who was the main caregiver of a mother with Alzheimer’s Disease, who required much care and occasional trips home to make sure she was safe and well.  Fortunately, my house was only 3 miles from the office.  He was a saint with patience, which allowed me to learn my job while caring for my mother.  For that, I am eternally grateful.

In the years that passed, I learned many things about the card industry, and was able to assist in many factions of the business.  I was content to be in the background, working quietly, while supporting others who were more familiar with running card offices, planning conferences, and so much more that goes on behind the scenes, to guarantee that the association continues to operate successfully.

When Lowell retired, my heart sank, because I imagined the NACCU office moving, and me having to either relocate or be out of a job that I loved.  Little did I know that when we hired Dawn Thomas, our current Chief Executive Officer, that all our lives would change, and for the better in every way.

Although I am quite a bit older than Dawn, she has mentored me, nurtured me, and built my self-confidence, not only in the operations of an association and a campus card office, but in so many more ways.  As I move on to the next phase of my life, and I decide what I want to do with my future, I am secure in the fact that I have found friendships that will last beyond the walls of NACCU.  Any accomplishments that I have achieved while a part of NACCU will be added to my legacy of work skills that began at the age of 15, when I secured my first job.

I will be leaving my position in very capable hands, and I am confident that Crissy Sampier will be able to expand the knowledge and strength of this office beyond where I was able take it.  So, in a few short weeks, I will be moving out, and Crissy will be moving ahead.

Best wishes to everyone, and if we should cross paths at some juncture down the road, I hope the contributions I have made, and the friendships found, will warrant a handshake or a warm hug.  My experiences with NACCU and all if its members have been a life-changing event, and one that I will never forget.