It was a hectic week last week with a visit from our CEO and the final week of the month for March. We ended the month up marginally (about 3.5% on profit) and it was good timing with Alan in the office. Our CEO has not visited Sacramento in two years and he was due for a visit. He was fairly tough on us as our profit has dropped the last three years from the high of $1,080,000 to last years profit of $683,000. I'm amazed we are still as high as we are as I have 6 former employees out prospecting my agents and going after my business. It is the same old saw and I am committed this year to stealing one of my competitors and bringing them over to work for me.
There were a few staff that had not met our big boss and they were all nervous. Most of them said that reality was not as bad as their expectations. He was actually pretty engaging and upbeat during our all staff meeting, but was tougher on the troops in the Producer meeting afterward. He is an intimidating guy and is pretty tough on people that get answers wrong when he is talking to them. One of my people just froze in the meeting and he wouldn't let her up for air. It was brutal.
I took him to a lunch with one of my retailers and he asked them how they were doing and how they felt about Burns. The agency principal looked at me and said, "Is this where we say all the good things about you like you coached us?" Funny guy. It was a good lunch and we all enjoyed the visit.
The Producers went out for cocktails with Alan on Wednesday night at a local fine food restaurant that has a patio overlooking a quarry pond. The pictures from that event are above. Harvey is standing next to Peter and Alan is with the ladies in the photos. It was a beautiful Roseville Spring evening and we had wine and appetizers on the patio. Pete ordered the most expensive wine on the menu and had a glass of it when we arrived. Alan asked me on the drive to the airport if he was taking advantage of the situation and I assured him that Pete is a bit of a wine snob and would have ordered that even if he was paying the bill.
It was nice to get through that visit as it is always hard on the staff and they get nervous when he visits. We went through and looked at a couple of spots for some new art and he is sending us a couple of pieces from his private collection to display. We actually sat in my car after the drinks and went through salaries for the coming year. That was a brutal exercise. He ended up about 45 minutes late for his Net Jets flight out of McClellan Air Park and I left him discussing his tardiness with the pilot.
I made it by the golf course on Saturday and visited with the guys as they came in from playing the Masters event. It has been hard for me to know they are out there playing. I only stayed about 45 minutes as I felt like I was out of place. It was nice seeing the guys and I helped post a few scores. It was about 77 degrees on Saturday and I took the opportunity to completely clean the pool equipment and the pool, spraying and cleaning out all of the filters and vacuuming out the pool and getting the chemicals up and running for the new pool year. I also trimmed the bushes around the pool and weeded the flower boxes. The amount of huge weeds and growth over this very wet Winter was amazing. I have a picture of the pool with it's spring flowers above.
I had a meeting on Friday with our company owned inspection service at 11 and then an appointment with a tree service at noon at the house. I got a call at 10:30 from the tree guy telling me he was heading to the house. I told him I couldn't go as I had an 11 appointment. He insisted as a tree had fallen on a house and he was meeting them at noon. Someone needs to explain to contractors what an appointment is and how it works. I ran over and met with him. We are having the front tree trimmed back (you can see a picture of the monstrosity that is a Valley Oak tree). They grow tall and wide and have a bad hair day all the time. The tree is starting to grow over the roof of the house and I want it cut back. I also have a photo of my neighbor's tree that started a s a volunteer and is now a huge tree with a ten inch base and it's roots are starting to infringe on my pool. He will do all of the work for $1000 and the two trees on the neighbor's side yard will be gone. No more leaves in the pool next Fall and he will kill the roots to protect the pool. I made it back to the office about 11:15 and we had our meeting and Larry, the rep, even took me to lunch. Nice guy.
Jennifer got her new job at Cox Communications and now has a full benefit package including paid PTO and a 401 K plan. She is really happy and so is the firm. in fact her boss, Tony, wanted her so bad, he spent about an hour with her prepping her for the interview, giving her the questions and coaching her on her answers. Right before the interview he was promoted to a Director position with Cox, so she is in good with the mucky mucks.
Darla and I will be in Vegas over Easter holiday and spend some time with Sam as she is on Spring break. We fly in Wednesday night the 13th and will be in Vegas until Monday the 17th.
I also have a picture of Jennifer and her family with a friend headed to Sam's soccer game. We will miss seeing her play soccer this time as the team will be on a break Easter weekend.
Well, that is it for this week. I am out of the sling and start my physical therapy tomorrow. I haven't had any pain, but expect that to change as I begin working my shoulder. As the Army says: "Pain is just weakness leaving the body." I hope you are all well and ready to celebrate the biggest gift you will ever be given. Jesus death on the cross to forgive our sins. until next week. Ciao.
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