The Dirty Secret

For several years, I found myself enjoying moving dirt. I was simultaneously trying to run a 3.8 Billion dollar agency, whilst being Mayor of a 32,884 citizen town. In the year 2000, I became a Mayor and in 2001, a General Contractor. I still have my hardhat and safety vest, found today in the garage as I pack for yet another significant move.

The picture showing the ceremonial shovels was breaking ground for Westridge Centre, on October 3, 2002. That's me in the shirt and tie - taking time on my lunch hour to work in a groundbreaking for the City of Wildwood. The fellow in the orange shirt is Tom McLain, a developer whom I later appointed to the Planning & Zoning Board. I believed town boards needed to have representatives from all points of view, something the people I had defeated two years earlier found anathema. I knew I'd be a one-term Mayor, since I had won with only 36% of the vote against two "progressives" who were enamored with their limited vision. The tall fellow is Joe Vujnich - a very talented planner, albeit somewhat in love with New Urbanism, and allergic to drive through restaurants. The other guy is Tom's architect. Eight years later, this development is now built out, across the highway from a new Community College and the YMCA (which I wrote about earlier). I'm proud of my "responsible development" legacy in the City of Wildwood.........and no, they didn't name the town after me, only half of it.

The other picture, using the backhoe as a backdrop, is of our McCarthy Brothers project leaders, Dale Mueller and Vickie Ash. Both great people to work with; Dale is still with the company and Vicki retired last year. The lady who defines "pretty in pink" is Carla Land, of my senior staff. Carla was my number two person on this project, and she did a fantastic job on every item I tasked her with accomplishing.
I recall she had great taste in decor, and went to Chicago to the Merchandise Mart to pick out office furniture. She handled the move from the old offices to the new, and sat in on any meeting where I couldn't. A true lady, she wasn't afraid of climbing high steel in blue jeans one day, and reporting to the Board in heels the next. The building project started in February of 2001, when the ground was still frozen, and the 80,000 square foot building was completed in November of 2002. In the intervening 21 months, I probably had the most fun of my career - we had a great staff who could deal with student loans, but I was frankly tiring of the bureaucratic rat race, and this project was reinvigorating to say the least. Little did I realize that one year later, I'd find myself headed into retirement. But that's another story, featuring a contract, a great lawyer and a nice pension.

In looking back, I think the beginning of the 21st century was my best decade, and certainly broadened my horizons. I was a CEO with over 200 people, and a Mayor dealing with sixteen independent council persons. The ride was intense and exhilarating, and wisely I got off before my health and heart exploded. I now look back fondly at all the people with whom I was lucky enough to surround myself. They were all true professionals, all focused, and still all friends. LG - life's good.