I want to use this space to say goodbye to my right-hand woman, Kim. She’s been part of the CAK marketing program for the better part of five years and boy has she come a long way! She has organized events, wowed corporate travel managers, and learned to be tough on the road. She’s super close to earning her marketing degree (which she paid for herself). Kim recently took a marketing management position at the Appleton, Wisconsin Airport. I am going to miss her a lot… but I couldn’t be more pleased for her. I’m pretty proud too.

Most respectable managers want to lead by example and teach their staff to be extraordinary at whatever it is they do. It’s a tough balance because you have to allow for enough room to unleash their creative energy while maintaining a disciplined formula for success, particularly in marketing where both objectives are equally important. Kim taught me a lot about what it takes to be a decent leader. We learned together and I’ll miss her energy, enthusiasm and dedication very much. Fortunately, I’ll get to see her at various conferences throughout the year!

I hope all of you are blessed with an employee like Kim.