I just realized that it was forty-nine years ago this week that I walked into Akron Camera Company to start my first job in the photo business the week before I graduated high school. What a ride it has been. Four jobs. Thousands of customers; thousands of opportunities to grow and prosper and compete. And thousands lost to changes in technology and the economy. Thinking about it, I don’t want to be one of those people that stay too long at the party. You’ve got to know when to go home. So, as of June 30th, I will officially retire from Tamron to pursue other interests that have been on my to-do list for a long time. And, it is for the last 31 plus years (34 really, counting time as a rep) that I have spent at Tamron, that I am most thankful: I have enjoyed almost every minute of it. We’ve built something both successful and important, I think. Not only great products, but a business with integrity and staying power, innovative and a good corporate citizen assisting our clients in realizing their goals and dreams. When I took the job at Tamron, I thought that it would last maybe 5 years and I would be on to something else. Little did I know the bonds that would be formed and the great people that I would be involved with from the start: Hank Nagashima, the toughest kind man I have known. Brilliant, focused, practical, social, responsible and a great leader. A real genius and disciplined visionary. A real friend, long returned to Japan. We worked 24/7 together for years and I loved it. Hank, you brought me to the big leagues and I will never forget it, you and your willingness to try new things and ideas in growing the business. George Kono: always proactive and always ready for a good time. Eric Vogel, (R.I.P.) a real mench and what a teacher! Bob Flynn (R.I.P.), we fought like crazy, but I always respected him. Rich Caleca (R.I.P.) lived with style and panache, sold like a vacuum sweeper, pulling in everything. Bert Krank: the right man at the right time; seeing what needs to be done and quietly accomplishing the best solution. All of our friends in Japan that create the wonderful products we sell. Everybody in the office and in the field including, but not limited to: Stacie Errera, Greg Maniaci, Pat Simonetti, Ruth Cox, Greg Hearst, Kim Klement, Steve Ostrander, Skip Spano, Rich Parker, Barry Burnstein, Jeff Allen, Lew Held, Tom Tingle, Ted Olson, Stan Larson, Greg Becker, Teague Parker, John Ruth, Rick Samuels and all of the great reps current and past… And all the rest of the thousands of industry friends, from media, competitors, clients, photographers, wow! There is so much for a ghetto born kid from industrial America to remember and thankful about. Amazing! As I start my 50th year in business, I have a lots of things I want to do in photography and other areas. I have spent a great deal of time on education in the wholesale, and retail areas, and in helping people enjoy creating images. I want to continue that. There is some traveling I want to do. I have a wide variety of friends that could use some consulting and ideas about their businesses; and, there are a few new bottles of red wine I want to taste. I look forward to sharing some of each of these experiences with every one of you at your earliest convenience. Look for me along the way and say, HI!
Posted on: Fri, 06 Jun 2014 13:38:33 +0000
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