For all intents and purposes, my last full day of work was June 9th. For the most part, it was a typical day. I had a group of investors in from New York until 1:30. From 1:30 to 2:30 the Bank hosted a farewell reception for me in the Capitol View room, where I spent an hour shaking hands and saying goodbye. Then it was back to the office to return telephone calls, which kept me busy until at 5:30. I then gathered up my things and headed home, after nearly 24 years of working for Zions.
I started working for Zions in September of 1985. My first office was a hotel room in Mesa; I then rented a small office on Camelback, and a year later acquired the Mesa Bank and moved my office out to 5555 Main Street in East Mesa. With the acquisition of the Camel Bank a year later I spent some of my time at the Cambelback Branch. After ten years in Arizona, we came to Utah where I ran corporate human resources for about five years. Then, after the dust settled from the First Security Fiasco, started our investor relations program. Our investor relations activities have been widely recognized as one of the best amoung mid-cap banks - best CEO, best CFO, best IR program. And best use of conferencing of any U.S. public company. Unfortunately, candor, expertise and transparency does always translate into shareholder value.
Still, it has been a good run. When I joined the company in 1985 we had about $4 billion in total assets and were basically a local Utah bank. Today we have $55 billion in assets, a footprint that extends from Texas to California to Washington, and rank about 25th in size nationally.
So it was a strange thing to just close the door and walk out of my office. I will confess it left something of a pit in my stomach.
Closing the door, however, was somewhat symbolic. Kathleen and I went in on Saturday to clean some more things out, I spent all day yesterday at the office orienting my replacement. And I will return at least once more, if for no other reason than to turn in my BlackBerry. And then the fun begins...
"Still, tomorrow's gonna be another working day, and I'm trying to get some rest."
5 comments:
Congrats on such a successful and fulfilling career. I'll be honest, reading about you guys leaving leaves a pit in my stomach - I'm going to miss you guys so much! You are so amazing and wonderful. I love you both!!
Wow, Dad. 24 years, closing of a long chapter. Do you have to turn in your key? Well, at least you know that your office will be in good hands. xo
Weird. I can hardly imagine it. I feel very loyal to Zions Bank. Congratulations, Pops. That is HUGE! You did it!
Sad. That makes me cry. Remember the 100 dollar bill mural, "blue, blue, blue, blue--Ann, you say it for me" Mesa Bank T-shirts, your first car phone in the Corolla, your first portable Compaq computer, playing musical offices during the facelift at headquarters, your scooter, . . . just yesterday my kids were talking about your magician penny bank. "We will sing of Zion[s] . . ."
Who knew a post about the history of banking could make me cry! Take a bow, Pops, take a bow.
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