encore performances..
In a previous post, I mentioned how my former department chair referred to my second career as an encore performance. It was a perfect way to describe my work after I retired from the broadcast industry and began a second career that lasted 17 years. Since my final retirement, I became interested in what other people do who have chosen a different walk of life.
HUH? What's up with that? talked with lots of retirees who now have a new purpose. They are involved in their own encore performances! You will meet them through several blogs sandwiched between other posts in the coming months.
After talking with the first dozen or so people, it became obvious and almost without exception, they share three characteristics: an enthusiasm for life; each one was excited about what they were doing; though sometimes wistful about the past, both men and women seemed to be looking forward and not into a rearview mirror.
Our first performance is by a 70 year old man who is a former tavern owner.
Randy bought a popular neighborhood bar in 1992 and his business flourished until he sold out in 2011. That same year, Randy went to work for the post office where he stayed until he officially retired in 2013. He now works for Enterprise Car Rental in Fleet Management from two to five days a week. He told me, I enjoy my work because I love to drive.
Any given day, Randy may drive one car to West Virginia and return home in a chase car, only to turn around and repeat the process two days later.
As for his personal life, Randy lost his wife at a young age and never remarried. He spends a fair amount of time with his son and daughter. Although he doesn't have many hobbies, several years ago, Randy started collecting Little Big Books.
Some of his treasures date back to the 1930s and include original works of Chester Gould, the creator of Dick Tracy, as well as books about Phillip Nowlan's ticket to wealth, Buck Rogers. He told me the books have always fascinated him and he started looking for them at estate sales and auctions.
Randy also tries his hand at trying to beat the odds of Powerball. As he said, I've been lucky in my life so far, so who knows?
Patrick who is in his late 60s lives with Alistair, his Cairn Terrier. Prior to retirement, he spent 46 years in the interior design business. He most recently stepped down as vice-president of residential interior design of Bittners, a well-known Louisville, Kentucky company whose founder started the business a decade before the civil war.
A short time after Patrick retired, he went to work part-time for a Walgreen's Drug Store in his neighborhood. Now, he works as a cashier and enjoys the position because there isn't any pressure, He said, This job is about as stress-free as anything I could do for extra income.
But, the one activity Patrick misses the most is seeing the world and he says those junctures may well all be in the past. He has been to Germany, France, England, Italy, Africa, the South Pacific, and Russia.
Our next performer had been a long-time employee of one company before retiring too.
Dillard's bought out Louisville's locally owned Bacon's Department Stores in 1998. Ray had been with the iconic company for over 35 years and was a senior buyer when the sale consummated. The new parent company retained the savvy retailer and made him regional furniture manager. He remained with Dillards until his official retirement in 2006. But, in a matter of days, he told anyone who would listen that he was bored and needed to go to work.
Just ten days after retiring, Ray un-retired and was hired by a Kroger store in a Louisville suburb. He works in the produce department and loves his job. As if 40-hour work-weeks aren't enough, Ray also has a part-time job every year when Churchill Downs opens for their Spring Meet.
There are a lot of cash counters at Churchill and Ray has counted those mounds of green for 20 years. How much money does a cash counter tally? He told me on Kentucky Derby Day, he counts between $150-$175 thousand per hour.
Brad changed from a CEO role to a consultant when he retired from full-time work. Its difficult to distinguish the difference. He regularly consults with CPA and law firms around the country about strategic planning, partner coaching and conflict resolution, merger-acquisitions, and compensation consulting. Brad said he couldn't imagine not performing as he is now because it's enjoyable as well as fun. And, according to him, it wouldn't have any excitement if he was expending the energy and not seeing results.
A problem solver. That's what Brad called himself. He said as a CEO, he had lived just about every situation imaginable and he said he had a lot of lessons learned, both good and bad.
Besides work, Brad and Lana want to travel and spend time with family.
As for future accountants, Brad's advice? Take care of your people-precious resource.
Just imagine! Someone cares about people! HUH? What's up with that?
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