New Beginnings

As many of you know, this last year has not been an easy one for me. It started the day before Christmas Eve, 2007. I was called into a meeting with my boss and his boss, and was informed I was to be transferred to another branch as of the new year. Furthermore, I was told the move was being made due to salary considerations. In other words, they felt I made too much money and were moving me as a subtle suggestion for my resignation. The transfer moved me fifteen miles further from my home and added an additional two+ hours onto my workday.

For the next six months, my boss's boss put me through a downsizing process required for someone in my position that was not on disciplinary notice. You see, my sales and service results were not out of order. In fact, I was statistically outperforming all of my positional peers and had made significant headway into a sales market that had years previous been placed on record as a declining office. So with nothing derogatory on my service record and a positive sales balance, this executive had to enact a probation process based on an external reason.

When I was hired into this company, I was originally hired in a large Metro (city) market but had shortly after taken a position in a Community (rural) market. The executive that hired me into the Community market knew I would be successful so he made no changes to my salary. Two years later brought a branch and district reorganization within the company, and my branch was moved under a different executive. She was/is not a people person and only looked at bottom lines. Her bottom line showed I made more money than most and so salary was chosen as her external reason for non-disciplinary action.

For six months I fought through the probations she placed me on and kept my nose clean. Eventually my boss grew a pair and stood up for me and my results. The twice enacted-probation expired and my record was cleared. Unfortunately I was now permanently stuck in a 12 hour job, a two hour commute, gas prices over $4.00 a gallon, no change in salary, and the scars that remained from the raping of my integrity. In addition to that, the job was taking its toll on my emotions and mental capacities, and had robbed me of friendships and family time. Enough was enough.

For the next six months I interviewed with other banks and industries, and tried to get my name into as many hands as possible. This morning it was with great joy that I submitted my resignation and two week notice. Praise the Lord. (Please understand I must wait until I'm done here to disclose my new employer.)

As I write this there is a new spring in my step and a smile on my face. The past year has been straining and draining on me and Ell and I want to thank all of you for your support. I earnestly express my apologies if I've missed a call, cancelled a get-together, been cross, seemed distant, or anything else. These were a tough twelve months, and I can look back now and say I was often not myself. For that I'm sorry.

And that's what new beginnings are all about; closure of the old and welcoming the new. So here's to New Beginnings!