This was on our main page at work today:
What is important is to keep learning, to enjoy challenge, and to tolerate ambiguity. In the end there are no certain answers.
Marina Horner
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Monday, June 13, 2011
Chairman's Club Trip 2011
From June 5th - June 11th, Brenda and I were on my first Chairman's Club Trip with Raymond James (or as the kids call it - "Supreme Jedi Council Trip"). In previous years, I was in the Presidents Club with National City and Raymond James. We got to travel to Aruba, San Fransisco, Florida, Mexico, etc. They make the Chairman's Trip a little longer and a little nicer.
This trip was to Whistler and Vancouver. We spend the first three days in Whistler followed by our time in Vancouver. Of the two cities, we really preferred Whistler. It was a beautiful town in the mountains and we could do a number of outside activities. The Four Seasons hotel was outstanding and had a relaxed, northwest feel. Brenda and I went bike riding, hiking and fly fishing.
We rode the Rocky Mountain Train to travel from Whistler to Vancouver. It was first class and took us through the most amazing scenery (see pictures below). Vancouver was nice, but the town is very plain and is heavily focused on shipping. Our hotel had a beautiful view of the bay but we mainly looked at cargo ships and cranes. The architecture in the town was mundane, nothing like we see in Chicago. But we had a great time meeting new people and hanging with old friends. We also had a chance to eat dinner and talk at length with Tom James (Chairman of Raymond James and the CEO for 30 years) and Paul Riley (our current CEO). It is not often in a major, public company that you get this type of access to the leaders of the firm.
While in Vancouver, the Stanley Cup was going on and the hometown Canucks were in the finals. Nothing like watching a hockey game outside on a TV screen with 30,000 drunk Canadian hockey fans. Luckily we left before they lost game seven. Vancouver had major riots and over 150 people were hospitalized. They take their hockey way too seriously.
Our last hotel was also interesting. It was the Fairmont - Pacific Rim. It was a modern hotel created for "generation x". The lobby had pulsating disco music non-stop and a bar took up most of the lobby area. Plus none of us could work the electronics in the room. After three days, Brenda and I could still not figure out how to control the lights. Incredible service and a very nice room, but we won't be back.
Here are some photos of the trip - we did some great activites and had some wonderful views.
Great salmon bake. We had the most incredible fish - in fact we had fish for every dinner!
Fly fishing - fun, but we didn't catch anything
Mark and Kim Watroba from Ann Arbor
The view from our room in Whistler
I was able to get up early (three hour time difference) and get work done before my meetings
Our room at the Fours Seasons - Whistler
John is one of our portfolio managers from Florida - the trip gives me a change to"pick their brain"
Beautiful landscape - beautiful wife!!
Tom James (the James as in Raymond James)
The entertainment at our closing dinner.
Even Brenda could make the fishing waders look good.
The water was 39 degrees!!
The 2010 Olympic Torch
Views from the train trip through the mountains
The new food trend. The Japanese put sushi on a hot dog. Go figure
One of our best meals ever -The Five Sails Restaurant in Vancouver
This trip was to Whistler and Vancouver. We spend the first three days in Whistler followed by our time in Vancouver. Of the two cities, we really preferred Whistler. It was a beautiful town in the mountains and we could do a number of outside activities. The Four Seasons hotel was outstanding and had a relaxed, northwest feel. Brenda and I went bike riding, hiking and fly fishing.
We rode the Rocky Mountain Train to travel from Whistler to Vancouver. It was first class and took us through the most amazing scenery (see pictures below). Vancouver was nice, but the town is very plain and is heavily focused on shipping. Our hotel had a beautiful view of the bay but we mainly looked at cargo ships and cranes. The architecture in the town was mundane, nothing like we see in Chicago. But we had a great time meeting new people and hanging with old friends. We also had a chance to eat dinner and talk at length with Tom James (Chairman of Raymond James and the CEO for 30 years) and Paul Riley (our current CEO). It is not often in a major, public company that you get this type of access to the leaders of the firm.
While in Vancouver, the Stanley Cup was going on and the hometown Canucks were in the finals. Nothing like watching a hockey game outside on a TV screen with 30,000 drunk Canadian hockey fans. Luckily we left before they lost game seven. Vancouver had major riots and over 150 people were hospitalized. They take their hockey way too seriously.
Our last hotel was also interesting. It was the Fairmont - Pacific Rim. It was a modern hotel created for "generation x". The lobby had pulsating disco music non-stop and a bar took up most of the lobby area. Plus none of us could work the electronics in the room. After three days, Brenda and I could still not figure out how to control the lights. Incredible service and a very nice room, but we won't be back.
Here are some photos of the trip - we did some great activites and had some wonderful views.
Great salmon bake. We had the most incredible fish - in fact we had fish for every dinner!
Fly fishing - fun, but we didn't catch anything
Mark and Kim Watroba from Ann Arbor
The view from our room in Whistler
I was able to get up early (three hour time difference) and get work done before my meetings
Our room at the Fours Seasons - Whistler
John is one of our portfolio managers from Florida - the trip gives me a change to"pick their brain"
Beautiful landscape - beautiful wife!!
Tom James (the James as in Raymond James)
The entertainment at our closing dinner.
Even Brenda could make the fishing waders look good.
The water was 39 degrees!!
The 2010 Olympic Torch
Views from the train trip through the mountains
The new food trend. The Japanese put sushi on a hot dog. Go figure
One of our best meals ever -The Five Sails Restaurant in Vancouver
Graduation Party -# 4
On Saturday, June 4th, we had Phil's High School Graduation Party. This was our forth graduation party and Brenda did her usual great job. The yard was beautiful and we again had Niskers grill. Niskers served 198 sandwiches and we had well over 200 guests. Brenda also prepared an incredible display of photos, trophys, etc. of Philip. Our good friend Joel Fletcher named it: "Philville".
A highlight of the party was Laurel's dessert display. She made the most incredible cupcakes and everyone raved about her baking. Of course, she now wants to skip medical school and open a cupcake shop.
So here are some photos of the big day:
Great Job Laurel!
Adrianne and David made a special visit
Of course, Bryan found a different spelling for Laurel's cupcakes
A highlight of the party was Laurel's dessert display. She made the most incredible cupcakes and everyone raved about her baking. Of course, she now wants to skip medical school and open a cupcake shop.
So here are some photos of the big day:
Great Job Laurel!
Adrianne and David made a special visit
Of course, Bryan found a different spelling for Laurel's cupcakes
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