St Louis and beyond

Successful completion of week one on the job. Next stop, St. Louis for orientation and meeting with Johnathan and my partner Maury. See Johnathan had a vision last fall. He wanted to hire four regional Logistics Managers. He was able to get approval for two. Maury has worked for Spartech for 18 month and his office is in Wichita, KS. We are partners. Johnathan is our fearless leader.

Since I'm home and reflecting on the past week, I can say that without a doubt there is absolutely nothing glamorous about traveling for work. My work week started on Sunday the 22nd because my orientation was set for 8:15 am on Monday the 23rd. Off to the airport to catch my 5:15 pm flight. The weather was perfect in Fort Wayne, so it never crossed my mind to check the status of my flight. Upon arriving at the airport, I found out that my flight to Chicago was cancelled due to fog at O'Hare. The American Airlines agent immediately found me a seat on another flight, departing an hour later, heading to Dallas/Ft. Worth. Really, flying OVER St. Louis (my utlimate destination) in order to catch a connecting flight. My arrival time in St. Louis was pushed from 7:30 to 11:30. Todd watched my delays and flights on the Internet and knew I was not a happy traveller.

Sitting at the gate in Fort Wayne, my new flight was delayed due to high winds in Dallas. Flight delayed by an hour and seven minutes. Wait. Wait. Wait. Board plane, fly to Dallas/Ft. Worth. Wait in Dallas for flight to St. Louis. End up landing in St. Louis around 12:30 am. Cab to hotel. Settled into room around 1:15 am. In orientation at 8:15 am and not so bright-eyed and bushy tailed. Exhausted to say the least.

Great week working in St Louis. Parameters laid out for Maury and I. The job description that we received will be a live and evolving description that will be subject to change as we need it to change. In other words, we will learn what we need to do as we do it. We will learn by accomplishment and error.

Out to eat for lunches and dinners. When I got home Todd asked what and where we ate. I truly don't remember the restaurants. They were walking distance to the office and the hotel (which are walking distance to each other). I know I had an excellent salad, but I don't remember what was on it. I know I had fabulous Rainbow Trout, but I don't remember what I had as sides. A risotto, mushroom, and shrimp dish was in there somewhere too. It's a blur. All I really wanted to do when I was done working was go to bed.

I am being challenged to think in ways I've never had to think before. I am professionally respected in ways I've never been respected before. This whole "corporate" gig is new, and challenging, and exhausting, and it will be so rewarding. OH... I am also the new Spartech "go to" person for international shipments. My close to 6 years at Terex I've missed international logistics. Now I will be right in the middle of it for 34 (I believe) manufacturing facilities and warehouses. A dream come true!