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| Podcasting - Inside GIA Education |
On Thursday, December 13, 2012 the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) celebrated the committed people (among them, Jim Lucey, Richard Liddicoat, and Robert Crowningshield) who have celebrated 25 years plus of service to GIA. Their career - an integral part of their personal and professional life. - I’m honored and privileged to be among this elite group (January 19, 2011). I’ve spent the past few days reflecting on what it means to serve in this capacity.
First, I’m proud to say career loyalty has always been a tradition in my family; my grandfather served for 50 years in his job at International Harvester. My father served 45 years at Briggs Manufacturing in Abington, Illinois. My younger brother has served over 35 years at Caterpillar.
In today’s corporate culture we are an anomaly – outliers!
Throughout life, whether we recognize it or not at the time, there are pivotal moments that define who we are and what we are destined to become. Together, let’s share a few of those moments;
My first introduction to GIA was in 1982 - through James (Jim) R. Lucey, he was the primary lecturer for a weekend gem seminar at the Natural History Museum in Chicago. It was a three-day affair. Lucey’s forte was diamonds, in his flamboyant, jocular style he captivated his audience with the power of the spoken word. The history, lore, the remarkable properties, and most of all his enthusiasm and love for the study of that elusive gem. Day two of the conference, it was as if my mind was radiated by a glowing light, “that’s exactly what I want to do!” That day was magic, my purpose unexpectedly became clear, become a Gemologist. It was crystal clear to me now - my course was set.
It took three years to save the funds, but in 1985 I packed my car and made the three-day trek to Santa Monica California . A resident student at GIA. During my on-campus studies I was invited by Richard T. Liddicoat Jr. (chairman of the board) to his office. I’ll never forget what he asked me that day, “What are your plans after graduation? We want you to come back as one of our instructors. We are always looking for people with your enthusiasm.” His uncanny ability to cultivate people I liken to mining for gems; he was always looking for the good in others.
1988 - Dennis Foltz had a vision for Online Education when most people had no idea what that meant. He established GIA-Net and in 1990 gave me an incredible opportunity, to move to New York City and rebuild education. The request he made that night after class is burned into my mind. His assistant invited me to Cutters, a local restaurant, my first thought, oh no - what have I done now! A former marine, Dennis was a gruff, to-the-point man, he never tiptoed around an issue. With trepidation I walked through the door, there was Dennis with three other staff members. My first words were, “What’s up Dennis?” His immediate response, “I want to make you the director of GIA New York.” As I shook his hand, I was taken aback, shocked really, “Come again,” I said. When do you need a decision, “Three o’clock tomorrow,” he said. “Ok!”
So it was on to Manhattan, one of my first encounters was with Gail Brett Levine. A business woman who knew what she wanted and knew how to get it! She established the Eunice Miles scholarship fund (1988). In 1990 she came to my office, then president of the Manhattan Alumni Chapter, with arms crossed and a very pointed question; “What are you going to do to support Alumni in Manhattan?” My response, “What do you want!” We’ve been friends and colleagues ever since.
During those early years in New York I was privileged to work with G. Robert Crowningshield. I’ll never forget the lesson learned one night while participating in a New Jersey Chapter Alumni event. Crowningshield invited me to accompany him to a presentation he was to do on Synthetic Diamonds. I was privileged to learn a powerful lesson that night. Long before Powerpoint, with the audience oblivious, Crowningshield watching from the stage, I dumped the entire slide carousel. Again, my first thought, Oh No - now what have I done! He never broke stride. He continued as if nothing had happened. Meanwhile, frantically, in the back of the room, I’m trying to re-insert the slides in some kind of order. His presentation went flawlessly. That night immediately following his presentation, he briskly walked directly to the back of the room, put a hand on my shoulder, and said, “Excellent job handling that slide projector, thank you, I think we did quite well tonight, don’t you!” The lesson was clear, you treat people exactly how you see them . . .
In April 1997 the Carlsbad Campus opened and the GIA Alumni Association was poised for another change in direction. Bill Boyajian's question to me was, “Are you ready to come back to California?” I was, we launched, The New Alumni!
It was early in my service with Alumni when I met Tawfic Farah, our first meeting was his first day at GIA. He never gave me a chance to mis-pronounce his name like everyone else seemed to. He pulled me aside, took out a piece of paper and wrote on it To-Feek (Tawfic). My name is pronounced To-Feek. I never forgot that moment, he was allowing me into his personal space, not many people had that privilege I would later come to learn. We hit it off immediately. We traveled to London, India, Dubai, and Basel. When we worked, it was laser beam focus. When we relaxed, he introduced me to extravagant places. Our first trip to Dubai (United Arab Emirates) we had dinner at the Burj Al Arab, he insisted on ordering the beef bourgogne, we both enjoyed dinner, it was delicious. The next morning he had a note delivered to my room, “sick from eating meat.” Turns out, he had not eaten meat for over 20 years, he was a vegetarian, but the recipe was considered the best in the world and he wanted me to have it. The minimum order for two people.
In 2005, Brook Ellis gave me carte blanche, to light the flame developing digital content delivery (podcasts). Pedro Padua and I were invited to Cupertino, California (Apple Headquarters June 15, 2006). With an incredible team of writers, Russ Shor, Robert Weldon, and John Koivula we produced "Inside GIA Education" an audio Podcast that was delivered bi-monthly for four years via Apple's iTunes platform. We became the only trade school accepted to Apple’s new iTunes U initiative.
Recently (November, 28, 2012) with the passing of Zig Ziglar, I've returned to a book that influenced my life significantly as I began my career at GIA, See You At The Top, by Zig Ziglar. “If there’s faith in the future, there is power in the present.”
Reflecting on these pivotal moments, I'm compelled to share with you Zig's comments about retirement from that book; "You heard wrong. You should have heard I was "re-fired." I'm not going to ease up, let up, shut up, or give up, until I'm taken up, as a matter fact I'm just getting warmed up.”
My mentor and friend Richard T. Liddicoat Jr. celebrated 60 years with GIA. That's probably beyond the scope of my working life here, but hey - as Zig so eloquently says it, "I'm just getting warmed up!"
So it was on to Manhattan, one of my first encounters was with Gail Brett Levine. A business woman who knew what she wanted and knew how to get it! She established the Eunice Miles scholarship fund (1988). In 1990 she came to my office, then president of the Manhattan Alumni Chapter, with arms crossed and a very pointed question; “What are you going to do to support Alumni in Manhattan?” My response, “What do you want!” We’ve been friends and colleagues ever since.
During those early years in New York I was privileged to work with G. Robert Crowningshield. I’ll never forget the lesson learned one night while participating in a New Jersey Chapter Alumni event. Crowningshield invited me to accompany him to a presentation he was to do on Synthetic Diamonds. I was privileged to learn a powerful lesson that night. Long before Powerpoint, with the audience oblivious, Crowningshield watching from the stage, I dumped the entire slide carousel. Again, my first thought, Oh No - now what have I done! He never broke stride. He continued as if nothing had happened. Meanwhile, frantically, in the back of the room, I’m trying to re-insert the slides in some kind of order. His presentation went flawlessly. That night immediately following his presentation, he briskly walked directly to the back of the room, put a hand on my shoulder, and said, “Excellent job handling that slide projector, thank you, I think we did quite well tonight, don’t you!” The lesson was clear, you treat people exactly how you see them . . .
In April 1997 the Carlsbad Campus opened and the GIA Alumni Association was poised for another change in direction. Bill Boyajian's question to me was, “Are you ready to come back to California?” I was, we launched, The New Alumni!
It was early in my service with Alumni when I met Tawfic Farah, our first meeting was his first day at GIA. He never gave me a chance to mis-pronounce his name like everyone else seemed to. He pulled me aside, took out a piece of paper and wrote on it To-Feek (Tawfic). My name is pronounced To-Feek. I never forgot that moment, he was allowing me into his personal space, not many people had that privilege I would later come to learn. We hit it off immediately. We traveled to London, India, Dubai, and Basel. When we worked, it was laser beam focus. When we relaxed, he introduced me to extravagant places. Our first trip to Dubai (United Arab Emirates) we had dinner at the Burj Al Arab, he insisted on ordering the beef bourgogne, we both enjoyed dinner, it was delicious. The next morning he had a note delivered to my room, “sick from eating meat.” Turns out, he had not eaten meat for over 20 years, he was a vegetarian, but the recipe was considered the best in the world and he wanted me to have it. The minimum order for two people.
In 2005, Brook Ellis gave me carte blanche, to light the flame developing digital content delivery (podcasts). Pedro Padua and I were invited to Cupertino, California (Apple Headquarters June 15, 2006). With an incredible team of writers, Russ Shor, Robert Weldon, and John Koivula we produced "Inside GIA Education" an audio Podcast that was delivered bi-monthly for four years via Apple's iTunes platform. We became the only trade school accepted to Apple’s new iTunes U initiative.
Recently (November, 28, 2012) with the passing of Zig Ziglar, I've returned to a book that influenced my life significantly as I began my career at GIA, See You At The Top, by Zig Ziglar. “If there’s faith in the future, there is power in the present.”
Reflecting on these pivotal moments, I'm compelled to share with you Zig's comments about retirement from that book; "You heard wrong. You should have heard I was "re-fired." I'm not going to ease up, let up, shut up, or give up, until I'm taken up, as a matter fact I'm just getting warmed up.”
My mentor and friend Richard T. Liddicoat Jr. celebrated 60 years with GIA. That's probably beyond the scope of my working life here, but hey - as Zig so eloquently says it, "I'm just getting warmed up!"
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