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Thursday Sunrise
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October 8, 2009
My wife’s grandmother Vickie died this morning at the age of 92. She woke up at her normal time of 6 am, had breakfast and coffee, told her caretaker she loved her, then said she was tired and went back to bed. Shortly after this, she went home to the Lord.
At the same time, many of us at work as well as my wife and daughter at home were photographing the most beautiful sunrise in memory. It’s as if the Lord put the beauty of Heaven on display welcoming Vickie home. We’ll see you again some day Vickie!
Photo taken by my daughter at home
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The American Worker
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September 10, 2009
The US auto industry has been sharply criticized in many ways, especially the guys in charge. While all industries have their challenges, I could not be more impressed with our new GM Denali. We’ve owned many different cars ranging from the Ford truck I drive to BMW’s and Range Rovers, but this Denali is as well-engineered and well-built as any car I’ve driven.
To all the folks at GM, thank you for making great cars. And to all hard working American’s, thank you for taking pride in what you do.
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Honor and Ethics
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August 20, 2009
Webster has many definitions for these words, but my definition is simply “doing what is right even when no one is looking”.
My first and only experience on a witness stand taught me some great lessons on honor and ethics. I was on the witness stand for six hours, and have never been more appreciative of how we run our business. At the same time, I experienced a lawyer who seemed to have no regard for truth.
This lawsuit proved to be frivolous and we recovered legal fees, but I learned a great deal. Honor and ethics do matter, even when no one is looking.
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Hero for a Season?
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August 18, 2009
Last August, my brother and I had the privilege to visit the Beijing Olympics. The trip was memorable in many ways, including our interaction with Matt Biondi, hero of the ’88 Olympics. Matt is in the Olympic and International Hall of Fame, won a total of 11 Olympic medals, and set four world records in just the ’88 Olympics.
What was cool about Matt is that despite his accomplishments, he is just a nice, humble guy. Outside of a few Olympic events, he now leads a normal life in Hawaii with his wife and three children. His exercise is riding his bike to work as a math teacher.
My hat is off to Matt.
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Still Running
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August 4, 2009
Sorry it’s been so long since my last entry. I promise to do better.
Life is good, business is tough, God is great, and we’re still running. Pictured below is my family plus a friend just after we all ran a 5k race.
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Youth
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January 25, 2009
What a fun age. Not talking about my “middle age” of 45, but our daughters. They are so full of joy, laughter, and personality, yet STILL like being with Mama and Daddy. Children today grow up much too fast. Be sure to stop and “smell the roses” with your children and grandchildren. They are a gift and a blessing.
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Too Slow
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July 27, 2008
Well, I tried. There are real runners, and then there are the rest of us. Capped off a fun family weekend in New York with the NIKE half marathon Sunday morning.
It was a good experience, but humbling. The winner was from Ethiopia, and ran the race at a 4:39/mile pace. If I can shave just 3 minutes a mile off my time, I’d have won! Maybe next time…not.
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Nate Update
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July 7, 2008
I introduced Nate in my blog entry below, and I thought an update was in order. Nate continues his life of leisure, which includes golf cart rides, short jogs on the farm, and lots of time in his favorite chair.
Pictured is Nate with a couple of his buddies who share his barn office. Julie the cat prefers to spend her days relaxing on her warm stereo receiver as Nate likes the A/C on the cool side. Also shown is our much loved rescue dog named Riley. Unfortunately, Riley passed away due to lymphoma a couple months after this photo was taken, so now his old buddy Harley has moved back in with Nate.
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Our Friend Dal
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April 13, 2008
Today was the funeral for Dal Styers, who proudly represented Uttermost for the past 21 years. The funeral was sad on one level, but also a true celebration of a life well lived.
About a year ago, I asked Dal if he was afraid of dying. Without hesitation, Dal said “not at all. I know where I’m going”. I believe angels were singing as Dal passed away last Wednesday.
We’ll miss you Dal, but see you again someday.
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Indonesia…Naturally Beautiful
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March 10, 2008
Thanks to Matthew Williams and Tan Yen Bauer, we now have a great staff in Indo and a good reason to visit!
This country is truly blessed with phenomenal natural resources ranging from oil and minerals to mahogany and mango.
According to one of the locals at a terra cotta factory (really a village), “Indonesians don’t have to work to eat, just look around you.” He then pointed out lush mango trees growing all around.
Photo: Pictured is Matthew Williams sweating through a product review, along with Larry Forbes and myself.
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Brown
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March 9, 2008
We buried our much-loved dog “Brown” today. He was a member of our family for 16 ½ years.
Brown taught us many great lessons over the years, including:
- Always be loyal, even when it’s inconvenient.
- Listen more than you speak.
- Be welcoming to strangers (even the new dog in the house).
- Demonstrate trust and faith everyday.
We miss our Brown, but his memory continues.
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Julia
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March 3, 2008
Okay, I admit it. The obvious star of our ad campaign is Julia, our English setter mix. Yes, she looks good in every shot, always wears the right fur, works for her Wysong dog food without complaint, smiles at everyone she meets with her eyes, mouth, and tail, and never has a bad hair day.
We get questions every week about Julia, so let me answer some FAQ’s.
How did Julia end up in our home? The same way most of our dogs did, by way of the county shelter when their time for adoption was almost up. Don’t know where Julia and her two sisters lived before arriving at the shelter, or why they were just dropped off.
How did Julia make our ads? She happened to be available at the end of a photo shoot at our house. Yes, she looks that good with no bath or preparation. Not fair.
Can you have her? Not a chance.
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Va Tech
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April 16, 2007
Our School.
Free. Trapped.
Knowledge. Confusion.
Love. Hate.
Peace. Violence.
Joy. Pain.
Live. Die.
Celebrate. Grieve.
Faith. Question.
Our School.
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A Sad Day
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March 2, 2007
Today I said good-bye to a member of the Uttermost family, Alan Green. He was buried this afternoon in New York.
Alan, as well as his father Milt, joined Uttermost in 1981 as sales representatives. His father, 90 years old now, still proudly calls on customers for Uttermost everyday, along with Alan’s sister.
While Alan could be gruff and irritating at times, he was a part of our family for 26 years, and his departure leaves a painful void. We’ll miss you Alan.
I’ll rejoin my wife and daughters in Florida tonight to complete our Disney vacation. The sadness won’t go away anytime soon, but our daughters’ laughter is the best therapy I know. God Bless.
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Work Hard, Play Hard
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December 01, 2006
Not sure it makes sense, but we do work hard in our industry, and for that matter, in our country. I’m writing this from where I’m coming from, but all of us are in similar situations.
My October/November routine…Intense work preparing for market, including 500 product introductions, new ads, catalogs, pricing, show preparation, etc.Fall market. No vacation in High Point for any of us.
Market follow up, as well as a frantic period focusing on the most important and most urgent.In China. Edit and finalize our Spring introduction, resolve issues on the other side of the World.Catch up in US office.Vacation with family out of the country, but keep up with most critical work. Still no sleeping in with constant emails, four energetic daughters, and my wife who I want quality time with.Back to the office, dig through paperwork and projects, year-end work.
All of us lead busy lives, but don’t forget to take time to hug your family today and say a prayer. Remember what is most important in life, and it’s usually not spending an extra hour at work.
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Watchdog?
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August 7, 2006
Not sure where we went wrong. We have 13 dogs on our farm, 7 of which reside in the house. They range from a solid 100 lbs to a petite 20 lbs, black to blond, short to tall, young to old, and so on. But what we don’t have is a watchdog.
Last night, I walked up to a snake that had gotten into our kitchen. Thanks to a 20 lb frying pan, I won the encounter. Meanwhile, the seven house dogs were asleep in the living room a few feet away, tired from a hard day of swimming in the lake. Not only did none of them notice the intruder, they didn’t even wake up for my frying pan battle.
Pictured below are our brave dogs waiting for their late night snack. We love our dogs, but as watchdogs, they are worthless.
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Independence Day, 2006
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July 5th, 2006
No fireworks, no hot dogs, and no American flags here, but it feels like we should be celebrating every day with the blessing of our newest daughter. I’ve been here in Far East Russia for 2 ½ weeks and have one more week before we can leave for America.
My wife went home after our Court hearing, so it’s been just Lola and me for most of the trip…lots of bonding time. Anyway, I’ve already missed a daughter’s birthday, my anniversary, the Dallas market, and now our July 4th vacation. No big deal considering our blessing of Lola.
And per Lola, meeting her entire family and being a “family girl” will be the happiest day of her life.
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Mother’s Day, Father’s Day
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June 18th, 2006
They may be over promoted by Hallmark, but nevertheless very meaningful days to all the Mom’s and Dad’s out there. Raising children is sometimes a thankless task, and always a demanding 24/7 job. To those out there giving it their all, my hat is off to you.
My Father’s Day was a little unusual. After opening some gifts with homemade cards, we said good-bye to our three young daughters and left for a 3 ½ week trip to adopt another daughter. It was both a happy and a sad day, as we’ve never been apart from our daughters like this. My wife actually gets to come home after Court, so Lola and I will have 2 ½ weeks alone for some serious bonding.
God willing, we’ll be proud parents all over again in four days. It feels like my wife and I both are in labor and about to give birth to a 10 year old. Should be an interesting Russian “vacation”.
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Lola
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April 28, 2006
She’s awesome. An absolutely wonderful little girl who has had no breaks in life. Her home is an orphanage amidst a sea of old, gray apartment buildings. Despite living in an orphanage that can’t afford to turn on the lights, she can light up a room with her presence. I’m not sure many people could endure what she has been through and still be able to smile and laugh.
The orphanage director thinks so much of Lola, she was allowed to stay with us for our entire visit. What a time we had getting to know each other.
She taught us much, including real generosity. Although she has virtually nothing to her name, she always offers to share anything she gets. We were getting out of a taxi, and as I was paying, she offered the driver and another passenger a piece of her bubble gum. They'd be shocked to know she's an orphan who doesn't own much more than that bubble gum.
This trip was the first of two trips, so we’re now flying home with the hopes of being invited back soon for our Court hearing. Leaving Lola at the orphanage hurt, but Lola showed maturity far beyond a typical 9 year old. Per Lola in Russian, “I’m patient. I’ve waited this long, I can wait some more”.
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Russia or High Point?
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April 23, 2006
The entire furniture industry is about to converge in High Point, the most important market in the industry. Personally, I’ve helped set up our showrooms since I was probably 10 years old, and have actively worked the past 38 markets from start to finish. (And these 38 markets are after a short career in Public Accounting…man I’m old.)
So why fly around the world to Khabarovsk Russia days before The Event? To see a little orphan girl named Lola.
My wife and I are determined to give Lola a home, God willing, and these are the dates we were given for our trip. While I do sincerely miss seeing all of our friends and customers in High Point, this wasn’t a hard decision. There will be plenty more markets, but this is Lola’s time.
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Nate
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February 27, 2006
My November 26th blog entry “Big and Getting Bigger” is out of date. We are proud to announce the newest member of our family. His name is Nate. He is one of the happiest guys I know. We found him at the pound, just before his days at the pound ran out.
Through my wife’s involvement in helping the helpless, she discovered Nate. He had been sitting in a concrete dog run in frigid January weather for a couple of weeks. After getting him out of the pound, it was discovered that this old dog had a broken leg, a bladder infection, a bad skin condition, etc.
Nate spent the next few weeks at our local vet’s, and ultimately had to have his leg amputated due to the length of time his leg went untreated. Now I’m proud to say that he is part of our family. Nate is a big dog of mixed heritage, weighing in at around 60 lbs. His thick fur hides the fact that he should weight about 90 lbs. He’s well fed now and won’t weight 60 lbs for long.
His lifestyle on our farm involves many naps on his couch, riding around on the golf cart, as well as nights in a warm comfortable “dog room” with his favorite cat Julie. He likes to play with Harley, another mixed heritage dog that we “adopted” from the middle of a busy road a few months back.
Nate has gone from effectively being left to die to bringing great joy to all who know him. His trick that says the most about him is his “hand” shake. If you hold out your hand to Nate, he raises his shoulder where his leg once was and shakes his shoulder up and down. He’s just happy to be loved now.
Pictured below is Nate ready to tour the farm. Visit your local animal shelter, and see if they don’t have a Nate.
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Whew . . . It’s Done!
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January 10, 2006
Hope you like our new Web site. We started from the ground up, and reconstructed every single page of this site. Thanks to Whereoware and The Coastal Group, we’re very proud of this new tool.
Our overriding theme was . . . keep it simple and keep it shopperfriendly. This site is designed for our loyal Uttermost retailers and the consumer. Please pour another cup of coffee and relax, there’s lots to see here.
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Big and getting bigger
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November 26, 2005
I’m not referring to business or waist size; I’m talking about my family. At last count, we’re at 22, and not done. And the way we’ve come together as a family isn’t typical.
- I have one wife of 18 years.
- Have 3 young daughters adopted from Siberia Russia.
- Have 8 dogs, of which most were “adopted” from the side of the road.
- Have 5 cats, also from various highways, the local dumpster, and the post office parking lot.
- Have 3 horses and 1 pony. The pony at age 30 was “out to pasture” when we got her, now she’s happily employed teaching our girls to ride.
And now, we’re drawn to add a precious 9 ½ year old girl from Eastern Siberia who needs a family. Where do we stop? What’s my point? I guess it’s that God works in ways that are hard to understand, but we trust in him and he keeps blessing us. Maybe draw the line at 25?
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Business Plans
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November 3, 2005
Everyone who knows anything about business knows that you need a strategic business plan. Every business professor and every textbook makes this very clear. So what do you do if you’re into your 30th year in business, and haven’t had time yet to write a business plan?
This is our situation at Uttermost. But does this mean our business is stagnant? I don’t think so. Over the current 12 months, we have:
- Added the talented designer Billy Moon to our phenomenal designer group.
- Jumped into accessories--candleholders, vases, boxes, etc--with both feet.
- Added a new division for Lighting Fixtures, the biggest product undertaken we have ever done.
- Totally re-created this website.
- Added a new 100,000 square foot building addition in VA, to give us almost 700,000 square feet in VA.
- Opened a 150,000 square foot high ceiling West Coast Distribution Center.
Despite the activity, we still don’t have a business plan, but we have a very hands on management team involved in every detail of our business. And our service level to our customers is at an all time high. Business plan or not, having a good, hands-on management team is what is most important.
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Accessories vs. Furniture
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September 29, 2005
Yesterday, I was voted onto the Board of Directors of Hooker Furniture, one of the largest, most prestigious, furniture manufacturers/importers in the industry. Wow, what an honor, but this really says more about Uttermost and accessories than it does about me.
For Uttermost, it says that our consistent growth and reputation has been noticed. For the accessory industry, this is really interesting. I don’t think it was many years ago that the furniture industry looked at accessories as “knickknacks” to make their furniture look better. The accessory side of the home furnishings industry is here now in full force, and only getting stronger. We’ve shown that not only can we help to sell furniture, but we can give the retailer a more frequent sell, draw traffic, and improve retailer margins. Now furniture manufacturers are actually noticing the accessory industry and recognizing that maybe we can even show them something to help their business. We’ll always be the little brother, but not as little as we used to be. Hooray for accessories!!!
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Never felt so little
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September 27,2005
Had lunch today with Sun Ming Ming, a 21 year old from China. At 7’9”, Ming hopes to be in the NBA soon, no time for college. Pretty cool meeting him, but a little humiliating when my daughter said, “I look like his little son.”
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No One Speaks English!
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September 26, 2005
Sure, when you travel to China, Europe, or Russia, you expect to hear a lot of words you don’t understand. But not in Rocky Mount, Virginia. My “business lunch” every day is actually a “business workout” in our factory weight room. Typically, many of our top managers work out, giving us time to talk football and other men stuff, but also business issues.
I made it to the weight room a little early today, and realized that I was the only one in the room who spoke English. I never would have guessed that in our small town in Virginia, in our company where most of the workers grew up with Uttermost, would we have nearly 20% of our work force speaking Spanish. What a small world we live in.
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China, Again
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September 12, 2005
On my way to China again. Second trip in the past 40 days. We have so many great friends and co-workers in our overseas offices and factory that I really wouldn’t mind frequent trips to the Orient if it weren’t for missing my family. It still hurts to say good-bye each time, but it’s my job.
Uttermost Staff in China
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