Page 12 - HRD Connect 2023: Edition 24

our conversation, I noticed the daughter was due to graduate three days later from North Salinas High School.
So, I suggested the father write a quick note to the mother explaining his situation, fax it to me and I’d ensure
she received it. Anything after that would be up to the mother. The father quickly emailed me a short letter
(which I read to make sure it was appropriate) asking that she please allow him to at least speak with their
daughter. I didn’t tell the father she was due to graduate in three days. I called the mother, but there was no
answer. I waited a few hours and called again, but still no answer. I then decided to take the letter to her home
personally. I knocked on the door and the mother answered, I identified myself and explained why I was there.
She was reluctant to accept the letter, so I explained she was under no obligation to respond to him or us for
that matter. She decided to take the letter and I left. The following Monday I received a call from the mother.
She had decided to speak with her daughter and they, together, called the father that same day. They decided
to pay for him to fly out and be in attendance at her high school graduation. The mother closed the case
shortly thereafter having come to an agreement with the father. The father contacted me several months later
and explained he and his daughter had been able to see each other two more times and they kept in contact by
phone. He was also working paying all the back child support owed to the mother by paying for his daughter’s
tuition in college and some other expenses.

What are some of the key lessons or insights you've gained from your years of experience that you'd like to
pass on to the next generation or your colleagues?

• NEVER too soon to plan for retirement. My spouse and I began planning our retirement nearly 25 years
ago. Take advantage of deferred comp. I’ve seen people who, later in life, regretted not taking
advantage of it and could not retire.
• Find a job you love, and it will make your job much easier.
• Find multiple sources of income; regardless of how small.
• Surround yourself with people you enjoy working with. Having a positive vibe makes going to work so
much easier.
• Leave work at work. Don’t take it home. My spouse and I worked together for 30 of the 33 years we’ve
been together. It’s nice to spend time together but we often times brought work home
(discussions/debates, etc.). Leave the work at work. Enjoy your off time.
• Don’t go to work for a paycheck. Go to work because you enjoy it. I’ve found that people who worked in
our office for a paycheck were not happy, were not productive, and brought others down. Life is short, if
you don’t enjoy your job, find another one.
• Lastly, the people you work with are with you more hours of the day than your family is in many cases.
We’ve experienced co-workers getting married, having children, having grandchildren, graduating from
college, retiring, moving on to other jobs, and sadly many co-workers have passed. The people you
work with are not just your co-workers. They are there with you all day. Sometimes, they may be the
ones to help you through a bad day or offer some great advice. There may be times when they are the
ones who save your life. It happened to me a few times at work. Having also been a firefighter at the
same time I was working for Child Support, there were many times co-workers called on me to help
with serious medical situations. Always be ready and willing to help others.

How do you envision your retirement, and what are some of the activities or projects you look forward to in
this new chapter of your life?

I’m going to be busy. I’m blessed to have two new grandchildren. I am already taking care of one and will get
the other in January. I want my grandchildren to be raised by family and I have that option available to me so

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