Wed., March 18, 2009 Post No. 1 Question 2

My image of work as a child was shaped by three adults, my grandfather, father and mother... with affection called Pop, Dad and Mom. In all respects they offered an image of hard-working individuals, devoted to their respective jobs and the betterment of their lives and their loved ones.

Pop was the chef at Schraffts Restaurant in downtown Manhattan. He was up before dawn, walked his dog, a collie, and then rode the IRT from New Lots Avenue to the restaurant. Pop never complained about work. He often commented on how he loved his job as well as the people he met as a consequence of it.

Pop came to the USA from Lithuania in 1909. He graduated from the Imperial Russian University, St. Petersburg, Russia as a foreign language major. The only students admitted to this college were those of noble background...thus the rich titled nobleman became a chef. Pop never complained about his lot in life, he wished only to better his life and in turn the lives of his three sons.

Dad worked as a building engineer in commercial real estate. I vividly recall him attending NYU in the evenings in order to obtain his licenses.

During that time he worked for a fellow named Harry Helmsley and had only distain for the way Harry operated his properties and dealt with employees. To my Dad, Harry was the "king of mean." His wife Leona followed Harry's lead and together they oppressed even those closest to them.

Dad's compensation was quite good as manager of 1410 Broadway. My siblings and I had private Catholic educations in primary school and the choice of whatever high school we wished to attend.

Mom gave up a career as the personal secretary to the Vice President of International Business for ITT at age 32 when I was born. She resumed full time employment after five children and eight years and went to work for Chemical Bank.

The talk at mealtimes often concerned dealings at the bank and how high integrity played a role not only in personal relationships but in the conduct of business in a wider sense as well. Mom rose to a position of authority and retired at age 65.

Did the three adults I looked up to do well? I truly believe so. My own thoughts about work, its rewards and and the qualities of a good employee were undoubtedly shaped by their careers. I followed their examples and also shared my mom's pursuits in banking (I worked for a Korean Bank until it collapsed in 1999).

One thing that I was not taught and have come to believe is that the must successful people on
this planet are self-employed. Gee if I had only known. I would have majored in Business and set up my own real estate company.