I like January because it is the beginning of a new year, and even though it’s cold, dark and snowy in northeast Ohio, it’s also a time to look back on the past year and begin a new one with a clean slate and new ideas. Looking back on 2012, I was gifted with a…
On April 3, 2010 Apple changed the way we consume media with the introduction of the iPad. Before that, maybe 30 years ago, I was a salesman calling on Progressive Insurance, providing them with most of their business forms. Thirty years ago, Progressive kindly told me they had bought five Xerox 9700 page printers, and…
Albert Einstein said that insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. I’ll take that one step further and say it’s really insane if you make a mistake and turn around to make the same mistake, again and again. A mistake is only an irreversible error if you don’t…
Change is inevitable, in business and in life. Actually, change in business is good since it’s a reflection on growth and movement, which, I believe, are two things that keep a business vital and poised for sustainability. Since 2010 we at Shamrock have seen lots of change. First, spurred on by a lagging economy, Shamrock,…
We’ve all witnessed how our nation gathers together to help when tragedy strikes. The same is true at holiday time. We think more about the needy, more about our neighbors, and we look for ways to give with simple acts of kindness. And that kindness is generally returned this time of year. Wouldn’t it be…
A Christmas Carol is the story of redemption. When Scrooge visits the home of Bob Cratchit, bearing gifts and goodwill, he is saved from a life of misery. As kids, we would read the story or see the movie on television, and the family would discuss the act of giving, not only at Christmas, but…
A few weeks ago Shamrock represented the 8th Annual Our Lady of the Wayside 2012 Starlight Guardian Humanitarian Award Luncheon, which celebrates Those Who Embrace The Spirit of Giving. I was honored to be the host of the event which included 700 guests. We raised $100,000 in ten minutes at the luncheon. Our Lady of…
A couple weeks ago my wife Cyndi and I were waiting at the airport and began talking about the season, which led to thinking about holiday gifts. As we were talking Cyndi and I looked up at the nearby television, and we saw again the devastation of Staten Island, New York, parts of Queens and…
Since I was a kid, Thanksgiving has always meant the congregation of family. More than any other holiday, the values and traditions of Thanksgiving have had a tremendous impact on my life. I remember how the entire family would always gather around my grandparents’ table. My grandparents owned a dairy farm with plenty of work…
The first week in November gave me jolt and I was thankful. While many of us were beginning to make plans for the upcoming Thanksgiving weekend, Mother Nature has some plans of her own. Old Mother Nature cut off power at our corporate office in Westlake, Ohio and we had to shut down for several…