United Way of Sonoma Mendocino Lake Loaned Executive
In the fall of 2001 I spent four months working as a Loaned Executive with the United Way of Sonoma Mendocino Lake in Santa Rosa, CA. The intent of the Loaned Executive program is to teach an employee of a local company (usually a large local company) how to be a manager/leader in their organization by putting them in charge of part of running part of the United Way SML's fall fundraising drive. The amount raised by the companies the loaned executive is in charge of will depend largely on the loaned executive's diligence, creativity, and adaptability.
I'm not sure if it was by design or accident, but I ended up being one of two male loaned executives that year among a group of 14 women. Looking back my term as a loaned executive was enormously enlightening in several regards. For one, I got addicted to having to "think on my feet" that one has to do when dealing with other people. I'd been an engineer up until then in my career and suffice it to say, I had gotten incredibly bored by the solitary, predictable work routine of conducting experiments and analyzing data. Second, I saw a great deal of what I can only best describe as "social inequity" (homelessness, drug addiction, etc) and while I don't have an overwhelming urge to 'save the world' like many law students, I have been deeply convinced ever since that I was destined to be more in this world than just another cubicle-bound engineer.
Perhaps I'm reading too far into it, but maybe it was a sign that September 11th occurred during my time as a Loaned Executive as well.
Anyway, I took a bunch of pictures during our time together:
Loaned Executive Graduation (August 28, 2001)
Day of Caring (September 12, 2001)
KJZY / KZST Mix Sampler Party (October 11, 2001)
BMW Ultimate Drive (October 17, 2001)
United Way Awards dinner (November 29, 2001)
Loaned Executive Farewell Roast (November 30, 2001)
Silent Auction Dinner (January 19, 2002)
Saturday, December 09, 2006 01:53:50 PM