BY TED OWEN
Outgoing CEO and President
CARLSBAD CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
The most distinguishing hallmark of American society is and always has been change. On January 31, 2019 a change at this Chamber will occur. I will step down and my chair will be filled by Bret Schanzenbach, the current CEO of the Vista Chamber of Commerce.
This is my last column and I want to take a moment to illustrate a few highlights and memories. I have mixed emotions as I have been working for 60 years and now, I will ride off into the sunset.
Instead of making a laundry list of my accomplishments, or a list of everyone I have met, I am going to leave you with a simple list of things that have helped me be successful. I have read and reread them for years and they have never failed me.
Anyway: The Paradoxical Commandments
People are unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered. Love them anyway.
If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives. Do good anyway.
If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies. Succeed anyway.
Honestly and frankness make you vulnerable. Be honest and frank anyway.
The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway.
The biggest people with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest people with the smallest minds. Think big anyway.
People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs. Fight for some underdogs anyway.
What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight. Build anyway.
Give the world the best you have and you’ll get kicked in the teeth. Give the world the best you have anyway.
– by Dr. Kent M. Keith
I have met many incredible men and women in my lifetime including presidents and bus boys at restaurants. But it goes without saying our professional staff here at the Chamber, the government officials administering the city of Carlsbad and our members are the finest there are.
I will miss getting up at 3:15 a.m. and getting to work at 6 a.m. I will miss talking individually with our staff and helping them as if they were my kids. I will miss my weekly meeting with Mayor Matt Hall who befriended me for the 15 years of my tour of duty. He extended my leadership skills to another level.
Last but not least I want to give special thanks to our Chief Operating Officer Toni Padron who has been incredible for the entire time of my assignment here.
Best wishes Bret, you are a very lucky guy.