Just got back from a Colorado get away... so BEAUTIFUL and cool compared to KC where from what I understand it has been 100 degrees plus all week. What a great escape!

Scott and I had the BEST time rafting on the Arkansas River with the boys and one of their best pals Jackson...

Nick, Jackson, Me, Scott & Chase

... and then to add to the fun on the way home I did a speech yesterday in Manhattan Kansas at Kansas State University (my under graduate alma mater).

I still can't believe that 30 years after my "graduation" from KSU I was back on campus sharing stories of the type of work ethic and wisdom I learned to appreciate while growing up watching my favorite teacher, my Father the Butcher, and the example he set for our family that ...


After all the headlines this week about what an "inspiration" an unhappy, spoiled, cranky and "overworked" flight attendant has become to many because he blew off his job, his employers and his customers I felt the need to share a story of our new pal Angel (pronounced AHN-hell).

For me... the Butcher's Daughter... Angel is living proof that GREAT people working hard each and every day making positive choices and treating their customers with humor, dignity and respect when they "act out" is where true inspiration comes from.

People often share their thoughts with me that the kind of work ethic and customer service attitude I learned from my Dad is dead... "Those were the good old days" they say. "Not so" I often reply and share stories of workforce heroes I see in action all the time... from David Vogt my trash man and "the happiest man I know" to my Pals at the UPS Store who ship my books out for me at a moment’s notice with no complaints. This ... I think we should all celebrate the REAL WORKFORCE HEROES when we see them.

That is why TODAY I ask you to join me in CELEBRATING Angel for the kind of leadership example he sets each and every day!

We met Angel at breakfast in our hotel the first morning of our get away and his smile and welcoming manner caught my attention straight away. The fact that he responded with concern then laughter after an embarrassed Nick had a bit of a choking episode when his chocolate milk went down the wrong way and Angel ended up sprayed with the brown liquid all over his clothes he sealed the deal that he was one of my new workforce heroes.

Oh but the story does not end there... the following morning when we came down for breakfast he welcomed us back and smiled at Nick while asking "Can I get you a big glass of chocolate milk this morning?" and we all laughed out loud.

BUT the REAL lesson Angel taught us all did not come from our breakfast interactions at our hotel. The real learning came from our chance meeting at dinner our last night in town.

While walking to our table at a beautiful Italian Restaurant in Avon we were all surprised and delighted when Angel walked up to our table and announced himself as our waiter for the evening. We all laughed when he asked for our drink orders and looked straight at Nick.

"What fun that you are here Angel" I commented "but when do you have time for you?" I asked. "You must be very busy working two jobs" I added.

"Oh no maam," he replied "I work THREE jobs... when I leave the hotel I go straight to my job cleaning a dentist's office before I come here to serve the dinner crowd." He then went on to share, "It's expensive living here in this beautiful place and I need to work the three jobs to keep up but I don't mind it's fun meeting people like all of you and I really enjoy the work I do and so appreciate the opportunity to live where I live."


OK... after that last exchange I have to admit I thought that Angel really was an angel sent here to help me teach my boys that the "good old-fashioned work ethic and attitude" that I talk about so often really isn't a thing of the past and that we can all learn from the examples surrounding us each and every day.

So... here's to Angel and David and my UPS Pals THANK YOU all for teaching us by your example and to all of us fortunate enough to come in to contact with these WORKFORCE HEROES let's remember Dad's advice that we should always try to...