As I sit here, my mother is working on her guest blog...writing it down, so my break this week will be none...and from the questions she is asking me...well I am waiting to transcribe....my drivels return next week...Hope your weekend is as long as my week has been...Dad is drinking an ice cold Miller High Life, and Mom just finished hand writing a small novel...
From Richlands High School class of 1947....Helen Jean Rumgay Bruck....
"Andy and I arrived in Atlanta and I got through airport security with no problem. Andy got patted down - he had a knife blade and a can opener in his army wallet....
After a long walk, and a ride on the airport train we arrived at our gate where our 777 (big fellow) awaited us. Nice trip, we arrived in Dubai after 14 hours of flight. John met us at the Dubai Airport, he drove us to his apartment past the beautiful tall buildings, 7 wide lanes, 100 miles an hour (it's kph but mom's on a roll so I'll keep typing what she wrote).
Friday we went to the world's largest mall, where we had lunch and watched people ice skate. (John's NOTE:That's all Mom wrote about Friday- I will share about dad scaring me to death as we awaited paramedics bringing the ambulance, next week...).
Saturday we went with John to his office and met Sham and some other employees.
John took us out to eat dinner almost every night. Ate Italian, then Chinese. Had egg drop soup-steak dish and chicken. Nick ate dinner with us, then came to John's apartment to watch taped Survivor episodes.One night we went to Social House, I only had a salad. Wednesday John got us tickets and we went on a sight seeing double decker bus all over Dubai. There were beautiful flowers, red and white petunias, everywhere plenty of palm trees with Xmas lights, lighting their trunks. The streets had marble intersections. The buildings are all concrete, steel and marble. There are 25 new buildings you can see from John's porch. 40 to 70 floors - cranes on each of them. Other parts of town have same amount of construction.
Thursday went to world's 2nd largest mall. Had dinner and watched people ski. Friday went to church. Nice sermon, standing room only, over 300 seats, then we went to Elie (Transmed's Credit Manager) along with Sandy and Bob, Mary and Richard. Had a Lebanese feast- It was delicious. We leave for USA tomorrow. Nice visit - beautiful time, John was excellent host.
The only thing bad about our trip was I have a bad sinus infection and cough. Stopped at Pharmacy and I got antibiotics. I have kept Andy and John awake coughing.
The people are all friendly. Met John's friend Roe - beautiful Phillapena.
Went to hyper Panda at another mall - made Walmart look small. Taxis to the mall-cost 10 Dirhams ($2.70). Never got to ride on monorail, or go up in the Burj.Thank you."
Well, Mom and Dad return home tomorrow, there are stories to tell....catch you soon.
John
Friday, March 18, 2011
Friday, March 11, 2011
Guess who's coming to Dinner????
That is right, my parents. Mom and Dad (Helen and Andy) arrived last night here in the UAE. My brother Mike was suppose to be coming with them, but unfortunately his passport didn't show up on time. Well they were scheduled to get here at 8pm, and should be at the pickup point by 8:30. Well the plane was early, so I rushed to the airport to wait for them.Delta has one flight in and out of here every day, so I became a little concerned when the flight crew passed by me at about 8:30pm. Well to make a long story a little longer, just after 9pm through the door with a nurse and an orderly wheeling my dad in a wheelchair they came out the door. Dad had fallen in the airport, not hurt just dizzy. It was a little shocking to see him being wheeled in by the nurse, I know its just part of being 81, but still unsettling and sobering.
We got settled in to my apartment and everyone sacked out by midnight. I did wake up when they were scurrying around at 7 this morning, they don't even seemed phased by jet lag....we will see how they fare today. I had planned on today being an easy day, we are going to go to the Souk al Bahar and stroll through the Arab shops and have lunch at the mall. Tonight we are having dinner with a friend....we will see how that goes.
I had to get antibiotics this week for an upper respiratory infection. I had a fever and the sand was enveloping the city. It was so thick in the air it was like a foggy morning in the smokey Mountains, except it was sand in the air, not low ground clouds. Everybody seems to be coughing...We really need a rain to clean the air...hopefully it will come this week so that my parents visit will be better for comfortably and pictures.
No big news at work this week. I think we will smash through our record sales month (6.1 million)...we will see. Juan is having major obstacles on getting settled in. I got my UAE driving license by just showing my American driving license and US passport. Juan has a US Driving license, but traveled here on a Colombian passport. He must take 8 driving classes then pass the written and driving test. God Bless America...Nick met some of his new customers, its the same old Nick, he will do great. They both went for their aids test (if you have aids you are quarantined and then sent home on first flight out). Results are pending. Nick came over to watch TV this week, We watched the first two episodes of Survivor, gotta love Boston Rob. On American Idol, we are up (or would that be down) to the final 50, so don't spoil it for us.
Oh well, need to jump in the shower and play tourist for the day...Next blog will be my mothers "Guest blog" that should be interesting. Have a great weekend!
John
We got settled in to my apartment and everyone sacked out by midnight. I did wake up when they were scurrying around at 7 this morning, they don't even seemed phased by jet lag....we will see how they fare today. I had planned on today being an easy day, we are going to go to the Souk al Bahar and stroll through the Arab shops and have lunch at the mall. Tonight we are having dinner with a friend....we will see how that goes.
I had to get antibiotics this week for an upper respiratory infection. I had a fever and the sand was enveloping the city. It was so thick in the air it was like a foggy morning in the smokey Mountains, except it was sand in the air, not low ground clouds. Everybody seems to be coughing...We really need a rain to clean the air...hopefully it will come this week so that my parents visit will be better for comfortably and pictures.
No big news at work this week. I think we will smash through our record sales month (6.1 million)...we will see. Juan is having major obstacles on getting settled in. I got my UAE driving license by just showing my American driving license and US passport. Juan has a US Driving license, but traveled here on a Colombian passport. He must take 8 driving classes then pass the written and driving test. God Bless America...Nick met some of his new customers, its the same old Nick, he will do great. They both went for their aids test (if you have aids you are quarantined and then sent home on first flight out). Results are pending. Nick came over to watch TV this week, We watched the first two episodes of Survivor, gotta love Boston Rob. On American Idol, we are up (or would that be down) to the final 50, so don't spoil it for us.
Oh well, need to jump in the shower and play tourist for the day...Next blog will be my mothers "Guest blog" that should be interesting. Have a great weekend!
John
Friday, March 4, 2011
In like a lamb, out like a lamb????
The weather is starting to heat up, it has been absolutely beautiful....mid 80's...all sun, and a gentle breeze. We have had an exceptionally dry winter (even for here) with less than a half dozen rains none lasting more than a few minutes....According to the weather almanac Feb/March is the rainy season, then in late April the long hot dry season begins with virtually no chance of even a drizzle of rain until December...According to the weather tables it has rained 9 times between June and November in the last 30 years...that would put a smile on Al Gore's face....
The Gulf Food Show came and went, we had a great turnout. It dwarfs food shows from the USA, with 10 halls of exhibitions crammed full with suppliers and manufacturers from all over the MidEast. I really enjoyed catching up with some old coworkers from the states. Sam Hodge (old Buckhead co-worker) had changed a little bit, but only for the better - his natural good natured youthfulness had changed by a little bit of maturity. I really enjoyed having dinner with him and spending a little time with him at the show. Roy Mitchell (chef from Buckhead Florida) worked our show booth, and other than Nick and him continuing their little rivalry (I really don't know what else to call it) it was peaceful. It was good to catch up on the news about my old coworkers and friends, and I think he genuinely enjoyed seeing how well things are going for me here, and will have good positive stories to share with my old and his current colleagues. The multiple nights of entertainment dinners went well also, really a good "show week".
The sales numbers for February 2011 verses 2010 are in....we grew 65.23%! The moves that we are making are paying off. On the down side, Rami, our rep working Abu Dhabi from Lebanon gave me 6 week notice yesterday. He will be tough to replace. He wants to be a manager and is being given a wonderful opportunity to be a regional for an appliance company. Have hired 5 new reps, yet I still need two for Abu Dhabi. No rest for the weary.
Kelly left for a week of vacation in India this morning. I hate when she is on vacation, she is such an important part of the team. Juan is going to relocate to Yas Island early in the week, and Ceren starts in her territory tomorrow. Nick is another week away from starting in his...I posted a picture of the team in facebook, check it out to keep track of them better.
Sandy (Bob's wife) got here last night. She went to church and lunch with Richard, Bob and I this morning. Her and Bob get along so well...it's very sweet, I can't imagine how hard it would be to be away from your spouse all the time-I know that I am an old romantic, but I just can't imagine...Richard's wife (Mary) is moving here in Mid March. My parents and brother get here next Thursday, so everybody will have family here together. My families flight back to America is on March 19th, the same Delta to Atlanta flight that Sandy will be on...nice coincidence.
The "Taste of Dubai" event is this weekend, I am attending with a lady friend, and will have to resist over-eating. Nothing sexy about an overweight middle age man over feeding himself....I did buy a whole bunch of new clothes, I think people are confusing better fitting clothes with me being in better shape (who's complaining...lol)
On the UAE cable TV front, none of the good American series that play over here are on now...Boardwalk season 1 ended about a month ago, True Blood (sexy Showtime Vampire series) just ended season 3, The Vampire Diary's from (Love Nina Dobrev) the WB just ended season 1....Currently American Idol's current season is running, along with Survivor. Nick is a fan of both of those series so I will have him over this week to watch some shows...
I still haven't attended (other than Pro Golf) any sporting events here. Cricket is popular here along with Soccer. Need to make an effort to see them both in person.
The unrest in the Middle East is now getting close. There have been demonstrations in Oman (borders to the north with AL Ain being a stone's throw away) and the US State Department giving warnings about travel there. The Oman military has bunched troops at the UAE border. There is a large American Military base there and the country is extremely strategic as it is the opposite side of Iran on the Straight of Hormuz, the narrow area that all of the oil tankers have to sail past. Bahrain lies to the south and is with 100 miles of the UAE border. Like Oman, there is a large US military base (Naval) there, and is also a strategic partner for the United States. There are even demonstrations in Saudi Arabia, it almost surrounds the UAE. (Water on one side, Oman and Saudi are the rest of the border). Things are still calm here, and no reason to believe they won't stay calm. Yes, keep me ( and my American co-workers) in your thoughts....
Well back to work in the morning, shower and dinner await me tonight. Hope your Friday is great and your weekend even better.
John
The Gulf Food Show came and went, we had a great turnout. It dwarfs food shows from the USA, with 10 halls of exhibitions crammed full with suppliers and manufacturers from all over the MidEast. I really enjoyed catching up with some old coworkers from the states. Sam Hodge (old Buckhead co-worker) had changed a little bit, but only for the better - his natural good natured youthfulness had changed by a little bit of maturity. I really enjoyed having dinner with him and spending a little time with him at the show. Roy Mitchell (chef from Buckhead Florida) worked our show booth, and other than Nick and him continuing their little rivalry (I really don't know what else to call it) it was peaceful. It was good to catch up on the news about my old coworkers and friends, and I think he genuinely enjoyed seeing how well things are going for me here, and will have good positive stories to share with my old and his current colleagues. The multiple nights of entertainment dinners went well also, really a good "show week".
The sales numbers for February 2011 verses 2010 are in....we grew 65.23%! The moves that we are making are paying off. On the down side, Rami, our rep working Abu Dhabi from Lebanon gave me 6 week notice yesterday. He will be tough to replace. He wants to be a manager and is being given a wonderful opportunity to be a regional for an appliance company. Have hired 5 new reps, yet I still need two for Abu Dhabi. No rest for the weary.
Kelly left for a week of vacation in India this morning. I hate when she is on vacation, she is such an important part of the team. Juan is going to relocate to Yas Island early in the week, and Ceren starts in her territory tomorrow. Nick is another week away from starting in his...I posted a picture of the team in facebook, check it out to keep track of them better.
Sandy (Bob's wife) got here last night. She went to church and lunch with Richard, Bob and I this morning. Her and Bob get along so well...it's very sweet, I can't imagine how hard it would be to be away from your spouse all the time-I know that I am an old romantic, but I just can't imagine...Richard's wife (Mary) is moving here in Mid March. My parents and brother get here next Thursday, so everybody will have family here together. My families flight back to America is on March 19th, the same Delta to Atlanta flight that Sandy will be on...nice coincidence.
The "Taste of Dubai" event is this weekend, I am attending with a lady friend, and will have to resist over-eating. Nothing sexy about an overweight middle age man over feeding himself....I did buy a whole bunch of new clothes, I think people are confusing better fitting clothes with me being in better shape (who's complaining...lol)
On the UAE cable TV front, none of the good American series that play over here are on now...Boardwalk season 1 ended about a month ago, True Blood (sexy Showtime Vampire series) just ended season 3, The Vampire Diary's from (Love Nina Dobrev) the WB just ended season 1....Currently American Idol's current season is running, along with Survivor. Nick is a fan of both of those series so I will have him over this week to watch some shows...
I still haven't attended (other than Pro Golf) any sporting events here. Cricket is popular here along with Soccer. Need to make an effort to see them both in person.
The unrest in the Middle East is now getting close. There have been demonstrations in Oman (borders to the north with AL Ain being a stone's throw away) and the US State Department giving warnings about travel there. The Oman military has bunched troops at the UAE border. There is a large American Military base there and the country is extremely strategic as it is the opposite side of Iran on the Straight of Hormuz, the narrow area that all of the oil tankers have to sail past. Bahrain lies to the south and is with 100 miles of the UAE border. Like Oman, there is a large US military base (Naval) there, and is also a strategic partner for the United States. There are even demonstrations in Saudi Arabia, it almost surrounds the UAE. (Water on one side, Oman and Saudi are the rest of the border). Things are still calm here, and no reason to believe they won't stay calm. Yes, keep me ( and my American co-workers) in your thoughts....
Well back to work in the morning, shower and dinner await me tonight. Hope your Friday is great and your weekend even better.
John
Friday, February 25, 2011
Winter is over....
The weather has broken here, those cool winter day's with the highs reaching the low to mid 70's are over, the forecast for this coming week - Plenty O sunshine, highs in the mid 80's, lows in the upper 60's....March is definitely beach weather here!
Nick Dean started with Transmed this week. This is the 3rd different company that Nick has worked for/with me. At SYSCO St.Louis, Nick was one of our leading sales Reps while I was his District Manager. While I was Director over the state of Florida for Buckhead Beef, he was my Regional Rep. and did an excellent job there, now he has come to Dubai for hopefully a 3-peat of success. As they say here, In Shalla (loosely - As God wills it).
On the employee score board, there are now ten Account Executives reporting to me, all of them fitting in nicely. I have also already hired two more, Lauren and Haley, they start in late March and mid June. Have in the budget, additional reps in Abu Dhabi, The Northern Emirates, and the bordering Islamic Kingdom of Oman. Sales are really strong, February sales are approaching a record, I will of course let you know our record growth number next blog - In Shalla.
The Gulf Trade show starts this weekend here in Dubai. It is a very large event that all of the Mideast participates in. There are a lot of American Companies that are exhibiting, so I expect to see a few of my old friends from the states. Roy Mitchell (Buckhead Beef of Florida) a chef that I worked with for a year will be here. I will surely see more of my old friends. Richard is mainly responsible for the show, he is showing a little strain, fighting illness on the shows eve. Hani, Bob, Richard, Karim and I had dinner with two SYSCO executives last night (one of them former NFL player AL Kelso) at Sammach (Lebanese seafood restaurant). Tonight Bob and I are having dinner with Sam Hodge (I worked with Sam at Buckhead Beef of Atlanta) at Al Jarmen (upscale Lebanese dining) at Dubai Mall. Tomorrow night McCain is hosting a nice dinner for us. Sunday night is our Customer apprecitation dinner at the Grand Habtoor Hotel. The set up for the show is in the morning with the show through Wednesday. Really stressful, busy week! I will have a picture taken of our current sales team at the show, and post it on Facebook. Then as I share stories, you may put faces with names. They say the funniest things in that translation becomes a part of, this week Ceren,(Our young lady from Turkey) was excitedly sharing with Kelly that we could sell dried grapes to one of her prospects. You might know dried grapes as Raisins...
Sorry, not much fun in this weeks blog, mom and dad and my brother Mike visit in 2 weeks, I am sure there will be things to share. I need to hop in the shower, and head to dinner! I will see you soon....In Shalla.
John
Nick Dean started with Transmed this week. This is the 3rd different company that Nick has worked for/with me. At SYSCO St.Louis, Nick was one of our leading sales Reps while I was his District Manager. While I was Director over the state of Florida for Buckhead Beef, he was my Regional Rep. and did an excellent job there, now he has come to Dubai for hopefully a 3-peat of success. As they say here, In Shalla (loosely - As God wills it).
On the employee score board, there are now ten Account Executives reporting to me, all of them fitting in nicely. I have also already hired two more, Lauren and Haley, they start in late March and mid June. Have in the budget, additional reps in Abu Dhabi, The Northern Emirates, and the bordering Islamic Kingdom of Oman. Sales are really strong, February sales are approaching a record, I will of course let you know our record growth number next blog - In Shalla.
The Gulf Trade show starts this weekend here in Dubai. It is a very large event that all of the Mideast participates in. There are a lot of American Companies that are exhibiting, so I expect to see a few of my old friends from the states. Roy Mitchell (Buckhead Beef of Florida) a chef that I worked with for a year will be here. I will surely see more of my old friends. Richard is mainly responsible for the show, he is showing a little strain, fighting illness on the shows eve. Hani, Bob, Richard, Karim and I had dinner with two SYSCO executives last night (one of them former NFL player AL Kelso) at Sammach (Lebanese seafood restaurant). Tonight Bob and I are having dinner with Sam Hodge (I worked with Sam at Buckhead Beef of Atlanta) at Al Jarmen (upscale Lebanese dining) at Dubai Mall. Tomorrow night McCain is hosting a nice dinner for us. Sunday night is our Customer apprecitation dinner at the Grand Habtoor Hotel. The set up for the show is in the morning with the show through Wednesday. Really stressful, busy week! I will have a picture taken of our current sales team at the show, and post it on Facebook. Then as I share stories, you may put faces with names. They say the funniest things in that translation becomes a part of, this week Ceren,(Our young lady from Turkey) was excitedly sharing with Kelly that we could sell dried grapes to one of her prospects. You might know dried grapes as Raisins...
Sorry, not much fun in this weeks blog, mom and dad and my brother Mike visit in 2 weeks, I am sure there will be things to share. I need to hop in the shower, and head to dinner! I will see you soon....In Shalla.
John
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Prophets's Birthday...
Well today is a holiday, we are remembering the Prophet's birthday in the Muslim world. This is the point in my blog that I usually weave some history and give some incite to my friends back in the USA. Well sadly, I don't know....It apparently is a decently important holiday, because I kept our customer service and our warehouse open, while Richard and I caught up a little at the office - business was dead (mental note, next year I will close and give the team the day off)...live and learn.
I can attest to the parents are still with the blog, this past Monday was their 58th not 56th Anniversary...ooops sorry folks...would enjoy hearing that some of the rest of you are hanging with me....
I spent this evening reading the Cincinnati newspapers on line. The Reds have opened up spring training in Goodyear Arizona, and I am missing baseball...little melancholy. I wonder how my years over here will affect (or is that effect-could never quite get that straight, similar to principle and principal,,lol) for my love of Baseball and American pro football. If my heart will wonder away from my Reds and Cowboys...It sounds silly, but part of being a fan involves keeping up with the teams that I love. You might notice more my passion fade for them than I do. (still haven't gone to a cricket or soccer game here.)
I was calculating my future the other day, I am asked frequently about how long I am planning on being here. I love the opportunity I am enjoying at work, but it is laced with how much better I will enjoy my life in America financially secure. Of course the trick is earn enough but leave soon enough to enjoy my time back in America. My contract is up December 31st 2013. I should be out of debt in America by summer of 2012, and I have zero debt here. I am positioned well in my career to stay here long term, I don't honestly know if I will be here (by my choice) 3 more years or 18 more years... most probably somewhere in between...I guess it might depend on my social bonding. I have been dating more than I did in America in the last 10 years...who knows (and no, I am not sure how much I will blog about that)...I may pontificate more,,,we shall see.
I have scheduled with Bob my return to the USA this summer, I will be leaving the UAE in late July (around the 29th) and stay until approx. the 11th. I think I will try and visit several cities...Lebanon, VA, Knoxville, Atlanta, St. Louis and Cincinnati...(definitely take in a game or 2 with Fred and Danno).
Things are calm here, but with 85% of the residents of the UAE being from somewhere else, the unrest in the Middle East makes us nervous. Bahrain is less than 150 miles drive from the UAE border, and Oman (lesser problems) is within walking distance of AL Ain. My company is owned by Lebanese businessmen, and there is unrest there also. So, when I am pondering the duration of my visit, there are so many unknowns...
Juan and Ceren have had really good starts to their Transmed careers. They seem to be fitting in very well. Nick leaves (keep your fingers crossed) Florida this Sunday. The Gulf Food Show is here in Dubai and starts the last weekend in February.
Oh well, going to watch my tapings of American Idol, hope this is a "Prophet-able" day for you!
Warmest Regards,
John
I can attest to the parents are still with the blog, this past Monday was their 58th not 56th Anniversary...ooops sorry folks...would enjoy hearing that some of the rest of you are hanging with me....
I spent this evening reading the Cincinnati newspapers on line. The Reds have opened up spring training in Goodyear Arizona, and I am missing baseball...little melancholy. I wonder how my years over here will affect (or is that effect-could never quite get that straight, similar to principle and principal,,lol) for my love of Baseball and American pro football. If my heart will wonder away from my Reds and Cowboys...It sounds silly, but part of being a fan involves keeping up with the teams that I love. You might notice more my passion fade for them than I do. (still haven't gone to a cricket or soccer game here.)
I was calculating my future the other day, I am asked frequently about how long I am planning on being here. I love the opportunity I am enjoying at work, but it is laced with how much better I will enjoy my life in America financially secure. Of course the trick is earn enough but leave soon enough to enjoy my time back in America. My contract is up December 31st 2013. I should be out of debt in America by summer of 2012, and I have zero debt here. I am positioned well in my career to stay here long term, I don't honestly know if I will be here (by my choice) 3 more years or 18 more years... most probably somewhere in between...I guess it might depend on my social bonding. I have been dating more than I did in America in the last 10 years...who knows (and no, I am not sure how much I will blog about that)...I may pontificate more,,,we shall see.
I have scheduled with Bob my return to the USA this summer, I will be leaving the UAE in late July (around the 29th) and stay until approx. the 11th. I think I will try and visit several cities...Lebanon, VA, Knoxville, Atlanta, St. Louis and Cincinnati...(definitely take in a game or 2 with Fred and Danno).
Things are calm here, but with 85% of the residents of the UAE being from somewhere else, the unrest in the Middle East makes us nervous. Bahrain is less than 150 miles drive from the UAE border, and Oman (lesser problems) is within walking distance of AL Ain. My company is owned by Lebanese businessmen, and there is unrest there also. So, when I am pondering the duration of my visit, there are so many unknowns...
Juan and Ceren have had really good starts to their Transmed careers. They seem to be fitting in very well. Nick leaves (keep your fingers crossed) Florida this Sunday. The Gulf Food Show is here in Dubai and starts the last weekend in February.
Oh well, going to watch my tapings of American Idol, hope this is a "Prophet-able" day for you!
Warmest Regards,
John
Friday, February 11, 2011
Helping America's unemployment rate one person at a time...
I think I have spent more time in the last three months interviewing and hiring than doing anything else at work. I guess in the end people is what will make a difference here, so I am doing the necessary. For those of you keeping score at home, the recruits have started rolling in. Juan started this Monday, has made a great initial impression. He has led a fascinating life (Worked as a Colombian Air Force officer) and I am not sure what I can blog about...so lets just say that it is worth asking about when we catch up in person. I somehow had mentally pictured him as a typical scrawny little guy, instead he is more like a middle linebacker for a division 2 football team. I now have a body guard..lol
Ceren starts this Sunday, she is the former captain and point guard of her University college basketball team. I am probably the most excited about what she will bring to the table, from her experience working with the competition. Her hiring process has drug on way too long, with the government requirements for her to switch jobs cumbersome to say the least. She had to give 30 day's notice, and now she has been unemployed for almost 30 days waiting for the government to get their paperwork in order. Nick Dean starts in 9 days, I worked with Nick at SYSCO St. Louis and at Buckhead Beef. He just gave his notice to US Foods in Tampa...We have been friends for a while so it will be nice to have another buddy in Dubai (he is bringing his wife and 16 year old son with him- should be interesting)... This week I hired two more reps, Loren and Haley...Both Americans that were already here working in the industry. Loren will start in April working in our National Accounts (she is a chef) and Haley is a manager with an International hotel chain and will start in late June. So the updated scorecard, there are now 6 former SYSCO employees on our team (Bob, Richard, Lal, Juan, Nick and Myself) the food service Senior management team is 3 Americans and one Lebanese (Karim) individual. Our sales team will now be much more experienced with the additions and will have grown from 8 to 13. Better keep selling to justify the expense. The Gulf Trade show takes place here in Dubai at the end of this month, so between preparing for that and training new reps, I am very busy.
My parents delayed their trip to Dubai until early March. My brother Mike is now joining them. The additional body will make things cozy(?) here in my one bedroom apartment, but it will also allow me to work a little more while they are here. I am still planning on doing my tour of the United States at the very end of July and the first week of August. I am hoping that my 30th High school reunion will fit into my schedule, come on Susan- use your influence as the most successful class member of Lebanon High class of '81....get er done!
The Dubai classic is in town (Golf- Tiger, Kaymer, Westwood top 3 golfers in world are playing) and I have club house tickets and am planning on attending Saturday and Sunday. Bob's son Jeremy is here visiting and they are enjoying golf to the fullest. I will try and get on TV...lol...(no, I will not be wearing funny hats or streaking to accomplish that)....
The unrest in the Middle East is in the backs of every ones minds, and dominates the water cooler talk. So far, we have noticed no change here, but the neighboring countries have all had some protests or government action to appease or squash any dissenters. I guess for my entire time here, with me being less than 100 miles from Iran that I will keep one eye on the politics of the region while of course watching Fox news to keep abreast of whats going on in the good ole USA.
My parents 56th wedding anniversary is this Valentines day, for those of you in Lebanon, I would appreciate your checking on them, and to all of my gal pals that are keeping up here, Happy Valentines Day!!!!
All my best,
John
Ceren starts this Sunday, she is the former captain and point guard of her University college basketball team. I am probably the most excited about what she will bring to the table, from her experience working with the competition. Her hiring process has drug on way too long, with the government requirements for her to switch jobs cumbersome to say the least. She had to give 30 day's notice, and now she has been unemployed for almost 30 days waiting for the government to get their paperwork in order. Nick Dean starts in 9 days, I worked with Nick at SYSCO St. Louis and at Buckhead Beef. He just gave his notice to US Foods in Tampa...We have been friends for a while so it will be nice to have another buddy in Dubai (he is bringing his wife and 16 year old son with him- should be interesting)... This week I hired two more reps, Loren and Haley...Both Americans that were already here working in the industry. Loren will start in April working in our National Accounts (she is a chef) and Haley is a manager with an International hotel chain and will start in late June. So the updated scorecard, there are now 6 former SYSCO employees on our team (Bob, Richard, Lal, Juan, Nick and Myself) the food service Senior management team is 3 Americans and one Lebanese (Karim) individual. Our sales team will now be much more experienced with the additions and will have grown from 8 to 13. Better keep selling to justify the expense. The Gulf Trade show takes place here in Dubai at the end of this month, so between preparing for that and training new reps, I am very busy.
My parents delayed their trip to Dubai until early March. My brother Mike is now joining them. The additional body will make things cozy(?) here in my one bedroom apartment, but it will also allow me to work a little more while they are here. I am still planning on doing my tour of the United States at the very end of July and the first week of August. I am hoping that my 30th High school reunion will fit into my schedule, come on Susan- use your influence as the most successful class member of Lebanon High class of '81....get er done!
The Dubai classic is in town (Golf- Tiger, Kaymer, Westwood top 3 golfers in world are playing) and I have club house tickets and am planning on attending Saturday and Sunday. Bob's son Jeremy is here visiting and they are enjoying golf to the fullest. I will try and get on TV...lol...(no, I will not be wearing funny hats or streaking to accomplish that)....
The unrest in the Middle East is in the backs of every ones minds, and dominates the water cooler talk. So far, we have noticed no change here, but the neighboring countries have all had some protests or government action to appease or squash any dissenters. I guess for my entire time here, with me being less than 100 miles from Iran that I will keep one eye on the politics of the region while of course watching Fox news to keep abreast of whats going on in the good ole USA.
My parents 56th wedding anniversary is this Valentines day, for those of you in Lebanon, I would appreciate your checking on them, and to all of my gal pals that are keeping up here, Happy Valentines Day!!!!
All my best,
John
Friday, February 4, 2011
Spring is right around the corner...
TGIF to all of my friends back in the States, the weather is starting to warm back up here and I know the brutal winter you all are going through has about a month left in it...hang in there....After Bob, Richard and I got back from church, Dominik harassed me into going swimming with Bob and him. The breeze was cool, but the water felt great. Winter may be over here. There have been several very sandy days here, from what the locals say and I can read online the sand storms die down in the next month and what little rain we have been getting ends in March until next January. The highs are in the 70's right now, headed to the 80's in very short order.
Fred's visit was great for me. It is always great to have Fred around, my co workers really liked him, and several of the friendly servers that took care of us in our restaurants have asked how he is already. I think he will be back...My parents trip is up in the air as to when they are coming. My brother Mike might be joining them and if that happens they probably will delay their visit for a month. This time next week they will either be here or we will have re planned their trip.
The numbers are in for sales growth in January. We grew sales at a little more than 45%. That is the second best month ever. December sales grew at 48% (this year verses last) for our all time record. Management seems pleased with Bob and the rest of us, I am just working at making sure sales does not let him down. I finally made the final decision on one of our salesmen, terminating someone is the hardest part of any job, but over here it seems tougher with the visa rules very possibly meaning the person you dismiss has to leave the country if they cannot find another job within 30 days. There is no unemployment insurance, I think I took the final meeting tougher than the now ex-employee.
On a better note, Juan Lopez, arrives on Sunday. I am giving him the Yas Island/Ferrari World in Abu Dhabi area for a territory. Ceren should start on Feb 13th. She is taking part of Kelly's territory. Kelly is doing an amazing job. She has qualities that I can't teach as her manager, but that I can learn from as a person. I am so excited about her career. The Ministry of Labor is inspecting our company housing right now (warehouse workers get accommodations included in their packages) so labor visa's are on hold. Nick's has not been secured. We hope to get him here and started by Feb 20th. I also hired a young lady named Hayley, she has to work out her contract, so she won't begin with us until June. Still interviewing for a couple of reps for Abu Dhabi, one for Fujera and one for The Republic of Oman. There is the huge trade show for the region (Gulf Food Show) that begins here in Dubai at the end of the month. I really hope the three new reps are settled in by then. We have been doing a lot of role plays and training at our sales meetings, and the reps seem to be enjoying their careers. It is so rewarding for me.
I finally got to do some touristy things while Fred was here. The Ferrari World roller coaster was a minute of pure adrenaline. The worlds fastest roller coaster lived up to its billing. We had a great time at dinner with the Saber Family. If you recall, Elie Saber is the credit manager at Transmed, and his family was so kind to have me in their home on Christmas Eve. They treated Fred and I to dinner at Al Hallab, and it was one of Fred's favorite evenings during his stay. We also had a nice time with Elie Nader (My sales rep in Al Ain). We went up on Jabel Hafeet and had a buffet dinner at the Mercure hotel. Elie is just a great person. We enjoyed a dinner with Georges, Kelly and Frederique at Sammatch. We picked out a Hammour fish (Nice large white fish) and had them cut it up for fish and chips for the entire table. The new Jamie Olivers Restaurant invited us as their guests for their grand opening, so Richard, Kelly, Fred and I enjoyed a five star Italian dining experience. As you can tell Fred did not go hungry while he was here. His Middle Eastern cultural experience was enhanced by our trip to the Global Village. He bought souvenirs there and I think he liked walking amongst the crowds of Arabs. The UAE has become a vacation destination, I am shocked that they have not mounted an advertising campaign in the states.
The revolts in Egypt, Jordan, Tunisia, Lebanon, and Yemen have people nervous here. The Suez Canal is a life source for food and supplies coming into the country. I am looking at what it will cost us to fly containers of product in if the canal is closed. I think it is part of my job to be prepared for the worst case scenario's.
The US State Department has notified us that it is not safe to travel to other countries in the region (see the US Government is wise beyond words, or they have cable TV,,,lol). The Monarchy here is well liked by the citizens (15% of population) so as long as the laborers are peaceful we should be fine, but being included in your prayers would be appreciated...
Headed to dinner at the mall, hope your weekend will be as nice as mine is. I am rooting for the Steelers in the Super Bowl, sadly, I don't believe I will get to watch it.
John
Fred's visit was great for me. It is always great to have Fred around, my co workers really liked him, and several of the friendly servers that took care of us in our restaurants have asked how he is already. I think he will be back...My parents trip is up in the air as to when they are coming. My brother Mike might be joining them and if that happens they probably will delay their visit for a month. This time next week they will either be here or we will have re planned their trip.
The numbers are in for sales growth in January. We grew sales at a little more than 45%. That is the second best month ever. December sales grew at 48% (this year verses last) for our all time record. Management seems pleased with Bob and the rest of us, I am just working at making sure sales does not let him down. I finally made the final decision on one of our salesmen, terminating someone is the hardest part of any job, but over here it seems tougher with the visa rules very possibly meaning the person you dismiss has to leave the country if they cannot find another job within 30 days. There is no unemployment insurance, I think I took the final meeting tougher than the now ex-employee.
On a better note, Juan Lopez, arrives on Sunday. I am giving him the Yas Island/Ferrari World in Abu Dhabi area for a territory. Ceren should start on Feb 13th. She is taking part of Kelly's territory. Kelly is doing an amazing job. She has qualities that I can't teach as her manager, but that I can learn from as a person. I am so excited about her career. The Ministry of Labor is inspecting our company housing right now (warehouse workers get accommodations included in their packages) so labor visa's are on hold. Nick's has not been secured. We hope to get him here and started by Feb 20th. I also hired a young lady named Hayley, she has to work out her contract, so she won't begin with us until June. Still interviewing for a couple of reps for Abu Dhabi, one for Fujera and one for The Republic of Oman. There is the huge trade show for the region (Gulf Food Show) that begins here in Dubai at the end of the month. I really hope the three new reps are settled in by then. We have been doing a lot of role plays and training at our sales meetings, and the reps seem to be enjoying their careers. It is so rewarding for me.
I finally got to do some touristy things while Fred was here. The Ferrari World roller coaster was a minute of pure adrenaline. The worlds fastest roller coaster lived up to its billing. We had a great time at dinner with the Saber Family. If you recall, Elie Saber is the credit manager at Transmed, and his family was so kind to have me in their home on Christmas Eve. They treated Fred and I to dinner at Al Hallab, and it was one of Fred's favorite evenings during his stay. We also had a nice time with Elie Nader (My sales rep in Al Ain). We went up on Jabel Hafeet and had a buffet dinner at the Mercure hotel. Elie is just a great person. We enjoyed a dinner with Georges, Kelly and Frederique at Sammatch. We picked out a Hammour fish (Nice large white fish) and had them cut it up for fish and chips for the entire table. The new Jamie Olivers Restaurant invited us as their guests for their grand opening, so Richard, Kelly, Fred and I enjoyed a five star Italian dining experience. As you can tell Fred did not go hungry while he was here. His Middle Eastern cultural experience was enhanced by our trip to the Global Village. He bought souvenirs there and I think he liked walking amongst the crowds of Arabs. The UAE has become a vacation destination, I am shocked that they have not mounted an advertising campaign in the states.
The revolts in Egypt, Jordan, Tunisia, Lebanon, and Yemen have people nervous here. The Suez Canal is a life source for food and supplies coming into the country. I am looking at what it will cost us to fly containers of product in if the canal is closed. I think it is part of my job to be prepared for the worst case scenario's.
The US State Department has notified us that it is not safe to travel to other countries in the region (see the US Government is wise beyond words, or they have cable TV,,,lol). The Monarchy here is well liked by the citizens (15% of population) so as long as the laborers are peaceful we should be fine, but being included in your prayers would be appreciated...
Headed to dinner at the mall, hope your weekend will be as nice as mine is. I am rooting for the Steelers in the Super Bowl, sadly, I don't believe I will get to watch it.
John
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