Valentines get-away & BIG changes...

Well, Neil and I had a WONDERFUL Valentines get-away! It was a fast, busy, 3 days, but so much fun to spend some time alone with each other, thinking about all the future possibilities. We felt VERY spoiled staying the the Four Seasons Hotel, eating out at nice restaurants, going to the beach, and driving around the area to look at homes.

It's been a crazy whirlwind of emotions, decisions, and craziness the past couple weeks and months...

It all started back around October. Neil was contacted by a food-safety consulting company based out of Agoura Hills, CA, called Everclean Services. Neil has known the President & Vice President for about 9 years. He actually worked for their company, just as a food-safety auditor, doing audits for Panda Express, PF Changs, & Chevy's, when we lived in Utah. It was a second job while he was working at the Salt Lake Valley Health Department, for a little extra money. It was a great company then and has grown very quickly in the last 10 years.

Back in October, they called Neil about the Sr. Director position. They did a phone interview and wanted to fly him out to talk in person and make an offer. They said that Neil had all the qualifications & skills they were looking for & were really interested in bringing him on with their company. Well, we were looking at dates that he could fly out, but wanted to make sure that the wages would be enough, since that area is so much more expensive than here. They originally said they could pay him about what he's making here, so we turned down the offer to fly out, saying it just wasn't enough because of the cost of living difference. Well, they didn't want to shut the door completely. They knew we were already going to be out there at Christmas time (Neil had told them that), so they asked if they could at least meet with him in person while we were out there.

So, in December, when we flew out to California for our family vacation to see my family there & take the kids to Disneyland, Neil took a few hours to drive out to meet with them. The meeting went really well and we were even more excited about the opportunity. They wanted to make Neil a formal offer (which was more than the first offer). Within a few days of returning home, they sent us a written offer. The basic offer was great, but the amount for relocation just wasn't enough, considering that we've lost about $40,000 in the value of our home and it would be hard to sell it at a price even at what we have left owing on it. So, Neil turned down the offer a 2nd time, explaining that we'd love to join the company and felt that it was a generous offer, but the relocation just wasn't enough and we were kind of stuck because of the housing situation. Well, again, they didn't want to close the door completely. They said that they were not looking for anyone else--that Neil was who they wanted. They felt he has the skills & experience they are looking for and that he'd be a perfect fit for their company. They said that within a few months, they might have some things change where they could offer us more for relocation and that they'd be in touch. We figured it might be a while before we heard back from them. Well, we were wrong...

A few weeks later, the Vice President called to talk to Neil about some of the ideas he had for building some of their programs and things, and was really excited about some of the plans & ideas that Neil had suggested. A couple days after that, the President called Neil back again and said that they could offer us a lot more for relocation (in the amount that we would need to cover the difference of what we could sell our home for vs. what we owe on it, as well as the cost of our realtor fees, and the cost of basic moving expenses). It was a VERY generous offer. We were VERY surprised. They wanted to fly Neil and I out as soon as possible to talk in person with both of us, discuss any questions or concerns, meet the other people in the office and the team that Neil would be managing, etc., and let us have a chance to look around at the area and look for homes, etc.

So we were scrambling to find a few days that would work, and trying to decide what to do with our kids for a few days. I have a wonderful friend who was SO generous to offer to stay with our kids. She slept at our house so that our kids could be in their own beds, and then would get them off to school in the morning, pick them up afterwards, help them with homework, feed them dinner, etc. And all this along with her own 3 kids and her niece that is living with them right now! She is a great friend and we are so grateful to her for her willingness to help out!!!

So, we ended up flying out on Feb. 14th, early in the morning. We got to LAX around 11:30 or so, drove 45 minutes to Westlake Village, where our hotel was, and got checked in. The hotel was amazing! They made our reservations at the Four Seasons Hotel. WOW! Talk about spoiling us!! It was great--especially for a Valentines get-away (even if it was for a job interview). :)

Well, we drove around that first day, getting a feel for the area and different subdivisions and homes we had looked at online. On Monday morning, we got up, went to breakfast, and then Neil had his meeting with the President & Vice President scheduled for 10 a.m. We headed to the office & I just took a book to read while Neil was in talking to them. They talked with him for a while, he met the team he'll be managing, we both talked with the HR person about their insurance, 401K, profit sharing program, etc. All of which is VERY good! Then they took us to lunch at a Japanese place close to the office. It was great!

After our meeting with them, Neil & I headed out with a realtor to look at homes in various areas. Our 3 favorite areas were Camarillo, Newbury Park, and Thousand Oaks. There were some great subdivisions with community pools & playgrounds, great schools (I've done a LOT of research online about all that), and we found some nice homes that are within the price range we can afford. We are really excited about the possibilities. We will live about 20 minutes from Neil's office, 30 minutes from the beaches in Malibu, 40 minutes to the Santa Barbara Zoo, 45 minutes from the L.A. Temple, 1-1/2 hours from my family in Alta Loma, 1-1/2 hours from Disneyland, and about 11 hours from our families in Utah. It will be great to be so much closer to everyone again!!

The last day we were there, we got up early, went to breakfast, and then drove a half hour to Zuma Beach in Malibu. It was beautiful! We watched the surfers for a while, and just enjoyed watching the waves roll in. The weather was wonderful while we were out there (in the mid-seventies and sunny), and everything was green and in bloom everywhere. So nice! We could really get used to all that & never miss the cold winters! After that, we headed back to the 3 areas that we liked the most, to look at those homes & areas just one more time. Then we headed back to LAX to return our car rental and fly home.

By the time we got home around 11:30 p.m. on Tuesday night, Neil had a new offer sent to his email. After thinking about it and talking about all the pros & cons & possibilities, etc. for 3 days, we felt that it was a great decision & opportunity for Neil's career and for our family, so we decided to accept the offer. Neil signed the acceptance, told his current boss Wed. morning (as well as his 2 Sr. Managers under him), and then announced it to the rest of his team on Thursday morning. Our kids are all SO excited to move & can't wait!

So...Neil is the new Sr. Director at Everclean, with the opportunity to move up to a V.P. within the next year or so, which we are really excited about. Neil will be starting out there in 3 weeks. The kids & I will stay here until our house sells or until the end of school, whichever comes first, then move out. Hopefully our home sells quickly (as well as our land), so we can all get out there together.

Anyway, that's the story... :)

...And just as a side note...I have to say how very proud I am of Neil and for his hard work in everything he does! Both the V.P. and the President had such nice things to say to Neil, and his V.P. sent out a very complimentary letter, announcing to everyone that Neil would be leaving. It said:

"It is with mixed emotions that I inform you that Neil Checketts has accepted another position outside of Walmart. Needless to say, I am saddened to receive this news. Neil has been invaluable to me during my transition to Walmart and instrumental in leading many of the new food safety initiatives we've implemented. His technical skills, leadership, and "can do" attitude will sorely be missed. On the other hand, I am happy for Neil and his family as this move will put him closer to family and friends. Neil joined the company 5 years ago and, as you know, most recently served as Senior Director Food Safety Operations. With Neil's departure, Darrell and Greg will temporarily report to me until we find Neil's replacement. Neil's last day with us will be Wednesday, March 10. It's been said that the measure of a leader is the legacy that he or she leaves behind. Neil clearly leaves with us an impressive legacy with his contributions with the Behavioral FSA, the enhanced Food Safety Scorecard, the Food Safety High Five, the 3 Beliefs and Food Safety, and much, much more. Please join me in thanking Neil for his many contributions and wishing him the best in his new endeavor."

And then the President sent an email to Neil that said:

"Neil,
I agree with what Frank said. You are leaving behind a long trail of accomplishments. The result is that you've developed a reputation for getting things done. That will serve you well as you embark upon your new job.
Congratulations. We will miss you.
Karen"