06/02/2017

· Has anybody else gotten their Catfish Carry Permit in the last few days?

· It was great to get Herb’s message this morning about IPS Leadership Academy IV and to see who will make up this class. Elisha, Gary, Abb and Chris, congratulations on your selection! You’ve taken on an assignment that will require careful attention but the outcome will be great! MTASers having completed earlier versions of Leadership Academy are Margaret, Stephanie, Justin, PJ, John Chlarson, Warren, Rick and Honna.

· This is a great day…June 2 ^nd …two of my favorite national recognition days celebrated today… National Donut Day and National Leave Work Early Day . What a powerful combination!

· Honna, thank you for your three years of service on the IPS Feedback Committee. Your good work is recognized and appreciated.

· A few days ago, a video produced recently by TDOT showed up on YouTube. It’s entitled “Gatlinburg Wildfires; The TDOT Story”. I watched it last night and found it to be an enormously powerful statement about purpose, delivery on the mission, taking risks in order to help others and doing the right thing because it’s the right thing to do. The video doesn’t “star” the TDOT commissioner or any of his senior staff. It’s about the folks who put their boots on and did the right thing…delivered on the mission. I hope you’ll take about 15 minutes to watch it.

· We work hard in IPS to provide those professional development opportunities each of us need to be the best we can be on the job and some folks have been very convincing recently in saying they would like to be able to continue learning as they move to the retirement chapter of life. Accordingly, the IPS Leadership Team has discussed how best to accommodate its retirees and has developed a plan which allows them to have registration fees waived for IPS-sponsored training. Details of the plan can be found on the IPS Intranet on the “Procedures” page.

· It is with very mixed emotions that we say farewell to Sharee. Sharee will leave us June 30 ^th and head home to Mississippi where she will become the Assistant Director for the Mississippi State Board of Accountancy. Sharee, we wish you only the best! All of us MTASers and your customers will miss you dearly. Thank you for your service.

· Please pay particular attention to Herb’s message from earlier in the week about nominations for IPS awards. (Wait a minute! Weren’t we just working on this a few weeks ago? Tempus fugit!) Deadline is June 25 ^th . Don’t forget.

· Since she’s grown weary of reading the stupid golf things in Friday Stuff, someone has contributed her own recently. “Day-Timer Margaret” read on one of her planning book pages that famous golfer Chi Chi Rodriguez once asked his caddie for a sand wedge. The caddie returned ten minutes later with a ham on rye.

· Lastly, remember a few things…
o What each of you do every day for our customers and each other is recognized and appreciated. Really! It is!
o “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” – Maya Angelou

· A comfortable weekend for all! And GO PREDS!

Jim Thomas, Executive Director


(O) 615. 532.4950 (C) 615.972.9219

jim.thomas@tennessee.edu

www.mtas.tennessee.edu