07/08/2016

· Wondering about something this afternoon! What if five years ago, I started putting $50 a month into one of my deferred compensation retirement fund buckets? And what if some really kind soul put another $50 a month into that same bucket…no strings attached? And what if that bucket had grown at a really conservative annual rate of 3.5% (the inflation-adjusted compound annual growth rate of the S&P 500 Stock Index for the last 50 years was 5.47%). Wonder how much might be in that bucket today? Let me do some arithmetic. Well, about $6,500 and only $3,000 came out of my pocket. What if I had done that starting ten years ago? About $14,300…and only $6,000 came out of my pocket. Fifteen years ago? About $23,600 and only $9,000 started in my pocket. Wonder if I had started 30 years ago! Whoa! About $63,500…and I only put $20,000 into the bucket! Wonder where I can get some of that! Check this out
http://humanresources.tennessee.edu/benefits/deferred/401%28k%29_plans.html . This is a great benefit available to each of us. I love it when somebody walks up to me and hands me $50 each month! A lot better than a sharp stick in the eye!

· OK, while I’m still on the pulpit…join me at the upcoming IPS Annual Conference in receiving a personal retirement summary. I’ve participated a couple times in the seminar where these valuable tools are prepared, reviewed and discussed. It’s a great planning document. I find mine to be very informative and helpful. You still have time to request it. Deadline is July 22 ^nd and the request form you need to send is here
https://staff.ips.tennessee.edu/sites/site1/files/Benefit%20Estimate%20Request.pdf . Nuf sed.

· Starting this coming Monday morning, you’ll be greeted by a new face when you walk in the front door of the Knoxville office. Alana-lynn Berglund is joining MTAS and will be the receptionist at the 1610 University Avenue building. It was a pleasure meeting her during the interview process and we’re glad she’s joining us.

· Except for 2 or 3 folks, looks like all of us are registered for (or have let me know of an unavoidable conflict with) the IPS Strategic Plan listening sessions later this month. Thanks for your close attention to this. The session in Jackson already has a really big group of IPS stakeholders registered. Thanks to you West Tennessee MTASers for being part of getting this done. The stakeholder registrant list for the Nashville sessions and the one in Oak Ridge need some more, so we’ve still got a couple weeks to get them lined up. Thanks in advance for inviting your stakeholders.

· I know you'd be amazed if I told you I enjoy golf. I subscribe (on my personal laptop) to a few daily blogs about the game. One of them stated yesterday that “Golf is a nice relaxing way to get really frustrated and super disappointed in yourself”. Hey MTAS golfers, any thoughts?

· That string on your finger…you know, the one you put there to remind yourself to complete the “Securing the Human” training. By the way, as of this morning, almost 60% of us have completed the training. Thank you.

· There won’t be a “Friday Stuff” on July 15 ^th and 22 ^nd , so let’s get some birthdays recognized for the next couple weeks. Nick Meanza’s is tomorrow, July 9 ^th . Kurt Frederick’s is Thursday, July 14 ^th and Brad Harris’s is Wednesday, July 20 ^th . Happy birthday guys! I think it’s truly amazing that all three of you will be celebrating your 39 ^th birthdays!

· 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

· I look forward to seeing all of you the last week of this month at the listening sessions. Until then, enjoy a few comfortable (weeks and) weekends!

Jim Thomas, Executive Director
(O) 615. 532.4950 (C) 615.972.9219

jim.thomas@tennessee.edu

www.mtas.tennessee.edu