12/09/2016

· Only 15 shopping days…..well, you know the story.

· Position searches…four (4) candidates to fill the IPS position vacated when Judie Martin retired will take place next Tuesday in Knoxville. Rick advises that candidates are being contacted for January interviews to fill the MTAS Training and Development Program Manager position vacated by Macel when he took the Naifeh Center director position.

· IPS employees will be participating in a two-hour online defensive driving training course in 2017. Specifics about this will be coming out soon. Stand by.

· Emergency plans for all the IPS offices statewide are being updated. This week, I’ve asked a few folks to take the lead on getting this work done in various offices. Please be available to help out when asked. This shouldn’t be too huge of a task to get knocked out quickly.

· Wonder what it would really be like having Todd and Margo as next door neighbors!

· John Chlarson, my apologies. You celebrated a birthday last Monday, December 5 ^th …at least I hope you celebrated. I didn’t recognize you and it in last week’s Stuff. I know how special those 39 ^th birthdays are and hope yours was too.

· Cyndy, you came and joined us at MTAS three years ago today. Thanks for doing that and thanks for what you do for all of us and our customers.

· Big birthday week next week…Ronnie on Monday…Justin on Wednesday…Jeff on Friday. Hope they are good days for you! Which birthday is it for each of you? 39 ^th ?

· I typically don’t bash the game of golf, but this quote (source unknown) touched me… "The people who gave us golf and called it a game are the same people who gave us bagpipes and called it music."

· 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!

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

jim.thomas@tennessee.edu

www.mtas.tennessee.edu