Nearly A Year In Retirement - OR NOT!

At the end of this month, being 9-30-22, I will have been retired from the banking industry, and my entire professional life for a full year.

?I have read many biographies, over the years, about the challenges and opportunities afforded to those lucky enough to make it to this stage of life. Some have not been so happy with time on their hands, others have gone on to create impact across their spheres of influence, communities, and the individuals within. There are others that reached out to the unknown and have continued to learn and grow.

?Currently, I am viewing the known and searching for the unknown, not as divergent paths, but as routes by which to engage and be engaged. Taking an action will cause a reaction, normally. Taking no action will still not keep reality from occurring. My lifelong preference is to create an action and assess the reaction. ???

?I have had a “storyline” since last September, as follows:

?#1. “I have not thought one minute about my job”. ?There were 13 different postings in 4 states and DC all with Southern National Bank/Branch Bank and Trust/ TRUIST.?The bank changed names as it merged and grew over the last 39 years. Maybe the reason I have not thought about my job, since 9-30-21 is that there was no animosity or hard feelings, ever. Sure, there were hard moments such as the 2008 financial crisis. But taking on “broken” branches, cities, regions, and departments and making them more successful (it is easier to take on something broken and make it hum, than to take something that is humming and make it hum more) IS something I am very proud of, mainly because it was mostly the same teams that created success where something less than success had been the norm.

#2. “I have missed my teammates, my peers, and the leaders for whom I worked or worked through”.

#3. “I have missed our clients, communities, and organizations, which allowed us to team up and create greater financial and non-financial impacts”.

#4. “ I am thankful to Debbie for the opportunities that were created along the way for our children”.?The best I can describe them would be to the children of military families. They have never met a stranger, they are the first to introduce themselves, and having seen reality change, over and over; they are fearless of it and laugh in its face. Debbie has been the constant guiding hand for all of us, and for that I are eternally grateful.

?Given my mode of operation noted previously; I have cast lines within service organizations, education platforms and the faith community.?I look forward to clearly understanding their purpose and impact.

?These are:

?Belmont Abbey College. Belmont, NC. My alma mater has been very close to the Lobo family since the early 1970’s, of which I am proud and grateful.

?Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte. This is the community impact arm of the Roman Catholic Church. They serve all people of all races and creeds or no creed at all. CC Refugee Resettlement changes lives and improves communities.

?Charlotte Economics Club. Its purpose is to create engagement and deepen understanding of capitalism within our community. I attended one of their sessions back in 1987 while serving as an International Officer with SNB.

Charlotte International Council named by the Mayor of Charlotte.?Their purpose is to help Charlotte firms grow their international presence, as well as bring foreign firms to the area.

?Common Wealth Charlotte – Board Member. CWC executes financial knowledge and access to financial products within groups and communities thus helping individuals make better financial decisions in their lives, and by extension have better lives.

Novant Presbyterian Hospital Board of Trustees, Charlotte, NC. This engagement transferred from my service to the Novant Forsyth Hospital while working in Winston Salem. Healthcare, or the lack of it, creates impact on communities.

?PROSPERA USA Board of Directors, Orlando, FL.?This organization was started as Hispanic Business Initiative Fund and acts as a catalyst for positive community change by contributing to the growth of Hispanic owned business.

?State Board of Proprietary Schools named by the Governor of NC. SBPS exists to financially test the liquidity and operational capabilities of for-profit educational training organizations.

?The American Bankers Association Stonier Graduate School of Banking at UPENN-Wharton. Served as Chairman of the Board and continue as member of the faculty and thesis advisor to students for over 20 years.

?Well, you may say, but what happens day to day?

?I have learned that if you build structure and within allow for flexibility, then time could be on your side. During my years commuting into Washington - District of Columbia from Frederick, MD (2002-2010), we learned a lot about time management. ?Since the advent of Covid and beginning 9-30-21, the day begins at 6:30 when I suit up for YMCA-Harris and head to 7:00 AM Mass at Saint Gabriel Catholic Church, less than 15 minutes from our home. From there I arrive at the Y, normally well before 8:00 AM. My amigo Dan checks me in with high EPA – an enthusiastic positive attitude, Monday through Saturday. Debbie, Paco (our Maltese) and I will have coffee sometime after 9:30, then the rest of the day evolves.

?I have also learned that how you start your day has a lot to do with the kind of day you may have! So THAT IS WORKING.

?Then I will retreat to my office/study to tackle my ongoing goals:

?A.??I am backed up with 300 books that will be read. They were each chosen specifically given areas of interest including:

a.??Military history.

b.??Presidential biographies. (JFK strong here)

c.???Philosophy, mostly objectivism.

d.??General history of the western hemisphere.

e.??Leadership.

f.????Race and Religion.

B.??The Charlotte Observer and the NY TIMES are read daily.

C.??The Motley Fool and other stock market knowledge tools are reviewed often.

My constant companion is Paco Lobo, the smartest dog on earth. He understands English, my form of Spanish and our own canine language. He protects us from the Amazon delivery man, our home cleaning technicians, and has no patience with other warm-blooded critters.

There are more serious matters such as the health of parents, simply because of age – remember we are all lined up…but let’s not go there, at least not now.

?WHAT IS VERY INTERESTING is that I have not touched ANY of my guitars through this period. Les Paul Signature is still at the NC Guitar Works getting its guts refurbished. However, the Serratosa (Spain) and Chaves (Costa Rica) acoustics are in the closet and have not drawn me. I am not sure why…

I write this summary from my home office which is the depository of the Lobo and Arce family heirlooms. It contains my educational and civic mementos. It has natural light arriving from a side long window and an escape hatch window that brings in natural light populated by a geranium plant (favorite of my grandmother Felicia) and a banana plant which reminds me of our homeland.

?I consider myself the luckiest man on earth!

Luis G. Lobo, Charlotte, NC