Wonderful Memories and a Fond Farewell

Nearly a quarter-century ago, I was wrapping up a twenty-year career in corporate America. It was a great run with many memorable moments including an incredible three-year assignment in London and leading some significant organizational change efforts. I was very appreciative of my time with Hewlett-Packard. But I had two young kids at home and a third on the way and commuting 3000 miles every other week made it clear that it was time for a change.?

During my time at HP and with the organization’s generous support, I had completed my doctorate and I was looking for a chance to leverage my experience and education in new and different ways. I was also looking for a role which would allow me to spend significantly more time with my wife and, by then, three young children. With the help of some sage advice from colleagues and a bit of serendipity, I took on the role of executive director of the Center for Work & Family. I took a deep breath when I thought about the salary and perks I’d be losing (you don’t want to know) and accepted the role with great enthusiasm.

It’s been a long and winding road over the last 24 years, but the role offered me many of my career’s most satisfying work experiences and it aligned well with my interests and my values. I always enjoyed writing, and in my new role I published a book on career management in 2007, followed by numerous articles, book chapters, and blog posts. Along with my colleagues, I led a very stimulating workforce roundtable focused on improving the employee experience at some of the world's most outstanding organizations. I had the opportunity to do a great deal of public speaking to a wide-assortment of groups internationally including in London, Dublin, Shanghai, Sao Paulo and Singapore and served on the advisory board for a work-family center at one of Europe’s leading business schools, IESE, in Barcelona.

Over the last decade, I was pleased to be recognized as one of the main spokespersons on the changing role of working fathers based on the significant research projects we’ve conducted at CWF in The New Dad series. My goals were to help fathers embrace their parenting role more fully and to help employers support this broader understanding of their working dads. I’ve been interviewed by many media outlets ranging from the NY Times to NPR and even had the opportunity to present this research at the White House in 2014.?

One of the most rewarding opportunities for me has been teaching on the faculty at Boston College for 20+ years. In my first decade at BC, I taught in our MBA program but a dozen years ago I shifted to teaching our undergraduate seniors in a capstone course I designed called Finding and Following Your Calling. The joy that came from working with these young people to explore and understand their interests, values and life goals as they were about to step into the "real world" can’t be overstated. Their feedback suggested that the work mattered to them as well.?

Last year, I decided that 2024 marked a good time for retirement after 47 years of working. That decision was solidified by a diagnosis in February of metastatic prostate cancer. While it was initially a shock, I am grateful to be in treatment with a phenomenal team at Mass General Hospital’s Cancer Center, one of the world’s best healthcare institutions. What a blessing to live in a city where medicine is so advanced and to work for an employer with incredible health insurance. I take none of this for granted.?

It’s hard to end a 47-year career with no regrets, but I feel I’ve come as close as anyone to that ideal. I’ve had the honor of working with great people throughout my career at HP, the CWF Roundtable, my Boston College and other academic colleagues, and an awesome group of talented students.?

I am especially grateful to the teams I’ve worked with at the Center over 24 years for always being professional, collegial, and deeply committed to our work. I won’t offer a list of names as I would hate to miss anyone. Please know that if you were on the CWF staff over the past two plus decades, I am deeply indebted for your great work. I hope the team will understand my giving thanks to one special colleague, Jennifer Sabatini Fraone, who has worked with me for the last 18 years. Jennifer has given her best to the Center every single day, is the consummate professional, is always kind and thoughtful, and still laughs at my jokes. I couldn’t have asked for a better colleague and friend and am pleased that Jennifer has been named interim executive director to expand her work with our colleagues and partners.?

I leave with hundreds of wonderful memories and appreciation to so many. And, most importantly, I leave with the love of my incredible wife Annie, my kids Maggie, Hannah and Dillon, and wonderful, supportive friends.

Thanks to everyone who helped me along the way. I hope that each of you will find as many rewards and as much satisfaction as I have in this important work of supporting working families and making positive workplace change. Best of luck always and as my oldest daughter would say, “Don’t forget to be awesome.”?