Welcome to the Don Ross Retirement Wiki
Donald L. Ross
Global Practice Leader - on demand Delivery for Learning
(404) 274-3412 CELL
E-Mail- DLROSS @US.IBM.COM Until December 31st
E-Mail- donaldross59@hotmail.com After January 1, 2006
I am pleased to announce that Don Ross will retire from IBM at the end of December after more than 39 years of service! He began his career in Lansing Michigan as a sales representative in 1966. Five years later, he began his management career with a variety of assignments including 3 times as a Branch Manager in Moline, Atlanta, and Frankfurt Germany. His international experience in Europe spanning over 7 years also included 2 years as Regional Manager of Central Europe and Russia where he established IBM's Learning Services business in 9 countries in the mid-1990's. Don has been part of the Learning Solutions Global EBO team for the past 3 years. We wish Don and his family a well deserved, happy, and healthy retirement.
James Sharpe
Please Post your messages here (all you have to do is edit this page... go ahead its easy) Please include your name and email in your edit so Don can get back to you as
well... Click the Edit this page button either above or below!
OK with that said, my favorite little known fact about Don Ross is he played college football at a Big Ten university – Michigan State.
This is Don at Press Day, September, 1963 in Spartan Stadium in East Lansing with his father Archie who also played football for Michigan State in the 1930's.
But that’s not all, he lined up against Richard Marvin Butkus. . .aka Dick Butkus two-time Illinois All-America. . . First-round NFL draft pick, 1965.
So now you know why Don has new hips and knows how to deal with tough clients!
Don I wish you the best in your retirement and I know that you will enjoy a very active life with your family and friends!
James Sharpe
Director, Learning Technology
IBM Learning Solutions
jjsharp@us.ibm.com
A MESSAGE FROM DON ROSS:
Dear Colleagues and Friends,
I want to thank all of you who have posted messages for me as I prepare for the next chapter in my life. After this week, I will be off all IBM systems and through this Wiki, or directly via my personal e-mail, we can stay in touch. I do have a few thoughts to share with you before I sign-off for good.
When I think back, IBM has been a big part of my adult life and it has in many ways defined who I am. I have always been very proud to say “I work for IBM”.
I noticed immediately when I began my career that by introducing myself as an IBM’er, there was almost immediate recognition and earned respect which was given, thanks to those IBM people who preceded me. Yes, IBM has changed in many ways but my experience has been that this seemingly simple recognition and respect remains strong. It is not to be taken for granted, but earned every day in the way we work and deal with our clients.
For me, I have been blessed with so many opportunities to grow and adapt and I am sure that is what has helped me endure all the changes over the years. As a family, we have packed up and relocated 9 times to take on a new challenge with IBM. Each one has been special in its own way and I cherish friendships I built through each and every one of them.
Now, a few thoughts about my family. I would not be where I am today without them. They have always been there for me and supported me with enthusiasm and a positive outlook. I am sure it was tough on them at times, but I believe we all have grown through the experience. Mary Lynn and I will celebrate our 37th wedding anniversary in February, and we have two wonderful daughters that we are enormously proud of. We also have a terrific son-in-law and Michelle and David are had their first child On December 21st. This is just in the nick of time for me to re-focus as we transition to a new life after IBM as grandparents!
I am attaching a picture of Mary Lynn with Amy next to her, and Michelle next to me:
Here is a picture of Grandpa Ross and his new grandson, Owen Ross Schnakenberg, 9 lbs. 3 ounces. Destined to be another Spartan!
I want to thank James Sharpe for creating this Wiki. I think it is such a wonderful way to communicate and build communities and what a great way to use it in celebrating my retirement. THANK YOU James!
Sincerely,
Don Ross
Donaldross59@hotmail.com
Donald Ross Retirement Celebration, May 11, 2006
Grandma and Grandpa Ross with Owen on Fathers Day, 2006
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Don... You are one of those people that started as a client, became a colleague and then a friend. You have a passion for learning as a process, as a core value and as a force for change. Several observations about Don..
- You always tell the truth.
- You always are curious to learn more.
- You have a gentle way of creating value for both IBM as a brand and your customers.
- You integrate your passions with your work.
- You always bring a smile to people when they reconnect with you.
As you move to the next chapter of your life, I look forward continuing to know you.
Elliott Masie, Chair, The Learning CONSORTIUM - emasie@masie.com
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Don, congratulations on your upcoming retirement. It was my pleasure working together with you back 1990s when you have established Education and Training units in Central Europe and Russia. It was the great time. I wish you to enjoy the new chapter in your life! As I understand, you will have a bit more free time. Please be aware that you are always welcomed to Russia!
Kirill Korniliev, Country General Manager, IBM in Russia
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Don, remember our time in La Hulpe - almost 10 years ago....It was great to reconnect in our EBO roles. Even if you retire from IBM you will not retire from work (knowing you a bit). The skills and experiences of the Baby-boomers will be required for the next 20 years or so (this is what our "aging workforce" consultants say these days). Well - retirement isn't what it used to be but this is goodness. Keeps our brains active and alert. I guess, I'll go through a similar experience pretty soon...:-))
Best wishes to you and your family. Let's keep in touch
Richard
straubr@fr.ibm.com
straubr@gmail.com
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Don,
Congratulations on your upcoming retirement. How exciting to enter a new chapter of life. I'm glad that our paths have continued to cross over the years. I share your passion for learning and excellence. I know you'll take that passion and funnel it into new areas in life. Enjoy each and every day -- life is such a gift!
Johnnie Ruggiero
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Don,
Remember when we used to sit down the hall from each other back in Riveredge??? It seems like ages ago! I am glad that gave us the opportunity to get to know each other. I'll always regard you as a kind, considerate, caring and reflective colleague who is sharp and has passion for whatever he is doing. I'll also continue to think of you whenever I look at my photo with Colin Powell since you were so kind to invite me to the TechLearn cocktail party where that was the perk! Best wishes to you in your retirement. Enjoy and have LOTS of fun!
- Nancy Forbes
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Hi Don....
Enjoy your new career whatever you decide to pursue. I feel very honoured to have met you and if you are ever up in Canada to visit your family please stop in to say hello in Toronto.
All the Best!
- Liz Sauter - your Canadian Colleague
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Don,
Best of luck on your retirement and hoping you and your family enjoy the next phase of your lives together. I still have fond memories of that big IBM interview I had with you as well as my exciting first week with IBM in Brussels drinking abbey beer and eating the moules out in town. Thanks again!!!
Ron Sticinski
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Don,
Congrats on the retirement. It's been a pleasure and an honor to have work with you over the years. Good luck to you and your's in whatever you do and wherever you go.
Michael Netherton
Don, Congratulations on your retirement ! Quite some time I have not heard from you directly, time is just flying so quickly .. Mia
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Don, how will we manage to make DLE a success without you? Thank you so much for all your support and guidance. Hope you enjoy this new chapter in your life. Best, -- Yael
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Don, You will be sorely missed. Thank you for all your contributions to IBM. It has been a pleasure working with you, and I look forward to staying in touch. You are an inspiration to us all ... James B. Jordan
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Hey Don,
During my fare less years with IBM (11+) I've bumped in to you a number of times, all good memories.
But best memory is not work related.
I remember a perfect summer night in Stockholm.
You where here with one of the Learning execs at that time (Jim K..?).
It started with a great dinner at restaurant J. It was you, Jim K, Claes Ernow, Magnus Arildsson and me.
After dinner Claes took us in his car an dropped us of in Stockholm city.
And we continued at Stureplan, the water hole for the beautiful people in Stockholm.
Outside, warm, light (yes, almost midnight sun), a lot of people, good beer. It was a great evening!
I remember me an Magnus left "early", while you and Jim had to go more or less directly to the airport to catch the morning flight to Brussels, just passing by the hotel to pick up your bags :-)
My best to you and hope you get a great "after IBM" life.
Anders Westberg
Sweden
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Don,
I am still remembering the days when we conquered Russia and the rest of the Wild East!! All the best from Vienna and enjoy your time!!!
Ernst Nonhoff
General Manager IBM Austria
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Hi Don,
I truly hope you will enjoy the after-IBM experience, although I think you will still be very busy. I have a lot of good souvenirs of the years you were in La Hulpe, and then the start in Eastern Europe. We could write books with all stories we all could tell.
The very very best Don. Enjoy whatever you will be doing !
Anne Marie Vlieghe
anne_vlieghe@be.ibm.com
anne_vlieghe@hotmail.com
Don, congratulations on your retirement! Although it's been a few years since we've worked together, I will always remember you as the one that "knew how things worked"!
Hope you have a wonderful and exciting retirement.
Best wishes -
Maureen Blackwell
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Hi Don,
Congrats on your retirement. I'm sure you won't miss the the "learning business" -- much. Sounds amazing that you made it to 39 years. best wishes Allan Henderson
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Don,
Good luck leading the good life. Working with you in the LCOE has been a pleasure...always the voice of reason. I noticed you were always working in the mysterious areas of hosting. Glad someone was minding the "technical" store.
Best wishes!!
Robert Newman
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Hi, Don,
CONGRATULATIONS on your retirement! And, thanks to James for letting us all know about your long illustrious history and highlights of your contributions. I feel very honored to have been able to work with you over the past few years in different capacities. You are truly an inspiration and a wonderful colleague. I'm sure your 'retirement career' will be as fruitful and rewarding as your professional career at IBM.
BEST WISHES!
Janis Morariu
jmorariu@us.ibm.com
Hey Don ! ! !
Greetings from Dallas/Ft Worth and a voice from the past.....Congratulations on your retirement, and thanks for your service to IBM. I know that IBM is a better place to work with guys like you around. Your dedication to doing the "right" things is recognized by all of us. And I have personally enjoyed getting together with you over the years. Best wishes to you and your family. And continued success in whatever you choose to do.....Keep in touch and let's get together again if you are ever in the DFW area.
Mike Reince
reince@us.ibm.com
Congratulations Don! In 39 years you probably saw atleast 3-4 versions of IBM. Best of luck on your retirement. I was going to add some statements about the great trips we took together... but I think we only travelled together to Peoria.... oh well... again Congratulations.
Dario DeMaria
dario@us.ibm.com
Don,
Congratulations on your retirement! I have always enjoyed working with you and wish we could have worked together some more. You will be missed!
John Malpass
jmalpass@us.ibm.com
Don,
You standout as the most genuine, decent, honest, respectable guy I ever worked for. You embody rock-solid mid-western values and all that is good about IBM. I wish you many happy, healthy years in retirement where waking up early is by choice and traveling is only for pleasure. Be well.
Your fan,
Mary Rutte
rutte@us.ibm.com
Don... Congratulations on your retirement from IBM after 39 years of service!! That is quite a track record and one that few have achieved. Joining IBM in the 60's must have been interesting. If I'm counting correctly, that means that you have been here to experience the leadership of seven different CEOs (TJ Watson, Jr., T Vincent Learson, Frank Cary, John Opel, John Akers, Lou Gerstner and Sam Palmisano). I did a quick lookup on the year you must have joined IBM... 1966. That was the year that:
- an IBM Researcher invented Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM) cells
- A Corporate Office was established to conduct the overall affairs of the corporation
- IBM announced the "Electric" Composer and Magnetic Tape "Electric" Composer (I remember those!)
- Medicare started; IBM computers processed 19M Medicare ID cards for the Social Security Administration
- the President was Lyndon Johnson, Vice President was Hubert Humphrey
- a first class postage stamp cost 5 cents
- the Academy Award for best picture went to "The Sound of Music" (one of my favorites!)
- Record of the Year: Herb Albert & the Tijuana Brass for "A Taste of Honey" (my Dad played this all the time!)
- the first Star Trek episode was broadcast
- Walt Disney passed away
- Billie Jean King won Wimbeldon
Hope you have enjoyed this brief walk down memory lane. Thank you for your loyalty and many contributions to IBM over the past 39 years. It's been a pleasure to work with you. I hope that you have time to reflect on the significance of all of this with your family and friends at this holiday season. Wishing you all the best for a happy and healthy retirement. I'm sure it will be yet another exciting chapter in your life!
Nancy DeViney
General Manager, IBM Learning Solutions
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Don,
Congratulations on your retirement, as well as your impending progression into the role of Grandfather! I wish you all the best in your future endevours and send (hopeful) wishes that your handicap on the greens improves.
- Tim Toomey
timtoo@us.ibm.com
====================================================================================================================Hi Don !
2006 will bring you a new chapter of life. As I understood, you will enter on the " young grandfathers club " soon. On this position you will start a new very interesting job, which will be not only to help your daughter to grow the child but to start transfering your huge life experience to the nephew, which is the most important side of this job.
I wish you a happy and healthy retirement.
PS. I started to prepare my retirement too, which will happens on 31st May.
Ion MIU
IBM Romania
miu_ion_jr@ro.ibm.com
miu.ion@asgr.biz, after 31st May
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Don,
Congratulations on making it out alive!
I've enjoying working with you over the past 5+ years.
Enjoy your well-earned retirement.
Have this one on me till I see you for the real thing...
Iechyd Da!
Andy Sadler
andy_sadler@us.ibm.com
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Don,
First of all, congratulations! Don, I want to thank you for everything you've done for me, personally and professionally. Best of luck !
Hans Beenhackker
hansb@us.ibm.com
-
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Don, I wish you nothing but the best. Enjoy your retirement from IBM and we better not see you back here as a contractor! Maybe I will see you in the Dunwoody/Sandy Springs area.. you know there is a new Meehan's Public House in Sandy Springs. Good fish 'n chips and pints.
Take care and I will see you around.
Your friend, Troy Burnett - troy_burnett@comcast.net
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Don, congratulations on the next stage of your life - Man! 39 years - what a tribute to you, particularly given the turmoil of our times. I have thoroughly enjoyed my long association with you, starting back in the early 90s when you returned from Germany and came into the education organization with George Gagel and John Farrell. Those were the halcyon days of IBM, as George would say! You've been a good friend, and a great guy to continue to bump into over the years. I recall fondly, our trip to Brussels, and to our meal at Leon's of Bruxelles - the finest moules and frites - plus the outstanding beer didn't hurt either.
I wish you much continued happiness, and hope our paths will cross at some point in the future, Don. Take care, my friend.
Tim Hamill
thamill@us.ibm.com
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Newpage
Don, A voice from the past here....You were my first manager in Youngstown, Ohio. Back when selling was FUN!! In the OP days. We had great fun back then....salesmeetings every Tuesday night then off to Courtney's lounge for a meeting debrief...sometimes till 2:00 am. I know we all took turns giving J.D. a ride home!! There is a bunch of us still around, Paul Fergus, Larry Deeke, Bill Reedy is still in Youngstown. Tell Lynn I said Hello, You and your family enjoy this it is certainly well earned.
Bob Fossacaeca
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Don,
It has been a pleasure getting to know you over the last two years in the EBO. I wish you and your family happiness and many new adventures - it is certainly well deserved.
Mark Sheraden
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Dear Don - It has been an honor to work with you over the years. I remember best when we went to the TechLearn conference in either 1999 or 2000 (the one that had Bill Cosby at it). We went to a motivational session where this lady in a Valkyrie helmet made us laugh at our problems. I can't remember what my problems were at that time, but I do remember how much I enjoyed working with you. Please enjoy your retirement with your very good-looking family and new grandson (also handsome - must run in the family). I hope to have the chance to work with you in the future! In the meantime have fun on your numerous planned trips - that month in Provence sounds wonderful!!!
Faren Foster
farenfoster@yahoo.com
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Don,
Congratulations on your retirement! Thank you for all of your many contributions to IBM including, most recently, those as part of Learning Solutions. As you reflect on your long career, I'm sure you can cite many instances where you personally have made a difference.
Alfred Polgar said "Work is what you do so that some time you won't have to do it anymore". A grandchild will definitely help to keep you busy and bring many new adventures. Congratulations Grandpa! Remember that every grandfather believes in heredity until his grandchildren start making fools of themselves -- Simon Schwartz.
Best wishes to a long, happy and healthy life ahead. Enjoy!
Teresa Golden
Vice President, Marketing and Strategy
IBM Learning Solutions
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Don, Hello!
it is with mixed feelings that I was reading the announcement.
I know that you contributed a lot to all the organizations that you were
working in, and, in particular, I know that without that contribution we
wouldn't have been able to build and reach the scale of Learning Services
in Russia.
For myself, I will remember the help and support you provided me with. I am
very grateful for that.
Thank you.
I wish you and your family all the best.
best regards,
Julia Pakina
____________________________
ibm.com Manager
IBM East Europe/Asia Ltd
e-mail: julia_pakina@ru.ibm.com
123317, Krasnopresnenskaya emb. 18, Moscow, Russia
ph. (7-495) 258-6333 (ext. 2449)
operator: (7-495) 775 88 00
mob.: (7-495) 101-8974
fax (7-495) 258-6477
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Don, congratulations on the 39 years and best of luck in all your future endeavors. Happy Holidays to you and your family!
Regards,
Larry Deeke
IBM Americas
Strategic Alliance - GISV Cross Brand Representative
1503 LBJ Freeway
Dallas, Texas 75234
972-280-4692 t/l 542-4692
Ldeeke@us.ibm.com
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Added by Don on 12/23/2005
Hi, Don.
I just tried to add a message to your wiki but to no avail so I will just use the old-fashion email.
Congratulations on a great career in IBM. I have enjoyed working with you in the EBO and will always remember our cab ride out to Heathrow. Best wishes in the next chapter of your life. I know it will be enjoyable.
Jack Gunther
Market Development Executive, Education
Phone: US 818-539-3330 TIE: 396-3330 Fax: 818-539-3800
jgunther@us.ibm.com
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Hi Don,
You have had a wonderful career with IBM. May your retirement life be as successful as your career. We miss you and Mary Lynn very much from the West coast. We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy 2006.
Love,
Heywood, Grace, Donald and Jessica
1541 Marendale Lane, Arcaida, CA 91006
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Don,
Congratulations on your retirement. You have had a great career. You look too young in the pictures to be retiring, but the picture of the grown daughters puts everything in perspective. I remember when they were just getting ready for middle school in Germany. Some of my fondest memories in IBM are visiting your branch in Germany and and traveling across the countries (remember the seven passport checks in one afternoon of driving?) to attend those fabulous kickoff meetings. I just transferred one the the old videos to DVD this fall to preserve them for posterity. Ted Gstalder is still taking good care of me today.
As evidenced by this long list of notes, you have had a positive impact on many people in your career. Everyone appreciates the way you always take a special interest in each person. Good managers are like force multipliers in Defense, they make everyone around them better and more productive. You score very high on that scale.
Have a great retirement. I am sure you will find lots to do.
TODD S. RAMSEY
General Manager, Global Government Industry
6710 Rockledge Drive
Bethesda, Maryland 20817
RAMSEYT@US.IBM.COM
OFFICE PHONE : 301-803-3600 CELL 301-461-3624
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Don - I can sum my thoughts up when I heard this news in one word - JEALOUSY!! :) I am SO excited for you! And I am very thankful to IBM for allowing me to get to know you! One thing that I have learned from you - you can kick butt AND have fun at the same time!!! I will never forget walking past your door at Wildwood and asking if you happened to know a Michelle Ross - only to find out that you were one of my good friend's dads!! Such a small world it is!! I am certain our paths will cross again soon!! Congrats on being a grandpa. I know Owen will be sharing with the world that he has the best Grandpa ever!!
All the best - Melissa Uppelschoten (meluppel@hotmail.com)
IBM Management Development
(Too chicken to put my ibm email account in since my IBM account gets much more spam than my hotmail :))
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Don,
All the best after 39 years! I didn’t realize you’d had so many lives (well more than 9!) but wish you all the best moving gracefully into this next one. Congratulations on a special career with so many friends in so many different places.
Your greatest accomplishment is clearly your 37 years of marriage to your Lynn. And congratulations on your new grandson.
All the best,
Lee
Lee White
Chief Operating Officer, Zyman Group
Lee.white@zyman.com
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Don,
I enjoyed our 3 years together in the EBO immensely, having you as the "elder statesmen" on our Learning Center of Excellence team.
I gave you many of the most challenging cross-LoB/matrixed challenges, knowing that your experience and maturity were crucial to make progress "across party lines." Although belatedly, we have seen the fruits of your labor realized, which is more than many a worthy challenger has accomplished in this often barren landscape. BRAVO!
It was also great to be able to reflect on how the business has changed with a fellow long-timer, if my mere 28 years can call me that in comparison to your 39! With your kinship, I felt supported in my persistence to keep IBM values (the old ones as well as the new) alive and kicking, in our little EBO world. Thanks for being a friend and ally on this.
Your new world will be filled with more personal challenges, many of them lighter in heart that those you faced here, some just as weighty. I wish you only the best of luck and great success in all you take on, and hope we'll stay in touch as you head into this next phase of life.
With some envy and best wishes,
BDS
Barbara Salop
bdsalop@us.ibm.com
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Don,
It has been great to work with you these years. I've always enjoyed sharing our Michigan experiences as well as working together to solve our respective business challenges.
I've been told that many people don't enjoy retirement because they never learned to enjoy life. Somehow I don't believe you fall into that category. So in parting, I challenge you to become an even greater role model to us all by demonstrating how to truely enjoy retirement.
I look forward to learning from you yet again.
Brian Kramer
bkramer@us.ibm.com
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Don:
Congrats on your retirement and thanks for all of your work at IBM. I've always admired the experience you've brought to your roles, and I've always looked
forward to opportunities to work with you. If you bring a fraction of your business enthusiasm to your retirement, I'm sure you'll show us all how we can
do it right. Take care and stay in touch.
Thom Brewer
tbrewer@us.ibm.com
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Don, Congratulations! What a wonderful career and what tremendous memories. I wish you every happiness in the years ahead. I also want to thank you for your support, for working with me, and especially for your friendship. I have always enjoyed our time together and sharing laughter so very often. I hope we can see each other again soon!
John Jester
jejester@stargate.net
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Don,
Barb and I wish you and the family all the best for the fun ahead. We are enjoying ours. Germany was an absolute delight after the stark terror of the first 3 months were passed. What a wonderful experience. My thanks for your sponsorship and leadership. Twas a pleasure! You may now advocate a selective sense of urgency for each endeavor.
Aufwiedersehen.
Bill Packard
wpackard@earthlink.net
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Don,
Barbara Salop let me know that you have decided to retire. Welcome to the
wonderful "Life After IBM". I know that you will enjoy it as much as I
have. This next phase of your life will give you as many opportunities to
grow and adapt as your career at IBM.
I'm glad that our paths crossed in the Learning EBO. I so enjoyed your
knowledge, passion and wit. It was a real pleasure having the opportunity
to work with you.
"Best Wishes" as you move forward. Do not spoil that grand baby too much!
And, as for IBM -- I am sure that you will be sorely missed.
Enjoy,
Joann
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Don, congratulations on making this milestone...but remember, you'll always be an IBMer! I enjoyed working with you in Learning Solutions, and always appreciated your calm, experienced perspective that helped us move through a lot of complex issues and make real progress. Your contribution will be missed. I hope you find this next phase of life as rewarding. Enjoy your grand baby and your family.
Take care,
Mike King
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Don, Thanks for the help sheparding DLE and for my sole experience seeing the Braves - you are the best. Keep those feet up in retirement.
Adios, Rob Farrell
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Don,
Congratulations on your retirement!
On behalf of AP Learnig community, I want to thank you for your support
for AP learnig services.
Your dedication to and passion for learning business have encouraged us
to create and establish learning service business, especially when faced with defficulty.
Remember that you have good friends in Japan and AP countries.
I wish you enjoy your retirement life with your family.
Aki Sekine, from Japan
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Dear Don,
Congratulations on your Happy Retirement.
As you had various countries' experiences, AP/Japanese people is easy to communicate with you about our culture and requirements. And we very appreciate your leadership to enhance e-Learning hosting business.
I joined IBM Japan in 1968 and I understand to continue long services year is not easy thing, but I realized that your strong spirit and toughness is based on your football life.
We hope you and your family will have happy and health life. Thanks again.
Stephen Kyosuke Yoshimura, IBM Japan Public Sector; EB36402@jp.ibm.com
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Don, I lost the first note, so I am so glad that James sent it out again! I wish you all the congratulations in the world as you retire from IBM. It has been just great knowing you all these years and interacting with you on so many projects and initiatives...You always added an insight or perspective that seem to complete the picture. I hope that you are well, enjoying your time and family, and continue to be as happy as you always were! Keep in touch....best of luck. Carol Palermo
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Don, I want to wish you the very best in your retirement. I've enjoyed working with you over the years and will always remember your love for education, travel and your family. You always had a smile for everyone in the office and I'll remember that the most! Take care and spend a lot of time with the grand baby!
Best regards...Kathy Leigh
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Hi Don - it's Liz Sauter your Canadian colleague...So congratulations!!! What will you do with all this new found freedom....ENJOY
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Don!
Your hip replacement counselee here! Just found out this morning I can communicate with you! I think of you daily, Don, because of your positive and knowledgeable guidance and advice as I got ready for a new right hip. You gave me great confidence. YOU WERE RIGHT! ITS UNBELIEVABLE, the difference. Four months have passed, and like everyone else says, "I can't believe I waited so long to have this surgery". You told me this, and now I know, that the year long pain prior to the surgery was to disappear completely. WOW.
Thank you. And I hope you are all healed up. OK.
Enough of the medical stuff. So enjoyed the pictures of you and your beautiful family...best of luck to you and I know you are looking forward to the best part of life...which is NOW!
Doug Crites-Moore
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Don, congratulations on your retirement. So good to hear that you are doing well, and by now, enjoying life after IBM. And yes . . . there is life after IBM. On Occasion, I come back and do some audit engagements for the manager I had when I retired, and just happen to be back to receive an announcement of your retirement. Believe me, you will enjoy that grandbaby. Sometimes, I feel like a full time grand mother, and love every minute of it.
They will have you back in no time consulting, but do take some time off to smell the roses and really enjoy your family. I had traveled so much, I failed to realize how tired I was. You just need time to relax and unwind.
The time that we spent together at Atlanta North seem like light years ago, but it was a great learning experience for me, and you were a great teacher. Always thought things through.
Let me hear from you. I will be at IBM for the next month or so, and my personal e-mail is jordyni@earthlink.net.
Mary Robinson
Corporate Internal Audit
Current Location: Home Office - 770.918.9111
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HI DON:
Congratulations on your retirement! I retired in 2002 however I started a new career in the public sector. Good luck!!
Allen Mitchell
DeKalb County Government
amitchell@co.dekalb.ga.us
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Don,
Congratulations on your retirement from IBM! From the looks of things here on the Wiki, you are way too young to retire. Just one of the many benefits of education and e-Learning, I am sure.
Thanks so much for all of your contributions to our success at IBM, especially to Education & Training, Learning Services and the e-Learning EBO. Klausdieter will tell you IBM still reaps the benefit of your efforts in Central and Eastern Europe. Before we had a Learning Services or an IBM EBO, you took the lead for IBM distributed learning solution sales in the early days of an emerging market.
We faced huge challenges in the early going of IBM e-Learning. I was very fortunate to have you as a team leader and colleague. You created the momentum essential for our solution success.
Enjoy your retirement. All the best to you.
Hans Schwartz
hfs@us.ibm.com
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Hi Don,
another very warm greetings from Russia !
Your guidance and support ment a lot for me at the late 90s, when you were leading CER Education and Training out of Brussels.
Wish you a very busy time in your new role of Grandpa !
And all the very best to you and your family.
Warmest regards,
Svetlana Popova
spopova@ch.ibm.com
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FAQ: Why aren’t you using an IBM Wiki?
Answer: Don is retiring and once he is officially out of Blue Pages he can not access w3 so pbwiki is a better option… he can access this wiki post retirement from anywhere as well as well wishers outside IBM can post messages here…
- Need to quickly learn how to use bold, italics, tables, and more? Check out our wiki style page!
- Start playing around with your own wiki! Click the Edit this page button either above or below!
- Create a new page (2 ways)
- First, you can type a word with SeveralCapitalLetters (or even type NewPage), which will automatically create a link to that page! A dashed underline means the page doesn't exist yet.
- Second, you can put [brackets] around any word to create a new page. For example, if you wanted a page named cars, you could just type [cars].
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