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6/3/2010 - You Say Goodbye and I Say Hello
BMA Colorado passes along our thanks to Tom Kennedy as he steps down as the chapter president and we welcome Carla Johnson as our new president. We asked Tom and Carla to share a little bit about what makes them tick and what made them who they are today.
Tom Kennedy
Where were you born?
Joliet, Ill., hometown of “Rudy,” and George Mikan. Rudy or Dan Ruettiger is the central character of the aptly named movie. Mikan, widely recognized as pro basketball’s first dominant big man, gaining fame in the 1940s and ‘50s, is also the inventor of the “Mikan Drill."
Who has had the greatest influence on your career?
Parents (Tom & Dolores Kennedy), my college basketball coach (Pat Sullivan) and my first corporate boss (Phil Allen). Smart, hard-working people that always had compassion and love for their fellow human beings. They helped shape my leadership style, work ethic, personality and outlook on the business world.
What was your first job?
Not counting that 3-month stint at the car wash, my first, post-collegiate job was reporting for a daily newspaper in Morris, Ill., where I covered local sports, government, the education board and, of course, the police blotter.
Name a favorite line from a movie.
“I’ve had it with this dump! We’ve got no food, we’ve got no jobs... our pets heads are falling off!!!” Lloyd from “Dumb & Dumber”. I find this quote strangely motivational. We’ve all been there, and heck, if Harry and Lloyd can hit rock bottom and then climb out, I think there’s hope for any of us who encounter a little adversity.
What is your favorite marketing word/phrase of the moment?
ROI: technology has enabled us to more easily track our spending with the fruits of said spending. This is especially important when you work for a financially oriented company filled with really smart “numbers” people.
What is the first car you drove?
A black 1964 Buick LeSabre (think cop car) that my family inherited from an elderly neighbor. I “owned it” roughly three months before some hit-and-run artist smashed into it while parked on the street outside of our home on New Year’s Eve.
If you could invite any 3 living people to dinner, who would you invite?
Three 80’s alternative-scene musicians: Johnny Rotten (Sex Pistols), Mick Jones (The Clash) and Peter Garrett (Midnight Oil). I think they would bring an interesting mix of table manners and just the right amount of crazy talk to make for a memorable evening.
Carla Johnson
Who has had the greatest influence on your career?
An architect for whom I worked as a marketing director early in my career. First, he practiced unwavering integrity in all things. Second, he taught me never to fear picking up the phone and calling anyone for any reason. “Everyone puts their pants on the same way,” he’d tell me.
If you were not working in B2B marketing, what would you be doing?
A personal chef. I couldn’t stand the pressure of a restaurant, but love to cook great food surrounded by friends and a bottle of wine or two. Or three…
Road trip – would you go east, west, north, or south?
You’re not saying that I have to get there in a car, are you? I’d love to road trip to the South Pacific. Fiji, Tahiti, Cook Islands; lots of sun, sand and surf.
What vegetable would you not touch with a 10 foot pole?
If it were fried, there probably isn’t any vegetable I wouldn’t eat. In fact, I would probably eat the 10-foot pole if it were fried.
What is the first car you drove?
A 1970-something blue Chrysler Newport. It was huge. It comfortably fit 8 people and someone even did a break dance in it once. But their foot got caught in the venetian blinds in the back window.
What was your first job?
In college I gave tours of the campus, at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln, to new and prospective students. I was standing by an old building that was being renovated, telling about the history, and the construction crews started throwing the urinals out the windows. Not sure how many recruits we got that day.
How many countries have you visited and what was your favorite?
I’ve been to 26 different countries, and I couldn’t pick a favorite. Countries are like people, everyone is different but memorable in their own unique way.
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