Merry Christmas & Happy New Year From our Family to You!!

Who said you can't take good pictures with a tripod and a remote control? Take time this Holiday Season to reflect on the imporatnt things in your life and then give thanks to God!!

Have a great 2008!!

Death Valley, SC: Football Capital of the South

Nothing beats College Football and no better place to experience it than at Death Valley SC, Home to the Clemson Tigers. We went to Parents Weekend 2007 and Clemson won big over Furman. Ah, but the season isn't over yet and I've been told that Clemson Sports will break your heart everytime. For some reason pictures aren't loading tonight. Watch for the Tigers to make a Bowl appearance somewhere this year or early 2008. CJ Spiller, James Davis and Cullen Harper: One of them will make it in the NFL.

Lowe's College Recruiting Team Ready to Hit Campus Again this Fall

After a tour and visit to Lowe's Motor Speedway this summer with our Corporate based Summer Interns, our team is ready to head back to campus this fall seeking the best and the brightest for some great opportunities. Our total goal is still rising, but we anticipate hiring between 225 and 250 positions from campus this fall and spring. This includes opportunities in our Distribution Centers, Corporate positions, as well as positions in our Store Management Training Program. This program offers opportunities in Loss Prevention (LP), Human Resources and Store management. For more details, visit www.lowes.com/college or www.lowes.com/careers. We have a long way to go on the website, but it's a start.

Lowe's College Recruiting Team Goes to NACE in NYC

We were able to take most of our Lowe's College Recruiting Team to the 2007 NACE (National Association of Colleges & Employers) Conference in NYC this past May. It was a great conference and a wonderful opportunity for team bonding. Some of that was done in the NACE breakout sessions, while other opportunities included Nights on Broadway and the final gala party dubbed as "Party in Times Square."Someone had the great idea to take our summer intern with us. It was a great experience for him. His first flight and first trip to the Big Apple. I won't tell you who is who in the attached picture. Use your imagination and be creative.

Father and daughter brave sub 70 degree Lake Norman Waters in April

It was the first time we had the boat out this spring and swimming seemed like a good idea, at least in theory. Daughter Hailey and I decided despite the online thermometer saying the lake temperature was just 69.8 degrees, we should take the plunge. Since it was April 29, it would be the last opportunity before May, so why not. I jumped first and was able to contain my thoughts long enough to convince her to jump. She wanted to come in one toe at a time, but I knew that plan would fail, so after minor coaxing she finally jumped. It really wasn't that bad, but the dry towel sure felt good once back inside the boat. Our goal for next year is to get in the water in March and eventually back it up to New Years Day and start a Lake Norman Polar Bear Club. Yes, there are actual pictures of us in the water, but it's still early in the year and we're quite pale, so I decided to spare you. And yes, I always insist upon photo credits, so to be fair: (Photo by Nolan Clark)

Some of the 'gee whiz' fact about Lake Norman include it is 34 miles long and eight miles across at its widest point. Its surface area of 32,500 acres has 520 mile of shoreline. Lake Norman is 760 feet above sea level, 130 feet deep at its deepest point, and holds 3.4 trillion gallons. There was a time when people stood on highways around the lake offering lake lots for sale for $1,000. There weren't many takers back then. With the completion of I-77, the entire lake became more accessible to urban centers to the south and north. Slowly, development began creeping north to the part of the lake that had always been agricultural. Today in four counties that surround the lake, there are more than 25,000 residents who like calling Lake Norman home.

For more facts about the lake, visit http://www.lakerealty.com/lakenormanhistory.htm, but if you want to move to the area and need a realtor, visit this site: http://www.danmuller.com/

April 16, 2007 Virginia Tech Tragedy

"We will continue to invent the future through our blood and tears and through all our sadness ... We will prevail ... "-- Nikki Giovanni, University Distinguished Professor, poet, activist

A week later and the pain and agony for the families and friends of VT is still there. Please continue to pray.

I have recruited on the campus of Virginia Tech at least 20 times. I have many friends and colleagues that work at VT and have the privilege of knowing a great number of Tech alumni. Hokies are a special breed. When I heard about the 4/16/07 tragedy I felt like a part of my heart was ripped out. As hard as it is to figure out, I know that God has a plan. My thoughts, prayers and condolences go out to anyone that was touched or felt a sense of loss as a part of this horrific day. The attached picture and attached quote is from the VT website. http://www.vt.edu/As much as this horrible day will make us focus on the evil in the world, I would encourage you to visit the VT website and read all of the tributes, kind thoughts and call for prayers from around the world. There are literally hundreds of them posted each day. Some of them are truly uplifting. http://rosa.hosting.vt.edu/index.php/memorial/

...Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me...Psalm 23:4 (NIV)

Amazing Grace: The Movie Coming 2/23/07

Foe more information, visit: http://www.amazinggracemovie.com/index.php

It's back to College Recruiting !!

I was away from college recruiting for about 15 months. Effective January 27, 2007, I took over the management of the college recruiting and university relations program for the 43rd largest company in the U.S. (According to the 2006 Fortune 100) Yes, we are still talking about Lowe's Companies, Inc of Mooresville, NC. You have to follow your heart and where you are "asked" to serve. We have a great college team at Lowe's and it will be a fun challenge to help continue to develop and grow the team.

Yesterday, Winter came to the Charlotte area. We had an inch of snow and the whole region shut down. And I wonder why I left that snow blower back with a neighbor in Virginia. No school for any of the surrounding areas and of course the typical run on bread, milk and toliet paper. By mid-day, it was nothing but rain, but 3/4 of the HR team had decided to work from home. Go figure.