2012: A Great Summer of Work, Family and Interns

Hard to believe that schools starts for most of North Carolina students today. It has been a busy summer. We successfully wrapped up our Summer Internship Program at Lowe's Companies sending 77 interns back to school about two weeks ago. Time to prepare for another busy fall, as we head into college recruiting season. The attached picture was taken off the stern of a boat we chartered to celebrate the conclusion of our intern program. It's one of my favorite photos of the summer. Time to prepare for college football, cooler temperatures and the leaves changing colors.

Once Bitten, Twice Shy

Yes, it was a minor hit song by Great White back in 1989, but it recently took on new meaning in my life. After running over an in-ground yellow jacket's nest with the lawn mower last week, I was stung seven time, despite fleeing the scene in record pace. Tonight, the grass needed mowing again and I was forced to return to the site of the attack. Despite having taken steps to eradicate the pests, I was still jumpy when I got near that now vacant hole in the ground.

Sometimes I do my best thinking when cutting the grass and it hit me how many situations in life are similar to me needing to return to face my fears of being stung again. Life throws a lot of situations at us that we may not understand at the time or even days, weeks, or months later. That doesn't mean we should avoid returning to face our fears. In most situations, our fears out weigh the real danger. Don't miss out on some of life's greatest joys because of the fear of being stung or being hurt. Life is short and God is good, so face your fears head-on. Most times you'll find the hole in the ground is empty.

Pole Vaulters are one "wild and crazy" bunch

Both of my sons have have taken up pole vaulting as a sport in high school, so I have had the opportunity to attend my share of high school track meets over the last few years. Just watching the pole vaulting event and knowing what the ultimate goal is, amazes me.

I tried this "sport" as a kid in the backyard using the clothes line as my "bar". Yes, in those days, many suburban homes still had a rope in the backyard on which a family could hang clothes to dry. There was a long "pole" used to prop up the clothes line, so the wet clothes wouldn't drag the ground. That prop was my pole. I'm not sure I ever cleared the line, but I sure "took out" my share of clothes that were hung out to dry. When my Mom asked about the grass stains, I probably blamed it on the neighborhood dogs.

Lowe's College Team attends 2009 SIFE Nationals in Philadelphia

The 2009 National Exposition was held in Philadelphia, PA May 11th and 12th. In attendance at the career booth were Lowe’s employees representing corporate, distribution and stores were Mark Clark, Wayne Packer, Mary Beth Posluszy, Dan Tucker, Dianne Hahn, Pete Medrano, Holly Hill and Alicia Brown. Judging at the Semi-final and Final Rounds of Competition were Larry Stone, Bernie Smith and Wayne Crowley. Larry, Bernie and Wayne, visited our career booth prior to the start of the competition, talking with staff, students and faculty. Larry also tried out our basketball hoop game (which was a new addition this year). He showed great athletic skill and a competitive spirit as he showed us how it was done. The recruiting made the obligatory trip to South Philly to have an authentic cheese-steak at Geno's.

There were over 3,000 SIFE students from colleges and universities around the country (winners of their Regional event), who had come to compete for a chance to represent the U.S. at the World Cup in Berlin, Germany. This year’s Winner was Flagler College from St. Augustine, FL.

We met a lot of talented students and are currently working them into our process with the corporate, supply chain, regional and college positions that might be a good fit. Thanks to everyone for their support of SIFE!

If you would like more information about SIFE, visit their site at www.sife.org.

Charlotte Bobcats Mascot Rufus Lynx Visits Lowe's Mooresville CSC

I was returning from lunch one afternoon and who do I see out front our corporate office, none other than Rufus Lynx, the Charlotte's Bobcat's mascot. Just like I can't drive by our local Chick Fil-A without honking at the cow mascot that constantly prowls on a grass patch of ground, I had to go check things out. It turns out Rufus was visiting to help promote the local United Way campaign, which is a big deal at Lowe's. Since I had already turned in my pledge card, I figured it was okay to ask to have my picture made with Rufus. (After living in NC for almost three years, I've learned you don't get your picture taken, you get it made. You gotta love the South, I do.) Having a quick picture made with Rufus turned into a 30 minute ordeal as I soon learned that I had put my self in the middle of a video being made of Rufus and local Lowe's executives. Since I never got the call to be an extra when the movie "Leatherheads" was being filmed in nearby Statesville, I figured this was my big chance. It was a lot of fun, but I did miss out on 30 minutes of work that afternoon, but it was for charity. Thanks for understanding, boss!

Lowe's College Recruiting Team Goes to NACE in New Orleans.

The Lowe's College Recruiters and their Manager again attended the Annual NACE Conference in May, 2008. This photo is titled, "Where's Pete?" because we were missing Senior Recruiter Pete Medrano. He must have been refilling his beverage when this picture was taken. It was a great conference, reconnecting with old colleagues and making new friends. Don't believe it when they say that the Big Easy is back, but at least it is on it's way.

It was hot and humid, but that's no surprise for a swamp in late May. Next year, NACE returns to Las Vegas.

Lowe's College Team Sponsors Charlotte SIFE Event

Lowe's College Recruiting Team recently sponsored the Regional SIFE Competition in Charlotte, NC. Now it's on to Chicago for the big national event in May. Hope to see you in the windy city, stop by our booth

5th Grade DC Field Trip...Memories to Last a Lifetime

I couldn't pass up the opportunity to help chaperon the Lake Shore Elementary (NC) School's 5th grade Field Trip to Washington DC. Most important, I wouldn't trust any other parent to fully keep an eye on my daughter in the nation's capital. Having just moved to NC from the DC region 2 years ago, it wasn't like we were dying to go back. We did have some fun and actually did visit some sites that we hadn't visited when we were Virginia residents for 8 years including Arlington National Cemetery, National Archives (made me go watch National Treasures again) and Mount Vernon and Monticello. You would think with this many 5th graders on and off buses and in a hotel for three days, we would have behavior problems with the kids. Hat's off to the Lake Shore kids, they were well behaved, now some of the parents, that was a different story.

The PIT in Mooresville: New Kart Track Offers Fans the Ride of a Lifetime!

The PIT Indoor Kart Racing opened its doors to fans who want to experience the adrenaline rush of indoor kart racing. The 100,000 square foot facility located on Route 150 in Mooresville, NC is the largest indoor track in the country. Unlike theme park go-karts, the karts at Pit Indoor Kart Racing sit just an inch off the track and can reach speeds of up to 40 miles per hour. Each rider receives a copy of his or her lap times, which is measured down to a thousandth of a second with a computerized timing system.

In addition to the 70,000 foot kart track, The Pit also offers an arcade, a laser tag arena (coming soon), and billiards. For racing packages and pricing, visit The Pit online at http://www.meetatthepit.com/.

Our Men's Ministry Group from The Cove Church (http://covechurch.org/) visited The PIT last Saturady and it was a blast. Our team finished 12 out of 15 teams in the final 60 lap race, but that was only because we had seat belt problems when we had our pit stops. I'll post some YouTube links so you can a feel for the action. You gotta experience The Pit to fully appreciate it, for men and boys of all ages, some restrictions apply. Ths author is pictured, with 4/5 of his team behind the safety of his helmet, required of all racers, red race suits optional, but available to all who want to look cool.

Lowe's Companies and SIFE become Partners.

We have become a corporate partner with SIFE. So you ask, what is SIFE? SIFE is a nonprofit organization that gives students the tools to learn the free enterprise system in a real working situation. SIFE challenges students on more than 800 college campuses nationwide to take what they're learning in the classroom and use their knowledge to better their communities. Guided by faculty advisors who are named Sam M. Walton Free Enterprise Fellows in honor of the late Wal-Mart founder, SIFE Teams establish a variety of community outreach programs that teach free enterprise. For example, they teach concepts such as budgeting, accounting and supply and demand. They help budding entrepreneurs get their plans off the ground and mentor at-risk students, inspiring them to reach for their dreams. A member of my team is driving the relationship and we expect great things to come from this relationship over the next few years. Stay tuned for more news as we approach the Charlotte Regionals coming up in April.

What not to do on a long flight!! Don't do unto others, what they do unto you.

This won't come as a revelation to most, but today I was on a US Air flight from Charlotte to Denver and it really hit me what the airline industry does to flyers everyday in this country. (See attached photo to emphasize my point) Airline seats are small enough to start with, so who came up with the idea to allow airline seats to recline. If you really need to sleep it's one thing, but come on, who can really sleep on an airplane to start with. Most people get into one of these seats and as soon as they get the okay they pop the button and lay their seat down. Have you ever really noticed what this does to the average flyer. You go from having about 18 inches of useable space to less than a foot of space in which to navigate during the flight. You can't really open up a laptop, you can't eat or drink, but still people obliviously lay those seats down not even thinking of those wiery travelers behind them. Next time, I ask you to think twice. This photo was taken without a flash upon a US Air flight, so no FAA regulations were violated and no flight attendants were injured during this photo shoot.

Where are things going in 2008?

In 2008, I guess it is almost any one's guess. With oil over $100 a barrel and a Presidential election in November, it could be a wild ride this year. At Lowe's, we are optimistic from a recruiting standpoint. We have consolidated all of our recruiting functions under one central recruiting umbrella. This includes corporate, field, distribution and my baby, college recruiting. We are looking to collaborate further in the way we support our internal business partners and concentrate our our core competencies. For more information on what we are doing, visit us at www.lowes.com/careers or email me at markclark@lowes.com. Happy New Year!!

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.