My boss

Today is June 1, 2011. Two days from now my boss, Stephanie McDoulett, will retire from McKesson. In my 27 years of working for people this is the first time that I have had a boss who is retiring.

When we think of retiring most of us think of that age when we will be eligible for social security - that little private/public nest egg we have been paying into for many years - hoping that we will be able to not only reach the age that we are able to collect it, but hoping that we will live long enough to at least receive back what we paid into it plus interest. For me, the reality is that I probably won't be collecting social security until I am 67 - 22 years from two months from now.

I look at 22 years and realize that is shorter than the number of years I have been working for a paycheck. I look back and see that I have been working for 27 years, since I started working at the age of 17. Over those 27 years I have had a few bosses. Some bosses have been ok. Some have been not the greatest - that we can say for most of us.

I have been at McKesson for 10 years. In those 10 years I have had about 5 bosses, of which Stephanie was once a boss for a short period of time before she went into doing something else. I had my review today. Needless to say it was a very good review. My review of her would be to say that she has been what I would consider the best boss I have ever had. She also has become a good friend, and while I know that she is moving onto doing whatever she feels like, I can definitely say I will miss her. However, I am fortunate in that the person who will be my boss now is a person who is also very well respected and knows about being a boss.

Truth be told a lot of people tell me I am the boss - and to an extent that is true as well. I do wield more power than even I let on, but as I demonstrate time and again - I am able to provide the service that people want and need.

Stephanie - I will miss you. I know that Ron won't be around as much to take me to lunch. Everyone has asked me how I will get along, and I will get along alright, but I can tell you that I am starting to get emotional about it. For if it wasn't for her belief that I could come out of the stupor of drugs I wouldn't be here writing this at the moment. I have no idea where I would have ended up, but I am here, and I am happy to be here.

Thank you, Stephanie!