A Different Kind Of Life

Chapter 28

"Good Morning everyone!" Logan said, starting the staff meeting at the London HPG office. "Thank you all for being here this morning. I recognize a lot of you from when I worked in this office right after graduating from college. Phillip, Bobbie, Nick, it is so great to see you again! Steven, Gloria, I see both of you as well. Monty! How are you man?! I am so glad you are all still with us. For those of you who are newer to the company, welcome! I am Logan Huntzberger, and as everyone who worked with me in the past can tell you, I used to run this office. Steven was my secretary. Nick, Phillip and Bobbie were my A-Team. We had a great time together. I've been where each of you newer people are now. I was raised in this company, and from the time I graduated from high school, my father forced me to be a part of HPG; attend the meetings, do the work, run the errands. I have been in your shoes, but I can assure you that there is plenty of room to grow if you just stick with it, and do your job well. My old team can definitely tell you that where they are now, is not at all where they were ten years ago when I was here. They've all done a great job, and they've grown in their careers, as have I. After I left HPG, I worked for a technology start up out in California, before deciding that I wanted to completely change gears. 8 years ago, I gave everything up, and I went to medical school. I lived with my sister in New York and went to school at Columbia University where I studied to become a doctor. I have a PhD in Immunology and Genetics, and an MD in Internal Medicine. I went from being one of you to having a medical career as an Emergency Room Doctor at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital in Manhattan New York. But why would I do that?! Why in the world would I give up what my father refers to as the 'Dynastic Plan'. I was raised to run this company. My Grandfather founded this company over 50 years ago, and my Father has been running things for the last 25 years. His entire plan in life was to turn the company over to me when he someday retires. But silly me, I took off. 8 years ago, I completely bailed on my per-ordained life, and I went to medical school. I am sure that many of you heard about that. Crazy Logan, turned his back on the family. Crazy Logan doesn't want to be a part of HPG. Crazy Logan gave up everything that he has ever known, and fought tooth and nail to build a life for himself. A life away from the family business. A life that I am proud of. A life that I enjoy. A life where I help people every single day. A life that makes me happy. Now I know many of you are asking what the hell all of this has to do with anything? Why if I completely bailed on the family business am I here with you today? Well, I'll tell you right now why I am here. I am here because HPG is going through quite a few changes lately. Most importantly, we have a new CEO. As a lot you probably heard, my father had a heart attack about a month ago. He came into my hospital with another patient, after an event that he was attending in the city, and while he was there waiting on test results for the other patient, my dad began showing symptoms of a myocardial infarction. I immediately responded and started running tests, and that night, my dad went into emergency surgery. Because I am his doctor, I have taken full control over my father's life for the time being. My father is doing great in his recovery, however, he will be out of commission for several months. He is currently in a rehabilitation facility out in California where he is learning how to lead a much healthier life. At this time there is no set date for my father to leave the treatment center, and he most definitely will not be returning to HPG until he is fully recovered, and his care team is fully confidant in their decision to release him from treatment, and comfortable with him returning to work, without it being a threat to his health. So, with all of that being said, my sister and I had to decide what to do with HPG now that Dad is out of the picture. HPG needs a CEO. It needs someone to guide everyone, and continue to monitor the work you are all doing. It needs someone who can step into my father's shoes, and run meetings, understand the financials, acquire new papers, monitor each department, understand the politics that are happening throughout the world, and direct our staff on which stories we need to be following. We needed someone with experience in the newspaper industry. We needed someone who understands how things work. We need someone with leadership experience, and the guts to do what it takes to get the story, and get the work done. We need someone who can lead us forward, and help better this company. A lot of you are wondering, why didn't I step into my father's position? Well, I'll give you an honest answer. I don't want it! I love my life. I love my career. I have everything I could possibly want back in Manhattan. And none of that includes being a part of this company. However, I am not completely heartless. This company has been in my family for several decades, and it is very important to all of us. My family has poured its blood, sweat and tears into HPG. I might not want to work here, but I can't just completely turn my back and watch everything fall apart, and many of you lose your jobs. So I did what any other person in my position would do. I found someone to step up. I found someone who my sister and I trust more than anything in this world. Someone who we feel is more than qualified to take over for our father. Someone with newspaper experience. Someone who knows politics better than anyone else because she worked on a presidential campaign. I found my wife, Rory." Logan smiled as he reached for Rory's hand. "My beautiful, incredibly intelligent wife. She comes to HPG having worked as a writer and assistant editor at The New York Times for the last several years. She has also worked as a freelance writer, traveling around the world, writing stories wherever she was sent. In college Rory was the senior Editor of the Yale Daily News, then worked as a reporter on the campaign train with President Barack Obama after graduating. Rory also interned for my Dad while she was in college, shadowing him when he acquired the Stamford Eagle Gazette. Rory knows this business. She knows it better than both my sister and I do. Rory was born to be the CEO of the Huntzberger Publishing Group. And unlike me, Rory actually enjoys being here. Working for HPG was something that I was forced into. Something that I tolerated because I wasn't given any other options. But it was never something that I chose for myself, or something that I actually wanted to do. Unlike my father, and several other family members, I don't believe that anyone should be forced into doing anything that they don't want to do. I believe that your career should be something that is an extension of who you are. Something that makes you happy. Something that you are proud of at the end of the day. I didn't have any of that while I was working here. I did as I was told, but I didn't enjoy it. So I got out. And I would recommend doing the exact same thing to any of you who aren't happy with your job, with the life that you have right now. If any of you can relate at all to what I've been through. I would tell you that maybe you should think about reevaluating things. You might be good at what you do, just like I was. Anyone who worked here with me 8 years ago, knows that I was damn good at my job. But I wasn't happy. I don't want to run this company. So I found someone who does. Someone who I know will do an incredible job! Someone who I can't possibly talk bad about. So I ask all of you, I know that things are different ,and may be a little tough to handle right now. But please, give us a chance to work through it. My sister Honor and I are doing our absolute best to get Rory acclimated to her new role, and to help her learn how everything runs here at HPG. It is going to take a little bit of time, but I can assure you that Rory can do this, and that she is who will lead us forward in this ever changing industry. Rory will lead by example. She will be writing and editing articles right there with you. Rory has been working on a newspaper staff since high school, and she is very knowledgeable and easy to get along with. You can come to her with any questions, suggestions, or problems that you might have, and she will do her best to help you, as will Honor and I. We will all be working together throughout this transition, and we want all of you to feel comfortable coming to us, should you need anything. Right now I have my schedule worked out so that I can be here to help Rory and all of you through this transition while still keeping up with my medical career. For the time being, I will be in the office 3 days a week; Monday through Wednesday, then in the hospital Thursday through Saturday. I will be doing my best to stay up to date with everything that is going on, so if anyone needs me, I sent out my contact information a few weeks ago. You can all reach me by contacting Rory. Does anybody have questions? . . . Rory, would you like to say anything?"