Change Management at Schlee Inc.
May 20, 2008 by Gary Schlee
The number of posts on this blog since the beginning of the year hasn’t even kept pace with the frequency of issues of many magazines. Sorry about that. There are a couple of reasons for my posting sloth . One is that my attention has been diverted to a handful of other blogs — both academic and personal. Another is that the winter semester was particularly busy.
Well, enough of the excuses. It’s time for change. First of all, the next semester won’t be as busy. That’s because there won’t be a next semester — for me. At the end of June, I retire from Centennial after 28 years of teaching. It’s a move I’ve been contemplating for awhile. Having decided to take the leap feels rather exhilarating. I’m looking forward to spending more time writing, reading and perhaps consulting. I’m also looking forward to spending some time doing things that have nothing to do with corporate communications and public relations.
So what does this all mean for a blog that purports to be about Public Relations Education in Canada? In the short term (after a quiet summer), I’ll likely continue to comment on subjects relating to PR academia. It’s tough to break a habit developed over nearly three decades! As for the longer term … not sure. I do know I enjoy blogging and the potential social media brings to public relations.
For those who have been kind enough to drop by and read, don’t cancel your subscription. Perhaps my perch located an arms-length away from day-to-day teaching will add a different hue to my ramblings.
For those I’ve met in the non-virtual world, please consider dropping by for my official send-off. A few details:
When: Thursday, June 12, 5:30 to 8 p.m.
Where: The Courtyard, Centennial’s Centre for Creative Communications, 951 Carlaw Avenue, Toronto
RSVP by June 6 to 416-289-5000 ext. 2750 or e-mail rsvpccc(at)centennialcollege(dot)ca
15 Responses to “Change Management at Schlee Inc.”
Retirement! Well, yes, that’s change management for sure! Best wishes to you in your new life, Gary. Wish I’d read this yesterday; I could have bought you a beer at Third Tuesday last night.
Gary, surely you are not old enough to retire??
All the best to you. Make sure whoever dares step in your shoes takes up the blogging challenge!
Sue
I’d be more than happy, Donna, to collect that beer at some future event, to be determined, social media event.
Yes, Sue, I surely am too young to retire. But having demonstrated the stamina to make it to full-pension heaven, I’m looking forward to using the opportunity to delve into some new experiences — communications and otherwise.
Gary, say it ain’t so! I’m hoping, for all IABC members out there, that you’ll still be available for Ovation/Silver Leaf/Gold Quill judging …. and will still be a familiar face and Mix and Mingles? Enjoy your retirement … I am soooooo jealous!
Jo
Congratulations! To you anyway. Not such good news for the rest of us.
Hope you’ll have the time to do everything you want to do, and nothing else.
Great seeing you last night at the mesh party Gary and congratulations again. What a wonderful summer this will be for you and your family. Exciting times!
Congratulations on retirement . . . please blog more. Sorry I won’t be able to be at the send off. I will be in the UK speaking at the IPRA Summit.
Cheers,
Gary! You know how much I’ll miss your blog – I’ve always liked to comment.
Even as early back as 2004, when you taught me, I was probably a forerunner of the tech-savvy, web-crazy communicators that surely all of them coming up now are. Still, you were an encouraging presence who advocated for technology in both the program and the college even then, and I know that you must have had a hand in much of how cutting-edge the course now is… Every year, I’m impressed with how much more sophisticated the students are than we were, and I know that good teachers are the ones who get them there.
But this is no surprise, in a general sense – I’m sure that your abilities as a visionary of the evolution of this industry are what have kept you at the top of this game as an educator for such a long time. You were seeing new tools and trends in public relations before many of the people you teach today were even born.
When we were babies, this program was your baby. No part of it can be considered apart from you. Very few people get the chance to have such a thorough impact on anything over the course of their careers, and even fewer have the ability to meet that challenge once given. You deserve every conceivable honour that Centennial College could give you – what more could anyone possibly do than what you have done?
I very much hope you enjoy your retirement – to do so is righteous. See you at your sendoff!
Thank you for the very kind words, Will. It seems to me that the first ‘new tool’ we were pushing when I arrived at the college was the word processor (aka computer). Such a streamlined alternative to the manual typewriters in our writing lab. Things have changed, and you’re right: having an opportunity to influence those changes in preparing new practitioners has been a large perk to this job. See you on the 12th.
Hi Gary,
Congratulations on your retirement and all the best to you in your future endeavors! My last year at Centennial College will definitely not be the same without you. Hopefully you will come back and visit the new class and perhaps even be a guest speaker
All the best!
~Sarah Fimiani
Congratulations Gary! I suspect you will stay very busy and involved in the community so we’ll still be seeing lots of you. Regardless, I know where to find you – up the street and around the corner – that is if you’re not off traveling the world. Looking forward to seeing what your next move will be.
Cheers,
Eden
It was a lovely evening of tributes, great conversations and food*, Gary. You’ve obviously had a huge (and positive) impact on generations of students and colleagues in the field. The scholarship fund will ensure the legacy of excellent communications even further. I was very happy to be in attendance.
*BTW, I absolutely adore the name of the catering company, The Food Dudes Corp., in particular the tagline: Food Driven Entertainment. Is Brent McClenahan (or other principals) former students of Centennial College’s Corporate Communications program? And kudos to Christine Smith and the student volunteers on organizing a great event.
gary – not sure how this post slipped by me, i would’ve loved to have stopped by to wish you well on your retirement.
congratulations! 28 years is a long time in PR – you’d get less for armed robbery.
i’d like to wish you happiness in all that you do, or don’t do, as you enjoy your well earned retirement.
ed
Judy,
Thanks for being a part of the party. It was wonderful to see so many grads and colleagues. The Food Dudes are just that: food dudes. They are acquaintances of one of the students who helped organize the evening.
Ed,
That 28-year sentence was for teaching PR. I was practising the craft for quite a few years before that
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