A Decision Made
The beginning of this post is actually (not so) ancient history. But let me make the “big reveal” first and then go from there. Jackie and I are headed to the North Country of New York State in the coming months. I recently accepted the position of the Director for the Construction Engineering Management Program at Clarkson University (http://www.clarkson.edu/cee/about/index.html) and Jackie is close to having worked out an arrangement to work in support of a Clarkson awarded grant executing the Great Lakes Fish Monitoring and Surveillance Program (http://www.epa.gov/greatlakes/monitoring/fish/). Both of these are exciting opportunities and involve returning “home” in many ways.
So let me begin a bit closer to the beginning. One of my lifelong goals in my career is to
return to an institution of higher learning and teaching in a construction engineering
program. Ideally this would have been
Clarkson, but it could have been elsewhere.
I had always thought this would happen when I was in my 50s after a
career of wide ranging experience in construction, engineering, buildings, and
structures. But there have been several
signs over the last 4 years or so that have been pointing me in that direction.
Sometime in 2010, I received an email from my graduate
adviser, W. Eric Showalter, at the Missouri University of Science and Technology (MS&T,
formerly known as University of Missouri – Rolla and, even further back,
Missouri School of Mines). He let me
know that Mr. Harold “Hod” Wagner, long time lecturer in the Department of
Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering, was hanging up his hat,
and retiring. Hod’s plan was to
transition the following spring (2011) and he (Eric) was on the prowl, if you
will, for a replacement. He was feeling
me out in this regard, and it was tempting.
Hod, not so coincidentally, is a person that I only knew in tertiary
fashion in a former life. His terminal Army
assignment was to be the DPW of Fort Drum with the move of the 10th
Mountain Division up from Fort Benning.
For those that are acquainted with the terms “Old Post” and “New Post”
on Fort Drum (http://www.drum.army.mil/AboutFortDrum/Pages/History_lv2.aspx),
Hod was the leader behind the mid/late 1980’s build that gave the 10th
Mountain its home in the Adirondacks.
After this assignment, he went to work for a long standing engineering
firm, C&S Companies (formerly Calocerinos and Spina Consulting Engineers)
as the Construction Admin lead, in Syracuse, NY. Here is where Hod and I ran into each other,
as we met, only once, when he was up visiting on a trip looking for some new
bright-eyed engineers to hire at, you named it, Clarkson. Sadly, my life, similar to his back in the
day, was already targeted at a military career thanks to the ROTC scholarship
that helped me afford to go to my alma mater; so we never worked together then. But almost a decade later, I was his student,
compatriot as a TA, and we swapped not too few stories of construction and
building in the Syracuse area. So following
in his footsteps and participating in a life-long goal was very
attractive. But one thing made it really
unattainable at that point, and that was that Rolla, MO (while a town that
Jackie and I have very fond memories about), was simply half a country away
from our family in the central New York area and around the east coast. So, after a pleasant chat with Eric, it was
left that I hoped for the best of luck for his finding a person to take on this
charge at MS&T.
So along I was going, at that point, at Joint Base Myer –
Henderson Hall. And after about a year into
this assignment, it was clear, that while it had great potential, there was a
problem that was simply not going to allow me to really make the difference
that I was hoping to be able make. The
consequence was that going into the spring of 2011, I was contemplating finding
another position. So I made contact with
a professor of mine, and now Civil and Environmental Engineering Department
Chair, at Clarkson, Dr. Stefan Grimberg, to see what might be happening there
in regards to the Construction program and what might work. Spencer Thew, the person who taught me there,
was still leading the Construction part of the department and wasn’t looking at
retirement in the near term. So an
adjunct position might be there, but making the leap to Potsdam at that time
(especially with the housing market not yet in recovery) was a “bridge too far”. As things happened, I returned to George
Mason to an exciting role as the Engineering Planner. At that point, I figured it would be a long time
until this idea would come up again, and things were set for a long, long run
back at Mason.
So, as I said things at Mason were going well and with the
departure of Bob Endebrock as the Director of Project Management and
Construction on the Spring of 2013, I was hopeful for the opportunity to grow,
learn and lead as a part of the Facilities team for a long time to come. Come winter, after I wasn’t selected for that
role, I was still hopeful, as there were changes happening and a real
interesting role as the Deputy Director that was being envisioned, that I saw
as a “perfect fit” for where I was looking to go in my career. But then came something “out of the blue” …
On January 22, 2014, I got this message on Linked-In from Dr.
Grimberg, Subject “CEM Director position at Clarkson”:
“Erik
Several years ago you inquired about job opportunities in
the North Country and we finally are in a position to advertise for a full time
position in our Construction Engineering Management program (https://clarkson.peopleadmin.com/postings/1703).
I am not sure if you are still interested in [relocating] to the North Country
but I thought I want to make you aware of this opportunity. If you need more
information please call me.”
And with that, began a long wooing process that has led to
our decision this past week. As can be
seen in the posting for this position, Clarkson had advertised for someone to
take over this role in the January 2014 timeframe (so the search had occurred in
the fall semester 2013). But according
to my follow-up phone call with Stefan, the candidates that had applied were
simply not what they were looking for.
As I stated then, I was really not looking to move and there were things
happening at Mason that seemed to indicate growth and wouldn’t involve a
move. But, it being my alma mater, and
yes, a long term goal of mine, I sent a CV to him as a follow-up for consideration. As things happened, it was my Greek
organization’s 20th anniversary, so Jackie and I were headed up for
a long weekend over Valentines, and I indicated that I would be there for a
face-to-face on this opportunity. As
things have it, in the winters of DC and Northern NY, weather did not cooperate,
and our effort to be there early enough for this to happen was thwarted. So we simply looked for another time to chat.
About a month and a half later, I was on the phone with the
search committee discussing the position.
While there was certainly some give and take in this late March
discussion, it was clear that they were doing their best to allay my fears more
than I allaying theirs. Aside from the positional
concerns or challenges, one of the largest that loomed in my thinking was “What
about Jackie?” No offense to the North
Country of New York (or upstate NY generally), but compared with the Washington,
DC area, the opportunities for both of us, especially Jackie, are exceptionally
narrow. So thinking through this I was
constantly looking at what would happen with her. In talking about this with the committee, Dr.
Amy Zander put it in the best engineering terms: “the two body problem.” The interview ended with, let’s wait and see
what happens with Mason and talk in the late April/early May time-frame about
where things sat, understanding that they may simply move on to the next
person.
Now that I had this conversation, and it was clear that
Clarkson was more recruiting me than considering me, I needed to have a candid
conversation with the folks at Mason, specifically the VP of Facilities, Tom
Calhoun. So I asked and was able to talk
to him about this and was honest in saying that my heart was with Mason, but
this is something that I had in the background.
I wanted to know that there was a place in the leadership in the re-org
and the time-frame of that. He assured me
that there were going to be opportunities and he had two that in mind that
might fit best. It was greatly up to me
to decide which way to go, but that he had some thoughts he shared. And when time frames were discussed, it was
his assertion that in the next couple months they would be making the requisite
moves. So, content, I simply stood by,
occasionally asking Cathy Wolfe, my boss, what the status was. I didn’t hide the fact that there was a recruiting
activity happening in the background, but I also wasn’t greatly pursuing it as
I waited.
So by the end of April, it was getting to be some time on,
and Clarkson didn’t let up. Come late April
the chair of the search committee, Dr. Kerop Janoyan, inquired where things
were at and I got an email from Dr. Michelle Crimi wondering what was happening
given that she heard I had applied for this position at Clarkson. Michelle, who had returned to Clarkson and
was now on the Faculty, and I had some history, as we both served as officers
of CUSA (Clarkson University Student Association). She indicated that “It would be GREAT to have
you back!!!!” Knowing her to be a “straight
shooter” I asked if we could chat about how this worked for her, and especially
for her spouse. She indicated that
Clarkson, if they really wanted us, would make it work for us. She explained that things hadn’t always been copacetic
with how things had worked for her husband, but that there was some great willingness
to find solutions for him. This was
beyond helpful as time went on and things at Mason were still in limbo.
So, after two months, and having a vacation planned anyhow,
I took a trip up to the North Country to spend time in peace and quiet at Boyd
Pond (where our family’s property is at in the nearby town of Russell) and I
got a chance to do the face-to-face that had been contemplated in
February. It was great to see Spence and
the new Construction team members that I hadn’t met, Bill and Jared. Likewise, I met with Kerop and Stefan. By the end of the day, the core question for
me was, “so what can we do to get you here?”
So I stated it plainly to Stefan; that the answer lied with Jackie and
her having a place that worked for her career.
He asked me to have her provide a resume and some information on what
positions she would prefer, and that he would seek things out, as best he
could, to meet those objectives. To be
candid, I figured that there were certainly some teaching opportunities, but
since Jackie really isn’t enthralled with that, we may not get to resolution
here. Regardless, prior to Memorial Day,
we sent along her information and were back in a “wait and see” mode.
Back at Mason, I let it be known that they were pressing
things on the Clarkson side (through Cathy), with the hope, honestly, that they
would “get off the dime” on the re-org and the future. I was assured it was just a matter of a week
or two and things were going to be clear.
But it wasn’t until very end of June that the modified Deputy Director
position was put out, and while it was an internal search, there was the need
to apply and so forth. I did this, but almost
simultaneously Clarkson did something I was simply not expecting: find something that was frankly more career
enhancing for Jackie than my opportunity was for me.
Jackie, for those that do not know, is an environmental
chemist who works in the area of waste-water compliance consulting. As an analytical chemist she manages and develops
testing programs for major industrial clients to comply with the Clean Water Act. Among the pollutants she has great expertise
in developing compliance solutions for is mercury and other heavy metals. While she does work nationwide (and even
internationally), many of her clients are in the Great Lakes Basin, and she has
great experience in aiding in the treatment of waste water streams in this
area. This is critical to this
discussion, as Clarkson offered her the opportunity to back-fill the post-doc
position on the Great Lakes Fish Monitoring and Surveillance Program for the
EPA, which is “right up her alley” in this respect. You see, this puts her at the front edge of
the research that relates to the standards that she has been executing
compliance and treatment work for years.
This will put her in the position to become not merely a compliance
expert, but be the research and compliance expert in an area of effort that is exceptionally
meaningful. So, when I mention that this
was “unexpected”, the unexpected piece is that Jackie simply has not only a
good opportunity, but an exceptional one.
And thus, it is, and was, a game changer. After years of her following my career in
several respects, this was something that was more about her than either of us,
and worthy of us really considering it as the default move. And after a short visit this past week, we
are solidly on the path to the North Country.
As I have said in the past, the best choices in my life have
come when it simply made sense. Whether
this be to take the ROTC scholarship, or to leave active duty the first time to
pursue a graduate degree, or to move to Washington and join the Mason team the
first time (back in 2006), these have been less willful and more a willing
choice of change. This has that feel of
calling that is unique; one that has taken more than 6 months for me to hear,
but gladly is one that is sweet music to Jackie’s hearing. Without a doubt our nearly two decade absence
from the winters of the North Country and New York (beyond visits), will
require a serious thickening of our blood.
But, being winter sports fans, and hockey fans specifically, living in
Potsdam (with 3 ice rinks for a village of 10,000 residents; and, yes, Golden
Knights Hockey!) will be a great place to get ice time. Also, this will bring us a lot closer to our
families (2.5/3 hours instead of at least 7 to Syracuse) and, with that,
greater ease. We are going to miss many
things about living “in the big city” and about our jobs here in the DC area. The convenience of shopping, the culture and engagement,
the urban lifestyle, working at the up and coming University and full time at
the heart of one of the largest environmental consulting firms in the world, the
diversity, the sizable church options and expressions, seats at the Caps games,
and especially those we have come to know and have friendships while here in
NOVA. But the lack of traffic, the
slower pace of life, the ability to reconnect with old friends and colleagues, the
literal homestead of the Backus clan, and the familiar environs of our past,
beckon us forth. Change isn’t easy, even
if it is what seems right.
In conclusion, we have made a tough decision; one we hope is
right. We are indeed lucky to have
options, and this is exciting, frightening, joyful, and sorrowful all at once. Certainly we remember that the journey that
got us to this decision isn’t easy, nor will the journey after. We also know, however, that we are blessed to
have the chance to take the path. Thanks
to all those we have met on the journey for your love, and hopes, and
prayers. We certainly pray for you to
also have a path that enables your future to be bright too.
