Kevin, do you know?

So, tonight Kevin's senior staff took him (and me and Brody) to dinner at Stella Mares to thank him for his time as their manager. Next week he's transitioning out of the role he's held for the past four years into another position w/in the company. Before dinner they each gave Kevin a toast. It was really a special time. They each said such wonderful things!

E thanked him for his leadership and compassion. She said he was the most beautiful person she'd ever known (in so many words). She is also leaving the department, in part due to Kevin's departure.

V said that she came to work for the company just to work for him and thanked him for his mentorship. It was a really precious toast. I am certain that she will also leave w/in the year.

S thanked him for his patience. Isn't that the truth? One of Kevin's guiding rules is to never discipline a person who messes up when their intention was sincerely to the do the right thing. Not many other managers in the company react to crisis the same way Kevin does. He just believes in and supports his staff completely. Wouldn't be shocked if S also leaves the company this year.

M thanked him for his example and for welcoming him into his family. M really is a member of our family.

T also thanked him for his patience and leadership. T is very talented and so good at his job. He is going to be extremely successful. He also said that he felt like Kevin leaving is going to be a hurdle for him in his advancement in the company because he'd be losing Kevin's mentorship.

It was really special. Kevin went on to give a really excellent speech about the importance of having passion for what you do and that he wants to start a 'grassroots' effort to get our company back to caring about the freaking customer instead of focusing on destroying the competition. I wonder if he knows that he had the full attention of his audience while he spoke? I wonder if he knows how sexy he is when he talks about what he's passionate about? I wonder if he knows how great of a leader and mentor and human being he really is? The last several months have really been tough for him. For the fist time in his life he feels like he's been unsuccessful in his job.

Honey, I hope you see how much you matter. I hope you see how much of an influence you have on those around you. I hope you realize how good you are at what you do. I hope you find excitement for your job again. I hope you realize how pround I am to have you as a husband.

I love you.