Last December I notified Jim Link, President of Teledyne Brown Engineering, that I intended to retire in March. In a letter to Jim on February 7, I said that "after 40+ years in the work force, it is time for me to retire." I continued by saying that I was "looking forward to traveling, enjoying my hobbies, and most importantly, spending time with my family, including my four grandchildren." It was not a coincidence that February 7 was the 30th anniversary of my employment at TBE. I told Jim that my last day would be March 16.

At a celebration of my retirement on March 15, amid a lot of good natured joking around and laughter, Jim presented me with two plaques. The one I'm holding in the picture above was presented "In recognition and appreciation of 30 years of dedicated company service (1977 - 2007)." The framed citation that Jim is holding reads:

"On this occasion, I would like to express my heartfelt appreciation for your dedication and many contributions to Teledyne Brown Engineering. Since I became President in 2001, you have served our company faithfully as Program Manager for Ground-Based Midcourse Defense and as Vice President for our Missile Defense Group since its formation in 2005. Previously, you made major contributions to other important programs, such as the Special Technology and Materiel Program (STAMP), and to the establishment of our Proposal Management Center. We wish you all the best in your retirement and want you to know that you will always be a part of the Teledyne family." Signed James M. Link, President.

And so I begin what could be the most exciting phase of my life. Live long and prosper!