Giving thanks at the end of 2008
Giving thanks at the end of 2008
By STEVE RIECK
Executive Director
Nassau County Economic Development Board
As I write this, we're fast approaching the Thanksgiving Holidays. When I was a kid in grade school, I remember taking a field trip to Plymouth, Massachusetts, to see where the Pilgrims celebrated that first Thanksgiving together. We also went to see Plymouth Rock. What a disappointment. The rock was no bigger than a good-sized boulder. Someone had chiseled the date "1620" into the top of it.
But I've been thinking a lot recently about the Pilgrims and their first Thanksgiving. They were a small band of souls who had left virtually all their earthly possessions and many of their friends, acquaintances, and community institutions behind in the Old World, and set out to build a different life in the New World. For the Pilgrims, daily life was filled with uncertainties and dangers. There were no roads, no subdivisions, no fire departments, no military protection, no central banking system, and no "social safety nets." In many ways, they were by themselves, and dependent upon one another for their survival.
Nevertheless, the Pilgrims were thankful. That first year, they were thankful for the Native Americans who taught them how to plant new crops in the rocky New England soil. They were thankful for a bountiful harvest that would carry them through the harsh winter months. They were thankful for good health and the absence of major disease. And they were thankful to their creator for giving them an opportunity to build new lives in a new land… together.
Fast-forward almost 400 years. The year 2008 has been filled with uncertainties and dangers for every American. Soaring energy and food prices, the melt-down of our financial systems and credit markets, home foreclosures, personal and corporate bankruptcies have all fallen on us like a Tsunami. Nevertheless, we have reason to be thankful. We can be thankful because we have a history spanning nearly four centuries of our ancestors overcoming adversity of every kind through ingenuity, teamwork, and a "can-do" spirit. It's become a part of our DNA. We can be thankful because throughout our history, we have seen leaders rise up to help us meet our challenges. We can be thankful because our creator has given us the chance to continue to build the American dream… together.
On October 10, the Nassau County Economic Development Board hosted its 11th Annual Business & Industry Appreciation dinner. Our theme this year was "celebrating excellence in customer service." We're fortunate to have, as one of our largest employers, an organization that is known for its world-class customer service-The Ritz-Carlton Amelia Island. The Ritz-Carlton's Director of Recreation, Tom Gagne, was our keynote speaker for the evening. As I listened to Tom's message, I thought about how the principle of excellent customer service could be another reason to be thankful this season.
Tom's presentation was titled, "Radar On, Antenna Up." The title is a metaphor about how people who provide really good customer service are always scanning, watching, listening, and searching for ways to meet their customers' needs. People who provide outstanding customer service know how to "live in the moment." They are totally focused on the customer. They ask the right questions. They read their customer's body language. They sense the subtleties of human interaction that help them find a solution that will satisfy their customer's need. They never allow themselves to become complacent, and they're passionate about their products or services.
Tom went on to point out that what separates "great" customer service people from "good" ones is an ability to always exceed a customer's expectations. The great ones get a reputation for consistently going above and beyond what is expected. Sometimes the margin between good and great can be incredibly small. In the 2008 Summer Olympics, the difference in time between the gold and silver medals was one one-hundredth of a second. The same thing is true when it comes to customer service. That little extra effort of serving the customer can make the difference between good and great. Great customer service reps prosper, and the companies they work for prosper. In today's incredibly competitive global economy, the companies that consistently provide extraordinary customer service will be the ones that survive and grow.
The fact is that we have many great customer service people in virtually every line of business in Nassau County, from grocery stores to banks to beauty shops to restaurants. I often say that if I can get our targeted business prospects to visit Nassau County, the place sells itself in large part because of the people they meet in the businesses that serve our community. For that I'm thankful.
Steve Rieck was appointed executive director of the Nassau County Economic Development Board by its Board of Directors on October 23, 2007. He brings more than 35 years experience managing diverse organizations in government, private business and the civic sectors. He has an extensive background in domestic and international business development, strategic planning, marketing, and budget and finance.
Mr. Rieck began his professional career with the State of Georgia in 1974, after graduating Magna Cum Laude with a degree in Political Science from Georgia State University. He served as a budget analyst in the Governor's Office of Planning and Budget during the administration of Governor Jimmy Carter. In 1978, he was named by Governor George Busbee as Director of Planning and Evaluation for the State Crime Commission. In 1979, he earned a Master's Degree with honors in Public Administration from Georgia State, and in 1980, he was appointed Deputy Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Community Affairs. In 1982, Governor Joe Frank Harris appointed Mr. Rieck to be his Executive Assistant for Intergovernmental Relations, where he served until 1984. In 1984, he was appointed Deputy Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Industry and Trade, where he became a key member of the state's economic development team until 1990, when he left state government to start a consulting firm, Southwind Enterprises, Ltd.
In 1991, Mr. Rieck was elected president and chief executive officer of the Clayton County Chamber of Commerce in suburban Atlanta. For the next ten years, he implemented an aggressive economic development program for the county which expanded the county's labor force by over 25 percent, and attracted more than $200 million in new capital investment in manufacturing, commercial/retail and hotel construction. He co-founded Metro South, a six-county consortium of chambers of commerce and economic development authorities dedicated to promoting quality economic development in the southern portion of metro Atlanta. He also co-founded Metro South Golf Charities, Inc., which produced the annual LPGA Chick-fil-A Charity Championship Hosted by Nancy Lopez at Eagle's Landing Country Club in Stockbridge, Georgia.
In 2001, Mr. Rieck returned to Southwind Enterprises, Ltd., where he provided community and economic development consulting services in the fields of strategic planning, marketing and executive search to the company's clients across the Southeast.
In 2003, Mr. Rieck became executive director of the Regional Leadership Forum, metro Atlanta's civic league, convening regional citizens, civic leaders, and policymakers around issues of regional significance for the purposes of education, consensus building, and developing social capital in the Atlanta region.
Mr. Rieck was born and raised near Boston, Massachusetts, but lived in Georgia for more than 36 years before moving to Nassau County in 2007. He is married to the former Nancy Loucks of Miami, Florida and has two children. He is a Vietnam Veteran, having served there as a combat advisor with the U.S. Army in 1970-71. He was awarded the Bronze Star Medal and the Combat Infantryman's Badge, among other decorations. He is a member of the Amelia Plantation Chapel, and serves on the Advisory Board of the new Oyster Bay Harbour Yacht Club in O'Neil. Mr. Rieck enjoys boating, bicycling, and international travel. He and his wife are presently building their new home in Oyster Bay Harbour.
