Tales Of A Fourth Generation Textile Executive: Oh, How Things Change

Now that I have committed to writing consistent weekly blogs, that now means I am going to have to come up with subjects to talk about….a lot of them. 

I will make all efforts to make sure this doesn’t become a blah blah blah-g.  I will be sure to keep it fresh and interesting and try to spare you the boring details of my life, but you are sure to get to know me a lot better. 
 
So why am I calling this blog, “Oh, How Things Change?”  As you know from my last entry, I spent one night in Ann Arbor last week at my alma mater, University of Michigan.  It has been over 2 decades since I was back and oh have things changed.  For the better?  For the worse?  You can decide for yourself.  Me personally, I have mixed emotions leaning toward the negative.
 
From the positive side, the campus is beautiful and more brick has been laid in Ann Arbor than I have ever seen before.  To me, this shows that the University is thriving with endowments that would make Warren Buffett look poor.  At the same time, it probably means that tuitions are through the roof.  In any case, the campus is truly beautiful. 
 

 
From the negative side, the town immediately surrounding campus now looks like a who’s who of the New York Stock Exchange.  Gone are the quaint family run businesses that I used to love to frequent.  In their places are Walgreens, CVS, Five Guys, Buffalo Wild Wings, etc.  I could go on.  Is change good?  Or bad? 

I have seen a bumper sticker that said “change is good.”  I don’t know who to listen to anymore, but let me tell you that I changed to the iPhone and so far I miss my Blackberry.  Maybe the iPhone and Ann Arbor will grow on me in the future.  For now, not so much.
 
Thanks for listening to me vent and please feel free to post any blog ideas that you might have for me.
 
See you in Pittsburgh and please email me for an appointment at scott@jaftex.com
Signing off,
Scott e