Spectrum Connection: February
From the Desk of Dave Smalley: Rocket Ships
When I was a boy, I often dreamed of being an astronaut…often being every day. Jim and I played and imagined ourselves as spacemen all the time. I suppose I was like many other boys and girls my age, convinced I would travel into space like my heroes, John Glenn, Gus Grissom, and the other Gemini and Apollo astronauts. I would mix up “rocket fuel” from things I found in the tool shed and imagine that my concoction would lift my homemade tinfoil rocket into the sky! Ah, a little boy’s imagination.
We made “rocket ships” out of wood crates and two by fours that we could climb into. We would strap on old football helmets as a part of our space suits. Then, we would tie our rocket ship to a rope, and sling the rope over a beam in the barn. We would get in our rocket ship, and tug away at our rope, launching us into space and eventually to the moon, which was coincidently also the loft in the barn.
This went on summer after summer, interspersed with reading every word I could get my hands on about astronauts and the space program. All the literature spoke about the dedication, courage, and single-minded focus these men had. I read about the competition to be the best of the best in order to be selected to become a U.S. Astronaut.
Well, clearly I didn’t become an astronaut, so where am I going with this? I didn’t become an astronaut, because I chose not to be single-mindedly focused, dedicated, and committed to that dream. I say chose because what we are, and what we become are choices. My dream was, in reality, a wish. I didn’t have a focused plan to get me there, I just hoped that it would happen. Hope is NO substitution for passion, and wishes are not ever well-thought-out plans. Dreams, while a kick starter, are not an indicator of one’s dedication and discipline. I could not turn a dream into reality without passion.
I eventually found my passion. I found my dedication, and I followed my disciplined, detailed plan, and committed choice to find my rocket ship; my personal rocket ship named Spectrum. The hospitality business became my sky, our clients my outer space, and our associates the sun, the moon, and the stars. This business is my universe, vast and with boundless opportunities! My Spectrum rocket ship knows no limits, just like my childhood imagination. That imagination is now fueled with committed choices, dedication, and direction. I am delighted and humbled that I have such valued crew members and co-pilots on my journey.
So, what is your metaphorical rocket ship, have you found it? You know that thing that you are just so passionate about, that you would not know what to do with yourself without it? In all that reading I did, I learned that the greater the payload on the rocket, the more thrust, energy, and fuel it took to get it off the ground. To be efficient, we must unpack the baggage that weighs our rocket ship down. Jettison the negativity, the doubt, the naysayer to lighten
your load, and escape gravity to allow yourself to soar higher. Houston, we have NO problems!
From Mission Control, wishing you and yours only the best of good health and happiness. See you on your next flight!
~Dave
From The Desk of Melanie Smalley
Please let me extend my heartfelt thank you to those of you that were able to attend the Spectrum 2020 Get Focused event. I hope that you had numerous takeaways, and have since been able to reflect on the many workshops attended, the knowledge that was gained, the friendships that were cultivated, and now you’re ready to jump-start 2020 with all of your Spectrum tools! It was a special time to share together and to learn from one another. No idea is too small to share with our ever-growing company. Be blessed by your associates and the wealth of experience we share as a whole. Be sure that you tap into the resources – the people – that you need. Every single person within our Spectrum family will always step up when you need them the most. Be sure to call out! I really related to the article below, especially as we are now into the New Year. I hope that some of these suggestions will resonate with you, and you can put them to good use.
25 Tiny Habit Changes That Will Make You A Different Person In A Year From Now,
By: Kim Quindlen
1. Read at least one book per month.
2. Write down your goals at the start of each week and each month.
3. And measure and track those goals throughout the year – actually look at each goal in the face and be honest with your- self about what you did do and what you could have done better.
4. Dedicate just one day a week to eating no meat.
5. Turn your phone on silent before you share a meal with someone you care about.
6. Talk to someone you trust when you’re in pain, even if it’s what you consider a ‘small pain.’
7. Walk whenever you can and wherever you can.
8. Do everything in your power to be considerate of and aware of other people.
9. Say ‘yes’ to something that scares you,
if you know that it will truly be good for you.
10. Write every day in a notebook, with the understanding that there are no rules, no one will ever see it, and that it’s simply a tool for you to get your thoughts out of your head and onto a piece of paper.
11. Become cognizant of your emotions in a way you never have before – by simply trying to address them and name them, instead of treating them like a silent companion that you ignore because you practically don’t even notice them.
12. Listen more than you talk. And then forgive yourself when you fail at this. And then try again.
13. Look at anything other than a screen in the minutes before you fall asleep. A book, the window, your partner, a pet, the ceiling. Anything that is not going to instantaneously bring you back into a world you are trying to take a break from for eight hours.
14. Treat sleep as an absolute necessity and an incredibly important priority, instead of being proud of how little of it you are getting.
15. Pay attention to the factors you need in which to do good work. Do you need music? Do you need silence? Do you need a window? Do you need white noise? Do you need to turn your phone face-down? Do you need scheduled breaks every 45 minutes to read a few pages in a book? Do you need to take a walk first or right in the middle of it all? Pay attention to the moments in which you’ve done your best work, notice the factors that were present in that experience, and then do everything in your power to replicate it every single time.
16. Talk to strangers sometimes. Talk to your Uber driver when they seem to be in a chatty mood. Talk to your server about anything other than today’s happy hour specials. Talk to the person ringing up your dry cleaning, and see how their day is going. Sometimes the interaction will be nice but forgettable. But sometimes you will still remember it several years from now. People have the most interesting things to say when you’re listening.
17. When you come up with a new goal, and you feel that familiar thrill every time you think about it, tell someone about it. The effect of how much more real and tangible it becomes when you do this is incredible.
18. Listen to white noise when you need to study, focus, or create, or when you just need your brain to quiet down for a bit.
19. Pay attention to how many pointless things you do, and how many minutes you waste, in the moments or hours before you go to bed. When you find your- self doing these things, like clicking through ridiculous slideshows or doing a deep dive into someone’s Facebook, stop! Brush your teeth. And go to sleep. The more you try to catch yourself doing these things, the less you will do them.
20. When you choose to relax, make sure you mentally and emotionally commit to it. Don’t half-ass it. Don’t sit on the couch and ‘rest’ while also checking emails, do- ing ‘something small’ for work, or planning an upcoming trip. Just fully commit to relaxing. Immerse yourself in that movie, or show, or book, or walk, or yoga class, or whatever. Let it be the only thing that you’re doing.
21. Wear whatever is the best combination of making you feel comfortable, confident, and like yourself. These outfits exist, you just have to work a little harder to find them.
22. Open your mail right away. Answer what needs to be answered, and throw out anything that is unnecessary. Do this immediately. When you do it for a while and have success and then four months later you’re back to your old ways, waste no time scolding yourself. It happens to all of us. Just start again.
23. Tell people you are proud of them, thankful for them, inspired by them, grateful to them, here for them, honored to know them, and comforted by them.
24. Make every decision, ever little choice, based on your desire to be a person of integrity.
25. Think about where you were a year ago, five years ago, ten years ago. Think about all the things you are doing now that you wouldn’t have ever believed you could do back then. Then keep waking up every day striving to make the future you once again astounded and proud
Looking forward to all that 2020 has to share!
~Mel
Congrats Wicked Whisk!
Wicked Whisk Catering participated in their first bridal show at the George R. Brown Convention Center on January 5th and 6th, and met hundreds of newly engaged couples! Our liquid nitrogen station was such a HUGE hit that Chef Kevin and Audrey had lines of people waiting to try it both days. The buzz all over the show, helped Wicked Whisk win the BEST CATERER award! We were thrilled and honored.
Howdy Zach!
What’s up, Spectrum fam! For those of you that don’t know me, my name is Zach Huwyler, and I’m a new Venue Accountant at Spectrum Headquarters. I have been traveling and working with Spectrum for the past four years during the summer, and I joined full-time at the start of January. I recently graduated from the University of Houston in December, (Go Coogs!) and I’m eager to dive in and get to work. I have a younger sister, Kari, who is a junior at Texas A&M and a chocolate lab named Cooper. I enjoy traveling and pretty much anything sports-related. I am excited to start the season!
Spectrum’s 2020 Vision.. Get Focused Event
We hope your future looks as bright as Spectrum’s. What a day full of knowledge, success, learning, laughter, family, and much more.
Click here* to check out some event highlights.
*Hit the down arrow, and then enter 2020 VISION as the gallery password
“The people you work with are just, when you get down to it, your very best friends.” – Michael Scott, The Office
Congrats!
It was an honor to present Kevin Bell, Maisie Wilkinson, and AJ Osko the 2019 Pinnacle Awards! Each of these individuals exemplifies the core foundation beliefs of Spectrum; do unto others as you would have others do unto you, make committed choices, and fully prepare for success. Unquestionably, these individuals are certainly role models to emulate. Congratulations!
Congratulations to Frank Norgan and Felipe Oranges for their selection to join the Order of Excellence. Both men make Spectrum better every day! They keep those big wheels turning and prepare for success each day by committing to the details. Congratulations!
Haley Ventura became the well- deserved, the first recipient of the Spectrum Scholarship Award. Haley is an honor student at the University of Houston’s Conrad Hilton Hotel and Restaurant Management College and a valued Spectrum associate. We are so proud! Go Haley, and Go Coogs!
Employee Profile: January Lesperance
How did you get introduced to Spectrum?
Once upon a time, there was a small, family-owned country club in Green Bay. If you were a customer there, most likely I served you drinks, while I cooked your meal. It is also very likely, I was your beverage cart gal if you participated in a golf tourney! As it became more popular, the family decided to go BIG, building an insanely larger clubhouse. Suddenly, I was working in a magnificent kitchen, with a head chef, JR, and a new crew, which included Georgetta! Turns out JR was also freelancing as the head chef for Spectrum’s traveling gigs. After a couple of years of asking me to travel with him, I finally did. Now, the rest is history!
When did you start, and what is your role at Spectrum?
My first event was the 2004 Byron Nelson, working in the kitchen. With catering being my strong suit, I moved around different areas within the Golf Department. This enabled me to thrive in my current position as Catering Director of Golf Operations.
What do you love most about your job?
The people! Not only within our Spectrum family but everyone we get to meet along the way.
Tell us about your family!
I am a proud mother of one awesome human and many furry critters! My 22-year-old daughter, Madison, recently graduated college and has the world at her fingertips! Although you will often hear me say, “she has taught me more than I taught her,” I know her father, Jade, and I did one heck of a job raising her! I have 2 younger sisters, Jamie and Jennifer (correct, they were not named after months, ha). Those two are more like one another than they ever want to admit. Jamie is the mother of my animal-loving, soul sister / niece, Jocelyn, and they live in Florida and Georgia. Jennifer is the mother of my niece, Ahsha, who is ONE OF A KIND, and I can only aspire to be more like her. They both live in Northern Cali. My folks, Jim and Joyce, have been together since they were kids. They married at 16 and 17, then had me a year later, with my sisters on my heels. There is not enough time in the world, for me to explain how much I love and appreciate them, or how proud I am for them! Their life path of raising us was full of curves and potholes; unseen to a child’s eyes! Fun fact: Both of my folks come from very large families. If I date locally, I need to do a family history check, to make sure we are not related! Ha, ha!
What are your interests when time permits away from our crazy world?
After a little bit of ALONE time with my critters, I love to be with my immediate family. It’s not always easy with my sisters and nieces living on separate sides of the country. My daughter, well, she’s 22! My folks, they just LOVE to travel.
Why Spectrum?
I believe in Spectrum. I believe in the leaders, the business practices, the goals, the achievements, and the mottos. I believe in constantly growing by learning something new every day. Without a doubt, this can be done within the Spectrum family and business. I attribute my growth, both personally and professionally, to Spectrum.
Do you have a favorite event, if so, which one and why?
I would have to say, Valero. There’s a sense of comradery there, that is like no other!
Dave, my incredible journey began with you seeing more in me than I saw in myself. I am forever grateful. Thank you!
What A Great Season at The Woodlands Ice Rink!
Wicked Whisk
Howard Hughes Corporation hosted a Grand Opening for Lakeside Row Apartments in Cypress, TX for 50 guests. The event had a “Hipster Garden” theme, where they brought in décor, cornhole, and a fantastic band for the evening. It was a beautiful night!
Events
|
Super Bowl Live 1/25—2/1
Genesis Open 2/10—2/16
Honda Classic 2/24—3/1
| Arnold Palmer Invitational | 3/2—3/8 |
| Hoag Classic | 3/2—3/8 |
| Bayou City Arts Festival—Memorial | 3/27—3/29 |
| Valero Texas Open | 3/30—4/5 |
| March Madness Music Festival | 4/3—4/5 |
| Dreamville Music Festival | 4/4 |
| McDonald’s Houston Children’s Festival | 4/4—4/5 |
| Woodlands Waterway Festival | 4/4—4/5 |
Birthdays
| Maureen Hamric | 02/02 |
| Brandy Helsel | 02/02 |
| Dan Namiatov | 02/04 |
| Diane Riddell | 02/04 |
| Rafael Contreras | 02/09 |
| Angela Dace | 02/09 |
| Kayla Gilliam | 02/10 |
| Nelson Flores | 02/14 |
| Valentin Herrera | 02/14 |
| Ashley Ohnoutka | 02/14 |
| Jeff Clark | 02/15 |
| Tyler Fredricksen | 02/18 |
| Jozlynn Summers | 02/19 |
| Carlos Alcantar | 02/20 |
| Holly Criscuolo | 02/22 |
| Jeremy Parker | 02/22 |
| Samantha Rozier | 02/23 |
| Tina Young | 02/25 |
| Michael Mchale | 02/26 |
| Walter Ventura | 02/26 |
| Robert Willis | 02/26 |
| Christian Green | 02/27 |
| Missie Martinez | 02/27 |
Milestones
| Tony Ayala | 02/01/2016 |
| Felipe Organes | 02/02/2001 |
| Trisha Stapleton | 02/02/2015 |
| Dave Smalley | 02/10/1992 |
| Will Gilchriest | 02/12/2018 |
| Christian Green | 02/16/2019 |
| Jesse Grier | 02/16/2019 |
| Melissa Hasmuk | 02/16/2019 |
| Tyler Hill | 02/16/2019 |
| Peter Keane | 02/16/2019 |
| John Richardson | 02/16/2019 |
| Margarita Rios | 02/16/2019 |
| Jennifer Toole | 02/18/2017 |
| Eric Mendoza | 02/19/2017 |
| Jestin Lahair | 02/19/2018 |
| Kezia Callahan | 02/20/2012 |
| Ismael Montoya | 02/20/2017 |
| Kirk Kocurek | 02/23/2017 |
| Frank Norgan | 02/24/2014 |
| Jeremy Alderman | 02/25/2019 |