EMP-38

When I sent out my last e-mail, I told you all that if I didn't hear any news, I was going to have to concoct a "fish story" for the magazine. Instead, Steve Croskrey sent me one (see his photo).

Good news about Mike Odell. The nation's leading automotive aftermarket retail and service chain, Pep Boys, named Mike Odell, chief operating officer, as interim chief executive officer, effective immediately. Mike, 45, joined Pep Boys in September 2007 as executive vice president and COO after spending 13 years at Sears Holdings Corp. His last position at Sears was as executive vice president and general manager of Sears Retail & Specialty Stores. Mike initially joined Sears' finance department in 1994, where he worked until moving over to its operations team in 1998. There, he served in various positions of increasing responsibility, including vice president of stores, finance, and operations of Sears Automotive Group.

	Marcia Dall EMP-38
	Steve Croskey EMP-38 with an 80-lb wahoo that he caught out of Jacksonville on a friend’s boat earlier this year.

"The entire board is highly confident in Mike's ability to step seamlessly into the role of interim CEO," said board chairman Bill Leonard. "Mike was instrumental in helping to develop the company's long-term strategic plan, and the board is pleased with the progress the company has made in executing its initial steps. Mike's leadership in driving Pep Boys' strategic initiatives and our ongoing return to operational excellence makes him the obvious choice for this position."

Mike said, "I am excited by the opportunity to lead Pep Boys' return to prominence. Along with 19,000 dedicated fellow associates, we are committed to achieving our goals of being the automotive aftermarket solutions provider of choice for the value-oriented consumer and growing revenue and profitability in each of our lines of business."

Never one to be tied down, Kevin Garton reports that he is on the move again. Kevin and his family relocated to the City of Brotherly Love when he was recruited to be chief marketing officer for The Neat Co., a mid-stage startup near the University of Pennsylvania. The Neat Co. creates software and hardware solutions that transform static information into digital format, helping SOHO and SMB customers improve their document management processes. At Neat, Kevin is responsible for brand development, product management and customer support. Kevin is now tied with Tom Sweeney for most job changes since graduation. Finally, while it's not a Chicago-style hotdog, Kevin has agreed to treat any EMP-ers visiting Philadelphia to a real Philly cheese steak. (Kevin, where in the world is Tom Sweeney? I think Jim Pogue and Mike Odell are both in the Philly area and might be at your door for the offer.)

I don't remember doing this, but Sue Leandri says I gave her a whip-lashing in the last issue for not sharing, so she has risen to the occasion. With the demise of Andersen in 2002, as the partner in charge of the Global Best Practices (GBP) business, she had the business acquired by PwC, and was able to bring her entire team with her. The years at PwC have been a whirlwind. After enjoying a 10-year run with GBP at Andersen, it was like starting over at PwC, working to integrate the benchmarking and best practices insights of this resource into the lines of services at PwC, while continuing to grow its market-facing business. The early years involved a significant amount of international travel, but over the past couple of years, Sue's concentration has been on the U.S. PwC firm. In 2006, PwC formally established a knowledge services organization and worked to consolidate the various KM units in the firm into one unified organization. Sue was asked to be part of the leadership team and lead the firm's knowledge development services, which includes the GBP business unit. The position came with a move to Tampa, and Sue and her family moved in December. They were not able to escape Chicago's winter wrath, as the first major snowfall of the season hit the day they were scheduled to move!

In Tampa, Sue leads a 100-plus person team in the creation of a wide array of distinctive knowledge to differentiate PwC in the marketplace, in addition to running the GBP business. She continues to serve clients as an expert in leveraging benchmarking and best practices to drive business transformation, and consults with companies on how to create their own best practices capability.

Sue, husband Osvaldo, and daughter Isabella (7) are truly enjoying Florida. She has become an outdoors person (shocking), enjoys running and has a perpetual tan. She's sorry to have missed the 10-year Reunion, but hopes everyone is doing well and enjoying life!

Ed "Mick" Phillippi also sent threats of pictures from Cambridge, U.K., where he's working on an assignment. Still waiting, Mick.

Marcia Dall accepted the role of CFO for CIGNA HealthCare and will be moving to Connecticut in the next couple of months. "It was a big decision to leave Genworth Financial, where I was working with Kevin Schneider."

Jeff Vender is still active at Kellogg and is going to be a grandfather in July.

Scott Etzler is planning on joining Mike Smith, myself and Mike Shelton for the MS 150 in June.

It's been 10 years and we've managed to provide some class updates for each Kellogg World magazine. We aren't yet just a class rep name with an address. Keep the news coming!