August 17, 2011
Greetings Clients, Friends and Allies of Equinox Environmental –
On September 21, 2011 I am resigning my position as president and chief executive officer at Equinox Environmental Consultation and Design, Inc. I have been at this work since 1998, and I am a little tired in all honesty. I have loved it and feel like I have made a difference. And that was my dream. I also feel that I have been incredibly blessed to meet and collaborate with so many good people. At the end of the day, it’s always been about relationships to me. I like people. I like trying to help make the world a better place. Equinox has given me a vehicle for engaging life on both of those fronts. And for this I am enormously thankful.
I have other interests though, and sometimes when I still myself long enough, I hear different callings. I love basketball. I love history. I love kids. I love food. I love working with my hands and being outside. I love my family. I love God. I feel that I need this change in my career to give me the time and energy to cultivate my relationship with these and other enjoyments and to simply participate more fully in all aspects of life.
I will still be around at Equinox in a half time position. My principle duties will be to continue building and sustaining relationships and to serve as an environmental planner on certain projects. I am really looking forward to actually seeing and interacting with people again on a routine basis – whether they be our staff, clients, friends, allies or new people that don’t yet know the Equinox family.
Here at Equinox, my long time business partner David Tuch will be assuming my former position. David has a wealth of experience, is well qualified and brings his own special gifts to the job. He also has the ‘fire’ that this job demands and is energized by the challenges and opportunities before him. I think he will do great! My other business partner, Steve Melton, just recently married and is expecting his first child. Steve says that his plate is full with these life changes and wants to stay in his current role as vice president of Equinox and Ecological Services Group Manager. Steve is highly supportive of these leadership changes. Many of you know that without my wife Joyce handling a good many of the details of running a business, Equinox would have probably been a simple pipe dream that would have landed in a whole heap of trouble a long time ago. Joyce will continue in her role as corporate officer and HR/Office Manager, and will actually step up her involvement to some degree. Joyce is also supportive of these leadership changes.
We recognize that changes like this can cause great anxiety for those it affects (and perhaps even some relief!). I want to assure folks that, with your help, we envision Equinox being around a long, long time. We’ve got a great leadership team. We’ve got a stable work load. We’ve got a strong reputation. We’ve got the values, culture and infrastructure to handle ups and downs that are likely to come our way. We’re always exercising our vision in order to craft pragmatic and meaningful responses to societal and market demands. Perhaps most importantly – we’ve got an incredible staff. These are some of the finest people you will find anywhere. It’s great when you get a chance to work with people who not only do great work but who you sincerely enjoy being around. I see and hear firsthand all the time that the quality of our people, their work and the level of service they provide far exceed most of our competitors. I do not see that changing.
So that’s it. Change can be a good thing, and in this case I believe it is very good indeed. Thank you for your support, encouragement, and belief in Equinox and in me over the years. I am certain that your continued trust in Equinox will be well rewarded. I hope to see around!
Andy Brown, president and CEO (soon to be a simple, cheerful bumpkin)
