“If I were to wish for anything I should not wish for wealth and power, but for the passionate sense of what can be, for the eye, which, ever young and ardent, sees the possible. Pleasure disappoints, possibility never. And what wine is so sparkling, what so fragrant, what so intoxicating as possibility?”
Soren Kierkegaard
Dear all:
As I leave Barco, this is what strikes me as what Barco offers to us all. I have had so many instances over my career where I could talk enthusiastically about what Barco does, what it offers, what is the possibility. I remember a time when I was sitting on a plane, and the gentleman next to me asked what I do. I told him I work for Barco, and I told him about some of the unbelievable things that we do. Once I was done, he said, “wow, I sell pallets”. Do we all realize how many people in the world sell pallets while we are a part of such incredible ways of displaying possibility? I remember seeing how each layer of CMYK can bring the full colors of a tiger’s stripes to life at Barco Graphics, how three CRT’s can provide such amazing flight scenes, how stereoscopic imaging can help determine where to drill for oil.
I used to love it when recruits would ask what I liked about working at Barco. I would tell them that I loved working at Barco for a couple reasons. We did such incredible things. Our projectors were on the Space Shuttle Simulator, we were part of training some of the world’s greatest pilots, we were in some of the greatest aircraft, ships and other weapons in our military’s arsenal, we provided entertainment for the world, we educated children everywhere, we provided some of the greatest images in the medical community to diagnose and help cure.
I also told them that I never had a single day in Barco where I was bored. We were always doing something exciting. There was never a day that it wasn’t challenging. I used to tell people that Barco was like dog years. Each year was like seven years because you did so much, you learned so much, you experienced so much. So after 13 ½ years, I guess I’ve really worked over 90 years. Maybe that’s why I look so old.
I think back to when I started, I put so much into the perspective of my children and how they’ve grown with Barco. In the early years at Barco Graphics, I would take my daughters, Megan and Kelly, and my sons, Patrick and Sean, in on the weekends while I worked. I’d get caught up in what I was doing, and all of a sudden Patrick and Sean would show up in my office with handfuls of toys and stuff from people’s desks. I had to then go through the office and figure out where it all came from. They used to love going to the Kennesaw office and seeing the “candy lady”. The boys learned how to make electricity from a potato and a capacitor in Xenia from Masoud Ali. Once we introduced C-TPAT in Duluth, the boys didn’t get to come to Barco anymore (Carolyn, I think Patrick and Sean want to thank you). They used to ask me if they could work at Barco someday because it was so ingrained in our lives.
My daughters are grown up now, and my sons are almost there. Now, it’s time for me to grow up and move on. I’ve had the opportunity to work with so many incredible people at Barco. We have so many intelligent and innovative people within Barco. We also have some great entrepreneurs. One of my older colleagues, Hans Dekeyser, and I often discuss that it takes a special person to work at Barco, and there is an intensity and commitment that so many long term associates at Barco have. It takes a special breed to work at Barco, and take heart in knowing you are a special breed.
While we all would like to have some great legacy to live on after we leave, I saw something recently that I would love to be my legacy. It goes like this:
When he retired from the Supreme Court, Justice Thurgood Marshall was asked of what accomplishment he was most proud. He answered, simply, “That I did the best I could with what I had.”
In closing, I encourage you to remember the possibilities within Barco. Sometimes we lose sight of it, but Barco provides a wealth of possibilities for us all. And finally, for each of you, for everything you do:
Choose Your Attitude
“As you enter this place of work, please choose to make today a great day. Your colleagues, customers, team members, and you yourself will be thankful. Find ways to play. We can be serious about our work without being serious about ourselves. Stay focused in order to be present when your customers and team members most need you. And should you feel your energy lapsing, try this surefire remedy. Find someone who needs a helping hand, a word of support, or a good ear – and make their day.”
Thank you all for 13 ½ wonderful years. I’ll miss you all.
Soren Kierkegaard
Dear all:
As I leave Barco, this is what strikes me as what Barco offers to us all. I have had so many instances over my career where I could talk enthusiastically about what Barco does, what it offers, what is the possibility. I remember a time when I was sitting on a plane, and the gentleman next to me asked what I do. I told him I work for Barco, and I told him about some of the unbelievable things that we do. Once I was done, he said, “wow, I sell pallets”. Do we all realize how many people in the world sell pallets while we are a part of such incredible ways of displaying possibility? I remember seeing how each layer of CMYK can bring the full colors of a tiger’s stripes to life at Barco Graphics, how three CRT’s can provide such amazing flight scenes, how stereoscopic imaging can help determine where to drill for oil.
I used to love it when recruits would ask what I liked about working at Barco. I would tell them that I loved working at Barco for a couple reasons. We did such incredible things. Our projectors were on the Space Shuttle Simulator, we were part of training some of the world’s greatest pilots, we were in some of the greatest aircraft, ships and other weapons in our military’s arsenal, we provided entertainment for the world, we educated children everywhere, we provided some of the greatest images in the medical community to diagnose and help cure.
I also told them that I never had a single day in Barco where I was bored. We were always doing something exciting. There was never a day that it wasn’t challenging. I used to tell people that Barco was like dog years. Each year was like seven years because you did so much, you learned so much, you experienced so much. So after 13 ½ years, I guess I’ve really worked over 90 years. Maybe that’s why I look so old.
I think back to when I started, I put so much into the perspective of my children and how they’ve grown with Barco. In the early years at Barco Graphics, I would take my daughters, Megan and Kelly, and my sons, Patrick and Sean, in on the weekends while I worked. I’d get caught up in what I was doing, and all of a sudden Patrick and Sean would show up in my office with handfuls of toys and stuff from people’s desks. I had to then go through the office and figure out where it all came from. They used to love going to the Kennesaw office and seeing the “candy lady”. The boys learned how to make electricity from a potato and a capacitor in Xenia from Masoud Ali. Once we introduced C-TPAT in Duluth, the boys didn’t get to come to Barco anymore (Carolyn, I think Patrick and Sean want to thank you). They used to ask me if they could work at Barco someday because it was so ingrained in our lives.
My daughters are grown up now, and my sons are almost there. Now, it’s time for me to grow up and move on. I’ve had the opportunity to work with so many incredible people at Barco. We have so many intelligent and innovative people within Barco. We also have some great entrepreneurs. One of my older colleagues, Hans Dekeyser, and I often discuss that it takes a special person to work at Barco, and there is an intensity and commitment that so many long term associates at Barco have. It takes a special breed to work at Barco, and take heart in knowing you are a special breed.
While we all would like to have some great legacy to live on after we leave, I saw something recently that I would love to be my legacy. It goes like this:
When he retired from the Supreme Court, Justice Thurgood Marshall was asked of what accomplishment he was most proud. He answered, simply, “That I did the best I could with what I had.”
In closing, I encourage you to remember the possibilities within Barco. Sometimes we lose sight of it, but Barco provides a wealth of possibilities for us all. And finally, for each of you, for everything you do:
Choose Your Attitude
“As you enter this place of work, please choose to make today a great day. Your colleagues, customers, team members, and you yourself will be thankful. Find ways to play. We can be serious about our work without being serious about ourselves. Stay focused in order to be present when your customers and team members most need you. And should you feel your energy lapsing, try this surefire remedy. Find someone who needs a helping hand, a word of support, or a good ear – and make their day.”
Thank you all for 13 ½ wonderful years. I’ll miss you all.
I certainly had a great time working for BARCO and with all who I had the privilege to work with there. I would have continued loyally supporting their efforts for many years the same way I did it until my last day in the company. Memories from my time at BARCO still come to my mind and Steve's letter has made those momeries more vivid. Steve, good luck to you and please keep in touch.
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