Rhonda
Carlile, our sports division business manager and my colleague of 36 years, retired last week.
Some
excerpts from my tribute at her retirement luncheon:
I came
to work at Capitol’s TN Spot Sales in 1983. I was not very buttoned up back
then. Rhonda’s been trying to bring me around to her rigorous standards ever
since. In my 1984 goals I was asked to address “the punctuality and accuracy of
required reports...” That had Rhonda’s fingerprints all over it!
But accounting
has been more than numbers and columns for Rhonda. She was eager for new
assignments and projects. CEO Jim Goodmon always had a puzzle for us to solve, a
new business to on-board.
In
1990 CBC acquired the Bulls. She was handed a box of ledger books and
associated office debris... “Here ya go Rhonda, turn this into a business.”
In
that decade we had a two dozen P&Ls within Capitol Radio - business units
forgotten to history:
Carolina
Panthers Radio Network, Tenn Titans, San Francisco 49ers
Duke
and Univ of Va Radio Networks
Carolina
Hurricanes TV Network
WDNC
news/talk radio
Winston
Cup Today
Drive-time,
the daily golf show
Myrtle
Beach Pelicans
Rhonda
has been indispensable. INDISPENSABLE! That word captures the character of her
career at CBC, her community service above and beyond the job, and her
friendships with co-workers.
Rhonda
set the bar high for sound business practices, and she set a great example over
the years with her leadership of United Arts, United Way, and most recently,
with the Capitol Women’s Network. She’s the “go to” co-worker for a “crucial
conversation” and mentor to many.
It’s
been a privilege to work with Rhonda. I’ve benefited from her advice - from her
candor. She is uber organized, very disciplined. None of that rubbed off on me.
She’s
a person of the highest integrity and a person filled with grace. That has
rubbed off on all of us!
I
offer the “accountants blessing” upon your retirement...
May
your numbers give way to notes,
May
your sums give way to song!
Here’s
to harmony in retirement!
