Wednesday, February 6, 2019

Numbers to Notes, Sums to Song


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!