by Paul Amante, CCE, CICP, Amer Sports Winter & Outdoor

As the school year is winding down teacher appreciation has been on my mind. Perhaps because I am more appreciative of what goes into teaching children after doing just that with my two children over the last couple of months. Today, I drove through the school parking with the kids in the car, masks on, waving to their teachers and the rest of the faculty and staff of their school in what amounts to a bizarre alternative to a yearbook signing party and end of year BBQ celebration. Normally we would have marked this occasion with a burger, some time on the playground, camaraderie with other parents and a jubilant welcome to Summer Vacation. Instead, I left the parking lot with a sense of sadness in not being able to witness and enjoy the moments that I would consider to be the “normal” activities celebrated by children at the end of the school year.

by Whitney Davidson, CBF, CCRA, Sunpro Corporation

So much of our daily lives has changed due to COVID-19; our home life, work, friends and just being able to go to play at the park or dine out with friends and family. The last few months I have been working from home, as many of you have, and I miss the in-person networking we once had. Of course, there is still networking happening it is just not as much in person as we are all so used to.

by Amy Butterfield, CCE, LKL Associates

ICEL hosted a panel discussion about managing during the pandemic in May. The panelists were Janae Jeffs, CCE, Muir Enterprises, Ryan Palmer, CCE, LKL Associates and Melissa Mickelsen, CCE, Geneva Rock Products. The panel was moderated by Shane Inglesby, CCE, Geneva Rock Products. It was a good discussion with panelists that represented different industries.

by NACM National

As Congress continues to find ways to assist businesses and individuals, stimulus and Payment Protection Program money has been spent, leaving those businesses and individuals no better off as COVID-19 continues to wreak havoc. Common sense and logic point toward major issues arising in the coming weeks and months as the potential for unpaid bills piles up. When invoices go unpaid, it starts a downstream trend no business or person wants to see. Many businesses have already been impacted, e.g., Neiman Marcus, J. Crew, Intelsat. Many more businesses are also on the verge of bankruptcy and will most likely file soon.