The people we work with…remembering Misti

By: Lori McMullin, APR

Director of Business Operations & Communications
Center for Business Excellence

Recently, I assisted one of my managers in interviewing candidates for an open position.  This process always brings me back to memories of my own experiences as the interviewee.

Bottom line, someone will land the job and other great folks will not.  However, that may not be the end of the road.

Once, I interviewed for a marketing position with Junior Achievement in Jacksonville.  This position focused primarily on fundraising and I had a couple of years of experience in the field at that time.

In spite of a great interview, I did not get the position.  I later interviewed for a program marketing position with the same organization and did get the job!  As it turned out, things really do happen for a reason – it was a great fit for me and immensely expanded my skill set.

Obviously, I worked closely with the young, professional woman who landed the marketing job.  Her name was Misti and she made me feel welcome and part of the team. 

We worked together for several years and both went in different directions – she to the Chamber of Commerce and me to a public relations position with the public school system’s food service contractor.  However, we remained in touch from time tio time – sharing tactics on how to negotiate raises and the like.

I moved back to Daytona Beach in 1997, and never saw her again.  It was years later when I inquired about her through mutual contacts that I learned she passed away.  Prior to her untimely passing, she captivated an entire city with her story of courage and resolve.  It is in the spirit of this blog posting that I invite you to read about my colleague and friend, Misti:  

http://jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/062506/lif_3482791.shtml