#bronson crabtree

[getoutofthisplace]

Dear Gus & Magnus,

Winter Storm Mara has hit Texas and threatened to hit Little Rock last night, so about half the team opted out of our planned retreat. This is the group who stayed the course. We ended up making the retreat less about overall Comm Team initiatives and instead about this year's Summit.

Dad.

Grapevine, Texas. 2.1.2023 - 3.18pm.

FUN FACT: We're at the Gaylord Texan Resort, which is where I came during my first six months of working at Garver. I came for a conference and felt completely out of place. Now I'm here planning my own conference and totally in my element, which kind of makes me think I've completely sold out to corporate America at this point. But not really; our conference is way better than the one I came to back in 2013.

[getoutofthisplace]

Dear Gus & Magnus,

Everyone in the Harlingen office was happy to see the Video Team today. They made us each put on a sombrero and a Garver-branded Hawaiian shirt for a photo that they would post on their "Wall of Visitors." After we finished for the day, a bunch of them joined us for tacos and beer. Fun office.

Dad.

Harlingen, Texas. 3.29.2022 - 4.14pm.

[getoutofthisplace]

Dear Gus & Magnus,

I drove to Huntsville today to meet up with Bryan and Bronson (Mary's replacement), who came over yesterday. We're filming at the office in the morning. I really like this city. The downtown area is chock full of good restaurants.

A couple of weeks ago, Bryan introduced Bronson to his first oysters (raw and chargrilled) and absinthe when we were in New Orleans. Tonight, as he was about to taste his first scallop, he said, "Corporate America is everything I thought it would be." I'm curious about what his perception of me/us is at this point.

Dad.

Huntsville, Alabama. 7.22.2021 - 6.57pm.

[getoutofthisplace]

Dear Gus & Magnus,

I drove to Grapevine today for Summit. I'm a ball of nerves and emotions because I still feel unprepared, but there's no stopping things once people start showing up. More than 200 showed up today, which used to be the whole lot of everyone who attended, but now it's about a fifth. Hopefully I'll feel better after tomorrow morning's rehearsal.

Tonight I went to the Spirit of Garver/Garvy Awards Finalists Dinner because I'm a previous Spirit of Garver Award winner. This is the first year that previous winners got an invitation and we presented all the previous winners with their brand-new Spirit of Garver Award jackets, which we modeled after the concept used by Augusta National and their Master's jacket.

I'm excited that Bronco's a finalist this year, though I didn't think he'd have a shot to win because the Comm Team had a winner in 2018 (me) and in 2020 (Sasha). It seemed like they'd have to go with a different team for political reasons, but as I was standing with Laura after the dinner she let it slip that he, in fact, will be given his trophy and jacket tomorrow night. I'm proud of him. He's one of my best hires, to be sure.

Dad.

Grapevine, Texas. 10.25.2023 - 9pm(ish).

[getoutofthisplace]

Dear Gus & Magnus,

The Video Team is supporting the Garver Aviation Team in Florida this week and it was my turn to drive the video van, so I left this morning and made it to Atlanta today. I met up with Bronco & Sydney for dinner close to my hotel -- it was good to see them. We talked about them having to understand health insurance because they're turning 26 soon and going to have to drop off their parents' insurance. Also, Bronco had his first taste of octopus. (Sydney had no desire to try it.)

Mom sent me a text saying Gus asked the coach if he could play first base in tonight's game, which doesn't make sense at all because it's not like he's totally into the game. But he played first base. If anything, I'm just proud that he wasn't too scared to play first.

Dad.

Atlanta, Georgia. 5.8.2023 - 9.21pm.

SIDENOTE: I wore a hat all day and have hat hair.

[getoutofthisplace]

Dear Gus & Magnus,

I forgot to take a picture today, but Bryan took this one. We toured a couple of potential Summit venues as a team today before heading to the airport to go home. I like walking into a space and imagining what it will look like with all of our people and branding in it.

Dad.

Irving, Texas. 2.3.2023 - 11.00(ish)am.

[getoutofthisplace]

Dear Gus & Magnus,

It was good to spend the last couple of days with our full video team (minus Zack the intern) for the first time since Bronco moved to Atlanta. Just a couple of things to take care of in the morning, then I'm off to the airport to come home. I've missed you guys this week.

Dad.

Atlanta, Georgia. 8.18.2022 - 10.25pm.

[getoutofthisplace]

Dear Gus & Magnus,

After a visit to the new Garver office and a water treatment plant, the video van charted a course to Atlanta, where we'll film tomorrow.

Dad.

Concord, North Carolina. 8.17.2022 - 8.34am.