What a Year!

Joe Herron
November 17, 2020

What a year! 2020 is almost over. We are all looking forward to the future with hopes of returning to some form of what we call normal. I know for me this past year has been a time of self-assessment, reflection, and a new chapter in my life. Last month was my 24th anniversary with Equinox. To say these years have been a blessing is such an understatement. During those 24 years I have been part of an extended family like no other. Of course, I experienced many life events during that time as well. With the support of my extended family, I have seen my two daughters grow into adults. They both have become successful in their own endeavors. I have lost both my parents during these years. I have recently experienced the joy of my first grandchild. During those 24 years, I also experienced a very rewarding career. Having the blessing of being part of a company that supports families first has made the balance between career and life possible.

Many years ago, prior to joining Equinox, my value in life and definition of success was based upon my job. As I have aged and mellowed, I now understand that my career simply allows me to focus on what I believe to be the true definition of success. For me, that is family and legacy. I am now looking forward to my next stage of life. I am in the process of wrapping up my working career and plan to retire in the immediate future (my last day is November 30, 2020). So, what does that future hold? Well 2020 has impacted not just the timing of my retirement but also the plans for retirement. I know it will involve more dedicated family time. I will be supporting my loving wife as she works for several more years. I may even have to learn how to cook ☹. I am also sure my grandchild will need some extra attention, until her diaper needs to be changed. Needless to say, I am excited about the future.

Not only is my future bright, but the future of Equinox is also exciting. The strength of the Equinox family is in the team, and we have a great team. I have already seen the development of new ideas that will further the success of Equinox’s journey and allow them to continue exceeding customers’ expectations. And the Support department is in the capable hands of my successor, Chris Lowe.

Through this time of assessment, reflection, and moving toward a new chapter, there are three things that stand out to me. The first is the love and support of my family. Next is the support of my extended family at Equinox. Equinox has provided both the means and support to follow my definition of success. Last is the incredible relationships and trust we (the whole team at Equinox) have developed and maintained with our customers over the years. We have always strived to treat our customers as we would like to be treated. And we always will.

The next time you see someone at the stage of retirement, consider asking about their life and career. They may have some interesting stories. I know I will!

About the Author

For the past 24 years, Joe has served as Vice President of Equinox Support. In that role, he oversaw all of customer support, including quality assurance, product documentation, installation, upgrades, and the customer support help desk. His team worked with customers on the day-to-day issues, for example scheduling product updates, turning up a new switch, fine-tuning a configuration setting, or helping troubleshoot a technical issue. One of his primary accomplishments as VP Support was putting processes and standards in place to ensure Equinox customers uniformly rave about the service they receive. November 30, 2020 will be Joe’s last day to serve in this capacity for Equinox. Joe has big plans for the next phase of his life, starting with a long list of projects around the house. Most especially though, he looks forward to being able to spend even more time with his wife, two daughters, and grandchild.
To learn more about Equinox, its products, and staff, visit www.equinoxis.com or call (615) 612-1200.