Garrett Kessler
My son, you have so many qualities that I admire. A few key parts of who you are along with some stories stand out.
At the top of the list is your moral and ethical grounding. Where much of the world operates in a nebulous grey area, you are a lighthouse that cuts through the fog as a much needed beacon. By both your actions and words, you hold yourself to a high standard rooted in self accountability and responsibility. You truly live your ethics and set an example of a high personal standard. This trait is hard to maintain, as the tide moves against you. Yet you continue to stand strong and hold true to your values. We need more of this and it gives me hope that you live this personal creed every day.
The other characteristic I admire about you is your gift for communicating an idea that is important to you and getting others to embrace it. Not in a hard sell self-serving way, but a genuine enthusiasm for something bigger than yourself where you’re not personally benefitting.
A few examples I’ve witnessed throughout your life come to mind.
College freshman year you interviewed and got an internship with Senator Dick Durbin. You were highly liked and highly regarded by your mostly older colleagues and were part of the overall culture, contributing right away. You created an opportunity to learn and gain valuable experience. It’s this drive to excel, to be curious and learn, to take a risk with confidence and do something beyond the norm that is one of your many superpowers.
One of your strongest attributes is you’re a natural leader. I really noticed it when you ran the youth tennis program at Georgetown Country Club in Ann Arbor. The obvious part was being a role model, coach and leader to the kids in the program. The bigger part was that you built the program into something important and valued. I watched your interaction with the kids, other coaches, and parents. You were the catalyst that made it happen and were able to connect with all people involved and convey your vision. This is what made the difference. Everyone understood what you wanted to do and you put in the hard work to back it up. You gained the respect and belief of everyone involved, and created lasting memories for kids, parents and coaches. I guarantee that those kids will always remember those summers and look back as a pivotal point in their growth and development.
You always put your team first. Even at an early age, and continuing throughout your life, you put the success of your team above yourself. As an example, during summer swim league, you’d swim your best times when on a relay. Kids that didn’t have a shot at an individual ribbon were excited to be on your relay team because they knew they had a chance to place.
Recently you served on a grand jury for over a month. I think many people would have intentionally “lost” a jury summons. You took on your civic duty and somehow managed to cover your work responsibilities on top of that. No small task. Most important, I knew that you’d bring your deep rooted ethics and convictions to a process that needs requires focused and thoughtful participation.
Finally, I get glimpses of what you do professionally as a manager and leader. You’ve built an organic leadership system that gives your team members a place that is encouraging and safe.
One story stands out, something that you may not think important, but from experience I can tell you that it is. I don’t remember the specifics, but someone on your team either wasn’t going to finish something on time or did it wrong, or both. You worked late to get it right to meet the deadline. You didn’t call the person out at that point and didn’t complain. You focused on getting it done for the client, and then dealt with the issue later. The point is, you have the wisdom to focus on being smart instead of being right, which is the only thing that matters. “Right” can be subjective, and many times results in fighting over who’s right and who’s wrong. “Smart” gets past the egos and gets it done, focusing on results.
It’s an honor and a privilege to be your father. Those who know you are better for it. Looking forward to continually hearing about your experiences and perspective, which I value immensely.