Hello VX friends!

My good friend Gill made me aware of this post this afternoon, and it sure was nice to come here and read all the warm responses. It has truly been a pleasure working with so many of you over the years, and there's a few personalities here that I will sincerely miss speaking with on a regular basis!

The Moab trip you helped make possible for me a few years ago is still one of my fondest memories, and to this day I remain humbled by the generosity of this site's members. If I didn't get a chance to thank you in person...thank you!

Someone mentioned being surprised that I didn't let anyone know ahead of time that I was leaving Isuzu, and I certainly understand that sentiment. Allow me to explain...

I was not actively looking for a new position when I was approached by my new employer. The decision to leave St. Charles Automotive after fourteen happy years was certainly not an easy one, and the process leading up to it was exhaustive. Once I gave my two-week notice, the clock was ticking on getting all of my professional matters in order before I left.

At that time, I thought of this group, and really wanted to not only let everyone know what to expect in the future, but also share my excitement with a group that provided such a great deal of encouragement to me over the years!

However, I had a responsibility to my team to make sure systems were in place to keep things flowing after my exit. I knew if I said anything to the kind folks on this site that the phone calls and e-mails of support would soon come pouring in, and potentially create a distraction from my efforts to squeeze a lot of work into a very little amount of time. In addition, every time a coworker would drop by my office to ask about my move I'd have to explain the story over again, and I'm pretty sure the other guys in my office were as tired of hearing that story as I was of telling it!

Again, this group has really meant a great deal to me over the years and I love the small slice of 'celebrity' that's been carved out for me here. It's pretty dang cool, and I'm gonna miss it! You guys have been great, and I hope everyone continues to make the journey out to Moab year after year for many years to come! I call shotgun

Best Wishes,

Merlin Richardson