Bring on the new year! Business View asked a group of executives, “From a business and/or personal perspective, what are you most looking forward to in 2022?”
Julia Sutton, President of Exhale Enterprises, Miami Florida:
“In 2020 and 2021, there has really been no time to be strategic. For us in the fitness and wellbeing industry, it’s like, ‘Ok, are we going to reopen in Atlanta, and how do we do that?’ So in 2022, I’m hoping there is a little bit more room for strategic thinking. Everyone on our team has been working extra hard because it’s really challenging to operate a brick and mortar location, and ask for proof of vaccines, and make sure everyone has their mask on, or whatever the protocol may be. So my wish is that in 2022 we can take a deep breath and get back to our original intention of: How do you continue to innovate when it comes to wellbeing? Hopefully, things will get easier for our team, so we can get back to truly serving and transforming lives.”
Winston Neil, Managing Director of Jamaica Plumbing Supplies Co. Ltd, Kingston, Jamaica;
“I’m looking forward to seeing the world get back together. No more COVID. Less violence going on in Jamaica and throughout the world. I’m 66 now, my staff are really doing an excellent job, this is the time I can jump on a plane or jump on a ship for a cruise without telling anybody that I’m leaving. I have so many points that I saved to use up, so my wife and I can go places – only with the condition that the world can really come back together, safely. And I hope that time is soon.”
Haley Walker, Grant County Regional Airport Manager, Grant County, Oregon:
“Well, my daughter will be 15 and she will be starting to drive. So spending time with her, learning/teaching, road trips. Just watching her grow. I’m really looking forward to that.”
Patrick Keenan, President of Phoenix International Holdings, Inc, Largo, Maryland:
“I would look forward to more clear and reasonable government regulations with respect to COVID. Because in the end it does affect how we work. We believe we’ve done a good job of solving this problem internally, but we work for clients offshore on oil rigs and on supply boats, for example. And we’re in close quarters. Different clients are going to have varying expectations with respect to regulations and we understand that. But much of it is a response to multiple different government requirements, whether it’s Department of Defence or OSHA, depending on the size of the company, etc. It does cause some inefficiency in the workplace.”
Andrew Mackay, Director/General Manager of Gorham’s Ltd, Pembroke, Bermuda:
“We’re looking forward to normalcy. The big thing we are hoping is for the supply chain to fix itself, because at the moment there is so much finger pointing going on about how the supply chain has broken down. We’re hoping that the higher powers that control the supply chain really crack down on what has caused it. There’s no reason for a shipping container to go up 700% in cost. It makes no sense. The positive thing is, I think we’re going to come out of it smarter and better prepared.”
Alan Shettlesworth, President & COO at Main Bank, Albuquerque, New Mexico:
“I’ve got one simple business answer – I’m just excited for 2022. The business and commercial expansion activity, at least here in Albuquerque, is unbelievable. This year is a record year for us and next year we’ll continue with another good year. On the personal side, we’ve got my wife and four-year-old son set up with skis for the first time, and my nine-year-old daughter and I already know how to ski, so we are really going to hit the slopes this year. I am so pumped for that!”
