Funny PR story

[InHiFiStereo]

So back in the winter break of '04 I was at home in Rockford and looking to make some quick cash. I went to one of the local temp agencies and applied. Later that day I got a call from them saying that a company in town needed some help. She told me the name of the company, Process Graphics, and the directions to the place. She told me to ask for a man named Tim Ferrell and he would do a pseudo-interview. Now by this time I had spent 2 years within the Madison organization and knew the administration pretty well but I had no clue who ran PR. I drove over to the place and asked for Tim and we sat down and talked about the job for awhile. I started the next morning at 9 or so. I drove down there and sat down and started doing my work. He also showed me the computer I would be using to input stuff. I was to save everything in the 'My Documents' folder and I couldn't help but click on the 'Pictures' folder. I opened it and found all these Regiment photos. Some seriously good stuff in there. Keep in mind now that I had no idea where or who I was working for happened to be at all linked to the Regiment in any way. Dan Ferrell was also there; again, no clue who or where I was. Anyways, I continue to go about my job and day dreaming about the Scouts (I had made the hornline a month ago, money troubles didn't set in until later). Later in the week I walk into Tim's office to ask him a question and I see this Die-cast Nascar hanging on the wall and painted to look as if the Regiment were to sponsor it. Me being the naive person that I was asked him, "So you know about the Regiment huh?" He looked up at me and kind of smiled and said, "Yea, a little." "I march with the Scouts, ever heard of them?" I look back on that now and I still can't believe it hasn't hit me yet that I am working for drum corps royalty here. I continue working there and one day Pat Siedling walks in. I had never met Pat before but I did know about him and his affliation with the Scouts. We chat for about 30 minutes and he has got to be one of the coolest guys I have ever talked to. Still, it hasn't hit me who I'm working for. Finally one day I'm talking to Tim about something and I ask him if he is still involved with PR at all. He then tells me that he is on the board and bam! it hits me. I am working for THE Tim Ferrell and his brother, Dan Ferrell is THE Program coordinator for Regiment. I about faint when it all comes to me. How could I have been so naive?

So it gets to January and its time for me to head back to school. I tell Tim and thank him for the opportunity to work for him and that I hope we get to see each other on tour. I still wonder how he felt knowing that he had a Scout working for him. Unfortunately some things came up later in the year that didn't allow me to march. I'm not upset or regret it at all but it would have been something to see to walk up to Tim at Finals. I still can't believe I actually went that long without knowing where or whom I worked for. Definitely a Forrest Gump moment in my life.

[GSNewell]

:)

Tim Farrell is PR board president and president of Process Graphics (they make ad displays and the like). Dan Farrell is secretary of the PR board and VP of Process Graphics. Their late father, Ken, who started PGC also was a board president of PR. They have a brother and sister who marched as well.

That picture that InHiFiStereo refers to was given to Tim by Pat, Dan and me a few years ago. I can't remember for sure who did that picture, but I think it was a Scouts alum friend of Pat's. Tim is a huge NASCAR fan and his dream is to sponsor a car in a race (well, actually, I think he'd rather drive the car).

G

Edited July 7, 2006 by GSNewell