Rothacker Reviews

Ellen Rohr

As we travel on the road of Kulia i ka nu'u, (striving to reach the highest summit, in pursuit of personal excellence), we meet a wide variety of people.  There are movers, shakers, givers and takers.  Some travel in our direction, some do not.  At times when we least expect it, the universe places in our path, a person who can make an absolute difference in our quest.  Ellen Rohr is that type of person.

And now, by the powers vested in me by the great hyper text transfer protocol, I can place Ellen and her associates in your path.  Bare Bones Business is a company that Ellen founded about ten years ago.  Her mission is to help folks with ideas make their businesses successful and to abolish business illiteracy from the face of our planet.  Talk about a cause!

From the time since Jupiter aligned with Mars, Ellen has been destined with this mission.  The universe felt it necessary to take Ellen on a journey of her own.  It molded her with both wonderful and trying experiences.  It thrust both brilliant and beastily people into her path.  And it infused vibrant leadership and caring tendencies into her heart.  If you have the opportunity to work with Ellen, exchange e-mails or chat, you will never forget her.  I am fiercely proud that she considers me a friend and very honored to introduce her to you.

If you have a chance, stop by Ellen's website and get to know both her and her associates...your journey will never be the same.

By the way, if you would like to meet Ellen in person, she will be participating in Office Depot's Fifth Annual Success Strategies for Businesswomen Conference  in Boca Raton, Florida, February 27 through March 1st.  You'll have to wade through the likes of Barbara Walters, Anne Mulcahy and Kathy Ireland, but you can find Ellen if you click on the Business Sessions link.

Roger

I met Mr. DeMarco in 1991. He came in one day and plopped down at my desk. He had several questions about a mortgage and started by saying, “I don’t want no bullshit.” I gave him the information he wanted and promised I was telling the truth.

Over the next few months, he came in off and on with a list of questions. He always started the conversation with the same line, “I don’t want no bullshit.” He also made me call him Roger. Finally, he decided to sell his house and buy a new condo and I walked him through the loan process, every step of the way. During that time, our friendship grew. In the summertime, he always wore a muscle tee-shirt which showed off his hairy chest and big arms. A baseball cap with the words, “100% Italian” covered his full head of white hair.

Over the next several years, I moved from branch to branch in my management quest. Roger followed me wherever I went. He worked odd jobs for a lumber company during his retirement and every so often, would drop off boxes and boxes of small wood pieces to our house. Dave and I used them as starter wood in our fireplace. I protested his gifts of wood, stating that I preferred diamonds instead; this always made him laugh. He would tell me a gift was a gift and to shut up and accept it.

Roger’s first wife passed away many years ago. He later remarried a woman 30 years younger named Rosemarie (what a coincidence- that’s my legal name!). This did not sit well with his sons and the relationship with his children was rocky at best. Every time I saw him, he never failed to ask me about Dave and the girls. He loved hearing stories about them.

One day four years ago, Roger came in and told me he was diagnosed with prostrate cancer. During the chemo and radiation treatments, he would stop in and give me updates. It was hard to watch this vibrant, strong man deteriorate before my eyes. As hard as he fought, the cancer began to spread. Roger never made peace with his sons and that bothered him. He was also very concerned about his wife. He took care of all the banking and she was clueless when it came to finance. He brought her in one day and told me he expected me to help her after he was gone. It was a difficult conversation for all of us.

I cried the day Rosemarie called to say he had passed on. Although I knew he was in a better place, I would miss him terribly. My list of favorite customers is long and extensive; Roger is near the top of the list and will be forever in my heart.

Rosemary

Mr Fiorucci's House

Everyday I walk by Mr. Fiorucci’s house. At the bank where I work- we park in a church parking lot next door to keep open spaces for the customers. Being a busy branch and with a large staff, our cars take up half the lot. There is a mall driveway that separates our buildings. The sidewalk between is long and goes right past Mr. Fiorucci’s house, located across the street from the branch. The walk from our cars can be tough in the cold, harsh winter months.

   In his younger days he would come out of his house and shovel part of the sidewalk, if the plowing company didn’t make it there before us. Mr. Fiorucci had been retired for a very long time and always said he had to “take care of his girls”. Sometimes, we would see him watching out his window; making sure we made it into the branch safe. He was our guardian angel.

    Faithfully every month, he would come in and cash his social security check. He was a handsome man with crystal blue eyes shining behind wire-rimmed glasses. I have no doubt when he was a young man; he was considered a “heart-throb.” He wore Old-Spice cologne and every time I smell that scent- it reminds me of him. Mr. Fiorucci loved his wife and his blue eyes would twinkle when he spoke of her. With affection, he called her Mama. At Christmastime, Mama would crochet and knit all kinds of goodies for the staff. They would come in together and proudly hand out the gifts to everyone.

   About 6 years ago, Mama took ill and passed away unexpectedly.

Mr. Fiorucci was devastated. He lost the love of his life- they were married for 56 years- and it took the wind out of his sails. Everyday, he went to the cemetery and laid a rose on her grave. He would come in every month and after giving me a kiss and hug, tell me how much he missed his Mama. I would give comfort by reminding him of the wonderful family he had. He was so proud of his sons and his grandchildren. The love his family shared was truly special. One year, his grandson took him on a 3 week tour to

Europe

and that made him so happy.

Last year, Mr. Fiorucci became ill. His son called to let me know because he had often spoke of us and how we were so good to him. A few people on the staff went to visit him in the hospital- but I was never able to make it. Being in his 90’s and living without his Mama was too much for him to overcome. Sadly, he passed away a few weeks later.

Over the past year, I have spoken to his son several times as he took care of his father’s estate. I look out my window everyday at his house and think of him. Sometimes, the shadows look like he is standing in the window, watching.

We have an older customer base. They are eager to share stories of their lives and families. Sometimes it’s hard to find time to listen- but in the end it is so worth it. Mr. Fiorucci may not have been known to anyone outside the community but his twinkling blue eyes will live on forever………

In my memory.

Rosemary