The Kids Are Alright

Some people never get the joy and honor to work with your kids. I worked with my dad for a while and I am not sure he thought of it as an honor. There seemed to be a lot of yelling and screaming while I was in his employ, not too many raises that I didn’t have to beg for, and a lot of grumbling about him having to re-do my work ( I have got to get over this).

Of course my dad didn’t have Kellen working with him, he had me. And I consider myself lucky to have had the last year with Kellen at my side. In my 26 years as an employer, I have never had a more eager, honest, tough-minded, bottom-line-oriented, and intelligent employee. Not the least to say he’s a great guy to be around.

When he first suggested working for me, I think it was because he had just graduated college and needed to get a job before he figured out what he wanted to do. He has become involved in every one of my business schemes, from my old crappy domestic political company, to my international business, to the new business I have started with an old friend Tom (and, I am happy to say, Phil – pictured below – has just joined).

He’s often quiet at meetings but you know the mind is working all the time. Behind his back he has been given the name “Hoover” because he sucks up all that can be known about a subject and can recite it back more adeptly than the original. He has a tremendous grasp of business (not bad for a History major) and I often turn to him for advice. And his advice is always good. I am very happy to learn that he wants to stick with my businesses and eventually kill off Fredo and take them over. I couldn’t be happier about it.

If you have a kid and he asks for a job, I highly suggest taking them up on it. What other prospective employee can you get a lifetime resume from?

As for Emily – and I have to explain that she is so competitive with her older brother that it needs to be noted she is second in this post due to a flip of the coin – she is scheduled to graduate with a degree in Communications from Sacramento State University in May. However, she has already picked up a fulltime job with Maloof Sports and Entertainment, owners of the Sacramento Kings and Monarchs. She will be a marketing and media relations assistant (that doesn't sound as important as it probably is), primarily for the Monarchs.

She worked as an intern with the Kings and Monarchs while going to school and is one of the few to get a fulltime position after interning. She’s also one of the few among her peers who have been able to get a job in her chosen profession, which is even more impressive due to the competition for jobs in the sports communications world.

As icing on the cake, she will be featured in Elle Magazine in an article about interesting jobs for young professionals. The picture above will be in the magazine.

I know this post is beginning to sound like one of those bragging letters you get instead of pre-printed sentiments from someone else around Christmas time. Mrs. Laz and I had always wanted to write up our own Christmas “brag” letter in which we would announce that “we’re thankful this year because Kellen finally made parole” and “Emily’s six-year marriage to her cousin is going well and her fourth baby actually turned out normal.” But we stuck to the standard ones out of decorum and good taste. Just the same, we are both very proud of our kids with what they have achieved and what great people they both are.

She is an incredible person, witty, and beautiful. She's a pretty big deal and has many leather-bound books and her residence (our back bedroom) smells of rich mahagony. She told me to write all that.