And how would we all like to be 25 years old again??? Dream on, eh??
I was working for AIG's Ski Liability Group and facing the Landmark James Sunday vs Stratton Mountain ski liability case that changed forever the presumption of assumed risk on the downhill trails...Judge Underhill, later to be a Vt. Supreme Court Justice, instructed the jury they could find liability if they felt Stratton Mountain could be held liable for the groomed trail condition, including the manmade mogul that Sunday hit, sending him into a tree fracturing C-5, C-6 and C-7 and severing the spinal cord and turning him into a Quadraplegic. We lost big-time and hit with a 2.4 Million Award, more than all the Ski Liability Premium in NH and Vt at the time. By October I would be hand delivering cancellations to every ski area in Vermont and getting sued and served as the resident agent for AIG/Aetna by every one of the Ski Areas that would be without coverage for the beginning of the ski season in November. What a way to start a career!!!
Funny thing is, everyone thought I must be tough as nails to take it all so calmly and got more offers for jobs than I could even contemplate. So I took the position of Vice President of Client Relations and Attorney Rep for the national ICS, Inc of Williamstown and thought I really was tough as nails. Definitely went to my head and five years later I would be President of five different firms and on the board of a half dozen more. Big fish in a very little pond!!! Five years later I would be persona non grata and back at the bottom looking up. Humbling but important to holding your ego in check.
ANother five years and back on top, then five years and broke again. Five more years and back again, then five more years and everything was washed away by a severely broken system and economy. And now it is another scrape and claw to rebuild and on life goes. Just NEVER GIVE UP!!!
But, I really would not do a thing differently, have had a number of great opportunities to work with a wide variety of people and situations and enjoyed every minute of it. All about overcoming adversity and facing every battle with determination and gusto!!! Overcoming adversity at every turn. Now that is a life worth living!!! Got whacked, and whacked back!!! Always in pursuit of justice...Alex, I hope you have a load of adversity to mold you into a man in pursuit of justice, and may the Lord be with you. AND NEVER GIVE UP!!!
Gailon Arthur Joy
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Topic: Happy Birthday Alex! (Read 11303 times)
