Went to work at the Research Triangle Park in NC for a couple of years doing Economics Research. Yawn.
In 1980, I packed the suitcases and headed north to Carnegie-Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania where I got a Masters of Science in Industrial Administration (basically, an MBA with a technical emphasis) in 1982. Did not have quite as much fun as I did at Duke. They actually made us work really really hard. And study.
Upon graduation, I worked for Exxon Corporation in their marketing department. Stayed with them for 5 years in a number of different assignments from supervising 21 gas stations in Houston to working in strategic planning for the corporate office.
Got married in 1986 to Greg Light and moved immediately to Cairo, Egypt. Greg worked for Amoco and had a primo overseas assignment – Lived there for 3 fantastic years where we got to travel the world – Africa, Israel, Greece, Cyprus, India, Thailand, etc. We even took a trip back to KL to see the old digs. My favorite stop was Jalan Campbell (I think that’s the name) where they had all the kedais that sold satay, poh-pia and murtabak. It was just as delicious as I remembered.
In 1989 we came back to the States, moved to Maryland , and I started a business called American Records Management (ARM). ARM was an archive facility where companies could store their documents both in paper form and in digital media. After 3 years, Greg joined me in the business. My sister (Linda Moss ‘73) and her husband (Bob - you don’t know him) joined up after another 5 years or so. In 2002, we changed the name to Business Archives, Inc. By then, we had about 200,000 square feet of warehouse space and over 1,000,000 boxes of records that we were managing for our customers.
In 2004, after 15 years in the business, we accepted an offer and sold Business Archives to a multi-national company: Iron Mountain. The deal closed just this past July and I am now officially retired.
So then, what the heck am I doing now? Well, since we sold the business, I have been a lady of leisure. On any given day, you will find me hanging around with my feet propped up, lounging in my pjs’s, lunching with the ladies, eating bon-bons, and having my hair coiffed and nails polished so I’ll look good in my Ferrari. Well, maybe not really.
My two kids ,Zach & Hannah, (13 & 12) do not allow me the leisure time I so richly deserve. They demand to be fed, clothed and driven just about everywhere in the county. So, sometimes I am forced to put down the bon-bons and get behind the wheel of my oh so stylish minivan and transport them to various hockey and cheerleading events. Is this any way to treat the queen? They are very disrespectful of royalty.
I console myself by hitting the tennis courts 3 or 4 times a week. I take lessons, hit tons of balls in drill sessions and play matches. You would think that after all these years I would be ready for the pro circuit. Alas, this was not meant to be. For now, my goal is to try not to go downhill too quickly. I plan on one day being one of those sneaky old gray haired ladies you see on the courts, perpetually lobbing the ball to the opponents, thereby annoying all who dare to play against her.
Well, that about sums it up! I would love to hear from some of you to learn what roads you have traveled since we last met. Please email me at jmlight@adelphia.net
