WHAT A GUY
Dave Mann is a customer of my sister Dawn's and years back through a little convincing he gave Nicholas a job at the MERC as a junior something during Nick's college years...hello CITADEL I will not forget the call from another friend who worked over at Goldman Sachs mentioning Nick being in a contest. A contest? Yes, of who could eat the most McNuggets at the MERC. I said WHAT!! I guess Nick didn't get the memo the "pit" was changing to Revenge of the Nerds and through computers becoming a kinder and gentler place. And there goes another Nick story.... but Dave M was gracious and kind enough to keep him on. Why? Was Dave up for canonization? I will never forget his kindness to my son. Others would have booted that kid right out the dang door pronto. So it was with great pleasure we WENT UP ON THE ROOF for a libation and a catch up visit. We were happy to know of his 4 kids growing up and doing well.
We had talked about a family member having Lyme Disease and the living with it etc. Do you know about Lyme disease? Do you know anyone who has/had it? My very good friend, Georgia, has it and I have sadly observed it's effect not only on the person but on the family as well. You get the darn disease from a tick. A tick? Yup. It's a tricky damn malady. Has anybody found an effective treatment? Cure? One day you are hiking the Colorado mountains with your family and the next day you have Lyme's....how does this happen? Is there a moral? a lesson?
Thank you Dave for such a great visit. You continue to amaze us with your can do spirit and awesome business acumen. Oh and thank you for inviting us to your place on the Cape. You would be the first Chicago boy who I know who has a place not at Wisconsin Dells or Door County but at the Cape. Yeeeow!
AND ANOTHER GREAT GUY MIKE ALLEN
Also a customer of my sisters, one of her favorite customers for 20 plus years. This hot shot trader and all around good ol' mid western guy sadly lost his wife a couple years ago. He started a foundation in her memory and does a yeoman's job in raising awareness and money for people who have suffered depression and the same situation- suicide.
Not only a talented and successful trader, (CHICAGO BOARD OF TRADE) he also is hell bent to share his wife's story to help others. Wow. A subject most don't want to talk about let alone "promote" and share awareness. Mike you are blessed with a beautiful daughter and thank you for sharing your story. I have been around this situation before...and those who are "left" seem to have some form of guilt. As if they could have done something...should have done something. How do you stop someone from doing such an act? Is it possible? I cannot even imagine the pain and suffering of families that experience the loss of a loved one from this act. God Bless you Mike, to honor the memory of your wife and her legacy. I believe your strength in sharing her story will be a service to others.
www.amyallenscholarshipfoundation.org
Hey New Yorker friends...this is an example of what makes Chicago a special place. In what other big city can a barber and her high flying customers not only BE friends but stay friends for 30 plus years? A very different vibe from the East Coast or the West Coast. Kinda like the Chicago Hot Dog. Everybody loves'em- no matter who you are or what you do. Chicago is an equalizer...as Studs Terkel so brilliantly pointed out again and again in his book...Working.
Dave Mann is a customer of my sister Dawn's and years back through a little convincing he gave Nicholas a job at the MERC as a junior something during Nick's college years...hello CITADEL I will not forget the call from another friend who worked over at Goldman Sachs mentioning Nick being in a contest. A contest? Yes, of who could eat the most McNuggets at the MERC. I said WHAT!! I guess Nick didn't get the memo the "pit" was changing to Revenge of the Nerds and through computers becoming a kinder and gentler place. And there goes another Nick story.... but Dave M was gracious and kind enough to keep him on. Why? Was Dave up for canonization? I will never forget his kindness to my son. Others would have booted that kid right out the dang door pronto. So it was with great pleasure we WENT UP ON THE ROOF for a libation and a catch up visit. We were happy to know of his 4 kids growing up and doing well. 
