I have come to plan to stay in St. Charles at least a full day after Pond College is over. I do it just to collect my thoughts, sleep in a bit, make some journal entries as I reflect on the week’s experience, make up a ‘to do’ and a ‘to contact’ list and ultimately prioritize the strategies, tactics, and initiatives I want to implement at home in my own business after a weeks exposure to ‘new stuff’ that seems to be working for the folks with whom I’ve ‘hooked up.’

This year I stayed two extra days…there was a lot to digest; and there was still a bit of finish work to do on the grotto with BJ and the ‘northeast tribe.’ (Thanks for lettin’ me play, guys…it was a gas!)

Greg was kind enough to take the ‘grotto gang’ out to dinner on Friday during which he asked me, “Well, what do you think of the week?”

My visceral reply was immediate and unchecked of any intelligent forethought (so…what’s new?).

I said, “You’re back.”

“What do you mean?” says the guy who is all about “knowing.”

Says I; “You’re back, Greg. Aquascape is back. After all the “aqua-drama” of the past year and the blog stuff, and the layoffs, and the hiring of a company president, and the strategizing, and the uncertainty with ‘new directions,’ retail presence, distributor network changes, leadership initiatives, etc. (Crane Pumps are one of the etceteras…J I’m still suffering from PuFAD! Pump Failure Anxiety Disorder!) ….Aquascape is back to its roots.”

Back bigger, better and ‘badder’ than ever!

I went on to share that there were times over the past 18 months I wasn’t sure if Aquascape was truly ‘connected’ to the contractor base. If they really cared about ‘us guys out in the trenches’... that I had even wondered if I would be able to remain a CAC… But Ed’s Rain Water Harvest presentation, the build itself, the reconnection with Aquascape friends, and Greg’s recognition of Ed on Wednesday night pretty much put all those concerns to rest.

I’m back, too. Fully reconnected. And I think most of us CACs are feeling that way as well.

I concluded that as much as I was honored with the CAC award, my proudest moment of the week was when Greg acknowledged Ed on Wednesday night. Not because he got all choked up (although it was a beautiful - and manly thing!), but that he realized how much the contractor element of this great adventure – as epitomized in Ed’s role in the company - figures into the long range success and vision of Aquascape in changing the way the world considers water…the most precious resource on the planet.

Hang on, folks! It’s gonna be a great ride! Let’s go do somethin’ GOOD!

Scott Hammond, CAC