Craig Stevens: I am going -- I am Craig Stevens,
I'm the director here in Fresno submission processing,
and I want to welcome you to the Fresno submission
processing closing ceremony. Woman: I can't hear anything.
Craig Stevens: Just so you know,
the hosts have muted all of the lines
so that there's not background noise while we have speakers.
The session is being recorded
and we plan after receiving approval from the review board,
the video review board, to be able to post this
for our former employees to view.
So again, appreciate you taking time to join us this morning,
and we're going to kick off the morning
with our national anthem.
All right, is Commissioner Rettig,
I was told, is actually on the line,
I'd like to turn this over to Commissioner Rettig
for his comments.
Charles Rettig: Thank you, Craig,
and thank you to everybody for letting me participate today
and certainly opening with "The Star-Spangled Banner."
A bit of a segue for those of you
who may at some point in time come to DC or if you're in DC,
the original flag is at -- over at the Smithsonian.
And if you haven't seen it, I think you should see that.
But also if you walk up,
I'm not good with directions.
If you walk that way, if you walk from Iris
toward the Capitol on Pennsylvania Avenue
and the block between 6 and 7,
there is a brass plaque that I would encourage you
to take a look at.
It indicates that the hotel that was there back in the day
is the site where "The Star-Spangled Banner"
was sung for the first time in the United States of America.
So in terms, the kid from L.A.
absorbs as much history as he can
when he gets to a place in DC
and it's one of those if you're otherwise walking by,
it's an office building, right?
But if you slow up and you look at the things
that are on the wall and, you know,
the good fortune of going by there many, many times,
and I think every single time I take a look and recognize
and respect who we are as people,
who we are as a country,
and the meaning behind not only "The Star-Spangled Banner,"
but certainly the flag of our country.
I am honored to participate today
for a variety of reasons to thank those of you
who've spent quite a bit of time planning,
the getting us to this point.
And it's not easy.
We would always rather be having discussions and meetings
and whatnot first in person and second
to open offices and locations and facilities,
rather than to be in a situation
where consolidation is leading to change
that none of us really like change or appreciate change.
I'm more comfortable if you leave me in my space.
And I appreciate that and I appreciate
the work that has gotten us here,
and I appreciate the interest and efforts
of every employee past, current, and future
that go into this.
The efforts of folks with respect
to this Fresno submission processing
to the customer account services,
entire WNI group, and ultimately, to the IRS,
your efforts serving taxpayers in this country,
serving each other as well
because when we serve people on the outside,
we're serving people on the inside
and we're gaining the trust and respect
that I think is critical.
You know, I want people on the outside
to have that for us as people as well as as an agency.
And I want people on the inside to understand
that we didn't inherit something.
We have to work for it every day.
And you all have been great.
People in Fresno,
I did come out to Fresno last February.
I'd been to Fresno many times
when I was prior to joining the IRS.
I have very close friends who live in Fresno,
and when I came out in February,
I took a number of the people that I was traveling with.
We went out for Basque food
and a number of the people in my group said,
"Well, what exactly is Basque food?"
I go, "How can you be asking that question, right?"
And you know, I was very proud.
We went to a Basque restaurant. We had a great time.
But the uniqueness in some part
to the Central Valley
and to Fresno and different parts,
I am obviously biased from California
because I spent most of my 64 years in California
other than school in New York and time here in DC,
we care about you, we care about you as a current employee.
And I think that it's phenomenal
that about 86% of the Fresno employees
are either able to move on through a reskilling,
if you will, and others to another location within the IRS
or accepted a voluntary early retirement package,
if you will, to move on.
And then others have found locations outside of the IRS.
Those who may not have been, we care about you as well.
Those who've not been able
to maybe find a location that they want to
conclude their professional career.
We care about you as well, and we'll continue to have
resources available to assist to get you to a place
where you want to be.
The people who are staying inside,
I say this routinely anyway,
and I'm saying it specifically to each of you.
You have received certain new skill sets
to move on to another part of the IRS.
The reskilling academy,
I think, is not only was a great idea initially,
but I think it's great that it's there,
but I might be reskilled to something
and show up and a few months in,
might find out that that's not what I want to be
or that my skills aren't necessarily for that.
I'm encouraging you to speak up
and let us help you either find another position
or help you with respect to your skills.
You are our people.
I am going to use a term
that sometimes sounds as cliche,
you're part of the family.
I mean that if you've ever been at the IRS,
you're part of the family and we want our people
to end up in the best positions that they can,
which is not from an agency perspective,
but it's through the eyes of each employee.
So you have my commitment to try to help you.
If you end up in a position
that is not something you're comfortable in.
I want you to be comfortable, I want you to stay,
and I want you to encourage other people to come on board
and to stay.
I think overall have a good thing going.
I'm very optimistic about the direction of the IRS
from a funding and staffing and skilling perspective.
We're heading into a new environment
and those of you who are staying on with us,
I want you to be a part of this and I want you to understand
the importance that everybody at Fresno submission processing
has had from the Internal Revenue Service
and whatever capacities people are moving into the importance
that you do have for us at the Internal Revenue Service.
So from that perspective,
not only do you have my commitment,
but my thoughts are with you.
I was 36 years in one position in Los Angeles,
came out of Graduate law school at NYU
and went to a particular position in Los Angeles
and stayed there for 36 years.
And never in my mind would I be leaving
that position, that desk,
those friends who were around me from long before I had children
and now my children are obviously adults.
Not easy. Change is not easy.
Staying where we are is more comfortable. I get it.
We get it and know that we are there with you and for you.
And so these are not just words to you,
but these are coming from all of us.
So with that, thank you for allowing me
the opportunity to participate.
And if you're leaving the IRS,
I would hope that you stay in touch with us
and I apologize for the inability
to interact with you in person.
Basically we're living in different times
with the pandemic.
My first choice would always be to meet with you in person.
That's harder to show a care factor remote, even with Zoom.
But with that, thank you.
We appreciate each and every one of you.
I appreciate each and every one of you.
You are part of something that's very important to the country
and very important to the people of the country.
And come back to the opening,
never forget the importance of this country
and the importance of the flag.
And I think "The Star-Spangled Banner" sort of capsules
that in many ways for a lot of us.
So thank you.
I think that I wish you all the best,
as I frequently say today, tomorrow, and forever.
And that applies to your families as well.
So stay safe, stay positive,
and let's look for the future.
So with that, I turn it over to Ken Corbin,
who I think has a tie on? Ken, do you have a tie on?
Ken Corbin: I do. I do.
This is very, very special.
Charles Rettig: Can you all give me about 10 seconds
so I can go grab a tie and come back?
I'm one of the few at 11:11 and I look over
and it's a little low on the screen, Ken,
and I look over and I'm thinking once again,
that guy puts me to shame.
But so I will give I will turn it over to,
you know, the Ken Corbin and the David Alito.
And stay with us.
Stay with us.
We're moving in a good direction and the terminology stay with us
applies for those who are leaving, too.
I'll close on something that my son was told
when he entered the military.
And it was a major said to him, let me explain to you
what it means to be an officer in the United States Army.
It means that you are a leader in your personal life,
your leader in your community,
and you're obviously a leader in your professional career.
But he says that leadership, quality, and skill
means that you are always representing.
Let me give that back to our employees.
You are always representing the Internal Revenue Service
and the people of this country and be proud.
If you're leaving us,
we're going to steer the organization in a direction
that I hope we will continue to be proud as well.
So I will turn it over to David,
who is not wearing a tie
and did not do that, but David,
I apologize for this,
but your dealings with Ken, you're on your own there.
I ended up in a situation
where I've got a few back to back meetings,
but as I do turn it over, Ken and David,
I'm not sure if you saw your calendar
for I think it's 12:30 or 1:00 today,
and I realize you guys are in Atlanta,
but you got invited to -- it's at 1:00
to 2fiftybbq thing
at the main conference room here in DC
And when I talk about family for the rest of you,
just to bring you in and I apologize
for the folks here, this has been recorded,
but you know, deal with me.
This is who I am.
But my son is a major, medical officer, army,
and we've had the good fortune of having him across the river
from us as long as I've been in DC here the past few years.
But he's relocating down to Georgia.
And if you want to know what the IRS is,
I have said to you what the IRS means to me.
Many of you've heard it from my wife.
My son reached out and said,
and he's leaving on Saturday for three years down in Georgia.
And he says, Dad, I'd like to bring in 2fiftybbq,
it's a restaurant here, for everyone in the IRS
who has helped and supported
and worked with you while you've been there.
My son doesn't know everyone in the IRS,
but he's met quite a few people.
So if you would like to bring in...
[ speaks indistinctly ]
...it's not just my wife, but this is my son,
and it's his idea and he's is bringing it in.
You all are very important people
and we can't always show it.
We certainly can't show it in a pandemic.
But I want you to know that that you count for us
and we'll never forget efforts and the people here.
So sorry to run over, guys, and all that,
but I will turn it over to David Alito,
who is appropriately attired for today.
Thank you, all.
David Alito: Thank you, Commissioner.
Ken Corbin: Thank you, Commissioner.
I have to jump in and say,
whenever you come to a Craig Stevens production
or a Jim Fish production,
a tie is something that is expected with them.
And I expect pictures from the barbecue today.
When your son comes here to Georgia,
we'll treat him to a Chick-Fil-A peach
and we'll send you a picture of that when it happens.
It's always so good to hear your thoughts and supportive words.
Thank you for inviting David and I
to the farewell celebration.
You know, I'm thrilled that Commissioner Rettig
was able to attend
and thank you for your service.
As many of you know,
submission processing holds a special place in my heart.
It's great to virtually see all the current
and former executives and employees
who are able to join us here virtually today.
I know many of you are disappointed
that we could not meet face to face,
but keeping everyone safe is always a priority
and we've had to make a lot of adjustments
over the past year and a half.
I do look forward to that time when we are through all of this
and we will be able to come together
and see each other and give each other hugs.
I am grateful for this time and space
to personally thank each of you for your dedication, commitment,
and caring to the IRS and to each other.
We are a family.
Being a close-knit team, and if you think about it,
that is exactly what we are in our work lives.
We support each other. We watch out for each other.
We understand and we help each other succeed.
How many of you know when Fresno submission processing opened?
If you can put it in comments if you're used to Zoom.
Just say, you know, Fresno SP
opened up in January of 1972.
So close to 50 years ago.
I can't even imagine how much paper has crossed
through those doors.
David, what do you think?
David Alito: Well, I think how many others were surprised
when the commissioner mentioned barbecue
that we didn't see Ken run up out of his chair
and run towards the door and find a way to get there.
So I'm a little shocked that he was still in his chair.
Hey, thank you so much for the invitation for us
being here today.
There's just so much, so much passion and interest
in all that gets done in Fresno.
And as you heard Ken say, 1972 that many years ago
and I think about all the interactions,
the interactions with employees and taxpayers
and just the service that was provided
and continues to be provided over all those years,
from the aspects through submission processing.
It really is a combination of a very long journey
to where we are today.
And hopefully you've seen that our focus,
as you've heard today, is all about you as employees.
And it's that continued efforts to bring you information,
bring you training, personal assistance,
and make sure that you're aware of different
employment opportunities.
86% of the people taking either the buyout,
finding new positions,
or looking for opportunities elsewhere is just incredible,
and we're hopeful that we've been a really good part of that.
We applaud employees
that are moving on to new opportunities,
as well as applauding those employees
that are taking other opportunities
within the service.
And as you can hear, we want you to feel comfortable
where you are and make sure that we're doing all that
we can to help you and grow into a new position.
But we absolutely thank you for continuing your service here
with the IRS.
And we come back to Ken.
Ken Corbin: Hey, David, I agree.
And on top of that significant percentage
of the nearly 1,300 employees
that chose ongoing IRS employment,
more than 93% of them
stayed at their current grade level
or received a grade increase.
So that's just wonderful.
Your resilience during this time
will serve you well in your current position
and in any future opportunities.
I loved hearing about the creative
and successful Fresno Reskilling Academy.
What an innovative endeavor
that can be used for future training goals,
and the positive feedback has been overwhelming.
So congrats to the wonderful instructors and students.
You set a standard right here in Fresno.
David Alito: Thank you so much for letting us be
a part of your ceremony today.
As we look across and I know you,
it still feels like "The Brady Bunch"
when you can't really look from side to side,
but all of you that we see
and those that can't be on camera today,
you were the ones that have made the difference
not only for each other,
but for the taxpayers, the communities.
And it really is bittersweet to see an operation change,
but we look forward to all the opportunities in the future,
and we're so glad that you've been a part of this,
and we're glad to continue to be a part of helping you reach
all the things that you want to reach.
Ken Corbin: So as Commissioner Rettig stated,
you all have a lot to be proud of your work over the years
and the work going forward.
We hold these ceremonies
for closure figuratively and literally.
But what does that mean to you?
We come together to reminisce,
give a nod to our accomplishments,
but most importantly, to honor our friendships,
those will always last.
And you will always have Fresno SP memories.
You were here and you did great things.
You know, I think about the times that Paul Mamo
and myself had the wonderful opportunity to come out
as the deputy and the director for submission processing
and meet with all of the wonderful employees
and leaders in Fresno.
And something that stands out to me about Fresno
is what is in the cafeteria,
and I'll change the words a little bit.
But basically, be proud that Fresno submission
processing funds the freedom for America
and you all have that memory
and that movement forward to know
that even though submission processing is closing its doors,
you will continue to represent the IRS,
be a part of the IRS family,
and will help us move forward to continue to help fund
the freedom that we so richly enjoy here in our country.
I will always say this,
and I say this is in many ways as I can.
You know, love never leaves.
And so the memories and the love
that you all have of being together
will always be with you,
and you all will always have that connection.
And I and David will always have that connection
with you as well.
So stay safe, stay healthy.
And I'll hand the mic over to Dietra Grant right now.
As I know, she's also very glad to be a part of today's events.
Dietra Grant: Yes, thank you, Ken and thank you, David.
And you're absolutely right.
I am so happy to join everyone here today
and give a fond farewell to Fresno submission processing.
I loved hearing from the Commissioner,
Commissioner Rettig.
I know he made special arrangements to be with us today
and it is greatly appreciated.
So today's full of emotions and taking the time to gather
is important to process all that is changing.
I know the commissioner spoke of change and you know,
we often say don't be afraid of change
or change is good or embrace change.
But we also have to admit that change can be hard
and it is a process.
This day marks the occasion where there will still be time
to get used to the closure of Fresno submission processing.
And as Ken spoke for the almost 50 years
that Fresno submission processing
has been in existence.
Now I can't thank all of the Fresno submission
processing employees enough for their hard work
over the years, the many, many years.
I came to PAS as the director in December of 2019.
That was right before COVID and during COVID, we closed,
we reopened, then adjusted to many changes.
No one would have envisioned that the last year
or Fresno submission processing
would have been under these circumstances.
We made it through that bumpy period,
and I know we will do very well in the future.
Fresno has always been regarded
as a strong and dedicated workforce.
As you have heard from our commissioners,
we are proud of you the extra efforts
that you have made to reach this day
and also your resilience.
There were tough decisions that had to be made.
We charted new courses and we took a lot of actions.
Now I am more than pleased that so many of you found other jobs,
accepted... [ speaks indistinctly ]
or found other opportunities
since the Fresno consolidation was announced years ago.
And Ken noted that especially grateful
that more than 93% of the 1,300 employees
who choose to go on with Internal Revenue Service
will remain in their current grade
or receive a grade increase.
So I'm very happy about that.
I also want to take the time to acknowledge
and continue both locally and nationally
for just asking appropriate questions along the way
to ensure employee options were addressed.
They had good insights and suggestions
that we were able to incorporate into the plans.
So what goes into a ramp down
of our processing center this size?
A lot of great people and a lot of hard work.
So I want to give special attention
and thanks to the Fresno leadership that includes
our managers, secretarial, and clerical support,
the site coordinators' office, communications,
both locally and nationally, or CAS PMO office,
the SMEs who help stand up the campus support in Fresno,
a Fresno AM to FMSS,
to IRS HCO,
to the employment staff, to labor relations,
to W&I CMO office, to our IRS commissioner,
the W&I commissioners,
the reskilling academy trainers and students.
But finally, to all of the employees
who have experienced these changes.
Now we will do well.
Fresno is still here and we are here with you.
So I see the program next includes
comments from Jim Fish,
our director of submission processing.
There's also the history
of the Fresno SP Service Center.
Our slideshow and special recognition.
And I can't wait to see what's in store
on the rest of the agenda.
But let me wrap up and leave you with this thought,
and I ask you all to just reflect.
Please take the time and reflect and smile
at what you've accomplished. Just smile.
And I'm going to pass it on to someone who I know is smiling
and who's always smiling.
And of course, that's Jim Fish,
the director of submission processing.
So, Jim.
Jim Fish: Thank you, Dietra and good morning, everybody.
You know, as everybody said, you know,
I want to thank Ken and David and Dietra
and also the IRS commissioner for coming
and being part of this ceremony today.
As the commissioner stated,
we are in different times right now
and with the insurgence of COVID,
we make do with what we have.
And I think it's nice that we get to do
a nicer Zoom session today with everyone.
As the director of submission processing,
I just wanted to say thank you to all the employees in Fresno.
As as many of you know, I spent three years
as a director of Fresno Submission Processing.
And my time spent there was just a wonderful time
and never thought that we would be at this point
where we're looking at our seventh
processing center closing.
It's hard to believe that this is number seven out of 10
if you look over from 2003 until now.
But without fail, Fresno submission processing employees
have continued processing and continued working.
And as I said many times,
that Fresno, whatever we need done,
Fresno was there to help us and get it done.
Even this filing season,
we were looking at Fresno.
Can you take additional work? Can you process more returns?
And Fresno always stood up to the challenge
and said, absolutely.
I think we still have folks working in until their last day
working ERS cases in Fresno
even though the pipeline is being shut down.
We are still processing work in Fresno
and it just goes without saying that that's because
of the caliber of employees that we have in Fresno.
Moving forward, I congratulate all those folks
who are either moving to another job
or have decided to retire.
And I hope you enjoy your retirement.
But I noticed some comments in the chat box
that talk about the Reskilling Academy and Reskilling Academy
has been a great endeavor and a great partnership with OPM
and reskilling folks to other jobs.
And it's nice to see a couple of comments of folks
that are excited to go to their new career.
So I wanted to say, good luck with that.
Good luck in wherever the future takes you.
And as everyone said, you are part of the family
and you will always be part
of this submission processing family.
I don't know.
It's not probably every couple of weeks
goes by where Ken reminds me that he can come back
and work ERS cases if we need him to,
because he's always been part
of that submission processing family.
My reply has always been I'm not sure we can deal
with the quality,
so maybe just stay doing what you're good at doing.
But it's all good,
but no, once part of this information processing family,
you're always part of this submission process and family.
And again, thank you.
And just good luck in anything
and all the endeavors in the future.
So, Craig, I think that turns it back to you.
Craig Stevens: All right. Thank you, Jim.
Well, let me just pause and thank Commissioner Rettig, Ken,
David, Dietra, and Jim for taking time out of their days
and talking to us, sharing some time,
some thoughts with us.
So I'm going to go back.
I'm going to give you a little more history,
a little more detailed history about Fresno submission,
and hopefully I can get the right slide up
and shared.
And I hope somebody can nod and say
they see a slide that says in the beginning.
All right, thank you.
So a little more on the history we learned earlier
and through the comments
that the center opened its doors in January of '72.
The site's undergone many changes over the years,
and the center has grown
and evolved into the Fresno campus,
which also includes sites in Portland and Seattle.
The first director was Leonard Semrick.
He came to Fresno in July of '70 with Harvey Kuffner,
the administrative division chief.
And Paul Harris, the personnel officer.
They arrived in Fresno with a government car,
a cardboard box full of supplies,
a lot of enthusiasm for the task of staffing
a not yet built service center.
Semrick, Kuffner, and Harry soon discovered
they had no office space,
but found temporary workspace in the IRS downtown office
using desks of vacationing revenue agents.
Site construction took 14 months
to complete at a cost of $14 million,
was built by Turner Construction Company
520,000-square-foot structure
consisting of five one-story interconnected buildings.
The first 1,200 workers constituted
almost the whole IRS staff during the '72 peak season.
They processed Texas for Northern California
and Hawaii and in '73
began processing Southern California tax returns.
The first employees didn't have it easy.
The data transcribers trained without pay
in an unfinished building with no atrium windows
during the cold months of November and December.
In January of '72, the doors opened
and the business of processing paper tax returns began
on March 28, 1972.
Outside the main entrance of the facility,
the Fresno Service Center was dedicated.
So that's a little on the history.
I also wanted to recognize the directors
that have passed through the doors of Fresno.
You see Leonard Semrick,
Fred Perdue, Theron Pollvka,
Robert Wenzel, Rhonda Hon, Jim Grimes,
Ellen Mooradian, James Gaither,
our very own James Fish,
Christina Navarrete-Wasson,
Jonathan Schwartz, and myself, Craig Stevens.
So that's the history of the directors here in Fresno.
Next, we're going to move on
to a little slide show with some music,
hopefully this all worked the way it is supposed to.
Man: ♪ Thanks for the memory ♪
♪ Of sentimental verse ♪
♪ Nothing in my purse ♪
♪ And chuckles when the preacher said ♪
♪ For better or for worse ♪
Woman: ♪ How lovely it was ♪
♪ Thanks for the memory ♪
♪ Of Schubert's Serenade ♪
♪ Little things of jade ♪
♪ And traffic jams and anagrams and bills we never paid ♪
Craig Stevens: Uh-oh.
♪ How lovely it was ♪
♪ We who could laugh over big things ♪
♪ Were parted by only a slight thing ♪
♪ I wonder if we did the right thing ♪
♪ Oh, well, that's life, I guess ♪
Man: I love your dress. Woman: Do you?
Man: It's pretty.
Woman: ♪ Thanks for the memory ♪
♪ Of faults that you forgave ♪
♪ Of rainbows on a wave ♪
♪ And stockings in the basin when a fellow needs a shave ♪
♪ Thank you so much ♪
♪ Thanks for the memory ♪
♪ Of tinkling temple bells ♪
♪ Alma mater yells ♪
♪ And Cuban rum and towels from the very best hotels ♪
♪ Oh, how lovely it was ♪
♪ Thanks for the memory ♪
♪ Of cushions on the floor ♪
♪ Hash with Dinty Moore ♪
♪ That pair of gay pajamas that you bought and never wore ♪
[ Indistinct conversation ]
♪ We said goodbye with a highball ♪
♪ Then I got as high as a steeple ♪
♪ But we were intelligent people ♪
♪ No tears, no fuss ♪
♪ Hooray for us ♪
♪ Darling, how are you? ♪
♪ And how are all those little dreams ♪
♪ That never did come true? ♪
♪ Awfully glad I met you ♪
♪ Cheerio and toodle-oo ♪
♪ Thank you ♪
♪ Thank you so much ♪
Man: ♪ Thanks for the memory ♪
♪ Of sentimental verse ♪
♪ Nothing in my purse ♪
♪ And chuckles when the preacher said ♪
♪ For better or for worse ♪
Woman: ♪ How lovely it was ♪
♪ Thanks for the memory ♪
♪ Of Schubert's Serenade ♪
♪ Little things of jade ♪
♪ And traffic jams and anagrams and bills we never paid ♪
♪ How lovely it was ♪
♪ We who could laugh over big things ♪
♪ Were parted by only a slight thing ♪
♪ I wonder if we did the right thing ♪
♪ Oh, well, that's life, I guess ♪
Man: I love your dress. Woman: Do you?
Craig Stevens: All right, so that's just kind of a look
back through the years.
I'm sure folks saw themselves in some of those pictures.
Running an operation like this
doesn't just happen easily.
It takes a lot of different support staffs
and different areas and all different things.
So I want to recognize
some of the the various support functions that we've had
and that have and that have served the Fresno Center.
The first is Amentum. They do a lot of things.
They deliver the mail between the buildings,
move furniture around, things like that.
So thank you to Amentum
and all of their employees.
To Compsych for the EAP services that they have provided
have been a great resource
for our employees over the years.
Explosive Countermeasures International.
That's easier said by saying our K-9 unit,
that we have that sniffs the mail,
make sure we don't have anything bad coming into the building.
Federal occupational health, health...
[ speaks indistinctly ]
The nurses that have treated our folks and cared
for folks over the years, thank you so much.
Federal Protective Services providing guard service,
keeping the property and our employees safe.
Fresh & Natural,
they ran the cafeteria for a number of years.
Thank you to them.
Goodwill Service Connection Custodial Service,
they keep our building clean and for the last year
and a half sanitize thoroughly.
So thank you for them.
The Goodwill Service Connection Landscaping Services
have maintained the the exterior of the building
and the property. Thank you to them.
Turtle Café & Vending.
They kept us supplied with snacks
and sodas in the various canteens.
I want to thank United Benefits.
They're actually a partner of NTEU if you don't know.
They have been on site here for the last
year and a half while we've had open windows
providing assistance to our employees in very big decisions
regarding whether they can retire
or they need to find another job,
but they provide financial assistance
and they literally help hundreds of our employees.
So thank you very much to United Benefits for all
that they did throughout this consolidation effort.
Workforce Connection.
That's the state area
that helps keep unemployed folks.
They have been a tremendous partner
through the consolidation process with job fairs,
with resume writing workshops and things like that.
So thank you very much to them.
Last but not least by any stretch of the imagination,
Facilities Management & Security Services.
FMSS, they've got their hands full
to get this building emptied out by the end of November.
But they have been tremendous and tremendous assistance
and partner throughout the consolidation process
and also our site coordinators' office for all the work
that they have done through consolidation.
And all the work that they did putting together
this closing ceremony.
They're really the backbone of this ceremony.
Without them, we would not have been able to pull this off.
So thank you to those folks.
And just before we close here, I just want to talk about
consolidation has been difficult.
It's impacted literally going back to the beginning,
almost 3,000 employees.
And it's a major change
and a lot of people were in denial.
We're really here. It's hard to imagine
that we're five weeks away from closing.
But I also want to recognize NTEU
because throughout the consolidation process,
they have really been a good partner to us.
They've worked with us.
They help us get the word out to the employees on whatever it is.
But I just wanted
to make sure to acknowledge NTEU’s partnership.
So with that, I'm going to put up the final slide
and we're going to have some music
and that'll be the end of the program.
I'll thank you in advance for for your joining
the presentation and the ceremony today.
Woman: ♪ We were strangers, starting out on a journey ♪
♪ Never dreaming, what we'd have to go through ♪
♪ Now here we are and I'm suddenly standing ♪
♪ At the beginning with you ♪
Man: ♪ No one told me, I was going to find you ♪
♪ Unexpected, what you did to my heart ♪
♪ When I lost hope, you were there to remind me ♪
♪ This is the start ♪
♪ And life is a road that I wanna keep going ♪
♪ Love is a river, I wanna keep flowing ♪
♪ Life is a road, now and forever ♪
♪ Wonderful journey ♪
♪ I'll be there when the world stops turning ♪
♪ I'll be there when the storm is through ♪
♪ In the end I wanna be standing ♪
♪ At the beginning with you ♪
Woman: ♪ We were strangers on a crazy adventure ♪
Man: ♪ Never dreaming, how our dreams would come true ♪
♪ Now here we stand, unafraid of the future ♪
♪ At the beginning with you ♪
♪ And life is a road that I wanna keep going ♪
♪ Love is a river, I wanna keep flowing ♪
♪ Life is a road, now and forever ♪
♪ Wonderful journey ♪