A Thanksgiving Message from Merritt Lane

President and CEO Merritt Lane shares a personal message of gratitude every Thanksgiving to the CBC Family. See below for this year’s message.

Hi everyone,

This Thanksgiving is a particularly special one as Elly and I welcome our three girls back home and for a few days the five of us are all together. It’s so much fun to have our empty nest filled again with their youthful spirit, camaraderie and joy. It’s also a different holiday for us as Elly and I both lost a parent this year. It’s been a year of transition and reflection for us. We are truly blessed and grateful for our wonderful family and to have had parents who cared about us and shaped us with their examples of kindness, humility, loyalty  and goodwill. Life is never without its challenges, but it is exceptionally good for me and my family.

There’s a growing field called positive psychology that focuses on ways individuals and groups can live happier and healthier lives  by cultivating what is best within ourselves and learning to enhance our life experiences by focusing on the positive in our lives. Practicing gratitude is at its core. It has been scientifically proven that an attitude of gratitude increases happiness, improves health, enhances our sense of self-worth, fosters stronger relationships and makes us more productive…and it is entirely driven by individual effort and discipline. I know how grateful I am for the opportunities, experiences and people in my life and am committed to be better at sharing my gratitude with others for all that they do for me. What better time to do that than on Thanksgiving Day?

“Gratitude can transform common days into Thanksgiving, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.” – William Arthur Ward

One of the greatest blessings in my life is the opportunity to work with all of you. You are more than work colleagues to me, you are my family – the CBC Family. You inspire me daily with your selflessness, your discipline and your commitment to your profession and to our company. I want you to  know how grateful I am for all that you do for all of us. The most important lesson I have learned in my 32 years with this company is that all of the success we have enjoyed in Canal Barge’s 85 years in business is derived from our people. There is no doubt in my mind that “People Make the Difference” is far more than a slogan at CBC. Trusting relationships, the strong will and great skill to continuously innovate and improve our organization, and a culture of both high expectations and care for each other create the strong foundation and resilient nature of our enterprise. As I sometimes say, we are proud of our equipment and facilities, but what makes us distinct is our people. So again, I want to say thank you to every member of the CBC Family.

As you know, our business never closes and our customers’ requirements for flawless execution must be met on a 24-7-365 basis. I want to especially thank all of you who are working over the holidays for your dedication to our company. Your professionalism is awe inspiring and much appreciated. Thank you for staying focused and making safety both at work and at home your personal commitment.

My wish for all of you continues to be that you and your families enjoy good health, strong relationships and fulfilling and meaningful lives. I encourage all of us to embrace the spirit of Thanksgiving by reflecting on our many blessings and practicing an attitude of gratitude. Thank you again for everything and have a very Happy Thanksgiving!

Stay S.A.F.E. !!

Merritt