Getting Fired

Losing one's job by being fired is an experience, however, my getting fired was an event that I am proud of it because it reflected on my high sense of employment ethic. It started like this. About 1954 I was emplyed as a real estate salesman for Blake Realty and Insurance Company, Schenectady, New York. My confirmation Godfather, Benjamin Gallo, and cousin to my father, was a prominent real estate realtor who also had an insurance agency connected to his business, a common practice for many years to date. While working at Blake Realty and Insurance Company I obtained my New York State insurance license, a license I would continue to hold for 50 years. I made a few dollars while at Blake's, enough to buy a new Studebaker sedan, but I was unhappy. Probably loney. All my school mates and other friends had moved on in their lives, and my social circle had gotten very small. The stress on my was such that one day I asked for advice from my Pastor. His recommendation was short and sweet; "Get out of town. Make your own life." Because of my insurance experience, I made application with the Glens Falls Insurance Company , Glens Falls, New York, a small town about 50 miles north of Schenectady where the home corporate office of the company was centered. Quickly, my application was accepted and I reported for an interview. My interviewer was Art Lowe, Vice President, which before I went for the interview was told that an interview at that level was unusual. During the interview, Mr. Lowe stated that he thought I should be a candidate for the company's executive training program. Because I was not a college graduate, Mr. Lowe stated that if I would take a meager underwriting job, and trust to his judgement, the company might make an exception. I said I would go along with his best judgement and I started work at $600 a month. I actually enjoyed my underwriting assignment and I learned a great deal. I loved my work and Glens Falls was a great town. I had rented a room within walking distance of the Glens Falls corporate office, plus Lake George, a well-established lake resort just 8 miles north of Glens Falls was an exciting place to spend time as a young man.   A few months passed and I was again called into the office of Mr. Lowe who told me that I would start with the next corporate executive class as an official trainee. Wow! After that, I spent half a day in formal classroom work and the balance going from department to department observing work in process. One further exciting aspect of the training program was this standard. A corporate officer (someday) should relate socially to the area in which he was assigned: all work and no play makes jack a dull boy. So, periodically, the trainees would have time off to learn how to play golf and live the country club life which we did at the Glens Falls Country Club. Wow again. After completing the training program, about a year, I was transferred to the Chicago, Illinois, Mid-America office for further training. That assignment is another full story which I will leave to another day. After about a year in Chicago, I was transferred to the Dallas, Texas office which covered most deep South states. I chose the Southwhen asked by my Chicago boss, a Vice President. I could go to Iowa or the South. I chose the South. After further training in Dallas, I was made State Agent for the State of Louisiana, and landed inBaton Rouge the first week in Fevruary 1958. I did a good job as was evidenced by my first evaluation of my territory by the Regional Vice President in Dallas. But, complications had set in. I was in love and intended to get married. A friend of the family of my so to be wife was a priest, Robert Tracy, who was later to become the first Bishop of Baton Rouge. Father Tracy didn't like the fact that I traveled a great deal, the entire state being my territory. So one day he phoned me that he was picking me up because he had a friend that wanted to meet me. The friend was Lancaster W. Collens who owned a Mortgage and Insurance company. Mr. Collens was also a highly respected Catholic, including a founder of the Baton Rouge Serra Club, and a Knight of St. Gregory. I wasn't looking for a job because I had one. But, Mr. Collens and Father Tracy insisted that my pace was with the Hearin Collens MOrtgage Corporation. Something made me say "yes" on that first visit. I was happy for it, my wife-to-be was happy, her parents were happy, every one was happy except the Glens Falls Insurance Company. I was fired before I had the opportunity to resign. Because my territory was building on the upswing, I didn't want anything to cause it to suffer, so before I intended to resign, I confided in my Chief Underwriter about my marriage and future job so that business in process would not bog down. In other words, smooth over the transition of me ultimately leaving. To my dissapointment, the Chief Underwriter told the Vice President about my plans within 24 hours and I was fired. I could have kept everything a secret, quit when I was ready, and not be worried about the work I left behind. But, that's not Simeo A. Gallo. And it never will be.