Model Remodel last night celebrated the long, industrious, quality career of supervisor Rick Newell. After more than 10 years with Model Remodel as a supervisor, Rick is retiring. With sincere gratitude and affection, the company threw him a retirement party at Reuben’s Brews, complete with family and past employees.
Rick has a long history with Model Remodel. Owner Jason Legat knows Rick well, from growing up on Whidbey Island. Jason began swinging a hammer with him at the age of 14 and regularly refers to Rick as his mentor. By 2004, Jason had started Model Remodel, and Rick was ready to part with the demands of being a business owner. In an interesting role-reversal that the Wall Street Journal wrote about, Rick decided to join Model Remodel, and Jason became Rick’s boss.
The two men have worked together seamlessly since then, and Rick has been an invaluable part of the business. “Rick has not only been a mentor for most of my life,” Jason says, “but he has also been a great role model and friend. I have learned so much from him about how to treat clients, employees and all people with kindness and respect. To have worked with him over the last 30 years has truly been a blessing.”
Former employee Jason McCullough shared in an email, “Rick was my professor, mentor and plain old boss for most of the time I lived in beautiful Seattle, Washington. Those were my real developmental years in remodeling. Rick was hands on with everything and would answer questions or show me a better, less stupid way of doing just about anything. However, he taught me much more than trade skills; he taught me professionalism, work-life balance and how to take real pride in every part of everything one did.”
While Model Remodel will miss Rick dearly, everyone wishes him well in this new chapter of his life. He has certainly earned it!