Final Speech at Laboratorios Clausen

My speech I planned to deliver on my last day at Clausen. They planned a small party with all of the employees for me. Unfortunately, I got very sick during the day and I had to leave early, so the party got cancelled. I emailed this speech instead.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thank you to all of you for making me feel so welcome over the past eleven weeks.
Gracias a todos ustedes por hacerme sentir tan bienvenido durante las últimas once semanas.

It seems like just yesterday that I arrived here at Clausen.
Parece que fue ayer que llegué aquí, a Clausen.

The day I arrived I felt alone in a country very far from my home.
El día que llegué me sentí solo en un país muy lejos de mi casa.

I was sick, surrounded by strangers, and overwhelmed with all the work I needed to do.
Yo estaba enfermo, rodeado de extraños, y abrumado con todo el trabajo que necesitaba hacer.


From your perspective, I am sure it was very strange too.
Desde su perspectiva, estoy seguro de que tambien era muy extraño.

Here I was, this gringo who knew nothing about Clausen or the pharmaceutical industry coming to give advice on how to improve the company.
Aquí estaba este gringo que no sabía nada acerca de Clausen o de la industria farmacéutica y que viene a dar consejos sobre cómo mejorar la empresa.

I didn’t even speak a word of Espanol!
Yo ni siquiera habla una palabra de español!


Something happened very quickly though.
We made progress and ideas and changes started happening.
Last week, I was putting together a list of all the accomplishments we have made over the last eleven weeks, and it is an impressive list!
I say “we” because this has been a group effort all along.
Without your help I would not have accomplished anything.
You deserve as much credit as I do for what we were able to do.


I want to specifically thank:
Gabriel, for introducing me to Clausen, showing incredible patience, intelligence, and concern. We shared many excellent conversations. Gabriel is the sort of boss that everyone wants to work for.

Leonardo, for taking the time to explain the intricacies of the pharmaceutical industry and trust me enough to ask for my opinion. You are a gentleman and it has been an honor to work with you.

Lucia and Gustavo, for supporting my proposals and giving me so many new ideas. You were both a big part of the success of this project. I don’t know how you found the time to attend my weekly meetings but they were so much better because you were there.

Adive, for your big smile, enthusiastic welcome, and the inside information on how the company was working. It was your suggestions that gave me the start I needed. It has been such a pleasure to see you every morning.

Cecilia, for taking the time to explain the intricacies of the production process even when there were a million other things going on that were more important.

Carlos, your positive attitude is infectious and I imagine that there are few problems you could not solve. The tour you gave me of the maintenance facilities was one of the highlights of my time here.

Gabriel Cassese, I have really enjoyed getting to know you and your team. Thank you for taking all the time to explain how Axapta works and the problems that lie ahead. I am sure with your talent and leadership you will be able to get to a solution.

Maria Noel, your energy and enthusiasm make you stand out. You have a mind to solve problems and I am expecting big things from you.

Patricia Vila, you took some of my ideas, combined them with your own, and did beautiful things with them. I love the quality committee slides that you made, I think they are a huge step forward for Clausen.

Matilda, who taught me how to make Mate even as she had so many other things going on.

And of course Maria who did everything she should could to make me feel so welcome. Maria, you are an incredible person and I could never thank you enough for all of your kindness.

I wish I had all afternoon to keep going as I have something to thank every one of you for if we had the time.

Clausen is a very special place and I am very honored to have the opportunity to work here, if only for a short time. I have worked with many companies and very few have the feeling of Clausen.


As Gabriel always says, Clausen is not a building or a slogan or even a product, Clausen is the people who work here.
Como siempre dice Gabriel, Clausen no es un edificio o un slogan, o un producto, Clausen es la gente que trabaja aquí.

Today, eleven weeks after arriving I feel as though I am a part of that.
Hoy, once semanas después de llegar me siento como si fuere parte de esto.

You opened up the door and invited me in.
Ustedes abrieron la puerta y me invitaron a entrar.

And for that I will always be grateful to all of you.
Y por es siempre voy a estar agradecido a todos ustedes.