Last week marked Rick Claggett's 10th anniversary with Watermark. In that time we've endured four direct-hit hurricanes and two recessions, participated in more than two dozen Pride events throughout Tampa Bay and Orlando, and attended”and produced”countless festivals and parties. We've watched as gay sex was decriminalized, gay marriage was legalized, and gay characters”and channels”exploded on television. And we've embraced unthinkable changes in the way we now consume information.
I first met Rick almost 20 years ago, when he attended meetings of the Delta Youth Alliance while on summer vacation from Mars Hill College in North Carolina. I was a facilitator, and even then noticed Rick's unique blend of dependability and ornery wit. When he applied for a part-time position as an administrative assistant I scooped him up, and he became almost immediately indispensible. His responsibilities grew to include distribution, billing, collections, equipment and physical plant maintenance, accounting, special events, ad placement and more. Rick's current title”Chief Financial Officer”aptly sums up his importance to the company and to me. In ten years, I've asked him to assume a million different responsibilities and he's never said “no.”
In that time Rick's also been an invaluable board member at the Metropolitan Business Association and committee chair with Come Out With Pride. And yet he's found time to produce our monthly Movies Out Loud series and annual WAVE Award parties. He's respected throughout the community, and most especially at Watermark.
