Maggie Cox likes to take it slow. On Sunday that is. Earlier if possible. But mainly on Sunday.
After that it’s all go, go, go. Making yellow lights, hitting deadlines and forging on. Patience…she’s working on it.
After recently being selected to lead the City of SLO’s Tourism Business Improvement District’s marketing efforts, the Barnett Cox & Associates president and CEO sat down with us to talk about her perfect Sunday, her dad, motivation, and smiling at the thought of Cuesta’s president.
Which personal quality do you like most?
I value integrity – not the rigid, immovable, righteous kind, but the kind you see every day in people who are just doing the right thing. People we can count on for being trustworthy, honest, committed and hard working. Those are the values I think add up to a person of integrity. And I love a great sense of humor in people – gotta be able to laugh. Humor creates a tether that connects us and helps get things done. Can you think of Gil Stork without smiling? That’s the power of humor.
Which personal quality are you working on?
Patience. I have very little and need a lot more. I want things to move fast and people to know what I mean or want despite my lack of explanation. I want first drafts to be fabulous. Drivers to gun it through yellow lights. I want no checks to be written in my line at Vons and I want only short voicemail messages. I want nail polish to dry faster. I’m already aggravated at how long it’s taking me to answer this question.
Which living person do you most admire?
I am in awe of my Dad, Jim Henderson, who just celebrated his 91st birthday. He is the quintessential Greatest Generation guy. I can’t begin to tell you all the challenges he’s faced and still has a positive outlook. WWII vet, family-first father of five, hardworking professional, active volunteer, bulletproof integrity and rock-solid values. Entered local politics at the age of 72 after my mom passed (and after 15 years of caring for her). Remarried. He cooks, he gardens, sends dozens of birthday and anniversary cards every month. He shows up and is still hard at it. Great sense of humor, unbeatable grasp of current events and all-around amazing guy. Utterly selfless. And by the way, he could have authored the “101 Uses of Duct Tape” book. I wish I’d hung on to the tennis shoe he repaired for my then-five year old.
What do you most admire in other people?
Tenacity, optimism and hard work. I’m at a place in life where the challenges just don’t stop – boatloads of devastating things happening or have happened to people I know and love. I’ve learned a lot about the power of forging on, taking things one day at a time, counting on friends and believing things will somehow be ok. No folding allowed.
What is your perfect Sunday?
Uneventful and easy: waking up to a gray day, leisurely reading of The Tribune and NY Times (hard copy, please, and in all honesty, the Times only on Sunday), and trading “get this” story comments with Dave. The weather clears, the day launches and some prepping-for-the-week-ahead task get checked off the list. Phone calls with daughter Caitlin (Washington DC) and Lindsay (Seattle) and then, boring but true, I love sitting in our back yard with a great book. Or a not-so-great one. No clockwatching. We nearly always end Sundays with dinner with friends or a movie to stave off the pre-Monday anxiety I’ve never outgrown.
After 20 years, what motivates you?
You are being kind calling it 20 years. I’ve logged a few more than that at work, but the motivation hasn’t changed: I love competition, working as a team and having fun. More than all of that, I most love working with Dave. He is my motivation. Sorry for the schmaltz finish, but it’s true.