Photos by Miller Taylor.

April 2015 CreativeMornings/Raleigh event (global theme: Humility) with guest speakers Mike and Megan Gilger, husband and wife creative team behind Wild Measure studio and The Fresh Exchange blog.

In 2009, Megan and Mike began their lifestyle and design blog, The Fresh Exchange Today, the blog reaches over a half million people everyday, inspiring creators of all kinds to pursue their dreams and live a beautiful and intentional life. The creative couple works together to create original content through photo, video, editorial writing, aesthetic curation, and social media. With a simple, natural, and organic nature to their content, Megan and Mike have had the opportunity to work with brands such as Smartwater, Bing, Gap, Madewell, Bota Box, Levi’s, Feedly, Kinfolk Magazine, Over, Warby Parker, Tuft & Needle, Shinola, and many others.

Special thanks to our host CAM Raleigh and sponsors CompostNow, Counter Culture Coffee, who generously provided us with complimentary coffee, Yellow Dog Bread Company, who provided the tasty breakfast snacks, and Raleigh Raw , who provided the healthy, cold-pressed juice.

If there is any advice Col. Kirk Gibbs can give to his successor, it is this: Lead with honor and humility.

As Gibbs, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District’s 61st commander, prepares to relinquish command of the LA District July 19 to Col. Aaron Barta, he offered up some advice and reflected on the past three years as the leader of one of the largest Corps districts in the country.

There are many things Gibbs said he is proud of when it comes to the LA District, but three things stand out: the District being recognized two years in a row as a "Best Place to Work" in the Corps; completing Weed Army Hospital at Fort Irwin, California – the Department of Defense’s only Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design-Platinum, carbon-neutral, net-zero certifiable hospital – on time and within budget; and the one-on-one time he was able to spend with employees in the District.

It is the people Gibbs said he will miss the most – the employees and the District’s close partners across the four-state area.

“I have never focused on relationships like I have here in this District, and I sincerely believe it is part of the District's culture,” he said. “When projects are tough, the close relationships get us through those challenges and ultimately deliver the program.”

During his time with the LA District, Gibbs has overseen a multimillion-dollar program that provides engineering, construction, planning, contracting, real estate, emergency operations, environmental and regulatory services to military, federal, state and local governments across a 226,000-square-mile area of Southern California, Nevada, Arizona and Utah. That also includes leading about 750 military and civilian personnel with a wide array of expertise.

But leading people is nothing new to Gibbs, who has served for more than 24 years as an active-duty Soldier, leading both military and civilian personnel.

“Each person is different, and I have learned that good leaders get to know each person individually and then lead them in a way that brings out the best in that employee,” he said.

Providing priorities and a solid intent on the District’s missions, particularly disaster response operations, helps employees stay focused on what’s really important, he said.

Gibbs will now serve as the chief of staff at the Corps’ headquarters in Washington, D.C. There, he said, he hopes to be an advocate for all of the Corps’ districts nationwide.

“I feel that this District and the great people are responsible for giving me the incredible opportunity of being the Corps’ chief of staff,” he said. “The people have taught me so much, and I will take that with me to make a positive impact on the Corps’ enterprise and help our Districts deliver our programs in civil works, military, Interagency and International Services, real estate and regulatory.”

Gibbs knows how the importance of mentors and having a good support system have played in shaping his career, and he credits his parents with instilling in him respect for others; his wife, Kim, who taught him to endure all challenges, no matter how great, with grace and dignity; and his former chief of staff – Col. Steve Hill – for giving him tough jobs to prepare him for success.

“(Hill) gave me tough jobs that I thought he could have done at the time, but as I look back, the toughest assignments he gave me in that civilian organization at the Corps headquarters prepared me for District command and enabled me to achieve the goal of commanding at the battalion, brigade and District levels,” he said. “I also remember he told me I would be a chief of staff for the Corps one day. He was preparing me for that. I didn't believe him, but that is my next job.”

And, as for additional advice he can share with Barta, Gibbs provided these words of wisdom:

- Be prepared to change leadership style when leading a District of professional civilians. Don't lead them in the same way as Soldiers;

- Engage with people and get around to see them across the District's entire area of operation. Don't sit behind a desk;

- Study hard initially and learn the policies, processes and programs. “You will never be the expert, but you must prepare yourself to make effective decisions as quickly as possible”;

- Always provide a commander's intent and an end state. The civilian workforce appreciates that; and, lastly,

- Lead with honor and humility. “It isn't about you. It is about the District's people and our vital mission.”

As for the future of the LA District, Gibbs said he hopes future leaders continue to change the culture to an organization that is more risk tolerant in streamlining processes and moving projects forward; deliver the Department of Veterans Affairs and Customs and Border Protection programs phenomenally – on time, within budget and to the highest quality; and to remain a "Best Place to Work" in order to retain and recruit talent to the high-cost living area of Southern California.

“I want the District to do what it always does and ‘knock those programs out of the park,’” he said.

Photos by Miller Taylor.

April 2015 CreativeMornings/Raleigh event (global theme: Humility) with guest speakers Mike and Megan Gilger, husband and wife creative team behind Wild Measure studio and The Fresh Exchange blog.

In 2009, Megan and Mike began their lifestyle and design blog, The Fresh Exchange Today, the blog reaches over a half million people everyday, inspiring creators of all kinds to pursue their dreams and live a beautiful and intentional life. The creative couple works together to create original content through photo, video, editorial writing, aesthetic curation, and social media. With a simple, natural, and organic nature to their content, Megan and Mike have had the opportunity to work with brands such as Smartwater, Bing, Gap, Madewell, Bota Box, Levi’s, Feedly, Kinfolk Magazine, Over, Warby Parker, Tuft & Needle, Shinola, and many others.

Special thanks to our host CAM Raleigh and sponsors CompostNow, Counter Culture Coffee, who generously provided us with complimentary coffee, Yellow Dog Bread Company, who provided the tasty breakfast snacks, and Raleigh Raw , who provided the healthy, cold-pressed juice.

If there is any advice Col. Kirk Gibbs can give to his successor, it is this: Lead with honor and humility.

As Gibbs, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District’s 61st commander, prepares to relinquish command of the LA District July 19 to Col. Aaron Barta, he offered up some advice and reflected on the past three years as the leader of one of the largest Corps districts in the country.

There are many things Gibbs said he is proud of when it comes to the LA District, but three things stand out: the District being recognized two years in a row as a "Best Place to Work" in the Corps; completing Weed Army Hospital at Fort Irwin, California – the Department of Defense’s only Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design-Platinum, carbon-neutral, net-zero certifiable hospital – on time and within budget; and the one-on-one time he was able to spend with employees in the District.

It is the people Gibbs said he will miss the most – the employees and the District’s close partners across the four-state area.

“I have never focused on relationships like I have here in this District, and I sincerely believe it is part of the District's culture,” he said. “When projects are tough, the close relationships get us through those challenges and ultimately deliver the program.”

During his time with the LA District, Gibbs has overseen a multimillion-dollar program that provides engineering, construction, planning, contracting, real estate, emergency operations, environmental and regulatory services to military, federal, state and local governments across a 226,000-square-mile area of Southern California, Nevada, Arizona and Utah. That also includes leading about 750 military and civilian personnel with a wide array of expertise.

But leading people is nothing new to Gibbs, who has served for more than 24 years as an active-duty Soldier, leading both military and civilian personnel.

“Each person is different, and I have learned that good leaders get to know each person individually and then lead them in a way that brings out the best in that employee,” he said.

Providing priorities and a solid intent on the District’s missions, particularly disaster response operations, helps employees stay focused on what’s really important, he said.

Gibbs will now serve as the chief of staff at the Corps’ headquarters in Washington, D.C. There, he said, he hopes to be an advocate for all of the Corps’ districts nationwide.

“I feel that this District and the great people are responsible for giving me the incredible opportunity of being the Corps’ chief of staff,” he said. “The people have taught me so much, and I will take that with me to make a positive impact on the Corps’ enterprise and help our Districts deliver our programs in civil works, military, Interagency and International Services, real estate and regulatory.”

Gibbs knows how the importance of mentors and having a good support system have played in shaping his career, and he credits his parents with instilling in him respect for others; his wife, Kim, who taught him to endure all challenges, no matter how great, with grace and dignity; and his former chief of staff – Col. Steve Hill – for giving him tough jobs to prepare him for success.

“(Hill) gave me tough jobs that I thought he could have done at the time, but as I look back, the toughest assignments he gave me in that civilian organization at the Corps headquarters prepared me for District command and enabled me to achieve the goal of commanding at the battalion, brigade and District levels,” he said. “I also remember he told me I would be a chief of staff for the Corps one day. He was preparing me for that. I didn't believe him, but that is my next job.”

And, as for additional advice he can share with Barta, Gibbs provided these words of wisdom:

- Be prepared to change leadership style when leading a District of professional civilians. Don't lead them in the same way as Soldiers;

- Engage with people and get around to see them across the District's entire area of operation. Don't sit behind a desk;

- Study hard initially and learn the policies, processes and programs. “You will never be the expert, but you must prepare yourself to make effective decisions as quickly as possible”;

- Always provide a commander's intent and an end state. The civilian workforce appreciates that; and, lastly,

- Lead with honor and humility. “It isn't about you. It is about the District's people and our vital mission.”

As for the future of the LA District, Gibbs said he hopes future leaders continue to change the culture to an organization that is more risk tolerant in streamlining processes and moving projects forward; deliver the Department of Veterans Affairs and Customs and Border Protection programs phenomenally – on time, within budget and to the highest quality; and to remain a "Best Place to Work" in order to retain and recruit talent to the high-cost living area of Southern California.

“I want the District to do what it always does and ‘knock those programs out of the park,’” he said.

Then women gathered altogether...and in realizing that Motherly Love truly saves Humanity, and humbles all men...then they saw all the wickedness thereis in the world...and with firmness that women united to uphold the Holy Virtues of Humility, Love, Peace and Joy in Humanity...

The early 15c south door "humility" entrance, believed to probably be the finest carved door in the county. It has Tudor roses, crockets and rich canopies. The Knowles shield is set between the emblems of St Luke and St John.

The South door is perpendicular and is probably the finest carved door in the county and one of the best in the whole country. It has tudor roses, crockets and rich canopies. The wicket is traceried and has signs of St Luke and St John. There are niches running from the sill of the door with mutilated figures of Saints and the Four Doctors of the Church (Gregory, Jerome, Ambrose, & Augustine). There is a lion at the bottom of the door and a stag at the East side.

www.ggmbenefice.uk/our-churches/harpley/harpley-church-hi...

Virgin of Humility and Angel (1360) by Don Silvestro Dei Gherarducci - Accademia Florence 09/09/2015

If there is any advice Col. Kirk Gibbs can give to his successor, it is this: Lead with honor and humility.

As Gibbs, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District’s 61st commander, prepares to relinquish command of the LA District July 19 to Col. Aaron Barta, he offered up some advice and reflected on the past three years as the leader of one of the largest Corps districts in the country.

There are many things Gibbs said he is proud of when it comes to the LA District, but three things stand out: the District being recognized two years in a row as a "Best Place to Work" in the Corps; completing Weed Army Hospital at Fort Irwin, California – the Department of Defense’s only Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design-Platinum, carbon-neutral, net-zero certifiable hospital – on time and within budget; and the one-on-one time he was able to spend with employees in the District.

It is the people Gibbs said he will miss the most – the employees and the District’s close partners across the four-state area.

“I have never focused on relationships like I have here in this District, and I sincerely believe it is part of the District's culture,” he said. “When projects are tough, the close relationships get us through those challenges and ultimately deliver the program.”

During his time with the LA District, Gibbs has overseen a multimillion-dollar program that provides engineering, construction, planning, contracting, real estate, emergency operations, environmental and regulatory services to military, federal, state and local governments across a 226,000-square-mile area of Southern California, Nevada, Arizona and Utah. That also includes leading about 750 military and civilian personnel with a wide array of expertise.

But leading people is nothing new to Gibbs, who has served for more than 24 years as an active-duty Soldier, leading both military and civilian personnel.

“Each person is different, and I have learned that good leaders get to know each person individually and then lead them in a way that brings out the best in that employee,” he said.

Providing priorities and a solid intent on the District’s missions, particularly disaster response operations, helps employees stay focused on what’s really important, he said.

Gibbs will now serve as the chief of staff at the Corps’ headquarters in Washington, D.C. There, he said, he hopes to be an advocate for all of the Corps’ districts nationwide.

“I feel that this District and the great people are responsible for giving me the incredible opportunity of being the Corps’ chief of staff,” he said. “The people have taught me so much, and I will take that with me to make a positive impact on the Corps’ enterprise and help our Districts deliver our programs in civil works, military, Interagency and International Services, real estate and regulatory.”

Gibbs knows how the importance of mentors and having a good support system have played in shaping his career, and he credits his parents with instilling in him respect for others; his wife, Kim, who taught him to endure all challenges, no matter how great, with grace and dignity; and his former chief of staff – Col. Steve Hill – for giving him tough jobs to prepare him for success.

“(Hill) gave me tough jobs that I thought he could have done at the time, but as I look back, the toughest assignments he gave me in that civilian organization at the Corps headquarters prepared me for District command and enabled me to achieve the goal of commanding at the battalion, brigade and District levels,” he said. “I also remember he told me I would be a chief of staff for the Corps one day. He was preparing me for that. I didn't believe him, but that is my next job.”

And, as for additional advice he can share with Barta, Gibbs provided these words of wisdom:

- Be prepared to change leadership style when leading a District of professional civilians. Don't lead them in the same way as Soldiers;

- Engage with people and get around to see them across the District's entire area of operation. Don't sit behind a desk;

- Study hard initially and learn the policies, processes and programs. “You will never be the expert, but you must prepare yourself to make effective decisions as quickly as possible”;

- Always provide a commander's intent and an end state. The civilian workforce appreciates that; and, lastly,

- Lead with honor and humility. “It isn't about you. It is about the District's people and our vital mission.”

As for the future of the LA District, Gibbs said he hopes future leaders continue to change the culture to an organization that is more risk tolerant in streamlining processes and moving projects forward; deliver the Department of Veterans Affairs and Customs and Border Protection programs phenomenally – on time, within budget and to the highest quality; and to remain a "Best Place to Work" in order to retain and recruit talent to the high-cost living area of Southern California.

“I want the District to do what it always does and ‘knock those programs out of the park,’” he said.

Humility is the noble choice to forgo your status, deploy your resources or use your influence for the good of others before yourself.

If there is any advice Col. Kirk Gibbs can give to his successor, it is this: Lead with honor and humility.

As Gibbs, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District’s 61st commander, prepares to relinquish command of the LA District July 19 to Col. Aaron Barta, he offered up some advice and reflected on the past three years as the leader of one of the largest Corps districts in the country.

There are many things Gibbs said he is proud of when it comes to the LA District, but three things stand out: the District being recognized two years in a row as a "Best Place to Work" in the Corps; completing Weed Army Hospital at Fort Irwin, California – the Department of Defense’s only Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design-Platinum, carbon-neutral, net-zero certifiable hospital – on time and within budget; and the one-on-one time he was able to spend with employees in the District.

It is the people Gibbs said he will miss the most – the employees and the District’s close partners across the four-state area.

“I have never focused on relationships like I have here in this District, and I sincerely believe it is part of the District's culture,” he said. “When projects are tough, the close relationships get us through those challenges and ultimately deliver the program.”

During his time with the LA District, Gibbs has overseen a multimillion-dollar program that provides engineering, construction, planning, contracting, real estate, emergency operations, environmental and regulatory services to military, federal, state and local governments across a 226,000-square-mile area of Southern California, Nevada, Arizona and Utah. That also includes leading about 750 military and civilian personnel with a wide array of expertise.

But leading people is nothing new to Gibbs, who has served for more than 24 years as an active-duty Soldier, leading both military and civilian personnel.

“Each person is different, and I have learned that good leaders get to know each person individually and then lead them in a way that brings out the best in that employee,” he said.

Providing priorities and a solid intent on the District’s missions, particularly disaster response operations, helps employees stay focused on what’s really important, he said.

Gibbs will now serve as the chief of staff at the Corps’ headquarters in Washington, D.C. There, he said, he hopes to be an advocate for all of the Corps’ districts nationwide.

“I feel that this District and the great people are responsible for giving me the incredible opportunity of being the Corps’ chief of staff,” he said. “The people have taught me so much, and I will take that with me to make a positive impact on the Corps’ enterprise and help our Districts deliver our programs in civil works, military, Interagency and International Services, real estate and regulatory.”

Gibbs knows how the importance of mentors and having a good support system have played in shaping his career, and he credits his parents with instilling in him respect for others; his wife, Kim, who taught him to endure all challenges, no matter how great, with grace and dignity; and his former chief of staff – Col. Steve Hill – for giving him tough jobs to prepare him for success.

“(Hill) gave me tough jobs that I thought he could have done at the time, but as I look back, the toughest assignments he gave me in that civilian organization at the Corps headquarters prepared me for District command and enabled me to achieve the goal of commanding at the battalion, brigade and District levels,” he said. “I also remember he told me I would be a chief of staff for the Corps one day. He was preparing me for that. I didn't believe him, but that is my next job.”

And, as for additional advice he can share with Barta, Gibbs provided these words of wisdom:

- Be prepared to change leadership style when leading a District of professional civilians. Don't lead them in the same way as Soldiers;

- Engage with people and get around to see them across the District's entire area of operation. Don't sit behind a desk;

- Study hard initially and learn the policies, processes and programs. “You will never be the expert, but you must prepare yourself to make effective decisions as quickly as possible”;

- Always provide a commander's intent and an end state. The civilian workforce appreciates that; and, lastly,

- Lead with honor and humility. “It isn't about you. It is about the District's people and our vital mission.”

As for the future of the LA District, Gibbs said he hopes future leaders continue to change the culture to an organization that is more risk tolerant in streamlining processes and moving projects forward; deliver the Department of Veterans Affairs and Customs and Border Protection programs phenomenally – on time, within budget and to the highest quality; and to remain a "Best Place to Work" in order to retain and recruit talent to the high-cost living area of Southern California.

“I want the District to do what it always does and ‘knock those programs out of the park,’” he said.

If there is any advice Col. Kirk Gibbs can give to his successor, it is this: Lead with honor and humility.

As Gibbs, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District’s 61st commander, prepares to relinquish command of the LA District July 19 to Col. Aaron Barta, he offered up some advice and reflected on the past three years as the leader of one of the largest Corps districts in the country.

There are many things Gibbs said he is proud of when it comes to the LA District, but three things stand out: the District being recognized two years in a row as a "Best Place to Work" in the Corps; completing Weed Army Hospital at Fort Irwin, California – the Department of Defense’s only Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design-Platinum, carbon-neutral, net-zero certifiable hospital – on time and within budget; and the one-on-one time he was able to spend with employees in the District.

It is the people Gibbs said he will miss the most – the employees and the District’s close partners across the four-state area.

“I have never focused on relationships like I have here in this District, and I sincerely believe it is part of the District's culture,” he said. “When projects are tough, the close relationships get us through those challenges and ultimately deliver the program.”

During his time with the LA District, Gibbs has overseen a multimillion-dollar program that provides engineering, construction, planning, contracting, real estate, emergency operations, environmental and regulatory services to military, federal, state and local governments across a 226,000-square-mile area of Southern California, Nevada, Arizona and Utah. That also includes leading about 750 military and civilian personnel with a wide array of expertise.

But leading people is nothing new to Gibbs, who has served for more than 24 years as an active-duty Soldier, leading both military and civilian personnel.

“Each person is different, and I have learned that good leaders get to know each person individually and then lead them in a way that brings out the best in that employee,” he said.

Providing priorities and a solid intent on the District’s missions, particularly disaster response operations, helps employees stay focused on what’s really important, he said.

Gibbs will now serve as the chief of staff at the Corps’ headquarters in Washington, D.C. There, he said, he hopes to be an advocate for all of the Corps’ districts nationwide.

“I feel that this District and the great people are responsible for giving me the incredible opportunity of being the Corps’ chief of staff,” he said. “The people have taught me so much, and I will take that with me to make a positive impact on the Corps’ enterprise and help our Districts deliver our programs in civil works, military, Interagency and International Services, real estate and regulatory.”

Gibbs knows how the importance of mentors and having a good support system have played in shaping his career, and he credits his parents with instilling in him respect for others; his wife, Kim, who taught him to endure all challenges, no matter how great, with grace and dignity; and his former chief of staff – Col. Steve Hill – for giving him tough jobs to prepare him for success.

“(Hill) gave me tough jobs that I thought he could have done at the time, but as I look back, the toughest assignments he gave me in that civilian organization at the Corps headquarters prepared me for District command and enabled me to achieve the goal of commanding at the battalion, brigade and District levels,” he said. “I also remember he told me I would be a chief of staff for the Corps one day. He was preparing me for that. I didn't believe him, but that is my next job.”

And, as for additional advice he can share with Barta, Gibbs provided these words of wisdom:

- Be prepared to change leadership style when leading a District of professional civilians. Don't lead them in the same way as Soldiers;

- Engage with people and get around to see them across the District's entire area of operation. Don't sit behind a desk;

- Study hard initially and learn the policies, processes and programs. “You will never be the expert, but you must prepare yourself to make effective decisions as quickly as possible”;

- Always provide a commander's intent and an end state. The civilian workforce appreciates that; and, lastly,

- Lead with honor and humility. “It isn't about you. It is about the District's people and our vital mission.”

As for the future of the LA District, Gibbs said he hopes future leaders continue to change the culture to an organization that is more risk tolerant in streamlining processes and moving projects forward; deliver the Department of Veterans Affairs and Customs and Border Protection programs phenomenally – on time, within budget and to the highest quality; and to remain a "Best Place to Work" in order to retain and recruit talent to the high-cost living area of Southern California.

“I want the District to do what it always does and ‘knock those programs out of the park,’” he said.

If there is any advice Col. Kirk Gibbs can give to his successor, it is this: Lead with honor and humility.

As Gibbs, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District’s 61st commander, prepares to relinquish command of the LA District July 19 to Col. Aaron Barta, he offered up some advice and reflected on the past three years as the leader of one of the largest Corps districts in the country.

There are many things Gibbs said he is proud of when it comes to the LA District, but three things stand out: the District being recognized two years in a row as a "Best Place to Work" in the Corps; completing Weed Army Hospital at Fort Irwin, California – the Department of Defense’s only Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design-Platinum, carbon-neutral, net-zero certifiable hospital – on time and within budget; and the one-on-one time he was able to spend with employees in the District.

It is the people Gibbs said he will miss the most – the employees and the District’s close partners across the four-state area.

“I have never focused on relationships like I have here in this District, and I sincerely believe it is part of the District's culture,” he said. “When projects are tough, the close relationships get us through those challenges and ultimately deliver the program.”

During his time with the LA District, Gibbs has overseen a multimillion-dollar program that provides engineering, construction, planning, contracting, real estate, emergency operations, environmental and regulatory services to military, federal, state and local governments across a 226,000-square-mile area of Southern California, Nevada, Arizona and Utah. That also includes leading about 750 military and civilian personnel with a wide array of expertise.

But leading people is nothing new to Gibbs, who has served for more than 24 years as an active-duty Soldier, leading both military and civilian personnel.

“Each person is different, and I have learned that good leaders get to know each person individually and then lead them in a way that brings out the best in that employee,” he said.

Providing priorities and a solid intent on the District’s missions, particularly disaster response operations, helps employees stay focused on what’s really important, he said.

Gibbs will now serve as the chief of staff at the Corps’ headquarters in Washington, D.C. There, he said, he hopes to be an advocate for all of the Corps’ districts nationwide.

“I feel that this District and the great people are responsible for giving me the incredible opportunity of being the Corps’ chief of staff,” he said. “The people have taught me so much, and I will take that with me to make a positive impact on the Corps’ enterprise and help our Districts deliver our programs in civil works, military, Interagency and International Services, real estate and regulatory.”

Gibbs knows how the importance of mentors and having a good support system have played in shaping his career, and he credits his parents with instilling in him respect for others; his wife, Kim, who taught him to endure all challenges, no matter how great, with grace and dignity; and his former chief of staff – Col. Steve Hill – for giving him tough jobs to prepare him for success.

“(Hill) gave me tough jobs that I thought he could have done at the time, but as I look back, the toughest assignments he gave me in that civilian organization at the Corps headquarters prepared me for District command and enabled me to achieve the goal of commanding at the battalion, brigade and District levels,” he said. “I also remember he told me I would be a chief of staff for the Corps one day. He was preparing me for that. I didn't believe him, but that is my next job.”

And, as for additional advice he can share with Barta, Gibbs provided these words of wisdom:

- Be prepared to change leadership style when leading a District of professional civilians. Don't lead them in the same way as Soldiers;

- Engage with people and get around to see them across the District's entire area of operation. Don't sit behind a desk;

- Study hard initially and learn the policies, processes and programs. “You will never be the expert, but you must prepare yourself to make effective decisions as quickly as possible”;

- Always provide a commander's intent and an end state. The civilian workforce appreciates that; and, lastly,

- Lead with honor and humility. “It isn't about you. It is about the District's people and our vital mission.”

As for the future of the LA District, Gibbs said he hopes future leaders continue to change the culture to an organization that is more risk tolerant in streamlining processes and moving projects forward; deliver the Department of Veterans Affairs and Customs and Border Protection programs phenomenally – on time, within budget and to the highest quality; and to remain a "Best Place to Work" in order to retain and recruit talent to the high-cost living area of Southern California.

“I want the District to do what it always does and ‘knock those programs out of the park,’” he said.

Then all men in the world realized the Truth about Love and Peace...when Humanity is suffering all because of men's desires for wealth, power and fame...that many men suffer from selfishness and pride...then they listened to the women...in humility that Humanity be healed forever through Family Love...

If there is any advice Col. Kirk Gibbs can give to his successor, it is this: Lead with honor and humility.

As Gibbs, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District’s 61st commander, prepares to relinquish command of the LA District July 19 to Col. Aaron Barta, he offered up some advice and reflected on the past three years as the leader of one of the largest Corps districts in the country.

There are many things Gibbs said he is proud of when it comes to the LA District, but three things stand out: the District being recognized two years in a row as a "Best Place to Work" in the Corps; completing Weed Army Hospital at Fort Irwin, California – the Department of Defense’s only Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design-Platinum, carbon-neutral, net-zero certifiable hospital – on time and within budget; and the one-on-one time he was able to spend with employees in the District.

It is the people Gibbs said he will miss the most – the employees and the District’s close partners across the four-state area.

“I have never focused on relationships like I have here in this District, and I sincerely believe it is part of the District's culture,” he said. “When projects are tough, the close relationships get us through those challenges and ultimately deliver the program.”

During his time with the LA District, Gibbs has overseen a multimillion-dollar program that provides engineering, construction, planning, contracting, real estate, emergency operations, environmental and regulatory services to military, federal, state and local governments across a 226,000-square-mile area of Southern California, Nevada, Arizona and Utah. That also includes leading about 750 military and civilian personnel with a wide array of expertise.

But leading people is nothing new to Gibbs, who has served for more than 24 years as an active-duty Soldier, leading both military and civilian personnel.

“Each person is different, and I have learned that good leaders get to know each person individually and then lead them in a way that brings out the best in that employee,” he said.

Providing priorities and a solid intent on the District’s missions, particularly disaster response operations, helps employees stay focused on what’s really important, he said.

Gibbs will now serve as the chief of staff at the Corps’ headquarters in Washington, D.C. There, he said, he hopes to be an advocate for all of the Corps’ districts nationwide.

“I feel that this District and the great people are responsible for giving me the incredible opportunity of being the Corps’ chief of staff,” he said. “The people have taught me so much, and I will take that with me to make a positive impact on the Corps’ enterprise and help our Districts deliver our programs in civil works, military, Interagency and International Services, real estate and regulatory.”

Gibbs knows how the importance of mentors and having a good support system have played in shaping his career, and he credits his parents with instilling in him respect for others; his wife, Kim, who taught him to endure all challenges, no matter how great, with grace and dignity; and his former chief of staff – Col. Steve Hill – for giving him tough jobs to prepare him for success.

“(Hill) gave me tough jobs that I thought he could have done at the time, but as I look back, the toughest assignments he gave me in that civilian organization at the Corps headquarters prepared me for District command and enabled me to achieve the goal of commanding at the battalion, brigade and District levels,” he said. “I also remember he told me I would be a chief of staff for the Corps one day. He was preparing me for that. I didn't believe him, but that is my next job.”

And, as for additional advice he can share with Barta, Gibbs provided these words of wisdom:

- Be prepared to change leadership style when leading a District of professional civilians. Don't lead them in the same way as Soldiers;

- Engage with people and get around to see them across the District's entire area of operation. Don't sit behind a desk;

- Study hard initially and learn the policies, processes and programs. “You will never be the expert, but you must prepare yourself to make effective decisions as quickly as possible”;

- Always provide a commander's intent and an end state. The civilian workforce appreciates that; and, lastly,

- Lead with honor and humility. “It isn't about you. It is about the District's people and our vital mission.”

As for the future of the LA District, Gibbs said he hopes future leaders continue to change the culture to an organization that is more risk tolerant in streamlining processes and moving projects forward; deliver the Department of Veterans Affairs and Customs and Border Protection programs phenomenally – on time, within budget and to the highest quality; and to remain a "Best Place to Work" in order to retain and recruit talent to the high-cost living area of Southern California.

“I want the District to do what it always does and ‘knock those programs out of the park,’” he said.

Humus is more important than art, money, or success. Humanity depends on intact ecosystems and fertile soil. Humility and responsibility will help our species survive.

Credit: Juan Pablo Diaz

The Magnificat window by Lawrence Lee, installed in the north aisle at Moseley in 1981. The complex design features Mary in the centre light,as the expectant mother below uttering the words of her prayer, the Magnificat at the Annunciation, and shown again with her son above. On either side are images reminiscent of the medieval wheel of fortune, also echoing the words of the prayer with the humble rewarded (right) and the rich and powerful falling (left).

St Mary's in Moseley is of medieval origin, but all that survives is the early 16th century west tower, now somewhat dwarfed by the much larger body of the church, gradually rebuilt by J.A. & P.B. Chatwin between 1886 and 1910 (no evidence now remains of the previous rebuildings in 1780 and 1823-4).

The church suffered some bomb damage during World War II, the main casualty being the Victorian stained glass, only the south aisle windows (mainly by Kempe) survived untouched (traceries and isolated elements remain elsewhere).

After the war the east end was reglazed by Hardmans, but the most significant piece of stained glass appeared in 1981 with the installation of Lawrence Lee's Magnificat window in the north aisle.

The church sits in a busy part of suburban Birmingham and is only open to visitors between 10-12 on some weekday mornings.

www.stmarysmoseley.co.uk/history/whattoseestm.htm

If there is any advice Col. Kirk Gibbs can give to his successor, it is this: Lead with honor and humility.

As Gibbs, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District’s 61st commander, prepares to relinquish command of the LA District July 19 to Col. Aaron Barta, he offered up some advice and reflected on the past three years as the leader of one of the largest Corps districts in the country.

There are many things Gibbs said he is proud of when it comes to the LA District, but three things stand out: the District being recognized two years in a row as a "Best Place to Work" in the Corps; completing Weed Army Hospital at Fort Irwin, California – the Department of Defense’s only Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design-Platinum, carbon-neutral, net-zero certifiable hospital – on time and within budget; and the one-on-one time he was able to spend with employees in the District.

It is the people Gibbs said he will miss the most – the employees and the District’s close partners across the four-state area.

“I have never focused on relationships like I have here in this District, and I sincerely believe it is part of the District's culture,” he said. “When projects are tough, the close relationships get us through those challenges and ultimately deliver the program.”

During his time with the LA District, Gibbs has overseen a multimillion-dollar program that provides engineering, construction, planning, contracting, real estate, emergency operations, environmental and regulatory services to military, federal, state and local governments across a 226,000-square-mile area of Southern California, Nevada, Arizona and Utah. That also includes leading about 750 military and civilian personnel with a wide array of expertise.

But leading people is nothing new to Gibbs, who has served for more than 24 years as an active-duty Soldier, leading both military and civilian personnel.

“Each person is different, and I have learned that good leaders get to know each person individually and then lead them in a way that brings out the best in that employee,” he said.

Providing priorities and a solid intent on the District’s missions, particularly disaster response operations, helps employees stay focused on what’s really important, he said.

Gibbs will now serve as the chief of staff at the Corps’ headquarters in Washington, D.C. There, he said, he hopes to be an advocate for all of the Corps’ districts nationwide.

“I feel that this District and the great people are responsible for giving me the incredible opportunity of being the Corps’ chief of staff,” he said. “The people have taught me so much, and I will take that with me to make a positive impact on the Corps’ enterprise and help our Districts deliver our programs in civil works, military, Interagency and International Services, real estate and regulatory.”

Gibbs knows how the importance of mentors and having a good support system have played in shaping his career, and he credits his parents with instilling in him respect for others; his wife, Kim, who taught him to endure all challenges, no matter how great, with grace and dignity; and his former chief of staff – Col. Steve Hill – for giving him tough jobs to prepare him for success.

“(Hill) gave me tough jobs that I thought he could have done at the time, but as I look back, the toughest assignments he gave me in that civilian organization at the Corps headquarters prepared me for District command and enabled me to achieve the goal of commanding at the battalion, brigade and District levels,” he said. “I also remember he told me I would be a chief of staff for the Corps one day. He was preparing me for that. I didn't believe him, but that is my next job.”

And, as for additional advice he can share with Barta, Gibbs provided these words of wisdom:

- Be prepared to change leadership style when leading a District of professional civilians. Don't lead them in the same way as Soldiers;

- Engage with people and get around to see them across the District's entire area of operation. Don't sit behind a desk;

- Study hard initially and learn the policies, processes and programs. “You will never be the expert, but you must prepare yourself to make effective decisions as quickly as possible”;

- Always provide a commander's intent and an end state. The civilian workforce appreciates that; and, lastly,

- Lead with honor and humility. “It isn't about you. It is about the District's people and our vital mission.”

As for the future of the LA District, Gibbs said he hopes future leaders continue to change the culture to an organization that is more risk tolerant in streamlining processes and moving projects forward; deliver the Department of Veterans Affairs and Customs and Border Protection programs phenomenally – on time, within budget and to the highest quality; and to remain a "Best Place to Work" in order to retain and recruit talent to the high-cost living area of Southern California.

“I want the District to do what it always does and ‘knock those programs out of the park,’” he said.

September 22 is the day grades 4 to 10 celebrate Science and Math Week with a fun academic contest to bring out their competitive spirit and motivate them to learn more about these two major subjects. The event is a quiz bee type game that tests the student’s general knowledge of science and math. Students are formed into groups of four (for high school) and five (for grade school) to emphasize cooperation and teamwork

Photo credits to Michelle Ann Villacorta, China Lorenzo, and Louisiana Sollestre

Grades 4 to 6 Winners

1st Place

TEAM GRAHAM BELL (Blue Shrit)

1. Stephen Matthew G. Ibañez (Grade 4 Charity)

2. Aldrin O. Paltao (Grade 5 Honesty)

3. Samantha Ashley A. San Juan (Grade 5 Happiness)

4. Chrizelle Anne R. Gavino (Grade 6 Humility)

5. John Patrick M. Esmeria (Grade 6 Generosity)

2nd Place

TEAM MENDEL (Black Shirt)

1. Lhance Ivan B. Lachica (Grade 4 Charity)

2. Christine Anne R. Gavino (Grade 5 Happiness)

3. Eulian Joshua F. Del Rosario (Grade 5 Honesty)

4. Nigel Louis M. Galang (Grade 6 Humility)

5. Donita Mae F Manlunas (Grade 6 Generosity)

3rd Place

TEAM MAXWELL (Yellow shirt)

1. Mila Angelica R. Terrado (Grade 4 Charity)

2. Trisha Gail M. Esmeria (Grade 5 Happiness)

3. Jarro Uriel M. Colonzo (Grade 6 Honesty)

4. Iris Francheska L. Bautista (Grade 6 Humility)

5. Arabella R. Saculo (Grade 6 Generosity)

High School Winners

1st Place

TEAM THOMPSON

1. Julienne Allyah Legutan (Grade 8 Aristotle)

2. Kenneth Pedigan (Grade 9 Newton)

3. Roselle Estrada (Grade Fourth Year Einstein)

4. Venedict Doroteo (Grade 7 Galileo)

2nd Place

TEAM DALTON

1. Jason Tormon (Fourth Year Einstein)

2. Danica Janelle Dizon (Grade 8 Aristotle)

3. Sophia Chua (Grade 9 Newton)

4. Jarren Seltiel Calonzo (Grade 7 Galileo)

3rd Place

TEAM CHADWICK

1. Louisiana Sollestre (Fourth Year Einstein)

2. Roma Reign Molina (Grade 8 Aristotle)

3. Neithan Abreu (Grade 9 Newton)

4. Don Luis Diaz (Grade 7 Galileo)

Congratulations to all the winners!

This post is all about re-thinking about the things that have been so deeply imprinted on to our brains. Re-thinking, re-considering and re-analysing what we've accepted as 'facts'. The 'obvious' stuff that have been taught for generations.

Our religions teach us one thing. Budhism, Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, whatever- they all teach us one thing. Humility. You see, there's always something beyond the understanding of human brain. There's always something that the human brain can't reason out, something that the human mind can't fit into what's been considered 'logic'.

Now obviously, there are differences. The culture followed by people who follow Hinduism will obviously be different from that of those who follow Islam, which in turn will be different from that of those people who follow Budhism. But apart from differences that are on the surface, they're all fundamentally the same. They all tell us that there's some force beyond our control. There's only so much that man can control. Man may be able to harvest the energy of the sun. He may be able to split the atom. He may be able to colonise other planets. But he'll never be able to find how life came into existence. He will never find why some things happen without any 'logical' reason. He will never be able to find why some people face troubles in life and others enjoy their life in complete luxury. He will never grow tired of how each baby born resembles its parent. He will never grow tired of watching beautiful sunrises and sunsets.

You see, religion doesn't end with the mosque. Infact, it begins there. Religion teaches you not to spend hours praying and preaching God's name- be it Allah, Brahma, or Buddha. It teaches you to have compassion for others. Religion doesn't teach you to fire guns at others just because they don't follow your religion and are talking bad about your religion. It teaches you to use your abilities to prove them wrong, by doing something constructively. Religion doesn't teach you to abuse and talk rubbish about others becayuse they don't accept your religion. Instead, it teaches you to do your best and let the work do the talking.

I saw this Ted talk (www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzkFoetp-_M) given by a muslim woman named Dalia, who lives in the U.S, who spoke about how 9/11 changed her perspective on religion. She was locked in a dilemna about whether she has to take her family to the mosque on a friday after 9/11, because Americans were raged by the terrorism brought about by a few terrorists who claimed to be muslims, or to fight the false clouds created by a few selfish people. But as she says in the Ted talk, she chose to go to the mosque on the friday that followed 9/11 only to see that several other muslims and non muslims gathered there to not attack them, but stand with them in solidarity. That is the power of religion. That coming together is what religion teaches us. That is when a religion truly suceeds.

But religion is also about maturity. It's about how you behave, think and react in a matured way. I've seen muslims that behave arrogantly, but I've also seen brahmins behave in an indecent way. So there's no religion thats superior to another. Some may be older than others, but none is superior to the other.

Coming to the most important takeaway here, life is the most beautiful thing that has happened in this universe. Just imagine- billions of stars, trillions of planets, and life was born on to this planet. And so far, it's been this planet alone. In a universe that seemingly doesn't have limits. That too, for 14.5 billion years, we believe there's been one occurrence of life, on this planet. So having such a beautiful gift, how mad would it be to fight over silly things like religion? How stupid is it to blame a religion just because a few people involve themselves in terrorism? We need to appreciate our religion, and that of others. We need to respect others' religious beliefs. Surely, we can do better, just that we don't try, and we feel guilty about it.

Photos by Miller Taylor.

April 2015 CreativeMornings/Raleigh event (global theme: Humility) with guest speakers Mike and Megan Gilger, husband and wife creative team behind Wild Measure studio and The Fresh Exchange blog.

In 2009, Megan and Mike began their lifestyle and design blog, The Fresh Exchange Today, the blog reaches over a half million people everyday, inspiring creators of all kinds to pursue their dreams and live a beautiful and intentional life. The creative couple works together to create original content through photo, video, editorial writing, aesthetic curation, and social media. With a simple, natural, and organic nature to their content, Megan and Mike have had the opportunity to work with brands such as Smartwater, Bing, Gap, Madewell, Bota Box, Levi’s, Feedly, Kinfolk Magazine, Over, Warby Parker, Tuft & Needle, Shinola, and many others.

Special thanks to our host CAM Raleigh and sponsors CompostNow, Counter Culture Coffee, who generously provided us with complimentary coffee, Yellow Dog Bread Company, who provided the tasty breakfast snacks, and Raleigh Raw , who provided the healthy, cold-pressed juice.

We believe success without humility is not success. We believe our work and our company thrive because we respect others and live by the notion that our success is not special, it just is. We are proud and confident, but not particularly boastful. We share responsibility and credit and we try to treat others as we wish to be treated.

After all, in the grand scheme of things, what we do is important to us, our clients, and our community. However, it's a big universe out there, and we're just here to do whatever we can to make a dent and try to enjoy the ride along the way.

Be Humble

If there is any advice Col. Kirk Gibbs can give to his successor, it is this: Lead with honor and humility.

As Gibbs, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District’s 61st commander, prepares to relinquish command of the LA District July 19 to Col. Aaron Barta, he offered up some advice and reflected on the past three years as the leader of one of the largest Corps districts in the country.

There are many things Gibbs said he is proud of when it comes to the LA District, but three things stand out: the District being recognized two years in a row as a "Best Place to Work" in the Corps; completing Weed Army Hospital at Fort Irwin, California – the Department of Defense’s only Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design-Platinum, carbon-neutral, net-zero certifiable hospital – on time and within budget; and the one-on-one time he was able to spend with employees in the District.

It is the people Gibbs said he will miss the most – the employees and the District’s close partners across the four-state area.

“I have never focused on relationships like I have here in this District, and I sincerely believe it is part of the District's culture,” he said. “When projects are tough, the close relationships get us through those challenges and ultimately deliver the program.”

During his time with the LA District, Gibbs has overseen a multimillion-dollar program that provides engineering, construction, planning, contracting, real estate, emergency operations, environmental and regulatory services to military, federal, state and local governments across a 226,000-square-mile area of Southern California, Nevada, Arizona and Utah. That also includes leading about 750 military and civilian personnel with a wide array of expertise.

But leading people is nothing new to Gibbs, who has served for more than 24 years as an active-duty Soldier, leading both military and civilian personnel.

“Each person is different, and I have learned that good leaders get to know each person individually and then lead them in a way that brings out the best in that employee,” he said.

Providing priorities and a solid intent on the District’s missions, particularly disaster response operations, helps employees stay focused on what’s really important, he said.

Gibbs will now serve as the chief of staff at the Corps’ headquarters in Washington, D.C. There, he said, he hopes to be an advocate for all of the Corps’ districts nationwide.

“I feel that this District and the great people are responsible for giving me the incredible opportunity of being the Corps’ chief of staff,” he said. “The people have taught me so much, and I will take that with me to make a positive impact on the Corps’ enterprise and help our Districts deliver our programs in civil works, military, Interagency and International Services, real estate and regulatory.”

Gibbs knows how the importance of mentors and having a good support system have played in shaping his career, and he credits his parents with instilling in him respect for others; his wife, Kim, who taught him to endure all challenges, no matter how great, with grace and dignity; and his former chief of staff – Col. Steve Hill – for giving him tough jobs to prepare him for success.

“(Hill) gave me tough jobs that I thought he could have done at the time, but as I look back, the toughest assignments he gave me in that civilian organization at the Corps headquarters prepared me for District command and enabled me to achieve the goal of commanding at the battalion, brigade and District levels,” he said. “I also remember he told me I would be a chief of staff for the Corps one day. He was preparing me for that. I didn't believe him, but that is my next job.”

And, as for additional advice he can share with Barta, Gibbs provided these words of wisdom:

- Be prepared to change leadership style when leading a District of professional civilians. Don't lead them in the same way as Soldiers;

- Engage with people and get around to see them across the District's entire area of operation. Don't sit behind a desk;

- Study hard initially and learn the policies, processes and programs. “You will never be the expert, but you must prepare yourself to make effective decisions as quickly as possible”;

- Always provide a commander's intent and an end state. The civilian workforce appreciates that; and, lastly,

- Lead with honor and humility. “It isn't about you. It is about the District's people and our vital mission.”

As for the future of the LA District, Gibbs said he hopes future leaders continue to change the culture to an organization that is more risk tolerant in streamlining processes and moving projects forward; deliver the Department of Veterans Affairs and Customs and Border Protection programs phenomenally – on time, within budget and to the highest quality; and to remain a "Best Place to Work" in order to retain and recruit talent to the high-cost living area of Southern California.

“I want the District to do what it always does and ‘knock those programs out of the park,’” he said.

Photos by Miller Taylor.

April 2015 CreativeMornings/Raleigh event (global theme: Humility) with guest speakers Mike and Megan Gilger, husband and wife creative team behind Wild Measure studio and The Fresh Exchange blog.

In 2009, Megan and Mike began their lifestyle and design blog, The Fresh Exchange Today, the blog reaches over a half million people everyday, inspiring creators of all kinds to pursue their dreams and live a beautiful and intentional life. The creative couple works together to create original content through photo, video, editorial writing, aesthetic curation, and social media. With a simple, natural, and organic nature to their content, Megan and Mike have had the opportunity to work with brands such as Smartwater, Bing, Gap, Madewell, Bota Box, Levi’s, Feedly, Kinfolk Magazine, Over, Warby Parker, Tuft & Needle, Shinola, and many others.

Special thanks to our host CAM Raleigh and sponsors CompostNow, Counter Culture Coffee, who generously provided us with complimentary coffee, Yellow Dog Bread Company, who provided the tasty breakfast snacks, and Raleigh Raw , who provided the healthy, cold-pressed juice.

St Mary, Great Warley, Essex

And so, I came to the end of the 2013 Essex Historic Churches Bike Ride, quaintly rebadged in this particular county as 'Ride and Stride'. It had rained pretty much all day, and a number of the churches I'd visited had not been participating. I resolved that next year I'd be back in Norfolk or Suffolk, and I was somewhat surprised to discover afterwards that five of the churches I had seen inside, on what I thought had been a thin day for good churches, were featured in the Simon Jenkins book England's Thousand Best Churches. The only one of them that would make my personal Essex Top 30 was the last one of the day, Great Warley.

Here we are in the suburbs of Brentwood. In 1902, the local millionaire and philanthropist Evelyn Heseltine paid for a spectacular rebuilding of the parish church in the Art Nouveau style. No expense was spared, and everything is of the highest quality. Internally, the walls and furnishings are marble, aluminium, copper and brass, the glass all good, although unfortunately the original Art Nouveau windows on the north side were blown out and destroyed in the Second World War. All the lights were on, hundreds of tungsten bulbs flaring, which made photography of the inside very difficult, although this must be a very dark church inside indeed if they are all off, especially on such a gloomy day. Everything is of a piece, and really rather wonderful.

Installation (2019)

Humus is more important than art, money, or success.

Humanity depends on intact ecosystems and fertile soil.

Humility and responsibility will help our species survive.

Credit: tom mesic

We took lots of photos, but none do the big trees justice or convey the feeling of being in their presence. They are so big, and so old, and when you look up at them and feel their yielding bark and smell the rich woods you know it's not all about you, and it wasn't and it will not be.

Yosemite Park, California, July 2006

-----This is part of the 16 guidelines project set.----

An exemplar, Helen Keller, said, "I long to accomplish great and noble tasks, but it is my chief duty to accomplish humble tasks as though they were great and noble." "I cannot do everything, but I can do something. I must not fail to do the something that I can do."

Photos by Miller Taylor.

April 2015 CreativeMornings/Raleigh event (global theme: Humility) with guest speakers Mike and Megan Gilger, husband and wife creative team behind Wild Measure studio and The Fresh Exchange blog.

In 2009, Megan and Mike began their lifestyle and design blog, The Fresh Exchange Today, the blog reaches over a half million people everyday, inspiring creators of all kinds to pursue their dreams and live a beautiful and intentional life. The creative couple works together to create original content through photo, video, editorial writing, aesthetic curation, and social media. With a simple, natural, and organic nature to their content, Megan and Mike have had the opportunity to work with brands such as Smartwater, Bing, Gap, Madewell, Bota Box, Levi’s, Feedly, Kinfolk Magazine, Over, Warby Parker, Tuft & Needle, Shinola, and many others.

Special thanks to our host CAM Raleigh and sponsors CompostNow, Counter Culture Coffee, who generously provided us with complimentary coffee, Yellow Dog Bread Company, who provided the tasty breakfast snacks, and Raleigh Raw , who provided the healthy, cold-pressed juice.

Photos by Miller Taylor.

April 2015 CreativeMornings/Raleigh event (global theme: Humility) with guest speakers Mike and Megan Gilger, husband and wife creative team behind Wild Measure studio and The Fresh Exchange blog.

In 2009, Megan and Mike began their lifestyle and design blog, The Fresh Exchange Today, the blog reaches over a half million people everyday, inspiring creators of all kinds to pursue their dreams and live a beautiful and intentional life. The creative couple works together to create original content through photo, video, editorial writing, aesthetic curation, and social media. With a simple, natural, and organic nature to their content, Megan and Mike have had the opportunity to work with brands such as Smartwater, Bing, Gap, Madewell, Bota Box, Levi’s, Feedly, Kinfolk Magazine, Over, Warby Parker, Tuft & Needle, Shinola, and many others.

Special thanks to our host CAM Raleigh and sponsors CompostNow, Counter Culture Coffee, who generously provided us with complimentary coffee, Yellow Dog Bread Company, who provided the tasty breakfast snacks, and Raleigh Raw , who provided the healthy, cold-pressed juice.

If there is any advice Col. Kirk Gibbs can give to his successor, it is this: Lead with honor and humility.

As Gibbs, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District’s 61st commander, prepares to relinquish command of the LA District July 19 to Col. Aaron Barta, he offered up some advice and reflected on the past three years as the leader of one of the largest Corps districts in the country.

There are many things Gibbs said he is proud of when it comes to the LA District, but three things stand out: the District being recognized two years in a row as a "Best Place to Work" in the Corps; completing Weed Army Hospital at Fort Irwin, California – the Department of Defense’s only Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design-Platinum, carbon-neutral, net-zero certifiable hospital – on time and within budget; and the one-on-one time he was able to spend with employees in the District.

It is the people Gibbs said he will miss the most – the employees and the District’s close partners across the four-state area.

“I have never focused on relationships like I have here in this District, and I sincerely believe it is part of the District's culture,” he said. “When projects are tough, the close relationships get us through those challenges and ultimately deliver the program.”

During his time with the LA District, Gibbs has overseen a multimillion-dollar program that provides engineering, construction, planning, contracting, real estate, emergency operations, environmental and regulatory services to military, federal, state and local governments across a 226,000-square-mile area of Southern California, Nevada, Arizona and Utah. That also includes leading about 750 military and civilian personnel with a wide array of expertise.

But leading people is nothing new to Gibbs, who has served for more than 24 years as an active-duty Soldier, leading both military and civilian personnel.

“Each person is different, and I have learned that good leaders get to know each person individually and then lead them in a way that brings out the best in that employee,” he said.

Providing priorities and a solid intent on the District’s missions, particularly disaster response operations, helps employees stay focused on what’s really important, he said.

Gibbs will now serve as the chief of staff at the Corps’ headquarters in Washington, D.C. There, he said, he hopes to be an advocate for all of the Corps’ districts nationwide.

“I feel that this District and the great people are responsible for giving me the incredible opportunity of being the Corps’ chief of staff,” he said. “The people have taught me so much, and I will take that with me to make a positive impact on the Corps’ enterprise and help our Districts deliver our programs in civil works, military, Interagency and International Services, real estate and regulatory.”

Gibbs knows how the importance of mentors and having a good support system have played in shaping his career, and he credits his parents with instilling in him respect for others; his wife, Kim, who taught him to endure all challenges, no matter how great, with grace and dignity; and his former chief of staff – Col. Steve Hill – for giving him tough jobs to prepare him for success.

“(Hill) gave me tough jobs that I thought he could have done at the time, but as I look back, the toughest assignments he gave me in that civilian organization at the Corps headquarters prepared me for District command and enabled me to achieve the goal of commanding at the battalion, brigade and District levels,” he said. “I also remember he told me I would be a chief of staff for the Corps one day. He was preparing me for that. I didn't believe him, but that is my next job.”

And, as for additional advice he can share with Barta, Gibbs provided these words of wisdom:

- Be prepared to change leadership style when leading a District of professional civilians. Don't lead them in the same way as Soldiers;

- Engage with people and get around to see them across the District's entire area of operation. Don't sit behind a desk;

- Study hard initially and learn the policies, processes and programs. “You will never be the expert, but you must prepare yourself to make effective decisions as quickly as possible”;

- Always provide a commander's intent and an end state. The civilian workforce appreciates that; and, lastly,

- Lead with honor and humility. “It isn't about you. It is about the District's people and our vital mission.”

As for the future of the LA District, Gibbs said he hopes future leaders continue to change the culture to an organization that is more risk tolerant in streamlining processes and moving projects forward; deliver the Department of Veterans Affairs and Customs and Border Protection programs phenomenally – on time, within budget and to the highest quality; and to remain a "Best Place to Work" in order to retain and recruit talent to the high-cost living area of Southern California.

“I want the District to do what it always does and ‘knock those programs out of the park,’” he said.

Photos by Miller Taylor.

April 2015 CreativeMornings/Raleigh event (global theme: Humility) with guest speakers Mike and Megan Gilger, husband and wife creative team behind Wild Measure studio and The Fresh Exchange blog.

In 2009, Megan and Mike began their lifestyle and design blog, The Fresh Exchange Today, the blog reaches over a half million people everyday, inspiring creators of all kinds to pursue their dreams and live a beautiful and intentional life. The creative couple works together to create original content through photo, video, editorial writing, aesthetic curation, and social media. With a simple, natural, and organic nature to their content, Megan and Mike have had the opportunity to work with brands such as Smartwater, Bing, Gap, Madewell, Bota Box, Levi’s, Feedly, Kinfolk Magazine, Over, Warby Parker, Tuft & Needle, Shinola, and many others.

Special thanks to our host CAM Raleigh and sponsors CompostNow, Counter Culture Coffee, who generously provided us with complimentary coffee, Yellow Dog Bread Company, who provided the tasty breakfast snacks, and Raleigh Raw , who provided the healthy, cold-pressed juice.

"Jo Aala Zarf hote hai, hamesha Jhuk kar milte hain,

Surahi sar nigun hoke bhara karti hai paimane"

"great men always bow in humility when they greet someone,

just like the wine container that bows its head to fill the goblet of wine"

Photos by Miller Taylor.

April 2015 CreativeMornings/Raleigh event (global theme: Humility) with guest speakers Mike and Megan Gilger, husband and wife creative team behind Wild Measure studio and The Fresh Exchange blog.

In 2009, Megan and Mike began their lifestyle and design blog, The Fresh Exchange Today, the blog reaches over a half million people everyday, inspiring creators of all kinds to pursue their dreams and live a beautiful and intentional life. The creative couple works together to create original content through photo, video, editorial writing, aesthetic curation, and social media. With a simple, natural, and organic nature to their content, Megan and Mike have had the opportunity to work with brands such as Smartwater, Bing, Gap, Madewell, Bota Box, Levi’s, Feedly, Kinfolk Magazine, Over, Warby Parker, Tuft & Needle, Shinola, and many others.

Special thanks to our host CAM Raleigh and sponsors CompostNow, Counter Culture Coffee, who generously provided us with complimentary coffee, Yellow Dog Bread Company, who provided the tasty breakfast snacks, and Raleigh Raw , who provided the healthy, cold-pressed juice.

Photos by Miller Taylor.

April 2015 CreativeMornings/Raleigh event (global theme: Humility) with guest speakers Mike and Megan Gilger, husband and wife creative team behind Wild Measure studio and The Fresh Exchange blog.

In 2009, Megan and Mike began their lifestyle and design blog, The Fresh Exchange Today, the blog reaches over a half million people everyday, inspiring creators of all kinds to pursue their dreams and live a beautiful and intentional life. The creative couple works together to create original content through photo, video, editorial writing, aesthetic curation, and social media. With a simple, natural, and organic nature to their content, Megan and Mike have had the opportunity to work with brands such as Smartwater, Bing, Gap, Madewell, Bota Box, Levi’s, Feedly, Kinfolk Magazine, Over, Warby Parker, Tuft & Needle, Shinola, and many others.

Special thanks to our host CAM Raleigh and sponsors CompostNow, Counter Culture Coffee, who generously provided us with complimentary coffee, Yellow Dog Bread Company, who provided the tasty breakfast snacks, and Raleigh Raw , who provided the healthy, cold-pressed juice.

Photos by Miller Taylor.

April 2015 CreativeMornings/Raleigh event (global theme: Humility) with guest speakers Mike and Megan Gilger, husband and wife creative team behind Wild Measure studio and The Fresh Exchange blog.

In 2009, Megan and Mike began their lifestyle and design blog, The Fresh Exchange Today, the blog reaches over a half million people everyday, inspiring creators of all kinds to pursue their dreams and live a beautiful and intentional life. The creative couple works together to create original content through photo, video, editorial writing, aesthetic curation, and social media. With a simple, natural, and organic nature to their content, Megan and Mike have had the opportunity to work with brands such as Smartwater, Bing, Gap, Madewell, Bota Box, Levi’s, Feedly, Kinfolk Magazine, Over, Warby Parker, Tuft & Needle, Shinola, and many others.

Special thanks to our host CAM Raleigh and sponsors CompostNow, Counter Culture Coffee, who generously provided us with complimentary coffee, Yellow Dog Bread Company, who provided the tasty breakfast snacks, and Raleigh Raw , who provided the healthy, cold-pressed juice.

Photos by Miller Taylor.

April 2015 CreativeMornings/Raleigh event (global theme: Humility) with guest speakers Mike and Megan Gilger, husband and wife creative team behind Wild Measure studio and The Fresh Exchange blog.

In 2009, Megan and Mike began their lifestyle and design blog, The Fresh Exchange Today, the blog reaches over a half million people everyday, inspiring creators of all kinds to pursue their dreams and live a beautiful and intentional life. The creative couple works together to create original content through photo, video, editorial writing, aesthetic curation, and social media. With a simple, natural, and organic nature to their content, Megan and Mike have had the opportunity to work with brands such as Smartwater, Bing, Gap, Madewell, Bota Box, Levi’s, Feedly, Kinfolk Magazine, Over, Warby Parker, Tuft & Needle, Shinola, and many others.

Special thanks to our host CAM Raleigh and sponsors CompostNow, Counter Culture Coffee, who generously provided us with complimentary coffee, Yellow Dog Bread Company, who provided the tasty breakfast snacks, and Raleigh Raw , who provided the healthy, cold-pressed juice.

No one chose to self-select in the "Think You're Gonna Win" heat. Which was ridiculous, because several women finished under a 7-minute pace.

Photos by Miller Taylor.

April 2015 CreativeMornings/Raleigh event (global theme: Humility) with guest speakers Mike and Megan Gilger, husband and wife creative team behind Wild Measure studio and The Fresh Exchange blog.

In 2009, Megan and Mike began their lifestyle and design blog, The Fresh Exchange Today, the blog reaches over a half million people everyday, inspiring creators of all kinds to pursue their dreams and live a beautiful and intentional life. The creative couple works together to create original content through photo, video, editorial writing, aesthetic curation, and social media. With a simple, natural, and organic nature to their content, Megan and Mike have had the opportunity to work with brands such as Smartwater, Bing, Gap, Madewell, Bota Box, Levi’s, Feedly, Kinfolk Magazine, Over, Warby Parker, Tuft & Needle, Shinola, and many others.

Special thanks to our host CAM Raleigh and sponsors CompostNow, Counter Culture Coffee, who generously provided us with complimentary coffee, Yellow Dog Bread Company, who provided the tasty breakfast snacks, and Raleigh Raw , who provided the healthy, cold-pressed juice.

If you ever feel like you are too powerful, take a look at a real powerful work of nature and it will put you in your place.

If there is any advice Col. Kirk Gibbs can give to his successor, it is this: Lead with honor and humility.

As Gibbs, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District’s 61st commander, prepares to relinquish command of the LA District July 19 to Col. Aaron Barta, he offered up some advice and reflected on the past three years as the leader of one of the largest Corps districts in the country.

There are many things Gibbs said he is proud of when it comes to the LA District, but three things stand out: the District being recognized two years in a row as a "Best Place to Work" in the Corps; completing Weed Army Hospital at Fort Irwin, California – the Department of Defense’s only Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design-Platinum, carbon-neutral, net-zero certifiable hospital – on time and within budget; and the one-on-one time he was able to spend with employees in the District.

It is the people Gibbs said he will miss the most – the employees and the District’s close partners across the four-state area.

“I have never focused on relationships like I have here in this District, and I sincerely believe it is part of the District's culture,” he said. “When projects are tough, the close relationships get us through those challenges and ultimately deliver the program.”

During his time with the LA District, Gibbs has overseen a multimillion-dollar program that provides engineering, construction, planning, contracting, real estate, emergency operations, environmental and regulatory services to military, federal, state and local governments across a 226,000-square-mile area of Southern California, Nevada, Arizona and Utah. That also includes leading about 750 military and civilian personnel with a wide array of expertise.

But leading people is nothing new to Gibbs, who has served for more than 24 years as an active-duty Soldier, leading both military and civilian personnel.

“Each person is different, and I have learned that good leaders get to know each person individually and then lead them in a way that brings out the best in that employee,” he said.

Providing priorities and a solid intent on the District’s missions, particularly disaster response operations, helps employees stay focused on what’s really important, he said.

Gibbs will now serve as the chief of staff at the Corps’ headquarters in Washington, D.C. There, he said, he hopes to be an advocate for all of the Corps’ districts nationwide.

“I feel that this District and the great people are responsible for giving me the incredible opportunity of being the Corps’ chief of staff,” he said. “The people have taught me so much, and I will take that with me to make a positive impact on the Corps’ enterprise and help our Districts deliver our programs in civil works, military, Interagency and International Services, real estate and regulatory.”

Gibbs knows how the importance of mentors and having a good support system have played in shaping his career, and he credits his parents with instilling in him respect for others; his wife, Kim, who taught him to endure all challenges, no matter how great, with grace and dignity; and his former chief of staff – Col. Steve Hill – for giving him tough jobs to prepare him for success.

“(Hill) gave me tough jobs that I thought he could have done at the time, but as I look back, the toughest assignments he gave me in that civilian organization at the Corps headquarters prepared me for District command and enabled me to achieve the goal of commanding at the battalion, brigade and District levels,” he said. “I also remember he told me I would be a chief of staff for the Corps one day. He was preparing me for that. I didn't believe him, but that is my next job.”

And, as for additional advice he can share with Barta, Gibbs provided these words of wisdom:

- Be prepared to change leadership style when leading a District of professional civilians. Don't lead them in the same way as Soldiers;

- Engage with people and get around to see them across the District's entire area of operation. Don't sit behind a desk;

- Study hard initially and learn the policies, processes and programs. “You will never be the expert, but you must prepare yourself to make effective decisions as quickly as possible”;

- Always provide a commander's intent and an end state. The civilian workforce appreciates that; and, lastly,

- Lead with honor and humility. “It isn't about you. It is about the District's people and our vital mission.”

As for the future of the LA District, Gibbs said he hopes future leaders continue to change the culture to an organization that is more risk tolerant in streamlining processes and moving projects forward; deliver the Department of Veterans Affairs and Customs and Border Protection programs phenomenally – on time, within budget and to the highest quality; and to remain a "Best Place to Work" in order to retain and recruit talent to the high-cost living area of Southern California.

“I want the District to do what it always does and ‘knock those programs out of the park,’” he said.

Photos by Miller Taylor.

April 2015 CreativeMornings/Raleigh event (global theme: Humility) with guest speakers Mike and Megan Gilger, husband and wife creative team behind Wild Measure studio and The Fresh Exchange blog.

In 2009, Megan and Mike began their lifestyle and design blog, The Fresh Exchange Today, the blog reaches over a half million people everyday, inspiring creators of all kinds to pursue their dreams and live a beautiful and intentional life. The creative couple works together to create original content through photo, video, editorial writing, aesthetic curation, and social media. With a simple, natural, and organic nature to their content, Megan and Mike have had the opportunity to work with brands such as Smartwater, Bing, Gap, Madewell, Bota Box, Levi’s, Feedly, Kinfolk Magazine, Over, Warby Parker, Tuft & Needle, Shinola, and many others.

Special thanks to our host CAM Raleigh and sponsors CompostNow, Counter Culture Coffee, who generously provided us with complimentary coffee, Yellow Dog Bread Company, who provided the tasty breakfast snacks, and Raleigh Raw , who provided the healthy, cold-pressed juice.

The "Blue Nuns" Sisters of the Holy Humility of Mary