e x p erien ce em erge
DEREK M. OXFORD
CPS Investment
Advisors
Building and preserving your
personal wealth requires specialized
attention. At Wall Titus, we
provide one-on-one guidance and
comprehensive financial planning
to manage risk, ensure growth, and
secure the longevity of your wealth.
212 E HIGHLAND DR // STE 201
LAKELAND, FL 33813
C
] O N N E C T
EMERGELakeland.com
4 | FORUM FOR BUSINESS
IN AND OUT OF
THE WORKPLACE
I’m often seen about
town looking and
acting professional.
This is not a mistake.
As a professional in the
Lakeland community,
a person should always
be a representative
for their employer as
well as an ambassador
to those new to the
Lakeland community.
Professionalism is
something that has to
be taught, experienced,
adapted, and expressed
at all times; in and out
of the workplace.
A famous quote
by the philosopher
Heraclitus said, “allow
yourself to think only
those thoughts that
match your principles
and can bear the bright
light of day. Day by
day, your choices, your
thoughts, your actions
fashion the person you
become. Your integrity
determines your
destiny.”
These are strong
words to consider.
When you imagine
how those words fit
into your professional
life, do you embody
those traits?
EMERGE Lakeland
has taught me many
things about being a
professional. I have
had the opportunity
to speak at multiple
functions in front of
hundreds of people,
I am responsible
for one facet of
first impressions
someone receives after
becoming a member
of this wonderful
organization, and
one of my skillsets
allows me to provide
bookkeeping for our
budget as the treasurer
on the executive
committee.
EMERGE Serves,
a volunteer-driven
program, has
also provided the
groundwork for many
of the skills I use in my
professional career.
I have learned how
a board of directors
conducts business,
and I learned business
decisions are not
personal decisions.
This experience has
allowed me to see how
my own firm makes
decisions, which will
show my employers
that I can manage
future business
decisions.
Sitting on the
steering committee for
EMERGE Lakeland as
well as the executive
committee, I have also
learned to conduct
myself professionally
as an example to
others. The steering
committee drives
EMERGE Lakeland for
its annual events, dropins, and community
involvement. If anyone
is interested in joining
an organization that
can provide these
skills and experiences,
I highly recommend
they contact me or
any number of our
core volunteers that
put much of their time
and effort into making
EMERGE Lakeland the
organization it
has become.