It’s no secret that the Emerald Coast has staked its claim as one of the top culinary wonders of the world, with numerous renowned chefs now living and working in the area.

But in the heart of the Panhandle, there is a different sort of food service program that soars far above average expectations.

The motto of the dining facilities team at Eglin Air Force Base in Fort Walton Beach is “Excellence … Our Standard, Not Our Goal.” It’s the passion behind this motto that recently won them the coveted Hennessy Award, recognizing the team’s commitment to provide quality service and food to customers.

The prestigious honor is the oldest military food service award, established in 1957 to recognize the best of the best within the Air Force. According to the award criteria, “an operation must exhibit sustained excellence in food service management, force readiness support, food quality, employee and customer relations, resource conservation, training and safety” in order to merit the honor. The award is named after the late John L. Hennessy, a hotel and restaurant executive who served on presidential advisory boards to aid in the improvement of military food service.

Dave Mickler is the dining facility director who led the award-winning team, most of whom are now deployed overseas. Although his humility would never allow him to admit it, Mickler is known by his colleagues as the “godfather of United States Air Force food service.” After all, this is his seventh time to lead a team to the Hennessy — five times while working at Hurlburt Field Air Force Base in Okaloosa County and now twice at Eglin.

The accolades are impressive, but Mickler is adamant about one thing: “The Hennessy is never won by one person … it’s always won by a team effort.”

Enduring two intense days of judging was no easy feat. A four-person team composed of military personnel and civilian travelers arrived in February, and from 5:30 a.m. to midnight both days, a checklist of 150 items was evaluated, including the 17-plus specialty themed meal programs served throughout the year at Eglin. In April, Mickler received the long-awaited news.

“I was super-happy when I found out we won the award,” he says. “It just proved that all our hard work paid off, and it’s recognition that our team has really done an outstanding job.”

In addition to being recognized as the top food service program in the Air Force, one airman in particular stood out to the judges for his culinary expertise and enthusiasm. Staff Sgt. Wendell Bowles II won the John L. Hennessy Travelers Award for being “the most outstanding food service person of the year.”

Because of his deployment to Iraq, Bowles was not able to travel with Mickler and some of the staff in May to receive the two awards at the National Restaurant Association Food Service Convention in Chicago. However, he did receive a $1,000 scholarship to be used toward furthering his education in the food service industry. Bowles also was awarded a week-long course of study at The Culinary Institute of America in Greystone, Calif.

After serving 26 years in the Air Force, Mickler retired as a chief master sergeant but continued utilizing his food-service training background as the restaurant manager of the Eglin Officers’ Club for three years, followed by a stint as dining facility director at Hurlburt Field for nine years. In 2005, he made another move to Eglin. And within a year, the base received the Hennessy for the sixth time.

Part of Mickler’s passion is to dispel the idea that military food service positions aren’t as rewarding as service as a bomb loader or jet mechanic — his career field isn’t one that most high school graduates voluntarily sign up for at the recruiting office. However, many people are surprised to learn that the Air Force does not have “chow halls” but rather embraces a modern, restaurant-like style, which may include an Internet café or a wall of flat-screen TVs.

“It’s not just about the food … it’s a full dining experience,” Mickler says. “A lot of these young folks are here for the first time away from home, and we try to make this like their home, where they can sit down and enjoy a relaxing meal. You’re only as good as the last meal you served! We have a lot of them that come back, and we get compliments from all branches of the military. That makes you feel like what you’re doing is rewarding.”

After serving 500,000 meals a year — about 2,000 per day — and with a 98 percent customer satisfaction rate, members of Mickler’s team grow to truly love what they do and, in return, learn that they are just as appreciated and needed as the next airman.

“What we try to do is keep the job interesting,” Mickler says. “It’s not like the old days when I came in the ’60s and we were thrown in the dish room and told not to come out, and we didn’t see the kitchen for a year. Now, these young folks are coming in and given an opportunity to be managers right off the bat … When they find out they are coming into food services, they don’t always like it, but I would say within a short period after they get here, they see the benefits.”

To continue efforts to boost morale in the military food industry, both local bases have taken advantage of the “Chef to Chef” program created by Kim Wintner, the chairman of the Destin Chamber of Commerce Military Affairs Committee. The program introduces airmen to some of Destin’s finest chefs for mentoring opportunities that encourage them to pursue a career in the food industry after their military duties are fulfilled.

“Each of our towns that surround the two bases, and Destin, is known for its top-notch chefs and restaurants, and we saw an opportunity to do something a little different,” Wintner says. “A lot of times, the chambers deal with the officer corps of the military, and in this case, we decided to focus on the lower-ranking airmen. We went to this group of folks who don’t often get great recognition for the job they do — they are not the people you see in the paper getting a Purple Heart.

“Our connection was we have this great asset, and it matched up to the folks that work on the two bases in very tough jobs,” Wintner says. “We thought the chance to meet great chefs would be beneficial to all concerned, and it was very much a win-win situation.”

Twelve chefs have participated in the year-old program, but Chef Tim Creehan, owner of the Beach Walk fine-dining restaurant in Destin, played a pivotal role in interacting with the young military chefs. His passion for the culinary arts and natural teaching talents were a perfect match for Mickler and his staff. Creehan also was named an honorary commander of the 96th Air Base Wing in March because of his integral role in the program, as well as to provide him with an opportunity to learn more about the Air Force and its day-to-day operations, particularly in the food service area.

On three occasions, airmen traveled with Creehan and his staff to various functions and worked side by side for 12- to 15-hour days. In return, Creehan visited Eglin to meet with Mickler’s staff for more mentoring and helped with an opening reception for the Hennessy judges.

“It was a very rewarding experience for me and my staff, and we absolutely took something away from the program,” Creehan says. “Their level of respect, their level of discipline and their level of education is at such a high standard, and it just reminds us of how it’s so easy to get lax and not do certain things.

“Their uniforms are pristine and their equipment and tools are in perfect condition, and everything they do is by the book — and that’s the way they have to do it,” Creehan says. “I think what we took away is that sometimes we are able to cut corners and take a shortcut, but they can’t. The standard is very, very high, and I think it’s important to always remember that and see that.”

Creehan acknowledges that every airman he worked with would have an “instant career” in food service because of the thorough training that puts him or her ahead of just about anyone entering the industry. Creehan also wouldn’t hesitate to participate in future programs.

“They have a foundation and background that they could go anywhere,” he says. “I think they all have a future if they want one. I loved giving back to the community, and I was honored to be asked and will never say no to any request they would have for me. Any way I can ever help, I’ll be there, because the payback is tenfold.”

Buz Livingston might be considered a traditional small-business owner, but he’s one with a vast reach and a nickname that cannot be easily forgotten.

“I was a huge sports fan and took the nickname ‘Buz’ from several players, including one who played for the Georgia Bulldogs. I was in the fourth grade before I knew it should have two z’s,” he says.

 
SOLID INVESTMENT In light of the economic crisis, local author Buz Livingston offers sage investment advice in his book, “Investing in an Uncertain Economy for Dummies.” 
 
The 53-year-old certified financial planner and writer owns what he describes as the only financial planning firm in the entire world that is headquartered in the South Walton community of Blue Mountain Beach.

His career provides him with the opportunity not only to offer advice to clients one on one in his office, but also to reach a much larger audience through his writing.

Livingston pens “Just Plain Talk,” a financial column for a small weekly newspaper in Walton County. He also is a regular columnist for the online publication “Motley Fool” and is frequently cited in articles in widely read financial magazines and newspapers.

However, Livingston’s latest and most noteworthy success is as a contributor to one of the “For Dummies” books. By happenstance, the book, “Investing in an Uncertain Economy for Dummies,” was nearing a planned October 2008 release just as the American economy was in freefall.

“The book was rushed to print in September and has done well,” he says.

Before coming to the Emerald Coast, the self-described good ole Georgia boy started out as a farmer in Georgia, where “you got hurt fingers and were always dirty,” he says.

Then he bought a “whiskey” store where he also sold other liquors, wine and beer. It gave him plenty of time to coach his son’s baseball team.

“That helped them win a lot,” Livingston jokes, “not because they were so good, but because they could practice a lot more than the other teams.”

Livingston learned a tough financial lesson in 1994, “when the first President Bush planned to raise taxes on liquor.” He bought as much beer and wine as he thought he could afford. He remembers that the stockroom was filled with his purchases.

Then Livingston discovered a mistake in his checkbook — a deposit he had not entered.

“I could have bought a lot more,” he says, clearly still regretting the error some 15 years later.

The mistake wasn’t discovered until he got around to balancing his checkbook. After that, Livingston’s next purchase was a computer program to manage his accounts. He soon had a handle on his finances.

“I used Quicken, which was the only thing I know that died due to Y2K,” he jokes.

But the demise of that software forced Livingston to learn how to use the computer, something he believes is necessary to keep accurate financial records.

“It is a universal thing that people can do to track their spending,” he says.

Whether one purchases Quicken, QuickBooks or another financial program, each can be linked to bank accounts to keep up with credit card purchases, Livingston notes. It makes reconciling one’s bank statement easier.

“It almost makes it fun,” he says.

Fun is not something that people expect when discussing financial planning, but once you know Livingston, you realize he can make even this subject entertaining. His business writing is frequently interspersed with folksy tales and sports stories in addition to good financial advice.

Livingston can be serious, but from his writing to his interactions with clients, his attitude seems to be, why not make it fun?

While having lunch at a local coffee shop, Livingston is dressed in his usual work attire — a fedora, white polo shirt embroidered with his company’s name, slacks and, on this day, snakeskin boots. Acquaintances frequently drop by to say hello.

Livingston is readily recognized in the South Walton community where he and his wife, Susan, live and work.

“I wasn’t born in Walton County, but I got here as quick as I could,” he says in describing how he came to live there.

Livingston didn’t move to Walton County until January 2001. He had earlier opportunities to buy there, but the timing wasn’t right. In 1987, one of Susan Livingston’s bosses brought them to the area and tried to get the couple to buy property. Buz Livingston jokes that if they had bought then, he would be either incredibly wealthy or broke.

At the time, the area was still undeveloped. In Blue Mountain Beach, he recalls driving a truck right on the beach and building bonfires at night — definite no-nos these days, but just part of the lifestyle that existed at the time.

Of course, much has changed since Livingston arrived. Growth brought many more visitors to South Walton, but the core of the community, locals that live there year-round, are more like residents of a single small town, he says.

“I lived in a small town in Georgia, and this area is like a small town,” he says. “Now, some folks might not want to see it that way, but it is a close-knit community, even though there are many communities scattered along the 30-A corridor.”

Livingston’s office is located in his home in one of those communities — Blue Mountain Beach. Setting up there offered him the opportunity to declare that his business, Livingston Financial Planning Inc., has its world headquarters there.

Livingston became a Certified Financial Planner because he listened to his wife’s advice when she was working as an account manager. An attorney friend also noticed how organized they both were and suggested that Buz study financial planning. He considered going to Oglethorpe University in Atlanta, but rather than traveling back and forth, he took courses online. The intensive training led him to board certification.

Livingston is a fee-only financial planner — his goal is to help his clients manage their assets to prepare for the future.

“We put clients first,” he says.

By charging a set fee for services, he separates himself from other financial advisers who receive a commission on investment products they offer.

“It would be good if every financial planner were a fiduciary,” he says.

The fiduciary relationship is based on trust. In his style of financial planning, Livingston makes it clear that good faith and honesty are keys to treating clients fairly.

He shares the story of a 70-year-old client who was considering paying off the mortgage on his modest home. He had a 30-year mortgage with about $30,000 still owed. Many seniors take the money, whether through a reverse mortgage or selling the home, to provide a cushion for retirement — something that can be a good strategy. However, in this case, Livingston realized that refinancing was the best course of action.

His client went to the bank, negotiated a good deal and reduced his monthly payments, which helped with his cash flow. Because the client was not able to retire, it made good sense.

That’s one of the keys to good financial planning — doing what makes the most sense, Livingston says. While there is a rule of thumb for financial planning, an adviser must be straightforward and talk with clients about their needs to develop a strategy that works for them.

Most people spend more time planning a vacation than for retirement, he says, appearing shocked at the thought. For Livingston, proper planning for retirement makes it possible for people to live out their later years in comfort, no matter what their plans.

As many people wonder what they should be doing about their finances, Livingston is ready to give general advice. But the reason to work with a financial planner is to have someone who looks at your specific needs and helps to create a plan — financial, yes, but he prefers the term “life plan.”

“It’s all about reviewing everything, not just investments,” Livingston says. “How can you help someone plan for retirement if you don’t look at every aspect of his or her life and ask, ‘What do you want to do?’”

However, with major losses in 401(k)s and the decline in the value of the family home, Livingston believes many people will have to rethink retiring for a while.

“If they consider just working two or three years longer, that can make a difference so they won’t run out of money,” he says.

Many clients ask how much money they will need to retire. Livingston recommends reading “The Number,” written by Lee Eisenburg, a book that reveals one of the last taboos — talking about the amount of money that is needed to provide for retirement.

There is an amount, “a number,” for everyone, he says, but people still are hesitant to discuss finances. As a financial planner, Livingston believes they should learn about personal finance, but acknowledges that many people have fears of inadequacy when it comes to money matters.

And while the economy has given everyone cause for concern, Livingston is happy with his life.

“Even a bad day of financial planning is nothing like the hard work of running a farm,” he says. “When I have a bad day, I remind myself that I’m where I want to be and I am doing what I was put on Earth to do. On Jimmy Buffett’s first album, ‘A White Sport Coat and a Pink Crustacean,’ there is a song few people know, ‘I Have Found Me a Home.’ It sums things up pretty well.”

Living at the beach, working with his wife and enjoying his life as a family man with two grown children, Livingston is content. As the song says, “You can have the rest of everything I own, ’cause I have found me a home.”

Education:

• $54 billion in state fiscal relief to prevent cuts in state aid to school districts, with up to $10 billion for school repair;

• $26 billion to school districts to fund special education and the No Child Left Behind law for students in K-12;

• $17 billion to boost the maximum Pell Grant by $500 to $5,350; $2 billion for Head Start.

Click here for enlarged view of interactive pie graph of the Stimulous Plan funding. Stimulus Package Limits Funding for Education Cornell Daily Sun, Ithaca, NY February 13, 2009 – 12:00am By Jamie Meyerson In addition to the $8.7 trillion that the U.S. government has already pledged last November in order to restore the crumbling economy, the Senate and House now have compromised on an additional $789 billion bill in the form of a stimulus package towards the efforts. The new bill, which cut $30 billion from the House version and nearly $50 billion from the Senate version, redistributed funding across the board. According to the New York Times, funding for education took one of the biggest hits. State fiscal stabilization funds that were to be used towards education were cut by $25 billion from the original bills. Senate Republicans, however, agreed to increase the general state fund to $54 billion. House Democrats also compromised, demanding that states should be allowed to use some of the money towards school renovation and repairs. According to Inside Higher Educaton, an online higher education newspaper, as of Wednesday night, it was still unclear whether or not this money could be used to improve college buildings or could merely be used on elementary and secondary schools. While previous versions of the bill called for greater spending on Pell Grants and work study programs, the details of the compromise in regards to these subjects are not yet clear. “It appears the final agreement does include a $400 boost in the maximum Pell Grant award to $5,250 … Also, the tax cut of $2,500 for tuition and related expenses appears to have survived,” stated Stephen Johnson, vice president of government and community relations, in an e-mail.
According to Inside Higher Ed, the compromise will put $200 million towards work study programs and keep the $2,500 partially refundable tax credit for higher education expenses. $40.6 billion would be also given to states to prevent cutbacks and for school modernization. Lastly, states would receive $5 billion of bonus grants for meeting certain education performance standards, as well as $8 billion for other public safety needs that could possibly include education. However, college lobbyists were told that the compromise does not include an increase in federal limits on unsubsidized student loans, nor does it propose a raise in the spending on Perkins Loans. While this package does increase some funding where it is desperately needed, some feel that it is not doing enough for social issues and programs. “I’m disappointed with the Democratic majority for compromising on things that were desperately needed by the poor, states, cities, and schools. Why take out tax cuts, state and city aid, and school construction funding, all of which are highly stimulative?” stated John-David Brown ’09, vice president of the Cornell Democrats, in an e-mail. Prof. Elizabeth Sanders, government, also feels that the Democrats let some important issues go, specifically when the Senate passed its original version of the stimulus bill. “[Senate Democrats] gave [Senate Republicans] a lot and they gave up stuff that we really cared about, and that may make [the bill] less effective as a stimulus because there will be less construction and fewer people going to work,” Sanders said. Not only do some criticize the package as letting go of important issues, but others also feel that the bill will not do enough to stimulate the economy. Some also think that the bill focuses too much on social programs and initiatives. “It seems as if some in Congress are more concerned with reviving programs denied to them over the last eight years than writing a bill that is truly going to stimulate the economy and provide long-term job security for the millions of Americans currently unemployed,” stated Rey Mensah ’11, president of College Republicans, in an e-mail.

In addition to education, Obama’s middle-class tax cut proposal fell to $400 for individuals and $800 for couples, trimming the original plan by $30 billion. Social security and disability payments also decreased, while the original $15,000 tax incentive for home buyers that was introduced by the Senate was cut down to $8,000 for only eligible first-time buyers.

Health insurance programs, specifically Cobra, were also scaled back by the new bill. Cobra refers to a government program that entitles eligible individuals to continue with his or her health plan for limited times after losing a job. While the House proposed a 65 percent government subsidy for private insurance for one year after losing a job, the latest version calls for a 60 percent subsidy for only nine months. The House’s proposal to allow states to provide temporary Medicaid to the unemployed who do not quality for Cobra was also eliminated.

Moreover, the new version held onto an extension of unemployment benefits proposed by the Senate, exempting the first $2,400 of benefits seen by unemployed individuals from federal taxes. A $70 billion provision also protects middle-income taxpayers from paying the alternative minimum tax in 2009.

Lastly, the new bill devotes over $15 billion to research, including programs such as National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, Biomedical Research Agency and the Department of Energy.

The Classroom Budget

So, how do educators think the money should be spent?

Aloha Keylor, an English as a Second Language teacher at Highland View Elementary School, in Silver Spring, Maryland, wants money for professional development restored. The State of Maryland cut spending, so, to attend a conference, teachers like Keylor have to take a personal day and pay all their costs.

She’d also like to see money for parent outreach, education specialists, such as reading-recovery teachers, and after-school programs.

“I keep a hopeful attitude,” she says about whether federal money will trickle down, but she adds, “I’ll believe it when I see something concrete.”

The Afterschool Alliance’s Jen Rinehart hopes after-school programs can tap into the funding slated for Title I. Right now, 6.5 million children participate in after-school programs, but she says an additional 15 million kids would be in a program if it were available to them.

“Funding for after school is very tenuous,” Rinehart says. “We often see programs started up and programs closing.”

Jim Rex, superintendent of South Carolina’s schools, says his state has a number of needs, including a court mandate to do more with early-childhood education. “We have been pushing for universal four-year-old kindergarten for at-risk kids,” Rex adds. “We’d be delighted if the stimulus plan helped us move that forward.”

After much back and forth, the new stimulus compromise has to be approved by both the House and Senate before Obama can sign it into legislation. Reports state that Obama hopes to sign the legislation by Monday

                                           Amtrak gains funding in the compromise version of the economic stimulus bill.

Winners

High-speed and inner-city rail: Went from $300 million in House bill to $2.25 billion in Senate to $8 billion in final version. There also is a $6.9 billion provision for public transit.

Amtrak: Picked up $500 million from both House and Senate versions to total $1.3 billion. The bill stipulates that no more than 60 percent can go to the Northeast Corridor.

National Institutes of Health: Ends up with $10 billion in the final bill. The House proposed $3.5 billion and the Senate wanted $10 billion — $8.2 billion goes to the NIH director for his discretion.

Government oversight: Board to oversee stimulus bill spending will get $84 million to do the job. House bill allocated $14 million while the Senate bill called for $7 million. There is also more than $100 million more for various inspectors general in different agencies.

NASA: Banked just more than $2 billion, including $400,000 for science/global-warming research.

Losers

Veterans: Nearly all items for Veterans Affairs were reduced and the $2 billion the Senate wanted for VA construction was wiped out altogether. The VA did get one thing: $1 billion for medical facilities renovation and retooling.

Military construction: Cut and put into a general pot, a change from targeted money for each branch of the services. Army construction alone went from $600 million in the Senate and $900 million in the House to $180 million in the final bill. But negotiators compromised over a general military construction fund — the House wanted $3.75 billion while the Senate allocated $118 million and settled on $1.45 billion for all services.

FBI: Senate had allocated $475 million but all was cut out of final bill.

Survivors

Pandemic flu research: Although senators agreed it wouldn’t produce jobs, it’s getting $50 million in the final bill, down from nearly $900 million.

Damage control

Foreclosures: $2 billion is set for a neighborhood stabilization program that helps areas plagued with foreclosures by buying back properties and preventing blight.

Homeless: $1.5 billion is directed to homelessness prevention.

Passports: $90 million is going to the State Department to deal with domestic facilities that deal with passports and training.

Social Security: $500 million goes to replace its 30-year-old computer system.

Tax breaks

Car buyers: Anyone who buys a new car in 2009 gets to deduct the sales tax. To qualify, buyer must make less than $125,000 individually or $250,000 jointly. Cost is $1.7 billion.

Homebuyers: First-time homebuyers who purchase this calendar year get an $8,000 tax credit which does not have to be repaid like a similar measure last year. This phases out for people making more than $75,000 individually or $150,000 jointly. “First-time homebuyer” is defined as someone who has not owned a home for the past three years. Cost: $6.63 billion.

Paying for college

Pell grants: will increase to a maximum of $5,350 per student in 2009-2010 year thanks to two provisions in the stimulus.

Tax credits: Individuals making less than $80,000 or families making less than $160,000 can get up to $2,500 in tax credits for college tuition. 40 percent ($1,000) of the credit is refundable. Cost: $13.9 billion over 10 years.(CNN)