A Single Employee's Resignation Disrupted the Life of Boston Beer
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
June 30, 2006 CEOs Shell Out Nearly 6 Figures To Secure the Perfect Nanny By Del Jones A single employee's resignation and his wife, Cynthia Fisher, a frequent-flier miles. All that, plus disrupted the life of Boston Beer biotech entrepreneur, have been room and board in a mansion, can Chairman Jim Koch. through a string of nannies and at make leaving the profession a one time started recruiting University lifestyle decision. It wasn't the CEO. It wasn't the chief of Boston figure skaters because financial officer. Rather, it was the their lives are disciplined by the rigor CEO nannies are in such demand nanny of his daughters, ages 8 and of 5 a.m. training sessions. that they often get unsolicited offers 10. like a scene out of Desperate "We always looked at it as our most Housewives. Angela Rheingans, 28, Tom First understands. He's the important hiring decision," Koch has been with the same Milwaukee founder of Nantucket Nectars, a said. family for eight years but is often company he sold in 2001 that is now approached by strangers in parks and a $100 million division of British Fewer CEOs take the has found notes slipped under her food giant Cadbury Schweppes. windshield wiper at the children's Jessica Glenn, 25, is nanny to his inexpensive road school offering "to double whatever children, 2 and 6. because they are more I'm making." "No disrespect to my vice president sensitive to legal and tax But Rheingans says she is bound by of marketing, but I consider my kids issues, and understand a sense of professional loyalty, not to a bigger asset than anything in my the risk of being sued for mention 3½ weeks of paid vacation life," First says. and a new Nissan Frontier four- exposing unsuspecting wheel drive — although she says she Millions of families face upheaval young women to a harsh gets to keep the truck even if she caused by child care issues. Rich, resigns tomorrow. poor and the middle-class dream of work environment. Mary Poppins or Mrs. Doubtfire. In May, at 9:30 p.m. on the night Few find the dream nanny, but just Joseph Keeley before Mother's Day, Boston nanny about everyone experiences a child College Nannies & Tutors Michelle LaRowe, 30, says she got a care nightmare at one time or frantic phone call from a stranger. another. CEOs are no exception. Salaries of top nannies aren't the The caller said she was the wife of a They are not insulated from a nanny only thing being driven by the CEO CEO and begged LaRowe to be her gone sour, and their combination of search. Those at the high end also get Mother's Day gift. She promised anxiety and wealth is driving annual benefits such as health insurance, LaRowe whatever salary and salaries of the best-paid nannies meals at fine restaurants, country benefits it took to make it happen. "I toward $100,000. club passes, cars with free gasoline, directed them to an agency that could education stipends, cellphones, fulfill their request," LaRowe says. "There are people in Boston with working trips aboard corporate jets JDs (law degrees) who make less to places like Hawaii and personal "I'm always approached. I have three than some nannies," Koch says. He trips compliments of the CEO's standing offers," says Ingrid Hale, 37, nanny to the daughters, aged 21 months and 3 years, of David Gochman, CEO of Academy Sports & Outdoors, a Katy, Texas-based retail chain that has more than $1 billion in revenue. Hale, who has 14 years of experience, makes $60,000- plus working 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. She figures she could top $80,000 with a typical schedule. Why are high-end nannies so special? It starts with education. CEOs want college-educated nannies with degrees in such fields as education, nursing and child psychology and are willing to pay for it, says Katherine Robinson, founder of Beacon Hill Nannies in Boston, which places 300 to 500 high-end Lisa Stipe worked for Wise Foods CEO Tom Shull caring for 3- month-old Emily. nannies a year. Stipe, who works on a short-term basis, was a nanny for 18 years before she began specializing in caring for newborns. Hale, for example, has a degree in early childhood education. Robinson recently placed Shannon Lucas with In addition to college degrees, many president of the International Nanny technology consulting firm Analytics high-end nannies know how to swim, Association. CEO Mitchell Burman, who says he are certified in CPR and regularly and his wife liked that Lucas has attend nanny seminars to hone their But fewer CEOs take the been an assistant teacher at a skills. Most at the high end have inexpensive road because they are Montessori school. The Burmans been through exhaustive background more sensitive to legal and tax issues have a 4-year-old and a 2-year-old checks and psychological exams. and understand the risk of being sued and are expecting a baby any day for exposing unsuspecting young now. Movie stars such as Angelina Jolie, women to a "harsh work mother of a newborn, may be the environment," says Joe Keeley, who Robinson says her agency finds most famous employers of nannies. is franchising a company of nanny potential nannies by recruiting at 200 But celebrities often prefer nannies agencies in major cities called colleges that offer majors in early who don't speak English because College Nannies & Tutors. childhood education, elementary they don't want bathrobe secrets education, child development, leaking to the National Enquirer, Keeley is a 24-year-old former special education, child psychology, says LaRowe, who makes $80,000 a collegiate hockey player who was child development and child life year working for a CEO in Boston. hired one summer as the nanny of studies. While most start in the two athletic boys in St. Paul. "My $30,000-a-year range, she says, the LaRowe says she has talked to roommates were digging swimming best can more than double that with a celebrities and the nannies of pools. We all came home from work few years of experience and good celebrities. She says that celebrities tired, but I was tired from playing references. will brag to each other about how golf at the country club." little they pay their nannies. CEOs Why do college-educated women brag about their nanny qualifications. Members at that country club were become nannies? For one, at the high CEOs manage people for a living, always asking Keeley where they end the money is comparable to, or pay the best and are "fabulous to could find a nanny like him. That better than, teaching. Trained work for," LaRowe says. gave him the idea for his nanny educators often find more franchise, although male nannies satisfaction in the development of Still, in the best neighborhoods there remain so rare that they border on two or three children over several are many nannies, typically being statistically non-existent. In 18 years than they do facing a fresh uneducated immigrants, working for years, Robinson says, she has placed crop of 30 students every fall. substandard wages, says Pat Cascio, fewer than 20 men. Keeley said he succeeded because he trend among high-end nannies. Other did more than babysit. For instance, he nannies are starting to specialize. traveled with his boys to summer LaRowe has been nanny to five hockey camps. Money is not an issue, different sets of twins. Lisa Stipe, 39, so a common theme among high-end was a nanny for 18 years before nannies is keeping the children busy specializing in newborns. She just doing high-quality activities. If children finished taking care of 3-month-old in LaRowe's care express an interest in, Emily Shull for Wise Foods CEO Tom say, music, she will research the best Shull and wife Dorothy in Connecticut classes in the area and audit a few to and is headed to Dallas where she will find the very best. be taking care of twins to be born in July. "I don't do this because I can't do anything else," says LaRowe, who has a She charges $300 to $450 — a day. "I'm chemistry degree from Bridgewater booked four to six months in advance," (Mass.) State College. "If I were a she says. chemist, I'd want to win the Nobel Prize. I commit myself (to) ... raising Being a high-end nanny is not an easy emotionally, physically and spiritually life, Cascio says. Sixty-hour weeks are healthy children. I have an objective typical, and nannies often must work on eye, and my views aren't tainted with Christmas and Thanksgiving. umbilical-cord emotions." Stipe works 21-hour days. "I take care Most nannies to CEOs sign of the baby at night so the parents can confidentiality agreements never to sleep. I make their lives so much more discuss their families in detail. Those peaceful, that's why I enjoy doing it. I interviewed requested permission to have a real talent to read babies and to speak to USA TODAY, including figure out what they are trying to tell Myrna Alphonse, 34. She says she can us." reveal only that she takes care of five children in Washington, D.C., ages 7 to Cascio says she spoke to one new nanny 16. who was excited that she was going to Europe for two months but found out "This family did not know what they that meant two months in a hotel room needed," says Alphonse, who has a with two small children while the degree in psychology from the parents went out or relaxed in a separate University of North Carolina.