Janet Blenner-Hough

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Written by Janet Blenner Hough

 

 

Looking at Janet’s 8th grade picture, let’s get the hair and glasses discussion going right away! Both changed dramatically over 40 years: length, color, contacts, Lasik surgery, and of course, those 80’s perms. Janet was a blonde for decades. Unusual at 52, Janet has no grey hair (her dad went grey in his 70’s.)  

   

Moving to southwest Florida after her sophomore year at Beaumont commenced a lifetime of moving and traveling, with a few bad hair days along the way.  

   

After graduating from the University of Florida with an Accounting degree in 1984, Janet backpacked southern Europe. Attending the 40th anniversary of D­-Day on Normandy Beach was a highlight; she stood where her father earned his Silver Star. It was quite a moving experience.  

   

Janet spent 4 years at Arthur Andersen & Co. in Houston, (Enron was not her account) traveling on assignment and for fun. One memorable client was in Alaska. After hiking a glacier, the GM took her salmon fishing in hip waders that were waaay too big. Although Janet was good at it, she never really liked accounting (her Dad chose her major.) In 1988, she backpacked northern Europe, flew home, and resigned from AA&Co. Unmarried and 25, Janet moved to the San Francisco Bay area because she thought the mountains next to the ocean was just.. so.. cool! Yes, her family thought she was nuts. She had a job in two days.  

   

Janet lived south of the City (on the Peninsula) for 14 years and grew to hold executive positions in the Silicon Valley. She flourished and loved it. Janet transitioned from accounting and finance to marketing via engineering. Huh, what…How? Janet had a boss who told her to ask any question and learn. Inquisitive, a creative knack, writing skills, and a true love of technology helped Janet cut her new path. Janet worked her way up to Senior Director of Marketing and Business Development (Google Linux Janet Smith…nice glasses!!) and Director of Engineering running the Program Office for a 2 billion company. Janet also got married just under the ‘age 30’ mark. Veronica was born in 1996 and for four years they enjoyed all northern California had to offer. Janet and Veronica’s dad divorced after 8 years of marriage.  

   

Family ties tugged a continent away and Janet moved back to Jupiter, FL in 2002 to raise her kindergartner and spend time with her mom. Janet’s dad passed and it was her turn to be local family and care for her mom: she heeded the call.  

   

Veronica played every sport and many instruments while excelling in school. Mother and daughter travelled often to Ca. for Veronica to see her father. With heavy family commitments, Janet started a marketing consulting business. She ran two marketing firms, and ducked inside corporate environments when required (e.g., 3 hurricanes, 2008 financial meltdown.) Janet coached girls basketball in college and did so again (2nd graders will score at the wrong basket.)  

   

In 2004, Janet white­water rafted down the Grand Canyon for 6 days and 5 nights.  She still remembers the light of the full moon dancing on the canyon walls.  

   

In 2009, Janet was in a motorcycle accident that was bigger than a boo­boo. She has been on full­time disability for 6 years. Not knowing what to do, she went back to school and earned her MBA with a specialization in Marketing. She did not like the fate the doctors dished (are you surprised?) and tried every option: 6 surgeries, dozens of therapies, eastern and western medicine, etc. Unfortunately, the docs had it right.  

   

Regardless, Janet is still a ‘silver lining’ gal. She met and married her humorous, talented husband after her life­altering accident (never say never.) After 11 years as a single mom, Janet and Randy married in 2011 in a teeny tiny ceremony in Islamorada with a BIG costume party 8 months later. She is fortunate to have gained two lovely adult stepdaughters, Arielle (23, pre­med) and Whitney (25, the Cali girl.) Fourteen when Randy and Janet met, Veronica and Randy are very close. A guitar­playing, award­winning photographer CPA with a tax firm, Randy is also CFO for a construction firm.  

   

Randy and Janet had a tough run in 2013. They lost Janet’s mom, Randy’s mom and his step mom in 11 months.  

   

In 2014, Veronica started college at the University of Central Florida in biology with aspirations of a veterinary career. Veronica is a basketball and volleyball referee for UCF club teams too.  

   

Randy and Janet moved to Tampa to their empty­nest home. Not living life quite as large, Janet remains an avid Gator fan and amateur cook. Still a little fruit and nutty, she serves vegan food to willing takers, drives an electric car, and reuses rain water. Her dogs, Zoey and Buddy are the topic of many Facebook posts. Janet went back to her natural brunette hair color and now she wears glasses on occasion…again.  

 

By the way Janet,....... Marty did google the glasses:

 

http://www.linuxjournal.com/article/3153