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I was born a poor child, in Raleigh, North Carolina.  I didn't stay there long, however, and I grew through adolescence in the greater metropolitan area of Lumberton, where almost daily I was overwhelmed by a fervent desire to leave.  After finessing my way through high school, I continued my wayward ways at North Carolina State University.  My curriculum focused first on Forestry, then Wildlife Biology, then Pre-Med, and finally, Ornamental Horticulture.  With an incredible work ethic and unquestionable brilliance, I was able to attain a four-year degree in only five short years, including three summer sessions.  Luckily, Ball Seed sent a recruiter to State (as well as several other schools) to try to interest graduates in going to West Chicago instead of Vietnam.  It was a tough choice, but I think it was the right one for me (actually, my main value to Ball was neither my incredible work ethic nor my unquestionable brilliance, but rather the fact that I was draft-exempt due to heart issues).

I was hired to work in Customer Service, and occasionally loaned out to Du Page Hort School to guest teach impressionable young minds about the sex life of orchids, and to Grower Talks, where I wrote about such things as those new-fangled structures called "quonset houses".  After two years in the office, even Lumberton looked good and I was ready to leave, but Carl Ball had seen some glimmer of promise in me that made him think I had sales potential, and I was offered the Indiana and Louisville, Kentucky territory.  The territory was being vacated by long-term salesman and all-around good guy Bud Dunn, ironically because of his heart condition.  I started on the road February 1, 1970, and immediately began to wear the tires off my car, driving from West Chicago to Lafayette to Evansville to Michigan City - on my first day.  Gas was cheaper back then.  I have gotten a little more organized since those early days.  I learned much more at Ball than I ever did at State, and I learned infinitely more from my customers than I ever did at Ball.  Bud had advised me to keep my mouth shut, and then possibly I would be able to learn enough to survive.  That's obviously worked so far.

I travelled the Indiana territory for Ball for twenty years, but when Sonney Mosley graciously allowed me to go to work for Vaughan's (now Syngenta), I made the move.  My territory had been cut several times over the years, so when Sonney and I divided up his territory, I was able to keep almost all of my previous customers.  One of the big selling points for me to work for Vaughan's was I got to finally sell nursery stock, which was my horticultural specialty at State, but another big advantage was I got to work with Sonney instead of against him.  It's very difficult to compete with Dr. Mosley.

I stayed with Vaughan's for five years, until Jim Eason and Sonney came up with EHR.  Many of the original EHR salesmen were Vaughan's alumni, and we used most of the national and regional suppliers we were already familiar with.  Best of all, I kept all of my customers and added a few new ones.  There were some "growing pains" in the early years of EHR, and I was probably one of the biggest.  But one of the best things about this company has always been the "hands-on" participation of management.  Initially, Jim and Sonney continued to travel their old territories and fought the same battles the rest of us did.  They still visit customers.  From the start, EHR was more attuned to their customers than any other brokers.  Since I had always felt that if you took care of your customers, they would take care of you, I really appreciated Jim and Sonney's approach.  Their interaction with the inside staff are EHR has been equally effective.  While our customer service representatives are certainly knowledgeable and professional, as you would expect, they are also friendly and focused on our customers.  It makes it easy to sell for a company that gives such great backup and support.

As I embark upon the second half of my career, I am profoundly grateful for the training, the tutelage, and mentoring I have received from my employers and my peers, but far more than that, I am extremely grateful for the loyalty and friendship of my customers. They all know I will do anything I can for them, and I know the feeling is mutual.  Thanks y'all.