Pub. 55 2014-2015 Issue 4

7 SUMMER 2015 At the end, my dad had to take a substantial loan to keep the business afloat. I considered it a badge of honor that in 1998, I successfully paid that note off in full. All any human being should ever ask for is a chance, an opportunity to thrive and succeed if given the opportunity. I will be eternally grateful for that chance, and live each day so that it is not in vain. At Graham International, we consider our employees family and are very fortunate to have many that are long tenured. The company currently has 47 employees with a combined 320 years with the organization. Amazingly, this is without counting the Controller that just retired this last January after 45 years! I have always proudly claimed that my controller had been with the company longer than I have been alive. While managing and directing such long tenured employees is not without struggle, the wealth of knowledge and dedica- tion to the company and its customers cannot be overstated. At this point, my role in the business is clear: keep the company pointed in the right direc- tion, ensure that the operation is adequately funded, and provide expertise to anticipate market shifts and changes. The truck industry is extremely dynamic and turbulent, and stay- ing focused on your core business is extremely important to avoid pitfalls. ON TADA While virtually all of my lobbying efforts have been directed through the Texas Associa- tion of Business, I have always kept the line of communication open with TADA and the staff. My family has had more than our share of battles with our manufacturer, so we have had to lean heavily on TADA, especially on legal issues. There is no greater feeling than knowing that Bill, Karen and all of the great people at TADA are in my corner, ready for battle if I need them. From time to time, Bill Wolters would call and ask me to visit with my State Representa- tive, Larry Phillips, on an issue. There is no more effective way to help our lobby efforts than to discuss issues directly with our local legisla- tors. Look, Texas Dealers employ 92,000 Texans. Not only should we make sure our voices are heard, we should be leading the charge. I understand the quandary we get put inwhen have to take a side on a divisive issue, and realize that can affect our busi- ness. But we are not doing ourselves any favors when we sit on our hands, stay out of the political process and don’t allow our voices to be heard. PUBLIC REPUTATION My father always maintained that it was important that a business return more to the community than it took, if a community was to thrive and prosper for future generations. This was demonstrated through his civic activities. His favorite organization was the Sherman Chamber of Commerce, of which he served as President in 1979. He was a part of a group of businessmen that spent many years traveling the country recruiting companies to move or open operations in Sherman. They were very successful, and to this day many of the corpo- rations they recruited are still operating here. He gave graciously to organizations in Grayson County, and was always involved in helping someone. In many cases, he did so anonymously and under the radar. It wasn’t until after his death that I learned many of the stories, often from my own friends in high school, of the things he did to help folks out. I have worked hard to follow in those giant footsteps. I have tried to serve as generously as  BRETT GRAHAM — CONTINUED ON PAGE 8