When I introduced him, the employee pointed across the room and told me to be sure to introduce our visitor to her mother. Her mother has been with our company for almost 50 years and is now in her eighties. That kind of loyalty and longevity is common in small businesses and contributes to our success. Dize has been in business in Winston-Salem for over 75 years and has always had excellent, qualified, dedicated people. Part of my decision to acquire the company in 1986 was based on the fact that Dize had outstanding people.
Leaders are decisive .
After weighing the options and evaluating the risks, a leader acts quickly and sticks with his decision. During my years at Price Waterhouse, I never seriously saw myself owning or operating a small manufacturing company. The prestige and power seemed to be with larger companies, but the personal satisfaction is generally not. I saw the acquisition of Dize as an opportunity for me to practice what I had preached for so many years at Price Waterhouse and as a challenge for me to turn a staid and stodgy company into a more profitable, market-oriented business. When a decision comes to me, it has been well researched by divisional management.