Leaving a Legacy --DeWese

At the moment of delivery, the recipients of his goodness felt the sweet beauty of "The Moonlight Sonata." He was a businessman. He was president of his company. He started as a salesman and never stopped selling. Like all truly great salespeople and managers, he was charitable, supportive and generous with nary any thought for personal reward or recognition.

It was just within him to honor, respect and help all the people who walked along his road. Generals or janitors, it mattered not to Roy. They couldn't resist his gravitational pull because he sincerely listened to them. He wanted to know about their lives. His life, to him, seemed almost inconsequential.

Honest to the Core

Like all great men, his customers, co-workers and local community smelled his honesty. His word, his nod and his handshake were more binding than any 200-page contract written by the biggest New York law firm. He was a stand-up man.

Who needs a sales pitch when your customers instantly know your integrity? Will he deliver a quality product, on time, at a fair price? You betcha!

Who needs any more motivation than a touch on the shoulder and a quiet, "Good job. Well done," from a leader whose judgment is impeccable and whose heart is bound by the truth?

This depression-era high school student had no money for his dream school, Georgia Tech. His powerful work ethic, however, earned him a PhD. in human relations, business and flawless behavior.

He mastered something he called "walkin' around sense" long before Tom Peters wrote about it in his first book, "In Search of Excellence." On the other hand, Roy was among the first to read Peters' books and he was still reading the Bible, history, biographies and fiction well past his 90th birthday.

Role Model to Follow