Family businesses teach much more f^onst^von\timefgo-'; / As I reached for the pile of

than how to earn a paycheck r s ^ r s h a n ™ "Son," he said, "now that you

shoes when I said, "I don't want coolest Dad on Earth, said, "Well, Dad said, "I had no idea you are gainfully employed in a full-the $5, Dad. I'm on strike." son, who do you think you should were unhappy, son. I'll be glad to time job, will you continue to

He said, "You're on what!?" be paid like?" pay you the same wage as want to live at home, or will you I said, "I'm on strike. I'm not I looked at the stunned employ- Bobby." Dad picked up the five- be moving out on your own?"

gonna work any more until I get ees frozen in place, with mouths dollar bill I had refused and "What?!" I said, paid like everyone else." uncharacteristically quiet and promptly counted out $75, I "Bobby," Dad said, "You do

My Dad, who was and is the said, "Bobby, like Bobby." thought to myself, "I should have C o n t i n u e d o n n e x t page

PERSONNEL CORNER

B y V I N C E A L F O N S O J R .

Family-owned businesses are family-owned businesses. Pro-found, huh? I mean, golf course or grocery store, paving com-pany or woodworking shop, what's the difference? The an-swer is, none.

Moms or Dads own businesses and their kids work for them from about the time they are 10 years old. They work after school and on weekends at first, then graduate to most of the summer through high school. But col-lege, they're even working Christmas and Easter breaks. I know what I'm talking about be-cause my Dad owned a grocery store during my youth. I was 10 years old in 1956 and loving ev-ery minute of it. Loving it, that is, until the day my Dad an-nounced it was time for me to go to work in the family grocery store. It certainly wasn't like go-ing off to war, but at the time I thought it was.

Dad explained that I would learn the produce business, the meat market business, the canned goods business, the dairy business, the stockroom, the or-dering, how to take phone or-ders and our home-delivery sys-tem. He said I would learn the credit department and market-ing and promotion, which con-sisted of distributing flyers door to door and painting beautiful sale signs on the windows of Weona #88 (Dad's store).

In two short years of part-time work, I was catching on. There were times I accused my Dad of only knowing one name: mine. It seemed no matter what needed to be done, I was asked to do it. From cleaning up a dozen eggs splattered on the floor at the sackers' station to building a canned tuna fish display that even Charlie Tuna would be proud of, to breaking down a side of beef, my Dad taught me how to do it.

One day, while grousing to the other employees about my wages ($5 per week), they began to champion my cause of equal pay for equal work. They seemed to agree with me that even though I was the son of the owner, I deserved to be paid on an equal basis with the other employees. By Saturday night (pay day) a vote was taken and a strike was called. It was all agreed: I would strike for higher wages and equal pay. As each employee moved past my Dad, picking up their pay, I became more and more nervous.

I was shaking in my blue suede

Vince Alfonso fr. is a 40-year golf industry veteran, president of Alfonso Creative Enterprises Inc., and owner of Kimberling Golf Course near Branson, Mo. He can be reached at 417-739-4370. 52 May 1997

F O R Y E A R S , O T H E R S T R I E D T O I M P R O V E O N T H E P E R F O R M A N C E OF T H E W O R L D ' S B E S T K N O W N F U N G I C I D E FOR P R O T E C T I N G Y O U R C O U R S E A G A I N S T P Y T H I U M N O W O F F E R S TW1C IT C O N T A I N S NO S O L V E N T S . IT HAS N O O D O R . A N D IT'S C O N C E N T R A T E D , S O YOU U S E L E S S O F IT - HALF AS MUCH. IT

©1997 Novartis, Turf & Ornamental Products, Box 18300, Greensboro, North Carolina 27419. Subdue* MAXX® is a registered trademark of Novart

FflHllly values As I reached again for the need new clothes for school this $5. I'm sure we've overlooked Continued f r o m p r e v i o u s p a g e money, minus the $20 rent, Dad fall. Will you be paying your own some things, but this is a good pay rent, don't you?" said, "What about food? Will you doctor bills, or do you want me start."

"Yes, sir, Mr. Vince," Bobby be eating all your meals at home, to take a flat amount to cover I was in shock, and the em-replied (just a tad on the ner- or will you be eating out?" your medical expenses? ployees were in shock. My $75 vousside). "Of course, I'll still be eating "Let's see now," he continued, was gone! There was nothing

"Well, I'm sure if you want to at home," I shot back. "that's $20 for rent, $20 for food, left. After a moment of silence, continue to live at home we can "I think $20 will cover your $10 for laundry and ironing, $10 which seemed like an eternity, I come to terms on rent," Dad said, food each week. Oh, yeah, you toward medical expenses, $10 blurted out, "Dad, now I have "Let's say, $20 a week? How does will probably want your Mom to toward buying new clothes for nothing!" that sound to you?" continue to do your laundry and school. Oh, I almost forgot My Dad said, "That's not true

"Sure, Dad, whatever,"! said. ironing? And, of course, you'll school supplies. That's another at all, son. You have your rent,

M A N A G E M E N T food and laundry paid in full for a week, school supplies, medical coverage, and you will be able to sport some new clothes for fall."

"But, I have no money for any-thing else," I said.

My Dad's response still rings clear in my ears today. "Look, son, you wanted equal pay. Well, you got it and with it comes added responsibility. You must not have considered that when you went on strike."

Sadly, I said, "No, sir, I didn't." Swallowing as much pride as a

12-year-old could stand, I said, rather sheepishly, "If it's OK with you, Dad, I'd like to forget this strike stuff and just go back to being your son. I'll be glad to take my $5."

My Dad said: "You didn't ever stop being my son, Buddy. But I'll be glad to settle this strike by giving you back your $5 spend-ing money."

Maybe your son or daughter doesn't quite understand why they're not getting paid exactly like the other employees. I chal-lenge you to help them see that more compensation creates more independence and more independence creates more re-sponsibilities. As someone so aptly put it, there is no free lunch!

Some people would say I missed a lot from age 10 to 18. But, the time I spent with my Dad and the things he taught me about life and business, I wouldn't trade for a million bucks. Like I said, my Dad was then and is now the coolest Dad on Earth. Thanks, Dad.

IGM signs new S. Florida deal

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — International Golf Management, Inc. has been retained to pro-vide maintenance services for the Palm Beach County-owned Okeeheelee golf complex here.

The complex is located in 900-acre Okeeheelee Park. IGM will provide turnkeymaintenance services for the entire 188-acre complex, which includes 27 holes on three courses — the Eagle, Heron and Osprey.

Maintenance at Okeeheelee is being handled by a 13-member staff working under the direction of Dennis McNally, IGM's resi-dent superintendent, and Jimmy Witt, IGM's South Florida regional manager.

Bobby Brown is Okee-heelee's head golf pro while Donna White, a former member of the LPGA Tour, is director of golf. Steve Cox is course manager.

Opened late in 1995, Okeeheelee was designed by Roy Case and features gradual elevation changes and abundant water, with 43 lakes scattered over the 188-acre tract.

May 1997 53

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