In 1950, my Dad, Al Payer (pictured on the far right), was in Cannes, France as a young Marine. The training he was exposed to then had a profound affect on me and my siblings. That training also carried over into his professional life working as a civilian for the Department of Defense as an Army Transportation Freight Specialist. He wore clean crisp white shirts and polished shoes and had the utmost respect for his coworkers. This work ethic was bestowed onto us as his children and we learned much from his stories about long hours on the job and days in the service. Dad was always available to help us learn how to properly fold clothes, wash dishes, stand upright and dress in perfectly ironed and creased clothing.
Today, I appreciate the stories he shared, his dedication to the job, and especially the discipline he learned from his military career and transferred over to his family life. He helped to make me who I am today and much of my business and day-to-day dealings with colleagues and clients contain references to my Dad.
We miss Dad everyday; he remains my mentor and inspiration to succeed in life and work. May 30th will be the tenth year of his passing. Thank you Dad for your duty to our country and for your dedication to your children and country.