Originally posted on Facebook on Friday, August 13, 2021.

In Week 33 of 52 Weeks of Gratefulness, I give thanks for Mr. John Fair and Johnny Fair of Fair Propane & Fair Oil Company.

"Is there a way we can…?"

These are my all time favorite words to hear from a client. As an I.T. professional, I deeply enjoy helping business owners leverage technology to achieve outcomes once thought only possible for large corporations.

To this day I'm not completely sure why, but Mr. Fair called and invited me to attend a meeting at the Fair Companies office in Louisville, Mississippi. They were meeting with the software vendor for their propane operations about a possible expansion into other markets. And, the question on the table was, "Is there a way we can setup offices in these new locations and have remote service reps access customer data in a central location?" The vendor quickly replied, "Not possible. You'll need a separate install for each location." And, this software wasn't cheap.

Mr. Fair, leaned back, placing an elbow in one hand while resting his finger on his mouth, tapping it slowly as he contemplated the vendor's response. He then turned ever-so slightly in my direction, indicating that he wanted my perspective. I asked the vendor questions to understand the underlying technology stack and then asked whether there was any potential licensing violation in creating "virtual desktops" to access the data. A few years prior, I had the privilege of learning about a new technology called Terminal Services while working as a high school intern at Entergy Corporation through a program for minority students called Inroads. After implementing the technology, they were able to achieve the desired outcome while also saving a significant sum. This began a relationship with the Fairs that has spanned nearly two decades.

Mr. John and Johnny Fair are business men that are constantly innovating and have established themselves as regional leaders in the petroleum industry. They dramatically grew their propane and fuel businesses while graciously bringing me along for the ride. We have since had many conversations that start with "Is there a way we can…?" and represents some of the most fun and significant moments of growth in my career.

Not only have they sought opportunities to involve me in their own businesses, but they've recommended me for opportunities with other clubs, associations and boards that they belong to. As a result, I've traveled from east coast to west coast, visiting places I may not have had opportunity to otherwise. Because of their advocacy, I was made tech lead on an ERP project managing the distribution of millions of dollars of fuel per month across multiple states. Thanks to them, if you've gassed up somewhere in the southeast, there's a chance that you've touched my work.

Over the years, our relationship has spanned well beyond I.T. projects. They've shared insights from lessons they've learned in business that's grown me not only as an I.T. pro but as a business owner as well. I've developed meaningful friendships with many of their staff. We've shared important moments of life together. We've had a lot of hard conversations together. We've prayed together. In fact, one of my most prized possessions is a letter of recommendation that Mr. Fair wrote to a church for a pastorate I was considering.

These men and their team have contributed immensely not only to the growth of my business or to me as a professional, but also to my growth as a person. I'm grateful. #52WoG

Originally posted on Facebook on Wednesday, August 4, 2021.

In Week 32 of 52 Weeks of Gratefulness, I give thanks for my Uncle John Jr.

Fishing with my dad was my happy place as a young boy.

Every Saturday, I'd ask my dad -correction, I'd beg my dad to go fishing. I remember the tingle of anticipation as we'd load the boat and hitch it to that old, green, Dodge Diplomat. It felt like traveling to a different world as we drove from the neatly coifed yards of our neighborhood in the city of Jackson, Mississippi and approached, what seemed like at the time, the vast ocean of the Ross Barnett Reservoir.

On this particular day, we're fishing with his brother and my Uncle John Jr.

Fishing with these guys is an all day (and night) affair. I remember on one occasion a friend of mine asked to go with us and broke down crying because he had had enough after 8 hours. Poor guy. This is why the grocery store was one of our first stops on a fishing trip. My dad would buy stuff like a whole loaf of bread, packs of bologna, potted meat, vienna sausages, chips, water and liver -that last one was for the fish. As I think about the way we ate on these trips, I can't help but laugh thinking about how neurotic my wife and I have been about how and what our kids eat. On these fishing trips, I'd often go between baiting my hook with a minnow and fixing a sandwich. Our idea of sanitation was running our hand through the lake water to get off fish scales and worm guts before reaching into the pack of bologna!

I remember the roar of the outboard motor and the gentle skips of the boat as we skimmed the lake. My dad had taken us out pretty far -so far that we've largely lost sight of land. We approached a small island that looks like something straight out of Huckleberry Finn. It's surrounded by lily pads. I peer over the edge of the boat and can see no sign of bottom. I turn to my Uncle John Jr. and ask, "Hey Uncle John, how deep do you think that water is?" He takes an oar and plunges it down until his forearm is submerged. He replies, "It's deep." I couldn't swim so I asked, "What would you do if you fell in that water?" He replied, "Seeing that I can't swim, I guess I'd have to drink it all, nephew!" And, with that he, I and my dad had a long, hearty laugh.

I learned yesterday, that my Uncle John Jr. has passed. But what remains with me is that every memory I have of him is warm and kind. I'm grateful. I solicit your prayers and kind regards for Uncle John Jr.'s family and loved ones. #52WoG