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On My Honor I Will Do My Best “I have but one lamp by which my feet
are guided, and that is the lamp of experience. I know of no way of judging the future but by the past.” --Patrick Henry-- This book recounts the real life experiences and adventures of the author and relates his life’s lessons, emulating a mentor’s position to the reader. In addition to sharing the details of the author’s activities in life, the reader also has the opportunity to learn the key reasons and elements for being successful as he discloses his HOW-TO-DO-IT philosophies with specific cases and examples. By making the most of the opportunities that came his way, the author excelled in practically every situation he encountered—he became an Eagle Scout in scouting; salutatorian of his high school class while lettering in all major high school sports; from a buck private in the USMC, during the Korean Conflict to a Captain and company commander from 1952-4; obtained BBA and Doctor of Jurisprudence (summa cum laude) degrees at the University of Texas at Austin; partner and member of the Executive Committee of his law firm; and just prior to his retirement from the active practice of law, President-Elect of his bar association; commenced a business career with a retail automotive group and became President and member of its board of directors; President of the Houston Honda Dealers’ Association; Chairman of the American Honda National Dealer Council; and prior to his retirement from the automobile business, President of all Houston subsidiaries of United Auto Group, a publicly traded company on the New York Stock Exchange headed by Roger Penske. His path crossed those of many prominent people. He participated in two historical firsts in banking. As a lawyer, he obtained approval from the United States Supreme Court to establish the first bank holding company over a challenge to its formation by the Department of Justice, resulting in that department’s first defeat in a Section 7, Clayton Act, case in twenty- two years. As a step in the merger of Texas Commerce Bancshares (Houston) and Chemical New York Corporation, he became an officer and director of the National Loan Bank, the first national bank in history to be formed solely for the purpose of liquidating problem loans. From the wealth of these experiences and attainments, the author shares with the reader the Ten Commandments of Leadership, developed as a result of his many diverse roles and providing the essential principles that every leader must know in order to lead others in a responsible way. He also discusses his prescription for lasting marriages, what it takes to obtain contentment and happiness as one’s life cycle winds down and how to prepare an ethical last will and testament leaving all these intangible values of life to those who follow you. |
