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Comments from J.D. Bullington | Keynote
Address M. Daigneault | Keynote
Adress W. Michael Hoffman
Following the 2002 Event, J.D. Bullington shared his thoughts
in his weekly commentary in the Albuquerque Tribune on May 5, 2002
Wednesday, April 24, was a special day for business. The third
annual Ethics in Business Awards banquet was held that evening at
the Sheraton Old Town in Albuquerque.
If you were one of the 860 people in the audience, it says a lot
about you.
If you were one of the award recipients, it speaks volumes.
With so many important dinners, banquets, receptions and galas on
the calendar these days and so little time, it's hard to decide
what to attend. We tend to save our best ties and pumps for the
high profile ones packed with celebrities. We can't resist those
wing-dings that might further our own interests or ingratiate ourselves
with those of power and influence.
The dinner on April 24 was different. The reason to go was simply
to be close to what is right and good. This was a night to honor
morality, human values, and justice. It was a humbling, unforgettable
business event.
What, a B-U-S-I-N-E-S-S event honoring justice and moral values?
The Samaritan Counseling Center came up with the idea. The center
provides professional and psychological counseling to those in need.
It also reveres business saints.
This year's award winners were ACCION New Mexico, French Mortuary,
Atkinson and Company, LTD and Standard Machine Company. Donald "Duffy"
Swan of Valor Telecommunications received individual recognition.
When I first heard the name "Duffy Swan", I thought,
"What kind of a guy has a name like 'Duffy'?"
Let me tell you.
Ask Duffy for a favor, no matter how small, and you'll receive
a letter of commitment, daily progress reports, and a post-completion
follow-up call.
I asked him what it feels like to receive an award like this.
"It's hard because I know my flaws and weaknesses. I know
I stumble along in areas, and it's hard to step up and accept something
like this. It carries a huge responsibility," Duffy said.
"It's urged me to raise the bar even higher for myself. I
have tried to the best of my ability to live at the highest standards,
but each one of us can always do better. We can listen more and
try to disappoint people less."
"In the tapestry of my life are the threads of other people
who have made a difference on what I've done. I look at myself and
I see the work of other people who took time to teach me, who had
the courage to admonish me. I can't tell you what a treasure it
is to have people in your life who will tell you you're missing
it."
Duffy will tell you that what bothers him most about other companies
is, "The attitude that 'this is good enough' -- the tolerance
and acceptance of sloppy work and sloppy service standards."
Duffy and the other winning firms don't compromise their integrity.
They do more than expected, and they believe their reputation is
their most valuable asset. They do things right the first time.
Their success is not based on power or prestige, but on the relationships
with customers they respect and care about. They work in harmony
with their values. They understand that in business, the most important
thing is trust.
These people thrive in the deep beauty of enterprise: where ethics
meet everyday life.
There is a difference between heroes and celebrities. April 24
was an evening to honor heroes. Duffy Swan and prior year individual
award winners, Bob Stamm of BradburyStamm Construction and John
Ackerman of PNM, are the kinds of guys that should receive a plaque
for just being alive. They give without drawing attention to themselves.
They decide what needs to be done, do it, and quietly slip away
without anyone noticing. A lot of people look small around them.
They're not celebrities.
They're businessmen.
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