THE PIEDMONITOR
July 1, 195Z
Page 2
A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
Every now and then, it is important that we
take stock of the situation so that we will have
a better understanding of what we have accom
plished, how we did it, and what we hope to
accomplish in the future. This is important
for each of us mdividually - as well as for
Piedmont as a company.
A lot of good things have come our way re
cently - the most outstanding of which was
the long term certificate renewal and the nice
new routes awarded to us by the CAB, As you
know, the Board in renewing our certificate
lor seven years did something for us that they
had previously refused to so for any other
new airime
As a result ol this, we have gotten in the lime
light to some extent = and its no secret that
we are considered the leader in our field. All
of this IS wonderful and we all have a right to
swell with pride in knowing that each of us has
had an important part in making this outstand
ing record Fundamentally, however, the best
part of all this is the challenge and the oppor
tunity It presents for all of us to accomplish
even more than we have in the past.
It is awfully important, however, that w'e re
member that it doesn’t do anyone any good to
“get out in front” if they don t have what it
takes to stay there. You and 1 both know of
many people or companies or even nations
who have risen to a pinnacle of glory only to
fade away to nothing. Did you ever stop to
think why that happened? It was not because
oi some outside force or other unavoidable
circumstance - it was because they got SOFT,
The record of their previous achievements
went to their heads - they got complacent and
soon began to rot. It’s happened to others -
but we’re not going to let it happen to us are
we? If for no other reason, we can’t afiord to
relax too much now, because we are just get
ting a good start. The hardest part of getting
to the top of the ladder is getting through the
mob at the bottom. We’ve gotten through the
mob ~ but we’ve still got a wonderful challenge
ahead.
Yes, in looking back - Piedmont has covered
a lot of ground particularly in the last four
years Of course, the best part of that is the
fact that this progress has made possible the
very rapid progress of most of the individuals
who make up Piedmont, Just take a look around--
you’ll see department heads who, not too many
years ago, were line boys; you’ll see lots of
senior mechanics and foremen who not long ago
were junior mechanics; you’ll see many cap
tains who were co-pilots two or three years
ago; you’ll see several station managers who
were agents; and so on That’s as it should be
and it will always be a policy of the company
to so reward the individual effort and initiative
of those who make possible the growth of the
company.
To be absolutely certain that we don’t get soft,
and that we take full advantage of the opportun
ity ahead, we must have a clear understanding
of how it is that we have managed to get where
we are today- If there is any single answer 1
am convinced that it would be this - “The
willingness of Piedmont employees to assume
individual responsibility”. No one person has
made this company what it is today. And, no
one person will make it succeed or fail in the
future. The envious position of each of us and
our company is the result of this willingness
to discharge these responsibilities as best we
know how.
Now all companies, strange as it may seem,
don’t have a large group of people like that -
and that’s the reason we see many of those
companies fail and the jobs of the people in
those companies fade away.
Most of our folks, I believe, are the type who
recognize their responsibility to their families,
to their company and to their nation. They are