Wednesday, April 08, 2009

The Uncommon Common Man


Two ol’ Dartmouth College buddies and I visited the Airport Diner in Manchester, NH not too long ago; Kathy was our terrific waitress (she was brand new too.) We enjoyed some first-rate old-fashioned diner grub and snagged a coupla cool paper hats (the kind the cooks wear). When I got home and modeled the hat for my fam, I noticed the web site for The Common Man family of restaurants.


What a great story. Alex Ray, founder way back in 1971, is a real entrepreneur. He has built a great business and pays it forward in the communities where he operates. I did not get a chance to meet him, but I hope I do someday. He embodies many of the traits of successful entrepreneurs we have observed in our Entrepreneurial Leadership class at Drake University.


My pals and I were on our way to northern New Hampshire to memorialize a great friend who died 10 years ago. We installed a small marker in his memory atop Diamond Peak in the Second College Grant, Wentworth Location, NH. Drilling a 4” hole in solid granite can be done in the wild. We got off to a great start for a great adventure in memory of a great guy, Richard C. Sunshine.


Alex, Kathy, and all your Common Man colleagues, I hope you will stop by if you ever find yourself in Des Moines.

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