Posted December 9, 2015

 

One of the pleasures I’ve had over the years is interviewing longtime textile industry lifers, from hourly employees to CEOs. These dialogues have time and again proved true the old adage, “everyone has a story to tell.” Even when confronted with a shy person who prefers one-word answers, I usually can find compelling gems in anyone – if I give a little effort, show a little compassion and ask the right questions.

 

Picking these experienced brains have also been learning experiences. About 20 years ago, for instance, I interviewed a 50-year textile manufacturing employee who told me about “dope wagons” – which were carts laden with snacks and soft drinks that circulated throughout textile mills in the early-to-mid 1900s, before the advent of canteens. (The name is derived from the nickname of one of its most commonly sold products – a “dope,” or a bottle of Coca-Cola.)

 

And conversations with top-level company leaders have reaffirmed something I already knew – that they’re smarter, wiser and more visionary than me. But what they’ve really taught me is they are benevolent, considerate and respectful, like most of us.

 

Engaging in various confabs over the years has caused me to surmise that I have a trusting nature, as a number of embarrassing or unflattering anecdotes have been told to me – but were best left unpublished, for obvious reasons. Like the time … oh, never mind.

 

At ITMA recently, I had the rewarding opportunity to sit down a few minutes with a couple of industry veterans who happen to be longtime friends – and share in their recollections spanning more than 40 years. Frank Levy, owner of Quogue-N.Y.-based Stellamcor, Inc., and Al Thomas, owner of Greenville, S.C.-based Frankl & Thomas, reconnected in Milan and seemed to pick up where they last left off. I never take for granted experiences like these, and feel privileged to be a veritable fly on the wall when they occur.

 

Having had the opportunity for such sit-downs makes me extra excited about a project I’ll be working on next year. I can’t divulge much yet about it, as details are still being ironed out. But I can say it will entail conducting interviews with a number of difference-makers in our industry and sharing their stories with you and the general public. Being curious by nature and a listener at heart, I look forward to bringing this project – and these stories – to life. I’ll provide more details when the time is right.

 

Meanwhile, I’m all ears.