Beyond Family
Jerry Caven’s heartfelt
concern for family extends well beyond his own family. “As in any business, really the key to it is
the people you employ,” he stated. “In
our other businesses and ranching we’ve been very fortunate to have good
people.”
Juan Guitterez first met
Jerry Caven on the Pitch Fork, a ranch Jerry owned prior to purchasing the Half
Moon Ranch. Jerry happened to be working
on a fence that needed repair when Juan, in need of a job, approached him. At the time the Pitch Fork didn’t need any
additional staff, but when Jerry understood just how badly Juan needed a job he
didn’t have the heart to turn him away.
“He cares about you, he
cares about your family,” Juan told the Secrets
Of Success camera. “He’s making sure
that when I get old I won’t just be sitting in a chair without any money.”
Juan Guitterez worked so
hard that he eventually became the foreman of the Pitch Fork Ranch. In a display of appreciation for his
foreman’s hard work, Jerry requested that Juan sign a contract that would give
him a percentage of the proceeds should the ranch ever be sold. Juan signed and Jerry eventually did sell the
Pitch Fork.
“When Jerry sold the ranch
that percentage resulted in a six-figure profit,” Juan gratefully related. “I put it in my savings account.”
Jerry has also joyfully
paid for Juan’s children’s college expenses.
And many more of Jerry Caven’s twelve-hundred employees have benefited
in a variety of ways from his faith-fueled generosity and compassion.
“Hopefully they are happy
and paid well,” Jerry commented. “But
when life’s circumstances come up it is my job to be there for these people.”
Many business owners might
be tempted to view Jerry’s extra mile
approach to employees as unnecessary.
But no one can dispute that it has a long-term practical affect.
“It didn’t take me long to
understand when I started in business that constant turnover was costing me a
lot of time and a lot of money,” Jerry related.
“The best way was to find a good person that was willing to learn his
job, and enjoy his job, and then to remunerate and challenge that person to
stay long-term.”
Jerry consistently reminds
his employees that they are a big part of the success of the company. “That might not affect all of them but there
are some that really take it to heart,” Jerry said. “Our people know that I’m not concerned just
that they do a good job, but that they know I’m concerned for them
individually.”
Merlyn Knight, President
of the Royal Fork Restaurant Corporation has been with the company for over
forty years, Jim Chambers, Chief Financial Officer, eighteen years. Diane, Jerry’s assistant, has been with him
for thirty-five years. Business experts
might be tempted to question the approach, but there is no debating the
results. The proof here is in the
people.
© 2012 Philip Kassel
No comments:
Post a Comment