The Hytrol Story

At the beginning of the meeting, Ralph brought out a bottle of wine which he hoped would enliven the atmosphere. It was a bottle of inexpensive Chianti which Ralph called “a friendly drink.” Although Tom never drank any kind of alcoholic beverages, he smiled and agreed to participate in the toast. The glasses were poured and Ralph made a toast, “To the future.” Afterwards, Tom, Sam, and Ralph began a serious discussion as they looked over the year- end statement. As the meeting progressed, the tone turned somber. As Ralph stated in a 1988 interview, “We were scared to death when we found out what we had to pay Chuck.” During a break in the meeting, Tom opened a Bible which was in the hotel room. He opened the book to several random pages and read various bible references. Then, he came across one particular verse which he read aloud to Sam and Ralph. The verse seemed to fit the occasion and immediately had an impact to everyone in the room. The verse wasn’t recorded and it is not known at this time, but the importance of it was felt that day. Then, the three men prayed. In Ralph’s own words from that 1988 interview, “I’m the last guy to talk religion or spirituality because I never went to church that much, but in that meeting, we made decisions and had ideas that weren’t ours...they couldn’t have been mine...they were too far-fetched. We were guided. I firmly believe that.” It was at that meeting the three men recognized and accepted the leadership of the Christ in running Hytrol, and they carried this dedication in the months and years ahead. When Chuck moved away from Jonesboro, Ralph purchased Chuck’s home, and he moved in there. Tom and Sam began meeting at Ralph’s home for the quarterly board meetings. The three sat at the dining room table, and this is where many decisions were made concerning Hytrol’s future. And, in keeping with the spiritual unfoldment the three had experienced at the annual meeting in Memphis, it was decided a fourth chair would always be present at the table. That chair was there in recognition of a spiritual presence that would always guide the board in its planning. Through the months and years, whenever Tom, Sam, and Ralph would meet, that fourth chair would always be there. And it wasn’t unusual during these meetings for the three to devote one third of the time to business and the rest to sharing spiritual things. The fourth chair became a symbol of unity and faith in conducting the business of running Hytrol.