Much of the general population would guess that business owners exist to make money for themselves. The unethical leaders at some larger companies have fueled that consensus opinion.

Certainly, some business leaders have disappointed us. However, the majority thinks beyond themselves. Small business provides most jobs, so there is no doubt that numerous industrial distribution leaders are in the "good" group. Many of us are the sons and daughters of those pioneers.

My dad was a salesperson and national sales manager for the tooling division of a large manufacturer. He decided to move to a small tooling distributor. At the time, I did not think much of his decision.

I remember asking him not why we were moving, but where. He told me that we would be going to either Green Bay or Milwaukee. When Milwaukee was confirmed, I was disappointed, mainly because Milwaukee was not the home of the Packers.

Looking back now, I can see why we moved to Milwaukee. Milwaukee presented the opportunity that my dad was after, which had little to do with him, or making more money.

No doubt my dad, like many in the national sales profession, tired of the "fly out Sunday, return Thursday, to the office Friday and Saturday morning" routine. He decided to change that routine by controlling it. Hence, the move to Milwaukee, and later, the purchase of the company that is now owned primarily by his children. The move was our last relocation, which had numbered five by the time I started fifth grade.

My dad took the same risks that many of your parents and grandparents took when they started or purchased the companies that we now own. In many ways, the entrepreneur who buys or starts a company takes a much larger risk than the "money" individual who does the same thing. In the event of failure, the money person only loses the money he had. The entrepreneur loses money that he most likely did not have, and a good part of his future as well.

Conversely, a successful distributor-entrepreneur's risk is parlayed into jobs; contributions to the community and the economy; the ability to help those in need; and a better situation for future generations.

Many of us are raising families without the need to relocate, or the travel that took our fathers away from us. We are probably more involved with our kids and their extracurricular activities, because when our dads were gone on business, they were ensuring that we would not have to leave our kids. In my case, I've been to every single one of my son's basketball and baseball games. How many of our fathers, a generation ago, could have said that?

We thank our customers for their business, but this Father's Day season, let's remember to thank our dads for the business, literally. They have allowed us to provide for our families, employees, and communities with little of the sacrifice that they endured.

Thanks, Dad, and Happy (belated) Fathers Day!