In early 1997 our business unit was a buzz of activity. Four years of strategic marketing were beginning to pay dividends. Only the year before, our business had been purchased and incorporated into one of the world's largest coating and industrial gas manufacturers, and the influx of much needed capital was a welcome sight to the employees who had struggled through the lean years of a fledgling business. Finally, we would have the tools to enable the business to thrive.
Even though we had anticipated it for years, when the new business arrived we found ourselves ill-prepared. We didn't have the personnel to sustain the growth we were experiencing. Nevertheless, we were living our collective dream of making the business successful. Employees poured their lives into the effort. We had arrived. Our gross sales-to-employee ratio had reached Microsoft levels. Our earnings before income tax were the marvel of the accountants at headquarters. We were awarded a Zero/Zero plaque, the highest annual award given by corporate, for a perfect safety record.