Welcome to the June Executive Powerhouse Spotlight.

 

I have an exciting line up of energetic and inspiring current powerhouses to spotlight coming up this summer, but I hope you'll pause to reflect with me as I take a slight detour from the conventional route for a Father's Day edition.

 

We all have heroes, mentors, or role models who were caregivers that have gone before us in the world to do amazing things while also having families. This month, I am reflecting on a significant executive powerhouse in my life that has been a pivotal role model for me throughout my life. These are the kind of people you think of when faced with an important decision to make, a challenge, or a conflict. It's during these times when you ask yourself, 'What would ___________ say or do in this situation?"

 

To that end, my executive powerhouse spotlight this month is such someone who is now retired and I can't fully interview.

 

Meet Hugh McVay Miner, Jr.

 

My dad, my hero, or as his forever, ‘little girl’, I still like to call Daddy.

My dad retired nine years ago and is suffering from Lewy Body Dementia and Parkinson's Disease. He has become increasingly unable to communicate easily with words (although he still has some wildly fun facial expressions) so I am choosing to honor him and reflect on his impressive career as the executive powerhouse this month with a combination of his sentiments shared, my own memories, and recollection from others close to him. I hope I can share it with him to make him smile and know how important he has been, and is, in my life and to our family. I hope it makes you smile, and reflect, too.

 

“As the Assistant Manager, I started out doing anything and everything that was asked of me, which even included cleaning the office and bathrooms.” 

 

Hugh learned early on and communicated throughout his career that regardless of your title, you roll up your sleeves and do what needs to be done. Your title doesn’t make you exempt from the less favorable tasks and especially during the times when you might be short staffed or when circumstances call for ‘all hands on deck.’ This mindset and his tenacity were two key secrets of his success. Over the years, the core team expanded the facility, adding on and improving every aspect of it. When Al Swihart passed away, Hugh took over his position as CEO and strategically added staff as the organization grew to the multi-purpose entertainment and community events facility that it is today.

 

“During the racing season months when there were a lot of extra things to do, I would leave the house very early in the morning and be at work until after the races were over for the day and the facility was left to the grounds crew for cleanup and preparation for the next day of racing. I felt like I was neglecting my family during those months, but my job made it possible for my wife to stay home with the girls. In the months when the races were not on, I was given more time off and could spend time with my family and do things I would not have been able to do with most other jobs.”

My dad exemplified all of these things and in part, influenced this framework. He was a tremendous role model as someone who loves his family fiercely, who worked extremely hard, and could always be counted on for his word. Some of my best memories of downtime with my dad were playing catch in the yard or going for a run, especially once I was strong enough to keep up. Here are collective thoughts on what some of his family recalls of sentiments he has shared or believes he would say now if he could:

 

Accountability: Highly important to him. He often said, “If you say you are going to do something, you do it and you do it to the best of your ability.”

 

Mindset and Leadership: “Running an organization as a CEO requires an understanding of all parts of the operation and determining what needs to be done, who is best qualified to do it, allowing them to do the job, and overseeing that everything falls in line.”

 

Innovation and Integrity: "Innovation is the ability to look at how things are done in a business and decide if there is a better way and how to implement changes. Integrity is one of the most important qualities a person can have. To be honest and moral in all things goes a long way in succeeding in whatever you do…whether it be raising a family, running a business, or just being a friend."

 

Future Goals, Flexibility, Moving Forward and Family: "My future goals were achieved throughout the years at my job. Much of what was accomplished in my career started out as an idea of what would be good for the community. In my mind, the business was foremost for the community and the racetrack was just the means to have those goals fulfilled. Flexibility was often not my strong suit mostly because I put a lot of thought into everything I did and tried to work out any ‘kinks’ in a plan before implementing it. I like to think I got more flexible as time went on. Hindsight made me wish I had spent more time with my family and less on my job but fortunately, they have always loved me for who I was and am."

 

You and Self Care:  “I did a little hunting and fishing for relaxation and later in life spent a lot of time reading and listening to music.” He has always enjoyed spending time with his family whenever he could and especially loved the holidays over the years. He was known for his fantastic outdoor white Christmas lights display.

As an executive, Hugh would say that three things he did well were: the ability to see what needs to be done to solve a problem, overseeing projects, and being fair when managing conflict.” He was able to clearly communicate his expectations, listen, and pivot when a new strategy or solution was needed. 

 

As a caregiver, he would say “provide for my family.” He was an incredibly hard worker and highly generous. Although stubborn, he would also say that he grew to be more flexible (or at least he liked to think he was) when there were decisions to be made at home. When I was young, and he was living in a home with three females, he would often raise his eyebrows and say, “I’m flexible!” as if to say, ‘Whatever, I know better than to mess with any of you.’ He had practice having grown up as the middle brother of two sisters! He has always been so proud and supportive of “his girls” even when it meant them going out of state for college and moving far away from home. He is profoundly enamored with his grandchildren as he has been of all of the furry family members along the way.

Coaching wasn’t a formal, or at least prevalent, profession where and when my dad was a working executive, but I can recall he had several trusted advisors and supports in his life that were very important during his career, and personally. 

 

Hugh's primary mentors were his parents and his bosses. They were very influential in instilling the strong work ethic he exemplified. With a heart of gold, he learned what to and what not to do, by observing in the community, especially living in such a small town at the time. Both his father and father-in-law taught him a lot about building and fixing things around the house. He and both of his dads independently put an addition and garage onto my childhood home.

 

Hugh learned something from every situation and everyone around him. He took less credit than he deserved, lifting others up to shine and consistently recognizing good work when he saw it. Much like he took care of his family, his took care of his employees. He especially looked after, trusted, and counted on his grounds crew and administrative assistant/front office staff. He knew that they were essential to a well run facility. The grounds crew kept the facility operating, clean, and running smoothly behind the scenes, and the front office staff were the first impression, the customer service, and face of the organization. They kept the pulse on morale and energy for Hugh. Whenever he shared his professional wisdom with me, he always said the janitor and the receptionist were the least recognized and two most important positions in a company. He made sure they always felt appreciated and had a voice.

 

In integrating life responsibilities, he was intent on giving credit where credit was due. Over time, and in different ways and phases of his life, he held and holds deep appreciation and love for the supports in his life.

He probably would not answer this question or would modestly say, “Oh I don’t know.” However, there are so many that I can share! Not sure which ones he would divulge if he were willing, but I’m going to give you several noteworthy ones. 

 

*He almost always wore a suit to work and was a very snazzy dresser. He had a beautiful wardrobe of suits and ties. 

 

*He bought double mint gum by the 10-pack and it was the only gum he would chew. 

 

*He sang Old Man River every day in the shower while I was growing up. I never knew what the song was, until recently, just that he was always singing in the shower. During my last visit to him, I played that song for him and he broke into song a few minutes after listening to it. 

 

*He was meticulous and particular about his lawn and outdoor space and he loved to mow the grass (*not* in his suits)! We had the greenest, most well manicured lawn around. 

 

*He was an avid reader and music lover. His reading spanned from John Grisham to Danielle Steel and he could finish more than one book in a day when he was really re-raxing (His Scooby Doo voice for relaxing). His musical preferences were also vast. Elvis, Beach Boys, Elton John, Johnny Cash, Johnny Rivers, Everly Brothers, and the list goes on and on, especially anything from the 60’s but I can’t begin to do the list justice. He loved all music. We had a jukebox in our basement and everyone that knows Hugh can think of a story of him dancing and singing to a fun tune.

 

*He loves cars and could name what any car on the road was including the year, make, and model. He has a collection of cast iron model cars and Disney Pixar Cars was his favorite movie to watch with my sons. I think he loved it because it featured cars, he was spending time with his grandsons while watching it, and because he loved the music soundtrack. 

 

Finally, probably the best fun fact I will share is that my dad can imitate Donald Duck like no other. To this day, he is still greeting his care providers in this voice. When I was young, he would have full conversations with people responding in a Donald Duck voice. This would send me, my sister, my cousins, relatives, and anyone present into fits of laughter. He would keep a straight face and keep the conversation going in this voice until he eventually joined in the laughter.