News Archives

Businessman believes father-son relationship key to success

3/18/2003 News media contact: Kathy Gilbert · (615) 742-5470 · Nashville, Tenn.

By J. Richard Peck*

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS) - The relationship between father and son is a key ingredient in determining the type of man a person will become, according to Cal Turner, chairman of Dollar General Corp.

Speaking to 170 leaders of United Methodist Men's ministries, Turner, 62, said he uses questions related to father-son relationships in evaluating candidates for jobs with the company, which has more than 6,000 stores in 27 states.

Turner spoke March 8 to conference presidents of United Methodist Men, prayer advocates and hunger relief advocates. The speech helped introduce six regional conferences on "Sons of the Father" to be held later this year.

Emphasizing the need for fathers to raise their sons to become independent thinkers, Turner said he asks job candidates how they are different from their fathers. He recalled a conversation he had with his father, who co-founded the company with Turner's grandfather in 1939.

After being named chief executive officer in 1977, Turner said he developed a strategic plan to expand the stores. His plan was to give the company to the people who have to run it. "The person in the battle can tell the general how to win the war," he noted.

Under Turner's leadership, sales have grown from $100 million in 1977 to more than $5 billion today. The number of Dollar General Stores doubled from 3,000 in 1997 to over 6,000 today.

Turner said the only true measure of man is the stature of his children. "You will never be the man your father was," he observed, "until you raise a son as fine as you are."

An active member of Brentwood (Tenn.) United Methodist Church, Turner said that while he felt called into the ministry, he has found that he can do much as a Christian business man.

Through Dollar General's learning center stores, the company has provided training and jobs for 1,500 low-income people.

"Service to others is the business of Dollar General," he said.

Turner has supported many Methodist causes, including the Community Cares Homeless Shelter of the Kentucky Annual Conference and Kenya Methodist University. He has also endowed a chair in Wesleyan studies at Vanderbilt University in Nashville. The Commission on United Methodist Men honored Turner by inducting him into the Society of John Wesley in 2001.

Regional "Sons of the Father" conferences will be held in each jurisdiction from March 28 to Oct. 12. For additional information on the "Sons of the Father" conferences, contact Larry Coppock at (615) 340-7149 or LCoppock@gcumm.org.

# # #

*Peck is communications director for the Commission on United Methodist Men in Nashville, Tenn.

Back : News Archives 2003 Main



Contact Us

This will not reach a local church, district or conference office. InfoServ* staff will answer your question, or direct it to someone who can provide information and/or resources.

Phone
(optional)

*InfoServ ( about ) is a ministry of United Methodist Communications located in Nashville, Tennessee, USA. 1-800-251-8140

Not receiving a reply?
Your Spam Blocker might not recognize our email address. Add InfoServ@umcom.org to your list of approved senders.