PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children, (Proverbs 13:22). This brings to mind the inheritance estate tax that congress continues to delay in raising the value amount and lowering the maximum percentage that is applied. There is much more to this proverb, however than real estate. In order to write this message correctly, I need to tell a personal story. At a county fair a number of years ago I was introduced to a man, we’ll call Herb. As I was introduced it was explained that I was Joe Brown’s grandson. I was surprised at Herb’s reaction. He became excited, his face lit up and his whole demeanor became enthusiastic. He shook my hand with the enthusiasm of someone finding a long lost friend. Needless to say I was surprised.

Herb went on to tell me a story that I had never heard before from any of my relatives. When Herb returned from military service nearly 50 years ago he had limited funds and wanted to get into the cattle business. My grandfather had scheduled an auction to sell his cattle. Herb visited my grandfather’s farm prior to the auction to discuss the cattle. At this time my grandfather helped Herb select the cattle to bid on and buy that would work best for him. At the auction Herb did exactly this and purchased a number of animals. Everything was fine up to this point.

When the trucker brought the cattle to Herb’s farm is when the trouble began. The cow that Herb had paid the most money for, and the best cow in the sale, was not in the group. There was, however, another cow in the group that Herb had not seen before. Herb asked my grandfather to come look at the cows. He also called the cattle dealer in charge of the auction to come to his farm. My grandfather got there first and was in another part of the barn when the cattle dealer arrived at the farm. The cattle dealer proceeded to explain to Herb that in fact the unknown cow was really the cow he had purchased. He was probably just mixed up because there had been so many cows. So this was his explanation to Herb, until he saw my grandfather come around a corner of the barn. Then the story changed to the handlers in the barn must have gotten the wrong cow. The cattle dealer had switched cows and planned to resell the very good cow again and leave Herb with the cow of much lesser value. My grandfather never had owned the cow they tried to put off onto Herb. The unscrupulous dealer was very quick to locate the correct cow and get it to Herb’s farm.

After Herb had told me this story I understood his exuberant reaction to meeting me. He had immediately transferred to me the high regard, esteem, character and integrity that he had held for my grandfather. My grandfather had left me this inheritance. I had done nothing to deserve it or earn it.

As we go about our daily lives we are constantly leaving an inheritance for our children and our grandchildren. Each decision we make builds on that inheritance. As the NYBPA organization we are leaving an inheritance for those that follow us. None of us as individuals or as an organization will get it right all the time. However, if we let character and integrity be our guide then we should get our decisions right more often than not.

Rich Brown