50 Over 50 Series: #2 Harry Delonge

My second in the series of “50 Over 50” posts is based on an interview with my mentor, Harry Delonge. Harry has been the President of TriLake Group for decades, and retired (I use the term loosely) from PepsiCo after 42 years of faithful service—and as the highest-ranking Vice President in the company’s International Business at the time. Today, he is over 80 (but when you speak to him, you will realize that 80 is the new 40!), and still as sharp as ever (I mean his wit and intellect, but sometimes he teases about not having lost his Paul Newman good looks!). He actively consults for multiple corporations, is active in his church and community, and is remarkably devoted to his family. If ever there were a source of wisdom, Harry is it!

(1)   You are an 80-something who is more active than many people half your age, currently consulting for at least two companies. The title of this post series is “50 over 50,” so can you share some thoughts on what you have observed in the private sector in terms of where they see people who are over 50?

“You posed three questions, and they all relate to being prepared to change. Not to change what you are as a person, nor change what you believe in, but to be ready to accept change into your life. My basic attitude is to wake up every morning both happy and ready to learn … an eager trainee … eager for truth and eager for whatever challenge comes my way. What I see and encounter every day, in the 50 and over category, are individuals with skills and experience working hard to perform their tasks beyond expectations. Does this reflect poorly on the under 50 crews? Not at all. Talk to any new professional and you will find an enthusiastic person honing his or her skills with expectations of a bright future. If there is a problem it lies with business management and corporate structure. I never hired a person that I wouldn’t have been happy to work for. Never hired a person where I couldn’t see a promotion in their near future. Too long a discussion to continue here, but challenge me on interview protocols … I dare you!”

(2)   If you could transport who you are today back in time to your office at PepsiCo to meet yourself when you were 50 years old, what advice would you give him?

“The younger Harry would probably think me weird but I would tell him to put ‘touch and feel’ into his work and studies. What do I mean by that? If the company needs someone to do microbiology testing on the plant operating equipment—volunteer! It’s a solid gold opportunity … experience that will last a lifetime. I worked with engineers for so many years—take schematics. Almost all good schematic diagrams offer learning skills on how someone else performs and, in turn, give you a chance to learn or develop your own approach … again a learning experience. Even the young Harry knew that when two serious people talked … new ideas showed up … a clear 1+1= 3 scenario. All of my patents were the result of conversations with service personnel and operators—the people with the hands-on experience and knowledge.”

Author’s note: Harry was my mentor in many ways, but not the least of which was teaching me water treatment technology. 25 years ago, here I was, a college graduate reasonably sure that I had a good understanding—from books—of the topic at hand. Harry didn’t fall for any of that. “Next week, don’t wear your suit and tie; wear your old clothes. We are going into the water treatment room, and we are gonna look into the coagulation tank, and you are gonna feel the floc between your fingers.” And so the trend began…I will never forget that day. Then, came the time to break down a reverse osmosis treatment system to “touch and feel” the membranes…and so it went for years after, and so it still goes today…in the mentorship that I now provide to others. That approach gives you an instant credibility that is unmatched in other ways! Thanks, Harry-san!

(3) One definition of a “Millennial” is someone who is between 20 and 36 years old this year. Some have said that “Millennials are taking over the world.” If you could gather all of them in one place at the same time, what would you tell them?

“Hmmm…what advice would I pass on to a 20 to 36 year old Millennial … or, for that matter, any young person? They already know that the entire world is facing a changing and challenging environment in almost all ways possible, so no need to drive that point home. I would tell them to work hard, love their families and friends. I would tell them to stay physically and mentally healthy … for every moment of their entire life. To learn patience and faith … and if they were going to be an engineer, the chemical engineering discipline shows the greatest opportunity … for now!”

In closing, I plan to end every post in this series the same way--let’s all try to forget about age, and focus on the person—the human being—and what they can provide. Let’s celebrate every day, and be inspired by one of my favorite quotes from the Dalai Lama on the true meaning of life:

“We are visitors on this planet. We are here for one hundred years at the very most. During that period we must try to do something good, something useful, with our lives. If you contribute to other people's happiness, you will find the true meaning of life.”

Thanks for reading this post. Please share it broadly if you think it is worth it, and, as always, your thoughts are encouraged and valued.

Disclaimer: I am an employee of PepsiCo, but the opinions in this post are my own, and are not intended in any way, express or implied, to represent the position of PepsiCo or any of its subsidiaries or business partners.