When Family is a Priority

I lost my father yesterday at a mere 67 years old. For anyone who knew my father quickly learned that his priority was not his professional aspirations, any hobby, or other of life’s’ interests but rather it was his family.  An attorney by trade and a formidable litigator who handled every case like it was his only one.  My father chose to downplay his professional achievements although they were vast.  Today some of you may have seen his photograph and that infectious smile on one of the many digital displays I am proud to own throughout Pennsylvania. 

Those displays are a product of close to 20 years in the outdoor media space; the result of big risk, many failures along the way, and an amazing team that has relentless perseverance. Now today when I look around at what this company has become I think about the beginning.  Well before the syndicated bank loans because your company has grown to a point where one bank isn’t enough, a long way before the teams of attorneys, before the private equity companies who call on a constant basis to be of part of it, before the 1000’s of fabulous clients who let us be part of their business, and well before the office that is now filled with such amazing talent; there was a 17 year old kid.  A teenager who had more hustle then actual answers who had an idea.  Not one idea, but in fact many ideas….on a daily basis…..who decided that he wanted to build an outdoor advertising company.

Forget the fact that he had no experience, no relatives or friends in the industry, and no money to invest with. He had energy, ambition, and an appetite for risk like you can’t imagine. But most importantly he had his father.  A man who although he knew nothing about advertising or anything remotely close to it whose love of his son manifested itself by supporting his son in any way he could.  The path I choose has been riddled with failures; casualties of every kind from lack of experience, to lack of capital, to bad luck.

Along this journey to success that teenager turned into this man because of his father. Without my father there is no way and no how I would be here today.  My father has left an indelible mark on my soul for which I and subsequent generations will forever be indebted.  Thaddeus J. Bartkowski II (1948 – 2016)