Brent Teaches AMACO a Lesson.indd
Brent® employees at the Healdsburg, California, plant in 1978, a year after AMACO® purchased Brent® from the founder Robert Brent.
Brent teaches
a Lesson
By Bill Berry, COO and President
“Brent® was located in Healdsburg, California, from 1972 until 1984 when the company was relocated to American Art Clay Company headquarters in Indianapolis. I was General Manager of the company for four years (1980-1984). Moving from Indiana to northern California was itself a change in culture, but I was surprised how much of a change it was at Brent®. I have many good memories of those four years, but one memory I cannot forget. I had been there about two weeks and had had a number of meetings with staff getting up to date on their areas of responsibilities. I wore a tie at those meetings just as I did at AMACO®. I was advised a number of times that ties were not the dress code at Brent® as we were in California and a casual dress code was their style. Ties were not part of Brent’s dress code!
I did not think much of the suggestion and continued to wear a tie to work. Another week passed and during my weekly staff meetings someone asked me if that was a favorite tie and I said ‘no, just a tie’. At that point he got up and came over and cut my tie off with a pair of scissors and said ‘we told you not to wear ties here!’. Of course it was all planned and I got the message, I did not wear a tie for the next four years. Those employees in Healdsburg were some of the best employees I’ve ever had.”
Brent teaches
a Lesson
By Bill Berry, COO and President
“Brent® was located in Healdsburg, California, from 1972 until 1984 when the company was relocated to American Art Clay Company headquarters in Indianapolis. I was General Manager of the company for four years (1980-1984). Moving from Indiana to northern California was itself a change in culture, but I was surprised how much of a change it was at Brent®. I have many good memories of those four years, but one memory I cannot forget. I had been there about two weeks and had had a number of meetings with staff getting up to date on their areas of responsibilities. I wore a tie at those meetings just as I did at AMACO®. I was advised a number of times that ties were not the dress code at Brent® as we were in California and a casual dress code was their style. Ties were not part of Brent’s dress code!
I did not think much of the suggestion and continued to wear a tie to work. Another week passed and during my weekly staff meetings someone asked me if that was a favorite tie and I said ‘no, just a tie’. At that point he got up and came over and cut my tie off with a pair of scissors and said ‘we told you not to wear ties here!’. Of course it was all planned and I got the message, I did not wear a tie for the next four years. Those employees in Healdsburg were some of the best employees I’ve ever had.”
