Gary

"Generally, the reader might assume Gary folded a C-note into his palm and slid it into the host’s manicured fingers. Not in this case. Gary handed the thin white man a thick white envelope. The host opened the envelope, and I could detect an almost imperceptible eyebrow twitch and moment of rapture. But he was a pro and cool as a cucumber. The host closed the envelope, smiled internally, and went to see if our private room was ready. It had probably been ready for hours, and we still would have been seated there with or without the $ 5,000 tip. But that was how the big man broke bread, and he wouldn't have expected anything less from his crew entertaining a guest on his behalf."

"Generally, the reader might assume Gary folded a C-note into his palm and slid it into the host’s manicured fingers. Not in this case. Gary handed the thin white man a thick white envelope. The host opened the envelope, and I could detect an almost imperceptible eyebrow twitch and moment of rapture. But he was a pro and cool as a cucumber. The host closed the envelope, smiled internally, and went to see if our private room was ready. It had probably been ready for hours, and we still would have been seated there with or without the $5,000 tip. But that was how the big man broke bread, and he wouldn't have expected anything less from his crew entertaining a guest on his behalf."

"Our skill sets were strategically complementary. Over time, for me, the acquisition strategy became one of mine. For JC Sparkman, TCI’s chief of operations, the integration of the acquired cable systems became the specialty. And for Gary and Donne, managing the financials became their expertise. So we were all learning together, in a company that was struggling, in an industry that was changing."