A Holistic Perspective on Leading and Living
Ann Stallard
Partner/Executive Vice President, Graphic Communications Corporation, Lawrenceville, GA

Successful businesswoman, award winning member of the Printing Industry of Georgia, sought after speaker on the national and international level - over 250 invited speeches including the 100th Anniversary of the World YWCA at Westminster Abbey in London and the International Women's Summit in Seoul, Korea, member of the White House National Initiative on Women's Business Ownership Task Force, president and member of the board of the Women Business Owners' of Atlanta, Inc., and first businesswoman to be elected National President of the YWCA, etc. etc.

That's Ann Stallard. She is the personification of entrepreneur and community leader and to her, life is like a circle. To quote Ann, "Person, family, work, and social responsibility - all are parts of the whole. There is no compartmentalization. They are woven together in my thinking and in my actions - the whole cloth of my life."

As someone who actually "walks the talk," Ann truly lives her own life by this simple yet profound philosophy. As such, she is a role model for female achievers of all ages, all of whom can benefit from her life story that helps to explain the formation of her philosophy of life and leadership.

Early experiences in Appalachia
Ann was born November 15th in Kingsport, TN because "that's where the hospital was." She actually grew up and attended high school in Wise County, Virginia. This is coal mining country in the middle of Appalachia. She also lived in Pennington Gap for several years. Anyone familiar with the books Big Stone Gap and When Night Comes to the Cumberlands would have some appreciation for Ann's heritage, i.e., ancestors who were very resourceful, fiercely loyal to family, independent, and religious. Those traits have been passed down through the generations and have provided a strong guidepost for Ann's life

Married at a very young age, Ann's mother and father produced two offspring; Ann and her brother, Richard, now a geneticist. To show the determination that runs in the family, you need only know that the Ann and her brother were born exactly two years apart. And those were the days before family planning! As children, Ann and her brother were raised in the Methodist religion, but following other traditions, were taught to be responsible for their own decisions by the tender age of 12. Parental expectations were high.

One of the two primary influences in Ann's life was her father - a man clearly ahead of his time. While other men of his era rarely thought of women as their equals, he held women in high regard and often referred to his homemaker-wife as "his partner." Ann remembers well his words of encouragement to her even as a very young girl. "There's not anything you can't do if you put your mind to it. If it is big and complex, just tap at it until you get it," he told her.

Her father also taught her about taking risks and daring to be brave. Wisely he mentored her with words like, "Climb up that tree as far as you think you can go and then I'll be there to help you get down."

In addition to her father, Ann was fortunate to have another equally influential person in her early life and that person was her paternal grandmother--or "Nannie" as Ann lovingly called her. Nannie returned from 'normal school' in Eastern Virginia to Snowflake, VA to become a teacher in a one-room schoolhouse. Although she lived in a modest home, raised rabbits and chickens, and rarely ventured more than 50 miles from home, Ann says Nannie had a sense of being part of the world-at-large. Clearly this is something Nanny passed on to Ann; along with her strong sense of social responsibility, caring for others, and seeking a larger purpose in life.

Those weren't the only lessons Ann learned from Nannie it seems. "As busy as she was, Nannie made me feel that she always had time for me," Ann reiterated. "She included me in everything she did, but without making me feel like I was the center of the universe. And if that wasn't enough, at the age of 65, Nanny learned to paint and in the process, introduced me to the world of art--the beginning of a life-long love affair."

Preparing for life and work>
Reflecting on other aspects of her journey from childhood to adulthood, Ann said she was a good student as well as being good in sports, a tomboy of sorts. However, when it came to college, at first she didn't want to go. What she really wanted to pursue was "Light Horse Husbandry and Advanced Dressage" and work with racehorses. Luckily, Ann's father trusted her to make her own decision, pointing out that he was going to invest the same amount of money in her future as he had in her brother, no matter what she decided.

Ann's decision was to go to the University of Kentucky, a school that exceeded her entire high school graduating class by about 24,900 students! To acclimate herself into college life, Ann attended her first YM-YWCA mixer. Interestingly, this was a precursor for her later involvement with the YWCA which she would one day lead on a national level--one of the nation's largest nonprofits, with 4,000 locations and more than two million members!

During her four years at UK, Ann became very socially conscious. After all, it was the late 60's, and she was elected president of her Student YWCA. She also graduated with a degree in Fine Arts and a minor in Community Organization.

After graduation, Ann moved to Atlanta and opened an art studio, Clarkson & Stallard. She partnered with her college roommate, Margaret Clarkson (who later became a very successful fabric designer). Not surprisingly, Ann began networking like crazy, one by one, Atlanta-based companies like The Coca-Cola Company, Mead, etc. Without a business degree or experience in commercial art, Ann felt she was at a distinct disadvantage. Serendipitously, however, it was then she met Hoyt Tuggle, who had just begun a small printing operation. Twenty five years later, they are still together and co-lead a very successful commercial printing company in Lawrenceville, Georgia, just north of Atlanta.

Maturing into mentor status
Fortunately, Ann's business has allowed her to continue to interweave her social concerns and interests with her professional and family life and vice versa. This is illustrative of her holistic view of life as a circle. She's also known for her forthrightness and her insights, some of which might be called simply "Annisms."

An excellent example of an "Annism" is what she says her own legacy might be: "Having some good sense she had a good time." Or, "She tried, she really did." Or,"She was positively positive."

Other "Annisms" come under the heading of "advice for leaders-in-the making:"

"It's important to take the world seriously but not yourself. It's hard to deal with an imperial personality as a leader and it usually creates disaster. You don't want to be humble pie, but also not completely egotistical. Living life large doesn't mean you have to overtake someone else's."

"I believe in the historical NOW - doing things in an intense way, being intentional, taking commitments seriously, but not being puffed up in the process."

"People need to find their true north …have guiding principles, a moral compass…have a role model. And remember, somebody's always watching you, even in the grocery store - do you squeeze a tomato and leave it for someone else to pick up?"

"I believe that a very good way to determine if you are a leader is to turn around. Is anybody following you?"

"I believe that we cannot 'teach' our children morals or values. We must LIVE these elements so that our children do not miss the living examples we provide day in and day out. Soon, they behave in ways that make us proud even when times are tough and life is not going well."

"Operate out of peace of mind, not fear. Don't try to be somebody you're not. Be real butter, not margarine. Be who you are and be consistently who you are. This leads to a more giving and forgiving life. If I am always my true self I never have to worry what I said or did in tough circumstances. I was just me, plain and simple Ann."

"None of us are a solo act. I never met a truly 'self-made' person that I admire. Unfortunately, some self-made people worship at the altar of their own creation."

"In business, you must have patience and develop long-term relationships. People, both customers and employees, want to know that you really care about them."

"Personally I've changed my view about retirement and I now think I'll be engaged in business and in civic affairs 'til the day I croak. I like to FOCUS FORWARD."

Focusing forward. That's good place to conclude Ann's profile; with one of her own phrases that so aptly describes how she leads her life. Some might call Ann "a real piece of work" which she clearly is. But the meaning behind the comment is totally complimentary. What a woman, what a role model, what a citizen.

 

By Susan B. Hitchcock
Creator of The Age of SHEroes
VP-Client Services, Turknett Leadership Group
October, 2002

 

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