Robert B. Brack knew from an early age that his grandfather and father hoped he would join Barker Steel Co., the business started by his grandfather in 1920.

After graduating from college in 1960 with a degree in civil engineering, he went to work at the family business. But after a few years, he left to pursue his dream of teaching math and science.

He’d return to a more challenging role at the company about a year later. At the time, the firm had one location and was barely profitable with less than $1 million in sales and twenty-eight employees.

By the time this story ends in 2007, however, Barker Steel was one of the largest independent rebar fabricators in North America with twelve locations throughout New England, New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, generating in some years more than $200 million in sales and employing more than five hundred people.

Learn valuable business lessons gleaned through four generations of a closely-held, family business, and discover how Brack, his family, and their teams built a successful and respected company in With Gratitude.