Making a Difference Through Hitches

Not all American companies are ruled by greed. I'm Jeff Keane; I'll be right back to tell you about one that definitely is not.A lot of people think or are told American companies are ruled strictly by greed, but I like to think about what a lot of those businesses give back to communities and the jobs they provide so many Americans. A short article in America's Horse magazine by Tonya Ratliff-Garrison tells of one company that illustrates all that is good about American companies. In a "Making a Difference" segment of NBC Nightly News, anchor Brian Williams highlighted B and W Trailer Hitches owners Joe Works of Humboldt, Kansas. In 1987 when Joe was having trouble making ends meet on the family farm he joined his friend Roger Baker to build high-quality truck beds. This duo also designed and produced a hitch with a ball that could be pulled out, turned over and be out of the way in a truck bed. I can't imagine how many horses have been hauled in trailers pulled with a B and W hitch. The company grew to eventually employ 180 workers. When tougher times hit this business lately and cut sales by nearly one-half, Joe didn't lay off employees. His workers whom he calls his friends still receive full pay but if they're not building trailer hitchers they work for the community cleaning up playgrounds, renovating baseball diamonds, or helping with the upkeep of church building. Greed? I think not, but if you own one of Joe's hitches you should pull your trailer with a little more pride. I'm Jeff Keane