Integrity, Courage, Tenacity and a Bit of Genius*

Gary Walls, a thoughtful, gentle man

Portland, Oregon: Trailblazer Foods makes jams, preserves, syrups, toppings and pie fillings. A former school teacher and football coach who suffered from kidney disease Gary had to resign because students carry cold and flu germs that his weakened immune system could not fight.

In just 10 years Gary Walls turned his love into a $12 million dollar business employing over 60 people. In this episode we take you from the source -- beautiful berry fields throughout Oregon -- to the finished product. For his success in building a business and for championing the export of Oregon's wonderful fruit, The Small Business Administration named Gary Small Business Person of the Year for Oregon.

Sometimes our show becomes a tribute to a life well lived. When we taped this show, Gary had physical limitations. He paced himself. But in August 2001, Gary died and left this wonderful legacy to his immediate family, his family of employees, his family of customers and suppliers, and his largest family, the world. Surely you will see why by tasting value, you also have an after-taste that profits many. For Gary Walls, it is a taste that is tangibly intangible. It may first be in the taste of the berry; it is also in a taste for life's greatest blessings. 

*Called a sliver of genius

In the earliest days of the broadcasts of this show (back in 1994-1995), it was a special segment until we began to realize virtually every successful business is built on that special focus.