This may, very well be the most unique newsletter ever published by AQS.  Fasten  your seatbelts !

First, the routine news, updates, and gossip:

  1. AQS will switch to off season hours, beginning Thursday, October 1st, 2020.That will be 9:00am to 3:00 pm, and for the first time ever, only 4 DAYS A WEEK, MONDAY THRU THURSDAY. —- As always, you can still call 816 – 461 – 7627 any time when we are NOT open, and we will do our best to meet you at the store and fill your order by appointment. I live real close ! Call during daylight hours only, please.
  • The big sale outlined in last month’s newsletter is still going on and you will probably have at least until Oct 1st to take advantage of the savings. See last month’s newsletter for details.
  • Speaking of last month’s newsletter, be sure to check our website regularly for all of the recent newsletters and for other innovations and changes that our webmaster is implementing fairly regularly. — We just recently underwent a complete overhaul and revision of the entire format and added a huge section which is a REFERRAL LIST for contractors who we are comfortable recommending to our customers and friends. When you call them be sure to say that you were referred by THE AQS WEBSITE so that we can track the success of this new program. It’s even OK TO ASK THE CONTRACTORS TO BUY THE PARTS FOR YOUR JOB FROM AQS. Sometimes they forget who is referring people to them.
  • GOOD NEWS——– The effects of factory shutdowns and shipping delays due to the Virus situation seems to be coming to an end. Things seem to be a lot more “normal” in the pipeline that we depend on to provide quality service and materials options to you, our customers. Thanks to all for sticking with us thru this rough stretch.
  • NOW FOR THE BIG ITEM YOU HAVE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR:::::::::::

FIFTY YEARS OF WORKING FOR THE SAME BOSS, AND COUNTING—————————————————–

As I sit at this keyboard and attempt to inform, instruct, and entertain my readers it occurred to me that you might find interesting a little insider info about the structure  and history of both AQS and it’s owner, Joyce Kay Jones. Also, I will , in the next few paragraphs, discuss how Darrell B. Jones (me, the GM of AQS) has managed to keep a job for so many years without being qualified, in so many respects.

It all dates back to a point in time exactly fifty years ago today, at 7:00 pm on 8/21/1970. That in when I said “I do” to Mrs. Jones, “the boss”. We were married in the chapel, on the campus of CMSU, in Warrensburg, Mo.

Life was pretty normal for several years. We both worked, she as a teacher and me as an engineer. Then two things started to happen; Kids and Business. Five children and three businesses were born to our family. We made Kay the owner of the main, and only remaining business, AQS irrigation Supply. That made her the boss. And the rest, as they say, is history.

It has actually worked out very well for me, but right when Kay began to get used to being boss we started to get a whole new generation of bosses; the twelve grandchildren that have granny wrapped around their little fingers. Not only are they in charge of granny and me, but they also seem to expect instant action when any need arises. I’ m sure glad that at least our jobs pay so well. We have become rich beyond our wildest dreams or expectations. Our wealth is measured in terms of kids, spouses of kids, grandkids, granddogs and grandcats, friends and relatives. We are set for life !!

Back to business. Kay took some time off during the child bearing and raising years, but went back to teaching when our youngest was about 12 or 13. She is not very active in the company these days. But she is still boss and I’m glad she is. It takes a lot of pressure off a guy. I enjoy the roll of G.M. and feel privileged to be one of the few people I know who was actually able choose who would be his boss. And I could not have chosen better!

For those of you who might be considering career changes or who have experienced job shakeups because of the virus situation and the economy in general, I hereby wish to share a few things I have learned in 50 years about how to keep a job working for the same boss all the time.

  1. Marry her
  2. Accept your roll
  3. Create a fun and productive relationship
  4. Walk the line
  5. Forget the bad; remember the good
  6. Give credit to her
  7. Have broad and varied interests
  8. Share almost everything
  9. Provide support
  10. Write good things to put in the newsletter about the best 50 years of your life!!!