The Power of Testimony

CHAPTER THREE
So what happened in 1921?
To understand what happened, you need to know the three
top men at Hormel. There was George A. Hormel, of course,
whose dream it was to beat George Swift in business. There
was A.L., his second- in- command, and there was Ransom J.
Thomson, also known as Cy, who was comptroller and reported
directly to my grandfather.
In 1921, A.L. was at the top of his powers. He was well respected
in the meatpacking industry for his business acumen,
and he was well compensated by Hormel for his sales success. A
big man with a big car was my grandfather, and he supported
his family with self-confidence.
Both Hormel and my grandfather were important men in
the upper Midwest, and for a short period of time, Cy was too.
Though he was still in his twenties, Cy was a friend of the governor,
of senators and representatives, and of all persons of consequence
in the region. He came to Hormel right after high school graduation
and impressed George greatly with his drive and ambition.
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