Consolation, Through Work
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MY father-in-law, Erling Berner, started the company that became Berner International, a manufacturer of air curtains or air doors. These units are usually placed above door entrances in stores, hospitals, schools, restaurants and other buildings, and create a seal across a doorway. They save energy and help control internal building temperature. In winter, they help keep the heat inside and the cold air outside.
In the late 1960s, I was engaged to marry Erling's son Christian. As a wedding gift, Erling offered to help us set up an energy recovery business in Japan, which we thought would be great fun. Recovering energy involves providing fresh air without increasing energy use in a building. Christian ran the business, and I taught English grammar and literature to Japanese students. We had two children while living there.
In 1972, Erling decided to turn over the air-curtain company to Christian. Twelve years later, my husband, who was a pilot, was flying solo on a business trip to Boston when the plane went down. He died in the crash, and seven days later I stepped in to run the company. We had four children by then, ages 9 to 16. Focusing on the job was a lifesaver for me.
I have a bachelor's degree in political science and two master's degrees, in English literature and social psychology. Manufacturing requires common sense; you're organizing items and putting them together. Fortunately, I already knew a lot about the company, because when you're married to a small-business person, you're married to the business.
After my first meeting with our accountant and banker, however, I realized I didn't know enough about finance. I told them: "I just sat with you for an hour and I have no idea what you said. You were using common English words, but they had different meanings." Our accountant gave me a two-day crash course in balance sheets and income statements, and I took a Small Business Administration course on cash flow.
First Published February 5, 2012 12:01 am
