b't BrookeEarl was the best listener around.His humor and good will were written all over his smile.p Earl and Gwen Gwen PunchardAs a young man, Chads father Earl was known for many things.Upon his return home from the war, Earl was anxious to begin his life with his bride He was hard-working. He was intelligent. He was athletic. Afterof one year, Gwen, who was a teacher and eventually vice principal of a local middle graduating from college, he was on his way to parlaying hisschool. Together they eventually welcomed two children: a son, Chad, and a daughter, positive traits into an immediate career. Or so he thought.Brooke. With family life well established, Earl spent the next 30 years of his professionallife serving his true passion: the customer. Throughout his career, he served as a Like many young men his age, serving in the armed forces wasnt his choice, but wasforeman, project manager, vice president of operations, and a sales representative, his duty. After being drafted during the heightened tensions in Vietnam, Earl decidedmostly within the telecommunications industry and under a number of different company that his best course of action was to enroll in non-commissioned officer school. Then,umbrellas. At each stop, Earl lived by a simple tenetalways do right by the customer. once his initial training was completed, he found himself on his way to Vietnam. Chad explains, My dad was always working. He was the hardest working person Ive Earl was commissioned as a mortar platoon sergeant and immediately put in chargeever met. If he wasnt taking care of business, he was taking care of us. Wed spend of a group of nearly 40 young men. They were stationed in the northern highlands the weekends doing endless yardwork, fixing the roof, cleaning gutters, painting . . . of Pleiku, Vietnam, and for over a year, Earl and his men lined the battlefield and tookwhatever was needed. My friends stopped coming over because they were recruited on enemy fire. The war took its toll on everyone involved, and Earls experiences hadfor work every time they came by. My dad never stopped, never seemed at a lossa profound impact on the person, and business leader, he would become. for energy.p Earl in VietnamTHE COMSTAR SUPPLY STORY7'