Have you had that feeling when someone you know has died and afterward, you wish you had a chance to get to know them and their story better?
Last year a close friend of my parents died at the age of 97. We had emailed each other in past years, but I only recently learned of his passing and that during Covid he had dictated his memoir.
Dan Mast grew up in Bronx, New York. He enlisted in the US Army in 1942 at the age of eighteen. In the Army Air Corps, he was responsible for maintaining fighter jets for their missions, first stationed in the UK and then, after landing on Omaha Beach at Normandy, at various air bases in Europe as Allied troops moved eastward across Europe.
After the war he started in an entry position at a major silverware and housewares business. In a career spanning more than 50 years he became a highly respected senior executive within his industry.
Dan brought many new products to the US market including the Match-o-Matic, the JFK rocking chair, tea kettles, ice buckets, steak knives, the first non-stick frying pans, and the first electric toothbrushes.
He traveled extensively in the US visiting clients and supervising sales offerings at major consumer product conventions. He also travelled widely overseas at a time when few did it, sourcing products and working closely with manufacturers (he made over 15 trips to China alone).
Dan developed an 8-point business philosophy which guided him through his career (reproduced in the photo attached to this post). He printed it and over the years gave it to more than 1000 people who he believed had leadership potential. He even gave a copy to Sam Walton well before Walmart became the giant retailer it is today.
Dan Mast’s timeless business philosophy is a tribute to his wisdom and legacy
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