Adam Walker pays tribute to his role model
Bill Campbell and his upbringing in Homestead
By Jim O’Brien
Adam Walker wanted Bill Campbell to be his mentor in the international business world and spent two years trying to connect with the former CEO and Chairman of Intuit, Inc., a real success story in Silicon Valley and before that in Steel Valley.
Walker and Campbell both came out of Homestead where they starred in sports, and Walker was familiar with the Campbell’s legacy. He knew that Bill and his brother Jim had both been outstanding student athletes in the truest sense at Homestead High. He had been told that their father, also Bill, had been a coach and sports administrator before becoming superintendent of the local school district.
Homestead High was later merged with Munhall High to become Steel Valley High School, where Walker was a student. Bill Campbell had been a captain of the Columbia University football team that won an Ivy League title, and Jim Campbell was a star receiver at Navy, a prime target for Heisman Trophy winner Roger Staubach, an All-America lacrosse player and later a jet pilot and assistant athletic director at the Academy.
Walker wanted to know what Bill Campbell knew to succeed in a global business. Walker, who will turn 48 on June 7, was the founder and CEO of Homestead Packaging Solutions, with facilities in Tennessee and Michigan, when he finally succeeded in talking on the telephone with Campbell at his Mountain View residence in northern California. Notice the name he gave his undertaking.
“I chased after him for two years,” Walker told 78 men at a Good Guys Luncheon at Atria’s Restaurant & Tavern in McMurray on Thursday, April 21. “He told me he was too busy to be my mentor. But I persisted, begged might be a better word. Finally, he relented and said, ‘Oh, hell, us Homestead guys have to stick together. We will talk for a half hour once a month for 12 months. How’s that?’ I was so happy to hear that plan.”
Walker was grateful that Campbell had consented to be his mentor. After all, Campbell was called “the coach” in Silicon Valley because he had coached the football team at Columbia before he had entered the business world, first with Kodak and then with Steve Jobs as an executive at Apple before becoming the boss at Intuit, Inc., creator of TurboTax and QuickBooks. Bill Campbell had been a consultant for Steve Jobs, the genius who founded Apple, and many other entrepreneurs in the Silicon Valley.
Walker is now the CEO of Summit Packaging Solutions, based in Monument, Colorado. I think it says a lot about him that he was smart enough to link up with Campbell earlier in his career. I’ve been a mentor to many young men and women and it’s satisfying especially when you have a willing student.
Walker would be honored two days later with the Campbell Courage Award, underwritten by Bill Campbell to honor his family.
He would be appearing along with two Pro Football Hall of Fame members, Jim Kelly of the Buffalo Bills and Ronnie Lott of the San Francisco 49ers, at the Minor Pro Football Hall of Fame induction ceremonies at the Heinz History Center and then Rivers Casino. Former minor league football players and area high school coaches were also honored at the annual event.
Bill Campbell chose Adam Walker to be the first recipient of the award. Walker was interviewed at the program for the Good Guys Luncheon about his success story by Bill Hillgrove, the radio voice of Pitt football and basketball as well as the Steelers. Hillgrove knew Walker from their respective days at Pitt.
“Knowing that Mr. Campbell hand-picked me makes this award even more meaningful,” said Walker. He was accompanied by his cousin Robert Walker, who was also with him and other family members at the program on Saturday.
By coincidence, Hillgrove was going to be receiving a Campbell Courage Award that same Saturday at the Western Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame dinner at the Sheraton at Station Square. The late Darrell Hess, who coordinated that dinner for many years, had gotten Bill Campbell to underwrite that award as well as an annual dinner to honor student athletes from Steel Valley and West Mifflin.
Bill Campbell said a year ago that he couldn’t come to Pittsburgh for Walker’s honor, but that he planned to be there next year when he wanted Charlie Batch to be the honoree.
Walker and Hillgrove were among those in this area who were shocked by the news that Monday, April 18, that Bill Campbell had died of cancer at age 75. “He was a real hometown hero,” said Walker.
Campbell was expected to come back to his hometown later this month for ceremonies to mark the re-opening of West Field in Munhall. Campbell had contributed over $6 million to have the landmark ballfield renovated.
Over the years, Campbell had contributed over $30 million to upgrade academic and sports facilities and to provide computers for students at Steel Valley School District. His loss will be felt when it comes to future planning in the community.
“He gave us millions of dollars, but the love he had for us is truly priceless,” said Edward Wehrer, superintendent of the Steel Valley School District.
Campbell was so proud of his heritage and his hometown. He received and read The Valley Mirror faithfully, he once boasted. He was as proud to be in the company of Darrell Hess, Joe Chiodo and Joe Ducar, all pals back home.
“He has helped our friend Charlie Batch with his Best of the Batch efforts here,” said Walker. “He has helped so many people here.”
Campbell picked up the tab for about 90 men and women from Homestead and Munhall who attended the Minor Pro Football Hall of Fame activities.
Ronnie Lott presented Walker for his award and he and Kelly and Walker all offered stirring reflections and suggestions to a sold-out audience at the Heinz History Center. Lott also spoke of Bill Campbell and how he had been a business ally of his through the years.
Monk Bonasorte was to be honored at this event, but was unable to make it because he learned six months ago that he has brain cancer.
Bonasorte had played football at Bishop Boyle in Homestead and later as a defensive back at Florida State University. He was an All-American there and a member of Bobby Bowden’s all-time Florida State team.
His brother Chuckie, who was called “the Kamikaze Kid” when he starred on special teams for Johnny Majors’ teams at Pitt in the mid-70s, accepted the award for him. Bonasorte sells Pitt souvenir items, mostly T-shirts and ballcaps, at the corner of Forbes Avenue and Bigelow Boulevard on the Pitt campus. MBA students at Pitt would be wise to watch him in action if they want to learn something about grass-roots business.
Jim Kelly has twice overcome bouts with cancer and Chuck Bonasorte asked everybody to pray for his brother so that he might also overcome cancer. Kelly has inspired many people stricken with cancer to fight the good fight with his “Kelly Tough” message and the importance of faith and family.
So it was an emotional event, to say the least, one that Tom Averell, the director of the Minor Pro Football Hall of Fame, could take great pride in putting it all together. I shared in his pride, having lined up Bill Campbell, Adam Walker, Ronnie Lott and Jim Kelly to be the real stars of the production and I was the emcee for the program.
Walker was not drafted when he came out of Pitt, and got a tryout with the Philadelphia Eagles. He was one of their final cuts and was kept on the practice squad.
Then he received a tryout with the San Francisco 49ers. He was cut there, too – 11 times in all – but he stayed around and finally made the team. He credited Eddie DeBartolo Jr. for believing in him. He said that DeBartolo, the former owner of the 49ers, continues to be supportive of his efforts.
Ronnie Lott also spoke of the special affection he and many other former 49ers have for Mr. DeBartolo, now looking after the family’s commercial real estate business out of Tampa. They own and operate shopping malls throughout the country.
DeBartolo arranges for frequent reunions of his NFL championship teams in places like Las Vegas and other resort areas. “Eddie DeBartolo still cares about us,” said Walker, a sentiment echoed by Lott. “He’s an owner who genuinely cares about his players. You couldn’t work for a better man.”
Walker started out with the Eagles in 1990 and then was with the 49ers from 1991 to 1995, and was a member of the 49ers that won a Super Bowl (XXIX) in 1994. He was a special teams captain with the Eagles and 49ers. He only carried the ball out of the backfield 32 times for 115 yards and two touchdowns with the 49ers. He gained league-wide honors for his work on special teams.
During an interview once in the early days of his NFL career, he was asked how he slept at night after being cut 12 times.
“I slept like a baby,” said Walker. “I woke up every two hours and cried.”
That story always gets a laugh.
Walker is an impressive fellow. He dresses well and walks tall and tells good stories. He speaks well and with pride. He never gives up. He had had ups and downs in his business and football careers, but he moves on. He said he learned that from his father. He ordered two rings when he was honored by the Minor Pro Football Hall of Fame, one for him and one for his father, a former millworker in Homestead.
He said he wants to write a book about Homestead. He talked to me at length about that. I think he’s looking for another mentor. My wife Kathie has come up with the title already. It would be “A Walker in Homestead.”
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Valley Mirror columnist Jim O’Brien has written 24 books. His latest is called “Golden Arms: Six Hall of Fame Quarterbacks from Western Pennsylvania.” It is available at his website www.jimobriensportsauthor.com