Division Honored for 84-Year Legacy of Minority Ownership
Division Laundry and Cleaners, San Antonio, recently was honored as a “Minority Legacy Firm” by the Minority Business Development Agency’s (MBDA) San Antonio Business Centers.
Division President Patrick R. Garcia accepted the award at an Oct. 5 luncheon that celebrated minority entrepreneurs as part of the group’s San Antonio Minority Enterprise Development Week (Oct. 2-6). Attending a Townhall meeting prior to the luncheon was Donald R. Cravins Jr., undersecretary for Minority Business Development, U.S. Department of Commerce.
In a brief video statement recorded for the occasion, Garcia thanked the MBDA for the honor. He credited his company’s success to his father, Peter G. Garcia, a Mexican immigrant and the youngest of 17 children born into poverty. This challenging personal background gave the elder Garcia a “can-do” attitude that helped him build Division from the ground up. Patrick noted that his father would always say, “Look for the silver lining when everyone sees despair.”
Patrick also learned his father’s business philosophy. “My father instilled in me the pillars of his success,” Patrick said. “Deliver on your promises. And your quality must stand above all others. Our Garcia family lives these pillars out seven days a week.”
Those commitments helped sustain the Garcia family during a rebuilding effort that followed a disastrous fire in 2001, he said. They continue to inspire the Division team today, amid recent acquisitions of two former Angelica plants: one in Houston and another in Dallas. “Don’t stop believing in dreams,” Patrick said. “They don’t always come true. That’s why you don’t stop believing in yourselves.”
Also embracing this philosophy are Patrick’s family, including daughters Theresa and Patricia, her husband Adam Luna; and Partrick’s son, Patrick A. Garcia. Each of these family members work full-time for Division. “Building strong partnerships is the key to longevity,” Patrick R. said. “Active partnerships build trust, as my three children and son-in-law have learned how to work together. They understood the pillars that their grandfather and grandmother stood for, and that they would be the driving force in bringing the family business to greater heights.”
As for Division’s Legacy Award, Patrick R. noted that, “The story of legacy and longevity is one of resilience. In any business, we accept that there will be challenges. We anticipate and prepare for them as best as possible. While we know there will be some failures, ultimately, we succeed by delivering on our promises, continuing to believe in our mission and valuing the relationships we build with our employees, our vendors, our clients and our community.” Click here for details.