On My Honor I Will Do My Best

About the Book

This book traces the real life experiences and adventures of the author, who was raised in several small communities in West Texas. His family came from Germany to America in 1710, some 66 years before the American Revolution and 22 years before George Washington was born. They settled in the Hudson Bay area of New York, migrated to what is now Berks County, Pennsylvania (1723), the St. Louis area of Missouri (1852), the Black Hills of South Dakota (1878) and finally to Texas (1909). His great-grandfather was killed by the Indians on a cattle drive (1880) from Fort Reno, Wyoming to the ranch that he and his two brothers owned on the Belle Fourche River north of Deadwood, and is buried on John’s Avenue in Moriah Cemetery in Deadwood near the grave sites of Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane.

A product of this strong pioneer background, the author recounts his own experiences and lessons learned from life and his colorful multiple careers, including:

• From birth in Winters, Texas (pop. 1000), being raised in Snyder, Texas (pop. 3000) to retirement in Houston, Texas, the nation´s fourth largest city.
• From early negotiations, during depression years at six years of age, of a deal with a rancher to sheer his pet goat and buy its wool for $1 per cutting to becoming a partner and president of a multiple-dealership retail automotive chain selling, for example, more Honda automobiles in Houston, Texas, than any other competitor, and subsequently negotiating the sale of its Houston dealerships to Roger Penske of United Auto Group.
• From naming his pet goat for his local Methodist minister in Winters to multiple audiences with Pope John Paul II in Rome and at his summer residence at Castel Gandolfo, receiving a treasured papal rosary and later a papal appointment as a Knight of The Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, the only religious order under the protection of the Holy See, and membership therein considered one of the highest papal awards conferred upon clergy and laity alike.
• From the rank of Bobcat in the Cub Scouts to the rank of Eagle Scout in the Boy Scouts of America.
• From salutatorian of the Class of 1948 at Snyder High School to Doctor of Jurisprudence, summa cum laude of the Class of 1958 at the University of Texas School of Law, with a pit-stop at the University of Texas School of Business, graduating in the Class of 1952 with a BBA degree majoring in public accounting.
• From beginning his legal career as an associate with his law firm in 1958 to obtaining partnership status within three years and then becoming a senior partner--included in the firm´s name--with membership on its three-person Executive Committee. He was President-Elect of his bar association at the time of his retirement from the active practice of law.
• From buck private in the USMC, entering OCS in 1952 during the Korean Conflict, to a company commander when separated from acive duty in 1954, obtaining the rank of captain.

In addition to sharing the details of the author´s adventures in these activities, the reader also has the opportunity to learn the key reasons and elements for success as the author discloses, based upon his experiences, achievements and leadership roles, HOW-TO-DO-IT philosophies, including:

• How to study law at a major law institution based upon a hands-on and time-tested approach.
• How to avoid costly legal and business mistakes based upon valuable insights on how juries think, illustrated from actual cases tried by the author--he lost only two of approximately 145 jury decisions during his nineteen-years in the active practice of law.
• How to acquire an insight into the art of negotiating business deals--acquisitions, mergers and other buy-sell transactions--as related by the author in the context of actual transactions.

About the Author

Bill Deffebach was born and raised during recession years in small West Texas communities. He participated in scouting (Eagle Scout), sports and church activities. He graduated as salutatorian of his high school class, and earned two degrees from the University of Texas at Austin: BBA, major in public accountancy (1952) and Doctor of Jurisprudence (1958). During the Korean Conflict, he served in the Marines, becoming a Captain and serving as a company commander. This book relates his experiences, adventures and leadership roles during childhood, scouting, military service and three colorful careers in accounting, law and business. His path crossed those of many prominent people. Besides enjoying multiple careers, he participated in two historical firsts in banking. He obtained approval from the United States Supreme Court to establish the first bank holding company over a challenge to its formation by the Department of Justice. He was a director and officer of the National Loan Bank, the first national bank in history to be formed solely for the purpose of liquidating problem loans. This story chronicles his diversions, faith, values, formula for lasting marriages, ethical last will and testament and the Ten Commandments of Leadership.