Quanah Register
Thursday, October 28, 1999
Quanah, Texas
Local Section - Op ed
Quanah - Well, fitting that a man who blew a state title chance at Quanah would do the same to the biggest, baddest, company in town. On Wednesday night, Mark Anthony Beasley was terminated as CEO of Tricon Enterprise. Following his tirade caught on tape, and with the added pressure among minority groups - the Board of Directors had to make a change. When Frank Beasley was tragically gunned down in April, no one really wanted to face this possibility. Mark Beasley simply did not have what it takes to be the leader of Tricon Enterprise. Often maligned for his brash style and volatile temper, Mark's stunning collapse was complete on Wednesday night. Just six months after his father's murder, he is thrown out of the CEO position from the very company his father built.
How could anyone think to fire the son of Frank? Well, the Board of Directors had to make a choice. Let Mark stay on board and run the company into the ground, or change course and go with the man that should have been named CEO back in April - Aaron Jennings. Aaron has worked at Tricon since graduating high school back in 1995. Aaron worked under Frank while Mark was living his glory days on the Baylor football team. Aaron knows the industry, and with him in charge, Tricon should be able to sail through the turbulance of the last year. And Aaron I don't think would ever think to punch someone he disagrees with in the face in front of television cameras.
In fact, Mark most likely could have escaped through this with little harm, but after he cold cocked Felipe Crespo in the face, his days are numbered. Mark punched Felipe, sending Mr. Crespo to the ground immediately. A dazed and stunned Felipe got back up and had him arrested. Graced with the privledge of growing up in the Beasley household, he had everything. Girls, money, and the lifestyle of being the most liked kid in town. Now, he's a complete laughingstock. With Frank no longer here, his stock has plummeted. His abrasive attitude and nasty temper have come full circle. No longer the star quarterback, Mark's just another man looking for a job right now. As for the man he berated and punched, well, he's the first ever minority to hold an executive position at Tricon. And for the kid he grew up with his whole life, he's left with the enviable task of taking over the reigns of a company that his best friend's father started and once ran. Aaron's left to fill Mark's shoes. To tell you the truth, it's almost unfair. But for Aaron Jennings, he has the moxie and leadership that will enable Tricon to become a leader in the industry again.
For Mark Beasley, only shame and again huge embarrassment. The loss to Dobie which he should shoulder all the blame. The game against Miami when he promised the world that Baylor would be a force to be reckoned with. The six month reign at Tricon where he actually oversaw a decline in profits for a quarter, something his father never managed to accomplish. Turns out, sometimes life is not like father, like son. Maybe Mark was thrust into a situation too great for him to handle. No one should have to live to hear their father was murdered. Worse, Sheriff Wayne Lobdell still has no suspect at this time. The same Wayne Lobdell who very well could be the next Mayor of Quanah. The current mayor, Ron Wellington, may very well lose his seat over the decline of Tricon during the last six months. People tend to only remember what happened last. The last memory is Wellington's biggest supporter being thrown out of the company his own father built from the ground up.
If Frank were alive today, he'd be turning in his grave. In fact if Frank had not gone public with Tricon after the big oil boom, there would have been no Board of Directors to remove his son yesterday. But in all fairness to the man, I doubt he ever envisioned that he would die before he could hand the reigns over to his first born son. But, like so many other events, Mark blew his big chance to lead. The game against Dobie was only the beginning. This was a colossal failure. Now, his best friend growing up, takes the reigns of the company instead. A decision that should have been made six months ago, in fact. Oh well, some mistakes you just can't make twice.