From Jim Harrell, Republican Candidate for TN House, Dist. 96
May 14, 2012
To whom it may concern:
I have known Jim Harrell since we were classmates at East Central School in Tulsa, Oklahoma in the 1950s. I know Jim to be honest, determined, competitive (we were both musicians in the East Central Band, and took turns leading the trumpet section), dependable, and trustworthy. He is a solid conservative, with strong family values. Jim and I grew up hunting and fishing in northeastern Oklahoma. He is a staunch supporter of the 2nd Amendment.
Jim is an experienced businessman and manager, with an extensive and successful background in the petrochemical industry. Jim was an excellent student in high school and in college. We attended Oklahoma University together. He has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Oklahoma, and a Master’s Degree in business administration from Union University.
Jim has excellent communications skills, and is extremely well-organized, reliable and dependable. He is always willing to provide others with assistance and is a team player. He is very creative, highly intelligent, cooperative, patient, honest and polite in his dealings with others. I have worked with a number of highly skilled and intelligent people over the years and Jim is by far the most intelligent, the most capable, the most cooperative, the most decisive, and the most professional of all of them. I cannot think of anyone who I would trust more than Jim.
In conclusion, I just want to state that Jim Harrell is one of those rare individuals that you are likely to come across only once or twice in a lifetime, and you are indeed fortunate to call a friend. He is highly committed to his faith, his family, his goals, his co-workers, and his organization. He has a distinctly positive attitude which has a beneficial effect on those who are around him. His dealings with associates are marked by fairness, honesty, and a caring attitude. I worked closely with Jim for several years in the 1970s when he was the manager of a chemical plant in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and on many occasions solicited his advice and assistance with issues regarding a chemical company that I owned. No matter how busy he was he always found the time to help me as well as many others in similar situations. He never asked for any recognition or anything in return for any of his significant contributions to me and others. He seems to derive distinct pleasure from being a valuable friend and colleague, and from the successes that he has helped many others to achieve. I consider it a distinct honor to have him as a close friend. I recommend Jim for this position without reservation, and, if elected, fully expect him to achieve a high level of success in the Tennessee House of Representatives.
William Goswick, M.S., EFOP
Retired Fire Chief
Associate Professor
Tulsa, Oklahoma