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David Neenan Discovers the Lessons of Life and Finds Success Along the Way
 A new pair of simple brown shoes created a footprint and philosophy for a trailblazing company that over the last 30 years has achieved international status in the design-build industry – and made, lost and recouped millions of dollars along the way.
When 12-year-old David Neenan earned his own money for those shoes back in 1956, he set out on a life and business course that challenges mediocrity, stands up to failure and, ultimately, applies the wisdom of trust, persistence, humor, vision, integrity and abundance to declare an emphatic ‘No’ to giving up.
Neenan, founder of Colorado-based The Neenan Company (www.neenan.com), tells the stories of this journey in his recently published book, “No Excuses: Be the Hero of Your Own Life” (ISBN 13:978-0-615-15407-5).
The public is invited to attend a 6-8 p.m. book signing, Thursday, May 22, at Readers Cove, 1001 E. Harmony Rd., Fort Collins; ph: 970-266-1618. Neenan briefly will discuss his book and sign copies. Books are available for sale at Reader’s Cove and online at Amazon.com.
Neenan’s a good storyteller and through personal vignettes pulled from different periods of his life and business career, he creates a picture of a human being who continues to learn life’s deepest lessons and apply them to create true wealth of heart, spirit and commercial enterprise.
Readers will learn about a father who through failure motivated his son to achieve; a widowed mother with six children and no way to earn a decent living, who offered the richest gift a child can receive – hope: “David, I have faith in you. You’ll be fine.”
They’ll also follow a restless young man, who traveled halfway around the world in search of something and emerges a responsible adult who’s found life’s meaning lies in what each person creates for him or herself and for those around them.
The mantel of responsibility Neenan accepted as a small boy, tested as a young man and wears today has led Neenan to spiritual and financial wealth for himself, his family and the company he has built.
The ‘meaning’ Neenan found, as stated in his book, is: “Building wealth with integrity requires passion and dedication…. If you are going to rely on persistence you’ll hear ‘No’ hundreds of times.”
Says Neenan in an interview, “This is my ‘grandfather’ story. I wanted to leave something for future grandchildren to have, something that explains the old man they’ll hear stories about.”
It’s clear from his reminiscences that ancestors, philosophers, poets, wise souls and even John Wayne have been and continue to be a great influence.
“Find mentors,” he advises, “those who toss an amulet that leads you to say ‘Yes’ to becoming the hero of your own life, to test yourself on a road of trials that leads to an increasingly intense threshold. Help is there, if you accept it. Once you face destruction and rise to break through, it’s magnificence.” This, Neenan admits, is not easy.
He cites a major construction fiasco, he’s tagged “The Casper Crisis,” that almost toppled his fledgling the company in the early 1970s and led to, as he says, “Transforming The Neenan Company from an average builder of prefab industrial buildings into a lean, innovative design-build company that approaches construction as a group of artisans working together to satisfy our clients’ needs.”
Neenan explains an ill-informed business decision he made nearly bankrupted the fledgling company and his family. Rather than sue or declare bankruptcy, Neenan broke through his fear, swallowed his pride and asked a local banker and an established construction firm to put up money to allow The Neenan Company to finish the botched construction project and keep the company on its feet.
The Casper Crisis plus a major health crisis led him to three basic principles, “Find work. Do work. Measure the results.” These simple directives became, in 1977, the foundation for a multi-million dollar business recognized for its pioneering Archistruction® strategy and as one of the most distinguished in design and construction of healthcare facilities, schools and manufacturing and commercial buildings throughout Colorado and the Western United States.
Neenan’s book is a repository of the life lessons and entrepreneurial approach he offers in seminars throughout the U.S. and in developing countries. By its conclusion, the book has traveled a far distance both in spirit and business acumen from those first steps in those brown shoes. And yet, perhaps not so far: “Real wealth is the simple richness of life,” Neenan offers. “…We honor that gift by exercising responsibility. Therein lies the meaning of my life….
“There are infinite possibilities, all magnificent. There are no excuses not to wrap our arms around all of life and go for the infinite dance.”
[PRINTER FRIENDLY VERSION]
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