Bristol's John Tickle ... his simple secret to success

My friend, John Tickle, is one of Bristol’s brightest and best business minds ever. That is an indisputable fact. However, I want to tell you more about John than that. Much more. I want to share with you a brief “hometown story” that plainly highlights the secret to his great success (a secret so simple that any one of us can replicate it, if we would). I will get to that particular story here in a few. Right now, let me give you a little background on John and his family.

John was the long time CEO and President of Strongwell Corporation here in Bristol, personally building up the company for over half a century. He now currently serves as the company owner and Chairman of the Board of Directors.

Countless thousands of people have been employed locally over the years here in Bristol at Strongwell, due in large part to John’s expertise and guidance.

John is a true dichotomy of what is best about the human race, being that he is both very bright and very caring. He has the highly trained and uniquely mechanical mind of a brilliantly intelligent engineer, but he also has the deep empathy and huge heart of one of our region’s greatest philanthropists.

It’s nearly impossible to talk about John without also mentioning his good wife, Ann, and their two children, Spike and Jeff. All are bright, giving individuals themselves, in their own right. I personally know this to be a fact, because they have all given to any cause I ever asked them to give, regarding Bristol’s children. As in “always”. 100% of the time.

(By the way, Ann, a former educator like myself, also once upon a time played “Miss Ann” on the ‘60s syndicated television show, Romper Room.)

A few years back I stopped in to visit John at his office, and he promptly gave me a personal tour of Strongwell. I was absolutely in awe of all they do there.

Under Tickle’s leadership, Strongwell has long earned the reputation as the recognized world leader in pultrusion and pultruded fiber reinforced polymer composites.

I could fill this entire article with a list of all the accolades, accomplishments, and philanthropic achievements attained by John Tickle and his family. But I will not. I do better telling stories. And personal stories are actually what people like most. So … here is my favorite John Tickle story:

About ten years or so ago, I called John (just as a friend) and asked him if he would talk to my son. “Just spend a few minutes with him, please,” I asked. “Just talk. About anything. I want him to hear one-on-one from people like you.”

John eagerly obliged my request.

My son came back from their meeting together all aglow. He told me, “Dad, I now know ‘the secret’ to Mr. Tickle. It’s all about having something to rise and shine and be excited about every day. Mr. Tickle compared your passion for teaching with his for building up businesses and people. Having passion for whatever you do and throwing your whole soul into it. That’s the secret.”

John Tickle has undoubtedly been one of the greatest treasures and public benefactors our twin city has ever known.

I know of no one who has helped more local people, in so many different ways, for so long, as has John Tickle. Thankfully, he is still going strong at 84. 🥳😍

The thing is, we can all be a lot like John Tickle. The secret is to find a great and worthy passion within our own lives … something we can rise and shine and be excited about every day.