The True Influence Formula

Tony’s father emigrated from Lebanon in 1960, settling in Youngstown, Ohio. This area was known for having a healthy mix of immigrants, and Tony fondly remembers growing up with Italians, Persians, and other cultures that truly made Youngstown a melting pot. After leaving high school, he spent a year studying in Sweden where he was on an engineering track. This formative experience led him to get his undergraduate degree in Electrical Engineering from Youngstown State. Jarma hails from the small town of Kinston, NC, and enjoyed spending time at Atlantic Beach as a child. Her dad owned The East Group, an engineering/architectural design firm located in Greenville, and he encouraged her to pursue a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Clemson. After graduation, a job offer from General Electric brought her from Clemson to Cleveland, where she crossed paths with Tony at the apartment complex they shared. After a few winters in Ohio, they decided to move to North Carolina to be closer to family, enjoy the beach, and have four seasons of weather. They both began working at The East Group with Jarma’s father. Tony worked his way up through the company ranks, culminating in being President for many years and growing the firm, adding an additional location in the Raleigh area. During this time, Tony pursued his MBA through

Ken Hunt, Dave’s Uncle, was born in 1937 in Morris, Illinois. When he was eight years old, his parents decided their three boys should be raised in the countryside. Ken loved this quiet upbringing, and it would eventually shape his life and line of work. Growing up, Ken loved sports and excelled at anything with a ball. His favorite sport was baseball, playing shortstop and first base in high school. In college, he pivoted to intramural fast-pitch softball and played in local leagues throughout his life as a skilled pitcher. Ken studied agriculture at the University of Illinois. While he never particularly cared for school, he did enjoy making friends for life through his fraternity, Alpha Gamma Rho. The best connection he made in college was meeting his wife, Karen, at a fraternity dance. Ken put his agriculture degree to use by partnering with his brother Bob (Dave’s Dad) to farm corn and soybeans. For 41 years, he focused on the farming work while his brother handled the books and business aspects. “Bob loved computers, and I concentrated more on running the farm,” said Ken. “Brothers don’t usually stay in business together that long, but we did. We understood each other’s strengths and capabilities, and that made it work.” While Ken was farming, Karen was a stay-at-home mom raising their