Lori Dollar is one of our community’s best assets. She is extremely intelligent and works tirelessly to make her business a success. Her skills and talents are loaned to numerous charities and worthwhile endeavors in our community without many people knowing.
Dollar was raised north of Follett in Oklahoma. She attended school in Follett but was actually in the Laverne school district. Her mom worked in Follett. and it was closer than travelling to Laverne.
“I attended NWOSU in Alva and received my accounting degree in 1991. I immediately went to work for Halliburton, and they would pay a bonus if you got your CPA certification. I received my certification in 1994. I worked for Halliburton in their Duncan and Houston offices.
“I didn’t like Houston, so I took a job as the comptroller of a coupon clearing house in 1995 and moved to the Lubbock area. I returned to the oilfield when I was hired by Loyd Jones in 1998. That is where I met Phil. I actually moved to Perryton in 2000. We married in 2001 and we started our business in 2002,” Dollar commented.
Describe the Perryton of your earliest memories. “Growing up, my dad had a custom harvesting crew. He worked for Texaco and would take his vacation all at one time and we would cut wheat. He made a deal with my older sister and me. If we worked for him on the harvest crew, he would pay for our college and our vehicles. He kept his word, and we worked every summer as a ‘Wheatie’.
“W e would start around Electra, Texas and travel to Philip, South Dakota. My memories of Perryton growing up mainly consisted of going to the ‘John Deere House’, as my dad called it, to get parts and then get back out to the field. One summer, harvest came early, and it was very dry. My sister and I were both in college by then. My dad’s vacation had not started but we were on summer break from college. So, he sent my sister, me and one of our friends to start the harvest around Electra.
“The farmer we were cutting for wasn’t too sure about an all-girl harvest crew. He rode in the truck with my sister and on the combine with me. He asked me what every button, switch and gauge did on that combine. Once he figured out that we knew what we were doing, word spread.
“When we got to Granite, Oklahoma, the wheat wasn’t ready for our normal customer so my sister would go into town looking for jobs. Every time she came back to the field she would have another 40 acres, another 80 acres to cut. She worked us hard that summer. My dad finally caught up with us in Hayes Center, Nebraska. I sure was glad to see him. He was a lot easier to work for than my sister, plus we finally got some rain and some much-needed rest.”
What historical event do you remember the most and how did it affect you? “I remember the bombing in Oklahoma City and events of 9/11. I realized what true evil was.”
Which automobile do you remember the most in your life and why? “In high school I drove a red and white Ford F-150. I loved it. My dad was a Ford guy and he helped me customize it with chrome wheels and a headache rack. That is probably where my love of vehicles started, which is probably why Phil and I are such a good fit…..However, I now drive a GM product!”
What advice would you give younger generations? “Enjoy what you do in life. It’s too short to worry about the little stuff- and most of it is little stuff.”
What is the proudest achievement of your life? “I am proud of our grandkids and their accomplishments. I am also proud of our business and the people we work with. We have a great group, and they work hard and are a lot of fun to be around. These are some of my favorite people.”
What war that occurred in your lifetime has the biggest impact on you and why? “The events after 9/11 had the most impact. I can remember going to bed that night and knowing that our world was forever changed.”
What restaurant or establishment from Perryton’s history would you like to bring back? “Money’s or JoAnn’s would be my pick. Both provided great food by great people who I am proud to call my friends.”
What is the best job and worst job you have ever had? “My best job was definitely working on my dad’s harvest crew. I didn’t think that at the time but looking back now, I wouldn’t trade it for the world. The summer before I graduated from college, I wasn’t able to go on harvest because I had to attend summer school to get the credits I needed to graduate. The weekend before my dad left for harvest, I went home and helped get everything ready. When they pulled out of Follett headed south, I cried because I couldn’t go.”
What person or historical figure would you like to have dinner with and why? “I would like to have dinner with all my grandparents. They all passed away when I was young, but they had a strong influence in my life growing up. It would be interesting to visit with them and see what their take would be on the world we live in today.”
What event has made you the proudest and least proud to be an American? “My proudest moment was probably how the U.S. came together after the events on 9/ 11. I’m not sure how we were able to come together after 9/11 and be so far apart now.”
Do you have any famous relatives? “John Erickson worked with my granddad, Hobert Hall, on the Barby Ranch in Beaver County. He mentioned him in several of his books. I’m not sure that makes my granddad famous but that is probably as close to fame as my family gets.”
Did you have a CB radio name or “handle”? “I did, but I can’t tell you because I use it as my username and passwords.”
What would you tell us that we would be surprised to learn about you? “I actually started school with a journalism scholarship.”
(If you have suggestions for articles you would like to read on area residents, please call or text Randy Skaggs at (806) 202-0187 or email rskaggsdvm@hot mail.com.)