"Keep your word even when it hurts."

According to the Forbes 400, Jon Huntsman Sr. is the 47^th richest man in the world. He got that rich by hard work and living a life of integrity. Jon started the world’s largest privately held chemical company from scratch. He is the inventor of the plastic eating utensils and Styrofoam food containers.

Huntsman has faced many tests of his integrity but the one that really impressed me was when he did a handshake deal to sell part of one of his companies to Great Lakes Chemical for $54 million dollars. By the time the deal closed the value of his company had appreciated to more than $250 million. Great Lakes waited for Huntsman to come back to them and renegotiate the deal but he never did.

Jon Huntsman shook hands at $54 million and that was his price. He said he never questioned his decision because his word is his bond. He made most of his money after he sold that part of the company to Great Lakes.