Letter from Shanower's former boss

Almost everyone in Chicagoland has certainly heard of Navy Intelligence Cmdr. Dan Shanower. Undoubtedly, everyone admires his courage, devotion, dedication and contribution to this great country.

I met Dan Shanower in the early ‘80s. I had just bought Extra Value Liquors on Bailey Road in Naperville after giving up on Corporate America and dumping my MBA. I was struggling in my business as it was a disaster at the time. I was clueless as to what it took to succeed in retailing.

In comes a young handsome well mannered man looking for a job. I informed him I only hire stock boys and promote from within. He stated he would do anything and took the lowly stock boy position. I recall hiring him on the spot after a short interview in which he impressed me ... floored me is a better description!

Within a few months and upon his turning to the legal age of 21, I promoted him to clerk ... a few months later to assistant manager ... and a few months later to manager. His work ethic and brilliance were amazingly striking. I told him this is as high as you can go, young man, and let us start figuring out how to be successful retailers. He said “let's roll” and in due time delivered big time!

In the 2.5 years I recall him being with us he increased our sales 5 fold ... yes, I said 5 fold! Before he arrived I was like a car spinning its wheels in the mud going backward. He also assisted me in arresting 200 minors who showed us fake IDs in the time period he worked for Extra Value Liquors ... all documented at the Naperville Police Department, our store records and even full page newspaper ads. He was nothing short of amazing; nothing short of spectacular!

The legal customers all respected and adored him. He never failed to thank a customer or walk an old lady to the car while carrying her purchase in one hand and holding her arm in another. He was the ultimate, ever so polite gentleman. The illegal customers all feared and avoided him. He never failed to memorize the license plate of escaping minors and submit it to the NPD. His memory was faultless bordering on photographic!

I felt so fortunate to have crossed paths with Dan in his short life on earth.

After about 2.5 years of his employment, it seems I was suddenly receiving visits from the FBI and CIA asking all kinds of questions about Manager Dan Shanower. Initially, they refused to disclose to me why they were asking me all these unusual personal questions. If I hesitated, their badges would conveniently appear as they slid open their jackets as a gentle reminder. I could not imagine what horrendous crime Mr. Shanower could have committed to bring the FBI and CIA to visit my little neighborhood store. I wondered what skeletons Mr. Shanower had in his closets that he chose not to disclose to me. I felt I must have really screwed up when I hired this guy.

Fortunately, the FBI and CIA returned again and finally confirmed to me that Mr. Shanower was in no trouble and was seeking a very important position with the Navy Intelligence at the Pentagon. They were simply doing a very intensive and secretive background check on him required by Navy Intelligence, who apparently saw unique and untapped potential in him.

Dan Shanower was that rare employee who was truly indispensable. He was one of a kind! We have struggled without him for nearly 30 years. We have survived somehow, but barely, as it has been storm after storm ... hurricane after hurricane!

Unfortunately, Mr. Shanower did not survive that fateful morning on September 11, 2001. He was working for the defense of our country that day at the Pentagon. One of his duties was to uncover terrorists before they struck the homeland. He knew freedom was not free and he unfortunately paid the ultimate price that he was ready to pay in service of his and our beloved United States of America.

Please attend the memorial honoring Navy Intelligence Commander Dan Shanower this Sept. 11, 2011. It will be held at the Cmdr. Dan Shanower Memorial at 1 p.m. right behind city hall. The keynote speaker will be his former boss ... not me ... U.S. Navy Rear Admiral Richard Porterfield.

Freedom will ring as the Millennium Carillon bells will toll at 12:30 p.m. to honor Cmdr. Dan Shanower.

I hope everyone will attend to honor this truly great American hero ... a true friend to all Napervillians!

Let us all pay him our highest respects.