Inspire, Summer 2011

The Designer’s Plan by Carol Lee ’96 advanc ing cedarv i l le Can a company that values people over profits survive in this economy? “If God is in it,” Andy Horner would tell you, “just wait and see what He will do.” Andy was 60 years old in 1985 when he and his wife, Joan, founded Premier Designs, Inc., a direct sales jewelry company, near Dallas, Texas. Financial advisors might have advised him to wait until the economy was more stable, or even to relax and enjoy his retirement, but “retirement” is not a word in Andy’s vocabulary. At the age of 87, he is still the joyful visionary behind the business, and he clearly sees that everything about this venture is a gift from God. Fully Surrender The youngest of 13 children, Andy was born in Belfast to a hardworking mother and a hard- drinking father. When he was just six years old, his mother gathered the remaining children at home and left Ireland for a new life in Canada. She read her Bible to Andy, taught him that Jesus loves the little children, and oh, how she prayed. At the age of 11, Andy responded and gave his life to Christ. At least, part of it. At 17, other interests drew him away from his faith, and he followed his own path through much of his adult life. In his 35 year career with established companies including S.C. Johnson Wax and the Xerox Corporation, Andy learned leadership and management skills on the corporate track. By most measures, he enjoyed a successful career. But he grew weary of the emphasis on profit and bottom lines. It was Joan who led him back to Christ in 1960. As his faith matured, he felt a call to do something more, something different with his life. After leaving the corporate world, Andy tried three different times to buy a business. Each time, he encountered stressful road blocks. One night while lying awake in the dark, he cried out to God, “I can’t do it!” In that moment, he sensed God’s Spirit gently speaking his name: “Andrew, I’ve been waiting 40 years to hear you say that.” He decided then to fully surrender his life and his business plans to God. Honor God When the opportunity came to launch Premier Designs, it was essential for Andy and Joan to build the business on biblical principles. The words of the Psalmist still hang prominently on his wall: “I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With Him at my right hand, I will not be shaken” (Psalm 16:8). Since 1990, the business has grown into a debt-free corporation exceeding $400 million with more than 40,000 independent jewelers across the United States 26 SUMMER 2011