Edward Umphlette is a true American success story. The Suffolk native and 1970 graduate of Old Dominion turned hard work and education into an impressive 30-year business career by starting at the bottom and working his way up. Now at the top, Umphlette is president and chief operating officer of Stainless Inc., an $80 million international business headquartered in Deerfield Beach, Fla., that supplies kitchen, dining room and playground equipment for restaurant chains.

Umphlette's work ethic began early. He grew up on a farm raising chickens and pigs, and also helped out on the neighbors' peanut farms.

"From the time I was about 10," he recalled, "I cut lawns, delivered papers and worked in service stations."

After graduating from high school, Umphlette wanted to work instead of going to college - a choice that was not popular with his family. He spent two years at Standard Brands before his brother-in-law stepped in.

"I wanted to buy a car and my brother-in-law had a friend who worked at a bank," Umphlette said. "One day, we went to the bank so I could get a car loan and I came out with a student loan instead. My brother-in-law said, 'Give school one year. If you don't like it, then we'll give you the car loan.'"

He enrolled at Old Dominion.

In September, just days before he was to start his freshman year, Umphlette married his 19-year-old sweetheart, Zelma.

"Most people thought I was crazy to get married and go to school at the same time," he said.

The couple lived in Portsmouth and Umphlette, who was studying accounting, supported them by selling shoes on commission.

Following his graduation, the newly minted CPA took a staff position with Coopers & Lybrand. Over the course of the next five years, he worked his way up to senior accountant and supervisor.

The next 20 years on Umphlette's resume read like a book on corporate success. He joined Whittaker Corp.'s Marine Divisions in 1975 as an assistant controller and climbed through the ranks to become vice president of finance by 1981. In 1984, only a year after joining Richard Bertram and Co., a large marine dealer, as vice president of finance, secretary and treasurer, he became chief financial officer of the expanded Bertram Yacht Inc. and Bertram-Trojan Inc.

Umphlette came to Stainless Inc. in 1993 as chief financial officer and controller. He was promoted to general manager and executive vice president in 1994 and to president last October.

Umphlette credits his education - the road he almost didn't take - for his success.

"(Old Dominion) had a great impact," he said. "My first teacher was Dr. Clark. He taught business finance. The first day, he walked in and said, 'I get paid whether you are here or not, I don't take roll. You have 10 pop quizzes and if you don't show for them, you fail.'

"As a freshman, it quickly became apparent that I was a grownup and was now responsible for my own actions."

Umphlette said his next goal is to pursue an MBA when he retires and ultimately teach business.

- Jennifer Mullen