This Fourth of July feels a little different.

 

As America celebrates its 250th birthday, I’ve found myself thinking about how fortunate I am to have grown up in a family that believed in building things.

 

Growing up, I spent summers and school breaks working in the family business. At the time, I didn’t think much about it. I was just doing whatever needed to be done, sweeping floors, loading trucks, helping in the warehouse, and learning by watching the people around me.

 

When I was young, I assumed every family sat around the dinner table talking about customers, employees, and how to make the business a little better the next day. It wasn’t until I was older that I realized what a gift those conversations really were.

 

The family business has now been part of our family for six generations. While my path eventually led somewhere different, the lessons I learned growing up never did.

 

My mom spent years working in that business before deciding to build something of her own. When she founded BBCS, she didn’t leave those values behind. She carried them with her. The commitment to serving customers, treating people with respect, doing what you say you’re going to do, and always looking for a better way became the foundation of BBCS.

 

When I had the opportunity to lead BBCS in 2020, I saw it as a chance to carry those same values forward while helping the company grow. Today, I’m incredibly proud that BBCS has become a second-generation family business.

 

One of the things I love most about America is that stories like this happen every day. Families pass businesses from one generation to the next. Entrepreneurs take a chance on an idea. People invest their savings, their time, and often years of hard work to build something that serves others. Not every business succeeds, but every entrepreneur is given the opportunity to try.

 

To me, that’s one of the greatest gifts America has given us over the last 250 years: the freedom to build something that matters.

 

At BBCS, we have the privilege of serving organizations whose mission is far greater than our own. Our customers work every day to make sure blood is available for patients when they need it most. We simply build the technology that helps support that mission, and it is a responsibility we never take for granted.

 

As I look ahead, I’m as excited about the future as I’ve ever been. Every week we’re building new software, solving new problems, and finding better ways to serve our customers. In many ways, I think we’re continuing the same tradition that inspired the generations before us, building something that will outlast us and create opportunities for the people who come next.

 

America’s 250th birthday isn’t just a celebration of what previous generations built. It’s a reminder that it’s our turn now.

 

Whether you’re building a business, raising a family, serving your community, mentoring someone, or simply trying to leave things a little better than you found, you’re helping write the next chapter of our country’s story.

 

I’m grateful that I was born in a country where those opportunities exist. I’m grateful to the people who invested in me, especially my family. And I’m grateful to our employees, our customers, and our partners for trusting BBCS to be part of your journey.

 

Happy Independence Day, and Happy 250th Birthday, America.

 

Brian Forbis
President & CEO
Blood Bank Computer Systems, Inc.