Nothing comes easy.

From galvanizing the community to fund a multi-million-dollar renovation of hospital rooms to investing in old warehouses with the idea of creating a fashionable avenue of boutiques, they all could have been failures — or at best, lingering dreams.

Danny McAfee, however, had a few things working in his favor: a father-in-law who taught him to never give up when you want something and work for it, and a deep commitment to giving back to his community.

When the time comes for a stay at Cullman Regional, the rooms are completely refreshed and modernized for comfort and efficient patient care. When you stroll the pleasant walkways of the Warehouse District in search of an afternoon coffee, there is a touch of McAfee, The Cullman Times’ Distinguished Citizen of the Year, in those valued, albeit different, pieces of Cullman.

Talk to McAfee about Cullman — its past, its future, and what makes it a special place — and you’ll catch some of his enthusiasm. You’ll also learn a lot about how a true civic leader thinks.

“I think we’re on the cusp, now, of being able to pick and choose what we want for Cullman,” McAfee says of the city’s economic growth.

“I think where we are right now is very desirable. Which is amazing, because our demographics don’t show that — they still show a small town. But when you think about the 80,000 people in our county, you start to see it as something more.”

McAfee, vice president of Cullman Cabinet & Supply Company, doesn’t distinguish between city and county when it comes to thinking about the city’s sense of identity, nor the entire area’s overall success.

A history of cooperation in leadership; a past, present and future deeply rooted in agriculture; a smart diversification of the local economy; and even the physical attributes that tie the area together and make it unique — all these things create an interrelationship between city and county that, as McAfee sees it, demands recognition and support.

“Right now, there is a lot of talk about our ‘brand’ — about who we are, and asking what we really want to be,” he muses. “Well, you’ve got to start with agriculture, don’t you? That’s a big part of who we are, and we’re fortunate to have people here — people like [local veterinarian Dr. Tom Williamson — who have given us leadership and commitment.

“We’ve had such good leadership from so many people, in so many ways,” he continues. “To grow and be successful, you’ve got to have your leadership that pulls it all together.”

“We have had wonderful visionaries in our school system — even going all the way back to the time when the city school board, and [former Superintendent] John Tillman had the vision to purchase the property, in the city, where the school is now.

“We’re fortunate that, over many years, we have guys who have had an idea and never gave up on it. Look at our hospital — it’s a great example. We have a wonderful medical facility that would never have come about without the leadership; really the persistence and determination, of people like Dr. Jim Davis and Dr. Herman Ensor and Dr. Bill Peinhardt.

“And we’ve had that kind of leadership in many areas. Look at our parks and recreation. Our economic development. Our schools. Our downtown. I love the railroad: it’s a part of who we are — we’re a railroad town, and I think we really ought to celebrate that fact, and not try to hide it. We have a wonderful layout. Where else do you see viaducts that put the railroad tracks below grade in the middle of the city? Over time, we’ve just had excellent leaders; the kind of folks who don’t give up.”

McAfee clearly cherishes persistence as a value. It’s woven through his reflections on his father in-law, Robert Edge — one of his life’s great influences.

“We had a lot of local guys who started businesses after WWII, like my father in-law,” he recalls. “The Apels, the Werners, Morgan Oil, the Willoughbys, Bert McGriff, and others. Those guys instilled in their children the values of hard work and not giving up.”

“I know my father in-law probably had as much influence on my life as anyone did, simply because he taught me how to work, and he taught me to keep on digging — to just hang in there.

“He would keep on and on, if he had a goal in mind. He would work at it, and never give up. He taught me that, among many other things. Because of that, and then just by observing other folks, our business has been very blessed in this community. And I feel like you need to give back to the community that supports you and has invested in you. I’ve had opportunities to do that, and I’m thankful for that.”

What can Cullman capitalize on that will assure this area another 50 years of growth and prosperity commensurate with its past? McAfee, whose investment in the city’s warehouse district has helped spur a renaissance in downtown activity, starts with the city center.

“I think we really have got to stay focused on downtown,” he says. “I think that’s kind of a rarity, what you see right here in Cullman. To drive through, and see it as vibrant as it is — and still improving all the time — I think if we stay focused on that, we can grow outwards, which is a good thing.”

Quality economic growth, aided by quality education and workforce training, are also assets that Cullman can cultivate further, he adds.

“We’ve got to continue to focus on industries that will bring younger folks in; young professionals. We will need to have a good mix of that. We want to always have work here for all levels: service, middle incomes, ownership, everything.”

“We’re at a point now where we can do that in a way that we haven’t been able to in the past — and I think that’s yet another debt we owe to good leadership.”

“As we grow, we need to recognize, too, what an asset Wallace State [Community College] is to us, and what they have brought to this community — not just with workforce training, which we are still going to need — but even with the arts, and with cultural opportunities that we otherwise wouldn’t have. Education has always played a big part of our success, and that is only going to mean more as we go forward.”

McAfee’s among those lifelong Cullman residents capable of offering specific examples of what he values about his home county. This area’s special to him in real and tangible ways — ways that transcend abstract platitudes and boosterism.

“One of the physicians we have now — she came here from Miami,” he relates. “She didn’t have to come here. She wasn’t running from anything, and she was successful where she was.

“But she was up here just driving through — and she saw the hospital. That hospital caught her eye. It was enough to make her take notice, and she ended up inquiring about it. She was so impressed with what she saw that she left the life she had to come here and become a part of this community.

“That’s what we have in Cullman,” he says with soft-spoken conviction. “We have the kind of community that, when other people find out about it, they want to find out more. They want to be a part of it. It’s good for those of us who live here…it’s good for us to recognize that.”