But what convinced John Neyland to step out earlier than he had to was the fact that he felt sure of having a first-rate successor. When Neyland had joined the company, Bill Strong was a very young accountant, fresh out of college. He was, however, already considered a very able man. When Neyland needed a young analyst to help him with a difficult tax negotiation during the Savings and Loan Crisis, Strong had been put on his staff. Shortly thereafter Strong became assistant to the president and, three years ago, vice president in charge of administration. Neyland felt certain that Strong could easily step into his job, felt, indeed, that Strong was likely to do a better job than he himself had done