Today is Father's Day, and most people will give the typical ties and shirts to their dads.

But some dads are also giving a gift: By passing on their knowledge in family business, they offer a legacy, lifetime security, and the very essence of who they are.

Dinner conversation at the Adams table usually centers on topics like root canals and braces, and only one of its five family members finds it the least bit boring.That's because Larry senior, his wife and their son Larry Joe or "L.J." work together at Adams Associates, a dental practice with offices in Sarver and Worthington.Adams' youngest daughter, Beth, who just graduated dental school, will join them, and she is marrying a dentist from eastern Pennsylvania who will probably someday join the practice.Even L.J.'s eldest sister, who chose to study law over dentistry, works as a dental assistant when she's not at school. Her boyfriend happens to work for the practice's dental product supplier."It's all we talk about. Dentistry kind of runs our lives and it almost rules our personal relationships," said L.J., who has worked in the practice for about a year."At the end of the work day we're a little bit too close, but we've made adjustments."But L.J. said he learned more from his parents in four months than he did in his first four years of dental school. Still, it is the combination of his parents experience and his fresh ideas that make it work, said his father, who was surprised his children decided to follow in their parents' footsteps."They all told me they weren't going to and then they all decided to go (to dental school)," said Larry senior.But Larry had planted the seed in his own way. "I offered them all good paying jobs, and they saw that it was more than just putting your hands in other people's dirty mouths."Even if they did choose this, they would know what they are into," Larry added.The Adams say L.J. and his sisters "cut their teeth" in the business as dental assistants from the time they reached seventh grade.L.J.'s parents have patients they have served for years. L.J. gets most of the new ones. The three attend conferences together several weekends a year to learn new techniques, and dad oversees it all.Someday L.J. will be in that position - and though his dad has been whittling down his hours, he doesn't expect it to happen soon."Mom will probably retire in 10 years, but dad ... he'll wait 'til he falls over dead on a patient," he said.Meanwhile, they learn from one another."Now it's my 28 years experience and his fresh new ideas," said Larry senior, who still calls the shots when it comes to his own teeth."My son did my last crown and I'm the worst patient he could get. We criticize every single step," he said.Still, Larry said he thinks it's great working alongside his children."I'm very blessed with this and so proud of them. We're a fun-loving family and we have a lot of fun in the office."

The sign at a Slippery Rock work site reads, "Larry Arblaster Construction." A truck at the same site reads "Rock Solid Industries." These are signs of the times for another set of Larrys.Larry Arblaster Sr. and his son, Larry Jr., are in the midst of a significant transition."He wanted to get bigger and I wanted to downsize," said Larry Sr., who has owned and operated, Arblaster Construction of Slippery Rock for 33 years.Larry Jr. began working with his father 12 years ago along with his younger brother, Mike."I always wanted to get the kids out of this business. In this economy it's feast or famine," said Larry Sr.. And when Mike was offered an opportunity in industrial sales with Robison Industries, his father encouraged him to take it."I cried the day he left me. He worked for me for three years, but I couldn't have offered him what he has now." The business wasn't really big enough at the time to "feed three families," said the senior Arblaster.But Larry Jr. grew into the business over 12 years, with his father just surviving the teenage years."We used to fight, but he grew up a little bit, and we get along pretty good now. He picked up the business well. He learned a little from me and a little from his partner," said Larry.Now both men supervise jobs at different sites and recently, young Larry decided the company, which had taken mostly local jobs, should move in a new direction.With their partner Robert Leone of Forestville, the Arblasters formed Rock Solid Industries and have expanded into commercial and high-end residential work."It was tough after Enron and 9-11," said Larry Jr. "But we've had a phenomenal year."The firm has done work on all four Gateway buildings in Pittsburgh and has recently completed an addition on the very first million-dollar home built around Deep Creek in Maryland.The job took young Larry there for seven months. His father joined him for only two days as he doesn't like to be away from the grandchildren for too long."He does the local jobs," said young Larry, who conducts business a little differently than his father."The business has changed so much. I carry a laptop computer everywhere I go," he said. "We spent $20,000 on computers because architects and designers like to e-mail their plans."That's something his father may not have considered. "I used to go out with a pencil and a pad and jot a few things down," said Larry Sr., who would prefer to be behind the wheel of a backhoe than at a computer."I get 30 e-mails a day," said Larry Jr. "You have to walk the fine line to please the architect and also the customer.""Every time the architect comes around, we send dad to lunch," he teased.Young Larry said in his world of $2 million projects, lawyers are involved in everything. But old habits die hard."One time I was closing a big deal and the customer said, 'Let me see your standard contract.' I just stuck my hand out. 'Do you mean you're dad's been in business for 33 years and you have no standard contract?' the client asked. 'I said, 'No.'"After telling that stoy, both Larrys just smile.

One important thing that Dave Maddalon of Maddalon Jewelers in Zelienople has learned from working with his father, Joe, is jewelry is an important part of people's lives.Dave began working at the store in 1992 and got his diamond certification in 1994."It feels good when you're selling an engagement band or a wedding band. You keep a kind of friendship. There are definitely generations of customers in this business," he said."(Dad) waited on the parents and they tell their kids, 'You gotta go see Joe.' Now I have their sons. I know what is popular with the younger customers."Princess cuts and white gold are popular now, Dave said. He says it's great to have the opportunities he has with a business that his father established more than 30 years ago.Joe rented space and opened his Zelienople store in 1969 after serving in Vietnam. In 1986 he bought a building across the street."I was 22 years old when I started working in a jewelry store repairing clocks, engraving and repairing jewelry," said Joe. That store was owned by his wife's brother, Andrew Matthews.Joe's wife, Kathleen, is in charge of giftware and advertising at Maddalon. She said they all get along very well, but it's not always easy - especially at holiday time when the store is very busy."The store is big and we are all off on different days. But Christmastime is stressful. We are working seven days a week and do 80 percent of our business over the holiday. ... We have a lot of orders to fill and need to concentrate while helping customers. And the customer is always right," she said.Now Dave does what his dad once did: watch repairs and engraving, plus he is certified to assess diamonds. His dad does the books, sales and ordering.Dave said some things have changed since Joe started the business. For instance, they are ordering some items online, and he has begun working on a Web site that will include an Internet catalog. But he clings to some of the traditions of his father."We still deal with salesmen who have been selling jewelry for 40 years. We like to keep that tradition. You can see it and touch it. I wouldn't change that ever. It's the fun part."

The McKivigan clan doesn't really need any more family get-togethers, according to Rick McKivigan, the eldest of five brothers who work for McKivigan's Tires for Less.Four of the brothers work in Butler alongside their father, Dave, who started it all in 1957. One brother, Ron, is working in their Erie location. Three grandsons work there, too."Every day is a reunion," said Rick, who believes each of the brothers has found his niche. "Your personality leads you to where you end up in the business. I like people and so I'm in retail tires," said the 47-year-old, who started in 1975 unloading trailers.Ray, 45, is in charge of the mechanic shop; Robbie, 36, is the "in between" guy who conveys information from retail to the tire shop; and Ryan, 31, is in charge of the wholesale department.The business hasn't changed a lot since Dave started the business with six employees doing auto service in a service station, but some things are different."Dad started with 20 or 30 sizes (tires) and now there are probably over 200," said Rick.Though Dave, 66, is still busy overseeing operations, in a way, he has come full circle. "Dave is back to unloading trailers," said Rick. "He likes to stay physical and is back to the job he did when he first started. ... My father is as valued a tire man as you'll find anywhere. He's on the board of directors with Michelin. He's my hero."And now Rick has a chance to be a hero to his own sons, Matt, 26, and Andrew, 23, who are also working in the Butler store and contributing in their own ways."There are a few things I'm more knowledgeable about - like custom rims. Young people like bigger wheels with smaller tires," Andrew said.Andrew's grandfather is grateful for the younger McKivigans, including Tony Kuhn, his daughter Donna's son. "You always have to have younger people. That's how you learn. You learn something every day," said the eldest McKivigan, who said he loves what he does and has no plans to retire.Though working from 7:30 in the morning until sometimes 7 p.m. with so many family members may be challenging, Rick said he is satisfied."It's always a little harder because more is expected of you. You have to go the extra mile. But it's good. I've raised four (children) and (my father has) raised seven," he said."I've been on the receiving end with my father and now I'm on the giving end with my kids. It gives you good character, and that's what we have to instill in them," Rick said."It's a great feeling. That's what gets you up every day for work ... knowing that it's going to pass on to your family," Dave added.