OK, as I suspected, this was hectic and rushed. What my Dad really wanted was a quick snapshot and anyone could've done that for him. I managed to talk him into two different locations, but that was all the time he wanted to take.
So, as I said, this will actually be about things you should NOT do when taking a group photo...
1. Don't let them rush you!! Ask the person making the request if you will be given time to properly set up and also to check the photos before everyone is sent away.
2. Lighting is important. Duh! Yes, there are shadows and there really wasn't much I could do about that under the circumstances. I elected to have them stand at an angle to the sun in hopes they wouldn't have to squint as much. It really didn't make that much difference and now I wish I'd just had the sun at my back to get rid of the shadows. Oh well. I wish it had been an overcast day. The only other option would've been to find a shady spot somewhere. In fact, that probably would've been the best option.
3. Do not leave and do not let the group disperse until you have thoroughly checked to see if everyone is looking at the camera in the photos. I thought I had checked, but as you can see, one guy in the sign photo is looking in the complete other direction. *facepalm* I am not good enough at Photoshop to take his head from another shot, so we are stuck with it.
4. Do NOT let the group bully you. Be assertive. Tell people where to stand, tell them to take their sunglasses and hats off!
Don't be shy, like I was!
I could go on making excuses, but the fact is I feel embarrassed about these and really didn't want to post them. Please don't feel your advice fell on deaf ears. I think I was overwhelmed by the group dynamic a bit. Knowing the need for them to get back to work quickly, I wasn't assertive as I should've been about taking my time, posing them properly, etc. I did stop and get some guys who were "hiding" to come out front, but they could've been arranged much better than they were.
What went right? Ummmm.... Well, I do think getting up high on a ladder worked well.
So, there you have it. A learning experience for sure. I do not know if this is really my type of photography. I'd much rather be shooting my cats than people!! Thanks again to everyone for all the advice you gave me. I hope this thread will help others not to repeat my mistakes.