Full partner

- On the day we finally sold the company and were walking out the door, the two of them stopped, turned to another and hugged. These werw guys I'd worked, sweated, planned, laughed and cried with for over three decades. They were good guys. And on every other occasion, they acted as if I were a full partner.

- What does "full partner" mean in this context?

Thanks very much to Teachers,

Stevenukd