What do you do?
 

As most of you know, I've been kicking around this group for the summer. I know I want a boat and I'd really like it to be a Formula. But I'm still without a boat and since winter is kicking in, this group is slowing down. Yea, yea, I know, not for everyone... :cool:

This is a little off topic but, what do you or did you do for work?

I noticed Cuda posting (:eek: elsewhere :eek: ) that he has had a variety of jobs. I think its interesting to hear what people do. Who knows, networking is also good.

I was a hot rodder at heart and got a job in an balancing machine shop in high school. I eventually headed up the automotive division and rebuilt and balanced lower ends. It was the coolest job I've had but it was a time for a change. If I remember right the owner was a Formula fan (Will? Are you here?)

I put myself through college working at a family friend's laser machine shop. I worked second shift operating CNC equipment. (Laser cutting, etching, and welding)

After graduating from UMass I started working in the software industry and have had various software developer support roles.

Next?

I'm the maintenance director for a private firms' flight department in Chicago- been working on corporate and private jets of all mfg's and sizes for 20 years. I am also a FAA authorized inspector.
I also do some jet consulting for those fortunate enough to afford these machines, researching the history and condition of the aircraft and reporting my findings to the prospective buyer. I specialize in Dassault FalconJets (from the people that build the Mirage fighter). Falcons are the pinnacle in engineering and build quality in this type of aircraft.
Also hold a commercial pilot's license, although I don't fly professionally; strictly recreational.
Pics are of a pair of Falcon 10 aircraft- the one on the right is my baby!

That's great Jafo. I bet there are all varieties of members here. I always want to fly an ultralight. Have you ever done that? A little out of your league... ;) but I hear they are like the motorcycles of the sky. Same open free feeling.

My work experience may not be glamorous but I can always find work when needed.

I was always interested in engines, cars, boats, etc. In high school I took 4 years of Auto Shop during that time I started working in an EXXON full service station. After graduation I worked full time there. The owner let me do what ever I wanted so I could learn. I beacame the Brake Specialist, Tune-up Tech and Diagnostic Tech. I loved a challenge.
I got tired, maybe a little bored, and decided to work for my Father. He owned two large tool and die shops, one in Philadelphia and the other in Jersey. There I went through the Machinist Apprentice Course, graduated a Journeyman. One day I was asked if I wanted to learn how to weld, never one to turn down knowlage, I went. Graduated 6 months later a Certified Pipe Welder. Tought myself TIG and MIG welding afterward. After my Dad retired and sold his businesses the new owner promtly layed me off. Good thing too, I was ready to quit.
Spent several years welding and working various machine shops doing NC, CNC (mill and lathe), manual mill and lathes.
Decided to go to school for electronics, took a course for Computer Technicians. Graduated in the top 10. Tough to do when all the other classmates were 12 years younger than I and just out of high school. I had to learn how to learn all over again. Tried finding work in that field but was only offered pay that was 6.00 an hour less that I was making as a machinist.
I'm now in Florida working for a company that makes simulators for the Department of Defense. Started out in Quality Assurance doing inspection, then took over the Calibration Lab. After 8 years I transfered out of Quality and now in our Reliability and Maintainability Engineering department. I do product testing, thermal Environmental Stress Screening (ESS), vibration testing (to simulate 10 years of use/abuse), inspection, electronic testing, fixture design, packing/shipping and machine maintenence. I've been here for close to 15 years now.
Along the way I've had various part time jobs as welder, machinist, driver, airport line service, theme park attendant.

Hey that sounds great Iggy. I'm a little the same way. I always want learn something new. When I stopped learning at a job, I knew it was time to move on. I learned by apprenticing (SP??) how be a machinist. No profesional training. I learned how to weld while there. I did gas and stick welding but never got to try MIG or TIG. I left the industry because I didn't like the work conditions. Now that I have a good desk job I miss some of my old jobs... just can't win.

I also left out a few odd jobs before:
Lawn Mowing
Shelf Stocking
Bus Boy at Dennys for 4 hours...

I will try and get into my sorted history later :D:D

Jon

Talking about the welding, when I finished the course I was certified in stick. One day the Foreman came in asked if I knew how to do Heli-Arc (TIG), I said no, he asked if I had any books I could learn form, yes, so he gave my a week to learn. And learn I did. I was very good at it.
Gas welding is easy, so is soldering or sweating pipe joints. Once you learn the basics of welding it's not hard to figure out how to do the other types.

In my current job I was lucky to find a position where I can use almost all my skills on a daily basis. That's what made learning all those things worth while.
In my annual review, which I received yesterday, my Boss asked me to find a course in vibration testing so I could learn more. I did and I guess I'll be going back to school. Home study/internet classes. Can't wait till they give me the go-ahead.

My Dad always said "never be afraid to learn something new".

Well what the heck
I'm not an example of what to do with your life.
after high school, I Tended BAR at my familys Taveren. Lots of Females, but goes no where.
I went to work for
Tom Kenendy, owner of TIKI'S performance plus. [ now in florida]
used to build and maintain Race cars for the semi Pros.
Some how I ended up working for the US goverenment.
the NRC, section six, Nuclear security. In other words you climb over the fence we "SHOOT"you. We find you any where you don't belong "WE SHOOT YOU" ETC. Sounds like fun. NOPE boaring as hell I retired after about 8 years. But I still get to keep my Federal ID and Side arm.
Now I'm a sub contractor, and Love it. Do glass work.
NY tag your it

Ok finally got the time. I started out pushind lawn mowers around my neighborhood. Actually did it for a long time. Got some good customers and mowed lawns tell I was in High school. All through highschool I taught windsurfing and when I was a senior in highschool I started in Boston a indoor windsurfing class at local health clubs. It was a blast. We taught them indoors all winter in the pools, then when it got warm enough we took them out to the ocean and let them go :D After that I started my current business. It started out as a Car stereo instalation business and has kind of morfed from there. While I was in College I worked on kids cars, doing mechanical work and ussually got a stereo install out of it. When I graduated I tried to go to NY city and become a broker. I quickly realized this was a fast road to complete missery and left the company and committed myseld to my shop. Well 10 years later I am still kicking, but I no longer do car stereo's (except for my good old customers) and I am stricktly doing home stuff. This includes Home theaters, Distributed audio, home automation, networking you name it. Business the last few months has been good and hopefully it stays that way :D

Jon

I have a ceramic tile contracting business. We do 90% commercial work. Fast food restaurants are our main focus. Right now we are doing 3 McDonald's, one in Orlando, Vero Beach, and West Palm Beach. We are also doing a Denato's Pizza in Oveido. This is as busy as I have been in a couple years. The beginning of this year sucked! One of the GC's I work for has 16 McDonald's under contract, so hopefully we will stay busy for quite a while. This business is feast or famine. I do love the work, and wished I'd started it earlier in life.

This is a picture of one of the job's I'm most proud of. It is the Dish Restaurant at Baywalk in St Pete. This place is really unique, if you get a chance, check it out. We also did Dan Marino's Town Tavern in the same plaza. There is another Dish over in Ybor that was probably my most ambitous undertaking to date. It was written up in the Tampa Tribune, and was the ESPN center for the Super Bowl here a couple of years ago, and was on TV.:)

I was also recently rewarded the Florida franchise for this one step epoxy flooring. We are in the process of getting it rolling now, it is the future in commercial flooring.

well to make a long story short I make saw dust.........well its a little more than that I'm a CNC programmer for Herman Miller (office furniture). The market sucks right now, so you guys do me a favor and go buy a chair or some thing will ya?

Thanks for posting. Sounds like we have two self employed members. Both of you sound like you have no regrets. I would like to do the same some day. I haven't found the market to go into you. It is good to hear we have a finance major that went into home electronics and a restaurant/bar owner that went into tiling. (hope I got that right Cuda.)

AudioFN I was a finance major that went into software...

To everyone else, I know you are reading this. Post! I know its not boating information but you learned something about people you look to for advise/information/killing time with.

Homeless window washer

Tom

Now there is a dedicated person. MissMyMoney2, I'm glad to see you spend the money you earn washing windows to go to an internet cafe and post here. ;)

Well, out of high school, I did the college and snow ski instructor thing. When I got that out of my system, I settled down for more than a decade of working for German car manufacturers at the dealership level with a 3 year stint working on an Indy car race team.
I relocated to NC from upstate NY and started my own business. I am an insurance damage appraiser specializing in automobiles, heavy equipment and boats. Business is good as there are never a shortage of idiots on the road or on the lakes!
Have had my own business for 12 years now and love it. Would never go to work for someone else again.
I boat every weekend on Lake Tillery and occasionally on Lake Norman with an annual trip to Seneca Lake in NY and an occasional trip to FL (between Sarasota and Ft Myers).

I glad to see I'm not the only one working in the commercial construction industry.

I started as a Laborer digging ditches and packing plywood & drywall in 1976. Over the course of years moved up to Assist. Superintendent, Superintendent, Assist. Project Manager and Project Manager.

I am currently working as a consulting Senior Project Manager for a school district here in Southern California.

I am also a licensed General Contractor and RE Broker. I worked for a developer for several years in the late 80s/early 90s. In addition to the construction activities, I used to do some site aquisition on the side.

I find (and have always found) the work to be interesting and challenging.

I caught the boat bug about 6 years ago and am currently on my second boat. I hope to move up to a small twin sometime next year.

Sounds like Venice to me!:)

My first job out of high school was working for a pipeline construcion outfit. Lot's of ditch digging involved in that too. I really enjoyed the work, I think because at the end of the day, you can look back and see what you have accomplished. I think that is why I also enjoy the tile work. You can actually see what you have done. I never got that pleasure from running bars or restaurants.

Hmmm... just working on my "self review" for work now. Current title is Lead Information Technologist- basically a project lead/programmer/analyst for automotive marketing firm. We've got data on everybody, and the autos generally come to us to find out who their owners are. Ok, it doesn't sound too exciting but it works for me. I give them my time, effort, and 16 years of industry knowledge and they give me gas money. A win-win for everybody.

Cuda,
Actually it's Port Charlotte. My parents are retired and live there.
I also have a brother who lives there.

Beautiful area and I wouldn't mind living there someday.

Well I am not really sure how I got here but I am a Senior Process Engineer for an Austrian rubber injection machine manufacturer.
My duties include, working with sales on new projects to ensure that customers recieve the correct machine and automation for their specific requirements. I also go out into the field to assist customers in process evaluation and correction. Our region is all of North America, Mexico and Canada included, so I never know were I will end my day. However as of lately I am in the office working on new customer progects more than on the road.
Wile on the road, the statment that I am in the hot rubber injection industry has fired off more then one interesting conversation. I do go overseas to Austria and Germany quite often and truly enjoy the time I spend in Austria. It is a truly beautiful country with wonderfull people and food.
The last time I was there I had the opportunity to race a new KTM 380 EXC in a hair scramble event put on by one of their larger dealers. It was awsome to race on international soil.
I can actually say I enjoy my work and the best thing about it is I can top off my week by spending the weekend on my Formula :D :D

Russ

Russ-
We're nearly neighbors! The aircraft hangar I work out of is at Palwaukee Airport on Wolf Rd. (I live near Rockford)
Jim

Jim

Yep that is real close. That has got to be a long commute from Rockford every day. Unless you have an airstrip for a driveway. Anyway good to know there are neighbors out there. What kind of boat are you driving? Now when I see a Falcon, Lear or Gulfstream I will wonder if it's you. :cool: :D

Russ

Got a degree in Industrial Engineering from Purdue in 1976, spent two years working in manufacturing processes for Babcock & Wilcox in Akron, then took a big cut in pay (and a big chance) to get into auto racing. Did a season as a mechanic in the Can-Am series for George Follmer, then a year at IROC, before becomng a mechanic at Penske Racing. Did four seasons working on Indy cars for Mario Andretti, Bobby Unser, Al Unser (Sr), and Rick Mears before being promoted to Chief Mechanic for Danny Sullivan from 1985-1988. (Anybody remember "Spin-and-Win" at Indy in 1985? My car.) Managed the team from 1989-1998, and then started a new company to do driving schools (still with Penske Racing). Been one hell of a ride, but I wouldn't trade a thing. It's working around RP that's given me a better appreciation for companies like Formula. (Are you listening, Scott Porter?)

I'm just glad that we couldn't see this from the pits:

That's great C-Spray. I knew there had to be some motor heads here.

My parents both went to Purdue Class of 1959-60?? As well as my grandfather and two cousins. My mother still watches the Boilermakers play.

B.S Physics - i.e. geek
M. S. Mechanical Engineering - geek with a future

now Chief engineer , new product development for an Automotive supplier.

but my best job was working for dad ( owns a golf course)
watering the course at night in the highschool years.

i had a key to the clubhouse and all the free pop and candybars a guy could eat in one night. my buddy and I would race eachother back to the clubhouse while doing our sprinkler rotations every hour. then sit and call the radio station for requests for 45 minutes till the next "race"

brought all the buddies out to ride allong, and the girlfriends too. (usually gave the sprinklers a little more time to soak on those nights LOL)

put a few cushman trucksters in the pond.

Could run the whole course without the lights on. knew EVERY bump on the course (but please note the previous sentence)

Sorry my line of work is not that glamourious.I work for the worlds largest snack food co. frito-lay , you know lays chips an doritos.
Just a sales rep,14 years. Crunch all you want we"ll make more!

well here is my career history. i had an early interest in electronics so i opened a 2-way radio shop soon after high school. things went pretty good, so for the next twenty years i was involved in some form of wholesale or retail consumer electronics(satellite tv, cell phones, paging, stereo, etc.)

well after 20 years it was getting old ( or mayber it was my mid life crisis ). i sold out and started a swimming pool construction co. 3 years ago. nowdays i build pools & spas during the warm months in so. louisiana (april-dec) and play with a little real estate dealings during the off season.

I'm in the nuclear power business. Work in the maintenance department as a Code, Welding, Structural, Civil engineer. We troubleshoot equipment, write procedures and work plans, inspect components and systems and above all.............we assure the safety and of this facility. You can't make a move around here without several layers of review and approval. PIA but necessary. A nuclear power plant is a pretty cool place, equipment, structures, supports and whatnot are huge. T

Nothing wrong with that masi242. It's got to be a good sales opportunity with they way we Americans eat. Are they based out of Worcestor?

Rambunctious, I can't dream of a better way to spend high scool nights!

RNH, that certainly is a large change. I might send you a PM sometime as I have taken a liking to masonry and landscaping lately. I always wondered how pools are made.

I'm glad this thread is still going. It's also nice to see a lot of hard working people out there.

goove - i don't particulary enjoy hard work but i suppose i'm much like every other oso guy -

Hard Work = money for boat and fuel for boat.

i like a quote someone posted on the board, he said he spends most of his money on wild women and boats - the rest of it he just waste.

rnh

After graduating from Purdue with a degree in electrical engineering in '77 (I knew C_Spray there, by the way he is more than a gearhead, he is the "man" when it comes to high performance) went to work in Chicago for ComEd the electric company, spent 23 years there. Held a variety of jobs from lab technician to field engineer to manager of several different engineering groups. In 2001 I quit and went to work for an English company that makes generators as Director of Marketing. This allowed me to move to the St. Louis area (2 1/2 hours from my favorite lake, Ky Lake rather than 7 hours away) and I work from my home. I get to spend a lot more time at the lake on the boat and with the family although I travel a lot, but when I am home I am home (you know the quality time bit). :D

I’m a consultant in the Information Technology sector. Project management, business analysis & design. Currently I am assisting the provincial Justice Enterprise Cluster in rollout of applications to municipal police services and the OPP.

(Blushing) Aww, shucks...... that lil' ole race in Indy weren' t nuthin'. Got 10 o' them winner rings - one for each finger. Only got one Purdue Grand Prix win, though - it a lot of ways, that race is tougher.

(Helps being around others who really, truly ARE "the men".)

Here it goes,
After college, I went to work for good ole Bell Atlantic for a couple of years. I traveled up and down the east coast installing and programming large PBX telephone switches. Being single at the time, it was fun, but got old quick!!
Started working for the Gov't at the Senate in 1987 as as telephone repairman. In 1992 I moved into the computer LAN group (new challenge). I now am a Network Engineer in the Engineering and Implementation Dept. and absolutely love my job. We get to play with things in the lab and make sure they work and then someone else installs it.
:D
I also do alot of switch and router configuration and network design as well as RF communications for the US Capitol Police. But the best part of my job is that I work four 10 hour days per week which leaves an extra day each week to do the things that I like (golfing and boating).

:D :D
Craig

C-Spray!

I was on a BOAT watching that race when your car did that little dance! If I remember right, I was eating a pimento cheese sandwich (It sticks in my memory cause I just held the sandwich near my mouth so long in shock that some of the pimento stuff fell on my legs - didn't he only lose a couple of positions? ).

Only lost one place: from first to second, and we took first back for good about 40 laps later. Really f@*ked up that set of tires, though. They were "pretty square", as Danny put it. To his credit, Danny never took credit for the save: "I just opened my eyes, and there was Turn 2 right in front of me, so I dropped it down a gear and took off". The best driving of the day was Mario - he saved them both, leaving four black marks as he turned back RIGHT to collect his car after swerving left to avoid Danny. This is a very, very hard thing to do in a car set up only to turn left.....

When we all saw the replay that night, we couldn't believe it, even though Guererro had done the same thing the previous year, and finished second.

Can't stand pimiento cheese.