Q: Tell me about your job
A: I am part of a three-person supervision team, which is responsible for second shift B Team production operations. Our fully staffed teams are capable of meeting all customer expectations from receiving material, painting, quality assurance, packaging and crating, and finally to shipping and transportation. My personal responsibilities are paint applications, paint in-house blending/paint vault and paint offline/flexline departments. On a daily basis, we three supervisors also must communicate and share each other’s responsibilities to complete the tasks.
Q: What did you do prior to Linetec?
A: I graduated from high school in Altoona, Wisconsin. Job opportunities were very good in the Wausau area. I applied at Twin City Testing, which was contracted by the state to perform nondestructive tests on construction sites. I was hired as a helper and started working at the Weston III power plant when it was just being erected. One of my tasks was to check bolted connections to ensure they passed state code. What an experience! During this two year employment I also helped with mag particle testing, vacuum box testing, X-ray of welds and soil sampling.
When Weston III was completed, I then took a position in Quinnesec, Michigan, performing soil sampling test and concrete cylinder tests. About one year later, I returned to Wausau and accepted an offer to help in the logging business. At the same time as I was logging, I started to drive part time for Wausau cab. I did this for six years until I was involved in a logging accident that hospitalized me for about three weeks. Once healed, I was able to drive cab, but logging was not an option.
In 1987 at age 29, I decided to join the U.S. Army and was sent to Germany. In 1990, I joined the Army Reserve for six years. In November 1990, I started working at Linetec.
Q: What is your favorite part of your job?
A: Showing associates how the material they are working with gets installed on job sites. For example, I ask them if they know how the big round material they are working on will be used. Most often they say, “No.” I then say, “a revolving door.” Their eyes light up and they say “AHHHH, oh yeah”. Cool….
Q: What poses the biggest challenges for you
A: Sometimes, it is difficult to communicate information to the team and still retain positive attitudes. Information is interpreted in different ways, which can create confusion and frustration. I take the time to make sure each person understands what is expected and why.
Q: What is something you are looking forward to?
A: Company growth. It is exciting and creates new challenges.
Q: What is something people don’t know about you?
A: I taught myself how to ski when I was in Germany , Switzerland and Bavaria. Also, I attended a German version of Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) certification for deep water diving.
Q: If Linetec gave you a surprise three day paid break to rest and recuperate, what would you do with those three days?
A: Go camping with my wife and granddaughters to enjoy boating, fishing and sitting on the beach, while watching our granddaughter swimming like fish in the lake.
Q: What always cheers you up when you think about it?
A: Reminiscing with a couple of my military buddies about things we did in Europe.
