My journey

Many people have great stories to tell, I shall keep mine as short as possible. I believe everything from birth to who you are as a human today molds the person you are. I was raised as the youngest of 4 brothers, as well as having a Dad in a wheelchair. Always being the little brother (not in size) I was fortunate enough to see my older brothers all grow up and achieve great things, at the same time, less pressure was on me and I was able to find my own path in life and do what I found I enjoyed. 

After High school I went off to college as many young men and women do, just like my brothers did, however, I really had very little interest in getting a degree, I went to play Football! So, for two seasons I tried my best at Fort Scott Community College in Southeast Kansas. Two things happened, the first, I grew, immensely. The second, I realized I wasn't ever going to play in the NFL, but saw what NFL talent looked like. After this realization, I moved home, and was fortunate enough to have a Mother who happened to be a math professor at Johnson County Community College in Overland Park, Kansas. This enabled me to finish my Associate of Arts degree while still living at home, as well as working my way through a lot of jobs I knew were not cut out for me. I did everything, like pizza delivery driver, hardwood floor installer, landscape laborer, Parts truck driver for a heavy truck parts company, caretaker of baseball fields for Parks & rec (great job). Fortunately, while taking classes I discovered the Arts department, and within the Arts section was the welding and metalworking training. I finally found something I could do really well and made me want to learn. So, for some reason I thought running a CNC machine would be fun and exciting, off I went and found an entry level CNC position, and eventually after a year became the second shift lead, then the most dreaded of all time the third shift supervisor (night shift is not for me), and eventually I worked my way back to days running the CNC department. I was great at it, but it really is a very boring job letting a machine run for anywhere from 15 minutes to sometimes 3 hours depending on the part. Once again being a young man in my twenties living at home, I decided to move to a different shop that ran CNC machines making wooden windows, again this was fun for about  2 months, learning a different machine and woodworking was like going back to High School shop class. Yet, this job eventually panned out, no one in the shop did any maintenance, however, myself and the second shift foreman knew enough to be dangerous. So, long story short, I become the maintenance guy. My mind was flourishing again and I loved it. I wanted to learn more, so off I went to a custom molding shop where they made EPS coolers and blocks of all shapes and sizes. Here I learned to actually be a shop maintenance person. running equipment, being on call, working on boilers, on European machinery, learning to thread, run and weld pipe of all different shapes and sizes. Everyday was something different as well as some of the same, as I also was involved heavily with setting up their PM system. I was still young but computer literate, and many files and other things were all still down by hand, I couldn't believe it. I still see it today how much people rely on the "old guys" to remember what is where, instead of recording it somewhere for others to access. The only reason I left this job, I was given the opportunity to work as a field service technician and travel the world. At the time the only thing I knew about wide belt sanders and grinders was from high school shop class. I didn't realize everybody and their brother who does any serious wood working or metal working owns a sander or deburring machine of some sort. So, off I went, learning new machinery, applications, TRAVEL, a lot of travel. All was great in the world, then the economy crashed and for the first time in my life, I was "laid off" .  May of 2009, I did what any young guy would do, filed for unemployment, then I found a job, and worked, every week, 6 days a week, cutting grass, learning yet another skill, a trade which I soon found is very profitable. But, in the winter time, there is no grass to cut, so I actually found a job during a recession, at at&t (yes in small letters as that's how they did it when I was there). I became a premise tech, installing U-verse. Honestly, I was great at this job, I was what is known as a five star employee, which is top tier, I was on home dispatch, so I never went to the office.  But like everything, the hours, working 12 days on and two days off, that will wear on you pretty quick. Off again thanks to a customer at at&t I went to a great company who installed tornado sirens and plant warning systems. A small family owned business, I got my Class A CDL, which I still have, I had my own bucket truck and would travel around the Midwest working on Tornado sirens, or going in oil refineries or gas plants working on warning systems. It was honestly the best job I have ever had in my life. But then wait, your old boss calls and throws a lot of money at you to be a service manager for something you also like to do and know a lot about? So you take it, not knowing that you will give up five years of your life working for a great company, but never really receiving any recognition, nor pay increases. I did travel the world, make great friends, learn a lot, teach a lot, and most of all finally realize, that being in the field, teaching, and training others, as well as repairing things and showing other people how to fix the issues they have. This is where I belong. This brings me to where I am today, at Timesavers, with a good company, employee focused, a lot of travel, and a diverse customer base, that will allow anyone who wants to, to hone their service skills, or communication skills, and see the world. 

During the last 3 years of my life (2019-2022) I decided to go back to school. I completed my Bachelors degree from Pittsburg State University in Pittsburg Kansas, earing a degree in Workforce Development with an emphasis in Supervision and leadership.  Now, I finally have the education, along with the experience to continue my journey through life.

Where will I go from here? I do not know, only time will tell, I hope to stay with Timesavers, and continue to pass on information to those who want to further their knowledge. I want to continue to be a leader, yet never stop learning. I want to keep being humble when humility is needed. 

As with all things in life, personal websites often take a backseat to life changes. I am no longer with Timesavers, long story short, 2 weeks before parting ways, I had a sit down breakfast with the new VP and I think i said way too much when asked how I felt about the state of the company. So, 2 weeks later after traveling all week, on a Friday afternoon, I was told "they no longer needed my services". Good luck to them, my consience is now clear! I no longer have to lie to people about junk machines!

A week later I was offered a job at Stiles machinery, where I am currently a FSR for the south central region, but also travel to other places to help out as needed. I am content with my position and life at the moment, however, you never know where this road will lead us!  Stay hungry my friends!

"Tell me and I forget

Teach me and I remember

Involve me and I learn."

Benjamin Franklin