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Circuit City B. S. D. (Builders Service Division)

Crew Leader

Yes they are no longer in business, and most people had no idea there was this division called Builders Services. We were a unique group of employees. Our job was construction pre-wire, trim and complete turn key installations, in homes, townhouses and condos. Florida was booming in construction and I was happy to work here. I honed skills in pre-wiring of homes and MDU's for Cable TV, Satellite, Cat5 networks for telephones and Ethernet, Central Vacuums, Security Alarm Systems, Home Automation using Control4, On Q products such as: whole home audio, integrated intercoms systems, security cameras and so much more. Before leaving the company, I had traveled to Utah for Control4 Certification and received my FASA BASA License for security systems. What a shame they are gone.
DOC

DOC Maintenance

Another fine employment opportunity that in this case, I never expected it would be a job for me. I really liked it. I was responsible for every safety and maintenance problem covering three Home Depot Stores. My locations were Lake Park, Jupiter, and Stuart. Originally it was a development program to determine what DOC employees were capable of handling for Home Depot stores.

In less than a year, we were closely integrated with the staffs at each store. They would call me by name and report a problem. I would fix it and continue on my rounds. Sounds easy I bet, but there was always something needing attention. 
OnCommand

On Command

Field Service Representative

This was my first job after I arrived in Florida. I had knowledge superior to most of the new reps being hired. with a fluent understanding of DOS commands. Since all of the current equipment being used for In Room Movie rentals was managed by computers running DOS, I only had to learn the maintenance side which turned out to be easier as I got exposed to it more.

I also had a great leader teaching me. Moshe Hazan was the Senior Field Rep in the area and we had trouble communicating at first. But I learned his dialect and demeanor and picked up on his knowledge and suddenly, I was carrying a hefty load. One milestone was when I went to San Jose for my second training class with the goal of finishing first in the class. The second place finisher also received Honorable Mention. I was placed in a group with around 20 reps from all over the country. On the last day of tests, the leaders were a Project Manager who had been installing these systems for 6+ years and myself. We were tied going into the last test.

If you are reading this, you can ask me how it turned out! Got to have a cliffhanger!

Mr. Bingo

Delivery Driver / Warehouse Assistant

OK really, I did work for Mr. Bingo in Ohio. I took the delivery job after a friend thought it would be great for us to work at the same company. I was there just over a year, and the job was easy and great. I packed up a van daily and drove all over the State of Ohio making deliveries of bingo supplies. I delivered everything from machines to tickets, food and snacks. It couldn't have been an easier job.

Office Depot #84

Delivery Driver - 1.25 years

Copy and Print Center Associate - 3 years

Furniture Department Lead Associate - .75 years

FIVE YEARS plus I spent here at good ole Office Depot. I got my job when I arrived at the front door to meet the manager for the interview. He was overwhelmed with a couple of pallets of deliveries that needed to go out that day. He was struggling to get the deliveries assigned for an outside courier to deliver because his staff was gone or quit. I said, how about I help you get these orders out and then we can interview. After 15 minutes, I had everything prepped for the couriers to pick up, and laid out in sequential and route order. 

There was really no interview after that. My experience in dispatching and delivery was just the thing he needed. I never let him down either. I cross trained for the Recieving Manager and was dedicated as the backup for Receiving for the full 5 years I was there.

Clipper Courier & Priority Dispatch

I was an Independent Contractor and a Full Time / Part Time Dispatcher for two different courier companies totaling over 7 years.

First, I started out at Clipper Courier in Moraine Ohio, as an IC / Courier. I was using a borrowed S10 Pickup Truck and before long had put over 40,000 miles on it. There was a dispatcher position open and I took over the job. I clearly had learned all the 10 codes, and practically memorized all the client account numbers, so dispatching came easy to me. I loved everything about being there. 

Then, I was recruited to another competing courier company, Priority Dispatch. They were a lot bigger and growing faster and I decided I needed to be smart and move over to the big boys. Again, I was able to move around throughout the company providing Dispatching when needed for vacations and sick days, and I took on night time dispatch our when needed. Priority aslo had a sister company named "Dispatch Priority" They maintained the contract for delivering Avon for the entire state of Ohio. They used UPS type delivery vans and served 10 different regional areas every 2 weeks. I participated in the Avon Distribution for several months as well. Arriving at 4 AM for the daily sort. Reverse load the truck, and then drive to the regional area and make between 80 to 125 deliveries on average each day.

 16 14TV

Greater Dayton Public Television - WPTV16/WPTO14

Formerly; UNIVERSITY REGIONAL BROADCASTING, NKA; Think TV.

BROADCAST ENGINEER - ENGINEER IN CHARGE - ENGINEERING SUPERVISOR

This was my dream job and one I hope to return to in the future. I was able to secure an interview shortly after finishing High School and Vocational School. I had earned my 3rd Class FCC License in Vocational School and I passed the entrance test for the position. Only problem was they needed an Engineer but did not the money to fund one. A was just newly married and had my first child coming and I said to the Director of Operations; "If you find any money at all, please give me a chance at the position." They called a few months later and said they had a little money. They were embarrassed to offer it but I was thrilled to get my foot in the door for $$4.82 an hour. It turned out to be the best time of my life. I learned quickly and was made a full time Operator the next season. Within 13 months, I had earned my First Class License. I was awarded full time Engineer status upon my return from testing for my license. As the years progressed, I advanced all the way up to Engineering Supervisor.

I had traveled the country doing remote TV productions and being "Engineer in Charge" of all technical operations for a number of NCAA Basketball Tournaments at the University of Dayton Arena. They still hold these early round tournaments at that arena. I was thrilled to be doing Live Broadcasts, Rock Concerts and Philharmonic Orchestra's, and a nationally syndicated television series titled "The World of Cartooning with Mike Peters"! How awesome is that! My credits ran (and still appear) on some of the coolest shows that came out of Dayton, Ohio for years and years!
Shell Cont Cable White Blank White Blank

Fairgrounds Shell

Full Serve Attendent

Well, yes I did pump gas and change tires for a while. I even road my motorcycle in the winter through ice and snow to keep this job. It was the only job I could find for a while and I had children to feed. I made a decent commission on tires and got quite adept at tire repairs, changing and balancing. Occasionally I was be able to learn about auto repair and found out I was capable of brake jobs, oil changes and many other lighter type repairs. I use these skills nearly every day. Just this week (June 20, 2016) I removed a gas tank and re-installed it. Not the average guy will bother to try that!

Continental Cablevision

Lineman - CATV Construction

I was a Construction Lineman for Continental for a year, shortly after High School. I climbed telephone poles and installed the first ever Cable TV system in Dayton. 12 glorious TV channels to homes everywhere. It was up to 23 channels when I left. It was a great job as long as you didn't fall off of a pole! I fell twice, but neither fall caused any injury and I was right back up the pole to prove I wasn't hurt! It helped that both times, I was low to the ground. Many linemen that fell were injured badly, including some co-workers. I was fortunate and extremely careful. I met all my quotas and had some fun too. It was a nice feeling to bring our neighborhoods into the modern era.

Culver Manufacturing

1st Line Assembly Welder

Also just out of high school, I took a job as an assembly line welder. I welded trash compactor boxes for Hobart equipment. I learned the job so fast, and welded so many boxes; the company had to keep ordering truckloads for me to weld. In the first month there, I welded so many boxes, I filled every available space of storage across a 100 foot building, from floor to over 8 feet high, and upwards of 6 rows deep. (There was almost no space left.) When a new truck arrived, I would have everything done so fast, they had me take over the second position in the assembly line, thinking I wouldn't beable to keep up. Well that didn't work either. After 3 months, they had to hire a second shift to pump out the product. They never added anyone to the first line position. I could weld two semi truck loads in two days!

Columbia Great Lakes

Paper Cutter

This was my first job after working at Woodman Lanes. I met a man one day and he asked if I wanted a job. I went to look at the company, had a short interview and decided I would try it out. I cut mostly carbon paper, but also multi-part carbonless paper. I was trained on a 3 ton paper cutting press and it was really interesting to me. I had to learn how to cut with the grain and cross cut, and how to get the most return out of the reams. The bulk sheets came to me from the presses in reams over 3 feet wide and I had to cut them down to precisely 8 1/2 by 11, or 8 1/2 by 14. Occasionally, there would be other odd sizes. They also packaged and shipped other office supplies such as pencils and pens. Every person working there treated me so well. I was just 18 but they made me fell like I was 30. I was included in everything from luncheons to special events. It was another very cool job for a young guy starting out in the world.