SMC Discussion Areas

I've kinda always wondered what all of us to to for a living to support this crazy hobby.  I have a had the opportunity to talk with a few members and have always found it as an interesting conversation piece.

I will start and others feel free to chime in.  I hope its not to personal but thought it may be an interesting thread topic.

I have worked for the fire department for nearly 8 years.  I  work for the Hanford Fire Department in SE Washington State.

There is a bit of history as the site was developed in the mid 40"s to support the war. The famous B Reactor, now a national monument was built to process the Plutonium and Uranium to build the atomic bomb which later surrendered the Japanese and ended the war.

We support nearly 550 square miles of area which is equivalent to half the size of Rhode Island. We respond to fire, ems, technical, and confined space, and hazmat incidents.

What do you do?  Retired?  

Hope some found this thread topic interesting....

Maintenance man.

I am an IT Project Manager/Business Analyst for one of the Big 3 (hint: the one that didn't take the bailout money).  27 years of service and still counting.

Formerly a computer programmer, and a network specialist, I'm a geek squad wannabee (NOT).  Pretty boring occupation...sorry!

hint

I run my own business in structural steel fabrication, where we fabricate industrial and retail buildings ranging from 20 000 sq.ft up to 200,000 sq. ft.
My father stated the company over 30 years ago, and I fell into it lol.

great thread, always wondered the same of others.

We buy our cars from that very automaker!

I will be starting my 20th year teaching for Fairfax County Public Schools in VA.  17 of those 20 have been in third grade. I also taught fourth grade for a year and second grade for 2. I didn't like second grade (just too young). Our school is a German immersion school. The students have science, math, and health in German. I teach language arts and social studies (yes, all in English), so I have two classes of third graders.

Technical Service for Dow Chemical.  Don't really enjoy it but they keep paying me.

I work in an ice cream shop where I serve customers, make ice cream and do various repairs (sometimes ones nobody ever knows about) to keep the stuff running in the shop. Usually if I see something broken I will fix it. I am also going to school to be a machinist.

Male Dancer

Ok... Email and System Administrator , but also do whatever needs to be done at customer sites. So IT minion

You're Batman?

I am an engineer.  Specifically, I am the Chief of the Combat Vehicles Division at the US Army Aberdeen Test Center (ATC).  ATC tests the equipment Soldiers use.  My Division tests Abrams, Bradleys, Strykers, etc.  I've been doing this for 21 years and love it (I get to play with tanks!).

Right guy, wrong movie.

RETIRED AND LOVING IT.. Before that 8 years in the Marine Corp and 37 Years with the Arkansas State Police...

I am an electrical engineer with Accenture (consulting firm), I provide technical support to Navy space programs. (yep, the Navy's in space!)

ummmm.......  8)


previous life, heavy equipment operator.

I manage the family businesses. We have 2 stone quarries, 1 gravel pit, trucking company, and a recycling concrete crusher that travels throughout Illinois crushing concrete and asphalt. And yes then there's Fun-Tronics. Janet does most of Fun-Tronics. I help her in the evenings and on weekends, and try to fit some restoring of machines in there also.

maint. man but not schnider lol

Maint man here

I've been with Fedex Express for 23 years and counting(the original Fedex). I've worn several hats but recently(last year) transferred from being a Tractor Trailer Driver delivering Overnight Freight to being a Courier because my commute just got too expensive.
  TFJ

Sales for a Anheuser Busch Wholesaler in Santa Barbara, CA. The easiest thing to sell, BEER!

Well...
My occupation is about to change...
I'm in my 26th year of firefighting and will close the book Sun., July 29, 2012 and move into official retirement from fire rescue ! ! !
Sad but excited at the same time; kind of an oxymoron... But when you've done something that you like for so long, it will be a change not having the guys(and gals) around, running good calls, and just plain living the life style...
Silver lining is that I will have more time to devote to other things in life ! ! !

Congrats on your retirement, Jim!  Enjoy!!   :happydrinkers:

I'm in the Air Force...22 years and counting.  I have flown airplanes for 18 of those years, including T-37, T-38, C-130E, MC-130E, T-1 and MQ-1 Predator.  10 of those years have been in spec ops.  I can retire any time...just have to figure out what I want to do when I grow up (and find the right job)!  It's been great seeing the world!

Federal agent.......

Jim, it will take a little time to adjust but you will love it and you can still stop by the station and make them jealous...

Information technology manager specializing in the area of SAP.  Anyone familiar with SAP?

Retired from the Navy 20 years and now run the supply warehouse at NAS Jacksonville FL.

I was a crew chief on F-15's for 8 years, if you can deal with it, stay.. It is really boring after doing fun stuff for a living.

I'm a Professor... my PhD is in Operations Management.  It pays (most) of the bills.   :tounge:

Yes,  I am familiar with SAP.

G.M. at a local McD's and I supervise another one.

In the family business we own 5 insurance agencies with 16 agents and 10 CSR's ,  and my roll is V.P. /Agent & my Father is still the big cheese from noon till 4pm  at age 80 he can set his time  :smile:.  And we are lic. from MI all the way down to FL and also Lic. in IL
Then when I come home I do  Restoration work that where I have fun . :biggrin:

Tech support for 8 yrs. at a high end GPS company (Ashtech). Last 15yrs Linda and I have had two companies. One is sales and support of GPS gear and the other is an art rubber stamp operation.
http://lost-coast-designs.com/
Great thread!
Creighton

Yep David I deal with SAP or what the Navy calls ERP. They added a buch of custom fields that the normal reports won't show so I am trying to figure out how to navigate the ZE16.

Retired from Shell Oil as a Pressure Equipment Inspector.   I guess I miss the smell of refineries, so I stay in the game doing occasional contract inspection work.  Also supports the restoration hobbies.

I am a Civil Engineer.

I spent many years overseeing large scale construction projects (bridge/highway structures/transit stations,etc) mostly as an owner's representative.  I lived in California for working for Caltrans (State of CA Department of Transportation) and a private consultant as a bridge engineer. Very cool stuff; I got to travel literally all over California inspecting or overseeing the construction / demolition of bridges. I did a ton of travelling; there are only 3 or 4 counties I have not driven through in the 7 years I lived in CA. I moved back East & did more of the same for a bunch of years around Boston overseeing the construction of several schools and working on larger projects like the Deer Island Treatment Plant and the Big Dig debockle. After I got laid off from a General Contractor nine years ago, I started doing my own thing.

I currently work with property developers, architects & surveyors and design site utilities for new construction projects, mostly residential and small commercial development. I design on-site stormwater retention/drainage system designs, site layout/roadway design, water & sewer utilities, etc. I specialize in engineering design/permit drawings for projects in and around the Boston area.

Anyone looking to develop some property in Massachusetts?

Bank Manager for small local bank in MA..........not quite the lucrative career it was in the earlier years.   I can only envy the collections of most on the board.

Retired US NAVY,Chauffeur for a local limo company, Owned a Dental Lab for quite a few years, The tips from the limo lets me add to my budweiser stein collection and coke collection and other antiques as well.

   First thing 6 Year's US.Army Sgt Was A Mechanic & Went in to Some Sniper Training  The Last Unit i was in Was the 159-160Th Avn Night Stalkers 1981-83 (Yep the same unit That Flew in the Seals) To Get  Osama Bin Laden

 Now I work in High Speed Labeling Systems For The Distillery's & Soda & Wine Producers .Started Out a A Field Service Mechanic Only on them for 17 years Traveling on Average 245 days a year .Have Been The Service Manager now for the Last 8 years Totaling 25 Years .  

Freshly Retired from the US Army after 21 years, now I am a IT Tech for a Gov Contractor.  8)

I am 1/3 owner of our Families Insurance Agency. We are an independant agent representing over 12 Companies offering Home, Life, Auto, Business,Farm and other insurance products.  we have 8 people on staff.  I like the freedoms it allows me (like posting on SMC middle of the day, and checking in from time to time in between meetings with clients).

Another IT Geek...Service Delivery Manager for Big Blue (IBM). Nothing to see here.

My dreams of being a riverboat captain were dashed once I decided to get married.

Railway engineer. I work nights, keeping trains running to all corners of England!

Second generation owner of our town's oldest independent restaurant. My Dad started a bar-b-q sandwich joint right outta
the service in 1946. He was a cook in the Army.

Great topic here!

My first job out of college was Assistant Manager of a Wendy's Restaurant.  Then I became a banker because I thought I would make more money--truth be told, I should have stayed in fast food.  Did the banking thing for about 11 years from branch manager to district manager to state finance manager and trainer.  When the bank got sold 3 different times, I decided to get out and I have never looked back.  For the last 17 years, I have been involved in protecting the American Dream of Home-Ownership as a member of the title insurance industry.  Current position is VP-Michigan Agency Representative.  I represent the fastest growing title insurance underwriter in the country and work with a great group of independent title insurance agents around the state of Michigan.  This keeps me on the road and gives me the flexibility to check out virtually anything posted on CL in Michigan.  I just completed a 7 year term on the Michigan Land Title Association Board of Directors and am enjoying my status as Past President--which means I don't have to go to monthly Board Meetings anymore!  I also do a lot of fundraising and volunteering for the Susan G. Komen Foundation both in Michigan and nationally.

 :drinking: Tim :drinking:

I tell people to cut grass for a living, so a golf course superintendent . Keeps me busy most of the summer months.

IT Director for a recently acquired health insurace company based in Baltimore MD.  Started with a staff of 10 two years ago, should be close to 50 by the end of this year as we work into the Integration phase of the acquisition...and then making the leap into IT for an Fortune 20 company - for the 2nd time in my career.

Prior US Army Infantry
Into my 16th year with the Sheriffs Dept. in KC,MO
I work in the Fugitive/Warrant unit
Have a partner and spend most days serving high risk warrants  and tracking felons down around the metropolitan area.

Well Fellas, I am a general contractor. I have my own company Redhawk Remodeling and have done room additions, and kitchen and bath remodeling for 20 years. I am 47 years old and lately finding work has been kinda tough. I also have a part time business on Ebay selling mainly DVD movies and music CD's. My ID on Ebay is redhawkremodeling812. Please check it out. I use this money for all of my fun stuff! :)  Thanks, Randy

College student! Work for Flight Training International and am working on becoming a pilot.

Well I am a union plumber I have been at it for 33 years and have done a lot of large jobs and worked for many contractors . I have been with the same company for the last 14 years and work in commercial buildings . I like working in doors

Veterinarian, small animal (dogs and cats).  34 years and counting.....

I was an Electrician for 22 years right out of high school and for the last 12 years I have been an Electrical Inspector for the state.

Mechanical Engineer.

Worked for a large KC Engineering firm out of college, then moved to a contracting company.  Have spent the last 18 years working in the Building Automation and Energy Management business.  We install systems in larger buildings to monitor and control the HVAC equipment.  Would be nice to see the economy turn around a bit!

I have owned 2 small companies over the last 20 years.  One is a print shop and the other is an office equipment company.  My first 10 years were spent at the Xerox corporation.

BC

VP at Xerox supporting major accounts.  Xerox is where I met Brian Charlton and became more interested in the hobby.  I'm amazed at the diversity of careers on this board but I would say that the majority fall into a tech/engineering area.

Someone mentioned they are an SAP implementation manager/programmer...asked if anyone has heard of SAP. Yes, I have, it's a mega ERP software...VERY expensive, complex, great jobs/high demand in SAP as it is very specialized. Most Fortune 500 companies have and rely on it. The CEO at SAP was a coworker of Brian Charlton and I years ago. 

High School Soccer Coach and Physics teacher.  I like projects to work on in June, July and August :)

Lineman for verizon and volunteer fireman

That's pretty cool, I've been working in the SAP area for about 15 years.

I served 6 years active duty in the Marine Corps and have been a Chicago Police Officer for 20+ years. I still love my job, it doesn't pay very much, but it sure is fun. I love shootin bad guys.  8)

Great topic! I am a sales director for the Northeast for Hungry Jack and Idaho Spud potatoes! I worked for Dr Pepper / 7UP for 16 years, then Colgate / Palmolive for 6 and now Hungry Jack. I guess I like being in the food / beverage industry!!! It's a fun job!


Brian

Work IT System Support (a catch-all for those in my department who don't want to have to call over-seas) for a telecommunications company, started out as a electrical engineer working for General Dynamics on the M1A1 main battle tank   "was a cool job while it lasted"

Firefighter 12 years strong!

We have some new members thought I would open this one back up...

I worked commercial and industrial maintenance for 20 years and I got into commercial  cooking appliance repair and wanted to learn refrigeration to make more money,so I went to trade school and picked up on it pretty easily and worked for a service company for five years the last two I worked evenings as a refrigeration instructor at the trade school I graduated from. I left the service company to start my own company doing the same thing but focusing more on refrigeration. Going on 2 years now and getting better each month.

I'm a geotechnical engineer (dirt nerd).  Been at it  for almost 20 years...another 10 years and I hope to retire and spend more time hunting for old soda machines!

I am the embodiment of those that cant do teach and those that cant teach, teach gym

I have been with Comcast for 30 yrs. Without me you woud'nt be able to watch your favorite show........Ricks restoration

Respiratory therapist for about 20+yrs, work mainly with newborns and pediatric patients.

About 8 months ago I took a position working as a fleet service coordinator for a company that transports prisoners all over the US. It's been interesting to say the least.  :biggrin:

Radiolody 7yrs @ University of Louisville level 1 Trauma Center

I work in my family business. We have a large capacity machine and fabricating facility. We make parts that range in size from what you can hold in
your hand, to up to 20 tons. I am responsible for the cnc machine programming and setups.

Summer Co-op (intern) at a technology consulting company called eLogic Group.

 After college I worked in several firms as production control but realized I wasn't cut out to sit in an office all day.
In 1985 I purchased a buisness that installs sunroofs in vehicles for new car dealers as well as the general public.
In 1993 I moved the shop to a retail location and added my hobby as a sideline......selling and restoring old soda machines.
      Probably would make a lot more money working for someone else but this is so much more enjoyable.  :biggrin:
      

cool looking shop

I am a Firefighter in York Region, which is about half hour north of Toronto.

My father and I also have a restoration business where we restore Porcelain Signs, Gas Pumps, Coke Machines etc.
He does it Full-Time, I do it part-time.
My Family had a Autobody shop growing up, and we did Coke Machines and gas pumps on the side, when we where slow. Now we hardly do any cars, it's mostly all Gas Pumps and Coke Machines and signs. We sold the Body Shop in 2009 and built a shop on my Dad's property to do the machines in, and have a smaller storefront.

Shane.

I am a pediatric dentist who wishes that he could restore a lot of stuff as well as most of you!  I love the forum and seeing everyone's great work.  Every once in a while I can chime in.

An old Coke machine would be nice on the dentist recipiency  :oops: :biggrin:

Kidding aside. I have work as an mould (tool)maker since i ending school 12 years ago. The last 5 years i was in a factory which produce injectionmoulded plasticbound magnetics mostly for electronic sensors and automobil parts. So it's mostly repair job on the moulds.

That would be perfect when you need help to transport a sodamachine across the country. And the prisoners would be helpful when a machine need to be moved from a basement.  :laugh:         :glare:

I have my own business as a refrigeration, electrical and mechanical contractor, have my own sheet metal shop and been in business since 1974. It's been a lot of fun over the years and have seen a lot of changes in the industry, some good some not. I have worked pretty much all over the lower peninsula of Michigan on small and big jobs. Seen a lot of great country.

Enjoy meeting with some of the guys from the web site for lunch and listening to others great stories on restorations and helpful hints. There is a great bunch of people here.

Cad draftsman here....Been in the marble and granite business for over 22 years....The 3d cad world has simplified my work greatly....Not sure I could have ever done some on the stuff I do now "on the board"....?  Pic below in the grandstair in the RSA building in Montgromery AL.

Work in progress...
(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BpvJO1Otv6s/TaeLvLMV8fI/AAAAAAAABvc/DTEmz-ycRzY/s1600/cad-pic-match.png)

Brian

Data Security Analyst for the NSA

Your not "stuck" in Russia are you?

I can neither confirm nor deny that interrogative statement

Currently  I administer a VOIP telephone system, and training for a second system for one of our customers, Systems engineer/admin  for Microsoft and Novell systems, and  occasional desk side tech.

So is that a yes?  :biggrin: :laugh:  Actually sounds like a cool job.

I have owned a local bicycle store for 18 years called Serious Cycles located in Plymouth,MA and also work in law enforcement.
www.seriouscycles.com I couldn't help the free plug!

Wow.. Some very serious bikes there. I'm a police officer and have been for more than 28 years. Just 21 pay packets to go and then
I 'm out....

Starting out machinist. Working part time till I finish school (almost done) and once I'm done I'll be on full time. Still have a lot to learn but I enjoy it.

Dave, Congrats to you. That's a lot of time on the job dealing with the regular suspects. I'm sure you know them all by now. Time to retire to the Caribbean!

Congratulations Dave,  I dont know how long 21 pay packets are but having retired from the same line of work I can tell you are going to enjoy retirement.  You will have to worry about nothing but where the next machine is coming from..

chief engineer with the Fairfield Inn and Suits - Marriott corp.

I have a bike you might be interested in...if you're into the 60s choppers

Ok VMAX now you've got me wondering. What is it? Funny I stayed at a Marriott last night in Montreal,Canada. Nice place.

its a 1960s sears screamer2...complete but does need painting (all 3 gears shift smooth!)
I'll send you pictures via email if you want to see them...just pm me

PM sent

Software Guy for a Game company in Washington State.

I thought I would revive this thread some new member lately always interesting...

High School computer science teacher. Retiring this June.

which is one of the reasons why I'm proud to drive their products!

As for me, Im a firefighter in Mason county, Wa. Been doing it for 19 years, 15 as paid. Best job ever and it gives me time to fiddle with my "toys" (my wife's way of describing the stuff in the garage)

Emergency/trauma/surgery nurse practitioner at Level 2 trauma hospital in B-more, Maryland.   Before that ER/trauma nurse/Ems in Illinois.    Adrenalin junkie and never a dull moment at work-oh the stories I could tell.        Sue

Marine Engineer in the Canadian Coast Guard.

Also a qualified Rescue Specialist (Medic B).

Worked on vessels for 23 years and have been in the office working ashore now for 5 years.

Jeff

for 25 years i have been a excavating contractor.my company does commercial and residential site work and utility installation.love collecting and restoring soda machines as my hobby

I work in the insurance industry in CT, as boat and yacht underwriter for a company that is one of the top 20 biggest carriers nationwide.

I am a retired cop worked 25 years for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) before finally taking my pension

Work in the aerospace industry for the past 10yrs (since I was 19). About a year ago I finished a masters degree and just moved into a tool engineering position.  Previous to that I worked in additive manufacturing (3D printing) which was pretty interesting (anything you can design in CAD, you can grow).  Though I don't have time to post much on this site, I still read almost every post on a daily/weekly basis.  Great site with great people.

I work for my self as a general contractor . We do mainly all commercial work . I love to collect and restore machines and country store stuff . I love my work but to busy most of the time to enjoy my finds.



Donnie

Well,
I still design/sell rubber stamps and work with precision GPS sales/support to pay the bills.
Having fun restoring vintage drums. Here are two just finished.
First is a Slingerland Chrome over steel Festival model.
The second is a Gretsch marching band snare from the 30's.
Great thread to revive.
Thanks!
Creighton

I am a warehouse supervisor for a retail grocery company.

Knee Surgeon by Day
Tinkering with Coin Ops on nights and weekends

Been in vending since 1986 currently employed by the parent company of USI (U Select It).

Pharmaceutical sales. I have been in the industry for 26 years.

Restoring old stuff keeps me young.

District Manager for Ace Hardware Corp. in NYC and Long Island, NY.