After spending 31 years 7 months and 11 days at Honeywell, I decided to call it quits and retire on Jun 30. I have many fond memories but also lots of frustration on how big business works (not logically sometimes) and some not so fond memories (8 pay freezes, one of which lasted three years and threats of layoffs for most of the time). I have always had excellent performance reviews but that did not always reflect in my paycheck, or promotions, the last of which was 16-20 years ago. So maybe that is the real truth???
I worked my first 14 years at the St Louis Park facility, which was torn down and made into a Costco and Home Depot after a layoff that lasted over six months. Then I landed a job back at Honeywell in the Home and Buildings division, now ACS and my time was bridged. When I was laid off, a co-worker told me, " Oh I heard you were laid off." I said, "What?" "Oops. You better talk to the boss." We had just came back from a two week vacation out west over Labor Day. Now that was a fine how do you do.
The plant that used to have 1.2 million sq ft of factory is at the intersection of Douglas Dr and Duluth St in Golden Valley. Most of the lower factory was converted to offices and labs a few years ago during a $33M renovation of the front offices and about 25-30% of the upper factory is empty (product lines outsourced to Mexico). So will this still remain a US factory? Don't know but a lot of people I talked to said they would also retire within a few months, when the getting is still good.
My office was in the upper factory through this inconspicuous door by Post O26, the Blue zone.
Through the door and turn right, down the isle.
My messy desk was in the back of the room to the right. I used to have five computers on my desk, each doing a different job. I managed to get down to one before leaving.
I had planted a fake video camera with a "Under Video Surveillance" sign. I thought that someone had ripped off a laptop from my desk and was putting the fear in employees. When I first started here, one of my duties was the Novell Network Administrator (added or deleted users and backed up the servers). We also started upgrading the factory network from coax thinnet cable to Ethernet. This meant that I punched down every network connection in the factory. So, even though about eight years ago the server was moved from the factory and outsourced I still retained my knowledge of the factory network system and up until I left I was still getting calls to "fix" something or add a printer or this application doesn't work. Even after I retired I got calls at home to help fix things. Most of what I was doing for the past eight years was illegal for me to do but I could get it done immediately instead of wait the usual three days for the helpdesk to respond. I also maintained all the computer systems on all the factory machine controllers and did yearly backups. So if it had a computer I had my hands in it.
This is one of the testers that I built. I only made one mistake and had a ground wire in the wrong place and burned out an instrument. This may be boring to you but I don't know how many of you actually knew what I did at Honeywell.
I was told years ago to install a common use Kiosk where employees could go to look up Material Safety Data Sheets for chemicals we use. It grew to three.
I had several places all over the factory where I had control. This is my secret Backroom where I build up computer systems and stored factory spares. You see my personal blue electric cart I used all the time.
#101 Blue Cart - the only blue one.
For being a $25B company you would think they would put a little money back into the facilities they own. But No! If the roof leaks, just stick up some plastic to catch the water and drain it into a garbage can. We had several dozen of these in the factory. Since upper management never walks into the factory, they don't have to see these. It is embarrassing to bring customers and vendors into the factory. We were told to remove them when Sec of the Treasury Timothy Geitner came to visit, so he would not see them. Good thing it didn't rain. After he left, they went back up.
I had a pizza lunch a couple weeks before leaving and I was surprised at the number who came. 40, that's forty. It was at LaTuff's Pizzeria in Plymouth, voted the best pizza in the twin cities. My boss Kamar Farishta is in the middle and Barry Monson next to him. Barry retired last year.
Part of the group. This is the Safety team and the plant manager, Larry Pederson, in the purple shirt. I could not get everyone in one photo.
There were several former Honeywellers, laid off or retired, who came. Even Ed and Sue Albee (standing in the back ground), my partner in crime, came all the way from Missouri for the lunch.
There is still a big chunk missing from this photo. Thanks everyone for sharing this lunch with me. Well, I was the only one to get a free meal; everybody else had to pay for their own lunch.
Even the two Kevin's were there. On the left is Kevin Aufderhar who was laid off from Honeywell a few years ago and on the right is Kevin Mangle, one of my former bosses and currently working a Medronic with several other former Honeywellers. Others who retired sent emails congratulating me and saying they could not make it. It is a little far from Rio Rancho, AZ or Seattle WA to go for lunch.
Since I started taking all my stuff home three weeks before, I just grabbed my backpack and made one last walk out the West entrance. I let myself out and turned in my badge. I was surprised because all the other cases, you are walked out by your boss to make sure you are properly checked out. I got my very first pension check the very next day which was also payday - double wammy. But my social security will not come until the end of August. So I have to make it last.
Balloons, candy bouquet, food and desserts were on the menu.
The kids thought of nothing better to do than climb the tree (and this photo is out of place).
The farthest anyone had to drive was from Forsyth, MO, so you would have thought that the guest of honor would want to show up.
This all took place in front of my playhouse. See John, I have one too.
Joseph was the first one to climb the tree.
Miss Photogenic, Gigi, was next.
I'm going on the circuit.
Then Lorelei wanted her turn.
I got all three up in the tree, but I was getting pretty tired lifting them up and down. So out came the step ladder.
Calvin did not want to be left out so up he went. He made it up one step.
Hello. I'm a big boy now.
Liam was next.
Then Logan.
Then the riding toys came out. You may have noticed there were a lot of kids were here to honor Grace. But youngster's attention span is short. So first tree, until fighting, then toys until fighting. You get the picture. Apparently while I was up on the driveway with the kids, Uncle Ralph was in the tree. Missed that.
Batman has a new red get away vehicle.
Looks like Superman has a similar one.
Liam was pretending he was a flagpole. Well this is where the flagpole goes when I fly the flag.
Kellan had to try his hand at riding too.
