Anniversary Speech

A recent speech I wrote for a coworker's anniversary...

Brad was hired in 1988. He eventually became the CAD operator overseeing the cut backlog. Before he took over there was confusion. Orders were late. Brad got things organized and the lead time corrected. When management realized how long the lead time was, they added shifts and business increased.

I'm not sure if any of this stuff is the actual story, but I'm sticking to it no matter what Brad says (to Brad) so don't correct me, I'm trying to make you look good.

Later on In the 90's Brad moved into quality. He would travel around doing quality audits on districts. As you all know, internal quality auditors are real popular with their fellow employees.

After the turn of the century…you know someone's been somewhere a long time when you have to use the term "after the turn of the century".

Brad handled the Nabi Bus account over in Alabama. Believe it or not, the bus was more complicated than what we do for Textron. Brad pretty much handled it all by himself. For every bus, Nabi would need a complete set of parts. Each order had the bus number they were making. Brad worked with the programmers to automatically copy and enter orders - programs we now use every day on Textron.

At that point Brad was working over in the RMP office, then over at the small fab building on North Berkeley. Dave Keatley moved us all back together, down on the second floor. Then we both got moved into the "program" team upstairs.

You may not know it, but Brad is a runner. Hasn't missed a day in decades. How many days has it been, Brad?

More than once he's been out running after 11 o'clock at night to keep his streak going. Brad had covid eight times, but never missed a run. Had cracked ribs, but didn't miss. Rain. Snow. What else?

Other little known facts about Brad - he eats ice cream every night. Brad repairs his own cars. He fixes his neighbors cars. Heck, he's fixed my car – more than once. Brad installed Sherryl's ceiling fans. It pays to know Brad. He runs the TV camera at church. He likes to fish.

He's got a lot of chainsaws. No wait, that's Steve Garrett.

Brad is an expert on Excel spreadsheets and computers in general. If he doesn't know how to do something, he will watche a YouTube video to learn how. Not sure how he finds time to watch all the TV shows he watches.

Several years ago, in one of their many brilliant managerial moves, Eric and Shane hijacked control of the Textron account from the program group. I was moved downstairs along with two other Textron team members. Every day I thank God for that decision (roll eyes). The result of course has been Ryerson sales history. It was recorded in Eddie Lehner's Book Of Yes.

A few years later Brad asked me if he should join the Textron team. I said yes - for selfish reasons. I knew Brad would do a great job. Brad would outwork me, make me look bad in comparison. But since I'm not a competitive person, it's a win for me. I knew EZGo would drive Brad crazy. It's fun to watch.

Brad puts in long hours. He doesn't cut corners. He does an excellent job at whatever he does. He is an expert on Ryerson physical inventory and the EZGo forecast. Thank God, because that means I don't have to be.

Brad demands excellence from his coworkers, from outside fabricators, from the freight lines…and he demands excellence from Textron as well.

Trying to get 15 outside fabricators to keep making parts to the constantly changing Textron forecast is like herding cats. For most of us it's near impossible. But Brad is the best cat herder I ever saw.

Perhaps the pinnacle of Brad's Ryerson career was last year when the Ryerson Dog Show was won by Brad's dog Bear.

One last career highlight was when Brad won the annual Halloween costume contest. Brad came dressed as Earnest T Bass, from the Andy Griffith Show. Overalls, barefoot. The actual story was that Brad had forgotten about the contest. He came to work wearing one of his regular outfits.

Brad, congratulations on 35 years. Please don't retire until AFTER me.

NOTE: I originally wrote a speech comparing Brad's series of job assignments to mine (quite similar: plant, quality, fabrication, program, Textron, both with three kids, two married, and grandchildren, both runners), but decided tht would be too psycho.