In late June we celebrated Brad's 30th anniversary. I wrote this speech but chickened out of giving it during his ceremony. Instead I slipped a copy of the speech into the cake box he took home, where his whole family got to read it. I also taped this video of Brad talking about his career while returning to work after his anniversary lunch.
The speech: Brad has done many different things at Ryerson, starting off as a second shift truck loader and working his way up the ladder ever since. But one thing Brad hasn't done at Ryerson: he doesn't have a nickname.
I started about the same time as Brad but hardly knew him for about twenty years. Eventually they put us in desks facing each other. When you're looking at someone all day you get to know them pretty good.
In my own mind I used to think I was a pretty good employee. Hard-working, helpful. Knowledgeable about the system and stuff. Well maybe I used to be. Go ahead and laugh. But I can't hold a candle to Brad. He can do all these downloads and pivot tables and spreadsheets, and figure out things light years faster than I can. Compared to Brad I am a slouch.
Who wouldn't want to be like Brad? Loves God, loves his family. Fixes his own cars. That's his tan Suburban in the parking lot with the mag wheels. Likes to go fishing. Cuts his son's hair. Exercises every day, rain or shine. Runs marathons. You might not know it from looking at him, but he plays basketball with his sons. Church softball. Eats chicken nachos. Country buffets. Has a bowl of ice cream every night. Heck he's got a freezer full of ice cream. If he ran for office I would vote for him, but he's too honest to be a politician.
When his father passed away Brad rented a brand new Suburban and drove the casket back to Missouri for the funeral. His dad always drove fast, so in his father's memory Brad drove 90 MPH the entire way.
The bad news: Brad plans on retiring early. No 40th anniversary for him. He's 8 years younger than me but he will probably retire before me. Not sure what I'll do without him here to help out. He helps everyone. Who stops to help people on the side of the road with broken down cars? He's an actual Good Samaritan!
Maybe that should be Brad's nickname.
Brad is always in a good mood. His bad moods are better than my good moods. Everyone likes Brad. One day I was having a bad day and I snapped at Brad. No one could believe it. Poor Steve Garrett had to pull me aside and chew me out - something I deserved. Steve looked at me like I was crazy. How could anyone get mad at Brad?
Here's all what Brad has done in his 30 years...
1. 2nd shift: load and unload shuttles
2. Bulk Depot (over at what's now the tube laser building)
3. Will Call Counter (to get on first shift)......packaged 60-100 UPS shipments a day.
4. Packed for plate saw - it ran 3 shifts cutting close tolerance orders
5. Pulled bar / pulled sheet
6. CAD Drawings
7. Local quality
8. Corporate quality ( ISO audits )
9. Inside sales for NABI Bus (worked at RMP, North Berkeley, and out here at the second floor sales office).
10. Program Group - Caterpillar
11. EZGo sales team
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