I acquired my first job, outside of the home, when I was 12. I started caddying at Tippecanoe Country Club just 1/2 mile from our house. I was small for my age and had to rent a pull cart to be able to carry a bag in those days. I was a caddy for 2 more years and eventually ended up working in the pro shop washing clubs. At 14, I was old enough to work on the grounds crew and started raking traps with a 3 foot rake. (There were no powered trap machines back then.) Tippy at that time had over 100 traps on the course, so it was hard to keep up. By the end of that summer, I had moved on to mowing greens and night time watering. Such was the start of my working career.
When I turned 16, I found year round work at Lyall Electric in North Webster. It was a night janitor job, so I could do it after school. In the summer I also worked part time at a local gas station. While doing my janitor duties, I watched all the fascinating machinery running, most of which my Father designed, built or installed. The night foreman was kind of lazy and more than willing to instruct me on operation of the equipment if I didn't rat him out and took over for him during his many breaks. Upon graduation from High School, I started working full time and eventually took over operation of those machines. I worked on and off for Lyall for several years attaining plant manager and eventually general manager positions. I was , fortunately for me, like my Father. I have an innate ability to understand and create complex machinery. I even spent time designing molding machinery for the company.
Lyall Electric could not always hold my interest and I tried several other paths between stints at Lyall. When I was 22, my Father and his brother purchased a local Marina. Dad felt I would enjoy working there and I foolishly agreed. I had no formal mechanical training but agreed to be the service manager. I was also the service technician and bathroom cleaner, etc.. With the help of service manuals and a natural ability to understand all things mechanical, I learned how to service and rebuild all manner of marine equipment. If I may say so, I was / am pretty good at it. The Marina was a summer job and I tired of finding winter jobs after a couple years. A Family friend ended up owning a larger Marina and approached me to manage it. By this time, I really enjoyed the industry and accepted his offer of full time employment. That Marina changed hands shortly, but, I was asked to continue. The new ownership was very well financed and we grew quickly and expanded to a second location as well. The managing partner was out of touch with the workings of small business and was forever meddling and creating problems. After several years I left and made a return stint at Lyall. The Marine industry called and I found myself helping at several local marinas. During one of those stints I was approached by a representative from Brunswick Corp.. They were looking to replace their testing manager. It sounded good and paid well, so I accepted. Two months after starting, the Engineering Manager was caught taking money under the table and let go. The Engineering Department was staffed by some very long term employees, but not one of them was interested in taking over. The President asked me who I would recommend and everyone I suggested had turned down the job. He said, I think jokingly, that he needed someone like me. Someone with a boating background, work ethic and fresh ideas. I looked him in the eye, winked and said "ok, I'll do it". He must have felt trapped and agreed to give me the job. I think he figured he could replace me when he found someone.
I was a natural at engineering and all but a few of the old timers were happy and we as a group were very productive. After restructuring the department and instituting a thorough research, design and testing program we managed to lower warranty costs well below norms for the industry. So much that we caught the eye of the Chairman of Brunswick, who insisted that we continue and advise other Divisions on how to do the same. We manufactured four brands, a total of over 350 models at 3 plants as well as contributed to 2 other divisions. I was invited to sit on the Technical Board of Directors for the entire Marine segment of Brunswick Corp. At one point I managed one of the Manufacturing plants, headed Engineering, Design and Testing as well as contributing to the Corporate Technology Group. I loved working there and devoted 7 days a week. Unfortunately, uppermost management changes often in Corporations this size and our group suffered under fresh management that was unable to do the job. Eventually the Group was sold off. I was tired and decided to pursue consulting on my own and signed on to a project by Mercury Marine (owned by Brunswick). As that project came to an end, I decided to find something new. I was tired from the grind of 8 years on the constant go.
I dabbled at various jobs for a couple years. Moved to Florida to take a job at a large Marina there. My wife and I did not like living so far from home and moved back after a year. I took a job as operation manager at a local boat builder and fell back in the 7 day routine, Loved my job, but like so many places in my industry, the General Manager was over his head and soon replaced with someone I simply could not agree with. I suffered my first heart attack and after recovery, I left the company.
Again, I was footloose, suffering from a severe case of enlightenment that I was mortal and undecided on what to do next. Again, a friend came to me and asked for my help in his fledgling business. I agreed because there were set hours and little responsibility so I felt I could continue to rehab. Shortly, the Marine industry came calling. This time it was the owner of what used to be Dads marina. He was desperate to get out and wanted me to consider buying the marina. You would have thought that by now I would be smart enough to resist something that would require unlimited time. But, no. Not me. So we worked out a deal and I became owner of a small business that was basically dying from lack of interest. Long story short (Haha), here we are 11 years later.
That brings me to the point I have led up to.
Jeannie and I realized 2 years ago that we did not have the energy or the social media savvy to continue to grow and were putting the business in danger. A light bulb came on and we agreed to turn the marina operation over to someone. Fortunately, our son was potentially available. Having grown up in the industry and having been successful in many capacities we felt he would be perfect. We came to terms and at last we had a succession plan that we were very happy with.
Now at this point I find myself attempting retirement. I struggle with a sense of loss. I don't have to get up and go to work every day. This is a huge change after 55 years. At times I feel completely lost. I have no worry about the business being well taken care of, yet something is missing. I have a couple hobbies that I always wished for more time to involve myself in. I know that this withdrawal will eventually diminish. I just have to be patient.
Retirement, a whole new world. Time does fly.
