2001.10.16 Western Star Changes

From RooKwiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search

It has been recently announced that the Kelowna factory that builds Western Star Trucks, where I currently work, will be permanently closed - and operations to be moved to Portland, Oregon, USA. I could rant on about how this is a foolish decision, or about how there is no way that they can build our custom trucks in their cookie-cutter factory, but that would just make pursuing the future more bitter.

Instead, I would like to take a moment to reflect on the truly great experience that Western Star Trucks has been for me. It has been a job that I enjoyed so much that I can scarcely believe that they actually pay me to do it. While there has been a great deal of hard work, there has also been a great deal of satisfaction and personal growth.

Of particular note are the exceptional people that I have had the privelage to work with. There have been people to look up to: Peter Schimunek, Bruce Mabbett, Bob Perra, Greg Desilets, Paul Foster, and even Howard Cunning. There have been comrades and friends: Alexis "Bubbles" Poirier, Cindy Link, Daniel Goulet, Dennis Harsch, Greg Mandrusiak, Paulette Bouchard, Kerstin Gattwinkel, Karen Pettinger (or whatever her new name is), Shel McMullin, Mayne McCutcheon, Wendy Killin, Mira Stephens, Ken Chow, Trevor Johnson, Eric Toner, Danny Blurton, Leon Griffin, Randy Sauer, Tom Millman, Barb Elliott, Lloyd Bucharest, Helen Pinkney, Ken McNutt, John-Eric Grain, Doug Posthumus, Marcus Mahler, John Enns, Paul and Yun Truong, Karl Nordstrom, James Bohne, Jan Stenc, Eric Schredl, Kevin Drew, that cute girl with the curly hair that I've never been brave enough to meet, and countless others.

But the guys that deserve the most credit for my great times at Western Star are my comrades-in-arms, my fellow Applications Engineers: Aaron Hill, Errol Nordstrom, and Grant McGinn

Appsboys1.JPG

Aaron "IronMan" Hill, Clayton "Limpy" Castle, Errol "BadAss" Nordstrom, Grant "NoseCrusher" McGinn

Thanks guys.