B.S. in Electrical Engineering, 1983 Speed Scientific School, Louisville, Kentucky
B.A. in Personnel and Industrial Relations, 1985, University of Louisville
M.B.A. Masters in Business Administration, 1987, Southern Illinois University
M.M.I.S. Masters in Management Information Systems, 1989 Washington University, St. Louis
Worked for the Dept. Of Defense (DoD) for several years, until 1989, where the Graham-Rudman Act forced the DoD to lay off 15,000 employees. Moved back to Louisville, Kentucky and took a job working on the assembly line at Ford Motor Company. Took a competitive test for the maintenance program and was among the top 3 to qualify and thus went back to college for 4 more years of academic training in Electrical Maintenance and 8,000 hours of an On-The-Job Apprenticeship. I now work as a licensed Electrician at the plant and make a pretty nice salary, but currently work 7-days a week and holidays.
As far as education goes: I have found in my 43 years in this life, that everyone is "smart" at something. From garbage men to lawyers, everyone has something which motivates them to greater knowledge in a particular (sometimes obscure) subject or skill set. At work there is a Millwright who never completed high school, but he can look at a conveyor and know exactly what the problem is with it. Sometimes just by the sound of the machinery in motion. He also can tell you to within 1 lb, how much a large object weighs, which takes quite a bit of math to determine, yet he needs no calculator. Knowledge and experience: You need both, otherwise you are left with a lousy future employment outlook if your company closes shop.
I know, I know . . "too-much info" but it was fun and is great practice for when my kids get a bit older and need some advice.
