13,870 Days

I was sitting here this morning wondering how many days total 38 years.  When I multiplied 365 x 38, I was taken aback,   13, 870 days.  That is a lot!

38 years ago today, September 24, 1973, I walked into Detroit Diesel-Allison as an 18 year old snot nosed kid,  and never left. 

I think of all the stuff I’ve been thru, all the moves I’ve made,  its been a life time of ups and downs.  I have been so blessed to have been able to stay with one company for all these years.  I see the kids we are hiring today knowing that they have had many jobs all ready  and may still work for many companies,  in the future.  I met the love of my life at Allison, she put in her 30 years and has since retired.  We have 3 beautiful daughters, 4 grandchildren and one on the way.  Its been a good 38 years………………….

The best there is…………………………

I have been able to work for Allison for 38 years, but I have seen many changes in those years.

Hired  in 1973 as an hourly employee.  In 1985 I married a beautiful young lady who worked in the Unitizing Department.  In 1988, Detroit Diesel Allison’s year of transition, we were sold to Roger Penske. 

But General Motors wanted to keep the Allison brand, so Roger bought the diesel side of the business and the Transmission side stayed with GM.

No dump trucks, fire engines or motorhomes were damaged during this film!!!!

That meant a move for us…………………..

Detroit to Indianapolis

Allison’s headquarters were in Indy.  Wife: “Lets go to Indy, its better than being laid off………….”, Husband, “No way I’m I going to Indianapolis, there is nothing there but corn!”

Long story short…………………………. we moved.  So, we sold our home in Michigan and moved  to Indy.  We moved down here with 30 employee’s that came along. 

In 1990 they offered me a salary job that I could not refuse. 2 years later, I made Area Manager of Plant #2.  In 1995 I became Operations Manager of PDC North.   Then we built a new PDC on the south side of Indy which became Plant #17.  

Not Again…………

In 2000, GM decided to sell us.  Poop, not again.  However this time we became a stand alone company, “Allison Transmission Inc.

So today after 18,370 days, I’ve hit the clock, no matter where Allison has been.  I do love my job, but I’m ready for a new adventure.  Change is not a stranger to Gayle and I.  We’ve stayed with a great company, but have faced the unknown many times in the moves we have made. 

So loading up the “Suite Pea” and selling everything but what we need, is not that frightening.  

2013 is just around the corner…………………..40 years sounds like a good number to me!!!!

Here’s looking at you kid…………………………….