What was your major at Trinity and would your recommend it to current students?
My major was Economics and I would certainly recommend it to anyone. I really enjoyed it and I found it very interesting. My favorite part about it is that you can’t predict everything.

When did you know what you wanted to do with your career? Or maybe, I should ask you what you do first?
Probably sophomore or junior year at Trinity, I decided that I wanted to own my own company or work for a small one. I was always fascinated with manufacturers and how they make things.

What was your first job out of college that sent you toward your goal?
I have been at this company since September 1992. I have had one job. Sometimes you think that changes might be good, but other times by staying somewhere, you can get a valuable amount of experience.

Are there any major trends that affect what you do?
We are a 50- person company; we are the largest in our industry, yet we compete against 2 Fortune 500 companies. The trends that we see in the uptakes and downturns of the economy is that aerospace is very busy, but the modernization and cost-cutting ventures of all these companies have practically gotten rid of their inspection department. In one sense we are losing a lot of potential sales, but on the other hand, all these airlines are buying gages from us because they are realizing what they are getting done and they see that things can be done the way they want them to be.

Do you have a typical day?
A typical thing would be that we travel a lot. I travel about 35 weeks a year. My typical day would be to communicate with our manager on where we need shipping, to working with an engineer on designs, to “harassing” potential customers, and just try to develop new business strategy for our industry.

Could you describe one thing or a set of things that keep you happy with your job?
One of the things I like about my job is that I have a lot of independence to make my own schedule or to follow a set of plans I think will be successful. I really appreciate that about the job. The other thing is that I am always meeting new people. The other part also is that you can make it busy as you want it to be on any given day.

How do you stay current in this field?
We are the leaders in this industry so in one sense, we are the one that other companies are trying to stay current with. We keep current by seeing what’s out there, reading about new technology and trying to apply it to our business.

Did you participate in any extracurricular activities or had any internship while you were at Trinity that you would recommend to current students?
I did many things while I was at Trinity. Participate in as many activities as you can and do an internship in a small company if you can. All those experiences will give you a perspective of who you are as a person, what you like, and maybe what you want to do for a career.

Are there any internship or entry-level position available in your field?
I am not an engineer, but I know that many companies are in desperate need of engineers and people interesting in Marketing. I also know that around here there are a few companies that offer internships for undergraduates.

What do you think a Trinity student looking for a job can do to distinguish himself from other students?
When I looked back after I graduated, I realized that I had done a lot at Trinity, I was involved in many activities, joined a fraternity, participated in sports, volunteered for many different programs. I believe that the opportunity to get involved is even greater now, and it’s very important to open your eyes and take advantage of all those things. You want to show that you are really well-rounded and open minded because there is one thing on it that usually interest the person reviewing it: how diverse your background is!

Do you have any last word of advice for Trinity students graduating soon and about to enter the real world?
My mother told me this when I graduated. She said Trinity may get you the interview, but it’s not going to get you to keep the job. When you walk in there, the reputation will be that you a smart student, you attended a very good school and you must have a lot of skills.  Bring your best every day, earn your paycheck daily, and measure and compare your productivity every day, week, and month. You’ll be successful.