With twenty years of hands on computer experience, I decided it was time to own and operate a small computer service and repair business, from my home in Ocean Pines Maryland. After landing an awesome contract with Rockwell Automation, in Cleveland Ohio. My dreams were coming true. Those dreams were shattered when I was laid off.
When I got back to Ocean Pines in February of 2002, It was difficult to match the income I had working with Rockwell.
A friend let me work with him as a landscaper until I re-built my computer business. After working all summer long, losing forty-five pounds, building muscle and getting one hell of a tan, I realized this was the life for me.
In July of '05 I started Maxxscape Landscaping. In June of '06, my nephew moved from Ohio and started E&J Landscaping. We worked closely together on all sorts of projects.
I know all of this sounds like a drastic career change, but after watching my slightly older brother go through a triple bypass at the age of forty-one, it seemed obvious. He was a high level computer executive at Rockwell.
During the landscaping venture, I had two hernia surgeries which put an end to that career.
My cousin was doing some work in Merchandising and introduced me to it. These companies go around from store to store and change things around, put up displays, do full store resets. It seemed like pretty easy work but the pay wasn't that great. One thing led to another and I started with a comany called Storecast. I had enough experience at that point to be hired as a team lead.
At the time, Walgreen's had just bought out a small chain of drug stores called Happy Harry's. We did the conversion.
In July of 07, we got involved in the conversion after Rite Aid bought out Eckerds. At that time, I was promoted to District Manager. In May 0f '08, that project was starting to come to a close so they transferred me to another department. On November 5th 0f '08 I got laid off once again!
On September 18th, 2008, a person who used to work on one of my merchandising teams called and introduced me to SendOutCards. What an amazing concept!!
I signed up that following Sunday because I had realized that my sister and my son-in-law's birthdays had passed without acknowledgement.
With this system, I was able to put in all of their contact information (including their birthday and anniversary) and the system will prompt me enough in advance to send them a custom greeting card. All I have to do is take a few minutes to pick a "stock" card, or create a custom card and click "send".
The company prints out a high quality greeting card, puts it in an envelope, stamps it and sends it to them via snail mail.
The system even allows you to upload your own pictures, use your own handwriting font, add a gift and much more. So far, I have sent people cards with Home Depot, Wal-Mart and American Express gift cards, brownies and cookies.
It's so much fun!!
Driveline decided to lay off about 43 "middle managers" and I happened to be one of them. I decided it was time upgrade and turn my new found SendOutCards program in to a full fledged business.
Retired Navy...
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- My most profitable civilian command - May 2001 - Feb 2002, Rockwell Automation in Mayfield Heights Ohio. This is near Cleveland. Contracted Computer Consultant; Operations Specialist For Rockwell Automation. Systems Administration for Windows NT, Windows 2000 and Novell Local and Wide Area Networks. General Administration and help desk support for Forge and People Soft in European and Asian arenas.
- Former Military commands -
Served aboard the USS Ramage (DDG-61)as the Combat Systems Maintenance Manager (CSMM). My basic function was to resolve maintenance conflicts between the maintenance and tactical worlds of the Combat Systems. Also served as the Leading Chief and AEGIS SPY 1-D Technician and as the Automated Data
Processing Security Officer and Systems Administrator for a Novell 4.1 Network.
Served as a Close In Weapon System (CIWS) Technician (Block 1 and Block 0) onboard the USS David R. Ray (DD-971), USS Rentz (FFG-46) and a CIWS instructor at Naval Guided Missiles School in Damneck Virginia. Also served as the Leading Chief and AEGIS SPY 1-B Technician aboard the USS Princeton (CG-59). All of which were stationed on the west coast. I was on the Princeton during the first Gulf War when she ran over a bottom moored mine. I guess you can say I had a blast.
Also served as the Automated Data Processing Security Officer and Systems Administrator for a Novell 4.1 Network in Wallops Island, Va. They changed operating systems to Windows NT 4.0 and used Microsoft Exchange as the mail server just before I transferred... What an experience.
Places Visited during my Naval career - Australia, Acapulco Mexico, Panama, Korea, Japan, Philippines, Thailand, Hong Kong, Hawaii, Canada, United Arab Emerites and various other ports in the Persian Gulf, Ibiza Spain, Civitavechia Italy, Villa De France, Valletta Malta, Venice Italy, Antalya Turkey, Limassol Cyprus, Ashdod Isreal, Agusta Bay Sicily, La Madalena Sardenia, Rhodes Greece, Marmaris Turkey, Trieste Italy, Portugal, Vancouver B.C...
Personal - Currently living in Delaware, Married with two children, two grandchildren and four dogs.
The two children are now adults living in South Carolina and Georgia. Between the two, they have provided us with three grandchildren.
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