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High Technology Manufacturing Firm Help Relocate Their Operations From Southern California

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In the early nineties I was recruited by a high technology manufacturing firm to help relocate their operations from Southern California to their new home in Southern Oregon. The owner of the company had a young son that was approaching school age and he and his wife didn’t want the child growing up in an environment they believed was deteriorating due to population growth, gang violence, and the high cost of living. I was involved in the setup of manufacturing equipment and inventory on the Oregon side, and after a couple of weeks we were in a position where the company could begin production and start fulfilling order commitments. The position I held was temporary and upon completion of the move I expected I would make my departure, …show more content…

I was given more responsibilities to include company travel to purchase new equipment, the training of new employees, and the development of new materials for organizations such as Boeing, NASA and JPL. The company was small and close knit and we all knew each other’s family members. The owner of the company was very generous and we all received handsome Christmas bonuses dependent on company performance. It also wasn’t uncommon to open your pay envelope during the year to find an additional bonus check.
During the holidays my wife and I would attend 5-6 holiday social functions. I remember at one of these functions explaining to a guest who worked for the Harry and David Corporation that I worked for a small company. She told me that that could be a good thing or a bad thing. I assured her it was a good thing, and I remember thinking at the time, how could it be a bad thing? I didn’t have too long to wait before I would be presented with an example.
The owner of the company’s son was getting older and he was very involved in his son’s activities. He truly was a wonderful father. He also began to spend more and more time developing a vineyard on his property and became involved in a lengthy litigation over an easement on this property which took its toll on his health which culminated in a cardiac event in his early 50’s. The owner recovered and via some small lifestyle changes was expected to live to full life

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