Today's Featured Biography

 
W. Don Brockett

Despite the numerous positives of a BHS education, I walked out the door without a career passion, or even a clear direction. The “proficient CPA” goal stated in the annual was never paid much attention. Instead I jumped into the engineering pool at the UW – initially electrical, and when that was starting to short-out, mechanical. While attending the UW, various part-time jobs included driving school buses in Bellevue and a student engineer for Boeing. Upon graduating, continuing to ride the Boeing roller coaster was chosen. But less than 6 months later, things turned sharply downward in Seattle and, to stay employed (and expand my horizons), I moved to Alabama with Boeing. Although interesting, the Deep South and my space program design job didn’t really spark my enthusiasm. A new job as an experimental engineer was found at Pratt & Whitney Aircraft (jet engines) in Connecticut. That job was very interesting – challenging work, good people, and plenty of freedom to exercise my technical aptitude. I also enjoyed New England. During that time I was married.

It became clear that engineering tended to force a person to become ever more specialized – a broad perspective of things wasn’t the goal. Boeing was again flying high, so we jumped on that wagon and moved back to Seattle. I reentered the UW, first part-time to make the metamorphosis from a lower campus (science and engineering) creature to a lofty upper campus (business and liberal arts) status, and then full time into the graduate business program. My first son was born. Not surprising, by the time I was a suitably educated MBA, Boeing was again on the skids. I took a job as a new products manager at the corporate headquarters of Kimberly-Clark in central Wisconsin. The job was interesting and there was a good career track. My second son was born there. But Wisconsin wasn’t a good fit for the family – long hard winters and a very small town environment with a lack of cultural stimulation - unless “cannibal sandwiches” (raw hamburger) tweaked your fancy. Once again the moving van pulled up and we moved to California and a management consulting job at Stanford Research Institute. That was a great job. Projects were highly diversified as to topic, industry, and location. Travel included most of the lower 48, plus Canada, Central and South America, many European countries, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Indonesia. I had a great boss. The area was very appealing to live in. But SRI began squeezing the maximum revenue from the consulting activities. Jobs were more difficult to get because of higher rates and consultants had to work very long hours to complete jobs within budget. The fun evaporated. I departed SRI and was divorced.

A very promising new job as director of new business development for 2 divisions of Lear Siegler was found in Orange County California. Almost the day after starting work, rumors of a company takeover started. A year later, the conglomerate had been acquired, divisions had been spun off, and my job was eliminated. Mobile again. I moved to Boise, took on the role of an area franchisee, and had a heart attack. The franchisee thing fizzled, I did some temporary work, and landed as a corporate internal auditor for Boise Cascade. During more than 6 years there doing operational auditing, my hearing steadily declined, and by late 2001 became so poor that continuing work was impractical. Along the way, in 1998 at the 40th reunion, Margit and I literally ran into each other, and our relationship grew. I left Boise Cascade and moved to the Detroit area (Margit’s territory) in 2002 as a disabled person due to hearing. In 2003 I received a cochlear implant that restored a significant part of my hearing. But being an old coot, and with the local economy sputtering, jobs were scarce. I served as the property and caregiver manager for a wealthy elderly lady for about 3 years. Retirement has not resulted in reduced activity – just a change in focus (and obviously I have lots of experience with that). An additional implant or 2 recently have made me more bionic.

Taking on the job of website administrator for the class website has shown that the old dog can still learn new tricks – and happily does so, for the most part. It’s hard to guess what the next opportunities will be that life presents. Anyone need a clergyman, a brain surgeon, a safari guide, an attorney, a pilot, or a yard-boy? I’m available. My name is Diversity.

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