"One of the great parts of attending Macomber was that during my senior year, I was involved in a paid co-op program that allowed me to alternate between work one week and school the other."

After high school, he attended the University of Toledo with the goal of becoming an electrical engineer. "To help with tuition, I worked a couple of low-paying jobs which became a struggle. So with the help of two grandfathers who retired from Dana, I was able to get a job at the Bennett Avenue plant. Less than a year later, I was laid off, which was the first of several layoffs there that shortly closed that plant."

Another opportunity, which would take him all the way to retirement, was waiting. "That’s when a long-time family friend and electrician, Tom Cavanaugh, directed me to the Toledo Electrical Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee (JATC) program. I was a little hesitant because most of my family were successful with factory jobs."

He decided to head in that new direction and in 1982 was accepted into the JATC, a four-year program with on-the-job training during the day and school at night. He finished his last year of apprenticeship at GEM Inc. and worked his first two years as a journeyman at the Davis-Besse Nuclear plant.

"When work got slow, I bounced between contractors and time off. By being a member of IBEW of Local 8, I was able to travel to other locals to seek employment," he said.

"After returning to GEM Inc. in the mid-nineties, I was given the opportunity to supervise various electrical construction projects which ranged from nuclear plants to the Big Three auto plants and various commercial sites. Some of those projects had very long hours; however, with the support of Tina, my wife of 35 years, we were able to make it all work with three children—Eric, Natasha and Jennifer," he said.

"It was challenging and sometimes frustrating to attend training sessions, job meetings and job sites with few or no other persons of color. I did not allow that to deter my goals; that is why I try to convince young men and women of color to choose the construction trades as a student loan-free alternative to college. The electrical trade is not just a job. It is a career with high pay, good benefits and opportunities to advance."

He now has 39 years in the Local 8 union, and 30 of those years have been with GEM Inc. "Over the years, I was able to accumulate a pension which will allow me to retire and live comfortably. During retirement, I plan on getting in plenty of fishing and going to see my favorite football teams. Go Buckeyes and Steelers!"