30 years ago today, at 8AM on August 3, 1981 drove my spray painted 1971 Volkswagon bus (“Maggie”) into the parking lot of the IBM facility in Essex Junction Vermont. I guess I parked in the visitors lot.. The day was cool and I was scared.. I remember being ‘processed’ with a whole gaggle of other new recruits… Several who are still my friends (Linda, Jill, Diane hope you’re all doing well !)  We got lots of speeches by guys in blue suits telling us about the rules of the company.. my favorite was the safety lecture.. we got to fire fire extinguishes at a chair.. just to show that we knew how to use one.

I had just graduated from MIT in may.In the Spring before ,  I’d come up to visit my good freind Sandy up here in Vermont and she introduced me to a freind who’s dad worked at IBM.. His name was Larry something.. .. II spoke with him briefly and he invited me to come back up to Vermont and interview .. I remember going to the airport to come up to Vermont and realizing I’d left my suit in my dorm room. My good freind Rafe bailed me out by running back to my dorm , grabbing my suit and bringing it to me at the airport just before my plane..  🙂 (Thanks Rafe .. I’ll never forget that !).   Anyway.. I interviewed with three guys.. and by that afternoon had a job .. It was the only adult  job interview I ever really had ..

I appreciate all the good wishes I’ve gotten from folks today.. 30 years with the same company isn’t something that happens much anymore.. I don’t know if it is a testament to my endurance.. or my lack of ambition. but it’s been mostly good …   some of it unbelievably good. .. some of it .. as is probably the case in most jobs, nearly unbearable. I’ve gotten to do a lot of fun  things .or having one job…. . work has taken me to 30 of the 50 countries I’ve visited in the world, The company sent me  back to school , and supported me in all the stuff I like to do with kids and science. I’m amazed at what the company has let me get away with..

I’ve not always agreed with what my company did.. or their directions,  in fact.. my close friends will tell you that I always have a thread of dissatisfaction about my work… but I’ve always had faith that at it’s core, IBM was and is a great company. though leaders and strategies change, the character of the company has stayed largely intact.. I saw that most clearly when the company and my colleagues stood with me and my family through the unimaginably tough times after Sam’s death…. for that I will always be grateful…

Best of all , my work has introduced me to thousands of fun, smart and interesting people all over the world.. So.. if you are one of those smart and interesting people, thanks for helping me with this first 30 years..   I’m sure the next 30 will be at least as interesting..

ntite all, nite sam

-me

I’ve had ‘just’ 13 bosses (gavin, les, phil, micky ann, raja, paul, dave, tim, jennifer, kevin, john, mark )  and learned soemthign from eahc of them.