It was early 1966 and I was fresh off my field service assignment at Orange and Rockland Utilities in upstate New York. I was now assigned to a desk in the Service Department at Foster Wheeler’s corporate headquarters in Livingston, New Jersey. I approached the official end of my nine month training program working on some mundane tasks consisting of filing final reports from my previous work assignment.
I wondered what I would be doing in the company after the official training program came to its conclusion. Mr. Bill Stevens had elevated me to Senior Service Engineer status a few months before while I was at Orange and Rockland Utilities, but I did not know what that would mean now that I was back in the office.
I availed myself of this time in the office to talk to some of the service engineers I had come to know during my travels. I queried them about the work areas they moved to after their time in the Service Department ended to see if anything they were doing interested me.
William “Bill” Stevens
Suddenly, one day without warning Mr. Stevens, the senior vice president, walked into my office.
He said, “Hi Allan, please come with me.”
I left following Bill toward the main corridor. My feelings were a mixture of fear and concern. I had no idea what he wanted and wondered if I had somehow made some serious mistake.
Walking together down the corridor together, Bill suddenly stopped, turned to me and said, “Allan, you are too valuable to this company to be working where you are now, what do you want to do in this company?”
I stood there for what seemed to me to be minutes, not knowing what to say with no preparation or expectation for this moment.
I blurted out, “I’m not sure, but if I were your son where would you want me to be?”
Surprised at my answer and wondering from whence it came, I looked up and heard him say, “Come with me. The Nuclear Department is the future of this company. That’s where I want you to be.”
We continued down the corridor and into the Nuclear Department manager’s office.
Bill announced, “Jack, meet Allan, your new engineer.”
Bill turned and left. I stood there facing Jack. Later I discovered Jack was just as surprised as me. Jack appeared to be somewhat stunned, but quickly collected himself, shook my hand and bid me to follow him to my new office.
Jack introduced me around to the other engineers and secretaries in the department. I retrieved my files and other belongings from the Service Department, bid my friends there adieu and settled in my new office.
A week or so later, Jack took me to lunch. As we sat at our table he asked, “Do you know how you got this job in my department?”
I said, “Not really, I just was asked by Bill what I wanted to do and he brought me to your office.”
“Well,” Jack replied, “You got shoved down my throat! And I am glad you did! I interviewed numerous engineers these last weeks for the opening and rejected them all. I am thankful you are on our team.”
My career took off in this department resulting in gaining a patent on a unique sodium heated steam generator along with our team members.
Eventually I earned an MBA in management that led to my assignment in San Diego, California in mid-1970.
Turning Point
Those few seconds of dialogue that featured my spontaneous response, “If I were you son where would you want me to be?” was a major turning point for me. I can’t take credit for that statement, as it came out of me without thought or preparation. I can only acknowledge God’s hand, word and inspiration that put those words in my mouth and gave the impulse to speak it.
COPYRIGHT © 2014 ALLAN E. MUSTERER