US Meritocracy

I was blessed to have my career during the best US economy we have ever seen from 1957 to 2017. It was driven by private sector expansion and technological innovation and was a meritocracy. This economy suffered from bouts of inflation in the 1960s and 1970s and suffered from the mortgage meltdown in 2008, but it also benefitted from technological gains.in manufacturing, higher standards of living, high home ownership levels and created a middle class. 

The previous economy 1900 to 1960 suffered from disease, low life expectancy, World War I, the Great Depression and World War II, but delivered electricity, clean water, antibiotics, the automobile, air travel, telephones, refrigerators, air conditioning movies and television.

I was born in 1943. I witnessed and participated in the best manufacturing economy in US history.  I was able to work from age 14 for 18 years as a musician from 1957 to 1975 and as a Personnel Manager for 26 years from 1967 to 1993. I was able to establish my own Consulting Practice and work for 24 years from 1993 to 2017 as a “sole proprieter”. My wife was a Dental Assistant when I met her in 1962, We married in 1964 and raised our 6 kids. She went back to school in 1983 and graduated as a Dental Hygienist in 1986. She worked for 31 years. Our combined income allowed us to maintain and update our home and help our 6 kids pay for college. We paid off our mortgage in 2002. We both retired at age 74 in 2017.

The Greatest Generation was born from 1901 to 1927. My parents were born in this group.

The Silent Generation was born from 1928 to 1945 . My wife and I were born in this group.

Baby boomers were born from 1946 to 1964.

Gen X were born from 1965 to 1980. Our 6 children were born in this group.

Gen Y were born from 1981 to 1996 Our 13 grandchildren were born in this group.

Gen Z were born from 1997 to 2010. Our 6 great grandchildren started to arrive in this group.

The US manufacturing boom began in 1942, producing weapons for World War II and continued through1945.  In the 1950s, manufactured goods consumed in the US were manufactured in the US.  Europe needed to rebuild after World War II and restore it’s industries.  In the 1960s, Europe and Japan had rebuilt and began to sell their manufactured goods to US consumers. US companies began establishing manufacturing plants in other countries.  In the 1970s, US labor union costs were uncompetitive and more US companies were off-shoring their manufacturing.  In the 1980s, Japanese and German automobiles were taking market share by offering better built cars with better mileage, but US electronics was set to surge in defense, computers and telecom.

My jobs in Personnel were aimed at making unions unnecessary and automating companies to reduce errors and increase productivity. I wrote job descriptions and policies, recruited and hired employees, conducted and participated in compensation surveys, managed benefit programs, led the personnel function for corporations and served as a Management Consultant for 46 companies. Corporate cultures were conservative, capitalist and pro-employee.  

My first job was at St Louis United Way as St Charles Division Campaign Director 1965 to 1967. It was fully automated with an IBM System 3. I raised 125% of goal in 1965 and 1966 and consolidated the St. Charles Division into the St. Louis campaign in 1967.

My first Personnel job was in St. Louis Mo. at Kearney National as a Personnel Generalist 1967 to 1968. I moved to Monsanto HQ to learn compensation and union avoidance 1968 to 1971. I moved to Washington University to automate administration, ensure regulatory compliance and reversed unionization from 1971 to 1975.

I moved to Salina Kansas in 1975 to join Schwan Foods to automate administration and production and establish employee development 1975 to 1979. I joined Rickel Manufacturing to decertify the UAW 1979 to 1983. 

I moved to Atlanta Ga to join Hayes Microcomputer Products to complete their start up 1983 to 1986. I joined Electromagnetic Sciences Inc to support the Reagan Defense build-up 1986 to 1993. I chose my jobs based on what these companies needed to do and what I needed to learn. When my projects were completed, I moved on.

I served as a Personnel Director and functioned as an internal consultant from 1971 to 1993

I established my own Consulting Practice and served 46 companies from 1993 to 2017.

Now in retirement, I believe the US needs to return to a conservative meritocracy in our corporations, re-shore our manufacturing back to rural counties and reestablish pro-employee policies. Government needs to down-size, eliminate grants and cut the National Debt.  US Employees need to become inner-directed, pragmatic. self-reliant and economically self-sufficient. Families need to ensure that family members don’t become homeless.

I believe Trump will restore our economy with growth and government spending cuts and reduce crime by returning to the rule of law.  He will eliminate wars by increasing oil production to reduce energy costs and impose total economic isolation of Iran and Russia. He will eliminate terrorist groups, close the border, finish the wall and return to legal immigration based on need and merit. If Republicans take over the Senate and continue to control the House he will be able to put us back on the right track.

Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader