In 1983, the US was using only 68.8% of its manufacturing capacity, which was lower than in any other postwar recession.
Our moved to Atlanta allowed my wife to enter Dental Hygiene School and allowed me to join the Electronics Boom.
Hayes Microcomputer Atlanta GA
I joined Hayes, the leading PC Modem company in March 1983 and began to develop their Compensation Plan. I needed a salary survey for Engineers and selected the American Electronics Association Survey. There were no wage surveys for Electronics Assemblers, Insertion Machine Operators or Assemblers. I contacted the Atlanta SHRM group and the were not interested in sponsoring any surveys. I met with some local Atlanta Personnel Managers and we agreed that we needed a survey for the 40 electronics companies in Atlanta.
I founded the Metro Atlanta High Tech Personnel Association in 1983. I wrote the MAHTPA wage and salary Survey and distributed it. I received the surveys and calculated averages and sent it to the MAHTPA members. We elected a President and Officers held monthly meetings.
I worked with the Manufacturing and Materials Managers to fine-tune the Compensation System and they lobbied to make me the Manager of Human Resources. Dennis Hayes fired the guy who brought me on and I took the job.
The Communication Workers of America Union CWA, began card signing as we were finalizing our Compensation System. I recommended a 25 cent across the-board increase and that stopped the union. I established the rates of pay and that averaged an additional 25 cents per hour.
In 1983, I was appointed to serve on Gwinnett Tech’s Council of Advisors. I also designed a Wage & Salary Survey for the Gwinnett County HR Association sponsored by the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce.
I inherited a staff that included Supervisors for Employment and Nursing plus 2 Personnel Assistants. I canceled our Health Insurance Plan and replaced it with an Employer-Managed Medical Trust to save 30% of costs. The Supervisor of Nursing hired Nurse Case Managers to work with the employees. The Supervisor of Employment hired Recruiters to fill salaried positions. I promoted one of my Personnel Assistants to be Supervisor of Personnel for Manufacturing and handle recruiting of manufacturing personnel.
I used Temp Services to screen and test Personnel Assistants and added a Supervisor for the corporate group.
By the end of 1983, Hayes was able to add 50 to 80 employees per month and keep up with demand. Hayes was named to the “Fast 500” list of emerging companies.
In 1984 I was sponsored to complete a Fellowship in Strategic Studies Dennis Hayes had already completed. It was “on-line” through the internet. Our books would arrive at our homes each month. We met at Western Behavioral Sciences WBSI in La Jolla CA for a week each year.
In 1984, I joined Dennis Hayes for a week in Singapore to find a staff to handle Asian Sales. We hired the staff from Mattel that was closing. I spent time with them and Dennis handled the incorporation. I learned Ex-Patriot Compensation and wrote the Employment Contracts.
In 1984, I attended Comdex in Las Vegas with my recruiters. Hayes was the leading seller of PC Modems in the US and had athe biggest booth.
In 1985, I participated in the acquisition of Soft Com, a San Francisco based Electronics company.
In 1985, I established an Employee Stock Option Plan ESOP for Hayes giving Hayes Employees access to owning Hayes Non-Voting Stock.
By 1985, we had increased headcount from 100 to 1000 employees and moved revenue from $35 million to $200 million. Intel was slow to deliver chips to increase the baud rate for modems and increase PC memory. I recommended that we slow down our headcount growth.
In 1986, the Executive Staff was split. Our VP Operations, Controller, International Director and I lobbied to cut expenses. We saw a need to invest in working capital.
In 1986, the Engineering Director, Sales Director and Dennis Hayes wanted to $30,000 ads on the Golfing Channel. I told the staff members who wanted to save the money that we needed to leave quietly. Out VP Operations would remain and the Controller, International Director and I decided to leave.
I began a quiet job search in Atlanta and learned that Electromagnetic Sciences, EMS needed to expand to keep up with the Reagan Military build-up. Their VP Personnel was retiring and had been a life-long friend of Dr Pippin, the founder. They were looking for a replacement to be Personnel Manager reporting to their VP for Administration. I was anxious to see a functioning engineering team. I applied for and got the job.
Hayes Microcomputer Products Inc. closed its operations in 1999.
Electromagnetic Sciences Atlanta
I accepted the Personnel Manager job in March 1986. EMS headcount was 350 and revenue was $35 million. They were expecting to increase their Design and Production of Military Communications Satellites and Weapon Systems. EMS produced electronics for Rockwell Missile Systems and were subcontractors for other Defense Contractors. They were building the DISCS Beam Forming Network for Deep Space Military Communications Satellites and building circuit boards for Rockwell Missile Systems Hellfire Electronics. They had Engineering Groups working with Space and Military Weapons Developers.
EMS had a Microwave Waveguide Development Subsidiary in Torrance CA.
EMS also had a commercial electronics Subsidiary, LXE that designed and built a Bar Code reading computer system to install in warehouses and ports. They were expected to grow as well.
I had a Personnel Staff of 6 employees. I invited 2 to leave and replaced them with 2 experienced Sr. Personnel Reps who handled recruiting and out-placement, The Sr Reps and my Compensation Analyst also handled employee relations. I dealt directly with Managers and Supervisors on problems.
EMS had already established a Medical Trust and had added a 401K Plan. I was Trustee for these Plans. I added a Dental Plan after I reduced the worker’s compensation costs.
In 1987, Dr. Pippin, founder and CEO of EMS assigned me to replace him on the American Electronics Association Board in Atlanta. I served as Human Resources Chair.
In December 1992, I traveled to Germany to establish a Sales Office for LXE and interview candidates for Sales.
In May 1993, I replaced the EMS Pension Plan with an Age-Weighted Profit Sharing Plan.
I wrote all Job Descriptions to comply with government regulations. I wrote the Policy Manual and posted it on-line.
We enjoyed seeing all of our military systems displayed during the 1990 Gulf War.
By 1993 EMS headcount was over 1000 and revenue was over $200 million.
I was impressed by the hard-working Engineering talent I had witnessed at EMS. They epitomized a technology-advancing high performing team. Humor was the hallmark of EMS and I had accomplished more than I expected, but the US Defense Industry was about to shrink. The AEA Board members wanted me to open a consulting practice at age 50.
In June 1993, I participated in the selection of my replacement and quit EMS to open my own Consulting Practice.
EMS Technologies, Inc. was an Atlanta-based company with approximately $290 million in annual sales revenue before its 2011 purchase by Honeywell.
Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader
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