Another Sunday school friend, another story, more pics
Jan 2, 2024 19:37:24 GMT -5
dougader, kelye, and 2 more like this
Post by squawberryman on Jan 2, 2024 19:37:24 GMT -5
I have a friend named Bill in my Sunday school class that has been attending our church for over thirty five years. He was in the Navy and was a mechanic for a while after his service. He attended Rochester carburetor school in Rochester New York and spoke fluent Holley as well. In the late sixties he was a police officer and had been for a while when someone told him he should be in sales. He scoffed, but the man was the right hand man of the person that created Jenks Metals out of Orlando Florida. This was back when machine shops were still thriving and were all over the place and they needed material and Mr. Jenks understood that. As a salesman he was able to get the brass business from Bo Randall. Bill said he tried to get his stainless business but Mr. Randall was loyal to his vendors (Bill's words). Ten years after starting to work there he owned the company. Under his guidance they grew as any business could dream of. Bill understood customer service. When NASA called (KSC back then), if they had the material in stock it was there within two hours and Bill delivered it. At one point their client list included NASA, Knight's Armament, Diamondback firearms, and Randall. He sold the business twice, getting it back the first time for thirty five cents on the dollar. He had the opportunity to buy it a third time but his wife said she'd kill him if he did. Bill came in knowing nothing about metals at that level. Jenks had a cursory info pamphlet listing their inventory. Bill looked at it and saw what these pictures represent as his vision of a good tool. The books were property of Jenks meaning you got one when you were employed, but it stayed with the company when you left. No vendor got one, not even NASA. No one ever claimed they'd lost theirs when they left. I was showing him the pictures of Floyd Byrd's shop Saturday (Bill and Floyd's sister Ann are my students) and he stopped me and said he has something he wanted to give me. We finished the conversation and I went to his house today and got the book and a couple old note pads. I've put pages up of one carbon steel and one stainless steel. If anyone wants to see a different material just ask.