32 years ago, when I first discovered what computer aided design was, I never would have guessed I'd be doing what I am doing now. Namely, tech support. Really, I was just trying to figure out what I wanted to do next...

The Fork In The Road

Ever have one of those moments where you needed to make a decision, and at the time, you never realized how huge it would be? This was one of those times.

After 9 years at General Electric, they finally laid me off. I worked in the heavy military division. Work was getting farmed out to Mexico and defense spending was down. There wasn't enough work for us. Our days started out the same every morning. Somebody would copy the crossword puzzle from the newspaper, then walk around the factory floor handing them out. That gave us something to do.

Some people jumped ship. I waited for the pink slip.

Back To School

GE would pay for some training, so I took all I could. Looking through the want ads in the newspaper, I noticed HVAC was in high demand. Heck, I can learn how to do that! I signed up for a class.

The class wasn't due to start for a few months, so I took a bunch of mini courses. Bought myself a 486 in 1993. My first computer, and I never realized how much fun they could be! I took courses in DOS, Word Perfect, Lotus 1-2-3, anything that sounded interesting.

At one point, I had a chance to meet with a job counselor. I told him about the HVAC class. He brought to my attention what often happens with HVAC people. They work in very adverse conditions. Air conditioners fail when it's hot. Furnaces fail when it's cold. You're often working in a harsh environment under pressure to fix a problem. He suggested looking at taking the computer aided design class instead. He said I could be working on a computer in a cushy office somewhere.

There it was, the fork in the road. When he put it like that, it sounded like a pretty good idea. I cancelled the HVAC course and signed up for the AutoCAD course instead. 

Like A Fish To Water

Having taken a number of classes in mechanical drawing in middle school and high school, I was already familiar with how to create a proper engineering drawing. I also really enjoyed it. When my AutoCAD class started, I was ready to go. We spent half the time on the boards learning basic drafting skills, and the other half on the computers learning AutoCAD. 

I felt like a sponge for knowledge. After having spent the last few years at GE stagnating, I could not get enough of all this interesting new CAD technology. It was amazing!

The Call

The AutoCAD class was around 4 months long, I think. Maybe longer. There were internships available at the end. My internship was at Welch Allyn, and I interviewed with a person there named Doug. His department used a program called Anvil.

After discovering this new software which was similar in some respects to AutoCAD, I figured it would be in my best interest to obtain a copy. I already had the computer. I could practice using Anvil, get really good, and land myself a job at Welch Allyn when my internship was over. I had a plan!

People used phone books back then. The Syracuse, NY,  phone book was big, and had an extensive yellow page section where all the businesses were listed. There was even a Computer Aided Design section.

I just looked for the biggest ad. It was a place named CADimensions, and they were located on Adler Drive in East Syracuse. I gave them a call. The person I wound up speaking to was Pete DiLaura.

I told Pete I was looking to purchase Anvil. He said something like "Why do you want that old software?" I told him because I had just finished my AutoCAD training and was hoping to land a job at Welch Allyn. As fate would have it, CADimensions needed a support person for AutoCAD, somebody who could talk to customers. Pete said "You sound like somebody we could use. Why don't you come on in?"

The Interview

I didn't own good interview clothes, and I needed to buy something nice. There was this Italian tailor in Liverpool, and I decided to go there. He hooked me up with a gorgeous hand stitched suit. I remember paying $500 for it, which was a ton of money at the time. I was not rich, but this was an investment in myself. I wanted to look good.

With my best engineering drawings in a black plastic tube, I went to the interview. Pete and I had a great conversation. I told him of my background, he told me about what they did at CADimensions. I offered to work for free for 2 weeks. If he liked what I could do, he could hire me. How could he say no to that? It was July of 1994.

The rest, as they say, is history.

That Was Yesterday

You blink, and 3 decades go by.  

I don't want to make this a history of CADimensions. That story is Pete's, though I would happily contribute to it. This is not my history, either. It's a letter to let you know how my journey started with CADimensions, because that journey has drawn to a close.

And what a journey it has been! If anything, I'd like people to realize it is possible to reinvent oneself. I knew nothing of computers and computer aided design when I was let go from GE. I was testing and troubleshooting sonar and radar equipment, which was something I learned how to do in the military.

Stepping outside one's comfort zone takes an act of courage. It can be intimidating, but it can also be exciting and rewarding. Moving forward is not possible without taking a first step, and it's difficult to predict where it might lead.

The Employees

I've seen plenty of people come and go. There are some who have stayed the course and have been able to adapt to an industry that is constantly changing. You know who you are, because you're in this picture from 2013. Kevin H., Sara, Scott, Jeff L., Laura, Heather Torrance, Kris, Andrew, Tom, Pete, and myself. I commend you on your fortitude and perseverance. 

There are some truly wonderful people who work for CADimensions. It's been different since the pandemic, with a large percentage of people working from home. Though the watercooler moments are gone, the interactions are not. They've just taken on a different form. 

The Customers

There are some people I have spoken to for nearly the entire time I've been employed by CADimensions. Early adopters of SOLIDWORKS, who started using that software when it debuted in late 1995. Most others, not so long, but no less significant. 

Speaking with our customers has enriched my life more than you know. The stories and interactions have been what has kept me going for as long as I have. For many years, I taught AutoCAD, and then SOLIDWORKS, but you taught me as well. How to take a step back, how to be more empathic, how to think in different ways; those are just some of the skills you've given me. 

I appreciate you. Each and every one of you. Thank you.

Exit... Stage Left

Many ask "What are you going to do? Do you have any plans?" Sure, I have plans. Keeping some sort of routine is important. Staying physically and mentally active is important. Getting out and being socially engaged is important. Perhaps it isn't so much about what I plan to do. It's also about what I no longer have to do.

After working for as long as I can remember, the lack of the work constraint is profoundly liberating. I'll always have something to do or some project in the works, but now I can do them on my own terms, whenever I want. I hope you will be able to achieve this level of freedom some day, and I hope you will be able to enjoy it.

Thanks For All The Fish

So there you have it. My time with CADimensions draws to a close. New adventures await.

Thank you, Pete DiLaura, for giving me a chance. Thank you to my fellow employees, both past and present. Thank you for the camaraderie, support, professionalism and friendship. Maybe I'll see you on the trail.