5 years…Don’t they go by in a blink?

As of today, I have been the EVangelist at Classic Chevrolet, in Grapevine, Texas for five years. Never, in my life, did I foresee myself selling vehicles for a living.

Back in 1976, I started my career, as a machine operator, in the oil and gas industry in Houston, Texas. I worked at Gray Tool Company, at night, while attending the University of Houston. Over time, I worked my way into management. I became accustomed to recruiters calling me weekly, trying to move me to other companies. I also worked at other oilfield manufacturing companies, such as CNC Manufacturing, National Supply and Baker Packers.

Then, in the mid-1980s, the price of oil collapsed. Houston (and my career) got crushed for a while. I was laid-off. There were no jobs available. Half the homes in my neighborhood had been abandoned and foreclosed. I ended up losing mine as well. It was another bust, in the “boom and bust” oil industry and my time working in it was over. Fortunately, an engineer with whom I had worked, had moved to a new manufacturing career in the Dallas / Fort Worth area and called me to see if I would be interested. I relocated to DFW and became a manufacturing engineer in the printing press manufacturing industry. I was one of the lucky ones, being unemployed for only a month.

In the ensuing years, I worked in the Computer-Aided Design and Manufacturing (CAD/CAM) software industry, as a Pre-Sales Engineer. I gave presentations to business owners and C-level executives. I also taught classes in our software. These duties meant I had to become accustomed to public speaking. I’ll admit, it was terrifying at first, but I came to love it. I was on airplanes, almost every week, flying around the country to demonstrate our software products. I absolutely loved my life and career.

Then 9/11 happened.

Air travel lost all its appeal. A recession occured. A year later, as I was installing an application I had developed, as a proof of concept for a defense contractor, I got the call. I was laid-off again.

This time, it was much worse. I was unemployed for eight months. Software companies had discovered the Internet as a way to introduce clients to their products, saving the need for a Pre-Sales engineer for serious buyers only. The Internet also allowed these companies to have engineers demonstrate their products remotely, using screen-sharing software. This dramatically reduced their staffing needs in the pre-sales area.

Eventually, one of my former CAD/CAM clients heard that I was looking for a job and hired me. He said he’d wanted me to work for his company, ever since he saw my first presentation. The job was in the aerospace and defense industry, designing tooling and castings as well as managing a rapid prototyping center. I also taught coworkers how to efficiently use our design software (which I had helped sell them). Teaching was becoming a theme, in my career.

Eventually, I had the opportunity to work for Apple. I lead a sales team that sold to businesses, from within an Apple Store. I have always been a huge Apple fan and had never owned a PC. This was when Steve Jobs was alive and leading the company. Once again, I was presenting new technology to customers and loving my life.

I was on my way home from work, when Steve’s passing was announced. I immediately turned my car around and went back to my store. Many of my coworkers had done the same. It was one of the most painful events in my career. The next morning, at the “Daily Download” (sales meeting), the other managers asked me to speak to the staff about what Steve Jobs meant to me personally and where we were to go from there. It was the hardest presentation I have ever given and I’ll admit tears streamed down my face, as I spoke to the team. Even now, as I type this, my eyes are blurring.

During my time as at Apple, my Lexus ES300 was totalled by a driver, distracted by his smartphone. I started looking for a convertible, two-seat roadster, but my wife got a new hybrid SUV and I started driving her Lexus.

Eventually, one of my customers started trying to recruit me. He knew of my manufacturing and design background and had an idea for a new product. It was a product that I knew would be of great benefit to our military service members, so I signed on as a consultant. Unfortunately, his company did not have the resources to enter this new product market, so after seven months, we amicably parted ways.

During my time as a consultant, the Lexus I “inherited” from my wife started having mechanical problems. My wife suggested I take a look at electric vehicles, since gasoline was $4.50 a gallon, at the time. I ended up, after much searching and gnashing of teeth, getting a new 2012 Chevy Volt. About two months after this, my wife got a Volt, or as we say, we “Re-Volted.” Somewhere, during this time I started blogging about my Volt enthusiasm, so others could have the same joy I was experiencing, driving the Volt.

Then, about a year into my Volt experience, I helped my local dealer on “National Plug-In Day,” the precursor to National Drive Electric Week. On this date, five years ago, I was hired as an EVangelist, by my dealer.

Much has happened over these last five years, but I am most proud of the EV & Hybrid Sales Center that Classic Chevrolet‘s owner, Tom Durant, created at my suggestion. Tom is a great man to work for and a visionary. He believed in me and electric vehicles and invested heavily, in that belief. Our EV & hybrid center opened 20 months ago and I’ve continued educating people about plug-in vehicles, in a state-of-the-art facility, ever since. Once again, presenting technology and educating customers is still a huge part of my career.

To the 95 Volt owners, 61 Bolt EV owners and 319 others, to whom I have sold vehicles, the regular readers of My Electric Vehicle Journey, as well as to the hundreds more that I have helped learn about EVs and the many, many people who have encouraged me, through the tougher moments of my new career, I sincerely thank you for your help.

Five years. Don’t they go by in a blink?