Remembering Pat McIntosh from Detroit Plant

From Don Ruedisueli,

I just received notification that Pat McIntosh passed away on Saturday, 3/22/08.

Most of the corporate elitists probably don't know Pat but he had been the Benefits Manager at the Detroit plant for almost 30 years until he was unceremoniously transferred to corporate in 1998 and relegated to answering the phones for the new benefits center which was established at the end of 1997.

In my opinion, Pat was the best manager ever to have worked for Budd and I am blessed with having been able to work for him for all the years that I did. He was not only the most knowledgable and caring employer I have ever had the honor of knowing but he also had unrivaled personal integrity. A trait which the Corporate HR staff was sadly lacking.

The way the corporate HR people treated him following his transfer to Troy in '98 was far beyond disgusting. I was greatly saddened when he developed his medical problems to the extent that he had to leave the company on disability but at the same time I was relieved that he no longer had to put up with such insulting behavior from his own managerial peer group.

Thank you, Pat, for leaving such a positive impact on my life and may God welcome you home and watch over your family. You will truly be missed............

Don Ruedisueli

The Budd Culture -- Executives Who Cared

In my 30 years with The Budd Company I was fortunate to work with many great executives. They were great because they cared not only about the company, but the people that worked there.

If an executive at Budd did not care about people, he did not last long.

This "people first" philosophy came from the top down. I knew three Budd Chairmen... Gil Richards, Jim McNeal and Sigi Buschmann. You noticed I said: Gil, Jim and Sigi. That's because they were your friends and they wanted to be addressed like one.

These three chairmen came from different backgrounds. Gil was the ultimate salesman. Jim was a manufacturing expert. And Sigi was financial savvy.

Yet all three were people oriented.

Gil Richards would routinely walk the halls of Budd in Troy asking secretaries, clerks and supervisors what THEY thought about the company, its products and its top management.

As part of the Public Affairs Department, I was honored to organize a "Breakfast with the Chairman" program for Jim and, subsequently, Sigi. Each month or so, the chairman would visit a company plant or facility to answer questions from the rank and file as well as listen to their concerns.

The first round of questions were formal, pre-submitted so appropriate responses could be prepared. However, the second round of questions were spontaneously and unrehearsed. Manytimes, information meant only for the Boardroom would be discussed in these meetings. Perhaps some of you participated in these breakfast meetings.

I was honored to know three of the six Budd chairmen in its 90-year history. How many of you knew all six?

Who was your favorite Budd executive...and why. Tell us about it in the Budd Company Blogger.

KITCHENER PLANT TO CLOSE NEXT YEAR

The news from the North is not good.

Google Blogs Alert for: MARTINREA
Martinrea to axe 1200 jobs with plant closureBy GREG KEENAN Industry woes and Canadian dollar cited in decision to halt work at Kitchener Frame in 2009, one of the largest factory shutdowns yet in the storm battering Canada's auto parts industry.The Globe and Mail - News & Comment News - http://www.reportonbusiness.com/news/

Last Budd Employees Depart

With the December departure of Tara Maliszewski, human resources manager, and Mike Carr, payroll supervisor, there are no longer any employees from The Budd Company. Several former Budd employees are currently working for ThyssenKrupp USA. At one time Budd employed more than 20,000 people.

Another Detroit Plant Manager Remembered

The plant manager prior to Roy Schucker was Bob Haberlien who came to Detroit from Philadelphia Plant in the early 60's. He was a wonderful man and set the stage for much of the improvements in the plant.

Bud Evans

P.S. We may be able to trace plant managers back to the 1920s when Budd purchased the plant from the Liberty Motor Car Company.

Budd Glee Club Members

In answer to Jim O'Connor's question on the previous blog, following are some of those who joined Herman Foster in the early 1980s on the Budd Glee Club, actually the "Christmas Choir," at Troy Corporate.

Mary Ann Paris, KurtMoilanen, Lou Drapeau, Barbara (Haggard) King, Dawn Riege, Dorothy Strefling, Christa Tews-Albrecht, Julie (Craig) Barthold, Donna Tomlinson. The perennial Glee Club director was Lynne Wikarski.

Other performers of note: Paul Sichert as Santa Claus. Jim Quinn as Scrooge. Alvin (Mark Gordon) and the Chipmunks (Don Fairchild and Greg Burdick), directed by David Seville (Walter Young). Elves were Gloria Armstrong, Kathy (Daugherty) Grimaldi, Margarita (Barczak) Smith.

There was a lot of talent at Budd Troy.

The Choir was resurrected more than 20 years later in 2005 by, among others, Deborah K. Harris, Lori Mason, Sue Ting-Wang, Linda Stout and Nancy Rough.

From Foster to The Little Women at Budd

Having read your posting, two Holiday memories came to mind. I recall Herman Foster and others in the “Budd Glee Club?” singing carols at the corporate office. I recall that Herman had a great tenor voice. Unfortunately I cannot remember the names of the other singers. Perhaps another Budd Blogger will contribute.

The second Budd holiday memory was about a Stamping and Frame Christmas party. Jim Roth had been enjoying the first class refreshments and rose to give the obligatory thank you for the employee’s contribution the previous year. As he held forth for some time he said thanks to all the little women at home supporting their husbands efforts to make the division successful. Needless to say this was not appreciated by “all the little women” who also worked outside their homes as well as the ladies who worked at Stamping and Frame. This proved to be one of the more memorable parties and contributed to much office discussion and joking about “the little women at home”.
Regards

Jim O’Connor

Remembering the Holidays at Budd

Remember how special the Yuletide holidays were at Budd?

Regardless of where you were employed at Budd, there was always excitement and joy in the air.

At the corporate headquarters in Troy, our Public Affairs Department planned employee gatherings. It was always done first class, regardless of the economic times and conditions.

And my fellow employees always gave their time and talents for the benefit of all.

Maybe it was a time which gave us the opportunity to show how grateful we were to work at The Budd Company.

Perhaps you would like to share some of your experiences during the yearend holidays with your Budd family.

Feel free to post or send your thoughts to Paul Flancbaum at go2paulf@gmail.com

BEING FRANK ABOUT BUDD

Paul,

My name is Frank Gallagher & I started at the Philadelphia Plant, oh, so many moons ago. As we all say, we've blinked & it is now. I don't believe we've met but I've seen your name along the way many times over the years, so I know some things about your career at Budd. I might even have all the Beelines ever sent to me. I just thought it was a good time to write & express my gratitude for the chance to be a part of The Budd Company. It was grand.

I apprenticed as a Tool & Die guy, moved to assembly tooling, then to Supervision, did a stint in H&S & finally ended my career with early retirement out of Shelbyville just before the sale. Such a wonderful path I've traveled. Not always easy, but so very rewarding.

Anyway, I look at this blog almost everyday & am surprised there are not more postings. There must be a zillion folks from Budd but maybe many don't know about it. I've sent the link to all in my address book when you first started it just to spread the word. I was so glad to see Lynn Miller(Hatter) post early on. It gave me a contact of a special lady whom I've met while I was working in Shelbyville. She retired after I returned to the Philly Plant so I didn't get the chance to thank her for her kindness & say good-bye.

Aside from telling our individual stories, your site can help us rekindle these old acquaintances. Many folks never ventured, nor had the opportunity to venture, to other facilities, as I have, where I've met so many good people. I saw traveling as a chance to explore all the variations of what Budd was. Some may have seen it as a burden, while others, a new path chosen & taken, with eyes wide open, & eager for a new experience. That's what life is all about. How lucky I was.

As I reflect, which we all do, I sometimes think that it has all been a dream. How could so many years pass by so quickly? Must be a dream. It's akin to reading a good, long story & finally coming to the last chapter. I just wanted to share my gratitude at this special time. Gratitude for the chance to be a Budd employee, for all the people along the way who were in my corner. One cannot succeed alone. Even the folks not in my corner, I learned a lot about life & relationships from them also. I made my share of lemonade but that's ok too.

The next story is the story of Life After Budd. I trust the Good Lord will keep me & my family in good health, along with all the Budd people, but there are no guarantees. I spend 24 HOURS-A-DAY with my lovely wife, Dottie......but I keep busy. We're still in the Philly area. Some of my 'ol pals have relocated & it could happen to us. After Philly closed, many ended up in foreign lands, ala Michigan, Kentucky, Kitchener, etc., which then became home & have since moved again, scattered like seeds in the wind, as they say.

I'll close with a Hell-o !!!! to everyone & a special thanx to Paul for this forum. Maybe this post will encourage others to do so also.

My e- is bluepeople@comcast.net ........Long story, a remnant from a friend of my years in Kentucky.

B' well ...........Frank Gallagher

Let's Not Forget Roy Schucker at Detroit Plant

I like to add my two cents worth to it. Prior to McFadden was Jack Schmitt the plant manager and he replaced Roy Schucker.



Uwe Thormaehlen

Thormaehlen111@comcast.net