Pat M.
From being a factory worker, to landing a job as a communications installer, to becoming someone who knows just about everything there is to know about traffic lights, my career has taken some interesting and unexpected turns over the years.
I spent the first decade after high school working in a factory. When a good friend of mine who worked for an electrical contractor suggested I apply for an open position there, I pivoted over to communications work, installing telephone lines and fiber optic cable. The same company had a traffic signal crew of four guys, and they would travel around the state installing signals all over the place. I liked the idea of that work, and especially of getting to spend a lot of time outdoors. So, when one of that four-person team departed the company, I jumped at the chance to take his place.
I’ve spent the years since in a blur of green, yellow, and red. My job has taken me all over the state and has allowed me to live out my dream of working outdoors on a regular basis – though I’ll admit that it doesn’t always feel like a dream come true when you’re fixing a traffic light in 90-degree heat or cold blowing snow!
One of the most fortuitous events in my career happened when Windemuller acquired the company I worked for in 2005. My day-to-day job didn’t necessarily change: I am still, first and foremost, “the traffic signal guy.” But Windemuller brought a broader diversity of clients and projects to the table and gave me a lot of opportunities to learn. Since then, I’ve worked on street lighting projects and high-voltage industrial sites, and I’ve worked jobs in a nuclear power plant and on the Mackinac Bridge.
Beyond the diversity of work and the places my job with Windemuller has taken me, there are two things about this company that have always impressed me. One is Windemuller’s commitment to safety, which is second to none and which always makes me feel like I’m in good hands. The second is the amount of trust Windemuller has for their employees. I enjoy a great deal of autonomy in my day-to-day work, which allows me to respond more quickly to client needs and to do my job better. I have never been micromanaged here, and that’s a big part of the reason that I am (happily!) celebrating the start of my 17th year with the company. Here’s to many more!