FRIENDS FROM THE PAST: What a blast from the past!

I had a great blast from the past this weekend.

Because this goes so far back, I have to set the stage a bit. I came out of the Air Force in 1970 as a medic / laboratory specialist. Signed up at Wayne State University on the GI Bill for what was then a degree encompassing marketing / public relations / journalism / business. I was living at home.

Wanted to get married but was harshly informed that I needed to get a job first? Saw an ad for a midnight position at Garden City Hospital – perfect; go to school during the day and work at night.

Joining me on the late shift were a number of interesting fellows, all going to school during the day. Garden City Hospital back then had a pretty busy ER so there was a need for a number of us to cover the lab.

One fellow that worked with me was going to U of M for a masters in public health. His name was Paul Pongpitoon and he came from Thailand where he worked for the U.S. military during Vietnam and it was those American soldiers that encouraged him to come to the United States for a better chance at a good and successful life. We worked well together and grew to become friends.

Eventually, I went on to start my own business in 1981 manufacturing laboratory reagents and analyzers and he moved to St. Louis where in 1985 he started a reference laboratory.

I received a call from him this weekend saying he is visiting his daughter who just had a baby girl (his first grandchild) and who lives in Birmingham. I told him that my daughter and my two grandkids live in Birmingham also. We met for dinner at the Big Rock Restaurant in Birmingham and that brought back such memories. Memories of struggle to get our businesses off the ground floor while still maintaining and supporting our families. And we brought pictures of our kids and grandkids and their stories…

We are both looking to retire and see what else we can do. He has over 100 employees now and is worth many millions. His goal after retirement is to go to Thailand, to his village and maybe fund scholarships for children that need a chance at a good life. He got that chance once; why not give others a chance too.

I relate this story to show what determination, dedication and a willingness to work very hard can bring you and of course you need a lot of smarts which he has in abundance.

He will be visiting his granddaughter often so we will have more chances to reminisce.