When I first joined the Forum I ran across this thread and was impressed with the background of the members. Having met many of you personally since then I am even more impressed! The thread was more or less dormant when I first saw it so I didn’t bother to add my own information. Now that Dieter has given it a bump, here are some highlights:
Civil Engineering graduate University of Alabama, 1961 (Roll Tide!)
Naval officer, U.S. Navy Civil Engineer Corps, Vietnam era veteran: Company Commander, Mobile Construction Battalion Nine (Seabees); Staff Administrative Officer, Commander Construction Battalions, U. S. Atlantic Fleet.
For forty plus years I worked for Chicago Bridge and Iron Company, Metal Plate Structures fabrication and construction, primarily oil patch: Engineer training program, Field Engineer, Pusher, Field Foreman, Superintendent, Project Manager, Construction Supervisor, Construction Manager, Plant Manager, Operations Manager. Last assignment, Vice President and Area Director of Operations, South East Asia. Most of my adult life was spent outside the USA living and working in over twenty countries.
Presently I spend about half of each year in my native Alabama where my Pagoda is garaged (and driven) and the other half in Lavagna and Compiano, Italy. Many of you have met my lovely wife Flora at events on both sides of the Atlantic. I lost my first wife Elena, the mother of my two children to mesothelioma in 2003. I myself am a cancer survivor now cancer free since 2004.
I bought my Pagoda new at the tender age of 30. Almost 50 years on we are mellowing together. See my article in Pagoda World Issue 19 for some details. My current vehicles in Birmingham consist of the 1969 280SL a 2007 BMW 328xi (E90) and a 1995 Jaguar XJS convertible. In Italy I drive a BMW 330xd Futura Coupe (E92) and a Toyota HiLux, 4WD, 2.4 liter Turbo diesel Pickup. My favorite departed souls include a 1965 Volvo 122S Amazon, a 1956 190SL Roadster (W121) and a 1974 450 SE (W116). The latter I consider to have been the best car I ever owned.
Each year I try to participate in or visit a couple of major motoring activities. Last year it was Amelia Island and one of the overnight stops of the Mille Miglia plus PUB Virginia. This year it was Amelia Island and MB StarFest2018 where I was a member of the organizing committee. Our Euro Event in Provence is on the schedule. I am an avid Formula One fan having been a Ferrari tifoso since the early 1970s. I have been fortunate to be able to attend many races over the years including several at venues no longer on the schedule such as Zandfoort, Kyalami, Brands Hatch, Dijon and Kuala Lumpur.
Present profession: Confirmed car nut!
