What's your profession?

[Malc]

Studied Geology, ended up in the oil industry
Now working as a "development engineer" for an oil services company, sound posh but actually means I am involved in the design and testing of new tools, as well as "running" them.
Takes me all over the planet...Not all of them holiday destinations  

Malc
Mo, probably down your way again fairly soon.... give you a bell?

[gwuisman]

At the moment I am deputy City Clark and Director of the Department of General Affairs of the only city in Holland with a modern skyline, Rotterdam (see http://www.rotterdam.nl/smartsite.dws?id=2042622&MainMenu=268958&Menu=2042622, http://www.rotterdam.nl/smartsite.dws?id=266637&MainMenu=266566&Menu=266637, and http://www.rotterdam.nl/smartsite.dws?id=266649&MainMenu=266566&Menu=266649). In my job I feel like being a bit the city’s dustbin. A steady shower of often unforeseen subjects and projects are put on my desk to deal with by myself and my department. An example: I have the end responsibility for the organisation of the Rotterdam stopover of the VOLVO-OCEAN RACE Round the world 2005-2006 in the week of the 15th of June 2006 (see for the other stopover cities http://www.volvooceanrace.org/pages/racinginfo/course.htm and http://www.volvooceanrace.org/pages/ports/assets/images/routemap_highres.jpg ). Quite a nice task for someone who is sailor himself. Perhaps for some of  you a nice opportunity to take your Pagoda and visit the event in your country!
Before my job in Rotterdam I was advisor to the Prime Minister and Secretary of Council of Ministers at the Ministry of General Affairs in The Hague after being lawyer at The Dutch Council of State. I started as aspirant notary public and lawyer at the National Development Bank.

Gerard Wuisman
1970 280sl

[Kenneth Gear]

Geez Eric,

You've got me beat... I'll have three kids age 4 or younger when my wife gives birth in November.. You've been even busier that us!

Congratulations!

Ken G
1971 280 SL
Silver/red

[jsaylor]

Almost 30 years ago I moved to the island of Kauai in Hawaii.  I own and operate two jewelry stores.  We design and create fine jewery for local customers, visitors as well as mainland clients.  I still get time on the bench (jewelry bench) to play and create.  I enjoy sailing my 25' wooden sloop, woodworking and am doing a rolling restoration on my '65 230SL.  In my spare time I sit on the board of our local Hospice group and am currently President of  the Rotary Cub of Kapaa.  
 

Jim Saylor
Kauai, Hawaii
'65 230SL

[saygold]

I studied Metallurgical Engineering and have worked in the mining business all over the world for over 30 years.  I bought a 230SL as a present to myself in 1986 when I was transferred back to the states from a mine in Indonesia.  I managed gold recovery plants and helped develop new ones in Africa and Central America while the car stayed in the states.  I retired (too) early and am enjoying life in the Pacific Northwest.

Ken
1966 230SL white (euro)

[n/a]

Jim,

Do you know a guy name Bob Converse in Honolulu? I bought my car from him about six months ago. The car is a 70 280sl red that was first delivered to Hawaii on 10/69. He spent quite a bit of money in the early '90s to fix the car up.



Louis 70 280sl Red Auto

[jsaylor]

Louis,

I don't know him, I rarly get to Honolulu and I just bought my 230SL this past Nov.  There is one other 230SL on Kauai and I believe there is a sorry 280SL that I must investigate soon.

Aloha,

Jim Saylor
Kauai, Hawaii
'65 230SL

[ja17]

Hello,
I am vice president of operations of "The Artglo Comapany" and it's "Smartwalls" division.

My higher education included 3yrs Architecture, and four years of Industrial Design, with a degree in the later.

While attending colledge I worked as a Mercedes technician, also interned for an Architectural Firm for a few years, and Owen's Corning Fiberglass (tech center).

I owned and operated a vintage Mercedes repair shop for about eight years here in Blacklick in the late 70's and early 80's. We sold parts and specialized in frame restorations on rusty classic MBs.

In later years I owned and operated a re-enforced plastics tooling and prototyping business before eventually becoming involved in Artglo and it's Smartwalls division( a demountable full size wall system). I have been in this business for over twenty years at this point. I have kept my original Mercedes shop in Blacklick during this period for my own hobby (out of control!).

My wife Mary is the Central Ohio Section President of The Mercedes Benz Club.

[n/a]

Gentlemen:

In response to Cees' question on professions, I am a retired Chief Warrant Officer from the Royal Canadian Air Force.  I was an Aero Engine Technician and later Aviation Technician.  I joined the RCAF in Oct 1957 and retired in 1988.  When I retired, I was the Aircraft Maintenance Chief Warrant Officer at CFB Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, and one of my responsibilities was the maintenance personnel on the Snowbirds Aerobatic Team.  

On retirement, because of my experience in the Air Fore with GE engines, I joined General Electric Aircraft engines as a Field Service Rep for the GE T58 and CT64 engines, retiring from GE in 1999.

Now I keep busy restoring vintage motorcycles, and lately having a lot of fun with my '70 280SL.  One of my old bikes, a 1950 Sunbeam S7 was featured in the Guggenheim "Art of the Motorcycle" exhibit in Las Vegas 2001-03.

Best Regards,

Jim Hunter
Ottawa, Canada

JLHunter

[Dash808]

Part time Airline Pilot and full time slacker 

Aloha!

[abe280SL]

These days it looks like my profession is a taxpayer.
abe

[al_lieffring]

I've always hated being asked this question.

My ears usually turn red as I look toward my shoes and mumble "I work on cars."

[Peter van Es]

Amazing how I missed this thread the first time round....

I'm an electrical engineer by training: I built my first computer (PC's didn't exist then) with a Z80 and very expensive RAM chips in 1980. I enjoyed software more, so wrote a Unit Trust Administration system for a broker in London in 1981, when still at university. Upon graduation in 1982 moved into the software development / systems integration business. Got into commercial roles and project management jobs. If the company I worked for had a duff project anywhere in the world, I was sent there. Spent time in the UK and the US. Moved back to the Netherlands in 1986. Married, bought a house, got a kid... ready to settle down in 92. In 93 moved to Hong Kong to run our Asian operations as Managing Director. Moved to Jakarta, Indonesia in 1997, and then to Boston in 1999.

Just before being moved to another troublesome operation (I didn't fix projects anymore... now it was companies) in the Netherlands in 2001 ended up in a fight with the board (as these things happen). Left, worked as a consultant for a bit (didn't like that) then joined Hewlett-Packard as VP in account management. After 4 years got completely fed up with that too.

So in 2007 decided to leave them to try and find a small company to buy. I'm looking for something in the Business to Business market, that makes normal products (i.e. tangible), preferably in a niche market, with a strong technical component. Preferably based near my home in the Netherlands, but with an international component. Live off my investments. Went OK in 2007 but went sort of belly up in 2008... Am a lot poorer now.

The money to buy a company I did not invest (phew...) so I'm currently evaluating lots of different possibilities. But am not in a rush.

Because I am not full time employed, was able to spend a lot of time on the Pagoda SL Group website and the Technical Manual. Even though I've held management roles since 1990, I never enjoyed crossword puzzles... my fun was keeping my knowledge of software development and new Web technologies up-to-date. So I ran the conversion to this new site as a one person development project, but I tried to manage it professionally. Hopefully I succeeded and you didn't notice any problems!

In the mean time, I have non-executive directorships, I coach young managers, and am available for challenging IT projects  I also drive a fair number of classic car rallies, mostly as navigator, so in my drivers 1964 Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint GT.

I have two kids (14 and 15 years old - so in the expensive school age) and a wife who prefers a one-hp horse over a 170-hp Pagoda.... so I will work for money!

Peter

(ps: in the picture it's me on the left, nose in the road book)

[scoot]

I guess I'm a rocket scientist.  I've worked for NASA for 22 years and my degree is in mathematics.  I'm really much more of a people-person and don't really care for scientists.  I would like to be employed in social services, but at present, my partner (recently became my legal husband!) is going through the career transition process so I need to stay employed.   I do volunteer work with foster kids and find that to be much more satisfying than my work for NASA.

We've had a number of interesting older cars -- 4 Facel Vegas, numerous Volvos, several Alfas.  Currently we have our 250 SL and a Duetto (and our normal boring cars).   For "normal cars", previous "normal cars" have been 4 BMWs, a 2002 MB C230, a few Nissans and always a stupid pickup truck because we need to haul crap around because we are landlords and fix-it kind of guys.

It is REALLY interesting to read about what the rest of you do.  I also missed this thread until now...

[thelews]

I'm a financial advisor that enjoys vintage cars to detail, maintain and drive.

[franjo_66]

I work as an IT consultant in the Wealth Management (ie financial services) sector here in Australia, mostly providing analysis, design & management input on large projects and programmes.

I started out as a programmer (COBOL / Assembler / CICS / DB2) on mostly IBM mainframes. I completed a double degree in Pure Mathematics & Computer Science at the University of Sydney. But I have been a "petrol- head" forever, restoring and/or modifying old Aussie muscle cars and Mercs of course. Just at the tail end of finishing a frame-off restoration on my 1965 230SL.

I've been married for 13 years with two beautiful daughters (Lana - turns 4 this month, and Lara - 17 months). The older daughter has already claimed the 230SL as hers.......

Really glad I saw this thread, and am amazed at the diversity of backgrounds amongst us.

Rgds
Frank

[suzy]

Archivist at a research institute in Los Angeles.

[dldubois]

Account Manager at an Insurance Co based in NE OH (northeast Ohio, USA).   In process of relocating from TX (Texas) (my 280sl is in the back of a moving van somewhere in the US though I should have this Sunday.   Fortunately I was out in it last week in TX w/ the top down    Looks like it'll be in the garage for a few more months up here.

[deke54]

I guess one of us has to confess to being a practicing attorney. I have a solo practice with an emphasis on advising clients in the automotive industry.  I also serve as Executive Director of the Spokane New Car Dealers Association.

[benzportland]

Attorney serving as judge and therefore a fully certified Government Mule........

[rob walker]

(ps: in the picture it's me on the left, nose in the road book)

Peter really interested to see the picture. I competed on the Limburgia Rally in....erm  mid 80's wow that was a long time ago!!! and it was a closed road special stage event. I drove a Mk2 BDA Escort at that time. What are the regulations for the event now is it still closed road or more navigational?
Rob

[Peter van Es]

Rob,

it's a bit off-topic here, but it's a classic car rally, with mainly tough navigational exercises.... however, there are speed-sections on closed off roads (we had 4 of those)... although the speed you need to achieve does not sound like much, the driver needs to work hard to achieve it, so pretty satisfying for him too. The Limburgia was fast enough that the 3 Pagoda's that started did not finish... I think one due to navigation problems, and the other two just couldn't keep up the pace and dropped out after one day. There as an Escort Mexico in there participating.... and that thing was very fast also. Pagodas are just a little too heavy for this twisty and winding area, with many sections on sand and gravel roads.


We are working on getting acquainted (we finished the Star Rally, a night rally last week where we came in 5th) and the goal is to do about 4 or 5 rallies this year (including the Tulip) and if we're up for it, the LeJog at the end of 2009.

Perhaps we'll see you in one of these rallies some time soon too!

Peter

[Shvegel]

Hi,
I have been turning wrenches on cars almost as long as I can remember. I started with my poor brothers car and rebuilt my first carburetor(holly 4 barrel) at age 11.  From there I graduated to poor neighbors cars and my own rag tag fleet of 60s American cars. From there I just sort of fell in to every construction trade and automotive trade you can imagine culminating in a trip to the east coast that turned into a 3 year stint on a private yacht.

I grew tired of traveling a few years ago and returned home and became an instructor for BMW North America teaching new product to their mechanics.

I left BMW 3 years ago and returned to the water. I am once again a chief operating engineer on a large private yacht.

[dorian]

I've been working in the computer software industry since the late '80s, and spent most of that time in various Software Development and Management roles at Microsoft.  Details here: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/4/165/23a

Now that I've started consulting, I'm always looking for my next project!    I can be reached through LinkedIn.com or via the form at http://sl107.com/feedback/form.html

[dixy2k]

physical terrorist therapist