Spotlite Magazine

Ed Wells Ambassadors help spread the word

When Roger Aisaka recently met with a newer member to discuss the benefit of Ed Wells Partnership classes, someone nearby asked how Ed Wells conference grants work.

“He’d been with the company 30 years and never used the conference grant,” Aisaka said. “Some people don’t know or haven’t taken the time to use it.

That’s where Aisaka and the other ambassadors can step in to help. They can present a brief overview of the contract benefit at workplace staff meetings, information tables, and internal career fairs. Or if they’re in your area, they can come over and answer questions.

Job title: Account Technical Specialist, 737 Customer Engineering (configuration management), Renton

Favorites – “Five Ways to Listen Better” and “Engineering a Safer World: Systems Thinking Applied to Safety,” a book club.

Quote: “You never know when it may come in handy. You may have a long career ahead. The earlier in your career you start taking classes, the better off you will be. Who knows – you may be the ones teaching a class (for Ed Wells Partnership) someday.”

Job title: Electrical engineer in nuclear effects testing for the Air Force, Utah

Favorites – Conference grant to attend the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) symposium and a weeklong antenna course offered by Georgia Tech.

Quote: “It was a good experience networking and brushing up on skills.

When you focus on a particular area every day, you forget about other things you’ve learned in the past.”

Job Title: Facilities plant electrical engineer, Bellevue/ Seattle

Favorites – “Airplane Design: Past, Present and Future - An Early 21st Century Perspective,” “Acing the Interview: 60 Seconds & You’re Hired” and “Powerful Presentations” (specifically for ambassadors).

Quote: “It’s a negotiated benefit – it’s best to use it.”

Job Title: Boeing Test and Evaluation real-time software engineer in the flight simulator lab, Seattle

Favorites: ‘Vital Conversations’ and a weeklong class on the intermediate principals of radar protection.

Quote: “The selling point is the knowledge and experience I’m gaining. It’s helpful for my job – and for life.”

Job Title: Facilities technical designer in equipment engineering, Everett.

Favorites: ‘Vital Conversations’ and Manufacturing Engineering Exposure Program (MEEPS).

Quote: “That’s the true value – connecting and networking with people.”

Job Title: Liaison engineer in the Composite Manufacturing Center, Frederickson

Favorites: ‘Vital Conversations’ and ‘Rosetta Stone’.

Quote: “It provides opportunities you might not otherwise have – and access to classes that might be outside of your work statement.”

Ambassador Charles Tatel has a 27-year career at Boeing, but prior to that, taught third graders for eight years and was an EMT in Maryland, Texas and Washington. His airline customers are United and As ambassador outside of Puget Sound, Vernon Hardy is instrumental in bringing classes and book clubs to Utah, including courses on software programming and books such as ‘Set Phasers on Stun: And Other True Tales of Design, Technology and Human Error.’ He’s worked at Boeing for 15 years.

Roger Aisaka (standing),pointed out highlights of Ed Wells’ website to newer SPEEA member Casey Krueger. Since Aisaka works in facilities, he is focused more on buildings than airplanes. That’s why he wanted to take an Ed Wells class on how airplanes work. He’s worked at Boeing for 28 years.

Theryl Johnson often works in the flight simulation lab where pilots sit in a cockpit and look out the ‘ window’ at a display that simulates their real-time flying. During a break from her 24 years at Boeing, Johnson was a contract engineer and also trained to become a sheet metal mechanic who worked at Todds Shipyards.

Dan Nowlin worked for about 25 years at a Boeing supplier before starting at Boeing seven years ago. In addition to serving as an ambassador, he represents the Tech Unit on the Ed Wells Partnership Leadership Team.

In addition to classes, Shaunna Winton also appreciates the Ed Wells conference grants which help cover travel expenses and registration for her to attend some of the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) conferences. Through a SWE conference, she learned about a program that she’s bringing to her work group with the help of her manager and Ed Wells. She’s been at Boeing about 10 years.