"Route 17 Gang" of Astronauts - Vestal, NY native"

Endicott Johnson Shoe Company

Four Kinds of Shoppers: On Rubber: Spikeless Golf Shoe: Harold McGowan was born in Pennsylvania in 1920. He graduated from High School at 15. Harold McGowan began his career with Endicott Johnson in 1946 in the accounting department at the Archibald, PA factory. After a brief stint in the army reserves during the Korean War, Mr. McGowan returned to work with Endicott Johnson and moved to the Southern Tier.

While in New York held many positions in EJ. He started in the accounting office. While there, he standardized the forms used by each of the factories. He also worked as the company controller. As controller, Mr. McGowan was in charge of bookkeeping, costing, quarterly reports.

Mr. McGowan was president of the company from 1969 to 1985. During his tenure, he made many changes to the company. He changed the medical from company doctors to Blue Cross/Blue Shield. He realized that there were some areas where Endicott Johnson couldn't compete with the cheaper working foreign workers. He believed that if you couldn't compete, then you needed a new idea. So he ditched a line of uppers and started focusing on firemen's boots. He also introduced spikeless golf shoes to the United States after seeing them in England.

As President, Mr. McGowan had two rules: 1) He answered his own phone and 2) Anyone who worked for EJ could come by and see him. He was the only president of EJ to retire. All the other presidents either died while still working or were fired. Sadly, Mr. McGowan died on December 1, 2006. He was 86 years old.

Botnick Manufacturing Co, Ozalid, NYSEG

Marie Petuh 1: Marie Petuh 2:

St. Paul's Church, Endicott, NY
IBM white shirts

Patricia Robets describing her mother's St. Paul's sewing circle, who turned IBMers' worn white shirts into hospital gowns for leper colony:

"Route 17 Gang" of Astronauts - Elmira, NY native"

Endicott Johnson Company

Frailey Audio 1: Frailey Audio 2: Mrs. Stephanie Frailey worked in the Jigger Factory, stitching, and ended up in Sunrise Factory working on the hot iron cutting patterns. It wasn't that hard and they got so used to it that they could work in their dreams. In the Jigger factory, they had the top of the sneaker done. They had to put it through a machine before sending it on to get it soled. They put all the small pieces together and then it was ready for the oven. Everything was in the same building.

EJ was very sincere in caring for people. They took care of all medical needs, sold dinners for 15 cents. Anyone could eat there, even if they didn't work there. Kids would come in from school. There were 7 diners around town. Mrs. Frailey had many jobs over the years. For example, at the Scout Factory, she worked at insoles off and on between having children. They had a good time in the factory. They talked as much as they could, but they were busy working, so they had to concentrate a lot, and the machines could get loud.

They did have coffee breaks, and they made their own coffee. It was a good place to work. Candy boys would come around and sell snacks during the morning and afternoon breaks. In each department, sequentially, operations ceased for 10-15 minutes while the Candy boys sold their wares and the employees took a break.The factories where glueing occurred had a distinct odor, but were quieter than the sticheries. The sticheries were very loud, but had no smell. She liked the factories where she could work at her own pace unlike the conveyor belt. The guys would put lasts down, then the girls would put the rubber in. The conveyor was there, and each girl would put a piece on - rubber, lining, toe piece, soles, etc.

Link, EJ, Ozalid

Between Mr. Stan Hayes and Mr. Bill Camp, they worked a combined total of 45 years for Link. The interviews, which were but a few short hours, only skimmed the surface of their rich experiences and histories. However, significant themes emerged from their words and expressions such as "creativity" and "meaning".

Ed Link's personal motto/philosophy was to be creative, but more importantly, their jobs required them to be so if they were going to be able to perform. Their work required initiative, vision, resourcefulness, patience, and practicality. An anecdote from Mr. Hayes illustrates this mentality: In the early years of his time with Link, Mr. Hayes was going to the airport early every morning before work for Civil Pilot training program - part of a meteorology program which he enrolled in on his own accord and by his own means - which invariably made late for work. When management confronted him (to reprimand him) he explained what he was doing and why - to gain further knowledge, understanding, and tangible applications in the field of flight training, which would surely make him better at his job in mechanical design. His supervisors were more than surprised, and they encouraged him to "be as late as he wanted to be" if that was the case.

Mr. Camp related to us how much it meant for him to be able to "follow through to the end" of a project. Many times, he was involved on a project from inception to creation and, finally, to implementation. The fact the he, and others, were involved from beginning to end, allowed them to be actively and meaningfully involved in the project; this was more than just a professional endeavor, for it allowed a crucial human element of nurturing to it. The groups of engineers, designers, programmers, supervisors, flight trainers, etc. were united in a collective effort. This was integral to the success of the projects. Further, Mr. Camp told us of the personal and professional satisfaction he felt when he would run the program, or when he would push the button and the project would come to life. His telling of the account expresses that it was more than just a product, or a project, and it goes beyond just "innovation" - it was an act of creation.

Mr. Hayes was part of the "thumb and rule" designers, meaning he went through his "schooling" on the job - and that this school was ongoing. Always learning, always looking ahead, and always reaching for the stars. That type of mentality, Mr. Hayes alluded had something to do with the fact that Link Aviation was part of the Apollo Program, but more importantly because people were always pushing the limits of technology, and imparting meaning to a field that had not yet been written.

INfo about person