Factory Floor Mechanic at Advanced Technology Services
Marine Corps welder climbs the management ladder at Advanced Technology Services.
by Warren Duffie

Like many Marines, Bill Boyer followed his father’s footsteps to the Corps. However, it was the senior Boyer’s post-military success that really inspired the son to join.

“When my dad left the military, he did very well in the business world,” Boyer says. “I figured if I joined the Marines as well, I would absorb some of the same intangibles – especially leadership and discipline – that could help me find civilian success.”

Boyer, 34, has done his father proud. Less than five years into his career at Advanced Technology Services Inc. (ATS), the former sergeant has risen from a factory floor mechanic to management. Boyer is a site manager overseeing 90 ATS employees who repair and maintain equipment in two production plants owned by Caterpillar, Inc., which is famous for its trucks, tractors, and industrial machinery. One facility builds transmissions for trucks and tractors while the other assembles the tractors themselves.

Boyer’s squads are a mix of white- and blue-collar workers: electricians, mechanics, supervisors, and schedule planners. And his daily tasks are as varied as those “troops.” He usually arrives at one plant by 5 a.m., meets with the previous night shift (which worked from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m.) to review and troubleshoot any issues that might have arisen.

At 6:30 a.m., the former Marine meets with Caterpillar managers and executives to go over what equipment needs to be fixed and in what order. From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Boyer works with his employees on the floor before visiting the other plant.

“If it’s a good day without a lot of breakdowns, I usually go home around 3:30,” he says. “But if it’s a bad day, I might not leave until 7 p.m.

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Quick Stats
Company: Advanced Technology Services
Headquarters: Peoria, Illinois
Number of Employees: 1,400
Web site: www.advancedtech.com
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“Know what military skill helps me every day?” Boyer continues. “The ability to lead by example. I started at ATS as a factory mechanic and moved up through the ranks. The people on the floor want a manager who can get dirty with them, not just stay closed up in an office. Working with your troops is something I learned as a Marine.”

“We Recruit the Heck Out of Veterans”
Headquartered in Peoria, Ill., ATS employs 1,400 people in that state, South Carolina, and Michigan. Founded in 1985, the company provides three core services: the repair and maintenance of factory equipment, computers, and industrial parts.

One reason for ATS’ success has been its commitment to recruiting quality employees, especially veterans. Not only does the company participate in the President’s National Hire Veterans Committee www.hirevetsfirst.gov/committee.asp, it maintains a strong presence at military job fairs and has a sponsorship program that helps new hires make seamless transitions to civilian employment.

“Veterans make up nearly 25 percent of our workforce,” says Holly Turner, a human resources specialist for ATS. “They have a ‘can-do’ attitude that is hard to find in the civilian sector, and they’ve often have had to learn a job very quickly where failure wasn’t an option.”

“We recruit the heck out of veterans,” Boyer says. “When I left the Marine Corps, I was concerned whether I would find the same structure and discipline at a civilian company. It’s amazing how similar ATS is in that respect. The whole company — from the leadership down to the floor — is committed to the mission of serving our clients. Veterans can really thrive here.”

Welding Trucks to Pouring Concrete
After finishing basic training in 1992, Boyer spent his eight-year military career at Camp Pendleton and Twentynine Palms as a welder/machinist with the 7th Engineer Support Battalion. By his final year, he was trying to get into the drill instructor academy but was informed he needed to serve overseas. He was a new father, however, and going abroad was an unattractive option. So he decided to leave the Marine Corps in 2000. A Peoria native, Boyer decided to look for work with Caterpillar, a huge local employer.

But the company ranks were full when he got out, so Boyer got a job pouring concrete until Caterpillar began a new round of hiring. After eight months, he heard that ATS was seeking new employees.

“I head heard about ATS and knew it was a good company and did a lot of work with Caterpillar,” Boyer says. “I was nervous because I had been a welder, and ATS dealt primarily in computers, machine tools, conveyor belts, drills, and lathes. But I had always been mechanically inclined, so I knew I could be an asset.”

“ATS rarely recruits for welders,” Holly Turner concurs. “But like so many veterans, Bill showed a great deal of confidence and had a proven record of hard work and dedication. Being a ‘culture fit’ is very important with us, because we can teach the mechanical skills through our paid maintenance training program.”

Looking back on his transition, Boyer says there weren’t many potholes, but he does caution veterans against having unrealistic expectations. For example, it’s possible to make a lot of money upon getting out, but you should be prepared to take a pay cut. Though he now earns more than he did as a sergeant, Boyer had to tighten his belt while pouring concrete.

However, he says, the real payoff lies in your advancement potential: “As a civilian, you can chart your own destiny. I started out as a mechanic, worked hard and was promoted fairly quickly – quicker than people who had been with ATS for more than 10 years. It’s all about how much you want it.”

Helpful Tips
Understand your potential. “Take a good look at your military experience, especially the discipline and leadership skills you learned. Often, those are even more attractive than your technical abilities.”

Be confident. “That must be high at all times. Remember, as a veteran, you’re a bar above most people. You’ve been to more places and have been placed in very stressful situations — especially if you’ve been in combat.”

Lead by example. When hired, roll up your sleeves and get to work. Adopt the same mission-oriented attitude you had in the military.”