R&D Machine’s Production Manager Recognized as Outstanding Employee
Thom Amend did a four-year hitch in the Army during the late 1980’s. During his enlistment, he learned about machining. And about leadership. Both have served him well.
Compass Precision announced Tuesday that it selected Thom as its Employee of the month for November. Thom becomes the thirty-third Compass employee to receive this distinction since the company’s Employee of the Month program began in March 2020.
“Thom is great to work with,” explained Justin Kovscek, Vice President & General Manager of R&D. “I am new here. When I joined the company in May, I leaned heavily on key employees like Thom. He really helped shorten my learning curve. Plus, he is just an all-around terrific person.”
Thom has contributed in many capacities since he joined R&D in 2003. He served successfully as lathe supervisor and programmer. His expert knowledge of turning was instrumental to the company’s efforts in adding both additional capacity as well as new capabilities in the form of machines with Y-axis, live tooling. And when asked to do more eighteen months ago, Thom stepped up into a production management role.
“When we purchased R&D Machine earlier this year, Hilary and Carl Whitley told us they had some great employees,” said Compass CEO Gary Holcomb. “In particular, they praised Thom. He has done so many good things here. And when needed, he has always taken on more responsibility.”
Originally from a small town in Wisconsin just north of Madison, Thom is a life-long Badger fan. After serving in the Army, he moved to Florida and earned a 2-year degree at St Petersburg Vocational Tech where he focused on CNC machining and programming. He spent the next eight years working for Paragon Machine in St Petersburg. Several other jobs in CNC machining followed including two stints with Florida Computerized Machining in Oldsmar and Odessa, FL. In 2003, Thom met Carl Whitley and agreed to join R&D, a decision that has served both Thom and the company very well.
“I always enjoyed being here at R&D,” said Thom. “Carl and Hilary fostered a caring, family atmosphere. The company being sold to Compass was a huge adjustment, but I like that they didn’t come in here and change everything just because they own it. I think the direction we are going in is good. R&D will continue being successful, and I want to be part of that.”
Thom has done many different things since joining R&D nearly twenty years ago. He has run machines, programmed machines, and supervised others doing both. Thom also has extensive experience scheduling the shop and ordering the tools necessary to complete upcoming jobs. This last aspect of his capabilities is particularly rewarding for him.
“I enjoy scheduling our machines, then making sure we have everything we need to run the upcoming jobs,” explained Thom. “Doing this draws upon all my experiences. When everything is organized the way I like it, the shop runs much smoother.”
When told that his selection as Compass’s Employee of the Month for November would be announced on November 1, Thom explained that was fitting as his daughter Mikayla was born on that day. He also has one stepdaughter Norma and two stepsons Jason and Sean. Thom and his long-time girlfriend Kris has been together for thirteen years.