Is that the Sun?  No it’s our new shop lighting

Hello and welcome to the CAR Newsletter for Q1 2014.  We are excited to announce that the lighting upgrade for the entire plant is now complete.  With the help of a NYSERTA grant, CAR replaced all the lighting in our facility including the manufacturing shop floor and offices with high efficiency lighting.  It is a win/win as the new lighting uses much less energy and the project should pay for itself in 14 months.  More importantly you can see much, much, better especially in our manufacturing areas.  This has improved the work environment for our employees’ significantly and is a welcome improvement.

Their future is so bright…they have to wear shades! Rob, Eric and Kent enjoy the new lighting.

Welcome James Wagner- Quality Engineer

CAR is pleased to welcome the newest member of our management team, James Wagner.  Jim is a true quality professional with over 25 years’ experience.  Jim works side by side with Quality Manager David Vincent on all quality aspects of our shop.  Some of Jim’s many duties include- PPAPs, random inspections, maintaining our ISO procedures, creating quality documents, assisting operators with in-process checks, inspecting raw material, and calibration and gauging.

Congratulations Nathaniel Pierce

Congratulations to Nate Pierce CAR’s most recent graduate of the New York State Apprenticeship program.  Loyal newsletter readers know CAR has supported the NYS apprenticeship program since we opened back in 1986.  Nate began his career with CAR in June 2010.  Nate started in our CNC mills and while successful, when an opportunity opened up in our CNC lathes, Nate found his true calling.  Per the program guidelines Nate completed 8,000 hours of on the job training, took the required 16 credit hours of machining classes as well as a CPR class.  He met twice yearly with the NYS apprenticeship coordinator and worked daily with his CAR Engineering mentor, Gary VanHarken.  Nate was recognized for his achievement in our Jan. employee meeting and also received a gift from CAR- funds to purchase new tools for his toolbox.  Congratulations Nate!

 

Newly minted journeyman machinist Nate Pierce pictured with Charlie, Yvette and his manager Steve

In Memorial Arthur A. Rogers

Rest in Peace…Arthur Rogers

On January 18th, 2014 Rochester lost one of its most tenured and dedicated members of the machining community, Arthur Rogers.  While in high school Art asked to be transferred to Edison Tech so he could start his technical education.  He graduated from Edison Tech in 1938 and continued taking night classes in mechanical design, machine design, tool design, mathematics and process engineering at both University of Rochester and Rochester Institute of Technology from 1938 to 1944.  While he continued with his schooling Art also worked full time at Rochester Products starting his career running production and eventually becoming a journeyman Tool & Die maker.

A member of the greatest generation, Art fought with the U.S. Marine Corps. during World War 2.  When he got out of the service in 1949 he went to General Motors Institute and studied Mechanical Engineering.  After 2 years at Cady Tool & Die Corporation, Art founded Rogers Associates Machine Tool Corporation in 1955 where he worked tirelessly until his retirement in 1998.

Many members of the Rochester machining community got their start at Rogers Associates.  Art won several awards including Small Business Person of the Year for New York State, 1975 and Governor’s Award for Achievement in Export, 1984.  Art is also in the hall of fame at both Edison Tech and the Rochester Technology and Manufacturing Association (RTMA).

Art’s business philosophy was “To work with my Associates towards the goal of a better community, continuous development of our technical and engineering capabilities and to earn an honest profit through the free enterprise system.” 

Art also believed in community service and giving back.  During his memorial service his granddaughter, Catherine Mund, challenged everyone to either volunteer in your community or make a donation the week of April 2nd– which would have been Art’s 94th birthday.  The family of Arthur Rogers extends this challenge to everyone who has taken the time to read his tribute.

Art is survived by two CAR Engineering employees- CEO/Founder Charlie Rogers (son) and President Yvette Pagano (granddaughter).