Well, it's all done!

After 30 years and 2 months, my career at Ford has come to an end.  

And I am very happy.

It had it's plusses and minuses, but the timing was really good for me- with the shift to EVs.  Also, Ford cut 580 people today- most of which got forced retirement.  So I went out on my own terms.we 

For now, we will be camping a lot around Michigan, and dip our toes back into cruising.  But no work for at least a year.

I wish all of my Ford colleagues the best for the future, but I wish they handled the transition better.... 

Glad you are taking this well!  A good attitude overcomes any obstacle.  Enjoy the summer!

Congratulations!

Let the good times roll!

Congrats! It's been really interesting getting an inside view, thanks for sharing that over the years.

If your camping trips happen to take you past Michigan into areas with fewer mosquitos, make sure you stop by to say hi :)

Congrats!

Working this long at a company in this day and age is pretty impressive, too.

BoxheadTim said:

Congrats!

Working this long at a company in this day and age is pretty impressive, too.

Almost all of that has to do with some of the last employees that get a pension.  

I'm from across town, but I'll still offer you a massive congratulations!! That sounds like a career to be proud of, and hopefully you only have more fun ahead of you.

If you do any cruising on Woodward, give me a shout. Would love to buy you a celebratory beer and I'm about a mile from Woodward/696..

Keith Tanner said:

Congrats! It's been really interesting getting an inside view, thanks for sharing that over the years.

If your camping trips happen to take you past Michigan into areas with fewer mosquitos, make sure you stop by to say hi :)

Even if I don't come out that way with Willow, I certainly will be talking to you- my wife is making sure that I finish the work on my Miata- and I need to order spring/shocks and exhaust at a bare min from you guys.

But it will be some time to decompress and finish the body work before I can get to that.

...you've earned it!!!

classicJackets (FS) said:

I'm from across town, but I'll still offer you a massive congratulations!! That sounds like a career to be proud of, and hopefully you only have more fun ahead of you.

 

If you do any cruising on Woodward, give me a shout. Would love to buy you a celebratory beer and I'm about a mile from Woodward/696..

Thanks, but I can't say we will- the Dream Cruise has been an institution for a while, and we've never gone.  But if you see the gold GTV in my avatar, that's us.  And we do plan on driving it around.

Congratulations good sir!  I applaud you on your career, as well as making it out at 54 years old - because at your age and apparent energy level, it is far from all done.

And add me to the people impressed at 30 years at one company. I doubt I'll make it 5 with any one company in my career; as you pointed out, the lack of a pension is a big part of that. 

Congratulations! I hope the transition to having more of your own time at your disposal is awesome.

Congrats on your retirement! I do hope you take time to enjoy yourself!

Congratulations! I wish I could follow you out today but I've got a few working years left. :)

In reply to mtn :

the fact that my wife is retiring Tuesday will let us go out and do a lot of stuff.  Whatever that stuff ends up being.

Congratulations.  Good news for you that you got 30 years in so you get the excellent pension.  I spent 25 years in and around Ford, but because it was Agency -> Visteon -> Ford direct I get zero.  Glad you left on your own terms.  I've been hearing from others who were walked out over the last few days.  Pity Ford they've chosen a series of completely berkeleying hopeless leaders after the excellent Alan Mulally.  They are way past shedding the dead weight, and now losing some very good people.

Congratulations Alfa!  Not easy at the time, but look back and it went too fast.  I used to hate it when I see a retiree out and about and get "I don't know how I had time to go to work".  Now I get it.  I was afraid I might be bored, nope!

Enjoy the new ride.

Congratulations!  All my retired friends and family love to tell me how much they love being retired, so I get to live vicariously through them (and you if you still post here) for a few years more until it's my turn. 

Congratulations- enjoy your time off!

My father-in-law retired at age 52 as a UAW worker from General Motors.  He then got bored and worked 10 years at Builders Square until they  closed shop. 

He worked for GM's Fisher Body for 30 years and has received a GM pension for almost 34 years now that includes insurance benefits.  

Wow. Awesome! Congrats on the next step in your life. Enjoy it!

Good for you. It's always good to leave on your own terms. The pension is a big driver for sure to stay that long. 

Adrian_Thompson (Forum Supporter) said:

Congratulations.  Good news for you that you got 30 years in so you get the excellent pension.  I spent 25 years in and around Ford, but because it was Agency -> Visteon -> Ford direct I get zero.  Glad you left on your own terms.  I've been hearing from others who were walked out over the last few days.  Pity Ford they've chosen a series of completely berkeleying hopeless leaders after the excellent Alan Mulally.  They are way past shedding the dead weight, and now losing some very good people.

Over the last few days, I've found out how many friends were forced to retire- most of which were ok, some not.  But at least the one should very easily find a job in her field- super gifted engineer.  

I had to take the lump sum, and then hope that the health care benefits continue, as it sure doesn't look like the leaders have any idea how to run a company.  

Alan lit a flame under the company that I was able to ride on for many years.  But the easy vision from 5 years ago to prepare for this and next year didn't happen- and now it's an emergency.  Really sad.  And it was hard to see friends at work today who really have no idea what's going to happen in the next years- some of which are the ones they *need* to fully vest the pension.

Finishing on my terms does matter a lot.  

914Driver said:

Congratulations Alfa!  Not easy at the time, but look back and it went too fast.  I used to hate it when I see a retiree out and about and get "I don't know how I had time to go to work".  Now I get it.  I was afraid I might be bored, nope!

Enjoy the new ride.

Dan- we plan on at least a year of no plans except for big travel ones (where reservations are really needed).  After that, no idea.  It's freaking liberating to not *have* to work.

Eric

Congratulations!!

I'm at least 10 years from retiring. I won't say I'm not looking forward to it, but I'm not in a hurry either. I don't have the corporate world to deal with. That makes things a little less stressful. 

Congrats ,  now can you tell use the real reasons Ford did......

Cheers