Dan Martin 's father attended Ranken for the tool & die trade. He recommended Ranken to his son as a good place to learn. Dan lived in the area at the time and commuted back and forth each day. Dan is a 1970 automotive maintenance alumnus.
Dan confesses, "Ranken did everything for my career. Six weeks after graduation I was drafted into the Army for two years. Upon my discharge I was able find employment immediately at a local repair shop simply because of my Ranken diploma. After several years of working local shops, I answered an employment ad at UPS. The time period was 1978 during the Carter administrations when the economy was very bad. When I arrived at UPS to complete an application, there were 81 other applicants for two open positions. I thought there was no way I would have a chance at the job. Fortunately and primarily again because of my Ranken diploma, I was one of the two people hired. After spending three years in the shop, I was promoted into fleet management at UPS. I spent the next 24 years with UPS in various assignments. I was promoted several times over the years. Each promotion usually was accompanied by relocation. We moved from St. Louis to Orlando, Florida for four years. From there we moved to Washington, D.C., for another six and a half years. Our final move was to San Antonio, Texas, and after five and a half years in Texas I was able to retire."
"I think I matured quite a bit during my two years at Ranken. I became more confident in my skills and knowledge in the automotive field." Martin would tell students today, "You need to apply yourself to your education much more than you ever have in your life. When you are young, two years seems like such a long time and there are many distractions outside of Ranken. You need to tune out those distractions and make Ranken your number one priority. You will learn more in your short time at Ranken than at any other comparable time of your life."
Since his retirement from UPS four and a half years ago, he opened a Corvette restoration business for vintage vettes from 1953 through 1972. Dan's corvettes have been on display in the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, Ky. He receives restoration projects from people all over the world. He is active in his local Corvette club as well as several area charities. Dan also presides over and attends car shows in San Antonio as well as throughout the country. Dan can also be found at swap meets from coast to coast swapping out and selling corvette parts. He also supports Ranken through regular contributions.
"The two years that I attended Ranken have had a positive life long affect on me and my family." Dan continues to live in New Braunfels, Texas, today with his wife, Pat, of 27 years. He has two daughters and four grandchildren.
Dan will be the next Alumni Entrepreneur Workshop speaker on February 22, 2010, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Mary Ann Lee Technology Center Atrium. All alumni are welcome!
Comments