Upon completion of active duty with the United Staes Army, my father taught me how to weld. This allowed me to obtain a position as a welder, building construction equipment. When my welding position was eliminated in May of 1982 and welding jobs were scarce, I decided to enroll at The Ohio State University. I majored in Welding Engineering to enhance the skills I learned as a production welder. In my last position prior to retiring, I was the Welding Engineer at Wabtec’s freight systems. After retiring from Wabtec in May of 2022, I started Barrett Welding Advisory Group, LLC. I began working as a consultant with clients in the United States and Canada.