Employee Spotlight: Bobby Mitchell
As a Welder/Grinder/ Fabricator, what is a typical day like for you?
Hardwork and clean living. I come in at 6:00 am, leave at 4:30 PM. I do anything and everything having to do with a stainless-steel tank… whether it be ladders, handrail, the tank itself, installation, grinding, working on heads or layout, reading blueprints or doing math...it doesn’t matter, I do it all.
How long have you been at Gilbert Industries?
If you include my part-time, I’ve been here for over 20 years. Full-time, May 1st will be 20 years. I started working here part-time whenever I was 18, I had just graduated high school. I started out being a gopher, helping welders and grinders and do whatever they need help with. I traveled welding tanks onsite for over 10 years, and now I’ve been in the shop for 10 years.
I wouldn’t be married to my wife that I have without Gilbert Industries, I wouldn’t have the kids that I have without Gilbert Industries. If I wouldn’t have been hired, I wouldn’t have been sent to Bakersville CA, I wouldn’t have worked at Nestle, I wouldn’t have hung out at Buck Owen’s Crystal Palace. I danced with this little strawberry blonde girl then ended up exchanging numbers. I told them boys on the drive home from California to Missouri, I said, “Fellers, I’m gonna marry her. There ain’t no doubt in my mind I’m gonna marry her.” We dated for the next 9 months then I was engaged. Friday, March 31st marks 16 years of marriage.
What brought you here?
I was hanging out with my cousin John Mitchell one night, and I get this phone call and it’s Josh Gilbert. He was in Garrison visiting his in-laws and they had just started Gilbert Industries and were needing workers. He said, “You’re going to be traveling, we’ll send you all over the United States.” I called my dad and he said, “You better jump on it.” I called Josh up and I said, “Ya, I’ll take the job.” He said, “Good, go home and pack your stuff, you’re going to Milwaukee, Wisconsin with Rueben Parker.” So I did and here I am 20 years later!
What part of the job do you find most fulfilling?
Watching the tanks go down the road. Getting one completed and shipping it out, knowing that we’ve done a good job on it and it’s something to be proud of.
What is your educational and professional background before joining Gilbert Industries?
High School- hands-on and hard knocks.
What do you enjoy doing when you’re not working?
I like lifting weights, throwing heavy stuff, and petting puppies. I own Sugar Camp Farm and we raise all different breeds of dogs. I’m USDA State Licensed and AKC Certified.
What do you like most about working at Gilbert?
Being surrounded by friends and family at all times. It’s the atmosphere, it’s friendly. One of the biggest things I love about this place, if you’re out of vacation and you have a family emergency, they’ll be like, “Why are you here?”
What are you most looking forward to over the next year?
Professionally: Coming in and trying to do the best job I can do.
Personally: Growing my side business and competing more in the Scottish Highland Games as well as showing dogs.
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Check out more of our projects that Bobby has his hands on here.
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