Ross found his inspiration for manufacturing through happenstance. He learned his work ethic from his father. Ross helped his neighbor, Russell Baldwin, with odd jobs he didn’t have time for or on projects where Russell needed assistance. Russell became a shop foreman in a new plant start-up, and needed to hire multiple machinists. He asked Ross to consider joining. Ross explained that he needed to finish high school first since the plant was due to open in March, and graduation was months beyond that.
He wanted Ross so badly that he went to the high school principal and asked if they could come up with a solution. If Ross could achieve a high enough score, he could “test out of” his last couple months of school.
Ross tested out and started as an apprentice at Jarvis Clark in March of 1974. He learned and thrived in his new role to the point where he advanced quickly and even got the chance to help establish an apprenticeship program that didn’t exist and become the program’s first apprentice.
Marvin Schmidt apprenticed under Ross at McAvoy (Division of Smith International). Ross was not only a good teacher but also a wonderful mentor and role model. Because of Ross, Marv wanted to do what Ross was doing and grow and get into maintenance and sales on the CNC side. As fate would have it, he continued on as a machinist and continues to contribute in that way today, decades later.