Gary Karnes:  

My hero is my Father. He and I struggled during my teens, but I have found him to be right about most everything. In his later years and until his passing, we were the best friends. I miss him and my Mother everyday. At night, when my head hits the pillow, I say, "Mom and I love you and miss you". I have already reached the aspirations of my career - I've been retired since 1/4/04!!! It doesn't get any better!! I had worked as a Lab Tech at Formica from '68 to '71. Next employed by Kroger for 16 years as a Supervisor and Production Planner. While emploved at Kroger, I joined the Forest Park Fire Department, was promoted to Lieutenant, became an EMT, and then a Paramedic. Then I worked 20 years for Toyota at the plant in Georgetown, KY as a Supervisor, Asst. Manager in Body Weld, Manager of Body Weld, Safety Manager, and HR Manager. As Safety Manager I was responsible for plantwide Safety. During that time I introduced Behavior Based Safety and served on the Board of Directors for the Kentucy Safety and Health Network. As a Manager in HR, I was responsible for Staffing/Recruiting, Quality Circles, Suggestion System, Employee Involvement, Skilled Trades and other Plantwide efforts. During my employment at Toyota I spent about a year in Japan, traveled extinsively in the US and also traveled to England, Canada, and Belgum. At the plant, we produced the Camry, Avalon, and Sienna at a volume of 2,000 vehicles per day with a headcount of 8,000 employees. I have been married to a Greenhills gal (Jerrie Richards, Class of 1970) since September, 1976. We have three kids - two boys and a girl. They have given us seven wonderful Grandchildren who love to ride with me on the tractor and to campout with Grandpa. We also have two dogs - a Chesapeake Bay Retriver and a Saint Bernard. I spend around six to eight hours a day outside - everyday, regardless of weather. We live in the country on 30 acres, about half is forested. The rest is fields which takes me nearly two days to mow (and that's with a 72" belly mower on a Kubota). I prize th...Expand for more